Lunaria Isatis Annua

Lunaria Isatis Isatis Annua (a.k.a. Luna)

Few understand how their actions impact the world, and fewer still are able to recognise the damage left by their past selves. As a samsaran, a reincarnating being created directly by the Twins, Lunaria is one of this small number. Though many of her kin lead peaceful lives and aim to find harmony, Lunaria was born with the knowledge that her previous life had committed too many atrocities to count - that she'd stained countless souls with the taint of undeath, and that she'd condemned many to death before their time. This, she could not stand for.
Whilst the concept was challenging to understand as a child, the guidance provided to her by her adoptive druidic father allowed her to realise what her goal must be. She would travel the world and repair the imbalance left behind by Isatis, learning more of the druidic arts and tapping into the ancient ley line connections beneath the world's surface as she went. But such a lofty goal would not be easy to accomplish, and so after her own studies were somewhat complete, she sought out a way to explore - and eventually, her travels led her to the Loaded Deck as a mercenary group.
Standing at 6'8 with blue skin covered in ornate tattoos, Lunaria Isatis Annua is one of the more imposing members of the Four of Hearts at a glance. Her pupil-less white eyes are unnerving to some, particularly those who think she suffers blindness as a result. She is always amused by these assumptions. Whilst Luna may seem quiet and stern at first, only a fool would assume that's all there is to her. Though never overly loud about it, Luna is quite mischievous and enjoys teasing those she's on good terms with. In her current group, this usually manifests through her constant teasing of   Praise be to The Emperor!
(Profile picture by @Kahbuki on Twitter, check them out!)" href="/w/eulea-overlord59/a/afthisdryn-sefris-syvwlchmaere-article">Sef. She's also a very independent person, and has been known to wander off to tend to her plants, meditate, play games with Meteor, or to simply explore. Trying to force her to obey an order she considers idiotic is an exercise in futility.
Luna's travels with the Loaded Deck have already come to some sort of fruition. Through contact with immortals - and with Mephistopheles himself - she has learnt fragments of who she once was. And as demigods and powerful divine entities interfere with their missions, she can't help but be a little excited to walk Fate's path and see where their journey will lead. Not that she'd show it openly, of course.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

Intricate tattoos in shades of blue, silver and white wind their way across Lunaria's body - this is obviously most visible on her face, but they do extend across her arms and back. As she grows stronger, she continues to add onto them. In addition to the swirls and plantlike shapes, the names of her family - all in Samsaran - are written into the tattoos on her arms, well-disguised so that most wouldn't even recognise the words there. The name of her previous life, Isatis, is also currently tattooed across her heart, disguised with a lunaria annua flower.
She doesn't generally talk about what they mean to her or why she has them, though she also doesn't actively hide them - they're important, but their importance has little relevance to anyone else.
Marring her facial tattoos are a few long, thin scars - caused by Meteor's parent, a roc Luna befriended many years past. They are her deepest and most visible scars, and she is proud to have them - they represent the beginning of the trust developed between Samsaran and roc. Of course, she has other scars from time in the woods and fights lost, but none are as visible as those on her face.

Luna's Current Tattoos

• Swirls and plant imagery across her body to indicate her affinity with ley lines.
• The names of her adoptive family, stylised in Samsaran, on each of her arms - her mother and sister on her right, and her father and brother on her left. These are worked into the floral motif so that an outside observer may not notice.
• The name 'Isatis' over her heart, upon the petals of a lunaria annua flower. A reminder of who she once was, and who she now is.
• A decorative swirl of air - in a paler colour - on her sternum, marking her time on the Plane of Air.
• An artistic rendition of a roc's talon clutching a feather on her upper right thigh, to honour Meteor's companionship.
• A playing card with a single heart on it on her left hip for the Loaded Deck and her membership in it.
• Bitemarks on her left wrist, beneath a pair of vampire fangs, for their group's victory over Dracula.
• A stylistic representation of the knife she'd obtained on her right forearm, with half of the blade reflecting purple light, for their initial encounters with the Flipside in the Tesmeri Protectorate.
• [TBC]

Apparel & Accessories

Usually wears a long white cloak (on which the symbol for 'balance' is woven) over her fang necklace, leather armour, and elegant tunic. A flower crown crafted from dried flowers and vines always sits on her head, keeping her hair in place.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Childhood

