"Who am I...?"

A question asked by many intelligent creations, and almost always their first words. For all his capabilities of articulation, this too was the first words uttered by the Night Spirit Oidhche-Yorath as he drew his first breath. Truly it is a startling way to begin existence, beyond the scope of mortal minds. The first words he would hear, would also be of this nature.

"You are my creation. You are my Dream Messenger, my Sleep Bringer. You will serve me, and you will be known as Oidhche-Yorath." came a voice both gentle and feminine, yet thunderous and warlike. A terrifying contrast between the soothing voice of a woman, and the raging fury of a goddess of war. But that is not all the Great Queen known as the Morrigan is known for....

With a name came presence of self, and with presence of self came identity. But what was he? The answer was as strange and convoluted as the creature itself.

"I call your kind Night Spirit. Your essence was made from the fabric of chaos, and a portion of myself." came his answer.

".....Night Spirit? Essence?" the confused thoughts came. Nothing this powerful, yet impossibly beautiful being before him said made any sense to him. But it would, in due time. The being known as Oidhche-Yorath would spend many hundred years on the Morrigan's plane, learning from her great library. The archives and mysteries of the Goddess' library were epic in scope and range, and so became his knowledge. It was necessary, for him to perform the tasks his creator would instruct.

But for all of the years he spent learning, and for all of the knowledge he gained, he still did not understand what his purpose was. He had long felt a yearning, a tugging, in every fiber in his being to be free. He understood this as being the chaotic nature of his existence. The great halls of the Morrigan were not so impressive after two hundred years, nor half as interesting. Two hundred years to a deity is but the blink of an eye, so it was no surprise the irritated fury he received in response to inquiring his purpose. When at last the goddess had calmed, he was given an answer which would puzzle him for decades.

"You will enact my will upon the minds of the mortals, so that I may focus upon the message to be delivered. You are not yet ready, there is more you must learn. My calling is ravens and so it is ravens and myself that I have modeled you after, but that is not enough. You will bring my symbol to wherever you may go." these proclamations puzzled the relatively young spirit. One however, soon became clear.

It came at first as a slight shuffling sound. Oidhche ignored it, continuing to focus on the dust-ridden tome at hand. The passage of time varying among the planes was a topic that fascinated him, twisting his mind into workings of logic that one might find illogical at the same time. A squawk interrupted his thoughts, inciting the spirit to turn his eyes in annoyance. While most would consider an unkindness of ravens in their doorway to be a startling sight, such things were typical in the home of the Morrigan. Turning his eyes back to the book, he ignored them and their intrusive shuffling. Oidhche would soon learn that one does not ignore the goddess' ravens, a sharp jab from a beak being his tutor. "Why don't you be useful and fetch some tea!" he shouted at them. An eyebrow quirked as he watched what almost seemed like a bow as the ravens departed. "Puzzling creatures..." he muttered before turning back to his book.

Before long, the spirit could again hear the shuffling of feathers as the ravens approached the room yet again. "I thought I told you" he began before gawking. Somehow balanced on their backs was a tray of fine silver. Upon this tray was placed a piping hot, fabulously ancient kettle with accompanying cups. His delicate senses picked up the fine aroma of his favorite tea, to boot. "I don't believe it..." he began as the ravens drew near. The spirit lifted the set from their backs and gently set it upon the stone table he used as a study. With another of those curious bowing gestures, the group set upon the opposite direction and left him to his tea.

Oidhche soon came to realize that ravens from the Morrigan's plane would obey his every command without question. He also came to realize at least one always followed him, no matter where he went. For many years, it was both his blessing and his curse, and always an annoyance. The squawking never ceased to somehow drown all other sounds and thoughts out, although over the decades he grew accustomed to their sounds; though it was still more than a hundred years before they ceased to bother him. Most curiously though, he slowly began to understand them as he observed their vocal and physical patterns. A feat of the Ranger's domain was not easy for one who is not accustomed to animals, but then this was no Ranger's ability. It was simply logic bred from countless years of watching and listening.

The goddess' creation learned of many things, but one thing he learned of which fascinated him was of the mortal races. Particularly humans, whose short-lived race seemed a wealth of ever changing qualities and traits. He wondered to just what depth Humans could be unique. But at the same time, they seemed savage and violent. Their history was littered with wars and death. Often for reasons which amounted to nothing more than greed or religious bickering. Only Humans, he observed, seemed capable of worshiping so many different deities. But what truly fascinated him was their capability for the artistic. Humans, it seemed, were limitless in their creativity. Their focus of arts was a rapidly shifting, evolving thing that left an amazing trail behind. He read of wonders which escaped the logic of his mind, having lived only within the confines of the Morrigan's realm.

