Just a single touch is all it takes to perish into the light

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• Sarnai
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SARNAI

age - 25
height - 182cm
race - "erune" (???)
home Island - ulaanbaatar

hobbies - making others happy
likes - eating, sweets, company
dislikes - liars, falling, being alone

ddddA street rat, a stray cat, call it as you may, but that is what Sarnai started as and all she will ever be. Born in the slums of Ulaanbaatar, an island cold and full of plains, she made her way through life stealing all that she could after being left to die by her mother who could no longer feed the two of them. Though thankfully, her life as a thief did not last too long. Salvation came when a woman from a nearby orphanage took her in and gave her a home.

ddddWhile some of the children mocked her for being a flea bitten, thieving stray cat, she enjoyed her time there. Rather, she told herself she enjoyed her time there. It was cramped, food was still little, and was incredibly loud, but she still considered it home. She loved her 'siblings' and became protective over the younger children. Eventually she mostly managed to shake off the stigma, but that was only because she kept pushing herself to make everyone happy by doing everything she could. She was Cramped, but at least she was not lonely. She was still hungry, but she did not need to run anymore. She was still mocked, but it was better than being dragged by the hair whenever people caught her stealing. Yes, this was far better than that, even if it was lonely.

ddddThis changed when another child showed up on the doorstep, a young boy named Altan. Immediately it was easy to tell he was some sort of noble boy who had recently lost his parents in an accident. He was not used to anything at all, and often faced harsh torment from the less fortunate children who resented him for just being born in a more privileged part of society. Sarnai, not wanting anyone to be hurt, often defended him and they became friends. Years passed, and their feelings of camaraderie only grew. the two would often sneak out to look at stars. Altan would help teach the children basic education, or at least, the stuff he remembered, while Sarnai ran around entertaining others and doing chores. Together they brought life to the little orphanage—and Sarnai began to develop feelings for friend.

ddddAh what a peaceful life it could have been. If only Altan had not gone away. If only she had not foolishly become a mercenary to chase his quickly disappearing shadow. If only she had not been tricked. If only she had been told the full story—the story of the resentful, parasitic primal beast known as Ginnungagap.

ddddYes, her life would have been so much better if she had not been cursed, if she had not been betrayed and left to die. How funny it is in retrospect. She was back where she started. Alone. Hungry. Scorned. She was once again a flea bitten stray cat that nobody wanted.

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ULAANBAATAR

The Island of Plains and Grasslands

ddddAn island with grass as far as the eye can see. Due to the nomadic nature of its citizens, towns are few and far between with the capital, Ikh Khuree, being the largest city and the port city that welcomes skyfarers.

ddddIkh Khuree is the capital of Ulaanbaatar and the port city. The locals usually come to the capital to trade goods with each other. It holds the island's various guilds as well, including a monster slaying one. These guilds provide safety for the loosely populated island. They serve as both a way to make money and a way to ensure safe travel between the long stretches of land. Up until recently, it seemed like the largest monster slaying guild, Khutulun, was having trouble driving back a foreign primal beast. Up until a few years ago, Sarnai was part of Khutulun, but they seemingly disowned her and cut her off after the mission ended.

ddddAlong with monster slaying guilds, Ikh Khuree also has quite a few trade and transportation guilds to help non-combatants make money. Transportation guilds in Ulaanbaatar are especially prized for their ability to keep their convoys of merchants safe. In fact, they are some of the best in the entire Skydom, being like the skyfarers of the land as opposed to regular mercenaries.

ddddHowever, while Ikh Khuree is the capital, it was not always that way. In fact, it was said that the the old capital of Ulaanbaatar, Sarai was founded by an Astral whose books and research fill up the great library. It is the jewel of Ulaanbaatar, even despite all the damages from the primal beast Ginnungagap's rage.

