akampi
bringer of the funk
----- Nar'tae Lak -----
----- The Catalyst -----
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield
Vitals
Name
: Nar'tae Lak
Title
: The Catalyst
Race
: Half Orc
Physical Age
: Almost 20
Gender
: Female
Sexuality
: Bisexual - although her longer term partners tend to be female
Posting Colors
:
#8A0808
Theme
:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAnp_jWkGcYNartae Lak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAnp_jWkGcY
Appearance
Height
: 6'9"
Weight
: Around 170 lbs, more than average due to her musculature
Hair Color
: Ash Blonde, supposedly- it's usually covered in gore and layers of dirt, so it's fairly hard to discern
Eye Color
: One Blue and One White, not uncommon with those of Orc blood
Notable Characteristics & Distinguishing Marks
: A faded tattoo on her shoulder to back depicting some sort of legendary orc pillage, and a fresher tattoo of a spectre goat head somewhere else that Nar'tae only describes as "hurting as much as you think it did"
Description
:
Nar'tae Lak is as imposing as the forces of nature in stature and physique, but carries an approachable laxness and vigor that many Generals lack. The muscles of her shoulders and back lay powerful and defined, but her stomach and legs are more sculpted than built. She is clearly someone who carries her weight in her upper carriage. She is attractive, but her size is imposing and her brow too heavy set for most considerations. Her skin is thick and a dark and off green- almost metallic shade.
Personal
Opinion on the Overlord
: Nar'tae was born out of obligation, and in to reverence of Him. She was told the old stories and legends of her short lived people, of how they beat their brave hearts only because He has found them opponents worthy of great feats of combat, because He has given them a real reason to lay down their lives like bricks for the first time in the history of her people. The Material Worlds must be controlled, and order must be imposed. The humans cannot be left to their own devices, and Nar'tae believes the destruction of the alliance is proof of this.
Opinion of the Generals
: The generals are as wavering and complex as the landscapes of the Overlord's domain. Some of them she has grown fond of, others she has grown to dislike, although far more in the former respect. She respects the idea that each General has something to bring to the war effort, and that each was personally approved by the Overlord. Only once they have stepped over the line He has drawn or dishonored Him would she ever engage another in combat or give them any reason to.
Her most significant relationship of rank is with
http://www.rpdom.com/threads/illyasviel-malzahar-the-imperial-hammer.51890/General Illyasviel Malzahar
http://www.rpdom.com/threads/illyasviel-malzahar-the-imperial-hammer.51890/, The Imperial Hammer. Illyasviel recommended her for generalship nearly 30 moon cycles ago, a great sign of kindness and honor that deeply touched Nar'tae Lak. For this should would always give the woman the utmost respect, regardless of any personal connection. Eventually, there was one as they began to work together more frequently. Although initially suspicious of someone who relies so heavily on powers of the arcane, but her sincerity in words and easily won Nar'tae over on a personal level, in addition to her apparent respect of Nar'tae's skills- and being a warrior, approval of her skills is approval of Nar'tate herself. They're not entirely familiar- and with Illyasviel's emotional distance, she isn't even sure her caller considers her a friend- but Nar'tae likes her, very, very much. And you always pull the pigtails of the girls you like.
Opinion on Friendships
: Her people treat all comrades in battle as friends, as does she. They are trusted and treated well until they have acted in dishonor. Those who reign in battle she has much respect for, and often strives to gain their favor, to bask in the fever of their glory and to hopefully engage a person of a similar mindset- bloodlust. Friends are important, or at least comrades are- they give you influence, for one, but she respects most of all that the lives strongest in a warrior's heart motivate him more than distant obligations and abstract promises (as important as they might be).
She has a distinct and renown tendency to make friends where there are none to be made. Her personality is thunderous and echoes in the quiet and often lifeless trenches of battle. The more reclusive or reserved of the troops may appreciate her talent for taking all the social pressures entirely herself, but those who consider their status with indifference or strict professionalism find her a social terrorist, and try to avoid her because she certainly won't avoid them. Nar'tae doesn't have difficulties in picking up social cues, per say, but often overlooks or outright ignores them as she laughs and pulls helpless soldiers away to drink with her.
