Cadence Dragonwood

"*Everything these young magi stumble into; I had to earn the hard way. The mastery over my magic. The respect of my peers.The glimpses of insight they find so precious. One day I hope the students discover light can do more than illuminate. It'll burn. And they would be well off to remember how it feels."*

## History

Not unlike her male counterpart Kane, Cadence was born into a large clan of other humans, on a continent called Stormtide. Her childhood was spent ignorant of any magical aptitude until she was nearly 12; and an unfortunate accident revealed her potential for devastating power.

In Cadence's childhood home there also lived a young Julius DragonWood. The two spent time playing with one another as children, practicing archery, exploring the woods, and making one another's lives hell as siblings do. After a particularly cruel prank involving her diary;Cadence broke into a fit; as any young human would. She glared at him with eyes of childlike hatred, cursing under her breath, wishing with all her might that he would catch on fire for such an invasion of privacy. Seconds later, Julius did.

Cadence could do nothing but watch in confused horror as her brother was engulfed in a full body blaze of fire. He screamed and flailed for nearly a minute before the scene came to an end. He wasn't able to be revived, even after she ran for help. There was nothing left to revive.

It was that day she discovered she had magical aptitude indeed. She was a sorceress born into a family of wizards and warriors. A horrifying monster, in her own eyes. Sorcerers were hunted like outlaws in her Stormtide; as they were seen as an uncontrollable danger compared to the tempered arts of a wizard.

She was arrested shortly thereafter. Cadence lived with her hands bound for nearly 6 years afterwards. Spitting and hissing at every guard who was forced to cart her around or bring her meals. Only on her 18th birthday was she granted any leniency. She had been begging for the chance to pray at the altars of her family's faith. To beg for Atonement for her mistakes from Lady Astaire (Sarenrae).Only because she was now an adult, and could therefore be threatened with death, was she finally unbound.

When Cadence kneel before the altar and asked for an answer to why this had happened; she received a simple answer from a surprisingly cold and sharp voice. "Your ancestors have tainted your bloodline with arcane magic. You wanted something; and the dormant power within you made it so." Cadence begged for forgiveness and atonement from the lady of redemption. She never wanted any of this.

The voice spoke unto her "You know full well what your temper is capable of. For me to grant you forgiveness, I must show you the results of your power; if left unchecked and misguided. It is both a blessing of insight, and a horrible curse. When you are ready, place your hands upon my Altar. "

With unsteady hands, Cadence did as she was told.

"You will know the deaths of your friends and family long before they come. The plans of action that will lead to destruction. Your gift will perhaps never show you the right path, but rather he weak points where the threads of life unravel. But they will also help you grow. Learn how to live among the common man; even with hands born to weave fire. To atone for your sin, you will carry forward my gift of powerless insight. Use it to steel yourself against the world. Brace for the worst; and learn that even a horrible blessing can be used to create light in a dark world."

With that final utterance, the altar also burst into a holy flame, running up both Cadence's hands and arms, permanently blackening her skin from fingertip to elbow. The fire purged the sin from her soul, but left behind quite a scar. Cursing her with an Oracle's burden.

Taking pity on the poor child, the overseeing Cleric of the temple preformed Cadence a mercy. He had sensed her Atonement, and made an appeal for the courts to reduce her sentence. He had pull among the government as a High Priest. Within a few months, her sentence had been reduced from life, to one of exile. She would be allowed to leave and seek out her own path, so long as she never returned to her home kingdom. If she did, they would execute her. With only one option before her, Cadence took what little she owned at that point and wandered into the untamed wilds of the west to make a name for herself as a Magi.

Her success varied depending on who you ask. But none of that matters now anyways, as 7 years after her escape, she found herself outmatched by mage hunters, and beaten to a brutal end. Rather than the fiery afterlife she was expecting; Cadence now finds herself washed up on the shores of the reach. Cadence is alive, confused, penniless, and blissfully unaware that anybody else here bears her last name. Time will tell how the story progresses from here....

## Appearence

Cadence is a tall, pale skinned woman with dark brown hair, nearly always tied back from her face. Attractive by some standards; but clearly puts very little time into perfecting her personal appearance. Her resting expression is perceived as grumpy by most, regardless of her actual mood. Cadence's high cheekbones and oddly flawless eyebrows have been known to incite feelings of fear and belittlement among those who find themselves locked with her gaze. She can usually be found sporting the typical loose flowy robes of a scholar, nearly always in a shade of purple; and "carrying" a floating multicolored orb as her arcane focus.

## Personality

According to most people who have met her: A total bitch. According to herself: Cadence is a very goal oriented, driven person who likes to focus more on results than methodology. She tends to enjoy the company of like minded individuals. Cadence enjoys caffeine, solitude, long walks on the beach, and magic. Especially magic.

Most people also have no idea she's an oracle; nor has any connection to Sarenrae, as she speaks of it little. Her main connection to the divine are crippling visions of ruin, and as such she doesn't always come off as exactly thankful for the "blessing". To her; it's still mostly a curse. Cadence carries herself on the fact that she's a powerful magic-user; Not a servant of the gods.

Cadence even hides the fact she's a sorceress; and not a wizard or arcanist rather well. This is more due to old habits dying hard however. The instinctive parts of Cadence still mask her true nature, having lived under the threat of persecution for her sorcery. Most assume her to be a Wizard like Kane from their first impressions.

## Relationships

Kane Dragonwood - "We tolerate one another for now. I'd be hard pressed to make that man angry anyways. He's still a spoiled little brat sometimes; But Kane makes some of the finest magical gear in the Reach at the current moment. I can't deny talent."

Julius - "He still hates me. Not that I can blame him; he probably knows what happened to my Julius. Treats me less like a sister and more like a liability. Some days I can't help but wonder if his assumptions are correct..."

Magoza - "Haven't seen much of the pirate queen herself, save for my short visit to the Floating Dream Inn. But that doesn't mean she didn't leave me with good impressions. Magoza gave me some hospitality when I first washed ashore; even though I was an emotional garbage fire for most of my first week here. She's always welcome in my city."

Minori Saito - "Headmistress Saito warms my cold, blackened heart. She's brilliant, decisive, powerful, gorgeous and isn't afraid to push Magic in the name of progress. If it weren't for her prior obligations to Hope's Redoubt, she's the exact sort of person i'd want overseeing the Transmutation Districts within the Crystal Cities."

Queen Ashlynn - "As far as her rule as queen goes, I trust Ashlynn completely to keep us all alive and well. Shame she's always busy with her work though."

Ciel Chevalier - "I don't speak much publically about my personal relationships. Ciel and I are very close. That's all you're getting out of me."

Knight Candidate Pennance - "I knew she would be a fantastic instructor the moment the fireball hit my face"