Full Name: Romulus (ROM-you-luss), birth name Tavio Abeita (TAY-vio ah-BAY-ta).
Titles/Nicknames: Lord Inquisitor, Herald of Andraste. Rom.
Age: 31 (9:44)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Assassin
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Grey
Height: 5'11"
Build: Muscled and toned.
Appearance: Romulus is a child of multiple backgrounds, the evidence displayed in his appearance. It's quite obvious that at least one of his parents was strongly Rivaini, and that he inherited a majority of his features from that parent, including his darker skin tone, chocolate brown hair, and fairly steely grey eyes. The markings on his face are speculated to be Rivaini as well, where such tattoos are quite common. He has had them since very early childhood, and does not know what, if anything, they mean. The Imperium's mark, however, has also been clearly made on him, in his manner of speech, devoid of any Rivaini accent, in the often ineloquent tongue of the slaves of Tevinter.
In many ways, Romulus does not look the part of a lifelong slave. He's clearly been well fed for most of his life, judging by his impressive physique and musculature. His posture is rarely tense or fearful, almost always relaxed and at ease, implying a lack of fear of his mistress. It wasn't always so, but Romulus has come to feel secure in his position. He does, however, acknowledge what that position is, and this commonly comes through. He averts his eyes often from those he speaks with. His quiet manner of movement was born long before he was trained as an assassin, as slaves are encouraged to have as little a presence as possible unless called upon. He bears his fair share of scars, the most notable of these angling diagonally down his forehead just above his brow, and another sliced down the left cheek. He bears marks upon his back as well, though not nearly so many as some less fortunate slaves.
His hair is commonly cut extremely short, though it has grown somewhat in his recent journey from Minrathous to the Frostbacks of Ferelden. His clothing can vary greatly, given his somewhat unique position among slaves. As the favored slave of a powerful magister, Romulus can and sometimes does dress himself in more well crafted garments, though he is constantly wary of not appearing subordinate to his mistress, particularly when she entertains guests. When he has the choice, he dresses plainly, in threadbare garments of dull colors. He has no desire to alienate himself from the other slaves he has come to know by presenting himself as superior. They believe this enough already. For his journey south, however, he dressed warmly, in a hooded, fur-lined cloak of a dark grey color, warm trousers and solid traveling boots, as well as bringing light leather armor and several changes of warmer clothes.
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Titles/Nicknames: Lord Inquisitor, Herald of Andraste. Rom.
Age: 31 (9:44)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Assassin
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Grey
Height: 5'11"
Build: Muscled and toned.
Appearance: Romulus is a child of multiple backgrounds, the evidence displayed in his appearance. It's quite obvious that at least one of his parents was strongly Rivaini, and that he inherited a majority of his features from that parent, including his darker skin tone, chocolate brown hair, and fairly steely grey eyes. The markings on his face are speculated to be Rivaini as well, where such tattoos are quite common. He has had them since very early childhood, and does not know what, if anything, they mean. The Imperium's mark, however, has also been clearly made on him, in his manner of speech, devoid of any Rivaini accent, in the often ineloquent tongue of the slaves of Tevinter.
In many ways, Romulus does not look the part of a lifelong slave. He's clearly been well fed for most of his life, judging by his impressive physique and musculature. His posture is rarely tense or fearful, almost always relaxed and at ease, implying a lack of fear of his mistress. It wasn't always so, but Romulus has come to feel secure in his position. He does, however, acknowledge what that position is, and this commonly comes through. He averts his eyes often from those he speaks with. His quiet manner of movement was born long before he was trained as an assassin, as slaves are encouraged to have as little a presence as possible unless called upon. He bears his fair share of scars, the most notable of these angling diagonally down his forehead just above his brow, and another sliced down the left cheek. He bears marks upon his back as well, though not nearly so many as some less fortunate slaves.
His hair is commonly cut extremely short, though it has grown somewhat in his recent journey from Minrathous to the Frostbacks of Ferelden. His clothing can vary greatly, given his somewhat unique position among slaves. As the favored slave of a powerful magister, Romulus can and sometimes does dress himself in more well crafted garments, though he is constantly wary of not appearing subordinate to his mistress, particularly when she entertains guests. When he has the choice, he dresses plainly, in threadbare garments of dull colors. He has no desire to alienate himself from the other slaves he has come to know by presenting himself as superior. They believe this enough already. For his journey south, however, he dressed warmly, in a hooded, fur-lined cloak of a dark grey color, warm trousers and solid traveling boots, as well as bringing light leather armor and several changes of warmer clothes.
