Fantasy Skyfarers: The Character Sheets

[Killigrew]

LinksInterest Check Skyfarers in an Era of Exploration!
OOC Skyfarers: the OOC Chat
The RP Skyfarers: The Grand Adventure

Character Sheet
The ship creaks, its weight straining against the large chains that hold it in place. As you step over the balcony, the shining runes and skymen’s expert movements catch your eye. The air is filled with tension, as the great journey is soon to begin.

Does excitement send goosebumps trailing down your back? Is that the call of greatness in your ears? Or do you feel the dread of obligation pressing over you now?

Begin your character sheet with a short and sweet narrative that gives me an idea of why your character is on the Great Journey, and to what extent they had to fight for it, if at all.

Name
Your character concept in the shortest statement!

Star Sign: (So the lore for this is found in the interest check, and basically the star sign you’re born under determines what genre of runes you can write. Everyone can write the general runes for fire, water, and wind, but only pigs can bind people by contract runes, etc. Any questions? Please ask!)

Age, race, city of origin: (the basics)

Appearance: (a picture is sufficient, but you may add some text if you think it’s necessary)

Attitude: (personality blurb. What’s so interesting about you?)

Occupation: (What did you do for a living before you came to be on the Great Journey? Embellish a little, tell me how you liked it and what you were best at!)

Backstory: (tell me about your character, and while you're at it, why they should go on the Great Journey and what they intend to gain!)

Skills: (What do they specialize in? Keep it to a list, and any explanations may be done in parenthesis. Remember, if any other characters share your skills, I may be choosing between the two of you. These should reflect the character you’ve written about above, as well!)

Supplies and Equipment: (What’ve you got on you? An ink pen? A sword? Etc etc. Try to avoid weaponry beyond daggers and the like if you aren’t a soldier!)

 

[Blemmigan]

Eirini Katsouli
Ειρήνη Κατσούλη

Known as: Rena
Age: 20
Race: Human
Origin: Hellinopolis
Occupation: Mechanic
Sign: Turtle

Breakage and repair is part of the story, and should be celebrated, not hidden. 金継ぎ
Art: Laura Bevon

History

She was never going to be a scholar. Her mother was a second-rate academic, and it was their firstborn, Rena's older brother, who was to take up the mantle. Born under the sign of the Pig, he was expected to succeed where the rest of his family had failed, and become one of the greats.

It is impossible to live in Hellinopolis without learning, however, and even the street-sweepers come from academic stock. Repair and maintenance workers like Rena may never change the world, but they have knowledge that surpasses the ordinary folk of many other cities. She learned the basic runes quickly, how to be one of a group all casting runes to be part of something greater.

At fourteen, she was conducting a routine check on heating-pipes, clinging to the outside of the Alchemical Building like a beetle, laughing and joking with the other apprentices alongside her. The boy next to her called for her help in opening a stubborn valve, and she thought nothing of flippantly casting a rune to loosen it.

The next thing she knew, she was lying two storeys below on the lawn, surrounded by the tree branches that had broken her fall. Her face and neck was burning, and the faces of those standing around her were showing blurry concern. Behind them, the front of the Alchemical building, and a lead statue of Salvator, silently passing judgement over her own arrogance...

It had been a scholar, of course, who had come to her aid when she had passed out. One of the alchemical school who had taken a vial from his robes and cast onto her bleeding and scalded face the shape of a rune. He was no doctor, and whether he took the opportunity to experiment or simply wanted to help an injured child, Rena never found out.

She did, however, soon learn that he had stopped the bleeding and knitted the flesh, and that the Hellinopolis medics which could be spared to look at a handyman's daughter could do no more for her. Certainly, they could not remove the tarry gold substance which had filled in the scars on her face as though it were a second skin. Alchemy and medicine were not meant to be combined in such a way.

Word soon got around, and scholars all wanted to look at this patchwork girl, tempered only by their attempt to seem sympathetic to the family. Rena's father had chased at least one of them off in anger, insistent that they let his child rest. He'd shouted at her, too, for being careless, worrying her family, bringing shame to them all, but he was crying at her bedside by the end of it.

She didn't cry, only wondered if she still could.

Her parents needn't have worried about her careless reputation harming the reputation of her brother and his promising career, either. She knew they wanted to say it, but they sidestepped the issue. At least, until her mother started bringing her to see the academics who were so curious about what had been done. They asked her questions that she couldn't answer. Maybe one of them was the one who did it in the first place.

She still wasn't sure if she should be grateful or not, but every mirror was a reminder of the stupid mistakes she'd made, and that the scar would never heal. Anyone who looked at her would see her clumsiness before they saw the rest of her face.

Once she had been studied, the favours owed to her family put her brother into an auspicious apprenticeship. And Rena went back to her work. She needed to prove to the whole city that she was trustworthy. So she worked harder and longer, and more often alone. Her vision never truly recovered, but she refused to make any excuses. Criticism was met with only sullen determination that she never needed to be told twice.

Personality

Rena has become determined to the point of stubbornness. She keeps her guard up, particularly around people who she doesn't know. She's been left convinced that even people she's never met will assume she is clumsy and foolish, as that fear has gradually become a focus of her life.
Only once she believes somebody respects her will she allow herself to relax, or even joke. It can surprise people when she does, and it may not last long.

Although Rena may not hold everyone else to the same standard as she holds herself, she instead tends to think that she has to fix mistakes that they might make.

She is nervous about taking risks, but ignores it, and tends to act before she can back out. Rena is only as brave as she needs to be to get something done. Her confidence has certainly taken a blow since her accident, but she has convinced herself that it was caused by Salvator as punishment for her arrogance. Even when she can't see her reflection, her eyesight is weakened, with the gold deposits narrowing her field of vision, particularly in dim light.

Aside from her conviction in bad karma, she is not particularly religious, at least not by the standards of Hellinopolis. Hard work is rewarded, and delusions of grandeur will soon be shattered. Nor does she tolerate vanity or arrogance in other people, although she will (perhaps grudgingly) take advice or orders when she knows they have better knowledge of a situation.

Positive: Clear-headed, determined, reliable, hardworking.
Negative: Blunt, critical, impatient, stubborn.

Skills

Occupation:
Mechanic, repair and maintenance. She relishes a chance to be given a task that she can do without outside influence, focused only on what needs completion. Her work has given her physical strength as well as focus. Although the technology of the cities is more rune-orientated than ever before, she refuses to depend on runes the same way that many other mechanics do, always making sure that the physical machinery can hold up.

All of her hard work has turned her into a fine engineer, known for taking longer than some but always turning out solid work while keeping her head. It's one thing that made her a viable candidate for the exploration crew. And at the back of her mind, there is the thought that she should leave her city and those who know her. Maybe there's a spark of curiosity in there, too, or she could be too busy looking inward.

Run-down of skills:
*Physically strong.
*Able to repair broken engines and perform maintenance checks.
*Knowledge of materials and their manipulation (with runes).
*Some knowledge of building work.
*Level-headed.

Supplies:
She brought with her a shoulder bag containing various tools and fixings, although how much she can fit in it is limited. Chances are, she will have to rely on runes if something goes badly wrong, and hope that they can somehow replenish supplies along the way if necessary. She does, however, have a supply of sturdy rope, in case she needs to make a harness and be outside of the ship.

