Short Bio: Kind, calm, and reliable, this swordsman of the austere frozen wastes of Kindred has honed himself into a willing human weapon. Like all young men of his country, Archem, Vale was born into a life of poverty and war. He had no mother, but a stern and loving father. Eventually, his parent was called upon to do his duty by the state, and now occupies the most honorable position of any army- six feet underground. Now an orphan, Vale was sent to and grew up in a small backwater village; the only reprieve being the annual visits by representatives of the imperial army, who would whisk away the young men of the village to what was surely a glamorous life of adventure and heroism. These childhood dreams made sure that would never miss the opportunity to see the colorful and majestic Imperial soldiers of his sovereign, King Archem. In fact, his fondest childhood memory was of one of these soldiers, the bright red scarf flying boldly like a pennant in the ever frosty winter air.
Once it was his turn to follow in his father's footsteps, the boy took the opportunity with relish. The constant clash of swords became his cadence, a hail of gunfire his orders. For many years, skill developed alongside an almost unnatural amount of luck has seen him through countless opponents, and eventually he became both a competent soldier and a good man. He remembers and little of the events leading up to the intersection, his most recent memory being in pitched combat with a dangerous opponent. He recalls blacking out after being impaled through the stomach, but found no scar upon his awakening. He decided not to dwell on this abnormal turn of events, preferring to move ever forward. Though he remains determined to press on, a sense of unease haunts his nightmares...
Personality: Long years of fighting have done little to stymie his general enthusiasm, and his presence is often described as a "light in the darkness." Naturally cheerful despite the circumstances, the immense amounts of bloodshed he has seen don't seem to have left any lasting mental scars. He enjoys reading, and his natural inquisitiveness drives him to understand the new worlds around him. He has a keen sense of personal pride, a sense of honor that he will defend above all else. This overzealous regard for honor can lead to poor decisions, and he will occasionally do evil deeds to defend it.
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Abilities:
He wields a long sword with a rough and reliable efficiency, a self taught technique that focuses on wide strokes that assault large numbers of opponents. He forces enemies to keep their distance with sheer speed, but has few defenses once the distance is closed. Some of his innate qualities are that he is somewhat faster than a skilled human soldier, and remains incredibly lucky. His most useful ability is that he can absorb considerable amounts of punishment, enabling him to weather brutal assaults that would slay normal soldiers. This remarkable quality has led him to take a rather reckless approach to combat, and throws himself into bombardments to act as a meatshield. This durablity has limits however, and if he takes too much damage in a short amount of time, his stay on the battlefield will be relatively short. These, coupled with an analytical mind that can reveal the basics of an opponent's strategy, makes him a tenacious and unpredictable opponent. Despite abilities above the norm, he has all of the weaknesses of a normal human, and he is particularly affected by magic. Necromancy is particularly effective, and life draining spells can render him weak and susceptible to a death blow. They have the curious effect of making him very emotionally and mentally unstable, sparking a berserk rage in which he no longer has any regard for his or others' safety. This state is a double edged sword, though it discourages his opponents from making an approach, he can be easily killed with a steady hand or a ranged assault. These episodes can be calmed by white magic, but he either doesn't remember or refuses to acknowledge them. He has a very strange aura, which flickers and fades in and out of existence. This anomaly gives him a very distinctive energy signature, making stealth impossible to those who are adept in the arcane arts.
Appearance: Has longish black hair and a thin, tan face. Light brown skin and black, almond shaped eyes are distinctive traits in his homeland, as is his relative tallness at 5'10. His body is lean and muscular, resembling the coils of a knotted rope.
Primary Weapon
Vale wields Manere, a longsword of unknown origin that moves as fluidly as if it were an extension of his mind. It is roughly four feet long, with eleven inches to the hilt. It is very durable, almost as much as its master, seems to be adamant to any assault of magic or technology. It has no other extraordinary characteristics, and as its been his only companion through countless engagements, Vale can no longer remember where he obtained it.
Equipment
He wears a comfortable and well worn canvas cloak, dusty and frayed at the edges with age. Under this, he has black pants and gloves, embroidered with sigils that prevent wear and tear. Finally, he wears a gray tunic under a damascened breastplate, and tough brown boots, all standard issue equipment from his days in the service. He has little skill with medicine, but keeps several small rolls of bandages with him just in case.
Originally Posted by MelonHead
). They all seemed ridiculously powerful.