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
"I never realized how much of a relief it would be,
to feel comfortable in my own skin."
to feel comfortable in my own skin."
Apparent Demeanor: Romulus likes to think he knows himself fairly well, both his strengths and his weaknesses. He is a very quiet man, even around friends, but rarely does he ever seem unfriendly. Among his superiors he is cool, collected, and diligent, doing what is asked of him when it is asked, acting without hesitation, demonstrating confidence in his movements, in his control over his own body and actions. Among friendlier company, he is perpetually relaxed, though still very quiet, preferring most often to listen rather than to speak.
His expressions of emotion are subtle, but most assuredly there. He is fond of physical contact, though he rarely initiates this himself. He smiles more with his eyes than he does with his lips. His touch is gentle and delicate when it can be, and forceful and strong when it has to be. His laughter is a rare sight, and it will typically be contained within himself, rather than allowing it to echo around the room. He has a sense of humor, but will only employ it with someone he feels is roughly an equal, and someone he has grown comfortable with. He enjoys subtly toying with others, never intending a harmful effect, but finding genuine amusement in coy deceptiveness.
Most of all, Romulus lacks any form of pride. He is aware of the potential of his skills and abilities, but believes it was entirely good fortune and the guidance of others that allowed him to obtain these. He carved a place for himself among the slaves of Chryseis Viridius, and he feels secure in it, given her favoritism shown towards him, but he is convinced that without her good will and generosity, his life would crumble into nothing, like so many of the slaves he has seen. This is the reason he does anything and everything she asks of him, without so much as a second thought for the effects it will have on his own well-being.
If there is a sin Romulus is most vulnerable to, it is complacency. He acknowledges that his existence as an assassin is a far better life than he probably should have ended up with, and is somehow certain that he lacks the wisdom, the intelligence, and the general capability to amount to anything more. And he has allowed himself to become content with this.
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Hangups/Quirks: In terms of relationships, Romulus has difficulty forming any meaningful ones. His life belonging utterly to a magister, he believes it unwise to drag anyone else into that, and risk conflicting his own interests. Apart from that, he is inexperienced in reaching out and connecting with people, used to them coming to him. Among the slaves of Minrathous he is something of an idol to some, a child born into nothing who rose to a position of comfort and relative security, and so they flock to him, eager to win his affections, as though they mean anything for them. While he is experienced in sexual acts, both with and away from Magister Chryseis, he lacks real knowledge of anything approaching true endearment, or love.
In an unusual turn for a lifelong slave, Romulus is strangely defensive of the Tevinter Imperium, or at least the potential of what it could be. This is largely the influence of Magister Chryseis, and his rapt attention to the sparse lectures she offers him. In the Magister's presence, he is quietly curious, trying to learn everything he can from someone he sees as wise and powerful.
He enjoys the sight and presence of young children, even if he might do little to interact with them. He also has a lovely, soothing singing voice, though it is rarely put to use.
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Strengths: Romulus is excellent at learning and navigating urban environments, spending the majority of his life in Minrathous, the largest city of the Tevinter Imperium. Combatively, he has excellent balance, speed, agility, and strength, all of which are put to use with a ruthless lack of hesitation. He also has solid control over his expressions, able to hide emotions well, which can be put to use in such things as lying, or in combat, hiding his movements until it is too late for the opponent.
Weaknesses: As good as he is in urban environments, he's fairly poor out of them. He can climb fairly well, but doesn't typically enjoy the outdoors or know more than the basics of survival. In combat, he has always fought alone, and never in anything resembling a battle. He's a brutally efficient killer, but has no experience taking orders on the fly, or even fighting alongside another person. The aforementioned inability to reach out to others is also a weakness, particularly outside of the Imperium, where he will be seen as a very low sort indeed, a slave and a murderer. It gives him a tendency to close off, and keep his issues to himself.
