sol raveh app
Jan. 3rd, 2017 08:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
intheirmemoryPlayer Name: Mandy
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
husbando
Referred by: Jeni
Other characters: N/A
Character Name: Finn
Fandom: Guild Wars 2
World breakdown:Finn is from a planet called Tyria. Tyria is a strange mix of magic and mechanic, with a setting that appears to be right on the cusp of the industrial revolution. Knights and mages exist alongside engineers and siege machines, and all work together to fight a common enemy: dragons.
More information can be found here (for the world), and here (for where Finn is specifically from).
Character history: Note: Though Finn is technically the player-character of Guild Wars 2, his history has been altered to account for the fact that there are several player-characters existing at the same time.
Finn was born as all Sylvari are: awakening from the Dream fully-grown and ready for life. But Finn's awakening was a little different from the rest. Instead of having a pleasant Dream, he was subject to the attack of a giant, shadowy being, one that he could not quite comprehend. He tried to fight it off, but he found himself too weak to do so on his own. It was then that he found a very large sword, one almost as big as he was. He picked it up, and with one swing he vanquished the shadow haunting his Dream.
When he finally awoke, he found that his dream meant that he was a Valiant, a Sylvari who had been given a Wyld Hunt to complete. Based on his dream, it seemed that his Wyld Hunt was to slay a dragon. As frightening as it sounded to him, Finn accepted that Wyld Hunt, and started looking for information on how to go about slaying a dragon. Fortunately, he was not the only Sylvari with that Wyld Hunt. Caithe, a firstborn, had also been given the duty of slaying a dragon. Finn's dream was too vague to figure out which dragon he was meant to slay, so he decided that he needed more information to help him on his way.
At Caithe's suggestion, he offered to help with a certain problem that had been plaguing the Pale Tree for some time: locating Caladbolg, the sword given to Riannoc to slay a powerful lich. The thought was that this sword could be used in the fight against Zhaitan, the dragon that controlled the risen. The three Orders of Tyria were all interested in this sword, and Caithe's thought was that Finn could help them out and gain access to the Priory and their wealth of knowledge, which would help him with his own Wyld Hunt.
Finn was extremely inexperienced when it came to fighting, though. He had the knowhow to think out a plan, but he hadn't exactly fought on his own before. He was supposed to beat several opponents in a pit fight, proving his worth and ultimately winning back Caladbolg, but he just wasn't strong enough. Instead of fighting head-on, he had to run circles around his opponents, relying on a small bit of magic he had to wear them down until they surrendered.
Though he ultimately was able to retrieve Caladbolg, Finn felt bad about the methods he had used. He just wasn't strong enough to fight head-on, and his fears over getting hurt made him hesitate and avoid danger. While Branthyn didn't give him a hard time over it, telling him that he did "a good job, for his first time", he still felt like he needed to be better than that. If he couldn't fight one human in a pit fight, then how would he be able to fight a dragon?
Ultimately, Finn did not join the Priory. They probably did have the knowledge he needed, but what good was knowledge if you couldn't use it? He needed to be stronger. So instead, he joined the Vigil, hoping that they would help him become strong enough to fight anything.
It was during this time that Finn also met another firstborn Sylvari: Trahearne. Meeting Trahearne turned out to be quite the blessing, too. Trahearne was a necromancer, just like Finn was, but he had much more experience with his magic. He helped to quell Finn's worries over his powers and the implications of them (having death magic, when the biggest threat was a dragon with control over death? That was something Finn was very insecure about), and he was very encouraging in general. The conversation they had put Finn at ease, and he was able to go off and join the Vigil without any regrets.
Upon joining the Vigil, Finn learned something very important: actions spoke louder than words. All of his talk about wanting to be stronger wouldn't mean anything if he didn't actually get stronger, so he had to give more than his best to succeed. Unfortunately, while Branthyn had been very encouraging, Finn's mentor Forgal was anything but. He was extremely stern and demanding, and he ran Finn ragged every day. Finn, not being one for confrontation, did his best to keep up with Forgal's rough training. And surprisingly, it seemed to work. Finn grew more confident in battle, learning to force down his fears and focus only on what he saw, not what he thought. He learned how to use multiple weapons, though ultimately he ended up favoring his scepter and warhorn. He learned tactics, he learned how to draw up battle plans. Leadership…well, that one still needed some work. But he was getting better at speaking his mind, when he could muster up the courage to say something. But all in all, Finn was learning everything he had hoped to learn.
But it wasn't to last. Finn and Forgal were separated for what was supposed to be a short mission. Forgal had to go to Claw Island to check on the island's defenses, and Finn was originally supposed to go with him, but at the last moment Finn had gotten a letter about getting information on the elder dragons. Given his Wyld Hunt, Finn couldn't pass up on that opportunity to learn more. Once Finn got that information, he waited by the port for Forgal to return. He was only supposed to be gone for a day or two, so Finn didn't mind waiting. But instead of a boat full of soldiers, all that came was a wave of Risen. Finn helped to fight them off, but it gave him a bad feeling.
Finally, a boat did return from Claw Island. It was dreadfully understaffed, and while Finn was happy to see that Trahearne had made it, he was devastated to learn that Forgal was among those lost. Finn couldn't help but feel responsible for it as well. Could things have gone differently if he had been there? Finn didn't know for sure, but he couldn't help feeling like he had made a mistake by staying in Lion's Arch.
Finn couldn't grieve for long, though. Claw Island needed to be retaken, and helping in that effort was the best thing Finn could do to honor his fallen mentor. While the fight was tough, it was successful, and it was the first of many victories to come. Soon the Pact was formed, and along with the three Orders they all pushed forward into Orr, fighting to get to Zhaitan and end him for good. Many lives were lost, but ultimately the people of Tyria triumphed.
