Javon Constanzia

The Shield Singer of Sparnell

Master Sub-Officer Constanzia Javon (a.k.a. Connie)

Unusual for a member of the Javon Family, Constanzia has no skills in Shielding Magic at all, instead using her natural abilities in Anemancy and her love of music to compose songs with her husband, Javon Vox Taranis. Their combined efforts led to the invention of Shield Dancing, performative dances which strengthen Shielding Magic at a planetary scale.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Unable to master more than the basics of Shielding Magic and more interested in music and the artistic pursuits of her poetic neighbor Vox Taranis, Constanzia spent most of her youth under threat of disownment from the prestigious and powerful Javon Family. She refused to listen to the threats, instead developing her natural skills in Anemancy with the help of her father, a former Kane Family Battle Mage. By the time of her Conscription at the age of sixteen she had invented multiple air-based magical instruments, and completely abandoned all practice of Shielding.   Displeased with her disregard for the Family honor as well as her disregard for their reputation, the Javon Family Chair issued an ultimatum: find some way to contribute, or join the ranks of the disowned.   In despair she fled to her childhood friend Taranis, one year her junior, only to discover he, too, had been granted a similar ultimatum from the Vox Family, his own mother unable to sway the Vox Family Chair's determination to submit his name as a Communications Afterlife Intelligence for one of the many ships in the Sparnell Armed Forces' fleet.   Together, they vowed to find a way to use their preferred skills – her music and his poetry and prose – to improve the lives of those within the Sparnell Confederation and hopefully rediscover the favor of their Families.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Perhaps you have some value after all.
— Javon Family Chair
  It was Constanzia's love of Vox Taranis that led to their solution. Helping him with his own efforts to gain his Family's favor, Constanzia noted the newfound energy in his work when she played her music and wondered if the effect would carry into other endeavors.   With Taranis' help with lyrics, the two composed an upbeat song utilizing her anemantic compositions and magically-enhanced vocal abilities. After repeated requests for an opportunity to test her theory the Javon Family Chair finally permitted her to perform the composition during a Shielding Magic training session for the younger teens in the Family, surprising everyone when they were able to maintain their concentration for longer despite the increased stimulus.   Determined to prove the results a fluke the Chair ordered her to perform again, this time for the younger children, in the hope her music would serve instead as a distraction. Enthralled by the song the children began to dance to her rhythm, with the added effect of synchronizing their magic-sharing Apotheturgy and strengthening their spells.   Constanzia was directed to compose additional music, with each new song tested on the more experienced Shielding Mages, until it became apparent that both the music and the communal dancing provided a consistent, positive impact on planetary-scaled Shielding Magic. The art of Shield Dancing was born.

Failures & Embarrassments

I wish someone had warned me there was such a thing as too much success.
— Master Sub-Officer Javon Constanzia
  Constanzia's success revolutionized the art of planetary Shielding, and began a flurry of offers for political marriages with many prominent and less prominent Sparnelli Families across the Confederation. But Vox Taranis already held her heart, and she his. Her declaration that his poetry held a central role in her successes secured their opportunity to marry, also beginning a political fued between the Javon and Vox Families, each claiming a right to the newlyweds and the glory from their discovery.   A series of unexpected and quite probably faked scandals finally undermined the Vox Family's claim, ending the two year feud and leaving Taranis' former Family's reputation in tatters until Vice Admiral Vox's unexpected success with the Five Hundred Fun Ways to Die broadcast several decades later.   The couple did not escape this battle unscathed. Taranis bears no love for his former Family, but the Javons clearly consider him an auxiliary to their Constanzia and continue to treat him as such, even rejecting his right to add his name to hers on their shared compositions. Worse, as none in the Family wish to learn their skills in music and song, Constanzia had been deemed Irreplaceable and has thus been denied the right to choose to pass to the Afterlife. At Taranis' urging, Constanzia has repeatedly refused to continue her work unless Teranis is bestowed the same "honor" as well, and so the Javon Family keeps a reconstruction clone available for both in case of their demise.  
Where my Beloved walks, so too shall I
Through bitter strife and shattered sky
Til both may rest as one.
— Javon Vox Taranis

Social

Family Ties

Constanzia is an accepted member of the Javon Family, despite her lack of skill in Shielding Magic, due to her invention of Shield Dancing and the subsequent advancement of the Family honor. She does not take her position for granted, having witnessed first hand the disownment that awaits her should she fail to maintain her competence in the role.   She is happily married to Javon Vox Taranis, and maintains a cordial relationship with the Vox Family to ensure her and her husband's safety should she fall from honor in the Javon Family's eyes. Aside from the necessary politics, she and Taranis lead private, unremarkable lives, exactly as they'd hoped.   The two have no children, having decided the pressures of the Confederation are not a suitable environment. Instead they assist the younger, less popular members of the Javon Family in discovering their own survival tactics in the harsh Sparnelli meritocracy. Navarch Javon Arlise secretly remains a favorite of the couple, largely for her personal successes with the Mordena and the distress they bring to the Javon Family leadership, although Constanzia firmly believes Arlise would have done better to keep her efforts inside the Family and improve the lives of those within the Confederation.  
Their methods are unconventional, but Javon Constanzia and that husband of hers have salvaged many of our children from shame and disownment, and so with cautious optimism I will allow their efforts to continue.
— Javon Family Chair

