Darkhanis, Master Healer and Lord Holder of Paveh Hold

Age: 56

Sex: male

Physical: 5'8", 170, light skin (almost kind of pasty), very black hair that is kinked and always kept back in waves over his head, widows peak and curls tightly around his neck and shoulders. He has a black gotee and looks quite stunning in it. His eyes are a orangish brown shade and are quite perceptive. He has a sturdy build, not overweight because not an ounce of him is fat. He holds himself quite regally, as he was born and bred in a Hold. Wears whatever he can get away with for style, and loves colorful outfits. His voice is commanding, deep and resonant, but often so quiet you must concentrate to hear him - if he wishes to he can make a room full of people quiet, just by whispering something.

Emotional: charismatic and spooky, Darkhanis schemes well and dresses even better. He is always plotting something, and has ideals which he must strive to achieve (wants more knowledge from AIVAS if he can get there). It is wise not to cross him as he can carry a grudge with ease and for a long while. He always observes before he speaks, and rarely speaks without considering his words completely.

Skills: He chose the healing craft because it allowed him to get closer to high ranking people with ease, and he has a commanding nature which allows him to continue plotting while even under the noses of people. He can calm a person often by looking at them intently, if this is a new ability or simply his unnerving eyes, is unknown. He has a thorough understanding of illnesses such as fevers, infections and the like, and can recognize symptoms, he is quite good at setting bones as well. He has a strong skill in social situations, brought up from an early age in a high-powered Hold.

At that early age, Darkhanis was once Searched as a young child, but obviously was too young to be brought to the current hatching. He never Impressed, though most Search riders who traveled through the Paveh Hold usually stopped at him, with some comment. Ever since then, he was occsaionally interested in dragons but more often in their riders and the Weyrs which his Hold owed their allegiance and protection. His father and mother grudginly offered tithes, but it was his Aunt Viridia who sparked his interest in both Healing and espionage. She was a pro at both, until her death. She in fact has some kind of odd pact with him, whispered on her death bed to him, which none save Darkhanis knows about. Perhaps she knew about Aivas or had learned something of greater interest, in any case he is likely to find it some day. He has often had his eye on the strong willed girls of Hold as well as Weyr, and with them has sired a number of children who will take over the Hold when he is ready to retire from it.

His relationship with the other Holders in the area is strong, and he is often the one they turn to in times of need. Particularly he and Lady Holder Mirage had a bond that rivals that of a Queen's flight, their son Halaze may be a dragon rider soon but he will also inherit the Paveh hold, with his half siblings. His dealings with extended relatives in Alabaster hold and Blackstone Weyr are well known, and all three leaders usually cooperate and pool their forces if need be. Alabaster particularly has been known to work with dragons and interrogations...

With Thread falling, Darkhanis has put a lot of money and time into weyrs. He shows no sign of stopping, in fact he is quite popular with weyrs because of his generosity for dragons, dragon healers, and the like.

Mirage, Lady Holder of Paveh Hold, Journeywoman Harper (painter), Apprentice Weaver

Age: 38

Sex: female

Physical: 5'8", 140, amazing oyster-shell white skin, vibrant black hair that is full and always styled with something interesting going on, violet blue eyes. The picture of fashion, beauty and style. She is well known as being one of the most beautiful women in the world, but she is also one of the most kind, and strong. She is physically flawless, though not overly strong. Her face is striking, with a strong nose and full lips, which she usually paints deeply red. She prefers light, airy clothing. Her voice is sultry, but not husky.

Emotional: generous, kind, caring and open, Mirage is also quite strong willed on her own and since she has had to live with the deaths of her parents, and two still births when she was young, she has prevailed. She will remain strong in mind and body so long as she has friends and family to rely on and take care of. She is competant and smooth in social situations, though she was not in fact born to them. She has a very strong empathic ability which carries in many if not all her children, she can sense the emotions of those around her and in some extreme cases she can in fact telepathically contact them. She does not hesitate to help those in need, but she also does not hesitate to call for that same help when she needs it.

Skills: social and style graces, Mirage fits in to any high holder's gathering, but she also loves to be around harpers or runner beast racers. She is a skilled gambler, but doesn't rely on it for any period of time. She can and does cook and sew, but she does consider herself above such activities unless the dress is for a party and the food is for the same. She is known to throw the best parties, and often allows matchmakers and the like to look over the guest list for suggestions. She has always loved art, and this comes across in her ability to paint. She loves to do portraits and landscapes, pictures of races and such. She is also working with the weavers in the Hold to produce tapestries that she designs so she is getting a rudimentary education in that field.

