The Vault of Nioh

Nioh is a gentle soul with a quiet demeanor, conducting himself with a detached aloofness that grants him a sort of otherworldly quality. He finds nearly everything fascinating, and often watches everything and everyone around him with an airy curiosity that all in all makes him appear more of an observer in most situations than an actual participant, no matter his level of involvement.

Though it appears he views most people as subjects to be studied, he does recognize they are living breathing beings and is extremely friendly when approached casually. His personality is what one might describe as an introverted social butterfly, engaging in conversations and driving relationships forward but often letting himself take a back seat in favor of the other party.

Nioh believes that all things in the world carry a form of beauty, and strives to preserve said beauty. While he doesn't lament battle, as it can hold a beauty all its own, he prefers to spectate rather than participate like all things. When he is made to fight, whether by his own will, being attacked or needing to protect someone else, he will do his best to incapacitate rather than kill.

Nioh is saddened by death, despite his views on all things bearing beauty, and will mourn and honor any life lost no matter how others may look upon the deceased. Even if he had to take the life by his own hands.

ϟThunderstorms: Nioh can't explain it, but he has always felt at home within the embrace of storms. He was told that he arrived upon his mother's doorstep on the night of a terrible storm, and when he was growing up his mood would calm whenever a storm arose.
ϟQuiet: Despite his love of storms, Nioh is also comforted by the quiet. Not complete silence, but the natural quiet when all human activity is hushed. When you can hear the chirping of insects, the rushing of winds and the calls of animals in the distance.
ϟStudying: Possibly tied to his embrace of quiet, Nioh enjoys his studies as well. Whether it be learning of magic, the histories of the countries or the mating habits of different creatures, he enjoys loosing himself in the words of books for hours on end.

ϟPoachers: Nioh isn't the kind to dislike much, but he does dislike a handful of things. The first are those he deems "poachers", though this isn't restricted to the usual definition of the word. He views anyone who destroys the beauty of the world they all inhabit with abandon as "poachers" and will do his utmost to stop them without concern for his own safety.
ϟCorruption: While Nioh is capable of finding beauty in much, even death, there is one thing which he cannot find any beauty in: corruption. He views any form of corruption, whether it be the corruption of a person or the decaying touch of specific magics, as a perversion of the natural order and thus does his best to avoid it.

Nioh loves to collect beautiful things of all kinds, often keeping trinkets or baubles stashed away to admire later. His outlook on the world at large means that he aspires to grow his collection to expand beyond small things: he wishes to collect sights and people, places and creatures, all things which he finds especially breathtaking.

He aspires to be the greatest collector in all the world, possibly in all of history, and likewise wishes to amass enough personal power to protect the fragile beauties of the world from those who would seek to corrupt or destroy them. While title is of no consequence to him, some would say Nioh aspires to be a "benevolent king".

It is hard to find a fear in someone who sees beauty in all things, but Nioh's is easy to pick out. He fears the loss of beauty. He fears what would happen if someone succeeded in destroying all the beauties of the world, he fears any great evil that is capable of bringing about such destruction. He also fears anything that could take away his ability to appreciate this beauty, the strongest of these fears being the loss of his sight.

Nioh strikes an image that is typical of magicians, as well as scholars, he is slight and small of stature. His skin is tanned and almost completely unblemished, usually dusted with a healthy blush around his cheeks normally that grows in intensity with his emotions. He has thick white hair that falls in loose strands around his head, down around his neck, and he more often than not leaves it unchecked.

His eyes are almond shaped, with lush lashes. They are a red blue color, though the most notable feature is the fact that little lights glitter within his irises, like stars in the night sky. His facial features can be described as androgynous, with pouty lips and a delicate nose, complete with a slightly effeminate bone structure.

Nioh is light, and moves as though weightless and floating through the air. When he steps, he most often than not makes no noise. He favors robes or other loose clothing that swishes and swirls around his form, preferring freedom to restriction.

Nura Na'al was a simple woman living a simple life within the magocracy of Magnostadt. She hadn’t married, though it didn’t bother her. She was more focused on her work and her apothecary than finding a husband to settle down with anyway. And she liked children well enough, might not have minded one of her own, but she wasn’t desperate to have any. Her life was well enough as it was, and she was in no rush to change it.

Fate, however, didn’t always listen to one’s wishes or whims. It followed its own path, and it was your choice whether or not to accept it or fight against it. Nura was a woman of the former persuasion, and so when a storm swept over the city one night and brought with it a crying baby to her doorstep, Nura saw no choice but to take the young infant into her home. Who knew the dangers that could come from him being left out in the wind and rain.

The child, whom she named “Nioh” after the strange inscription on his blanket, was a joy to have around. He was rarely a fussy baby, and was easily calmed when he did become upset. He was endlessly curious, but always respectful of Nura’s words and warnings. The woman swore that there was more understanding behind those strange glittering eyes than any child had a right to show, but she took it in stride. Nioh very quickly became her life.

And one of her biggest worries, that the baby would not express the gift of the magicians, was dispelled early, though in a situation which sent a shock of worry through Nura’s heart. While he was young and still in his mischievous stage, Nioh tipped one of Nura’s larger bookshelves onto himself. Before the woman could respond to protect him, he manifested a borg around himself to save him from the danger.

Though out of the woods, he was still startled by the occurrence and cried for a long time, during which Nura comforted him, but she was at the same time scared and relieved. That day onward she began teaching him about the history of magic and rukh, and Nioh absorbed it like a sponge. For years he pushed to learn practical applications of magic, but Nura denied him for the most part as she wasn’t authorized to teach…

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t make certain movements when she did magic more obvious and exaggerated so he could pick up on them, or utter incantations more loudly so he could learn pronunciations. Nor that she wouldn’t leave a few of her books out for him to read.

Nioh was grateful at his mother’s indulgence, especially since it has come time for him to enter the Academy. He worries he might not have the skill to make it, and what would happen if he were exiled from the kingdom, but there was beauty in trying. So he would try with all his might.