Echo Callisto

“It’s not about who you’re told to be or who others want you to be, what really matters is who you want to be and how close you are to becoming that person.” 
== Early Life ==
Echo grew up as part of a large colony that divided students into groups that each had different focuses; assigned to the magic and plant growth group by a test when xe was about 8 (children are taught a little bit of everything from about 5-8 until they’re assigned a group), Echo studied in xyr assigned field until xe was about 16 and graduated. Xe had a fairly peaceful childhood, raised by the members of xyr community and taught the value in a group of people being interdependent and helping to sustain one another rather than leaving everyone to fend for themselves.
When Echo was about 18, a group of interplanetary black market runners arrived at xyr colony and quickly abducted some of the Umbrams they could easily pick off without much resistance. Echo was in the fields when they came, and they caught xem unaware; one of 8 Umbrams stolen from Ashfebelle, the black market dealers slowly traded off those they had captured over a matter of months (at least, as best Echo can guess, though time was hard to track). The fifth to be sold off, Echo had watched what had been done to the others and was willing to do whatever it took to get away. Xe managed to get hold of a jagged piece of metal from the ship, and when they landed and were taking xem to wherever they were going, xe waited until one of the two guards was distracted and stabbed the metal into their neck, then grabbed their weapon and hit the other with it. Tired and panicked, Echo ran into the woods for an unknown length of time before xe found a small cave to hide in and nearly passed out from exhaustion.
It’s been a few weeks since then, and xe was trying to put as much distance between where xe escaped the smugglers and xemself until xe ran into the nation of Iuxum; anxious and still on edge, xe has decided to stay there, at least for now while xe tries to figure out what to do going forward.
== Life in Iuxum ==
Echo found the abandoned nation of Iuxum shortly after xyr escape from the smugglers, and has since spent xyr time trying to tidy up the various buildings xe's found in the main areas of Iuxum. Thus far some farms have been restored, the communal kitchen is in mostly working order, the meetinghouse is usable, and quite a few houses have been at least partially cleaned up. There will be many more buildings cleaned up and restored going forward, but for now the vast majority of buildings within Iuxum are still in disrepair.
There are several other citizens in Iuxum now, and Echo has been instated as the official leader of Iuxum, using the title of Palatine. Though colonized, the people of Iuxum maintain relative freedom to build and work as they please, and currently pay no taxes or anything of that variety to the empire of Astos.
== Events on the Server ==
=== Meeting Circe, and the Following Hunt ===
==== The beginning ====
Echo met Circe near the borders of Xadia, and the two spent some time in Circe's temporary hide out getting to know each other. Circe told Echo that she was wanted because she had been protecting a friend, hurt some people as a result, and had been hunted down by a group of people that then damaged her arm to the point of her having to cut it off herself. Horrified by the story, Echo offered Circe refuge at Iuxum, so that if she ever needed a place to go she had a safe place she could stay. Echo showed her around the main areas, and the two bonded over sharing various stories with one another before parting ways for a time.
Not long after, Dannet and Azorc, as well as a policeman from Astos, came to Iuxum looking for Circe after an assassination attempt on Mainard. They told Echo that Circe had been the assassin, and that anyone found to be assisting her would face equal punishment. While listening to them explain the situation and requesting information, Echo remained silent about xyr involvement with Circe until the policeman noticed her while circling the perimeter. A heated conflict followed, with Circe briefly getting away and the three others starting to go after Echo until Circe returned and demanded they leave xem alone. Another chase began, during which Circe got away briefly, and after being struck by Dannet, Echo escaped to the top of a group of trees via use of both the invisibility and zephyr spells. Circe met Echo in the tree while Azorc was trying to negotiate with xem, and promised that the three others were lying; the two made a short attempt to escape through the treetops, but Circe fell, and eventually surrendered herself to Dannet in exchange for his word that Echo would go unharmed. Circe reassured Echo that everything would be okay, and that xe would see her again soon, then was taken back to Astos. Shortly afterwards, Echo found a book Circe had left in xyr house in case anything happened, where Circe asked for Echo's help and promised to explain everything when she could.
==== The Prison Visit ====
Several days after Circe's capture, Dannet returned to Iuxum and informed Echo that Circe had been allowed one visitor before her execution, and she had requested Echo. After ensuring that xe was allowed to come, since xe had been banned from Astos for xyr involvement with Circe, Echo followed Dannet to Astos and spent a few minutes visiting with Circe. Circe promised that she hadn't done what she accused of and said she'd explain everything when she could, and the two came up with a plan to free Circe; Echo gave Circe an invisibility potion in the cell, and explained that if xe was close enough, xe could swap places with Circe while invisible so she could escape, and Echo would follow her out to the beach where a boat was waiting for them. Circe came up with using the word 'blue' as a code to tell Echo to switch the two of them, and with the plans finalized in time, Echo left the cell with Dannet and was escorted out of Astos.
