Name: Hiyama Masaru (In traditional fashion, family name first here.)
Age: 23
Race: Oni
Appearance: That one took a while... Standing at about 6' tall, Masaru's build still only somehow manages to show a fraction of the power that he's able to put out. While not training his body or taking the occasional small drink, he usually dons a red haori over his upper body. He generally retains the shorts, though. He's not quite stocky, but not quite lean, either. What he IS, though, is well-built. When in 'demon mode', Masaru gains a pair of black horns, about an inch in height, that protrude from the top of his head, and his skin turns a shade of red that his race is most known for. During the colder months, steam may also become visible upon and during activation, though to no extreme extent.
Personality: While it would be apt to call Masaru a bit of a musclehead, that term doesn't quite do him justice. While he DOES love to train and fight, those terms do not define him as a whole. While he may be incredibly hotblooded at times and jump into action at the drop of a hat, he is also a generally jovial guy who can relax just as well as he can work. The influx of humans around the time he was born also led to him picking a few more tricks on the side. While he is honest and loyal and generally doesn't like being tricked (or tricking others, for that matter), he's not unwilling to outwit an opponent in the style of a famous Hamon user if it comes down to it. Honestly, though, at the end of the day he really just wants a good fight. Given the nature of oni and his upbringing, Masaru also has a tendency to make random small talk if he's bored out of his mind. He also loves tests of strength, but he's not a complete idiot and won't go into something that is clearly out to get him. That isn't to say, though, that he isn't curious at times...
Abilities: As an oni, Masaru has strength that transcends that of most humans, and is able to do things that seem absurd to most (for example, punching boulders into rubble). He also has an increased regenerative capability, but depending on the wound(s) and his condition this may diminish over time. There's also that classic oni alcohol tolerance, but with a lack of alcohol that's not going to be relevant any time soon. As an oni, he also has what he calls 'demon mode' (though the name varies among the race as a whole); when active, Masaru seems to grow a pair of horns from his head and his skin seems to tinge itself a shade of red and become increasingly heated the longer it remains active. During this time, Masaru has increased strength and agility, at the cost of a 'cooldown period' during which his stamina and strength are reduced. He does retain his sanity during this time, though, at the very least. Outside of that, Masaru is also well-versed in having to fight in hand-to-hand combat, often matching a few of the more experienced fighters blow-for-blow (though he also loses, more often than not). He has also dabbled slightly in the ways of blacksmithing, though he grew tired of it in about a half a year or so. At the very least, he knows the bare basics of the craft, but cannot forge anything particularly noteworthy.
Salvaged Item: A pair of steel knuckles, rounded off at the ends.
History: Masaru comes from a long line of oni, who have themselves had a pretty love/hate relationship with humans... And well, pretty much every race they come into contact with. Though born in the era of peace, the young oni never really found any 'peace' at home. An influx of people from all over the continent began to mingle about every which way, tinging Masaru's ideals with a sense of wonder and creativity. He was still raised in classic oni fashion, though; alcohol, brawls, and healthy competition made up a good chunk of his childhood, and even as a child he could match the strength of a fully grown human. This strength was honed further as the concept of 'training regimens' became spread throughout the town he was born in, and so he began to build his strength. His efforts came to fruition one day when he entered the most prestigious annual fighting tournament of Shoushu at age 22. Seen as the 'dark horse' of the tournament, Masaru came in fifth place by the end of it all, which was notable considering how many of his opponents were more experienced than he. This prowess at his age was what caused him to be chosen to be among the representatives of his nation, a fact that he has since held with honor in his heart... Regardless of the circumstances he now finds himself in.
Nation of Origin: Shoushu, a land of both men and oni.
Nation Lore: As mentioned prior, humans and oni did not have... The best of relationships. Or the worst, actually. Shoushu, as a whole, is fairly mountainous, which leads to a strange bit of convenience for both sides; the humans, more often than not, lived on the arable land down below, while the oni staked their claim in the mountains above. Humans were often fearful of the strength of the oni, who always lived so close that it probably wouldn't take more than a day to make a trip up and down any specific mountain from its base. This, of course, led to war. Fighting was... On and off. On some occasions, the humans would win and take some land, while on others, the oni would win and push the humans back. It was, in the strangest sense, a perpetual stalemate. This was before any of the other nations came into play, though. Once humans began to travel throughout the land, they found others like themselves, and so they traded. They gained technology, arms, and most importantly: magic. From then on, the tides of war slowly shifted in favor of the humans, who were rapidly descending upon the oni and methodically taking them out. Unwilling to go down without a fight, though, the oni sent out envoys to seek help from other races; it wasn't long after until both sides of the nation were involved in the political turmoil that had consumed the continent. When every other nation fell to peace, the residents of Shoushu had to uneasily lay down their arms. Animosity remained high, however, until the king of Tawken forcefully intervened (citing it to be 'within the nation's best interests') and assigned a group of advisors to each side to attempt to broker a peace deal from which everyone benefitted. As things turned out, the oni were absolutely AMAZING at brewing alcohol, on par with that of the dwarves (the two races still compete every so often) and found friends in the ogres and orcs (who also turned out to love strength). Because of these quick-forming alliances, the humans of the nation had little choice but to accept one of the most valuable economic resources there. From then on, the relationship between the two races began to defrost (though once again with a bit of force thanks to the efforts of the king of Tawken) and we are left with what we have today. As a nation, Shoushu is well known for their metalworking and alcohol production, which often puts them in competition with the dwarves, who take pride in their work just as much as the oni do in theirs. Every other race loves the competition, though, because it means higher quality products and cheaper prices. What sets them apart is the metal that they use, though; while dwarves have access to and can make outstanding works with mythril and oricalcum that can pierce the strongest defenses, the oni have access to what they call 'star steel' (which is not, in fact, found in meteorites as people so often claim it to be). Rather than the ultimate offensive metal, it would be more apt to call it the ultimate defensive metal; when the armor of the oni meets the weaponry of the dwarves, only the skill of the smiths and the strength of the wielders can determine the outcome. 'Star steel' has the ability to mitigate even the strongest of blows otherwise, though it is still prone to the regular faults of the designs of the armor itself.
Other: Actually couldn't care less about alcohol, but admits it is occasionally enjoyable. Prefers to eat a balanced diet if possible.
Age: 30. High Elf growth rates mean that her youthful, short appearance is likely as old as she will ever look. In addition, she's considered quite young by High Elven standards.
Race: High Elf
Appearance: Face and some of her upper body. Irial is very short and rather youthful-looking, and has a slender build, though her physique could be described as kind of pear-shaped. She has little to no muscle on her body at all, and could easily be described as delicate.
Personality: Irial is a proud and confident mage. She has studied since her childhood, when she was very young, and has continued to do so for her entire life. She is overjoyed at the opportunity she has been granted, as she is quite young by the standards of her kind. But thanks to her parents being unable to travel, she was begrudgingly allowed to travel. However, Irial dislikes company. She does not have any prejudices against other races, rather she treats anyone she sees as foolish with the same level of irritation and contempt. Unfortunately, Irial sees many people as foolish. She is rather sarcastic and possesses a short temper. At the same time, her attitude is in part a result of her belief that stupidity gets people hurt, and she should stop anyone she sees as being foolish from acting as such as quickly as possible. That, and it's very annoying to her. Irial is easily flustered or exasperated, and can quickly go from sarcastic comments to angry shouting if irritated enough. She is very proud of her knowledge of magic and arcane creatures, and of her capabilities as a mage for her young(for a high elf) age.
Abilities: Irial is a high elf, meaning she naturally has extensive magical capabilities. As a high elf, death from aging is not an issue, though disease, violence, starvation, or any other such causes of death are still dangerous to her. Irial herself has a wide library of spells, largely centered on Destruction, Defense, and Utility. Destruction spells include Fireball, Lightning Strike, and various other such spells. Defense features magical barriers. Utility is simply spells such as a small light for dark areas, or a spell designed to temporarily repair broken objects. Her innate magical skill is very high, allowing her to cast a variety of low-level spells without need for a catalyst. Due to her extensive capabilities she can cast very quickly, chaining two or three spells together to amplify or combine their effects. Irial is also highly studied in matters of supernatural creatures, but her knowledge of the mundane is remarkably lacking. Indeed, Irial is rather useless when it comes to mundane tasks, and is physically very weak. As with all elvenkind, however, she is much lighter then she looks and can move quickly in short bursts(more athletic elves can obviously do so for longer).
Salvaged Item: Irial's Reinestange, a polished wooden mage's staff with a pure mana crystal mounted on the tip. She's very upset none of her books survived.
History: Irial was born as the only child of the Romyre family. Due to very low elven birth rates, this is not exactly uncommon. From young childhood her parents desired for her to become an excellent mage, just as they had. After all, as the Archmage of Aman Duun, the High Elven mage's academy, her father certainly desired to have a child just as accomplished as himself. Her mother, too, as a court mage, desired a similar result. And so, even at such a "young" age of thirty, Irial become highly accomplished and knowledgeable about magic. Naturally not to the status of a truly powerful mage, but for a young elven girl it was impressive. It was not long after her thirtieth birthday that her parents were approached about the expedition to the uncharted continent. However, their duties were too important to allow themselves to leave. And their daughter, they initially asserted, too young. However, after much consideration and testing of Irial's skills, they eventually allowed their daughter to go in their stead.
