Lemuria - Andreas Aerendyl (Governor of Silvercrest)

Details

Andreas has a typical moon-elf appearance. He is exceptionally tall, standing at 196 cm, and has a muscular built. He has long white hair yet bushy and expressive eyebrows. His eyes are a cold shade of blue. Like other moon elves, he has a set of pointy ears. Andreas is 55 years old, yet because of his moon elf heritage, he looks as if he is in his mid- to late thirties.

Impressions & Attitude

Andreas' calm and patient attitude scream 'authority'. He is comfortable with silence, using it as a weapon rather than a weakness. If anyone should provoke him, he remains quiet, giving them a few extra seconds to regret their decisions to stand up to him. His voice patterns are usually with a downward tone at the end of sentences, leaving no room for questions. Usually, he makes people wait before they speak to him, doing things on his time, not theirs. The words that flow out of his mouth are specific: he uses the word 'will' a lot, as people will do as they're told and he will be listened to. He gets the first and last word: he speaks first and closes the conversation on his term by commanding people to leave.

Clothing

Andreas mostly wears long robes that trail behind him as he walks. When out riding he'll wear more comfortable clothing. He is no stranger to a piece of hair decoration like a circlet on formal occasions. During battle, his robes get replaced by silver armor.

Intro
Andreas is full of contradictions. He is imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, and curious yet focused. From the outside, these contradictions may seem baffling, but they make perfect sense once you understand the inner workings of his mind. For him, life is like a giant game of chess. Relying on strategy rather than chance, Andreas contemplates the strengths and weaknesses of each move before making it. And he never loses faith that, with enough ingenuity and insight, he can find a way to win – no matter what challenges might arise along the way.

Outside
Andreas isn't known for being warm and fuzzy. He tends to prioritize rationality and success over politeness and pleasantries – in other words, he'd rather be right than popular. Yet his no-nonsense leadership is what has earned him the respect of his citizens. He can be particularly single-minded, with little patience for frivolity, distractions, or idle gossip. That said, he's far from dull or humorless. He is known for his irreverent wit, and beneath his serious exteriors, he has a sharp, delightfully sarcastic sense of humor. Andreas believes that, through willpower and intelligence, he can achieve even the most challenging goals. He is very cynical about human nature more generally, assuming that most people are lazy, unimaginative, or simply doomed to mediocrity. Despite his patient and calculating nature, Andreas is shown to have a good side if he is impressed with someone.  

Inside
Andreas relies on his wisdom, insight, logic, and willpower. And heaven help anyone who tries to slow him down by enforcing pointless rules or offering poorly thought-out criticism. Rational and quick-witted, Andreas prides himself on his ability to think for himself, not to mention his uncanny knack for seeing right through phoniness and hypocrisy.  It would be a mistake, however, to view Andreas as uncaring. Whatever the stereotypes about his stoic intellect, he can feel deeply, mostly about his family. He also demonstrates this constructive and caring side around his family. Like any other, Andreas does crave social interaction – he'd just prefer to surround himself with people who share his values and priorities.

Downfalls
This elf comes with a strong independent streak. He doesn't mind acting alone, perhaps because he doesn't ike waiting around for others to catch up with him. At times, this lone-wolf behavior can come across as insensitive, as it fails to take into consideration other people’s thoughts, desires, and plans. His self-assurance can blind her to useful input from other people - especially anyone she deems to be intellectually inferior. He can come across as needlessly harsh or arrogant in trying to prove others wrong.

For Andreas, rationality is king. But emotional context often matters more than she likes to admit. He can get annoyed with anyone who seems to value feelings more than facts. When the people in his life fail to match his level of restraint, he can appear scathingly critical. Andreas tends to have a great deal of self-control, particularly when it comes to thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, ignoring emotion is its own type of bias – one that can cloud his judgment.

Grandparents

Other Aerendyls

Parents & Siblings & Niblings

Wife & Children & Grandchildren

Andreas does act like a very conservative and patrician male head of his household, but others remark that his love for his wife Saelwyn is so great that she is actually his closest advisor. Saelwyn's kind nature makes the two of them a fitting couple to rule Silvercrest. Andreas is proudest of his eldest son, the one who will one day become governor. He raises his eldes in a strict way, making the relationship with his second son Lysanthir a bit more free. He has a good relationship with his second son. Andreas is very fond of his daughter Vasilisa, yet also terribly afraid something might happen to her.

Ancestry

The most noble and ancient Aerendyl family, this is how they’re described. The words in front of the family name are as much a part of it as the family name itself is. The Aerendyl family is one of the oldest moon elf families in Odiria who are the picture of wealth and sophistication. The family has been governing Silvercrest for over a hundred years and their relationship with the (previously) royal family has always been a close one. The fact that they rule Silvercrest is seen as perfectly fair by the family. They are known to be elitist, classist and sometimes even racist. They are independently wealthy, with no need to work for a living.