She can find a friend anywhere, but she seeks more than anything someone who engages her. Those who will laugh and share stories with her, those who will spar with her, and those who will challenge her. Although her kind considers most words petty, they do have a bit of an inclination to argue and do garner some enjoyment from it, Nar'tae particularly so. Bickering with and baiting her comrades with snide remarks are her favourite recreational activities. She has grown to have quite the silver tongue, spending so much time among other generals who miss no chance to snipe at the team She Hulk.
Still, is the Half Orc way to speak what one means, and Nar'tae Lak respects this aspect of her people's social construct perhaps most of all. She has little tolerance for lies or dancing around words, and it is the quickest way to ignite her temper outside the battlefield. That, or an insult to her or her friends honor. Honor may be an abstract concept for someone so obsessed with the tangible, but it something Nar'tae Lak defends fiercely.
Opinion on Relationships
: Once the roar of blood in her ears from battle has dulled, she often seeks other struggles. She is young, and of Orc blood, and seeks out companionship in celebration of battle. Two kinds of soldiers- those known to be most receptive, and those she must fight to convince, depending on her mood. Ultimately she finds the second kind much more satisfying.
Despite being a lumbering battlecruiser of a woman, she has a fairly high success rate, but much more of the attention is due to deviant taste than she would like to believe. She has an incredibly successful reign as a general, and never has considered taking a long term lover. Commitment to any other would interfere with her commitment to the Overlord- nothing less than treachery in her eyes. She
needs
no one.
Opinion on Races
: Nar'tae Lak is more defined and obligated to her race than most of the other Half Orc Generals- her race has a inclination to arrogance and self service, she is shamed to admit. While embracing most aspects of her races warrior culture, her kind has an instinct and drive to be power hungry and arrogant- dishonorable behaviours that her race has become the poster group for, behaviours that openly disgust Nar'tae- although there is some hypocrisy on the arrogance front. Regardless, her bond and utter devotion to her brothers and sisters remains, and is an integral part of her inspiration to fight- of herself.
Being on the receiving end of racist stereotypes, Nar'tae Lak tries to judge each person as their own, and usually succeeds. The one exception tends to be Tieflings, tainted by dark blood to begin with- although Nar'tae isn't particularly superstitious, she is naturally suspicious- and has found many Tiefling prove their lineage and lie and scandal and embrace cowardice.
Education
: Nar'tae knows how to wield weapons and break blows with her body. She is near completely illiterate, spare for the small amount Illyasviel has forced her to pick up. She's always willing to learn all she can about combat, but little else interests her. She has a poor memory.
She sees no use for written word in particular, but she is curious about the art. She'd never admit it, but Nar'tae would be interested in learning. It
seems
easy to grasp. She mostly wants to read historical accounts of her clan's accomplishments to see what these
skaxwyon
are using as any excuse for the great ancient epics her people exchange by word.
Motivation
: To follow the will of the Overlord and expand his influence, primarily. It is not an experience that drives her- in fact, she had never spoken to the Overlord in His reign during her life. No, it is the legend, the weight of a story that stays her uncertainty, her indecision- she knows what is expected of her, she may not know herself, but she knows Him. All
Lak
people do.
She is also something of an activist for the advancement of her race. She often becomes frustrated with how little advancement they have made and how mindlessly stubborn they are in inefficient customs and traditions. She doesn't want to change what they are, but she wants them to adapt, to become the best warriors they can be, and not just fodder for marching battles.
History
Upbringing
: Nar'tae Lak was born from nearly the Overlord's breath itself- he had preserved the Half Orcs, gave them purpose. Her father and his father was alive because of Him. She was raised in squalor in sinking huts, sleeping in dirt and remains, but such things do not matter to Orckin.They prefer living in harsh conditions- it strengthens their skin as hard as any animal, makes them strong, they believe. Nar'tae too believed.
Nar'tae is a believer. In her people, in her friends, and in the Overlord above all. Belief is a tradition of her clan, and Nar'tae fully embraces it, but without the familiar underlying
need
for self service and preservation. The
Lak
clan was a breed of warrior, but not only just- a noble breed, and Nar'tae was raised in their particular terms of honor and self sacrifice. Like her Mother, Nar'tae takes these customs very seriously, although her mother tended to surrender to it in a long suffering obligation, and Nar'tae sees acting in the way the ancestors set out for her an
honor
- basically, she was brought up to take what many refer to as "intangible ideals" of her race very seriously. And she does, more so than most of her race, even her clan.
