OceanusVentorum

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Introduction to the Wiki
I will use this wiki page to detail the life of Tonn Ecsiu, his life can be written in many ways, and to accurately detail Tonn's life, I will do so in two. The first section will recount Tonn's life through the medium of story, each of these will be written on the forum also, and links will be provided on the wiki page to view them on that medium. The second section will detail Tonn's life as lore, there will be no story-telling devices to make Tonn's life seem anymore interested than it is; it will be stark truth. I hope you enjoy either, or both, of these mediums. But more importantly, I hope you enjoy hearing the ongoing tale of Tonn Ecsiu's life.

Eager Life, Death's Calling.
The first catch was a rite of passage in the small seafaring town, and Tonn wasn’t going to miss his first bite, or look an idiot in his first trip. He would join the elitist crew, those that had caught their first fish the very first time they had held a rod; he had prepared for this monumental time. To all others it probably seemed such a miniscule idea, catching a fish. Yet it was their life, their very livelihood here. Each household had a fisherman leading the home, each man brought home their catches to plate and feed to their families; if you did not fish, you did not belong. So there was a significant weight in the air as he trudged along the shoreline, carrying a small fishing boat along with his Father, and several other men of the town. There was a small sense of queasiness as he tentatively moved onto the boat, a moment of holding his breath as they ended their rowing and came to a stop far enough away from the shore.

The moment though, Tonn would never forget. His Father unlatching their families’ rod, an old thing, now looking more like a twig than an actual tool. Yet he had embraced it with grace and pride, for it was of the utmost importance. It marked his acceptance into the family- well, it marked his invitation. The acceptance would come with the catch; that may not happen just yet. He wouldn’t let that thought hinder him, though. So he grabbed his rod, feigning as much pride as he could muster, and cast it into the waters.

This was it, this was his first line. With his eyes so eagerly scanning for a fish, he had never looked at the Ocean so intricately before; he had never noticed the slow methodical waves, the eerie peace of the depth so far below- the allure of the blue. It was astounding, infinitely so- as if each miniscule section had it’s purpose and it’s specific home. Yet, he felt as if he fit into this deep blue puzzle. As if his body belonged in those depths, those soft ebbs. So he fell.

He tumbled and slumped into the depth of the water, his Father and the other men rising from their seats, shouting to ignore the song- the sirens call.

Yet Tonn heard no Siren, the song was that of the Ocean itself, the beauty that he so desperately hoped to behold; he heard nought but the Ocean, Akwal. ~*~*~*~

It all ran before Tonn’s mind as he lay blacked out on the beach, the air forcing the life to temporarily leave him, his life- his loss, his childhood all began to float into his consciousness. It seemed so short-lived, so small and insignificant. He had been in the ocean for years upon years now, none would notice his death, just another poor soul found at the beach. He awoke suddenly after his remembrance, choking and spluttering on the air for several minutes, yet even through the pain he broke into a sickly grin- it was so unceremonious, falling headfirst off a boat into the waters below. Yet it was beautiful to him, he may have lost his Family, his life outside of the waves- but it had forged such a great deal of his life, how to become serene, thoughtful and calm with the waves. His life may always hope and wish for a fruitful fishing trip, but he now saw passed that. He also hoped for intricate diplomacy, wit and a stable home. The plunge had gifted him a lot of his personality to date.

Arising from the seas however, was slowly killing him.

As he thought on his life, his actions, his body slumped once more- he was becoming more accustomed to the air, but it was painful.

His head fell limp once more.

His mind floating through the ocean of dark, empty mind.

http://www.crimsoningot.net/forum/m/5566854/viewthread/22727450-eager-life-deaths-calling

Awoken, Moving, Alive.
The rhythmic beat of the ocean. The drum of cascading water. The eternal blue. It was the ocean, it was beauty. He wasn’t certain for how long he had been cusped in the waves, but he had entered as a boy; and now, as his consciousness drifted back to him, as the currents hit his chest, he saw that he was an old man. Blinking back the salty waters, his head tilting to survey the surroundings. Nothing but blue. Not even fish swam near the figure, they had learnt long ago to leave it; it was a statue, yet it was alive, the waters were warmer in it's presence; a telltale sign of his blood. The depth of the ocean seemed quite, at ease and peaceful in this tranquil state. There was nought but silence, yet even the silence was deafening so deep below.

He moved his hands, his body seemed almost mechanical now, as if it were new to him- in a way it was, he had been transfixed, stuck in the ocean’s lingering grasp. With his hands now raised, he flexed his fingers; they caught in a current. Unceremoniously the man was pulled into the wave, moving more than he had done in years, yet it was not a beautiful sight; Seaweed fell from around his legs, sand that had not shaken from his clothes finally fell back into the waters embrace, sand rustled around him, moving that which had been left to sit for years- the fish which had kept their distance for so long fled into the corners of the ocean, with haste to warn their friends, to hide. He was free of the fixation, the allure and beauty of the depths. As his shackles fell, he moved his arms more freely now once more accustomed to movement.