Their sigil is a silver crescent moon on a sapphire blue coat.

Appearance

With their white hair, often blue or violet eyes and tall appearance, this family is everything a traditional moon-elf should be. They are usually gifted with magic and practise this to great extent as they see it as a divine gift by their patron Lythrana.

Beliefs & Practices

They are true supremacists: they place great importance on moon elves’ supremacy over other creatures such as humans and mages. Their perfect view of the world sees Lemuria ruled by moon-elves alone, the way it was and should always be. Their views have always been seen as traditional. Though the family is inclined to blood-purity, they are unwilling to practice close inbreeding (brothers/sisters, first cousins). They'll often resort to marrying distant cousins if they can't find another noble moon elf family to pair with.

Estate

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As a waterbender, Andreas can shape and manipulate water. Waterbenders also possess the ability to alter the physical state of the water they manipulate, between liquid, solid and gas, at will. Waterbending's strength is its great versatility. Rather than supporting a separate set of offensive methods, waterbending employs defensive techniques that can be transformed into attacks and counters, defense into offense. Instead of simply deflecting an attack, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control, achieved through turning an opponent's own strength against them, rather than directly harming the opponent.

Some techniques Andreas often uses include:

• Breath of ice: A waterbender can use the water vapor in their breath to rapidly freeze objects or opponents. For a more advanced version of the technique, the user takes a deep breath and exhales the air as a cloud of freezing mist.
  
• Ice spear: The ice spear is a waterbending move that involves freezing a stream of water into a spike and firing it at the intended target.
  
• Wave: By moving a large mass of water without separating it from its original source, advanced waterbenders can create waves of nearly any size. They do this by using an upward movement that raises the source, which they subsequently send away in their desired direction
  
• Water knife: Waterbenders can create a fast, cutting swoop of water that can cut through vulnerable materials.
  
• Water wall/water shield: Water can be molded into a variety of shapes and can be used to deflect an attack, trap opponents in a viscous body, reshaped and propelled at attackers before they can recover, or solidified into a shield of ice.
  

Andreas has trained his magic his entire life. Now, at the age of 55, he is considered a master waterbender. The mark of a master waterbender is the ability to swiftly change from one state of water to another and rapidly switch techniques during combat, keeping the opponent off guard while constantly adapting to the enemy.

Some master-waterbending techniques include:

• Maelstrom: In a large body of water, a waterbender can create a gigantic whirlpool.
  
• Water dome: A master waterbender can create a water dome that can be used for both offense and defense, the shape and size all dependent on how much water there is available.
  
• Water/ice gliding: Waterbending masters can glide on water at high speeds. Like water gliding,  a skilld waterbender can cover a large area of the ground with ice, trapping their enemies' feet in ice while allowing them to slide around.
  
• External water source: A waterbender gains a significant advantage or disadvantage over other benders depending on the amount of water in the vicinity. Master waterbenders like Andreas are able to extract water from plants, ultimately killing the plants, and even condense water vapor out of thin air with the utmost concentration.
  

Every bender has weaknesses, including Andreas. One of his first lessons was to master his emotions. It wasn't too difficult with his calm personality, making outbursts rare. Yet when he does lose his temper, he is all the more dangerous to everyone around him. Whilst Andreas has largely been able to learn how to create an external water source, the dryer the surroundings the easier that becomes. His magic would be near useless in the desert of Xaila unless he carries water on his body.

EARLY YEARS

Andreas was born as the eldest child of Governor Oropher Aerendyl and Governess Delphine Aerendyl. He was blessed with the looks and gifts from his forefathers, a sign that he would one day make a great ruler too. He was raised exactly like this: to one day be governor. Being born in the Aerendyl family meant a strict upbringing, during which the family values get implemented in the child's every being.

The young moon elf had absolutely everything he could desire. From a young age, Andreas had been taught everything he needed to know. Yet that wasn't the only training he received. His magic was prominently present ever since he was a child and as soon as he showed signs of it, his parents arranged for a master that would teach him. While he received the best education he also had all the right friends. Most of them were moon elves like him, including his best friend: Prince Alastor Elaéydar. After all, the Aerendyls and the Elaéydars had been close since the rise of the Aerendyl family. Loyal friends, strong political connections to one another. Whenever Oropher would visit the capital Lythrania, he'd take his son along with him and Andreas would get to see his best friend again.

TEENAGE YEARS

Andreas was just 16 when he met his wife, Saelwyn. Although that day, neither of them knew they would one day be married. Saelwyn came from a prominent moon elf family. It was only logical that as they started to become friends, their parents would notice and act on this. They were betrothed when Andreas was 18.

