Ikelash

* Current Art
* Emoji

Ikelash "Ike" Mairen is a character created by Linny for the Crab Campaign. He is currently an aberrant mind sorcerer/fathomless warlock multiclass.

## Character Details

### Physical Appearance

Ike is a young half-elf kalashtar with light skin and short, unkempt wavy brown hair. Despite having one elven and one quori parent, they *used to be* nearly indistinguishable from human outside of slightly pointed ears; however, he *now* has several physical characteristics that set him apart from the average person.

Behind a pair of big nerd glasses, his eyes are red and have pupils comparable to an octopus's. When they use certain magic, pupil-less versions of these eyes pop up elsewhere on their skin (most notably on their cheeks), fading after 2d6 minutes. Even more notably, they are rarely seen without a cloud of swirling, magical dark mist that seems to cling to their form. Though in general the cloud seems to have very little form or influence outside of its appearance, it seems to change size in response to external factors. Additionally, pieces of it seem to break off or spread when Ike uses sorcerer abilities, and aberrations have been known to consume it.

### Fashion

Ike's fashion is, for the most part, fairly standard. Under most circumstances, he wears a warm, cozy-looking sweater, sensible pants and shoes made for traveling; however, where he again differs from the average traveler is in how rarely these clothes change, regardless of climate or temperature outside. Even in the most sweltering of heat, he continues to wear warm clothing that covers as much of his arms and legs as possible.

On the rare occasion that his sleeves are rolled up, a pair of elbow-length lace-up fingerless gloves becomes immediately obvious. These gloves serve a three-fold purpose: keeping his hands warm, covering up a dark cult symbol on the palm of his right hand, and covering two long, jagged scars that travel up the length of each forearm. On the index finger of their right hand, they wear a silver ring with several spinnable beads that serves as a focus for their magic.

### Personality

Ike is, first and foremost, anxious and reserved. Despite his high charisma (mechanically), he is often awkward and fumbles a fair bit with the right words to say. They are largely unbothered by other people, but seem to be quite jumpy around most other creatures, whether hostile or not. He gives excellent hugs, leading Linny to joke that "all of his charisma is in his hugs".

The smoke cloud that often accompanies them has been seen to be influenced a great deal by Ike's emotional state. It grows in size and unpleasantness when he is having a bad time, and shrinks when he is doing better. Ike's smoke cloud is also influenced a great deal by his insomnia; they struggle a great deal with sleeping, represented in game with a nightly WIS Save (rolled with advantage due to racial feats) on the table given below. When they do sleep, they do not dream, and seem to (on occasion?) visit an ethereal garden and talk with Koyuli.

##### Insomnia Table

 15
 11-14
 7-10
 <=6
 Nat 1

## History

Ike was born in the small, coastal town of Arkborne in the Storm Lands of Losela. They seem to have lived a fairly normal life with their nibi, dad, and younger twin siblings up until some time roughly 10 years ago. The official version of events claims that the town of Arkborne was attacked by a large sea monster and was catastrophically destroyed, leaving only two survivors: Ike, and a young elf woman, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. After the destruction of his hometown, Ike was brought to an inn elsewhere in the Storm Lands, where he rested, recovered, and presumably worked for the next decade. For whatever reason, they left that town and traveled to Frintyn, where they met up with the party.

Pieces of the true story of the destruction of Ike's hometown have become clear over the course of several conversations and/or truth or dare games with various party members. These are summarized below.

## Relationships

### Anastasiya (Nastiya)

Ike's relationship with Nastiya is quite complicated, to say the least. When Ike first joined the party, the two bonded over their similarly unfortunate pasts - they both were forced to bear the brunt of the consequences for circumstances outside of their control, and have suffered to varying degrees for that. They were (and still are) quite interested in her experiments, and have even willingly participated in some. However, over the course of their time together, Ike has grown quite concerned for Nastiya's well-being, especially as she undertakes dangerous experiments alone without alerting party members. Additionally, Ike has complicated feelings about Nastiya's disease and the way that she interacts with it.

