Alden
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 280 
Age: 53(?)
Appearance: The reference image is a commissioned piece and is accurate.
Alden is 6 even, with shoulder-length messy black hair, and several days worth of beard stubble. He is handsome, with a powerful jaw, mid-set cheekbones, and a perpetual grin that makes him seem younger than he really is. His bright green eyes, constantly sparkle with barely contained mirth. He has the lithe well-muscled body of a swordsman, and he moves with considerable grace and dexterity.
If one were to do a more thorough examination of Alden's eyes they may notice a further detail. Around the outside edge of his iris, there's an intricate series of minuscule grey runes.
Underneath his shirt, Alden's skin is a mass of scar tissue. Starting from just below his neckline, there is very little space that does not sport some relic of a past injury. A particularly observant person may also note that among these scars, some are a bright scarlet. These scarlet scars form an intricate series of runes hiding amidst the rest of the scars.
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Equipment: Alden's general loadout when he goes fighting consists of the following:
A twin set of enchanted shortswords. The simple straight blades are unnatural dark, absorbing rather than reflecting light. Giving the enchanted steel an appearance closer to cold iron. The guard has the Isran sun emblem emblazoned in a medallion shape just above the guard, which is wrapped in simple leather. The enchantments increase their sharpness and durability, as well as being able to ignite the blood of anything that he has pierced with either blade.
Numerous braces and hidden throwing knives all over his body. At one point, these were also enchanted but when the calamity struck he didn't have time to grab his original set. So these are all well-made but ultimately mundane weapons. Still, with his strength and skill, they can be quite deadly.
Unfortunately, at present, he is also missing his armour. His preferred armour is leather dyed in mottled black and greys, with strike plates sewn between layers for added protection. His old set was also enchanted for increased protection from physical and magical attacks.
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Skills and Abilities: Alden is, for lack of a better term, a weapon master. He has been trained to use almost any weapon you can think to name. Relentless daily training with each, with extraordinarily demanding expectations on performance and harsh incentives for failure giving a level of skill with most of them that make him formidable.
However, his preferred style involves twin short swords. While he is skilled with all of his weapons thanks to training, he discovered a natural talent with the blade. His level of skill when wielding his short swords is on another level entirely, nearly transcendent in his skill.
On top of that, he is a living magical enchantment. Carved into his body are a variety of runes that grant him numerous innate abilities. He is inhumanly strong, around three to four times stronger than a man in a similar state of physical fitness would be. This also applies to his endurance, speed, reflexes, and other physical traits. He also has regenerative abilities exceeding human normal, able to heal from even broken bones in a matter of days rather than weeks.
In addition, he is immune to most poisons and resistant to the rest. The runes etched into his eyes ensure he can see the same no matter the level of light and reveal magical auras to him. Runes along his back make him impossible to scry on directly and provide him a measure of resistance to magical attack. This, combined with training, also makes him immune to magical mental influence. Finally, runes on his feet dampen any sound he might make taking his already considerable stealth abilities to another level entirely.
Speaking of his training also included all of the skills one would think an Assassin should have. He knows how to mix poisons, move without being seen or making noise, scale walls, lie or disguise himself, pick locks, pick pockets, just for starters. He is also quite skilled at clerical work and he has some diplomacy ability after thirty years leading the Sun Marshals.
Beyond all of this, Alden also possesses an incredible amount of willpower. If Alden decides that he will do something, there is very little that can stop him from doing it. In fact, at present, the only thing that could deter him from a course of action is Captain Naoki. The former Empress is the only person he has any loyalty to and he often values her judgement on matters above his own.
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Biography: Alden was born to a small farming family in an out-of-the-way village. His parents named him Toan and until he was five his destiny was most likely to live and die on the same farm he was born. However, that all changed when Pride arrived.
The leader of a criminal group known as The Set, Pride offered his parents a sum of money that would make any poor farmer's heart stop. Enough money to change their lives forever and all he wanted was Alden, one of nearly a dozen children. A child that wasn't even old enough to help with chores around the farm yet. And the man as so nice, he wanted a ward that he could train to be a retainer how bad of a life could that be?
The answer to that question was basically Hell. Pride was a potent alchemist, enchanter, and scholar and he had but one goal in mind. To create a superior warrior. Alden was subjected to hellish daily training along with six other children. Forced to learn to fight with every weapon, against any foe, in any condition. His limbs were broken deliberately and he was forced to continue to fight and train in constant agony. And this was among the mildest of the ways he was trained.
The culmination of the training came when he was twelve. When he and the six other children were locked in a room and told that the only one who got to leave... was the only one to survive. Of course, surviving was hardly a reward.
Once Pride had only the strongest of the children left he proceeded to the next step of his plan. Alden's memories and identity were seared away as Pride carved runes into his flesh and his very soul. Transforming the young man into a living magical artifact and keeping him on a drug that suppressed all of his emotions.
From there Alden became the new Wrath of the set, a weapon meant only to slay those he was told to. That may have been all he would be but Pride made a miscalculation, Alden's runes helped him to build an immunity to the dosage meant to keep his emotions in check, a weakness made worse by Pride having let him keep his anger thinking it would make him a better weapon. Eventually, events conspired and Alden snapped when the only member of The Set to be kind to him, Sloth, was killed for threatening to expose Pride.
Alden, driven into a deeper rage than ever before killed Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and even disembowelled Pride. Greed manage to escape and Alden slaughtered everything in his path trying to catch the man. Eventually succeeding in his goal. Bereft of a target for his rage and the chase having left him in the middle of nowhere Alden finally collapsed the trauma and coming off of the dosage causing him to bury most of his memories.
He wound up in Isra where his talents and skill soon earned him the eye of the then, criminal Madam Naoki. She recruited him as one of her enforcers a role he continued as her power expanded and grew until she finally became Empress. His reward for his loyalty? Appointment to the head of The Sun Marshals her special police force, effectively making him her right-hand man.
During this time he also uncovered his own past and learned that Pride had survived, the man had made preparations for such an eventuality and his death only saw his soul moving to a phylactery as he became a lich.
Pride created a new Set, this time making each member just as he made Alden. Eventually, this culminated in Pride attacking Isra and his eventual, final defeat.
Decades have passed since that time and Alden, whose power kept him at his prime for years continued to serve Isra until the new calamity took him to The Island of Mists, his empress reduced to a captain and he now serving as her first mate.
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Allegiances: Naoki and Port Argentum
Place of Residence: Port Argentum
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 13:21:25 GMT -5
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Post by Alden on Jun 1, 2021 21:39:26 GMT -5
Naoki's tale takes a bit longer than his own but it covered a more involved relationship than the one he'd had with Kauri Graves. It did, rather, make things rather complicated didn't it? Three people, all acquainted, yet not because they were all from separate timelines. Still, he'd found something of an equilibrium with Naoki. Indeed, it had gotten to the point that he didn't even think of her as, the other Naoki. While she may not have been exactly the same as the woman who had been one of the few constants in his life, she was still quintessentially the same person. Just as he seemed to be close enough to her own Alden. It was a comforting thought in a way. He could think that no matter what reality they would find each other and become friends. Even if that was unlikely.
Shifting his attention to Katiana as the story ended he was not, quite, sure how to feel about Naoki's last words. That he had not only been romantically involved with a woman he'd thought of as only a friend but that it had been good for him. On the one hand, it did rather support the idea that had been growing in his mind that he needed a change. That he could not carry on as he had but instead needed to do... things differently. However, he wasn't sure what to do with the information at present. While the idea of a courtship, yes this Alden used that term as well, held some appeal he didn't think that jumping into one with Katiana was on the table. Mostly because he didn't know her particularly well even if... Well, the woman was explaining it herself.
Alden knew what she meant about some sense of familiarity. He wasn't getting flashes or anything but he'd found it rather easy to adapt to meeting familiar faces who remembered him differently. Knowing that this woman was Kauri meant he'd likely be able to adapt and fall into his old relationship with her easily. But he'd only been friends with her and, perhaps because he had runes and training against such things, he wasn't getting flashes from another life where they were anything more. Which would not lend itself easily to romance since he couldn't imagine thinking of his married friend in such a way.
Regardless, he should probably say something about all this though all he really had was an insight at this time.
"Hrmm, I think that is what was different between our timelines. I remember Kauri mentioning that her parents were hesitant to move to Isra. So likely yours considered the move as well but never did so which is why things diverged so much."
After another moment he extends his hand to Katiana.
"Anyway, regardless of what we were to each other in alternate lives. I hope that we can be friends."
