Eshrin Linphori
First child of Vaidale Linphori, Eshuhara Linphori was born during the Dalae Era, a romanticized period of the Eternal Empire of Daphoa which spanned from the Second Empire period until the dramatic close of the War of Night. Born in the Daphoan province of Illata, Eshuhara's fate was to be married for political power, or become a sword-maiden of Aeoleri the Rose King. Choosing to drown herself off the coast of the province of Litirya, she, by happenstance, was rescued by Idanai of house Telanei, a priest of Alia the Empath. Eshuhara lived with he and his partner and Aeolian priest, Lahanet of house Ishtae until she came of age to choose her own destiny.
Opting to follow in Idanai's footsteps, Eshuhara was brought before the goddess Alia and transformed into a who she truly wished to become: the hypermasculine rake, Eshrin. Throughout the Dalae era, Eshrin, Idanai, and the Petals of the White Lotus spread the gospel of the Empath through convention-flaunting expressions of personality, violence, and sexuality, snubbing the Aeolian order which had ruled the Empire before the coming of the outsider god, Serachel. Eshrin himself became romantically involved with Lasila of house Vahendra, brother of Envarinon, Hero of Raedaletaei, ascending to the position of Aen-Edavagel ("Lord Fearless"), the ceremonial role of the head of house Linphori.
With the imprisonment of Alia, the Aeolian envoy, deceived by Sabanthe the Black Lotus, butchered the Empath's following to the man, hanging Idanai's mutilated corpse from the balcony of the Imperial Court. Eshrin's tardiness spared his life in the massacre, but forced him to flee Ilodaiya for fear of further reprisal. He attempted to gather other followers of Alia to fight the tide of history, but without the divine power of the goddess, their faith flagged. Hiding in Illatan Temple of Orguei, Eshrin defeated Lahanet and his envoy, claiming the site as the providence of house Linphori. Inspired by Lynaia of house Telanei, he returned to Litirya under an assumed identity.
Casting himself as "Rin the Divine Rose", Eshrin made a name for himself in the Litiryan dueling circuit as a renowned heel. Content with his fame, there he remained until Lasila invited him to a large party at his Illatan estate for his forty-sixth birthday. Lasila, however, acting as an agent of Serachel, invited Lynaia-- now the first Rose consort-- to the party as well, precipitating a night-time stroll of Eshrin and Lynaia into the foothills of the Ialidae mountains. Eshrin, gripped by victorious fury, cut off Lynaia's head and cast it from the cliffside, becoming himself a chosen of Serachel.
In the service of his new master, Eshrin traveled to the province of Siael to study the secrets of void alongside house Judessa. Becoming a professor of arcane geometry at the Academy at Phirala-Yutei, Eshrin developed extraordinary command of planar mechanics. During his tenure, he became involved with Aetana of house Ilaephos, whose research would be pivotal to the transport industry; with her parture, Eshrin continued to teach until his retirement. Called into service one last time by house Judessa, Eshrin vanished when brought before their most dangerous treasure, the alatharyan artifact known as "Celheim's Paradox".
The enigmatic Eshrin reappeared on the Avendarian 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 (the Siren of the same) largely directed the organization in deed if not in name. Commanding the power of An'akarta, Flame of Logor, Eshrin's duties included obliterating failed applicants, that their component parts might be repurposed into something useful to the Greater Whole. However, unbeknownst to him, Alia, now Alil, would escape from her prison in the year 960 CC, placing the two on a future collision course.
The branding of Feolne 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, Eshrin persecuted Feolne and their friends vigorously until his greed for sensation caused him to cannibalize a petal from Feolne's lotus brand. In the doing, Eshrin's former identity as the White Lotus re-emerged, and he began to instruct the uneasy Feolne in the ancient ways of the Empath. However, unwilling to accept failure, Eshrin expended all of the divine power he stole from Feolne and was again the thrall of Serachel. Using his desire against him, Feolne re-awakened the White Lotus, averting the destruction of the ch'taren stronghold of Alensha.
However, Eshrin had deceived Feolne; instead of destroying an "uninhabited island" as he had claimed, he used the power of An'akarta to lay waste to the ethron island of Endeqil. His body nearly destroyed, he was resurrected by Alil to again serve. Serving as mentor and friend to Raoloa of house Shio'hiara, he helped shape them into a duelist in his own vein. Unfortunately for him, the manner in which he destroyed Endeqil was a voliation of the divine Compact and would necessitate his destruction at the command of the Overgods. Sparing him dissolution, he was absorbed into Alil's prismatic heart of glory instead.
