vietmyke

The Fight for Valeroma

@Bitterblue111 small edits made to Odran, so I've posted in here for a quick lookover

Odran Stormweaver

^{Credit: Paul Rozhkov
wild_artist.artstation.com}

Odran Stormweaver

Name: Odran Stormweaver
Age: 121
Gender: Male
Race: Dwarf

Appearance:
Odran is a stout and sturdily built dwarf, with a bold stance and an intimidating disposition for one so short. Forged by wine, battle, and song, Odran's girth and thick trunk of a body belies a surprising amount of deft and dexterity. Standing at a height of 4'8", he often stands no higher than the chest of other mortal beings, but is incredibly tall for a dwarf. Despite his diminutive stature, he's denser than most humans, and weighs in at about 200 pounds, an amount comparable to a human upwards of six feet in height.

His body is composed mostly of muscle and bound within the relatively stout frame of his race, and his face is adorned with a dense, rough beard, and the dark brown hair over his head is pulled into thick dreadlocks. This thick dwarf dresses in a combination of padded cloth, and a chainmail hauberk underneath a hardened steel plate carapace, but his short legs stomp on the ground with surprising speed and lightness as he walks. Upon his face sits a wide, fat nose, with a crooked angle from many a fistfight, and sharp eyes of the color of steel. His face is often adorned with a wry grin, and covered with scars from past wars.

Personality:
An earnest, boisterous soul, like many a dwarf of Valeroma, Odran much like other dwarves is a stubborn, but honorable, hard headed bloke who prefers ale and song to politics and trickery. Blunt, straightforward and to the point, Odran is rarely afraid to speak his mind and tell things exactly as he sees it. suspicious of, but not hostile towards magic and the unnatural, Odran will not hesitate to express his unease over the use of such elements but nevertheless admits their usefulness in many situations. Despite his jovial demeanor, Odran has surprising amounts of depth to his thoughts, his loud cheers and alcohol laden breath a masked visage for a more logical, intrinsically calculative mind. Odran has a very solid understanding of physics, and warfare, and a well developed moral compass.

While Odran is vocal and friendly, and quick to throw the title of comrade around, it isn't until another's character has been demonstrated does Odran truly begin showing trust. Odran carefully observes those surrounding him, judging the character of others even whilst he makes jokes and exchanges story and drink. Odran is honorable and relatively unselfish, though if given the choice, he would prefer him and his own success over others. Despite his affable nature, Odran knows how to act when its time to get serious. When its time to conduct business, Odran's demeanor switches to that of a calm and collected professional. A professional soldier through and through, Odran fights with a cold and calm efficiency, and only rarely has emotional outbursts.

Strengths:

• Career Soldier - Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy: Odran is a capable career soldier. Proficient with a variety of weapons, armor and tactics, Odran finds himself most at home sitting inside a suit of heavy steel, and either firing an Storm-Pattern Repeating Crossbow from a fixed position or charging into an enemy's flank with a bayonet. A strong and durable fighter, Odran has considerable staying power in a fight, and has surprising amounts of dexterity and deft.
• Dwarven Ranger - Despite his heavy armor, Odran is surprisingly light footed, and is a capable scout and ranger, moving steadily through the underbrush to locate targets of opportunity to eliminate. He is a proficient tracker and has a sharp eye and keen sense of direction.
• Tinkerer - All dwarves seem to practice some craftsmanship or another. While not a dedicated craftsdwarf, Odran is well versed with the workings of the weapons and equipment used by the Ironborn Free Company, and knows how to maintain and modify his own weapons and armor.

Weaknesses:

• Non-Magical - Odran is currently incapable of casting or creating any magical effects on his own, and must therefore rely on others capable of doing so.
• Short Stature - While dextrous and strong, Odran's stature and heavy armor doesn't do him any favors when it comes to flat movement speed. He prefers to fight on solid ground and would likely sink in the water on account of his heavy weapons and armor. Something about his lack of height also makes Odran a bit fearful of long drops.
• Specialist Equipment - Odran's equipment was specialized for his own use- or use by the Ironborn Company. As a result repairs and maintenance can be painstaking and time intensive, depending on the amount of damage received by his equipment.

Brief Bio:
A career soldier, scout, siege specialist, and sniper, Odran was born to the Stormweaver clan, a powerful crafts-clan of some repute, well known throughout Valeroma for their weapons- particularly their Storm-Pattern Repeating Crossbows, with many aspiring warriors seeking pieces of armor or weapons crafted by his family. While most took up the family trades, Odran instead went about a different way to seek his fortune. Some took to trade, others took to craftsmanship. Odran took to the sciences- the military sciences, to be precise. Odran joined the ranks of the Stormweaver clan warriors, here he would earn his keep through blood and sweat. The clan warriors were divided into companies, each with their own storied past.

Odran joined the Ironborn Free Company as a Ranger in its service. With his technical prowess, as well as his skill in combat, Odran advanced steadily through the ranks, becoming a trusted sub-leader of his squad commander by the end of his first campaign across the dwarven mountains. By the end of his second campaign, Odran was given command of his own squad, and by the end of his fifth campaign, he was the commander of the Ironborn Company's Recon Corps, and a notable veteran in his own right. When he was chosen, Odran would reluctantly leave the ranks of his comrades to join the company of the chosen.

