Aurela Grouix's page

Aurela lived her early life in the shadows of society, yet in the spotlight of the hidden world that raised her. Hers was an auspicious birth; her parents were cultists of Groetus, and when she was born with a birthmark resembling the skull-faced moon of their deity, the High Priest declared it an omen of the End Times. Her ‘gifts’ showed quickly as a child, nearly everything she handled became broken so long as she held it, and her first words came early -- and in a dark tongue she could not have learned on her own.

The cult became her extended family. She was well cared for, protected and revered. They moved around a lot, usually only at night, and there was an every-revolving number of cult members at any given time. Madness claimed some, but many others left for supplies and never returned. They dwelled in ruins, and in abandoned husks of temples originally meant for other gods. When they had to move on it was usually with little warning. Aurela knew very little about the outside world, only that there were people who would destroy her and her family, and they needed to be avoided at all cost.

With little contact outside the family, she got used to being protected and fawned over. She always had food even when stores were low, people brought her gifts and toys (which rarely survived for long in her hands), and when she spoke everyone listened. Even so, there was little freedom or privacy.

When she was a little older, a great tragedy befell the cult. People called Hellknights came to rout them, to wipe them out entirely. Only the high priest, herself, and a handful of other cult members made it out alive, and they began a long trek to a place called Varisia -- eventually to the city of Magnimar. Aurela was a young adult by then, and smart enough to realize their life was far from normal; that there was an entirely different world out there, often just a few steps away. Magnimar was more open and accepting, but her family was too protective to let her see much of it. One night she managed to sneak away and see the city for herself; by morning she had decided that she was never going back.

After a few short months living as best she could, trying to find friends and avoid her family, Aurela joined the Pathfinder Society. They were open minded, and not judgemental of those like her...and as beautiful and vast as Magnimar was, membership offered her the chance to travel, to see more sights -- and a chance to put some distance between herself and her ‘family’.

-Ruin and bad luck seems to follow her and she worries it affects those around her.

-She despises the source of her powers, and hates being a pawn in whatever games the gods are playing. She’s not intolerant, but tends to roll her eyes at any religious ceremony and dislikes anyone trying to prosthelytize.

-She puts on an apathetic attitude, but deep down she strives to help others, hates seeing anyone in distress, and genuinely wants to do good in the world -- though greatly fears she’s destined to only make things worse.

-She’s not an anti-hero, but more of an anti-villain. She rejects her supposed destiny and tries not to abuse her powers.

-A strong theme of rebellion, doom, hope, and inevitability -- and trying to deny one’s fate or even turn it on its head, by making the world a better place.

-To make something, either a useful item or work of art.
-To use her destructive gifts to prevent a disaster.

-She still prays to Groetus. Not out of reverence, but out of habit.

-Her parents were not her parents; she was born to a respected family (but not nobility) from Cheliax, who fell under scrutiny due to her birthmark. When the cult heard about her, they abducted her and fled the area.

-Gosbert Draeger, the high priest and leader of the Groetus cult. He was neither evil or mean, protected her and groomed her to lead the cult, herself, but he was still a fanatic and probably still searching for her. He may or may not suspect she ran away, and might assume she was taken. Getting away from the cult is her primary reason for joining the Pathfinder Society, hoping they would transfer her to a lodge outside of Magnimar.

-Amadeus Amélineau, a former member of the cult who went missing while out on an errand. He betrayed them to the Chelaxian authorities and has since become an inquisitor of Asmodeus. He has been tasked with finding Aurela, though why is unknows; likely to either eliminate her or return her to her real family.

-Otilia, the closest thing Aurela had to a childhood friend. She was part of a Varisian caravan they had traveled with for the better part of a year, and one of the few non-cult members Aurela got to interact with. She sometimes wonders what ever happened to her friend.

-Yllaria de Cormeilles. Before joining the Pathfinder Society, Aurela did have some adventures in Magnimar, and made many friends. One was Yllaria de Cormeilles, an adventurer and talented swordswoman. Aurela accidentally caused the loss of Yllaria’s heirloom rapier, promptly ending their friendship on a sour note. Though not an enemy in any sense, her memories of their friendship is a harsh reminder of Aurela’s nature.

-Sandre Szemere. More an acquaintance than a friend, they never had any adventures together but did frequent the same taverns and locales. He was rakish and bold, a former Sczarni gang member, and part of the Pathfinder Society. Aurela developed a soft crush on him, but never acted on it. She didn’t join the Society because of him, but does hope to work with him someday...though she fears she’d bring misfortune to him, like she did to Yllaria.

-While she has a lot of memories of the cult’s time in Cheliax, the most prominent one is the night the Hellknights came to wipe them out. She had always been warned that the outside world wished them harm, but that night was the first time she saw proof of that.

-Traveling with the cult. On their way to Varisia she saw more of the outside world than ever. Sometimes they met those outside the cult in amicable encounters, securing passage or supplies, or even temporary lodgings.

-Her first night out in Magnimar. She snuck away with the intent to look around and then go back, but that night was full of so many beautiful sights, colorful people, and genuine fun that she couldn’t bear to return to her family.

-Being alone. Even though she may seem like she should be a loner or hard to be friends with, she needs other people to feel anchored to. When alone for too long she feels adrift and lost. She has seen people go mad worshipping Groetus, and fears the same will happen to her eventually. Being around others, particularly among friends, makes her feel happy and safe.

-The full moon. Not hide-under-the-bed terror, but it makes her edgy and paranoid when she can see the full moon.