She'd appeared, this time, in midwinter - in a blizzard, no less, atop an icy and unforgiving mountain. A team of hunters had been trying to herd the last of their animals back to safety as the harsh winds and icy snow swirled around them when one had caught a glimpse of something... strange in one of the bushes. He'd checked to find the sleeping samsaran girl, dressed in nothing but the snow-covered leaves. As an elven druid, he knew immediately what he had found, and brought her home to his wife. She would become their first child, and they named her Ilynia, derived from the Elven word for 'pale blue'. It would be a few years later, after she'd begun to relearn speech and could think for herself, that she would rename herself according to what best fit her. After that, her former name became more of a nickname for them to use.
As the years passed, she aged. Far slower than a human, but still quicker than an elf, she found herself lonely in her classes as those she'd played with blossomed into adults and had their own children. Though she saw them only rarely, the dwarves living nearby grew more like her, and she tried to befriend those she spoke with. The few elves in her village - two of which were her parents, and one of whom was her younger brother - knew her pain, and tried to alleviate the silences when they could. But mostly, Lunaria kept her own company, finding entertainment in exploring closer areas of wilderness and in taming various mountain creatures. It was a rather peaceful childhood, even with her younger brother interfering every now and then.
One memory does still stand out to her - once, her father had returned from a long journey down the mountain with a stranger. Another samsaran, a foreigner, who had sat with her and talked to her at length about the oddities of their lives. The old man had never given her his name, but he hadn't needed to. She'd felt an odd sense of peace when their talking finally reached an end, though most of her questions had gone unanswered.
The other samsaran had given her an opportunity to understand what her dreams liked to show her. Flashes of her past lives, often bringing whispers of past wisdom or twinges of emotions she'd once felt. It was hard to learn anything from them, but as she aged, Lunaria began to put together the pieces. Her previous self had been known as 'Isatis' - though whether that was a first name, a last name, or simply a nickname, Luna had no way of knowing - and had been some sort of cleric. Isatis had cared not for harmony or for the balance of nature. In fact, some of the fragmented memories seemed to indicate that Isatis had been intent on going against nature. Lunaria decided, before she'd even reached maturity, that the 'harmony' her samsaran guide had spoken to her about would have to wait. She would first ensure that balance was kept - that her soul was no longer tainted by the actions of her previous self, and that the world was no longer thrown off-kilter by her actions. Over time, this mission grew, blossoming into a desire to restore the balance of nature that technology and greed had seemingly shattered - but that was much later, in her adulthood.
When she wasn't wandering off, Luna aided her adoptive mother - a skilled herbalist and apothecary - with simple potions and herbs. She picked up the talent almost naturally, and soon enough, her father was teaching her the beginnings of druidic magic. Though it felt oddly different to her, she showed a surprising knack for the magics. That she'd already been playing with animals and spent most of her time outside helped, and her studies would form a constant part of her life even as she reached maturity.

Adulthood

Sixty years of age was considered adulthood for a samsaran, identical to the ageing process of the half-outsider races. Upon her 60th birthday, her family threw her a small party and bestowed upon her a small necklace made from the fang of a great beast they'd found whilst fetching herbs for their mother. She wears the necklace still, underneath her travelling clothes. It was not until the sun began disappearing over the horizon that she would receive her greatest gift, however.
Taking her outside into the forest, her father performed with her the Druidic Rites that would allow her to finally learn Druidic. From there, her life seemed to speed up. She travelled through the Tesmeri Protectorate to learn from other druids, listening quietly to explanations of their role in Tesmeri society as members of the Order of Origin, and studying the many rules and customs of both their land and druidic magic.
It was around seven years into these studies that she learnt of a sect of druids that functioned a little differently. Rather than focusing on nature through animals and forests, they looked beneath - at the ley lines that flowed through the world, and the nodes of magic that lent the planet its power. Her father knew from her expression that she was already determined to walk this new path, and he bid her farewell as she took a step into the unknown.
Forming a connection with ley magic was not a task easily done. Whilst more powerful mages might be able to sense the raw connections with ease, those who wished to be in constant connection with the world's pathways needed to perform a series of rituals to establish that link. The sect, informally referred to as the Leywardens, would help her with the first step upon this mission. Over the course of a month, Lunaria performed a lengthy ritual to feel the pulse of natural magic - receiving her iconic full-body tattoos in the process.
She'd taken a short break to visit her home afterwards. Her mother had been horrified at the tattoos, but her siblings - one of whom she barely knew - found them amazingly cool. It was on this visit that she formed a lasting bond with the rocs of her home after rescuing their nest from a group of violent hunters. Years later, her aid would be rewarded with one of the hatchlings she'd saved - and she'd raise him to be her loyal animal companion, bound through druidic magic. Amused at the pun, she named him Meteor.
With a young roc at her side, Luna then began to travel of her own volition, finally taking steps outside of the Protectorate via ship. The state of the world bothered her greatly. The domes all people were forced to live in were more obvious from the skies, and whilst she'd never felt restricted as a child, they now felt oppressive and wrong. Perhaps that was simply a side-effect of her ties to the world's magic, or perhaps it was her own free-spirited nature. Whatever it was, it led her to meet a djinni couple who'd found her tattoos and philosophies terribly interesting. Through them, she was taken on a trip to the Plane of Air.
She and Meteor found plenty of entertainment in soaring through the open skies with the aid of the Plane's denizens, but the true value of this trip lay in the knowledge she'd gained. In some of the few libraries that would grant her access, she found information about the world from an extraplanar perspective. Information that she could potentially use to learn more about how to fix their planet. And in that unlikely place, upon another plane, she found a mentor.
Kalani was his name, and he was a sylph druid also visiting from the Material Plane. The same tattoos that twisted their way across Lunaria also marked him, and the two began talking. He tutored her in the ways of natural magic, eventually aiding her through the next ritual. She lost much of the touch she'd had with living creatures - no longer able to find her way smoothly through forests, either - but gained so much more. Spirits, outsiders, undead, fey and other strange creatures she knew little of wouldn’t be able to hide from her, as each’s presence stood out against the pulses of nature's magic, and she knew that with practice, she'd be able to tap into the world's power for her own uses.
Eventually, it was time that she return to the Material Plane. The same djinni couple helped her return home, and empowered by what she'd learnt, she decided to seek out a mercenary company. It would be a good way to practice and hone her skills, she'd thought.
She did not expect things to go as they did.