It did not feel like the victory Finn had been expecting, though. He had expected that great weight to come off of his shoulders when he finished his Wyld Hunt, but instead he felt the same as he had before. And that first night after the defeat of the dragon, when he slept for the first time without Zhaitan present in the world, he had that Dream again. The shadowy dragon returned, and once again Finn had to fight it. This time, however, he did not vanquish the dragon in one hit. This time, it took two.
When he awoke, he went to Trahearne and talked about his dream, and what it could mean. Ultimately he decided that it meant that Zhaitan was not the dragon he was meant to fight. Which, honestly, made some sense: Finn had participated in the fighting in Orr, but he had not been the one to kill Zhaitan. So Finn's dragon must have been one of the others still alive in the world. Which meant that he didn't have time to celebrate, he had to go right back into the fight.
With no other leads to go off of, Finn requested to be transferred to the Shiverpeaks branch of the Vigil, to help with the fight against Jormag. Finn did not know which dragon the Pact would be going after next, but he figured that helping there was a kind gesture towards the memory of his mentor Forgal, whose family had been slain by the minions of Jormag. Maybe killing Jormag would fulfill his Wyld Hunt and allow Forgal to rest peacefully.
It was around this time that Finn began to question the nature of life and death, especially what happened to those who had passed on. He knew that the dead could come back as risen minions, but was that risen actually the person who had died? Or was that just their body, animated in a fashion not unlike what Finn himself could do? These questions troubled him, and he struggled with finding someone to even talk to about it. He really wanted to talk to Trahearne about it, but Trahearne was busy with his duties as the Marshall, and the problems in other parts of Tyria kept him just as busy as Finn was kept by fighting icebrood.
About a year after Zhaitan fell, Finn was suddenly recalled to the southern parts of Tyria. He had not been paying attention to the news from that part of the world, as he had been focusing on both his own fighting and his own problems, but returning to find Lion's Arch in such a state of disrepair definitely snapped him back to reality. That was when he learned of Scarlet Briar and the return of Mordremoth. And with all the trouble Mordremoth was spreading across Tyria, it was clear what Finn had to do. As soon as a call went out for forces to help with the fight against Mordremoth, Finn signed up. He went to the Silverwastes and joined the Pact forces there, flying aboard one of the many airships that was to take them all into the heart of Maguuma.
It was up there, when the airships were just starting to reach the jungle, that Finn heard it: the whispers in the back of his mind, calling for him to submit to the will of Mordremoth.
Finn fought it, and he avoided being consumed by it, but many other Sylvari were not so lucky. Many turned on their friends and allies, killing and bringing ships out of the sky. Finn was lost in the chaos, unable to do anything but hold on for dear life and hope that he didn't die in the crash. Miraculously, his prayers were answered, and he ended up relatively unharmed in the middle of Verdant Brink.
The fight was not over, though. Mordrem had infested the area, and attacked at any weakness they saw. Many Sylvari had turned and left, while others like Finn had to suffer through the incessant voices in their head, trying to wear them down and make them give up. Finn could manage both of those, though. He could fight, he could ignore the voice in his mind, and he could help others to overcome that voice as well. But what he could not handle, the thing that very nearly broke him entirely, was how quickly the Pact turned against the Sylvari.
There was a group of 50 or so of them, a mixture of all races and all Orders. One of the Vigil Warmasters had taken up leadership of their group, and was directing everyone around, trying to get the base camp built. Of the 50-ish people present, there were seven sylvari, including Finn. Most were fine to work, but one of them could only sit where she was and sob. The voice was strong in her mind, and simply fighting against it was taking all of her effort. One of the others in the group, a rather skittish human, noticed this and started yelling that she was turning on them. The sylvari cried out that she wasn't, she was still herself, but a handful of others had already come over to see what was going on. Their weapons were not drawn, but they seemed uneasy and ready to fight. Finn intervened, stepping between the sylvari girl and the others, saying that she would be alright and that she just needed time to fight it. The human from before yelled that they didn't have time, and that the last thing they needed was to be backstabbed by someone they thought was their ally. Finn said to him that was exactly what he (the human) was calling for, to backstab an ally when she needed their support the most. Finn called for the others to talk some sense into the human, but they all seemed unwilling to do so, possibly out of fear of being wrong. Ultimately the Warmaster that had taken charge told them to break it up, and everyone dispersed to do their jobs.
Finn spent most of that day checking on the girl, giving her encouraging words and holding her hand when the whispering was at its worst. Eventually he did have to sleep, though, and when he awoke he found that the girl was gone, as were three other non-sylvari from their group. Finn did not ask what had happened to any of them. He also refused to sleep again after that night.
Within a couple days, the living members of the Pact and the three Orders were able to regroup and start their efforts towards fighting the dragon. A group had gone ahead to track down Trahearne and several others who had gone missing, but Finn decided to stay behind. As much as he worried about what would happen to those who had been captured, he was more worried about what would happen to the other sylvari if he left them. He was a Lieutenant, and his rank was enough to get other Vigil members to listen to him. If he could protect the other sylvari in this way, then that was enough for him. He could trust the others to rescue Trahearne.
As time passed, the lack of sleep started to get to Finn. He had always found comfort in the Dream, as frightening as it could be at times (thanks to that shadowy dragon he saw). But now, with that evil whisper in his mind, the Dream felt corrupted. He felt as though he would slip up and give up control of his mind to Mordremoth if he slept, so instead he remained awake, silently wishing for the day when he could sleep peacefully again.