Other:
None for now.

The Fight for Valeroma

I might rework Odran to being a sniper/scout instead of an engineer- though he'll still probably be a bit of a tinkerer

The Fight for Valeroma

Hello! I'm here. Debating bringing back Odran or trying out a new character since someone has already applied with a dwarf

Falling Skies: Reboot ver 2

”Well its a good thing I’m arranging for my ashes to be spread across the lakes of Mars, and not Savonia.” Ingram grumbled as he led Aleks back over to the part of the hangar where the princess was. Timing was good, the medical crew called to the hangar had just finished going through a quick checkup for the princess to ensure she was in good health. Initial results seemed promising: No broken bones, fractures, or internal bleeding, just a minor concussion, some bruising, and mild dehydration. Ingram quickly sent the report to his holopad and put it away, grabbing a water bottle off the little gurney the medical team had brought out with them.

”Princess Aurelia, I had been informed you’d be joining us, and taking over command of a task force within the 5th.” Ingram greeted her simply with a casual half nod, half bow, offering her the bottle as he did. ”Obviously, this wasn’t the way we intended to bring you aboard, but nevertheless, welcome aboard the INS Roanoke. My apologies for the rather… abrupt welcome, but things are a bit of a mess right now, if you couldn’t tell.”

Aurelia nodded and shook her head repeatedly as the medics were asking her a series of questions. Despite being in relative safety now, Aurelia didn’t appear to look relieved or happy to be out of the fire. How could she be? It was obvious that the Coalition attack was an attempt at her life… Or at least an attempt to capture her. Despite the failed attempt, how many people died for it? How many UEE lives on that space station, let alone the fleet?! Even the Coalition… The bloodshed for her was immense, and it made her stomach twist when she thought about it. It took her a moment to realize she was being spoken to, but her mind quickly played back the information she didn’t quite catch and pieced things together. ”Thank you, Commander, for the welcome… Though I wish it was under better circumstances… I understand this battlegroup was on the verge of rotating off of the front before I arrived. I’m sorry this had to happen.”

”My name is Commander Ingram Shaw,” Ingram introduced himself, with a short clearing of his throat, ”I command the 7th Direwolves, the Roanoke’s attached MAS Squadron, and was the one flying the Sparrowhawk,” he gestured to the machine in its hangar bay.

”This is Commander Aleks Danielsson, our resident ace, and my second.” Ingram gestured to Aleks standing beside him, and the lanky Savolax bowed about as formally as Ingram imagined was even possible for him. ”the Roanoke isn’t a big ship, so I have no doubt you’ll get familiar with the rest of the crew soon, but for now you can feel free to reach out to us if you have any particular questions moving forward.”

The princess looked between Ingram and Aleks. She was surprised by the informality, but she didn’t find that to be a bad thing either. Like she had told Dearil, she wasn’t big on the formalities anyways. Ingram’s introduction and lack of wordiness set her at ease a little bit. ”I owe you both- no… I owe the 7th my gratitude. Being alone and hunted on that planet was…” she trailed off for a moment, ”Anyways… I give the 7th and the crew of the Roanoke my word that you will all be home and resting with your loved ones as quickly as possible.”

”Ah, one last topic of discussion before we get you settled in, your highness.”

Aurelia blinked, but nodded quietly. She had an idea what he was about to get at.

Ingram’s brow furrowed slightly, obviously a bit hesitant to continue, but he finally broached the subject- it’d come up sooner or later anyway, so he might as well pull the bandage now. He sucked at his teeth, and waved the remaining medical crew away, beckoning for Aleks and the princess to follow him to a small side office in the hangar- it was the engineering crew chief’s office, but they’d be able to use it for their purposes. It felt weird enough that he was more or less gearing up to give a member of royalty a dressing down- just the thought of it was a career ending prospect for many- but it’d probably be better off on all of them if it didn’t happen in the open for everyone else to see.

”Princess,” Ingram began, after ensuring the door was shut and no one else was around them, ”This isn’t a debriefing, but I’d like to talk to you regarding what happened during the extraction.”

“I certainly appreciate the sentiment- protecting a damaged wingman, and if you were anyone else, I probably would’ve rewarded the initiative.” Ingram sighed, a hand running against the side of his head somewhat awkwardly. It was true, if any other recruit had done something like that, Ingram would’ve rewarded them: the willingness to risk life and limb for another was a rare find, and soldiers like that typically possessed other qualities that Ingram was also looking for.

”Unfortunately,” Ingram continued, now speaking his thoughts aloud, ”You’re not just any other recruit- you’re a leader, and royalty to boot. I don’t doubt your ability to fight, I know you’ve been trained in the academies just like we have, and I saw the way you handled piloting a Coalition MAS. But we have the field experience, and whether you like it or not, some lives are just more expendable than others. Ours are, yours isn’t.”

”Injured or not, my squadron is the best of the best. They’re capable, and more importantly, aware of their limitations. In the future, I’d prefer if you followed our lead when it comes to tactical decisions: You can tell us what you want done, but don’t tell us how-”

As he continued his half speech-half lecture, Ingram seemingly remembered that he was in fact speaking to royalty and not just another officer. He cleared his throat and quickly lowered his head a bit, in a short respectful manner.

