Jin Cassius

### Notable Features

When using non-subtle magic, six balls of heatless blue foxflames orbit their body.

## History

### Birth and Early Life

Born to one of the many branch families of the Cassius clan on the isles of the Laniden Archipelago, Aliya possessed a rare gift from the moment of her birth. As the babe lay in her mother's arms, her parents marveled at her snow white fur and the mark of the goddess Lusine on the palm of her hand, but more than that they marveled at the twin tails curled behind her back. Multi-tailed births among the kitsune were rare, and those so clearly blessed by the gods were rarer still in the extreme, all of these signs together pointed to a deep well of potential locked within the form of the small blessed child.

Seeing their chance to escape obscurity, her parents decided that they would undertake any risk in order to realize their child's great potential. From a young age they taught Aliya the things that came naturally to their race, such as the many ways one could reshape their form. When she proved to be a prodigy at shapeshifting and begun to eclipse even many of their far older cousins in prowess they moved on to true magic.

At the ripe age of 8 years old, far younger than any other members of the family had begun, her parents began to teach her a dangerous but powerful form of magic. By learning to harness the magic sealed in their blood as magical creatures, Aliya learned to draw that energy out of her body. First forming it into foxfires, a form of external energy storage for this racial form of spellcasting, and then learning the art of how to stabilize the extracted magical energy using a sapphire orb known as a star gem. By the age of 11 they were shapeshifting and weaving enchantments that eclipsed those of family members three years their senior in terms of magical training. This power and it's rapid development had come at a terrible cost however.

### The Break and the Dedication

As the mounting physical stress of drawing on the energy her body needed to survive began to weigh on Aliya, the mental stress proved itself to be a far more insidious threat to her well-being. It was a known fact that this form of magical study was risky, it had a tendency to overburden it's practitioners both mentally and physically until they pushed themselves to the limit where something breaks. In many cases, given the physical vitality that results from the training needed to withstand the effects, it results in the mind being the thing to break first, and this was the case for Aliya.

Exhausted from the concentration and stamina needed to train such a demanding form of spellcasting, her mind began to buckle under the expectations of the people around her. It started with her mother, she began to hear her mother's voice when no one was around pushing her to get better, to not waste time on frivolous personal pursuits. Then her father's voice joined, then those of her teacher, then her cousins. Soon she found herself under the constant scrutiny of a chorus of detractors that she couldn't silence.

Seeing her torment from afar, her parents watched in a mixture of fear both personal and sympathetic. They undertook several different methods of trying to cure their daughter's swiftly progressing form of insanity, and it wasn't until they begged a Lusinian priest for aid that something finally worked.

Under the full moon, Aliya was lead through a ritual that bound her to the goddess and exchanged part of her soul for a portion of the goddess' divine energy. This dedication promised her soul to the goddess upon her death, but it worked. A new voice appeared, one that spoke not in words but in emotions and instincts, pushing her to let go of inhibitions and to revel in the good of the world, but with this new voice came a quieting of the others. The other voices grew not silent, but quieter, more indistinct. Aliya gave a part of herself and was spared the madness that had claimed many before her.

### The Journey Begins

Even with the voices muted, Aliya could still feel them growing stronger the more she trained and the more time she spent with her increasingly stress-inducing family. As she continued to hone her skills and gained her third tail from the growing well of arcane power inside she came to a conclusion fueled by the new voice driving her to find herself. After several weeks of negotiations with her family she finally convinced them that her abilities were being stunted by the safety of home and that they would only continue to grow if she left and challenged her abilities.

Aliya left her home at the age of 15 and began travelling across Etera under the pseudonym "Jin", indulging her instinct to do good deeds and relishing in the freedom that came from leaving her family behind gave her.

## Appearance

While the particular facial features and sometimes gender tend to change from time to time, Jin generally has a thin physique, long white hair, and striking purple eyes that make them relatively easy to recognize in combination with the signature blue outfit they commonly wear.

## Personality

Jin is generally laid back and friendly when interacting with people. They try to avoid causing undue conflict in conversation and enjoy hearing the details of other's day to day. This normally laid back behavior belies their deep curiosity in all things arcane however. When the topic turns to magical matters their interest is far more attentive and they are eager to discuss the particulars of their own and other's magic at length given the slightest provocation.

## Abilities

Jin possesses a wide range of shapeshifting forms that they have developed themselves, as well as new ones made up on the fly as the situation or their whims demand. They are also adept at mental magics and possess a fascinating ability to bridge their magic with that of others in order to fuel or drain other caster's magical abilities. They also possess a small modicum of blood magic, but they generally avoid it's use where they can.

## Aspirations

* Continue to improve their magic
* Forge new friendships with other magic users
* Invent new ways to push the boundaries of their magical abilities
* Find or create a place to actually call home

* Escape the expectations of their family

## Adventures

### The Tower of Death (Pt. 1)

Jin stared into the sky overhead as the wooden cart she rode in trundled along the mountain path. The stars shined bright in the inky blue sky overhead as she attempted to trace constellations like she had as a child, body laid back onto a few sacks of grain. As she traced the next part of the pattern she had been trying to remember, she found herself staring into the welcoming soft light of Lusinar, the moon having blocked her view of that particular star. She stared at the moon for several long moments and wondered quietly to herself *“I wonder how are my family doing? I wonder what they would think of where I am now.”* She thought, a tinge of melancholy coming over her thoughts.