Rena brought a book of simple runes with her. She already knows almost everything in it by heart, so it is more of a reminder of home, without admitting to herself that was what she wanted to bring. Notes are scrawled in the margins, from when she was a novice apprentice, before she made a fool of herself.

She also was given a small steel knife, with the intention that it is used for cutting rope or chipping away rust rather anything more exciting.

Narrative

"No." She remembered her manners just as she was turning to leave: "Thank you."

"That's all very well," interrupted her mentor. "But it wasn't me who sent in your application. I'm afraid your protests are useless here." She beamed, as though she had done Rena a great favour.

For some reason, that frightened her. Who would reach down from the tall tiers of Academe and single her out? She had no patron. Her brother, maybe, but he was only an apprentice still, and was unlikely to care about her career even if he wasn't.

You're hardly forgettable, said a small voice inside. It's not like they'd have to know your name to single you out. They'd think, it's not as though she can do any more harm.

Rena's voice shook as she replied. "Then... then I will have to decline to them in person. If you let me know..."

"Ah!" said a new voice, and the doorway to the workshop was filled with the shape of a man in flowing robes. Only a scholar would dream of wearing something so impractical, and of interrupting others without apology. "So here she is, the golden child!"

Rena's glare could have burned holes in his laughing face, but he hardly seemed to notice what he'd said, nor pay attention to her anger.

"That's right," he continued, even though nobody had asked. "How could I not check up on you? And my, you've made quite a name for yourself! Dragging yourself up from the mires of tragedy. Truly, it brings tears to one's eyes!"

He patted her on the shoulder, in what could have been affection. Did she know him? Scholars surely had better things to do than to follow the lives of journeymen mechanics. Especially since they had long since grown bored of examining the results of--

Oh no. She did know him. He had come to check on her, once, before turning to his colleagues and explaining his thoughts and the runes he had used when he found the poor injured child lying there. With nothing but the unstable alchemic concoction he had been delivering, why, he had taken a chance and sacrificed his research just to try and help, and hadn't the effect been remarkable, what a field had been opened up, blah blah blah blah blah!

Her seething internal monologue drowned out whatever else her new patron had been telling her, so she reverted to what she had tried to say before, with as much false politeness as possible.

"Thank you, but I can't possibly. I barely finished my apprenticeship. There are far more talented mechanics, with a better understanding of the operation."

"Nonsense!" boomed the scholar, and at that moment Rena knew she was doomed. "More experienced, yes, but older! Tied down! The thrill of discovery has gone out of their hearts! And your skill with combining runes with commonplace work is nothing to sniff at. Oh yes, it's true that there are already teams working on the ship, but I have the blueprints ready for you to look over. A fresh, keen eye, that's precisely what we need! Walk with me, Eirini, I can introduce you to my contact in this entire operation..."

Despite it all, Rena enjoyed herself. It was new, quite unlike anything she'd worked on before, but the basics were all there. Combining runes with engineering in ways that had until recently been mere speculation. She had a critical eye, though, and pointed out several places in which runes were being held together or patched by other runes, a quick stop-gap that would be disastrous if one of them failed. Others assisted her in redrawing plans, and even though some of them had years of experience on her, or even scholarly training, nobody seemed surprised or bitter to have her working amongst them. For those too-short hours that she was working on the project, she could almost forget who she was.

It hadn't quite occurred to her, though, that she would be expected to be on the ship when it left. Perhaps that was why the others had been so tolerant of her input: it wouldn't be their necks on the line. And, as her patron scholar had said, they all had families, children, careers here. Compared to them, Rena was a free spirit. She had her parents, of course, but they had their hopes pinned on her brother. And her colleagues, they were the loosest definition of friends, and she doubted any of them would be truly sorry to see her leave.

So although she turned it down, first politely, and then firmly, she eventually relented. And just one word of agreement was enough to see her name inked onto a contract, and a serious-looking governer casting a rune over her childish signature.

The situation hardly seemed real, but the biggest surprise was just how much of an honour she realised the whole thing was. It was groundbreaking technology, exploration as innovation. Papers were published and posters printed announcing the grand date of departure, with names and pictures listed of those aboard. Not hers, of course: she was really just the support staff. There was no glory there.

From the reactions of her colleagues she never could have dreamed that it was anything more than a dangerous task, only given to those who had no excuse to escape. Seeing the excitement, though, that was infectious. For the first time she found herself looking up as she walked, towards the vast emptiness of the Blue around them, not even worried about hiding her face.

 

[Coin]

Jura the Vagrant

A well-traveled man, jack-of-trades and gripped by wanderlust.​

"Name? Oh, compatriot-to-be, just call me Jura! Wouldn't want the wrong people knowing who I really am, yeah?"

With a wink, the man who called himself Jura tipped his weather-worn leather cap up and helped himself onto the ship, paying close attention to its rigging.

"Don't you worry!" He called back as he began to explore the ship's deck, as if he owned the place already. "Not a sky I've sailed that's bested me yet, this one'll be no exception! You can count on me!"

_ _ _​

Star Sign: Cat
Age: Mid 20s
Race: Human
Origin: Ordun

Appearance:
Jura is just over 5'7" and more scrawny than brawn. His hair is a mop of uncombed oaken brown, sometimes pushed into the confines of his leather cap for neatness. Jura's eyes are muddy brown and his resting face curls into a devilish smirk. His clothes are rugged and multilayered, and his jacket dotted with pockets and belts for his various trinkets.

Attitude:
He is a light-hearted and honest man, perhaps genuine to a fault, as his heart is brimming with goodwill. Jura hates to be tethered down, valuing his own sovereignty and encouraging of others to do so as well. Despite being rather young, it is easy to see that Jura holds knowledge and experience beyond his years, though he will never admit it, humble as he is.

Occupation:
Vagrant and navigator. Before the Journey, Jura did what he did best -- nothing. He lived for moments of relaxation, dotted with the occasional adventure and mischief. Jura had indeed one marketable skill that stood out above the rest: navigation. Sorayans in particular were fond of his ability to charter expeditions and merchant routes that were both quick and free of storms.

Backstory:
It is assumed that Jura fled his home city of Ordun because of their strict codes and adherence to tradition, but the words have never come directly out of his own mouth. His eyes just about nearly roll out of his head when the topic of Ordunian military operation or policy arises. For Jura, the Journey is his great escape, the one he always yearned for but had never had the opportunity to prior.

Skills:
-Hammock tying
-Knot tying
-Sleight of hand
-Navigation
-Cooking

Supplies and Equipment:
Jura has few personal belongings other than the clothes on his back.
In his small knapsack are a few lengths of rope, navigational equipment including a compass, a sextant, a collapsible telescope, a watch, some maps, chartering pens, a small carving knife and other various knickknacks.
He carries one weapon, a wooden cudgel wrapped in a small sheet of metal at its end. It hangs loosely on one of his belts.

 

[Killigrew]

A wide salute, cutting over the chest and reaching up into the sky, did the soldiers perform in perfect unison.

“For the glory of Ordun!”

The Serzhant called; his soldiers answered.

“No beauty in the Blue can ever best Her!”

The sails were like clouds, fluttering in the wind. He stood with the Great City and faced a new world. On this fine ship, with this fine crew, they would be the first of many, and blaze a trail for Her greatness to spread over all the Blue. Yason felt light swell over his heart, and for once it was pure.

