Lusiel Gildyr-Nuwan

Lusiel Gildyr-Nuwan, also known as Lusiel Gildyr-Saiyraia (Song Warrior), after his mother's surname, is the bastard son of Gildyr Mevym-Nuwan and the bard Aeyenna Toriel-Saiyraia, a worshipper of the Arternaia Illonis, the goddess of Beauty. Born biologically female, Lusiel is transgender, and bears the blessing- and curse, perhaps, of Illonis, born with the ability to create illusions. Once a charismatic and cunning conman, Lusiel is now a senator of the Anglunian Vindyi, where he uses his skill at manipulation and ruthless strategies to steer Anglunia towards his idea of a "brighter future".

Early years
Lusiel was born in the city of Ashenvale, within the province of Fellmore, during the summer of 200 Eldham Calendar. His mother was a bard of average skill, with aspirations of one day playing for the royal court, as well as a fanatical worshipper of Illonis, the goddess of beauty. Aeyenna, his mother, was known to be mentally unstable, as well as somewhat of a narcissist, oft consumed by her vanity and avarice. She believed herself to be the chosen of Illonis, hubris which the goddess herself would punish by further driving Aeyenna into narcissism and vanity. Aeyenna and Gildyr would meet at 17, and although it is unknown how long their relationship- if there even was one- would last, it is surmised to have been extremely brief, as Gildyr would remain unaware of Lusiel's existence for many years. Lusiel would be born several months after his father's departure, to a self-absorbed and destitute mother. It is likely that Aeyenna's narcissism was the cause of Gildyr leaving, as even then, Illonis' curse would push Aeyenna further into her pre-existing condition.

Even from birth, Lusiel was not an ordinary child. Born with the blessing and curse of Illonis, he would have the ability to create illusions without the use of arcane magic, as an innate, instinctive ability. This power, although extremely useful, would have severe limitations, as Lusiel is only able to create small illusions, and maintaining them requires intense effort on his part, and can is extremely taxing. What's more is that his illusions cannot be seen in mirrors, the symbol of Illonis, who's reflections remain untouched by Lusiel's illusions. Although Lusiel was born biologically female, he quickly learned that he did not feel comfortable within his female body, and would identify as male from a young age. Although he was not particularly mistreated for his gender identity, the young Lusiel would still remain insecure, which resulted in him learning to use his illusions to alter his appearance, in order to make himself look outwardly male. Lusiel would spend much of his youth experimenting with his powers, honing them to be employed as weapons and tools.

Aeyenna, consumed by Illonis' curse, would be a neglectful mother, and even resentful of her child. Lusiel's birth would put a end to Aeyenna's dreams of fame, as she would no longer be able to travel the land and perform for the courts who she dreamed of. While Lusiel would never experience physical violence, he would never receive affection from her, and for the most part, was forced to fend for himself. Lusiel would grow up running with street gangs, working jobs, lifting coin-purses, and running scams. He would discover that he had a incredible talent for manipulating and charming others, skills made even more potent by his ability to change his appearance however he desired, in order to further charm and ensnare his marks. Lusiel would become an extremely skilled conman, working for several thieving crews in order to provide for himself. It would be in this role, the expert conman, that Lusiel discovered that he enjoyed the subtle game of manipulation, and the high-stakes thrills it provided, which attracted him like nothing else.

Lusiel would live as such for several years, until on his 16th birthday, his mother, drunk on potent wines, would reveal the identity of his father, and Lusiel's noble heritage. This discovery came as a major shock to him, as until that point, his mother had refused to answer any of his questions regarding his father. Taken by a sudden sense of purpose, Lusiel would spike his mother's wine, causing her to fall unconscious, so that he could slip away. Abandoning all of his contacts and connections with the criminal underground of Ashenvale, Lusiel would make his way to Isaz, in order to finally locate his father, and to use his newfound noble status to enter the world of politics, which he saw as a far more alluring and dangerous game than the simple con jobs he had grown up playing.

Appearance
Lusiel is a full-blooded Yirsi ice elf, although as a member of House Nuwan, his lineage also contains other more exotic bloodlines. It is also important to note that oftentimes, the face or appearance that Lusiel wears is not his true appearance. When out in public, he constantly maintains the illusion which makes him look fully male, and he has often used his illusory powers to disguise himself in order to escape from dangerous situations, or to make himself appear more charming, to better manipulate his chosen targets. However, unlike true shapeshifters like Yizawan Eliyawin-Nuwan, Lusiel is limited in his ability to change his appearance, as his illusions are intangible, forcing him to maintain the same basic arrangement of limbs, and a similar height and build to his own. Lastly, he is unable to change the color of his eyes, as weaving an illusion over them would block his vision.