Lord knew he need more of those.
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345 
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Jun 3, 2021 17:07:10 GMT -5
The emotional turmoil on Katiana’s face is evident, and Naoki wonders if she’s said too much. She could have left some details out, embellished a bit for simplicity, or even just said she remembers the same as Alden. He seems to be taking it fairly well by comparison, but he tends to.
The fact that Katiana is getting memories that aren’t hers, “That’s…. That’s very strange,” Naoki agrees. “Nobody else has yet mentioned anything like that to me. But then, nobody else has come through the same but also, different.”
It’s a prickly thing, this whole multiple worlds business. But Alden has the right of it, and Naoki nods. “Friends, certainly. You’re welcome at my table, in my house — once it’s done, any time. Any favors you need, anything you want to talk about,” she raises her hands. “Whenever.” Perhaps it’s wrong to extend hospitality based on someone’s alternate lives, but Naoki doesn’t seem to care.
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Katiana Graves
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 109
Appearance: When you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. Similarly, if you wanted to hide Katiana, you would put her in a crowd of humans. Brown hair, brown eyes, thin features, and an unremarkable height may not set her apart, but the way she manipulates her expressions and gallivants around certainly do. Those who know her are familiar with a particularly mischievous left-sided smirk, above which forms a dimple. Those who have yet to meet her will immediately know her for the way she bounces from one place to the next, holding her skirts in her hands.
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Equipment: A recurve bow made of elm, a small wood-cutting ax, and a skinning knife complete Katiana's non-exhaustive equipment. Being an adventurer who often loses herself in the wilderness, she also favors flint and tinder, rope, medicines, a waterskin, sewing supplies, and food rations.
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Skills and Abilities: Though not particularly concerned in the art of warfare, Katiana has been a hunter for as long as she could hold a bow, and over the years, she became proficient with it. One could assume that if she needed to point her arrow at a charging warrior rather than a boar, she would have the same chances of hitting it. Years of adventuring have also taught her skills in survival.
Though she has no skills in magic, nothing is stopping her from learning. Katiana's family has a history of mages, though none have been particularly gifted.
Registered: Mar 17, 2021 16:34:46 GMT -5
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Post by Katiana Graves on Jun 3, 2021 23:06:34 GMT -5
Katiana looked down at the hand Alden extended with the slightest bit of wariness, which melted away as frost would before noon. So sooner had he done so, did Naoki also extend her own offer of friendship. The woman's brows raised, incredulous. Slowly, she extended a hand, fingertips running along the palm Alden's hand before she grasped it tightly. With a smile, one that was both glum and hopeful, she nodded.
"Friends. That sounds nice."
And for a moment, she thought she felt a squeeze on her shoulder. With a silent gasp, she looked behind her, and though she saw nothing, she felt the presence of someone departing: a part of her that never was, and a legacy that finally felt it had found its end, where another found its beginning. Wanton feelings stirring in a dark cloud parted, and perhaps in pure coincidence, the sun shone brightly through her door. She looked back at Naoki and Alden, but this time, her smile was bright and accompanied by the left-sided dimple.
"I hope you'll get to know me, Katiana Graves of Tiraneth, Voyager of the Horizon. I suppose here, I'm just Katiana now. Hunter and tanner."
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Alden
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 280
Age: 53(?)
Appearance: The reference image is a commissioned piece and is accurate.
Alden is 6 even, with shoulder-length messy black hair, and several days worth of beard stubble. He is handsome, with a powerful jaw, mid-set cheekbones, and a perpetual grin that makes him seem younger than he really is. His bright green eyes, constantly sparkle with barely contained mirth. He has the lithe well-muscled body of a swordsman, and he moves with considerable grace and dexterity.
If one were to do a more thorough examination of Alden's eyes they may notice a further detail. Around the outside edge of his iris, there's an intricate series of minuscule grey runes.
Underneath his shirt, Alden's skin is a mass of scar tissue. Starting from just below his neckline, there is very little space that does not sport some relic of a past injury. A particularly observant person may also note that among these scars, some are a bright scarlet. These scarlet scars form an intricate series of runes hiding amidst the rest of the scars.
-------------------------------------------
Equipment: Alden's general loadout when he goes fighting consists of the following:
A twin set of enchanted shortswords. The simple straight blades are unnatural dark, absorbing rather than reflecting light. Giving the enchanted steel an appearance closer to cold iron. The guard has the Isran sun emblem emblazoned in a medallion shape just above the guard, which is wrapped in simple leather. The enchantments increase their sharpness and durability, as well as being able to ignite the blood of anything that he has pierced with either blade.
Numerous braces and hidden throwing knives all over his body. At one point, these were also enchanted but when the calamity struck he didn't have time to grab his original set. So these are all well-made but ultimately mundane weapons. Still, with his strength and skill, they can be quite deadly.
Unfortunately, at present, he is also missing his armour. His preferred armour is leather dyed in mottled black and greys, with strike plates sewn between layers for added protection. His old set was also enchanted for increased protection from physical and magical attacks.
-------------------------------------------
Skills and Abilities: Alden is, for lack of a better term, a weapon master. He has been trained to use almost any weapon you can think to name. Relentless daily training with each, with extraordinarily demanding expectations on performance and harsh incentives for failure giving a level of skill with most of them that make him formidable.
However, his preferred style involves twin short swords. While he is skilled with all of his weapons thanks to training, he discovered a natural talent with the blade. His level of skill when wielding his short swords is on another level entirely, nearly transcendent in his skill.
On top of that, he is a living magical enchantment. Carved into his body are a variety of runes that grant him numerous innate abilities. He is inhumanly strong, around three to four times stronger than a man in a similar state of physical fitness would be. This also applies to his endurance, speed, reflexes, and other physical traits. He also has regenerative abilities exceeding human normal, able to heal from even broken bones in a matter of days rather than weeks.
In addition, he is immune to most poisons and resistant to the rest. The runes etched into his eyes ensure he can see the same no matter the level of light and reveal magical auras to him. Runes along his back make him impossible to scry on directly and provide him a measure of resistance to magical attack. This, combined with training, also makes him immune to magical mental influence. Finally, runes on his feet dampen any sound he might make taking his already considerable stealth abilities to another level entirely.
Speaking of his training also included all of the skills one would think an Assassin should have. He knows how to mix poisons, move without being seen or making noise, scale walls, lie or disguise himself, pick locks, pick pockets, just for starters. He is also quite skilled at clerical work and he has some diplomacy ability after thirty years leading the Sun Marshals.
Beyond all of this, Alden also possesses an incredible amount of willpower. If Alden decides that he will do something, there is very little that can stop him from doing it. In fact, at present, the only thing that could deter him from a course of action is Captain Naoki. The former Empress is the only person he has any loyalty to and he often values her judgement on matters above his own.
-------------------------------------------
Biography: Alden was born to a small farming family in an out-of-the-way village. His parents named him Toan and until he was five his destiny was most likely to live and die on the same farm he was born. However, that all changed when Pride arrived.
The leader of a criminal group known as The Set, Pride offered his parents a sum of money that would make any poor farmer's heart stop. Enough money to change their lives forever and all he wanted was Alden, one of nearly a dozen children. A child that wasn't even old enough to help with chores around the farm yet. And the man as so nice, he wanted a ward that he could train to be a retainer how bad of a life could that be?
The answer to that question was basically Hell. Pride was a potent alchemist, enchanter, and scholar and he had but one goal in mind. To create a superior warrior. Alden was subjected to hellish daily training along with six other children. Forced to learn to fight with every weapon, against any foe, in any condition. His limbs were broken deliberately and he was forced to continue to fight and train in constant agony. And this was among the mildest of the ways he was trained.
The culmination of the training came when he was twelve. When he and the six other children were locked in a room and told that the only one who got to leave... was the only one to survive. Of course, surviving was hardly a reward.
Once Pride had only the strongest of the children left he proceeded to the next step of his plan. Alden's memories and identity were seared away as Pride carved runes into his flesh and his very soul. Transforming the young man into a living magical artifact and keeping him on a drug that suppressed all of his emotions.
From there Alden became the new Wrath of the set, a weapon meant only to slay those he was told to. That may have been all he would be but Pride made a miscalculation, Alden's runes helped him to build an immunity to the dosage meant to keep his emotions in check, a weakness made worse by Pride having let him keep his anger thinking it would make him a better weapon. Eventually, events conspired and Alden snapped when the only member of The Set to be kind to him, Sloth, was killed for threatening to expose Pride.
