[CHAR] The Aesteria Chronicles

[Fallenreaper]

Appearance: (I take no claim over the picture, just borrowing for reference for Helen...) Helen’s built is rounded and short, her height reached up to five foot four and just an inch more with her boots usually adding the extra inch. When her hair is left off its normal bun, it settles a few inches below her shoulder and tends to grow wild around her dark green eyes. Helen tends to wear to types of fashion, formal and work related, the later also used for casual days as well. The one above is an example of the more formal wear. However, her work outfit is much different and is her usual getup worn around the guild since its made of stronger materials and far more mobile when it comes to machinist or doctor work. Her lower half is dressed in a what seems to be a plain, leather skirt but when it is hitch up and hook, it allows better mobility while keeping her modesty. After all, she’s not an evening woman (hooker) for any man to look up her dress and get his day made! For the top, Helen tends to borrow one of her husband’s shirts which she rolls up and ties around her elbows. When she’s in surgery, she tends to cover it over with a leather butcher’s apron so keep it from becoming too bloodied. Name: Helen Govannon (maiden name: Rondell) Age: 29 Guild Band: Neutral as she values the individual rather any single band, there’s not one guild member who hasn’t been treated or doesn’t know her. Archetype: A fixer of man and machine (Aka, the doctor and machinist) Backstory: Helen’s life in her childhood was normal like any Varisie child as she grew up within the Rondell household, alongside her brother Eli. Her parents, Anthony and Catharine Rondell, were loyal soldiers to the military so spirits were a common thing to the pair which often led to misadventures into mischief. Naturally due to Eli being four years her senior, neither of their parents had noticed their young daughter’s natural knack for machines until Eli allowed it to slip one day during sword practice. That forever changed her fate. A few weeks after her ninth birthday, Helen was introduced to an obscured but well respected relative, an Uncle Howard. The years that followed, she was practically raised by the renaissance type man as he shared his knowledge about machines, art, magic and later on, medicine. Eventually she rarely recalled his eccentric nature, no longer noticed by her continual contact, while began to hone her natural gifts into something that her homeland could benefit from. When she became older, Helen later became a part time worker at her uncle’s clinic while Eli trained with her parents, their bond still strong despite the lessening time they spent together. It was more obvious when Eli was recruited and left home. Still, Helen was stubborn when it came to keeping contact by sending constant letters, trinkets, and other package exchange during his absence. Her focus was spent so much on keeping a bond between her brother and herself alive; Helen didn’t notice the danger so close to home. In the shadows and outside her knowledge, her uncle had slowly been driven insane by one of his older spirits. By the time she had discovered the behavior, it was too late and he attempted to kill her. The fight spread to the street and nearly ended Helen’s life until one of her Uncle's spirits, Ignis, stepped in. Knowing it was life or death, she naturally agreed to Ignis's pact conditions even while they were locked in combat. If not for his aid, she would've died a gruesome death. Shortly the Inquistors arrived and placed on trial. Barely found innocent, she was register following the incident and trained to become a summoner. During those three years she gained three more spirits in addition to Ignis and due to her gender, she was decided a field medic was more fitting to her role within the field rather than her skills with machinery. Afterward she was placed within a unit and served the rest of her conscription requirement. It gave her a taste of combat and blood, though it came to an end when she got news of Eli’s death. Helen’s world shattered as she left her military career behind to start fresh within the Western-Cities.She registered within Meduzart and tried to hash out a living for the rest of her life. Not easy until she stumbled onto a small group of men, hoisting a wounded courier, into the Adventure Guild one night. The victim was a young boy, fifteen, and in terrible shape. Going against her better judgment to mind her own business, Helen stabilized the boy while a doctor was sent for. This earned the attention of one of the overseers and eventually a job as the Guild doctor. A few years later, she met Adonair, her future husband, who she patched up after a brawl at a local bar. After getting a peek at his airship design, the spec ridiculous complex yet interesting enough to spark her old desires. As time went by during the construction, the two fell in love and a year ago married. The rest is history. Skills and Abilities:

• Moderate Shooter: Basic firing skills, though her skill and aim is moderate enough she can at least hit her target within a fair range with a simple, revolver. However long range, you better get someone else.
• Machinist Knowledge: Helen’s is a talented machinist as she’s proven by building Adonai’s Zephyr’s Machine right down to his bizarre specs.Skills among but limited in this area are welding expertise, assembling and manufacture as well as extensive knowledge of most metals and their properties, including best usage within machines.
• Medical Doctor: Having developed a strong curiosity of how the inner body works when she lived with her uncle, Helen has a strong and in depth knowledge of the human body and its inner health. She is very adapted to patching up various wounds, from broken bones to torn muscles, and even damaged organs or limbs.

Equipment:

- A basic and standardized Revolver which can hold up to six bullets at one time. A Varisie manufactured piece from her days within the military, she keeps it well maintained with routine cleaning, practice shots, and much more to ensure it’s in the peak of condition. Though it is only an emergency alternative compared to her magic or should trouble get too close. Travel size medical kit filled with the basic necessities for patching anyone up while in the field or not. Less the portable Tool case() which is usually kept on board of the airship and a much smaller pack is used in the need of travel, depending on the job most the equipment is taken from here. Within are several key items from wrenches to torches, and even a crowbar or two to fix almost any kind of machine.

Spirits:

~Simple~

Sira

Sira Sira, a male tomcat, seems to be completely made from light as his whole form seems to shimmer and waver with each movement. Height-10 inches and 57 inches in length Pact details:

• Sharing a memory filled with warmth and light after both summoning and the danger have past is a requirement.
• Unless her person is in harm’s way, Sira’s magic doesn’t affect Helen’s established allies or any innocent creature within range.
• Helen’s survival is key because Sira can’t get his memory if any drastic happens to her, so he will do everything within his power to ensure she survive mind, body and emotion. To some extend this area of the pact had now included Adonai.

