[b]Name:[/b] Cornelia Aerthur [b]Age:[/b] 30 [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Sexual Orientation:[/b] Unknown [b]Role in Society:[/b] Clergy/Commoner [b]Occupation:[/b] Justiciar of Analil [b]Legend:[/b] The Fireblood Woman "All of us have fire in our hearts. The passion and drive to be better than what the Gods first create us as. That ember that keeps us going in the darkest of times. But the Justiciar, that lass who serves our Lady Analil...it's an inferno within her, a maelstrom of searing heat that won't ever go out! I seen it, seen the Justiciar walk out of the burning remains of that church, cloaked in fire and burning, carrying the Head Matron, eyes ablaze. She didn't flinch, even as her skin roasted. We've all got fire in our hearts...but she...she's an inferno." - Common Tavern Tale From Drunk Patrons Cornelia became known as the Fireblood Woman when, at the young age of 7, she emerged from the burning wreckage of the Abbey of Analil. Though no one knows how the fire had started, it consumed the entire building in a matter of moments. Cornelia and her friend Fiona were trapped inside. When Fiona passed out from the smoke, Cornelia swaddled her in a soaked tapestry and raced through the corridors to escape. Her body began to burn, but she continued to run, ignoring the searing pain as she was cooked within the walls of the abbey. Reaching the entrance, the roof caved in, draping her entire body in a burning curtain that billowed out behind her. As she escaped the holocaust, the curtains billowed out behind her, and to bystanders, it appeared sheets of flame were emanating from the girl, causing the legend that within her body churned not blood, but pure fire that was escaping through her wounds. [b]Appearance Picture:[/b] [hider][img]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/lydyn1/ddq-mercedes_zps8zpolswi.jpg[/img][/hider] [b]Appearance:[/b] Most of Cornelia's lower body is covered in old burn scars. Healing magic will never cause the scars to leave, possibly due to the age she received them. [b]Personality:[/b] Patient, ponderous, and calm is the best way to describe Cornelia. Where others would react, she thinks. Where others would leap to action, she contemplates all paths laid before her. Despite this, she is far from sedentary or slow. If given the chance however, she prefers to go over all the facts and make a decision based off logic and thought rather than gut instinct and emotion. Her training as a Justiciar has lead to this methodical mindset and because of it, she finds many alternatives and tiny details that others overlook. She attempts to maintain a neutral outlook on life, trying to remember that the world is not black and white, but a murky shade of gray that shifts and convulses together. However, this has lead to a heavy dose of apathy and the occasional viewing of living beings as cogs in a machine, to be observed rather than interacted with. There is no one more devoted or passionate to the Stalwarts, however, and her ponderous ways make her a tenacious and resourceful trailer. It is a rare criminal who can get her to call off a hunt for them. [b]Skills:[/b] Shieldwork (Master) - Cornelia uses a gargantuan tower shield in her offhand, and has developed a combat style that makes her defense from the front nigh impenetrable. Even against much larger foes, her defense is rock solid. This works especially well in urban or narrow spaces, where she can force enemies to face her directly from the front in one on one combat. Longsword (Expert) - When paired with her shield, Cornelia's fighting style is a slow, methodical advance that is difficult to halt at best. Her fighting leaves no openings, focusing on a careful advance that pushes enemies back with little respite. Blacksmithing (Journeyman) - Constant combat, heavy use, and the battering from howling criminals has given Cornelia a lot of experience mending her equipment. Medical Attention (Novice) - She can stop the bleeding, but the wound will still need a proper doctor to look at it. [b]Combat Flaws:[/b] Cornelia's excellence at dueling is lost if she is surrounded. Her slow footwork, methodical style, and reliance on her shield means fighting multiple opponents is essentially a death sentence without someone watching her back. She cannot react in time to multiple attacks from different fronts, and will be cut down if not properly supported in such situations. In wilderness, or areas where the enemy can fan out and get behind her while keeping pressure on her front, is where this is most obvious. Her reliance on the shield also means that without it or some kind of defensive armament, her entire combat style is lost, and she becomes little better than a highly disciplined militia or man-at-arms. [b]Personality Flaws:[/b] Apathetic - Despite being a member of a group that emphasizes atonement and redemption. Cornelia seems very apathetic towards those she has deemed guilty or criminals. This extends even to petty crime, putting thieves and swindlers a step below human in her eyes. As such, she frequently forgoes *or is prevented from taking* the role of Judge and instead focuses heavily on capturing, jailing, and punishing criminals. But there have been accusations of her simply judging someone based off her own bias or unfounded evidence. Lethargy - While Cornelia can build up quite a head of steam for something she is passionate about, subjects that bore her are met with frequent yawning, head bobbing, and more often than not she simply dismisses those she deems boring or a waste of time. [b]Abilities:[/b] [u]Break The Advance[/u] - Cornelia