Fears: Romulus fears his chains being broken. His entire life, he has seen that among the poor, the presence of freedom does little to improve the lot of one's life. He is certain he would join their ranks, those of the weak and pitiful, the ones unable to do anything to force their lives to be better, if he was forced to live on his own, without the support of his mistress. He feels that he is adequate for the life he has been handed, and fears that he will be inadequate for anything else.
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His expressions of emotion are subtle, but most assuredly there. He is fond of physical contact, though he rarely initiates this himself. He smiles more with his eyes than he does with his lips. His touch is gentle and delicate when it can be, and forceful and strong when it has to be. His laughter is a rare sight, and it will typically be contained within himself, rather than allowing it to echo around the room. He has a sense of humor, but will only employ it with someone he feels is roughly an equal, and someone he has grown comfortable with. He enjoys subtly toying with others, never intending a harmful effect, but finding genuine amusement in coy deceptiveness.
Most of all, Romulus lacks any form of pride. He is aware of the potential of his skills and abilities, but believes it was entirely good fortune and the guidance of others that allowed him to obtain these. He carved a place for himself among the slaves of Chryseis Viridius, and he feels secure in it, given her favoritism shown towards him, but he is convinced that without her good will and generosity, his life would crumble into nothing, like so many of the slaves he has seen. This is the reason he does anything and everything she asks of him, without so much as a second thought for the effects it will have on his own well-being.
If there is a sin Romulus is most vulnerable to, it is complacency. He acknowledges that his existence as an assassin is a far better life than he probably should have ended up with, and is somehow certain that he lacks the wisdom, the intelligence, and the general capability to amount to anything more. And he has allowed himself to become content with this.
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
Hangups/Quirks: In terms of relationships, Romulus has difficulty forming any meaningful ones. His life belonging utterly to a magister, he believes it unwise to drag anyone else into that, and risk conflicting his own interests. Apart from that, he is inexperienced in reaching out and connecting with people, used to them coming to him. Among the slaves of Minrathous he is something of an idol to some, a child born into nothing who rose to a position of comfort and relative security, and so they flock to him, eager to win his affections, as though they mean anything for them. While he is experienced in sexual acts, both with and away from Magister Chryseis, he lacks real knowledge of anything approaching true endearment, or love.
In an unusual turn for a lifelong slave, Romulus is strangely defensive of the Tevinter Imperium, or at least the potential of what it could be. This is largely the influence of Magister Chryseis, and his rapt attention to the sparse lectures she offers him. In the Magister's presence, he is quietly curious, trying to learn everything he can from someone he sees as wise and powerful.
He enjoys the sight and presence of young children, even if he might do little to interact with them. He also has a lovely, soothing singing voice, though it is rarely put to use.
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
Strengths: Romulus is excellent at learning and navigating urban environments, spending the majority of his life in Minrathous, the largest city of the Tevinter Imperium. Combatively, he has excellent balance, speed, agility, and strength, all of which are put to use with a ruthless lack of hesitation. He also has solid control over his expressions, able to hide emotions well, which can be put to use in such things as lying, or in combat, hiding his movements until it is too late for the opponent.
Weaknesses: As good as he is in urban environments, he's fairly poor out of them. He can climb fairly well, but doesn't typically enjoy the outdoors or know more than the basics of survival. In combat, he has always fought alone, and never in anything resembling a battle. He's a brutally efficient killer, but has no experience taking orders on the fly, or even fighting alongside another person. The aforementioned inability to reach out to others is also a weakness, particularly outside of the Imperium, where he will be seen as a very low sort indeed, a slave and a murderer. It gives him a tendency to close off, and keep his issues to himself.
Fears: Romulus fears his chains being broken. His entire life, he has seen that among the poor, the presence of freedom does little to improve the lot of one's life. He is certain he would join their ranks, those of the weak and pitiful, the ones unable to do anything to force their lives to be better, if he was forced to live on his own, without the support of his mistress. He feels that he is adequate for the life he has been handed, and fears that he will be inadequate for anything else.
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
"I'm not concerned with looking back anymore.
All I want is around me, and ahead."
All I want is around me, and ahead."
