{
  "character": {
    "id": "fc87b504-6d1c-4f01-8198-671520564c0d",
    "slug": "ciaran-voss-2",
    "name": "Ciaran Voss",
    "race": "Elf",
    "character_class": "Warlock",
    "jan_favorite": false,
    "is_ff_portrait": false,
    "profile_url": "https://framedfantasy.com/pages/hero?h=ciaran-voss-2",
    "character_url": "https://hall-library.framedfantasy.com/characters/ciaran-voss-2",
    "character_json_url": "https://hall-library.framedfantasy.com/characters/ciaran-voss-2.json",
    "character_markdown_url": "https://hall-library.framedfantasy.com/characters/ciaran-voss-2.md",
    "original_image_url": "https://obadckrukccwkjgpbsxa.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/portraits/1785457130790_u950o6.webp",
    "image_url": "https://hall-library.framedfantasy.com/images/ciaran-voss-2",
    "thumbnail_url": "https://obadckrukccwkjgpbsxa.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/portraits/1785457130790_u950o6_thumb.webp",
    "crop": {
      "x": 50,
      "y": 0,
      "zoom": 100
    },
    "story_excerpt": "The first scent Ciarán could remember in his life was that of smoke. Even now, he can still recall with vivid detail the way it burned his nostrils as he inhaled. This dark cloud had been a pervasive presence in his early years, and it’s a scent that, for better or worse, has been etched into his be",
    "story": "The first scent Ciarán could remember in his life was that of smoke. Even now, he can still recall with vivid detail the way it burned his nostrils as he inhaled. This dark cloud had been a pervasive presence in his early years, and it’s a scent that, for better or worse, has been etched into his being. \tFor the first twelve years of his life, Ciarán was raised in a border town to the west called Blackwood. It earned that name because of how dark the bark of the trees around it was. And for most of the citizens of Blackwood, their livelihood centered around blacksmithing. They would forge everything from horseshoes to longswords for the garrison three miles south of them. While the wares were not of the same quality as those in the capital, Blackwood prospered in its little corner of the world. \n\tCiarán’s parents, Alys and Niall, were well-respected figures in the town. As a blacksmith, Niall was by far the most talented in town. Some have said that his work was on par with the forges in the capital. Many wondered why he lived in a remote village like Blackwood. But he was a quiet man, too absorbed in his work to answer such questions. But his gentle soul and steel artistry were always appreciated. Alys, while not a blacksmith, could shape words and bonds with others just as skillfully. She would often negotiate with her husband’s clients, ensuring they got the best deal possible. Her silver tongue would also assist the other forges in town. Ciarán felt the most kinship with his mother, as he was fascinated with how she could charm an entire room and read someone within one minute of meeting them. \n\tGrowing up alongside Ciarán was his younger sister, Gwyneth (Gwyn to those closest to her). While Ciarán inherited his mother’s way with words, Gwen got her father’s affinity for steel and flame. She would spend hours just silently watching their father work, studying his technique intently. But while her father was akin to a quiet but focused flame, Gwen was a roaring blaze. Her passion and cheer could be felt from across the room, and none could match her exceptional curiosity. Together with his parents, Ciarán grew up in a home of warmth and joy.\n\tOne day, a man in his early twenties arrived at Ciarán’s home. He held himself in such a dignified manner that Ciarán could instantly tell he was a noble. He called himself Lucien Louvel, a prestigious aristocrat. He arrived to introduce himself to the Voss family and wanted to inspect the fine craftsmanship he had heard so much about. Thinking of him as a prospective customer, Niall and Alys welcomed Lucien into their shop. Lucien was impressed with Niall’s skill and offered him a position with his house. The position would come with an enormous salary, a higher standard of living, and a boost in reputation that any blacksmith would envy. \n\tDespite being presented with such a lucrative offer, Niall declined. He explained that he had made a life in Blackwood, and while he appreciated Lucien’s generosity, he was happy with where he was now. Lucien, however, felt slighted by this. He was not the kind of person people said no to, especially by commoners like the Voss family. Led by Lucien, the soldiers showed no mercy for the townsfolk. Ciarán watched as his parents were slaughtered, unable to do anything to stop it. He could do nothing but run away with his younger sister before they were killed, too. With some luck and Ciarán’s convincing plea, they were able to stow away on a caravan that had left Blackwood earlier. As they rode away, Ciarán’s eyes remained fixed on the blaze that consumed Blackwood. All he could think about then was the images of his parents’ dead bodies and the sneer on Lucien Louvel’s face as he slew them. A quiet fury was stoked that day within Ciarán, burning with anticipation for the day it could be unleashed on the noble who ruined his life and his sister’s.\n\tThe first few years were hard on Gwyneth and Ciarán. As destitute orphans in wartime, they could count on no one to aid them. Ciarán took to thievery just to feed himself and his sister. He then discovered that the silver tongue he inherited from his mother could be used to deceive as well as charm. Ciarán began running small cons on dubious and arrogant nobles, reminding him of Lucien. Ciarán’s success and infamy grew, and soon enough, he was able to bring himself and his sister out of poverty.\n\tDespite this success, Ciarán was unsatisfied. The one thing he wanted above all else was to not only kill Lucien Louvel but take away everything he held dear. This was a goal he could not achieve as a low-level criminal, and this powerlessness frustrated him. The most he could do was make them hurt. One day, Ciarán heard a tip that House Louvel stored some valuable artifacts in a secret warehouse. He figured, at the very least, he could make Lucien’s life miserable. So, he gathered a few of his criminal associates and infiltrated the warehouse.\n\tIn this warehouse, one particular item stood out to Ciarán. While every artifact was locked up within different crates and lockboxes, none had the level of security as this item. It lay in a glass case with a dozen wards engraved in the wood lining, with one of the most complicated padlocks Ciarán had ever seen. It was held in a remote part of the warehouse, hidden behind a false wall that Ciarán wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t felt… this strange pull within him. To this day, he still doesn’t know whether it was just a gut feeling or if that pull was purposeful. And behind all of that security and subterfuge, what was the artifact: a featureless, white masquerade mask. Ciarán was drawn to this mask. It had a strange pull to it he couldn’t explain at the time, despite appearing so mundane. With deft hands and keen eyes, Ciarán broke into the glass case. But when he picked up the mask, his body seized as if chains suddenly bound every limb. His eyes became pale white, and he let out a voiceless scream before his body collapsed. Ciarán’s fellow Black Foxes saw this happen and were able to get him out of there just as guards of House Louvel showed up. \n\tAs this happened, Ciarán’s mind was transported to a place farther and stranger than he had ever been. A place he would later learn was called “The Twilight Tower”. There, he met Myrva Assad, a young woman of dark power and subtle intrigue. She, too, was wronged by House Louvel, having been trapped by them in the mask over a hundred years ago. Together, the two of them formed a pact with one another. In exchange for giving Ciarán access to Myrva’s magical power, Ciarán must destroy House Louvel and free Myrva from the mask that imprisons her. A year has passed since that day. Ciarán has been slowly developing his newfound abilities, waiting for the chance to take his revenge."
  }
}