”- that is… all, Princess.”

Aurelia looked down at the floor and listened intently as Ingram spoke. She wasn’t averting her gaze out of shame- well… Not entirely… Rather, Aurelia was mulling over the details of what he was saying. The commander spoke a lot of truths that Aurelia hadn’t considered. These pilots were all experienced, talented veterans. And despite the elite training she had received in the Royal Academy, she was about as green as they came. Still, the candid words were hitting Aurelia like a train. There were few times in her life where she was, in essence, scolded for her actions. She grew up being pandered to, so this was all quite the gut punch to her. And if it were any of her older siblings, the commander would have likely been punished for speaking up against them.

But Aurelia understood the intent behind it. It wasn’t malicious or insulting. It was a lesson that she had best learn quick if she wanted the 7th to trust her. It was a two way street after all. Aurelia looked back to the door, and she was glad that it had been closed behind them. It wouldn’t have looked good for neither her nor Ingram and Aleks if somebody had seen or overheard this exchange. She took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh as she brought her eyes back up to meet the commander’s, ”Commander… Would it… Be right for me to apologize to you and your squadron? You are right… And I don’t want your pilots thinking I am anything like my rather… Overbearing siblings.”

Aurelia was having trouble trying to find the right words for anything. She was exhausted and still in shock over the events. ”Ahh I don’t know what I’m getting at…”

Aurelia knew that it was unseemly for any officer to apologize to their troops. It showed weakness and uncertainty in their position. And she knew that her command echelon, wherever they were now, had already seen her that way given her distaste for conflict. She felt a spike of anxiety, worrying that the 7th would think she would be incompetent if she stood before them to say sorry. The only person she had ever apologized to was her father when she couldn’t shoot a wild boar or discipline her palace staff for not seeing to her comforts. She was entirely in unknown waters now… And the setting she was in was very much one where her decisions could lead to every single one of them dead in the vacuum of space. ”Err… Can we restart?” she said, her voice timid, ”Where and how can I help? It isn’t fair of me to demand more from you when you have all sacrificed so much in this awful war because my family wills it…”

"Your highness," Aleks began, inclining his head as he spoke, "we are volunteers. We choose to live the unfair life a soldier does, meeting the demands of our commanding officers, fighting the war for the Empire, for your family. In this way, if not in all ways, we knew what we signed up for."

Aleks licked the front of his teeth behind closed lips. He'd not anticipated speaking at all, much less before being spoken to - and certainly he hadn't expected to be reassuring the princess.

He chose his words carefully, but he used them nonetheless.

"It is your job to make those demands, fair and unfair. The commander and I will support your decision making with our experience and knowledge, we will be present to offer advice when it is needed, and we will be available for delegation of duties where it is necessary."

He nodded, and relaxed, exhaling softly and glancing away for a moment.

"Yes, we can restart."

Aurelia took in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. She closed her eyes and mulled things over for a moment. ”Okay… Ah… Perhaps I should speak to the captain and get some awareness of the situation…” Aurelia nodded to her decision and huffed again. She seemed to have spruced herself up now that she had a goal in mind.

”Oh, and please… I’m not very big on the formalities. If we’re just talking, you don’t need to call me princess or your highness or anything. Just Aurelia is fine. It’s not like there are any ISS around to enforce it... “ the thought of not having any bodyguards around made her feel somewhat vulnerable, even if she was sharing a ship with some of the most veteran pilots in the Empire. Perhaps it was a vulnerability spawned by witnessing Dearil’s death.

”As you wish your highness- er I mean… _Princess..." Ingram coughed- whether or not she allowed it, it was hard calling a member of nobility by anything other than their title. He winced and sighed awkwardly, not sure what else to say.

Aurelia cleared her throat awkwardly, ”Anyways… Off to the bridge then.” she turned to leave, but she stopped herself when she reached for the door. Aurelia frowned a bit and looked back over her shoulder, ”Erm… Where is the bridge?”

Ingram nodded, and he touched a button on his holopad. ”Ah right, I’m sending Sgt. Hark from our security detachment over to the hangar, he’ll escort you to wherever you need around the ship. He’ll meet you at the Helheimer-” Ingram added, as he approached the door and held it open, gesturing for the princess to leave first.

”We should get back to the rest of the squad,” Ingram said aloud, half to Aleks, half to himself to get them out of their current situation, effectively dismissing themselves. ”After you, Dannielsson.”

The Vanishing Kingdom

Elena Adarlan

Kalla

---

Kalla, a small oasis trading town by the edge of the Killiman desert. Small, square buildings of hardened sandstone, marble temples, and a busy, bustling marketplace anointed with brilliant, bright colored flags. Despite its rather the town's relatively small size, it was still fairly well known and well travelled, and was the primary stopping point for trade caravans headed in and out of Varuk territory. As such, there was also plenty of room for strife, chaos and cutthroats. Not a lawless town, but not an entirely peaceful one either, be it infighting or marauder raids. All in all, a pretty average town in Hitala. It wasn't nearly as nice as Portea, but at the same time, it had its own quaint little rustic charms.