*“You betrayed us, how could we be anything but disappointed?”* whispered the voice of her mother from some deep dark corner of her thoughts. Jin ignored the whisper, pushing it down into the depths along with the voice that had spoken it as she sat up in her seat.

She stared out over the procession following her. A dozen more wooden carts were laden with supplies for the forwards operating camps as well as carrying a party of adventurers that had balked at the idea of spending money for a teleportation when the distance was so short. In total the caravan numbered just over thirty people packed into only a baker’s dozen of horse-drawn carts.

When Jin had first heard about the Death Tower, she was confused. "*If the tree to the north wasn’t the Tower of Death, then what was its purpose?"* She thought to herself, but when she learned of the preparations being made to storm the Death Tower located in the Ghostlands, she could feel that Fox inside begin tugging at her heart the way it did whenever it wanted her to act. She knew she’d never be able to forgive herself if she didn’t pitch in to the efforts to contain it somehow.

In the end, it turned out her leadership skills were more valuable than her magical ones. It was a relatively simple job for Jin to round up some connections she had made during her time in Babel and form an overland delivery route of sorts bringing needed supplies to the forward operating camps. This journey would make the… *fifth? sixth maybe?..* delivery they had made bringing both supplies and fresh blood to the front.

Jin’s focus homed in on a lantern-lit covered wagon about 3 carts back. She wondered about the adventurers inside. *“Five more souls gathering into those camps. If we continue to gather at this rate at the edge of their lands, the undead may just be tempted to surge forth to repel us.”* Jin worried silently, praying a silent prayer of protection to Lusine for the camps and the hundreds of souls inhabiting them.

Her prayer finished, Jin flopped back onto the sacks of grain and flour, releasing a heavy sigh as she stared back up into the heavens, looking for some reassurance from the stars before eventually giving into the exhaustion of the day of travelling and slipping off into slumber.

### The Rage of Kanaloa: On Butterfly Wings

"...Alright, there we go. That should be good." Kori said, holding up a decently sized red crystal with a glowing core, as Flux flitted off to look at it closer. "You should be safer with this, if something happens. You know I always get worried your big mouth is going to get you killed one day, so, it's really nice of Elyn to have given this to us." He explained as he got up, setting the crystal down on a bookshelf that notably held absolutely no books.

Flux looked at it, *"Hmm… I mean, my mouth isn't going to kill me, it's other people that don't know how to hold their tempers. But sure, this is nice to have as insurance."*

 "I mean, you-- Ah, whatever. Alright, well that's all that done." He stretched, feeling a little stiff after sitting around for so long. It was a pretty lazy day in Maldrik's keep all things considered, so Kori had been spending time in his room dealing with a few magical items.

At the door to the room, a short knock came before opening a few moments later as Jin burst into the room in a hurry, startling Kori who was used to visitors being announced first. “Kori, Flux, I need your help! Well, mostly Flux’s help. But still.” they rambled, panting slightly as if they had been running previously. “The volcano.. Lalotai.. There are giant elementals that are attacking the island!” they explained between ragged breaths as they tried to regain their lost breath.

Kori quickly went up to Jin, making sure they were okay… Wait… "Wait, ''Flux's'' help?"

*"Of course my help. I'm the most reliable guy arou--"* Flux began, but Kori interrupted him, more focused on Jin's words.

"S-Sit down, here," Kori lead Jin to a chair set in front of a table with various incense. "The elementals are attacking Lalotai? What could prompt that all of a sudden, did the fey lord aggravate them or…"

“You heard about how they were going wild right?” Jin questioned as they began to regain their breath. “They suddenly organized and pulled back, then a bunch of giant magma elementals rained down from the volcano onto the settlement from what I heard. They need help.” Jin explained, their voice still tinged with worry for the people of the island settlement.

*"Damn, the guys there just can't catch a break can they?"* Flux commented, as he sat himself back on Kori's head.

"Oh no, and, this is happening now? S-Should I teleport us there now?" Kori's voice started to display some urgency as well, as he began picking up his haversack and the longspear he had left leaning against a wall. "Wait, hang on. You said you needed Flux's help, what exactly… Was there something specific? He's not exactly fireproof…"

“Listen, I got my followers in Kuapuiwui to help. I’ve got like 80 butterflies gathered up and stored in the Scarlet Keep right now.” Jin explained, making very little sense considering how harmless normal butterflies would be against the elementals. “I need Flux to get them to help us attack the elementals.”