Strength: XXXXXx⧠âââââââ â [7/10]
Dexterity:XXXXX ⧠âââââââââ â [9/10]
Intelligence: XXX⧠âââââ â [5/10]
Wisdom: XXXXXX⧠ââââ â [4/10]
Cunning: XXXXXX⧠ââââââââ â [8/10]
Magic: XXXXXXXX⧠âââ â [3/10]
Willpower: XXXX ⧠âââââââ â [7/10]
Constitution: XXX⧠ââââââ â [6/10]
Weapon of Choice: The pugio, a fairly wide thrusting dagger, is the weapon of choice for Romulus, sheathed at his right hip. In his left he commonly carries an unadorned steel targe shield, for parrying attacks and making stunning strikes if the situation calls for it. He also very commonly fights hand-to-hand in conjunction with his weaponry, and carries a smaller, handheld crossbow on his back, for when a swift ranged attack is required.
Fighting Style/Training: Romulus relies on closing to an intimate range with his enemies, through stealth if at all possible, and with pure speed and agility otherwise. His dagger is his primary offense, his primary targets being the throat, underarms, weak spots that vitals can be reached through. His targe shield is his main defense against physical weaponry, if dodging is not an option. He deflects blows aside rather than stopping them altogether, before closing in to a tighter range than his enemy is comfortable with. He is an experienced grappler, overpowering and entangling weaker opponents with his strength and flexibility.
In addition, because Romulus primarily targets mages, many of them quite powerful, he has become knowledgeable in the workings of alchemy, specifically in the creation of tonics that will vastly increase his resistances to fire, frost, lightning, and other spells. He takes these draughts before large assignments, to become heavily resistant to most common offensive spells.
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Dexterity:XXXXX ⧠âââââââââ â [9/10]
Intelligence: XXX⧠âââââ â [5/10]
Wisdom: XXXXXX⧠ââââ â [4/10]
Cunning: XXXXXX⧠ââââââââ â [8/10]
Magic: XXXXXXXX⧠âââ â [3/10]
Willpower: XXXX ⧠âââââââ â [7/10]
Constitution: XXX⧠ââââââ â [6/10]
Weapon of Choice: The pugio, a fairly wide thrusting dagger, is the weapon of choice for Romulus, sheathed at his right hip. In his left he commonly carries an unadorned steel targe shield, for parrying attacks and making stunning strikes if the situation calls for it. He also very commonly fights hand-to-hand in conjunction with his weaponry, and carries a smaller, handheld crossbow on his back, for when a swift ranged attack is required.
Fighting Style/Training: Romulus relies on closing to an intimate range with his enemies, through stealth if at all possible, and with pure speed and agility otherwise. His dagger is his primary offense, his primary targets being the throat, underarms, weak spots that vitals can be reached through. His targe shield is his main defense against physical weaponry, if dodging is not an option. He deflects blows aside rather than stopping them altogether, before closing in to a tighter range than his enemy is comfortable with. He is an experienced grappler, overpowering and entangling weaker opponents with his strength and flexibility.
In addition, because Romulus primarily targets mages, many of them quite powerful, he has become knowledgeable in the workings of alchemy, specifically in the creation of tonics that will vastly increase his resistances to fire, frost, lightning, and other spells. He takes these draughts before large assignments, to become heavily resistant to most common offensive spells.
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Spoiler: show
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Spoiler: show
"Our enemies have great power at their fingertips.
They still hide, because they know we have more."
They still hide, because they know we have more."
Place of Birth: Unknown. Probably somewhere in Rivain.
Social Status/Rank: Romulus is one of two of the Inquisition's Inquisitors, and a so-called Herald of Andraste. The validity of this title has been heavily called into question, but for the moment it still stands.
History: There is little to go on regarding the earliest history of the slave named Romulus. His Rivaini descent is clear enough, but if he belonged to anyone important in that land, they cared little for him, as no one ever came looking in the Imperium for their lost son. The tattooed boy was found, at two years old, bawling on the deck of a wrecked Rivaini trading vessel in the Ventosus Straits, apparently making the perilous voyage by sea near the isle of Seheron. The damage to the ship was not the work of a Qunari dreadnought, as such a thing would have left the wreck at the bottom of the straits. The ship looked to have been boarded, as evidenced by the bloodstains of a melee on the deck and in the hold below. No bodies were found, but the nameless boy was left behind for some reason.
