Canoli

The Haunting of Crestwood Hollow - A Supernatural Coming of Age Story

Charlie Janowiak

C H A R L I E J A N O W I A K

_{"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."}

P L A C E H O L D E R Charles Josef Janowiak ______________________________________________________ 03/04/2002 | 17 | Caucasian ______________________________________________________ Hetero | ♂ | Single ______________________________________________________ Junior | Unbonded | Red-tailed hawk

D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E: Charlie dresses as he's been taught to do; appropriately. Uni-colored shirts, dark pants, brown shoes. The summer brings t-shirts, shorts and sandals. His thick, black hair is arguably his greatest visual asset, finely combed above his round, somewhat plump face. Of average height and above average weight, Charlie is the kind of chubby that largely goes unnoticed in clothing but quickly becomes uncomfortable in swimming trunks. He's already capable of growing facial hair worthy of someone twice his age, but opts to be perfectly clean-shaven in accordance with what his mother considers appropriate. Charlie has a reserved way about him in school and seldomly smiles cordially, nor does he seek eye-contact (though he doesn't avoid it either). Outside of school, especially when working at St. John's Special Needs Services, he tends to be more jovial. His posture is near perfect, with a straight back and eyes gazing towards the horizon. M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S: Charlie is very invested in St. John's and working with those in special need in general, not necessarily just children. He's committed to his studies and intends to enroll university in behavioral sciences, or possibly psychology. While Charlie has little interest in walking in his father's footsteps (something Josef worked very hard to have Chaldrie do), he does consider getting good grades and enrolling in a reputable university a good way to pay respects to his father. Upon discovering his Hexenbrut origin and all it entails, Charlie will ravenously tap his newfound potential. Up until that point he'd always considered himself unfortunate; yes, he's wealthy and sure, he's smart - but what has that gotten him? There are few outside of St. John's who know him well, and even fewer he'd consider to be friends. Discovering that he's a freaking wizard (his words) will help his mental outlook substantially and serve as a catalyst for Charlie to try and become the man he wants to be - both for himself and those who need him. To become a role model and to possibly use his powers to alleviate those in need. Indeed, to become something of a hero.

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

---

Charlie has a wealthy background. His father Josef was a Polish engineer by trade who served as the CTO of the American offices of a large Russian conglomerate, while Charlie's Russian mother Misha serves as the principal of St. John's Special Needs Services.

Josef was not a bad man, but he was stern and expected a lot of his only child, domineering Charlie's childhood with very strict parenting. After Josef died of a heart attack a year and a half ago, Charlie has started working extra at the special needs school his mother has been running for the past eighteen years. Here, Charlie has found something he truly enjoys. Helping kids with special needs have given Charlie a sense of purpose he previously lacked, and he has slowly started coming out of his rigid, cautious shell outside of that establishment as well.

Charlie is intelligent and strong-willed, but suffers from a lack of confidence and a poor self-image. Working at St. John's has helped, but there's still some way to go. He'd not consider himself bullied, but he's certainly been picked on in the past both verbally and physically. These days, he's largely a wallflower. Charlie is entirely unaware of the supernatural realm actually existing but does have an interest in the concept: he's read plenty of material on legends and folklore, both local and otherwise. A form of escapism in a household where stuff like video games were never accepted.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

---

* Conversationalist; Charlie might not be a particularly gifted speaker, but his command of language would surely deserve it. He speaks Polish and Russian fluently as well as conversational Spanish and French. Moreover, he's learned braille and sign language at St. John's.

* A nearly entirely white hawk has been turning up around John more and more frequently the past few years. At least, he thinks it's the same hawk.

* While Charlie dislikes conflict and shies away from it, he'd rather get pummeled than be made to do something he doesn't want to - his father did enough of that. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has also lead to him getting just that on occasion - pummeled.

* Charlie lives on a very large property in a wealthy area on the outskirts of Crestwood Hollow. He's inherited something of a fortune from his father which he'll gain control over when he turns 21.

