Zoldyck

Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - [CLOSED]

_{Location: Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - Dundas Islands, Pacific Ocean}

The Homecoming Trials #1.06: Heavy Bagage

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_{Interaction(s): Banjo (Indirectly), Haleigh}

Previously: N/A

Katja awoke with an audible gasp from her slumber. Again, as with every night, the nightmare had returned. It seemed that she would be eternally cursed with reliving the worst day of her life every time she went to sleep. She had initially hoped that going to an environment where people like her, Hyper-humans, were accepted would lessen the frequency of her dreams. But alas, after nearly a week at Pacific Royal Collegiate & University, this hope seemed to be in vain. It’s not like she hadn’t accounted for this. It’s why she picked the bottom bunk after all. Given her limited experience, and thus control, over her power, Katja might accidentally trigger her abilities and suddenly increase her mass tenfold. And if that happened, you wouldn’t want to be in a bunk bed beneath her.

Sitting half upright in her bed, Katja looked over at her phone to check the time. She cursed under her breath as she saw that it was still two hours before the bugle call which would announce the official start of the school day, again. Controlling the urge to throw her phone away in frustration, she reached below her pillow to get the one item that would always calm her down. It was a silver beret pin. It had the shape of a rook chess piece, behind which were two crossed Mauser rifles and it was overlaid by two big Cs. It used to be her father’s back when he and her uncle still worked for their private security firm back in South Africa. Gripping it tightly in her hand, she put the pin close to her chest and felt her post-nightmare adrenaline subside.

Having calmed down, Katja got up from her bed and put on some running clothes. Given how she was awake long before the dress style was enforced, she could afford to spend some time outside of the uniform.

Even though she’d only been here less than a week, an early morning jog had already become part of Katja’s daily routine. It helped to get her acquainted with the P.R.C.U. campus, plus it gave her some time for herself. There hadn’t been a lot of interaction with the other people in the dorms yet, as most people were probably trying to feel out the situation. Still, here she was on her own and she could focus on her run and studies.

While the semester hadn’t officially commenced as of yet, Katja did try to get a headstart with studying. One of her electives had been History, preferably military history, and so she was currently listening to an audiobook detailing the African conflicts during the Cold War. She knew it was a bit of a niche topic, but there was something interesting about the asymmetry of these wars that made her think about how these tactics would be applied if…

“Kak” Katja cursed to herself as she had forgotten about the time due to being completely lost in thought. Running back on the double, she returned to the dorms with just enough time to spare to take a quick shower and then getting dressed in uniform before the morning call. After opting to go for the kilt, as that seemed to fit her hard rock minded fashion sense the most, she went on her way to start her daily community contribution.

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For her community contribution Katja was placed into the Sanitation bracket. She was relieved to hear that she’d be responsible for cleaning duties at the library instead of having one of the shitty tasks like cleaning the toilets. It was a mostly mindless job where she could just turn her brain off and go on autopilot mopping the floors and emptying trash bins.

Mostly. Because some asshat decided earlier that it’d be great fun to light one of them on fire. Dealing with that proved to be quite a pain in the ass, as not only did it require replacing, Katja also had to help with the administrative hassle that came with it, which meant working over time. Luckily classes hadn’t started yet as she definitely would have missed half of the class, if not more.

She had no real idea who the culprit was, as she wasn’t told by the library staff. Still, that wouldn’t stop her from thinking about it. If I find out who was responsible for that mess… Katja tightly wrung the handle of her mop as if emphasize the point to herself.

Luckily the amount of trash fires today were at the much more tolerable number of zero. So after she had finished mopping the floor and emptying the bins Katja finished her assignment with a few minutes to spare.

As she walked through the Collegiate part of the library she spotted one of her team members, the blonde Aussie, as he was restacking some books. Katja could have sworn he had said something about working at the University wing. Since he worked here, maybe he’d know more about who caused the trash fire. Shrugging to herself she thought she’d ask him about it later when she had the time.

Now though, it was time for the main event of the day.

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The stadium was already packed by the time Katja arrived. Most of the more senior student teams seemed to be sitting together, so she tried to find some sign of her own team members. Unfortunately finding any of them in this sea of students turned out to be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. So Katja quickly gave up on finding any of her fellow team members and just found a random empty seat somewhere close to an elevated stand.

Soon after, the ceremony would begin.

Katja slowly rose to her feet when everyone was asked to stand up for the national anthem. While most sang or hummed along, there were some in attendance who sang their own country’s national anthems. Even over the crowd she could pick out some Australian loudly belting out his own anthem, which made her smirk. But only for a second. Katja herself would keep her lips tightly shut. She had no love for any of the Mundane nation states, as they had shown little love for her. Perhaps Canada was different, but given her experiences in South Africa and the United States, she was highly doubtful about that.

Dr. Lehrer took the stage after the anthem was finished. Katja had to admit that he was quite a charismatic man, and she’d be lying if she said that she didn’t enjoy his speech. The time seemed to fly by during his speech, making Katja almost forget her sense of time. But she was pulled back to the present when Dr. Lehrer announced the commencement of the Homecoming Trials with some pretty impressive pyrotechnics that wouldn’t be amiss at a Rammstein concert.

When Katja turned around to head back to the Intake House to prepare for the trials to come she spotted a familiar face: Haleigh Crawford, a fellow member of Team 21.

As Katja got closer to her, she noticed that something seemed off. Even Though they hadn’t interacted a lot before, Haleigh didn’t seem to be the person to become anxious because of a little trial. Yet here she was, seemingly stressing the fuck out. Seeing her like that… Katja couldn’t just ignore it.

After quickly running out of patience waiting for the file of students to slowly shuffle out of the stadium, Katja used her imposing physique to -carefully- force her way through towards Haleigh. While she received a few angry glances, none really spoke out against the tall girl. As Katja got closer she gingerly raised her hand to get Haleigh’s attention so as to not unnecessarily startle her

“Hey,” Katja said in a soft voice as she squatted down next to Haleigh, “you alright sus?”

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Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - [CLOSED]

Katja Kruger
Katja Kruger

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^{_{"Don’t you know it’s impolite to ask a lady about her weight?"}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ Katja Kruger _________________________________________________________ March20,2004 | 19 | Afrikaner _________________________________________________________ Single | ♀ Female | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Bloemfontein | Vrijstaat | South Africa ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ B U I L D || Muscular ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Blonde ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Blue ◼ H E I G H T || 6’3" ◼ W E I G H T || 220 lbs ◼ S K I N T O N E || Caucasian - ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - M O T I V A T I O N S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Katja’s primary motivation is to learn about her powers and if possible develop them further. The prospect of openly using her abilities excites her a lot, because ever since her Hypeabilities manifested she’s had to hide suppress them so as to not attract too much attention to her or her remaining family. This also leads to the second motivation, as she wants to give her uncle and sister some freedom from the prying and judgemental eyes of the people of High Point. G O A L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Katja’s life goal is to make sure no Hyperhuman has to ever again fear persecution for being born with the Hype gene. While some might consider this wishful thinking, it’s something Katja has been determined to achieve ever since she lost her parents. Besides this lofty goal she also has some more, less grand, goals. The primary one is to finally make some friends that are around her age. Living with her Uncle in a community fairly isolated from Hyperhumans, Katja was mostly shunned by the other kids. So the prospect of friends her age excites her greatly. - ▅ N O T E S ▅ N O T E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Usually Katja’s South African accent is barely noticeable, but when she gets excited it really shines through. Sometimes she’ll even yell out stuff in Afrikaans. ►Struggling a bit with trauma, Katja has developed some tics that become noticeable when she’s nervous or under other sorts of stress. The most notable tics are her chewing on the inside of her cheeks or her biting on her hand. ►Katja loves all sorts of sports. She used to play soccer before her powers became obvious to her team, after which she was kicked out. After team sports were ruled out Katja became what you could call a gym rat. She’s an avid fan of the Springboks, Real Madrid, the Buffalo Bills and Badr Hari. ►While not musically gifted herself, Katja loves hard rock and metal. She has a particular soft spot for the 70s and 80s variants of these genres. ►Colorcode: ff7514 - _________________________________________________________

▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Hailing from Bloemfontein, South Africa, Katja Kruger was the second born of two Hyperhuman parents. While not exorbitantly rich, her family was still reasonably wealthy by South African standards. Katja can’t recall a whole lot about her time in South Africa before the riots, but she remembers being happy and never left wanting. This however changed during the Hyperriots of 2010. Following a massive corruption scandal which left millions destitute, the government tried to shift the blame towards the Hyperhumans. What followed was several weeks of riots, culminating in the Bloemfontein Massacre. Chanting “Kill the Hypie”, thousands of mundane humans went to the streets and killed whichever Hyperhuman, real or suspected, they could find, even going so far as to break into homes of known Hyperhumans. This is exactly what happened to the Kruger family. Katja watched in horror as her parents were killed in front of her. Her sister would get badly crippled as she was left for dead by the attackers, never able to walk again. Katja was only spared because her sister managed to hide her away in time. Saved by their uncle and with the aid of H.E.L.P., the Kruger siblings would move with him away from South Africa to High Point, NC in the United States. While the States wasn’t much better than South Africa when it came to Hyperhuman persecution, it was at least safer than waiting for another possible riot. Here the Hyperhuman status of the Krugers was kept under wraps for a little while, as Katja’s uncle wasn’t a Hyperhuman while her sister’s Hype-gene either never triggered or the ability was barely noticeable. This all changed when Katja would get a physical exam at high school. While looking perfectly average, perhaps a bit taller and beefier than most, she somehow still weighed in at 400 lbs. It turned out that something as mundane as her excitement for an upcoming high school soccer game later that day had triggered her Hype-gene. While it was requested to keep the information underwraps, rumors did eventually come out. And whether they were true or not, Katja’s social life in High Point was over. Despite the newfound adversity and discrimination Katja persevered through high school. Passing with middling grades and with no real social connections, her academic future looked very grim. That is, until her uncle used his contacts within H.E.L.P. to ask for a possible application to PRCU. Katja was ecstatic when she heard about this. Seeing it as her one shot at an academic education, but more importantly a return to acceptance from peer students, she would eagerly take the opportunity if it arrived with both hands. ▅ D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E ▅ D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Coming in at 6’3, saying that Katja stands out amongst a crowd would be an understatement. Not just is she very tall for a girl, she also sports a very strong and muscular body. While her physical presence and intense blue eyes might be intimidating to some, her joyful demeanor and energetic smile almost always manages to disarm anyone who’s anxious about her. Her light blonde hair reaches down to just below her shoulder blades if she has it hanging loosely, which she rarely does as it’s usually tied in a ponytail or a bun. Usually when Katja isn’t in uniform she wears clothes that emphasize her physique, like sleeveless tops, short sleeved shirts, shorts or short skirts. Often these clothes are from sports brands like Adidas and Nike. Katja does sometimes like to wear cargo pants and hoodies though. In terms of footwear she either wears sneakers or heavy duty boots. While her body is mostly free from blemishes, she does have a scar on her right hand in the form of teeth marks. ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Outgoing and impulsive, Katja is a ball of positive energy wherever she goes. Her lack of people skills is on full display as she doesn’t have any sense of personal space. She is very optimistic, to the point of naivety according to some. Katja is very protective of those she cares about, be they friends or family, and also has a weak spot for the weak and outcasts of society. Overall Katja is a happy go lucky kind of gal, always looking for the positive side of things and looking to have a fun time. Having said that, she can be quite temperamental, especially when she considers herself or any loved ones slighted. If the slight is judged extreme enough Katja might hold a grudge for the rest of her life. ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y ||Density Manipulation __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION ||Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION ||Dynamic The HZE ions in Katja’s body are able to convert themselves into particles which bind themselves with the already existing particles in Katjas cells or consume said particles. This has the result that her density of substance can basically be increased or decreased at will. In practical terms this means that Katja can change her mass and resilience. This might give some the impression that she has super strength because she can hit like a truck. But that’s not necessarily true, it’s just that she weighs as much as a truck, so you might as well be hit by a literal truck. The increased density also makes her flesh, organs and bones more resilient. If she for instance takes on the density of Iron, her body becomes as resilient as Iron. This increased toughness makes her not just able to receive more blows to herself, it also means that she can actually keep up with her own mass. She’s often imagined what’d happen if she suddenly became as heavy as a car yet her bones would refuse to change. Needless to say, it wouldn’t be a pretty picture. Katja’s sister likened her to a battletank; Heavy, can take a punch and can dish out a load of hurt. L I M I T A T I O N S ||Velocity, Consumption, Training Luckily for Katja her abilities seem to be an all or nothing kind of deal. Whenever she uses her Hyperhuman powers it gets applied to her entire body. So this means she isn’t able to for example increase the density of her knuckles to cheat at a boxing event or something like that. Having her entire body basically consume her hazies does mean that it’s quite an exhausting power to trigger and so she is unable to quickly switch between different density properties. Usually she sticks to just one unless the situation immediately demands a change (with a glass floor for instance). The rapid consumption of hazies also gives her quite an appetite. And to emphasize an earlier point; While her power might look from the outside as superstrength, given how she could punch cars away, she can not pick said cars up or lift them above her head. She has to be able to generate force behind her mass in order for it to have any effect. Fluids that leave her body, be they saliva, sweat, blood or whatever, revert back to their mundane state. So there won’t be any spit flying around with the mass of tungsten any time soon. At the time of writing the maximum density that Katja can achieve is the equivalent of Iron, or 7 times the particle density of the regular human body and able to hold that continuously for 15 minutes. Increasing her maximum density as well as the longevity of her ability is like training any muscle in the human body. It takes lots of repeated practice and use to increase. W E A K N E S S E S ||Elements, Containment Besides the 15 minute time cap that she’s currently at, there’s not a whole lot to specifically mention. While the higher density might make her more resilient, she doesn’t become damage proof. At her current level a regular 9mm might barely penetrate her skin at her current max, but bigger calibers should still do the trick. The added resilience doesn’t do anything against fire, electricity or the like. Being able to manipulate your mass also doesn’t help a lot when you’re restrained, be it by being buried under rubble or tied to a chair. Here the difference with super strength again becomes apparent as, once again, Katja needs to be able to exert some force on her mass in order for it to achieve something, else she might as well be a really heavy rock. ▅ S K I L L S & T A L E N T S ▅ S K I L L S & T A L E N T S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ S K I L L ||Kickboxing After being kicked from the high school soccer team, and any other team for that matter, Katja was left to practice in solo sports. She eventually ended up with kickboxing, specifically because one of her idols practiced it too. She’s quite good at it and it’s become the foundation of her fighting style. S K I L L || Cooking Katja is an excellent cook. As both her power and her training regimen require her to be well fed she has learned how to cook both nutritional as well as delicious meals. T A L E N T ||Sports From a young age Katja always seemed to be able to pick up and participate in any sport, even if she’d only learned the rules 5 minutes prior. Her powerful body and good genes for muscle retention and limberness have made her a force to be reckoned with in any contact sport. She is particularly gifted in soccer. ________________________________________________________________________________________

