Mar'elin Du'ristic

Apparel and Accessories

Mar'elin oft dresses simply, not overly professionally, with but slacks of soft earthy tones and a soft grain toned tunic, perhaps with an orange or blue sash he will wear across the chest as its main decoration. Plain walking shoes of simple black leather, and a carved ashwood walking stick, with a silver grip in the shape of an osprey on wing completes the ensemble. Often he'll have a simple brass pocket watch, but does not always carry a time-piece. The only other adornment visible of course will be his pendant, his religious icon, the sparkling silver and turquoise center of the Guiding Star, the 'badge' of office of his clergy. He has not clearly visible tattoos, though is known to have some upon his back and torso, most would never see them.

Nowadays he wears reading glasses, thin framed things, which only accentuate two unique facial features bestowed upon him by his grand adventure. A missing eye, replaced with a glass prosthetic the hue of its pupil slightly off, and a scar that runs from his left ear down to nearly his shoulder, jagged from the claw of some beast. He keeps his hair tied back, but does not dye it to hide the slight silvering that is occuring, in the loose ponytail that he has found most comfortable since he was a youngster.

No mere walking stick

Special Abilities

Being in high standing with Feyheart, he is a true priest, able to wield divine power in the form of prayer magick, known as 'Callings'. (Will add link at later date).

Gender Identity

Mar'elin is....an interesting individual when it comes to this subject. It is perhaps best to quote them directly;

"I see a firm distinction between 'Gender' which is tied to cultural normalities or views, Sex which is a biological question, and Sexuality, which is a question of attraction. They are not just two topics, they are three and it is a shame that many languages do not have three properly distinct words like Elthain does for each of them. Sex and Sexuality are far to close and thus unreasonably become messily associated. As well in some regions of the world for reasons I cannot comprehend, they've tied the biology to 'gender' and thus try to only have two or perhaps four 'categories. Confusing. Humans and halfmen are most guilty of this linguistically, but interestingly the nation and culture most guilty is Kang-Chorath when it comes to actual behavior, persecution or unreasonable expectations.

All of this to say I would best be described as 'Er'en'femali tyr Genteari' in my own tongue. That merely means I have the male biology and am quite comfortable with that fact, would not change it even if it was safer, more acquireable or easier to change than it currently is. However I do not fall into an extreme for masculinity. Non-gendered or Androgynous might be the word in common parlance? However, again I am not uncomfortable with my male biology or being identified as 'male' in conversation or parlance, tis a logical view.

Again the structure of it all is always odd to me because Valarian Common is a mish-mash of mostly the three human tongues and a bit of Halish influence. Very little if any from my own peoples, the gnomish tongue or dwarven that influences it, and thus if feels incomplete as a representation of commonality for the world but I suppose as a trade language it satisfies its function."

An Example of the Tangent you are likely to recieve if you ask about his gender identity

Sexuality

Mar'elin had married and did have a family for many decades with his loving wife. They'd not been able to concieve, she'd been born with a rare complication and had been left sterile, however they adopted many a troubled orphan over the years and gave them good homes and a fair shake at life. In total he's likely fathered some dozen or more children in this way. When his wife died of pneumonia and complications thereafter in the winter of 1458, this was likely a part of the catalyst of events that helped guide him to the adventure he embarked upon, losing his love so young though they had enjoyed near 12 decades of bliss together, would presumably have effected him deeply.

However in spite of that and to hear him tell it, having never had relations since, he does not claim to be fully heterosexual. The simple reason is that he cannot say that there have not been men he found attractive. Objectively good looking, he'd just never done anything or cared to do anything about it. But that could change one day, you just never know. So he labels himself mostly as 'awaiting the end of the tally of life to know this.'

Mar'elin was and is a strange individual to be certain.

Employment

Currently he is employed at the Adra Institute of Natural Studies as a Professor of Cartography and Geographical Studies.

Accomplishments and Achievements

The author and cartographer responsible for the Comprehensive Atlas of the Realms of Valerick, still the premier fully comprehensive world atlases of the modern day. Mar'elin himself has been very vocal in recent years in his lectures that someone needs to step up and take his place, it's been nearly a century or more for some of his maps, it's about time a more up to date version existed.

Personal History

The Early Years

Mar'elin Du'ristic, to hear the elf himself tell it, was born amidst an interesting time. Though a native Roharan, he was first generation, born to a Skye Elf family whom had chosen to leave Valewyr, not appreciating the direction the empire had been heading. His childhood was as a citizen, but a child of immigrants whom were naturally mistrusted, facing persecution and less than fair treatment in many ways due to the bloody and violent history and continued political tensions even up to this day between the Empire of Valewyr and the Roharan Nation. Yet he suffered the bullying and the suspicion for much of his life with an impressive level of understanding;

"Oh I am Roharan, and though some may not have liked it, I won them over eventually. Did their views and prejudice bother me? Of course it did, particularly the targeting of my mother and father, the vandalism, the threats and intimidation, the attempts to force my father out of business. However anger, though a valid and justified response, is only useful if channeled correctly. I let their spite drive me to prove them wrong about us, about Skye Elves. To be a cause to remind them that the governments and powers that be do not always speak fully for the governed. Most of my kindred would wish no ill on Rohara or her peoples and most honestly have no imperialistic desires towards her sovereign territory. The issue of course is that for a long time, the powers that be of Valewyr did, and perhaps still do. It does not behoove my case to prove them right by fighting or lashing out."