She has always lived the life of a warrior. Everything her mother and late father pushed her through was to further her advancement in service to battle. This was the path chosen for her, and every respectable Half Orc, and she has never doubted it. She had no talent for magics, like most, and continued on the path to
Most Important Event
: No event rings truer to her entirety and reason for being than being recrutied as a General. Illyasviel, The Imperial Hammer, was highly regarded in the Overlord's eyes. A great warrior. She was walking a troop of Half Orcs, a collective that Nar'tae proudly led, that with Illyasviel's own troops usurped a destructive family of otherworld beasts staking possession of a tactically advantageous territory. It was a glorious battle, an infernal struggle that genuinely tested Nar'tae and her soldiers, leaving many maimed and even more to line the rows of the dead. But it was a victory. A hardly fought victory that left Nar'tae screaming to her ancestors in triumph. Do you see me now?
General Malzahar did. Impressed with something- Nar'tae was never really clear on what exactly she had done- Illyasviel suggested her, of all the Half Orcs up for promotion, for ascension to a General position. She was more shocked than she had ever been when she was called to apprentice, for the Imperial Hammer herself had called in her name. There was no greater honor. She could kiss her. She kind of wanted to.
She remember the moments before meeting Him so clearly, the only thing she has ever bothered to remember. She dredges up that emotion when she needs hope or faith or passion, remembers the shaking of her hands in anticipation and
pride
, and the culling of her valued weapons for her first presentation to the Overlord. As short and rehersed and formal as it had been, the smallest of words exchanged, she remembers it as the entire defining moment of her existence. The day she met a God, and He gave her His blessing.
Before Immortality
: Nar'tae was one of hundreds of enlisted Half-Orcs under the Overlord's reign. She lived the life laid out before her, pillaging unspoken land and waging war with all those who call themselves his enemy.
As a General
: As a general, Nar'tae Lak did not exactly have an area of expertise, and was called upon anywhere and everywhere- she usually commandeered Half Orc troops, fodder for any traditional assault, and so was needed in most locations. She siezed countless battlescapes and war torn ruins (almost entirely by herself, according to her), ugly to the eye, but of great substance to her heart. At no point in her life had she been any happier.
Having originally been sponsored by The Imperial Hammer, Nar'tae Lak spent a large training period with her mentor, and then more as Illyasviel began to request her out of familiarity. They worked together with shocking smoothness- she understood what it took to work with the beastly half orc- an understanding. An understanding that Nar'tae is more a force of nature than a strategic asset. One has to account for her presence rather than try to control or work directly aside her. Her best suited comrades are those who protect her from her own recklessness and stay out of her way. They've kindled something of a working relationship-
She leads her troops in a much less traditional, and more literal manner - she literally rushes past them, leading them into the slaughter personally. This isn't to say her leadership is poor- to the contrary, in many cases it seems to work better than traditional planning. Nar'tae is invigorating- her vigor and confidence excites even the reluctant. Following the path of a tempest into battle is not as frightening, giving power to the life of the group. Her soldiers are not afraid to approach her and confide in her- any plan of attack is worth exploring. She is not held by grudges and prejudices, even those deemed dishonorable will gain her ear (with some suspicion, but never reluctance) she is only interesting in one thing- annihilation.
Your Defeat
: Nar'tae Lak's blood stilled in the
Cathedral
, a general place of worship for those of the orders still devout to their various callings. She had arrived to take Illyasviel to defend the lines against the devastating invasion, but their lines had already fallen, so fast. It was soon that they had approached their location, surrounded them. Nar'tae was no longer fighting for the false god who had abandoned her, but herself. And she would not fail. She had never failed Him, or her troops, or anyone, and wasn't about to start.
Although Illyasivel and she had developed the ability to work in some sort of tandem, Nar'tae was unsteady. Lashing out in fear. She finds life in thundering into overwhelming forces and odds, but here? It was wrong. He was gone. Just managing to survive was not glorious. Being alive meant nothing. And death was nothing to fantasize about, not here. No one would remember the Half Orc who fell fighting for herself. It was wrong and she was afraid. She did not want to die here. She didn't want to survive here, either.