▅ _{P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S}
▅ _{P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S} ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_{Y O U A W A K E I N T H E D E A D O F N I G H T, W H A T W O K E Y O U?}

Katja’s smile faltered as she heard the interviewer ask this question. It took a moment for her to respond as she mulled over the answer, nervously chewing on the inside of her cheek. “Well, that’s one way to kill the mood.” she said with a nervous chuckle. She looked up at the interviewer, biting her lip as to contain some of the pain she felt in having to formulate her answer. “Nightmares” she answered.

Every night, for as long as she can remember, Katja has dreamt about the day she saw her parents get killed. Everytime it is the exact same dream, with the exact same people, in the exact same room. She can see her father, gurgling on the floor as he was drawing in his own blood. Her mother’s lifeless body on the bed, her head caved in by a brick. And then her sister, who’s back was contorted in an unnatural way. And then Katja is there, as a small child hidden in the closet, biting her hand as hard as she can so as to not make any noise while tears stream down her cheeks.

A sad smirk formed on her lips. “I know you probably hear this a lot more but, yeah…” she said with a resigned sigh, “it’s nightmares.”

_{A D I S H E V E L E D S T R A N G E R A P P R O A C H E S Y O U A S K I N G F O R H E L P, H O W D O Y O U R E S P O N D?}

”I’d help them of course!” Katja blurted out, almost upset at the notion that helping someone in need would be something to question. “Anyone who asks for help should be given it, especially by those who have the means to provide it! If it’s within my means to help this person, then why shouldn’t I offer to do so!?” Katja took a few seconds to calm down and clear her thoughts before she continued. “Of course, it does depend on what he asks of me. I’m not about to go help him on a quest for bloody vengeance or something like that.” she said with a chuckle.

_{A N I N T R U D E R A L A R M H A S B E E N S E T O F F O N C A M P U S, H O W D O Y O U R E A C T?}

”So… ” Katja started off before leaving a few second long pause in her answer as a light shone in her eyes, “I would like to say that I’d follow the rules and go to whatever gathering point students are supposed to go…” again leaving a few seconds of pause. “But that’d be a lie.” Katja’s lips formed a sheepish smile. “Most likely I’d try to find out who or what caused the alarm to trigger, I’m kind of innately curious after all.” Realizing the incriminating nature of what she just admitted to, Katja quickly raised her hands up as if to profess innocence. “But I would run away at the first sign of trouble, I swear!”

Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - [CLOSED]

Been thinking of getting back into RPing for a very long while now and this RP was exactly what I've been waiting for! I had been holding off on writing a CS since the join status said it was full, but I figured I'd give it a shot now anyway with the announcement that CSes would still be accepted until later today.

So here I go, at the last possible moment... hehe.

Katja Kruger

Katja Kruger
Katja Kruger

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^{_{"Don’t you know it’s impolite to ask a lady about her weight?"}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ Katja Kruger _________________________________________________________ March20,2004 | 19 | Caucasian _________________________________________________________ Single | ♀ Female | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Bloemfontein | Vrijstaat | South Africa ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ B U I L D || Muscular ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Blonde ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Blue ◼ H E I G H T || 6’3" ◼ W E I G H T || 220 lbs ◼ S K I N T O N E || Afrikaner - ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - M O T I V A T I O N S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Katja’s primary motivation is to learn about her powers and if possible develop them further. The prospect of openly using her abilities excites her a lot, because ever since her Hypeabilities manifested she’s had to hide suppress them so as to not attract too much attention to her or her remaining family. This also leads to the second motivation, as she wants to give her uncle and sister some freedom from the prying and judgemental eyes of the people of High Point. G O A L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Katja’s life goal is to make sure no Hyperhuman has to ever again fear persecution for being born with the Hype gene. While some might consider this wishful thinking, it’s something Katja has been determined to achieve ever since she lost her parents. Besides this lofty goal she also has some more, less grand, goals. The primary one is to finally make some friends that are around her age. Living with her Uncle in a community fairly isolated from Hyperhumans, Katja was mostly shunned by the other kids. So the prospect of friends her age excites her greatly. - ▅ N O T E S ▅ N O T E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [+] - M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Usually Katja’s South African accent is barely noticeable, but when she gets excited it really shines through. Sometimes she’ll even yell out stuff in Afrikaans. ►Struggling a bit with trauma, Katja has developed some tics that become noticeable when she’s nervous or under other sorts of stress. The most notable tics are her chewing on the inside of her cheeks or her biting on her hand. ►Katja loves all sorts of sports. She used to play soccer before her powers became obvious to her team, after which she was kicked out. After team sports were ruled out Katja became what you could call a gym rat. She’s an avid fan of the Springboks, Real Madrid, the Buffalo Bills and Badr Hari. ►While not musically gifted herself, Katja loves hard rock and metal. She has a particular soft spot for the 70s and 80s variants of these genres. ►Colorcode: ff7514 - _________________________________________________________

▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Hailing from Bloemfontein, South Africa, Katja Kruger was the second born of two Hyperhuman parents. While not exorbitantly rich, her family was still reasonably wealthy by South African standards. Katja can’t recall a whole lot about her time in South Africa before the riots, but she remembers being happy and never left wanting. This however changed during the Hyperriots of 2010. Following a massive corruption scandal which left millions destitute, the government tried to shift the blame towards the Hyperhumans. What followed was several weeks of riots, culminating in the Bloemfontein Massacre. Chanting “Kill the Hypie”, thousands of mundane humans went to the streets and killed whichever Hyperhuman, real or suspected, they could find, even going so far as to break into homes of known Hyperhumans. This is exactly what happened to the Kruger family. Katja watched in horror as her parents were killed in front of her. Her sister would get badly crippled as she was left for dead by the attackers, never able to walk again. Katja was only spared because her sister managed to hide her away in time. Saved by their uncle and with the aid of H.E.L.P., the Kruger siblings would move with him away from South Africa to High Point, NC in the United States. While the States wasn’t much better than South Africa when it came to Hyperhuman persecution, it was at least safer than waiting for another possible riot. Here the Hyperhuman status of the Krugers was kept under wraps for a little while, as Katja’s uncle wasn’t a Hyperhuman while her sister’s Hype-gene either never triggered or the ability was barely noticeable. This all changed when Katja would get a physical exam at high school. While looking perfectly average, perhaps a bit taller and beefier than most, she somehow still weighed in at 400 lbs. It turned out that something as mundane as her excitement for an upcoming high school soccer game later that day had triggered her Hype-gene. While it was requested to keep the information underwraps, rumors did eventually come out. And whether they were true or not, Katja’s social life in High Point was over. Despite the newfound adversity and discrimination Katja persevered through high school. Passing with middling grades and with no real social connections, her academic future looked very grim. That is, until her uncle used his contacts within H.E.L.P. to ask for a possible application to PRCU. Katja was ecstatic when she heard about this. Seeing it as her one shot at an academic education, but more importantly a return to acceptance from peer students, she would eagerly take the opportunity if it arrived with both hands. ▅ D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E ▅ D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Coming in at 6’3, saying that Katja stands out amongst a crowd would be an understatement. Not just is she very tall for a girl, she also sports a very strong and muscular body. While her physical presence and intense blue eyes might be intimidating to some, her joyful demeanor and energetic smile almost always manages to disarm anyone who’s anxious about her. Her light blonde hair reaches down to just below her shoulder blades if she has it hanging loosely, which she rarely does as it’s usually tied in a ponytail or a bun. Usually when Katja isn’t in uniform she wears clothes that emphasize her physique, like sleeveless tops, short sleeved shirts, shorts or short skirts. Often these clothes are from sports brands like Adidas and Nike. Katja does sometimes like to wear cargo pants and hoodies though. In terms of footwear she either wears sneakers or heavy duty boots. While her body is mostly free from blemishes, she does have a scar on her right hand in the form of teeth marks. ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Outgoing and impulsive, Katja is a ball of positive energy wherever she goes. Her lack of people skills is on full display as she doesn’t have any sense of personal space. She is very optimistic, to the point of naivety according to some. Katja is very protective of those she cares about, be they friends or family, and also has a weak spot for the weak and outcasts of society. Overall Katja is a happy go lucky kind of gal, always looking for the positive side of things and looking to have a fun time. Having said that, she can be quite temperamental, especially when she considers herself or any loved ones slighted. If the slight is judged extreme enough Katja might hold a grudge for the rest of her life. ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y ||Density Manipulation __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION ||Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION ||Dynamic The HZE ions in Katja’s body are able to convert themselves into particles which bind themselves with the already existing particles in Katjas cells or consume said particles. This has the result that her density of substance can basically be increased or decreased at will. In practical terms this means that Katja can change her mass and resilience. This might give some the impression that she has super strength because she can hit like a truck. But that’s not necessarily true, it’s just that she weighs as much as a truck, so you might as well be hit by a literal truck. The increased density also makes her flesh, organs and bones more resilient. If she for instance takes on the density of Iron, her body becomes as resilient as Iron. This increased toughness makes her not just able to receive more blows to herself, it also means that she can actually keep up with her own mass. She’s often imagined what’d happen if she suddenly became as heavy as a car yet her bones would refuse to change. Needless to say, it wouldn’t be a pretty picture. Katja’s sister likened her to a battletank; Heavy, can take a punch and can dish out a load of hurt. L I M I T A T I O N S ||Velocity, Consumption, Training Luckily for Katja her abilities seem to be an all or nothing kind of deal. Whenever she uses her Hyperhuman powers it gets applied to her entire body. So this means she isn’t able to for example increase the density of her knuckles to cheat at a boxing event or something like that. Having her entire body basically consume her hazies does mean that it’s quite an exhausting power to trigger and so she is unable to quickly switch between different density properties. Usually she sticks to just one unless the situation immediately demands a change (with a glass floor for instance). The rapid consumption of hazies also gives her quite an appetite. And to emphasize an earlier point; While her power might look from the outside as superstrength, given how she could punch cars away, she can not pick said cars up or lift them above her head. She has to be able to generate force behind her mass in order for it to have any effect. Fluids that leave her body, be they saliva, sweat, blood or whatever, revert back to their mundane state. So there won’t be any spit flying around with the mass of tungsten any time soon. At the time of writing the maximum density that Katja can achieve is the equivalent of Iron, or 7 times the particle density of the regular human body and able to hold that continuously for 15 minutes. Increasing her maximum density as well as the longevity of her ability is like training any muscle in the human body. It takes lots of repeated practice and use to increase. W E A K N E S S E S ||Elements, Containment Besides the 15 minute time cap that she’s currently at, there’s not a whole lot to specifically mention. While the higher density might make her more resilient, she doesn’t become damage proof. At her current level a regular 9mm might barely penetrate her skin at her current max, but bigger calibers should still do the trick. The added resilience doesn’t do anything against fire, electricity or the like. Being able to manipulate your mass also doesn’t help a lot when you’re restrained, be it by being buried under rubble or tied to a chair. Here the difference with super strength again becomes apparent as, once again, Katja needs to be able to exert some force on her mass in order for it to achieve something, else she might as well be a really heavy rock. ▅ S K I L L S & T A L E N T S ▅ S K I L L S & T A L E N T S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ S K I L L ||Kickboxing After being kicked from the high school soccer team, and any other team for that matter, Katja was left to practice in solo sports. She eventually ended up with kickboxing, specifically because one of her idols practiced it too. She’s quite good at it and it’s become the foundation of her fighting style. S K I L L || Cooking Katja is an excellent cook. As both her power and her training regimen require her to be well fed she has learned how to cook both nutritional as well as delicious meals. T A L E N T ||Sports From a young age Katja always seemed to be able to pick up and participate in any sport, even if she’d only learned the rules 5 minutes prior. Her powerful body and good genes for muscle retention and limberness have made her a force to be reckoned with in any contact sport. She is particularly gifted in soccer. ________________________________________________________________________________________

▅ _{P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S}
▅ _{P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S} ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_{Y O U A W A K E I N T H E D E A D O F N I G H T, W H A T W O K E Y O U?}

Katja’s smile faltered as she heard the interviewer ask this question. It took a moment for her to respond as she mulled over the answer, nervously chewing on the inside of her cheek. “Well, that’s one way to kill the mood.” she said with a nervous chuckle. She looked up at the interviewer, biting her lip as to contain some of the pain she felt in having to formulate her answer. “Nightmares” she answered.

Every night, for as long as she can remember, Katja has dreamt about the day she saw her parents get killed. Everytime it is the exact same dream, with the exact same people, in the exact same room. She can see her father, gurgling on the floor as he was drawing in his own blood. Her mother’s lifeless body on the bed, her head caved in by a brick. And then her sister, who’s back was contorted in an unnatural way. And then Katja is there, as a small child hidden in the closet, biting her hand as hard as she can so as to not make any noise while tears stream down her cheeks.

A sad smirk formed on her lips. “I know you probably hear this a lot more but, yeah…” she said with a resigned sigh, “it’s nightmares.”

_{A D I S H E V E L E D S T R A N G E R A P P R O A C H E S Y O U A S K I N G F O R H E L P, H O W D O Y O U R E S P O N D?}

”I’d help them of course!” Katja blurted out, almost upset at the notion that helping someone in need would be something to question. “Anyone who asks for help should be given it, especially by those who have the means to provide it! If it’s within my means to help this person, then why shouldn’t I offer to do so!?” Katja took a few seconds to calm down and clear her thoughts before she continued. “Of course, it does depend on what he asks of me. I’m not about to go help him on a quest for bloody vengeance or something like that.” she said with a chuckle.