Tevinter scout ships found the floating wreck, and rescued the boy before he could die of exposure. He was taken back to Minrathous with the Tevinter soldiers, and given to the Chantry as an orphan. With no means to identify him, one of the Chantry brothers named him Romulus, and it is this name he has gone by ever since. He grew up in the Chantry until the age of nine, an ill-behaved and devious child, showing little interest in service to the Chantry, or in productiveness in general. He was eventually "adopted" away from the Chantry when they desired to be rid of the nameless child, entering into the service of a powerful magical family. He had become a slave.
Cassius Viridius, a prominent member of the Magisterium, became his owner, and Romulus moved out of the Chantry and into their expansive manor on the outskirts of Minrathous. It was here that his attitude was broken and his demeanor altered forcefully into how it appears currently. His devious streak remained, but he learned to conceal it utterly, and he learned quickly who acceptable targets for such deviousness were. Slaves who stepped out of line were beaten, broken, and cast aside, and so Romulus had to adapt, or die. He managed to adapt fairly well, growing stronger from hard manual labor alongside the older slaves. Many of them were elven, and a few were even Qunari. It taught Romulus to think little of race as an evaluation of a person's worth.
When he was fourteen, Romulus proved himself to his master, through a timely intervention brought about by chance. The magister's daughter, Chryseis, who was seventeen at the time, had been targeted by a rival, a roundabout way of attacking the magister himself. The attack came during a private family dinner, an assailant appearing in the doorway behind the girl. The dinner party had been distracted by the performance of a minstrel at the time, leaving only Romulus, who had helped serve the food that night, to see the assassin approach. It was with a metal fork, snatched from the table, that he saved Chryseis, diving in front of the assassin and plunging the points of the utensil into his throat. He choked on his own blood on the floor while the magister's family watched. The minstrel, apparently in on the plan, attempted to flee. He was caught, his screaming echoing throughout the manor for the entire night.
This occasion served to help Romulus get noticed more clearly, for his strong growing body and lack of hesitation in the defence of his mistress. He was assigned to Chryseis personally, first as a bodyguard, and then later to be trained as a tool of her will. The young Altus mage was eventually given a manor of her own, closer to the heart of the city, and Romulus traveled there with her. She married in her early twenties, though her husband was killed in fighting with the Qunari a year after the wedding, and after that Chryseis remained a widow, advancing in the ranks of the Imperium's promising young mages on her own. Her politics were somewhat idealistic, envisioning a future for the Imperium with a restored focus on education, peace created with the Qunari and a willingness to rebuild diplomacy with other nations, among other things. She did a great deal to push for changes subtly, but still managed to win herself no small amount of enemies.
Credit
It was a life that Romulus grew comfortable with, for he recognized that it could have been much worse, if fortune hadn't been on his side, or if he hadn't trained himself to be the best servant he could be. Though he felt surpreme loyalty to Chryseis, he never managed to develop any kind of affection, for though she treated him with great generosity, she still owned his life, and was never willing to entertain the thought of setting him free, and expecting him to remain at her side. Truth be told, Romulus would likely have done so if she'd freed him.
In the end, he wouldn't need to make the choice, as fate would yet again see fit to set him on another course. Interested in the events of the mage-templar war to the south, Romulus was dispatched far from Minrathous for once, to travel to this Conclave that would occur near the town of Haven in Ferelden. There he was to watch and observe, hidden from all. Chryseis wished to see the peace restored, unlike many of her ilk, and determined that the presence of her agent was one way to help her understand the situation better.
She never intended for him to become as involved as he would be...
9:42:
9:43:
9:44:
Social Status/Rank: Romulus is one of two of the Inquisition's Inquisitors, and a so-called Herald of Andraste. The validity of this title has been heavily called into question, but for the moment it still stands.