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SARAI

The Old Capital of Forgotten Lore

ddddThe oldest city in Ulaanbaatar and former capital. Due to its age, it hosts quite the wealth of knowledge including records of wars and conflicts long forgotten. It is said that the library possesses a bestiary including many different primal beasts, co-authored by an astral.

ddddThe architecture is a blend of both new and old, with the few wealthy or noble scions of old clans coming to Sarai to settle down. Researchers of all sorts also flock to the old capital to study. A prestigious university was also established in the city for this purpose. Similarly, architectures of other islands tend to visit Sarai to study the older buildings there to figure out how they could still stand throughout all the years.

ddddA large outdoor market that is open all days of the week means that many merchant guilds tend to flock to the area, looking to sell their foreign goods in the city. Due to the long travel from the port city of Ikh Khuree to Sarai, the more inland part of the island, goods tend to be sold at a higher price than usual. The price seemingly doubles for goods from other islands. Locals, taking advantage of this already increased hike in price tend to up the cost of their goods as well to turn a rich profit.

ddddDue to the lack of strong mercenary guilds in Sarai, the old capital was even more severely damaged. Thanks to the attack Sarai suffered from the primal beast Ginnungagap six years ago, the officials and nobles in the capital have upped their security. Along with the prospering merchant guilds, many mercenary and small militias call the capital their home as they brace themselves for whatever danger may come next.

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GINNUNGAGAP

The Primal Beast of the Void

ddddThe primal beast of the gaping abyss that Sarnai was tricked into dealing the final blow to. It had been previously terrorizing Ulaanbaatar, tearing its land to shred and leaving large chasms in its wake. It is a beast not native to the island. It was rumored to have crawled out of the gap between the skydom and below, wreaking havoc in its crazed state as it first landed on another island entirely hundreds of years ago.

ddddHundreds of years ago, it was said that the beast cursed the woman who felled it. Due to this tale of a great curse, the guilds took precautious measures to save themselves such as hiring help unaware of the repercussions, luring them in with large sums of money and having them take the charge instead.

ddddSome did not even brief their members of it at all. Although its "true form" seems to be a spiral of fire and ice, the primal beast may also briefly take the form of a beautiful young girl with monstrous claws.

ddddDespite her terrifying, malicious smile, she seems quite sad... But perhaps that is only a way to lure others in. After all, it brings havoc to whatever it touches--why should anyone try to reason with it if it has clearly gone mad? Surely, it has no reason at all. It is a beast, simple as that.

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GINNUNGAGAP'S CURSE

ddddThose who fell the primal beast find themselves inflicted with a terrible curse. Due to her having the final shot that ended the beast, Sarnai was the only one cursed. The curse made itself known by leaving marks all over her left arm, leading her to cover it up with bandages.

ddddAlthough for a while it seemed like markings were the only thing wrong with her, Sarnai soon began to feel great pain in her arm. It was either too hot or too cold. Occasionally she could not even feel it at all. She later began to notice that others were becoming more distant from her. It seemed as if a great divide formed between her and those she knew.

ddddThe orphanage she called home for a while no longer welcomed her with open arms. The man she loved rejected her affections. The guild that hired her no longer associated with her.

ddddDue to the nature of the primal beast, Sarnai believes that this was all caused by the curse. It had to be. Why else would everyone try to leave her behind? Surely, she had done nothing wrong herself, right? Right?

ddddIn an effort to repair any broken bridges, she had begun to search for a cure, leaving her home behind. During this time, she ran into the captain and joined their crew, believing that it would be easier to find the answer to her problems if they frequently traveled together. Occasionally she wakes up not feeling like herself at all. Sometimes it feels like she wants to destroy what she has tried so hard to keep.

ddddWhen alone, she feels invasive thoughts claw at her mind and beckon her to ruin those who dared turn away from her--Perhaps all of this is due to the curse too? Or is it her own nature as a street rat coming back to haunt her? Is she living as herself right now? Or is the curse consuming her whole?

She does not know anymore.

She just wants it all to end.

Why won't it end?

Why... Why?

What did she do to deserve this?

It hurts.

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