Royal

**Royal** is an undead Inchling who has recently taken up residence in The Overgrowth after breaking through the roof of their own overgrown grave. They are the sole surviving member of a **Lost Civilization** beneath the surface of this faction. Those who initially encounter him will find that he does not speak; opting instead to write whatever he has to say hastily in pencil on the pages of a book larger than himself. While the book does possess a magical enchantment on it to shift sizes depending on the reader, when it's not in use he just likes to carry it on his back like a backpack.

Royal was murdered on Walnut Island during The Williams Family's Annual 4th Annual Winter gala. He was invited by G.H. Williams, as was everyone else. He was found dead in The Architect's room upstairs but the body and the items surrounding it went missing mere minutes after the discovery. The body is still presumed missing and the status of Royal is unknown.

## Appearance

Royal appears as a small, pale humanoid creature with long pointed ears adorned in gold jewelry. Features in particular that stand out about them are their hair and their eyes. Their hair is a distinct shade of a deep purple with notable spreading shades of a deep grey tucked within it; most notably towards the ends of their hair. One of their eyes are a bright blue lined in and centered by an almost reflective yellow tone, contrasting the black surface of their sclera underneath. The other is a glowing golden socket, the vague hint of an eye visible as a black & white spot in the middle- they will typically keep this eye closed or cover it up so as not to disturb others. Their skin has patches of discoloration most likely from the time spent underground and undead.

They are often a little bit unkempt looking. Bags under the eyes, sneaking stubble, hair tussled all over the place from anxious hand-combing, and the chaotic nature of untamed moss clinging to his clothes from sleeping on beds of mossy undergrowth.

The clothes they sport are not the clothes they emerged from the ground in. Instead, they are fashioned from materials found in the area after. Occasionally, they will sport a coat of moss, torn up pants, a clock frozen at a time just before sunset, and a crown with green crystal inlays. At some point, he found a witch's hat and claimed it as his very own mage hat. When he wears it, he tucks the crown down onto the brim for that classic two hats at once look.

## Personality

Royal, on first meeting, is reserved or even stand-offish. Someone wandering into his home would be met with stares from a distance from behind corners or a bow armed and aimed their direction if they get too close. They are simply very cautious of strangers. A stranger showing they will do them no harm will be met with curiosity and probably about a thousand questions.

They are fascinated with this new world and it's people but overall weary, nervous. This is not the world they knew and they can't go back to that world so they want to seek everything they can learn about this new place. It's almost a distraction for them. When they're alone, they are focused and tirelessly working. There's something deeply sad in the air around them in those moments.

Once you get to know them, other traits come out. They are easily excitable when it comes to learning. They'll crack jokes and be caught laughing at those jokes before they have a chance to show anyone else. He might follow the people he knows like a lost duckling just because he hopes for a smallest moment to see the world from their eyes. They are kind and often overly-giving. They would give up the whole world to the people they care about.

## History

Despite being possibly thousands of years undead, Royal has a somewhat fully intact recollection of their past. At least, as it stands of now. This could change as time goes on.

### Past Life

Not much is known about the **Lost Civilization** Royal originates from nor the part they had to play in it. The most they'll say about it is that they were on track to being the first apprentice for the **King's Royal Mage**, a high honor for the small town he came from... and then it goes blank. They won't write about their past for a while after being asked.

### Pre-Overgrowth

Royal lived in the Overgrowth for quite a while before being discovered by some residents. They spent their time hiding underneath the cover of large treetops and building low to the ground. Occasionally, they would even bury themselves back in their grave just to avoid being noticed. This obviously did not work out forever as the structures they built began to get taller and more visible. By this point, they accepted the idea of living in a new civilization in order to stay close to their old one.

## Connections

### Nameless

Royal encountered Nameless in the ruins. The moth was on the way back from trading with the villagers who live down there and Royal was in the process of repairing the ruins. Royal was startled and preparing to run away because he'd previously never seen anyone from the surface, having been avoiding them like the plague. He was calmed down by the moth and brought into a curious mode when learning they were a researcher as well. He proceeded to talk about his notes on his existence. On the undead. He was offered the opportunity to join a research team and accepted. He keeps in contact by mailing research notes to the other.

### Orberus

Royal encountered Orberus by his home on the surface. The other had walked through a wall at his house and found where Royal hid an army of dogs. Royal, though nervous of a sudden encounter with a much taller being, proceeded to talk about how he only had them because they were strays and he had the space to take care of them. Truly he got them for protection but they did not seem to want to protect him from Orberus, greeting the tall ghostly wolf with the most affection he has ever seen from them. From there, Royal and Orberus had several interactions. They were neighbors in the Overgrowth for the longest time and would spend their time together walking their dogs in the forest.