Alden, driven into a deeper rage than ever before killed Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and even disembowelled Pride. Greed manage to escape and Alden slaughtered everything in his path trying to catch the man. Eventually succeeding in his goal. Bereft of a target for his rage and the chase having left him in the middle of nowhere Alden finally collapsed the trauma and coming off of the dosage causing him to bury most of his memories.
He wound up in Isra where his talents and skill soon earned him the eye of the then, criminal Madam Naoki. She recruited him as one of her enforcers a role he continued as her power expanded and grew until she finally became Empress. His reward for his loyalty? Appointment to the head of The Sun Marshals her special police force, effectively making him her right-hand man.
During this time he also uncovered his own past and learned that Pride had survived, the man had made preparations for such an eventuality and his death only saw his soul moving to a phylactery as he became a lich.
Pride created a new Set, this time making each member just as he made Alden. Eventually, this culminated in Pride attacking Isra and his eventual, final defeat.
Decades have passed since that time and Alden, whose power kept him at his prime for years continued to serve Isra until the new calamity took him to The Island of Mists, his empress reduced to a captain and he now serving as her first mate.
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Allegiances: Naoki and Port Argentum
Place of Residence: Port Argentum
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 13:21:25 GMT -5
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Post by Alden on Jun 3, 2021 23:31:55 GMT -5
The smile was very familiar to Alden and he found comfort in it. While she may not have looked the same this woman shared much with his friend. There was little doubt in his mind that they would get along just fine in the days to come. A bit of a relief to the man who had been feeling a bit disconnected from... well, everyone except Naoki really. Reestablishing this connection felt good, a step in the right direction.
The exact nature and cause of his despondency and dissatisfaction was a complex matter he was coming to learn. Yet he felt like there was something of an insight in it with this newfound sense of relief. He'd felt adrift, only a single connection actually tied him to Port Argentum. It was a strong one, loyalty born of gratitude and affection born from conversation and time. But it was a singular connection of friendship and when he'd learned of what the other Alden had? Numerous romantic partners and children? His heart had ached at the realization that he had kept himself so distant from the rest of humanity.
Katiana's returned friendship was another tie to Port Argentum and it did help him feel more like this was the place he belonged. But he also knew that it would not be enough to help him. Alden had known he wanted a change, that he no longer desired to continue as he was. Now he knew what he wanted, what he was missing. More friends, romance, raising children. That was what he wanted. Personal ties, connections, bonds. He wanted not just to be but to actually feel... human. Releasing Katiana's hand he gives her a soft smile, the fatigue he'd been feeling the last few days was in it but the newfound joy and hope that he might find his path was in there as well.
"Well, I look forward to getting to know Katiana, hunter and tanner. But for now, I think I should let her get started settling into her new home."
Turning he walks over to Naoki, the same small smile on his face as he says to her softly.
"Should I accompany now my lady? Or would you prefer that I meet you at a different location at some future time?"
The man had not forgotten that he'd been quite empathetically told that they needed to talk.
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Shyv'Ahna
Committed
Roleplay posts: 51
Appearance: Shyv'ahna, or Ahna for short, is an Av' nomad woman, standing at 180cm (6ft) tall. Though tall for a woman, she is in fact the average for most Av' women. She has light lavender skin, intersected by feint tattoos that glow while using magic, her eyes are golden, and her hair a very dark purple. Though mostly humanoid, she possesses a set of bowed legs, not unlike other Av’, and a pair of horns that curl around her ears.
She adorns herself with jewellery, specifically gold caps to her horns, silver and golden rings, two on the right side of her eyebrow, four in her right ear, and one through her septum.
Her body type is strong and toned, forged through years of patient training, fighting, and more travel than most would do in a single life time. It is covered, much like her face, in tattoos, jewelry and the occasional scar, from top to bottom, though most would never know considering her rather conservative wardrobe.
Equipment: Ahna uses medium armour. Leather, light scaled metal, and chainmail make up the most of her regular outfit, but all under a dark blue poncho, adorned with golden stitching and traditional Av'rae patterns that dance across its light blue trim.
Her travelling armour consists of a chain vest and a scaled skirt that reaches her knees around the back and sides, leaving the front open, starting at her belt and fanning out. Over the chain vest, she usually wears a leather corset to keep it in place.
In a trunk inside her vardo, however, sits a much more elegant set of armour, one she hadn’t worn in quite some time, her Elder Guard armour. Forged from the finest metals in dwarven-supervised forges, her Elder Guard armour has both the toughness valued by dwarves, but the mobility favoured by the Av’rae. It’s an elegant suit, tailored and forged to fit Ahna’s form, with its cuirass, graves, skirt, bracers, and boot plating made from the finest mithril, a light but extremely sturdy metal. The trim and under suit are made of a soft, breathable cotton, as is the cape that covers one shoulder.
The helmet of her Elder Guard Armour is ornate, to say the very least. It’s a closed design from back to front, but with openings to slide up around her horns, and a T-shaped visor for her stunning golden eyes to peer out of. The front of the opening is often covered by a thin chain mail for protection, as is her neck guard.
The armour’s colour matches her standard pallet, with the mithril painted mostly in a purple, with its trim painted a fine, reflective gold. The cotton of her armour, such as her undersuit and cape, are a fine dark purple with golden stitching that matches her regular shawl.
Her weapons are just as expertly forged, her primary weapon being a two handed pole weapon most would consider a fauchard, a long pole with an ornate, curved blade attached to the top, the blade on one side of the weapon’s top while a hook sat on the other, giving her the option to slash, stab, and pull as necessary. Though most Av’rae prefer to fight with two handed weapons, Shyv’Ahna also carries an ornate dagger with a similarly curved blade, just in case.
Finally, she is also an adept with a crossbow, though she prefers to fight with her melee prowess.
For transport, Shyv’Ahna has a vardo, a caravan of sorts, that she uses to transport her things as well as live inside with comfort. Being of the nomadic sort, Shyv’Ahna has no desire to a standard home, one that doesn’t move, so a Vardo, pulled by her beast of burden Bahsel, does the trick perfectly.
Bahsel, her beast of burden, is a creature rarely seen without an Av’ companion. Nobody can understand why or how, but the Av’rae are one of the few people to find these creatures’ native land and tame them for both work and protection. Bahsel could be described as a large, muscular porcupine, with thigh legs, built perfectly for work, a thick hide to protect from predators, a pair of large front teeth, perfect for chewing on its usual diet of roots and plants, and finally a back covered in quills that not only stop melee attackers, but can also be shot outwards like a series of javelins, that grow back quicker than most would expect.
Together, Ahna and Bahsel travel the lands, always ready for the next adventure.
Skills and Abilities: Ahna has spent years training and being trained in combat, and she has become an expert fighter with two handed pole weapons, daggers, and hand to hand combat, making her a fierce enemy to face, or one hell of a good sparring partner if you don’t mind a few bruises. She also carries a crossbow, but she mostly uses it for hunting. She’s a great shot, but her preference is found in melee.
Before the end times and the escape from the destroyed lands, Ahna was a strong, and sometimes scary mage. The Av’rae are some of the more magically-tuned folk in the old world, and Ahna was no exception, but after travelling away she can feel her powers weaken, as if stopped by something. Normally she could conjured lightning and electricity in the palm of her hand, powering her attacks while also zapping her enemies as needed, and on the rare occasion, under a cloudy sky and with great inner rage, she could even conjure storms, but no longer. Now, she can barely use her magic at all. Perhaps she just needs to find new ways to channel it…
Being a nomad, Ahna is an expert traveller and guide, able to traverse most terrain and survive in some of the more harsh environments, making her an exceptional pathfinder, if asked nicely and presented with enough gold.
Allegiances: The Av'rae people.
Registered: Mar 23, 2021 0:17:47 GMT -5
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Post by Shyv'Ahna on Jun 4, 2021 1:49:33 GMT -5
It had been a long, yet satisfying day for Ahna. She had spent the majority of it working with the lumber she had harvested the day before from all around her little slice of land, between loading several logs onto her sleds and chopping firewood. She had no complaints, it was work she enjoyed doing, and better yet she did it alone without anyone to bother her, which was most of the reason she claimed land so far out of the landing site.