Each day brought new challenges and fewer allies to face those challenges. People died to horrible monsters lurking in the jungle. More sylvari lost their inner fight and turned against their friends. Finn felt trapped, stuck between an angry mob of soldiers who wanted all of the sylvari gone and a giant chasm of darkness threatening to swallow him whole. Though this time in his life was brief, he felt like he had aged years, maybe even decades.
Finn was not present for the final fight against Mordremoth. He was deep in the jungle, fighting off vinetooths and thrashers. But all at once, the call in his mind got stronger, more desperate. Mordremoth was weakening, and he was using the last of his strength to call for more allies. Finn had to stop fighting there to hold his head and keep himself from falling into that darkness. He knew that the others around him, in the middle of the fight, would mistake his moment of weakness as him turning on them. He had to push Mordremoth out, stand up, and show that he was alright. He had to, or else he would die right there, at the hands of those he once called his friends.
Then, all of a sudden, the voice was gone. Confused, Finn opened his eyes and began to stand up. He looked to the other sylvari, who seemed to be just as confused as he was. There were still Mordrem around, but they seemed to be weaker, and just as confused as the rest of them. Finn was hesitant to accept that this was really the end, and he stayed on-guard until his group rendezvoused with the others, including the group that had gone ahead to rescue Trahearne. It was then that Finn finally got confirmation that Mordremoth was dead, and that everyone could finally breathe easy. That relief was short-lived, though, as the bad news followed shortly after the good: in order to kill Mordremoth, they had killed Trahearne too. For the second time in as many years, someone Finn had looked up to for stability and guidance was gone.
Finn grieved for a long time after that. Even after everyone had gone home and started rebuilding their lives, he felt like he was left adrift. He knew he had a lot of work to do, but he couldn't feel it within himself to do anything yet. So many lives had been lost, and Finn didn't even know where to go from there. But he couldn't stay that way for long, and he knew it. To stagnate, to just lay down and accept things as they were, that could not happen. So many people had died, some specifically for his sake, and he couldn't possibly let those deaths be in vain. He had to keep moving forward.
Though his heart still ached for those who had been lost, Finn picked up his weapons once more. But this time, he did not only take his scepter and warhorn. No, this time he had a new weapon as well: a greatsword. Long ago Forgal had started to teach him how to use it, and Trahearne had used one too. If both of them thought it was a good weapon, then he was alright with using it too. And that night, after he had finally acquired his greatsword, Finn finally slept. He did more than the fitful nights of tossing and turning, trying to pass out from exhaustion but being unable to lay still for more than an hour at most. That night, he finally slept the entire night, without the worry of losing his mind to the dragon or his life to those around him.
In that night, he had the Dream. And in that Dream, it took three strikes to beat the shadowy dragon.
Character personality: Finn is, to put it bluntly, his own worst enemy. Many of his problems in life either come from or are compounded by the fact that he is riddled with self-doubt. He is constantly second-guessing himself, wondering if the choice he is making is the right one. And even when he does do something good, he can't help but think of the 'what ifs' and how things could have gone better. In some ways, this does make him stronger. He sees his weaknesses, and he knows where he needs to improve himself. But the fact that he is so critical of himself is a major flaw in of itself.
That isn't to say that he waxes on poetically about all of his shortcomings, though. No, Finn is very much a private person, choosing to keep those thoughts to himself as he smiles and acts like everything is alright (though that act may not always be convincing). Sometimes he is honest with close friends and people he trusts, but usually he tries to solve his own problems by himself. Which means he secludes himself a lot and loses many hours to intrusive thoughts. It's not unusual to find him confused at just how much time has passed without him realizing it, especially if there isn't a clear day and night cycle to follow.
All of that time left alone with his thoughts has benefitted Finn in some ways, though. For one, he has learned to evaluate situations quickly, which helps with forming plans of attack in the middle of battle. Truthfully battle is where he really shines too, as he can't stop to question his decisions when he's in the middle of a fight for his life. Finn absolutely can be a good leader and a master tactician, provided that he doesn't have the time to second-guess himself. His habit of overthinking things is where he trips up on this.
Another positive trait of Finn's is his ability to understand others, especially non-sylvari. He has spent more of his life outside of the Grove than in it, and though he only has a handful of years to his name he has still experienced a lot. He may not know why the norn are so into fighting great battles, or why asura are constantly tinkering with machines. But he does understand that those things are important to them, and that it is best to trust them when they say something matters. Most people don't have a reason to lie about what is important to them, or so Finn believes. If nothing else, a person's emotions can be honest.
Speaking of which, Finn has an unusual relationship with trust. Prior to the events in the heart of Maguuma, Finn was all too quick to trust anyone who offered him a helping hand. But now, after seeing so many others turn on him and his people, Finn's trust in the world is cracked. His heart still reaches out to others, wanting to trust them, but the fear of getting hurt holds him back. He is usually courteous with others, but he now stays guarded against people he does not have a strong bond with. Being betrayed like that again would probably be too much for him to handle, and he is reluctant to open up to anyone again.
Of course, that doesn't mean that Finn would abandon anyone in need. On the contrary, Finn feels like he has to do everything he can to help the world. If someone needs a helping hand, he will help them. Finn is incredibly kind-hearted, and all he wants to do is make the world a better place. He wants to make friends, and he wants to help as many people as he can. He just keeps people at an arm's length until he knows for sure that he can trust them.