==== The Failed Execution ====
Echo waited on the top of part of the wall around the execution platform, where a guillotine had been prepared for Circe. Remaining invisible the entire time, Echo listened to Dannet and Mainard give speeches about Circe's crimes and the harm that she had done, then watched as Dannet brought Circe out and escorted her to the platform. Circe gave her last words, ending her goodbye with the words "don't look too blue while I'm gone." With that, Echo swapped positions with Circe and quickly got out from under the guillotine, then used the xephyr spell to vault over the wall and meet up with Circe. Circe said she was going to find someplace to hide out, and she would try to get back in touch with Echo when she could.
Echo returned to Iuxum in time to greet the party of people who had come from the execution in search of Circe; Dannet and someone by the name of Valentine questioned xem, but Echo insisted that xe had been at Iuxum the whole time and had nothing to do whatever had happened. After a brief search of the area for any sign of Circe, everyone left with the exception of Ice, the first resident of Iuxum other than Echo. He asked about the situation, worried by the accusations he had heard from Dannet and everyone else, but Echo assured him that xe had nothing to do with it, and that everything that had happened previously was the result of a misunderstanding.
=== Colonization by Astos ===
Echo was approached by Dannet and Mainard, who requested to have a meeting with xem regarding the future of Iuxum. The two explained that they wished to take Iuxum on as a colony of Astos, and that they would offer protection in exchange for Iuxum coming under their reign. They explained that the other two nations had plans to tax Iuxum for Echo's harboring of Circe, and that when Iuxum inevitably couldn't pay such a heavy tax the other nations would be justified in taking over Iuxum and dividing it between themselves.
Still reluctant to agree to such a deal, Echo stepped outside with Dannet when he asked xem to, and he explained that one of the main reasons for this was that Mainard wanted to be able to use the title of Emperor. Echo considered the agreement, then returned inside and reluctantly agreed to their terms. Dannet returned several hours later with the official contractual agreement, which Echo looked over and then signed.
=== Celebration in Iuxum ===
Echo was approached by Mainard in Iuxum, and he suggested a celebration to honor the colonization of Iuxum and the glory of the new Astonian Empire, and asked Echo to make the arrangements, with a comment about 'you do all the work, I get the glory'. The two agreed on inviting not only the people of the Astonian Empire but also those of Okutoro and Xadia, as well as anyone not affiliated with a nation. Invitations were sent out, including one to the tavern named The Gray Pearl, and a date was set for the upcoming Saturday.
The event began smoothly, with Mainard, Dannet, Echo, and Azorc being the first to arrive. The four made small talk for a short time before Echo left to say hello to Otu and the human named Ri who was with him; Otu said he was getting someone he had come with and the two would be joining shortly. Not long after, Otu asked Echo to follow him to come meet the person he came with, who xe discovered to be Cypress Von Boreas, King of Xadia. Echo greeted him and directed him and Ri to where everyone else was gathered before excusing xemself, visibly shaken as xe fled the area. Otu followed shortly after xem, and Echo explained that Cypress had reminded xyr of one of the people who had taken xem from xyr home. With the reassurance from Otu that he was a different person and had nothing to do with anything like that, Echo returned to the celebration.
==== Things Go South ====
Various small conversations sprouted up between the different people attending the celebration, everyone enjoying the food available and generally relaxing for the most part. Mainard questioned Cypress and Azorc some about their coming alone, given the length of the journey and the need for protection for such important people, but the topic was laid aside in short order. Mainard and Dannet stepped away for a period of time to talk, then returned and asked Cypress to come take a walk with them to discuss some business. Azorc wandered off to look around, and Echo saw Ri and Otu start to follow after the trio, but lost sight of Otu as he disappeared into the trees; xe asked Ri what was going on, but he didn't know either and expressed confusion at Otu insisting that he stay where he was. With a quick invisibility spell and a burst of xephyr to get xem into the trees, Echo slowly followed after the three that had left, arriving in time to hear Mainard accuse Cypress of murder and treason before telling Dannet to knock him out and take him.
Unsure of what had just happened, Echo went back to Ri and the now returned Otu and tried to tell them both that they might want to get away from whatever was going on. Mainard returned and claimed that Cypress was feeling unwell and Dannet was escorting him back to Xadia, then started to say that he was going to return to Astos before he was cut off by Otu coming up behind him and holding a dagger to his neck. Otu demanded to know what Mainard had done to Cypress, and when Mainard began to claim that nothing had happened, Otu stated that he had overheard everything. Mainard continued to claim that nothing had happened, and asked why Echo believed 'these peasants', to which xe replied that xe had also heard Mainard and knew what he and Dannet had done. 