So fascinated with human's creativity that he even adopted some of the customs of his favorite time period, known to humans as "Victorian". At his request, he was even able to have perfect replica of clothing created to fit. It would be the first time in hundreds of years the spirit would not be nude, like the rest of those in the Morrigan's realm, though you could hardly call him nude from the thousands of feathers that covered his body. Only through the texts did Oidhche fully understand the concept of clothing and fashion as he studied to become a "Gentleman". He did not mind the reactions of others among the plane, such was his carefree nature. But the goddess was not so gentle. When discovered, the texts were destroyed and as further punishment, the Morrigan cursed her creation. Where once he had been of like a raven, covered with iridescent feathers in one beautiful mass, he was cursed to forever have the pattern of the tuxedo suit he had been found wearing. But Oidhche was clever, and he hid well his true feelings about his curse. Even a goddess, it seemed, could be tricked. In the many years ahead, the spirit used this knowledge many times.

There came once, a time where Oidhche nearly found himself forbidden from the library. This was when he discovered the tomes of the arcane. Though not all creatures are capable of magic, he knew well his origins and so was sure of his prowess with the art. He soon learned, however, that his prowess was far from that of his creator. His attempts at learning the more destructive magic had been disastrous at best. Spells consistently misfired or went out of control. Many times the student found himself with scorched eyebrows or worse. The keeper of this great library, a strange creature that resembled some kind of crone to Oidhche, had no love for the spirit when his failure resulted in the destruction of numerous tomes. Only through quite a bit of smooth talking and promises to never practice destructive magic again was he able to spare himself the permanent removal. But once again, the clever spirit used his way with words to his advantage.

While he was forbidden to practice destructive magic, he had not promised to stay from practicing dangerous magic. Through this, Oidhche discovered other avenues in the art. He found considerable greater success in the school of Illusion, quickly becoming his favorite pastime. To his disappointment, the Morrigan's library despite its glory did not sate his desire for knowledge and spells. Some might say he liked Illusion as it was the only one he mastered, but the simple fact to the spirit himself was that illusions were simply fun. With this passion, came an enlarging of the ever-growing desire to be free. One that soon came to a peak.

The request from the Morrigan was denied quickly, much to his disappointment. "You are dismissed." thundered in Oidhche's ears. "Why am I not ready?" he asked, many moments of silence passing before answer came. "You will know when I have deemed you ready for the task I have intended you. Now begone." Oidhche found himself outside the goddess' chambers before he could begin to reply. He was not content however, with waiting. The spirit had another idea, one that might grant him his long desired freedom much sooner than the goddess could.

It was not known to the Morrigan that inside those crumbling arcane tomes were the secrets of planar travel. If it had been, undoubtedly it would not have been available for anyone to read. Such an oversight was something Oidhche had discovered however, and days went by as he searched for the book in the endless stone halls. "If my creator will not set me free, then I will find a way to escape.." he thought to himself as he at last pulled the massive book free of its shelf. Many months passed by as the spirit practiced, gaining confidence in his skill until at last the day came. Setting the book on the stone table, he began the complicated process of creating the spell to transport him to the plane he had designated. The librarian had sufficiently been distracted, giving him what he hoped was enough time. With the last component in place, Oidhche began to complicated chant. But while the Night Spirit had performed the spell without flaw, his limited knowledge of the planes had been his true error. The unstable nature landed him in a place quite unlike what he intended.

He seemed to be floating through nothing as pure chaos swirled about him, gripping at his mind and wrenching it. The spirit shut his ebony orbs in an attempt to block out the assault, but such a primal force was not so simple. The cacophony of sounds reverberating in his hearing banished all concentration from his mind, so used to the stillness of silence. It was a strange paradox between sensations, his mind screaming for help as his own chaotic essence resonated in euphoria. Few could exist on the plane of chaos who could resist madness, even to its long time residents; and Oidhche himself was nearly consumed for the first of many times.

As quick as the assault had came, it ended. A familiar stillness soothed his ears as the spirit opened his eyes to behold the Morrigan herself before him. "You have disobeyed me." came the statement. Relief gave way to fear as he realized he was once again in the plane of his goddess. The being's hand raised for silence as he began to speak. "Punishment is what you deserve, but punishment is not what you shall find this once. You will not leave this plane until I deem you ready and send you myself." Oidhche's heart sank at the words, knowing the route of escape he had used would not likely work twice. "But I have need of you, and your purpose draws near. Therefore, you shall be tutored in the ways of the planes." The spirit grinned despite the goddess' fearsome voice. "Do not disobey me again, Oidhche-Yorath." the deity warned. "I have spared you only this once." she finished with finality. The gravity with which these words came would never leave the memory of her creation. "Now go, and fulfill your purpose as my Sleep Bringer." she bid. Of course, the chaotic free spirit of Oidhche had other ideas. Rules may be rules, but rules could always be bent rather than broken.

And so began the tale of the Illusory Gentleman.

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Not my best writing when compared to the bit I just submitted a few days ago, but that's not what the purpose of this was. I just wanted to flesh out more of the character Oidhche-Yorath and that is what I have done.

Here is a link to his Character Bio: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1786054/