[center] [hider=Charlotte LaChance] [img]http://safebooru.org//images/1673/5b58a46eb831ec52500d9377a69cfa2f0038b0ad.png?1751656[/img] [h3][color=bc8dbf]"Hey, you wouldn't have seen any flower around here that has a yellow petal, would ya? I need one for, uh...'flavoring'."[/color][/h3] [color=bc8dbf]"Charlotte LaChance. Now, if you don't need anything I [i]really[/i] should be watching this beaker before it explodes."[/color] [b]Name:[/b] Charlotte LaChance [color=bc8dbf]"Twenty."[/color] [b]Age:[/b] 20 [b]Race:[/b] Human [b]Appearance:[/b] Charlotte stands around five foot six. A pale complexion with messy, somewhat unkempt dark brown hair and cold blue eyes adorn her face. She has a slender frame, with no obvious muscles as she's not entirely one for physical activity, often time spending her days reading or practicing her chosen craft. She wears comfortable clothes that look like one might expect of someone born from high-society. Short pants, held up by a belt with a golden buckle, adorned with various pouches to carry items. Comfortable shoes with long, knee-high socks. Over her upper body, she wears a thick cloak with a hood, designed mostly to protect the wearer from the cold. Rarely takes it off, even in the warmer lands she finds herself in. [b]Personality:[/b] Insatiable curiosity, confident, stubborn, a bit on the childish side, doesn't like not getting her way, and has a bit of a one-track mind. As such her alchemy can sometimes suffer a bit as a result. Though indeed, she is talented, and if she doesn't let her one-track mind focus on something else after she starts something, she'd be fairly successful. She prefers to spend time outdoors with her plants and other alchemy reagents than in the company of people. She tends to come off as rather serious and no-nonsense, and often time wears a serious expression when people first meet her, though its only because she tends to have a one-track mind about things, and [i]really[/i] doesn't like being interrupted. She's often thinking about various things and what properties plants might have. That said, she is fairly friendly to most, and isn't hostile by any means. Just don't interrupt her work unless you have a really good reason. Aside from this, she's fairly intelligent and knows about a great deal many scholarly subjects. Mostly dealing with Magic and Alchemical pursuits, but she's read a great many number of books so she might surprise someone with her knowledge every now and then about something. [color=bc8dbf]"DAMN YOUR EYES DON'T TOUCH THAT BEAKER-Argh, this is [i]sensitive[/i] equipment!"[/color] [b]Abilities:[/b] Aside from the obviously [i]impressive[/i] physical and mental abilities that humans possess, Charlotte is adept at potion brewing. Meaning, alchemy and making useful concoctions out of herbs, remedies, antidotes and other items found in the natural world. She's pretty much a savant when it comes to everything relating to it. Add that to some beginner interest in Botany, she could probably make quite the living selling and brewing potions. That said, she is still fairly young and has a [i]lot[/i] of room for improvement in the field. Plus, almost all the flora and fauna on this new continent has yet to be documented. Meaning, until she goes around documenting and doing some trial and error, she's gonna be somewhat useless. Not something a lot of sleepless nights watching beakers and flasks bubble can't fix, however. A neat little list: -Good at alchemy -Fairly intelligent -Beginner Botanist -Cold tends to not bother her so much, since her home country was notoriously cold. -Not so good with animals, unfortunately. They tend to like using her as a chewtoy. -Physically speaking, she's a wet noodle strength wise. Fairly average stamina due to her fairly active lifestyle. [b]Salvaged Item:[/b] A simple, somewhat small glass Retort, useful in many Alchemical practices. However, it alone isn't going to be very useful. She needs an Alembic, among other things if she wants to ever create anything useful...unless she makes them herself she's probably not going to be doing anything all that useful for everyone. [b]History:[/b] Born in Astril, Charlotte has been brought up around magic and magic related things most of her life. Aside from that, its not particularly interesting. While she herself wasn't born into the magic-using citadel of Astril, and was instead brought up in a small farming community near the border, she has always held an interest in magic, alchemy, and scholarly pursuits herself. So in between farming duties and helping her parents run the farm, she studied all sorts of books. Ones about history, magic, and otherwise. And when she was fourteen, she was accepted into Astril itself as a student. And as confident as she was, she was sorely outclassed by a lot of the students there who had been training formally since their birth. She spent quite a few years there struggling to keep up with the other students, and quickly found herself as a bit of a loner and outcast among her peers. Not that she particularly minded, she'd rather have her books and studies anyways. Eventually she was labeled a bit of an eccentric. six years later, now that she's twenty, she was chosen to explore this new continent. It came as a bit of a shock to most, but among her age group and the ones chosen, she was one of the best. [b]Nation of Origin:[/b] Astril. A small, somewhat isolationist country known for its heavy delving into things of the arcane nature. [hider=Astril] [b]Nation Lore:[/b] Astril is a small nation located far to northeast of Tawken. Most of the country is cold, mountainous, and cold tundra and thick pine forests make up most of the climate. Over time, they have tamed the lands somewhat and built a thriving city located high in the frigid mountains. A tower like citadel, simply named 'Astril' over their first leader, that later became the name of their small country. In the past, they were a small group of intellectuals, scholarly types, and Nobles that split from Tawken due to their dissatisfaction with the