But that was something else entirely.
And she fought. Ruthlessly. She drew no satisfaction- as she tore down one, there were hundreds to replace it. Most of the enemies- she wasn't even sure what they were called, didn't care- were too big to plunder with force alone. Illyasviel was manipulating the field, pulsing with energy so hot Nar'tae could feel it on her cheek as she darted between positions. Her heart galloped as she narrowly avoided spears of element bursting forth from the ground like buds. She probably wasn't avoiding them, she didn't have enough sense to- Illyasviel was probably trying not to hit her. She knew.. Illyasviel always told her that she need to be more sensible, watch where she was going, pay attention to more than just whats in front of her, but she couldn't consider that. Not now, not over the thundering pulse in her head.
The last moments of her life play out with no fantastic exchange, no final battle, no matched wits- both the generals were becoming overwhelmed- here, no, on all sides- and she retreated, badly wounded, nearly without a leg towards Illyasviel. And that's when she heard the sound of her death. It was either the lowest growl she had ever heard or the groaning of the earth under the sheer weight of whatever had flanked both she and the other general- and only had a moment to turn and look into the eyes of her killer only to see her reflection staring back as her chest was cracked open by the impact of a pillar of ice.
Equipment
Personal Mementos
: None- she is no where but the present. Such things are a weakness.
Weapons
:
- Makorij'kex'alla (the Strong Arm Guard of the Underworld) - A War Axe that easily explains Nar'tae's built shoulders. Nearly 5 foot in length and as heavy as Nar'tae herself, mortals don't survive an impact intact. She can pull it into position much quicker than most people anticipate, tempered by practice and calloused hands. It is sharp, but is tuned to be more of an brute impact weapon than a surgical de-limber- although it certainly has that effect with the delicate ones.
- Pok - A weapon passed down the Lak line, a Short Blade supposedly imbibed in some kind of blood magic but the seal seems to have worn away long ago, and it likely holds no value besides in name. It's still a finely tuned, well weighted blade that she uses in combat situations with enemies resistant to brute force or protected by spirit barriers.
Armor/Clothes
: While most Orckin care little for their battle armor (disregarding ornamentation), Nar'tae cleans and re-ties her set of
Leatherskin and Marrow Armor
on a regular basis. Some of her sisters have laughed and accused her of being afraid to die, being too involved in an Elvish obsession with dress and appearance, and it stings- but only for a moment as the promise of living to face more opponents due to her vigilance and "vanity" weighs on her mind. She figures if she can have any advantage, she might as well take it, customs and fasle accusations of cowardice be damned.
Her armor is heavy, but still hide- she can move fairly quickly, her arms have a full range of movement although the skin wears thin near its creases from wear. Still, an alarming amout of skin is showing compared to other General's suits- due to being concieved by a still very Half Orc mindset, and Nartae's desire to be able to move with more ease. Her shoulders and upper back lay undisturbed, and the half-sleeves weaved with bone look underwhelming. Her heavy suit is layered on to her
underclothes
- she prefers to travel and relax unhindered, only wearing a tie bodice of a thinner animal skin and framed with bone, and a pair of tightly bound slacks belted with a layer of fur hide and a strip of tough leather.
Other Items to Note
: Being addressed as "Nar'tae" and not "Nar'tae Lek" is very insulting to her, as in her clan addressing someone without their Ancestor name is considered an inference that the person is dishonorable. She is learning to respect the tendency of the other races to spit out names uselessly in casual conversation, and it is a sign of a tendering friendship should she not snap about the shortening of her name. "Nar", however, is entirely unacceptable.
Quest Items
: (To be filled in by Storyteller)
Skills
Disadvantages
Uneducated
- As most of her kind, Nar'tae was born and bred to fight as fodder for the front lines. Nar'tae may have a unique talent and devotion, but she has lived her entire life in ignorance of anything but warrior's talents and basic strategy. Half Orcs have no schools, no basic education. She knows nothing of other cultures, magic, history or lore that falls outside spoken tales of glory or what she has learned in her years in the trenches. She can't read, and cannot recognise the symbols enough to even relay or identify landmarks or common runes a sorcerer may be using. From a scouting or recon point of view she is entirely useless.
