Thread:HoundTheDestroyer93/@comment-28358106-20200409032944

Here's this:

Alder of Warwick:

Alder is a member of the Grey Gardeners, a coven of witches who worship the Raven Queen, whom they name as simply The Queen, the oldest death goddess of the old pre-Maou world. As one of the more respected younger members at age 41, Alder is often sent into the world to accomplish various tasks for the Coven, ranging from simple fact finding to artifact hunting to active subterfuge against the Coven's enemies. Their foes are many, from the Order, who would see them used for the Goddess' benefit; to fanatics who worship Victivius; to the Radical Faction, to whom they lose members; and to Baphomet, who seek to take their rapidly dwindling population of children. The Gardeners themselves, while true Witches and Warlocks who practice old magic including blood magic and sacrifice, are really neutral, rather than evil. Aside from their primary goal of restoring the Queen to rightful power they prefer to keep to themselves and study their trades. They call themselves the Grey Gardeners because of the Queen's neutrality, and because she is seen as a tender and advocate of the "garden" of souls, rather than a ruler.

The Gardeners have a pact with the Raven Queen, in that in exchange for her magic and the promise of an afterlife by her side, a member of each generation of each family be sacrificed by a member of the previous generation, known as the "Passing." This leads to a highly ritualized life, as well as a deep appreciation for it. This is a very closely guarded secret, in that not even member of a family will know about the Passing until they are of age, at 13. Hence the number 13 is considered both auspicious and somber to them, and factors in to how they approach their specific philosophies. 13 is considered the year a child "dies" as a child and is "born" as an adult, and the "birthing" ritual takes place during winter solstice, at 1am: the "lost hour" of the year where the old year dies and the new one begins.

Aside from their respective practices, Coven members lead fairly ordinary lives. Alder himself is the village apothecary, and spends much of his time gathering and preparing herbs, spices and oils, distilling concoctions and making things for both his town and to sell as a living. Aside from his own research in his village, he makes soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, ointments, dyes, oils, and all manner of medicines for sale to those who can't afford magic healing.

As his magic practice goes, he is a powerful Necromancer, with a firm control over the righteous dead, who aid him as he needs. He has command over other spheres of magic, but although he is powerful, his power is partially granted by the Queen, so he can't arbitrarily do something that would be against her desires. And oftentimes, he has to do her bidding, as she bestows tasks upon him and other Coven members. Alder and the Queen have an odd, often contentious relationship, with Alder acting the part of an apprentice who wants to no longer be bossed around.

Juliesse of Warwick:

Alder's human wife, and a White Witch of some renown. A latecomer to the Coven, Juliesse was once advisor to the local Earl. The young woman had a gift for Astrology and Divination, and found her way to the Earl's court through her weather predictions. As things are wont to, she found disfavor through speaking only truth, and so left to find her fortune. The stars told her to seek a man in a patch of blue flowers, and it was there that she met a young Alder, who was gathering belladonna, and the rest is history.

Juliesse primarily uses her magic in public to aid local farming families to prepare for weather events and planting cycles. In truth, she is a researcher and information gatherer for the Coven, delving into libram and searching for their paths forward and whatever task the Queen requires. She and Alder love each other very much, but her inability to produce children has put a noticeable strain on their relationship, not the least of why because of the Coven's ritual of successorship.

Nyrwyrwyn, or Nyr:

An Imp emissary attached to Alder by certain factions of the Underworld. In order to ensure that the Raven Queen's interests don't step on the toes of the Infernal factions now sympathetic to her cause, an Imp was created and sent to the Overworld as an "advisor" to Alder. Nyrwyrwyn, or Nyr, as she is called, is little more than a sycophantic cheerleader for the Infernal planes, and attempts to steer Alder in directions that would benefit them---ostensibly by keeping him on task for whatever the Queen asks him to do. This isn't always obvious, as Nyr can be both overly helpful and brattishly petulant. It comes as no surprise that she attempts to wheedle Alder into doing things he otherwise wouldn't, and isn't above throwing a fit until she gets her way. Despite this, she is almost always quick to do his bidding, and usually with minimal complaint, as ultimately she is more or less under his control.

Ivy:

Alder's familiar. A 6-foot, blood-red and black Cimmerian fire viper, highly poisonous and remarkably intelligent. She prefers to remain on his person, wrapped around him where she can't be seen. As Alder's familiar, he can sense the world through her if he chooses, and likewise, she remains his loyal and steadfast guardian and pet. Aside from being able to spit a jet of flame, her poison is potent enough to kill a buffalo sized creature in minutes. How Alder found her remains a mystery to this day, but they are an inseparable pair. She has a strained, if cordial, relationship with Nyr.

Sir Balur:

A Death Knight who accompanies Alder on his journeys if they are far from home. An ancient knight of a long forgotten kingdom, his resting place is in the woods not far from the village. His spirit inhabits his corpse whenever Alder ritually asks for his aid, and the resurrected knight never fails to heed the call. Despite his status as an old-world undead, Alder can understand him when he speaks, though nobody else can. Though his armor is older, it is kept in reasonably decent condition, but despite this, Balur keeps his helmet on and visor down, lest anyone else discover what he truly is. In battle, Sir Balur is frightful to behold, as he does not tire and has supernatural strength. He has saved Alder on more than one occasion, and remains his boon companion.  