Gender Identity

Female, this time.

Sexuality

Hasn't really considered it - if she finds her soulmate, she'll be happy. Until then, she's content as she is.

Education

Whilst her past lives have given her glimpses of random knowledge, the majority of her learning has been as herself. As a child, she attended a village school for the basics, and then received tutoring on more specific matters (such as herbalism and medicine) from her mother. When she began showing magical talent, her father began to guide her along the path of druidry, introducing her to the secrets beholden only to druids, and showing her the extent of their relationship with the natural world.
Her adulthood then led her to receive tutoring both in the Tesmeri Protectorate from fellow druids, and mildly so in the Plane of Air thanks to her newfound djinni friends.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Probably lots of things in past lives.

Failures & Embarrassments

Isatis caused much damage to the world, though Luna hasn't figured out how yet. This is her most memorable failure, and she will repair the damage.

Mental Trauma

Horrifying nightmares about your past lives are fairly scarring. Actually, just having lived for so long - even without distinct memories of it all - is not easy to deal with.

Intellectual Characteristics

Wise beyond her years, and reasonably intelligent to match. Likes to experiment instead of overthinking things.

Morality & Philosophy

The universe must stay in permanent balance, as must one's own soul. Without balance, the threads of reality will begin to unravel, causing upsets across the planes. Already, the effect of this is demonstrated on Eulea, as technology's destruction worsens the natural state of their world and reduces beings to hiding away in 'safe' areas.
If one's soul loses balance, it's a threat to their very being. Excessive darkness or light will destroy in entirety; no person should reject the darkness in their souls, nor should they disrupt the light. Practicing necromantic arts, too, disrupts one's being and threatens the destruction or corruption of their soul - this is partially why Lunaria is so passionate about repairing the damage dealt by Isatis.

Taboos

Unlike many, death doesn't worry her in the slightest. She accepts that untimely deaths happen – the world's balance accounts for them elsewhere – and her own death would simply result in reincarnation. She does, however, hold some amount of concern for her adoptive family, as she doesn't want them to die and would actively prevent danger to them if it came to it – for they have done the same for her. For this reason, threats against her family are absolutely taboo for her and will generally result in the person making the threat being eaten by a satisfied Meteor.
What does scare her, though, is the prospect of being trapped. Soul bindings, slavery, imprisonment – these things are terrifying. Magic that affects her soul is so very wrong that she both despises and fears it: if her soul is bound, she wouldn't be able to reincarnate, she'd be locked away forever, unable to continue her work. The fact that these magics exist cause her to be quite wary of powerful mages.

Personality Characteristics

Likes & Dislikes

Unsurprisingly, Lunaria’s list of likes is fairly simple. Fresh fruits and vegetables, clean water, small treats and folk music all star on her list of likes, alongside her love for birds and for flight. She loves both snow and storms, but respects their strength. She can often be found simply lying down at night and watching the stars go by. She also very much enjoys meditation and storytelling, though keeps her tales close to herself. In times of stress, she finds peace in surrounding herself with nature, looking up at the sky and whispering stories to herself until the more painful feelings have left.
In turn, she dislikes much. Most obviously, she dislikes and distrusts the excessive use of technology. Machinery is new and disruptive to the world, and she often expresses this opinion - sometimes letting her opinion stop her from even using machines unless out of necessity. Any who actively and maliciously harm animals, particularly birds, fall onto this list, as do those who behave seemingly without cause. She also holds no small amount of dislike towards those who discriminate against her for any purpose.

