Russell Whitlocke

## Overview

**Russell Whitlocke** (born 38 Bright Dawn, 1143) is an Alenthylian scholar, professor, researcher, alchemist, astral mage and member of the Arcane Society.

Whitlocke gained experience in arcane manipulation and illusion before traveling to the Kingdom of Novania in 1186 to work for the Novanian Academy of Learning. He soon struck out learning of the organization's non-existance.

### Appearance

Whitlocke has well kept, ash blond hair and beard. He has slate blue eyes, a light, wrinkled complexion and a lean, but healthy build. He is often seen in the city wearing a long sleeved white dress shirt with a beige vest and a brown overcoat.

## Early Years (1148-1154)

Whitlocke was born on the 38th of Bright Dawn 1143 to a couple in the village of Northpoint in The Crags, or Alenthylian Badlands. His father Francoise Whitlocke was a gifted scholar and experienced glamour mage working under the Arcane Society. Whitlocke’s mother, Lyonette Allise was an alchemist and midwife for the village, while she beared the gift, she never trained or developed it into any form of magic. Francoise had fallen in love after meeting Lyonette in an outing that took the group through the village. When he learned of her pregnancy, he ran from the Society, opting to be with the woman he loved. Needles to say, individuals were sent to attempt and persuade him to return, which he refused to.

A few months later, complications caused Lyonette to lose her life shortly after his birth. Francoise, left on his own with the newborn, and losing the woman he loved saw only one way to survive. The day after Francoise collected his supplies, and began his journey back with the infant. To beg for forgiveness, shelter and a future for his child. The Society accepted, given the child’s high probability of bearing the gift.

There weren’t many children in the Society, but Whitlocke and the few others that were there had been molded to be useful and productive members from an early age. He was five when the classes began, reading, writing, mathematics, all the basic skills necessary. By the age of seven, he had been very well exposed to the theory behind the arcane because of his upbringing, but it wasn’t until the two years after that formal teaching on the subjects begun.

Whitlocke’s elementary studies in Arcane Theory had been postponed, along with most of the Arcane Society’s operations in the region. In the late 1150’s the skies far on the horizon put on a blanket of black as smoke filled the skies of northern and central Alenthyl. The Capital lands burned under dragon's fire and the creatures went on to multiply, spreading destruction in the years that followed. Expecting the dragons to eventually reach them, the majority of the people in the region took refuge in the mines that dotted the duchy. The Society would go on to organize an effort to preserve the artifacts and tomes they had. By 1152 most of the inventory had been transferred, and normal operations had resumed, and as young dragons made their nests in the mountains above, so did the people in the caverns below, where they would go on and spend nearly a decade in.

## Beginnings of Arcane Theory & Arcane Practice (1154-1161)

From the age of nine to to fifteen, Whitlocke had been taking lessons in Arcane Theory, being taught about the Gift and how it travels through bloodlines, and the power imbued in Arcane Sigils. He has handed a grimoire by his father, which he would use to diligently takes notes of what he learned during the years of digesting the material in books and watching the mages around him. During periods where he was not studying, he would do assorted tasks around compound, aiding scholars with their research, and often would be sent to aid the settlers in the underground to gather and organize incoming supplies from the surface.

At the age of twelve, his teachings of the actual use of arcane magic began. The first practical lessons he took were those aimed at teaching him how to tap into the fountain of arcane energy inside the essence, channeling it through his body and condensing it to manipulate objects around him. He was entirely aware of the physical toll the arcane would have on him, and the contract he was about to sign by attempting to cast that first spell. His father reassured him, before handing him a pouch of arcane essence and placing a woolen toy on the table besides them.

At that moment Whitlocke looked over his grimoire, searching through his notes before finding the sigil his father had asked of him to perform. Having located it, he opened the pouch of essence, collecting some in his fist before clenching his fist shut and concentrating. The essence in his hand began to glow as it was absorbed by his body, tearing into him and solidifying his body and mind’s connection to the Astral Planes. It was a moment of pure ecstasy, though too much for the boy to handle. He collapsed on the spot, coming to his sense a few minutes later. He had read about the feeling, the high of consuming essence, but a tome couldn’t prepare him for the reality of it. When he came back to his senses, he prepared himself for another attempt, this time knowing what to expect.