Skills and abilities: Both Helen and Sira can gather any surrounding light within a mile range then condense it all into a center point for several second, but only Sira can cast the following spells.

• Flare: Sira can condense whatever light Helen and/or he had gathered into his own body, making it brighter than usual. Soon, a blinding light is sent to flood the area within nine-foot radius creating a distraction or blindness only.
• Focused Beam: Sira can open his mouth and send a focused beam of light straight at a target. When the light sets on the surface, then the hotter the affected area becomes until it either burns into flames (like fire sparked by a magnifying glass) or is very hot to the touch.
• Light: When he doesn’t rid himself of the light, the glow casted by his body increased causing him to become similar to a lantern casting a warm, pleasant light wherever he treads. This light can chase away normal darkness up to five or six feet in front of him enabling things once hidden by darkness to be revealed.

*Note, Sira has the ability to become solid at will.

Nahor

Nahor height- 14.5 hh Pact details:

• A simple twirling horse on a jewelry box, powered by steam.
• Unless she is in danger from someone she once trusted, Nahor magic doesn’t affect Helen’s established allies or any innocent creature within range.

Skills and abilities: Nahor can create his element, steam, for either him or Helen to use at will which is a source free of outside influence. Like with Sira, Helen has only key spells she can use and that one, with Nahor, is Hot Touch.

• Hot Touch: Depending on which one evokes this magic, the area focused on changes. For Helen it is within her hands while in Nahor, it's in his hooves. When activated, superheated stream emits from the focus and when contact is made it can sear flesh, burn clothes, and heat up weaker metals like copper and iron.
• Vapor Geyser: When Nahor focuses his steam into his mouth, he can direct a rapid burst of heated vapor right at a target. Having similar effects to hot touch but with greater distance and lasting much less, it can cover a greater range within a 7 foot area from the horse’s location.

Heimda

Heimda Height-4’3” Pact details:

• She couldn’t get him to agree outright to never harming her allies or allowing his wind magic to be negated if they happened to be within its path. However, he did agree never to use his magic to kill a living creature, man or beast...on purpose that is.
• The pact price was a small, ivory dagger made from what seemed to be made from wolf bone. Heimda requested before Helen died of natural age that she would bury it at the coldest peaks within Aesteria. Because of the seeming urgency that this happens, Heimda will do all he can to ensure Helen will reach an old age or at least bury the relic before her time is up. The others however, are not his concern.

Skills and abilities:

• Wind Gust: Able to conjure up a wind, usually bitter and frigid, wherever and whenever he is summoned. Heimda can then manipulate its direction and strength, from create a gentle gust of wind that can scatter dust to a strong, stormy like breeze able to move an entire airship.

~Humanoid~

Ignis

[Lucius Cypher]

