"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative."
- - - - (Personal Details)First Name:Len
Last Name:Ambrose
Age:36
Sex:Male
Home Nation:Saiga
Appearance:Amongst his people, Len is an abomination. His abnormal growth and muscle mass has corrupted the standard long, slender frame of his heritage, into a hulking giant of 6'3", with an astonishing weight of 200 lbs exactly. His monstrous body is wrapped in soft, earthy toned skin, like brown autumn leaves during fall. Coincidentally, there is further similarity between Len and leaves present within the linear patterns in his skin and the veins in a leaf. These lines form intricate designs that cover his entire body, converging at a single point to form a strange symbol on the back of his neck. Though you would never know it, for the symbol is always obscured by dreaded locks of brown hair, which fall just passed his shoulder blades. His face has long since been a victim plagued by these obstructions. Often, stray, rampaging lochs will seek to interrupt the world seen through Len's deep brown eyes, which discern that he has seen much more than his youthful features let on. This fact is reassured after hearing his voice that is filled with the certainty of knowingness from experiences pass.
Personality:Just like there are two sides to every story, there are two sides to every person. Len's duality comes in the form of how the public perceives him and who he is on a personal level. Furthermore; Len, like many of those in his families, has three sides if themselves. Not truly three distinct personalities, nevertheless, he has three ways of looking at things: contemplative, direct, or dubious.
His emotional set consists of a phlegmatic disposition, generally unemotional and stolidly calm. Which usually leads to assumptions of a depressed, cynical man, but bitterness and hate has yet to taint his soul. He still has an optimistic view of the world, harbors idealistic dreams, and naively believes that people can be trusted. Len maintains no disillusion about the state the world is in, however. But it’s a testament to his integrity and nobility, how he has remained an honest and responsible person.
In combat, Len is: controlled, focused, steady, and conscientious of his surroundings. Every decision is made cautiously and pragmatically; he's vigilant in his efforts and never impulsive. He strives to apply the same manner of thinking to every facet of his life. This is why he doesn't interfere in every dispute and is content with watching until needed.
When it comes to Len's ability to handle sudden changes and disagreement, his open-mind enables a high degree of adaptability. Because of that, he's able to be tolerant and forgiving of ignorance; whether he's willing to, differs from scenario-to-scenario. But to avoid any interactions outside of his guardianship, he projects a rough, cold exterior. He even goes as far as exiling himself, which further lends to the mysterious lone wolf persona he has adopted. This facade is obviously a guise however, as evident in his altruistic behavior. Once his icy shell has been broken, his warm nature will shine through and the courteous, cultured individual with a unique sense of humor and charm will be revealed.
History:A native of Saiga, Len lived most of his life in the seclusion of the woodlands. As a child, hunting became a pastime that he embraced, often spending days at a time, bringing back game that would last his village months. Len ate, breathed, and slept the hunt; becoming one with nature and attaining knowledge of the surrounding territory. Gaining knowledge of as many as three facts from among the following subjects: the ground or terrain, plants, minerals, bodies of water, people, general animal population, presence of woodland creatures, presence of powerful unnatural creatures, and even the general state of the natural setting. All became keenly apparent to Len, as he grew more and more experienced.
But with time, his wild, and untamed exterior was suppressed and reformed when his Ki training began. While his physical capabilities grew stronger, his yearning to hunt also grew. As time went on, the young Ambrose's skills became renowned and well known, a prodigy on all accounts. But his calling never fell within the teachings of Ki, nor did his yearning for freedom lie withing the boundaries of Saiga.
So came his eventual journey into No-Mans Land. Within seconds, the young man was hooked, addicted to the dangers and adventure is posed. Once he left, the young man never came back, his path set and his dye cast. Within months, Len made it through No Mans Land to Arcadia, struggling to survive the soul crushing force of the the outback.
At the age of 24 Len had long since settled in Arcadia, regularly making trips into No Mans Land and embracing the nations culture. Len was fascinated with the nations technology, but what hooked him was the magic. The man spent 4 years learning the school, honing his unusually potent Arcane Network to a fine edge, and attaching it to what he loved most, nature.
While the school of the Arcane intrigued Len, but the call of No Mans Land was addicting. The Ambrose created a balance between Ki and Arcane and ventured into No Mans Land. The ranger became famous for his iconic costume and caring nature when it came to saving those threatened by the power of No Mans Land. The Ranger, as he is known, is renowned throughout No Mans Land as an experienced Diver, attuned to nature itself.