Nation of Origin: Aunen Gaeth, the last land of the High Elves.
Nation Lore: Long, long ago, the High Elves ruled many lands, having split from the wood and dark elves even further in the past.. While they were excellent to their own kind, an arrogance plagued them, made them believe themselves better then other beings. This state persisted for many years, and the arrogance of High Elves drove them further and further, to greater and greater lengths to show their superiority. Naturally, such things can only end in disaster. A magical experiment to pierce the veil of reality into another world caused a catastrophe that swallowed the High Elven capital of Gehaer Leth, and wreaked havoc upon their lands, killing many high elves. The remaining elves retreated to their ancestral home, the last land relatively unharmed, Aunen Gaeth. Many of their former lands were swiftly claimed by other races. The disaster humbled the high elves, and they began to reconsider themselves. After all, they had made such a horrible mistake, perhaps their feelings of superiority were utterly undeserved? They, as a result, did not seek to reclaim their old lands. Even if they had tried, they were far too few in number to do such a thing. Indeed, it almost appeared as if the High Elven race would have died out... if not for their newly-bustling trade with humans. Some scholars believe that interbreeding with humans is the only reason there are High Elves at all today. Most modern high elves possess a small percentage of human blood, even if they do not show any human traits and possess the endless lifespan of their race. Today, the High Elves still hold pride in their work, but never will they forget the disaster their past arrogance brought upon them.
Aunen Gaeth lies to the southwest. It is a fertile land, with short winters, and holds the current High Elven Capital of Miur Taenn. The high elven population is low, but stable, as age cannot fell an elf, but birth rates are quite low. While in the past, other races were not allowed free passage into High Elven lands, today's High Elves welcome their modern allies, though few live within the borders of Aunen Gaeth.
The High Elves are ruled by the High Elven King and Queen, Tenneth Myryn and Eslieth Myryn. A large mage's college is held within the borders of the capital, and is a respected place of education.
Other: Irial is largely useless at any physical exertion. However, she can bake, due to a personal love of pastries.
"Hey, you wouldn't have seen any flower around here that has a yellow petal, would ya? I need one for, uh...'flavoring'."
"Charlotte LaChance. Now, if you don't need anything I really should be watching this beaker before it explodes." Name: Charlotte LaChance
"Twenty." Age: 20
Race: Human
Appearance: Charlotte stands around five foot six. A pale complexion with messy, somewhat unkempt dark brown hair and cold blue eyes adorn her face. She has a slender frame, with no obvious muscles as she's not entirely one for physical activity, often time spending her days reading or practicing her chosen craft. She wears comfortable clothes that look like one might expect of someone born from high-society. Short pants, held up by a belt with a golden buckle, adorned with various pouches to carry items. Comfortable shoes with long, knee-high socks. Over her upper body, she wears a thick cloak with a hood, designed mostly to protect the wearer from the cold. Rarely takes it off, even in the warmer lands she finds herself in.
Personality: Insatiable curiosity, confident, stubborn, a bit on the childish side, doesn't like not getting her way, and has a bit of a one-track mind. As such her alchemy can sometimes suffer a bit as a result. Though indeed, she is talented, and if she doesn't let her one-track mind focus on something else after she starts something, she'd be fairly successful. She prefers to spend time outdoors with her plants and other alchemy reagents than in the company of people.
She tends to come off as rather serious and no-nonsense, and often time wears a serious expression when people first meet her, though its only because she tends to have a one-track mind about things, and really doesn't like being interrupted. She's often thinking about various things and what properties plants might have.
That said, she is fairly friendly to most, and isn't hostile by any means. Just don't interrupt her work unless you have a really good reason. Aside from this, she's fairly intelligent and knows about a great deal many scholarly subjects. Mostly dealing with Magic and Alchemical pursuits, but she's read a great many number of books so she might surprise someone with her knowledge every now and then about something.
"DAMN YOUR EYES DON'T TOUCH THAT BEAKER-Argh, this is sensitive equipment!"
Abilities: Aside from the obviously impressive physical and mental abilities that humans possess, Charlotte is adept at potion brewing. Meaning, alchemy and making useful concoctions out of herbs, remedies, antidotes and other items found in the natural world. She's pretty much a savant when it comes to everything relating to it. Add that to some beginner interest in Botany, she could probably make quite the living selling and brewing potions. That said, she is still fairly young and has a lot of room for improvement in the field. Plus, almost all the flora and fauna on this new continent has yet to be documented. Meaning, until she goes around documenting and doing some trial and error, she's gonna be somewhat useless.
Not something a lot of sleepless nights watching beakers and flasks bubble can't fix, however.
A neat little list: -Good at alchemy -Fairly intelligent -Beginner Botanist -Cold tends to not bother her so much, since her home country was notoriously cold. -Not so good with animals, unfortunately. They tend to like using her as a chewtoy. -Physically speaking, she's a wet noodle strength wise. Fairly average stamina due to her fairly active lifestyle.
Salvaged Item: A simple, somewhat small glass Retort, useful in many Alchemical practices. However, it alone isn't going to be very useful. She needs an Alembic, among other things if she wants to ever create anything useful...unless she makes them herself she's probably not going to be doing anything all that useful for everyone.
History: Born in Astril, Charlotte has been brought up around magic and magic related things most of her life. Aside from that, its not particularly interesting. While she herself wasn't born into the magic-using citadel of Astril, and was instead brought up in a small farming community near the border, she has always held an interest in magic, alchemy, and scholarly pursuits herself. So in between farming duties and helping her parents run the farm, she studied all sorts of books. Ones about history, magic, and otherwise.
And when she was fourteen, she was accepted into Astril itself as a student. And as confident as she was, she was sorely outclassed by a lot of the students there who had been training formally since their birth. She spent quite a few years there struggling to keep up with the other students, and quickly found herself as a bit of a loner and outcast among her peers. Not that she particularly minded, she'd rather have her books and studies anyways. Eventually she was labeled a bit of an eccentric.
six years later, now that she's twenty, she was chosen to explore this new continent. It came as a bit of a shock to most, but among her age group and the ones chosen, she was one of the best.
Nation of Origin: Astril. A small, somewhat isolationist country known for its heavy delving into things of the arcane nature.
Nation Lore: Astril is a small nation located far to northeast of Tawken. Most of the country is cold, mountainous, and cold tundra and thick pine forests make up most of the climate. Over time, they have tamed the lands somewhat and built a thriving city located high in the frigid mountains. A tower like citadel, simply named 'Astril' over their first leader, that later became the name of their small country.
In the past, they were a small group of intellectuals, scholarly types, and Nobles that split from Tawken due to their dissatisfaction with the king and queen. They left amicably, but for the most part cut all ties they had with Tawken and whatever allies she may have had at the time. They traveled far to the north, seeking land unclaimed by others they could call home themselves. Eventually, they found their land in the cold north.
Overtime, they built a thriving nation, founded upon not on diplomacy or military might, but on science, magic, and logic. When it was first founded, they welcomed all inquiries into the arcane and scientific nature, and shunned no question or line of research...no matter how 'unethical' it might have been perceived to be. Human, animal, and all sorts of experimentation was, and still is quite common. Of course, they don't exactly advertise this fact these days. If you're going to be doing something somewhat unethical, then you are expected to keep it under wraps and deal with any unintended consequences yourself...
Eventually, the country began withdrawing from the outside world, and though they still welcome intellectuals and those who wished to pursue arts of science and magic, they had developed a bit of a mindset that those outside their walls were somewhat...barbaric and uncivilized. Typical mage superiority mindset, really. Mix that with a somewhat reactionary mindset with a healthy dose of Xenophobia, (anyone considered an outsider and not born there, not racism per se. There are a variety of races that live here) you get some pretty violent magic types.
Of course, it wasn't all easy for them. During the years of war, they refused any allies and fended mostly for themselves. They had to devote more and more resources to defending their lands, meaning quite a few non-weaponized or defense magic and technology had to be put to a halt in order to maintain their Independence from those who wished to learn what sort of magic these guys have been up to in their spare time. Even then, with their small numbers and generally small sized nation, if it could be called that, was almost taken over quite a number of times, if it wasn't for the quick thinking of their leaders.
When the wars stopped, most of the mages were thankful for it. They, by nature, weren't fighters, and most really didn't enjoy fighting unless they had too. They could finally get back to research that didn't involve spontaneously combusting someone.
When they heard of this proposition by the King of Tawken, many were eager to go. Their best, brightest, and youngest minds all competed to be sent on what was seen as a prestigious position to document anything this new continent held. The older couldn't go, after all. They were far too busy running things and they had important experiments to look after.
The unlucky bastard to get sent on this mission? Charlotte LaChance.
Misc: -Not everyone pursues magic or science here. Not everyone has the aptitude to perform equally well with magic, after all. As long as you make yourself useful, you'll probably fit in well. -A bit of a Meritocracy -Ruled by the 'Deacon of Astril' -Probably will make up more as I go.
Other: -Can be somewhat socially awkward at times, and has trouble holding a decent conversation about anything other than alchemy. -Makes some questionable potions sometimes. You really shouldn't get curious about some of the stuff she makes. -Don't bring up anything regarding an elixir of life or philosophers stone. You have been warned. If you do, bring ear plugs and make sure you don't have anything to do for the next hour. -really doesn't want to be here on this continent.
"I am Sevita Lanka. Proud Warrior of the Garuda."
Name: Sevita Lanka
Age: 24
Race: Garuda
Appearance: Sevita stands around a solid five foot eleven, and with a somewhat large frame, she comes off as fairly intimidating. Most of her people would, compared to the smaller humans. And like most of her people, she has one very noticeable feature that makes them stand out quite a bit. A pair of wings, that are strong enough to allow for swift flight, feet ending in bird like talons, along with sharp claw-like fingernails.
Physically speaking, she got quite lucky in the gene pool and would likely be considered to be fairly attractive. What with her ample...tracts of land and toned body with obvious muscle that she does little to hide. Her skin is bronze in color, with long black colored hair. Her wings are made of soft feathers and are a single rich, dark blue color throughout.
As far as clothing goes, well, her dress is simple. She dislikes heavy or restrictive clothing simply because they would get in the way of movement, especially her wings, as do most of her people. She wears a simple open backed leather top that covers most of her front and waist. On her legs, are simple shinguards, since shoes are a bit...useless for her people.
Personality: Sevita has two personality she generally works with. When she's on duty or generally in the middle of work or something similar, she can come off as incredibly blunt, somewhat cold, a bit serious and somewhat of a stick in the mud. A stickler for the rules and making sure people behave themselves, and generally following the law and traditions set out before them. Honorable in combat, she prefers to face her problems and people head on instead of beating around the bush about things and subjects. Annoying her when she's busy with something, is just one way to get on her bad side. And while she tries to remain unbiased in all situations, if she dislikes you, you will know.
She takes her job very seriously, and tends to follow orders to the letter, even if it isn't something all that honorable. After all, it would be dishonorable to go against the direct order of your Queen.
When not on duty...she's much less serious. In fact, she's a bit of a tease at times. After all, there is a time and place for such leisurely actions, and she's not afraid to drink her weight in alcohol or spend time with someone to unwind. Those who work with her, and she gets to know, may end up seeing this side of her whilst on duty sometimes, if she thinks she can afford to relax a little. Of course, she doesn't have that many friends or people she relaxes with, but she's not going to turn down the company of someone else unless they're distracting her on the job.
Abilities: The Garuda themselves, aren't too different from humans in terms of physical capabilities, aside from the obvious being able to fly and being somewhat larger physically. She has a natural physicality superior to most humans, but that's simply from her daily training regiment and not something all of her race posses, though most tend to focus quite a bit on physical pursuits. Herself, she is skilled with a spear and using one to fight and with guard duties.
As far as martial skill and flying abilities go, Garuda are extremely fast in the skies, and when diving can reach a average speed of 100Mph during a dive, and a horizontal speed of around thirty-forty miles an hour. She has incredibly good eyesight, agility, and reflexes, all of which are necessary for being able to fly safely at such speeds and to be able to react in time to avoid smashing face-first into an obstacle.
Additionally, as most Garuda do at some point in their lives when growing, they learn to build and construct things. Their massive cities in the trees often need to be repaired, or otherwise expanded. Helping with this is a bit of a standard affair. While she's no master architect, she can probably build a decent shelter if she can get someone to get her the right materials.
-Good Reflexes, Speed, Agility -Decent Strength -Good with pole-arm type weapons. -Decent at building things.
Salvaged Item: A simple, standard made spear from her people.
History: Her life has been fairly average for any of her kind. Raised in their capital inside of the Rain Forest. And like any other, she was taught the way of combat and strategy from an early age. And like most others, she entered the military. Agriculture didn't appeal to her, and being a construction worker wasn't something she was too keen on, either. So she went on the fairly normal and average path for one of her people.
What wasn't normal though, was how quickly she rose through the ranks. This was mostly because of her loyalty to the crown. With Vinush being in the unrestful state it was in, it was no secret that quite a few number of guards and law enforcement officers weren't too keen on serving the Queen. Indeed, a civil war would have likely began much earlier had it not been for the Queen and her decision.
Sevita had been approached by...an organization in an attempt to recruit her for their cause. They wanted to dethrone the queen, and take power for themselves. Something fairly reminiscent of their bloody history. Appalled that her colleagues would even suggest such a thing, Sevita refused and brought the information to the queen before they could get rid of her themselves.
The Queen, already knowing of the plot, but not having any specific names was able to use this information to find the traitors and deal with them herself. Well, had Sevita deal with them. She executed the traitors one by one.
Publicly.
As an example.
Not something one should take pride in, but loyalty to the crown is something she valued above all else. A trait her fellow kinsmen had seemed to forgotten.
Sometime later, she was chosen as the only one the queen could trust to send on the Expedition. Sevita was hesitant to leave, but she couldn't refuse a direct order...
Nation of Origin: Vinush, Grand Rain Forest.
Nation Lore: Vinush, has, and for the foreseeable future will always be a large, tropical rain forest situated on the coast of the continent. The Garuda have lived there for most of their history, though it says the various tribes migrated from somewhere further south. Most if their history is fairly violent and has been painted in blood, consisting of the subjugation of one tribe or another of their own people, bringing them under control, only to have a tribe or group split off. For a long time of their own history, they were hardly ever united. And Slavery, or at least taking prisoners of war and turning them into 'servants' was quite common.
A bit more recently, they eventually came under the flag of a single tribe, who set about unifying and making sure they were strong enough to resist outside influences and fight the humans and other 'invaders'. During the constant wars, they were one of the most instigating ones. They constantly sought to expand their own territory, and bring in manpower and labor in the way of slaves. It wasn't until recently, when a new Queen ascended the throne did she advocate for peace among her people, much to their dismay.
Of course, such a thing was difficult to do in a timely manner. There was a lot of animosity between them and the other races and countries. When the human King advocated peace among them in favor of exploration, their Queen was among the firs to agree, despite the dissidents and those in her nation that would speak against her. Mostly, because she had them swiftly dealt with, and any who disagreed was harshly punished.
Today, there is still unrest among the Garuda, but they maintain a somewhat uneasy internal peace. Some fear that they may have a civil war on their hands, soon. Most hope with the discovery of this continent, they can deter that with good news with colonies of their own.
-Fairly militaristic nation -Somewhat tribal -Hard to beat a squadron of flying, spear-wielding Garuda flying at you at forty miles an hour in combat unless you can fly as well. Grown men have soiled their pants. -Not really known for anything spectacular, and their society is seen as somewhat backwards by most others. -Slavery is a thing, here still. -Criminals are dealt with harshly and swiftly, usually a death penalty
Name: Silloko Turrkluhgon Uurgus. ...his friends call him Turk.
Age: 46
Race: Urloj, A race of reptilian humanoids.
Appearance: He stands at about six feet, with a spindly thin frame and long arms. His face structure looks like that of an amphibious dinosaur. He has large, shiny, yellow reptilian eyes and small slit nostrils and a head that extends forward. Other than that, he is a bipedal upright standing humanoid. His skin is composed of red and orange scales that aren't very slimy at all, but upon contact with water his scales stay wet for a long time. Such is life for a cold-blooded species. His hands have webbed, clawed fingers that are very dexterous, and from his mouth a long, snake-like tongue can curl forth.
Personality: Turk is an experienced Urloj, and with his experiences comes a sort of wisdom. He may not be smart or educated, but has a lot of something called common sense. He's not very literate, and he doesn't know a lot about your fancy pants magic, but he can start a fire, tie a knot and sail a ship just fine, if you ask him. He's not at all ambitious, instead choosing to enjoy the simple things in life. That being said, he's very patriotic, and has is very keen on representing his country in this new land. He's rough around the edges but isn't mean-spirited.
Abilities:
Turk, as an Urloj, is naturally and extremely talented at swimming.
Turk is a carnivore, diet consisting of raw fish and insects as his diet.
He's cold blooded, which means he does need to occasionally stop and rest in the sun.
He's a trained veteran sailor of the Urlojian Royal Navy.
Another trait of the Urloj is being able to hold their breath for a very, very long time.
Salvaged Item: A small dagger, perfect for cutting ropes and knots on a ship.
History: Turk grew up in a small fishing town outside the Capitol of Urlojgoka. He led a very rural existence, and really was a perfect patriot of his country which he had grown to love and respect. To protect his homeland from any and all threats, he joined the Royal Urlojian Navy, the finest Navy in the world. He protected the coast for a long while, and would have climbed high up the ranks had he accepted the promotions. No, Turk said he wasn't fit to lead, even though every crew respected him onboard the ships he sailed. He much preferred to raise the sails himself. When the call went out for a crew to sail to the new world, Turk was more than willing to step on board The Arrowhead.
Nation of Origin: Urlojgoka
Nation Lore: Urlojgoka is a nation comprised mostly of archipelago, to the north-east of the rest of the continent. It is one of the smallest nations, with only a few million people inhabiting the warm waters. Thousands and thousands of years ago, they were but a collection of warring tribes battling each other with long canoes, jumping into the water to do battle under the waves. They have since been united, but there is still remnants of these long lost days in the culture of modern Urlojgoka; for a popular sport revolves around two teams in canoes attempting to capsize the other.
A great admiral and warlord known as Uurgu (a name which has found derivatives of itself in many families last name, such as Turk's) united the islands and founded Urlojgoka. From there they expanded, eventually taking claim to the rest of the other islands. It was not as easy, for the native species of the island were savage evolutionary off spring from the Urloj. The Urloj became victorious over their counterparts a decade later, as a result they developed powerful naval ships to assist them in their conquests.
Since then, they have stayed mostly to their own business, defending their territory with one of the largest navies in the world. During times of war, several nations attempted to take the resource-rich islands for themselves, but all failed in the end. Only one invasion managed to get to the Capitol city, and in an event that is still sung about today, twenty thousand Urlojian militia men and guards swam to the water and overran the enemy ships by climbing up the hulls and killing the crew on board.
During times of peace, they spend most of their time exporting valuable sea-goods like pearls and exotic foods that most other nations don't have regular access too. It's quite a sight to see all of a civilian ship's crew leap overboard to look for underwater natural treasures.
Ugroth stands at 11'5" slightly above average for members of his settlement and weighs in at a hefty 700lbs. He also wears a large, thick fur pelt from one of his former companion, a rather powerful bear, as a token of remembrance but also for comfort in particularly cold areas.
Personality: Ugroth for the most part is quite a stoic character not much for getting worked up over much unless its quite serious or something he is passionate about. He maintains an intelligence slightly above the average human commoner, quite the feat for an ogre but not unheard of, which often tends to surprise some of the other races he meets. He tends towards patience and restraint rather than brutish violence though he is more than capable of providing it in spades when the need arises. Being as large as he is the ogre is rather considerate when possible to the smaller or weaker races though he doesn't underestimate they're abilities to do good or bad towards him or his kind.
Abilities: Ugroth is a keen hunter of the northern mountains, tundra/boreal forest, and the snowy wastes though he has hunted elsewhere. His good vision and patience allows him to wait for an opportune moment to strike rather than a hasty attack which is quite the benefit when the prey is often more than capable of defending themselves from equally dangerous natural predators. He is well practiced in the use of both manufactured and improvised projectiles for hunting as well as war purposes if need be showing great skill for an ogre in such matters. For long trips into the wilderness he learned the woodsman's craft for surviving in the harsh terrain when in the forests while he has learned over time several other tricks to survive wherever his game does as well. Like all of his race he shares the incredible strength and fortitude that comes with being an ogre though being large hosts many problems of its own.
Salvaged Item: Ugroth kept hold of his simple hunting axe, mostly for chopping wood or the occasional tough boned animal.
Ugroth Moklib was born while the ogres were still roving nomads on a trek north looking for lands to sustain them with less hostilities surrounding them. His father, Lakrogoth, was often quite busy coordinating the band's warriors with his leader and commander but he made time to be with his two sons and daughter when possible where as his mother, Penlithesh, was who the children spent the most time with. He was the younger of the two brothers often having little competitions with his older sibling between learning how to fight, build, or hunt/gather from both parents and other relatives. Working with the animals and hunting seemed to suit the young ogre well though he had much to learn still about the wilds around them. A well known woodsman took Ugroth under his wing as the younger showed more promise teaching him as best he could the lifestyle and the dangers of such a profession but there was no dissuading the up and coming hunter.
He was still rather young during the time of his settlement's namesake leader's reign and was one of the older children sheltered inside of the wagon fort when the battle took place. Both he and his brother took to throwing rocks, javelins, or whatever else could cause harm at the humans and/or dwarves from the safety of the fortification. Whether or not it accomplished much it was an empowering thing join in with some of the elders who did much the same thing with a great deal more skill. Despite the little moment of glory it was a day of grieving for all of them but the honor of they're people was served by the now hero Ogtanash who would leave them to continue the same cause, a note that struck true with Urgoth's older brother who had always wanted to be a renowned warrior like his father and Lugresh. When his father took up the mantle of leader they saw less of each other though he was always given encouragement to do what he wished so long as he did it well and with honor which has colored the younger ogre to this day.
As such he has made it his mission in life to become a master of the wilds among ogres and possibly beyond if he can manage. Up until recently it has seen most of his focus gaining him good name among the ogres for his deeds which has followed him to the other settlements where he decided to travel to in an attempt to learn of the lands and creatures. His father sent him a message of the proposition and there was little chance Ugroth was going to decline the chance to explore a new wilderness so the ogre did the only thing he could do, make the trek to Lezan to meetup with the rest of his fellow travelers and board the Arrowhead for the new land.
Nation of Origin: The Lugresh Settlement.
Nation Lore:
The Lugresh ogres have been moving around the continent for a long time in nomadic bands and only in recent years have they begun to settle down, they live an upwards of two to three hundred years though few reach this age and those that do are heavily respected. Some of the individuals or families have taken up residence in the forest or plains, even a small one the fringes of the desert attesting to the group's ability to settle most anywhere given time, the other groups being the Kordash, Mortagash, and Frengal settlements respectively though smaller groups can be found separate from these three. They preferred being on the move as during the wars staying long enough to keep themselves fed often became difficult though unless desperate the group would keep moving for better picking and if not the safety of local towns was not at all guaranteed. There were few qualms about retaliatory attacks against any and all aggressors by the ogre band as a whole with every individual trained to fight from childhood alongside other important tasks. The counter offensives by the large beings tended to leave whole lines of men dead or scattered from the thunderous charge of a couple columns of warriors.
Whether raiding of towns occurred or not often depended on how severe the initiating attack was but the ogres seemed quite proficient at it or even razing whole offending towns. This mentality of self protection from the other races seemed to get the picture across to many that just letting them pass by was far safer than actually attempting a fight with them as if the ogres figured they were being followed they would set up rudimentary but effective traps to convince the pursuers to turn back. They however were not against trade so when the rare deal appeared it was always taken into consideration provided it was an acceptable one for both sides. Ogre laborers and mercenaries could also be found among the other nations in the continent occasionally and though not always looked upon kindly they're usefulness was hard to turn down despite the fee attached to them. They were only involved in one major battle having gotten caught between two armies, one of dwarves and one of humans, over a mountain pass which the dwarves were less than willing to give up. Ogres and humans have rarely gotten along in most cases and the dwarves had yet to make any real opinions of the big folk though they were unknowingly trespassing near a city entrance under an overhanging cliff so it was not something that could be let go.
Lugresh Akorlig was the current and most successful leader of the time had attempted a parley with both sides initially though it was more of a hope than an expectation of actual talking. He assembled the best of his warriors, himself and a couple others clad in full scale armor which was exceedingly rare at the time, prepared themselves for a bloody defense of the most direct route for both opposing forces while the rest defended the sides of the wagon camp which had become akin to a fortification when locked together. There was a great amount of pressure against the ogres but they refused to give ground for a second and Lugresh was thought to have struck down a couple hundred opponents both dwarf and human with his massive war maul fighting as if he was possessed. He and quite a few others fell but the incredible casualties being caused both by the attempts on the ogre encampment as well as fighting between them forced the two smaller races to back down eventually. The band took the time to mourn the dead as the warriors they were before an important ritual took place among them, allowing the great shaman, an ogre with a almost unheard of talent for magic, to inspect all candidates for leadership of the ogre people.
It was not noticed until towards the end of the ceremony that the Lugresh's oldest son Ogtanash went out to both the camps of the human and dwarf forces donning his father's red stained armor and weapon demanding trial by combat for both leaders who refused diplomacy before the battle considering it an insult to his people. He however found that several were involved among the dwarves and humans so he proceeded to challenge them all at once. The ogre felt they had been dishonored by being forced to fight a battle with no hopes of talks beforehand as well as causing the death of his father among other in the process. The dwarven commander refused to sentence his own men to death and went alone to the chosen duel ground declaring if any where to die for his mistake it would be him alone who bore the weight of guilt by fighting to the death, a practice which the ogre is said to have measured many by. The human commander brought all who were involved though he waited until he was the last to face Ogtanash's wrath having stood no chance despite allowing his men to warm up the ogre beforehand. On his return to the encampment he refused all claim to leadership and rather decided to go strike out on his own to do much the same elsewhere, defending the honor of those who could not themselves.
In the absence of the former leader's eldest they looked to his best remaining warriors and one Lakrogoth Moklib, Lugresh's second in command for military matters, was decided upon and his first act was to construct two monuments in concert with the nearby dwarves to never allow themselves to forget what happened. To this day Lugresh's Stand and Ogtanash's Journey remain a permanent fixture as well as a symbol for what became an alliance between the two races despite initial differences. Since then the times of peace were a great boon to the ogres allowing them to settle not so far from allies and friends in the mountains in an area where other races would struggle they thrive hunting and taming great beasts in the north, building the foundation for what could be the first ogre city at The Lugresh Settlement, and making true diplomatic ties with the other races beyond temporary pacts or other less permanent fixtures. They have become the sworn allies of the Dwarves and great friends of the Oni by virtue of being not so different, orcs and their goblin cousins while rough around the edges are accepted equally for the most part, relations with humans and elves are still somewhat shaky at the best of times due to old conflicts though the ogres have no issues with the elves and are known to sympathize with the High Elves knowing full well how difficult being a less populous race is. The ogres were quite willing to send a representative of their own to the new lands as they quite liked the idea of a new mostly unexplored land to settle in and improve relations while doing it. Ugroth being an adventurous ogre with a love of wild untamed lands seemed a perfect fit for the task of representative and he was sent a message telling him where to go from his father who knew there was no chance of him passing it up.
Other: He is mildly upset over the loss of his handmade bow but a bit excited at the prospect of the new land despite the less than favorable situation.
Personality: Yukine is a kind-hearted young woman who would rather make friends than enemies. She often acts childish, as she is curious and rather playful to the point where she can come across as a bit annoying. She is quick to be insulted, but just as quick to forgive. However, she has no tolerance for unwarranted cruelty and will stand up for herself or her friends if she has to. She can be a bit air-headed at times, especially when it comes to complicated information, but she is by no means stupid. Rather, she is much better at handling abstract philosophies and seeing things from other people's point of view. Despite her cheerful and aloof demeanor, she is no stranger to hard work, and often surprises people with how much she can get done once she stops goofing off.
Abilities: Yukine was raised from a young girl to be a farmer. She has a green thumb and has worked on large harvests before. Also, as with most kitsune, plants just seem to grow better in her presence. In addition to farming, she was taught a style of martial arts similar to Wing Chun. Despite her diminutive physique, she is a tough girl, and is no stranger to pain or fighting. Likewise, her innate magic as a kitsune grants her strength and agility beyond what a normal human would be capable of as well as impeccable balance. Finally, she has her foxfire, a blue flame that she can summon at will. She is still considered a novice in her magical abilities, though, and the flame is bound to her body; it is primarily used to augment her martial arts.
Salvaged Item: A small scythe, functional as a farming tool or, in desperate situations, a weapon.
History: Yukine is the daughter of a farmer, and was raised from childhood to continue that work. However, even as a child, she expressed interest in the outside world. She would gravitate towards travelers and listen to their stories, and wanted to see the world for herself when she got older. She received martial arts training directly from the elder Ayato, and showed quite a bit of talent for it. She fought in quite a few friendly duels with both girls and boys, and she won more than she lost. However, she soon learned that fighting was not all about fun. Yukine was 14 when she took her first life. A human was upset that her father was asking for a ridiculous trade deal, so he set fire to their farm. Yukine saw this and challenged the man to a duel, but it soon became clear that the human didn't intend to let her live. So, at the first opening, Yukine snapped the man's neck. She was pretty upset about having killed another person, but Ayato consoled her, and it wasn't the last time she killed to defend her home. She was eventually chosen to go on the voyage to the new land for her desire to see the world, her talents in both farming and fighting, and her close relationship with Ayato.
Nation of Origin: Ayabukuro
Nation Lore: Calling Ayabukuro a "nation" is a bit of an overstatement. It is merely a fertile land where the kitsune happen to live. The kitsune have no formal laws or government, but rather defer to their elders for advice and wisdom. The rest of the world has acknowledged it as a nation since the kitsune can become territorial after working hard to till a field, and they will fight off any that try to encroach on their territory. Infighting is common in Ayabukuro, though conflicts between are usually resolved with a one-on-one duel. Deaths in such duels are very rare, and the kitsune have a very strong sense of honor, so the terms of the duels are usually upheld. The kitsune are not seen highly by other nations. Their lack of formal laws and communal lifestyle have made them rather obnoxious tourists. They have been known to trespass and have a very loose sense of personal property, thinking that disagreements should be settled with duels rather than laws. The kitsune have never united as a race in any of the past wars, but individual kitsune have chosen various sides in various wars, giving them a reputation for fickleness. Likewise, the way to do business is seemingly random. The kitsune of Ayabukuro are willing to trade their crops with outsiders, but their deals are either fair or absurd depending on their mood. Ayabukuro is a self-sustaining community, so they see trade as merely "neat" rather than as a tool to obtain necessary goods, or to bolster a non-existent economy. Most other nations see the elder Ayato as the leader of the kitsune, as he is the one who deals with the other nations, and it was his idea to send one of their own on a voyage to the new world.
((I need to figure out who to give credit for making this pic >>))
"... do us both ah fava'... take this slab of meat and jes' shove it down yer' throat..."
Name: Gamie Jaeger
Age: 26
Race: Human... for the most part.
Appearance: Gamie stands at a height of five feet and eleven inches, and is much more lithe and physically inclined than one is to think with his peculiar frame... then again, the clothing he wears doesn't exactly help either. Most of his noticeable features are obscured, save for his face which comes off as nothing outstanding. A small nose, frowning lips, charcoal eyes, jet black hair, and a few lingering freckles are the only thing interesting to note of, but other than that, no notable characteristics.
Physically, he isn't bulky to say the least, but neither does he lack any muscle mass. He keeps it hidden under his clothes, though he won't be winning any arm wrestling matches with people focusing on pure undulated strength. Sleek and lithe, he is a relatively tanned individual. Under his armor, he harbors no scars, but a few dark moles on his body; they are primarily found on his shoulders.
His clothing is dark and most of it seems metallic in nature; almost out of place for a hunter. Most of these come from the scales of creatures he has gathered over the years; it's the default armor of a Xedous soldier or mercenary as the armor covers up most of his torso, from breastplate to the sabatons themselves. Most of this looks to be ebony in hue, but when looked at the proper angle, it appears to be more of a darker blue hue. Gamie also has a sabled cloak on, forgoing a visor in favor of better accuracy and a blanket.
Personality: Apathy is one way to describe this man... or could Gamie just have a heart of stone? Whatever it is, he doesn't truly seem to heed wrath as a scary thing and trudges on fearlessly, despite impending danger. Getting in the way when he is working or hunting is one surefire way to imminently irritate him to no end... though, it gets worse when he is stalking his prey. He won't hesitate to say what's on his mind from time to time, though he can be incredibly somber about it... despite the one-liner possibly sounding like an innuendo. Serious and relentless, he does well to keep a professional looking front, though who knows whether he is unconsciously unaware of his speech patterns or if he is talking that way on purpose. Gamie also has a habit of giving nicknames to people he is unfamiliar with and will usually stick with it when operating.
The only time he might not mind it being a bit noisy is if it is with another hunter who absolutely understands what they are doing or if it is around others, though it should be kept to a minimum. If others would ask him to teach them how to hunt, he would downright respond with a no. While it may come off as condescending and abrasive, it's more on the topic of self confidence. Gamie doesn't see himself as a formidable teacher in the art of stealth and trap making.
When not on the job he seems less apathetic to an extent, but will be less malign than usual. While he still retains most of his previous traits, he will attempt to make small talk with the others from time to time, though he would rather stay secluded with one or two allies versus in a group as he would be visibly uncomfortable when in clusters of people. Of course, during this time he becomes a bit more... flirtatious to say the least. Like his previous traits, he will be like a predator to his prey in an affable sort of way, often approaching anyone just to hit on them. Whether or not this is a part of his pattern of speech, he will still enjoy said interaction.
Gamie has a very... healthy interest in writing and divulging into literature, whether foreign or native, fiction, poetry, he will love it... most of the time. Other than his own interest within his interactions, this is one of the few ways to get him to drop speaking in innuendos and will display a tinge of excitement in his own voice. As much as he loves them, he silently will lament over the loss of any said literature, especially if it is volumes upon volumes... he can understand a critic, but just don't destroy any books in front of him... seriously.
Abilities: When it comes to physical pursuits, he is strong, but won't hold out in full frontal confrontation... or will he? Hand to hand is a no go, but when with a crossbow, he will use his superior speed, stamina, and reflexes to outlast and tire any opponents. This comes from his daily routine of hunting creatures or cretins alike in which he has had to adapt and learn how to approach them. His affinity is majorly with bows and crossbows, though he prefers and performs better when wielding a crossbow.
As a hunter, he has many of the necessities to survive as one, one of which in his words "being completely and absolutely silent." When it comes to stealth, he understands how to avoid detection and avert being caught within the sight of prey. Patience is the key for him and he won't just hurriedly try to finish it off, rather, he will quietly wait to precisely strike.
Of course, when stalking prey, he is usually stayed at a distance, far away where they won't exactly get to him (unless they have some form of ranged weaponry). Due to this, he has trained his eyes over time to discern certain figures over a distance. This allows him to notice things either up close or when farther away from said game.
Gamie is also efficient at trapping, though, don't expect him to quickly dig up any pitfalls. When in need to capture some food or snare, he makes do with what the environment gives him; just some twigs, and other unmentionables needed and a small cage for some rabbit stew. (Note: Going to research some traps since I'm a little ignorant on this part; apologies for the lack of description).
Learning all of these skills, sometimes following your prey just to get a good shot at them can take days to weeks. Of course he is going to know some of the basics of camping, such as pitching a makeshift tent or using flint and tinder to start a fire. He won't bother to waste any other necessities to make a fire if it can be used for later projects.
Salvaged Item: His treasured, waterlogged crossbow.
History: Of course, the way... mostly everyones story starts is that they were birthed a wee babe in a relatively safe environment... if only that could be the same for him. Gamie was born not long after a Salamander hunt when his parents were traveling back to the capital with their group. The child was safety birthed in the wilderness with little to no complications. Due to the group beings ways away from the capital with the mother unable to move, they sent the swiftest out to gather supplies whilst waiting for Gamie's mother to recover all of her strength.
Eventually, they did arrive back at the seat of power and diverged from the circle of allies as the couple deemed that it was the best choice if they wanted to raise him with a healthy mind and body. Both parties came to a mutual understanding and sadly said their goodbyes and departed. Gamie's father and mother were able to procure a job from the Dwarven innkeeper who gladly accepted them both amongst the ranks.
While he grew up strong, the boy was often curious about nature and often had some "adventurous" encounters before going back to the inn. From the way he reacted, they both felt that the path he would take was much similar to theirs. Giving him a small push, at a young age, his beautiful mother gave the boy some lessons in archery before instructing him in use of her favorite weapon - the crossbow.
Gamie picked up the tricks of the trade at a swift pace and was taught by both of the parents when alternating between working twice the effort to make up for their absence to rekindling an old flame through teaching Gamie their personal trade of hunting.
Of course, when the time of age came, his parents began to set up their child with tests to decide his aptitude and if he could truly stand on his own two legs.
He succeeded and eventually set out, unknown and unexpecting of the world; a Fool.
Gamie soon came to learn myriads of lessons during his time working in solitude, along with the occasional group of mercenaries, garnering new abilities and further modifying his older strengths. The pay was moderate, but what he got out of this was better than anything he could of wagered. Eventually he was one of the more well known hunters around town who would keep the population of Salamanders in check. Gamie did also indulge in hunting other types of prey that proved to be more cunning, but stayed within the limits of the law.
Eventually, news came from the kingdoms representative after the last congregation of the nations, there was an announcement for the people of Xedous of the impending voyage and that the Council would be choosing five of the nations finest to come and represent them.
There was a mixture of the ragtag mercenary, seldom a professional soldier or two, a couple of nobles who were enamored by the prospect and romanticized about the trip, and others too. Gamie was one of the present applicants and was one of the five chosen to set out on the Journey.
No hesitation was present, but he made sure to plan ahead for this type of expedition, exerting more pressure into his work, he took on some of the more egregious missions to steel himself. Shedding the leather he once used, Gamie took the time to replace it with new shining armor made from the scales of the Salamanders. While it would serve as a great reminder of his homeland, it would also probably help if anyone decided to get a little too personal with him.
After a year past, he found himself traversing to the new world with others in tow.
And that's where it all went to Hell.
Nation of Origin: Xedous
Nation Lore: Xedous is on a rather large island situated not too far away from the main continent; it was the site of a now inactive volcano. From what is known about this place, of the descendants came from those who were ostracized for their beliefs, runaway criminals, etc. It didn't matter who they were as said nation fell under the flag of Humans, Dwarves, Ogres, Elves, and Orks surprisingly. While their history started out in small squabbles after settling away from each other, they turned to heed the threats of the Salamanders who outnumbered them. Most took to fleeing, while others stayed. Eventually, under the leadership of Xedous the Orc and his new friend, Alexander the Human, they took to pushing such a scourge back.
During the fighting, Xedous was slayed in battle by a mighty, ferocious Salamander, but not before destroying it himself. Mourning over the loss of one of his friends, Alexander kept control of his fury and continued to lead the campaign. Eventually, they won the war and proclaimed the Kingdom to be named Xedous. Slowly, but surely, the five races built on their unity and created a capital under their flag. Understanding that he would not live forever, Alexander devised a plan to solidify the realm. Devising a council of his most trusted advisors from each race, he explained his idea for governing this place.
Over time, they expanded beyond their boundaries, building myriads upon myriads of walls, creating new districts to settle in. Of course, the more daring took flight and eventually created towns that were in dire need of defending from the occasional Salamander invasion. Another place they managed to claim was at the now inactive Volcano where most Orcs and Dwarves made their home.
Once they felt assured, the next step was to create a proper military instead of the large militia filled to the brim with untrained soldiers. Following the same idea Alexander conceived, the Counsel had five leaders for different departments of the military. They each held different specialties and to top it off, they came off as one of the more determined soldiers who fought more with guile than they did muscle.
Finally, what the isle was most known for was its population of Salamander's. While they are dangerous, there are capable hunters of bringing these beasts down quickly and efficiently; they've even devised proper times when to cull the beasts to keep them under control. Along with that, their meat/fat is one of the better things to use, as it catches fire quite easily and it lasts longer than one of firewood. Suffice to say, it is still delicious. And to top it off, they have hard scales on their back that keep any assailant from assaulting them there, in case of a quick kill. Eventually, these scales replaced steel as the primary source of armor for the military, though you can see a few guards who still adorn steel. This was due to it being lighter and a little more durable than usual steel.
While the races have held peace, there is still some uneasiness and mild tension between them all to this very day, they are known for welcoming others into their nation, especially those who aren't of the original five races who came to colonize this place.
Other: -Can be a very heavy drinker to boot, often taking longer than the others to get tipsy. -Respects the strengths and fortitude of others (mainly physical). -He tries not to use bows as much as others as he finds them to be somewhat... awkward to wield. -Why he enjoys hunting stems from usually the thrill of the hunt and the danger it presents; often takes up dangerous jobs to amend for this. -Finds some difficulty when fighting in close quarters; he finds it difficult to aim a crossbow at the opponents skull when they causing such "disruptions." -Writes in a journal as a recollection of his prior adventures and turn of events; he hopes to write it into a book (not happening at this point).
Age: 13 (Average lifespan of his species is only around 30-35 years)
Race: Exoian
Appearance: Like all Exoians, Thanox greatly resembles an insect, in his case an ant. He has a thick exoskeleton that is a rusty color. His species also has a small pair of antenna on their heads, as well as an extra pair of arms below the main arms. These other arms are smaller and not as strong, only being able to lift about half as much as the larger pair. His face is also very ant like with large compound eye, and a set of pincer like mandibles over his mouth. Thanox is fairly tall, standing at around 6’5, although he is also strong, he doesn’t appear so. His body is thinner and he does not have as much visible muscle compared to other races. His body is also covered in various tattoos and ritual marks.
Personality: Thanox is above all loyal to whatever group he is in. This is because all Exoians strive to better the hive and put the good of many above the good of an individual. Even if the his new “hive” is made up of very different races, Thanox will still do whatever he can to help and would be perfectly willing to sacrifice himself to save a fellow member. However, because he was raised in an environment where everyone works to help each other, he is completely unaware that people can act selfishly and try to only better themselves. This makes him a bit gullible since if some asks him to do something he would simply assume it is for everyone’s benefit. Despite willing to help others, Thanox is distant from most people, and can come off as a bit cold. However he would open up to those he respects, mainly other hunters, and he would try to make some connections with people but it is a slow process with him.
Abilities: Thanox was a hunter from his hive so he has skills in tracking, and he is quite strong and skilled in his weapon of choice. He prefers to actively hunt his prey, but he can also make simple traps, provided he has the right materials. To make up for their short lifespans, Exoians only require half as much sleep as most races, meaning Thanox could continue to work to finish a project or to hunt more food. Furthermore, growing up in a harsh desert environment has let Thanox develop a tolerance to heat and a lack of water, however he has never experienced a true winter before and he would be unprepared for it. Lastly, an Exoians exoskeleton is fairly durable, giving him some natural protection.
Salvaged Item: A bladed boomerang, his personal weapon and a gift from his hive.
History: Ever since the day Thanox was born he knew only one thing, serve the hive. No matter what that meant, hunting for food, protecting his people from rival hives, or even raiding the caravans that the humans and elves sent through their lands. It was all for the greater good of his people and that was the only thing that mattered. When war inevitably broke out and the different races can to pacify the Exoians, Thanox joined his people in defending their homes. However, despite their best efforts they were beaten and Thanox worked with the survivors to pick up the pieces of their old life. When they received word of an expedition to a new land, the matriarch of Thanox’s hive decided to send him, seeing that he was capable but also expendable if something happened during the journey. Thanox accepted his new job as he always had and set off to the land in hopes that it would help restore his people.
Nation of Origin: The Desert Land Quroc.
Nation Lore: The Exoians do not have one central government, instead each settlement is a hive and each hive has its own ruler, a queen. Each individual is given a job to do and they are expected to fulfill this job to the best of their ability. Although the queen is above all others in the hive, other Exoians’ status is determined by how well they can perform their job. For example, a simple, yet highly skilled builder would be of more value than an advisor to the queen who only performed decently. The various hives often fought one another for supplies or territory and alliances between them were rare, and often uneasy. However this changed when the various humans, elves, and other residents in Quroc united to put an end to the raiding done by the Exoians. At first, the hives tried to handle the problem individually. However as more and more of the hives fell, the various matriarchs finally agreed to unite and defend all of their lands. For a while they were a formidable force. Life expectancy was low among their people, but they matured faster, and many were born at once giving them the advantage in numbers. Sadly it was not to last. Due to the fact that alliances were rare among their people, and certainly never to this degree, the Exoian alliance quickly fell apart. The queens argued over how to proceed and which hives should be protected first which led to their armies receiving conflicting orders and only succeeded in disorganizing their forces. Their enemy on the other hand was performing very well. Early in the war, when the Exoians were still fighting separately, the humans and elves discovered the most effective ways to destroy the hives, mostly a combination of magic, and simple explosives placed at certain locations. This gave them the upper hand and allowed them to defeat the numerically superior Exoians. After the war ended, the Exoians were forced deeper into the desert, with less supplies, and less land they became desperate to find a way to survive. The news of a new land sparked in hope in at least one queen, who hoped the land could be used to re-establish the Exoian people.
Other: He secretly enjoys poetry, something he discovered after he left his home, and occasionally tries to make some of his own. It is all terrible.
Name: Lilita Rosetti Age: 21 Race: Human Appearance:
She stands at a modest 5'9. Personality: Lilita is normally a rather bubbly and cheerful girl, preferring to take on the burden of staying positive for the sake of those around her. She will try to help those she sees in need in whatever way possible, even if all she can do is just comfort them. She's normally seen as quite attractive, and while she considers this a burden, being pretty has its occasional perks. She is an equal mix of Social Butterfly and Loner, liking both the prospects of being surrounded by friends and having time to herself, and tries to adapt her attitude to that of which she thinks people will feel comfortable around her. On the inside, however, she's much darker than she appears to be. Taking on everyone's sadness and replacing it with happiness takes its toll on Lilita, and when she's alone or otherwise away from others' perception, she often cries and cries, as if all of the negativity had been absorbed into her. She beats herself down when in this state, not believing in her own abilities and perceiving herself to be a worthless weight on everyone's shoulders. She considers suicide rather often, and every day she draws closer to a decision. Abilities: Angel-Demeanor - Lilita's positive attitude often has great effect on those who aren't in the best of spirits. Strong-Willed - Lilita will push herself in her tasks, not wanting to disappoint her comrades. FBS The Musical - Lilita has a wide range, and is a rather talented singer. Curse-Bride's Wail - Though unlikely, if someone were to catch Lilita crying, it would feel as if a dagger had been ran through their heart. Salvaged Item: The gold ring she received from the King, adorned with a green jewel. History:
Lilita grew up in the city of Fiore, a medium-sized city that resided on the south side of Tawken. She doesn't remember her early years very much, but when she was just 6 years old, her father was taken away for overwhelming debt that couldn't be paid back. Though the debts weren't plastered to Lilita's mother's name, she simply couldn't let her husband rot in prison without her. So, she handed Lilita over to her sister and shared in the fate of Lilita's father. Lilita was an unremarkable child at first; she had low grades in just about everything, and she was always getting in trouble. But her aunt and uncle could see that she had a big, warm heart. She focused on trying to make her classmates and teachers happy, and stood up against those who would do wrong. Her aunt decided to take her to the Grand Parade when Lilita was 11 years old, and the girl fell in love with the colors, floats, and The King who attended this national event. But most of all, she fell in love with the happy atmosphere, people laughing and pointing at the floats. It was a truly magical experience for the young maiden. She went home that day feeling confident that life was fun and filled with laughter. That night, her uncle died from cardiac arrest, and her thoughts changed.
When Lilita was 16, she was caught up in a huge robbery when attending her aunt at the market. Multiple men with various weapons had taken over the western sector and blocked it off, demanding a safe way from the market or they'd kill hostages. Lilita threw herself at the opportunity to save lives, and offered herself to the bandits, making herself a hostage they'd take with them in return for leaving everyone else unharmed. When the bandits managed to leave the Marketplace out of the eyes of the law, they turned their swords on Lilita. It would have been all over...if Lilita's aunt hadn't caught up and thrown herself towards the blades, the Tawken Law enforcement arriving soon after. Lilita didn't allow herself to cry in public. She bottled it up until she was alone, and then she wailed and wailed. For 2 days she was alone and filled with despair, until she had to answer a summons from the King. She kept her head held high, unwanting to show her weakness, and found her way in front of the gates to the castle. She received a gold ring with a green jewel from the King himself, as a token of appreciation for her acts of heroism on that dreadful day. Lilita was offered a new home at an Orphanage that was recently started. Lilita would live there as both a child in the care of the nuns, and a hero who would teach the younger generation the correct values to hold in society.
In 5 years, Lilita was called on once again as one of five people to represent Tawken's best. She was ecstatic, and jumped at the chance to take on the negativity between nations and extinguish it. Then the ship crashed. Well, it's time for her to get to work. Spirits to raise, no doubt. Nation of Origin: Tawken Nation Lore: See RP Intro Other:
Lilita has motion-sickness. When using transportation, she often collapses, vomits, or curls up in strange positions.
Lilita has a fear of dogs, even the smallest, most harmless breeds.
On the opposite spectrum, Lilita has a love for cats, and cats love her. They will often curl up next to her without hesitation.
Lilita is your typical "Dumb Beauty". She has very good looks (which she admittedly doesn't care for), but isn't the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to her knowledge of the world.
Appearance: Standing at 187 cm and weighing a little over 82 kg, Gabriel is lithe with strong, lean muscle all over his body. He has thick brown hair and blood-red eyes, a hereditary feature of all Inokans.
Personality: Gabriel is a pain in the ass. Even before getting captured by Astrid forces, he was hard to deal with, even his allies thought so. This came mostly from the fact that he's overly sarcastic about everything and anything, as well as the fact that he revels in pointing out the flaws and mistakes of others whilst completely ignoring others when they point out his mistakes at him. Additionally, he generally has a thing for refusing to obey orders, although that facet of his personality has been curbed by the collar on his neck.
He always likes to state his opinion in every matter, even those that do not affect him in any way and WILL get on your nerves, if you let him. Give him an inch and he will take a mile sort-of-thing. However, that does not mean that he doesn't have his good points as well.
Gabriel is above all, a man of his word. Now, how you get him to promise you something, that is another story altogether. But if you do, then you better be sure that he will deliver. Inokan Values and all, something that's ironic when you think about how his country was ruined by inner conflict and betrayals.
Background:
Gabriel hails from the renown Antares Clan. A family known for its strict rules and undying loyalty to the Emperor of Inoka. Thus, It would not come as a surprise to find out that Gabriel grew up a fanatical supporter of the Imperial rule. His family was one of the four Grand Families, ruling over one of the Four Grand Provinces, the province of Laon. He grew up in the pavilions of Laon's biggest city and one of Inoka's biggest trade centers, Jo. Suffice to say, he was pretty wealthy.
However, that does not mean that his upbringing was any different than that of a common soldier's son. His grandfather and the then head of the Antares Clan, Yang, made sure of that. Every day he trained under the supervision of either his father or his elder brother who were under the supervision of his grandfather. As you may understand, he was not allowed a moment's rest, for if he did, not only him but also his father and elder brother would get punished.
Nevertheless, Gabriel always managed to find time to mess around with the ladies or sneak out of his family's household in order to go on one of his grand adventures, as he so called them. Every time he left the house, his grandfather raised hell on earth in order to find him and every time he was eventually forgiven, but only after suffering multiple punishments. Gabriel, however, did not care and continued finding ways to go out on adventures.
He was on one of those adventures when tragedy struck home. He was staying in an inn, around the outskirts of Tawken when he heard a group of mercenaries over at a table talking about a rebellion. When he approached the mercenaries and asked them where the rebellion was taking place, their answer shook him to his very roots.
"A coup? At Inoka?" Myriad of thoughts whizzed through his mind as he tried to comprehend the sudden news. The next day, he was on a horse, galloping as fast as he could back to his country. Unfortunately, he returned to a razed-to-the-ground Jo and a completely obliterated Antares Household. The bodies of his father, elder brother and grandfather laid headless in the front yard of the house, with their heads spiked on the walls of the entrance. He later also found out that his little sister and mother were sold off to slavery.
He was 21 at the time.
Gabriel's rage could have probably sliced through mountains if it was a sword at that moment. Alas, he did not know who was the culprit. Gabriel mourned for a whole month. At day, he would pray over his deceased family members' graves and at night, he would hone his sword skills and techniques. He was hell-bent on finding out the culprit. Fortunately, during his month-long mourning, he found out that it was Astrid that had actually instigated the coup and as such, made meticulous preparations before setting out.
At that day, the Deacon of Astrid was scheduled to make a public appearance. Following the annexation of Inoka, the government needed to be reestablished and the rage of the people needed to be quenched.
When the Deacon took the podium, Gabriel made his move. He unsheathed his treasured sword, Tenryu, and lunged towards the Deacon. Countless guards got between him and his target, trying to stop him from getting any closer but he slashed through all of them. Normal guards were like straws in front of him. That, could not be said for magicians, however. Five or six magicians jumped out of nowhere and cast restriction spells on him. Black chains coiled around his arms and legs whilst vines grew around him, their thorns seeping with a poisonous substance that weakened and slowed down his movements whilst at the same time putting him to sleep.
The last thing he saw was the smile in the face of the Deacon. Some time after, he woke up in a cell with a collar around his neck. Whenever he tried to get rid of it, he was met with a splitting headache that left him moaning for hours on end.
