Lord Gwylyss Lyricara Lycoris
In 2488 DO, Gwylyss Lycoris was born to Arachnia Lycoris and Balemon Lycoris. He is Arachnia Lycoris' only son, though their relationship to gender is a little more complex than that.
Gwylyss is musically inclined and in particular, a master of the violin. They travelling entertainer first and foremost, a role they play into with great esteem and enjoyment.
His other role, and more important to Arachnia, is the collector of blackmail on Arachnia's further off allies and enemies. Gwylyss achieves this in a variety of ways, seduction, compiling local gossip, occassionally planting evidence and charming people in order to get exactly what he and the family needs.
Gwylyss is commonly considered very attractive to those he meets, their eyes are a striking purple colour and their playful attitude makes them easy to get along with for most people. Though occassionally they let their more cunning nature become more apparent when needed or when it would be entertaining for them.
His situation as a bard was not unintentional on Arachnia's part. Culturally, male drow in The Web of Time are considered homemakers and their beauty is a key part of their life and allure. Eventually, Gwylyss is expected to seduce a wealthy lover to strengthen the Lycoris family through marriage.
As such, Gwylyss has a complex relationship to gender. Amongst drow in the area, his knowledge of homesteading and adoration for love ballads and 'feminine' interests by the metrics of some cultures is the expected role of a man. But for others outside of the area he was surprised to discover he was considered quite effeminate. This suits him, however and they later came to consider themselves a little further out of gender expectations as they grew older. Especially since they eventually gathered many spells to modify their appearance and presentation as the whim takes them.
While not as poorly treated as Malice Lycoris, Gwylyss' older sisters were not particularly gentle about male drow's position within society. He has always been considered lesser and somewhat underestimated as a result.
Gwylyss' love of music originated with his eldest sister. Amelica Lycoris. At a young age she had taken up music as a hobby and had an old Violin she would eventually gift to her younger brother when he seemed intregued as to what it was. Similarly, he would later take her old hair ribbon as his own favourite hair ribbon when she abandoned the household.
Gwylyss did not know Amelica for long or very well. But the influence she left upon him is undeniable, despite his best effort to appear otherwise.
Gwylyss often attended an event known as Cult Con, an event dedicated to unity among the cults of Tempricida in an effort to create a more unified country. At this event he originally would tag along with Amelica Lycoris, his region's paladin and his sister. Then later would attend this place with Dalanthan Moless, a man from the Sleepless Forest. Within Cult Con, Gwylyss would meet his unlikely friend and possibly more, Colt Nihleran. Colt is a Cleric, which would be a highly valuable partner for Gwylyss were he not serving The Goddess Of Death. The two of them originally met due to Dalanthan and Colt entering a fight ring against one another hoping to kill one or the other. When they were stopped before the fight could end they spend the rest of the time together. Gwylyss would eventually grow fond of Colt and came to seek him out every year.
Also amongst his friends at Cult Con was Kolton, a man held in high regard by the Purveyors of Conquest who met himself and Colt under similar circumstances to how Gwylyss met Colt.
Gwylyss and Dalanthan Moless' 'friendship' was one of Gwylyss' earlier jobs for the Lycoris family. They befriended him over several meetings alongside his family to the Sleepless Forest and determined that Dalanthan's parents were both Very Wealthy and Very Absent from Dalanthan's life. They acted as a friend but slowly manipulated Dalanthan into signing most of his inheritence to Gwylyss and the Lycoris' family. While Gwylyss believed Dalanthan simply never realised he was being used, the reality is that he was simply lonely enough to accept this facade of friendship.
While Gwylyss is a known flirt and often sleeps with those who take his fancy and many of his marks, he is not particularly attached to any in particular. He seems to flit between lovers as required or as takes his fancy. Strangely, Colt Nihleran seems to possibly be an exception to this, with Gwylyss seeking him out at every Cult Con. Though naturally such a relationship would be heretical and cannot be pursued by Gwylyss.
Physical Description
Gwylyss has a thin but decently fit appearance. His training regimine and diet has been planned since he was young in order to maximise the waiflike appearance popular with young drow men in the area.
Gwylyss has Deep Purple eyes, with softer facial features. He often wears dark lipstick, exentuating his lips for when he sings.
His purple eyes are different to the rest of his family who's eyes run the gambit of red and pink.
He wears a purple hair ribbon in his hair, a memento of his absent eldest sister.
Gwylyss is a talented Musician and Performer. He is also well trained in the magic of Bards. This magic has mostly been focused into charming those around them and making small changes to their appearance, either for the sake of performance or their own physical comfort.
Gwylyss dresses in a variety of popular and often trendy clothes. He wears his hair in a low ponytail tied with Amelica's old hair ribbon, a purple silk bow.
When travelling and relaxing, he usually wears a white peasant's top.
Gwylyss' violin, a valuable gift from his mother for graduating his bardic school.
A fancy Rapier used for self defence.
Mental characteristics
Gwylyss was born to Arachnia Lycoris and Balemon Lycoris in 2488 DO, a year after their marriage.
As Arachnia's first son he was viewed as somewhat lesser than most of his sisters, with the exception of Malice.
He was interested in his eldest Sister's old violin and given it as a gift at the age of seven.
Gwylyss attended a Bardic College within the town, his schooling had a heavy focus on both music and the skills needed to maintain a noble household.