Being the hero that saves the day isn't easy for Finn, though. He is…well, some people might call him 'shy', though he would insist that 'cautious' is a more accurate description. Finn is really good at working by himself or with a small group he knows he can trust. But large groups? And speeches in front of people? And meeting lots of new faces? Finn regularly stumbles over his words, trying his best not to sound like a fool and utterly failing in the process. Despite how brilliant he is, sometimes he struggles to find the right words to express himself. He is getting better at this, as he has shown during the fight against Mordremoth with how he stood up for all the sylvari when they were threatened. But something like that takes a lot of courage on his part, which he prefers to save for moments when it is absolutely needed. So often times, especially in social situations where everyone is relaxing and nobody is in danger, he chooses to keep quiet instead of speaking out. He would much rather have a meaningful conversation with one person than pleasantries with a large group.
Like all Sylvari, Finn is naturally curious about the world around him. He wants to learn more, be it about fighting, about the world itself, or about the people in the world. Seeing new sights, finding new locations to explore, that is definitely exciting for Finn. He had already decided to go explore the world once his Wyld Hunt is done, and getting a taste of that exploration is always a treat for him.
Finn is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is still developing his 'everything's fine, no worries here' face, and all too often he forgets to act stony-faced and brave like a proper Vigil member does. It's something he has been accosted for before, but he can't really help it. If you're looking for someone with an airtight poker face, Finn is not your man. But hey, odds are he will probably find you agreeable, so making friends with him is definitely possible. If nothing else, it is very easy to tell if he actually likes you or not.
More recently, Finn's emotions have turned towards the negative. The losses of both Forgal and Trahearne, as well as seeing countless others die in two wars with dragons, has left Finn drained of pretty much all of his happiness. He can manage a smile sometimes, but happy thoughts just aren't coming to him naturally right now. The most common feelings he has are sadness and the pain of loss, as well as a fear of what is yet to come. The mostly-sleepless nights are definitely not helping with this, either. With his brain in a depression-fueled fog, Finn definitely needs some good experiences to bring back his former happy self.
But if there was ever a thing that defined Finn, it would be fear. Even in his happier days, fear still lurked beneath the surface of his being. The fear of being wrong. The fear of being ridiculed. The fear of losing someone precious. The fear of being a target for overzealous fighters. The fear of losing himself to the dragon's call. The fear of failing at his Wyld Hunt. The fear of failing everyone, of letting them all die a horrible death to the dragons.
The fear of dying.
That last one in particular is a strong one for Finn. Even before he knew about the truth of what the sylvari are, he knew that the sylvari never came back as Risen. Every other race in Tyria did, but not the sylvari. To him, this meant that sylvari were different, and that their deaths were probably different as well. The other races of Tyria all have their different beliefs about what happens after death, but what happens to a sylvari? Is there even a 'something else' after they die? Though he doesn't want to believe it, a part of him says that there shouldn't be a 'something else' for the sylvari. This thought was given even more weight after he found out about technically being a minion of Mordremoth. Did the Branded beasts have an afterlife? Did the twisted Risen, the ones that resembled no other race and were likely made purely by the dragon itself, did they have an afterlife? If they didn't, then the sylvari wouldn't either. And that thought is absolutely terrifying to Finn. The thought that this life is all he has, that once he dies he will cease to exist outside of the memories of those who knew him, that is probably one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) fear Finn faces every day.
Finn isn't completely ruled by his fears, though. The fear runs deep within him, but part of his training with the Vigil was learning to control that fear, to face it head-on and turn it into the courage to act. If he is afraid of being wrong, then he just has to make sure he is right. If he is afraid of people dying, then he just has to get stronger and protect them. If he is afraid of dying, then he just needs to master death itself. He has to be strong, not only for himself, but for everyone who laid down their lives for his sake. If he lets his fears paralyze him, then their sacrifices will have been in vain, and Finn couldn't possibly disrespect their memory in such a way. He has to keep moving forward. It is in this way that Finn turns his fears into the courage he needs to push forward and fight.
In a way, it's almost ironic that Finn ended up being a necromancer (and then eventually a reaper). Death is something he is afraid of, and yet he uses the power of death every day to protect the living. At first he was insecure about his powers, feeling that they were just another way to mock him (at best, with the worst being that his powers were justification to distrust him). But after years of training, fighting, and encouraging words from a few people that mattered, Finn grew to accept his powers and to master them.
He still refuses to summon minions, though. After fighting against Zhaitan and seeing all of the Risen, Finn absolutely refuses to raise anything from the dead. Using death magic is fine, but even the thought of reanimating someone else's body and using it to fight makes him sick to his stomach.
Powers/Abilities: Finn is a Reaper (the elite specialization for Necromancer), and he has the following abilities:
Greatsword: dusk strike/fading twilight/chilling scythe, gravedigger, death spiral, nightfall, grasping darkness
Scepter/Warhorn: blood curse/rending curse/putrid curse, grasping dead, feast of corruption, wail of doom, locust swarm
Slot skills: "your soul is mine!", signet of the locust, well of power, spectral wall, "chilled to the bone!"
In addition to these skills, Finn is able to transform using Reaper's Shroud. While in the shroud he has these abilities: life rend/life slash/life reap, death's charge, infusing terror/terrify, soul spiral, executioner's scythe
Finn is also a master artificer and an apprentice leatherworker.
Items on your character:
Weapons: Greatsword (Breath of Flame), scepter (Elder Wood), warhorn (Vigil's Honor)
Armor: Acolyte armor, but he does not wear the mask (though he does carry it on him, in one of his bags)
1 20-slot bag, and 4 15-slot bags, carrying the following items:
- Acolyte mask
- Master Tuning Crystal (17)
- oricalcum equipment (pickaxe, logging axe, harvesting sickle)
- fireworks (8, leftover from a celebration of some sort that Finn barely remembered)
- paper lanterns (5, from the same celebration)
- signet ring of the grove (ring, worn)
- Vigil's Might (necklace, worn)
- Glider
- 132 pieces of really, really, REALLY old candy corn
- Master's Salvage Kit (2 kits, 25 uses left each)
Contact:
Referred by: Jeni
Other characters: N/A
Character Name: Finn
Fandom: Guild Wars 2
World breakdown:Finn is from a planet called Tyria. Tyria is a strange mix of magic and mechanic, with a setting that appears to be right on the cusp of the industrial revolution. Knights and mages exist alongside engineers and siege machines, and all work together to fight a common enemy: dragons.
