Aishar

Aishar

Truthseeker, Wordsmith, Soothsayer
Future Spymaster, Current Wizard
Discord	@Shitpostbot3000
Reddit	ScrantonAnchor
Metatype	Elf (Dryad)
Street Cred	0
Notoriety	0
Public Awareness	0
CDP	12
D.O.B.	05/05/2063
Age	23
Folder	Folder
Priority	Metatype - D Attributes - C Magic/Resonance - A Skills - C Resources - D

Character Information

Summary

Disgraced Tir nobility, trying to build the skills and support necessary for his rightful ascendancy

Goals

Become the best he can become, perfection is an habit

Re-obtain his rightful rank of Duke, and ideally become Royalty

Reach enlightenment

Maybe get friends!

Background

Zathien is born as Gloria Hayes, firstborn to the Hayes, a Ducal family of Salem. A large family, with many ties in luxury entertainment, agriculture, brick and mortar retail and, chief amongst all, certain cushy positions and even shares in Telestrian, one of the largest national Tir corporations, the Hayes were decidedly players in the political game both local and national. Living the peculiar overlap of the obligations of both traditional nobility, with their highly complex rituals and webs of alliances, and the more modern, new money corpo nobility, with its demands that any "heir" is groomed into a future CEO with an impressive education, magnetic charisma and encyclopedic intellect, Gloria's youth has been one much more dictated by the stick rather then the carrot.

While the mother was never outright cruel, she was likewise seldom affectionate, and most of the formative memories were shared with the staff that kept the house and tutored the young heir apparent. Not that any of this is atypical by Tir standards, far from it, but it did certainly engender the young child with a certain aloof coldness, a defense response, almost as if the willful rejection of affection was a choice they made, instead of it imposed from others. Nevertheless, the promise shown in most intellectual pursuits was certainly plain for all to see, with mastery of two languages by age 4 and generally being a straight A student. Just as the teachings started to become more focused on topics of law, economy and politics, the young Hayes awakened, and awakened strongly at that. Not a one-in-a-billion mage, let it be clear, but a full mage of some power still. The Tir is not a magocracy, of course, but where the gift carries some suspicion in the UCAS, it comes with a certain air of renown in the Tir, as it opened many doors previously locked. The education, much to the pupil's dismay, moved to a much more theoretically dense magical curriculum, with practice also being held in high regard. The pressure on a young psyche to become an archwizard on top of CEO material, machiavellian political schemer, proper master of ceremonies and expert in elven culture cannot be understated.

It began as a vague thought, around the age of 15. A need to at once break free of expectation and pull apart the veil and stare directly at the machinery of the powers that be. Why did they deny a proper childhood to those meant to be at the top of their society? Where did those tradition originate? Just how deep did the rabbit hole go? Hacking and covert operations became something that drew the young Hayes like a moth to a flame. The answers denied for a lifetime were actually plain to grab, with just a bit of finesse. Highschool gossip turned into knowing the passwords of professors, and having dirt on the annoying classmates. That then turned into having a foot in the door to see inside other households, and in their skeleton-filled closets. That evolved into an habit, studying and spying for its own sake, and once the taste of true, powerful secrets hit their lips, it was for life. Hidden information, that kept the wheels turning. Shadowy cabals of unknown origins and purposes, millions embezzled and used to fund desperate bids for immortality, corporate espionage and counterespionage, even things as mundane as drug addictions, incurable diseases and infidelity, the young Hayes knew that there was an entire world of information locked away. If only she was smarter, faster, more skilled, she could move out of the scope of childish squabbles and into the real stuff that made the powerful tremble.

Likewise, this was a moment in which her magic seemed to reach a plateau she couldn't quite understand. Hermetic studies were her bread and butter, like they are for the vast majority of non-religious mages in the Tir. Perhaps it was a result of the tales of ancient, and much more potent magics, maybe it was the fact those teachings that were what she trained with started to feel like a cage, but in any case, her arcane arts suffered. So, she went searching for a new balance in her studies, and after brief bouts with Zoroastrianism, Necro Magic and even Islamic practices, she discovered the PRISM and its members. A magical society with no other goal then expanding their understanding of reality, with no predjudice or closed doors. Reverence for the planes, respect but not worship for the cosmic entities known as mentors, and that same logical, facts based apporach she really loved in traditional hermetic practice. There was just a teeny, tiny problem: she wasn't all that good, then again, she was a kid. That seemingly cut her out of the realms of Planar Magic, but where most would see a wall and go the other way, she felt an even stronger pull, a problem to be solved. With her new mentors, and a combination of shade, trips to existing rifts and manufactured astral gateways, she finally became an ethernaut in full, and saw, under the wise overview of her teacher, many wonders and an entire new field of possibilities. With this, came two realizations that will shape her psyche deeply going forwards: everything worth having, is something you make yourself, and everything worth making takes time, craftiness and a certain level of pain.

