Spring Morningsky

Art By: @Caras Alexandra

**Spring Morningsky** is an alias of **Frost Winterwind**, a player character in MagiRPG, played by Mirhi. They are a fairy fighter, echo knight, though they prefer using a longbow as their primary weapon. Currently, they travel with Morryn, Nissa, Courney, and Dante in Thither after leaving behind Dove in Hither. Though they are most commonly known as Spring, they are open about the fact that it is only an alias. Their true name Frost Winterwind is known only to their friend and lover Courtney.

## Description

### Appearance

Spring is 2 feet (.6m) tall with tan skin and wavy blue hair. They have several piercing in their eye brows. Their wings contain a spectrum of warm colors ranging from dark orange to bright yellow.

They wear leather armor that is accented with blue the same color as their hair. For weapons they keep a rapier that is rarely used, and a scimitar that is even more seldomly touched. Their main weapons are a longbow tipped with gold at the end, and a magical glass blower that they use to summon their echo.

Spring's echo is actually not a copy of themselves, unlike most echo knights. It is actually the reflection of an Elven lord that Spring met during a diplomatic delegation to Zybilna's court. Spring won the reflection from a bet that the lord challenged Spring to after being impressed by their archery skill. The echo itself is made from tempered glass, but otherwise resembles the elf from which it came.

### Personality

Spring is a passionate person, but their personality manifests most often as a quiet intensity. They are fiercely loyal and have a strong sense of morality. Almost to a fault, they adhere to Zybilna's three laws: Hospitality, Ownership, and Reciprocity. Spring is happy to go about their friends' plans as long as the individual actions remain good, and that it is leading towards the restoration of their Queen.

Spring is flirtatious and openly polyamorous to the point of excess. They are not pushy with their advances and respect the space of others, but make their intentions known in explicit terms that can be jarring for their friends.

While generally kind, Spring can be aggressive if they realize that words have failed, or that another person intends them -- or their allies -- harm.

## Biography

### Early Life

Spring was born and raised in Prismeer to a family that lived in Zybilna's court. They had a fairly normal childhood, learning to respect Zybilna's law, but otherwise engaging in the usual kind of gossip, mischief, and antics that fairies get up to. They were never malicious in their pranks, and never seriously hurt anyone -- though that isn't particular uncommon for the fey.

They were groomed for a life of simultaneously leadership and service since their parents were nobles of Zybilna's court and were loyalists. Spring first entered the low ranks of the Queen's Guard and through prowess in combat and diligence earned promotion to Captain.

### Adult Years

After the aforementioned wager with the elven lord, Spring earned a reputation for being a great marksman and a feared combatant. It was partially their military prowess supporting Zybilna's rule that kept Prismeer as peaceful as it was. However, upon the coup d'tait by the Hourglass Coven, everything changed for Spring.

Initially, Spring sought to fight side-by-side with their queen, but Zybilna asked Spring to flee and help re-take the Kingdom and lead the people of Prismeer through the dark times that were coming. However despite their efforts, Spring was not up to the task. Spring was unable to rally an organized resistance, being unable to inspire others in what became Hither. Even though they were unable to get others to take up the rebel cause, Spring still became a notorious figure within Hither for doing their best to keep the peace in what became a mostly lawless land. Spring never gave up the mission to restore the true Queen to her throne, but they did become demoralized as the years of the Hourglass Coven's reign rolled on.

### Recent Events

Spring happened upon the Croakers and saved them from a pack of harengons upon their entrance into the fey wilds. After revealing themself, they discussed their mission to restore Zybilna, and volunteered to help the Croakers to find their friend Myka. Spring initially got along with the group and helped guard and guide them through the swamps of Hither. They explained the magic of the fey wilds and the risks they had from the various entities that lived there.

Spring frequently flirted with Nissa and Dove, which escalated suddenly when Dove and Spring bonded while being extremely intoxicated at the Inn at the End of the World. The two slept together and shared a magical night where Spring learned that Dove was unable to lie. From then on there was a minor love triangle (though one with more romance than animosity) between Spring, Court, and Dove.

Though Spring originally wanted to kill Slack jawed Lorna (Bavlorna) for her crimes against Zybilna, at the end of Season 1, Spring was forced to negotiate with her in order to get back some of the things that the Croakers lost from their first entry into the Witchlight Carnival. Unfortunately, they had to leave Dove behind as part of the deal before setting off into Thither. This was especially hard on Spring.

After arriving into Thither, the party synergy had been severely disrupted due to the arrival of Dante, who bullied Myka during the Croaker's childhood. Spring had felt that the Croakers were excessively cruel to Dante since they met in Thither, and thus felt a distance growing from the party. The kinship they felt towards Dove was one of the only things keeping Spring attached to the party, along with hopes to help Dante get past his own demons.

