Eshrin Linphori

Early Life

Eshrin was born Eshuhara, fathered by Vaidale, head of the prestigious Sentinel house, Linphori. She was his firstborn, delivered during the highly-romanticized Dalae Era in the Daphoan province of Illata. Fated by her father to wed for political convenience, or be consecrated to the Rose King, Eshuara instead chose to drown herself off the coast of the province of Litirya. By happenstance, she was discovered mid-act by Idanai of house Telanei, a priest of Alia the Empath. Eshuhara briefly lived with him and his partner, the Aeolian priest Lahanet of house Ishtae, until her course was decided.

Opting to follow in Idanai's footsteps, Eshuhara was brought before the goddess and gloriously transformed into who she truly wished to become: the hypermasculine rake, Eshrin. Over a span of years, Eshrin, Idanai, and their cohort (the "Petals of the White Lotus") spread the gospel of the Empath through convention-flaunting expressions of personality, violence, and sexuality. Eshrin coveted many lovers, but eventually became attached to Lasila of house Vahendra, sister of the celebrity swordsman, Envarinon. With the death of his father, Eshrin ascended to the position of Aen-Edavagel ("Lord Fearless"), with all of house Linphori's social cache at his disposal.

Exile from Ilodaiya

After the imprisonment of Alia, an Aeolian envoy, deceived by Sabanthe the Black Lotus, butchered the Petals to the man, hanging Idanai's mutilated corpse from the balcony of the Imperial Court. Eshrin's tardiness spared him his own death, but forced him to flee Ilodaiya for fear of further reprisal. He attempted to marshal other followers of Alia to fight the tide of history, but without the divine power of the goddess, their faith flagged. Hiding in the Grand Temple of Orguei in Illata, Eshrin defeated his former guardian, Lahanet, when confronted, and claimed the site as the providence of house Linphori.

The temple incident drew the attention of Idanai's cousin, Lynaia. Her prompting inspired Eshrin to return to his once-home of Litirya under an assumed identity. Supported by her resources so as not to arouse suspicion, Eshrin attempted to integrate as best he could into the Aeolian establishment. Casting himself as "Rin the Divine Rose", he made a splash on the local dueling circuit as a dramatic heel. His alter ego's fame spread, inspiring numerous serial characters modeled after his performance. Lynaia, however, did not remain at his side; she had been chosen by the god Aeoleri to be the first Rose Consort.

Chosen by Serachel

Now anxious to end his semi-permanent exile, Eshrin rejoined his former lover, Lasila. After a torrid reconnection, she invited him to a celebration at his familial Illatan estate for his forty-sixth birthday. Lasila personally arranged a guest list-- including Lynaia-- and presented him with an erari, a ceremonial knife from Daphoan antiquity. She told him that the weapon was a gift from the god Serachel, and with it, he could take his life back. Before the festivities began, Eshrin led the Rose Consort into the foothills of the Ialidae mountains, where he murdered her and cast her severed head from a cliffside. The night-long celebration afterward cemented him as Serachel's chosen.

At the prompting of his new master, Eshrin left Lasila behind, traveling to the province of Siael. An appointed professor of arcane geometry at house Judessa's Academy at Phirala-Yutei, he developed an extraordinary command of planar mechanics. During his tenure, he focused his romantic attention on Aetana of house Ilaephos, whose research would be pivotal to the transport industry; with her parture, Eshrin despaired, doing the minimum required until his retirement. Called upon one last time, Eshrin vanished when brought before house Judessa's most dangerous treasure, the alatharyan artifact known as "Celhaim's Paradox". House Linphori's esteem greatly waned as it fell dormant.

Service to the Coven

The enigmatic Eshrin reappeared on the continental frontier in the year 948 CC, where he assumed the position of Scorpion of the Coven of the Shunned. Acting as the organization's enforcer, he and Lasila (now Siren of the same) largely managed its direction in deed if not in name. Pacted to An'akarta, Flame of Logor, Eshrin's duties included condemning mortal failures to consumption in its soul-devouring fire. His spiteful nature became his hallmark, ensuring his contact with adventurers was short and brutal. However, unbeknownst to him, Alia (now Alil) would escape from her prison in 960 CC, placing the two on a future collision course.

The branding of Feolne of house Ilaephos by Alil brought them to the attention of Eshrin, first as a foe to be destroyed. Hating his former creed and those who would follow it, he persecuted Feolne and their friends vigorously until his greed for sensation caused him to cannibalize a petal from Feolne's lotus brand. In so doing, Eshrin's former identity as the White Lotus re-emerged, and he began to instruct them in the ancient ways of the Empath. He was not, however, spared his obligations to the Coven, which had pivoted toward the goddess Lilune. Eshrin was tasked with scouring the ch'taren isle of Alensha with An'akartan fire.

The Burning of Endeqil

Unwilling to allow the Alileans to continue to languish, Eshrin chose to co-opt the Lilunite ritual with one of his own: to trace the sacred sign of Lavetiae in the skies above Avendar. Feolne vehemently opposed the massive Alenshan death toll and urged him to refrain. In response, he fervently insisted that his sign would occur at an uninhabited location with minimal fallout. This turned out to be a lie; unable to deny his obligation to the Coven, he sacrificed all life on the ethron island of Endeqil, despoiling it for decades. The act obliterated his body, and his remains were claimed by Alil's silver flame as their memory returned.

Later Life and Death

Eshrin was briefly resurrected in the service of Alil a few years after the carnage. He acted as mentor and friend to Raoloa of house Shio'hiara, helping to both mold them into a duelist and name them successor to house Linphori. He imparted his insight to Feolne, and also bestowed upon them the Grand Temple of Orguei. As well, he initiated the birth of Aehiori, a new Daphoan province on the island he ruined. Unfortunately for him, his crime against Endeqil violated the divine Compact; his destruction by the Overgods was all but assured. Sparing him total dissolution, Alil instead absorbed him entirely into her prismatic heart of glory.