Velastra Quarterdragon

[Quarterdragon]

I wanted to play a dragon disciple on EfU ever since I saw Alaron Kaur serving as emissary of Etorix in chapter 1.  It took a long time to come up with a concept that really fit, but City of Rings ended up providing the perfect playground for a character who wanted to become a dragon.  I got into the server about six hours after the start of chapter and my initial plan was to hang out with half-elves and half-orcs talking about how alloys are generally stronger than pure metals.  This didn't quite go exactly how I expected, though, as during those first few hours of roleplay, Velastra only knew she was descended from a dragon, and with flames manifesting from sorcerous power, she assumed from red.  It took a long journey with many friends to realize that she was in fact descended from a steel dragon.  Thereafter, she tried to embody the perceived ideals of her heritage.

The ringrunning company that formed in the basement of the Spinning Groat didn't have a name until we passed the challenge of Ring 95 together.  The founders, Varthan the Ringlock(e) and Dr. Dalidande Mench, recruited their dragon very early, to help scour the swamps of Ring 95.  CLYDE followed almost immediately, having pledged himself to the service of Velastra when he learned of her draconic nature.   Beodda was actually her oldest friend and somehow had no idea she was evil at the time while rampaging around and demanding that everyone serve her draconic whim, so it was natural that she recommend him to the group.  Kowl mysteriously joined after several mysterious meetings in the swamps, searching for the same things.

Together, this motley crew of ringrunners made it as far as Ring 88 before realizing that they needed somebody more martially capable.  The perfect opportunity presented itself in Ser Errilam, though his divisive addition to the crew marked the end for Dr. Mench (she was already on her way out with the Tchunite madness).  Aliatris and Adrian also helped tie Velastra and the Tears forever more to House Velstra.

With the strength of Ser Errilam and the Velstrans, the Tears pushed far, reaching Ring 75 where Ser Errilam had his fateful showdown with the chimera (with help from the Tears) and Velastra found the egg of a steel dragon, the same draconic lineage she bore.  After hatching him, she named him Caesinirthos, and carried him everywhere in her backpack.  He was in danger every moment of his life, with Oscar Tchammorar hunting him, and other factions that contain PCs so I won't spoil.

A lot of the later stories are too specific to the rings, so I won't spoil, but thank you to everyone who was a part of her journey toward the center.  Many other Tears followed: Sylyn, Alfrida, Ciriaco, Brooke, Catarina, Arek, Maria, Dinaze, Boar, Annie, Ivan, Hakiim, and I'm sorry to anyone I missed, it's been a long while.  Also thank you to all the DMs, especially Abala, Vlaid, Halfbrood, Pigadig, and Howland.

It's going to take a while to sort through my images and find what's acceptable to share, but here's the character sheet and loot up and a few DM-approved shots up front.  Unfortunately, I was usually too immersed to hit the screenshot key, so a lot of the best moments remain only memories.

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[Hide=Caesinirthos]

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[Hide=Pretending to be a Dragon]



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[Hide=Vassal of House Velstra]


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[Hide=Your Draconicness]

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[Hide=A Gift From Boar Noblestout]

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[Hide=A Dream]






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[Hide=She Liked Gambling]
Her favorite game was Royal Dragon, of course, but she also spun the Wheel of Fire from time to time.

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[Hide=Trouble With the Seventh Face]
Velastra gave three fingers to Magnus to be spared during the seven days of apocalypse.  The Seventh Face decided she owed more.

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[Hide=Dire Straits]

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[Hide=Cat]

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[Richørd]

There's sadly not too much I can say here about Velastra herself. I only started playing in late of September last year and my characters never had too many direct interactions with Velastra. The only one that had at least some was Sean Gorick who was more like a potential addition to the Tears but things quickly revealed that he was just not up to par when it came to how quick he could catch up to the progress of the Tears.

I just wish to congratulate the Tears of Blood as a whole here. Ever since I started playing the ToB have been like these fabled heroes. Nigh unstoppable as they ever so slowly progressed through the Rings, inching closer and closer to the fabled center.
This impression persisted both IC and OOC. Sure there were tales of failures that the Tears experienced. But those always seemed like the distant past to me.
Velastra, Boar, Ivan, Annie, Clyde. A sorceress, a barbarian, a fighter, a cleric and a bard.
A solid crew of amazing PCs that I wish I could have shared some more time IC with.

