The Angry Goat

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

I must say, whoever was in charge of training us to be loyal and devout did a very poor job of it. I think Stina is the only one that actually fits the bill - the rest of us are apathetic, agnostic or even closet rebels.

@Sisyphus

Damned heretical inquisitors and their care for talent over devotion

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@The Angry Goat Sounds good to me, but remember, losing most of one's own ether reserves leaves them in a near-comatose state. So he's going to be in severe danger if he has to use all his ether in a battle. I'm honestly not sure why he doesn't use the ether vials though, it's basically the same concept only he'd be able to use his power a bit more frequently (and wouldn't be in danger of passing out on the battlefield). Also, I feel like as a proud Varyan inquisitor he'd be more than willing to use the ether collected from conquered people. That's just me though.

@Lovejoy

eh, fair enough. he'll still use the vials sparingly though.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@shylarah if there's one thing I know is fun from experience, it's messing with short and easily angered people :P ... as for if that's actually within Stina's character... perhaps. we'll see how he continues to open up. at least he can blame Ziotea's wavering faith on the obvious turmoil of emotions constantly inside her, and tolerate it somewhat.

@lovejoy added a bit more clear limits on Stina's abilities

"Stina knows his own limits, and one of them is the use of vial ether - he never showed much talent with it, and is never one to waste such a limited and vital resource, and therefore generally avoids it. as it is, this means that using his bursts of speed more than once or twice per day is a rather poor idea, since it will leave him more and more exhausted."

basically I don't want to have to deal with vials or anything. I'm powerful enough without that sort of ability, anyway :P

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

I was assuming that both of Stina's abilities would fall under the purview of not needing a vial btw, being aware of the cost it would have on his body post-fight

~Winds of Fate- A Thief's Adventure~

*pokes*

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Drakey id rather have the machine be responsible for the scar above his eye, if that's chill with you... I like the idea of you making the shield a good deal - gives him more of a reason to actually tolerate your lack of religiosity :P

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Drakey // Rodion Kuznetsov

Stina can always appreciate a tinkerer, especially one who doesn't make a lot of noise and gets his job done: it is a valuable asset in a world where the loss of the machines could easily mean death. this is of course, tempered by his wavering faith - Stina sees his lack of vigor in prayer and meditation, and despairs. He can at least respect the fact that Kuznetsov is able to still contribute to a fight, but still just... doesn't get not wanting to be in the thick of it. Probably has to do with that T'sarean blood in him.

@Lovejoy // Ragnar

all Ragnar really needed to get pushed onto the right track was a bit of encouragement - and look at him now: a fighter in his own right, ready and willing to sacrifice for his fellow man and country. A good man, with a good future. Especially if he stops trying to take cues from Hassan. [will flesh out further when I can properly see the character]

@Sisyphus // Hassan Qureshi

For all his happy-go-lucky disrespect of the great church of Varya, there's something about Hassan that makes Stina want to keep him around. It probably helps that he withers like a baby deer any time Stina ever truly threatens him, knowing that his powers can't touch another Inquisitor, so when he needs to, Stina can put Hassan in his place. But it's more than that... his want to have fun... his desperate attempt to break out from the cycle of war and hunger that devours Varyan culture... something that appeals deep within the thousand layers of tough-guy over Stina. because deep inside, it is fun to break out of his bubble every once in a while and actually have some fun: both of them losing some of their barriers probably appeals to Hassan as much as it does to Yerokhin.

As long as no one else is watching.

@deathbringer // Astraea

Stina's always seen something vaguely suspicious in Astraea: something... not quite right about how she goes about her life, her prayer, her battle. It always seems tentative, vaguely unwilling, and altogether too much about her own emotions - different from the two who simply don't care, she seems to care... too much? and maybe about something else? But hey, she is still a Lastronan, so she still kills quite effectively, and is quite a good healer. Their journey to capture that demon was also the most fun Stina had ever had, because man did those things put up a good fight. Stina has a relatively bi-polar relationship with Mother Astraea. He wants to love her with the same intensity that he loves Ragnar and Hassan, but feels like she keeps putting up barriers between the two of them, so he is at times curt and rough with her. He will of course, keep trying to make the friendship work until a breaking point finally is reached.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

The life of Omestrian slaves is a brutal existence, some more than others. Most common Omestrian slaves live in squalid ghettos in the lower depths of Magnagrad, where they're put to work doing menial tasks (aka maintaining infrastructure, cleaning streets, digging tunnels, ect). Others live as house slaves, and live their day to day lives serving rich families. The worst, are those judged to have potent ether running through their veins. These unfortunate souls are then taken from the ghettos and from then on live only to have their ether siphoned from them for use by the military and church. They live in cages like animals, their humanity stripped from them because all they are is oil to the Varyan people, and exist in a state of perpetual weakness-- as having ether harvested from your blood brings one to a state of near death, and medical attention is immediately required else one falls into a coma they won't wake from.

As for how they're harvested, I'm not really sure! I was thinking some kind of horrible needle-like device is used and then it sucks the ether out into vials? I don't know, any ideas?

@Lovejoy

I'm definitely imagining something mad-max bloodbag style

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Lovejoylol good point, done and added to character tab.
@deathbringer Stina would be like, 200% down to go help you dominate a demon btw, if you want to have that as part of our history together

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Name: Yerokhin Zlatek Stamenkovikj (Stina to his friends)

Age: 22

Height/Weight: 7’0”, 325 lbs

Race: Varyan

Appearance:
Yerokhin walks with a slight limp on his left leg, from a re-healed broken bone, and has a large scarring on the left side of his head caused by him falling from two floors up before breaking his fall with the side of his head on the side of a bench. The fact that he even lived is a miracle, the fact that the only real effect it had seems to be a slight slurring of his speech makes it even more impressive. The scar over his left eye he got from one of the training gambits, though at this point he’s forgotten which.

