C

Species: human, with faint traces of elven
Gender: male
Age: 24; appears maybe twelve
DOB:
Birthplace: Nis Graal, Seronin, ETHAEA
Occupation: mage librarian
Languages: Galactic Standard, Common, Elvish, Entish, Goblish, and all Planar languages; also possesses a potent language spell he prefers not to use

Personality
Cael is quiet, even shy, more at home in dusty libraries than at parties and in crowds. Though he sometimes finds it hard to speak up, when he does speak his words are eloquent and carefully-chosen. He has a patience that can outlast anyone, and is gentle and polite to all living creatures from all reams and of all species. He is very respectful of others and their opinions and hates impassioned arguments, though if pushed into one he can hold his own. His voice is quiet but can command the attention of a whole room, traveling much further than would be expected for its volume.

Cael is known to show loyalty and good counsel to his few close friends, all of whom are similarly quiet, reserved, or gentle as he is. He dislikes people who are loud or cruel. He tolerates no racism or cruelty in his presence. Cael always tries to offer aid to others and asks for nothing in return, to the point where he will not ask for help even when he needs it. This leads to him bottling up a certain degree of anguish and frustration.

Cael is not very affectionate, often feeling uncomfortable with human contact given his size and apparent age, which he feels is a deformity. He is extremely uncomfortable with having others help or assist him in any way.  He has a surprisingly low self-image, but keeps it to himself, though the people who know him best notice his discomfort.  Every year or two all the emotions he keeps bottled up inside him -- the anguish, the frustration, the low confidence -- make themselves heard and he has a day or two when he cannot seem to stop crying.

The only time Cael gets angry is about week or two before his breakdown day(s). He becomes greatly irritated about even the most inconsequential things and will snap at people. When angry, he's downright ferocious, willing to use any insult, even ones that can really hurt. He's never physically violent towards others, but his verbal abusiveness can be hard to tolerate. Afterwards, he always apologizes, but he's lost one or two good friends through the years who weren't wise enough to avoid him during this period.

When it comes to his magical talents, Cael is very humble. He is highly intelligent and a gifted mage despite his allergy, but he never tries to show off or brag. He doesn't like being praised, either. As a leader, Cael understands the need to be firm and resolute and can demonstrate a remarkable intractability when required, putting his foot down for what is right. He will also dispense justice and sentences, though it is not a task he enjoys.

Physical Characteristics
Height: 5' 0"
Weight/Build: slim, childlike
Hair: long light blue, always held in a golden hair artifact which leaves two strands to frame his face; he sometimes lets his bangs grow out and sometimes cuts them, disliking the height of his forehead
Eyes: forest green
Skin: pale and a touch pinkish
Face: oval, smooth and unlined as a child's
Attire: robes in white and green, or shades of blue; always carries a magestaff which denotes his rank
Other: ears have a very slight taper, part of his elven heritage

Collective History: the Thirteenth Mage
 

Individual History
Cael is the youngest son of the famous Renaeth family, renowned for their sorcery. Cael was trained in the arts of magic from an early age and displayed incredible talent and potential. He was also diagnosed with an allergy to magic, growing sick every time he practiced it. He was forced to keep his practical lessons to a minimum, but Cael loved magic and threw his entire being into learning it and would accept no other path in life, even if using magic made him ill and left him susceptible to all manner of childhood ailments.

When he was twelve Cael participated in the annual mage tournament of the Thirteen Mages Council, the ruling body of Serinon, besting Duke Cordin of Travennia and winning a seat on the council. His father Yirn and sister Lyla were already members.

Duke Cordin was furious at being replaced by a twelve-year-old and vowed to reclaim his seat through any means possible. While the Duke plotted, Cael rose in the ranks of the Council in the annual tournaments until he became the Protector of the Realm, and leader of the council, at age fifteen. He was fair and wise, possessing the gift of Sight and the skill to call upon all of the elements and planes, even if he could not exercise that power very often due to his allergy.

The one thing which Cael could not foresee was the annual mage tournament, since the concordance of magical forces in the arena made it impossible. Duke Cordin showed up at the tournament and challenged Cael for his seat. Since he was the only person to challenge Cael that year, he was guaranteed the battle and under council law Cael could not refuse.

Unbeknownst to all, Duke Cordin made a deal with a demon and obtained a powerful dark curse. Such spells were outlawed by the council and even if he won the battle, Cordin would have been barred from membership in the Council, but his motive was revenge, not power.

Cordin was no match for Cael, of course, but Cael was reluctant to make a large scene and embarrass the duke or cast extremely powerful spells which he would only pay for later due to her allergy. Cordin made it difficult for Cael, refusing to withdraw despite clearly losing, insisting on continuing the match. Finally, Cordin cast the dark curse. Cael realized immediately the nature of the magic and banished Cordin from the arena to an outer realm, the punishment for the crime of casting dark magic, but the damage was done. The curse was permanent and because Cael was allergic to magic, the presence of the curse made Cael sick.

Due to the forbidden nature of dark magics, not enough was known to undo Cordin's spell. The other mages of the Council did as much as they could to try and counteract the curse, but the curse's power increased with each day, making Cael sicker and sicker, and every magical attempt to remove it only worsened Cael's condition. Hundreds of adventurers and mages across the realm tried to find a cure for Cael's curse or his allergic reaction but to no avail. Cael grew weaker and weaker until the annual mage tournament came around. Cael's friend and fellow councilmember Jerdiv challenged Cael's seat, beat the other challengers, and was intending to surrender without battle to allow Cael to remain Protector but Cael forfeited the match. He knew he was nearing death's door and would not last to the next tournament. It was his wish that Jerdiv become Protector of the Realm and continue to lead the council in a fair and balanced manner.

Post-Extraction
Cael then retreated to his family's ancestral winter home in Thurnista with only his familiar and a handful of trusted servants. He refused all visitors except close family. It was his wish to die there peacefully until the Fleet intervened. Since he had already ended all his obligations and had nothing to lose, he went with the Fleet's emissary. It was a simple matter for the Fleet to reverse the curse, saving Cael's life, and he agreed to serve in the Fleet since under Serinon tradition, after one's life is saved one owes the remainder of one's life to the savior until released. The Fleet was willing to release Cael from the obligation but he refused, considering it a matter of personal honor.

Cael is a member of the Division of Magic, though due to his allergy he does not work in the main division building with the rest and instead has a small workshop to himself in another dimension. He still suffers after using or being exposed to magic, but the Fleet's medical technology has eased this as well. Cael returns regularly to Serinon to see friends and family and serve the Council in an advisory capacity.

Cael is highly allergic to magic and using it or being exposed to it makes him ill, the severity of the illness depending on the strength of the magic. His systematic exposure to magic throughout his life has led to several other health issues arising from his poor health, halting his growth at a physical age just short of puberty.

Cael's familiar is a white ermine, or stoat, named Elca. As is typical for familiars from his world, Elca is merely an enhanced animal with a magic nature, not an equal in any regard. She runs errands for Cael and protects him. She's significantly more playful and affectionate than Cael is, and he opens up a bit more when it's just the two of them. If Elca is not carefully directed she can become distressed, and Cael usually leaves her to take care of the house in his absence. She rarely accompanies him anywhere without a specific purpose, but when she does, she rides on his shoulder or inside his sleeve.