Appearance: Name: The Harvester (Harvey to his friends). Age: 500 years, give or take. He doesn't keep track. Backstory: The spirit known as The Harvester did not truly get his name until much later into his life, by his first master. His existence began in a cold and desolate place in the Varisie Empire. Specifically, in one of their graveyards. He simply found himself, a mostly fleshless entity, amongst the respected dead of the north. The Spirit was not sure what he was doing there, only that it felt drawn to the dead. Their emptiness made him want to fill the void with his essence, his very being. But he was not a spirit of death, but a spirit of life. He wanted to bring life to these corpses, but fought the urge. He did not know what he was doing here, so he set out to discover what he was. Initially, the spirit was nothing more than a vaguely humanoid black wisp. He lacked the flesh and blood most humans have, and indeed, what most spirits had. He had the essence of life but not the body. He would not disturb the dead however. He didn't know why, but he simply felt that he should not. He rationed that it would be too difficult, but he also thought it wouldn't be right to defile their graves. Of course, that sense of honor didn't stop him from killing the first person he saw and possessing his corpse. At the time he thought nothing of it; that person had a life, so he would simply take his body. He was unaware of how humans lived and died, and he wouldn't learn until much later after much catastrophe. In the mean time, the spirit took possession of the new body and borrowed it's identity. The first order of business: Figuring out what it was. So the spirit took it's body into the human lands. The spirit went into the human lands and began to ask questions; to know what spirits are, and where he was, and who he is. For the longest time many humans would ignore him. "Strange" they would call him. "Insane" even. He knew these words but didn't think they applied to him. He was wanted to learn, is all. It wasn't until the spirit was confronted by this strange man who the spirit recognized as a religious leader of some sort. Priests, they call them. He offered to take the spirit in and give him shelter. The spirit also asked for knowledge, which the priest was kind enough to oblige. The priest taught the spirit of what spirits were; how they embodied natural elements and grant powers to humans. But he also preached the dangers of spirits and how they must be controlled, and generally made things very unpleasant for the spirit listening. He made his excuses and left the chapel as soon as he could. Once he was gone, the spirit started to wonder what it would do with itself now. It was a spirit with some sort of magical power. He knew he could control life, but what did that mean? How does one go about doing that? He had no teachers, and instincts failed to teach him. So he would go and learn. The spirit began to practice, honing his powers and trying to understand it... For a couple of days. Than he got bored. What followed would be the relatively mundane life of the spirit. As a spirit he had no need to eat, but his body did. So he had to get food. But to get food, he had to give things to people. Money, they call it. And to get money he would need to work. So the spirit went to look for work. He had many jobs; sometimes he cooked food, other times he made shirts. Once he was told to kill people and given money for that. When he was told to do these things, he did them fairly well, after a couple years of practice. He learned how to make delicious food, or how to weaver pretty embroidery, or kill a man with whatever was on hand, and even began to fight against other spirits. That was when he first got his name. He wasn't sure how they figured out he was a spirit. Maybe they just thought he was too strange. Either way, some people from a holy place killed his body, but sealed his essence. They told him that he had to work for them, or they would kill him. He didn't know if they could, but he didn't know a lot about himself. He did as he was told and worked for an "Inquisitor" by the name of Cypress. Cypress was a stern, but secretly kind man. He would always yell and punish the spirit when he didn't do something, but he also gave the spirit a name and purpose. He became The Harvester, he who reaps the bounty of life. He was the one who taught the spirit, not The Harvester, who he was and what he could do. Cypress did not just summon The Harvester when it was time to fight. Cypress, being a kind man, wanted to know more about The Harvester. What he knew, what he could do, what he could learn. He helped The Harvester control his power of "life". At first it was just possessing things; boxes, jars, the occasional door. But than began to discover more applications. The Harvester could make things move even when they are normally motionless; he could life things without touching them. Again, it started with just boxes, jars, and doors, move them around, throwing them, opening them. But than they started to try more complicated things. Machines. Bodies. And small things, like people's shoes. Or bullets. While they're flying through the air. Cypress made The Harvester learn how to use his powers, discovering more of what he could do ever year. The Harvester learned how to see the life in everything, so he could tell when someone or something was dead so he could possess it, or simply just finding people in general. He could tell the difference between spirits and people as well, and at some point was able to tell even individual people and spirits apart. The ability Cypress liked the most however was how The Harvester could share his life with Cypress. Cypress spent forty years training The Harvester when they weren't out on missions. Cypress was considered one of the best Inquisitors, but he was also human. He grew old, weak, and he would start dying. The Harvester didn't like that. He was a Spirit of Life; he wanted to make sure that his friend would live. So that's what the Harvester did. For befriending him, The Harvester used his power to link his life with Cypress. So long as The Harvester lived, so would Cypress. But it was too late for him; Cypress was an old man. Though he was thankful for The Harvester's attempt to extend his life, Cypress wanted to pass on. He had lived and fought well for his homeland, and wished to die for it as well. So even after The Harvester tried to extend his life, Cypress chose death. This confused The Harvester, but he allowed it. It was the least he could do. After Cypress's death The Harvester did not stay in the Varisie Empire forever. He left when Cypress died. The Harvester, who started calling himself Harvey, traveled around Lucenrai. For some parts of his life he'd get a new master, but they were never as nice as Cypress. Many of them were quite mean, making Harvey do things he didn't want to do or generally treated him badly. So most of the time Harvey just did what he wanted to do, which was just about anything really. Sometimes he liked fighting, so he would possess a body of a strong person and learn how to fight. Sometimes he wanted to fly airships, so he possess a body and learns how to operate aircraft. Other times he would want to build something, so he possess a body and builds things. Cypress doesn't really work with summoners anymore, and even if he did, he'll only do so if they could help him discover a new way to use his power. Most people don't know how to do that, so he doesn't really work with them. In his most recent five years of his life, Harvey has taken up cooking again. He likes how food taste even though he now has a body that doesn't require food (It's a huge robot) and he seeks to master the art of cooking, as well as pick up any other adventures along the way. Skills: Lots of jobs - Harvey is not an idle spirit. He has learned and is well practiced in many occupations, from tax accounting to heart surgery. Of course most of these jobs he hasn't done in a while, so he's rather rusty. Still, there's little to nothing that he hasn't done before