[hider=Zugos Velarium][center][img]http://i.imgur.com/CrAZ7xT.jpg[/img][/center] [/hider]

[center][h2][color=ed1c24][b]O[/b]:2[/color] [color=39b54a][b]D[/b]:2[/color] [color=00aeef][b]S[/b]:6[/color][/h2][/center]
[hider=Rune's Soul State]
 [center] [b]Modified Appearance:[/b] [/center]
When entering his Soul State, Rune is wrapped in a translucent, reddish aura that hums and crackles as he moves. Whenever he uses any of his abilities, the aura flares, snapping out and forming black lightning with an outline of red. 

[center][b]Modified Skills:[/b][/center]
[list] 
[*] [b][D1S1][/b] Windwhirl: The range of his power increases significantly, enabling him to affect a much larger area around him and with greater force as well. 
[*] [b][O1S1][/b] Supercharge: This allows him to charge up his runes even more, granting him increased strength and dexterity. At this point, it appears that the heat from his runes doesn’t bother him anymore; the hum of power masks any discomfort and pain he might feel. 
[/list][/hider]

[b]Name:[/b] Zugos Velarium
[b]Aliases:[/b] Rune, The Mageblight.
[b]Appeared Age:[/b] Early twenties. 
[b]Actual Age:[/b] 27. Snowkin ages at the same rate as human, at least up until they reach adulthood. At that point, each snowkin ages at a different rate, depending on the pureness of their blood. Left alone, commoners can live up to 150 years, while members of the noble houses have the average life span of 500 years. 
[b]Nationality:[/b] Klonian from the Klonia Collective.
[b]Race:[/b] Snowkin
[b]Sex:[/b] Male
[b]Height:[/b] 6’2’’
[b]Weight:[/b] 175lbs
[b]Eye Color:[/b] Red
[b]Hair Color:[/b] Platinum
[b]Physical Identifiers[/b][list]
[*] [url=http://i.imgur.com/tgz2Ujj.jpg] Runes [/url] and markings etched into his arms and legs. They are of a bright red color and glitters like metal, though feel normal when touched. 
[*] His body temperature is always only lukewarm.
[/list]
[b]Appearance:[/b] Rune leads a hard, violent life, and it shows. Scars mars his pale skin, marks left behind from sword slashes, arrow wounds and even claws of beasts, but in the end, they all tell the same story: he lives. Even dressed in rough leather and tattered cloak, he cuts an impressive figure, all hard edges and coiled muscles. However, he lacks the intimidating mass of fighters; his sinewy figure more closely resembles those of sprinters and swimmers. In his cloak, he could even pass for a travelling merchant, rather than a violent mercenary who killed for gold on a daily basic. 

 For a sellswords, many would say that Rune has a pretty face. He has bright eyes, a sharp nose and strong jaw, and despite the scars than runs across his body, he has none on his face. His hair is the color of fresh fall snow, though not an uncommon color among his people, when couples with red eyes, marks the noble bloodline in Klonia. He grows it out, not long enough to pull into a ponytail yet, but still there for an enemy to grab in the midst of battle. If he were a little less vain, he would have cut it.

 Rune’s usual attire consists of a simple cuirass, one layer of boiled leather reinforced with metal plates, a linen shirt with cut off sleeves beneath, pants and leather boots. When out in the blistering sun, he adds an extra layer by donning a cloak, which is only a threadbare sheet of dark colored cloth decorated with questionable stains.      

[hider=Biography]

 When you ask them about the tale of the Dragon Spine, most will tell you the story of Snowkin. 

 They say the Kin used to be sons and daughters of Aspharia, before the voidlings came. Faced with a foe they couldn’t fell, some Kin took off in their large ships, while others stayed and guarded their home, the Plain of Glass then, the barren Waste now. Then came the Shattering. The Plain broke. The mainland Kin was wiped out.

 Years later, they returned. Battered and bloody, but stronger for it. They crossed the Waste, their former home, then made their way up the slopes of Dragon Spine. Up in the mountain, life was hard at first. Vegetation was sparse, fierce beasts roam freely in daylight and the weather was less than forgiving. And worse, the Kin soon found out their magic was completely negated in certain areas, leaving them with nothing but wit and steel. However, they stayed, regardless. Right below them, in the flatlands, other kingdoms were locked in battles with each other, vying for territories after the Shattering, and the Kin didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. So they stayed, carving a home out of the harsh terrain. 

