Rysai Litheme

 

Name: Rysai Litheme
Nickname: Rysai
Species: Dark Elf
Sex: Male
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Height: 6'5"
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Blue

Past

Rysai had been born within the lowest class of his people. His mother had been a streetwalker, and many of the children she bore were said not to be her husband. The fact that each of her children might have different fathers was not within itself a surprise. Such was the reality of someone within his mother's occupation. The surprise came in the fact her husband provided for each of her children. Most within his position would have disposed of the children who were believed not to be theirs. Make no mistake this was not done out of the kindness of his heart, but rather out of the belief that these children were more use to him under his roof than elsewhere. He made it perfectly clear they were nothing more than a tool to help raise his lot in life, and when Rysai was born he thought he had the key to open the door to one of the highest classes within their society. The man who was believed to have sired Rysai was the king, and since he had no son of his own the husband of Rysai's mother thought he would pay handsomely for one---even one born from a measly streetwalker.

He thought wrong. The king did not care if the peasant spoke true, he was not going to legitimize a bastard. Naming an heir would not ensure the continuation of his dynasty as it was not him or any mortal who determined his successor. The husband of Rysai's mother was not deterred from his plan. He concluded that the king only had to be convinced to legitimize Rysai, and he decided that the best way to do his was to present Rysai as the perfect little princeling. He provided Rysai with the best education he could afford. Granted it was nowhere near the education of a legitimized prince, but it was leagues above his siblings and the other children within his social class. Still, the king refused the request of Rysai's mother's husband. Each refusal only caused the husband of Rysai's mother to increase his effort, and the king's advisor urged the king to take more drastic measures to silence him. They told him that rumors of a low-born bastard would not bold well for their society, and the louder this man declared Rysai as the king the harder it was going to silence these rumors. 

The king seeing the truth within his advisor's words decided the best method to silence the rumors that Rysai was his bastard was to eliminate the source of the rumors entirely. He decided to have Rysai's entire family as well as all the others within his neighborhood slaughtered. The others were added to make it appear like a political move rather than a personal one. While the king never explained the reasons behind his action, it was concluded that he ordered the massacre to cull the population of the lowest class. Such culling had happened many times before and were necessary for their society well-being because if the poor population was left unchecked it would cause their entire society to collapse. There were several survivors of the massacre--including Rysai, who was just a boy of eight. No one batted an eye that some survived. In fact, it was expected as survivors help increase the message behind the culling. 

Rysai suspecting the true reason behind the massacre knew the king would not be happy to hear he still lived decided to flee into the undercity--the dominion of those who had been rejected by society entirely. Here he believed that he could prevent any future massacre done on his behalf. He didn't know if any members of his family survived, but he determined that it was better this way. Life within the undercity was what many would describe as a nightmare. It was a place where anything was permitted in the name of survival, and Rysai quickly learned how to play the game. Some might say this was expect as it was either learn how to play or be killed by it, but there is a difference better playing the game and surviving the game. Despite the harsh environment that Rysai found himself within, he did not grow heartless. In fact, he displayed his compassionate nature many times over by coming to the aid of a number of those who would have been consumed by the nightmare that was the undercity--including a pixie who became his constant companion. 

It was through her that he learned of the plight of her people. Their numbers have been decimated by those who wished to harness the magic pixies possessed, and since they were believed to be the purest source of magic, they were the most sought after. He promised her that he would help save her people from total annihilate, and after saving other pixies from a fate that has become too common for her people, she if anyone could save them it would be he. It would, however, be many years before he fulfills his promise. It's unclear how long Rysai resided within the undercity, but he was a man grown when news of the king's death spread among the people like a wildfire. The topic of conversation quickly turned towards who was going to succeed him, and since the previous king had no sons there was no candidate who stood out amongst the others.

The only thing known for certain was that it would be someone related to the king as every king who had ascended to the throne had been related somehow throughout recorded history. There were those who believed that they were jumping the gun on the news of the king's dismiss. The only thing they knew for certain was the king was missing, and until they discover his body, they shouldn't make assumptions one way or another. However, with each passing day and no sign of the king one way or another the people grew restless. They needed their king to survive. It was not because they believed that their society would collapse without a king's leadership, but because they needed a king to feed. Rysai's people consumed negative emotions, and unlike the dark fae the king of the dark elves were the only one who could unlock this source of food for the people, and without any other form of subsistence they would all eventually starve. 

It was decided that they would proceed as if the king was dead. They were certain that the oracle would only declare a new king if the previous one was truly gone, and if a new one wasn't named than they would know that their king yet lived and they could increase their efforts on finding him. None wanted to think about the possibility that they had been abandon, but the thought was still there. Those who went to the oracle first were those who everyone believed to be the most likely candidates. They were directly related to the previous king, but each one was denied the crown. Next were those indirectly related, but they too were denied. They continued with other members of the aristocracy--those who never thought eon that they might ascend to the throne even through there was nothing set in stone that said they couldn't one day be king as it was the oracle who determined who was most suitable for the task. Still, they were denied, and the people became disheartened. 

