Name: Nina
Age: 30+
Contact: PM
Other Characters: Ennaris Tavane, Talin Shira'nehn
Interests: Please let me make Connor king, it'd be so funny.


Name: Connor Guerrin Aurum
Canon/OC: Canon
Journal: catathymic
Race: Human
Nationality: Fereldan
Occupation: Sad boi
Division: Research (eventually)
Mage or Not: Mage
Age: 31, born 9:20:(mumblemumble)

History

• Canon history, Isolde lives version. Also turns out Teagan's his actual father, per this tweet from a dev.
  
• Sent to Kinloch Hold in 9:31, where he slowly came to understand what had happened in Redcliffe and what he'd done, and had to help clean up after Uldred.
  
• Went through a period where he was deeply, suicidally depressed due to shame and guilt. Didn't sleep for fear of demons, refused to have anything to do with learning magic.
  
• Irving eventually convinced him to learn, at least enough to keep himself and others safe.
  
• Passed the next eight years in varyingly intense states of self-loathing depression. Almost took Tranquility over a Harrowing, afraid to be in a situation where he had to be relied on to say no to a demon.
  
• Passed his Harrowing because pride is not his problem, actually.
  
• Sister Rowan Guerrin born in 9:32/33. He's Fine with that.
  
• Struggled to make friends in the Circle due to his depression, but he did have a few. Excelled at more academic studies, loved math and mundane science.
  
• Voted against mage freedom every time it came up; Loyalist leaning Isolationist.
  
• Stayed with the rebel mages despite voting against freedom and despite hating the plan to ally with Tevinter.
  
• Joined the Inquisition as soon as that became an option and was put on creature research, yay!
  
• Had a brief but intense romance with another mage during this time; he ended it due to differing political views and genuine belief mages shouldn't marry or have children.
  
• Drifted further into Loyalist views over time in direct response to the Inquisition/Riftwatch's more liberal politics.
  
• Joined Vivienne's splinter group of Loyalists, despite disliking her political ambitions.
  
• Worked since 9:45 to restore Circles and has willingly had a new phylactery made for himself.
  
• Has never met or corresponded with Rowan. Hasn't had contact with Teagan or Isolde since joining the Loyalists.
  
• Had the opportunity to go to Eamon's deathbed in 9:48 but didn't and that's Not Something He Regrets At All.
  
• Heard of Mage Heroics in Starkhaven 9:49 and Had A Feeling.
  
• Heard of Alistair's death in 9:50 and Had A Feeling.
  
• Got leave from Loyalist things to travel to Kirkwall to pay his respects to his cousin's friends; he doesn't mean to stay very long.

Personality

DEFINED BY FEAR. Even Connor isn't sure who he is when he's not afraid of himself. Fear and self-loathing have been his constant companions for the past 20 years, and at this point he's fairly sure they'll be with him until he dies. He's yet to figure out how to atone for Redcliffe, or if he even can; he vacillates between feeling that he has to try and feeling that trying would be a pointless exercise. It's easier to manage these feelings when he's busy, so he stays busy. Can't be possessed if you're too over-worked to have emotions or desires for the demons to prey on!

NOBLE-BORN. Though his magic disqualifies him from inheriting or holding a title, no one knew he had it for the first 11 years of Connor's life. He was raised with a sense of duty and honor that's hard to shake, and that means he takes his responsibilities seriously, lives by his word, and has a sense of paternalistic entitlement buried somewhere deep in his subconscious. He believes in the divine right of kings, but he also believes in said king's responsibility to his subjects. Though he himself avoids all forms of power, political or otherwise, he has strong feelings about how power should be used and who should have it.

CONTROLLED. Connor caused the tragedy in Redcliffe by being curious, trusting, and loving—qualities he has since deemed to be his downfall. While he can't smother them completely, he has made active and concerted efforts to manage all three traits: his curiosity he channels into mundane science and avoids quandaries of a magical nature; he keeps himself as far from power as possible to prevent his trusting nature from harming anyone but him; and he holds himself far on the outskirts of any group he ends up in, to avoid having entanglements that he might be tempted to protect. It's a constant battle though—he's smothering his own innate verve for life every day. He wants to connect with people and trust in himself, and doing so is the more natural state for him.

