Annabelle Ember's page

Corvis. “City of Ghosts,” they call it. about 100,000 souls call Corvis their home, and more arrive every day. Corvis is an island of civilization in the roughest part of northern Cygnar in a world known only as The Iron Kingdoms.

So, are you wondering why they call Corvis the “City of Ghosts?” There are as many stories about that as tavern keepers and old gossip mongers. They say the dead don’t rest well in Corvis, maybe since the shifting soil makes it hard to sanctify graves. A lot of people died in bad ways in the early days of Old Corvis, and those ghosts linger on. Many folks believe anyone who drowns in the canals or the harbor is doomed to walk the city for eternity. The dead are also said to walk about openly in the Undercity—one more reason to stay out, if you ask me. Any way you look at it, there’s nary a soul in Corvis who hasn’t seen a shade at one time or another—or so they claim. Stay here long enough and I wager you’ll see one too.

This is where Annabelle originally called home, well at least for most of her life. Corvis is a city unlike most others in most other worlds. A world where guns and machines mix with sword and sorcery. Some choose paths of the sword, others find magic comes easily to them, but a few, those born outside the norms of society, have aptitude for both.

Annabelle is just such a person. Taken from her parents at birth, she has no idea who they may be nor the exact circumstances of her birth. She was raised in a dwarven section of Corvis.

They tried to raise her as a normal girl, but she always knew that she never really did “fit in” she was not dwarven. She worked hard to be like them, and showed great aptitude for mechanizations she even learned the rudimentary basics of firearms. But Annabelle held a secret that only those close to her knew about. She had an aptitude for magic. She commanded fire magic like a practiced sorcerer even at an extremely young age.

Her skill with magic was kept secret form the rest of the community. They feared she would be taken, by the elites for “experimentation” or who knows what. But Annabelle was more curious about her magic skills, and continued to practice in secret.

Well it was a secret until she accidentally set fire to her home. The fire spread quickly burning her home and several others nearby. Annabelle was thought to have been consumed in the fire, but after the flames were extinguished and people started to sift through the rubble they found an unconscious Annabelle, but completely unscathed by the flames. Her only wound was a cut on her head from a falling wooden beam. Annabelle’s secret was no longer a secret.

Annabelle was taken to an orphanage since her “adoptive” dwarven parents both perished in the fire. But she was not taken to an ordinary orphanage, this one was intended for those that cannot control their magic.

She lived there for several years having concentrated more on her tinkering skills as she became afraid to use her magic. Because of her unpredictable magic she had only one friend, Alexia Ciannor. She was a mischievous human girl that kept getting into trouble, and sometimes dragging Annabelle down with her.

Alexia was much like Annabelle, she had a knack for using magic but she had much better control of hers. Despite the constant pranking and breaking out to cause mischief around the town, Alexia managed to teach Annabelle how to control her magic.

One night, Alexia dragged Annabelle out of bed in the middle of the night telling her about some strange gate that she had discovered. The two snuck out of the orphanage once again and Alexia took Annabelle to an old sewer grate outside the Academy. From there they snuck in through an old damaged trapdoor that was probably long forgotten.

The pair snuck through the halls to a large amphitheater, where there was a large ancient stone archway covered in numerous runes. Alexia looked to Annabelle, you wanna see what this does? she asks with a grin that just screams “we are in so much trouble if we get caught”

Alexia started to recite what she knew of the runes and as she did so several started to glow. As she did her magic thing, Annabelle started to check out the rest of the room. Finding a small wind-up robot bear toy Annabelle started to play with it for a bit.

Annie, check this out, I think it works. It looks like it goes to some other part of the city. Alexia called Annabelle over.

Annabelle headed over with her new toy. Hey Alexia, look what I found. she says showing the toy to Alexia. When suddenly it sprang to life as Annabelle accidentally hit the “on” switch.

As the toy came to life, Annabelle shrieked as the toy’s animation startled her. She stumbled back and fell through the gate. Before Alexia could react the portal closed and several of the teachers of the academy came in demanding what was going on. The last thing Annabelle saw was Alexia being taken by the authorities.