The two have had their ups and downs. For most of their time together, Ike trusted Nastiya a great deal, but did not expect that to be reciprocated. When they clocked that Nastiya and Teseus were up to something after Nastiya lost her fingers to wolves in the woods, they suggested that she talk to someone she trusted about what she was up to before doing something potentially dangerous. When she *didn't*, and went through with a plan that resulted in the loss of her entire arm, they in part blamed themself for not being a person she could trust. After that incident, Ike offered to tell Nastiya a bit about himself as a peace offering, and learned a bit about her in turn, building trust between the two. Nastiya would later back Ike up even after learning the truth of his backstory. When wendigos sent by Cervidus attacked Ike to enact justice for actions from his past, Nastiya stood up for Ike, putting herself in harm's way to protect him.

However, their relationship would soon begin to fracture. When the Calf dropped off a dead aberration to torment Ike with, Ike sought Nastiya's help to deal with the problem. Without realizing the impact this would have on her friend, Nastiya used the opportunity to study the aberration, discreetly keeping pieces of it to perform later experiments with. When she let Ike know it was difficult to tell whether it was dead or alive, Ike fired a substantial number of smoky, magical darts into the creature, all but vaporizing it; this helped him calm down a bit, as the threat seemed to have no chance to return. Things seemed fine between the two of them; however, Nastiya later disappeared to work on experiments, an ill-timed move following the disappearance (and eventual return) of someone Ike was sworn to protect. The anxiety spike was not reassured by Nastiya's insistence that she was fine, as it was clear from her tone that she was reluctant to discuss what she was working on; when it later became clear that she was working to combine the pieces of the aberration with her disease to "study them better", Ike felt completely betrayed.

Though they would later make up, things remain tense between them. Nastiya claimed to care about Ike's well-being; because of her claims, Ike chooses to place active trust in Nastiya, and is doing his best to repair their relationship as much as he can from his side. Only time will tell whether these attempts will persevere.

### Antinua

Ike respects and admires Antinua. His initial impression of her came from an interaction between her and Teseus where she walked Teseus through her methods for casting magic. Not a particularly great student themself, Ike found Antinua's patience refreshing, and her description of magic very interesting and different than their own experience. While at times Ike is frustrated by Antinua's bluntness in situations that require a bit more delicacy, he recognizes that everyone has different strengths, and doesn't hold her lack of tact against her, for the most part (see: "and three that *didn't*"). He is a bit intimidated by Antinua's intelligence, and considers her by far the most sensible person in the party. He trusts her to be the knowledgeable one when making plans, and is lowkey convinced there's very little she doesn't know or cannot find out.

Ike is also interested in Antinua's relationship with religion, which he recognizes as quite different from his own experience. He greatly respects her conviction; for example, when Ike was attacked by Forest Guardians during a ritual performed by the head of the Temple of Cervidus in Palitine, Antinua remained seated and did not help. He does not in the slightest hold this against her, and instead admires that she continued to do what she thought was right.

Finally, he thinks it is adorable that Antinua has a crush on Teseus, and hopes that the two of them will find a way to make that relationship work.

### Jacquel

Jacquel is one of the most friendly strangers Ike has ever met. He really appreciates how willing they have been to take a lot of the party's antics at face value - he worries specifically about the impression that he is making on her, especially since some of his comments have had very little context. Ike looks forward to continuing to work with Jacquel and learning more about them - they specifically want to know more about the past, but are worried that some of their questions may come across as rude or uninformed.

### Teseus

Ike's relationship with Teseus is characterized first and foremost by a lot of anxiety. Teseus is impulsive and prone to fits of rage, both of which make Ike very nervous, as they are well outside anything Ike is capable of dealing with. Teseus likewise gives off the impression of one who's going through a lot, but has generally been quite reluctant to discuss it, even when it directly impacts the party. During the rare moments where the two are alone, Ike frequently encourages Teseus to open up to the other party members, claiming that "it is impossible to bear most things alone", not that they're one to talk.

Another major stressor comes from the source of Teseus's magic. When Teseus first explained the source of his magic to the party, he was (understandably) reluctant to disclose specific details, instead explaining that he had gained his magic by making a deal with an "old friend". Concerned about the source of *their own* magic, Ike was quite uneasy about this description. When Teseus later made a second deal on behalf of Nastiya to get her an arm back without consulting Nastiya or anyone else in the party, they grew only more afraid of Teseus and his magic. Teseus would later disclose the source of his power, the goddex Trihexa, which would further complicate matters. As the goddex continues to interact with the party to a mostly negative degree, Ike continues to wonder exactly what their "friendship" with Teseus truly entails.