FAITHFUL. Belief in Andraste and the Chant helped Connor through the worst years of his life. He's not militantly Andrastian, but his faith is pretty much unshakable and he believes in the importance of the Chantry as an institution. The structure and answers it provides have been incredibly useful to him in figuring out how to live with himself in the aftermath of his mistakes in Redcliffe, and he's internalized a lot of its rhetoric. He looks at the world through an Andrastian lens.

Opinions & Affiliations

THE CHANTRY. The voice of the Maker on Thedas, the only ones with the authority to make any decisions about mages and Templars.
CIRCLES. The only safe place for mages, please bring them back.
THE TEMPLAR ORDER. Absolutely necessary to the safety of literally everyone.
MAGES. Too dangerous to be left to their own devices anywhere, ever, for any reason. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
THE TEVINTER IMPERIUM. Evil, obviously, we already knew this. Sucks for all the normal people horrifically oppressed by the mages/Corypheus, though, we should help them.
LANDED NOBILITY. It makes sense for the people educated in and good at running things to be the ones who own land, and for the people who don't have that education to be living on their lands, following their rules, and paying taxes to them. It isn't suspicious or worth examining that those people all seem to come from the same few families; the Maker just likes them more than other people, or something.
GREY WARDENS. Heroes, the best, deserve every possible accolade.
ELVES, DWARVES, QUNARI. Sirs Also Appearing In This Setting.

Strengths & Weaknesses

SPELLS

SPELL SHIELD. While this ability is active, any hostile spell targeted at the caster has a 75% chance of being absorbed into the Fade, draining mana instead. Once all mana has been depleted, the shield collapses.

DISPEL MAGIC. The caster removes all dispellable effects from the target. Friendly fire possible.

PEACEFUL AURA. Your aura of tranquillity makes enemies less likely to attack you in battle, even when you damage them.

STRENGTHS

ARL'S HEIR. He hasn't been part of the Fereldan bannorn circles in 20 years, but he can still trade on his family name if need be. The Guerrins are just and fair rulers; Fereldans have positive associations with the name. Additionally, he's 20 years out of practice, but he has a faint idea of military strategy, civil governance, and managing lands. He'd have to dig deep and push through some trauma, but he could at least keep a settlement going long enough for someone more qualified to show up.

SWORDPLAY. He hasn't studied since leaving for Kinloch Hold, but as the heir to an arl he was training to be proficient in combat. He knows a little about swordplay and spears, both on and off horseback. It would take time, but given cause he could gain proficiency in both.

BILINGUAL. Fluent in Trade and Orlesian. His Orlesian's a little obnoxious, though.

CONVICTION. When Connor commits to things he commits. His sense of duty and responsibility allows nothing less than 100% effort at all times.

WEAKNESSES

SELF-LOATHING. Disgust with himself and his magic hold Connor back in all areas of his life. He's 31 and he barely has friends due to the isolating effects of his own shame and fear; his only serious relationship happened over five years ago, and he ended it because it was serious.

MAGIC. Reluctance to attain any magical power whatsoever has stagnated Connor's abilities—he knows less than an apprentice at this point, knows nothing about the fade beyond "say no to everyone and everything", and has no inclination to learn.

PHYLACTERY. It's with the Loyalists in Montsimmard, and they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their cache from all comers... But it does exist.

DESIRE. Vulnerable to desire demons especially.

Inventory

A pack of travel necessities, including a few changes of clothes, rations, a waterskin, a purse of gold for any incidentals, and whatever other conveniences people carry on the road with them. He also has a letter touting his loyalty to the Chantry and the Circles bearing Enchanter Vivienne's signature and seal, which should (hopefully) incline those affiliated with the Chantry to help him out when he needs it. Notably, he does not carry a staff.

Motivation

Though he disagrees strongly with Riftwatch's more liberal politics, Connor was very moved that their intervention in Starkhaven let the rebel mages evacuate the city. In addition, his cousin Alistair was a supporter of Riftwatch, and had friends there, last Connor knew. He wants to gain some closure on that relationship by meeting with said friends. He doesn't intend to stay with Riftwatch long, but a short trip can easily turn into a long stay when travel is unsafe, weather is bad, he's made friends he'd prefer not to leave... Perhaps he'll catch an anchor shard, who's to say, I'm playing that by ear at the moment. Regardless, he has no intentions of permanently joining Riftwatch; unfortunately for him, he has no say in the matter.

TDM top-level with Julius, Isaac, Cassian, and Gwen