Aesop Fable

Aesop Fable is an antian most well known as a writer despite his extended time as a career criminal and prolific mage. Born on Athanasia, he left home early and pursued fame in Mawae, before eventually descending into a life of crime under a man named Ian Kreuzer, a known slaver and black marketeer. He has been at large for more than a decade and while declared legally dead in some regions, the IDP continues to keep on alert given the nature of his crimes and his longevity. It is worth noting that Fable's longevity is unknown among Antians and it's well believed that he has discovered something that granted him immortality.

## Early Life

Aesop was born in a small town outside of Kreon, one of the largest cities on Athanasia, but the question of his parentage is a mystery to historians and scholars. Taking an early interest in writing, art and music he left for Kreon the day he turned of age, feeling the need to surround himself with creativity and interest. He soon became bored with city life and upon hearing fabulous tales of the outside world, he made up his mind and left Athanasia behind, knowing full-well that he may never be allowed to come back. He settled down in Burim, Mawae and studied architecture and music while pursuing his writing career in his spare time. It was in Burim where he made friends with the likes of Dogma and Yeshua and first began writing children's books having taken a quite liking to a young Mercy, the future Angel King.

## Personal Life

### Relationships and Marriage

Fable is a well known philanderer and is said to have slept with many famous (and infamous) historical and legendary figures, though much of it is difficult to prove and based on hearsay. Rumoured lovers include Baba Yaga, Aurak, Salvatore, Guanyin, The Dark Paladin and Corydon, the Queen of the Witches. While many of these affairs were well documented by Fable himself in many of his several autobiographies, being a legendary figure the truth is uncertain.

In his novel, *Fever and Burden*, which is considered to be largely autobiographical by scholars, he describes the main character Kokytos as "trapped and abandoned in the darkness, screaming for air with no sound and bleeding for concern" while a slave of an evil creature. Kokytos meets a fellow slave, a young and bright man called Iaso and they begin a torrid and secret affair. As our hero attempts to find comfort in his situation however, Iaso is driven madder and madder by the torture and cruelty of their master and attempts suicide several times, but to no avail. Fable describes Iaso's eventual disappearance as "so quiet and abortive, barren. Kokytos wanted to be surprised but couldn't and so nursed alone a broken heart." Kokytos eventually goes mad and becomes a creature himself. It is theorized by scholars and historians that Iaso was representative of Aaron Zen, a fellow slave of The Circle who vanished 8 years after Fable's induction and was declared legally dead, though Fable has never commented on the matter, nor the novel.

Much later in life, Aesop met and fell in love with a new chef at a favourite restaurant, Boadicea Omondi. Admittedly, they both fell in love very quickly and were married upon the discovery she'd become pregnant. They moved in together only a few months before their daughter, Astraea, was born. Boadicea continued to make a living as a chef, whereas Aesop continued his duties with The Circle, which put a great strain on their relationship as she learned more and more about his work. After 4 years of marriage they were divorced, citing Fable's "wild and dangerous lifestyle" and "dangerous associates". Fable continued to visit the house often to see his beloved daughter, but his relationship with his ex-wife never recovered.

### Family

Among his friends and associates, Aesop is well known to adore children and spent much of his twenties entertaining Dogma's son, Mercy and was considered the "uncle" of the mysterious and highly supernatural Edom. He wrote many childrens books, including *Lumina*, which was largely inspired by Mercy's gentle and pacifistic demeanour, and *The Children of Rock*, where he proposes a theory as to Edom's mysterious origins. His own daughter Astraea was "his reason for being" and he describes her as "bright, beautiful and brilliant" in his poetry anthology *Before I Knew You* which was largely dedicated to her in memoriam. His ex-wife and child were brutally murdered and though the InterDimensional Police were unable to solve the case before it went cold, it is widely believed that Ian Kreuzer was responsible, exacting revenge on Fable for gaining his disfavour somehow. Fable had no more children on record.

## Criminal Activities

In his early 20s, Aesop hadn't committed any serious offences, but had been arrested a few times for harassment, public drunkenness and disturbing the peace in Burim and WÃ¡nmÄï¿½i.

