Kothos (prime)

Kothos Blud Brother Blud (as crafted by Stormyrain) Race Half-elf Culture Seareach Class Priest Profession Cleric Religion Order of Ivas Disposition Warm and welcoming Demeanor Charming Flaw Unaccustomed to social conventions Greatest Strength Serenity and intensity Greatest Weakness a naif to the outside world Habits flirtatious and libertine Likes rhetoric, beauty, company Dislikes ambivalence Fears losing control

Biography

Kothos Blud is a priest of Ivas who was until recently cloistered in Her Temple in Vipershroud Swamp. He is originally from Brisker's Cove in the county of Seareach. Rather than being the scion of an elf and human union, Kothos is descended from others of mixed heritage, and is unaware of the origins of his elven heritage. Not much is known of his life prior to his taking up Service in the Temple just east of Wehnimer's Landing, where he has been a fixture for nearly two decades.

Kothos is of the priest rank within his Order, and is responsible for receiving pilgrims when they arrive in the Temple, as well as training and teaching new converts. His newest disciple is Xanthium, a young dancer and performer who came under his wing in the summer of 5119. Through his close relationship with her, he was convinced to reemerge into the outer world, he has begun taking day trips to the Landing, and even further. While still feeling his way through these experiences, he has found himself more able to serve with the power he has gained, and to explore the mysteries of life with a passionate curiosity.

Appearance

You see Lord Kothos Blud the Brother.

He appears to be a Half-Elf.

He is very tall and has a broad-shouldered slender frame. He appears to be in the spring of life. He has copper-ringed seaglass green eyes and sun-bronzed, coppery skin. He has long, voluminous raven black hair cascading into a lush tumult of violet-sheened curls. He has an aquiline nose and a broad chest.

He has a copper-traced leaf green viper languidly draped across his shoulders, its eyes half-lidded.

He is wearing a carved jade medallion ringed in gold, a dark azure silk kimono patterned with silver-edged whit:e blossoms, an orbicular wispy red glaes emblem, a silver-strewn celestial blue wrap-skirt, and some burnt umber sea silk sandals laced with thin copper chain.

Associations & Beliefs

Kothos is by nature a tolerant man, and makes it his practice to have all those who sojourn to Ivas' hall welcome and fulfilled, regardless of their gender, race, social status or religious leanings. His devotion to Ivas and his disciples is unwavering, and both bring him great joy. While not as accomplished a dancer as Xanthium, he incorporates movement and form into his religious rituals, and sometimes indulges in a little playacting with the other priests and acolytes as an enticement for the shyer Temple visitors to join them in a Dance for and in Her Grace.

Besides his protege, Kothos has taken to a number of new acquaintances since his return to society, fellow Ivasian Nola, the sylvan artist and healer Alvyara, former mayor Lylia Rashere (whom he had broken cloister twice before to vote for her), 5120 mayoral candidate Faerinn Greatsinger, and has a rather enjoyable rivalry and respect for the warrior rake Lazaryth.

Biographical Excerpts

Glamour

"Glamour"

A flash of foxfire-green light flickered into existence on the other side of the stone bridge, echoed by a softer, coral-hued flush just above it, and the two motes floated across the dark water; the rose orb turned into a deep, full red, and the viridian split into two lambent glows, revealing the eyes of the priest crossing the archway. Brother Blud had come home to his swamp.

He gripped his glowbark staff, using its ruby light to navigate through the shadowed garden, avoiding Ysharra and Xanthium's newest plantings. The night always falls thick and close in the marshes, aided by the lush canopy overhead; creeping vines, boughs of flower-laden cypress and banyan. Even a short walk over familiar territory could be risky, from the spiders, the crocodiles who sometimes found their way into the courtyard- and the much worse possibility of stepping on the new favorite orchid of a certain ranger. He smiled for a moment at his internal jest, and then returned his thoughts to his primary concern, the news he had heard in the Landing just now, about the call for the younger Burdos' arrest. He nodded absently at the acolyte who greeted him at the door and his priestess, Sister Nock, asking them a few questions about their ward in the western hall of the Temple.

Kothos pushed open the yellow pine door to his quarters, glancing once at the bed, which was sadly empty. He passed it by, focusing on the only other furniture in the small room, his writing desk. There, he unpacked some of his new purchases from the recent festival in Mist Harbor, and began to write.



Master Burdos,

My name is Brother Kothos Blud, we met at your return to the Landing outside the North Gate, some weeks ago. While my Service at the Temple does not often allow me time to come see after your mission, word still reaches me and the other residents about your losses, and your ongoing strife with the Landings' authorities. 