in his vast amount of time alive. Even if it's not specifically stated, there's a good chance that Harvey has had worked in any specific field, or at least has done work in something similar long enough that he can allow muscle memory (Or what would amount to muscle memory for him) to take over. Jobs that he's especially skilled at: Cooking, Textiles, Physician, Operating Machines, and Construction.. Sharp Senses with Equal Reflex - Harvey has trained to hone his senses to a fine point, and has the required secondary training to utilize his increased senses to a reactionary level. Even though he sometimes lacks the organs for it, he has keen eyes and could hear the farts of a fly a mile away an hour before it happens (figuratively speaking), but he also has trained his senses to be able to tone that back if it proves to be more of a hassle, such as blinding himself so he won't be effected by blinding light or numbing his body's reaction to pain. Called Shots - Harvey has a good eye for picking out weakness in a person or structure. Even if he's using a weapon like a knife or a steam rifle, Harvey can often hit where it matter's most. He has too, since he isn't really good at any weapon in particular to afford to waste time trying to poke holes into a persons' defense. Adapted Traits - A skill more reliant on the body he inhabits; on his own this skill doesn't really matter, but when Harvey possess an object or body, he can quickly get a feel of how they would move and act at a subconscious level. This mainly helps him figure out how to best utilize the body's strengths and what it's particular weaknesses are so he doesn't struggle too long when he has to go from possessing a humanoid body to that of a cat or a bird.. Abilities: Incorporeal - Though he is a Spirit of Life, Harvey does not possess his own Physical body. Instead he appears to be a black wisp in the vague shape of a human. While this makes him immune to any physical harm, unless he posses an object he cannot affect the physical world in any meaningful way aside from his voice and what he could see. Magic can still affect him however, possibly even kill him. He wouldn't know, he doesn't try to get himself killed often enough to know what would do the job. The Power of Life - The Harvester is a Spirit of Life, though a fairly young one who still doesn't know his full capability. His magic powers mostly revolve around "life" in it's various shapes and form, and one of the main ways to gain a pact with him is helping him discover a new way to use his magic in a way he couldn't before. Those who enter a pact with him gains the service of his power as well as his "Life Link" ability, which means that he shares his life with his Summoner. Other abilities that Harvey knows now includes: Possession: The first and most basic of Harvey's ability, which he essentially puts his own life into an object that does not have life in it. This allows him to take on a physical form which he can manipulate by making it float and move on it's own, such as making it spin. He cannot possess "Living" objects like people, at least not until he kills them. When he possess a corpse he puts his "Life" into it, essentially turn the corpse living again using his own life energy. He can even possess and bring life to rotting corpses, in which they will slowly begin to mend what remains of their body together so long as Harvey stays in their body. If they take enough damage however (Like a normally lethal amount such as decapitation), it would force Harvey to leave the body. A similar concept applies to other objects as well, though some are much more durable than others. Telekinesis: The second power that Harvey discovered how to use. It's something akin to a remote possession, except that he can use it on other living creatures, though they could fight off the power if they are strong enough. Those who have have sufficient willpower could deny Harvey from being able to affect them. People or objects exerting more force than his telekinesis can create could also resist his manipulation. So while he could catch a ball being pitched at him with telekinesis, it'll be much harder to stop bullets or large debris spontaneously. Basically he puts his life energy into an object even if he's not making contact with it and moves it much the same why he would if he was possessing it. He has to keep track of what he's possessing and what they're doing, though he usually has a focus enough mind to telekinetically control multiple objects at once. Small objects are much easier for him to control than larger ones as they require less of his life energy to move around, though he can move bigger things if he can spare the energy to put more force into his telekinesis. That being said he can erect a sort of "barrier" where he focuses on an area where he expects something to come through. Any if anything does he can try to control it using his Telekinesis. He can make anything that is successfully control by his telekinesis go as fast as he wants it to go wherever he can see it go. Detect Life: The third ability that Harvey learned from his first master Cypress. It allows him to see the life in others, so he can figure out where they are and what he can possess and control telekinetically. Humans and Spirits are identified differently. Only effective within the first 100 yards of visual range, however he can detect life through obstacles like walls and such. He can also "Mark" things he see's with Detect Life active, even things without life, which allows him to unique identify people or objects to separate them from other things he would see. He can put on and remove as many Marks as he feels like keeping up with. The Marks remain even after he deactivates his Detect Life, however he won't see them if they aren't in range. Life Link: The most important ability that Harvey offers with a pact. His forth ability allows Harvey to link his life to whomever he is in a pact with, healing them at the cost of his own health. Conversely, he can also take away life to restore his own, though he doesn't need to do this on his summoner, just anyone he could control telekinetically with the same limitations. While he can drain the life out of someone and kill them, if he gives up too much of his own, he would need to recover back into his Summoner's soul. If he pushes it even further, he's liable to kill himself. Summoner Powers: Those with the fortune to create a pact with Harvey gains his Life Link, itself a rather powerful ability on it's own. Additionally they can use his Telekinesis, which he can help strengthen or manage at his summoner's digression. He can also possess his summoner's body without having to kill them, in order to move them if for some reason they can't, like if they're asleep, paralyzed, or being moved by an outside force.. It should be warned (Not that Harvey always remembers to do it) that he can instantly possess his own summoner if they don't have specific ways to counteract him. His Summoner also can see any of his Marks, but only if Harvey points the Marks out to his Summoner. Additional abilities he learns from his Summoner he'll adapt for them to use later. Equipment: For the given amount of "Equipment", Harvey's current body is a large robotic body from the Varisie Empire. Though large and bulky, this robot is actually a waste-disposal machine, and lacks any specialized weaponry aside from it's hydraulic fists. But given that it's a eight feet tall steel golem, it's only weapons are rather effective weapons. It can shoot out it's hands a fair distance and retract them back due to a steel wire. Harvey calls it the "Rocket Punch", despite the fact that it is not rocket powered. He also carries around a Scythe, partly to play up his motif as "The Harvester" but mostly because it was a gift from Cypress. It was his main weapon when he worked with him, and Harvey would use the scythe for combat if he isn't possessing anyone. The Scythe itself is ornate but non-magical. He keeps the scythe as well as his clothing (what you see in the image above) within the body of the robot.