"Uh…" Both Kori and Flux displayed obvious confusion. Flux was the one who continued that thought, *"Okay look, Tom, you're absolutely right I can communicate with those dumb butterflies to ask them to do stuff but uhm, like I'm different, but the bog standard butterfly? What are you trying to get having them charge in to fight fire elementals? Like trying to fight fire by tossing paper in. And you are absolutely right to have confidence in me to do something like that but I'm not stupid enough to go on such a suicide mission!"*

Jin looked at Flux like he had suggested something completely stupid. “Of course I’m not sending in normal butterflies.” Jin explained, asking “Don’t you know what my magic does? I’m going to enhance them so they can fire beams of ice to freeze the elementals from afar. The more bodies I can get ahold of the better, so the butterflies were perfect.”

Flux's wings fluttered rapidly upon hearing it, *"Beams of ice? Shit can you give that to me? Well in that case, heck yeah I could do that. Leading an army of shi--Uh, fellow butterflies along. They should know who's leading the charge so it'll be easy as pie!"*

Kori rolled his eyes a bit, "Don't let it get to your head too much, Flux. But yeah, wow, that's not something I would have expected at all. I know you can manage alterations and the like but I definitely didn't expect an army of ice shooting butterflies. If Flux is fine with it… And well I guess that's obvious he is, I could definitely come help too. He'll probably need my help anyway… He's not always the best with his words, and I'm a touch nervous of him actually being in combat."

“If we are doing things right, we shouldn’t be coming within a hundred feet of the elementals themselves. Feel free to come though, like I said, the more bodies we have the more beams we can fire.” Jin replied as they stood up “First we need to get to the Scarlet Keep. Kori, can you send us there?”

"You never cease to amaze me, Jin. Yeah, I can get us there just fine." He double checked that his haversack had a few items in it, "Alright, let's get going. No time to waste." He placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, and without even a word the three of them suddenly found themselves in the Scarlet Keep. Because Kori forgot to take account of the fact Jin was sitting, they fell to the ground as they suddenly found the chair missing. "Oops, uh, sorry."

“It’s fine.” Jin said as they stumbled to their feet and dusted themselves off. They looked around their new environment, the endless blue sky surrounding the trio on all sides save for the castle towering behind them. Following the cobblestone brick path, they lead Kori to the garden where the Gates to the various cities and towns were located, a covered wagon waiting for them as they arrived. Jin then threw back a tarp to reveal a huge cage lined with bug netting filled to the brim with dozens of butterflies. “Alright, I will get them ready, so prepare for your speech.” Jin says back to Flux and Kori, before turning as their blue fox flames burst into life.

Kori could see the lights of the foxflames grow dimmer and dimmer as Jin began to cast, over and over, blue tendrils of flame reaching out to the butterflies one at a time. Each butterfly the spell touched was obviously changed as the vibrant colors of the many jungle butterflies’ wing patterns were replaced with icy blue that shimmered almost like an ice crystal. The final spell cast wrapped around Jin, Kori, and Flux themselves. Huge butterfly wings with a matching pattern grew from Jin’s back, as both of the feytouched gained similar patterns as well and could feel the power of frost in the core of their bodies. Kori could see that the orbs that normally burned bright with Jin’s magic were dull and spent, barely more than glowing blue embers at this point.

The sound of metal hitting the ground drew the attention of the butterflies as Kori slammed the butt of his longspear against the ground, holding it up straight as the banner attached to it drew the many, many eyes. Flux, from atop Kori's head, spoke boldly in a manner the butterflies could understand. *"Alright folks, listen up! I'm sure you guys are stupidly confused as to what's going on, but trust me, you guys have been awoken for a fantastic job!"* Kori stood stock still, acting as Flux's podium for this sake, but it's clear he could understand what his familiar was saying. *"You've all been searched for, gathered and blessed to aid innocent fellas having their lives ruined by some nasty elementals!"* The butterflies stirred, whispering murmurs among themselves. *"I know it's definitely a strange thing to have to barge into, but thanks to our friend Tom--Uh, Jin over there, you'll all be able to utilise some hella awesome beams to knock em straight out of the park! As a butterfly myself, even blessed with grace as I am, I know full well how dangerous any kind of shot at us would be. But that's why we'll coordinate, hit em where it hurts from a range, swarm em, they can't stop all of us!"*

Kori, having cast a spell to allow him to speak with animals while Jin was preparing because he was unsure if they'd have known a language when awakened, spoke afterwards in a bold, clear, and loud voice. "The threads of fate have lead us all together this day. No lives will be wasted, and your selfless aid will benefit the many who have been caught in circumstances that they could not manage." He slammed the butt of his spear against the ground again, "Will you lend us your aid? With your newfound abilities and power, to push back the threat against Lalotai's people?"

The elementals were fierce. After doing what they could to get the people of the village out of harm’s way it was time that Jin and Kori joined the battle properly. What followed could only be described as a scene from some sort of fey picture book as an army of butterflies led by twin butterfly-winged generals began their assault on the magma giant that was drawing closest to the village. The great butterfly swarm kept their distance from the giant, firing volley after volley of beams of elemental ice that froze chunks of the giant’s molten body into solid stone.

As the solid stone chunks broke off the body of the giant, the butterfly army continued their assault creating more openings for the other adventurers to strike at the momentarily distracted magma giant.