West

Biography

James Easterling was a true child of destiny. Slated to Awaken to great power, and eventually lead the Ungala Draconis against the Exarchs, he would also find true love with a woman that would one day also Awaken and become Hierarch.

Except it never happened.

His future was divined by a powerful Acanthus, Joseph Severn, who would then try to 'help' fate by moving the orphan boy to live with the Proxim family who would be the source of his future love. Presumably Severn did this to also facilitate teaching both children.

Unfortunately, a pylon of Seers also were watching, and attacked the children when they were older, succeeding both in killing the girl, and setting James on a new path.

Awakening

James would Awaken in the same fire that killed his step-sister^[2], and later learn that fire to be a purposeful attack by Seers of the Throne^[3]. He would then later join the military, cutting all ties with his foster-parents and Severn until several years later, when his foster parents were also killed. At this time, Severn was able to convince him to join the Adamantine Arrow and put his military training to use. It was on one of his first missions as a new Arrow that West would begin a short romance that would later take him to Sacramento.^[4].

Baltimore

FateSpinners

Shortly after being elevated to First Talons, West and Kai were sent to Baltimore to investigate a series of murders. There, they met with Magister Peter Chang, and joined fellow Arrows Uriel and Thunderbolt Guardian Susan Wells in uncovering the mystery. Splitting up into teams, Kai, Uriel, and West tracked down one of the conspirators to a casino called FateSpinner's, which was located in an anti-magic zone. Unable to use magic, the trio assaulted the casino, with the aid of a Guardian of the Veil, Apophis, who did not survive the encounter^[5]. The conspirator, JoAnne White, was revealed to be working under duress, with her son held hostage for her cooperation.

The Archangels

The trio formed an impromptu cabal, The Archangels, and went to meet with Chang, bringing JoAnne. To their dismay, they found the Arrow headquarters in shambles. West's Postcognition revealed an encounter with Awakened assailants, which left Susan Wells dead, and Peter Chang lost in the Twilight. While deciding their next course of action, the apostate Soul arrived, with a revenant -- a former Guardian comrade name Ridley. A disagreement ensued, and West shot Soul twice, forcing him to yield. Without the Mastigos Guardian Ridley, the trio was forced to seek out a non-partisan apostate by the Shadow Name of The March Hare.

Arriving at her Sanctum, they were ambushed by the same Obrimos sniper that had attacked the Arrow headquarters. While Kai moved March to safety, Uriel stood in the window, using his command of Forces to keep the sniper bullets from flying true. West, meanwhile, began to track the sniper, but not before the sniper was able to ignite a fuel truck next to West. Amazingly, West survived, and used the kinetic ripples of the bullets to track the sniper, moving at superhuman speeds. The sniper managed to escape, leaving only a calling card naming him "The German".

The Descent

With JoAnne and March, the Archangels were able to locate the whereabouts of JoAnne's son, who they went to rescue. It was then they discovered an Apprentice Moros was being Ridden by a Spirit, who was forcing him to hold the boy hostage. Although the boy was rescued, Kai inadvertently killed the apprentice, a death that would rock the Arrow to his core.

Spirit King

Thomas, JoAnne's son, revealed that his abductor had been Kaa, a Thyrsus apostate who had earlier claimed to be communing with the spirits to discover the murderers identity. This claim was bolstered by his lover, Madelynne, The Mad Hatter, a Thyrsus of the Mysterium held in high regard. The group of Mages headed to a park known to be frequented by Kaa, to open a Gate into the Twilight.

Upon entering the Twilight, they were greeted by the sight of Kaa and Madelynne conversing with Hephaestus, a powerful Obrimos of the Silver Ladder. Warping the sound waves, Uriel let the Archangels eavesdrop, and hear that Hephaestus was in process of betraying them. West shot Hephaestus, while Kai assaulted Kaa. Both men fell, leaving Madelynne. Madelynne struck back with a wave of high dosage radiation, revealing herself to be Ridden by an Acamoth. Uriel was eventually able to encase her in earth, then transmuted it into lead, before the radiation could kill them all. The lead tomb was then later apported to fall to the bottom of the ocean.