More information can be found here (for the world), and here (for where Finn is specifically from).
Character history: Note: Though Finn is technically the player-character of Guild Wars 2, his history has been altered to account for the fact that there are several player-characters existing at the same time.
Finn was born as all Sylvari are: awakening from the Dream fully-grown and ready for life. But Finn's awakening was a little different from the rest. Instead of having a pleasant Dream, he was subject to the attack of a giant, shadowy being, one that he could not quite comprehend. He tried to fight it off, but he found himself too weak to do so on his own. It was then that he found a very large sword, one almost as big as he was. He picked it up, and with one swing he vanquished the shadow haunting his Dream.
When he finally awoke, he found that his dream meant that he was a Valiant, a Sylvari who had been given a Wyld Hunt to complete. Based on his dream, it seemed that his Wyld Hunt was to slay a dragon. As frightening as it sounded to him, Finn accepted that Wyld Hunt, and started looking for information on how to go about slaying a dragon. Fortunately, he was not the only Sylvari with that Wyld Hunt. Caithe, a firstborn, had also been given the duty of slaying a dragon. Finn's dream was too vague to figure out which dragon he was meant to slay, so he decided that he needed more information to help him on his way.
At Caithe's suggestion, he offered to help with a certain problem that had been plaguing the Pale Tree for some time: locating Caladbolg, the sword given to Riannoc to slay a powerful lich. The thought was that this sword could be used in the fight against Zhaitan, the dragon that controlled the risen. The three Orders of Tyria were all interested in this sword, and Caithe's thought was that Finn could help them out and gain access to the Priory and their wealth of knowledge, which would help him with his own Wyld Hunt.
Finn was extremely inexperienced when it came to fighting, though. He had the knowhow to think out a plan, but he hadn't exactly fought on his own before. He was supposed to beat several opponents in a pit fight, proving his worth and ultimately winning back Caladbolg, but he just wasn't strong enough. Instead of fighting head-on, he had to run circles around his opponents, relying on a small bit of magic he had to wear them down until they surrendered.
Though he ultimately was able to retrieve Caladbolg, Finn felt bad about the methods he had used. He just wasn't strong enough to fight head-on, and his fears over getting hurt made him hesitate and avoid danger. While Branthyn didn't give him a hard time over it, telling him that he did "a good job, for his first time", he still felt like he needed to be better than that. If he couldn't fight one human in a pit fight, then how would he be able to fight a dragon?
Ultimately, Finn did not join the Priory. They probably did have the knowledge he needed, but what good was knowledge if you couldn't use it? He needed to be stronger. So instead, he joined the Vigil, hoping that they would help him become strong enough to fight anything.
It was during this time that Finn also met another firstborn Sylvari: Trahearne. Meeting Trahearne turned out to be quite the blessing, too. Trahearne was a necromancer, just like Finn was, but he had much more experience with his magic. He helped to quell Finn's worries over his powers and the implications of them (having death magic, when the biggest threat was a dragon with control over death? That was something Finn was very insecure about), and he was very encouraging in general. The conversation they had put Finn at ease, and he was able to go off and join the Vigil without any regrets.
Upon joining the Vigil, Finn learned something very important: actions spoke louder than words. All of his talk about wanting to be stronger wouldn't mean anything if he didn't actually get stronger, so he had to give more than his best to succeed. Unfortunately, while Branthyn had been very encouraging, Finn's mentor Forgal was anything but. He was extremely stern and demanding, and he ran Finn ragged every day. Finn, not being one for confrontation, did his best to keep up with Forgal's rough training. And surprisingly, it seemed to work. Finn grew more confident in battle, learning to force down his fears and focus only on what he saw, not what he thought. He learned how to use multiple weapons, though ultimately he ended up favoring his scepter and warhorn. He learned tactics, he learned how to draw up battle plans. Leadership…well, that one still needed some work. But he was getting better at speaking his mind, when he could muster up the courage to say something. But all in all, Finn was learning everything he had hoped to learn.
But it wasn't to last. Finn and Forgal were separated for what was supposed to be a short mission. Forgal had to go to Claw Island to check on the island's defenses, and Finn was originally supposed to go with him, but at the last moment Finn had gotten a letter about getting information on the elder dragons. Given his Wyld Hunt, Finn couldn't pass up on that opportunity to learn more. Once Finn got that information, he waited by the port for Forgal to return. He was only supposed to be gone for a day or two, so Finn didn't mind waiting. But instead of a boat full of soldiers, all that came was a wave of Risen. Finn helped to fight them off, but it gave him a bad feeling.
Finally, a boat did return from Claw Island. It was dreadfully understaffed, and while Finn was happy to see that Trahearne had made it, he was devastated to learn that Forgal was among those lost. Finn couldn't help but feel responsible for it as well. Could things have gone differently if he had been there? Finn didn't know for sure, but he couldn't help feeling like he had made a mistake by staying in Lion's Arch.
Finn couldn't grieve for long, though. Claw Island needed to be retaken, and helping in that effort was the best thing Finn could do to honor his fallen mentor. While the fight was tough, it was successful, and it was the first of many victories to come. Soon the Pact was formed, and along with the three Orders they all pushed forward into Orr, fighting to get to Zhaitan and end him for good. Many lives were lost, but ultimately the people of Tyria triumphed.