* He's been brought up Orthodox, but doesn't really consider himself religious.

The Haunting of Crestwood Hollow - A Supernatural Coming of Age Story

I hope you don't mind another person joining the party.

Charlie Janowiak

C H A R L I E J A N O W I A K

_{"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."}

P L A C E H O L D E R Charles Josef Janowiak ______________________________________________________ 03/04/2002 | 17 | Caucasian ______________________________________________________ Hetero | ♂ | Single ______________________________________________________ Junior | Unbonded | Red-tailed hawk

D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E: Charlie dresses as he's been taught to do; appropriately. Uni-colored shirts, dark pants, brown shoes. The summer brings t-shirts, shorts and sandals. His thick, black hair is arguably his greatest visual asset, finely combed above his round, somewhat plump face. Of average height and above average weight, Charlie is the kind of chubby that largely goes unnoticed in clothing but quickly becomes uncomfortable in swimming trunks. He's already capable of growing facial hair worthy of someone twice his age, but opts to be perfectly clean-shaven in accordance with what his mother considers appropriate. Charlie has a reserved way about him in school and seldomly smiles cordially, nor does he seek eye-contact (though he doesn't avoid it either). Outside of school, especially when working at Crestwood Special School, he tends to be more jovial. His posture is near perfect, with a straight back and eyes gazing towards the horizon. M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S: Charlie is very invested in St. John's and working with those in special need in general, not necessarily just children. He's committed to his studies and intends to enroll university in behavioral sciences, or possibly psychology. While Charlie has little interest in walking in his father's footsteps (something Josef worked very hard to have Chaldrie do), he does consider getting good grades and enrolling in a reputable university a good way to pay respects to his father. Upon discovering his Hexenbrut origin and all it entails, Charlie will ravenously tap his newfound potential. Up until that point he'd always considered himself unfortunate; yes, he's wealthy and sure, he's smart - but what has that gotten him? There are few outside of St. John's who know him well, and even fewer he'd consider to be friends. Discovering that he's a freaking wizard (his words) will help his mental outlook substantially and serve as a catalyst for Charlie to try and become the man he wants to be - both for himself and those who need him. To become a role model and to possibly use his powers to alleviate those in need. Indeed, to become something of a hero.

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

---

Charlie has a wealthy background. His father Josef was a Polish engineer by trade who served as the CTO of the American offices of a large Russian conglomerate, while Charlie's Russian mother Misha serves as the principal of St. John's Special Needs Services.

Josef was not a bad man, but he was stern and expected a lot of his only child, domineering Charlie's childhood with very strict parenting. After Josef died of a heart attack a year and a half ago, Charlie has started working extra at the special needs school his mother has been running for the past eighteen years. Here, Charlie has found something he truly enjoys. Helping kids with special needs have given Charlie a sense of purpose he previously lacked, and he has slowly started coming out of his rigid, cautious shell outside of that establishment as well.

Charlie is intelligent and strong-willed, but suffers from a lack of confidence and a poor self-image. Working at St. John's has helped, but there's still some way to go. He'd not consider himself bullied, but he's certainly been picked on in the past both verbally and physically. These days, he's largely a wallflower. Charlie is entirely unaware of the supernatural realm actually existing but does have an interest in the concept: he's read plenty of material on legends and folklore, both local and otherwise. A form of escapism in a household where stuff like video games were never accepted.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

---

* Conversationalist; Charlie might not be a particularly gifted speaker, but his command of language would surely deserve it. He speaks Polish and Russian fluently as well as conversational Spanish and French. Moreover, he's learned braille and sign language at St. John's.

* A nearly entirely white hawk has been turning up around John more and more frequently the past few years. At least, he thinks it's the same hawk.

* While Charlie dislikes conflict and shies away from it, he'd rather get pummeled than be made to do something he doesn't want to - his father did enough of that. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has also lead to him getting just that on occasion - pummeled.

* Charlie lives on a very large property in a wealthy area on the outskirts of Crestwood Hollow. He's inherited something of a fortune from his father which he'll gain control over when he turns 21.