Whitlocke focused on the toy, holding a hand out towards it, and clenching essence in the other. Soon enough the essence began to glow, again being absorbed by his body as he clung to consciousness. His mind was often too clouded due to the essence that he could not focus on the task at hand, causing him to fail in eliciting any reaction from the toy. It took several days for his body to finally become accustomed to the energy going through him whenever he took in the blue dust. Once used to the feeling, Whitlocke and his father returned to try the same exercise. The boy collected essence into his palm, quickly absorbing it before turning his attention towards the toy on the table. His mind was clear as he focused on the object, the sigils he had learned flashing in his head. It took a moment, before the toy shifted to the left, then the right. Whitlocke and his father went on to practice and refine his execution of the spell for several years, moving heavier objects as the time went on.

As the years passed, he would also continue his studies in the arcane, learning more of how the sigils work, and the Astral Planes. The dragonsfire burning of the capital lands piqued an interest of dragons, prompting him to dedicate free time to their study. By the age of seventeen he had a grasp on arcane manipulation, and his father had introduced him to several tutors that went on to teach him various minor abilities, or vigors, that would go on to be a foundation for his future training.

Having fully understood now how to properly channel arcane energy and use it, the next set of practical lessons involved sensing arcane energies in another individual and learning how to sever their connection to the arcane planes temporarily. His father would stand by him, and begin casting an illusion around them, sometimes spheres would float around them, other times he would disguise as a creature himself. Whitlocke’s goal was to dispel the illusion by severing his father’s connection to arcane energies. He would concentrate on the task at hand, but the images around him often proved too distracting. He would sometimes succeed, but more often than not it simply resulted in him having to stop from sheer exhaustion. It took several weeks until he could reliably cast the spell necessary to shut down his father’s ability to keep the illusions up.

## Research & Further Arcane Practice (1162-1168)

By 1161 the dragons that had spread on the surface had all but hunted each other down in the more remote reaches of the nation. While intelligent, they were still territorial and aggressive and those which were killed during territorial disputes were hunted down by mercenary armies, both foreign and local, looking to claim bounties placed on the creatures by the Dukes.

In 1162, the surface in the region was relatively safe, as the pair of dragons that had nested in it, and their spawn had been slain. The Arcane Society returned to the surface, reclaiming their old base of operations and formally inducting many of the gifted individuals in from the underground. Having finally reorganized, the Society began conducting expeditions to various locations in the region, mainly to gather information on the effect the dragons had on the ecosystem.

Whitlocke continued his arcane and draconian studies, as well as refining his ability to manipulate objects, moving heavier objects with more agility and finesse. For years he would train with other mages, eventually culminating in being able to catch and divert stones being flung from mid-air.

He became more interested in learning first hand about the origin of the arcane energies, and opted to attempt to get a grasp on arcane manifestation. Whitlocke had collected many books on the Astral Planes and had learned that they can be entered, and even used to travel across.

For several weeks he would take time away from his research into the Astral Planes to attempt to harness energy to send objects through it. Whitlocke had done this before, several years back, only with small objects however, and very short distances. It took weeks until one day, in an empty room he vanished for a fraction of a second, and reappeared a few feet in front of him. He was ecstatic, needless to say. He was aware that it would have most likely been much easier and timely to ask for another’s assistance in this, but thought that if he always depended on others to learn, he’d had difficulties passing on the knowledge to younger generations when it was his turn to do so. Whitlocke would go on to study the Astral Planes for several years, and eventually even traveling to it.

Whitlocke had opted to develop his abilities to form illusions. In 1167 he went to his father to ask for assistance in his training, and they would begin a process that would last for several seasons. The two would meet every evening, and would start by attempting to form simple enough things, condensing energy to make a ball of light, incorporeal objects. For Whitlocke forming the figures came easily enough at first, the problem came from maintaining the illusions up for long without them losing their shape or outright fading away prematurely. Unfortunately, the only solutions to his problems was time and patience. Thankfully, he had plenty of both.

## Middle Years and Advanced Training (1169-1184)

By 1170, Whitlock had all but mastered the ability to project and sustain arcane illusions, both simple and complex. He had begun taking students of his own at twenty-seven, preparing another generation of experienced scholars and mages looking to move arcane discovery in Alenthyl forward. The following thirteen years were spent teaching, studying further and caring for his aging father.