Yason SokolovA young soldier driven by patriotism and tempered by regret

Star Sign: Dog
Age: 26
Race: Human
City: Ordun

Attitude: Something about youth makes the senses powerful. They rise up like a storm and cut across the heart, forming rifts and valleys, scars like foot-formed roads whereby travels the mind. The road begins with anger. Before a grudge takes a foothold, there flashes his sister’s fearful face, and the hate is cooling, guilt is covering it over.
They say he’s friendly and works well with a team, that he’s got the gumption to succeed and inspires the best in his companions. He may smile and accept the praise, but between friends he’d disagree. “I’m only trying to get the job done, and when someone tries to take advantage, I make sure he doesn’t get away with it. No, Oleg, wipe that grin off your face. It’s really that simple.”

Occupation: “Oh. Well.” He curls his upper lip. “...I was posted on the Agatha border like my fathers before. Can’t say it was a joy to stare at that black pit of a city for seven years, but it got me here. Praise Her, nu nu da?”

Backstory: Everyone has regrets, right? Yason likes to think he’s nothing out of the ordinary, but not everyone had his parents stationed on the Agatha border, and hardly anyone grew up there. He and his family moved there when he was seven, and by the time he was thirteen he was bored out of his mind, which manifested in sneaking out to play cards at the tavern. He was sick of his sister and the rules that everyone blindly followed. “Why?” was the petulant answer to every order. “Why do we have to do that? Why should I do it? What’s even the point of this?”
There were only three strikes off-record for breaking curfew before the mark was permanent, and Yason had been caught twice. He promised his parents he’d turn over a new leaf, and when they went out to answer their officer’s summons, they expected him to watch his little sister.
He can still remember how her hand felt on his arm, too small to reach all the way around. The tears in her eyes as she begged, “Don’t go, Yaysa, don’t… Don’t leave me alone... I’m scared…”
What he did after he can’t clearly remember. He was angry at her for wanting him to stay and left. By the time he snuck back in, by the time his parents were home, by the time he woke and answered the daylight call, then they realized she was nowhere to be found.
The mistrust that cut between him and his parents could never be repaired. So Yason tried to forget, even though his mind would always go back to that day. He threw himself into his training, worked to forget that dreadful mistake, and returned home only when he had to. Now he follows the rules, and he says he believes them absolutely. Ordun is his love; obey Her and She will protect; deny Her and face death. If he can do anything worthwhile, if he can ever manage to please Her, somewhere deep inside he thinks his parents might finally forgive him.

Skills: marksman with honors; proficient in sword, spear, and shield; first aid; masonry; whittling; rope-making; knots; minor carpentry
Supplies and Equipment: Trusty Runic Crossbow, Gladius, Buckler Shield(and backup), Three Daggers, Gambeson and Half-Plate, Bandages, Poultices, Two Bottles (Wine and Water), Plates, Utensils, Rune Chalk, Knapsack, a Sharp Little Knife and Wood to Whittle, a Locket(with a picture of his mother in her youth)

 

[DatDerpyCookie]

"It's like a dream..." Zoi looks out at the sea of sailors bustling about. The sheer variety of people offers an infinite number of research possibilities - like that one with the strange golden scar, or that one with the sixth finger!

The doctor lets out a dreamy sigh, then turns her gaze to the puffs of clouds in the great Blue. Although it took a lot of convincing and a bit more deception than she would like to admit, she's finally here. Zoi draws in a breath, feeling her heart swell with pride.

"To think that someone born under the Snake could have such an amazing opportunity..." Zoi chuckles softly as she recalls the distrustful glances of her former peers.

"Soon they'll all learn how much potential the people of the Snake truly have."

Zoi Demetriou

A doctor from Hellinopolis who's looking to get out of the uptight society of scholars, and into the world to experience freedom and eliminate animosity against her star sign.


Star Sign: Snake


Age, Race, Origin:

Zoi is from Hellinopolis, where she was a scholar that studied biology. She is a human in her mid twenties that comes from a family of wealthy scholars.


Appearance:

(She usually wears loose, earthy brown pants that have several pockets)

Attitude

Zoi is generally a laid back person, who rarely causes fuss in difficult situations. Zoi is extremely curious about the world around her, especially the people living in it; combined with her lack of social grace, this curiosity tends to make her appear rather nosy. Zoi also has a bit of a superiority complex that's the result of growing up in a wealthy, uptight household. Despite this, Zoi deeply cares for people around her, and is always willing to help in whatever way she can.

Occupation

Zoi is a doctor who does extremely well in her field. She is fascinated with the science of living beings; whenever she talks to someone, she can almost see the biological processes happening within them. This passion for her field leads Zoi to research as much as she can to find new cures, new medicines, new healing runes.

Zoi loves the deep feeling of satisfaction that washes over her whenever she cures a patient; this satisfaction is the main reason she's a doctor, along with the goal of erasing stereotypes that surround those born under the Snake.


Backstory

Zoi was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, as she belongs to a wealthy family of successful scholars in Hellinopolis. She carries on her mother’s trade of studying biology, while her brother studies engineering like his father.

An incident with a desperate thief in her childhood led her to question society and religion; if Salvator has saved man from vain intelligence, why were the scholars entitled to half of the non-scholars' income? Why was intellect valued more than other traits, like kindness or loyalty? Why was prejudice allowed to exist in a society that is supposedly "saved from vain intelligence"? All these questions led her to doubt the morality of the society she grew up in.

She has always had a love for biology and living things (especially humans/other intelligent beings), since she can “see the science right in front of her, all the time” - thus, she decided to study biology at the early age of 10. Though she was a natural prodigy in her field, Zoi faced a lot of subtle, almost concealed prejudice as a result of her star sign. This prejudice - along with her love of helping others - pushed her to become a doctor, as she believed that she could help to eliminate the animosity surrounding her star sign by getting others to trust her with their health.

Although she loves her job, Zoi always found the limiting, uptight lifestyle of scholars in Hellinopolis to be suffocating. Thus, she applied for the Great Journey, carrying high hopes of finding freedom. Plus, the grand expedition provides a chance for her to prove to the world that those born under the Snake aren't always the dregs of society.

Skills:
- Healing injuries, including life threatening ones (when she has decent supplies)
- Using deception to get information out of others
- General knowledge of most illnesses and the human body
- Able to remain calm under extreme stress
- Sings surprisingly well

Supplies:
A first aid kit that's packed to the brim with medical supplies, a small research kit with vials for collecting samples and tools for analyzing them, a book of healing runes, rune chalk, a small notebook, a notepad, a seemingly infinite supply of high quality pens, several rations of dried fruits and meats, a few small water containers, a bottle of priceless wine, some rather expensive eating utensils some extremely rare plants used to brew potent healing teas, a few photos of her and her family in gilded frames, a small dagger(although she can't use it well), and a large, sturdy backpack.

 

[simj26]

He tugged at the bag beside him, along with the tubes that held his parchment. The featherfiend of a friend had lauded his skills as a cartographer, and while Holtz was humble, he would be insulted had it been otherwise. That was a reason why Holtz would ensure that this Great Journey would be a success, as thanks for the opportunity to map out the expanse of the Blue beyond.