These rustic charms were more or less lost on Elena, as she rode into town. The sun was bright, it was hot, and had she not worn her traveling cloak, her fair skin probably would've been burnt a long time ago. The Isoli people were resistant to the cold, not so much the heat. Thankfully, she had traded out her heavy travelling cloak, for a lighter one- this red and white hood draping to just past her shoulders as opposed to her whole body, its light fabric and colors reflecting away the light and heat, without weighing her down too much. The cloak billowed in the breeze as the staff Elena sat upon carried her in.

The Red Saints had a small presence in the town of Kalla, currently only her friends Neev and Vog had been assigned there. The town was small enough that the two of them should've been enough to take care of it, but there must've have been some trouble on the winds, as Cinclaire had sent Elena there directly. Reluctantly, but obediently, Elena was now in Kalla, bearing the desert heat for her dearest sister. Elena caught some strange glances as she arrived in town. Her hands quickly shot to her hood, afraid that it had somehow fallen off, but it hadn't. The stares were probably at the fact that she was riding a staff instead of a horse.

Sliding off her staff, and taking it back into her hands, Elena took stock of her surroundings. She'd just arrived, so she'd best check in at the temple- or at the tavern where Neev and Vog were. Though, if she had some free time, perhaps the marketplace would be a nice place to check out- she could buy some gifts or supplies there. The marketplace would also be a decent place for her to start gathering information as well.

Deciding she'd at least drop her stuff off and secure lodgings for the near future, Elena approached the inn. It was one of the larger buildings in town- fitting as Kalla had a decent amount of travelers coming though. Reaching for the door, Elena had placed her hand on the door before it suddenly swung out, knocking her off her feet.

"Ah!" Was all Elena got out as she hit the ground. Her hands went for her head instead of trying to brace her fall, grabbing at the edges of her hood as she landed. Coughing from the dust and sand that picked up as she landed, Elena looked up to see a rather tall man standing over her. He apologized for knocking her over and reached out to help her up.

"No its okay, I just wasn't expecting the door to swing open so suddenly," Elena replied quietly, taking the man's hand as he helped her up. "Thank you." she replied softly as she dusted herself off the ground, finally looking up to get a better look at the man.

He was a taller man- taller than she was, broad shouldered and dressed in bright red, with the look of a fighter about him. Cocking her head, Elena noticed that he also had a few companions following behind him- one of which she recognized as an isoli woman, not unlike Elena, their manner of dress and look were fairly different when compared to other cultures. Behind the isoli woman was another human man, slightly older, and also surprisingly recognizable. Elena had to study him for a moment before recognition fully clicked: the narrow face, greying hair,

"Oh, Sir Allanon!" Elena called out to the older man in surprise, her melodic voice picking up as she waved to him. "I wasn't expecting to find you in Kalla!"

To be fair, Elena wasn't expecting to find Allanon anywhere. While very kind and helpful to the members of the Red Saints around Portea, Allanon came and went fairly regularly, and never really said too much where he was going.

The Vanishing Kingdom

Elena Adarlan

Elena Adarlan

Name: Elena Adarlan
Age: 23
Race: Half Isoli - Half Demon

Appearance:
Standing in at barely over 5 feet in height, its relatively easy for Elena to be displaced in a crowd. Her face is pale and round, and she has clear, clean skin, soft and perpetually cool to the touch. Along with her long icy white-blue hair, its easier to notice Elena's Isoli heritage. Her eyes are a soft purple, and seem to glimmer with even the slightest shift in the light. Her small frame, while appearing dainty and light, belie a surprising amount of raw strength and fortitude.

Notably, a pair of small reddish horns protrude from the sides of her head, revealing the other half of Elena's heritage. Elena takes extra care to hide these, and will often wear hoods or headwear to cover them. Since Elena, like most of Isoli heritage are more or less indifferent to colder temperatures, most of what Elena wears tends towards dainty and lightweight clothing, in styles reminiscent of Lady Lonnette. Elena is often seen with a large Red Saints cloak over her frame, hiding her horns and noting her as a member of the order.

Personality:
A bit of a wallflower, Elena is in general fairly quiet and soft spoken, preferring to stay in the background, though she tends to be more playful and outgoing around her friends. While actually rather intelligent and perceptive, Elena has a habit of missing details, is somewhat clumsy and can be generally regarded as a bit of an airhead. Friendly and amicable, Elena's demeanor is generally cheerful, and though she is timid, she is neither meek nor cowardly, and her displays of anger and determination can be surprising.

As a part of her somewhat closed upbringing, Elena is a rather curious individual. Not to the point of poking her head where it doesn't belong, but Elena does possess an innate adventurous streak. Having grown up as a ward of the Red Saints, altruism and charity are also core parts of Elena's very being, and appear to have been ingrained in her nature. As a result, Elena tends to be over-trusting, believing in the goodness of others. Not completely gullible, Elena does have the sense to know when something is wrong- though it often doesn't stop her from getting into trouble before it happens.