* He's been brought up Orthodox, but doesn't really consider himself religious.

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

Just checking in, letting you know I'm here. Was working on an introductory post, which made a couple of questions pop up. I'd like to know what you thought about the questions quoted below, @Jbcool

@Jbcool I am assuming, from the titles of the leadership positions, that there will be some significant number of NPC mercenaries running about with this group. It would also be kinda hard to merc around with only seven people, no matter how good they are. Is this correct, or are we a Firefly type group?

@Indy Cooper

Personally, I'm thinking there's bound to be NPC members of the band, making up the bulk of the numbers, whereas the PCs are - obviously - the most important members and the ones driving the narrative.

Then, there's Bishop's question;

So, who recruits everyone? The leader or my character, the co leader, who is recruited by the leader to recruit others?

@Bishop

While reading the IC and thinking about my own first post, I've been trying to come up with an angle to deal with this. In my CS I wrote, and I quote, "He became a freelance mercenary working for the highest bidder, and it wasn’t long before he formed his own team of discerning mercenaries.". What I surmise is that perhaps my character's crew already exist(ed) but recently got disbanded/demolished/split up following [insert reason here], my character now having made his way to Taenarum to begin anew and start recruiting again.

IDK, I'm just trying to work out the setup a bit before I end up writing myself into a corner, and these are just some thoughts. Either way, the formation of the group as well as the accepting of the contract mentioned IC seem like something best figured out OOC.

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

Info on Caladin's home nation

The Calesian Republic – or Calesia – is a medium-sized human nation encompassing a handful of different systems. The Calesians are well known, especially among other human states, for their strong emphasis on individual freedom yet collective discipline. From an early age Calesians are taught to value themselves and others, that respect and dignity is paramount to personal and societal development and that the most important aspect of an individual is that of being trustworthy. Trust is as such paramount to the Calesian way of life, as one of the more common Calesian sayings make clear; “to be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved”.

Similar to that saying is the strong discipline of Calesians. Their society has strong traditions and societal codes to which one must adhere, yet they’re there to support and encourage the freedom of choice. Favoritism and, especially, nepotism is not just frowned upon but outright illegal, those being found guilty of it facing harsh sentences. Children are not raised in a family but in a school. At the age of twelve every Calesian must pick their primary Aspect. This will be their guiding principle in life and something of great importance to their personal development. The Aspects are twenty different collections of positive (to the Calesians) traits and mindsets worthy of cultivating. By choosing one you decide to live your life by the standards set by the Aspect, as well as taking said Aspect as your surname. Typically, children will choose an Aspect that either corresponds to their own personality, or to their childhood dream of who they want to be.

Upon reaching the age of twenty, when their basic education is over, Calesians must choose their secondary Aspect as well as their trade. Throughout childhood Calesians are given plenty of opportunity to take apprenticeships in various trades, finding something they enjoy. Any Calesian may pick any trade – personal skill will decide how far you come in any given trade, but regardless you will always find work within your chosen trade and thus be able to provide for yourself and your family. Working as a teacher is seen as the most distinguished position a Calesian can be in – you are directly responsible for the personal development of your countrymen and helping them to choose the right Aspect. Serving in the military is seen as the second most distinguished position a Calesian can be in, despite the nation being a relatively peaceful one. As a member of the military, you are trusted with the most important of tasks there is – that of protecting your fellow countrymen.

Poverty is all but eliminated in Calesian society, and crime with it. “Classes” are extinct – every Calesian is given the same opportunity to succeed in life. This has led to Calesia being a very, very sought-after nation to immigrate to. Yet while the Calesians may emphasize trust amongst their own, they – perhaps rightly so – are inherently distrustful towards foreigners. It is therefore hard to permanently relocate to Calesia, and only accomplished and affluent individuals tend to pass the immigration process.

