Aster Lau'turea
...it felt odd to think that, being a half-elf who’d dealt with just enough prejudice from both sides of his race to wish he was able to just become one of the fey and be done with it.Born to Calimerys Lau'cifolia and Shion Tatari, Aster is one of many half-elves scattered across the land of Istralar. Though many human-elven couples are able to live in peaceful harmony, this was not the case with his parents. Calimerys, a druid of middling power and respect, had been tasked with bartering with the fey of the First World for magical scrolls that his homeland, the Kingdom of Galasthin, sought to obtain, when he came across Shion. She had stumbled across a fairy ring whilst gathering herbs for her witchcraft and found herself, quite suddenly, in the fantastical other plane. They were instantly attracted to one another, and shared a moment of brief passion, after which both went their separate ways with little thought to what had occurred. A year later, Aster was born and Shion tracked Calimerys down through the older elf's blood to insist that he did his part in raising his unwanted spawn. Recognising that Shion carried the last name of a witch's coven, they instead decided to let him take Calimerys's - with a slight adjustment. To prevent her own influence from being completely lost, Shion bestowed upon Aster the suffix 'turea'; in the ancient texts of the coastal philosophers, it indicated transcending consciousness. By giving it to him, she hoped he would ever be aware of his surroundings and heritage and would inherit power from both of his parents. Though the seasons he spent with Shion were educational, Aster spent the vast majority of his life within the safety of Galasthin's forests. Calimerys lived in the small town of Lleras, where Aster had the distinction of being one of very few non-elves. His childhood was not overly distressful, but it was not entirely happy, either. His druidic training proved to be an escape from reality, and he quickly rose in prominence. This was to his detriment, as the elves he had surpassed felt slighted by his younger age and differing looks. It took gaining the alliance of the area's fey - who liked him for reasons they refused to share - and seeking revenge on his tormentors for him to finally earn a small measure of respect. It was at the insistence of these fey that he eventually obtained the title of Keeper, making him one of an elite group of druids and other nature-worshippers that maintain relations with all of the faerie folk and look after the sylthfainne that function as portals between their realms. Later still, this would result in his invitation to Lyadrí An'thimael's squadron alongside Canthe Pa'lustris and Eirian Pa'lustris, and in the events that followed, would claim the position of Earth in their number as their group were Starcrowned.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Slender to the point of worry, Aster is very lightly muscled but still manages to reach a respectable height (for a half-elf, that is). The bright colours that decorate areas of his body are usually hidden by his silken robes; visually, he seems to look fairly average.
Body Features
Pale with a slight dusting of freckles, contrasting against his dark human-influenced hair. His ears are pointed, but not to the extent of a true elf's.
Facial Features
Absolutely hopeless at facial hair aside from eyebrows and eyelashes. Has a pointed chin with a narrow jaw and rounded humanlike blue eyes.
Identifying Characteristics
The traditional tattoos of a Galasthin druid curl across his shoulders, decorating him with leaves and ancient druidic writings. Around his ankles lie emerald-green markings bestowed more recently by an Avatar, and across his midsection dances a fey-wrought copy of the southern sylthfáinne.
Special abilities
As a powerful druid, Aster has the ability to draw on his chosen domains of power, to summon allies from nature (often animals or fey) to aid him in battle, and to cast a variety of devastating spells. He prefers to use spells that hinder his enemies rather than striking them down but has been known to call down lightning upon those who threaten him in the absence of other alternatives. However, his favourite way of dealing with combat is to shapeshift into animals or elementals in order to stay above or underneath the battlefield, causing havoc where none can see.
Apparel & Accessories
Generally wears warm tunics and robes suitable for Galasthin's colder climate, always in shades of brown, blue, and green. Prefers cool-toned blues and earthy greens. Rejects ostentatious garb or excessive jewellery; he doesn't like to stand out, and those things make it more difficult to stay unnoticed. The exception is a necklace that lets him blend into human and elven cultures without being noticed; even then, its silvery sheen is hidden beneath his cloak's folds at all times.
Mental characteristics
Education
Studied with the druids of Galasthin; later received unknown amounts of education with the fey and Keepers in order to follow in their footsteps.
Employment
Keeper of the southern sylthfáinne (fairy ring), ally of the Fey, and druid of Galasthin.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Became a Keeper at an extraordinarily young age despite not even being pureblood elven.
Blessed with power enough to be considered one of the Starcrowned.
Mental Trauma
Excessive bickering from the different sides of his family accompanied by oppressive and harassing behaviour from elven and human communities alike have turned Aster into a quiet and shy individual who wishes for nothing more than a relaxing environment free of any racial tension. That he spends so much time with the mischievous fey suggests this damage is not permanent.
Intellectual Characteristics
Despite his young age, Aster is fairly intelligent and wise, though his charisma is lacking. He doesn't rush into situations, instead taking the time to consider what's before him, and always seeks a solution that will harm nobody involved.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Just wants people to leave him alone, really.
Likes & Dislikes
Likes wildshaping into animals, playing small pranks on irritating elves/humans, and relaxing amongst nature. Dislikes busy cities, noisy people, and conflict in general.
Hygiene
Has been known to forget which form he's in, resulting in strange animals walking into bathrooms and causing panic. Generally maintains regular hygiene standards if within the boundaries of civilisation.
Social
Family Ties
Has a large and complicated family, and doesn't like to talk about either side.
His mother's family - the Tatari coven and his half-siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts - live far to the south of Galasthin in the borderlands of Tsukirai. When growing up, he would spend at least a month there each year. This has now significantly decreased due to his duties as a Keeper. His relations view him as an oddity, despite showing him kindness, but the coven see some strange use in him that has left him on edge around them.
His father's family in Galasthin are who he lives with, though none of them show him much affection. His half-siblings, Ionastre and Cilios, are both nearly a century older than him and maintain a distant cordial relationship with him. His father has long since abandoned the pretence of being able to treat him as a true son; they instead treat each other as master and student, which removes much of the awkwardness around their situation and allows his stepmother, Nouelia Lau'sinrys, to acknowledge his existence.
Though his extended family still exists, very few of them have ever contacted him. The most significant exception to this is Synerus Lau'teldois, one of Aster's grand-uncles and closest mentors in druidic study.
Religious Views
As with many Galasthin elves, Aster venerates the Elven Pantheon, in addition to having a heavy dose of respect for Gozreh and many other deities of nature.
Social Aptitude
Painfully shy and introverted. He tries to not let either aspect shine through and generally fails at it unless something interesting at him is at hand - whereupon he will instead be engrossed in that, forgetting his prior worries.
Wealth & Financial state
Has little material wealth on his person at any given time; prefers to live a simple near-ascetic lifestyle with his money instead going towards magical training or improvements to his local community.
Alignment
Neutral Good
Current Location
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Keeper of the Southern Sylthfainne
Year of Birth
5591 EA
35 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
Conceived in the First World between a human and elf.
Birthplace
The First World
Children
Gender
Male.
Eyes
Deep blue.
Hair
Tousled black waves.
Height
5'8
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
I love your prose and style of writing! You really managed to make him come alive. Great start for WE!