Surprisingly brave for someone so small: Elena, while not violent by nature, can be exceedingly protective over those she finds in her care, fussing over their wellbeing, and quickly rising to their defense when necessary. Despite her protective nature, Elena considers herself a non-combatant, and typically avoids conflict when possible. When spurred into conflict, Elena can be a truly vicious opponent. Elena is keenly aware of a more sadistic, bloodthirsty side of her that seems to appear when she fights- and fears it, typically attempting to end fights as quickly as possible so as not to allow it to overtake her.

Bio:
Elena was born to demon father and isoli mother. As a child, Elena was found half buried in a snowdrift several miles away from Midrill, her mother and the remains of their raided caravan not far away. While they were rescued by a small group of Red Saints on their way to Portea from Midrill, Elena's mother would ultimately die as a result of her injuries. Taking pity on her child, the Red Saints took in young Elena, taking her back to Portea where she would become a ward of the Red Saints.

Elena's earliest memories are of running up and down the halls of the Lonnette Church of Sandrine in Portea. Most of Elena's childhood was spent in relative peace- she didn't have her parents, but the Church of Sandrine was a stable presence, and the members of the Red Saints were always good to her. Courtesy of the Lonnette family, Elena was afforded a high quality education. In return, Elena assisted the members of the Red Saints in their various tasks and businesses from a young age- particularly Mother Esper.

Mother Esper had noticed Elena's demon heritage long before her horns had even begun to grow in, and was quick to take Elena under her wing. As Elena grew older, Mother Esper was ever by her side, guiding her through life as both a demon, and a member of the Red Saints. Elena learned how to utilize- and more importantly how to control her demonic abilities from Mother Esper. During these formative years, Elena's Isoli side also began to bear fruit. Elena discovered she possessed the ability to cast Isoli healing magic in her early teens. In the next few years, Elena would join the ranks of the Red Saints in earnest, healing and protecting those in need- though never being allowed to leave Portea.

Another constant presence throughout Elena's life, aside from Mother Esper, was the Lady of the Lonnette family herself, Cinclaire. Being so close in age, it was unsurprising that the two girls quickly grew close, becoming nigh on inseparable at one point in time. While never part of the Lonnette family herself, Elena came to view Cinclaire as an older sister, and became an adoring and ever staunch supporter of Cinclaire's role as leader of the Red Saints- despite whatever the naysayers might have said.

By the time Elena turned 18, she had already become a regular fixture in and around the Lonnette districts of Portea. A well known member of the Red Saints, Elena earned a small amount of attention as one of the Saint's preeminent healers, and her powers were regularly sought out. While the popularity brought in no small number of donations to the Church, it also attracted on occasion negative attention as well. After more than a few close calls and run ins with danger, Mother Esper saw to it that Elena began learning how to protect herself should another future situation arise.

Now 23, Elena acts as Cinclaire Lonnette's eyes and ears outside the Church and Portea, a trusted confidant and sister. While Elena is loathe to leave Cinclaire's side, her inability to leave the walls of the church itself necessitates Elena's excursions beyond Portea. Word that the Calibris family had begun making moves in Kalla have reached Cinclaire's ears, and as a personal, private favor, Elena has been asked to investigate their movements on Cinclaire's behalf. Now under the guise of a traveling Red Saint, Elena journeys to Kalla, hoping to uncover whatever plot the Calibris family is planning, and put a stop to it if necessary.

Equipment:

• Elena's Staff

  A gift given to Elena by Cinclaire on her 20th birthday. A finely crafted, if simple staff of wood and metal with a round crystal at its crux. Though the staff itself is quite heavy, in the hands of the Red Saints, it feels surprisingly light. This staff serves as a focus for most of Elena's magical abilities and can manifest a scythe blade that Elena uses while in combat. The size and strength of the scythe blades are influenced by the amount of mana channeled into it. The staff can also use mana to propel itself through the air, allowing Elena to ride it as a mount. Travelling across the ground at low altitudes requires a sustainable amount of mana. Flying through the sky is considerably more taxing
• Red Saints Garb - A set of clothes and cloak enchanted by spellcasters of the Red Saints to be more durable than average cloth. The enchantments don't provide any additional protection, but merely prevent the clothes from ripping and soiling through regular wear and tear. While her typical clothing is light and somewhat revealing, she usually wears a hooded cloak over top to cover her horns. When attempting to appear more inconspicuous, the red and white cloak is traded for a plain traveler's cloak.
• Knapsack - A small backpack for carrying travel supplies. Elena will typically carry a small amount of traveling rations, a waterskin, as well as mundane medical supplies such as clean cloth, a needle and thread, herbal ointments, and strong spirits.
• Lyre - A finely crafted, but otherwise mundane lyre.
• Writingale - A magical piece of parchment bound to a pair of bracelets that messages can be whispered to or written on. Once signed, the parchment folds into the form of a bird and flies to the opposite bracelet. Elena possesses one bracelet, Cinclaire the other.