All in all, depending on where in the galaxy you are and who you speak to, the opinions on the Calesian Republic have traditionally varied greatly. Some admired their freedom, others envied their prosperity, some were mistrustful of a society lacking “true” parenthood and even more likely greatly disliked the prudence, arrogance and ignorance Calesians were often perceived to inhabit. Either way, you would have been hard pressed to find those with no opinion at all. With the Valnaur Invasion that all changed, however. Despite not being one of the states under attack by the Valnaur Empire (the Calesian Republic is placed rather far away from the sites of the conflict), Calesia opted to send substantial military support to the confederacy of human states defending against the Valnaur menace under the argument that if those human states fell, Calesia would eventually be targeted as well. The Calesian troops where more disciplined and better trained than most other human nations and performed admirably, thus considerably improving the reputation of Calesia following the war.

Caladin "Cal" Mhol'Avanar

Caladin is one of the billions of souls born on Vhahimmar – a small but incredibly densely populated moon as well as the capital of Calesia. Nearly the entirety of the hot, arid moon is covered in urban sprawl, and it is the commercial, cultural and political center of the Calesian Republic. Caladin distinguished himself at an early age for his passion, ability to focus and, unfortunately, proneness to violence. In order to cope with his abundance of energy and the physical exertion of it, Caladin’s teachers encouraged him to pick an aspect to help not only control his energy, but channel it. Given Caladin’s popularity in school, despite his violent tendencies, they specifically encouraged him to take a particular Aspect. Caladin followed his teachers’ advice and chose Mhol – the Aspect of drive, authority, rationality and resolve, a common pick amongst leaders, whether civilian or military.

As Caladin grew up he also managed to grow into his chosen Aspect, even moreso than his teachers anticipated. When it was time to choose his secondary Aspect, friends and teachers alike thought Caladin would choose that of Khovin, the Aspect of fortitude, bravery, compassion and respect, the by far most popular and acknowledged pick by those wishing to lead. Instead Caladin picked Avanar – the Aspect of intractability, preservation, precaution and analysis. His friends were somewhat dismayed by his choice, but Caladin’s teachers were very approving. By choosing Avanar, Caladin had made it clear that he had fully learned to control his emotions and fully appreciated the responsibility of the natural drive he had – the drive required to not just succeed but excel in life. By choosing Avanar, Caladin proved that he could think beyond glory and honor, instead picking something more serving, if perhaps less virtuous. As such, Caladin finished his education and received his full name: Caladin Mohl’Avanar.

As for Caladin’s choice of trade, there was little surprise; Caladin chose that of the Soldier (not to be confused with being a soldier. Picking the trade “the Soldier” means you pick a life in the Army, regardless of which practical occupation you will perform there). Thus, he was promptly enlisted in the Army. Like every other youngster choosing to work in the armed forces, Caladin had to go through a number of trials and tests to determine his capabilities and by extent which vocation would fit him the best. Even so, Caladin remained the one to choose which trade he would actually pick up, as Calesian laws dictate.

Throughout the tests, Caladin proved to perform particularly well in those of Marksmanship and Leadership. He was recommended the trade of Squad Leader, an entry level trade in the management branch of the Army. He chose accordingly, and thus started his five years long basic training which would make him an actual Squad Leader.

Fast forward fifteen years, and he is now serving in the army under the rank of Captain. Caladin is at this point 41 years of age. As Captain he is responsible of a hundred squads, meaning that a thousand men serves under his command. During his time in the army, Caladin had continuously impressed his superiors by, as far as they were concerned, not just taking to his Aspects but encompassing them. While the nation had remained in peace, Calesia had on several occasions sent military aid to various allies throughout the years, whether to quell rebellions, aid in defensive wars or simply to serve as peacekeepers. During these missions, Caladin had shown an aptitude for military command – as in tactical and strategical analysis and planning. Simply put, Caladin knew when, what and how to engage enemy combatants and win.