_{A N I N T R U D E R A L A R M H A S B E E N S E T O F F O N C A M P U S, H O W D O Y O U R E A C T?}

”So… ” Katja started off before leaving a few second long pause in her answer as a light shone in her eyes, “I would like to say that I’d follow the rules and go to whatever gathering point students are supposed to go…” again leaving a few seconds of pause. “But that’d be a lie.” Katja’s lips formed a sheepish smile. “Most likely I’d try to find out who or what caused the alarm to trigger, I’m kind of innately curious after all.” Realizing the incriminating nature of what she just admitted to, Katja quickly raised her hands up as if to profess innocence. “But I would run away at the first sign of trouble, I swear!”

BattleTech: A Band of Misfits

Definitely interested, especially if we're killing Capellans!

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

A storm had gathered over the Gravenburg. Banners bearing the crimson fist of House van Rossum fluttered in the wind while men were scurrying around the fortress grounds, trying to keep as sheltered from the rain as possible while performing their daily tasks. In a dark room, only lit by a single fireplace save for the intermittent lightning flashes sat an imposing figure. Elise van Rossum, Hertogin of the Duchy of Gelderecht, sat in her study, staring intently into the fireplace. The three empty bottles of Arbormark wine on the ground next to her betrayed that she’d been here for a while already.

The death of the Master Minister had led to a crisis in Elise’s duchy, and the Crownmark as a whole. With the death of both King Cloyt II and Viscount Holdorf a power vacuum had appeared which pushed the Crownmark on the brink of disaster. Already she had to send some of her Irons into the countryside to ensure panic wouldn’t get a grip on the population. Gods forbid she had to deal with another revolt right now. But even though this was already enough reason to cause a headache, it wasn’t the most ominous event concerning the Hertogin.

News of a Northern Alliance had reached Elise’s ears mere hours ago. There had been rumors from a handful of northern traders at first, but as the number of traders repeating the rumors kept increasing, it was safe to assume there was truth in them. The mayor of Anthagen had already come to her directly to voice his concern about the potential loss of income for his city, and himself of course. “Greedy bastard,” Elise grumbled to herself, “I should have gotten rid of that snake during the Uprising.”

This Northern Alliance could prove a far bigger problem than just a nuisance concerning trade income. It is said that they side with the pretender Sharles of Bremerant. Elise remembers the impression she held of him at the royal funeral; a meek boy who would be torn apart by Adanion’s political elite. He might have some claim by family and he had been friends with the Crown Prince, whom Elise had respected greatly, but in her mind Sharles wasn’t able to hold a candle to either Cloyt II or Daymian. No, Elise far more preferred the alternative.

Anyarama “the Bastard Maiden” was Elise’s prefered candidate, though she hadn’t stated this openly yet. Anyarama obviously has the noble blood of Cloyt II running through her veins as she has inherited his conviction and sense of righteousness. With the Realm on the brink of chaos and with a malicious force in the shadows, it is clear that a firm hand needs to bring order to Adanion. And Anyarama shows the potential to be able to do just that.

The formation of the Northern Alliance was worrying, and thus something had to be done about the Crownmark’s current situation. The Crownmark should not be allowed to fracture with a civil war looming on the horizon. Its wealth would be a tantalizing prize to any would-be pretender and its central location almost assured that armies from both parties would march on its rich soil. A unified Crownmark, on the other hand, would be a formidable force to be reckoned with. This is why Elise has been subtly probing the different lords in the Mark on what their opinions would be if they elected a Lord Protector of the Crownmark. It would be a temporary office, only there to weather the coming storm of civil war, but it would assure the Crownmark’s continued cohesion. Potential candidates for this role would either be dukes of the Crownmark or Sir Jorin Redside, Captain of the Crownguard.

A knock could be heard before the door opened. A one eyed man clad in black armor entered Elise’s study. “Siegmund,” Elise said while nodding, “are all preparations ready?” Siegmund was the commander of the Black Iron Regiment, the elite of the elite, and Elise’s second in command. He beat his fist on his chest and bowed his head before replying. “Yes my Lady Hertogin, forty Black Riders are waiting in the courtyard to be your escort.” There was some hesitation before he continued. “Are you sure you won’t need me by your side, my Lady Hertogin?” Elise chuckled as she rose from her chair. Dwarfing Siegmund, she put a hand on his shoulder and said “I need you to take care of the Gravenburg while I’m gone, my friend. You needn’t worry, I promise my return will be swift.” With that said, she left her study and made her way to the courtyard.

Walking into the courtyard, Elise could see her forty Black Riders all present, just as Siegmund said they would be. They had clearly been waiting here for a while, as they were soaked by the rain. A chorus of “Hail Hertogin” greeted her as they saluted her with a fist pound on the chest, a salute she returned. Mounting her horse Zege, a destier as black as tar, Elise gave a final nod to Siegmund before riding out.

An auspicious omen appeared as Elise went through the main gate. For the sun was breaking through the storm clouds, and Elise’s face was basked in its warm embrace. Hopefully we’ll keep this luck with the weather all the way, she thought to herself. There was much to discuss with friends and potential allies. Normally on occasions such as this she’d travel by carriage, but the Northern Alliance’s formation demanded expediency. Her first visit would be to the region on which Gelderecht’s economy relied the most, and to the man Elise considered to be amongst the most dangerous in all of the realm:

The Archduke of the Stormland. Karl Müller-Hohenstein.

TLDR

Concerned over the current troubles in the Crownmark and the formation of the Northern Alliance, Elise has set a plan into motion to temporarily unite the Crownmark under one elected leader. She is also heading down south to talk to @Pagemaster’s Karl Müller-Hohenstein about the current state of affairs.

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

Hertogin Elise van Rossum of the Duchy of Gelderecht

Name: Hertogin Elise van Rossum
Titles: (This is where your character's official titles go as well as any positions on the council or commanders. Please leave this blank, you will be granted your title as part of having your sheet being accepted.)
Description:

A popular local myth claims that the van Rossums are descendants of giants. While the validity of this statement is questionable, one look at a van Rossum might almost make one believe these stories are true. Towering almost a full head over the average Adanian, one would never mistake Elise’s van Rossum lineage. The years putting down peasant rebellions and noble discontent have also left their mark on the 29 year old Hertogin, with several scars covering her powerfully built frame. She keeps her auburn hair at shoulder length, so as to not have too much trouble with wearing a helmet. Her eyes are an icy shade of blue, yet they always seem to have a sparkle in them.

While Elise is very much at home in plate armor, she usually wears clothing usually associated with men, such as trousers and vests. This often results in mockery behind her back, but it never seems to bother Elise.

Claimant:
Elise supports Anyamara, for she seems like the claimant who will be most likely to condone the van Rossum way of governing their realm.

House Info: House van Rossum
“A velvet gauntlet assures both friend and foe get their dues”


Reputation:
Elise’s reputation largely depends on whom you ask. Known as the “Butcher of Rotterhaag”, the smallfolk never forgave Elise’s order to sack the prosperous town for its revolt against the Mad King’s latest tax increase. Allowing her troops to ransack and pillage for two whole days to set an example for other would-be rebels, the smallfolk view Elise largely with fear and contempt.