All that said, their relationship is not *entirely* one based in fear. Teseus is a regular participant in Poetry Corner, an activity that involves Ike reading lots of terrible poetry to calm themself down. On multiple occasions, he has accompanied Zara and contributed background music to the sessions. In these moments, Ike is careful to purposefully extend trust to everyone involved, as they are willingly entering his space and working with him to calm down. Likewise, Ike notices and appreciates Teseus's interactions with Antinua and other party members, and notes his attempts to remain gentle even with chaos raging inside him. He hopes that as the two continue to travel together, they will continue to work through their differences and become closer friends... just as soon as he stops being so afraid.

### Zara

Zara is, without a doubt, one of the most important friends Ike has ever had. Ike was initially quite nervous around Zara, as he was not sure what she thought of him, and was intimidated by how much better with people she is. However, this changed in the first few days of their travel, when Zara was willing to check in on him despite his bad vibes and isolation, and even offered to keep him company. She does not seem to mind his poetry, despite how terrible it is, and will often stay and hang out with him while he reads and works on it to calm down even when his vibes are bad. Sometimes, she we play an instrument to accompany him, which he finds really sweet. Zara often performs to pay for room and board for the party, and Ike greatly enjoys the performances, though he feels bad that his cloud often prevents others from enjoying the show. In these moments, he often will still try to watch from outside.

Zara often has Ike's back, both in and out of combat. In combat, she frequently heals him, and supports his decisions to try and avoid violence whenever possible. Out of combat, Zara is often able to calm Ike down when they are freaking out; not many are able to do this. Ike feels safe around Zara, and her presence is one of the few things that helps him sleep better at night. When the cult mark appeared on his hand without warning, Zara was patient with him while he freaked out about it, and lent him gloves to cover up the mark. Of all of the party members, he trusts her to have a good read on most situations, and appreciates her council and thoughts.

The one point of complication in their relationship comes from Zara's use of controlling magic, both during performances and otherwise. Due to the obvious issues with autonomy from his past, this sort of magic generally makes Ike intensely uncomfortable; however, Zara is aware of this, and tend to apologize when she uses it. Furthermore, it has become clear over the course of their time together that Zara's intent behind the magic is not malicious, and in most cases, spells like *Suggestion* are only used in moments of absolute necessity. Because of this and their relationship otherwise, Ike trusts Zara to be respectful and courteous, and works hard to move past his own anxieties in this area. Overall, Ike and Zara are quite close, and he hopes that it remains that way.

### The Calf

The Calf only appears when Ike is alone. This sets the tone for their entire relationship.

As with many relationships in Ike's life, Ike's relationship with the Calf has been largely characterized by fear. Their first meeting - alone in a massive, dark, empty temple of the Whale - was quite negative. Ike asked for help for Mr. and the Calf responded by asking why Ike was there and if they'd told the party they wanted to kill the gods, and (loosely) threatening to kill him. Ike appeared to have no idea what she was talking about, and was absolutely terrified.

Over the course of their relationship, the Calf has also been known to indirectly make Ike's life... difficult? Better? (This dichotomy also characterizes their relationship.) For example, she warned Zara that Ike was working with "the god-killers" alongside two other party members; the subsequent confrontation led Ike to reveal their past to the party. When the party first met her, Zara was able to convince her to finish off an aberration the party had left alive in the forest... which she later dropped off as a "gift" for Ike, further terrorizing him, and eventually leading to the more complicated events that characterize Ike and Nastiya's recent interactions.

Despite this, the Calf continues to be a source Ike looks to for help. When Faine went missing after a fight with her girlfriend, Ike plead with the Calf to help them find her or at the very least keep her safe; she refused, but claimed that Ike had potential as an asset in the fight against the god-killers. She later would try to recruit him not once but twice - the first time through Faine, and the second time with promise of death should he not accept her offering. Willing to do anything to protect himself from the monsters of his past, Ike eagerly agreed without *really* knowing what they were getting themself into.

The terms of their pact were roughly: "Do not work to kill the gods, work against those who seek to kill the gods, and in turn, I will keep you safe from them." So far, both have upheld their side of the deal.

### Faine/Halcy

Ike and Faine have never particularly gotten along, even at the best of times. When they "first met", Faine was singlehandedly responsible for Ike joining the party, as she claimed to know someone that Ike had been intensely searching for. However, even from the start it was clear that Faine did not like or trust Ike. At every opportunity, she distanced herself as much as possible from them; Ike, likewise, sensing that she knew more about his past than she was letting on, was quite happy to avoid her like the actual plague. For the first bit of their travels together, she would try to recruit party members to keep an eye on Ike should something happen with him. Any use of his magic made her extremely uneasy, and often led to threats of violence from her.

