Divine Magic Sorcerer (level 8)
22 years old, he/him/she/her (tends to use he/him by default and she/her depending on her mood, any gendered terms ok!)
Soren Thibault grew up in a commune of individuals known as The Exalted, that followed a very particular spiritual order. Led by his parents, who claimed to commune with a pantheon of greater celestial beings. Soren was their only child, and had a very particular role in the cult. His birth was said to be divine conception, and his aptitude for magic was presented as proof. He was revered as an oracle, a divine body that would herald a great age of prosperity and enlightenment. Soren grew up with his every need cared for, but was isolated from his peers and kept away from the other children, so as not to be tainted by their earthly spirits. He would often be forced to [[[[REDACTED.]]]] When he was 12, however, he managed to make his first friend. A young boy named Marcus was the son of the head of the Holy Choir. They saw each other on occasion, and over the years found cause to spend more and more time together. Soren told his parents [[[[REDACTED.]]]] In secret, Marcus would tell him he thought the whole commune was a sham, and they would daydream about one day running away together. They would go into the woods for "meditation", only to sing together and play music, sometimes simply drumming sticks against rocks. Unfortunately when Soren was 15, things took a drastic turn. Marcus overheard his father talking to Soren's parents, and their plans for him. Soren was to be sacrificed on his 18th birthday, as part of a ritual to have him "ascend" to his true divine body. Aware of their new time limit, the two hatched a plan. Less than a month after their discovery, they ran away from the cult together, stealing food and enough money to pay for a wagon into a neighboring country.
They sang on the street for money, and eventually found a community of local musicians who agreed to take them under their wing. Marcus took to it like wildfire, learning as many instruments as he could, and steadily becoming a major player in the local music scene. Soren played the dulcimer he took from his home and enjoyed it well enough, but his attention was more so on the people. He had never had so many to speak openly with, to share and laugh and learn together. While Marcus was honing his craft, Soren was going to parties, drinking and kissing and exploring new ways to navigate the world. It was at one of these parties he met Diela. He had seen her play at a couple local taverns but never really talked to her before. The two of them hit it off instantly, and after a couple weeks of not-so-subtle flirting, began a relationship. They began playing music together, and got Marcus to agree to starting a band together. They traveled as a group for a while, touring around villages and cities, and everything seemed perfect. Then, one night while camping on the road, a group of bandits attacked. Marcus was killed almost instantly, an arrow straight through the head. They held Diela captive as they began raiding the camp, and Soren ran as fast as he could, leaving Diela for dead.
Soren managed to make his way to a nearby village, where he [[[[REDACTED.]]]] who brought him to the city of Pemmald. There, he had an encounter with a new adventuring group, which he learned was being led by Diela. She was still alive, and had started up her very own party. Ecstatic to see her again but filled with guilt, he decided to greet her and act as if nothing had happened. He just couldn't find the words. She was not as happy to see him, and didn't forgive him for his betrayal, but neither would speak about the night Marcus died. She let him hang around since she knew his magic is useful, but kept him at arm's length, and was often quite passive-aggressive and rude to him in the hopes that he'll get the hint and leave her alone. Soren hated it, but felt that leaving the party would be akin to a second betrayal, and despite everything, sees her as the only stable thing in his life that remains. He thought that with enough time he could fix things.
And then he met the party...... and I will fill in more information about that later...........
Vyth: Soren has mixed feelings about Vyth. He has a very paternal energy Soren finds off-putting, and often speaks to the party in a way that makes her anxious. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, she sees him as an authority within the party alongside Rhea. The two of them aren't especially close yet, but she trusts him to have her back.
Rat Tail: Soren's #1 poetry buddy. She adores Rat Tail, and is also frustrated by them to no end. They're gross, blunt, and do things she finds utterly baffling. But she takes comfort in their honesty, and knows that no matter what, Rat Tail will have her back. Probably for the best that they didn't become roommates though. She wants to help Rat Tail explore their magic in a way that doesn't conflict with the morals of the party.
Willabell: Soren wishes he could do more to help Willabell. She's been through a lot of things and he knows how to help her deal with 0 of them. Still, the two have had some nice conversations here and there, and Soren gets the sense that they could become much better friends. He would like to try and become closer with her, but hasn't found what he would consider an appropriate opportunity to get closer. He appreciates her discerning nature and determination to always do the right thing when possible.
Rhea/Aani/Kaimahine: Soren's relationship with Aani is complicated. They originally met when Soren was 16, soon after he left the Exalted, and went on an adventure alongside Diela and Marcus. When they started adventuring together in this campaign Soren instantly saw her as the leader of their new group. When he betrayed the party for Diela's sake, Aani was the most upset, and Soren avoided talking to her for a long time. Aani eventually confronted him about it, but there is still tension between the two of them. Because of this Soren feels like he has a precarious position in the party, and like he has to prove himself. After a semi-forced group thereapy session in Fallendal, Soren feels like he understands Aani better and is making an effort to help Aani in bringing the party together, but her trust is not easily earned back.
Alex: Soren thinks Alex is great. She's fun, stylish, and mean in a way Soren finds very entertaining. He was attracted to her when they first met, but the crush faded pretty quick when it was clear Alex wasn't interested. He became her roommate after Diela broke up with him and he had to move out. Soren thinks Alex's magic is interesting but doesn't really understand it. He thinks Alex's involvement in The Red Truth is a bit dangerous and not a safe path to follow, but respect's Alex's ability to hold her own. He just hopes he can avoid the blowback if her involvement in one of Telos's cults blows up in the party's face.
Xander: Soren was pretty immediately attracted to Xander. He actually flirted with him in their very first interaction! He didn't expect anything to come of it, and stopped for a while when they started travelling in a group together. As he learned more about Xander, he realized they have a lot in common. Both grew up in religious environments where their families hold a lot of power, and he initially believed both to be chosen ones, albeit with opposing prophecies (it later turned out Xander was lying about this fact for his own reasons). Soren feels a lot of kinship with Xander because of this, and sees a lot of himself in Xander's experience. He reminds him of himself at 15, fresh out of the Exalted's cult. They became closer, and Soren's feelings shifted from "Oh this man is cute and hot and also very very nice to me, I like him " to "Oh. Shit. I'm falling in love again." Complicated by the fact that Xander seems to feel the same way, at least to an extent. In Fallendal the two confessed their feelings to each other, and they shared a kiss. Soren's cowardice caused him to ask that they not get together, lest they cause problems for the group. He almost immdiately regretted asking as it seemed to break Xander's heart, but he hasn't gotten a private moment to follow up on the conversation since they've had to flee the country while being hunted by a cult.
Open in new tab for full size images.
Commission from Marty Tina G
Commission from atomicjest
Art by Rat Tail's player, Mab!
Art by Lia!
Art by Vince!