APPLICATION

OOC

NAME: Kate
AGE: 25+
CONTACT: PM, givemedragons
CHARACTER(S): Yussa Errenis

IC

NAME: Yussa Errenis
AGE: 350ish
SUITABILITY: Yussa is well into his adulthood by the standards of his people and practically ancient to those with shorter lifespans.
CANON: Critical Role
CANON POINT: post-Campaign 2

ABILITIES:
Elf: As an elf, Yussa is able to see up to 60ft in the dark and he is resistant to being charmed or put to sleep by magical means. His lineage and practice as a wizard also makes him particularly perceptive in noticing details in his surroundings. Yussa doesn't need to sleep the way most other creatures do and can get enough rest while meditating for 4 hours, the equivalent of sleeping for 8. Since most elves dabble in a little bit of magic, Yussa has an extra cantrip.

Mundane: He is inventive and creative, having designed not only his tower but much of the equipment in it that he uses for experiments and observations. Yussa is also trained in the use of swords and bows, though he hasn't had reason to use either in some time.

Magic: Yussa is a high-level wizard: over years (centuries) of study, he has learned to manipulate arcane energy found in the world and bend it to his will. Though his specialization is never mentioned in canon, Yussa has spoken about his interest in planar studies and has worked with Ryn in tracking changes in the structure between planes. His last known student, Oremid Hass, is an evocation wizard, so it's reasonable to assume that evocation (the manipulation of elemental forces) is one of Yussa's strengths. Given Yussa's title of "archmage", his age, and the fact that he as access to the highest-level spells available in D&D 5e, I put him at level 20 (highest achievable in 5e).

He keeps a personal spellbook that he has been adding to for most of his life; it contains written-out spells, notes on how to cast them and the components or glyphs needed, and other references. Every day he is able to "prepare" a certain number of spells that he can cast at will. At level 20, Yussa can have up to 25 spells prepared per day, along with the 6 cantrips he can cast, for a total of 31. If he doesn't have a spell prepared and if he can't cast it ritually, he won't be able to use it that day. If he does not have access to his spellbook, all he will have at his disposal are the ones he prepared before appearing in the game. I have a full list of his spells in his spellbook here with links that describe the details of each spell; ones with stars next to them are the ones he has prepared upon arriving in game. Yussa's spellbook is extensive in part because it is the result of 300 years of study and experience. Some of these spells are mentioned in canon, some are based on the NPC stat block for "archmage" provided by the DM's Guide, others are speculation based on his interests, his history, and his prior students. Any spells that manipulate time, other people, or space will be subject to game rules and/or permission from other players.

VICES:
Petty: Yussa bought the land he lives on after an entire district of Nicodranas burned down. He rebuilt it at his own expense - not just the land where he has his tower, but the entire distract. Now the Open Quay is thriving with merchants and residents. Despite multiple requests from the Uludan family, who govern Nicodranas, he has refused to sell the land back to the city, even if he could do so at considerable profit. This is, in part, because Yussa doesn't like the Uludans. Not only does he enjoy being a thorn in the side of city management, he takes even greater pleasure in ensuring the Open Quay is not subject to the monopolies of the Clovis Concord, a larger governing body that oversees the Menagerie Coast. He doesn't need the revenue that the Open Quay provides, but he will never cede control of it if it means it goes back to the Concord. Yussa's pettiness comes out in smaller ways, too. He will work in mean-spirited comments - usually subtly - into conversation if he feels whoever he's talking to deserves it. When he first meets the Mighty Nein, he snipes at Beauregard's intelligence, annoyed by both the intrusion and attempts to manipulate him in his own home.

Aloof: Yussa lives alone (save for one servant, Wensforth) in a tower in a bustling city, and he rarely leaves that tower. By his own choice, he keeps his distance from people in general and from the politics of the larger world as much as he can. He makes no secret that part of this decision is due to a general distaste for it all. More than once he comments that he has chosen this life to protect himself, and because he is happier without social obligations. He tells Caleb Widogast "We both wish to avoid choosing. The difference is you wade in the flames while I prefer to stay far away." When the Nein ask for his help later in their relationship, Yussa is happy to give what he can but draws the line at actually joining them on an adventure, telling them "I would rather not put myself in harm's way." Throughout the entire campaign, Yussa never physically leaves his tower and never appears outside of it unless he is on a balcony, usually 30ft or more above street level.