When Gwylyss became older he befriended and manipulated Dalanthan Moless, securing the Moless household and wealth for himself, and by extention, his family. As a result he became a valuable resource for the family, doing similar work alongside his more well known music career.
He met Colt Nihleran at a Cult Con one year and has sort him out since.
Following Amelica Oathbreaking, like the rest of his family, Gwylyss was more distrusted and lost much of the respect his family name once granted. However, with his charismatic nature, he was able to smooth over much of his marks issues.
Though Gwylyss Lycoris is considered typically male by his culture's standards, outside of the Web Of Time and surrounding villages, they are instead noted to be taking on a gender role more associated with young noblewomen his age.
This tension in their life has let Gwylyss do some soul searching, considering themself non-binary. This is assisted for them by the variety of spells and other methods they can use to change their presentation on a whim.
Gwylyss considers themself Pansexual and Panromantic.
Gwylyss was sent to Phunacro Navreish's Bardic School for Young Men. He excelled in most of his classes, though showed little ability in leadership and had difficulties with mathamatics.
They excelled particularly in bardic magic.
Personality Characteristics
Gwylyss Lycoris is primarily motivated by his own amusement and survival. He claims to not care much for others though many of his actions such as: taking Malice away with him, seeking Colt whenever he can, suggests otherwise.
A sense of care and justice for those who he has come to care for.
Gwylyss is often pre-occupied with a desire to make those around him have a good time.
Gwylyss is prone to manipulating others, and can often abuse their care and trust in him for his own gain.
A lack of respect for loss of life.
Social
Gwylyss is wonderful at adapting to any social circumstances he seems to find himself in.
In Noble circles he is respectful and has wonderful etiquette, using flattery to earn himself favour. While out in more casual settings they're capable of putting people at ease around them.
Where he excells most is on stage, where he captures people's attention (and coin) using his music and dance.
Gwylyss often ends his statements asking questions with a mischievious little smile and pose.
History
Gwylyss is the son of Arachnia Lycoris. Her only son in fact. Though Arachnia places little value on men, meaning at first Gwylyss was seen more superflouosly. He has, apparently, impressed her with his utility for the family's position.
Gwylyss himself claims to hold his mother in high regard, though he'll sometimes candidly mention to those he's grown close with that he hardly knows her.
Relationship Reasoning
Mother and Son. Their lack of closeness likely stems from the way Arachnia does not value men in general, and considered Gwylyss moreso something to be married away later until he grew into a more valuable asset to the Lycoris family.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
The two both value their survival and status above anything else.
History
Though Gwylyss didn't know Amelica very well, her influence on him is clearly seen. Even despite claiming hatred of her after the breaking of her Oath and abandonment of the Fate religion, Gwylyss still wears her hair ribbon in his hair.
Amelica was, in contrast to the rest of his family, particularly caring to Gwylyss. As she was older by the time of his birth, her training had become less all encompasing to her life, perhaps freeing her time to dote on her new youngest sibling. Gwylyss in turn seems to have taken her in his life as a source of comfort and admiration. She was even the source of his initial interest in music.
When Amelica abandoned the cult Gwylyss was the longest holdout in the family for it to be a misunderstanding, believing Amelica wouldn't abandon their family so callously. But eventually he was made to admit she was not going to return and meant to leave forever.
Relationship Reasoning
A pair of siblings. Amelica was particularly fond of Gwylyss as a young child, in turn he idolised her and still somewhat does.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Both Amelica and Gwylyss have a slow loss of attachment to their family and God. The two initially bonded over music, though Amelica herself had less trained skill in music, she enjoyed listening to Gwylyss play.
History
Xune Lycoris originally followed her mother's example with Gwylyss. Being Cold and sometimes harsh on Gwylyss throughout their youth.
Xune would later come to grant Gwylyss respect as his abilities and lifestyle proved useful to the family.
When Amelica Oathbroke, Xune became more desperate to keep the rest of the family closer together. As such she has become much more observant of Gwylyss' activities. A source of irritation for him.
Relationship Reasoning
Xune, like her mother, views men as lesser to her. But she has later become more clingy.
Brother
Towards Viyolia Lycoris-Arehna
History
As common in her family, and culture, Viyolia did not treat Gwylyss with much warmth or attention as a child. In fact sometimes being rather cruel to him since he was another family member she had power over.
While this has somewhat changed other time, Viyolia was further away than the rest of the family by the time Gwylyss began his work for the family. So their opinions of each other haven't changed very much.
Shared Secrets
Gwylyss was told by Viyolia about her initial crush on her eventual husband, long before the rest of the family found out.
History
While as children, it was expected Gwylyss would act similar to the rest of his family towards Malice Lycoris, possibly worse since she was the only family member 'beneath' him. But this was not the case.
Malice instead was eventually taken away from the Lycoris household by Gwylyss, him claiming to need a bodyguard.
The two now are rarely seen seporate from each other within The Web Of Time, though when they're in other territories they regularly split apart to enjoy their seporate interests.
Nicknames & Petnames
"Mally"
History
Zilvra and Amelica Lycoris have never met, it's quite possible the two never will meet due to Amelica's abandonment of the Fate cult.
Zilvra has been taught by her family to view Amelica in a negative light. Though she doesn't really understand why.
Much of Gwylyss' wealth comes from his family, though he keeps a large personal fortune as well.
Comments