Fate's Minstrel
(a.k.a. Doomsinger, Brightbringer, Lady of the Flute)
I do not bring weal or woe on any. You mortals bring that on yourselves. I am merely... a messenger.In the world there are figures who are largely mysteries. Mysteries in Allegiance. Mysteries in Goals. Mysteries in Power. Mysteries in Purpose. The Green Man, Father Frost, Akahu Sunstealer, and the Celestial Dragon are a few of such Powers. Strange even to them is Fate's Minstrel. What her true name is none but the Whispering Word knows. She comes and she goes. She has no known territory, but when she appears something always happens, sometimes for good sometimes for ill. There are those who think she serves the Virtues and Vices for she is responsible for laying many curses in the old tales or saving heroes before they could be killed. Others say the Virtues and Vices call her, but she does not serve them. She, herself, has not deigned to clarify the matter. She fears no power known. Though many of them seem to fear her.
Divine Domains
I have no special Power to me that you should give me special reguard. It is simply mine to tell whether I speak of warning, doom, or hope or some of all three. It is you mortals who give that telling Power. It has always been to Mortals to determine the fate of Powers.While not strictly a divinity she is acknowledged as a Power and seems to have dominion over the fates of others for good or ill, though she, herself denies any such power. Typically, when she comes the power held by a specific Vice or Virtue is triggered (sometimes the effect is not immediate if she is giving warnings). She is considered to hold some view of the future for what she fortells always comes to pass one way or another, though it may be years before those who took her advice discover what fate they avoided.
Holidays
While she has no specific holidays and is not considered truly divine by anyone outside of the followers of All the Spirits that Be, who consider almost everything with a soul to be Divine one way or another, it is customary in some places to seek her out in times of true desperation or offer a prayer to her in such places. The Church of the Whispering Word does not approve of such prayers, and truth be told she doesn't particularly approve of such prayers and it it unclear if she hears them at any range but the physical as any mortal or common Immortal might.
It is considered poor luck to mistreat a wandering minstrel... just in case the Lady has decided to take up a disguise. (Note: this does not prevent minstrels that have become drunk and rowdy from being thrown out or pummeled. Just means most people don't start the pummeling.)
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
She is a tall woman for most of the lands formerly held by the Niktar Empire though the Northern Raldi Clans would consider her quite short. She always appears as a woman with hair the color of fresh blood and intensely green eyes. Pointed ears stick out to the side of her head, more catlike than the up swept ears the Elves have, though her features and build are otherwise quite elven.
Apparel & Accessories
She typically is found in all green wearing a hooded cloak, tunic, and loose trousers. Her boots and her belt are the only things about her clothing that is not green, being plain leather and rather roadworn with simple bronze work for buckles. She is most often seen with a pack and a bedroll atop it, both on her back as if she were in the midst of traveling somewhere. These she is occasionally seen without. The one thing she is never seen without is her flute. Fate's Flute is approximately 4 feet long with 8 holes in it for fingerings and appears to be made of a wood similar to bamboo.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Nothing is known of her history. To mortal and Immortal alike she has always been and always been the same.
Show Spoiler
Her origin goes back to before Evil entered the world in the Warp War and to the First Choice of the Angels. After they were created they were given a choice: Serve the Whispering Word or not serve him. They chose. Those that chose to not serve became diminished. This is the origin of many of the Neutral powers. The Angels that lied became the demons after the Warp War they waged in heaven that corrupted the face of the perfect creation. The Whispering Word asked for a volunteer to attempt to speak sense to Old Scratch, then called Bright Star, and his followers. The being that would become Fate's Minstrel was the first to step forward. The Second became the Trumpet Bearer the better known messenger of the Whispering Word.
She was sent to Bright Star and his followers and warned them what their path would result in. They threw her out and thus was the Warp War begun. When the War concluded and the Bright Star became Old Scratch, twisted by his own desire for a place in Heaven that was not his to claim, she asked to be sent as well. Diminished as needed, to serve as a bridge between the new creations about to be brought into being and the Whispering Word, a counter ballance to Old Scratch's influence. Her request was granted and she became as she is now.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
My reasons are my own as is my loyalty. I give it where I choose. Be wary the questions you ask.Her motivation is largely a mystery and as she seldom converses with those she interacts with beyond her immediate purpose discovering that motivation is difficult. Those who have shared her Hearth, have spoken how she seems sad. Those few who have seen her smile speak of it's power and its beauty. She seems to delight when she can save, and grieve when those she speaks to succumb to their fate. Many of those who have encountered her, or their companions, have come to conclude she desires Mortals, and even Immortals, to prosper.
Social
Contacts & Relations
She is largely solitary and has never clarified for whom she delivers her messages of weal and woe. Many presume it is for the Whispering Word himself. Others see her as a speaker for one of the other Great Powers. She has never stated her allegiance to any power, but has often stood opposed to Old Scratch and his minions.
Angels seem unruffled by her. Demons curse her name (not that it seems to affect her at all). The Sidhe avoid her, though she has come to them in the past. She is said to have visited King Manneron when the split between the Summer and Winter courts of the Sidhe occurred in the lead up to The War of Veils. King Manneron has never said what was spoken there, but has also never spoken ill of her something that cannot be said of Queen Tylia who speaks of her only in terms of betrayed trust. This has led several to conclude she is or once was Sidhe.
The Church of the Whispering Word is somewhat conflicted about her. The official stance is to leave her, as with all the neutral powers, be; however, there have been many instances of her coming to the aid of priests and the faithful, usually in the form of hospitality, so the general consensus is to treat her with courtesy where courtesy is offered, but otherwise to caution. Unlike the Green Man and some of the other Neutral Powers, she has never sought to challenge their faith (though the Green Man's motives in this are far from clear in those challenges. See his article for details.)
Those who have shared her hearth have found her a gracious hostess unless her hospitality is abused, then they most often find themselves in the middle of nowhere with very limited supplies. Though, to anyone's knowledge, she has never left anyone so far from civilization that they could not find their way to it with enough effort.
The other Powers of the world, especially the Neutral Powers such as the Green Man treat her warily. Even dragons and Sidhe treat her with extreme caution as if somewhat afraid of her though none will discuss the matter beyond saying she was "best to be left alone."
Divine Classification
Lesser Power
Children
Gender
Female
Eyes
Green
Hair
Blood red
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale cream
Height
5'6
Weight
110
There she is <3
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.