Abilities:

• Healing Expertise - Like many Isoli, Elena is a very competent healer, capable of casting potent healing magics. Additionally, through years of education within the Red Saints, Elena is also very knowledgeable about mundane methods of healing. Elena stands among her compatriots as one of the order's most potent healers.
• Polearm Adept - Elena is talented combatant, capable with a variety of polearm type weapons: from sturdy strikes with her staff, to powerful sweeps with her scythe. Though the Red Saints are not a militant order, the ability to defend oneself and others comes paramount, and many of its members train in different schools of combat. While not as proficient in martial combat as career soldiers and veteran mercenaries, Elena's prodigious strength allows her to adequately defend herself against most foes.
• Half-Blooded Demon - Though her parentage is unknown, Elena possesses the blood of demons in her veins. While not to the degree of a full demon, her strength and speed are greater than that of an average human, and her body is hardier and tougher. When in danger, her body automatically causes her fingernails to elongate like claws and burn as the cut.
  
  While the lion's share of Elena's mana comes from her natural reserves and regeneration, she is also capable of drawing small amounts of mana from those she causes pain to. While the amounts aren't substantial enough for large feats of magic and healing, they are enough to fuel her combat abilities. Drawing mana in this manner causes Elena to feel a mildly euphoric sensation, causing Elena to become more aggressive the longer a fight extends.
• Magical Abilities - In addition to her healing magic, Elena is capable of casting a variety of minor magical spells. Moving small objects, small bursts of fire, flares of light and other small cantrips make up the bulk of her magical abilities outside of healing.
• Novice Musician - Elena is capable of playing musical instruments, particularly the lyre. She is neither amazing nor mediocre with it, and is capable of carrying a soft, peaceful tune.

The Vanishing Kingdom

Elena Adarlan

Elena Adarlan

Name: Elena Adarlan
Age: 23
Race: Half Isoli - Half Demon

Appearance:
Standing in at barely over 5 feet in height, its relatively easy for Elena to be displaced in a crowd. Her face is pale and round, and she has clear, clean skin, soft and perpetually cool to the touch. Along with her long icy white-blue hair, its easier to notice Elena's Isoli heritage. Her eyes are a soft purple, and seem to glimmer with even the slightest shift in the light. Her small frame, while appearing dainty and light, belie a surprising amount of raw strength and fortitude.

Notably, a pair of small reddish horns protrude from the sides of her head, revealing the other half of Elena's heritage. Elena takes extra care to hide these, and will often wear hoods or headwear to cover them. Since Elena, like most of Isoli heritage are more or less indifferent to colder temperatures, most of what Elena wears tends towards dainty and lightweight clothing, in styles reminiscent of Lady Lonnette. Elena is often seen with a large Red Saints cloak over her frame, hiding her horns and noting her as a member of the order.

Personality:
A bit of a wallflower, Elena is in general fairly quiet and soft spoken, preferring to stay in the background, though she tends to be more playful and outgoing around her friends. While actually rather intelligent and perceptive, Elena has a habit of missing details, is somewhat clumsy and can be generally regarded as a bit of an airhead. Friendly and amicable, Elena's demeanor is generally cheerful, and though she is timid, she is neither meek nor cowardly, and her displays of anger and determination can be surprising.

As a part of her somewhat closed upbringing, Elena is a rather curious individual. Not to the point of poking her head where it doesn't belong, but Elena does possess an innate adventurous streak. Having grown up as a ward of the Red Saints, altruism and charity are also core parts of Elena's very being, and appear to have been ingrained in her nature. As a result, Elena tends to be over-trusting, believing in the goodness of others. Not completely gullible, Elena does have the sense to know when something is wrong- though it often doesn't stop her from getting into trouble before it happens.

Surprisingly brave for someone so small: Elena, while not violent by nature, can be exceedingly protective over those she finds in her care, fussing over their wellbeing, and quickly rising to their defense when necessary. Despite her protective nature, Elena considers herself a non-combatant, and typically avoids conflict when possible. When spurred into conflict, Elena can be a truly vicious opponent. Elena is keenly aware of a more sadistic, bloodthirsty side of her that seems to appear when she fights- and fears it, typically attempting to end fights as quickly as possible so as not to allow it to overtake her.

Bio:
Elena was born to demon father and isoli mother. As a child, Elena was found half buried in a snowdrift several miles away from Midrill, her mother and the remains of their raided caravan not far away. While they were rescued by a small group of Red Saints on their way to Portea from Midrill, Elena's mother would ultimately die as a result of her injuries. Taking pity on her child, the Red Saints took in young Elena, taking her back to Portea where she would become a ward of the Red Saints.

Elena's earliest memories are of running up and down the halls of the Lonnette Church of Sandrine in Portea. Most of Elena's childhood was spent in relative peace- she didn't have her parents, but the Church of Sandrine was a stable presence, and the members of the Red Saints were always good to her. Courtesy of the Lonnette family, Elena was afforded a high quality education. In return, Elena assisted the members of the Red Saints in their various tasks and businesses from a young age- particularly Mother Esper.

Mother Esper had noticed Elena's demon heritage long before her horns had even begun to grow in, and was quick to take Elena under her wing. As Elena grew older, Mother Esper was ever by her side, guiding her through life as both a demon, and a member of the Red Saints. Elena learned how to utilize- and more importantly how to control her demonic abilities from Mother Esper. During these formative years, Elena's Isoli side also began to bear fruit. Elena discovered she possessed the ability to cast Isoli healing magic in her early teens. In the next few years, Elena would join the ranks of the Red Saints in earnest, healing and protecting those in need- though never being allowed to leave Portea.