Their connection deepened during the final moments of the Mycelium Infestation. Royal had not been in the Overgrowth during the first few weeks as this was around the time he discovered Feldwin and sank deep into his continued research on the ruins of his past. By the time he got back home, it looked completely different. The people he knew looked different. Voices shouted loud and flames cracked through the air. He found Orberus in the middle of the conflict. His first friend. The surrounding conflict overwhelmed him but he sat on Orberus' shoulders and witnessed it all. Feeling a danger lingering in the air from that point, he informed Orberus he would be making the Overgrowth safer and then began changing the surroundings. Erecting towers with floating purple crystals. He'd say they were for defense but how they do that... who knows?

When Royal became overexerted from his magic restoring the Overgrowth, he went to the Valley looking for Orberus. He instead was found by Ari and taken care of at the Valley Clinic for several weeks as he regained his energy.

### Jeremiah Jones

Royal first met Jeremiah at the Aurelia Festival, after arriving late to the event as a whole. He had been spending the whole morning working on his restorations of the Overgrowth. He was not yet drained to the point of collapse but he was definitely exhausted. Royal still attended the event despite his state because he had promised Gwen, the Mayor of Feldwin, that he would attend in her place. Thusly, he was made the temporary ambassador of a place he had only lived in for a couple weeks. No pressure there, right? Royal was sitting on a bench that was constructed for him. He had just spoken to an Aurelian citizen about his research, about the pillagers that prevented it from moving forward. He didn't think much of it until suddenly they were getting up and fetching the *leader of the faction he was currently in* to help him with this problem. It was as if anxiety sucked all the exhaustion out of his bones and suddenly he was wired standing still before the man of greater stature. They spoke, made plans, parted ways... and it was only when Jeremiah was out of sight that he relaxed again. That terrifying first impression would hold with him until they met again.

The next time they met was in Feldwin. Royal had sent a letter some time before informing Jeremiah that he had spotted the pillagers and a lot of them. Royal had only recently gotten home from staying at the Valley Clinic for some time. He wasn't feeling his best but still needed to take his dogs for a walk. It was on this walk that he spotted Jeremiah a ways down the hill from him. The two of them would fight the pillagers side by side, the dogs hunting stragglers like prey. They would need to descend into the ruins themselves to catch the rest and, in doing so, encountered a massive vein of purple crystals. These, being things Royal would pointedly ignore and direct attention away from. Royal would send samples of those crystals along with his research notes to Jeremiah later on.

## Key Items

### Royal's Notebook

This is that Royal uses the communicate with others. By nature, it holds a record of every conversation they have had since emerging in the Overgrowth. This means characters can read back on parts of conversations Royal has had with others. This, however, will not go unnoticed by Royal. *Royal will remember that* (and possibly write note it in the book). A character reading back in the book too many times will be held from reading future entries for a period of time.

This notebook also is the place where Royal will occasionally write their explorative findings. This can be in the form of magic with potion recipes or coordinates of found locations significant to their last civilization.

### The Potion Rings

A collection of four rings tucked in one of their pockets. Each ring is enchanted with a different size changing spell. This allows Royal to be either almost the size of a standard person or absolutely microscopic. They will often go smaller to hide or spy out of curiosity. They will often go larger to get on a better communication level with tall people or get away incredibly fast.

### The Clock

    This is the clock that Royal has on their hip at all times. It is uncertain how they came to possess it and why they continue to hold onto it despite it being broken. The glass on the face has a distinct puncture point that webs of cracks shatter out from. It is permanently stuck on a time around mid-to-late sunset. It glows with a strange magical essence.

### Royal's Mage Hat

Discovered in the swamp just by their home in the Overgrowth. Assumed to have been abandoned by a witch who probably did not need it anymore. They have taken it up as an item to wear in their happiest moments, which often include any moment of study or adventure. It has been magically imbued with the ability to briefly cast potion effects onto targeted entities.

## Trivia

* Royal is a nonbinary, masc-leaning character.
* Royal gets their name from the crown they wear. It was a matter of panic looking around to spot something they could say their name was on first encounter with a server member.
* Parts of Royal's original skin originated from two different Youtube sources. Outfit was BdoubleO100 from Hermitcraft and face shadow + blue eye is still inspired by Sneegsnag.
* Royal's personality & background is inspired by Merlin, the BBC series.
* Royal is currently in the process of rebuilding their entire lost civilization from memory.
* Royal doesn't speak but that doesn't mean they can't speak. They prefer not to speak because their vocal chords are badly damaged.