This is not to say the elf did no such thing. He was known as a fiery one in his youth and got into more than his share of scraps. Always the adventurous sort, and always with a lot of passion and energy, he was nothing short of a troublemaker despite his intelligence, and one could be forgiven in his youth and early years if they believed he was bound for a cell or perhaps the executioner's block eventually.

Now this would be where most would expect that Mar'elin found religion and it changed his life. After all he is a Grandmaster Cartographer and a Lector within the ranks of the Cartographers of Fate today, no small position and no simple title to claim, either of them. Yet that would be incorrect. Mar'elin does not credit Feyheart or the faith of the Traveled with his change in attitude. He credits his parents, and his own maturity. As an enthusiastic student of history, the reason for this is best quoted directly;

If it takes a religion and the threats of negative consequences from on high to keep you behaving with moral integrity, you had no moral integrity to begin with. You just have the fear of a bigger stick."

No religion would come later, and come more directly as a result of his beliefs in regards to the importance of exploration. Faith didn't find him, he found a faith that fit a moral compass he had already committed to and believed in without fear of punishment being a motivator. To Mar'elin that is an important distinction.

Over the decades he would climb through the ranks of the clergy, and become a skilled cartographer, learning the art and skill with a deep love and enthusiasm. He always had a fascination and appreciation for maps, seeing them as a sort of beautiful language all their own. He would become a heavily respected member of the clergy and of Roharan society in general, volunteering his time and talents, travelling all over the nation to aid in surveying, explorations, city planning and more, all for mere charitable tithes to the faith. He would refuse to be the primary person for such projects of course, insistent that they hire from the appropriate guilds, however he was always more than willing to consult and offer expertise, time and aide.

The Quest of Knowledge

Ever well versed and an elf of many curiosities and amateur enthusiams, it should come as no shock this priest fo the Traveler had well learned friends both near and abroad, meeting many over his lengthy life. This chapter, which lasted from 1461 to 1504 was nearly an entire lifetime for some of his trope, however the Curio of the Quill, as they would call their little band, decided over much correspondence between some members and with an injection of youthful exuberance from the shortest lived member of the group, who would be the catalyst for them to unite and undertake this great pilgrimage.

It would be a mighty venture, funded by their own means both via professional and adventurous, as well as with backing from The Endless Explorers , given the nature of Mar'elin's goals, goals well endorsed by the faith. The end of this project and great pilgrimage would see all the members publish what can only be described as their pinnacle works, their Magnum Opus' if you will. In Mar'elin's case this was of course the Comprehensive Atlas of the Realms of Valerick made up of 10 volumes, the first the smallest, a mere laying out of the realms, complete with world maps, complete with lunar cycles, seasonal charts, brief explanations shipping routes, continental landmasses and maps, as well as a world map showing the relatively newly established and conceptualized 'banding' lines, lines that do not exist in the physical but are understood to exist and mark where clocks should be adjusted, allowing a centralized timekeeping method and standardized 'measurement' to be unified and more easily tracked for worldwide trade. Watch-hand Zones, these are called, and they are tied naturally to the pattern of the sun, how it rises and sets, or more correctly how the world rotates whilst orbiting its star, something that is understood if not fully visually conceptualized.

The other nine volumes provide a deeper look at each of the nine nation states that have risen from the end of the Sundering into this new post Sundering world, complete with maps, geographical breakdowns, interesting locales, and plenty more. Naturally even in completing this great project, Mar'elin acknowledges and accepts, with a soft smile, that its completion truly is not possible. For even in completing and publishing these works, the truth of the matter is from the day of publishing, some of the earliest maps from the first years of this grand project were just over four decades out of date. Settlements in particular he would even annotate in his works, indicating that anyone relying on this map and atlas should understand that settlements, particularly cities would be the maps most rapidly to become out of date, and that once one arrives, they should make their first objective to find a local library or city office and purchase a more up to date map.

"For though my maps are memories and treasures I hold dear, and comparing how things have changed might be a valuable and enjoyable experience, it would be unforgiveable hubris to not warn you, my fellow explorers, that things do indeed change, and where people build homesteads, businesses and citys they change rapidly. So treat any such map of the great cities of a nation more as curio pieces, they may give you some useful information, but do not be surprised to find they also have much out of date information and may even lack entire parts of the city you will see completely. They are a snapshot of my time in those places, nothing more, nothing less!"

Modern Day

Older now, well into his third century, and having seen at least two of his former companions pass from this world, Mar'elin is living out the last years and decades of his life doing another of his loves, mastering a craft he'd always enjoyed though for many years he'd been terrible at it. Teaching. He is now a lecturer and professor at the Adra Institute of Natural Studies, and is a beloved figure in the space, a favorite among students, teaching but what else of course, cartography. He teaches both introductory level and more advanced years as well, for a variety of programs.

He is still a Lector within the cloth of Feyheart, holding title and position but mostly in name and honorific now, enjoying being an educator within an learning institution far more. This does not mean he does not still hold faith or practice however, merely that he has rested on his laurels within the church hierarchy structure, happy with being a Lector, basically an ordained priest but one without authority over any one congregation, instead able to simply work and aide at any church his travels happened to have ever brought him to.