king and queen. They left amicably, but for the most part cut all ties they had with Tawken and whatever allies she may have had at the time. They traveled far to the north, seeking land unclaimed by others they could call home themselves. Eventually, they found their land in the cold north. Overtime, they built a thriving nation, founded upon not on diplomacy or military might, but on science, magic, and logic. When it was first founded, they welcomed all inquiries into the arcane and scientific nature, and shunned no question or line of research...no matter how 'unethical' it might have been perceived to be. Human, animal, and all sorts of experimentation was, and still is quite common. Of course, they don't exactly advertise this fact these days. If you're going to be doing something somewhat unethical, then you are expected to keep it under wraps and deal with any unintended consequences yourself... Eventually, the country began withdrawing from the outside world, and though they still welcome intellectuals and those who wished to pursue arts of science and magic, they had developed a bit of a mindset that those outside their walls were somewhat...barbaric and uncivilized. Typical mage superiority mindset, really. Mix that with a somewhat reactionary mindset with a healthy dose of Xenophobia, (anyone considered an outsider and not born there, not racism per se. There are a variety of races that live here) you get some pretty violent magic types. Of course, it wasn't all easy for them. During the years of war, they refused any allies and fended mostly for themselves. They had to devote more and more resources to defending their lands, meaning quite a few non-weaponized or defense magic and technology had to be put to a halt in order to maintain their Independence from those who wished to learn what sort of magic these guys have been up to in their spare time. Even then, with their small numbers and generally small sized nation, if it could be called that, was almost taken over quite a number of times, if it wasn't for the quick thinking of their leaders. When the wars stopped, most of the mages were thankful for it. They, by nature, weren't fighters, and most [i]really[/i] didn't enjoy fighting unless they had too. They could finally get back to research that didn't involve spontaneously combusting someone. When they heard of this proposition by the King of Tawken, many were eager to go. Their best, brightest, and youngest minds all competed to be sent on what was seen as a prestigious position to document anything this new continent held. The older couldn't go, after all. They were far too busy running things and they had important experiments to look after. The unlucky bastard to get sent on this mission? Charlotte LaChance. Misc: -Not everyone pursues magic or science here. Not everyone has the aptitude to perform equally well with magic, after all. As long as you make yourself useful, you'll probably fit in well. -A bit of a Meritocracy -Ruled by the 'Deacon of Astril' -Probably will make up more as I go. [/hider] [b]Other:[/b] -Can be somewhat socially awkward at times, and has trouble holding a decent conversation about anything other than alchemy. -Makes some questionable potions sometimes. You [i]really[/i] shouldn't get curious about some of the stuff she makes. -Don't bring up anything regarding an elixir of life or philosophers stone. You have been warned. If you do, bring ear plugs and make sure you don't have anything to do for the next hour. -[i]really[/i] doesn't want to be here on this continent. [/hider] [/center] [center] [hider=Sevita Lanka] [img]http://safebooru.org//images/293/4dd7edb5e3106e41a7186bdcdefdc20322ea22e9.jpg?292494[/img] [color=00aeef][h3]"I am Sevita Lanka. Proud Warrior of the Garuda."[/h3][/color] [b]Name:[/b] Sevita Lanka [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Race:[/b] Garuda [b]Appearance:[/b] Sevita stands around a solid five foot eleven, and with a somewhat large frame, she comes off as fairly intimidating. Most of her people would, compared to the smaller humans. And like most of her people, she has one very noticeable feature that makes them stand out quite a bit. A pair of wings, that are strong enough to allow for swift flight, feet ending in bird like talons, along with sharp claw-like fingernails. Physically speaking, she got quite lucky in the gene pool and would likely be considered to be fairly attractive. What with her ample...tracts of land and toned body with obvious muscle that she does little to hide. Her skin is bronze in color, with long black colored hair. Her wings are made of soft feathers and are a single rich, dark blue color throughout. As far as clothing goes, well, her dress is simple. She dislikes heavy or restrictive clothing simply because they would get in the way of movement, especially her wings, as do most of her people. She wears a simple open backed leather top that covers most of her front and waist. On her legs, are simple shinguards, since shoes are a bit...useless for her people. [b]Personality:[/b] Sevita has two personality she generally works with. When she's on duty or generally in the middle of work or something similar, she can come off as incredibly blunt, somewhat cold, a bit serious and somewhat of a stick in the mud. A stickler for the rules and making sure people behave themselves, and generally following the law and traditions set out before them. Honorable in combat, she prefers to face her problems and people head on instead of beating around the bush about things and subjects. Annoying her when she's busy with something, is just one way to get on her bad side. And while she tries to remain unbiased in all situations, if she dislikes you, you will know. She takes her job very seriously, and tends to follow orders to the letter, even if it isn't something all that honorable. After all, it would be dishonorable to go against the direct order of your Queen. When not on duty...she's much less serious. In fact, she's a bit of a tease at times. After all, there is a time and place for