can use her shield to block any incoming blow, no matter the origin. This can be as simple as stopping a mounted charge from overrunning her to as legendary as shifting a catapult's boulder to the side. Put simply, she can stop anything with this ability, no matter the size or impact. However, she can only use this when she's standing completely still, and braced for the attack. A surprise attack will bypass this ability entirely. Braced and ready, however, there is quite literally nothing that can get past her shield, simply being turned aside or stopped in its tracks. [u]Eyes of Justice[/u] - A far simpler ability than Break The Advance, Cornelia can tell when someone is lying flawlessly. This requires her to make eye contact and keep it while the individual speaks. She uses this often when questioning criminals or potential witnesses. If Cornelia breaks eye contact before the lie or truth is finished causes the ability to fail, giving her at best a hunch whether or not it was factual. Blinking does not count as breaking eye contact, neither does it count if the person she is talking to breaks it. So long as Cornelia remains focused on them after initial contact, she can tell if they are lying. [b]Backstory:[/b] Left to the sisters in the mountain monastery of Analil by her commoner parents, Cornelia was given a chance at a life outside of poverty, raised in pious devotion. She became fast friends with the only other child within the walls, a girl named Fiona, the illegitimate love child of a noble and his mistress. The two were to be nuns to the Goddess of Justice, holy and pure. Until a fire consumed the monastery, burning out the lives of many trapped within. Through hellfire and collapsing architecture, Cornelia pulled herself from the inferno, carrying Fiona with her, to safety, suffering massive burns in the process. However, against all odds, the young child survived and managed to save her friend. The surviving members of the church took refuge in a small village nearby. Over the years, the sheltered Cornelia would bear witness to the brutality and ravages of a border village. Criminals wreaking havoc, corrupt soldiers taking hand outs, and merchants overcharging for basic needs and goods. A bitterness began to grow within the girl, but instead of turning into hatred, it was tempered by the infinite patience of Fiona into a determination to improve the world around them. As the monastery was finally given the funds to rebuild, the now 20 year old Cornelia took a dominant role in it's growth, convincing the sisters within to take up a more...strict...outlook on the tenants of Analil. The church was redesigned with this purpose, becoming a defensible position that embedded itself deep into the mountain. Nearby villages, tired of being ignored and eager to join this new cause, abandoned their homes to live and help with the construction. Cornelia spearheaded the cause, and while many would have preferred her to take over as Matron of the sect, she consistently refused, instead allowing Fiona to take the role. Cornelia herself became Head Justiciar, leading the jailers and hunters to bring criminals to face trial and judgement. At 30 years, Cornelia's legend as the Fireblood Woman, and as a relentless bloodhound for Analil, has earned her the attention of many. However, her dogged nature and tenacity, alongside an iron will, earned her the attention and blessings of Jergal. Kingdom Sheet [b]Name:[/b] Stalwarts of Analil [b]Location:[/b] Mountains [b]Society:[/b] A monastery turned military fort and maximum security prison, the Stalwarts of Analil embody the goddess' sense of justice and penance. While originally, the church had been a simple abbey that had burned down under mysterious circumstances, it has since been converted into a formidable defensive town. Known as the Fortchurch Prison, The Stalwarts emphasize a strategy of flawless defense. A siege would be difficult and long on this position, with deep tunnels and catacombs holding massive storages of food, water, medical supplies, and weapons. Within these tunnels as well lie the jail cells of criminals who scorned Analil's forgiveness and offer of repentance. When a criminal stands for crimes too heinous to disallow punishment, or the limits of the kingdoms' laws prevent their capture, the Stalwarts are called in to bring them to justice. These souls are taken to the Fortchurch, where they stand trial before the Justiciars of Analil. Those who claim repentance are given the chance, confined to the fort for years until their oath is proven genuine, after which they are drafted into the Stalwarts and trained as warriors. Those who are found lacking, untrue, or retaining their villainy are executed or confined eternally below the earth. Life as a Stalwart is more favorable than death to many though, and some criminals, rather than rot in a cell, will volunteer to serve the Fortchurch. [b]Unique Notes:[/b] The Stalwarts of Analil hold no loyalty to any particular kingdom, but offer their services as jailers and judges to all freely. They are known for being an impartial third party. The current head of the Stalwarts is Matron Fiona De'Gaspard, a rather young, but intelligent woman who believes anyone can be redeemed. [b]Other:[/b] The Stalwart warriors are known for heavy shield tactics that use tight phalanxes of warriors. Their style focuses on a crushing advance that deflects attacks while pushing the enemy back, making them incredibly effective in the tight valleys and narrow roads of the mountains. ((Lydyn, will finish after work, just reserving my spot and interest as we discussed.))