Not so amongst her soldiers though, who see in her leader who lives, toils and fights amongst them during campaigns and looks out for them. The troops consider Elise a harsh but fair taskmaster, ready to enforce discipline whenever necessary, but always making sure that the needs of the troops are met. This has earned Elise the moniker of “the Steel Maiden” amongst her troops and loyal followers. It should also be noted that Elise is considered to be quite a rowdy drinker, as has often been witnessed by her troops when celebrating.

Amongst merchants and traders Elise’s reputation is a rather positive one. While the brutal suppression campaigns took their toll on Gelderecht, one can’t argue about its results. The roads and waterways are amongst the safest in all of Adanion. Elise seems also very interested in increasing infrastructure and productivity in the region, even going so far as using her troops to dig canals and pave roads.

Finally there is Elise’s reputation amongst the nobility. Having faithfully served Mad King Cloyt II, Elise is considered a staunch supporter of the king. The zealousness with which Elise seemed to serve King Cloyt II is largely because he was technically family. Elise’s aunt was married to the King in his younger years, as a wedding gift King Cloyt II merged the Counties of Gelde and Recht into the Duchy of Gelderecht and offered it to House van Rossum. The House has been serving the King faithfully ever after, even when the familial connection was severed with the death of his first wife. Elise did not break this bond of loyalty even as madness overtook King Cloyt II.

The Great Houses do however view House van Rossum (and thus by extension Elise) as upstarts, having gotten their position through, in their eyes, obvious favoritism.

Ambitions:
Elise’s primary ambition is for House van Rossum to be recognized as a true equal amongst the Great Houses. Either by display of wealth and splendor or through force of arms, she will do whatever she can to increase the prestige of her House and assure that it will be more than a mere footnote in history.

Aptitudes:
Great physical size and strength: With only a handful of Adanians being able to match her in raw strength, it is no understatement to say that this is amongst Elise’s most obvious aptitudes.

Efficient organizer: Be it marshaling a marching column or managing the Duchy’s treasury, Elise seems to have a particular knack for organizational tasks.

Vulnerabilities:
Alcoholic: Elise is very fond of a good wine or a nice ale. Too fond. Being inebriated might lead her to undertake rash actions.
Reputation: While not all bad, Elise and her House’s reputation are not the most pristine and might lead to plots being more easily formed against her.

Additional Info: While having originally been the Counts of Gelde, House van Rossum has been granted dominion over the newly created Duchy of Gelderecht by the grace of King Cloyt II. He granted this as a wedding gift to his 1st wife, who is Elise’s great aunt. House van Rossum has faithfully served the king’s will ever since. Many revolts in Crownmark ended up being crushed by the Velvet Gauntlet of House van Rossum. This almost zealous loyalty has been noted by the other noble houses as well, with some even referring to House van Rossum as the Hounds of Madness, in reference to King Cloyt II’s nickname.

The Duchy of Gelderecht

Domain Name: Gelderecht
Domain Summary:
Gelderecht was formed a mere generation ago with the merger of Gelde and Recht. Both regions are located in the south of Crownmark, wedged in between the Westmarch and Arbormark. This region is ideally located as a tradehub, which is exactly what can be found here. Notable is the high level of urbanization in the region, with many major towns and several cities, most importantly of which is the major trade city of Anthagen, a city located where the Splitstream and Farwater rivers converge in the far south. Spread across the countryside are castles of different shapes and sizes. Most are nothing more than a glorified farmhouse, with the exception of the Gravenburg, a large fortress which used to be the seat of power for the counts of Gelde.

The land itself is extremely flat, with only a sparse amount of hills in the north of the duchy. Dikes and levees are built to prevent the flooding of the lowlands in the south. The region itself has a temperate climate, with mild summers and winters.

Gelderecht has been in constant turmoil ever since the merger of the two counties. The first uprising happened with the death of Duke Joris, brother-in-law to King Cloyt II. House Kampen, the former counts of Recht, tried to reclaim their independence, but their efforts proved to be in vain. Many of the duchy’s nobility were slain in this uprising however, which resulted in a breakdown of order. With some Kampen agitators stoking up the population of the former county, this would spell a great amount of trouble for House van Rossum, as they would have to deal with many revolts and uprisings. Duke Floris, son of Joris and father of Elise, would succeed in rooting out the final remnants of House Kampen, but the destruction of most of the Gelderecht nobility was a fact.

The cities of the Gelderecht would fill this power vacuum, purchasing the lands of the destitute nobility. The cities tried exactly once to assert their dominance over the Duke and launched a major uprising. This was however violently crushed by Duke Floris, using a mercenary force he called the “Iron Regiments”. After the Uprising of the Cities failed, the mayors would swear the fealty of their city to the Duke and his House. The death of Duke Floris would coincide with a tax increase ordered by King Cloyt II, which the fresh Duchess Elise would be forced to institute. This would see a new wave of revolts in the duchy, which she crushed without mercy, culminating in the sack of Rotterhaag.

Now 10 years into her reign, the duchy finally has a fragile peace between the remaining feudal nobility and the rising merchant elites in the cities.

Major Holdings:
-Gravenburg: The primary seat of power for House van Rossum. This fortress is built upon the largest hill in the entire duchy of Gelderecht. With the added benefit of the low ground level that surrounds it, this height advantage gives the fortress a wide view for miles surrounding it. If the need were to arise, levees could be ordered to be broken, flooding the surrounding land and making a siege of the fortress incredibly difficult.

-Anthagen: The largest and most prosperous city of Gelderecht, Anthagen is the primary trade hub of the duchy and the main source of income for House van Rossum. The city bridges both the Splitstream and Farwater rivers, with a port located at the direct convergence point, allowing for the rarest of goods from both up-and downstream to find their way into the city. One of the most populous cities of the Crownmark, its wealth is famed across the land. Its cloth market is especially renowned. Almost all of the duchy’s guild houses are located in Anthagen, with the exception of the metal workers guild. Being located on the banks of

-Middelwaarden: Located in the middle of the duchy, Middelwaarden is the second most populated city in Gelderecht. It is the oldest city of Gelderecht, having its origins in the time of the First Tribes. The city’s skyline is dominated by the Golden Mother and Golden Father, a large cathedral complex dedicated to the Twin Faith.

-Leeuwingen: The city closest to Gravenburg. Here is where House van Rossum finds its most loyal populace. Leeuwingen’s primary resource for the duchy is its manpower. Having almost unquestionable loyalty to House van Rossum, the Leeuwingers form the backbone for the Iron Regiments, the elite force of House van Rossum. This is also why the main encampment of the Iron Regiments is located on the outskirts of the city.

-Rotterhaag: A major town in the north of the duchy, famed for its metalworks. The town used to be the seat of the counts of Recht, and has yet to get used to the merger of the counties. This is the reason why in the last 10 years, Rotterhaag has revolted 6 times. The last attempt did not end well for the town however, as Elise van Rossum ordered a two day sacking of the city. The town has yet to recover from the aftermath, with much of its wealth lost and its artisans slain by the sword. Not even the famed metalworking district was spared, with the metal workers’ guild house completely put to the torch.