[Whoami]

"Appearance" [+]

Name: Ryza Shiro Age: 22 Guild Band: Red Hawks Archtype: Theoretically skilled, completely unproven. Backstory: Ryza was born into the Shiro family, one known for its keen swordsmen and long history of serving the empire in some way. When Ryza was young, she chose acrobatics as her hobby, finding herself among a small group of other young girls, practicing for shows. When she came came of age at eighteen, her family made her choose a martial dedication, as was their way. Knowing her family's history, she didn't complain and quickly chose the Kusagi Empire's traditional way of the sword, Seishin. Ryza was enlisted into the capital city's best Seishin school. The school demanded her complete dedication, and so she had to move out of the Shiro estate and live in the school. One month into her lessons, Ryza and the rest of her classmates had to make a pact to one of the many Oni spirits residing in the school. It was the way of Seishin, any dedicated swordsman had a guardian spirit, one that acted as an extension to themselves. When she was brought into the school's Oni chamber, she saw a vast collection of masks, each of them a spirit, each of them studying the new faces in silence. Oni were nothing new to Ryza, her family had a number of Seishin Swordsmen, so she wasn't intimidated by the demonic visages the Oni appeared to be. She met an Oni that she eventually made the pact with. The Oni's face was reminiscent of a Kusagi tiger, a prized beast in her homeland. The pact, was in exchange for the spirit's servitude, Ryza needed to practice the way of Seishin swordsmanship daily for two hours. It was the same pact every Seishin swordsman made to their spirit. For three years, Ryza practiced as a student in the school, rarely stepping foot outside of the complex. When the time came to take her apprenticeship exam, she did well. Oni and Ryza worked together in the harmony that any Seishin swordsman was expected of, two hours of practice every day made sure of it. Ryza had become an apprentice Seishin swordsman, and was no longer bound to live in the school. She could take a master and learn from him elsewhere in the world. Ryza returned home and quickly found her uncle to be her master. Shinto, an old man in his sixties, was a master Seishin swordsman. He didn't hesitate to accept Ryza as his apprentice and quickly took her around the Kusagi empire, wherever his services were needed. One day, a courier came Shinto, he was given a letter with the Imperial seal. It explained that the Shiro family was always held in high regard by the royal family, and requested that Shinto travel to the city-state Meduzart to act as a bodyguard and adviser to a Kusagi diplomat. He answered immediately and took Ryza with him. The two traveled by airship. When Ryza and Shinto arrived, they were greeted by the diplomat. Ryza wasn't so focused on the Kusagi man, she had never seen a western city before. She was in awe of the entirely different architecture and societal customs. It was all so fascinating for Ryza. For a year, Shinto served under the diplomat. Ryza, under no such assignment, was left in their home while Shinto did his job. She had gotten bored remaining home, honing her art, and decided to walk the streets a bit. She eventually came across the Adventurers Guild. She took a peak inside and and was captivated by the variety of different people there. But a peak was just that, and she left moments later. Upon coming home, she saw two officers of Meduzart standing outside. They were there to inform Ryza that her Uncle Shinto and the diplomat he was sworn to protect, were both killed in an airship crash. Ryza was left in Meduzart without a master and away from her family. She didn't have the money to return back to Kusagi, or the letter of Imperial Summons that Shinto had gotten to order them to Meduzart. She was stuck, and needed to find a way. Remembering the Adventurers Guild, Ryza sprung to action and joined up immediately. The Red Hawks had caught her attention the most. She was completely unproven, having never had a taste of real combat in her life. But the recruiter had heard of the prowess of Seishin swordsmen, and recruited her in good faith and high hopes. Now Ryza serves the Red Hawks band, intent on earning the money to return to Kusagi and finish her training. As she can not elevate to a full fledged Seishin swordsman without the approval of a master. Skills and Abilities Seishin - Ryza is an apprentice in traditional Kusagi swordsmanship. Seishin is composed of a variety of stances. Graceful - Seishin requires light steps and precise movements. Ryza has a natural grace about her, both in sword fighting and just about every other moment. Flexible - Acrobatics and conditioning have made Ryza quite flexible. While not something developed from her apprenticeship in Seishin, it works hand in hand with it. Equipment Katana - The traditional weapon of the Kusagi Empire. While technology has progressed and soldiers of the empire now use firearms, the katana is still issued to each and every one of them. It is the heart and soul of Kusagi society. The art devoted to the Kusagi katana, Seishin, is open to all citizens of Kusagi blood, military or not. Ryza's katana has no striking features, it is an apprentice's katana that was forged by her school's master like every other one. It is still just as sharp as any legendary blade however. Family Insignia - Ryza wears a necklace with her family insignia. The insignia shows a faceless human in an elegant dance with a long, serpentine spirit. Apprentice's Robes - Ryza wears white robes with scarlet trimming. The school emblem is embroidered on the back and right breast of the robes. The robes are light and loose fitting, allowing for comfortable motion while practicing Seishin. Spirits Name: Oni Age: 450 About: Oni is a spirit that appears as a Kusagi Demon mask. It isn't known if the mask is the entirety of its body. The appearance would define Oni as a simple spirit, but the intelligence and pact required to bind Oni suggests that it might be a humanoid. Oni is known to the Kusagi as a Guardian Seishin, as Seishin directly translates to Spirit. Despite the Kusagi military having been trained in Seishin, only true Seishin practitioners are bound to spirits such as Oni, that are all strangely named Oni as well. Oni is just like every other Guardian Seishin, appearing as a mask, though the features of the mask vary from Oni to Oni. When summoned, the Seishin swordsman wears the spirit like their own mask. Oni doesn't talk, it just seems to follow Ryza's will and when it expresses itself, Ryza somehow knows. Skills and Abilities: While they're all named Oni and they all seem to be masks, they all vary in their abilities. Ryza's particular Oni, when summoned, forms a protective bubble around her. This allows for Ryza to charge through most gunfire so that she can get into range with her katana. This isn't Oni's only use, but it is definitely its favorite. On some occasions, Oni will form a sort of field around the edge of Ryza's katana to make it supernaturally sharp, or it will combine its strength with Ryza's for fierce blows. These are at the demands of Ryza, but out of preference, she enjoys being safe from gunfire. Pact: Despite its simple appearance, Oni demands a more complex pact. The Oni seem to all enjoy helping Seishin practitioners finesse their art. As such, the usual pact with Oni is for it to serve as the Seishin swordsman's guardian, in exchange for two hours of practice per day. This practice might be in attained through meditation, sword practice, or even through true combat. As long as the art of Seishin is somehow applied daily.

[Sundered Echo]

