So I do this gaming thing with a group of friends. RPG thing. No, it’s not sexual.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the gaming sessions revolve around a group of college kids who have learned that they are half-fey and end up becoming agents of the Library of Alexandria, thought to be lost to the annals of time. As it turns out, the Library was transported to the fey realm to protect it from destruction at human hands. My character (who has my name) has innate magical abilities that allow him to be a wizard, D&D style, by coding new spells. Before the previous game was ended, he obtained a peregrine falcon and named her Anemos.
The new game will be pretty much in the same environment, but 4-6 years later. This is after an event has occurred where the realm of magic has leaked out into the human world, but only at the tabloid and conspiracy theorist level that nobody really pays attention to anyway.
So there’s the synopsis so far. I tasked myself with writing a backstory to my character now that several years have passed, and I figured I would post it here, and not from a Starbucks like those goddamn hippies do. Enjoy, or not.
Neal wears his "Agent of the Library" role like a badge of honor. Outwardly, he has shed his "geeky" image; his dark brown hair has fallen to shoulder-length, his horn-rimmed glasses have given way to square spectacles, and his previous physique of skin-and-bones has been covered with an average amount of muscle. Over the past several years, he has dedicated his entire life to becoming more knowledgable and powerful. Sure, it was a journey of self-fulfillment, but after the catastrophe it felt like he had something to prove. A shame, then, that he has been sworn to secrecy to humans by the Head Librarian. Neal continues to document all he has successfully learned in a leather-bound book—written in small print, obviously, the thing shouldn't get too heavy from all the pages that need to be added on a weekly basis—which he has gilded with the title Codex Mauripretium. After a great many bumbling failures with spellcoding and debugging, Neal is still learning the “syntax” of his magical talent and writing down what works without fail. He must have done something right; a couple of the library mages with a vested interest in human computer sciences were able to cast weaker versions of his spells after studying the less advanced ones.
He has also found his niche in party expeditions, and the Head Librarian refuses to send him out solo because of this. Neal would have it no other way, either; he prefers to be the unseen spell slinger, but anyone who manages to get up close and personal will face the wrath of an overprotective peregrine and a deftly wielded flaming or electrified silverwood stave. However, Neal really has not become more physically stronger over the years, and would rather spend his time in combat assisting his companions in any way needed; the Codex Mauripretium's largest section is filled with coded spells that buffer allies. The book has also proved to be an invaluable manual of sorts as well. Neal is one of the few infiltration specialists on the library's staff, especially in the human realm, and can get into almost any building without incident. His infiltration abilities are also not limited to physical structures; he has become an 'ethical hacker' of sorts, and can usually obtain and store any information needed that is relevant to the quest at hand with a bit of effort. The Codex Mauripretium contains a few spells that automatically decrypt several common human and fey ciphers.
In the meanwhile, Anemos has become quite the familiar and is now rather enamored with her new companion. She doesn't communicate with Neal telepathically, but like any other "pet" (she’ll shriek at anyone who refers to her in that way), she has her own ways of conveying basic emotions or desires, and she isn't above delivering a nip to the earlobe when Diane isn't around for a Gibbs-slap. Anemos detests crowded or small spaces, and will never accompany Neal into a building. If caged, it will be incredibly difficult to earn her forgiveness when she is released. Neal has learned that Anemos is far more intelligent than he gives her credit for, and she spends the majority of her time scouting ahead or stalking prey. She'll usually only return to his shoulder if she's bored, curious, or wants attention; she is still wary of his magical abilities, though, so Neal has not attempted to augment her with magic in any way. Her natural agility and grace are "magical enough," he says.
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