==== The Emperor and Tsu Imprisoned ====
After a long argument between everyone at the celebration minus Dannet and Cypress, two newcomers arrived by the names of Jyego and Ethamia, both of whom sided against Mainard. Mainard claimed that Azorc had also been in on the plan to take Cypress, which the goblin claimed innocence of; Otu asked Jyego to restrain Azorc, but the Tzu managed to get away. The Emperor was eventually knocked out after Otu stabbed him in the rib and cut one of his Achilles tendons, and it was agreed that he would be held in the Jyego's home. Jyego and Ethamia left to secure Mainard, and Otu went to go track down Azorc, successfully locating him at the Okutorian outpost near Iuxum.
Azorc attempted to convince Otu to let him go, offering riches, Circe's release, and several other options in an attempt to sway the other. Otu wanted to kill Azorc, but Ri and Echo arrived in time to talk Otu down and convinced him to knock Azorc out and have him imprisoned with Mainard instead until they knew for sure if he was actually involved. Jyego and Ethamia, as well as a third individual who had come with them (Rome), and they agreed to take Azorc to Jyego's base as well and hold him there.
==== Otu's Ultimatum ====
Otu started to leave after Azorc was taken by Jyego, but was followed by Echo and Ri trying to check up on him. He expressed his belief that he should just leave since those he kept hurting people, though Echo and Ri tried to convince him that he didn't have to keep going in that direction. He insisted that he needed to hunt down Dannet as well and find Cypress, stating that otherwise he and the two that had been imprisoned could continue on to hurt more people if left alive. Echo tried to convince him that trials could still work, that he didn't have the right to act as judge, jury, and executioner, which he refuted to by pointing to Circe escaping her execution and now being imprisoned but alive and potentially releasable. Ri stated that this wasn't really Otu, that he had been acting significantly different when the two first met the day before, and attempted to convince him that killing those involved wasn't the answer. Otu remained convinced that it was the only option, and that since he had already lost his direction in life that there wasn't a point to trying to redeem himself, which Ri argued with by bring up Cypress and asking if Otu wanted to lose him too.
Echo continued to attempt to convince Otu that they should try to hold a trial and have justice be upheld properly, but Otu remained unconvinced that they wouldn't be able to get out of it somehow like Circe did. Unable to convince him any other way, Echo told Otu that there was no way for them to get away the same way that Circe did because "I'm the idiot that helped her escape", to which Otu then asked how he could possibly trust Echo knowing that. He finally decided on giving Echo a deadline of 7 days to find Cypress, or he would take things into his own hands, as well as saying that if a trial was held he didn't want Echo to be involved since he didn't trust that xe could be impartial on it, and Echo agreed to both demands.
==== Connecting with Ri ====
After Otu left, Echo spoke with Ri and asked how he was doing with everything going on; he expressed his frustration at being dragged into something he didn't want to be involved in, and questioned what he was meant to do now. Echo offered him a place in Iuxum temporarily to recoup and make plans, but also stated that xe understood if he didn't want to stick around given all that had happened and been said. Ri was hesitant to, not wanting to get attached to anything or anyone after having lost everyone from his home as well as not having any way to pay Echo. Xe insisted that no payment was necessary, and Ri reluctantly agreed to stay for a few days and help with the search for Cypress as well as take some time to rest. He offered an emerald that he said he had grabbed from someone at home, but Echo refused it and said that xe understood starting from scratch as well as having very little from home, and strongly encouraged that he hold onto it.
== Personality ==
Echo is a relatively solitary person who prefers to keep mostly to xemself and tries to be self-sustaining where possible. Xe is polite and tries to be friendly, but usually feels a little uneasy around other people unless xe knows them quite well. Despite this, Echo offers space and time to almost anyone who needs it, especially if they seem to be in a difficult situation. Xe tends to be rather stubborn when xe puts xyr mind to something, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Xe is fairly level-headed and can sometimes mediate in miscommunications, but if the situation gets heated xe’s likely to try to leave.
Echo follows the Red Pantheon, though xe finds some of the other deities to be interesting as well; xe doesn't particularly focus on any one deity of the pantheon, but instead worships The Astral Passenger and all 6 of her children.
=== Skills ===
Analytical>Xe has a keen eye for details, piecing together puzzles, and understanding where to look for further information
Quick Learner>Xe is fairly skilled at picking up on new things, especially if they’re things that xe can connect to what xe already understands and make sense of it that way
Helpful>Despite being shy, xe does try to help others where possible and likes giving little gifts to people she likes (usually by running up, giving them something, and leaving again)
=== Flaws ===
Closed Off>Though xe might find out plenty, xyr reserved nature makes xem hesitant to share information with others, especially anyone unfamiliar
Poor Fighter>If you’re looking for an extra hand in a battle, xe really isn’t a great first choice; xe’s more likely to panic and run from a threat than stay steady and be useful
Clumsy>Despite being able to solve puzzles and such, xe has a surprising ability to get into sticky situations as a result of not noticing holes, rough patches in the ground, or other dangers