There was another reason. The world was yet new to the idea of ‘guilds’ and ‘mercenaries’. ‘Fools’, they had called them, but only fools would remain in a never-ending cycle of stagnancy. He would prove, with this journey, that his one last opus with Ordun would be his magnum. The name of the Argents would ring through the Blue itself. He would ensure that.

Adrian Holtz
An open advertisement to the freedom of guilds; an ex-officer of the military empire

Star Sign:
Dog

Age, race, city of origin:
29
Human
Ordun

Appearance:
A tall man of some stature at 6’2”, clad in a plate-and-mail armor. Even with his helmet on, one can always feel a stern, cold and watchful gaze coming out from the slits. His voice is surprisingly high, at a rather low countertenor. Some would even say it was contralto, though that would imply other things. Best not to think about it.

Attitude:
A mercenary who would take no quarter, and give none in return. Holtz puts his whole into a task at hand, and his demeanour seems to imply that that is the only thing he knows how to do. He isn’t particularly fond of emoting properly, and expresses amusement in the same way he would express distaste- a flat, unimpressed tone. Even when he is genuinely amused, one can never tell. The most anyone would get out of him is an angry snarl or sudden shouting of instructions, traits borne from his time as an officer in the Ordun military. He does not tolerate laziness, and has a penchant for noticing even minute details. However, he is, at the very least, mellowed out enough to not bother others about small problems…so long as they do not inconvenience others, or jeopardise the safety of others.

Occupation:
One of the Argent Sails’ pioneer members. He earns his keep as what his boss calls ‘elite protective services’, and what he calls ‘bodyguard duty’. He reproduces high quality maps on his off time, traveling often to update geographical locations and ensuring that the details are correct. Regarded as one of the more hardworking members of the newborn guild, he is also treated with no small amount of ridicule for his efforts for what could be a futile venture.

Backstory:
Holtz had a promising career as an Ordun officer. Well-respected by his peers as an astute strategist who could read the flow of battle as one would a book, and no slouch in the combat department as well. If he had remained with the military, everything would have been just fine.

Unfortunately, Holtz had his own plans. Whether he was dissatisfied with the military, or could not pursue his cartographic career as a soldier, he became a pariah to the Ordun public by deserting his post as an officer, joining a Soraya friend in introducing a foreign concept to the world at large: a mercenary guild. Both of them, alongside a handful of others from all walks of life, formed the Argent Sails, putting everything they had on the table.

While business stabilised over the years, and they were making ends meet, Holtz was not the type to be pleased with meagre earnings. His swordhand earned the guild coin, and his maps even more so, but there ought be more to it than just peddling services to the upper crust. A discussion with his Soraya friend led to the latter pulling some strings for Holtz to participate in the Great Journey. Holtz would act as an in-house cartographer as well as muscle where they needed it. An extra sword hand wouldn't hurt either. Even if the Great Journey was a bust, the fact that the name of an Argent Sail was amongst them would garner publicity. There was no such thing as bad publicity, as his Sorayan friend said.

Skills:
Foreign Languages (Both written and spoken)
Cartography
Weapon Proficiency (though he specialises in zweihanders not unlike his own, he is capable of performing well with other weapons, both ranged and melee)
Stout Strength (Holtz’s raison d’etre here can be summed up as ‘maps and muscle’. He is capable of much heavy-lifting.)
First Aid (basic knowledge of bandaging wounds, emergency response, CPR, and usage of lightning runes for defibrillation)

Supplies and Equipment:
Zweihander
Rolls of parchment
Charcoal pens
Plate and mail armor
Dagger

 

[Sluggodile]

Spoiler: Not Accepted

Buobli Narkshem
A painter of a dozen shades, aspiring to rise above the measly station of witchdoctor, with a knack for the natural.

​

Spoiler: Not Accepted

"'An artist's work is his most precious article. That said, an artist must always strive for perfection, and, for the expansion of that work, that article, that discipline,' squark! That being said, a traditional artist, I am not. Not in truth, anyhow. Sure, I spread colour, but that is but a mere facade. What I want more than anything, is to use these hands for the lives of others-- enriching it, sure, but saving it, certainly, squark!"

Buobli muttered this to himself every few moments, adjusting his mask's eyes to let but the faintest glimmer of light in. His photosensitive eyes did well enough without the blistering sun's glow, but he needed at least some light if he wanted to see where he was walking. Where, exactly? Well, as his eyes fell upon that which he sought, he was summarily reminded: beyond the Blue. New lands held new plant life, and new plant life held new medicines, cures, and colours.

His great journey, it began here. And it would end with his recognition as one of the great doctors of his time.

- - - - -
​

Star Sign: Snake

Age: 35
Race: Winged Person
City of Origin: Soraya

Spoiler: Appearance

Note: His wings are tightly bound within his cloak, only unfurling once he's undressed. He always keeps the mask on, and it completely covers him to the base of his neck, where just beneath, you can see black feathers tipped with tan. His wingspan is broad-- twelve feet all the way across-- and covered in those same black feathers with tan tips, with the fringe feathers going from black, to tan, to white. He is 5'9" and quite thin.

Attitude: Quirky, perky, and attentive, Buobli is more of a people person than he'd enjoy to be. After all, as a painter of the abstracts of the imagination, all human and winged folk seem to do is interrupt the natural flow of subconscious that helps him to paint. Alone, he can almost always be heard muttering to himself, usually planning his next work, as he's one to always live in the future. The past, he feels, is best left to historians and the like, as all lessons come from the future. For this reason, he can be quite slow to learn lessons, neglecting past mistakes, and simply pushing ahead in search of better, newer ideas. That's not to say it's impossible for him to reminisce or recall, just that it's difficult to force his always-moving mind to sit still.

Occupation: Once one of the Queen's many artists, after his latest work on her Majesty's many self portraits, Buobli begged for, and was granted, the chance to join the great journey. Along with this, many of the plants he uses for his dyes also have healing properties that, with the correct rune here or there, can bring out aromatic and healing properties, like painted incense. This isn't the only way he's learned to doctor, though, as he can also make pastes or even potions. He doesn't, however, have an formal training, nor can he preform surgery.

Backstory: Known as the Aromartist by many of his peers, Buobli began his life a chick to the vulture-reminiscent family Narkshem. The family is infamous for acquiring jobs and funds in covert ways, and working their way up social hierarchies and such-- it's all written well out in the time before peace, after all-- and even today, when Soraya is joined with the other two open cities do you hear hushed talk of the Narkshems. In modern day, they are a family of painters, with the patriarch and his son-- Buobli-- painting for the Queen herself, while the matriarch and her daughter-- Enza, Buobli's mother-- sell herbs and "rare" spices. This profitable combination led to a life spent by Buobli not only learning to finger paint both with and without runes, but one of cooking and studying spice.

By the age of twelve, he'd acquired enough skill with the palm to work alongside his father in the Queen's palace, finishing the fine details his aging father couldn't, what with his tired eyes. However, it was also around this time that Buobli began to have a greater interest in herbs and their medicinal applications than painting. He spent the next three years, in secret, offering to help heal the ailing and ease the pained by painting with healing herbs artistic runes upon his patients, which not only helped their health, but turned them into living, breathing works of art, which would brighten up the city as they stumbled around. This, catching the attention of many, was brought before the Queen, who requested he put his skills "to proper use" for her and her family. This was, of course, the start of Buobli's career as the Queen's Aromartist, though he still ached to help the less fortunate through proper doctoring, rather than the more fortunate through aromartistry.