I am looking forward to what you people come up with next as characters.

[tspawn35]

I had a blast playing with you through everything that happened.

[Dhund]

I remember running into (or rather, seeing from a distance, and keeping that distance), early on with Aelar from Velastra. To him, she was showcasing all the points that could end up making a major villain. She was proud, boastful, and dangerous. To someone jumping back into EfU, she seemed like one of those server villains that'd go down in history for it. Though, clearly fate changed from that.

Later on, as Catarina, I got to see her a lot more,  and she was an interesting, and fun character. From seeing her try to keep her distance, while Adrian kept trying to tie her to Velstra (and of course, Errilam doing his Errilamist to stop it), to being there after the kidnapping, and subsequent joining to Velstra, to the little talks to see if she'd stay on the path she'd set, or would divert to a quicker/easier changeling path to reach Dragonhood. Catarina liked her, and hoped that the amulet she gave her (which was her own, fulfilling her promise to get Velastra one) served her well in the Rings. Sadly, due to time zones, and factions, we never really crossed paths in any major way again.

[Garem]

Just amazing, dynamic, and colorful from start to finish. I wish things turned out differently, but man, what a ride.

There was such a great underlying story to our characters that I look forward to writing all about when the time is right.

[goate]

Thanks for all the fun!  When I first heard there was a PC around claiming to be a dragon, I was like "Yeah, I've got to get in on this action."  What a great ride.

[Hierophant]

A very inclusive PC that I always enjoyed interacting with :) Didn't see much of her in her late career but I heard many cool things! The Gray Keep sounded awesome. Good luck on your next PC.

[Aethereal]

There's a point where a well defined long-term character becomes more than just a character, they become a fixture of the setting. A living, breathing entity who comes to life in this fantasy world we're creating and exploring together. Velastra was one such entity: she was the paragon of the Ringrunner. Say or think 'Ringrunning' and she would come to mind, she was truly synonymous with the term.

I would lie if I said the passing of this character does not come as an emotional hit and that's a sign that it was a story well woven and a truly meaningful experience. I always thought Velastra would be out there, running the Rings, and maybe one day would reach her goal in the centre. Yet after almost a full year of dedication and draconic struggle, here her journey ends in the 64th Ring and it is a truly melancholic moment. She died in pursuit of her dreams, doing the thing she loved, alongside the closest thing she had to family, in a place that was not without significance to her; all in all, it's such a bittersweet tragedy, but not one without its poetry. Her end truly marks the end of an era, and certainly the end of the first generation of Ringrunners. All who follow, do so in her steel draconic wake.

An amazing job staying dedicated to your PC. It was wonderful interacting with her and seeing her become such a mainstay of the of the setting, and of course, sad to see her go. The highest of kudos to you.

[Pandip]

Iconic. Another legacy PC from the beginning of v5 bites the dust. It was incredible to see the difference between the character Velastra was when she was created and what she became as time went on. I wish we could have spent more time together on Elizabeth, but it was always a pleasant surprise to have you back at  the Vale for a little while. You simultaneously brought a sense of normalcy and dynamism to this world without time.

Good luck on whatever comes next. <3

[Drink With Me]

I'm saddened that I didn't get a chance to rp with Quarterdagon much.  On any of my other characters or my new one. Though it's truly been a fun sight seeing her over the course of the year. She was iconic, to use Pandip's wording, and a grand character.

[Twelve]

Never met her.  Heard much about her.  Way to shake the server!

[Last Cold Tome]

A legend!

[Loops]

Bye Velastra. A PC that survived so long even my phone knows her name. In an entire year, I think I can still count on my fingers how many times our characters met. Which is hilarious since I apparently henched for you. Still, full of mystery and shaped the server forever. I look forward to meeting your next.

[Mushroom Mushroom]

I heard so much about your pc, and never actually met them.

You were a legend.

[Scrappa-yeti]

Great character, I enjoyed Rping with her on both my characters in V5. But Caesinirthos was way cooler, sorry.