After a day of good hard work, she finally set about the last of her chores for the day and headed for town. Six thick logs had been loaded onto a pair of sleds and strapped down tight, followed by a load of firewood at the back. It was slow going with the load, but Bahsel didn’t complain as he pulled the sleds behind him, down the long roads that they had worn from many a load before. Ahna herself sat upon a thick blanket on Bahsel’s back, specifically designed to push his quills down comfortably, leaving both him and the rider safe from harm. Along the sides of Bahsel’s barding hung a few pieces of freshly made furniture, some special orders for the townsfolk.
Her major delivery was for the supply depot the town had set up, and with the offloading of the logs brought a visible look of relief from the beast. Ahna helped the townsfolk offload the firewood and some of the furniture and in turn received two small-ish, but relatively heavy crates, and a small sack of food. Vegetables, fruit, even a little block of cheese she would save for a treat, things that the foreman had assured her they could spare and trade in exchange for her services. The payment for the furniture though, that was something that would need to be delivered the next day, much to her hidden excitement.
The duo was underway again, the sleds behind Bahsel much lighter with only her traded supplies loaded up. She hummed a tune to herself as she headed for her next stop, happily puffing on her pipe as she rode atop her steed. She nodded to the passersby, choosing to be in a good mood for once. She had good reason to, after such a good day of hard and, most importantly, the good news she had heard the day before.
Bahsel carried her through the town with Ahna gently pulling to either side of the reins, following the foreman’s direction to a freshly built home. When she approaches however, her bemused smile turns to a slight disappointed scowl as she spies Katiana was not alone, but instead accompanied by the cat and the brute. She takes a small breath and centers herself for a moment as the beast lumbered alone beneath her.
“Hail, townsfolk,” she calls out with a wave, pushing her frustration down and trying her best to be amicable. Yes, she disagreed with a lot of what the folks around there stood for, but she had ultimately decided that it wasn’t her problem. They were the permanent residents under the Cat, not her.
As the beast came to a stop nearby, Ahna slid off his back. She wore something very different than usual, wearing a pair of baggy, violet pants that had plenty of beautiful designs stitched into them, followed by a pair of rugged boots. Her belt looked fairly ornate with a gold belt buckle that, to the trained eye, had to be of dwarven origin. What was most strange however was that she wore very little above her belt, with her chest only covered by a series of cloth wraps to keep her chest, and her modesty bound tight. Without anything to conceal them, the tattoos along her body was exposed, climbing up her sides and into the cloth wraps, designs around her shoulders, and even down her arms. Her body itself is quite toned and well maintained, after years of training. As her boots land on the ground, something unravels from behind her, something she had kept hidden until that point. A long, thin, prehensile tail stretched out and rested behind her, hovering just off the ground.
“Katiana,” she says, nodding to her friend, then she looks to the others. “Chieftain Naoki. Mr. Alden. Hope I’m not interrupting.” She seems polite today, at least. “I’m actually glad you’re here, I need to say something.” There’s a first. She keeps her eyes on Naoki and Alden as she continues. “I’ve been meaning to apologise. Though I still strongly follow my morals, and disagree with what I saw a few nights ago, I will apologise for making a scene. I have a deep seated anger that I let out that night, when it ultimately isn’t my business as an outsider.”
“I recognise that I disrupted a… cóisir. Gathering. It was bad form and I take full responsibility for my… arrogance.” Perhaps that wasn’t the right word, but she was still getting comfortable with the Common Tongue. She clears her throat, not being one to apologise like that, but when dealing with these kinds of folks it's best to just do it. Besides, it's an honourable thing to do. “My only hope now is to move past it. I will continue to supply and help the camp in any way I can, if you’ll still let me.”
Her attention shifts to Katiana. “As for you, I’m sorry that we had to leave. You were having a good time and I ruined that. I know we’re good, but apologies still have to be made while I’m in a good mood.”
“Besides. I needed an excuse to come visit my friend who I heard just got a house,” she says as she looks over Katiana’s shoulder and towards the small house they had built. It was, uh… nice.
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Jun 4, 2021 23:40:10 GMT -5
Naoki nods along. The emotional turmoil evident in Katiana has lifted, and she seems to be at ease. This is good, and she’s glad that some sort of resolution has been reached? Having the memories of another in one’s head probably isn’t a very nice thing.
“We’ll have to get together for dinner sometime,” she suggests. “Katiana, of New Isra.” Naoki winks, the tip of her tongue poking out between her lips. It’s a joke, but she’s out here trying to build a nation, and she’ll try to inspire nationalism where she can.
She looks up at Alden as he approaches and is about to respond when there’s a noise outside, close. Immediately, her ears pivot and Naoki briefly raises a hand for him to pause.
Naoki regards Shyv'Ahna as she approaches and listens as she speaks. She allows her pleasant surprise to be visible, and nods.
“Nice pants, acceptable apology,” she says. “You’ve assuaged my fear that you were a wholly disagreeable, grumpy sort. I recognize that tensions have been high, it certainly wasn’t quite the right thing to do in that situation,” she says, shooting Alden a significant look as well, “But apologizing afterward is the right thing to do, I appreciate it, and I appreciate what you’ve been doing to help the people. I wouldn’t have stopped you from helping even if you didn’t apologize, but try not to cause much more of a ruckus, hm?” There's not any obvious malice behind the words, Naoki's just asking. She's got enough ruckus as it is.
With this, Naoki stands, and a thought occurs to her. “Oh, Katiana, hunter and tanner, " she says, pointing and stressing the second word. “There’s some tannin in the ship — don’t ask me why. Would you be able to make use of tannins? I’ll have them sent over if you’d like.”
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Katiana Graves
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 109
Appearance: When you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. Similarly, if you wanted to hide Katiana, you would put her in a crowd of humans. Brown hair, brown eyes, thin features, and an unremarkable height may not set her apart, but the way she manipulates her expressions and gallivants around certainly do. Those who know her are familiar with a particularly mischievous left-sided smirk, above which forms a dimple. Those who have yet to meet her will immediately know her for the way she bounces from one place to the next, holding her skirts in her hands.
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Equipment: A recurve bow made of elm, a small wood-cutting ax, and a skinning knife complete Katiana's non-exhaustive equipment. Being an adventurer who often loses herself in the wilderness, she also favors flint and tinder, rope, medicines, a waterskin, sewing supplies, and food rations.
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Skills and Abilities: Though not particularly concerned in the art of warfare, Katiana has been a hunter for as long as she could hold a bow, and over the years, she became proficient with it. One could assume that if she needed to point her arrow at a charging warrior rather than a boar, she would have the same chances of hitting it. Years of adventuring have also taught her skills in survival.
Though she has no skills in magic, nothing is stopping her from learning. Katiana's family has a history of mages, though none have been particularly gifted.
Registered: Mar 17, 2021 16:34:46 GMT -5
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Post by Katiana Graves on Jun 7, 2021 21:03:48 GMT -5
Katiana was not expecting the amount of tenderness in Alden's expression, as his expression had been so stern in the past. She never spoke to him on the ship, but every time she passed him his face was made of stone. It eased her heart, as did Naoki's invitation for dinner (which was still so surprising) for only a moment before Shyv'Ahna rolled up on her carriage, shooting the huntress' heartbeat to heart attack levels. Would this be the start of another conflict?
It was easy to tell when Katiana was stressed, as the woman wore her heart on her sleeve. Her shoulders always shot up beside her ears when she was ill at ease, as they were doing that moment before... the Av' apologized. Slowly, cautiously, her shoulders drooped back down, and the hunter's face became perplexed. Her head tilted to the side and her eyebrows shot up as she parsed the conversation. When it came to a slight pause, a great smile came upon her face.
"How did you get the news before I did?" she laughed, reaching forward to softly grab Shyv's hands in gratitude. "Or did you only just hear it over the wind?" She looked down, thinking on Naoki's comment. "Those are nice."
And then the former empress mentioned tannins. Katiana gaped.
"You jest. Or do you not? That would be incredible!"
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Alden
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 280
Age: 53(?)
Appearance: The reference image is a commissioned piece and is accurate.
Alden is 6 even, with shoulder-length messy black hair, and several days worth of beard stubble. He is handsome, with a powerful jaw, mid-set cheekbones, and a perpetual grin that makes him seem younger than he really is. His bright green eyes, constantly sparkle with barely contained mirth. He has the lithe well-muscled body of a swordsman, and he moves with considerable grace and dexterity.
If one were to do a more thorough examination of Alden's eyes they may notice a further detail. Around the outside edge of his iris, there's an intricate series of minuscule grey runes.
