The Twins

Born

168 PD (32 years ago)

Died

Nua: 184 PD (16 years ago) (sort of)

Aliases

"The Fury" (Nia), "The Gloom" (Nua)

Family

Each other

Racial characteristics

Half-elven

Nia has advanced Solarian traits: parts of her body cast golden light, and her eyes glow gold when she is fully charged with solar power.

Nua has subtler Umbran traits: the ability to command shadows, crawling black markings on his skin.

Sex

Female (Nia), Male (Nua)

Height

5'9" (Nia), 6'1" (Nua)

Weight

155 lbs (Nia), 190 lbs (Nua)

Hair

Black

Eyes

Amber (naturally)

Nia's eyes glow gold when she is fully charged with solar power

Nua's eyes glow violet when he is fully charged with umbral power

Affiliations

Phoenix Dawn

History

Orphaned at a young age, the twins Nia and Nua had a difficult childhood. They bounced from orphanage to orphanage, refusing to endure the abuse and neglect they faced. They eventually ran away and lived on the streets, relying on each other for support and survival. Despite their hardships, they developed a strong bond and a fierce determination to protect each other. Nia was blessed with intellect and cunning, with a keen read on people that she used to her advantage. Nua was physically gifted, seeking to master the environmental and social hazards of Athas. Both had one overarching goal: their mutual survival.

Their kindest benefactor in childhood was a kindly old librarian who needed assistance in his old age. He taught them to read and write, and they spent many hours in his library, learning about the world and dreaming of a better future. The librarian's kindness and generosity left a lasting impression on the twins, and they often think back on their time with him as a bright spot in their otherwise difficult childhood. Unfortunately, the librarian passed away when the twins were in their early teens, and their social status made them unable to inherit his property. Not to be deterred, they took what they could from the library and set out on their own, determined to make a better life for themselves.

Nia was able to sell a few merchants and lesser nobles on her various newly-acquired skills, trying to be valued for her knowledge and intellect. The sweet spot was when she was able to help those seeking upward mobility. She aided her "clients" in securing loyal allies and coercing rivals, and she was able to make a name for herself as a skilled and resourceful advisor. Nua, on the other hand, found work as an agent of her clients, doing the second-story work and keeping a low profile. He refused to kill anyone, but wasn't above stealing, spying, and intimidation. The twins were able to make a decent living for themselves, but they always had to be careful to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. Theirs was a certain mystique that needed to stay obscure to keep working.

And it worked, long enough to see them invited to the palace of Kalak himself. Nia was offered a position as an advisor to one of Kalak's high-ranking officials, while Nua was offered a position as a bodyguard. The twins accepted the offers, seeing it as an opportunity to gain more power and influence. However, they quickly realized that working for Kalak was not what they had hoped for. They were constantly under surveillance and had to be careful about what they said and did. They also had to deal with the constant threat of being accused of treason or disloyalty, which could lead to their execution.

Their luck ran out when they were accused of espionage--a fabrication by a rival of their patron. They were taken before Kalak, who swiftly found his advisor guilty, and turned him into a twisted obsidian statue, frozen in a moment of horror and agony. As for them, he peered into their minds with his psionic power, laying bare their lives, their core values, and their deepest fears. He must have known they were guilty of no crime--at least against him--but his cruelty knew no bounds. He offered them a choice: only one must die for this crime, and they could choose which. Nia tried to argue and plead for mercy, but Nua offered himself immediately. Pleased with the opportunity to torment them, Kalak made good his offer, obliterating Nua's body. His sister pleaded for his life, and Kalak took pleasure in feigning humility, explaining not even he could resurrect the dead. And yet, he proposed, there may be a solution. What he'd intended all along. He worked his magic, and told Nia to await nightfall.

That night, the sun set, and she felt magic stir within her. Could it be? A miracle? No, it was something else. Something dark and powerful. She felt a surge of energy coursing through her veins, a terrible darkness, colder than ice, a void that seeks to devour all life. And then she was gone. And Nua remained.

In time, they realized what their new fate would be. By night, Nua would be alive, and Nia was all but dead. By day, the reverse. They shared one body, but two minds; none had the memories of the other's time in the sun or night. They were two halves of a whole, and they had to learn to coexist in this new form. They were both alive and well, but could never again be together. The Sorcerer-King had wanted this--a fate worse than any they'd ever imagined. And yet, in this curse, there was a glimmer of hope: they could find ways to communicate, to coordinate their efforts, and perhaps even find a way to break the curse. They were determined to make the best of their situation, and to find a way to be together again, even if it meant defying the Sorcerer-King himself.