Hubris: Though curiosity can be a virtue, Yussa's interest when combined with his hubris has led him into several disasters of his own making. He is a powerful arcanist and his confidence in his abilities is absolute. No one becomes a wizard without some attraction to power and at higher levels it is easy to forget that one is still vulnerable. Yussa explores an artifact called the Heirloom Sphere that is also known as the Archmage's Bane due to the security measures designed specifically to thwart magic-users that might set foot into the Sphere. He does not make a plan for his escape should something bad happen other than leaving Wensforth with a way to contact a trusted colleague. Despite knowing some of the dangers in the Sphere, he goes in alone. He ends up caught by Mage Hunter Golems and forced into a collar that keeps him from using his magic at all - the one asset he has. Shortly after his rescue, he laments that he's lost components and treasure and would hate to leave them behind, believing them worth the danger he would face. Yussa does not swear off returning to the Sphere, much to the horror of those who rescued him. He simply promises that he won't go back in alone.


VIRTUES:
Shrewd: Yussa is described by others in Nicodranas as a "merchant mage"; though his primary interest is arcane studies, he's taken over management of the Open Quay since rebuilding it and it has grown into a prosperous trade center. Whether he saw the potential value in the Open Quay or chose to rebuild it as a kindness, he has benefited from that investment with the loyalty of those who live and work there. Beyond his business dealings, Yussa is incisive and insightful in dealing with people who want something from him. Though Beauregard attempts to needle support from him while offering very little, Yussa sees right through the way she talks around the subject and cuts to the chase. He is also firm in establishing that he will not help them with no benefit to himself: his entire association with this rag-tag group of adventurers is a gamble. However, part of the appeal in working with them is encouraging the talent of their wizard. Yussa notices Caleb's talent and potential in their first meeting, even if the shy human man is intent on not being noticed. Throughout the campaign Yussa encourages Caleb's growth, which ends up enabling Caleb to save him before the end.

Generous: Despite being a hermit, Yussa is generous with his time and his resources when he decides someone has earned it. He acts as an advisor for the Mighty Nein and offers them a way to travel back and forth to Nicodranas - and to his tower specifically, where they will have his protection when they arrive. Even when the Nein sort of abuse the privilege, frequently arriving without warning, he has never closed that door to them or refused to let them through. He has given them information, magical items, and spells. On at least one occasion, he offers to not only provide Caleb with a spell but also with the components to learn it, which can be expensive and are often consumed by the spell when its cast. He gives Caleb 150 gold pieces worth of amber without hesitation later in the campaign. He also introduces the Nein to a larger network of powerful magic-users who later become allies. His generosity extends to those who live in the district of Nicodranas that he owns: he keeps the rent low, allowing the people there to thrive, and he hasn't sold the land back to the city in order to keep it that way.

Dedicated: No wizard can be what they are without dedication. Unlike sorcerers, they are not born with magic; unlike clerics and warlocks, they don't have a connection to otherworldly power. Everything that Yussa is capable of is something he has learned through years of study and practice. He tells the Nein that he has spent the past 200 years studying the arcane in seclusion, mastering his craft and growing it with new experiments and discoveries. He has built or bought equipment to help him in his studies, including some things that he asks the Nein not to talk about as they would be "frowned up on in some circles." Yussa is willing to put himself in danger (as long as he doesn't have to leave his tower) in pursuing knowledge. At one point he warns Jester that "pushing past the bounds of a spell can be strenuous and painful."

SURVEY

▶ I REGULARLY MAKE NEW FRIENDS.
▷ 4; though Yussa has a strong social circle, it is relatively small. He makes it a point to say that he has been practicing the arcane arts in seclusion for roughly 200 years, which would be most of his adult life as an elf. More difficult still is the lifespan of those closest to him: they tend to die centuries before he will and it makes him reluctant to have many close relationships.

▶ SEEING OTHER PEOPLE CRY MAKES ME WANT TO CRY TOO.
▷ 5; Yussa isn't cold or unfeeling, but he is very reserved and will avoid showing deep emotion, even sympathetically, in front of others. Perhaps especially if other people are being emotional, he'll endeavor to do the opposite.

▶ I OFTEN MAKE A BACKUP PLAN FOR A BACKUP PLAN.
▷ 4; Though Yussa does make contingency plans for when he goes exploring, those plans are still limited. The best example is his exploration of another mage's home on a demi-plane. Since he went in alone, he left a way of contacting someone in an emergency for his assistant. However, he was very vague on WHEN his assistant should call for help and under what circumstances. Yussa is gone for three weeks before Wensforth finally contacts Allura using the sending stone Yussa left. Inside the demi-plane, Yussa was trapped in a prison with a collar that silenced him, meaning he could not use magic at all. He had absolutely immediate way of escaping UNLESS someone came looking for him. He had a backup plan for something happening to him... he did not precisely have a backup plan should that not work or should something else happen.

