Sine

## **Sine, The Silent Priestess**

Sine comes from a middle class family from Derumi. She was born mute, but since a very young age showed great dexterity and courage. She is a great acrobat and has some experience with blunt weapons, like the staff she carries with herself around the Rainmaker Temple. She was also gifted a small part of Deshh's power and can jump off the vapor in the air.

As she cannot speak for herself, she often resorts to over-the-top gesticulation with her entire body. Unlike what the people around her are always afraid of, she never hit someone while doing so (and if she did, it was on purpose). Sine is very "physical" in her interactions with people, for example hugging people as a greeting even if they're total strangers, but she will respect one's personal space if asked to. She is no stranger to "firendly" violence, but refrains from any serious confrontation and only stands to fight if the Temple or a village under Deshh's protection is in danger.

## **Story**

When Sine was a child, her parents wondered why she never cried. Neither when she was a baby, neither when she broke her knees for the first time, she never ever cried. When she was 4 and still haven’t cried nor said anything, her concerned mother called for a doctor who confirmed what they were afraid of the most - Sine was mute.

Inability to speak never bothered her as she was growing up in the port city Derumi. Since a very young age Sine was an excellent climber and acrobat, and performing dangerous tricks on the ropes high above the ground to the awe of other children was her way of speaking for herself. This was for what she wanted to be known. Her parents, worried about her safety, tried to ban her from the dangerous hobby multiple times, but seeing how futile their prohibitions were they finally gave up and reluctantly allowed her to continue. As years passed with Sine honing her acrobatic skills and getting a temporary job in the slaughterhouse in the docks after graduating. She wanted to pursue career in acrobatics, but to do that she needed either money or connections, both she lacked at the moment.

One day a travelling circus arrived to Derumi, promising a show of magic and acrobatic. Sine had no interest in magic, but excited about the acrobatics part she bought a ticked with no hesitation, and she did not regretted it. The show was spectacular, from the troupemaster’s explosive entrance at the beginning to the grand finale with a dancer on the rope high above the ground facing a magical vortex of fire and a pair of flying reptiles. When the troupemaster asked as a joke if someone from the audience would like to participate, he was very surprised when Sine made her way down to him, but to not lose face, he agreed to let her join to the show. Instructions he gave her were clear: no sudden movements and no kraken bone jewellery, as the air magic he used to ensure Sine’s safety were dependent on it. Sine played along until she got to the ropes high above, where she completely ignored the troupemaster trying to hold her safe and showed everyone that she’s equally, if not more skilled than veteran acrobats of the circus giving an unforgettable performance to the audience, and almost giving old troupemaster heart attack.

The more she was surprised when the man knocked to her doors the next day and outright offered her a job. She proved herself that night, and the troupemaster named Houv was very interested in an acrobat he would not have to spend years training as he had not much time left. He was slowly dying, and by running a circus he wanted to bring as much joy to others as he could before passing on. Sine agreed to join.

For next 4 years she travelled around the Greavesoyl and brought joy with other performers, all hand-picked by Houv for their talents other people cared not to notice. Some were orphans, some runaways and some joined for the sake of art like Sine, but together they were once crew. None of them was forced to stay but nobody wanted to leave. Houv gave them what they all wanted deep in their hearts: an audience, a challenge, a way to be heard in a world where nobody would listen. Under his eye Sine mastered her acrobatic prowess and proudly showed it to the world with every performance, and she loved every second of it. For these 4 years she was truly free and truly happy.

But no joy can last forever, as one night after a great show the old troupemaster has succumbed to the sickness. After burying him under an old tree the crew agreed that here is no point in running the circus without him. They split what was left among themselves and everyone went their way. With the money she got Sine could easily pay for a ride to Derumi, or even start a new life somewhere in the First Lands, where she was at the moment, but instead she chosen to travel to her home city on feet.

On her way home Sine found herself in a cloudy valley somewhere in the mountains, full of small settlements and tall ruins of some ancient kingdom. A great tower visible from almost every village in the valley got her attention, as it reminded her of the port crane she used to climb on as a child. She could not resist the temptation, and before leaving she decided to get to the top of the tower and ride down on one of giant chains holding the structure together. She made her way to the tower at dusk, still having no idea what the structure really is.

As she reached the top and jumped down to catch the chain a cloud appeared right under her feet. Sine jumped off the cloud only for another to appear, and then another, and yet another, but as she danced through the clouds she was happier than ever and the only thing this moment lacked was an audience. Suddenly a tentacle grabbed her mid-jump and pulled into the tower. Water god whose temple Sine unknowingly climbed has mistaken her nostalgia with grief and seeing she was about to jump he thought she came all the way here to end her life. Sine however, was only angry he stopped her great show in the clouds.

As a powerful eternal one, the god named Deshh was not limited to physical realm and could hear her soul and her inner voice, being the first person Sine ever met with whom she could really talk without sign language or written notes.

And as soon as she convinced him of her abilities Sine asked for more clouds.

## **In-game**

Sine is a mobility-focused support who heals and shields her allies while silencing enemies, preventing them from using their abilities, by her multiple dashes. She is very hard to catch and even harder to kill thanks to the powerful defence of her passive.

**Abilities**
 Drizzle Dance
 Hush

## **Trivia**

* Sine was the one who introduced the silence effect.
* While she is completely mute, her hearing works perfectly.
* Sine can write extremely fast, and always carries a notepad and a pencil with her, so she can communicate with people who don't know sign language nor cannot read her thoughts.
* "Sine" means "without" in latin.