Then, the time of the advancement came. 18 years, and with them, the Rite of Passage, the time to walk proud amongst adult society, and become a proper subject and citizen in front of state and family alike. As it is traditional, this starts with the Bridging: 72 hours, to be experienced in utter isolation, dropped in a forest with naught but what you can carry on your body. The Bridging is as fruitful an exercise as you allow it to be, with extremes like spoiled brats bringing commlinks and paying for delivered goods on the unwanted camping trip, to genuine believers in the Paths and the Rites that treat it as intensely and mystically as a proper sacrament. The young Hayes was much closer to the second approach, treating this as an occasion to really connect with inner depths never quite explored in the cushy life back home. There were...uncomfortable questions asked about who to be, from something as personal as gender identity, to ideas of subversion and open defiance to family first and state later. In truth, the central crux was wheter to be the Gloria they handcrafted, enter the polite society as the first of the new generation of Hayes, inherit a job at Telestrian, and make a name for herself in magical societies, marry into an equally worthwhile family, and have kids to treat as they treated her...or do something else, live her truth. Become a sleuth, a rat, a filthy little bastard that digs in the dirtiest corners, and in them finds the strings to tug to make the world dance to his tune. Agency he himself created, not was handed. A life he himself chose.

As the 72 hours ended, the answer was clear in his mind, but adjustments had to be made. Paperworks filed in secrets, funds for various contingency plans, and when the time to declare the chosen name came, in front of all his family, and society at large, he proclaimed himself as Zathien, a man. The family had to abide by his wishes, and Tir law is quite clear about how legally binding the Rite of Passage is, with Zathien becoming a man and a new citizen now and in perpetuity in front of the Council of Princes, before his family could do anything about it. He knew, and his mother knew, that any opposition would be seen as disgraceful and offer ammo to political opponents, but likewise, any attempt to proudly and loudly embrace this choice would likewise make enemies in the conservative wings of high society. A necessary and life saving moment to him, an unforgiveable intrigue to his mother.

Nevertheless, life continued, and the next logical step was the Rite of Progression. Held every 7 years, the purpose of these cerimonies is to give a veneer of legitimacy and meritocracy to the caste system, offering a way for lower classes to ascend to higher status, and likewise a necessary step for those already born in an high class, to prove that they are deserving of the pedigree. Structured as a combination of a knowledge test and physical challenges, the way scores are calculated is obscured by design, allowing the organizers, none other then synchopants and lapdogs of the Council of Princes, to promote and demote as they wished without anyone being able to call foul. Moreover, for Dukes such as Zathien, the Rite is usually a mere formality, however, it just so happened that his mother had some form of friction with certain other Telestrian big shots that had the ears of the referees to the Rite. Classical case of lobbying, where they demanded something in exchange to the priviledge of them not hampering the life of her son. Same old dirty trick that has an high success rate because most parents don't see it fit that their offspring suffers for their own benefit...however, she refused to give in to the demands. Wheter it was a principled stance, a dislike of blackmail, or perhaps an implicit punishment to him, no action was taken to stop the lobbying against him, and it resulted in him being demoted to Lord. Still an high class, all things considered, above 90% of the population! But a definite and clear fall from grace by all metrics.

This...lit something in the young Zathien. Distrust towards his family, for starters, but moreso, a certain outlook on Tir politics. He wasn't embittered by the fact these games exist, but by the fact he got bested. One cannot destroy an entire way of life, but what one can do is outmaneuver it, outwit it. Those against him were three steps ahead? So he needed to be six steps ahead at the very least. Become sharp, ruthless, talented, and do so by himself, away from power brokers and watchful gazes, after all, the idea of gaining the skills needed to exact revenge on an authoritarian nation inside the nation's border is laughable. He needed his money, his contacts, his way, so he left to Seattle, land of opportunity, where shadowrunners and bigshots shake hands and change worlds.

His time adjusting to the Seattle shadows has been hard. Cut off from the astral travels he often used as a way to clear his mind before important decisions, unless until he grows magically and fast, all the while a foreigner in foreign land, with just pennies to his name and very limited gear, he nonetheless preservered, if anyhting moved by the admittedly elitist belief that as a Duke (his rightful rank, not the insulting Lord title he carries) should be able to prosper in any environment. It took time, but his weird blend of rituals, spirits, good manners and sheer ambition managed to grab the attention of a few key players, and land him some jobs. Those jobs were a far cry from the clean and well meaning mischief of his youth, and he tainted himself with actual crimes, killing, stealing and covering atrocities by affluent patrons, but as it's often the case, the second time you draw blood it's always easier then the first, and the pure of heart Aishar devolved into a shadowrun proper, contradictions and all. Even that name felt mocking now, as he envisioned the "Seek for the Truth" to be his reason to be, and now it was simply a tongue in cheek reference for those that spoke his language, met with glee and ridicule, and horribly butchered by the philistines that didn't speak sperenthiel.