 A few more years passed, and men around Dragon Spine all knew of the white demons from the mountains. They would descend suddenly from the mist with their battle cry, their hair white and their eyes as bright red as the blood of their victims. They were considered babarians at that time, infamous raiders and hated bandits, who lived by pillaging the villages nearby before vanishing up the slopes of Dragon Spine. Some said they were magekillers, that they had little magic of their own, and so they must rip it out from the bodies of others. Any attempt at subduing them proved futile, as mages were rendered inept as soon as they set foot up the slopes, and the snowkin used the treacherous terrain to their advantage.

 More bloodshed throughout the years before peace was formed. As the snowkin grew in number, they became more unified, more civilized. Instead of roving bands of bandits loosely associated with each other, they began to form different territories on the Dragon Spine, each ruled by its own respective lord. The lords then elected a chief, whose duty was to manage relation with outside forces and uphold justice among the lords. The system worked, to some extent. They no longer had to raid and pillage; they began trading the metals they mined for necessities from the kingdoms below. The Kin still had their conflicts though; war was in their blood. At least it was mostly among themselves now. 

 Peace lasted, and this led the Kin to mingle with other races. They had a new name: Klonians of the Klonia Collective. The term ‘snowkin’ was reserved only for nobles now, who still had the distinctive crimson eyes and white hair. Though changed somewhat in terms of appearance, Klonians still retained certain characteristics from their ancestors: fair hair, pale skin, tall stature and a preference for colder climates. 

 Rune was born Zugos Velarium, eighth son of Vinklaus Velarium, the sixth lord of his line and current chief of Klonia then. Born into noble blood, you’d think a life of luxury and decadence awaited him. 

 Not quite. 

 Despite being the scion of a noble house, Zugos was so far down the line it didn’t even matter. He would get no title and no land. Not even the smallest fraction of his line’s vast wealth and influence. In fact, his entire existence is compromising the stability of the throne; rebellions could rise in his name, rivaling houses could use him to hurt the chief. Once one of his brothers ascended, he would have to either justify his existence, or die. His father offered him a solution, when he reached the tender age of 10. It felt less like an offer though, now that he was older and wiser, more like a desperate order. Then again, he would have accepted it anyway. Back then, there was little he wouldn’t do for chief Vinklaus. 

 So he joined the chief’s personal force. They had a fancier name, but no one used it anymore, not even themselves. Some called them the Threshers. Most didn’t talk about them at all. They didn’t actually have a set role within Klonian military; Threshers answered to the chief and the chief alone, following whatever orders they were given. They acted as bodyguards, assassins, spies, consultants, or just plain soldiers, if the need ever arose. Whatever the chief wanted done, the Threshers would have operatives suitable for the job. And among these trained attack dogs of the crown, Zugos felt at home. 

 He climbed the ranks fast, relying on brilliant swordplay and unwavering loyalty, but Zugos knew better. He was one of the few snowkin gifted with magic, and all his life, he had kept it hidden. Not that his comrades would have cared, should they ever find out. Klonians had an indifferent attitude when it came to the arts of magic, mostly because of their dampening surroundings. Most magic came from outsiders, so it was considered a commoner’s craft. His father knew though, somehow. One day, when he finally woke up in the barrack after a failed mission that nearly cost him his life, Zugos found his father’s gift: a set of runes etched onto his skin. Like usual, the man didn’t ask for his consent. He didn’t mind though. Sometimes he thought he should.

 Then things happened. Zugos returned after a mission, the head of a rebel in his satchel was still fresh, leaving a trail of red as he entered the throne room. There he found his father, Vinklaus the Victor, slumped on the throne. Very dead. Around him, armored soldiers stood, weapons readied. Behind them stood his half-brother, Solveig, the third son. Zugos remembered little afterward. They talked. He asked. Solveig demanded, as usual. Then the soldiers charged. Desperation and rage fueled him, guided his blade and spurred him on, but in the end, he fumbled. It hurt, then he felt nothing at all. When he woke up, he was already miles away from the keep, lying face down in a ditch and hurting all over.

 The next couple of days, he hid and listened. They said Vinklaus died from some disease. He had been sick for a while now, or so they said. Solveig was wounded from an attack staged by unknown forces. Vikos, the eldest son, took over the throne. Zugos then left. Klonia had nothing to offer him anymore.

 Years have passed since, and he goes by a new name now.  