Talk about forcing everyone regardless of their social standing begun to circulate around the place. Many rejected this plan as a king had never been selected from below a certain social standing, and they should just proceed as if their king was still alive. However, those who supported the idea said they should never assume the will of the oracle and just because something hasn't been done doesn't mean that it couldn't. However, before they could come upon an agreement, Rysai found himself standing before the oracle. For the curious, the oracle is more an object than a being. To the untrained eye it appears nothing more than a rather large mirror. It appeared that way to Rysai when he found himself standing before it, and a rather unimpressive one at that. It wasn't the design that he found uninspiring, but rather the fact the mirror appeared broken. It reflected nothing within the room, and from what he could see the reflecting glass of the mirror didn't appear dirty. He told himself to push it from his mind. He hadn't come there for a mirror--broken or otherwise. 

Yet, he found himself drawn towards the mirror and before he could stop himself, he reached out to touch the glass. The very moment he did so the mirror began to stir, and an image appeared within it. What it shown was not a reflection of the room, but the message behind the image was clear. Rysai like all of his people know of the oracle and its purpose. He, like many of the lower classes, just had never been granted the opportunity to see the oracle with his own two eyes, and what he knew of it only came from stories. The fact he found himself before it now was only happenstance, but there was no denying what he stood before. Those tasked with watching over the oracle came rushing into the room to remove him before the meaning behind the image occurred to Rysai, but they grasped it immediately and fell to their knees without a moment hesitation. He was their new king. 

The early years of his reign was precarious as there were those outraged by their new king being selected from the lowest of them. They were certain that a mistake had been made. Where and how they didn't know for certain. Their belief that a mistake had been made only increased when Rysai didn't behave in the manner they thought befitting someone of his position. He promoted or demoted based on the nature of one character and not simply because of their social standing. Worse he followed his own conscience more than the advice of others. He quickly became beloved by the lower classes, and those who were protesting his reign claimed that this was just another proof that a mistake had been made. A king should be feared not beloved. It quickly became clear to Rysai that he needed to silence any protest regarding his rule, and he did so swiftly and in such a way that showed he could be absolutely ruthless when called to. 

It was during these years of his reign that his mother's husband found his way before Rysai. the man made it clear he knew who Rysai was, and that he always knew he was destinated for the throne. Rysai didn't care whether or not he spoke true. He was only interested in knowing why the man now stood before him, and it didn't take long before the answer was revealed to him. The man simply believed that he should be given a reward for all he had provided for Rysai for the first eight years of his life. He had, after all, went above and beyond what was expected of a man within his position. He could have abandoned him to the elements instead of providing for him in the manner he had. Rysai acknowledged the man's words and promised that he would be rewarded for all he had done. The reward, however, wasn't what his mother's husband had been hoping. He had hoped that Rysai would grant him a high position and all the wealth that came with it. Rysai did provide him a vast wealth but made it impossible for his mother's husband to spend it by sealing him away with it. There are those who believed he did this because the man had to audacity to demand more than he deserved, but the truth was Rysai did it as punishment for the role he played in the massacre that took place when he was eight. 

 

Present

Rysai have proven himself to be an excellent king. Some even say he is the greatest they had in a while. He's certainly better than the previous monarch.  Their kingdom has reached heights they have not seen for many ages, and Rysai have forged relationships with other kingdoms that was previous thought to have forever lost to them. One being a light elf kingdom, who Rysai had formed a more intimate relationship with a few of their members. One such relationship brought about a son that Rysai hoped might someday inherit his crown, but his son has proven to have too much of the nature of his mother's people to truly rule over the dark elves. Still, there is no doubt that he loves his son and while they have disagreed on many things, he has shown his son time and time again that he will always be there for him. It is the same loyalty he has to any family he has discovered over the years---including a granddaughter he has recently found. Through, their relationship is new, he believes he might have found the one who will be chosen to rule after his reign ends, which he suspects is coming to a close. 

Sometimes during his reign, he kept his promise to his pixie friend. He brought her people to reside within his own kingdom and thus saved them from any further attempts to use them for their magically purpose. This has made the pixies extremely loyal to him, and he was the only one they actively listen to---that was until his granddaughter came into the picture. This is another reason he suspects that she might be his heir, and even if he is mistaken the fact, they have chosen to grant his granddaughter respect on a level similar to his is something to be considered. While they do grant those Rysai care for some level of respect, it is clear it is done more out of respect for him more than the individual themselves.

Pictures

Face Portrayed by: Bartek Borowiec