A planar traveller with no way to go to the planes safely, a decker with a shitty deck and not much of the gear he needs, a noble with no cash and a runner without the trademark nihilism of the profession. But he is free, and that is enough

Narrative Significant Qualities

• Sheltered Upbringing - In a world of injustice, priviledge can feel like a guilt. Nevertheless, there are undeniable perks in being raised in safety and wealth
  1. Common Sense - A labyrinthine etiquette with severe punishments for faux-pas instills a very keen sense of constant self analysis and awareness of your surroundings, extremely transferable skills
  2. College Education - It's not surprising that someone of my status was expected to study, and perform well. The family planned for me to become a lawyer, but that seems like a different life now
  3. Favored (Biased, Elves) - Look at what the Tir built from nothing, and look how the UCAS squandered the American Empire, and tell me there isn't a spark of brilliance in Elvenkind
  4. Creture of Comfort: Middle - Let it be known, accepting middle accomodations is already a huge compromise and concession
  5. Sinner: Tir Tairnigire - Yes, I have it right here! My document that proves I am a Lord. God, this is so humiliating

• A New Beginning - When faced with the boot, you can either get on your knees and lick, or scramble for sharp objects to show the boot wielder that they made a mistake
  1. Biocompatibility (Cyberware) - Yes, I am a mage. Yes, I have cyberware. No, it wasn't forced on me. No, I don't regret it. Yes, it works well with my spells. Yes, it's expensive
  2. Trust Data Not Lore - What they call "experience" and "instinct" is a crutch for slow and sluggish minds, the puzzles are always solvable, always
  3. Instinctive Hack - Dae meleg. Experience looseness. Be quick but relaxed, works in the flesh, works in the matrix
  4. Weak Immune System - Sure, let's be a dryad in one of the most polluted cities of the Pacific Northwest, I am sure this will have no effect on my metabolism!

Run History

Name	GM	Metaplot	Threat	Date of Run
The Secrets of Oxford	Eva		High	26 August 2086
The Arrow of Time	John		Deadly	25 August 2086
The Dweller on the Threshold	Villiers	The Royal Death Pits of Ur	Extreme	7 August 2086
Needle in a Haystack	Breeze		High	4 August 2086
The Tomb of The Scribe	Villiers	The Royal Death Pits of Ur	Deadly	3 August 2086
Radical Reagent Retrieval	Eva		Medium	28 July 2086

Affiliations

Contacts

Contact	Connection	Loyalty	Archetype	Profession	Aspects	Chips
Ashen Hand	5	2	Fixer (A,G,N,K)	Private HTR	First Hand Knowledge, Military Grade, Status Report, I work with professionals, act like one., Up your Arsenal, Urban Warfare, Special Forces, Ware and warfare, Tactical and Protective, Cold Mind, Cold Heart	Even
Corf	1	1	Service	Helpful Lil' Minecart	Rail-bound, Small, Living Transport, Underground, Wild Spirit, Smol	Even

In Character Information

Matrix Search Table

Threshold	Result
1	AISHAR: "He who looks for the truth" The prosecuting attorney in Tir Tairngire law.
3	Nothing overly substantial, only rumors of an elven mage
6	Tir national, no criminal record, clear tendency to approach jobs cleanly, when feasible

Shadow Community Table

Threshold	Result
1	Young, overly polite, magical
3	Properly elfy elf, mystical adept, some dabbling in matrix stuff
5	Really cagey on his past, quite friendly otherwise. Likes to make coffee for the team

Assensing Table

Threshold	Result
1	Generally healthy but immunocompromised, Awakened, prone to a certain mellowness and melanchony, aura tends to be in the offwhites, with sandy coloroation and a smooth, marble-like quality to it
2	Cyberears, datajack and skilljack, Full Mage
3	No alphaware or above, Essence and Magic both at 5, no clear mundane sickness
4	No bioware
5	No gene, nano or deltaware, not a technomancer, the immunodeficency is caused by a symbiosis response to the more polluted and less green Seattle

SINs

Real: Zathien Hayes (Tir Tairnigire): Lord, son of two Dukes, Law major with an aetherology minor Fake (R3): Lucas Oakwood (UCAS): Mage-for-hire, British expat, human

Appearance

Clothing

Aishar has a distinct preference for formal menswear, preferring amongst the options softer fabrics and lighter outfits when possible. It's rare to see him without a white or off-white button up shirt, and rarer still to see him in something like sneakers or t-shirts. Swears for Mortimer of London as a brand for affordable luxury, but favors Tir tailors for truly extraordinary pieces for occasions well deserving of the improved outfit

Reference Images

Character Plot Hooks

Here are characteristics of the character that GMs may take advantage of to add complications to runs, or to otherwise use when in use. If you want to use them in unrelated to runs, please ask first.

Aspect	Information	Related Run(s)
Aspect 1	Astralnaut Wannabe	He is just at the beginning of his wanderings amonght the many astral planes, ready to grow and evolve as a mage and as a person. He'd love to join in some metaplanar questing!
Aspect 2
Aspect 3
Aspect 4
Aspect 5