Reputation:
Gelderecht is mostly known for its industrious people and sprawling markets. It’s reputation as a stable hub of trade and industry has however taken a dent in recent years due to numerous revolts and uprisings. This has given outsiders the impression that the people from Gelderecht are unruly and rebellious.

Wealth:
A common saying amongst the people of Gelderecht is that every coin in the realm has at least passed through the duchy twice. This is in reference to the main source of wealth for Gelderecht, namely its many cities with their many markets and of course the port of Anthagen. The biggest boon of the duchy is its thriving cloth industry, being responsible for a significant amount of the realm’s cloth production. However, the duchy is also rich in artisans and artists, such as painters and sculptures. Being in the Crownmark, Gelderecht also has much fertile farmland which it uses to feed its cities and as a good to trade for wool from the North-West to fuel its budding clothiers.

There is however still some devastation left from the many revolts, with many towns having been raided or sacked, most notable of all being the major town of Rotterhaag. Many of the cities have taken in refugees, which has caused a fair amount of civil strife and driven the destitute into a life of crime. While the wealth of Gelderecht might be plenty, it is clear that it is not equally shared.

Strength:
In the aftermath of the Kampen Rebellions, numerous peasants revolts and the Uprising of the Cities, the urbanized Duchy can no longer rely on a large nobility caste and their levies to form the backbone of their military forces, like so many others can. This results in the duchy having only a relatively tiny retinue of mounted knights and having no real levies to speak of during times of war. To compensate for this deficiency, House van Rossum has opted for the creation of the Iron Regiments; a well-paid, full-time standing army of mercenaries who are purely devoted to the art of war.

Though relatively few in number compared to mass ranks of levies, the Iron Regiments pride themselves on their professionalism. With their few numbers making them hard to replace, much of the duchy’s wealth goes into equipping this force with the tools for them to accomplish their job. Equipped with long pikes, zweihanders, arbalists and (partial) plate armor, the soldiers of the Iron Regiments are amongst the most well equipped forces of the realm. They also tend to dress lavishly so as to show their status of being a member of the Iron Regiments.

However, if the need arises and the Iron Regiments are not able to accomplish their task on their own, the cities are expected to raise their own forces, the city militias. These are mostly consisting of whatever men the city watch can spare and who, in case of a prolongued conflict, then get a crash course training in warfare by an Iron Regiment’s sergeant. The militias are often equipped with cheaper equipment and armor, like spears, shields, gambeson and sometimes even just clubs.

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

Hertogin Elise van Rossum of the Duchy of Gelderecht

Name: Hertogin Elise van Rossum
Titles: (This is where your character's official titles go as well as any positions on the council or commanders. Please leave this blank, you will be granted your title as part of having your sheet being accepted.)
Description:

A popular local myth claims that the van Rossums are descendants of giants. While the validity of this statement is questionable, one look at a van Rossum might almost make one believe these stories are true. Towering almost a full head over the average Adanian, one would never mistake Elise’s van Rossum lineage. The years putting down peasant rebellions and noble discontent have also left their mark on the 29 year old Hertogin, with several scars covering her powerfully built frame. She keeps her auburn hair at shoulder length, so as to not have too much trouble with wearing a helmet. Her eyes are an icy shade of blue, yet they always seem to have a sparkle in them.

While Elise is very much at home in plate armor, she usually wears clothing usually associated with men, such as trousers and vests. This often results in mockery behind her back, but it never seems to bother Elise.

Claimant:
Elise supports Anyamara, for she seems like the claimant who will be most likely to condone the van Rossum way of governing their realm.

House Info: House van Rossum
“A velvet gauntlet assures both friend and foe get their dues”


Reputation:
Elise’s reputation largely depends on whom you ask. Known as the “Butcher of Rotterhaag”, the smallfolk never forgave Elise’s order to sack the prosperous town for its revolt against the Mad King’s latest tax increase. Allowing her troops to ransack and pillage for two whole days to set an example for other would-be rebels, the smallfolk view Elise largely with fear and contempt.

Not so amongst her soldiers though, who see in her leader who lives, toils and fights amongst them during campaigns and looks out for them. The troops consider Elise a harsh but fair taskmaster, ready to enforce discipline whenever necessary, but always making sure that the needs of the troops are met. This has earned Elise the moniker of “the Steel Maiden” amongst her troops and loyal followers. It should also be noted that Elise is considered to be quite a rowdy drinker, as has often been witnessed by her troops when celebrating.

Amongst merchants and traders Elise’s reputation is a rather positive one. While the brutal suppression campaigns took their toll on Gelderecht, one can’t argue about its results. The roads and waterways are amongst the safest in all of Adanion. Elise seems also very interested in increasing infrastructure and productivity in the region, even going so far as using her troops to dig canals and pave roads.

Finally there is Elise’s reputation amongst the nobility. Having faithfully served Mad King Cloyt II, Elise is considered a staunch supporter of the king. The zealousness with which Elise seemed to serve King Cloyt II is largely because he was technically family. Elise’s aunt was married to the King in his younger years, as a wedding gift King Cloyt II merged the Counties of Gelde and Recht into the Duchy of Gelderecht and offered it to House van Rossum. The House has been serving the King faithfully ever after, even when the familial connection was severed with the death of his first wife. Elise did not break this bond of loyalty even as madness overtook King Cloyt II.

The Great Houses do however view House van Rossum (and thus by extension Elise) as upstarts, having gotten their position through, in their eyes, obvious favoritism.

Ambitions:
Elise’s primary ambition is for House van Rossum to be recognized as a true equal amongst the Great Houses. Either by display of wealth and splendor or through force of arms, she will do whatever she can to increase the prestige of her House and assure that it will be more than a mere footnote in history.

Aptitudes:
Great physical size and strength: With only a handful of Adanians being able to match her in raw strength, it is no understatement to say that this is amongst Elise’s most obvious aptitudes.

Efficient organizer: Be it marshaling a marching column or managing the Duchy’s treasury, Elise seems to have a particular knack for organizational tasks.

Vulnerabilities:
Alcoholic: Elise is very fond of a good wine or a nice ale. Too fond. Being inebriated might lead her to undertake rash actions.
Reputation: While not all bad, Elise and her House’s reputation are not the most pristine and might lead to plots being more easily formed against her.

Additional Info: While having originally been the Counts of Gelde, House van Rossum has been granted dominion over the newly created Duchy of Gelderecht by the grace of King Cloyt II. He granted this as a wedding gift to his 1st wife, who is Elise’s great aunt. House van Rossum has faithfully served the king’s will ever since. Many revolts in Crownmark ended up being crushed by the Velvet Gauntlet of House van Rossum. This almost zealous loyalty has been noted by the other noble houses as well, with some even referring to House van Rossum as the Hounds of Madness, in reference to King Cloyt II’s nickname.

The Duchy of Gelderecht

Domain Name: Gelderecht
Domain Summary:
Gelderecht was formed a mere generation ago with the merger of Gelde and Recht. Both regions are located in the south of Crownmark, wedged in between the Westmarch and Arbormark. This region is ideally located as a tradehub, which is exactly what can be found here. Notable is the high level of urbanization in the region, with many major towns and several cities, most importantly of which is the major trade city of Anthagen, a city located where the Splitstream and Farwater rivers converge in the far south. Spread across the countryside are castles of different shapes and sizes. Most are nothing more than a glorified farmhouse, with the exception of the Gravenburg, a large fortress which used to be the seat of power for the counts of Gelde.

