Planet Zar: Nexus

Branta

BONDED TO AGEON

BASICS

Name	Branta Fatespinner	Gender	Female
Species	Magic-Weaver Arachnid	Pronouns	she/her
Age	57	Height:	5'5" to top of head
Residence	Extant, Lomeelas	Occupation	Cleric of Halae
Art	Glitchlight

Personality

Despite a life of hardships, Branta remained warm and idealistic. She hopes for the best in people but is always braced for heartache. She's not above manipulating someone to get what she needs, but does so only to achieve a greater good. She is kindly and patient toward people, but often shy of those outside her own species or other acolytes of Halae. She's particularly untrusting of humanoids and has difficulty relaxing in their company. Branta's magic allows her to see into the future, although it's imperfect and much of it is open to interpretation. Never-the-less, this ability has made her wary of acting without thinking through long-term consequences. Wherever possible she tries to be forgiving and doesn't wish to cause more damage than necessary. If hurting a villain might lead to the corruption of innocents, she will grant mercy.

But she's perfectly happy to employ other people to finish off an antagonist. She believes fully that people can be redeemed and that forgiveness is something earned, not offered freely. She has no compunctions against holding grudges toward individuals who refuse to change.

Branta revels in freedom. She enjoys travel as much as she does the warmth of returning home. She has a strong sense of family bond and loves her sisters above all else. Her need to reunite with them drives her actions and decisions.

Background

Magic-Weavers are a long-lived but rare race on Lomeelas. Clutches are born every few centuries and hatch in great numbers. Branta was one among dozens of the Fatespinner blood, native to Extant and worshipers of Halae.

As is typical of her kind, Branta clung closely to her mother and siblings. Magic is equal parts genetic and learned in Magic-Weavers, and Branta learned her particular brand of future sight by mentoring under her mother. Foretelling is a difficult brand of magic and one left open to interpretation. Branta wasn't the most talented of her clutch, nor the weakest, but an average student who enjoyed learning and pushing her limits.

Magic-Weavers are formidable enemies in adulthood. Massive spiders with near impenetrable carapaces, potent venom and sharp, stinging hairs. But they are also valuable, and their young are easier to capture. Bypassing a mother's clairvoyance is the most difficult part of the procedure, but with careful planning, subterfuge, and dark magic, it's possible.

In her tenth year, Branta and her nest were attacked while they mother was out hunting for her brood. Many siblings escaped, but Branta was not so lucky. She was bound and caged along with several sisters. Branta was sold to wealthy hedonists who took her venom and her silk. She was forced to perform paltry fortune-telling for a myriad of guests and proper clairvoyance for the most esteemed visitors. She lived in a gilded cage but for many years she had her siblings. When they grew too large to keep, they were parted and sold. Branta ached for the company of her sisters and the freedom she'd once had.

Decades past in servitude before she was finally freed by her master's children. They had always treated Branta kindly and Branta refused to blame them for her predicament. She was cold toward her master, but always eager for the company of his children. She thanked them profusely when they freed her from her cage.

It was difficult not to hunt down her master - and all the masters she'd had before - to kill them. But rather than seek revenge, Branta chose to focus on reuniting with her family.

With her newfound freedom, Branta hurried to find passage to her childhood nest. While some Magic-Weaver Arachnids remained in the jungle, Branta could only find a few members of the Fatespinner family. She was reunited with her mother and two brothers, but the rest of her family was gone. Branta stayed with her mother for several months, but she was restless. Many of her sisters remained in servitude and she wanted desperately to free them.

Branta turned to her magic, searching for threads of hope. While she couldn't determine the location of her siblings, she saw the future held reunions for her. Torn between her home and the desire to see her sisters, Branta left her mother after a tearful farewell.

Many of her nights were spent in the safety of Halae's shrines. While the Goddess' primary temple was in Extant, she had worshippers throughout Lomeelas and Branta found her allies there.

Progress was slow, finding passage to different continents was difficult for a Magic-Weaver, but Branta managed - selling her silk and serving shrines to make coin. She found many of her sisters throughout her travels, but finding them and freeing them were entirely different matters. If Branta was cautious and careful it would be easy to kill the slavers that took her siblings, but she would be branded a monster - and she would endanger the lives of her sisters.

For some, Branta managed to sneak into homes and unlock cages to free her sisters. They would have to flee swiftly before they were caught and killed. Others were more difficult and Branta found herself in need of allies willing to take the fall for her. A human or an elf killing a slaver wouldn't endanger their whole race.

Branta returned to Extant and her mother for advice. She meditated, focused on her magics, continued pulling threads of fate until serendipity landed in her fangs.

Yinzerios, an orcish soldier whose past was filled with blood and guilt had landed on Extant, toiling the earth while he hoped for redemption.

Branta approached him carefully, building trust slowly before she asked him for his aid in finding and freeing her captured sisters. Eager for a way to earn redemption, Yin agreed, and the two began their journey together. They freed many more siblings, returning to Extant when clues dried up.

Branta was given a vision of Yin's future - shadow and flame was bringing war across Lomeelas, and Yin would have some part to play in the coming tides. Branta worried Yin would turn away from her quest to free her sisters.

Branta offered to bring Yin to Halae's temple and make him an acolyte. If Yin's purpose was true, the goddess could offer him power to aid them in their quests. Yin was uncertain - until news came from Conflict that Cassimir was moving east. Yin agreed to pledge himself to Halae and her cause in exchange for powers that would  help him fight Cassimir. In doing so, he tied himself to Branta.

While awaiting the eve of war, Yin kept to his word and continues to help Branta find and free her siblings.

Abilities

CLAIRVOYENCE

Branta is able to view important future events. As she practices and gains power, she'll be able to alter threads of fate to her liking.

VENOMOUS

Her bite is venomous. Consuming her venom in small quantities can cause euphoria and hallucinations.

Stories

Connections

Yinzerious Greentusk

COMPANION, STUDENT

Yinzerios has vowed to help Branta find and free her siblings in order to redeem himself for the choices he made in his youth. She's been his mentor as an acolyte of the goddess Halae.

Gallery