Appearance: Name: Adonai Govannon Age: 31 Guild Band: Adonai follows his wifes Guild associations for the most part, as she is the reason he is associated with them at all. Archetype: Aeronaut, Inventor Backstory: Adonai was the first son of the Govannon family, a wealthy trading family with a long history in the free cities. Though he had an older sister, it had for a long time been traditional for the business to be passed down the male line of the family. Thus, though his earliest years were much the same as any other infant in the free cities, as soon as he reached his sixth year his father had his education begin. His father was determined that his son would not only take over the business, but should be capable of growing it such that the Govannon family could join the ranks of the dynastic merchant princes of the Free Cities. He would often take his son (as well as Adonai’s tutor) voyaging on one of the trade airships that provided the majority of the family profit, believing that a good businessman should still know what kind of trouble his ships could run into first hand. Though meant for education, the trips had a slightly different effect on young Adonai, who largely went through the motions and nothing more with his education. He rapidly grew to love flying, looking forward to every occasion he could get his feet off the ground. These regular airborne excursions revealed another of Adonai’s interests as well. When he was not on the deck with the wind in his hair, he was in the engine room or admiring some of the other steam driven technology, despite his father's attempts to discourage such dangerous behaviour. His adolescence only saw him gain more means to indulge his interests - the money he was given for personal use was used to buy tutorship from machinists and steam engineers, as well as various parts with which to experiment. He became something of a recluse even then, spending all his spare time in a workshop or on an airship, causing somewhat divided opinions among his family. He made his first working steam engine design in his fifteenth year, though it was quite inefficient and not worth any attempt to sell, it was still a significant milestone. He was nineteen when his father died - murdered in the street for his finery by common thugs, mere hours after canceling a trip on an airship due to the risk of piracy. The death hit the family hard. Adonai’s mother went into grieving and would hardly speak to anyone for months. His sister threw herself into study and work, doing her utmost to maintain the trade network in her father's sudden absence. Adonai himself took the first airship out of the city, embarking on a months long journey in which he did nothing but fly for the sake of flying. Upon his return, he found himself officially the head of the trading company, the family having followed tradition despite Adonai’s well known lack of interest in being a merchant. Adonai did his best to manage it on his own for six months, but the numbers were quite telling as to his capability in that area, profits reaching an all time low after a string of poor decisions. At his sister's insistence, he handed the majority of the administration of the company to her, preferring to honor his father's memory by keeping the company strong rather than doggedly following tradition. With the responsibility of the company finally gone from his future and present, Adonai was finally able to turn his attention fully to his invention. Having come a long way since his first barely functional steam engine, it took him only a year to perfect several easily made modifications to airship steam engines commonly found on the family airships that would make them far more fuel efficient. This contribution, as well as others he made later, secured him favor with his sister, and with the favor came money, enough to continue funding even his more extreme experiments. His experiments over the next several years became more and more extreme, sometimes succeeding spectacularly, other times leveling the building they were in, though he had an uncanny ability to avoid serious injury throughout this time. His mother died when he was twenty-five, and with that his sister became very distant from him, though they maintained the arrangement that saw his experimenting funded. Shortly after this, Adonai began creating the plans for the airship that would eventually be called Zephyr’s Machine. The design, containing experimental engines that would would prove volatile while under construction, was rejected by every shipyard capable of building it that he could find, their engineers not willing to take risks with an untested design. Adonai was quite distraught with the repeated refusals of his design, and one night after heavy drinking, picked a fight with half the bar. A short and furious brawl that spread into the street ensued, and an hour later Adonai was dragged into the clinic of Helen Rondell. She patched him up, and found the plans of the airship amongst his things. After some discussion, Adonai persuaded her to build the airship, with some slight modifications, making use of Adonai’s family resources to do acquire the materials and labor. As the project progressed, Adonai became increasingly attracted to the beautiful and intelligent lead engineer, a feeling which was quickly found to be reciprocated. He proposed to her after knowing her for only a year and a half, though she did not accept until much later, after the airship was finished and she had secured a position on the crew. They were married one year prior to the present day, and it is through Helen’s connections to the Guild of Adventurers that Adonai became involved. Prior to the completion of the Zephyr’s Machine, he provided the occasional experimental weapon or modification of a device to the Guild members, for a fee. Once the ship was complete, he moved more to take high paying courier jobs for them, whether moving people or objects. Skills and Abilities: Adonai is a creative and talented inventor, with a mind that thinks very much outside the box. His skillset is quite diverse. Aboard an airship he can fulfill any needed crew role with competency, though not always excellence. He is adept in the kind of combat that occurs between airships, both with the ships guns and the brutal close quarters fighting of a boarding action. Though not remotely as his wife when it comes to mechanical aspects, he is nonetheless competent enough to tinker with most designs on his own, and his theoretical understanding is excellent. Among his mechanical misadventures, he has also picked up the skills required to pick locks, though he could not be considered a master in this field. Equipment: Adonai maintains a large collection of equipment on his airship, but there are a few items he prefers to carry while off the ship: His Eyeglasses - not required for his sight, rather with various magnification lenses that can be easily pushed into place over his left eye. A six shot steam revolver and a single shot steam pistol-blade, both of his own making, rarely leave his belt whether on or off the ship. A versatile collection of tools is also often at his side, ranging from large multi use items to very small fine tools for the slightest of tweaks to equipment. Among the small tools is a modest set of lockpicks. Spirits: Adonai’s early attempts with spirits ended poorly, and he has avoided personally treating with them ever since. He leaves all things mystical to his wife.

[vietmyke]

Just going to slide this in real sneaky like....

Alan

Name: Alan "Kite" Ryner Age: 24 Guild Band: Red Hawks Archetype: Aloof Adventurer

Background/Bio:

Growing up in the multi-religious city of New Eden, Alan was exposed to a multitude of religions as a child, from the widespread Aerism (Pseudo Catholicism), to less common religions such as Chrastolism (Pseudo Protestantist Christianity) and Zehism (Pseudo Buddhism/Shinto/Zen-ism). His father was a Zehist Minister, and his mother's family were an affluent merchant company. As a result, Alan grew up in relative prosperity, with a good education and no lack of funding. During this time however, New Eden was experiencing large amounts of turmoil. Aerism was on the rise, and its followers in New Eden were getting increasingly miilitant towards the smaller religions. The New Eden Riots, declared bogus by the Church of Aer, and downplayed as a massive uncontrolled city fire, resulted in the destruction of most of the minor religions housed in the city. A combination of Aer fanatical 'crusaders' and Inquisitors stormed and sacked countless places of worship, including the Zehist house in which Alan's father worked at. Admist the chaos, the young Alan was separated from his parents while attempting to flee from the city. He was found himself cornered in an alleyway by a group of fanatics who had recognized him as a minster's son, and therefore a pagan. As he was attacked, his father intervened and stopped the fanatics with the help of a summoned spirit. In the ensuing fight, Alan's father suffered a grievous wound. With his life force fading fast, Alan's father quickly made a pact with his spirit, bargaining with his remaining life force, that the spirit would protect and guard Alan until he came of age (15). Fleeing from New Eden under the protection of his late father's summoned spirit, Alan escaped to the nearby city of Melanhart. Through some sort of miracle, Alan was reunited with his mother and the remains of his extended family in Melanhart. The Ryner family made themselves a new life in the city of Melanhart, starting with nothing and building up slowly. At the age of 15, his father's summoned spirit was freed from its service and renewed its service with him through a formal pact. By age 18, after many years with his summoned spirit, Alan Ryner had developed into a summoner of some note. Bolstered with his educated background and hardy physique, Alan proved to be a capable adventurer, with the ability to handle physical labor as well as provide mental tact. He joined a courier service, traveling all over the Western City States delivering messages and important/time sensitive, delicate materials. It made good money and it allowed him to explore the worlds, as well as introduce him to a multitude of people. Of course, the life of a courier was quite solitary, and he found himself with few close friends outside his own summoned spirits and fellow couriers. After a few years in the courier service, Alan found himself in Meduzart, where he came across the founding branch of the Adventurer's Guild. Hiring a few guildsmen to aid him on a rather risky delivery, Alan found himself enjoying the company and reliability of the guildsmen he had hired. Eventually his run with the courier service ground to a halt as the head of the courier service was caught stealing funds and selling secret information and was thus disbanded. Without a job, Alan eventually found himself back in Meduzart, where the same guildsmen he hired eventually helped him find his way into the guild. Joining up with one of Meduzart's premier bands, The Red Hawks, Alan was given the nickname "Kite", based on one of the many Birds of Prey. (The Serpentines are based in the city of Melanhart, and are considered the Red Hawks' rivals, and the Drunken Bards are a really well known band within Meduzart, as are the Errant Knights)