It did not feel like the victory Finn had been expecting, though. He had expected that great weight to come off of his shoulders when he finished his Wyld Hunt, but instead he felt the same as he had before. And that first night after the defeat of the dragon, when he slept for the first time without Zhaitan present in the world, he had that Dream again. The shadowy dragon returned, and once again Finn had to fight it. This time, however, he did not vanquish the dragon in one hit. This time, it took two.
When he awoke, he went to Trahearne and talked about his dream, and what it could mean. Ultimately he decided that it meant that Zhaitan was not the dragon he was meant to fight. Which, honestly, made some sense: Finn had participated in the fighting in Orr, but he had not been the one to kill Zhaitan. So Finn's dragon must have been one of the others still alive in the world. Which meant that he didn't have time to celebrate, he had to go right back into the fight.
With no other leads to go off of, Finn requested to be transferred to the Shiverpeaks branch of the Vigil, to help with the fight against Jormag. Finn did not know which dragon the Pact would be going after next, but he figured that helping there was a kind gesture towards the memory of his mentor Forgal, whose family had been slain by the minions of Jormag. Maybe killing Jormag would fulfill his Wyld Hunt and allow Forgal to rest peacefully.
It was around this time that Finn began to question the nature of life and death, especially what happened to those who had passed on. He knew that the dead could come back as risen minions, but was that risen actually the person who had died? Or was that just their body, animated in a fashion not unlike what Finn himself could do? These questions troubled him, and he struggled with finding someone to even talk to about it. He really wanted to talk to Trahearne about it, but Trahearne was busy with his duties as the Marshall, and the problems in other parts of Tyria kept him just as busy as Finn was kept by fighting icebrood.
About a year after Zhaitan fell, Finn was suddenly recalled to the southern parts of Tyria. He had not been paying attention to the news from that part of the world, as he had been focusing on both his own fighting and his own problems, but returning to find Lion's Arch in such a state of disrepair definitely snapped him back to reality. That was when he learned of Scarlet Briar and the return of Mordremoth. And with all the trouble Mordremoth was spreading across Tyria, it was clear what Finn had to do. As soon as a call went out for forces to help with the fight against Mordremoth, Finn signed up. He went to the Silverwastes and joined the Pact forces there, flying aboard one of the many airships that was to take them all into the heart of Maguuma.
It was up there, when the airships were just starting to reach the jungle, that Finn heard it: the whispers in the back of his mind, calling for him to submit to the will of Mordremoth.
Finn fought it, and he avoided being consumed by it, but many other Sylvari were not so lucky. Many turned on their friends and allies, killing and bringing ships out of the sky. Finn was lost in the chaos, unable to do anything but hold on for dear life and hope that he didn't die in the crash. Miraculously, his prayers were answered, and he ended up relatively unharmed in the middle of Verdant Brink.
The fight was not over, though. Mordrem had infested the area, and attacked at any weakness they saw. Many Sylvari had turned and left, while others like Finn had to suffer through the incessant voices in their head, trying to wear them down and make them give up. Finn could manage both of those, though. He could fight, he could ignore the voice in his mind, and he could help others to overcome that voice as well. But what he could not handle, the thing that very nearly broke him entirely, was how quickly the Pact turned against the Sylvari.
There was a group of 50 or so of them, a mixture of all races and all Orders. One of the Vigil Warmasters had taken up leadership of their group, and was directing everyone around, trying to get the base camp built. Of the 50-ish people present, there were seven sylvari, including Finn. Most were fine to work, but one of them could only sit where she was and sob. The voice was strong in her mind, and simply fighting against it was taking all of her effort. One of the others in the group, a rather skittish human, noticed this and started yelling that she was turning on them. The sylvari cried out that she wasn't, she was still herself, but a handful of others had already come over to see what was going on. Their weapons were not drawn, but they seemed uneasy and ready to fight. Finn intervened, stepping between the sylvari girl and the others, saying that she would be alright and that she just needed time to fight it. The human from before yelled that they didn't have time, and that the last thing they needed was to be backstabbed by someone they thought was their ally. Finn said to him that was exactly what he (the human) was calling for, to backstab an ally when she needed their support the most. Finn called for the others to talk some sense into the human, but they all seemed unwilling to do so, possibly out of fear of being wrong. Ultimately the Warmaster that had taken charge told them to break it up, and everyone dispersed to do their jobs.
Finn spent most of that day checking on the girl, giving her encouraging words and holding her hand when the whispering was at its worst. Eventually he did have to sleep, though, and when he awoke he found that the girl was gone, as were three other non-sylvari from their group. Finn did not ask what had happened to any of them. He also refused to sleep again after that night.
Within a couple days, the living members of the Pact and the three Orders were able to regroup and start their efforts towards fighting the dragon. A group had gone ahead to track down Trahearne and several others who had gone missing, but Finn decided to stay behind. As much as he worried about what would happen to those who had been captured, he was more worried about what would happen to the other sylvari if he left them. He was a Lieutenant, and his rank was enough to get other Vigil members to listen to him. If he could protect the other sylvari in this way, then that was enough for him. He could trust the others to rescue Trahearne.
As time passed, the lack of sleep started to get to Finn. He had always found comfort in the Dream, as frightening as it could be at times (thanks to that shadowy dragon he saw). But now, with that evil whisper in his mind, the Dream felt corrupted. He felt as though he would slip up and give up control of his mind to Mordremoth if he slept, so instead he remained awake, silently wishing for the day when he could sleep peacefully again.