It was slow at first, a paddle to a new spot of blue in front of him, but it grew with ease, he was now doing great strides along the ocean floor. Although his body was frail, the ocean’s depth made him feel like a boy once more. He had no need to move, each time he paused for breath, it semeed like he was in the same position, the same place he had stood for years. It was all blue, a plain simple blue. Yet it was beautiful, at a glance you could see the sunlight shimmering above, striking in the water to dance across whatever crossed it's path. He rode the ebbs and eddies, allowing his fingers to brush across these rays of sunlight, noticing the delicate dance across his many creases and wrinkles; this was until he saw glimmer of green, land in the center of this water world. Naturally he began making his way to the land, his inquisitiveness taking hold for a moment. His great strides become stronger, more furtive at the thought of something new, of course he was content with this life in the water, it was a beauty that not many could behold; but this was the first time he had seen something different. Something exciting.

He followed the waves to the end of their tracks, to the sands of a beach. His head had not left the water yet, but he positioned his left foot to lift him upwards, to break free into this new environment. He made his move quickly, without thought or hesitation- it was best to plummet into these new things, it was how he had entered the ocean, and it would be how he would leave it. He hadn’t lifted his head fully before he began regretting his decision, so long in the depths in the embrace of the waves, protected by so much water, he was not used to this, land. It was harsh, there was no layer of water protecting your skin, nothing to stop the powerful rays of light hitting his eyes, his whole body directly. But the worst was the lack of water, it began pouring from his mouth, years of the salty liquid leaving his system for the first time since he had entered the depths. The man began to spasm and twitch, his body going limp as each drop of water escaped his body;

His legs fell beneath him, his head thudding onto the sands,

Water continued to pour from his mouth in great waves,

The man began to drown on this new air.

http://www.crimsoningot.net/forum/m/5566854/viewthread/22656950-awoken-moving-alive

Stumbling, Fumbling, Lost.
After so long beneath the ocean, filling his lungs with crisp salt water, Tonn had not expected to be so unaccustomed to the air, in fact, he expected little in the ocean depths. The siren call of the waves transfixed Tonn's attention whilst he was down there, there were no thoughts lingering in his mind, there was no air to breathe; there was nothing but blue. Thus, it came to a shock to Tonn when he found himself kneeling on the sands, rasping and heaving the water from his lungs.

Yet, the memories came back in fragments. He remembered falling, plummeting to the depths as he heard screams from above. "Son! Son! Help someone, my boy drowns!"

From the screaming, Tonn could assume that the man screaming had been his father. Yet looking down at himself now, as the waters dripped from his aged and long beard, and water began to create small streams in his many wrinkles, he thought that the man could not possibly have been his Father. A man screaming for his child, could not be linked to the old man that he was now. "Tonn! My boy, swim! Swim, you remember how!"

But the man was his Father, and Tonn was a boy back then. He had been in the waters for longer than he had imagined, and for some reason, he had lived through it. Once Tonn had heard the familiar sounds of his Father calling his name, fragments of memories came tumbling back more and more frequently. He was from the Ecsiu fishing family. He was out on his first fishing trip when he fell. His father had gifted to him the priceless Ecsiu ro-

Where was his rod?

It was an heirloom, an artifact passed down through many Ecsiu generations. It was gone, lost forever. His Father would be so ashamed of him, and his Father before that, and his before that. He lifted his hand up to smack himself for his errors. Skin did not collide with skin. Falling to the floor, Tonn wondered why his hand was so wooden. Turning rather dazed, he looked to find the Ecsiu rod in his hand. It had become almost an extension to his own arm, so much so that he had not realized it was there, merely mistaking the thing for himself. Snapping the barnacles that had grown, attaching the rod to his hand, he released the rod.

"We will not take you too far out for your first trip. The Setlian is rough."

His trip had been on the Setlian Sea, he remembered this now. Which means...Tonn knew of all the hamlets and coast of the Setlian Sea, and looking around, he did not recognize this foreign land.

"I am not-..."

-In Templehelm, he was. He had only heard fabled tales of the land as a Child, in between stories of great fisherman and fishmongers. He knew it was not a safe place to be. He had to find a way out. Picking himself up from his kneel on the beach, he grabbed for his rod. Stepping forward he fell to the ground once more.

My legs. Are they broken?

They ached now that he put more thought into it, yet he could feel his toes, he could move them. They were not broken, just in disrepair. "He will not swim, you saw his fall! Those legs are broke!"

By the great Gods, he was in Templehelm, and he could not even walk. He had to find aid, find something. Using his initiative, he clutched at the Ecsiu rod, picking himself off of the ground with that, he hobbled forwards, stumbling into the foreign land.

He knew of the rumors surrounding Templehelm.

He had heard the tales.

There was no escape.

http://www.crimsoningot.net/forum/m/5566854/viewthread/26193615-stumbling-fumbling-lost

Faith, Devotion, Purpose.
He cast the reel out,

The last piece of his food for bait.

Waiting.

Anxious.

Wanting.

Movement.