Failing Vision
- although aesthetically pleasing, an eye without melanin is easily susceptible to the wear of the world. While she can see moderately well in one eye, in her light eye she can only see movement and blocked shape and shadows- the swing of a weapon at close range, a side step. Her distance vision is poor. She has particular trouble seeing more than 10 meters in bright light or glare.
The Bull Sees Red
- Nar'tae is inclined, in times where she feels particularly powerful and confident in her company (often with the talented Illyasviel), to fling herself into groups of enemies with no strategic element besides a desire to inflict crushing devastation in the quickest way she can see. This is part of the reason she's considered a handicap more than an asset in massive encounters. Often times she will attract so much attention that any plan of attack or work around the group had entirely falls apart and the other generals plot to kill her if the massive amount of enemy attention she has garnered doesn't do so. She ends up with a lot of damage from these encounters, and the arrogance is a character flaw she shamefully considers responsible for the behaviour- not the bloodlust.
Orange Skill Slots (Basic Skills & Proficiencies)
:
- Axe Proficiency [Passive] - Being her weapon of choice, and her original training instrument, Nar'tae Lak is near masterful with her long Axe. She has learned their weight as well as her own and how to shift and maneuver it, deflect, repel and lunge. Long overhead strikes are her specialty but she has been known to show favouritism to a low swipe just to see her opponent on their ass. While she originally discovered the Axe as a weapon of maiming, she has taken it into her own unique preferences and skills. She largely relies on impact force rather than the ol' slice and dice, knocking enemies around (especially paired with Impact Field) and then going in for a critical and precise strike with the blade if necessary.
- Hardy [Passive] - Being of pure Half-Orc lineage, Nar'tae is particularly resistant to physical assault- she is larger, more muscular, with tougher skin and a better resistance to inclimate weather, infection and internal damage. She is no where near invincible, and her hardiness isn't nearly as impressive as a strong magical barrier or shield, but it certainly makes her more resilient than most any mortal and able to take on monstrous opponents of teeth and claw with little fear of dying of anything other than a massive injury.
- Impact Field [instant] - Nar'tae has a unique ability to change her blows from critical strikes to those that deliver the force of the impact it in equal parts to an extended radius. This is what creates her signature move of tossing light foot soldiers effortlessly around, barreling into their own lines like a bowling ball of misfortune and chaos. Wielding her weapon like a fan, it creates a surrounding area of effect around her strikes and blows, emulating a powerful gust of wind that knocks unprepared warriors and small elements of the landscape flying.
Green Skill Slots (General Skills)
:
Blood Fury
[instant + Time Elapse Overheat] - Like any animal, wounded, cornered and mad makes for an unfortunate capture attempt. Nar'tae has the ability to enter a rage, a state of uncontrollable bloodlust, often leaving nothing but smoldering carnage in her wake. Her heart beats at a staggering speed, and her body aches to keep up, but she hardly notices over the rush of blood in her ears and the anger and wanton desire for destruction and obliteration. Her brain is off and the monster slayer bootstraps are on. She seemingly becomes a wrecking ball of impossible speed and fury - it's like a floodgate in her brain has just broken and she can use every breath and every movement to her maximum capability. Her muscles pull more, her stances hold better, and she moves quicker than physics suggests she should. Here she in her most primal and terrifying state.
However, this comes at a price. The rushing blood is hard to contain, rushing into every small vessel of her musculature at a dangerous pressure. If anyone manages to seriously injure her in this state, her blood loss would be much more significant. Additionally, she begins to build up a sweltering heat that makes her unsteady as time passes, and would eventually end in her body tiring out and collapsing should she not exit her rage in time. This is rarely an issue, because the sheer magnitude of her initial assault destroys most enemies, but if the enemy does not waver she will often push herself to the brink in complete disregard for strategy, but out of honor and stubborn pride. Exiting Blood Fury in any way usually leaves her too exausted to continue any frontal assault.
Purple Skill Slots (Ultimate Skills)
:
[No Slots are Unlocked]