Another constant presence throughout Elena's life, aside from Mother Esper, was the Lady of the Lonnette family herself, Cinclaire. Being so close in age, it was unsurprising that the two girls quickly grew close, becoming nigh on inseparable at one point in time. While never part of the Lonnette family herself, Elena came to view Cinclaire as an older sister, and became an adoring and ever staunch supporter of Cinclaire's role as leader of the Red Saints- despite whatever the naysayers might have said.

By the time Elena turned 18, she had already become a regular fixture in and around the Lonnette districts of Portea. A well known member of the Red Saints, Elena earned a small amount of attention as one of the Saint's preeminent healers, and her powers were regularly sought out. While the popularity brought in no small number of donations to the Church, it also attracted on occasion negative attention as well. After more than a few close calls and run ins with danger, Mother Esper saw to it that Elena began learning how to protect herself should another future situation arise.

Now 23, Elena acts as Cinclaire Lonnette's eyes and ears outside the Church and Portea, a trusted confidant and sister. While Elena is loathe to leave Cinclaire's side, her inability to leave the walls of the church itself necessitates Elena's excursions beyond Portea. Word that the Calibris family had begun making moves in Kalla have reached Cinclaire's ears, and as a personal, private favor, Elena has been asked to investigate their movements on Cinclaire's behalf. Now under the guise of a traveling Red Saint, Elena journeys to Kalla, hoping to uncover whatever plot the Calibris family is planning, and put a stop to it if necessary.

Equipment:

• Elena's Staff

  A gift given to Elena by Cinclaire on her 20th birthday. A finely crafted, if simple staff of wood and metal with a round crystal at its crux. Though the staff itself is quite heavy, in the hands of the Red Saints, it feels surprisingly light. This staff serves as a focus for most of Elena's magical abilities and can manifest a scythe blade that Elena uses while in combat. The size and strength of the scythe blades are influenced by the amount of mana channeled into it. The staff can also use mana to propel itself through the air, allowing Elena to ride it as a mount. Travelling across the ground at low altitudes requires a sustainable amount of mana. Flying through the sky is considerably more taxing
• Red Saints Garb - A set of clothes and cloak enchanted by spellcasters of the Red Saints to be more durable than average cloth. The enchantments don't provide any additional protection, but merely prevent the clothes from ripping and soiling through regular wear and tear. While her typical clothing is light and somewhat revealing, she usually wears a hooded cloak over top to cover her horns. When attempting to appear more inconspicuous, the red and white cloak is traded for a plain traveler's cloak.
• Knapsack - A small backpack for carrying travel supplies. Elena will typically carry a small amount of traveling rations, a waterskin, as well as mundane medical supplies such as clean cloth, a needle and thread, herbal ointments, and strong spirits.
• Lyre - A finely crafted, but otherwise mundane lyre.
• Writingale - A magical piece of parchment bound to a pair of bracelets that messages can be whispered to or written on. Once signed, the parchment folds into the form of a bird and flies to the opposite bracelet. Elena possesses one bracelet, Cinclaire the other.

Abilities:

• Healing Expertise - Like many Isoli, Elena is a very competent healer, capable of casting potent healing magics. Additionally, through years of education within the Red Saints, Elena is also very knowledgeable about mundane methods of healing. Elena stands among her compatriots as one of the order's most potent healers.
• Polearm Adept - Elena is talented combatant, capable with a variety of polearm type weapons: from sturdy strikes with her staff, to powerful sweeps with her scythe. Though the Red Saints are not a militant order, the ability to defend oneself and others comes paramount, and many of its members train in different schools of combat. While not as proficient in martial combat as career soldiers and veteran mercenaries, Elena's prodigious strength allows her to adequately defend herself against most foes.
• Half-Blooded Demon - Though her parentage is unknown, Elena possesses the blood of demons in her veins. While not to the degree of a full demon, her strength and speed are greater than that of an average human, and her body is hardier and tougher. When in danger, her body automatically causes her fingernails to elongate like claws and burn as the cut.
  
  While the lion's share of Elena's mana comes from her natural reserves and regeneration, she is also capable of drawing small amounts of mana from those she causes pain to. While the amounts aren't substantial enough for large feats of magic and healing, they are enough to fuel her combat abilities. Drawing mana in this manner causes Elena to feel a mildly euphoric sensation, causing Elena to become more aggressive the longer a fight extends.
• Magical Abilities - In addition to her healing magic, Elena is capable of casting a variety of minor magical spells. Moving small objects, small bursts of fire, flares of light and other small cantrips make up the bulk of her magical abilities outside of healing.
• Novice Musician - Elena is capable of playing musical instruments, particularly the lyre. She is neither amazing nor mediocre with it, and is capable of carrying a soft, peaceful tune.