Yet Caladin was far from content with his lot. He had realized that although he had certainly learned how to control his ludicrous energy levels, it was when he channeled them into live combat that he felt good. Not just good, but great. Alive. While it was hardly something fitting a Calesian, Caladin found that he enjoyed combat. He enjoyed the thrill of it, and he enjoyed outsmarting and defeating his enemies. And now he would get to throw himself into it fully for the first time – the powerful Valnaur Empire had recently declared a war of conquest on its neighboring human states, and Calesia had opted to aid its brethren.

As the war raged on, Caladin proved to be not just a good commander, but a great one. His vectant (as is what the one thousand man strong company serving under every Captain is called) performed amicably, defeating the Valnaur at most occasions and holding them off when faced against difficult, sometimes overwhelming, odds. Because of his success, Caladin was sent to increasingly difficult missions, aiding fringe colonies and poorly armed civilians against enemy troops.

During the last days of the war, everything took a very bad turn. Despite the human confederacy seemingly being able to hold off the Valnaur onslaught, Caladin and his men was sent to a battle graded Black by the army along with four other vectants – Black roughly equating to “impossible”. The battle was fought on the planet of Moovir, located in a fringe system belonging to the eponymous planet-state. The Moovirians where outnumbered 1:3 by the Valnaur force and severely outgunned. Neighboring states had opted not to aid Moovir as the battle was deemed lost anyhow, seeming as the Valnaur were bringing in more forces to the sector. The great success of Caladin’s vectant, now known as “Vectant Vanuria” (“Vanuria” roughly translates as unassailable, insurmountable or unconquerable) had prompted the higher ups in the military command to see an opportunity – a win at Moovir would greatly improve Calesias esteem as well as foreign relations.

The result was another, however. While Caladin and his men did what they could, the battle was unwinnable, at least to them. They opted for a retreat, yet were cut off by Valnaur reinforcements before they could leave the site. Instead of engaging the vectant head on (perhaps the reputation of Caladin and his men made the Valnaur think better of it, or perhaps they had different reasons entirely) the Valnaur forces decided to bomb the Calesian troops from orbit, thus forgoing any chance of taking a reasonable amount of captives. Subsequently, nearly the entire vectant was lost in the fire that rained down upon them. Caladin himself barely survived the bombing and was left in a fatal condition, suffering third degree burns on most of his body, yet the Calesian Command had thankfully (though how thankful Caladin was of the Calesian strategy is best left unsaid) sent a secondary force to intercept the Valnaur reinforcements. The battle that ensued left the Valnaur in shambles, and Caladin along with the few survivors of his vectant were evacuated.

Fast forward another three years, and Caladin is now 46. He managed to survive his injuries, though even with the cutting-edge technology available in this age he remains visibly severely scarred. The failure of Vectant Vanuria was a sensationally publicized one, and rather than facing the embarrassment of the truth (having sent their best men to a hopeless battle in hopes of gaining favor with others), the military command of Calesia opted to throw Caladin and the captains of the other four vectants in the assault under the bus. As such, Caladin’s trust of his superiors had vanished, and though he would only face a punishment in the form of demotion to Squad Leader (perhaps a leniency from someone high up knowing Caladin was not at fault), Caladin decided to leave both the army and Calesia entirely. He had been taught the value of trust, and it had now been broken. He had to leave. At least, that was his official reason.

After leaving Calesia, Caladin took up the one trade he knew – that of fighting. He became a freelance mercenary working for the highest bidder, and it wasn’t long before he formed his own team of discerning mercenaries. Today, Caladin remains true to his chosen Aspects, and is viewed as a serious, disciplined but well-meaning commander, reluctant to send neither himself nor his men into missions where the odds are stacked against them. He is nearing his fifties, though thanks to genetic modifications and modern medicine he hardly appears as if. Even so, he certainly appears scarred, with the right side of his face showing large burns despite the considerable surgery Caladin underwent to reconstruct his face. He is, and has always been, a heavily built man standing at roughly 6" 6' and weighing in at 200 pounds, though he remains dwarfed by more than a couple of the sentient alien races known to man. All in all, most people hardly consider Caladin a pretty man, but they do find him an intimidating one.