The next twenty years were spent painting many things for the Queen, but in secret, becoming a better and better doctor as well. In fact, having had so many sleepless nights began to take a toll on Buobli. His art began to become more and more deranged and abstract, rather than the precise, detailed works he once managed for the Queen. Noticing this, he was forced to explain himself to the Queen, who had the mask you always see him wear made. It helps him concentrate, as it's filled with many aromatic herbs and spices from his family's stash, and that have manual light dimmers for the eyes, all to better help him work on his art. However, when the topic of the great journey came to Soraya, Buobli all but begged the Queen to allow him to leave and join their crew. Promising to bring back many new spices for his family to sell, pigments for his work, and herbs to infuse into his art and to further his doctoring career, the Queen allowed him the chance, so long as he fulfilled his promise to do all of the above.

Skills
Bartering
Painting
Recognizing various plants and fungi
Healing through non-traditional means
Extremely accurate sense of smell
Abstract thought
Gambling

Supplies and Equipment
Pot of Avarice - The pithos within which Buobli converts healing herbs and the like into infused paint, using runes. Also doubles as a regular pithos for storing things within, like his tools, and water.
Mask of Restrict - The mask he wears, ordered by the Queen for him to wear that he may only take off to wash his face, and only at night. It's stuffed with many ever-burning herbs, spices, and incense that sharpen the senses, mainly eyesight.
Queen's Necklace - A simple necklace engraved with his name, and years of servitude to the Queen of Soraya.
Storage Sash - A simple sash with three canisters, within which can be stored various items, from rocks to plants to small animals.
Rune Chalk
Various herbs and spices
Padded Gloves
Palm-less Painting Gloves
Small (1'/1.5') rolled up canvas
Medium (5'/5') rolled up canvas
Scissors
Dagger
25' of string

​

 

[Soviet Panda]

Aziz admired his handiwork from afar, watching as the massive rune ship bobbed up and down. He had put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it's design, sometimes literally. And to see it floating before him now was simply breath taking. Flying was nothing new in itself, not for Sorayans at any rate. But seeing his ideas on a piece of paper being used for something much greater, now that was truly awe inspiring.

As he landed on the deck, he tucked his magnificent white and black wings behind him, making them look akin to a rigged cape. That done, he got down on his hands and knees to study the finer runes carved into the deck of the ship. Simple resistance runes to keep the elements from destroying the ship for as long as possible, but even those runes were made with such intricacy it nearly brought a tear to his eyes. Of course, if he knew how ridiculous he looked, he would have been spluttering and turning more red by the second.

Aziz Sobhani
Sorayan 'mad' scientist and engineer. It's all just an opinion really. He's just more willing to take risks with his experiments than others would like, when it directly affects them anyway.

Star Sign: Turtle. "Yes, laugh as much as you would like, a Sorayan with the star sign of the turtle. Ha ha, very funny. Just remember who designed the engines."

Age, race, city of origin: Aziz is a Sorayan in his early 30s from the city of, you guessed it, Ordun. Just kidding, he's from Soraya

Appearance:

Along with his white hair, there are sporadic white feathers with black tips, identifying him as a Sorayan. To further show off that fact, he has distinctly owl like tail feathers. These feathers often make sitting in full back chairs rather uncomfortable, but he can suck it up and deal with it. And on a minor note, his ears are lopsided, with one being higher up than the other. This allows him to accurately pin point the source of a sound even in the dark.


Attitude: Aziz is... passionate about his work. He sits down for weeks on end trying to come up with a solution. Sometimes, back when he had his own private quarters, he could be heard throwing things in a fit of rage then violently swearing when he had to eventually clean it up. But now that he has less privacy, he simply gets a white knuckled grip on his quill and once slammed it so hard into the parchment, he left it embedded in the table.

When he's away from his problem causing/solving testing and experimentation, he's actually a rather lovely person to be around. He likes to view himself as a gentleman, though that can be up for debate. He's very dotty on people he views as his guests and can't sit still for the life of him as he flies, sometimes literally, to get what he thinks would be the best thing for them. Occasionally, however, he will politely ask them if they would like to participate in an experiment, then perform that experiment whether they want him to or not.

Occupation: Aziz was, and still is, an engineer. The fusion of runic magic and mechanical know how has always amazed him and called to him. He has made such contributions to the world as the Clock Towers, two clock towers linked magically together. Useful? Probably not in the slightest. But it was an impressive task to complete none the less. His latest work are the runic engines powering the Great Journey, which is why he's almost constantly hovering near the captain and advising him on what they can and cannot handle.

Backstory: Aziz never really took to being a merchant. Oh, he could navigate his way around a deal and had his connections to the black market like any good merchant, but he didn't get into it. Runes, on the other hand, had quite readily caught his attention. Those inconspicuous symbols held so much power, he simply had to know more. However, the limitations of runes were so quickly found by him. He simply could not create certain runes, they simply wouldn't work. Everything would be perfect, flowing lines, sharp points, yet nothing would happen.

His search for people to make these runes for him drew a lot of attention from his home city of Sorayan, and the city of scholoars, Hellinopolis. In fact, a representative of one of their schools for magitech, the fusion of runes and mechanical know how, went to his family and asked for their child, Aziz, to be a student there. And in good ol' Sorayan fashion, the managed to swindle a complete education from them, only having to pay pennies in comparison to the original price.

This education further fueled Aziz's obsession with runes, and added his fondness for magitech. This obsession allowed him to propel, sometimes literally, the field further than most of the other's in the field could hope for. That was when the Sorayan Queen swooped in, having kept a tab on the boy in case he made a name for himself, an investment of sorts. Using her sovereignty over him like a club, she hired him to become her Royal Engineer.

From there it's pretty simple. He made things for her, kept his job. Then the subject of the Grand Journey was broached, and Aziz was put on the project. It was he that designed the mighty engines that sent the ship sailing through the skies. And it was also him that encouraged the abundant use of runes, stating that enough was never enough and applauded redundancies.

Now he prepares for the journey, hovering anxiously by the captain almost constantly to make sure he doesn't put to much strain on his precious engines.

Skills:

• Rune crafting
• Engineering
• Flight (duh)
• Nimble Fingered (good hand eye coordination and fairly slim fingers makes grabbing things quickly in hard to reach spaces easy, useful for when a bolt drops in between some cogs.)

Supplies and Equipment:

• Decorative sword
• Writing set
  • 1x portable desk/writing surface
  • 1x ink pen
  • 10x pencil's of varying thickness and length
  • 5x ink wells
• Rune chiseling set

 

[Emiya Shin]

With a sigh, Aera gently closed the door behind her. A banner titled 'The Great Journey Recruitment' can be seen tacked on the wooden door.

"Phew, that was close. I did not expect it would take this long. Still... I didn't expect to be accepted, either." She muttered to herself.

The brunette gently shook her head, trying to stave off the exhaustion that she was currently experiencing.

"Alright, let's get going. I need to prepare for the long journey..."

A smile formed on Aera's expression as she began to make her way back to her house.