Underneath his shirt, Alden's skin is a mass of scar tissue. Starting from just below his neckline, there is very little space that does not sport some relic of a past injury. A particularly observant person may also note that among these scars, some are a bright scarlet. These scarlet scars form an intricate series of runes hiding amidst the rest of the scars.
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Equipment: Alden's general loadout when he goes fighting consists of the following:
A twin set of enchanted shortswords. The simple straight blades are unnatural dark, absorbing rather than reflecting light. Giving the enchanted steel an appearance closer to cold iron. The guard has the Isran sun emblem emblazoned in a medallion shape just above the guard, which is wrapped in simple leather. The enchantments increase their sharpness and durability, as well as being able to ignite the blood of anything that he has pierced with either blade.
Numerous braces and hidden throwing knives all over his body. At one point, these were also enchanted but when the calamity struck he didn't have time to grab his original set. So these are all well-made but ultimately mundane weapons. Still, with his strength and skill, they can be quite deadly.
Unfortunately, at present, he is also missing his armour. His preferred armour is leather dyed in mottled black and greys, with strike plates sewn between layers for added protection. His old set was also enchanted for increased protection from physical and magical attacks.
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Skills and Abilities: Alden is, for lack of a better term, a weapon master. He has been trained to use almost any weapon you can think to name. Relentless daily training with each, with extraordinarily demanding expectations on performance and harsh incentives for failure giving a level of skill with most of them that make him formidable.
However, his preferred style involves twin short swords. While he is skilled with all of his weapons thanks to training, he discovered a natural talent with the blade. His level of skill when wielding his short swords is on another level entirely, nearly transcendent in his skill.
On top of that, he is a living magical enchantment. Carved into his body are a variety of runes that grant him numerous innate abilities. He is inhumanly strong, around three to four times stronger than a man in a similar state of physical fitness would be. This also applies to his endurance, speed, reflexes, and other physical traits. He also has regenerative abilities exceeding human normal, able to heal from even broken bones in a matter of days rather than weeks.
In addition, he is immune to most poisons and resistant to the rest. The runes etched into his eyes ensure he can see the same no matter the level of light and reveal magical auras to him. Runes along his back make him impossible to scry on directly and provide him a measure of resistance to magical attack. This, combined with training, also makes him immune to magical mental influence. Finally, runes on his feet dampen any sound he might make taking his already considerable stealth abilities to another level entirely.
Speaking of his training also included all of the skills one would think an Assassin should have. He knows how to mix poisons, move without being seen or making noise, scale walls, lie or disguise himself, pick locks, pick pockets, just for starters. He is also quite skilled at clerical work and he has some diplomacy ability after thirty years leading the Sun Marshals.
Beyond all of this, Alden also possesses an incredible amount of willpower. If Alden decides that he will do something, there is very little that can stop him from doing it. In fact, at present, the only thing that could deter him from a course of action is Captain Naoki. The former Empress is the only person he has any loyalty to and he often values her judgement on matters above his own.
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Biography: Alden was born to a small farming family in an out-of-the-way village. His parents named him Toan and until he was five his destiny was most likely to live and die on the same farm he was born. However, that all changed when Pride arrived.
The leader of a criminal group known as The Set, Pride offered his parents a sum of money that would make any poor farmer's heart stop. Enough money to change their lives forever and all he wanted was Alden, one of nearly a dozen children. A child that wasn't even old enough to help with chores around the farm yet. And the man as so nice, he wanted a ward that he could train to be a retainer how bad of a life could that be?
The answer to that question was basically Hell. Pride was a potent alchemist, enchanter, and scholar and he had but one goal in mind. To create a superior warrior. Alden was subjected to hellish daily training along with six other children. Forced to learn to fight with every weapon, against any foe, in any condition. His limbs were broken deliberately and he was forced to continue to fight and train in constant agony. And this was among the mildest of the ways he was trained.
The culmination of the training came when he was twelve. When he and the six other children were locked in a room and told that the only one who got to leave... was the only one to survive. Of course, surviving was hardly a reward.
Once Pride had only the strongest of the children left he proceeded to the next step of his plan. Alden's memories and identity were seared away as Pride carved runes into his flesh and his very soul. Transforming the young man into a living magical artifact and keeping him on a drug that suppressed all of his emotions.
From there Alden became the new Wrath of the set, a weapon meant only to slay those he was told to. That may have been all he would be but Pride made a miscalculation, Alden's runes helped him to build an immunity to the dosage meant to keep his emotions in check, a weakness made worse by Pride having let him keep his anger thinking it would make him a better weapon. Eventually, events conspired and Alden snapped when the only member of The Set to be kind to him, Sloth, was killed for threatening to expose Pride.
Alden, driven into a deeper rage than ever before killed Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and even disembowelled Pride. Greed manage to escape and Alden slaughtered everything in his path trying to catch the man. Eventually succeeding in his goal. Bereft of a target for his rage and the chase having left him in the middle of nowhere Alden finally collapsed the trauma and coming off of the dosage causing him to bury most of his memories.
He wound up in Isra where his talents and skill soon earned him the eye of the then, criminal Madam Naoki. She recruited him as one of her enforcers a role he continued as her power expanded and grew until she finally became Empress. His reward for his loyalty? Appointment to the head of The Sun Marshals her special police force, effectively making him her right-hand man.
During this time he also uncovered his own past and learned that Pride had survived, the man had made preparations for such an eventuality and his death only saw his soul moving to a phylactery as he became a lich.
Pride created a new Set, this time making each member just as he made Alden. Eventually, this culminated in Pride attacking Isra and his eventual, final defeat.
Decades have passed since that time and Alden, whose power kept him at his prime for years continued to serve Isra until the new calamity took him to The Island of Mists, his empress reduced to a captain and he now serving as her first mate.
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Allegiances: Naoki and Port Argentum
Place of Residence: Port Argentum
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 13:21:25 GMT -5
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Post by Alden on Jun 7, 2021 21:21:08 GMT -5
The smile on Alden's face vanishes as he hears the approach of the cart. The man's expression as remote and distant as a mountain's peak as the horned woman makes herself known. Cocking his head like a curious dog as she takes a breath and launches into an apology that was rambling enough for any to think it sincere.
Feeling Naoki's eyes upon him at her words he turns his listless expression onto her. What was going through his mind an utter mystery as he shifts his attention back to Shyv'Ahna.
"I am not sure I agree with what I did so I suppose I can't fault you for that."
The man says his tone betraying as little as his face. While his words suggested plainly he thought what he'd done was a mistake, they did not betray any particular hint of remorse at the action. Then he shifts as attention drifts from him as Katiana gets exuberant about the prospect of Taninnins. The man drifting away from the conversation slowly.
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Shyv'Ahna
Committed
Roleplay posts: 51
Appearance: Shyv'ahna, or Ahna for short, is an Av' nomad woman, standing at 180cm (6ft) tall. Though tall for a woman, she is in fact the average for most Av' women. She has light lavender skin, intersected by feint tattoos that glow while using magic, her eyes are golden, and her hair a very dark purple. Though mostly humanoid, she possesses a set of bowed legs, not unlike other Av’, and a pair of horns that curl around her ears.
She adorns herself with jewellery, specifically gold caps to her horns, silver and golden rings, two on the right side of her eyebrow, four in her right ear, and one through her septum.
Her body type is strong and toned, forged through years of patient training, fighting, and more travel than most would do in a single life time. It is covered, much like her face, in tattoos, jewelry and the occasional scar, from top to bottom, though most would never know considering her rather conservative wardrobe.
Equipment: Ahna uses medium armour. Leather, light scaled metal, and chainmail make up the most of her regular outfit, but all under a dark blue poncho, adorned with golden stitching and traditional Av'rae patterns that dance across its light blue trim.
Her travelling armour consists of a chain vest and a scaled skirt that reaches her knees around the back and sides, leaving the front open, starting at her belt and fanning out. Over the chain vest, she usually wears a leather corset to keep it in place.
In a trunk inside her vardo, however, sits a much more elegant set of armour, one she hadn’t worn in quite some time, her Elder Guard armour. Forged from the finest metals in dwarven-supervised forges, her Elder Guard armour has both the toughness valued by dwarves, but the mobility favoured by the Av’rae. It’s an elegant suit, tailored and forged to fit Ahna’s form, with its cuirass, graves, skirt, bracers, and boot plating made from the finest mithril, a light but extremely sturdy metal. The trim and under suit are made of a soft, breathable cotton, as is the cape that covers one shoulder.
