Godwyn Sylvan

Profile

Name: Godwyn Sylvan
Age: 19
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 120
Alignment: Lawful Good
Aliases: None

Backstory

What Was

The daughter of Charnese nobles, Godwyn's life was shifted from its downward spiral by a monk of Eluna, Goddess of the Silver Moon. After realizing the fate that befell victims of her nation's schemes, she ran away at age sixteen upon the announcement of a marriage proposal that would have bound her to the will of Thul for eternity and beyond. Six months of hard travel found her at the gates of Alexandria, exhausted of stamina and supplies.

Had it not been for the charity of a passing Hearthguard one night, she would have resorted to stealing before the end of the first week, no better than the robber barons she'd escaped from.

Fascinated by this act, she followed him around the city, determined to discover why he'd done it. After several hours without coming to a conclusion, she decided to ask him herself. When the conversation ended, she asked to be led to the Temple of Althea, eager to leave her past and country behind her.

What Is

Three years of training in the ways of the Great Mother saw her put the skills learned from her parents since she could walk to a nobler purpose. Once indifferent, she could no longer ignore the suffering of others. Once callous and blunt, she now sought to be subtle and kind with her words. Diplomacy above manipulation, mercy before battle. Open hands first, closed fist second, drawn sword when all else failed.

With her Trial completed and her Sentinel status confirmed, Godwyn prepares for the induction ceremony known as the Hearth's Embrace, a celebration of a new addition to Althea's family. During the celebration, an assassin tries to take her life before it even starts. Strangely enough, the attempt is made by none other than her long lost brother, once thought to be dead.

Fortunately it fails, but that isn't the point. The voice that does not belong to the young man is of her father, who informs her that there is no true escape from the Sylvani clan. Now forced to face the past she left behind, Godwyn is more determined than ever to serve Althea and sever ties with her family, once and for all.

Current Status

War Story (Completed)

"You know it isn't the Matron's way, to do battle. We only enter a combat..."

"...if there is no better alternative, I know." Godwyn sighed. "But there isn't, is there? This is coming, and someone has to be responsible for stopping it. Besides," she added with a grin, "I can put my talents to good use."

Thus Godwyn, newly-minted Sentinel of Althea, heads toward the front lines to join in the war effort. The Alexandria Irregulars split into two groups, with the Sentinel taking part in the second operation. Their mission is simple, yet gets quite complicated when the plan goes sideways. Improvisation helps to salvage it, but making things up as one goes along can only go so far.

The mission succeeds, though the ambush fails. Yet this is only the beginning, as the origin of the war golems becomes clear. What the next step will be is anyone's guess, but one this is for certain. Someone is building a mechanized army for Dran, and they must be stopped.

The Extortionist (Completed)

"Praise Althea! They'll be all right now..."

While visiting Fiore in the Temple of Angoron, Godwyn hears from Sunblade Svarshan about a group of children being harassed for gold by a creature by the name of Big-Toe. Having found something to put her oaths and faith to the test, Godwyn takes to the task wholeheartedly. A plan is formed with the intent of bringing the extortionist to justice, one way or another.

Talking with Beti, the girl who'd been stealing, they found the location of the Goblin swindler named Two-Toes at Ma Rosey's Gambling House. After negotiations nearly broke down, a harder bargain was driven, which led to a resolution. Thankfully, things did not escalate into a violent altercation, and aside from some property damage, both sides left unscathed.

Perhaps Althea was watching over them the whole time...

Godwyn brought the three children to Althea's temple to be cared for, after treating one of them for an illness. Even now, rumors circulate of new faces in the Temple of the Matron.

Murder at the Temple District (Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014)

"I can't fathom who would do such a thing, and on the sacred grounds of the Gods no less..."

A dead body is found nailed to the back wall of an alleyway, just minutes before the temples, brutally eviscerated. With no evidence as to who the culprit is besides the bloody footprints leading away from the gruesome site, Benthus calls for assistance. Godwyn stumbles onto the scene of the crime and immediately takes it upon herself to help resolve this incident, swearing an oath to Althea not to rest until justice is delivered to the guilty.

Operation: Unwavering Blade (Completed)

"Don't need Althea's blessings."

"Say that after we get out of this alive!"

A dangerous mission behind enemy lines nearly turns treacherous as Godwyn enters the very thick of the conflict between Dran and Rune. Along with a few others, she ventures toward a communication tower with the intent of taking it down. The plan quickly goes awry as the team soon finds out their arrival was anticipated, and they are met with fierce resistance at all sides; their landing area compromised, the tower itself heavily guarded, and their escape almost ending in failure.

Perhaps it was fortunate that Godwyn was not conscious to see the end of it, for by the time she awoke, the Sentinel found herself back at the Temple of Althea. Battered, bruised, but alive. The healers did their work well, and not even the faintest traces of the battle remain.. save for the ones in her mind.

It was close. Too close. She needed to train harder if she wanted to survive the next encounter...