Name:
Aera Aeropoulos

Real Name:
Aera Aeterna Pleiades

Star Sign: Pig
Age: 23
Race: Human
City of Origin: Hellinopolis

Appearance:

​

"A minstrel that seeks to experience her first, most likely life-changing expedition."​

Attitude:

Aera is mostly temperate with a tinge of sunny disposition. She has a knack for sweet words or sharp sarcasms, depending on the given circumstances. She has no qualms in participating social activities, or even as a listener to those Sorayan folks who frequents her performances. Amidst her pleasing words and songs, Aera can be manipulative person. Fortunately, it mostly applies to those sinister folks who wished to use her for their own desires. She is also a religious person, praying to Salvator regularly for courage and wisdom.

Occupation:

A minstrel, songstress by trade. Aera occasionally traveled between the 3 Islands to find living in entertaining the masses that reside in taverns or inns. She eventually stopped visiting her hometown however, as the scholars there deemed her performance to be... disrespectful. Aera settled down in Soraya, as her talents found more audience there. Her notable skills in instruments are flutes and stringed instruments.

Backstory:

Hailing from a noble family with 3 other siblings, Aera was the eldest. She was supposed to be her parents' successors in their governmental roles for Hellinopolis, but she failed one of the entrance exams during her early teenage years, causing her to be disqualified and demoted into lesser roles. As her days grow darker, Aera discovered her profound interest in music and poetry. Since she was no longer eligible to continue her parents' legacy, Aera enrolled into a music school in Hellinopolis and developed her passion in music.

However, things looked grim once more when Aera realized that bards and musicians in Hellinopolis were mostly tools of propaganda for powerful scholars. After nearly a week of debate, she finally won her parents' favor to send her to Soraya for better prospects and experiences. Aera continued to learn more instruments and skills native of Soraya through another music school there. She changed her surname to prevent any damage to her family's reputation. Ever since Aera settled in Soraya, she experienced a steady increase of fame, thanks to her unorthodox way of mixing Sorayan and Hellinoponese musical cultures.

Years later after Aera settled in Soraya, comes the announcement of the Great Journey through numerous bulletin boards. The idea of traveling beyond the seas fascinated her, although she feared that she will be a burden to the crew due to her set of skills. If anything, the expedition should require someone that is more battle-hardened than herself. Regardless, she stepped up and entered the interview for a chance of adventure.

However, Aera did not expect that the Captain of the Great Journey was a fellow Hellinoponese like herself. She eventually found her name listed in the crews of the Great Journey after hours worth of discussion.

Skills:

• Able to play stringed instruments and flutes from both Hellinopolis and Soraya.
• Can sing, but only in an occasional matter and mostly plays instruments.
• Knows the art of socializing, especially with nobles.
• Making contracts and acquiring hirelings for her own protection or otherwise.

Supplies and Equipment:

• Flute
  
• Lute
  
• Ink pen and paper for making contracts
• Extra strings for the Lute in case it breaks
• Bandages for her fingers
• Food and water that lasts for a week

 

[Dominaiscna]

Veiled against the dark of the night sky, Nasrin approached the ship lit up with a celebration in honor of the Great Journey that was upon them all. Her wings were silent as she circled above the vessel, narrowed eyes surveying the scene below, waiting for the perfect moment. Though, to unsuspecting eyes, she was be undetectable among the stars, Nasrin was keenly aware of the four pairs of eyes watching her. They were there, two just on the edge of the city glimmering under the light of a lamp and two trailing her like shadows farther down, watching to make sure she followed through. To make sure she didn't run.

She glided for a moment, listening as the sounds from the party below changed from ecstatic cheers to drunken laughter, and then descended, feeling the burning tickle of the protective shield as it gave way to the runes on her body. Her feet made almost no sound as she landed on the roof of the tower-like structure at the stern of the boat that pointed towards the harbor. There she remained for a moment, listening until it was clear that she had not been detected.

Carefully, Nasrin unsheathed the dagger tied to her thigh. In the starlight, the metal glimmered sinisterly against the soft sheen of her primary flight feathers. She braced herself, teeth gritted and eyes squeezed shut as she pulled the blade across her feathers. Though it was not physically painful, she felt each quill give way under the cut of the dagger and gripped the tips of her feathers in her hands. Tears prickled at her eyes as she sliced off her precious plumage, placed them delicately into a sack and tossed it into the darkness below. A shadow caught it and it was gone. There she waited, silent tears trickling down her face till the flickering flame at the harbor vanished.

It was done.


~ ~


Nasrin "Bastenobia" DiazA young Sorayan and Servant of the Queen sent to infiltrate the ship as a spy as punishment for dishonoring the Crown. The Great Journey is also her road to redemption.

Star Sign: Cat
Age: 24
Race: Winged Person
City of origin: Soraya

Appearance:

Her wings and tail feathers resemble that of a barn owl, however the flight feathers on her wings have been sliced off as part of her punishment.

Attitude: Nasrin is a charismatic and friendly girl who is often easily able to grab the favor of those she first meets. She was a glowing flame among her friends, always able to bring cheer, laughter and amusement to them, even at her own expense. Upon being earning a place to work under their esteemed Queen as one of the honored elites, her pride and arrogance rose while her cautious nature broke down. She was like Icarus with his wings of wax, flying higher and higher, closer and closer to the sun, failing to remember his father's warnings. She is rather blunt and could not control her mouth at times, often speaking without thinking. However, ever since her punishment, Nasrin has reverted back to the young girl she used to be : cautious, careful, un-trusting and deceptive. Her family often joked that she should have been born a snake. However this she keeps hidden deep down, behind an innocent smile and sunny disposition.

Occupation: Nasrin was the newest member of a special unit of owl-winged avians that reported to and worked closely by Her Highness the Queen. Their flock of five took up many missions of varying types personally for the Queen, from the escorting and protection of Her Highness herself to transferring important messages, intel and commands. However, they were trained and most specialized in stealth and spy missions, being the Eyes and Ears for the Crown as well as Talons if it came to it.

Backstory: It was a long and tedious road, but ever since a fledgling, Nasrin trained hard to earn her place in the unit of Owls. She was a chick starting out from the bottom but being a naturally gifted flier and having the stars in her favor helped her climb the ranks to where she is now. And though she achieved her goal for her career, she was young, inexperienced and immature. Being in such an important place with so much power, responsibility and authority went straight to her head. She became prideful, egotistical and most importantly, reckless. She no longer was cautious about her actions or careful about what she said and that led to her downfall when her thoughtless words came at the Queen's expense.

For that, for dishonoring the Queen, she was dutifully punished. Had Her Highness not been so merciful, Nasrin would've surely been executed for what she had said, if not by the Queen's command, then by the enraged shouts of the Ministers and Council members. Fortunately, she was given a chance at redemption. Her Majesty had the intention of choosing someone from their unit to join the adventurers aboard the Great Ship that would sail to where none had gone before. In order to redeem herself and regain the Queen's favor, Nasrin would have to be her Eyes and Ears on the Great Journey. She was to figure out a way to hide herself among the people in the ship and stay there, undetected. And as part of the punishment, also to make sure Nasrin could not escape from the Queen's Command or the ship, she was give the order to cut off her flight feathers which she would do once on the ship.