Annabelle soon realized she was no longer in Corvis. She had no idea where she was. She wandered for several days living on the streets of this new city keeping to herself mostly afraid of everyone.

Of course as things would have it, Annabelle meets her first locals, and they are not necessarily the most positive influence. Ashe was a sly tiefling that knew the streets all too well, but at the same time many knew him. He needed a fresh face to be his “patsy”, Annabelle fit the bill rather nicely.

Annabelle’s first run in with Ashe’s little gang was not so pleasant. They harassed her, pushed her around and even took her toy bear. She tried to fight back but she was too afraid to use her magic. She had no idea what would happen.

Ok little girl, you do as I say, and I will give you back your toy. Ashe demanded. Reluctantly in her face wet with tears, she agreed.

Ashe took her to the Great Bazaar. He plotted out this grand scheme to steal a collection of magic pearls, and Annabelle was to take the fall. All went according to plan and Annabelle was nabbed by the merchant. Annabelle got really scared and unleashed a wave of fire on the merchant.

He was not seriously hurt, but the distraction allowed Annabelle to escape. She ran through the Bazaar looking for Ashe, he was her only connection in this place. Eventually she turned down an alley and there was Ashe and the gang.

heh, good job runt, and Ashe always keeps his word, here is your baby toy. Ashe tossed the toy to the ground and stomped on it, smashing it to pieces. Ashe just stood over Annabelle kneeling on the ground trying to pick up the pieces of her toy, laughing; his cronies all laughing with him.

Now, get away from me runt, I grow tired of you. he laughed as he kicked Annabelle in the face sanding her flipping back and lying on the ground bleeding. At that moment everything went black. She thinks she heard the whirling of gears and the sounds of fire. But in her pain and state of semi-consciousness. She had no idea if it was all a dream.

When she awoke she was being carried by a girl heading someplace. She had no idea where. She then blacked out once more.

She awoke again in a bed. There was a blonde haired girl sitting next to her. Hello there, my name is Abigail. I found you in the alley nearly dead. So I brought you here. Welcome to St. Cuthbert's Lodging for the Lost.

Annabelle looked around and on the table beside the bed was what was left of her toy. She tried to reach for it, but was in too much pain. Abigail handed it to her. do you have a name?

Annabelle nodded as she grabbed her toy. Annie, and this is, Patches

From that day on Annie and Abigail were close friends. Abigail showed her around and made sure Annie stayed out of trouble. And for the next few years, Annie had made St. Cuthbert's Lodging for the Lost her new home.

Annabelle has been spending much of her free time working to repair Patches. But finding the parts has proven difficult.

Alexia: she is a rather powerful sorcerer (arcane bloodline) she is very selfish and does whatever it takes to get her way.
Ashe: The Tiefling rogue and his little gang of misfits. Ashe has a vendetta against Annabelle, but Annabelle has no idea why. She was unconscious when everything went down, but that was the first appearance of her future eidolon that chased Ashe away before he could kill Annabelle. Ashe has been a little afraid to confront Annie directly out of fear of what happened before.

Alexia yes the same Alexia as in rivals, Annabelle believes Alexia to be her friend nad since she was much younger the last time they were together, Annabelle has no idea of her evil side.

Abigail: she is an Aasimar, probably a cleric or oracle. She helped Annabelle get better acclimated to Sigil and showed her how to make it in the Grand Bazaar, well actually how to make it at St. Cuthbert's Lodging for the Lost. She like to tease Annabelle on her lack of understanding of the local vernacular.

Click-Click: a funny if not eccentric kobold that shares Annabelle’s knack for clockworks. He resides in the basement levels of the lodging. Annabelle has learned quite a bit from him, and Click-Click enjoys her company as well. Though Annabelle can’t notice it, click-click has a crush in Annie.

Annie want to get home, but is still unsure if she would be welcome there. She feels a lot of guilt for what happened and somewhat responsible for the death of her adoptive dwarven family back in Corvis. In the meantime, she hopes to make the best of things here and maybe explore what other things this city has to offer.

Annie is somewhat obsessed with fixing Patches. Maybe even making him better than before.

Annie is oblivious to what happened after she was knocked out all those years ago. Though she has encountered Ashe here and there over the years, she definitely knows he does not like her.