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

@Canoli Sheets looking good! I'd actually say you can post him into the char sheet if you so wish. As for being the leader, well, seems that you and Bishop's lizard-man may have to duke that out...

@Jbcool

Dang it, I read through the opening post and the accepted sheets and noted a lack of both leaders as well as a minority of humans, so that's what I tried to address. Oh well.

What are your thoughts on this @Bishop?

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

God damn it, I fucking hate that the site removes the paragraphs I made in Word...

Anyway, this is the first draft of the sheet. Up to you know, @Jbcool

Info on Caladin's home nation

The Calesian Republic – or Calesia – is a medium-sized human nation encompassing a handful of different systems. The Calesians are well known, especially among other human states, for their strong emphasis on individual freedom yet collective discipline. From an early age Calesians are taught to value themselves and others, that respect and dignity is paramount to personal and societal development and that the most important aspect of an individual is that of being trustworthy. Trust is as such paramount to the Calesian way of life, as one of the more common Calesian sayings make clear; “to be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved”.

Similar to that saying is the strong discipline of Calesians. Their society has strong traditions and societal codes to which one must adhere, yet they’re there to support and encourage the freedom of choice. Favoritism and, especially, nepotism is not just frowned upon but outright illegal, those being found guilty of it facing harsh sentences. Children are not raised in a family but in a school. At the age of twelve every Calesian must pick their primary Aspect. This will be their guiding principle in life and something of great importance to their personal development. The Aspects are twenty different collections of positive (to the Calesians) traits and mindsets worthy of cultivating. By choosing one you decide to live your life by the standards set by the Aspect, as well as taking said Aspect as your surname. Typically, children will choose an Aspect that either corresponds to their own personality, or to their childhood dream of who they want to be.

Upon reaching the age of twenty, when their basic education is over, Calesians must choose their secondary Aspect as well as their trade. Throughout childhood Calesians are given plenty of opportunity to take apprenticeships in various trades, finding something they enjoy. Any Calesian may pick any trade – personal skill will decide how far you come in any given trade, but regardless you will always find work within your chosen trade and thus be able to provide for yourself and your family. Working as a teacher is seen as the most distinguished position a Calesian can be in – you are directly responsible for the personal development of your countrymen and helping them to choose the right Aspect. Serving in the military is seen as the second most distinguished position a Calesian can be in, despite the nation being a relatively peaceful one. As a member of the military, you are trusted with the most important of tasks there is – that of protecting your fellow countrymen.

Poverty is all but eliminated in Calesian society, and crime with it. “Classes” are extinct – every Calesian is given the same opportunity to succeed in life. This has led to Calesia being a very, very sought-after nation to immigrate to. Yet while the Calesians may emphasize trust amongst their own, they – perhaps rightly so – are inherently distrustful towards foreigners. It is therefore hard to permanently relocate to Calesia, and only accomplished and affluent individuals tend to pass the immigration process.

All in all, depending on where in the galaxy you are and who you speak to, the opinions on the Calesian Republic have traditionally varied greatly. Some admired their freedom, others envied their prosperity, some were mistrustful of a society lacking “true” parenthood and even more likely greatly disliked the prudence, arrogance and ignorance Calesians were often perceived to inhabit. Either way, you would have been hard pressed to find those with no opinion at all. With the Valnaur Invasion that all changed, however. Despite not being one of the states under attack by the Valnaur Empire (the Calesian Republic is placed rather far away from the sites of the conflict), Calesia opted to send substantial military support to the confederacy of human states defending against the Valnaur menace under the argument that if those human states fell, Calesia would eventually be targeted as well. The Calesian troops where more disciplined and better trained than most other human nations and performed admirably, thus considerably improving the reputation of Calesia following the war.