Occupation:Len is highly ambitious in his goals and meticulously methodical in their achievement. He is motivated by adventure and a sense of heroism. He travels far and wide looking for the lost places of the world that may be harboring aberrant monstrosities, so that he may eradicate them and protect the natural order. He has settled with living life as a Diver.
- - - - (Power Matrix)Primary Focus:Arcane
Magical Capabilities:-Len's Arcane capabilities are mind blowing, and as such, shifts the very ground upon which he walks upon. Earth bends to Len's will, sliding, lifting, pushing and reforming all at his whim. All mineral compositions regardless of their state (mountain, boulder, sand or dust), dirt, soil are manipulated in thier most basic of forms, either through intense concentration or lazy motions, but this is only one facet of Len's abilities. A key part of the study of the Arcane is that everything is made up of energy, and Len has truly embraced this notion as he had nature. By matching his Arcane wavelength (energy output) to that of a tree's, he can manipulate it accordingly. He can feel what it feels, sees what it sees, even take energy, effectively killing it. This Arcane magic can be preformed on any flora that Len happens to come a across, although this exerts plenty of energy when he 'interfaces' with more than two or so at a time.
-Akin to his homeland, Len has plenty of training in the use of Ki, which has manifested itself into his physical capabilities. This aspect confers the following benefits: dramatic increase in perception, uncanny stealth and acrobatic abilities, and the ability to track and hunt in any terrain. He has gained low-light vision allowing him to see twice as far as a normal in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. With low-light vision, he could read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to him as a source of light.
Body Modifications:None
Weapons and Equipment:-
Gaia's Defender: Len bought this pair of swords from a traveling trader, who swore Len would never lay his eyes, let alone his hands on a better weapon. The trader called them, Gaia's Defender, which he thought was another marketing ploy to target the high concentration of Divers in the area. But true enough, the weapons were superior in their creation. Not once have the blades ever failed him in combat. While he knows how to use a variety of weapons, experience is primarily applied to one-handed bladed weapons, like knives and daggers. Mastery has only been achieved with swords. Len still uses these blades as his primary weapon. Their name coincides with his occupation, making them very befitting for his ownership. At all times they are firmly placed in a custom sheath: one is located on the left side of his back while the other is strapped to his left hip.
-Gaia's Bow: Ironically, while Len is a supporter of modern technologies, there is only one ranged weapon that Len has skill with, and that is the bow and arrow. Whittled from oak and waxed often, it stands as a composite piece in his arsenal, silent, but deadly, and when coupled with his Ki, a logistical nightmare.
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Gaia's Ranger:Despite being his armor, it’s also a costume designed to resemble what some believe to be nature avatars. Taking on such an identity is perfect for his occupation and being recognized as a friendly presence. In addition to being a disguise and armored protection, it is also a highly capable ghillie suit composed of wood and leaves from the Ironbark Tree. When it comes to clothing, Len dresses for the occasion and keeps things simple. His outfits are often made from furs or other fabrics acquired from animals. When not armored, he will wear a simple leather vest with cloth trousers, and a light or heavy fur cloak depending on weather.
-Gurkha Blade: This is a curved knife, similar to the machete, used as both a tool and as a weapon. It is symbolic amongst the Ambrose family when used as a weapon, signifying the courage and valor of the bearer in the battlefield. The blade's distinctive forward drop is intended to aid the cutting action by having the edge maintain an angle (rather like a guillotine) rather than just have a straight edge at right angles to the target, this angle provides a more "slicing" action similar to a draw-cut with a machete or saber. The Gurkha Blade is effective as both a chopping and a slashing weapon. In combat, it is used in two different styles: stabbing with the point, slashing or chopping with the edge. Because the blade bends towards the opponent, the user need not angle the wrist, which makes the Gurkha Blade more comfortable as a stabbing weapon than other straight-bladed knives. Its heavy blade enables the user to inflict deep wounds and to cut through muscle and bone. As a tool, its use has varied from building, clearing, chopping firewood, and digging to cutting meat and vegetables, skinning animals, and opening tins.
-The ability to move through the forest comes naturally to Len. He can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. He also, innately leaves no trail in natural surroundings and can be difficult to track.
-As a master strategist of guerrilla tactics, which is a form of irregular warfare. Len employs the use of: ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and less-mobile traditional army, or strike a vulnerable target, and withdraw almost immediately.
- Although proficiency is diminishing due to lack of practice, Len does have training in hand-to-hand combat. The martial art he learned makes use of grapples, holds, and turning your opponents force against them. At its core, it’s a defensive style created for just that purpose.