Born to a servant and a Lord Holder, Mirage was immediately found to be talented and clever, and beautiful beyond compare. It might have been jealousy that prodded the murder of her parents, but that has never been proven, nor has it been proven that the same person who killed her parents also killed Vanya's, but is has been speculated. When they were killed, however, she was brought to the head of the Paveh hold, and begun her education. Also began her romance with Darkhanis, a much older man. He certainly doesn't mind her flirtations with other men, in fact he downright encourages it: he too wants to see the world have more of her eyes or face, or her power and would never limit her to just himself. He knows that her true heart rests with Vanya, and if things were different, he would have allowed (or even insisted on) them to marry. She has produced many children, but it was the distress of her parents deaths that made her body reject the first two children she would have carried. Since then, she has devoted her life to spreading love, wealth, and her genetic code...

Tain, Holder in Paveh Hold, Beastcrafter (runners/racing)

Sex: Male

Age: 46

Physical: 5'6", 130, ruddy olive tan skin, black hair that is greying at the temples, and often kept loose to his shoulders, yellow-brown eyes. He is a small compact man, with strong legs from working steeds. His face is chiseled and handsome, and he will age very well. He is always in style, and usually in shades of grey. His voice is warm and quiet.

Emotional: though he does not have any psionic ability, Tain has a good solid sense about animals, runnerbeasts in particular. He usually winds up choosing good ones to breed or race. He is quiet and soft spoken but if pressed he will put up quite a strong debate or heated argument. He does not like conflict, but loves competition, and fortunately in Paveh hold, people know the difference. He holds his own in political battles, but prefers to go with the flow rather than rock the boat.

Skills: a very talented racer, and beast breeder. He has a good beast healing skill, though he knows when his skills won't be enough to save a runner and when it will. He is calm and collected when dealing with ornery beasts as well as ornery people, and he knows when to back down from either. He is clever, but he is more well educated than most and uses a lot of quotes in his speeches, and references to other people's work rather than inventing his own.

Tain was never Searched, though his daughter Trance with Mirage was. He is the father of three other children, none of them with the same women, and none other more popular than Trance. He is content to work with the stables, but when duty in the hold calls, he cleans himself up and strides away to the political arena.

Morgontain, Lady Holder of Paveh Hold, Master Healer (childbirth/natal care)

Sex: female

Age: 80

Physical: 5'6", 110, yellowed tan skin now with marks of age, red-brown hair which she always has in myriad braids and decorated on her head, orange-brown eyes. She has poor eyesight now, but it was marred long ago by a runner beast kick to her face, which left her scarred and in permanent pain. She had been a pretty woman, with a long, oval face and small chin, but though she is scarred now, she is far from ugly. She holds herself proudly, she is the mother or foster mother of so many wonderful children, holders, weyrlings, and crafters all. Her frail body is thin, but still strong enough to carry her to this party or that. Her voice is broken with age, but had been vibrantly deep.

Emotional: overfriendly, to say the least. But she means well, and always makes a positive impression on those around her. She is not overcompensating for her marred facial appearance, in fact people know of her before they ever see her, and marvel at how well she glosses over it. She does have a long-standing addiction to fellis and other concoctions that the healers give her for the pain in her face. Morgontain loves everyone, though she tends to ignore people who insult her - and being ignored by Morgontain is often fatal, politically. She has a very strong empathic ability, and attracts people as well as flits, beasts and dragons to her side with it.

Skills: she is a very strong healer, having completed her apprenticeship at the age of 20, and her Journeywoman status when she was but 31. Her skills always lay with women and the young, though she can spot a good "breeder boy" from a mile away (never mind that she can no longer focus on them at arm's length...). She has never needed to sew or cook, but she does a little embroidery here and there, getting fewer and farther between. She can hold herself at any party, social function or race, with ease, and she never misses a beat if someone gets on her bad side. She simply turns away from them, and goes on with her conversation. There is always someone else to speak to, around Morgontain.

She would have become a Dragon healer but for the injuries to her skull. She simply can't handle the stress of Betweening, and for that reason she loves to travel the ground with her favorite animals the horses. Even though she was injured by one, she still takes them seriously and gives them at least as much attention as her human patients. Her list of children and fosterlings is impressive, including Tain and Tani. She actually has at least 15 children herself, most of them are not high status, but some are dragon riders and many became crafters. She has sadly outlived some of them already, as well. Morgontain is a well loved woman, but like Mirage she shares whatever spotlight might be on her at the time, for she herself rarely cares who is watching her.

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