The helmet of her Elder Guard Armour is ornate, to say the very least. It’s a closed design from back to front, but with openings to slide up around her horns, and a T-shaped visor for her stunning golden eyes to peer out of. The front of the opening is often covered by a thin chain mail for protection, as is her neck guard.
The armour’s colour matches her standard pallet, with the mithril painted mostly in a purple, with its trim painted a fine, reflective gold. The cotton of her armour, such as her undersuit and cape, are a fine dark purple with golden stitching that matches her regular shawl.
Her weapons are just as expertly forged, her primary weapon being a two handed pole weapon most would consider a fauchard, a long pole with an ornate, curved blade attached to the top, the blade on one side of the weapon’s top while a hook sat on the other, giving her the option to slash, stab, and pull as necessary. Though most Av’rae prefer to fight with two handed weapons, Shyv’Ahna also carries an ornate dagger with a similarly curved blade, just in case.
Finally, she is also an adept with a crossbow, though she prefers to fight with her melee prowess.
For transport, Shyv’Ahna has a vardo, a caravan of sorts, that she uses to transport her things as well as live inside with comfort. Being of the nomadic sort, Shyv’Ahna has no desire to a standard home, one that doesn’t move, so a Vardo, pulled by her beast of burden Bahsel, does the trick perfectly.
Bahsel, her beast of burden, is a creature rarely seen without an Av’ companion. Nobody can understand why or how, but the Av’rae are one of the few people to find these creatures’ native land and tame them for both work and protection. Bahsel could be described as a large, muscular porcupine, with thigh legs, built perfectly for work, a thick hide to protect from predators, a pair of large front teeth, perfect for chewing on its usual diet of roots and plants, and finally a back covered in quills that not only stop melee attackers, but can also be shot outwards like a series of javelins, that grow back quicker than most would expect.
Together, Ahna and Bahsel travel the lands, always ready for the next adventure.
Skills and Abilities: Ahna has spent years training and being trained in combat, and she has become an expert fighter with two handed pole weapons, daggers, and hand to hand combat, making her a fierce enemy to face, or one hell of a good sparring partner if you don’t mind a few bruises. She also carries a crossbow, but she mostly uses it for hunting. She’s a great shot, but her preference is found in melee.
Before the end times and the escape from the destroyed lands, Ahna was a strong, and sometimes scary mage. The Av’rae are some of the more magically-tuned folk in the old world, and Ahna was no exception, but after travelling away she can feel her powers weaken, as if stopped by something. Normally she could conjured lightning and electricity in the palm of her hand, powering her attacks while also zapping her enemies as needed, and on the rare occasion, under a cloudy sky and with great inner rage, she could even conjure storms, but no longer. Now, she can barely use her magic at all. Perhaps she just needs to find new ways to channel it…
Being a nomad, Ahna is an expert traveller and guide, able to traverse most terrain and survive in some of the more harsh environments, making her an exceptional pathfinder, if asked nicely and presented with enough gold.
Allegiances: The Av'rae people.
Registered: Mar 23, 2021 0:17:47 GMT -5
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Post by Shyv'Ahna on Jun 8, 2021 0:54:00 GMT -5
Ahna is about to speak when her hands are taken by her friend. It shocks her for a good moment as she looks down at her hands, then to Katiana, unsure about what to do. Not many got to touch her hands, let alone hold them, and the last time she let someone hold them was just before the apocalypse and well… There’s a reason she’s been grumpy. It was a might confusing, but it was nice.
“Uh, thanks,” she finally says, her instinct was to pull her hands away but she let them stay for now. “They are nice. I made them myself a long time ago. Oh, and you’re welcome, about me helping. It wouldn’t sit right to ignore those who I can help.” She looks back to Katiana and gives her hands a squeeze before letting go of them, then she turns to Naoki. “Apologising doesn’t come easily to me, usually I’d be moving on before I get the chance, but times are changing. It was the honourable and responsible thing to do.” She stands up straight, hands on her hips again as her tail flicks behind her. “And no, not wholly disagreeable and grumpy, just mostly.” She gives a little wink at her joke, but then again, it really wasn’t that much of a joke. “I’ll be keeping my ruckus to my little plot of land, far enough away that it won’t bother you.”
She gives Alden a little nod, one out of respect for him seeming to have acknowledged her words. She didn’t need him to accept her apology, he just had to know that she had tried. “We are on the same page then. Let us consider the matter done and go on with our lives in peace.” The Av’ gives him a small smile, the best she could muster. It wasn’t necessarily sincere, but it was more of a symbol of peace than anything else.
Finally, the more important reason for her visit. She reaches out and fondly squeezes Katiana’s shoulder. “My friend, I have my sources. No word-filled winds of magic, in fact I’m not certain those kinds of magic work here, at least not like they used to for me. I talk with the foreman at the supply depot when I’m dropping supplies off, and he informed me that it seemed to be you getting a house. I had to come and see it myself, dispense with congratulations and I have even brought a gift. That is what you home-dwellers do, no? Give gifts when someone has a new home?” She looks between the three for confirmation. “Or perhaps I am wrong. The traditions and cultures of home-dwellers confuse me as much as my own confuse you.” She plucks the pipe from her mouth and taps her chin with the pipe’s lip.
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Jun 10, 2021 20:41:59 GMT -5
“I’ll have the tannins sent over then,” Naoki says, marking this down.
Naoki nods at Shyv'Ahna’s facsimile of a joke, and when Shyv'Ahna looks for confirmation, Naoki nods again, ears perked. Giving housewarming gifts is something that is done, yes. Leaning over, Naoki grabs Alden by the bicep with her free hand and tugs him back toward herself. They’ll be leaving shortly, but Naoki wants to see what the gift is first.
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Katiana Graves
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 109
Appearance: When you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. Similarly, if you wanted to hide Katiana, you would put her in a crowd of humans. Brown hair, brown eyes, thin features, and an unremarkable height may not set her apart, but the way she manipulates her expressions and gallivants around certainly do. Those who know her are familiar with a particularly mischievous left-sided smirk, above which forms a dimple. Those who have yet to meet her will immediately know her for the way she bounces from one place to the next, holding her skirts in her hands.
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Equipment: A recurve bow made of elm, a small wood-cutting ax, and a skinning knife complete Katiana's non-exhaustive equipment. Being an adventurer who often loses herself in the wilderness, she also favors flint and tinder, rope, medicines, a waterskin, sewing supplies, and food rations.
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Skills and Abilities: Though not particularly concerned in the art of warfare, Katiana has been a hunter for as long as she could hold a bow, and over the years, she became proficient with it. One could assume that if she needed to point her arrow at a charging warrior rather than a boar, she would have the same chances of hitting it. Years of adventuring have also taught her skills in survival.
Though she has no skills in magic, nothing is stopping her from learning. Katiana's family has a history of mages, though none have been particularly gifted.
Registered: Mar 17, 2021 16:34:46 GMT -5
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Post by Katiana Graves on Jun 13, 2021 17:51:15 GMT -5
It eased Katiana's heart to hear everyone getting along. She knew that peace wasn't always an option, that her friends would not always get along with one another even if she got along with all of them, but it was nice when they did.
She laughed at Ahna's joke, then nodded to Naoki enthusiastically. "Of course! I'll do what I can. There are so many different things to experiment with! And I'm quite behind!" Speaking of which, she remembered the broken wind instrument in her satchel, not to mention the different plants she'd been trying to document in her book. "If you're alright with it, I'd actually like to speak to you both about a few things. Later! Much later. Before I head out again next week."
And then, she kept her attention to Shyv'Ahna, eyes growing wide. "A gift! Well, I don't know what to say." She smiled brightly. "Well, thank you, for one. Whatever is it you've brought?"
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Alden
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 280
Age: 53(?)
Appearance: The reference image is a commissioned piece and is accurate.
Alden is 6 even, with shoulder-length messy black hair, and several days worth of beard stubble. He is handsome, with a powerful jaw, mid-set cheekbones, and a perpetual grin that makes him seem younger than he really is. His bright green eyes, constantly sparkle with barely contained mirth. He has the lithe well-muscled body of a swordsman, and he moves with considerable grace and dexterity.
If one were to do a more thorough examination of Alden's eyes they may notice a further detail. Around the outside edge of his iris, there's an intricate series of minuscule grey runes.
Underneath his shirt, Alden's skin is a mass of scar tissue. Starting from just below his neckline, there is very little space that does not sport some relic of a past injury. A particularly observant person may also note that among these scars, some are a bright scarlet. These scarlet scars form an intricate series of runes hiding amidst the rest of the scars.