I know that you find me and my Mistress to be misguided, and I do not much care about that, my faith is my own, and I have it in abundance. However, you were kind and compassionate to my dear Alvyara when you healed what Vlashandra had done to her, and for the sake of that act, and the care I have for her, I write this missive to you. I repeat the offer I gave you that first night, that of the hospitality of the Temple and the Vipershroud. The territory here is vast, and secretive, filled with nooks and crannies where those who have traveled here with you or to see you may be able to avoid confrontation with Marshal Thadston's forces. Regardless of your feelings on Ivas, Her halls are manned by those who are versed in tolerance. I cannot guarantee safety, of course, as we ourselves had our temple and her icon burned by the Prelate's forces four years ago. However, save for that, the swamp is generally remote and out of mind, for the most part.

Regardless of what you choose, I plan on extending this to the occupants of the tent city in Lower Dragonsclaw. My Order has a trove of experience in the care of those who suffer, and I would not see them butchered like the caravan simply for being hopeful of an end to their plight.

Yours in Service,

Brother Blud


Kothos reached a hand down to stroke Rusalka's copper-flecked head as the large snake started to unwind from about his waist, extending his leg down to the floor to let her slither off. He watched the ribbon of dark green scales pool out the door while he sealed his writing, hoping his serpent had better luck finding companionship tonight than he was likely to. Tomorrow, after Service, he would hand this off to one of the blood-stained guards who were always about forest just outside the postern gate. 

Done with his task, he wondered if he now fit the definition of "cultist" and would no longer be welcome in the Landing. No doubt there were those who already agreed, based on his faith. And now he was reaching out to one who had managed to earn the ire of nearly every power faction in the frontier town. Still...his mind returned to Alvyara's healed face, her soft features returned to as they were prior to her betrayal by the Magister. He laced his fingers together in front of his lips, and uttered a few soft prayers under his breath, which were interrupted by the hushed noise of his door opening again. A sweet smile, long pale hair, graceful curves...Kothos grinned back at his nocturnal visitor, reaching up to coil his long fingers around her hip.

Glory to Her. Ivas provides.

Meridiem

The late morning in the swamp was constricted with thick bands of fog, and the steam was already carrying the full force of the days's heat. Brother Blud ran his fingers across the surface of his glowbark runestaff until a few scarlet-hued plumes of smoke spiraled toward the sky. He was waiting for his morning Service to finish dressing, so he could walk her back to the Landing. Within his mind, the peals of Dreaven's impending offerings sounded out, and he looked forward to joining the crowd at the inn table, as well as the divertment of hunting and exploring afterward. On top of those, he had some other mysteries to pursue, as well. He was in for a lush, full day.

A flash of movement caught his eyes; the temple's door had begun to swing out into the courtyard. He grinned to himself, and stepped quickly over to the archway. He leaned against one of the stone columns, in the path of a blessedly timed beam of sunlight, and smoothed out the illuminated silk of his kimono across his chest. The pose worked, he nearly grinned again as the woman caught her breath upon seeing him. Instead, he stilled his face into a serene expression, letting the warmth of his smile grow as she approached him. Nessa had been coming to see him for a few months, now, and she still blushed rose pink in his presence. He gave her an admiring gaze as she reached out to take his extended hand and kissed her fingers before drawing her beside him on the flagstone path.

Daylight was striving to spear through the mist, and as they walked he watched the dappled sun playing across the silver and steel in her hair, showing her beauty to him in little flickers. They spoke casually during the short hike; Nessa was an acolyte in Lady Winter's temple, and missed little, so the conversation was one of her perceptions. It was gossip, but all of it born from curiosity, rather than ill will, so he enjoyed it, pulling his fingertips across her careworn, lined hands as she spoke. Upon reaching the palisades, he asked permission to give her a parting kiss, and she received it with a heated whisper about what he'd do to her upon her next visit to the swamp. Kothos allowed himself one more moment of satisfaction at her responding flush, her pale blue eyes crossing his hair, his mouth.

“And what about you, Brother?” She turned back from the postern gate long enough to catch his gaze again, halting her parting for her questions. He smiled back, careful to modulate it to simple appreciation. Surely it wasn’t too manipulative to make it seem like it was her idea to begin with. “You never ask for anything for yourself.”

“That’s not true, Nessa. In fact, I’ve been wanting to ask you for something all morning…”

A few minutes later, he turned from the gate and headed north, toward Wayside and the warmth that beckoned from the heavily-crowded common room. It was still so bizarre to him, how cold it became just a few miles away from Her Temple. He crossed his palms on his chest in a brief gesture as he walked, thanking Her for the many gifts he had received and given in turn. Nessa would carry word to Lorminstra’s disciples of the need on Mist Harbor. Kothos had many, many other pilgrims that owed him a great deal of grace and fulfillment. Loremaster Rohese would have ample stores for whatever crisis was brewing, and who knows, perhaps he could find another shade of blush on her sublime face, telling her just how he came to get it all.

Brother Blud smiled. Glory to Ivas; She provides.

Images

Brother Blud outside the Temple of Ivas by Stormyrain

Rusalka by Juspera Spintari