Skills and Abilities:

Well rounded - While not particularly amazing at any unique skill, Alan is fairly average in most aspects. He is well rounded and picks up on skills with moderate ease. Twin Firearm Fighting - Alan's combat style mainly revolves around the use of his pistols in combat. While able to wield both at once, he usually only uses one at a time. Dexterous - While well rounded, Alan leans on the side of speed and dexterity over physical fortitude and size. He is relatively quick and nimble. Competent Flying - As a part of the Red Hawks, being able to fly is mandatory, Alan is a talented pilot, and is able to fly smallships with little difficulty. He has yet to pilot a full sized Airship.

Gear:

Alan carries a pair of revolvers, a silver-plated snub nosed revolver (silver colored metal, not actually silver) in a compact rear holster for a quick draw with his left hand. His second revolver is a gold-plated (again gold colored metal) long barreled revolver in a crossdraw holster under his left arm, for a quick draw with his right hand. Each revolver is decal-ed with religious insignias of the opposite metal on it (Gold revolver has silver insignias, silver revolver has gold insignias). His signature red jacket is made of tough leather and fabric, and was woven with enchantments to resist damage. The jacket was further enchanted by his spirit to resist fire.

Spirits:

Seru

Name: Seru Age: 800 Skills and Abilities: A Spirit of fire, Seru herself commands considerable control over the element of fire, and her red blade burns whatever it comes into contact with. Seru is also able of shifting into the form of a large, white wolf, its fur perpetually warm and burning. To her summoner, Seru grants the ability to manipulate fire. Pact: Originally bound to Alan through a pact with his father, Seru underwent a new Pact with Alan when he became of age. The terms of the pact is that Seru continue serving Alan in return for his offering of the sword that Seru now possess. The sword itself was an Ancient Zehist Artifact from New Eden that Alan 'liberated' when he returned to the city for a short while.

[Rtron]

Appearance:

Face

Typically, Eli wears light steamplate armor (strong enough to block a low caliber bullet or two, and a blade between the ribs, but light enough to allow him movement), underneath a leather duster. Both the armor and duster look worse for wear, the armor only cleaned enough to look functional and the duster never really cleaned unless it reeks badly. He wears black gloves. They are clearly well made and are the nicest thing he owns, obviously well kept and cared for. An emblem used to be on the palms of both, but had been ripped out and the resulting hole obviously repaired. One can see the marks where this had been done. He wears metal shod boots, with steel toes, as was favored by the Varisie Empire’s soldiers once upon a time. Like everything except himself, his weapons, and his gloves, they are unkempt. The most unclean of his gear, they are caked with mud and filth and who knows what else. Name: Eli Rondell. Age: 33 Guild Band: N/A. Eli prefers to work alone. Backstory: Power comes at a cost. Eli knows that better than most. Before he even came to the Western City-States, Eli was born into the Varisie Empire to a mother and father who had both served in the army. There wasn’t really any choice in the matter of his career. He was going to follow in their footsteps, and he was going to serve the Empire to the best of his ability. It was not only his duty, but also his destiny. His parents trained him as much as they could before he joined, wanting to have him as spend as little time as possible learning and as much time as possible serving. When it was revealed he had a talent for subduing spirits( by the time the officers found out he had several simple spirits in pacts with him, albeit the pacts were shaky and the spirits were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to kill him), he was immediately put in their training program for Summoners and put into the registered list of summoners the Church of Aer demands every nation possesses. After a few years of learning how to word his pacts, how to work in unison with spirits, and how to better wield magic, Eli was sent into the Aest Wetlands with his squad of summoners(9 people in total, counting Eli). They had only one order. Get a Gargantuan spirit for the Empire. If they came across any other spirit, it was up to them what to do. That was how Eli got Eredan, and soon after, Shreckt. It was an experience he’ll never forget. Magical artifacts that would have been sold for thousands of coins in the Empire were traded for things that everyone in the Empire could gather. What was rare and powerful to the Varisie was common enough to the people of the Aest Wetlands. Spirits were seen daily, though few were interested in entering a pact. Eventually Eli and his squad found a local who claimed to know the location of a Gargantuan spirit. In return for some of the magical artifacts they had and some help along his farm, the local lead them to the cave where the Gargantuan resided. However, he flatly refused to go into the cave, claiming that all who went in died. Undeterred, Eli and his companions entered the cave. Ragnarok was waiting for them. He attacked without warning and without mercy. Luckily for them, they all had humanoid and simple spirits with them, and were able to avoid being killed in the battle, though all were injured in some way. By the time the battle ended and Ragnarok was subdued and ready to make a pact with, everyone but Eli paused to catch their breath. Eli didn’t. Eli was thinking about what was to come next. The Gargantuan would demand a blood pact, and his other companions weren’t strong enough to make the necessary decisions. Before they could react, he summoned Eredan and Shreckt and killed them. By their spilt blood he made his pact with Ragnarok(using the same one he used with the other spirits). Every year he would give 8 humans to Ragnarok. The spirit agreed, and Eli set out to leave the Wetlands. Due to Ragnarok’s constant needling, however, what he had done finally got to and broke Eli. He had killed his friends, murdered them in cold blood, all for power. He killed them for Ragnaroks unrelenting voice in his head, constantly stirring his guilt. Suicide was a tempting option, as he headed steadily for home. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was a soldier and he would die in a battle. But he wouldn’t return to the Empire. They would hang him for his crime, and probably take and use Ragnarok for even worse things. No. He’d join this ‘Adventurer’s Guild’ he had heard so much about. Maybe he could find a death in battle there. That was 5 years ago. Or at least, it will be soon. Eli still hasn’t died, though he’s gained a reputation in the Guild for taking the most dangerous jobs they could find. As of late, he’s gone into Varisie land repeatedly. So, when the children came bursting in through the doors, more than a few people looked at him, and none were surprised when he joined. Skills and Abilities: Life time soldier: For Eli, becoming a soldier wasn’t a choice. It was his fate. He’s been fighting as long as he can remember. As a result, he has become fairly good at the art of killing. Be it with gun, blade, or whatever happens to be at hand. Varisie Summoner: The Varisie train their summoners well, and Eli was one of them. He’s skilled at subduing spirits, and using them in combat. Equipment: -A steam rifle powerful enough to go through light armor, but only denting anything higher. Has 4 clip magazines. -Armor stated in appearance -Two steam revolvers, located in his boot and hip. -A simple short sword. Spirits: (Note: Eli has used the simple spirits on pretty much every mission he’s been on. Everyone knows he has them. The humanoids are much rarer, but a few people know he has them. No one knows of Ragnarok’s existence.) Simple