Each day brought new challenges and fewer allies to face those challenges. People died to horrible monsters lurking in the jungle. More sylvari lost their inner fight and turned against their friends. Finn felt trapped, stuck between an angry mob of soldiers who wanted all of the sylvari gone and a giant chasm of darkness threatening to swallow him whole. Though this time in his life was brief, he felt like he had aged years, maybe even decades.
Finn was not present for the final fight against Mordremoth. He was deep in the jungle, fighting off vinetooths and thrashers. But all at once, the call in his mind got stronger, more desperate. Mordremoth was weakening, and he was using the last of his strength to call for more allies. Finn had to stop fighting there to hold his head and keep himself from falling into that darkness. He knew that the others around him, in the middle of the fight, would mistake his moment of weakness as him turning on them. He had to push Mordremoth out, stand up, and show that he was alright. He had to, or else he would die right there, at the hands of those he once called his friends.
Then, all of a sudden, the voice was gone. Confused, Finn opened his eyes and began to stand up. He looked to the other sylvari, who seemed to be just as confused as he was. There were still Mordrem around, but they seemed to be weaker, and just as confused as the rest of them. Finn was hesitant to accept that this was really the end, and he stayed on-guard until his group rendezvoused with the others, including the group that had gone ahead to rescue Trahearne. It was then that Finn finally got confirmation that Mordremoth was dead, and that everyone could finally breathe easy. That relief was short-lived, though, as the bad news followed shortly after the good: in order to kill Mordremoth, they had killed Trahearne too. For the second time in as many years, someone Finn had looked up to for stability and guidance was gone.
Finn grieved for a long time after that. Even after everyone had gone home and started rebuilding their lives, he felt like he was left adrift. He knew he had a lot of work to do, but he couldn't feel it within himself to do anything yet. So many lives had been lost, and Finn didn't even know where to go from there. But he couldn't stay that way for long, and he knew it. To stagnate, to just lay down and accept things as they were, that could not happen. So many people had died, some specifically for his sake, and he couldn't possibly let those deaths be in vain. He had to keep moving forward.
Though his heart still ached for those who had been lost, Finn picked up his weapons once more. But this time, he did not only take his scepter and warhorn. No, this time he had a new weapon as well: a greatsword. Long ago Forgal had started to teach him how to use it, and Trahearne had used one too. If both of them thought it was a good weapon, then he was alright with using it too. And that night, after he had finally acquired his greatsword, Finn finally slept. He did more than the fitful nights of tossing and turning, trying to pass out from exhaustion but being unable to lay still for more than an hour at most. That night, he finally slept the entire night, without the worry of losing his mind to the dragon or his life to those around him.
In that night, he had the Dream. And in that Dream, it took three strikes to beat the shadowy dragon.
Character personality: Finn is, to put it bluntly, his own worst enemy. Many of his problems in life either come from or are compounded by the fact that he is riddled with self-doubt. He is constantly second-guessing himself, wondering if the choice he is making is the right one. And even when he does do something good, he can't help but think of the 'what ifs' and how things could have gone better. In some ways, this does make him stronger. He sees his weaknesses, and he knows where he needs to improve himself. But the fact that he is so critical of himself is a major flaw in of itself.
That isn't to say that he waxes on poetically about all of his shortcomings, though. No, Finn is very much a private person, choosing to keep those thoughts to himself as he smiles and acts like everything is alright (though that act may not always be convincing). Sometimes he is honest with close friends and people he trusts, but usually he tries to solve his own problems by himself. Which means he secludes himself a lot and loses many hours to intrusive thoughts. It's not unusual to find him confused at just how much time has passed without him realizing it, especially if there isn't a clear day and night cycle to follow.
All of that time left alone with his thoughts has benefitted Finn in some ways, though. For one, he has learned to evaluate situations quickly, which helps with forming plans of attack in the middle of battle. Truthfully battle is where he really shines too, as he can't stop to question his decisions when he's in the middle of a fight for his life. Finn absolutely can be a good leader and a master tactician, provided that he doesn't have the time to second-guess himself. His habit of overthinking things is where he trips up on this.
Another positive trait of Finn's is his ability to understand others, especially non-sylvari. He has spent more of his life outside of the Grove than in it, and though he only has a handful of years to his name he has still experienced a lot. He may not know why the norn are so into fighting great battles, or why asura are constantly tinkering with machines. But he does understand that those things are important to them, and that it is best to trust them when they say something matters. Most people don't have a reason to lie about what is important to them, or so Finn believes. If nothing else, a person's emotions can be honest.
Speaking of which, Finn has an unusual relationship with trust. Prior to the events in the heart of Maguuma, Finn was all too quick to trust anyone who offered him a helping hand. But now, after seeing so many others turn on him and his people, Finn's trust in the world is cracked. His heart still reaches out to others, wanting to trust them, but the fear of getting hurt holds him back. He is usually courteous with others, but he now stays guarded against people he does not have a strong bond with. Being betrayed like that again would probably be too much for him to handle, and he is reluctant to open up to anyone again.
Of course, that doesn't mean that Finn would abandon anyone in need. On the contrary, Finn feels like he has to do everything he can to help the world. If someone needs a helping hand, he will help them. Finn is incredibly kind-hearted, and all he wants to do is make the world a better place. He wants to make friends, and he wants to help as many people as he can. He just keeps people at an arm's length until he knows for sure that he can trust them.
Being the hero that saves the day isn't easy for Finn, though. He is…well, some people might call him 'shy', though he would insist that 'cautious' is a more accurate description. Finn is really good at working by himself or with a small group he knows he can trust. But large groups? And speeches in front of people? And meeting lots of new faces? Finn regularly stumbles over his words, trying his best not to sound like a fool and utterly failing in the process. Despite how brilliant he is, sometimes he struggles to find the right words to express himself. He is getting better at this, as he has shown during the fight against Mordremoth with how he stood up for all the sylvari when they were threatened. But something like that takes a lot of courage on his part, which he prefers to save for moments when it is absolutely needed. So often times, especially in social situations where everyone is relaxing and nobody is in danger, he chooses to keep quiet instead of speaking out. He would much rather have a meaningful conversation with one person than pleasantries with a large group.