Caladin "Cal" Mhol'Avanar

Caladin is one of the billions of souls born on Vhahimmar – a small but incredibly densely populated moon as well as the capital of Calesia. Nearly the entirety of the hot, arid moon is covered in urban sprawl, and it is the commercial, cultural and political center of the Calesian Republic. Caladin distinguished himself at an early age for his passion, ability to focus and, unfortunately, proneness to violence. In order to cope with his abundance of energy and the physical exertion of it, Caladin’s teachers encouraged him to pick an aspect to help not only control his energy, but channel it. Given Caladin’s popularity in school, despite his violent tendencies, they specifically encouraged him to take a particular Aspect. Caladin followed his teachers’ advice and chose Mhol – the Aspect of drive, authority, rationality and resolve, a common pick amongst leaders, whether civilian or military.

As Caladin grew up he also managed to grow into his chosen Aspect, even moreso than his teachers anticipated. When it was time to choose his secondary Aspect, friends and teachers alike thought Caladin would choose that of Khovin, the Aspect of fortitude, bravery, compassion and respect, the by far most popular and acknowledged pick by those wishing to lead. Instead Caladin picked Avanar – the Aspect of intractability, preservation, precaution and analysis. His friends were somewhat dismayed by his choice, but Caladin’s teachers were very approving. By choosing Avanar, Caladin had made it clear that he had fully learned to control his emotions and fully appreciated the responsibility of the natural drive he had – the drive required to not just succeed but excel in life. By choosing Avanar, Caladin proved that he could think beyond glory and honor, instead picking something more serving, if perhaps less virtuous. As such, Caladin finished his education and received his full name: Caladin Mohl’Avanar.

As for Caladin’s choice of trade, there was little surprise; Caladin chose that of the Soldier (not to be confused with being a soldier. Picking the trade “the Soldier” means you pick a life in the Army, regardless of which practical occupation you will perform there). Thus, he was promptly enlisted in the Army. Like every other youngster choosing to work in the armed forces, Caladin had to go through a number of trials and tests to determine his capabilities and by extent which vocation would fit him the best. Even so, Caladin remained the one to choose which trade he would actually pick up, as Calesian laws dictate.

Throughout the tests, Caladin proved to perform particularly well in those of Marksmanship and Leadership. He was recommended the trade of Squad Leader, an entry level trade in the management branch of the Army. He chose accordingly, and thus started his five years long basic training which would make him an actual Squad Leader.

Fast forward fifteen years, and he is now serving in the army under the rank of Captain. Caladin is at this point 41 years of age. As Captain he is responsible of a hundred squads, meaning that a thousand men serves under his command. During his time in the army, Caladin had continuously impressed his superiors by, as far as they were concerned, not just taking to his Aspects but encompassing them. While the nation had remained in peace, Calesia had on several occasions sent military aid to various allies throughout the years, whether to quell rebellions, aid in defensive wars or simply to serve as peacekeepers. During these missions, Caladin had shown an aptitude for military command – as in tactical and strategical analysis and planning. Simply put, Caladin knew when, what and how to engage enemy combatants and win.

Yet Caladin was far from content with his lot. He had realized that although he had certainly learned how to control his ludicrous energy levels, it was when he channeled them into live combat that he felt good. Not just good, but great. Alive. While it was hardly something fitting a Calesian, Caladin found that he enjoyed combat. He enjoyed the thrill of it, and he enjoyed outsmarting and defeating his enemies. And now he would get to throw himself into it fully for the first time – the powerful Valnaur Empire had recently declared a war of conquest on its neighboring human states, and Calesia had opted to aid its brethren.

As the war raged on, Caladin proved to be not just a good commander, but a great one. His vectant (as is what the one thousand man strong company serving under every Captain is called) performed amicably, defeating the Valnaur at most occasions and holding them off when faced against difficult, sometimes overwhelming, odds. Because of his success, Caladin was sent to increasingly difficult missions, aiding fringe colonies and poorly armed civilians against enemy troops.

