Serap Ustasi
"Sat behind his desk, his thin fingers steepled before him, sits a sun elf. With his golden eyes, slender features and blond hair that seems to not dare move from it's appointed position, he exudes an implacable, unassailable neutrality. He waves a perfectly manicured hand in your direction, gesturing you towards his seat. Your eyes catch on the light, purple robes, embroidered with intricate patterns that remind you of wisps of smoke as he moves."
Overview
(Illustrious) Serap Ustasi is a skilled wizard and, as the current Guild Master of the Guild Siasium (of the Council of 10 Guilds, Barada), the highest-ranking, non-royal diplomat of the nation of Alagria. Serap is a specialist in Illusion magic, and has developed his own variations on a number of spells from this school. During the Darkest Timeline, the Thanes of Order made use of a scroll of "Serap's Selective Seeming", a 6th-level spell which allowed them to selectively drop and raise the effects of the Seeming spell. As a resident of Barada, Serap is aware of the mind flayer threat that pervades beneath Alagria. He also possesses a deep dislike of the Enchantment school of magic, and any other effects that charm or control a person's mind. In particular he has a general distrust of the fey, atlhough maintains cordial relationships with the summer court. As a result, Serap always wears two rings: a Ring of Mind Shielding, which currently holds the soul of his father; and a Ring of the Unswayed, an item of his own creation that abjures the wearer from being magically charmed or frightened.Career
Serap demonstrated a natural affinity for the arcane arts from a young age and excelled in his studies at Hw. Habn'Izm University where he studied to become an Illusionist. Surprising the university's academics, upon leaving university Serap chose to go into public service; becoming a tax officer for the Guild Dariba, where he earned his first titling "Accurate". Bowing to mounting pressure to not let his skills with magic go to waste, Serap eventually transferred to the Guild Sahar, as an Adept mage, accepting the title "Proficient". After a decade with the Guild Sahar, Serap transferred to the Guild Muhami as a litigator retaining his title. During this time, Serap was briefly suspended, pending investigation under accusations of witness tampering. However, after a thorough investigation he was exonerated in full and returned with the title "Dutiful". The experience however, would sour him towards the role and he later joined the diplomatic corps of the Guild Siasium. As a diplomat for the Guild Siasium, Serap travelled the length and breadth of Barada, becoming for many seats of power a stable face of Barada, even during periods when the Shovrnate was less stable. In particular, Serap was credited with smoothing over the disastrous foreign policy blunders of the Shovrhan Kellemetlen of the Strong Shoulders, and so when the current Shovrhan, Remenyekidoh of the Clear Skies ascended to the throne, it was by order of the Shovrhanate that he was raised to the position of Guild Master of the Guild Siasium and given the title "Illustrious". As one of the longest living residents of Alagria, Serap has served under more Shovrhans and in more Guilds than almost anyone else in the country's history. He is widely respected and holds close diplomatic ties, not only within the Council of 10 Guilds, but across Ara. He is also notable as one of the only living prime-material diplomats to have attended events at the invitation of the Summer Court. Serap's successes however have been insufficient to warm the frosty relationship between the Guild Siasium and the Qalea Militaria. He is also said to be unpopular with the Guilds Sinaea and Hifar.Family Life
The Ustasis are one of the only Sun Elf families still resident in Alagria, descending from a noble family of the Upper Kingdom of Akhret. Family history suggests that the Ustasis took up residence in Barada when an ancestor was held as a prisoner at court, following one of the many battles between the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of Akhret. Following the Cataclysm and the fall of Akhret and the rise of Alagria, rather than join the Sun Elves fleeing to Tal'Anar, the Ustasis stayed in Barada and became a dynasty of loyal servants, rising above their unpopular status as Sun Elves to become recognised as respected pillars of the community. From a young age, Serap was expected to follow in his family's example of serving Alagria. He was raised on the stories of his grandmother, (Wise) Destek Ustasi who had served as advisor to the Great Shovrhanate, and looked up to his father, (Graceful) Kilic Ustasi, a bladesinger and longest serving Elite Guard of the Shovrhanate. In the 1490's, Serap began a courtship with the human, (Refractive) Farida Fadel a Forewoman of Guild Rasian in charge of ensuring correct water supply to the Rose Gardens. The pair wed and had one child before Farida passed away from a degenerative illness. The relationship between Serap and his son Vahzi has been strained ever since and the pair rarely speak. Vahzi is in many ways the opposite of his father, and has shunned a life of public service in favour of being a "free spirit".Other notable relationships
Serap is supported in his work by three individuals: his Aarakocra secretary (Punctual) Anabia ibn-Fasil; his sand-cat Tressym familiar, Margarita; and a Killmoulis from the Feywild named Jeramyn. Serap is known to be very close with the current Shovrhan, Remenyekidoh of the Clear Skies. Serap is deeply suspicioius of the Primus Obscurus of the The Obfuscati, (Enigmatic) Zala Laghmani.Serap in the Darkest Timeline
Serap proved an essential ally to the Thanes of Order during the events of the Darkest Timeline, where he served as the Shovrhan Aismianam (Shovrhan in name only). Upon arriving at Barada, the Thanes were led to a secret study maintained by Serap, where it was explained that the the Obliviati's machincations via Barada's The Obfuscati had resulted in the Shovrhan being placed under house arrest. Providing the Thanes with support and 6 hours to carry out their mission, Serap hoped to unravel the dark designs placed upon his city, while ensuring the safety of its citizens. As a security against the Thanes hurting Barada, Serap took the Ring of Obfuscation, to be returned when the Thanes left. Unfortunately for Serap, the Ygorl, the Slaadi Lord of Entropy in the guise of Salenis Vendari murdered Serap and stole the ring, summoning an army of shadow demons that masacred the city of Barada. As his last act, Serap transferred his consciousness to his Ring of Mind Shielding, which Margarita delievered to Gamble, allowing Serap to provide posthumous support to the Thanes in their quest. As Gamble re-forged her deal with Umberlee and the Darkest Timeline was corrected, Serap's fading consciousness shared a final anecdote with Gamble about his late wife Fadel. She had enjoyed listening to elven poetry, although couldn't speak the language, and had particularly liked the sound of the word "talia". Upon discovering that it meant "thing", she had chastised Serap and declared she was "nobody's Thing". However, it stuck as a pet name, and privately he would always refer to his wife as Talia.
Alignment
Lawful
Current Location
Ethnicity
Age
342
Date of Birth
18th of Highsun
Birthplace
Children
Pronouns
He/him/his
Sex
Male
Eyes
Light gold
Hair
Blond
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale
Height
6'
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments