Gwendolyn Alexander Rowe; Gwen for short.

25.

Female.

Originating from the small island town of Rivensford, Gwendolyn was raised by her scientist father: Silias Rowe. Located on the outskirts of The Archipelago, Rivensford is located west of Bridesend. The town is surrounded by roaring waterfalls; the perfect source of power for any person interested in more advanced machinery. Engineers from far and wide flock to Rivensford to set up shop and further their research into the realm of the machine- or even that of the arcane.

Gwendolyn is five foot and seven inches of cold logic and "superior knowledge". Draped around her bony frame she dons her mother's sun-bleached leather coat; a dusty grey heirloom that Gwendolyn could never be parted with. Underneath this coat she wears a black tank top that keeps her from getting too warm during her heat-intensive work. She has a thick head of mousy brown hair that is cut short, only falling down to the back of her neck. Due to her lack of knowledge in social customs, her hair often appears wild and unkempt.

One of the first things that most notice about Gwendolyn is the unhealthy pale pallor of her skin, as well as the knowing smirk that is forever painted on her face. Another thing that haunts the air around Gwen is the constant shuddering cough she lets out now and again, reminding all those near her of her persistent disability.

Gwendolyn goes through life logically and rationally. Every decision she makes she reviews a few times before finally giving the final perfect answer. Her perfectionism is very obvious in the way she frantically searches for every excuse to be right and give at least fifteen reasons why. She feels that's it's only natural to lecture people when they are wrong, because it would be inefficient and illogical to go through life having the wrong answer to something. While she would love to be one to do this, she is extremely soft-spoken and has difficulties interacting with others when there are multiple people around(as she grew up alone and without friends).

When it comes to engineering and science, however, Gwen gets excited to the point where she might have to use her inhaler. She loves to go on long winded explanations on the inner mechanisms of airship technology, and would never miss an opportunity to have an intellectual conversation about new technology. When it comes to debates about science she can become extremely emotional, and will even come to the point of shouting to prove her point.

Gwen hates to be helped, as her entire childhood consisted of people worrying about her health. She stands on her own, proud of how far she has come despite her crippling lung difficulties. When she is outside of the social pressures of multiple people, many find Gwen to be quick and witty with her speech, drawing on her knowledge of comedies and other sharp tongued pieces of literature.

● Avid Learner- Ever since she was a little girl Gwendolyn found that her father's schooling bored her. She much rather enjoyed pouring over the dusty tomes and scrolls of her father's library alone. Whenever she did so, she would begin to infer, make connections between objects and the forces that affected them. In next to no time, Gwen had already come up with a basic understanding of science and mathematics nearly all on her own. This lust for knowledge led to her father testing her harder and pushing her farther, until her intellect surpassed even his own. Due to her debilitating disease, Gwen spent most of her time indoors surrounded by sheets of paper as she would work through theorem after theorem. Now as an adult she is an avid scientist and engineer learning how to better the lives of others through the power of technology.

● Airship Engineer- Gwendolyn is an adept engineer with a very deep understanding of the inner workings of everything mechanical. Taking things apart and putting them back together better and stronger than before has become quite the hobby of Gwen's. She works tirelessly to hone her skills, tinkering with things on the daily and drawing up plans for things that could perhaps be useful or more efficient. This skill is the most precious thing to Gwen, as she learned everything she knows from her father.

● Practical- As a scientist and an engineer, dreamy solutions have never been one for Gwendolyn. When faced with a challenge she will continue to stay level headed as she works through the problem, taking every logical step until she achieves her goal. She is a very down to earth person and thinker, making her perfect for acting under pressure.

Physical activity of any kind is the bane of Gwendolyn's existence. This can be attributed to the fact that she is asthmatic as well as completely out of shape. Another weakness she displays is her complete overconfidence in her ability to do anything. This strong-headed outlook has gotten her into many a bad situation in the past, however also serves as the thing that drives her to keep going.

Gwendolyn Alexander Rowe was born twenty five years ago aboard a passenger ship on it's way to Bridesend. Her mother, Helena Rowe, was deathly ill and on her deathbed when she gave birth to the baby girl. After successfully saving the life of Gwen, Helena passed away shortly after due to her illness. As it turned out Gwendolyn had been born prematurely. Her lungs were not quite fully developed, and the doctors aboard the ship were worried that she would not be able to survive for long. Much to their relief the child seemed to stabilize over the rest of the voyage, and was rushed to a hospital for treatment soon after.

Gwen's father, Silias, had become overwhelmed with grief at the death of his beloved and the birth of his sickly child. He took the child and fled from his old home in Bridesend to find solace in his life's work; finding out what lay beneath the clouds. However he felt greatly attached to Gwendolyn, and even while he tirelessly worked day and night working on a small vessel to breach the clouds he made sure to teach the child all he knew. She was, after all, all he had left of Helena. Gwen's base of knowledge grew vast in next to no time. The child was not allowed to leave the house most of the time, as her terrible illness would cause her to seize up and have terrible problems breathing. Because of this, Gwen spent most of her childhood indoors pouring over all the books in the library and in her father's archives. Eventually, she stumbled across a book that was of great interest to her. The Adventures of Cumulus Le Fèvre. The stories of wonder and magic caused Gwen's jaw to drop to the floor in awe. She longed to finally be able to escape the house she had been confined to and explore this amazing world outside her dark horizons.

Starting at the age of fifteen the girl entered the annual Rivensford invention exchange, showing off her engineering prowess when she designed and built an airship thruster all on her own. People from all around were impressed with her work, but Gwen did not listen to their praise. She only cared on how she could change the design, improve it beyond measure. While she toiled in her dark room she would hear her father working day in and day out to perfect his pet project. At last, when she was nineteen years old he completed his dream; a craft able to dive below the clouds. Bidding Gwen a quick but tearful goodbye and leaving everything he owned to her, Silias dove below the cloud layer, promising to her that he would return in only a year's time.

When two years past, the truth became very apparent to Gwen. Her father had no intention of returning at all. Now on her own, she vowed one day to follow in her father's footsteps and finally discover what had become of her idol. Fate seemed to favor her in this endeavor, as when she was going on a monthly errand to buy food for her shut in lifestyle she came across two men in the market square discussing an ad they had seen posted down the road. People were wanted for an expedition of sorts; apparently it held promise of adventure, of camaraderie, and most of all...

Diving below the clouds.

Gwendolyn's dull brown eyes lit up at the sound of those words, and quickly she gathered up her things and left her dusty childhood prison behind. Now with a heart ablaze with passion, she sets sail to at last find out what has become of her father and to live the life she feels she was meant to live.

Gwendolyn hopes to find out what has become of her father below the endless sea of clouds. She also wants to go out and experience all of what life has to offer in case her condition worsens.

● Cluttered Tool Belt- A well worn leather belt covered in rusty tools of all varieties. (Spanners, Mallets, Screwdrivers, a Blowtorch and a Rivet Gun.)

● Dusty Coat- A sun-bleached cloak of ragged leather. Used to belong to Gwendolyn's mother.

● Tinted Goggles- A pair of protective goggles that serve to shield the wearer's eyes from bright lights and extreme temperatures.

● Inhaler- A tiny trinket that Gwendolyn (literally) can't live without. The inhaler was designed and built by her father to keep the sickly child from dying at a young age.

● The Book The Adventures of Cumulus Le Fèvre- This old tome is carried by Gwendolyn as a reminder that there is so much excitement away from home. It serves as a motivator for the sickly and scared girl go out and live life to the fullest.

● Blackened Socket Wrench- The last thing Gwendolyn has to remember her father by; his favorite socket wrench. The old tool is notched and charred, but still works as if in prime condition.

"Lexington Vale, but most people call me Lex"

26

Male

Baleine

Lexington has a rough and weary sort of appearance, portraying someone who's matured well beyond his years. He has a tall and athletic build, standing at 6 feet and weighing in at around 175 pounds. He has long hair that he dyed blond everywhere except on the left side, which he shaved close to his skull. The next thing you'd notice would be his icy blue eyes that look like they've been cut from a rare stone. He has harsh eyebrows, a long thin nose, and stubble dotting his chin as well as above his full lips. Both of his ears are double pierced with hoops in all four holes. Lex will usually wear clothes that allow him to blend into the crowd, usually dark slacks and cotton shirts, nothing too special. He's never seen without his cane or the pistol that he keeps holstered at the hip. Lex walks with a distinct limp in his left leg.

Lexington is a charming, gentleman thief. People are usually caught up in his good looks, trustful smile, and witty humor until the next thing they know they're penniless. Behind his bright smile is a cunning and calculating swindler. Lex's one true love in life is money and he's got a fiendish knack for taking it from the unsuspecting. He doesn't view it as stealing, he sees it as a game, one that he cheats at and wins often.

Lex is smart in his own ways, he might not fully understand magic, or be an academic scholar, but he has his fair share of street-smarts. Above all, Lex knows how to adapt, how to survive. He knows how to lift money from people without them feeling a single tug, effortlessly able pick locks, and heists and scamming are a second nature to. You may like him, but don't trust him for a second, not unless you want to be robbed so fast that you won't even remember his face in the crowd. Lex is a negotiator, a smooth talker, always having something to say. Lying is a necessary skill, as well as a poker face, Lex has mastered both. Deception is his best friend, he'll do whatever it takes to get a job done.

Lexington is slow to trust, mostly because he's so untrustworthy himself. It takes time to become his friend, but if or when you do, you might as well be family. Even to those close to him he remains sort of an enigma, he tells very little about himself or his past. This is because he believes that information is power, sometimes even more powerful than money. If one thing is certain about Lex, is that he has a love for life. He finds finds even the mundane to be beautiful, but has a passion for anything that gets his adrenaline pumping and heart racing.

● Thievery - If you have it, Lex can probably take it from you. Deception and distractions are his best tools. He has quick hands and light fingers. These skills usually manifest when Lex is pickpocketing, lock-picking, scamming, etc.

● Fighting - Lex has been fighting since he was a little kid, always has, always will. He doesn't fight with the concept of honor, no, he does whatever it takes to win. Lex is well versed in sword fighting, and is a pretty good shot with his pistol. Most of the time, Lexington doesn't even use his hidden sword or pistol, preferring to just beat people with his cane. Having adapted an odd style of fighting on the streets, Lex aims for pressure points and weak spots, using speed and precision instead of strength and brute force.

● Adaptation - Lex, above all else, knows how to survive. He'll do whatever it takes to stay alive and well, usually without regard for others.

Lexington might have quick hands, but he's not quick on his feet... At the age of 10, Lex's leg was broken by a thug and it never healed quite right, leaving him with a distinct limp in his left leg. Which is why he's always seen with his cane. Though money is his motivation, it can also be used against him. His interests are easily swayed if the right sum is offered. Lexington's most frustrating flaw comes from not being formally educated. Everything he's ever learned has been taught by either pirates or by his own mistakes and studies. Sure, he's quite articulate and knows how to read and write enough to get him by, but in the limelight of a scholar, he pales in comparison.

The first lesson Lexington learned in life was that the slums of Baleine take kindly to no one. Lexington assumes that his father disappeared well before his mother gave birth his brother and himself, because he never met him. He figures his mother was ill during her pregnancy because unfortunately, she died during childbirth due to complications. Thankfully, the doctors were able to save Lex and his twin brother, Athas. With no parents or relatives willing to take them in, the brothers were thrown into the foster care system of Baleine. The twin's early years were a mix of different parents and trying to find a place called home. Since most of their caretakers never actually gave a shit, the brothers were forced to care for themselves at a young age. It started with dipping into distracted women's purses, and transformed into full-fledged pickpocketing.

Athas and Lexington were crime protégés by the time they were 8, while also getting into their fair share of trouble and scraps. It didn't matter how often they were knocked down, they found strength in each other and trudged on. Soon enough they fell into the gang life, though if Lex knew what was to come, he would have been scared straight to a life a purity. It all came crashing down on the young brothers when a heist went south. They were supposed to be robbing a house in the upper class district but they were ratted out by another member of their gang for cash. Lex and Athas were jumped before they could reach the target's house. Their opponents were members of a rival gang who wanted more territory in the slums. The thugs beat Lex senseless, breaking his leg in the process. The worst was what they did to Athas. They made Lexington watch as they slit his brother's throat. An image that haunts Lex every time he lays his head on a pillow or closes his eyes.

Too young, his brother was taken from him too young. The thugs took Lexington and sold him to a band of pirates for a hefty sum. Once again proving how powerful money was. Lex was put to work immediately, basically a slave for the next few years of his life. They'd send him out to steak for them, or they'd put him against other kids his age and have them fight for their entertainment.

At this point, Lex was used to going from one shitty situation to the next, so he did the only thing he could do, he adapted. And it worked, the gang of pirates who bought him, their leader saw something in Lex. Their boss, Maddox, ended up taking Lexington under his wing. Lex played along too, as if he could actually care for the man who kept him as a slave in a damn airship like a dog. Lexington escaped by stealing from one of the criminals on board. He lifted the man's pistol without him even knowing that Lex was there. The next thing anyone knew, their captain was being held at gun point by Lex, who was now a young adult. The crew begrudgingly released Lex, ashamed that they were bested by a young thief. Lex ended up on the streets once again, left to his own devices. Although this time around, Lexington decided that he would survive on his own terms. This was how the gentleman thief was created. Instead of brute force and fear, Lex preferred charisma and quick hands. He made sure he stole from the rich, and that he never hurt a soul. Lex prefers it better this way, he knows how to fight dirty, he's caused his fair share of blood, but he loved the rush of pulling of a heist without anyone knowing what hit them.

This is how Lex survived his early adult life. With his dirty money he was able to secure his first real home and didn't have to keep moving because gangs were no longer after him and he was rarely even seen performing a steal, let alone caught. It looked like this would be the rest of his life, carrying in surviving, just the thought left Lex feeling empty. His brother had aspired to be so much more, Athas had dreams of exploring, of living a life that didn't require him to steal to survive. Lexington adopted his brother's dream as his own, and when he heard about The North Wind's daring expedition, he realized that he had to join the conquest, for Athas. The only question that needed to be asked was how would he convince the Captain to let him aboard? It took some convincing and some trademark, Vale charisma, but he was able to create a valid arguement as to how he was needed on the ship. Lexington explained that not only he was willing to work however he was needed on the ship, but that he also had useful knowledge the crew might need. A lot of applicants had book-smarts and theoretical knowledge, but not many had the street-smarts Lex had. Lexington promised that The North Wind would probably be a target to pirates and thieves due to the nature of their expedition, he assumed that thieves like himself would want a piece of whatever the Ship came back with on their way home from the expedition. Lex was a servant to a band of pirates for many years in his youth, he knows how they work, their tactics and thinking. And the best way to not be robbed is to rob others before they have the opportunity to take what's yours. Lexington guaranteed that if he was aboard The North Wind, not a single item would be taken from the ship without him knowing.

Lexington is in search for treasure beyond imagination. He wants to explore the unknown in hopes of fulfilling his brother's dream. He hopes that he will return from the trip with enough money to justify not having to steal ever again. Lex is doing this to clean his conscious, to let go of the life that killed his brother, to live a life worth living.

● Cane - Lexington is always seen with this beautiful and deadly cane. He uses it to assist his walking and to fight when needed. Lex almost never uses the hidden blade, preferring to smack around his opposition instead of stabbing them.

● Flintlock Pistol - Lex knows not to bring a blade to a gun fight, so if the stakes are raised he will always fall back on his pistol to solve problems his cane can't. He keeps all the equipment and cleaning tools needed for it on his person.

● A gold ring - This ring is always found on Lexington's left hand, nestled on his middle finger. This is no ordinary ring though, if twisted in a precise way, a small, sharp blade will be opened. This has gotten Lex out of a couple unpleasant situations in which he was tied up.

● A lock picking set that Lex uses often, with these in his hands no lock is safe.

● A well drawn picture of a young boy that looks strikingly similar to Lexington is always kept on his person. He's often seen looking at it when he think's no one is watching.