### The Circle

Not much is known about his induction into The Circle, but Aesop claims it began when he was 28 and approached by a "ravishing, gothic" woman seeking his magical aid. Since he was "never one to turn down a fine beauty", he agreed but soon discovered she was a powerful black magician herself, one in need of his antian gems. She viciously attacked him and once she overpowered him, she ripped several stones off of his body and set him loose once more on the streets of Burim. After seeking medical attention, he hid in his home in Burim for weeks, becoming increasingly nervous and paranoid, as his stones regrew. After hearing of the brutal deaths of his friends in WÃ¡nmÄï¿½i at the hands of the then relatively unknown Crosnia, The Empress of Death, he attempted to visit the funeral when the dark woman appeared once more. It was then he discovered it was Crosnia herself, and after having more stones harvested from his body and being left to die, he was determined to seek help. Fable says of the time "it was strange, as though all of the darkness converged on one point, on one group of people. My friends were all gone, dead, troubled so severely I could never bother them. I didn't want to endanger [Mercy] or [Edom] and I was left with few options.". He says it was around then he met a man in a local pub he visited regularly, one who seemed more than happy to buy him drinks. Fable said of the situation "it wasn't unusual for strangers to buy me things because I'm amazing, so I wasn't all that suspicious." The man introduced himself as Ian Kreuzer and over the night, told Fable of his work - a varied enterprise involving travel, archaeology, scientific and magical development, "a true company in the traditional sense, it reminded me of the Adventurer's Guild back on Athanasia.". Fable, drunkenly, agreed to sign up and in return, Kreuzer would grant him protection but sadly events did not unfold as such. Fable soon found himself in the throughs of slavery, at first as a mere magical battery and test subject. Historians allege that as his downward spiral into insanity continued, his loyalty grew and he was promoted eventually to be Kreuzer's personal bodyguard, also acting as an occasional assassin and errand-runner. It was during this time that he wrote *Yeshua the Bloody*, a fiction novel some historians speculate was based on a friend who had betrayed him, though others believe the story to be nonfictional. While working for The Circle, Fable's reputation as a backstabbing, contemptuous and above all, heartless monster grew as he slowly cut off all contact with his former friends.

### Convictions and Arrest Record

Fable was notoriously difficult to arrest and according to the IDP he has only been convicted 8 times despite his incredible record of indictment. Those convictions include the murder of CEO Vinzent Cambyses of Vilita Inc., 2 counts of corporate sabotage against Vilita Inc. and The Hollow Corporation and the kidnapping and extortion of a Bronian prince.

## Writing and Career

Fable is a prolific author and has written so many books and novels in his extensive lifetime, that historians doubt all have seen the light of day. Despite this, he is known for several time-tested classics, the best known of which is one of his earliest works, *Lose Sight of the Shore* and is still considered high literature to this day. Many of his works are used as teaching aides. He continued to write until his disappearance more than a decade ago but nothing has been released since.

### Bibliography

Best Known:

*Lose Sight of the Shore* - The tale of a young woman who leaves her closed world and travels about the Universe. Fiction. Considered autobiographical.

*The Goddess of Mercy* - A sweet and humorous work written in dedication to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. Romance/Comedy.

*Fever and Burden* - The passionate forbidden romance of two slaves staving off insanity. Drama/Romance. Considered autobiographical.

*Lumina* - The story of a child who inspires a world at war to set down their weapons and make peace. Children's.

*The Children of Rock* - The story of a powerful but sweet young God and his brother. Children's.

*Before I Knew You* - Poetry anthology written in memoriam of his late daughter, Astraea. Poetry.

*Yeshua the Bloody* - The violent tale of a beautiful but false holy man. Fiction. (initially published as nonfiction, Fable since retracted it claiming he was "going through a rough period.")

*Romantika* - Considered by some as seriously, and others jokingly, as the "actual Book of Love", this is a non-fiction book offering romantic advice. For many years it was unknown who penned this work, until it was eventually it was traced to Fable by a historian and republished. It's been called the "Art of War of romance.", where Fable insists "what's the difference?". Nonfiction.