▶ I USUALLY STAY CALM, EVEN WHEN UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
▷ 1; Yussa's experience and knowledge allow him to stay focused and calm despite any external pressure.

▶ I AM VERY SENTIMENTAL.
▷ 3; He is a lot more sentimental than many assume, but he also doesn't express it openly very often. His warmth and affection for friends is often hidden behind a cool mask that allows him to maintain some distance, but now and then it cracks.

▶ EVEN A SMALL MISTAKE CAN CAUSE ME TO DOUBT MY OVERALL ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE.
▷ 5; He has the utmost confidence in his abilities and knowledge, even in the face of mistakes. He wouldn't still be alive if he didn't know what he was doing. A lot of other people wouldn't be alive, either. Despite being trapped in the Heirloom Sphere for weeks, Yussa doesn't hesitate to go back in.

▶ I AM MORE INCLINED TO FOLLOW MY HEAD THAN MY HEART.
▷ 3; His head - his mind - is everything. Yussa trusts in logic and reason and his own intelligence to get him through most situations. That being said, Yussa won't hesitate to follow his passions, wherever they might take them, and while it's his mind that helped him master arcane arts, it is his heart that led him there in the first place.

▶ I AM PRONE TO WORRYING THAT THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN FOR THE WORSE.
▷ 4; Worrying won't help him if things do take a turn for the worse and so he tends to keep a level head. Even while trapped in a prison on a demiplane and unable to speak or cast spells, Yussa manages to remain calm. Or, at the very least, he manages to pull himself together by the time anyone else sees him.

▶ I ENJOY WATCHING PEOPLE ARGUE.
▷ 2; He would prefer not to be in the middle of the argument himself, most of the time, but he could quietly enjoy watching a heated debate between other people. Especially if he is invested in the subject matter.

▶ I TEND TO AVOID DRAWING ATTENTION TO MYSELF.
▷ 3; On the one hand, Yussa is more or less a hermit. On the other, he lives in a giant emerald tower and wears extravagant styles, often dressing in gold. He wants to be noticed on his terms.

▶ I OFTEN DO THINGS AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT.
▷ 3; Yussa's approach is typically a mix of careful planning and improvisation. He doesn't procrastinate, but he also doesn't put himself in situations in which deadlines are important.

▶ I FIND IT EASY TO EMPATHIZE WITH A PERSON WHOSE EXPERIENCES ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MINE.
▷ 3; This is another way that experience has helped him grow. Though Yussa chooses to be alone, he has a good sense of what impacts other people and even if they do not share life events or experiences, he can empathize (most of the time) with others. He didn't rebuild the Open Quay for profit. He could have left it leveled and had a grand estate. Instead, he invited people to live there again because they lost everything once. He can give them something back. While he is capable of empathy, Yussa may not always openly show it.

▶ I BECOME BORED OR LOSE INTEREST WHEN THE DISCUSSION GETS HIGHLY THEORETICAL.
▷ 5; Absolutely not, that's when he becomes more engaged and interested.

▶ I RARELY FEEL INSECURE.
▷ 1; the benefit here is sheer life experience. Yussa has lived for centuries and has, by most measures, retired from a life of adventuring with the majority of his life left to live. There is very little he feels insecure about, whether it is who he is, what he does, or how he does it. He's prone to some arrogance, but he thinks he's earned that.

▶ I AM STILL BOTHERED BY MISTAKES I MADE A LONG TIME AGO.
▷ 3; Yes and no. He thinks of mistakes of the past and he thinks of what he has lost, otherwise he would not have withdrawn from the life he used to live. At some point he made the calculation that living a solitary life was better than continually exposing himself to changing tides. If there are things he regrets, he rarely shares them openly.

SUIT REQUESTS: Diamonds or Spades; Diamonds appeals because Yussa is a wizard and his mind is his playground, so the prospect of having that completely derailed by intense physical needs/"base" urges and feelings would be fun. On the other hand, Spades plays into the fact that Yussa is already morally grey and exhibits some of the traits in the Spades group (dominant, selfish, possessive, weak to temptation), but to see those turned up to 11 would be fascinating and just as interesting would be seeing him sinking into some of the traits in that group that aren't typical for him: submission, anxiety, cruelty, volatility, etc. Either one would be a lot of fun for different reasons.
RANK REQUESTS: I love playing Yussa with power at his fingertips, which is what he's accustomed to in canon. This allows him to be benefactor or nightmare depending on his mood and relationships. He'd be most comfortable in one of the higher ranks (8 and up) and motivated to keep that rank. That being said, if he finds himself in a low-ranking position, he also has plenty of motivation to improve that.
SAMPLES: TDM thread 1 and TDM thread 2; PSL thread