Ori Santoro
Maiden of the New Age
Fire Maiden Ori Santoro
The experience was a sudden one, but not one I have yet to regret. Despite the responsibilities of leading the biggest faith in all of Sichelan, I am still myself. Except for being also the mouthpiece of Fasma. There's maybe that.
Current holder of the Fire Maiden tile, Ori Santoro is known as the one that helped reclaim the Church of the Wandering Flame. Being the first Maiden blessed by Fasma in several centuries, she tries to fix the many mistakes of the faith's past.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
While age has taken its toll upon the Half-Elf, the woman still is as vigirious in her looks as during her adventuring years. Tanned skin and brown hair tied in a short bun, with amber eyes that almost give off light. A body worn by time, hardened by experience.
Like many Fire Maidens that came before her, she wears the typical white and black garments.
Special abilities
Like those that came before her, she is blessed by Fasma, providing her several divine skills. Greater divinitation and pyromancy are her most prevelant skills, but also some conjuration.
Ori is also immune to heat and cold, with her body adapting to all temperatures. This allows her to be comfortable in any amount of clothing wherever she goes.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Early Life
Ori began her life as the child of an Elven scholar and a Human shopkeeper. Born in Faramund, she was exposed to the explorer's lifestyle by the many people visiting her father's shop. Combined with the tales of her mother, it didn't take long before she became an adventurer.
Beginning in her late teenage years, she ventured across Peripatia to uncover some of its ruins. Over time Ori travelled further across the shoreline, exploring other regions as she aged. Though she never reached a popularity amongst other adventurers, staying a pretty unknown name.
What became an issue was her discoveries clashing with documents of the Wandering Flame's Church. Over the years she found contradictions in records and struggled to get them corrected. Every time she brought up a mistake, rarely did it end up fixed.
As a result, she stopped sharing her discoveries, keeping most for herself in later years.
Encountering Fasma
With her discoveries no longer going into the archives, her income also had to change. She moved away from ruin exploration and became a courier within Peripatia's borders. She helped both deliver packages and escorting people, though Ori never fully abandoned her thrill for discovery.
One uneventful night, fate led to her witnessing the impact of the Second Flame. Finding the small meteorite's crater, called by it, she grabbed the small rock. And upon that moment, came into contact with the Celestial Realm.
She encountered Fasma, who explained everything. With the Celestial abandoning the Fire Maiden at the end of the Great Sangfroid War, and needing someone to light the First Flame.
I have made many mistakes in the past, some more disastrous than others. But I can't keep burying them hoping they will be forgotten. Things need to change, and all I ask is for you to help me do so.
Ori, understanding the situation and knowing the issues with the Church first-hand, accepted the offer. With an alliance formed, Fasma gifted her blessings to the Half-Elf, making her the first proper Fire Maiden in more then five centuries.
Rekindling the First Flame
With now a new goal set, Ori began a journey straight towards Luxaltar. Her god-given power was kept a secret during the trip, to not raise awareness and be caught beforehand. But with several days and nights of travel, she arrived at last at Nexu's capital.
Heading to the First Flame's Church, entering it did not go as planned. Clergy did not believe her ties with Fasma, nor showing her blessings convinced them either. Most assumed her to be some false prophet, a con-artist mage not to be trusted. And as such, she was promptly kicked out.
Not willing to surrender, she called out the lies of the Church, gathering a crowd in the progress. But even with her tantrum on the streets, it did not stop officials from shutting her up. As quick as she arrived Ori got thrown out of the city borders, exiled from the capital.
Though her first plan failed, her words grabbed the attention of two groups: the Prometheists and the Grievers. Seeing her talking about Fasma the way she did, they wanted to hear more about it. And with some evidence to show, convinced the two to aid in infiltrating the Church.
The new plan would have the Prometheists cause a ruckus at the First Flame's Church, allowing Ori and the Grievers to enter through the catacombs. With it succeeding, it allowed her to arrive at the High Council's chamber to confront the council members by herself.
Scolded at for defiling sacred ground, she scolded back for their corruption of Fasma's words. Enraged she accused every single one of them of their crimes, upholding a lie to maintain their power. And to prove her worthiness as a Fire Maiden, she showed the Second Flame to them. In that moment, Ori allowed all to gaze at the Celestial's true nature.
As punishment, she tore all magic from them, rendering them incapable of any. Neither blessing nor curse would touch them, for they were unworthy of any divine gift.
With that done, she took it upon herself to rekindle the First Flame. As the fire was lit, a new age would begin for both the Church of the Wandering Flame and all of Sichelan.
Reforming the Church
Once established as the new Fire Maiden amongst the Church, she began a major reforming of the structure. A several year-long plan went into action, enforcing a new policy of recordkeeping.
To begin, a new High Council of the First Flame got assigned, picked from the most trustworthy members of the faith. Down the line most Flamebearers were to be judged by the council, with either removal of their position or to be given new orders.
What followed was a continent-wide call for aid to help correct the records with their own sources. From adventurers to local scholars, trying to mend wounds made in the past. Ori herself even made direct visits to other regions, hoping to fix the damaged image of the faith. But for as many the Half-Elf was able to make agreements with, others she could not get through.
Over the course of two decades, Ori was able to redeem large parts of the faith. But even with her role as leader, she deems there to be still a lot of things to resolve before she can retire.
Personality Characteristics
Likes & Dislikes
Likes
- Discussion about history
- Exploring new locations
- Peasant food
Dislikes
- Willful ignorance
- Exploiting her generosity
- Repeating herself
Virtues & Personality perks
With several years of adventuring under her belt, Ori is a seasoned explorer. Understanding the needs and demands of travellers, she knows the dangers that might await people. Hence her skills as a strong team leader and tactical approach towards situations.
She is also an iron-willed individual, having a long history with being hard to pursuade if she sets her mind to something. Which can be both a blessing and a curse depending on how you see it.
Vices & Personality flaws
Despite her leadership skills, Ori has a tendency to forget the limitations of those around her. Overestimating people's qualities, leading to assigning inexperienced people to important tasks. Hence why she relies on advisors to help pick candidates.
In a similar manner, her god-given powers can make her a little reckless at times. Still with a bit of an adventurous side, she lends herself to forgetting she is still vulnerable to some extent.
Which is where, again, her advisors remind her.
Social
Speech
Consider my generosity a gift. Don't think of abusing it.
Ori tries to be formal and clear with her speech, speaking in a typical manner any major religious figure would speak. Yet most describe her to have a calm and comforting tone to her words.
When she gets more acquainted with someone, Ori can sound a lot looser in tone. Speaking with less worry about how she sounds, able to act like a old friend complete with small jokes.
Against those she has issues with, her tone drops to a more serious one, if not a blunt one. She is willing to scold others for their actions, and does not hold back with her usage of words.
Relationships
History
Axilya gave birth to Ori as a child of hers and Galen Santoro born in Faramund. Raising her in the sea port, she taught Ori about her Elven heritage, beginning a fascination with the subject matter from a young age.
By the time Ori was 17, she travelled across the shoreline to other cities. Thanks to research notes of her mother's years exploring, Ori was able to begin her own journey. In the meantime, both kept in touch through letters sent by Ori back home.
Once Ori became chosen by Fasma to be the new Fire Maiden, Axilya was first in disbelief but eventually accepted her daughter's role. After rekindling the First Flame, the two would keep further in touch through letters once more.
After Ori's father passed away, she took time to comfort her, spending a few weeks in Faramund with her mother. As a departing gift, she provided some funding to help keep her father's store afloat as Axilya took over.
Oracle of Fasma
She sounds like an awesome lady! I wouldn't want to get in her way!