The land itself is extremely flat, with only a sparse amount of hills in the north of the duchy. Dikes and levees are built to prevent the flooding of the lowlands in the south. The region itself has a temperate climate, with mild summers and winters.

Gelderecht has been in constant turmoil ever since the merger of the two counties. The first uprising happened with the death of Duke Joris, brother-in-law to King Cloyt II. House Kampen, the former counts of Recht, tried to reclaim their independence, but their efforts proved to be in vain. Many of the duchy’s nobility were slain in this uprising however, which resulted in a breakdown of order. With some Kampen agitators stoking up the population of the former county, this would spell a great amount of trouble for House van Rossum, as they would have to deal with many revolts and uprisings. Duke Floris, son of Joris and father of Elise, would succeed in rooting out the final remnants of House Kampen, but the destruction of most of the Gelderecht nobility was a fact.

The cities of the Gelderecht would fill this power vacuum, purchasing the lands of the destitute nobility. The cities tried exactly once to assert their dominance over the Duke and launched a major uprising. This was however violently crushed by Duke Floris, using a mercenary force he called the “Iron Regiments”. After the Uprising of the Cities failed, the mayors would swear the fealty of their city to the Duke and his House. The death of Duke Floris would coincide with a tax increase ordered by King Cloyt II, which the fresh Duchess Elise would be forced to institute. This would see a new wave of revolts in the duchy, which she crushed without mercy, culminating in the sack of Rotterhaag.

Now 10 years into her reign, the duchy finally has a fragile peace between the remaining feudal nobility and the rising merchant elites in the cities.

Major Holdings:
-Gravenburg: The primary seat of power for House van Rossum. This fortress is built upon the largest hill in the entire duchy of Gelderecht. With the added benefit of the low ground level that surrounds it, this height advantage gives the fortress a wide view for miles surrounding it. If the need were to arise, levees could be ordered to be broken, flooding the surrounding land and making a siege of the fortress incredibly difficult.

-Anthagen: The largest and most prosperous city of Gelderecht, Anthagen is the primary trade hub of the duchy and the main source of income for House van Rossum. The city bridges both the Splitstream and Farwater rivers, with a port located at the direct convergence point, allowing for the rarest of goods from both up-and downstream to find their way into the city. One of the most populous cities of the Crownmark, its wealth is famed across the land. Its cloth market is especially renowned. Almost all of the duchy’s guild houses are located in Anthagen, with the exception of the metal workers guild. Being located on the banks of

-Middelwaarden: Located in the middle of the duchy, Middelwaarden is the second most populated city in Gelderecht. It is the oldest city of Gelderecht, having its origins in the time of the First Tribes. The city’s skyline is dominated by the Golden Mother and Golden Father, a large cathedral complex dedicated to the Twin Faith.

-Leeuwingen: The city closest to Gravenburg. Here is where House van Rossum finds its most loyal populace. Leeuwingen’s primary resource for the duchy is its manpower. Having almost unquestionable loyalty to House van Rossum, the Leeuwingers form the backbone for the Iron Regiments, the elite force of House van Rossum. This is also why the main encampment of the Iron Regiments is located on the outskirts of the city.

-Rotterhaag: A major town in the north of the duchy, famed for its metalworks. The town used to be the seat of the counts of Recht, and has yet to get used to the merger of the counties. This is the reason why in the last 10 years, Rotterhaag has revolted 6 times. The last attempt did not end well for the town however, as Elise van Rossum ordered a two day sacking of the city. The town has yet to recover from the aftermath, with much of its wealth lost and its artisans slain by the sword. Not even the famed metalworking district was spared, with the metal workers’ guild house completely put to the torch.

Reputation:
Gelderecht is mostly known for its industrious people and sprawling markets. It’s reputation as a stable hub of trade and industry has however taken a dent in recent years due to numerous revolts and uprisings. This has given outsiders the impression that the people from Gelderecht are unruly and rebellious.

Wealth:
A common saying amongst the people of Gelderecht is that every coin in the realm has at least passed through the duchy twice. This is in reference to the main source of wealth for Gelderecht, namely its many cities with their many markets and of course the port of Anthagen. The biggest boon of the duchy is its thriving cloth industry, being responsible for a significant amount of the realm’s cloth production. However, the duchy is also rich in artisans and artists, such as painters and sculptures. Being in the Crownmark, Gelderecht also has much fertile farmland which it uses to feed its cities and as a good to trade for wool from the North-West to fuel its budding clothiers.

There is however still some devastation left from the many revolts, with many towns having been raided or sacked, most notable of all being the major town of Rotterhaag. Many of the cities have taken in refugees, which has caused a fair amount of civil strife and driven the destitute into a life of crime. While the wealth of Gelderecht might be plenty, it is clear that it is not equally shared.

Strength:
In the aftermath of the Kampen Rebellions, numerous peasants revolts and the Uprising of the Cities, the urbanized Duchy can no longer rely on a large nobility caste and their levies to form the backbone of their military forces, like so many others can. This results in the duchy having only a relatively tiny retinue of mounted knights and having no real levies to speak of during times of war. To compensate for this deficiency, House van Rossum has opted for the creation of the Iron Regiments; a well-paid, full-time standing army of mercenaries who are purely devoted to the art of war.

Though relatively few in number compared to mass ranks of levies, the Iron Regiments pride themselves on their professionalism. With their few numbers making them hard to replace, much of the duchy’s wealth goes into equipping this force with the tools for them to accomplish their job. Equipped with long pikes, zweihanders, arbalists and (partial) plate armor, the soldiers of the Iron Regiments are amongst the most well equipped forces of the realm. They also tend to dress lavishly so as to show their status of being a member of the Iron Regiments.

However, if the need arises and the Iron Regiments are not able to accomplish their task on their own, the cities can be expected to raise their own regiments, referred to as Bronze Regiments. These are mostly consisting of whatever men the city militias can spare and who then get a crash course training in warfare by an Iron Regiment’s sergeant. The Bronze Regiments are often equiped with cheaper equipment and armor, like spears, shields and gambeson armor.

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

@ClocktowerEchos Okay, maybe the Golden Company was the wrong example to pick here, I just meant a skilled mercenary group, not necessarily one which pushed their own claimant, heh.

I noticed you guys have a Discord, would it maybe be easier to discuss the idea there?

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

@Zoldyck Welcome aboard, you got any character ideas?

@ClocktowerEchos

I was thinking about making a character who runs a mercenary company, something along the lines of Georg von Frundsberg's Landsknecht or, given the GoT inspiration, the Golden Company. And being a merc, this character would side with whomever could afford their loyalty.

However, I am not 100% certain if this would be acceptable or if you'd rather have me play as a landed lord, so... Would this be allowed? If not than I am down to play as a vassal of someone, though the merc idea is given preference.

Kingmakers: The Throne Alone (A Medieval Fantasy Succession Crisis)

Greetings and salutations!

This looks like a really cool RP and I'd love to be a part of it, if you're still accepting of course.