Despite the great importance of the task, few had been eager to accept such a mission as there was little information on what was beyond the horizon. For all they knew, it would be a journey from which she would never return. In a way the Queen's command for her was a death sentence.

Skills:

• Charisma (she is a good talker and actor - deceptive)
• Keen Sight (trained to read people like books and seeing what is not seen - such as the breaks in demeanor or the cracks in a plan)
• Keen other sense (hearing and smell)
• Stealthy and Agile (she is like a cat.. and a thief/rogue/assassin)
• Knowledgeable on various types of poison and sedative medicine
• Peerless Flier (when she grow her flight feathers back )
• Blade proficient (capable of using most melee weapons to a satisfactory degree, specialized with lighter, smaller weapons such as daggers)
• Survivor (she is trained to be independent and self-sufficient - basic survival skills)

Supplies and Equipment:

• three daggers
• Insignia of the Queen (on a metal plate thing - forgot the word)
• Rune Chalk
• Journal (with a few words on the first page in Sorayan script)
• Charcoal
• Her Clothing

 

[sharramon]

Hey! I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place. I'm new to the site, and I wasn't sure how to apply. I'll just slip this in here and see what happens

---------------------------------------------------------
Tales! All tales start with leaving, and they were flying off into the unknown. Just like the old myths of heroes past. Stories start with leaving, but what a great tale needs-

“Square the sail!” Captain Ovid barked. Cutting into Orpheus’ thoughts.

Orpheus quickly scribbled the order on a piece of paper then scrawled over a dozen runes after it. Start... I... See… Copy… Trick… Light…. Contract… Person…. Evoke…Vision…. Flash.... Send…. Blind… End. A quick invocation and...

“The order should be out sir.”

A grunt. Both men stare at the endless expanse of blue that spreads around under them, closed only by the clouds above.

The sails turn, straining the creaking yards, and slowly bulge out as they catch the wind at their backs. The ship, now aided by both its engines and the wind, cuts through the air. Below, the sea shimmers restlessly as they traverse over her endless expanse.

All tales start with leaving, but what a great tale needs is…

Adventure.


Name: Orpheus Anthis
An enthusiast of tales. Wonders on the creation of ideas.


Sign: Snake
Age: 22
Race: Human
City: Hellinopolis


Appearance:

Attitude:

Standing just under 6 feet, people usually refer to Orpheus as quiet. While he does come off as a little self serious at times due to the ways of the city he was brought up in, he delights in meeting new people and hearing new ideas and will babble on endlessly if the conversation stumbles into his area of expertise. Likes tea.


Occupation:

Orpheus is a well known rune writer, and has worked as a researcher of runes and the monoliths in Hellinopolis. He also holds quite a vast amount of knowledge in literature and old myths to the point of being a minor member of the Hellinopolis Academy of the Literate Arts.

He was accepted onto the crew of the Great Journey due to his understanding of the runes, as they would help in the day to day tasks as well as be of some import if they ever found a new monolith. The secret mission from his stuffy mentors to write (or pilfer) as many stories as possible is also one he holds as his sacred duty.


Backstory:

Born into a family of average scholars Orpheus lived a life that never knew real want, but not so well to-do that he could count himself among the truly privileged. He spent his younger years sheltered at home, almost chained to his desk in the pursuit of his studies. His family was traditionally religious, as was his school, so he followed the tenants of the Salvatorian church.

During his teenage years, he grew resentful of the constant studying and the lack of freedom. Reading tales to pass the time, he also started wondering on the hypocrisies of both the church and the city. To see what the world was truly like he started to scale down the walls of his house from the window and meet people in the city. He made good friends with others his age there, and learned about life in the world and life through the eyes of others, exposing him to several viewpoints. This only made him more curious to the nature of people, and knowledge.

Using his newfound interest Orpheus threw himself into the abstract problems of belief, thought, and language. This made him gain a newfound appreciation for the runes, which were just another set of abstract ideas anyway. Pursuing this idea Orpheus followed his parents’ orders to enter The Academy, and found himself surrounded by more traditional scientists who were in the research of runes and the monoliths. Under these people he learned more rigorous methods of study compared to his usual flights of fancy that his thoughts usually lead him down. Using his natural affinity as one born under the Snake, he specialized in using what was commonly known as deception to play with thoughts and images, gaining further insight into both the runes and people.

While having gained some respect for the methods taught to him by these academics, Orpheus would always go back to his stories, and pour over old myths. He was simply drawn to the idea of adventure. This is when he heard of the Great Journey. Using any leverage he could he slipped his application with recommendations into consideration and squeezed onto the crew.

As the days drew close, Orpheus felt the familiar tingle he used to get when he would sneak out of his room over half a decade ago. A new world, that’s what he’d always wanted to see.


Skills:

Rune writing
Rune deciphering
Tea steeping
Calligraphy


Supplies and equipment:

Lots of pens
A collection of books on both stories and rune research
A nice collection of dried tea leaves
A tea pot
Some mugs
Several sheets of parchment

 

[Mad Prince of Sanity]

Corwin Destrae (or "Cor" for short) - Lieutenant Colonel and Communications Officer; Ordun Military

Corwin took a deep drink for the glass in front of him, making sure to thoroughly enjoy his recreational time that the higher-ups allotted him over the next couple days before he was assigned to this.... expedition. Closing his eye in enjoyment of the drink for a moment, Corwin sighed a bit as he set the glass down before a prickling sensation erupted over the back of his neck and he glanced side-long without being too noticeable. Sure enough, a half-drunk group of privates were approaching him and before they could say anything Corwin raised a hand, took another drink and only set it down once it was empty. Hand still held aloft, Cor sighed in a deep breathe of slightly-stinging fresh air and stared at the ice in his now-empty glass. Speaking in an exasperated, slightly heavy tone as the strong drink began to work it's magic "Let me guess? Wanna ask about the eye right?" The 'leader' of this group of privates nodded and Corwin almost chuckled... almost. Leaning back in his chair he crossed one leg atop the knee of the other and now took the time to look up at them "Don't take this the wrong way rookies but it's none of your damn business."


The men seemed more than a little taken aback by this and one of them simply walked off, taking the cue Corwin was heavily trying to imply. However, one of them opened his mouth after a heavy pause and began to speak "So.... s-sir why-..." Corwin hardly let him get that much out before interrupting. At this point, he could tell his lips were loosened a bit by drink, but he was not present enough of mind to care. "Why do I carry a sword if all I'm supposed to do is talk? Simple. People like me are there to help make sure things don't go to hell, but that doesn't mean we want to be caught on our ass if they do. The key word there being "if" they do, I don't fancy myself a hero and I don't expect they'll be writing songs about me over in Soraya anytime soon so I would rather not die a 'glorious death' out in the great blue because I left myself unprepared for some obscure culture's greeting ritual of 'swing a sharp and/or pointy thing at you until we're satisfied you're not a waste of our time'. THAT answer your question?"