Whitlocke spent a lot of time with with his father, they’d tend to often study similar subjects. Eventually, Francoise couldn’t take on expeditions due to his age, so he remained serving the Arcane Society as a librarian, and records keeper. He was particularly popular with the young students. He would often use his knowledge and skill in glamour to entertain groups of students by disguising himself as various animals and creatures. Eventually, Whitlocke saw no harm in finishing his studies in Illusion by having his father teach him what he knew of the ritual. As with his previous experiences with this kind of magic, however, it would be entirely up to him to develop it, as time, patience, and dedication were the only solution. He would study animals he would see in books, and expeditions, and often enough would bring back live creatures for scholars to examine, and students to care for.

It took years to finally correctly execute the technique. Whitlocke would examine creatures for hours, observing every detail as miniscule as it was, before sitting in his chambers in total silence and concentrating on the image he desired. Sometimes it would take up to hours, before any response was elicited. Most of the times the image being mangled or distorted, fading away as soon as he attempted to move. He persevered, however, and by 1183 he had solid grasp on it, being able to perform to complete the ritual in about an hour. To this day, however, he still has trouble with maintaining the image up during moments of high tension.

## Interests in Novania and the War of the Wolf King (1186-1187)

Whitlocke traveled to Novania in very early 1186, with the intentions of becoming a professor of arcane theory at the Novanian Academy of Learning, but upon arrival he learned from one Pyrnix Mieli that the organization was now defunct, but the Novanian Intelligence Collective had taken it's place. Unfortunately, at the moment there was a void in it's leadership. Several seasons went by as Whitlocke made his life in Novania.

In the Harvest Call of 1186, he learned of Siegfried Vangrave, the newly appointed interim Director of the NIC, and the two spoke before he was officially employed under the Ministry of Research in the organization. Unfortunately, the employ was short lived, as a few short weeks later a coup led by Bohemond Hauteville led to the kingdom's fall into the hands of the notorious Alenthylian warlord Roughian and the beginning of the War of the Wolf King. Whitlocke, being from The Crags, was well aware and a witness to the destruction Roughian was capable of. Because of this, he was quick to flee the kingdom of Novania, returning to his home in the Arcane Society for almost a year.

He continued his studies, moving to adopt a more defensive style of casting, including wards and illusions. It wasn't long after his return to Alenthyl that word reached him of the empire's plans to retake Novania. Numerous Alenthylian forces departed from the capital, led by King Alwin Sarethi.

In the Full Bloom of 1187, word had spread throughout Alenthyl about the success the Alenthylian forces had met in Novania, routing out the wolf king and reclaiming the throne. Whitlocke returned a season later, hoping to continue his work in the NIC.

## The Novanian Intelligence Collective (1188)

When Whitlocke returned to Novania in the Harvest Call of 1187, he found that many of the Imperium's organizations were in disrepair, and currently going through restructurings. He met with the Vice-Director, Ayman Hakim, and expressed his interest in rejoining. A season or so went by until the NIC was prepared to formally take in employees, during that time, Whitlocke worked independently.

He ended up offering his services to the Rangers and accompanying them on some operations for support and record keeping. It was there he met Evan Finley, a gifted member of the Rangers. The two learned about each other after an operation involving the capture of marauders that had been robbing citizens on the roads north of Kasvava-Rakkaus. Whitlocke had used his proficiency with astral illusions to disorient and confuse the marauders while involved in a battle inside their base. Whitlocke offered to teach Evan about how to utilize his gift, to which he agreed.

Whitlocke was eventually contacted by the NIC to be interviewed by Director Harlow Hakim, after which he was reinstated into the Ministry of Research. [V]

## Known Associates

#### Acquaintances

* Pyrnix Mieli
* Archer Thrussel
* Evan Finley
* Yue Lin
* Ayman Hakim
* Harlow Rosewood-Hakim
* Julina Aelium
* Thula

### Likes

* Consuming Arcane Essence.
* Magic.
* Books.
* Researching.
* Astral Mist.
* Consuming More Arcane Essence.
* Imported Oranges.
* Lasagna.
* Alenthyl.
* Granthel.
* Dragons.

### Dislikes

* Bandits.
* Razing towns.
* Dragons.
* Werewolves.
* Novania, so far.

### Quirks

* Has cigar sized paper rolls full of arcane essence in his overcoat, which he consumes from when the addiction strikes.