Later he found out that the Deacon had taken a liking on him and arranged for him to be one of his personal bodyguards. For ten whole years, he served under the Deacon. He saw many wars being waged and battles being fought throughout, this time, even participating in some as well. Eventually, however, the warring era came to an end and although his services were no longer needed, he always made sure to maintain a honed edge over his skills, just in case.
And then came Tawken with their Arrowhead. The whole of Astrid was making a fuss about how the people over at Tawken had actually managed to discover a new continent. The there was the meeting between the leaders of the major countries. When the Deacon came back from the meeting, he called for Gabriel.
"You are to escort our envoy to this new continent. See to it that she's safe," the Deacon simply told him before dismissing him. Gabriel was left speechless and for a long time, he wondered what did he ever do to deserve his fate. Was all the fooling around with the ladies in his younger years the problem? "Alas, the past was the past and the present is the present..."
Soon enough, he met with this envoy the Deacon talked about. "A young girl!" Gabriel almost doubled over and vomited a mouthful of blood right then and there when he saw her. "And a pretty one to boot at that! Gabriel shook his head and walked over to her, introducing himself. He also passed over to her a sealed letter from the Deacon that detailed how the restraining collar on his neck worked, so she would have an easier time controlling him. Not that he had any thoughts of rebelling.
They eventaully boarded the Arrowhead and went off on their journey. But little did they know, nature had other thoughts. When the ship capsized, Gabriel and Charlotte were separated.
Salvaged Item: His clothes. Unfortunately, his sword did not survive the ship capsizing and was dragged to the bottom of the ocean...
Nation Information
Name: Inoka
Capital: The Former Imperial City of Tangjiang
History:
Inoka was a medium sized country situated next to Astrid. It had a flourishing economy centered around trade through land and seas as well as being a strongly militarized country. Inoka was ruled through monarchy. Specifically, since It's founding, It always had a ruling Imperial Family as the head of government with ten vassal families ruling over ten different provinces.
All of the families would send one representative to take the position of Imperial Advisor in the Counsil of Ten, which would then offer advice on every sort of matter considering the wellbeing if the nation, from legislation to military matters and even statutory matters of the Imperial Family, such as marriages, forfeiture of the Imperial status of a member of the Imperial Family, changing the order of succession of an heir who suffers from an incurable disease or even regency, in case of there existing no apparent heir to the throne.
As such, from an outsiders point of view, the country's foundation was rock solid and was in no apparent danger of collapsing. That's why the whole world was shocked when Astrid declared war on Inoka. Within a month, the whole country was overrun by the Astrid armies and their powerful magicians. The cause? Over half of the vassal families were bought off and betrayed their own. They staged a coup in the Imperial Capital, killed the ruling Emperor and his wife, along with all of his heirs. All this happened whilst the armies of Astrid were practically marching unimpeded towards Tangjiang. When the Deacon of Astrid set foot inside the Imperial Palace, the heads of every member of the Imperial Family awaited him on a platter by the throne.
Unfortunately for those who were bought off, Astrid would never trust someone who betrayed their own. Who said that they wouldn't ever betray them as well? So after they had annexed the country, the Deacon sent assassins to all seven of the betrayer clans and killed off their leaders while letting behind a warning that if they didn't mind more blood being shed, they should bend the knee and obey, something they eventually were forced to do, after a series of bloody battles that nearly annihilated the remaining families.
Eventually, the war was over and the country became a province of Astrid. Countless war prisoners were gathered from the defeated families and sold as slaves to rich merchants and magicians as bodyguards or expendable bodies for experiments.
Abilities
Skills:
The Flash Sword Style is an extremely devastating form of swordsmanship that can only be used by certain devoted practitioners, some of the most notable hailing from the Antares Clan.
Description: The Flash Sword Style is an extremely dynamic form of combat, as suggested by the name of the style itself. It revolves around the concept of flash, and therefore primarily requires an enormous amount of speed and skill in order to initiate within any combat situation. While the general expression of one's Flash Sword Style is based on their own interpretation of the fighting style, at the core lies a single philosophy: "a flash is not born from a single light, but thousands strung together as bright as the sun." And truthfully, that is how the style functions. Rather than utilizing singular hits to create an enormous amount of damage, the user concentrates their efforts in the build up of damage over an extensive period of time. Therefore, they are able to cause their opponent's stamina to be winded down significantly while also causing them to be in severe pain from the constant slashes that are placed upon them. The style almost appears sadistic when viewed by other individuals, in that the constant pain brought about through non-fatal slashes would normally be associated with a sociopath.
The style's basis uses high-speed movements from the drawing of the blade in order to completely eviscerate an enemy's chance of victory. However, rather than being fatal in nature, it is used primarily as a means to deter the enemy from their decisions to engage in combat. This is achieved through the sadistic nature of the combat form, which in turn is supposed to cause a realization in the enemy that they are inevitably going to be overpowered regardless of what they do.
As one would expect from such a consuming form of combat, the Flash Sword requires extreme dedication and training in order to successfully master its various nuances and individualize it to one's own preference. Unlike the majority of styles that solely require physical training, the Flash Sword also has compulsory mental conditioning as a part of its regime, giving the individuals a mentality in order to sustain and follow the principles of the Flash Sword when it is being executed within combat.
Physical Training A practitioner begins to take their physical training as soon as he picks up a sword. It involves an extremely strict resume of exercises that create an overall very well-rounded body, both in physique and subtlety. Ironically, despite Flash Sword being a style of swordsmanship, the practitioner/apprentice's swordsmanship is not trained by another individual, as refining one's own art cannot be done with assistance from another, despite how much one tries, they may not interfere.
Speed: The most important aspect of one's physical training. Flash Sword emphasizes on immense speeds. As such, first and foremost, training is given to one's speed. Instructors are instructed to give an immense burden to their students, such a burden that plunges all but the strongest of light. Essentially, this "burden" are a pair of extremely dense weights. With these weights, the apprentice must perform daily chores, and various other activities in order for one's lower body to run on willpower alone. Achieving this, the instructor may be able to take these weights on and immediately gives the apprentice a test. To be able to catch the instructor off-guard, using their newly attained speed to do so. If achieved, the training progresses onto its next stage. If not, then one must resume this training, once more.
Stamina: A very important aspect of one's physical training. Due to the immense levels of speed one achieves through speed training, stamina is equal, if not, more important in order to be able to prolong the use of such speed. Done through various light exercises that progressively become heavier in order to achieve the desired effects required for this style.
Strength and Durability: To inflict damage and take damage. Although important, these aspects can usually be overlooked by most due to the style not relying on individual techniques, but a culmination of multiple strikes. However, an increase of strength and durability may be done in many ways, most of which are up to the instructor themselves.
The Mental Training is the second aspect that students train in as a means to epitomize their combat abilities instead of simply being physically dominant. The advanced mental faculties are generally relevant to the speed and efficiency of the style.
Observation is to observe an enemy's every movement is the core essence of the Flash Sword. For to land a hit, one must be knowledgeable on where his enemy lie. The user gains keen training in observation via the enhancement of their natural Five Senses to the point where they are considered on the verge of "superhuman". This allows them to be able to keep up with virtually any opponent only with their natural abilities. In rare cases, there are some surpass this amazing observational skill by leagues, to the point where nothing can be missed from their six senses.
Exploitation is to exploit an enemy's weakness and take advantage of it. Flash Sword pupils are trained extensively to exploit weaknesses that come to their light, utilizing appropriate and devastating counters to destroy their opponents. However, this takes keen sensory along with enhanced feats of physical strength, making it the reason why an all-around training is so important.
Manipulation is to manipulate one's own strengths and an enemy's weakness is the art that very few are able to achieve. Through keen intellect and subsequent amounts of training, one is able to overwhelm their opponent through simple movements merely by counter-acting every one of their attacks with an appropriate response. An immense amount of focus and sheer experience is needed to master this art.
Gabriel practises the above sword style. Through his training of this style, his physique has been upgraded to above human standards, enabling him to do amazing feats with his body. Unfortunately, due to his carefree personality during his younger days and the fact that he was never a diligent student, to begin with, he has not dabbed into the mental part of the style at all. And now, with the complete and utter annihilation of his clan, he has no instructor to teach him further.
Thusly, his form of the style would be described by the elders as very lackluster. Although his body can follow through with the movements, unless he diligently trains, he will never be able to unleash the full splendor of his clan's sword style.
Weaknesses: Gabriel is a very impulsive person and he is liable to make spontaneous decisions, some of which never turn out good for him and the ones around him. He's also a very headstrong person. Once he has something in his mind set, it will be very difficult for him to think otherwise.
Aside from his personality issues, he's actually a very unreliable person. Unreliable in the sense that he knows nothing about cooking and the like. For sure he can set up a tent or something if you ask him, but his adventurous days are long over and as such, has forgotten most of what little bushcraft he had knowledge of. Even back then, he almost always found an inn to stay the night or for food and drink.
04/08/16 - ADDED GABRIEL'S CHARACTER SHEET
04/08/16 - Changed Imperial Capital name to Tangjiang
10/08/16 - Changed Gabriel's appearance and minor edits.