The men seemed accepting of this answer and with a sigh Corwin pulled a pocket-watch from his officer's coat to check the time, only to grimace as his recreational time expired and bed began to sound like a pretty good idea, even if it wasn't really his choice in the end. Taking a slightly-shaky stance Corwin donned his officer's hat and shoved his hands into his pockets, moving past the privates as they watched him. It took his slightly-hazed mind a moment to think of something clever, but with a small cough into his gloved hand he managed to remark "I hope the questions were worth pissing away my time. I'll see you boys on latrine duty tomorrow so you'll have plenty of time to think of more." As he stepped out into the late-day sunlight, Corwin shook his head a bit to help clear his sense. Hell, he didn't normally drink so much, never mind enough to actually get upset at a few greenhorns. But it was the anniversary of that day after all, and he doubted the universe would begrudge him much if he took one day a year to truly be an asshole.

Star Sign: Bird

Age, race, city of origin: 26, Human, Ordun

Appearance: (With the other alterations of the character I've decided to trim down the 'adjustments to the picture below, into just his eyes being blue. Everything else is accurate.)

Spoiler: Corwin

Attitude: Corwin is, against all odds, a man born under the sign of the Bird in the Ordun military. He secretly finds the rigors and stringent regime of the Ordun military to be incredibly destructive and unnecessary, but has devoted himself to the system he hates in order to progress through the ranks of the military as quickly as possible. Both in a mad scramble for some sort of freedom the higher ranking officers enjoy and for his own hidden, personal reasons.

When it comes to his demeanor as an interpreter and translator however, Corwin is very professional and exceptional at his job, one could even call him a perfectionist. While he has a very strong personality, he also accepts that others do not think the same way as him and even he doubts he'd be able to put up with people if they all acted like him. This is one of the hardest things for people to really grasp about his personality, to see a man go from direct and militaristic, to silent, analytical and relaxed as he speaks to someone he has to negotiate with, but it is part of who he is. Lastly Corwin is, like many born and raised in Ordun, a very skilled tactician and an even brighter analyst (at least when it comes to people). He is very capable of weighing out the feelings, personalities and demeanor of those around him rather quickly and this skill has served him exceptionally well in his tenure as an officer. Corwin also enjoys speaking to, and being around, his 'subordinates' or those of lower rank than him and can be rather laid-back when not expected to act in an authoritative capacity by someone above even him. In short, he does what his position demands, but is very much a man of the people "beneath" him.

Occupation: Corwin lived a fairly standard young life in Ordun, training and being trained to be an exemplary soldier for his people. With one notable exception, Corwin fulfilled this upbringing and then some. With a prestigious career marred with only a single notable infraction early in his life, the work he has done since then as a negotiator of trade, passage and supply has by now overshadowed his previous failing... at least he hopes so. Now, having been elected to join the Great Journey to act as their interpreter should they meet any new civilizations, though he is thankful for the perceived freedom the journey offers him Corwin can't help but wonder if this trip is truly a blessing or a curse.

Backstory: Corwin Destrae was born to a well-off family, with enough money and support from both his parents for he and his older sister, Annabelle, to live comfortable childhoods. At least, as comfortable as they could be considering the rigorous training regiments Ordun puts their citizens through. Corwin didn't mind it though, and excelled in several of his stations as he grew up. With Corwin's father being a respected Commandant in the Ordun army, it seemed to most that Corwin was going to grow up to be just like his father. Corwin was rather young when he decided that he didn't want to just be a Commandant like his father, he wanted to surpass him.

Growing up into his young teens Corwin always had a close relationship with his sister, she always watched out for him despite his age and even though she was only three years his senior he humored her on numerous occasions when it came time for her to be the "de facto" big sister. Given that she was older than he, Annabelle was often approved for scheduled 'review sessions' with Corwin where they could talk and generally be brother and sister to one-another. This went on for years, with Corwin slowly rising to the rank of Lieutenant much to the applaud of his family and friends. Annabelle was there to support him too, and for a year after that everything was good. his family was happy, his new position was much easier than where he had been before and he seemed to excel at the tasks laid out before him.

However rarely if ever is a strong sense of character built on nothing but happy memories, and one day while overseeing the demolition of a cliffside and construction of a new training grounds under his Colonel did Corwin experience his test of character. During the demolition his sister had visited him, as she often did, and through what was described as a 'clerical error' some of the charges were misplaced. Luckily for Corwin, he discovered these misplaced charges and went to remove them. However, the Colonel in charge of the construction forbid him from 'tampering' with the plans laid out by their superiors. This resulted in an explosion that not only cost Corwin his eye to a wayward piece of metal shrapnel, but hospitalized Annabelle with severe injuries. The shock and force of the explosion knocking her into a coma. That was four years ago, since then Corwin has taken to drinking on the anniversary of that day and has become a different person from who his sister knew growing up. The memories of what was, to him, his failure to help her weigh heavily on him and he won't allow himself to forget.

Now Corwin hopes this 'Great Adventure' can provide him with something, anything to help his sister. Whether the funds to start new medical research or even, he dares hope, some miracle cure, somewhere deep down inside this embittered soldier is ever so cautiously hopeful for the future.

Skills

• Linguistic Expert (Can fluently speak, read and write all the major languages of Hellinopolis, Ordun and Soraya as well as decipher the speech or writing of other languages given time)
• Trained Soldier/Officer (While by no means a powerhouse, Corwin has his own efficient combat style and despite lacking an eye is a driven-toward-perfection soldier when it comes to combat)
• Survivalist (More a state of mind than a true "skill" nonetheless Corwin always tries to prepare himself for every eventuality and survive any situation, and while he can improvise if he needs to in his own words "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure")
• Adept Medical Training: (While by no means a field medic, Corwin can dress wounds and treat injuries with some level of aptitude. He won't be performing surgery anytime soon, but he won't be letting anyone die if he can help it)
• Silver-Tongued (Corwin has his own 'flavor' of charisma, he won't use fancy, ass-kissing words but he will make you see you his one way or another, often through the use of direct, cutting logic and reason. Of minor note, all his time spent speaking and orating have also led to Corwin being able to utter his runes quite quickly, which is rather useful in combat situations)
• Cook? (He definitely won't win any contests, or make anything that looks like it's sugar content will kill you on contact, but he knows enough to keep people fed and alive and occasionally happy about the food)
• Snake Sign Rune Illusions (Rather self-explanatory, Corwin aids his traditional combat ability with near-perfect illusions of things he has seen, indistinguishable from reality unless touched or the person in question is familiar with illusions. Useful for creating displays to aid in negotiations)

Supplies and Equipment

• Rucksack: Contains three canteens of water, a small water filtration system etched with runes for purifying enough water for two people, five books of blank paper, two dozen writing utensils, a light romance novella, a pillow, blanket and sheets as well as a case of 24 more throwing daggers.
• Corwin's Sword: A slightly thin blade, sharp of both point and edge and kept meticulously so. The grip is a dark brown leather and the guard is more of a round, slanted disk than a cross-guard. A hand-guard also covers for the right hand and runes are carefully etched into the blade. They translate to "Strength, Speed, Pierce, Bleed, Skill and Cut"
• Throwing Daggers (12): Corwin generally keeps these nasty little surprises on his person in many places, and his more Snake-inclined nature relishes the thought of springing a surprise throwing dagger on an unsuspecting adversary, and more often than not from completely unexpected angles. Each dagger is engraved with the Runes "Speed, Pierce, Flight, Return"
• A case of rations, two weeks worth for one person and some general ingredients with long preservation lengths in case Corwin wants to do some 'on the field' cooking.
• Father's pocket-watch with picture of Annabelle inside.