In addition to the usual armor, Yerokhin wears this style of helmet

usual dress when not in uniform

Personality: Lawful Neutral // Protective // determined // hard-headed // Intense // Loud
His nickname means Wall in Ukranian. Yerokhin is in all fronts uncompromising, intense, and steadfastly faithful. This makes him come off as quite an asshole, since he expects a baseline of unquestionable loyalty to the Varyan state from any person before he begins to consider friendship. That being said, if you can tolerate the fact that he has functionally no off switch, expect a friend who can and will go to the absolute ends of the earth to protect you, care for you, and make you happy. He doesn’t usually question why things are the way they are, or if he could change his ways to make things easier; he instead just perseveres onwards until his way works, or he dies.
Also, don’t break promises to him. Trust me on that one.

Background: Yerokhin comes from a long line of Varyan war priests/clergy of various sorts, and was groomed from birth for the role he came to embrace. As one might expect, the devout nature of his patronage instilled the same love in him – especially since any questioning of “why” on the subject of religion was met with angry, stony silence from his father and mother. After training for his entire childhood, he was almost excited to enter the Red Seminary. And even then he still almost died at least twice.

Talents/Ethereal Abilities: Stina has an especially stong inner aether, but mostly uses it as a man used to using overwhelming brute force does: without finesse, but still to great effect.
1)Toughness: channeling his inner aether allows Yerokhin to withstand far more physical punishment than any one man should: broken arms, multiple gunshot wounds, etc. he’s already a headstrong sonuvabitch, this just makes him waaaay more so.
2)Strength/Speed bursts: a giant man with a shield the size of himself is one thing. One that just charged at you at 20 miles per hour is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. These bursts of strength and speed last no more than 4 seconds, and allow him to lift about 1000lbs and move at around 20mph.

Stina knows his own limits, and one of them is the use of vial ether - he never showed much talent with it, and is never one to waste such a limited and vital resource, and therefore generally avoids it. He does still have vials on him for when he feels he needs to do so, however.

Stina generally chooses to fight with a relatively large one-handed axe, thought he does also keep a spear and a Rajko MKVI rifle strapped across his back, and three daggers in various locations across his body... and a gigantic two-handed executioner’s axe in his cabin, for special occasions. There is also a strap on his back for the shield (above the rifle and spear), as well as a set place in his room for it when it is not of use.

The real star of the show is his massive tower shield. It is 6.5 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and as close to indestructible as is physically possible (so able to withstand a shell or two from a tank) – not only does the magic of the shield negate a lot of damage, but it also prevents the shock from reverberating through the shield and immediately breaking his arm anyway. At the press of a button, additional shielding is extended via aether powered clockwork, extending its width to 8 feet total (2 per side). The shield’s front is painted black, with a large version of the red circle of Varya dominating the middle. One might expect that a shield like this would be heavy. Yes.

Lee-enfield MKIII, the rifle I'm basing his on

Stina has basic survival skills locked down (especially hunting), but finds them of little interest compared to glorious war for his god. He knows multiple sets of unarmed martial techniques, and is extremely proficient in fighting with all of his weapons, with and sans shield.

Personal Seal:

Character Relationships

@Drakey // Rodion Kuznetsov

Stina can always appreciate a tinkerer, especially one who doesn't make a lot of noise and gets his job done: it is a valuable asset in a world where the loss of the machines could easily mean death. this is of course, tempered by his wavering faith - Stina sees his lack of vigor in prayer and meditation, and despairs. He can at least respect the fact that Kuznetsov is able to still contribute to a fight, but still just... doesn't get not wanting to be in the thick of it. Probably has to do with that T'sarean blood in him.

@Lovejoy // Ragnar

all Ragnar really needed to get pushed onto the right track was a bit of encouragement - and look at him now: a fighter in his own right, ready and willing to sacrifice for his fellow man and country. A good man, with a good future. Especially if he stops trying to take cues from Hassan. [will flesh out further when I can properly see the character]

@Sisyphus // Hassan Qureshi

For all his happy-go-lucky disrespect of the great church of Varya, there's something about Hassan that makes Stina want to keep him around. It probably helps that he withers like a baby deer any time Stina ever truly threatens him, knowing that his powers can't touch another Inquisitor, so when he needs to, Stina can put Hassan in his place. But it's more than that... his want to have fun... his desperate attempt to break out from the cycle of war and hunger that devours Varyan culture... something that appeals deep within the thousand layers of tough-guy over Stina. because deep inside, it is fun to break out of his bubble every once in a while and actually have some fun: both of them losing some of their barriers probably appeals to Hassan as much as it does to Yerokhin.

As long as no one else is watching.

@deathbringer // Astraea

Stina's always seen something vaguely suspicious in Astraea: something... not quite right about how she goes about her life, her prayer, her battle. It always seems tentative, vaguely unwilling, and altogether too much about her own emotions - different from the two who simply don't care, she seems to care... too much? and maybe about something else? But hey, she is still a Lastronan, so she still kills quite effectively, and is quite a good healer. Their journey to capture that demon was also the most fun Stina had ever had, because man did those things put up a good fight. Stina has a relatively bi-polar relationship with Mother Astraea. He wants to love her with the same intensity that he loves Ragnar and Hassan, but feels like she keeps putting up barriers between the two of them, so he is at times curt and rough with her. He will of course, keep trying to make the friendship work until a breaking point finally is reached.