This tension culminated when Court invoked Dante's true name, which led to him walking off alone into the forest. Worried for Dante's safety, Spring followed him and watched over him during the night, but was slain by the Jabberwock during the night time, and had their body discovered by Nissa and Dante the next morning. Though Court was able to persuade the unicorn Lamorna to resurrect Spring in a heartfelt plea, Spring became angry and frustrated with Court for their foolishness and invoked their true name in response.

The party then stormed the stronghold of Granny Nightshade, Loomlurch, to free children and steal the portrait of Granny Nightshade. They were able to successfully pull off the height, but ended up having to flee before freeing the enslaved children. They narrowly escaped. Upon escaping, Spring reconciled with Court and apologized, though it was clear the damage of their argument had not fully been healed. The party was eventually attacked by Skabatha while trying to escape back to Hither, where Skabatha stole back the briefly-freed children after killing Nissa and nearly kililng Court.

The group sought sanctuary in Fablerise, the realm of Dante's adopted mother and archfey Yarnspinner, a giant storytelling spider. In Fablerise, the party held a brief memorial for Nissa, but she was brought back from sacrifices from Morryn and Court. After Nissa's revival, Spring and Court shared an intimate moment where they fully reconciled through their love for each other, Nissa, and Dove who they vowed to save as Spring said "No more funerals."

In this moment, Court asked to know Spring's true name. After a moment's hesitation and trepidation, Spring revealed their true name: Frost Winterwind, after which the two spent the night coupling. Their evening tumble was interrupted however as Dove's owl Clover stumbled into the camp and delivered a message that Bavlorna would betray the party and delay them from reaching Downfall. Using an owlbear loaned to them by Yarnspinner, the party raced back to Downfall and slaying the minions Bavlorna sent after them -- save for one which Spring convinced to take up a righteous cause and ally against the Hourglass Coven.

Upon reaching Downfall, Slack-jawed Lorna did betray the party, and during the fight Dove was regurgitated from the hag who was unconscious, but alive. After swearing vengeance on behalf of their Queen Zybilna, Spring struck down Bavlorna by two shots to her eyes. After recovering briefly in Downfall and liberating it for Prince Freddie, the party returned to Fablerise for a rest. Dove finally recovered and woke up, but had been possessed completely by Courtney's patron and disappeared into a cloud of shadows.

Spring and the rest of the party chased after Dove to a realm where there was a masquerade ball. They found Dove and exercised Courtney's patron from her. After a night of revelry and intimacy however, they found that Dove's body was already gone and that after leaving the realm and going back to Prismeer, she was already dead.

Once in Yon, Spring and the party helped a small girl and had other small adventures before venturing to Endelyn's stronghold at Motherhorn where they confronted her and killed her. However Endelyn has seen her death and knows she can only be killed during an eclipse, thus she was destined to be reborn again.With the knowledge gained on the journey, the party set off to the Palace of Heart's Desire to finally restore Zybilna to her throne and find Myka -- once and for all.

### Background: Folk Hero

While not famous to the entire Fey wild, Spring is a fighter of some renown in Prismeer. They earned some fame after winning the bet that won them the echo of the elven lord. Their prestige was further cemented after becoming Captain of the Guard under Queen Zybilna. After the fall of Prismeer, Spring became known more by reputation than by name as they were one of the few individuals that held Zybilna's laws in high esteem and aimed to keep the peace of the region from brigands and thieves. Spring is known as a generally helpful hero and one of the few who generally wants to do good.

## Relationships

### Morryn

Spring generally respects Morryn's mental acumen and leadership, but questions her callousness and morals. While she is an efficient fighter and decision maker, Spring worries that she will let negativity and the coldness of her heart rule her completely. Because of that, while Spring does like aspects of Morryn, they can never true trust her or love her as they do other members of the Croakers. Most of all, Spring has become extremely disappointed at Morryn's cruelty to Dante, which Spring finds needlessly malicious, regardless of their past complications. Although Spring admires Morryn, especially for her sacrifice in bringing back Nissa, they do not fully trust Morryn and don't think they ever could.

After losing Dove, Spring began to confide in Morryn more frequently as her maturity and poise is a unique quality among the Croakers. Spring finds wisdom in her decisions and decided to defer to her judgment more often than their own.

### Nissa

Spring holds Nissa in high esteem. Of the Croakers she seems to be the most empathetic and cares for the cohesiveness of the group. Spring believes that if not for Nissa, the group would have disbanded in the first few days, as her friendship and affinity for each member individually makes up for how different they are. Spring fears for Nissa not being able to move forward in her life and is afraid she'll end up holding onto the past forever. It is for this reason that Spring want to help find Myka as they remember how love has given them life and happiness in the past. When Nissa asked Spring how they can be the way they are despite the evil and maliciousness in the fey wilds, Spring told her that despite the darkness it's just happier and better this way. Nissa seemed to understand this simple and apparently shallow answer for the deeper intent Spring had behind it.