During the last days of the war, everything took a very bad turn. Despite the human confederacy seemingly being able to hold off the Valnaur onslaught, Caladin and his men was sent to a battle graded Black by the army along with four other vectants – Black roughly equating to “impossible”. The battle was fought on the planet of Moovir, located in a fringe system belonging to the eponymous planet-state. The Moovirians where outnumbered 1:3 by the Valnaur force and severely outgunned. Neighboring states had opted not to aid Moovir as the battle was deemed lost anyhow, seeming as the Valnaur were bringing in more forces to the sector. The great success of Caladin’s vectant, now known as “Vectant Vanuria” (“Vanuria” roughly translates as unassailable, insurmountable or unconquerable) had prompted the higher ups in the military command to see an opportunity – a win at Moovir would greatly improve Calesias esteem as well as foreign relations.

The result was another, however. While Caladin and his men did what they could, the battle was unwinnable, at least to them. They opted for a retreat, yet were cut off by Valnaur reinforcements before they could leave the site. Instead of engaging the vectant head on (perhaps the reputation of Caladin and his men made the Valnaur think better of it, or perhaps they had different reasons entirely) the Valnaur forces decided to bomb the Calesian troops from orbit, thus forgoing any chance of taking a reasonable amount of captives. Subsequently, nearly the entire vectant was lost in the fire that rained down upon them. Caladin himself barely survived the bombing and was left in a fatal condition, suffering third degree burns on most of his body, yet the Calesian Command had thankfully (though how thankful Caladin was of the Calesian strategy is best left unsaid) sent a secondary force to intercept the Valnaur reinforcements. The battle that ensued left the Valnaur in shambles, and Caladin along with the few survivors of his vectant were evacuated.

Fast forward another three years, and Caladin is now 46. He managed to survive his injuries, though even with the cutting-edge technology available in this age he remains visibly severely scarred. The failure of Vectant Vanuria was a sensationally publicized one, and rather than facing the embarrassment of the truth (having sent their best men to a hopeless battle in hopes of gaining favor with others), the military command of Calesia opted to throw Caladin and the captains of the other four vectants in the assault under the bus. As such, Caladin’s trust of his superiors had vanished, and though he would only face a punishment in the form of demotion to Squad Leader (perhaps a leniency from someone high up knowing Caladin was not at fault), Caladin decided to leave both the army and Calesia entirely. He had been taught the value of trust, and it had now been broken. He had to leave. At least, that was his official reason.

After leaving Calesia, Caladin took up the one trade he knew – that of fighting. He became a freelance mercenary working for the highest bidder, and it wasn’t long before he formed his own team of discerning mercenaries. Today, Caladin remains true to his chosen Aspects, and is viewed as a serious, disciplined but well-meaning commander, reluctant to send neither himself nor his men into missions where the odds are stacked against them. He is nearing his fifties, though thanks to genetic modifications and modern medicine he hardly appears as if. Even so, he certainly appears scarred, with the right side of his face showing large burns despite the considerable surgery Caladin underwent to reconstruct his face. He is, and has always been, a heavily built man standing at roughly 6" 6' and weighing in at 200 pounds, though he remains dwarfed by more than a couple of the sentient alien races known to man. All in all, most people hardly consider Caladin a pretty man, but they do find him an intimidating one.

If it is not obvious by the sheet, I am very much "applying" the character to the "Condottiere/General/Leader" role.

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

@Canoli@Jeyma If you two are still about and willing, then I'd accept sheets from you.

@Jbcool

Oh shit, I haven't subbed to the thread or been on the site in a while since I thought this was cancelled. Good news!

And yeah I'm still willing, I'll start reading through the other sheets right away (so I can differentiate my own sheet a bit).

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

Damn. Read through the thread only to finish with that second to last post on the other page. Haha, what a shame. Oh well, I will say that I enjoyed the the premise and the focus on narrative as opposed to gaming, so feel free to let me know if/when you try throwing something like this up again in the future!

Star Wars

Good stuff. Time to start thinking about IC then!

VIGILANCE: Blood & Justice - A Superhuman Roleplay (Always Open)

It's a shame it didn't get very far, was looking forward to it. I think it's a safe bet another Vigilance RP will come around at some point in the future though.