Social Aptitude

Mild and soft spoken around the rest of her family as befitting her lack of natural skills in Shielding Magic, Constanzia nonetheless rises to the occasion when called upon to lead her Shield Dancers in defense of a planet or military installation. Here she is in her element, her Anemancy-fuelled music providing the harmony and rhythm into which she weaves her songs, her voice itself directing her dancing teams into the synchronization required to strengthen their defensive spellwork.   The rest of the time she actively avoids the attentions of her Family and admirers, devoting her attentions to her poet husband and their more personal musical compositions.  
If they only notice me when they need something from me, my reputation will speak of how I meet their expectations, and the rest of my life will be my own.
— Master Sub-Officer Javon Constanzia
Known Magic
Anemancy
Apotheturgy
Species
Conditions
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Shield Singer of Sparnell
Family
Children
Pronouns
she/her
Gender
female
Eyes
Golden Yellow
Hair
White Mane
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Long White Fur
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
As wars wage on in Voids above
An angry battle zone
The real work happens here below
As we defend our own!   With hidden might we Shield our skies
From those who would cause harm
They cannot break united fronts
There's no cause for alarm   Sparnelli strength begins at home
With glory and with fire
None stand alone with Family here
To halt each false desire   The children hide away in fear
Beneath our Shield to cow'r
But all the universe's might
Shall not surpass our pow'r!
— Song of the Beseiged, Master Sub-Officer Javon Constanzia (written by Vox Taranis)

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Cover image: Planet Moon Solar by LoganArt
Character Portrait image: Javon Constanzia by CityRay

Comments

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Feb 8, 2022 22:02 by Amélie I. S. Debruyne

Great article! Their families both sound completely awful! I'm glad they both managed to find each other and to get some of he life they wanted in the end, even if they have to pay a heavy price for it. and that they are helping the children of the family in a way nobody was there to help them... Is their music also enjoyed/popular as simply music, or is it all focus on military applications? I imagine that if people associate it with war, it maybe not be something they want to listen to outside of that... :(

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Feb 8, 2022 22:14 by Morgan Biscup

The Confederation is very much geared toward war, sadly. Some of the songs are popular as patriotic themes, too.   They have their own music they write together for each other, too. Much more personal, and private, but it's their secret gifts to each other. Makes the centuries pass a bit easier. <3

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 8, 2022 22:31 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Aww, I love her and her husband. :( I'm so glad she was able to at least persuade them to give Taranis a resurrection clone too. Imagine how lonely it would be to spend eternity without him.

Emy x
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Feb 8, 2022 22:38 by Morgan Biscup

He is her light. <3

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 9, 2022 01:50 by George Sanders

Whew. I am glad they can leverage their power to get something of a kind of support from their families! It was fun to read and just as I was feeling really bad for them, they pushed back in your story. Well done.

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Feb 9, 2022 02:24 by Morgan Biscup

You have to be resilient to survive the Confederation. So glad you enjoyed!

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 9, 2022 07:03 by Stormbril

Awwww, the love story built through the beginning of the article and their story is truly lovely. The way they're both sort of at the point of being cast out, yet find each other, and through that find a new way of improving the methods of casting shield magic is excellent.   And then I love how it sorta turns into a political drama with scandals and lies xD Constanzia and Taranis seem like really lovely people, I feel bad they had to go through with that kind of pressure D: The part about them assisting other younger members of the family is excellent.   There's so much great characterization of what kind of people they are, what kind of person Constanzia is, and I love how it's told. Great work Solar <3

Feb 9, 2022 12:26 by Morgan Biscup

Thank you so much, Stormbril!

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 9, 2022 10:34

Great read! Wow would not want to live with those families! Good that they managed to find a solution and did not become Disowned.

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Feb 9, 2022 12:29 by Morgan Biscup

Confederation politics are no joke. All about amassing power and prestige, and the Families with the most power have no qualms about pruning the family tree.

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 9, 2022 18:24

Nice article. I particularly like the song you've included in the sidebar and the way you've used the quotes to transition the timeline.

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Feb 9, 2022 18:50 by Morgan Biscup

Thank you so much!

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 9, 2022 22:57

Man, noble families this challenge just hate on the people who just want to make music. Interesting that they have a pseudo-immortality through clones that can be forced on people. I also found it sort of ironic that the two are so valuable for their use of magic, but nobody wants to learn to do what they do.

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Feb 10, 2022 01:40 by Morgan Biscup

They invented it! There is prestige in that, which is the currency of power in the Confederation.   But there's no prestige in imitating the work of others.

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 11, 2022 18:49 by R. Dylon Elder

Woah, wait. Planetary scale?! That's a cool idea. Also oof. Disowned? That's rough. I love the way you incorporate bards into vazdimet. I like that she fills a very niche kind of role but one that can really make a HUGE difference. I mean planetary scale, just by communal dancing?   Her accomplishments are really cool as well. It's rare to see someone who managed to create new instruments, magic or otherwise. Speaking of... are their any examples?   Well done as always. She's amazing, and I'm eager to learn more about shield dancing. Sounds like fun.

Feb 12, 2022 03:49 by Morgan Biscup

Thank you! One of these days I will write my Shield Dancing stub, haha. Planetwide Shields are possible without the dancing, too, but it makes it easier/require less people which is a huge deal when you actually need a Shield.   I don't have instrument examples yet. I would love to add some but my inspiration is not helpful for that at the moment, so will have to wait. Her magic lets her control the movement of Air though, basically, so amplify and/or suppress sounds or play some really cool woodwinds.   Thank you for your kind words

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Feb 15, 2022 21:57 by E. Christopher Clark

The concept of Shield Dancing is so great! And I love the conflicts you've woven into their lives. As Amelie's already said, these families sound awful—but that makes for great story!

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Feb 16, 2022 01:14 by Morgan Biscup

Thank you so much!

Lead Author of Vazdimet.
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
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