Like all Sylvari, Finn is naturally curious about the world around him. He wants to learn more, be it about fighting, about the world itself, or about the people in the world. Seeing new sights, finding new locations to explore, that is definitely exciting for Finn. He had already decided to go explore the world once his Wyld Hunt is done, and getting a taste of that exploration is always a treat for him.
Finn is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is still developing his 'everything's fine, no worries here' face, and all too often he forgets to act stony-faced and brave like a proper Vigil member does. It's something he has been accosted for before, but he can't really help it. If you're looking for someone with an airtight poker face, Finn is not your man. But hey, odds are he will probably find you agreeable, so making friends with him is definitely possible. If nothing else, it is very easy to tell if he actually likes you or not.
More recently, Finn's emotions have turned towards the negative. The losses of both Forgal and Trahearne, as well as seeing countless others die in two wars with dragons, has left Finn drained of pretty much all of his happiness. He can manage a smile sometimes, but happy thoughts just aren't coming to him naturally right now. The most common feelings he has are sadness and the pain of loss, as well as a fear of what is yet to come. The mostly-sleepless nights are definitely not helping with this, either. With his brain in a depression-fueled fog, Finn definitely needs some good experiences to bring back his former happy self.
But if there was ever a thing that defined Finn, it would be fear. Even in his happier days, fear still lurked beneath the surface of his being. The fear of being wrong. The fear of being ridiculed. The fear of losing someone precious. The fear of being a target for overzealous fighters. The fear of losing himself to the dragon's call. The fear of failing at his Wyld Hunt. The fear of failing everyone, of letting them all die a horrible death to the dragons.
The fear of dying.
That last one in particular is a strong one for Finn. Even before he knew about the truth of what the sylvari are, he knew that the sylvari never came back as Risen. Every other race in Tyria did, but not the sylvari. To him, this meant that sylvari were different, and that their deaths were probably different as well. The other races of Tyria all have their different beliefs about what happens after death, but what happens to a sylvari? Is there even a 'something else' after they die? Though he doesn't want to believe it, a part of him says that there shouldn't be a 'something else' for the sylvari. This thought was given even more weight after he found out about technically being a minion of Mordremoth. Did the Branded beasts have an afterlife? Did the twisted Risen, the ones that resembled no other race and were likely made purely by the dragon itself, did they have an afterlife? If they didn't, then the sylvari wouldn't either. And that thought is absolutely terrifying to Finn. The thought that this life is all he has, that once he dies he will cease to exist outside of the memories of those who knew him, that is probably one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) fear Finn faces every day.
Finn isn't completely ruled by his fears, though. The fear runs deep within him, but part of his training with the Vigil was learning to control that fear, to face it head-on and turn it into the courage to act. If he is afraid of being wrong, then he just has to make sure he is right. If he is afraid of people dying, then he just has to get stronger and protect them. If he is afraid of dying, then he just needs to master death itself. He has to be strong, not only for himself, but for everyone who laid down their lives for his sake. If he lets his fears paralyze him, then their sacrifices will have been in vain, and Finn couldn't possibly disrespect their memory in such a way. He has to keep moving forward. It is in this way that Finn turns his fears into the courage he needs to push forward and fight.
In a way, it's almost ironic that Finn ended up being a necromancer (and then eventually a reaper). Death is something he is afraid of, and yet he uses the power of death every day to protect the living. At first he was insecure about his powers, feeling that they were just another way to mock him (at best, with the worst being that his powers were justification to distrust him). But after years of training, fighting, and encouraging words from a few people that mattered, Finn grew to accept his powers and to master them.
He still refuses to summon minions, though. After fighting against Zhaitan and seeing all of the Risen, Finn absolutely refuses to raise anything from the dead. Using death magic is fine, but even the thought of reanimating someone else's body and using it to fight makes him sick to his stomach.
Powers/Abilities: Finn is a Reaper (the elite specialization for Necromancer), and he has the following abilities:
Greatsword: dusk strike/fading twilight/chilling scythe, gravedigger, death spiral, nightfall, grasping darkness
Scepter/Warhorn: blood curse/rending curse/putrid curse, grasping dead, feast of corruption, wail of doom, locust swarm
Slot skills: "your soul is mine!", signet of the locust, well of power, spectral wall, "chilled to the bone!"
In addition to these skills, Finn is able to transform using Reaper's Shroud. While in the shroud he has these abilities: life rend/life slash/life reap, death's charge, infusing terror/terrify, soul spiral, executioner's scythe
Finn is also a master artificer and an apprentice leatherworker.
Items on your character:
Weapons: Greatsword (Breath of Flame), scepter (Elder Wood), warhorn (Vigil's Honor)
Armor: Acolyte armor, but he does not wear the mask (though he does carry it on him, in one of his bags)
1 20-slot bag, and 4 15-slot bags, carrying the following items:
- Acolyte mask
- Master Tuning Crystal (17)
- oricalcum equipment (pickaxe, logging axe, harvesting sickle)
- fireworks (8, leftover from a celebration of some sort that Finn barely remembered)
- paper lanterns (5, from the same celebration)
- signet ring of the grove (ring, worn)
- Vigil's Might (necklace, worn)
- Glider
- 132 pieces of really, really, REALLY old candy corn
- Master's Salvage Kit (2 kits, 25 uses left each)