After Nissa's temporary death, Spring apologized to Nissa for underestimating the bond of the Croakers the entire time and for letting her and the rest of the party down. Nissa insisted there was nothing to apologize for.

### Dove

Initially Spring was merely infatuated with Dove and found her a hearty frontline companion and ally. However after their sexual encounter, Spring started to develop genuinely loving feelings for Dove. The two seem to share a fondness and mutual respect, though as far as Spring can tell, their loving feelings for Dove are thus far unrequited. Still, Spring made their feelings known when the two departed. If not for the fact that Dove is being held by Bavlorna, they may have left the Croakers. However since reconciling with Courtney, and the subsequent revelation of Morryn's true form to the party, Spring's attachment to the Croakers was rekindled. Courney and Spring both love confessed their love for Dove together, but upon retrieving her from Bavlorna, it was revealed that Courney's patron had possessed Dove's body before she fled into black mist.

### Courtney

Spring does not fear many things, but they do fear the darkness that controls Court. After an episode in which Court's patron took over their body, Spring realized the great evil that resided in them -- evil beyond what the fey wilds usually control. To that end, Spring desired to help Court break from their patron, possibly even finding a new one among the arch fey. But the most promising one would be Zybilna, who is unavailable due to obvious reasons. Spring also had some romantic feelings towards Court, but those have faded some as they've seen the cruelty that Court is capable of; especially as it pertains to Dante. Most frightening, Court invoked Dante's true name against him. While Court does not know this, that behavior is only done among mortal enemies. After their death, Spring turned the tables on Courtney and invoked their true name to prove a point, which only served to widen their rift. However, after escaping from Loomlurch, Spring was able to reconcile with Court and shared a quiet moment of intimacy, followed by passionate lovemaking after Spring revealed their true name.

Spring and Courtney have grown closer over time, particularly bonding during their brief reunion with Dove. However, Spring has grown weary and worried over Court's impulsiveness and is worried that it may become a potential lethal liability.

### Dante

Spring felt a kinship with Dante after they freed him from the dryad's grove. Spring's curiousity grew initially because he hid what manner of creature he was, perhaps something not quite human, but not quite fey. But later because because of the shyness he showed when Spring displayed affection for him. That kinship eventually became attraction, but also protectiveness as Dante quickly earned the ire of the party once they realized who he was and what he had done to Myka when they were children. This fissure between the group has left Spring and Dante on one side and the others on the other side, which makes Spring uncomfortable. This rift has softened a bit after Dante confessed their feelings to Nissa, and Spring reconciled with Courtney.

## Equipment and Gear

Unlike most fighters, Spring primarily uses a longbow in combat, They also carry a scimitar, a rapier, and a shield in case of emergencies. Their echo also has a rapier and longbow, though they primarily use the rapier in melee range of enemies to draw fire. Spring also carries a Quiver of Ehlonna that they earned for their loyalty and prestige in Zybilna's guard.

Most notably, Spring carries around a magic glass blower that is capable of creating small objects and the echo they use in combat.

In Season 2, Episode 1, Spring was gifted Bracers of Archery by a rich old man.

### Abilities

* Spring is a fully capable fighter, but due to their small size and strength, they prefer to use finesse weapons while using their echo to distract enemies.
* Spring is capable of summoning their echo quickly, and often will use it to escape from enemies, as they did by magically swapping places with it in Season 1 Episode 4.
* Spring also is able to cast Druidcraft and Faerie Fire -- they get these abilities from their nature as a fairy.
* Because of their wings, Spring has a flying speed of 30 feet, and will frequently use it to hide or get a better vantage point.

## Trivia

* Mirhi hadn't originally intended Spring to be non-binary, but as the character was fleshed out more, it became inevitable due to their nature.
* Spring attempted to give the party a set of false names for protection, but they forget to use them often.
* Spring not only is non-binary, but maintains some ability to change biological sex.
* Spring is pansexual and polyamorous.
* Mirhi has written a short story about Spring, showcasing the night that they won their echo.

## Quotes

* "I'm small, I can get into hard to reach places."
* "I will protect those who cannot protect themselves."
* "I just wanted cider and eight inches..."
* "Dove, are you unable to lie? Then did you enjoy what we just did together?"
* "...Do you want to crush me with one hand?"
* "I will come back for you, Dove. Not even death will stop me."
* "Maybe we could swim alone, but together."
* "No more funerals."
* "In the name of the one true Queen of Prismeer, I reclaim Hither and vanquish you." [to Bavlorna]
* "Life is about the journey, not the destination. And the most important step a person can take is not the first one, it's the next one."