[/hider]

[b]Residence:[/b] Wherever his work takes him.
[b]Profession:[/b] Mercenary.
[b]Aligned Faction:[/b] None.
[b]Social Status:[/b] Commonfolk.
[b]Military Status:[/b] None.
[b]Other Status:[/b] Nylphite.
[b]Relatives:[/b] [list]
 [*] Vinklaus the Victor – Father (Deceased)
 [*] Solveig Velarium – Half-brother  
 [*] Nikos Velarium – Half-brother
[/list]

[b][color=lightslategray]Starting Gear:[/color][/b][list]
[*] [url=http://i.imgur.com/jMKW6Nb.png] Gauntlets[/url]: A pair of leather gauntlets reinforced with thick metal plates. What make these special is the fact that they are made in the same fashion as magic-damping runic shackles. However, when compared to the shackles, they heat up much faster, only able to take around 4 or 5 blasts before getting far too hot for a snowkin to bear. That is why the straps are designed in a way that allow the metal plates to be detached from the leather braces.  
[*] [url=http://i.imgur.com/OsiwkYK.jpg]
Long Sword [/url]: A simple long sword made from black steel, a type of metal found only on the Dragon Spine ranges.
[*] [url=http://i.imgur.com/e4xd1FS.jpg]
Throwing knives [/url]: Several throwing knives made from the same material as his sword. 
[/list]

[b][color=cyan]Offensive Skills:[/color][/b][list] 
[*] [b]Steel Storm[/b]: Rune has some control over metal, though the range of his ability is rather short. He can move metal objects with just his mind alone, as long as they are in range. The closer he is to the objects, the easier it is and the stronger his power gets. By imbuing his throwing knives with power, he can launch them toward a target with great force and deadly precision, without even lifting a finger.  

[*] [b] Snikt Snikt [/b] The sword is a simple weapon; nothing more than a hunk of sharpened steel, and  yet, kingdoms were built and brought to ruins by the sword. Anything with opposable thumbs and sturdy arms can learn to swing a sword, but it takes raw talent and rigorous training to master. Fortunately, having spent his formative years among the war dogs of Klonia, Rune had both in abudance. When he reaches for his sword, expect trouble. 
[/list]
[b][color=lightslategray]Defensive Skills:[/color][/b][list]
[*] [b]Collide and Collapse[/b]: By channeling his power into a field around him, he can stop metal projectiles mid-flight, or in the case of bolts from crossbows, at least alter their path away from his person. When in close quarter combat, he uses this power to either subtly divert the strikes of his opponents, or interfering with their movements. 
[/list]
[b][color=blue]Utility Skills:[/color][/b][list]
[*] [b]Revved Up[/b]: After charging the metallic runes on his body, he can increase his speed and endurance greatly, far beyond that of a normal man. In this state, he is capable of performing impressive feats, such as running/slashing at high speed, making further, higher leap and suffering less damage from falling.  
[*] [b]Haymaker[/b]: He can increase the strength behind each and every one of his sword strikes by backing them up with his power, all while allowing him to block his opponents’ attacks more effectively by using the same technique. 
[/list]
 [b][color=teal]Weakness:[/color][/b][list]
  [*] [b]Hit and Run[/b]: One of Rune’s greatest weaknesses is his poor stamina. Swinging a sword while simultaneously trying to control your opponent’s with your mind is hard work, and the Kin’s ineptitude with magic doesn’t help. It is why Rune refrains from making drastic actions with his power unless absolutely necessary. He uses it mainly to alter the flow of battle in his favor: a nudge to the blade now and then, a tug to steel boots every once in a while.
 [*] [b]Getting Hot In Here[/b]: Rune is a snowkin, and like most of his kind, heat is the bane of his existence. He has to avoid the midday sun, rarely goes outside without his trusty cloak on and dislikes campfires with a passion. As he is no longer surrounded by the familiar tundra of his homeland, Rune has to take care to make sure his body does not overheat. He also shies away from heavier and thicker armor because of the very reason.
 [*] [b]Red Iron[/b]: His runes work with the same principle of the runic shackles; they absorb the magic energy fed to them, so they also heat up gradually. Because of his snowkin physiology, he can’t tolerate much heat, so the runes can’t stay active for long. In between sessions, he often has to stop to let them cool off.
[*] [b]Keep Your Enemies Close[/b]: Rune’s power extends about 8 feet around his person, meaning beyond of this sphere, he can no longer affect anything with his power. Arguably, this can be both his strength and weakness; inside his sphere of influence, his power is potent, but as long as his opponent stays out of reach, he can do little aside from flinging daggers and insults. 
[/list]