Social

Contacts & Relations

She has been part of the Tesmeri Protectorate's Order of Origin since her adoption, and has never had issue with this.
She is currently a member of the Two of Hearts mercenary group, a part of the Loaded Deck. Her party members are Sefris, Faraahi, Siegfried, Logan, and a dwarf - she has many complicated feelings towards each of them.

Feelings on the Party

Sefris is well-reasoned and clearly sane, and she enjoys talking with him, but his worship of a heretical 'deity' has always stopped her short. The height difference also makes their friendship challenging, as the gnome only comes up to her bottom. She tends to tease him as she would her younger brother, often letting him believe she thinks he's a child, and engages the paladin in religious debate mainly to watch the reaction. She hopes that he will one day see the truth of his 'god', but knows she cannot force that realisation.
Faraahi is strange and excitable, and seems very immature at times. Luna actually does believe Aahi is more childlike (unlike her opinion of Sef), especially if Aahi is talking about her latest attempts to seduce Collie, but enjoys conversing with her nonetheless. She regards her roommate as a friend, if an unusual one, and tends to be slightly less snarky towards her.
Siegfried is an enigma. The pale man's obsession with knowledge, experimentation and alchemy goes far past the line of her comfort, and she silently worries that he'll go too far and become corrupted by what he learns - particularly as his bloodline seems polluted with undeath. Still, she has no issue with him for the most part and finds his quieter nature a refreshing break from certain other members of their group.
Logan is annoying and overexcitable, and a heretic to boot. Whilst his inputs can occasionally be valuable, his lack of forethought and tendency to behave even less appropriately than Faraahi irritate her. The combination of this nature and his outright heresy lead her to believe that he may have already begun pushing the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, endangering his soul - but there is little she can do, as she knows suggestions will be ignored.
The dwarf is largely irrelevant to her. He has done naught but cause trouble and irritate her, and as he tends to refer to her by nicknames, has not earnt enough effort for her to use his actual name. Racism is not something Lunaria approves of; not in this life or any other that she is aware of.
Collier is amusing. She finds his exasperation with their group to be hilarious, and whilst not openly trying to frustrate him most of the time, does join in when she finds an appropriate moment. She hopes that after Faraahi grows up a little more, the two can become a pair - Aahi seems particularly interested in Collie, after all.

Family Ties

She was adopted by an elven family as a child, and has come to be seen as their trueborn child despite not using their last name.
Eirlys, her mother, works with herbs and potions – a true apothecary in her own right – and runs a small pharmacy in their village, assisted by her husband and the local witch. She's free-spirited and loving, but knows when to be strict.
Istuinir, her father, is one of her village's few druids. In addition to taking her in and providing her much-needed guidance, he taught her all he knew and shielded her from those scared of what she was. She respects him immensely.
Erynion, her brother, was born when she was 16. He's still growing, but has always sworn that he's going to become stronger than Luna - something she's always been very amused by - which has led to many impromptu spars between them. Much to the annoyance of their parents. He generally goes by Eryn.
Syalia, her sister, is the baby of the family, born when Luna was 59 and on the cusp of becoming an adult. She's always been fascinated by bright colours and has already shown the makings of a great artist; their parents just wish she'd not practice art on the walls.

Religious Views

As a citizen of the Tesmeri Protectorate, Lunaria is devoutly faithful to the true gods and believes that the living gods are false gods - those who worship them, or who worship none, are heretics. Unlike her land's rulers, however, she doesn't see the point in executing the heretics. She would rather see them guided to understanding, as the damage done to them through worship of heretical entities could then be repaired.
Her primary deities are the Twins - Ymius and Ilius, representations of Creation and Destruction. She maintains an indomitable trust in the fates and cycles they represent, and often spends time meditating on the possibilities that could come ahead (and how she, and her kin, fit into their plans). In addition, she places a large amount of faith in the demigoddess Eris - as a representative of nature and peace, Luna regards her well and often prays to her for guidance when lost or in need of aid with animals.

Hobbies & Pets

Technically, Luna has a pet - Meteor, her pet roc. However, both she and Meteor would vehemently deny that he is a pet. He is a gloriously free animal companion, who she loves and trusts above any other being.

Current Location

Oshen (pronounced 'ocean')

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Year of Birth

7450 MW 95 Years old

Birthplace

A village connected to Atrugate (and thus overall connected to the megacity of Lanbu) in the Tesmeri Protectorate.

Current Residence

Dealer's Run

Gender

Female

Eyes

Pure white, with no visible pupils.

Hair

Long, dark blue hair swept back, with plaits arranged to keep it out of her face and a flower band threaded through.

Height

6'8 (203.2cm)

Weight

185lbs

Known Languages

Common, Samsaran, Elven, Auran, Draconic, Sylvan, Druidic.