Reeling in the fish.

Sweet bliss, food at last.

The journey of Tonn had been a constant battle to continue his hobble, and to collect enough food and water to live. Yet now he was faced with another toil. He had followed the coast for several days, now finding himself back where he first emerged from the waters. It seemed that either he was incorrect of being within Templehelm, or he had emerged on a smaller Isle off of the coast.

It was becoming clearer that the Isle which he found himself on was not a sustainable place to call home. With a severe lack of food and fresh water, he had barely kept himself alive. Yet what struck fear into the feeble fisherman more so was the expanse of water surrounding the Isle. With no boat, or wood to fashion into a vessel, he would have to swim to another shore. Knowing that there was nought else to do, he hesitantly hobbled towards the water, immersing himself within it.

Of course he was somewhat scared. The last he had felt the waters grasp he had become transfixed. Such beauty, the peaceful song of the Ocean, it was like a siren call to men. He could hear it even now, so close to the mainland, yet touching the waters grasp. He was a part of it, his body had created a new beat, a new ripple. The song changed when he entered, yet it was still perfect; the song better with his own tune coupled with it, it was-

It was mesmerizing. It had nearly caught him again, nearly pulled him within. In what seemed like mere moments thinking of its beauty, must have been longer, for Tonn paddled to turn, seeing the small Isle he was on a great distance away. It was interesting. His leg was not injured here, the now all too familiar creak of his old bones was nought. He felt no pain in the waters, no sorrow or age. For some reason they were healing in nature, they were caring and nurturing. There would be no problem maneuvering in these waters.

Infact, with each push forwards, he felt a new lease of life, it was not long before he was surging along the waves, alike to a fish or squid. With a smile on his face he rode the waters, the salt spray that spat at his face as he swam bringing a smile to his face.

Then he saw it.

Beauty.

Before him stood a monument, the waves did not even dare break and cusp over its floors. The waves fell silent surrounding it, and even Tonn’s breath, heavy from swimming such lengths, had turned into a hushed rasp. He flopped from the ocean’s waves, onto the floor of the monument. After leaving the water, his aches ebbed back into existence, and he felt his leg strain from keeping his weight. Thus, he took his rod from his satchel, hobbling through the lapis spires.

He had walked to the centre, and had to fight a stream to go to the top. Of course, there was little fight, as he again felt like a young boy in the waters. Now in the center of the monument, he felt he had reached where he needed to go.

Before him sat a pool of water.

It was a deep blue, it was still, and silent. Ocean froth did not creep at even the corners of the pool, and Tonn felt it would be unwise to disturb the rest that the water was in. He leaned over, using his fishing rod to hold his weight.

There was no reflection staring back at him, there was only the deep blue. It was the purest of waters; and he felt he needed to offer it something.

It was something inside of him, an urge, a desire to give praise to this place. He could only offer what he knew water would always accept; fish. Finding a freshly caught cod in his satchel, still damp from the journey, he cast it into the pool.

Yet, the water did not ripple, he did not see the fish sink to the bottom. The fish passed through into the water, and the water did not move, as if nothing had happened.

In that moment Tonn felt a surgance of faith, of purity.

A single word uttered from his lips.

"Akwal "

http://www.crimsoningot.net/forum/m/5566854/viewthread/26306375-faith-devotion-purpose

Backstory
Tonn came from the old Ecsiu fisherman family. The name predates the Emeraldite invasion into Templehelm, but up until Tonn, no Ecsiu had actually entered the land. The family began by running an old fishing stall in the small town of Halcyone, located on the Setlian Coast. Here the Ecsiu families wealth rose and fell several times, what was notable in the era of Halcyone, is that many of Tonn's ancestors died from abusing the drug, Rot. Several generations of the Ecsiu family lived within Halcyone, with Blythe Ecsiu being the last in the line to call the town his home, finding himself banished for theft. After this, several eras of the Ecsiu family traveled along the Setlian coast selling their wares, eventually building a small town for the now significantly larger Ecsiu clan. The small town known as Guyra then housed the Ecsiu family up until Tonn's birth. Tonn found himself to be the Son of the current Ecsiu in command of the town, and thus, he was naturally the next in line to take his place. After his first fishing trip however, Tonn fell into the waters. It was by grace that the currents had dragged Tonn through the border into Templehelm's waters before he drowned, as Tonn was about to fill his lungs with water, Akwal had found him, and knowing the history, knowing Tonn to be a great fisherman, made him a man of faith. Tonn took his breath of water, and lived. He fell into the waters at seventeen years old, but now transifixed with the beauty under the waves, he did not have another thought until he was sixty-five. This is when Tonn swam from the depths, and made it to land. Tonn found Akwal's temple by guidance, and eventually came to find himself in Glint. On this trip, Tonn realized that he was now an old man, he had suffered injury from falling out of the boat, and as it had not been treated in so many years, Tonn was left with a permanent hobble. At Planu Heath Tonn met with Jason, and Jason told him of Aren'e-Kel; to which Tonn happily joined, hoping to find a home.