Lumin

Pact details: In return for a constantly filled pipe, Lumin agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured he wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in his power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: 700. Lumin has been around long enough to learn the value of a good smoke, as he constantly informs Eli. Skills and abilities: Lumin can throw a fireball, or hold it for a while. He has given this ability to Eli.

Zaz

Pact details: In return for a constantly electrically charged trinket, Zaz agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured he wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in his power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: Unknown. Eli was never able to get a number from the pictures shown. Skills and abilities: Zaz can throw a lighting bolt or hold it for a while. She has given this ability to Eli.

Kal

Pact Details: In return for a shiny rock Kal agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured he wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in his power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: Unknown. Eli could never get a number from the pictures Kal shows. Skills and abilities: Kal can create shields for a brief amount of time, of varying sizes. Just long enough to block an attack or two, if he pushes it. He granted this ability to Eli as well.

Saruk

Pact Details: In return for an ever changing puzzle box, Saruk agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured he wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in his power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: 400. Being an unusually intelligent simple spirit, Saruk was able to tell Eli his age. Skills and abilities: Saruk can increase the sharpness or piercing power of any single weapon or bullet. He gave Eli this power.

Humanoid

Atra

Pact details: Atra’s pact is rather…unique. Atra was picked up after Eli gained Ragnarok. She made him an offer. She would agree to all of his terms(as with all other spirits), and grant him powers, in return for being able to feed off of his fear, guilt, and despair. Eli agreed. Age: 1000. Atra has been feeding off of the despair of humanity for quite a while. Skills and abilities: Atra can manipulate the very emotions she feeds off of, the emotions physically manifesting as the tentacles on her body (these tentacles can be made into armor, weapons, etc. Their properties changing on how much of them there are and what they’re being used for) She exudes an aura of despair, weakening the will of any and all around her(except for Eli, because she feeds on his despair). She gave Eli the ability to manipulate his guilt and desire for death(in the same way she does)

Eredan

Pact details: In return for a box that could unleash hurricane force winds, Eredan agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured he wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in his power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: 700 Skills and abilities: Eredan has the ability to solidify air, primarily using it to create blades of wind to slash opponents(with his sword) or compressed balls of air for concussive attacks(with his mace). Eredan gave this ability to Eli.

Shreckt

Pact Details: In return for a scroll that opens to a new story of her ‘homeland’ each time it’s opened, Shreckt agreed to a complicated pact that basically assured she wouldn’t do anything to harm or kill Eli or his allies, and do everything in her power to ensure they weren’t killed or injured. Age: 500. Skills and abilities: Shreckt can manipulate her own blood(in unnatural ways, such as blades, armor, etc.), and blood that is outside a person’s body. She granted Eli the ability to manipulate his own blood(In also unnatural ways, but like suddenly crystalizing it to make a makeshift bandage, or something like that.)

Gargantuan

Ragnarok

Pact details can be read in Eli’s backstory. Age: Unknown. He claims to have been alive before mankind learned how to dominate spirits. Skills and abilities: Ragnarok is a powerful earth Gargantuan, capable of both finesse earth magic and brute force destruction. He can manipulate his own form to suit the situation, in addition to any and all earth or things from the earth (metals, gems, etc) around him. Except for the items of earth tampered with by humans (I.E He won't be able to crush people in their armor, or break swords/guns, or stop bullets.) To Eli he grants this same power(except for the ‘manipulate his own form’ bit, and with the same limitation)

Misc. Details: -Eli has a soft spot for children. -While the rest of his equipment looks like a mess, just kept barely clean enough to function, his gloves and weapons are almost religiously taken care of.

[vietmyke]

Since they will soon be relevant, here are the 'Twins' that will be employing us: Name: Pierce Name: Peridot Not a lot of information on them (none in fact) I know, but more will be revealed over the course of the RP