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Equipment: Alden's general loadout when he goes fighting consists of the following:
A twin set of enchanted shortswords. The simple straight blades are unnatural dark, absorbing rather than reflecting light. Giving the enchanted steel an appearance closer to cold iron. The guard has the Isran sun emblem emblazoned in a medallion shape just above the guard, which is wrapped in simple leather. The enchantments increase their sharpness and durability, as well as being able to ignite the blood of anything that he has pierced with either blade.
Numerous braces and hidden throwing knives all over his body. At one point, these were also enchanted but when the calamity struck he didn't have time to grab his original set. So these are all well-made but ultimately mundane weapons. Still, with his strength and skill, they can be quite deadly.
Unfortunately, at present, he is also missing his armour. His preferred armour is leather dyed in mottled black and greys, with strike plates sewn between layers for added protection. His old set was also enchanted for increased protection from physical and magical attacks.
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Skills and Abilities: Alden is, for lack of a better term, a weapon master. He has been trained to use almost any weapon you can think to name. Relentless daily training with each, with extraordinarily demanding expectations on performance and harsh incentives for failure giving a level of skill with most of them that make him formidable.
However, his preferred style involves twin short swords. While he is skilled with all of his weapons thanks to training, he discovered a natural talent with the blade. His level of skill when wielding his short swords is on another level entirely, nearly transcendent in his skill.
On top of that, he is a living magical enchantment. Carved into his body are a variety of runes that grant him numerous innate abilities. He is inhumanly strong, around three to four times stronger than a man in a similar state of physical fitness would be. This also applies to his endurance, speed, reflexes, and other physical traits. He also has regenerative abilities exceeding human normal, able to heal from even broken bones in a matter of days rather than weeks.
In addition, he is immune to most poisons and resistant to the rest. The runes etched into his eyes ensure he can see the same no matter the level of light and reveal magical auras to him. Runes along his back make him impossible to scry on directly and provide him a measure of resistance to magical attack. This, combined with training, also makes him immune to magical mental influence. Finally, runes on his feet dampen any sound he might make taking his already considerable stealth abilities to another level entirely.
Speaking of his training also included all of the skills one would think an Assassin should have. He knows how to mix poisons, move without being seen or making noise, scale walls, lie or disguise himself, pick locks, pick pockets, just for starters. He is also quite skilled at clerical work and he has some diplomacy ability after thirty years leading the Sun Marshals.
Beyond all of this, Alden also possesses an incredible amount of willpower. If Alden decides that he will do something, there is very little that can stop him from doing it. In fact, at present, the only thing that could deter him from a course of action is Captain Naoki. The former Empress is the only person he has any loyalty to and he often values her judgement on matters above his own.
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Biography: Alden was born to a small farming family in an out-of-the-way village. His parents named him Toan and until he was five his destiny was most likely to live and die on the same farm he was born. However, that all changed when Pride arrived.
The leader of a criminal group known as The Set, Pride offered his parents a sum of money that would make any poor farmer's heart stop. Enough money to change their lives forever and all he wanted was Alden, one of nearly a dozen children. A child that wasn't even old enough to help with chores around the farm yet. And the man as so nice, he wanted a ward that he could train to be a retainer how bad of a life could that be?
The answer to that question was basically Hell. Pride was a potent alchemist, enchanter, and scholar and he had but one goal in mind. To create a superior warrior. Alden was subjected to hellish daily training along with six other children. Forced to learn to fight with every weapon, against any foe, in any condition. His limbs were broken deliberately and he was forced to continue to fight and train in constant agony. And this was among the mildest of the ways he was trained.
The culmination of the training came when he was twelve. When he and the six other children were locked in a room and told that the only one who got to leave... was the only one to survive. Of course, surviving was hardly a reward.
Once Pride had only the strongest of the children left he proceeded to the next step of his plan. Alden's memories and identity were seared away as Pride carved runes into his flesh and his very soul. Transforming the young man into a living magical artifact and keeping him on a drug that suppressed all of his emotions.
From there Alden became the new Wrath of the set, a weapon meant only to slay those he was told to. That may have been all he would be but Pride made a miscalculation, Alden's runes helped him to build an immunity to the dosage meant to keep his emotions in check, a weakness made worse by Pride having let him keep his anger thinking it would make him a better weapon. Eventually, events conspired and Alden snapped when the only member of The Set to be kind to him, Sloth, was killed for threatening to expose Pride.
Alden, driven into a deeper rage than ever before killed Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and even disembowelled Pride. Greed manage to escape and Alden slaughtered everything in his path trying to catch the man. Eventually succeeding in his goal. Bereft of a target for his rage and the chase having left him in the middle of nowhere Alden finally collapsed the trauma and coming off of the dosage causing him to bury most of his memories.
He wound up in Isra where his talents and skill soon earned him the eye of the then, criminal Madam Naoki. She recruited him as one of her enforcers a role he continued as her power expanded and grew until she finally became Empress. His reward for his loyalty? Appointment to the head of The Sun Marshals her special police force, effectively making him her right-hand man.
During this time he also uncovered his own past and learned that Pride had survived, the man had made preparations for such an eventuality and his death only saw his soul moving to a phylactery as he became a lich.
Pride created a new Set, this time making each member just as he made Alden. Eventually, this culminated in Pride attacking Isra and his eventual, final defeat.
Decades have passed since that time and Alden, whose power kept him at his prime for years continued to serve Isra until the new calamity took him to The Island of Mists, his empress reduced to a captain and he now serving as her first mate.
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Allegiances: Naoki and Port Argentum
Place of Residence: Port Argentum
Registered: Mar 21, 2021 13:21:25 GMT -5
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Post by Alden on Jun 13, 2021 18:07:49 GMT -5
Alden's attempts to slip away were thwarted by Naoki. Not truly surprising, while he was excellent at sneaking away there were four people and not a lot of places for him to break line of sight. There was also not an insignificant chance that Naoki had guessed that he might try to slip away based on his reaction to Ahna's arrival. While his expression gave nothing away of how it made him feel the sudden shift from a smile to neutrality made it easy to guess that his mood had turned sour.
Still, as much as he might want to leave that moment her hand on his bicep kept him right where he was. The man moving to her side as she desired her hand on his arm. Well, she had said they needed to talk so he supposed this meant she was quite serious about that.
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Shyv'Ahna
Committed
Roleplay posts: 51
Appearance: Shyv'ahna, or Ahna for short, is an Av' nomad woman, standing at 180cm (6ft) tall. Though tall for a woman, she is in fact the average for most Av' women. She has light lavender skin, intersected by feint tattoos that glow while using magic, her eyes are golden, and her hair a very dark purple. Though mostly humanoid, she possesses a set of bowed legs, not unlike other Av’, and a pair of horns that curl around her ears.
She adorns herself with jewellery, specifically gold caps to her horns, silver and golden rings, two on the right side of her eyebrow, four in her right ear, and one through her septum.
Her body type is strong and toned, forged through years of patient training, fighting, and more travel than most would do in a single life time. It is covered, much like her face, in tattoos, jewelry and the occasional scar, from top to bottom, though most would never know considering her rather conservative wardrobe.
Equipment: Ahna uses medium armour. Leather, light scaled metal, and chainmail make up the most of her regular outfit, but all under a dark blue poncho, adorned with golden stitching and traditional Av'rae patterns that dance across its light blue trim.
Her travelling armour consists of a chain vest and a scaled skirt that reaches her knees around the back and sides, leaving the front open, starting at her belt and fanning out. Over the chain vest, she usually wears a leather corset to keep it in place.
In a trunk inside her vardo, however, sits a much more elegant set of armour, one she hadn’t worn in quite some time, her Elder Guard armour. Forged from the finest metals in dwarven-supervised forges, her Elder Guard armour has both the toughness valued by dwarves, but the mobility favoured by the Av’rae. It’s an elegant suit, tailored and forged to fit Ahna’s form, with its cuirass, graves, skirt, bracers, and boot plating made from the finest mithril, a light but extremely sturdy metal. The trim and under suit are made of a soft, breathable cotton, as is the cape that covers one shoulder.
The helmet of her Elder Guard Armour is ornate, to say the very least. It’s a closed design from back to front, but with openings to slide up around her horns, and a T-shaped visor for her stunning golden eyes to peer out of. The front of the opening is often covered by a thin chain mail for protection, as is her neck guard.
The armour’s colour matches her standard pallet, with the mithril painted mostly in a purple, with its trim painted a fine, reflective gold. The cotton of her armour, such as her undersuit and cape, are a fine dark purple with golden stitching that matches her regular shawl.