Aftermath

In the wake of the Spirit King's War, The Archangels re-formed Baltimore's Awakened community, under the guidance of a tulpa bearing Susan Wells' memories. JoAnne and West became lovers, drawn together by the mutual bond of a shared Path. West would also pursue an Awakening Gambit with her son, who was himself the product of two Mages.

Months later, Kai, March, West, JoAnne, and Thomas were ambushed by a Seer Pylon. The attack was led by a Thyrsus named Pandora, whom West had been having an tumultuous affair with since arriving in Baltimore. Only Kai, March, and West survived; JoAnne, and Thomas perished. In the original iteration, Kai was killed as well, but West used his ability with Time to Shift Sands and save his partner. West pursued Pandora, eventually killing her. Kai and West left Uriel, disbanding The Archangels, to travel to Sacramento on orders from the Adamantine Arrow. Kai would eventually return to Baltimore to be with The March Hare, rebuilding the city's Awakened community, and trying to rescue Chang.

Sacramento

After Baltimore, West was assigned to Sacramento, along with his partner Kai and his two apprentices, Azrael and Circe -- both of whom left shortly after. West would meet Ankh, a recently Awakened Maged who had returned home, to Sacramento, and eventually convince her to join the Adamantine Arrow. She, Kai, and he would form a new cabal, The Neidan.

Upon arriving, politics immediately entrenched West and Kai, and would culminate in a Duel Arcane^[6] that would ripple through the fledgling Consilium. One of the side effects would be to cause the other Orders to fear the new Arrow, and thus West's interest in Phrymides^[7] would turn a routine investigation into a terse confrontation. It would also pave the way for him to realize his attraction to Ankh^[8].

The new cabal would soon prove themselves by stopping a Banisher attack at Sacramento University^[9], and by confronting Niles Plotski^[10], which would allow Tyria Primoria to suggest his as Iodor Undrichmann's replacement^[11] during the Consilium meeting^[12] when Magister Undrichmann left to investigate the murder of Peter Cartright.

The strain of the new city took it's toll on Kai, however, and West's longtime companion returned to Baltimore^[13]. Although West would visit him^[14] on occasion, his duties as Magister and relationship with Ankh marked Sacramento as his new home.

Ankh would leave Sacramento to find her own destiny. It was after this that West performed an Awakening Gambit on Emily Gideon, who would become the mage Vae^[15]. Eventually, as with Ankh, West would begin a relationship with Emily; a recurring theme, his inability to distance himself from his Apprentices. Oddly enough, this would be the second 'Emily' in a row, after a brief fling with Emily Ravenwood.

Despite his ties to the Lie, and Vae, West could feel himself become more and more distant. As much as he tried to immerse himself in the training of new Arrows or his Legacy, his Soul yearned for it's Destiny -- the only part of which was left, to ascend his Soul and wage war against the Exarchs^[16].

Awakening Continuum

After finding out that Tyria Primoria is attacked on her way back to the main group^[17], West sets out with Ash and Joshua Morris to rescue her. Unfortunately, they're too late, and Tyria is killed. While Joshua and West hold off attackers, Ash speaks to Tyria's ghost and becomes the bearer of her final message. Just as they're about to leave, a specter from West's past --Pandora-- appears to confront them. West holds off her and Vector while Ash and Joshua Morris make a run for it^[18].

West manages to fight off Vector and kill Pandora, but is gravely injured. He makes his way to a car and begins ollowing Ash and Joshua Morris. Ash, fearing hostile pursuit, takes evasive action, causing West to lose control and crash^[19]. Later, Orphan would also pass by the wrecked car, but ignores it^[20], leaving West to die from his injuries^[21].

The Secret

Alluded to, but never directly said, West had an affair with a Seer of the Throne while in Baltimore. Ultimately, the Seer called Pandora would betray him and ambush the Pentacle Mages, costing JoAnne and her son Thomas' lives. The guilt would manifest in West's Daimon^[22] and Pandora would reappear in the Awakening Continuum^[23].

• Pandora, and Baltimore, were all chronicled through play on another site.

Glimpses

Encounters

• Changelings: Arch*, Al-Adin, Terri Nutkins
• Vampires: Asa Clarke*, Erika Brady*, Ishani Naetesh*, Martha Villiers, Victoria Stamford
• Werewolves: Emily Ravenwood, Matthew Greene, Matt Kelly