such leisurely actions, and she's not afraid to drink her weight in alcohol or spend time with someone to unwind. Those who work with her, and she gets to know, may end up seeing this side of her whilst on duty sometimes, if she thinks she can afford to relax a little. Of course, she doesn't have that many friends or people she relaxes with, but she's not going to turn down the company of someone else unless they're distracting her on the job. [b]Abilities:[/b] The Garuda themselves, aren't too different from humans in terms of physical capabilities, aside from the obvious being able to fly and being somewhat larger physically. She has a natural physicality superior to most humans, but that's simply from her daily training regiment and not something all of her race posses, though most tend to focus quite a bit on physical pursuits. Herself, she is skilled with a spear and using one to fight and with guard duties. As far as martial skill and flying abilities go, Garuda are extremely fast in the skies, and when diving can reach a average speed of 100Mph during a dive, and a horizontal speed of around thirty-forty miles an hour. She has incredibly good eyesight, agility, and reflexes, all of which are necessary for being able to fly safely at such speeds and to be able to react in time to avoid smashing face-first into an obstacle. Additionally, as most Garuda do at some point in their lives when growing, they learn to build and construct things. Their massive cities in the trees often need to be repaired, or otherwise expanded. Helping with this is a bit of a standard affair. While she's no master architect, she can probably build a decent shelter if she can get someone to get her the right materials. -Good Reflexes, Speed, Agility -Decent Strength -Good with pole-arm type weapons. -Decent at building things. [b]Salvaged Item:[/b] A simple, standard made spear from her people. [b]History:[/b] Her life has been fairly average for any of her kind. Raised in their capital inside of the Rain Forest. And like any other, she was taught the way of combat and strategy from an early age. And like most others, she entered the military. Agriculture didn't appeal to her, and being a construction worker wasn't something she was too keen on, either. So she went on the fairly normal and average path for one of her people. What wasn't normal though, was how quickly she rose through the ranks. This was mostly because of her loyalty to the crown. With Vinush being in the unrestful state it was in, it was no secret that quite a few number of guards and law enforcement officers weren't too keen on serving the Queen. Indeed, a civil war would have likely began much earlier had it not been for the Queen and her decision. Sevita had been approached by...an organization in an attempt to recruit her for their cause. They wanted to dethrone the queen, and take power for themselves. Something fairly reminiscent of their bloody history. Appalled that her colleagues would even suggest such a thing, Sevita refused and brought the information to the queen before they could get rid of her themselves. The Queen, already knowing of the plot, but not having any specific names was able to use this information to find the traitors and deal with them herself. Well, had Sevita deal with them. She executed the traitors one by one. Publicly. As an example. Not something one should take pride in, but loyalty to the crown is something she valued above all else. A trait her fellow kinsmen had seemed to forgotten. Sometime later, she was chosen as the only one the queen could trust to send on the Expedition. Sevita was hesitant to leave, but she couldn't refuse a direct order... [b]Nation of Origin:[/b] Vinush, Grand Rain Forest. [hider=Vinush] Nation Lore: Vinush, has, and for the foreseeable future will always be a large, tropical rain forest situated on the coast of the continent. The Garuda have lived there for most of their history, though it says the various tribes migrated from somewhere further south. Most if their history is fairly violent and has been painted in blood, consisting of the subjugation of one tribe or another of their own people, bringing them under control, only to have a tribe or group split off. For a long time of their own history, they were hardly ever united. And Slavery, or at least taking prisoners of war and turning them into 'servants' was quite common. A bit more recently, they eventually came under the flag of a single tribe, who set about unifying and making sure they were strong enough to resist outside influences and fight the humans and other 'invaders'. During the constant wars, they were one of the most instigating ones. They constantly sought to expand their own territory, and bring in manpower and labor in the way of slaves. It wasn't until recently, when a new Queen ascended the throne did she advocate for peace among her people, much to their dismay. Of course, such a thing was difficult to do in a timely manner. There was a lot of animosity between them and the other races and countries. When the human King advocated peace among them in favor of exploration, their Queen was among the firs to agree, despite the dissidents and those in her nation that would speak against her. Mostly, because she had them swiftly dealt with, and any who disagreed was harshly punished. Today, there is still unrest among the Garuda, but they maintain a somewhat uneasy internal peace. Some fear that they may have a civil war on their hands, soon. Most hope with the discovery of this continent, they can deter that with good news with colonies of their own. -Fairly militaristic nation -Somewhat tribal -Hard to beat a squadron of flying, spear-wielding Garuda flying at you at forty miles an hour in combat unless you can fly as well. Grown men have soiled their pants. -Not really known for anything spectacular, and their society is seen as somewhat backwards by most others. -Slavery is a thing, here still. -Criminals are dealt with harshly and swiftly, usually a death penalty [/hider] Other: N/A [/hider] [/center]