Vanishing Kingdom recruitment (update: pending full)

Yeah! send me the disc and I'll pop in and see how what I can come up with

Vanishing Kingdom recruitment (update: pending full)

I'm also interested if this is still open! Was curious to how fast you guys expect posts as well, I'm not the most rapid of writers so I don't want to keep people hung up and waiting

Falling Skies: Reboot ver 2

Ingram cursed, as he brought the Sparrowhawk closer to the ground, ducking out of the way of a volley of autocannon shells. The Coalition mechs weren't within visual range, but just as it didn't stop the 7th from shooting at them, the foliage didn't stop the enemy from shooting back. Coalition cannon shells flew through the treeline, sending spear-sized chunks of wood and splinters flying as they slammed into and exploded against the massive trees surrounding them. Shards of wood and shrapnel buffeted the Sparrowhawk as it juked and weaved through the treeline. The recovery team as well were showered by wood shards as they pushed their way through the treeline, though most of the pieces were ineffectual and bothersome at worst.

All the while the squadron was harried endlessly by stray riverdrakes. Most of the pack at this point had thinned out, and were contending with both Coalition forces as well as the 7th, but the occasional drake still jumped out of the forest to take a nip at the smaller mechs in the pack. Ingram dropped the Sparrowhawk out of the sky, allowing the weight of his machine to land fully on a riverdrake that strayed too close to the Princess’ commandeered MAS. The rest of the 7th was already forming around the princess’ MAS as the two elements linked up. Pips had been the point of contact for the princess and the 7th thus far, and had been instructing her to stay safe within their unit and to get on the Roanoke as soon as it came within sight. The princess however must have had other ideas.

"Negative, Kolibri! This MAS is still healthy and able to fight! You're in less of a position to cover the retreat. You will make the first bound to the ship, I will use the AAT-9's shields to cover your advance. Please don't argue this..."

Ingram scowled, not entirely surprising- the Royals were all given an extensive military education as a part of their upbringing, and being so young, Ingram might’ve understood how gung ho the princess was- but not when their lives were the ones at risk. This wasn’t a fantasy and they weren’t heroes, this was real and they were currently running for their lives. Still, Ingram managed to keep his voice composed and even as he keyed the comm.

”Sorry Sunray, it doesn’t work like that.” Ingram’s voice crackled through, a small wash of static carrying through his clipped voice. ”The rest of the 7th is covering us- the faster we get you on the ship, the faster we all get out of this jungle. ”

The princess might well have been a capable fighter- if they were in a more desperate position, Ingram probably would’ve welcomed the fighting spirit. But as it were, they weren’t here to fight. The 7th didn’t know the princess, they didn’t know how to fight with her, it didn’t do anyone any good to have the princess out on the fighting line. As if to punctuate his point, the Sparrowhawk stomped down on the writhing riverdrake underneath it, its arm cannon spinning up to fire a burst of shells into its head as its armored helmet turned to look at the Helheimr.

”Sunray goes in first, followed by Pips and Grizz. No arguing.” Ingram directed, an armored hand pointing them in the direction of the ship.

---

The last few miles to the ship was a rush, the 7th pulled back as rapidly as their heavier units would allow. Ingram flew above, directing fire as they fell back- Coalition patrols were outside of visual range, but still deigned to return fire as autocannon shells and missiles crashed around them. A steel plated beacon in the storm, the Roanoke itself was already firing its weapons by the time the squadron got into visual range of the vessel, mass drivers and plasma cannons flashing as they fired into the woods around them, scorching stone, wood and metal alike. The Roanoke’s hangar doors were already open and waiting as the 7th and their charges splashed through the sapphire lake.

Drakes and Coalition patrols be damned, the 7th broke for the open hangar doors as the Roanoke delivered withering volleys of fire around them. The water around the ship was already rippling and forming into waves as the engines of the Roanoke began spooling up, ready to take the ship into the sky and back into orbit. Technical crews were already waiting for them as they quickly waved and directed mechs into bays.

The Sparrowhawk, being flight-capable, was one of the last ones into the hangar. In the event that the ship needed to take off before everyone was loaded in, the Sparrowhawk could still fly into the hangar as the Roanoke flew. Stomping the last few steps into the remaining hangar bay, Ingram spooled the mech down and pushed open his cockpit as he keyed his comm.

”Medical to the hangar,” Ingram said, his voice echoing across the ship as he grabbed the edge of his cockpit, steadying himself as the Roanoke took off into the sky- harried by enemy fire all the while. Rumbling from a combination of stray enemy fire and turbulence, the Roanoke propelled itself from the surface of the planet into low orbit. Ingram swapped his comms to the command channel. He spoke for a moment before abruptly switching back to the crew channels.

”Medical team belay that, all hands brace!”

Ingram threw himself back into the seat of his cockpit and grabbed the seat’s roll bars. The Roanoke had barely reached low orbit when it activated its Kearnsky-Fuchida Warp drive and propelled itself and its unwitting crew into FTL space. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, a second felt like a minute, and Ingram felt his stomach dropping- not unlike the sensation of being inside an elevator- the entire time. Moments later, everything snapped back to real time and Ingram jerked forward, almost falling out of his cockpit. He shook his head and shuddered, they were now in FTL space- the familiar rocking and rattling of space ‘turbulence’ against the hull filling his ears.

”Okay, now medical to the hangar.” Ingram sighed through the crew comms as he pulled himself out of the cockpit. They were in the clear- for now.