History: There is little to go on regarding the earliest history of the slave named Romulus. His Rivaini descent is clear enough, but if he belonged to anyone important in that land, they cared little for him, as no one ever came looking in the Imperium for their lost son. The tattooed boy was found, at two years old, bawling on the deck of a wrecked Rivaini trading vessel in the Ventosus Straits, apparently making the perilous voyage by sea near the isle of Seheron. The damage to the ship was not the work of a Qunari dreadnought, as such a thing would have left the wreck at the bottom of the straits. The ship looked to have been boarded, as evidenced by the bloodstains of a melee on the deck and in the hold below. No bodies were found, but the nameless boy was left behind for some reason.
Tevinter scout ships found the floating wreck, and rescued the boy before he could die of exposure. He was taken back to Minrathous with the Tevinter soldiers, and given to the Chantry as an orphan. With no means to identify him, one of the Chantry brothers named him Romulus, and it is this name he has gone by ever since. He grew up in the Chantry until the age of nine, an ill-behaved and devious child, showing little interest in service to the Chantry, or in productiveness in general. He was eventually "adopted" away from the Chantry when they desired to be rid of the nameless child, entering into the service of a powerful magical family. He had become a slave.
Cassius Viridius, a prominent member of the Magisterium, became his owner, and Romulus moved out of the Chantry and into their expansive manor on the outskirts of Minrathous. It was here that his attitude was broken and his demeanor altered forcefully into how it appears currently. His devious streak remained, but he learned to conceal it utterly, and he learned quickly who acceptable targets for such deviousness were. Slaves who stepped out of line were beaten, broken, and cast aside, and so Romulus had to adapt, or die. He managed to adapt fairly well, growing stronger from hard manual labor alongside the older slaves. Many of them were elven, and a few were even Qunari. It taught Romulus to think little of race as an evaluation of a person's worth.
When he was fourteen, Romulus proved himself to his master, through a timely intervention brought about by chance. The magister's daughter, Chryseis, who was seventeen at the time, had been targeted by a rival, a roundabout way of attacking the magister himself. The attack came during a private family dinner, an assailant appearing in the doorway behind the girl. The dinner party had been distracted by the performance of a minstrel at the time, leaving only Romulus, who had helped serve the food that night, to see the assassin approach. It was with a metal fork, snatched from the table, that he saved Chryseis, diving in front of the assassin and plunging the points of the utensil into his throat. He choked on his own blood on the floor while the magister's family watched. The minstrel, apparently in on the plan, attempted to flee. He was caught, his screaming echoing throughout the manor for the entire night.
This occasion served to help Romulus get noticed more clearly, for his strong growing body and lack of hesitation in the defence of his mistress. He was assigned to Chryseis personally, first as a bodyguard, and then later to be trained as a tool of her will. The young Altus mage was eventually given a manor of her own, closer to the heart of the city, and Romulus traveled there with her. She married in her early twenties, though her husband was killed in fighting with the Qunari a year after the wedding, and after that Chryseis remained a widow, advancing in the ranks of the Imperium's promising young mages on her own. Her politics were somewhat idealistic, envisioning a future for the Imperium with a restored focus on education, peace created with the Qunari and a willingness to rebuild diplomacy with other nations, among other things. She did a great deal to push for changes subtly, but still managed to win herself no small amount of enemies.
Credit
It was a life that Romulus grew comfortable with, for he recognized that it could have been much worse, if fortune hadn't been on his side, or if he hadn't trained himself to be the best servant he could be. Though he felt surpreme loyalty to Chryseis, he never managed to develop any kind of affection, for though she treated him with great generosity, she still owned his life, and was never willing to entertain the thought of setting him free, and expecting him to remain at her side. Truth be told, Romulus would likely have done so if she'd freed him.
In the end, he wouldn't need to make the choice, as fate would yet again see fit to set him on another course. Interested in the events of the mage-templar war to the south, Romulus was dispatched far from Minrathous for once, to travel to this Conclave that would occur near the town of Haven in Ferelden. There he was to watch and observe, hidden from all. Chryseis wished to see the peace restored, unlike many of her ilk, and determined that the presence of her agent was one way to help her understand the situation better.
She never intended for him to become as involved as he would be...
9:42:
Spoiler: show
9:43:
Spoiler: show
9:44:
Spoiler: show
Spoiler: show
"There's still a lot to be done. Enemies that need killing.
That doesn't lessen the value of everything we've accomplished so far, though."
That doesn't lessen the value of everything we've accomplished so far, though."