ADOLESCENCE

When adolescence came around, life finally became worth living for. Andreas had never been romantically attracted to his future wife, yet they shared a great friendship. And that was better than nothing, right? The two elves were wed when Andreas was 22 years old. Just a year later, Saelwyn gave birth to their first child: a boy named Elros. The pregnancy and their child was fuel to an already burning fire and slowly, Andreas started to fall in love with his darling wife. Thankfully for him, it was the other way around too.

ADULTHOOD

The happy pair was blessed with more children: a boy named Castor, a boy named Anteros, a boy named Lysanthir, a girl named Vasilisa, a boy named Silas and another girl named Anaïre. Andreas raised his children the exact way he was raised: with elitism, classism and sophistication. Andreas' sons would learn how to fight and use their mind, while Vasilisa would learn all about politics (along with her eldest brother).

Tragedy occured when the elf was 45. His father, age 101, died from old age. Oropher had been ruling Silvercrest for over fifty years, yet would now pass the title along to his son. Andreas was distraught by the loss, yet remained poised while his children wept. He and his father parted on good ways. Afterwards Andreas was visited by the King, his oldest friend, for condolences. There was no doubt in the ruler's mind: his good friend would now rule Silvercrest.

It is no secret the family despises Ashmoor. Whenever possible danger nears, Andreas is no stranger to defend his country. As an impeccable magic user, most intruders stand no chance. When Andreas was 50, however, he returned from a battle on the borders of Lemuria greatly wounded. He wasn't set to make it, until his young daughter willed her father to be better as she sat by his bedside. Suddenly, the elf awoke and the wound in his chest was nothing more than a scar. It became clear that Vasilisa had found her second expertise and at that, the much greater one. Andreas was insanely proud of his daughter, and immediately arranged for her to train her abilities.

When the old king died, Andreas paid his respects to the Elaéydar family by visiting them together with his brother. Cassiel, who was also a loyal advisor of Alastor, had already informed Andreas of the suspicious circumstances surrounding the King's death. It was then that Andreas and Cassiel, as expected, declared their loyalty to Prince Ezriel. They would help him in his rule, especially Cassiel, who would serve as Ezriel's Chancellor like he had served Alastor.  

Not long after the prince's crowning, he decided to do something no kingdom had ever dared before and bid the monarchy farwell. While Cassiel warned him about the dangers, he eventually agreed with the prince's decision. Besides, the Aerendyls were loyal to the crown: whatever ventures might occur. With a bitter heart for the loss of his old friend, Andreas too supported the new King. It was what Alastor would have wanted, after all.

NOW

Not long ago, Andreas' brother Cassiel died under inexplicable circumstances. He was younger than Andreas, at no age for a moon elf to die. Yet he did. The Governor was furious at this loss, an outburst that hadn't occured in years. The family said farewell to the fallen, during which Andreas vowed to find out what had happened. In the meantime, a new Chancellor had to be appointed. One of his other siblings might have seemed like the wise decision, yet Andreas and Saelwyn sent their daughter. Reasons as to why remain unknown, perhaps she was just the right fit. Or perhaps they wanted to fullfill a promise to their old friend Alastor.

✶ Aside from using waterbending as his most prominent weapon, Andreas is a very skilled swordsman
✶ Adores animals of all kinds

The City

Located near Lake Celestia lays the city of Silvercrest. While the city is not as large in size as Lemuria’s capital, it is one of riches and elegance. The city forms the heart of a few fisher towns alongside the lake and the many farms in the vast fields occupying the green land. The city has an abundance of markets and at the edge lies the governor’s castle. The peaceful environment of Lake Celestia attracts many to admire its beauty. According to legend, the lake used to be a different shape but has over time changed into that of a crescent moon. Many speculate about what could have caused this to happen.

Feast of Starlight

The Feast of Starlight takes place on the 14th night of the Ice Moon (during the Neightreign season) in the city of Silvercrest. Its purpose is to celebrate the light of the stars that accompany the moon. The citizens look toward new beginnings during the season of death and despair. It is a night of togetherness, friendship and love. A ball is held in the castle of the Governor, with an invitation to all. It is infamous for being the one night a year where the Aerendyls open their glorious home. It has been a longstanding tradition ever since the start of the Aerendyl rule over Silvercrest and draws in many citizens of the city, but many others from surrounding villages and even Moonbright as well. As Frostcrown and Nightreign are never really harsh in Lemuria, the temperature is quite comfortable during this celebration.

The Feast of Starlight starts late in the day, right before sunset. It is customary for the Governor to give a speech as the sun goes down, hailing in the moon and the stars. After this, the ball commences. The ballroom has been decorated with all kinds of winter flowers, such as snow bells, heathers and the infamous Lemurian ornamental cabbage (click for picture). A feast of food and drink can be found at grand tables, courtesy of the Aerendyl family. The castle gardens and ballroom are open for the guests to roam free and watch the nightsky. A path has been lit up by tiny lights all the way down to Lake Celestia, where one can step into a boat to watch the twinkling stars above with a loved one.