Her weapons are just as expertly forged, her primary weapon being a two handed pole weapon most would consider a fauchard, a long pole with an ornate, curved blade attached to the top, the blade on one side of the weapon’s top while a hook sat on the other, giving her the option to slash, stab, and pull as necessary. Though most Av’rae prefer to fight with two handed weapons, Shyv’Ahna also carries an ornate dagger with a similarly curved blade, just in case.
Finally, she is also an adept with a crossbow, though she prefers to fight with her melee prowess.
For transport, Shyv’Ahna has a vardo, a caravan of sorts, that she uses to transport her things as well as live inside with comfort. Being of the nomadic sort, Shyv’Ahna has no desire to a standard home, one that doesn’t move, so a Vardo, pulled by her beast of burden Bahsel, does the trick perfectly.
Bahsel, her beast of burden, is a creature rarely seen without an Av’ companion. Nobody can understand why or how, but the Av’rae are one of the few people to find these creatures’ native land and tame them for both work and protection. Bahsel could be described as a large, muscular porcupine, with thigh legs, built perfectly for work, a thick hide to protect from predators, a pair of large front teeth, perfect for chewing on its usual diet of roots and plants, and finally a back covered in quills that not only stop melee attackers, but can also be shot outwards like a series of javelins, that grow back quicker than most would expect.
Together, Ahna and Bahsel travel the lands, always ready for the next adventure.
Skills and Abilities: Ahna has spent years training and being trained in combat, and she has become an expert fighter with two handed pole weapons, daggers, and hand to hand combat, making her a fierce enemy to face, or one hell of a good sparring partner if you don’t mind a few bruises. She also carries a crossbow, but she mostly uses it for hunting. She’s a great shot, but her preference is found in melee.
Before the end times and the escape from the destroyed lands, Ahna was a strong, and sometimes scary mage. The Av’rae are some of the more magically-tuned folk in the old world, and Ahna was no exception, but after travelling away she can feel her powers weaken, as if stopped by something. Normally she could conjured lightning and electricity in the palm of her hand, powering her attacks while also zapping her enemies as needed, and on the rare occasion, under a cloudy sky and with great inner rage, she could even conjure storms, but no longer. Now, she can barely use her magic at all. Perhaps she just needs to find new ways to channel it…
Being a nomad, Ahna is an expert traveller and guide, able to traverse most terrain and survive in some of the more harsh environments, making her an exceptional pathfinder, if asked nicely and presented with enough gold.
Allegiances: The Av'rae people.
Registered: Mar 23, 2021 0:17:47 GMT -5
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Post by Shyv'Ahna on Jun 18, 2021 21:22:21 GMT -5
“Uh, yes, a gift,” Ahna says with a little awkwardness in her voice. It didn’t come from the gift itself, though the tradition was unfamiliar to her, but it was more the curiosity coming from Naoki and Alden that made her a little unsettled. They seemed more interested than she thought they would.
She turned on her heel to face the quilled beast that sat behind her, idly watching the clouds go by with his big, relaxed eyes, and she gave him a pat to bring him back to reality. He grunts, looks between those present, and shifts for his master. Tied to the side of his safety barding was a rather well-made rocking chair. The Av’ takes a few moments to pull it free of the ropes.
“This wasn’t intended for anyone,” she says as she puts it down on the ground before Katiana. “It was more of a way to blow off steam. I figured I’d try find room in the Vardo or perhaps trade it for goods, but when I heard you were getting your own home it became clear what to do with it.”
The chair itself is very well made, it’s clear that Ahna put a lot of care and craftsmanship into it. The wood is well sanded and lathed, the joints and nails are expertly hidden, and the carvings along the sides are quite pleasant too, if you like Av’rae styles. “Sorry it is not varnished,” Ahna says, scratching the back of her head. “I only have enough for smaller pieces, and after that I fear I may never find another supply again. Just… keep it dry, I guess.”
She gestures to the chair, then puts her hands on her hips, admiring the piece. Damn, if only she had room, she’d have kept it. “I am almost glad to be rid of it,” she says with a small smile. “I can move on to my next project now. Oh!” She snaps her fingers and turns back to Bahsel and the packs that sit to his sides. “There is another thing. Where did I…”
The Av’ takes a moment to rummage before she pulls out a small bundle and unwraps it to reveal a bottle of whiskey. “If I recall correctly,” she says, turning to the group. “It is more appropriate to present a bottle to the new home owner. I wasn’t sure if the chair was enough so here.” The bottle presented is quite fancy looking, and obviously from some far off land. The glass seems hand blown, the label wonderfully penned, and the top coated in maroon wax. “It’s a personal favourite, and I have three bottles total, I think I can part with one.” She grins at her friend before continuing. “If whiskey is not your thing, come to my land sometime and we can sort out something else. My collection may be sacred to me, but it is not particularly small.”
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Lady Naoki
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 345
Appearance: Naoki is a curvaceous woman of average height, indeterminate age, and catlike features. Her hair is a dark auburn, often pulled back into a long braid. Her ears are both soft and fluffy, and her tail is never less than perfectly groomed.
Allegiances: New Isra
Place of Residence: Port Argentium
Registered: Mar 16, 2021 22:31:18 GMT -5
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Post by Lady Naoki on Jun 25, 2021 2:07:56 GMT -5
Naoki looks on as Shyv'Ahna retrieves and presents the chair, and nods. That looks like a good bit of furniture, alright. Then comes the wine, and Naoki nods again. That looks like a pretty bottle of wine, alright.
“I wouldn’t have been able to leave in good conscience without knowing what the gift was,” she explains. “Otherwise, I would have been left wondering, and I’ve got to be careful about curiosity, you know.” Naoki waggles her ears.
“You’ve found some good friends,” Naoki tells Katiana. “If you have any problems with the house or if you need anything else, seek me out. There are more houses that need to be built today, but first,” she rounds on Alden, brandishing that finger of hers. “We’re going to talk about what’s gotten you all rustled, mister. Come on.” After waving farewell to Katiana and Shyv’Ahna, Naoki beckons for Alden to follow as she starts back toward the center of the settlement.
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Katiana Graves
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 109
Appearance: When you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. Similarly, if you wanted to hide Katiana, you would put her in a crowd of humans. Brown hair, brown eyes, thin features, and an unremarkable height may not set her apart, but the way she manipulates her expressions and gallivants around certainly do. Those who know her are familiar with a particularly mischievous left-sided smirk, above which forms a dimple. Those who have yet to meet her will immediately know her for the way she bounces from one place to the next, holding her skirts in her hands.
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Equipment: A recurve bow made of elm, a small wood-cutting ax, and a skinning knife complete Katiana's non-exhaustive equipment. Being an adventurer who often loses herself in the wilderness, she also favors flint and tinder, rope, medicines, a waterskin, sewing supplies, and food rations.
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Skills and Abilities: Though not particularly concerned in the art of warfare, Katiana has been a hunter for as long as she could hold a bow, and over the years, she became proficient with it. One could assume that if she needed to point her arrow at a charging warrior rather than a boar, she would have the same chances of hitting it. Years of adventuring have also taught her skills in survival.
Though she has no skills in magic, nothing is stopping her from learning. Katiana's family has a history of mages, though none have been particularly gifted.
Registered: Mar 17, 2021 16:34:46 GMT -5
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Post by Katiana Graves on Jun 29, 2021 21:25:30 GMT -5
Katiana gasped at the present, hand coming up in front of her mouth. Once the Av' put it down, the hunter knelt down to examine the carpenter's handiwork. "Shyv'Ahna, this is beautiful!" she exclaimed, turning it over in her hands. "I can't believe you thought of me when you were trying to figure out what to do with it. That... that means quite a lot, really." She moved to hug the woman, only doing so if she openly invited such a hug.
Afterward, she waved to Naoki and Alden, who took a swift exit. It really did seem as if something was on his mind, and he had wanted to speak to Naoki in private so much. She wondered why. Lady Naoki wasn't the only one who had to be careful about curiosity, puns aside.
"Why don't you come inside? I haven't been able to fill it up yet with anything, but it'll be nicer than standing out there. Won't you look at this? The roof is mud, but they've planted grass seeds in it! To keep the warmth and the cool when we need it. It's small but quite nice! Really, I couldn't be more pleased." Katiana took up the chair and brought it inside, looking for a good place to set it down before she let out an "Ah!" and placed it on the far end of the dinner table.
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