Traits and Skills

Diplomacy (Lv. 3)

The usual definition of Diplomacy is to shift attitudes toward a favorable result for one's own self, to reach a deal that benefits one party without insulting the other. Yet Godwyn has come to learn of a different definition for the term: to resolve differences, defuse tensions, and encourage cooperation.

Thanks to further training from the Temple of Althea, Godwyn has a more optimistic mindset behind her diplomatic efforts. She now has a reasonable chance at stopping problems, disagreements, and conflicts before they occur, but still needs time to learn all the nuances. Still, it is a marked improvement.

Sense Motive (Lv. 2)

To aid in the above, Godwyn's intuition has sharpened from her interactions with others. She has begun to get a sense of what is true and what is not, a vital trait for any defender of justice. This includes getting a general sense of the mood of a room, discerning the climate of a social situation, and deciphering hidden messages in words and gestures.

Ride (Lv. 3)

One of Godwyn's few joys lie in horses. She understands these animals on a level few may reach, and learning how to ride one has been one of her biggest challenges, yet her greatest pleasures. With the aid of the Temple, she now has good command of a horse without having to worry about her armor making things awkward. With that said, she needs further improvement to fine-tune her skills.

Handle Animal (Lv. 2)

In addition to the above, Godwyn has begun her studies in how to teach a horse new things. Certain tricks and maneuvers will be available to her mount in due time, provided she puts enough time and effort into the act. She has improved in this regard, and can teach a creature for Performance, as well as for Riding.

Heal (Lv. 3)

During her training as a Sentinel, Godwyn learned how to perform First Aid, use Healer's Kits, and other methods of keeping others alive. She's improved herself in this regard, and can take on the task of more long term care, albeit with some hesitance. She's become more proficient at First Aid, however.

Perception (Lv. 3)

A Paladin of any faith must have trained senses. While hers are not the best quite yet, they have served her well in recent times, pointing out issues before they can become threats. Her senses have improved to the point where she is efficient at discerning further dangers, but they are not quite at the level they should be.

Linguistics (Lv. 1)

After witnessing a Veyshanti woman talk to an eglarin, Godwyn became fascinated with their means of communication. Her studies have borne fruit, as she now knows Auran, the language of the mighty and majestic avian race. How many more tongues she understands will only come with further study.

Perform/Sing (Lv. 1)

Godwyn has a talent for song. She hasn't truly used it in quite some time, besides to whittle away the lonely hours in the Temple. With further development of this talent, she could be capable of some great and inspiring things. For now however, it's just a hobby...

Eldanar Heritage

Born of Highborn parents, her legacy is great, though tainted. Godwyn seeks to remove this taint from herself with every action she takes, but such a task may take a lifetime. She has a natural affinity for the language of the Gods, and has a beautiful voice to match, though she hasn't sung in years...

Improved Sunder

The doctrine of Althea speaks of mercy and compassion. These two things rarely exist on the battlefield, yet Godwyn has taken them to heart in her fighting style. She seeks not to merely incapacitate an enemy, but remove entirely their means of both offense and defense. This mindset has made her more skilled in attempts to destroy weapons, shields, and armor, thus removing an enemy's means of battle.

RP Hooks

• Healing: Need some First Aid? A quick Lay On Hands? This is your girl!
• Charn: She does her best to forget all about her home. But when she realizes you're from there too, she'll lend you an ear.
• Eluna: Grateful to Moonshadow for rescuing her, she considers the clergy of the Moon Goddess as kin.
• Althea: If you need some assistance and are of the Temple of Althea, or just follow her faith, look to Godwyn for help.
• Slavers: Godwyn has taken a particular dislike for slavery. Point her at a slave ring or trafficking operation, and she will shut it down.
• Thul: Godwyn directly opposes Thul and his ilk. Point her at a place where they congregate, and she will deal with them.
• Strategy: Trained in the ways of strategy, particularly that of warfare, any sort of talk about this will interest her.
• Cooking: Lately, Godwyn has shown interest on how to make the tasty meals that the Hearthguard are skilled at. Belladona is teaching her!
• Horses: She loves them. Talk about them, and she'll enthusiastically join in. Show one to her, and she'll fawn over it.
• Unarmed Combat: She's started to learn how to fight with her body as a weapon, thanks to Moonshadow. Only time will tell if she's any good...

Allies and Rivals

• Fiore (Ally) - "Thanks for helping us out! You are proving to be a stalwart and resourceful friend. Althea keep you!"
• Moonshadow (Ally) - "Train in my armor. Well it's not going to be pleasant, but I'll do what I have to."
• Kerbasy (Ally) - "You're quite amicable for a Mourner. A curious little creature who's more nervous than a field mouse around a horse."
• Namira (Ally) - "Indomitable and frightening, yet warm and compassionate. We've both suffered, and we've both survived."
• Solace (Ally) - "Thank you for clearing that up. And I was serious... if you need anything at all, ask me."
• Benthus (Ally) - "We'll get to the bottom of this together. Gods watch over us..."
• Sophia (Ally) - "Well it's about time I had someone to converse with! We have much to discuss, Hearthguard, for I will need your wisdom..."