True Appearance:
Wearing his true face, Lusiel is a transgender male Yirsi, slightly shorter than average. He has a willowy build, even for a Yirsi, built for agility rather than brunt strength. His skin is colored sky blue, like most Yirsi, save for a scattering of white freckles like snowflakes across the bridge of his nose, and partially under his eyes. He has sharp, distinctive facial features, which are accentuated with a silvery scar which curves across his cheek. His hair is the typical white of the Nuwan family, and wavy, although not truly curly. The tips of his hair fade to a natural turquoise color, a strange phenomenon which seems to be inherited from his mother. His hair grows down to jaw length, curtaining his face, although his pointed Yirsi ears poke out between curtains of hair. Lusiel possesses heterochromia, and his eyes are two different colors. His right eye is the distinctive emerald green of Yinower Delas-Nuwan's descendants, while his left is a bright, vibrant violet, which seems to hold fathoms within it. This trait is extremely distinctive, and one of the only ways to identify him whilst he wears one of his false faces, besides catching his reflection in a mirror. Lusiel wears male clothing of expensive and flamboyant fashion, purchased with funds gained through scams and petty theft. He wears tan silken trousers, and a forest green shirt with gold embroidery and buttons. Over his shoulders and back is draped a billowing black cloak, and in his head is a large, black, and wide-brimmed hat, with a swan feather tied to it's base by a red ribbon for flair.

Illusory Form:
When out in public, or interacting with people, Lusiel has a default illusion which he continuously weaves over himself. In this illusory form, Lusiel appears physically male, and is slightly taller than his true form, with a more muscular build. His hair remains it's natural white color, although the turquoise tips are not shown. His illusory face is unblemished by the white freckles that are visible on his true face, as well as the distinct curving scar that graces his cheek. His hair remains the same length, although it's wavy nature is more emphasized. His eyes remain heterochromatic, with his right remaining emerald green, and the left deep violet. In this illusory form, he wears the same clothing as he does in his true form, although perhaps more ostentatiously ornamented. It is important to note that this is not the only illusory form that Lusiel employs, but simply the one he uses most often, and the form he wishes people to believe is his "true" form. Maintaining this form for the durations he does however, is extremely taxing for Lusiel, causing him immense physical and mental strain. This often requires him to "retire" to his personal quarters, in order to take a short rest so that he can continue to maintain his false face. This constant illusion also puts a limit on his ability to create separate illusions, as doing so requires him to split his concentration, and put more effort into maintaining both illusions at once. This, among other reasons, is one reason why Lusiel is unable to create illusions of large scale.

Personality
Lusiel has a very dynamic and perhaps even two-sided personality. Outwardly, Lusiel projects confidence, charisma, and charm, a well-spoken and charming gentleman politician. He is witty and clever, with a biting sense of humor which he employs as a weapon as often as a tool of entertainment. He possesses an air of easy-going, relaxed charm and confidence, seeming to take the admiration and respect of others as his natural due. He has a refined and courteous manner, making him seem every inch of the gentleman he looks. He is extremely likeable, able to cause even the most guarded or sullen of people to lower their guard. He is also known to be quite diplomatic, using his charm and charisma to relax tensions easily.

However, beneath this charming exterior, Lusiel hides a manipulative, ruthless, and controlling personality. He uses his charm and charisma in order to manipulate those who he believes he can gain from, or who he wishes to maneuver into positions that give him advantage. He is fully willing to double-cross and betray his peers if it serves him, and his allegiances shift constantly, seemingly on no side besides his own. This makes him unable to be depended on, but he is willing to work with others, so long as his agenda aligns with theirs. He is extremely power hungry, and his desire for personal power is one of his driving motivations. However, this avarice is also his downfall, as his ambition can often run ahead of his reason.

Lusiel is also a creature of vanity, taking painstaking effort to perfect his appearance. He wears extravagant and flamboyant clothing in order to catch the attention of others. He craves the attention of those around him, and his behavior reflects this, chiefly his flamboyant and eye-catching antics, as well as his constant attempts to charm those who he interacts with, even when not attempting to manipulate. However, if he is given the attention and validation he seeks, Lusiel will become extremely amenable, and easily persuadable. There is no easier way to manipulate him than to stroke his ego.

However, at his core, Lusiel is nowhere near as confident or secure in his identity as he pretends. He hides behind false faces, playing the part of a charming and charismatic politician, when beneath the illusory masks, he struggles with feelings of insecurity and doubt. This insecurity manifests most fully in his feelings towards his physical, non-illusory body, which he does not fully feel belongs to him. His biologically female body does not fit the way he sees himself, and therefore, he obscures it with illusions, in order to portray himself the way he internally feels. This is where the irony, and perhaps the curse of Illonis manifests, as although he has the power to change how he looks, his alterations are all fleeting, temporary, and above all, intangible, mere vapors of dreams.