The beginnings of an uneasy trust were forged when the party first encountered the "brain dog". Ike and Faine were *both* uncomfortable around it, but Ike deferred to Faine's apparent expertise at a few critical moments, and together saved the party from some of the more harmful effects. Following this, Faine opened up a bit to Ike and told him a bit about herself and her origins - namely that she hailed from the same town as Ike, and was there when the town was attacked, same as him. Their relationship remained... fine™... for the most part while the party was in Palitine, though it naturally had some ups and downs. After being outed by the Calf, Faine would encourage Ike to reveal the truth about his origins; in return, she revealed that not only had she been there, she *was* the girl, Halcy, that Ike had been looking for when he joined the party.

This knowledge is both a blessing and a curse for Ike. On the one hand, he has spent the better part of a decade wondering about what happened to the only other person he *knew* survived the attack on the town, and knowing this and that she is okay brings him the faintest bit of closure about the events. On the other, his guilt over what she saw, and what he nearly did to her, obviously plagues every fiber of his being. After the reveal of this information, Ike would spend the next few sessions while she remained with the party doing everything he can to be truthful with her, and to protect her wherever possible. When she was kidnapped following a fight with her girlfriend, Ike tried to make a deal with the Calf to protect her. Later, when they found her and her girlfriend was attacked by forest guardians, Ike tried to stand in for her girlfriend and take the punishment instead because of her importance to Faine. Despite this, Ike was later responsible for the death of Faine's girlfriend, something he still carries a great deal of guilt over. He was immediately truthful with Faine about this; however, she was rightfully unable to forgive him and Teseus, and left the party not long after.

In their final interaction, Halcy had returned to her true, elven form, and teamed up with the Calf to fight monsters down in their homelands. She extended the offer to join her, which Ike reluctantly turned down. They still wonder if this was the right decision.

### Koyuli

Not too much is known about Koyuli, let alone Ike's relationship with her. Instead of dreaming when he lays down to rest, Ike will sometimes meet with her in a corrupted, ethereal garden. From the glimpses into their relationship in session, and from the way Ike talks about her, Ike seems quite reluctant to interact with her, and even more awkward than usual. She clearly cares for Ike and wants to protect them; however, her methods for doing so seem to make Ike uncomfortable, or are perhaps not things Ike is entirely ready for. This has been most obvious when they discuss Ike's past - she wants them to take responsibility for the active role he may have played in his past, and Ike is determined to think about his past as "something that happened to him".

Ike clearly feels an immense amount of guilt about not talking to Koyuli before making important decisions. She, likewise, seems critical of a lot of the decisions that he makes - for example, it is not entirely clear whether she approves of Ike's deal with the Calf, though she doesn't regard it as *the worst* decision he's ever made. She encourages him to come talk to her more often, claiming "the best time to seek my council... I can offer the most help when you're scared". It remains to be seen whether their relationship will improve or decay, but Ike seems to be trying to talk to her more often now.

## Image Gallery

Original Character ArtOld Chibi by MewChibi Png by MewChibi Head Icon by MewCurrent Art by MewGato Meow Meow Ike by MewIke watching Zara's show through the window by Mew
## Trivia

* Ike's name comes from "Ikelos", the Greek god of nightmares, and "Mare", the Norse god that brings about nightmares. Given Linny's naming conventions, it can be assumed the other members of their family are similarly named.
* Ike's design is loosely based on Martin Blackwood from the podcast *The Magnus Archives*.
* Ike has 3 notable scars: two grisly defensive wounds running up the length of each forearm, and an arrow wound in their thigh.
* Despite the fact that both parents, and likely both younger siblings, had darkvision, Ike does not (yet) have darkvision. This is blamed (by Linny) on how shitty his eyesight is.
* Trihexa does not seem able to touch him.

## Quotes

* "I know that I haven't exactly given you reason to trust me yet, but please... talk to someone that you *do* trust." - *Ike to Nastiya and Teseus*
* "We are not meant to bear such heavy weights alone. But if we distribute things to other people, and each of us has a small part, we are much better equipped to support each other." - *Ike to Teseus*
* "I'm sorry - I should have come to you first, but I was scared." - *Ike to Koyuli*