Name: Cirindel Valehold (true name). "Archangel" to many who know only of her by reputation.

Age: 30

Appearance: [img=http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/558715035004097438/22B3ABAECB208DB6E507C51960DE1141F36F7EEA/268x268.resizedimage] 

Cinindel is quite tall for a woman, standing around 5' 11''; her physique is lithe, defined, and proportionally muscular to a life entwined with many years of active adventuring. This is not to say her femininity is lost: Cinindel possesses quite radiant platinum blonde hair, which falls down just beneath her shoulders in natural, soft curls like the weaving of water in fall; her eyes are lustrous emeralds, strikingly large and green, and her skin a rouged peach, hardened and roughed somewhat by a life on the road, although still possessing all the beauty of its unblemished state in younger years.

Rarely is she seen without her armour on outside of her home, for she has made more than one enemy over her years. The suit itself is both bold and intricate; fine, castle crafted steel plates interlock faultlessly over her person, staying true to her body to provide little areas of ill fit that might be exploited by a foe. The plate itself is finely embellished by detailing that indicates a semblance of angelic wings, interwoven with additional artwork that uses inlaid gold and mother of pearl; no more apparent is this than upon her helm, out of which finely made silver feathers sweep backwards in quite glorious artistry. None of this is subtle, but nor is it intended to be - it is an armour that projects power, wealth and even a hint of arrogance.

Finally, Cinindel predominantly fights with a great, double handed hammer of war. On one side is a sharpened 'tooth' or spike, designed to rip a hole in even the strongest plate; on the other is the blunt hammer end, purposed to shatter bones and cause copious amounts of internal bleeding. The weapon itself is some five feet long, and demands two hands to effectively use. White leather has been woven juxtaposingly over an ebony wood shaft, whilst the head of the hammer is crafted from the strongest steel. Her secondary weapons include a short sword and dagger, whilst a small circular shield of the same design of her armour is carried, usually slung over her shoulder or attached to her horse, for encounters which demand a more defensive posture. 

Background/history: Cinindel's father was Lord Martius of the Valehold, or simply 'Lord Valehold' to those at court. His lands were rich and fertile, situated in the western vales of Aleca. He was a King's man, well respected by his people, and a proud father of four charming daughters. His wife, the lady of the Vale, was a renowned beauty and daughter of one of the elder knights of the Vale; it wasn't a match of power (ideally a political union with another ruling Lord) but of love, and one which brought happiness his lands and people. Secretly, however, Lord Martius worried about his succession. With no sons, and being too old to sire any more, Martius grew increasingly concerned that upon his passing, his oldest daughter, Cressida, would have to marry the son or relative of another lord, and in accordance with the feudal laws of the Aleca, his power would be absorbed by another house, and his line lost within the consuming shadows of history. Thus he hatched a plan; he would feign the birth of a male child which he would call his son. The lady of the Vale was retired outside of the social gaze, and in secret he asked his trusted captain of the guards to acquire a male child from the city orphanage. The problem arose when the orphanage appeared to have no male children young enough to take; those older than one wouldn't fit the plan Martius had proposed. Recognising that the Captain of the Guard was a man of some importance, the woman who ran the orphanage asked the Captain to check back in a day; without reporting back to his Lord (for fearing to disappoint) the Captain waited, and returned the next day to discover that a male child of only three months had been found; this child was quickly taken to the Valehold where soon after, Lord Martius announced the birth of a son and new heir to his land and title.

All seemed well, until in an anonymous tip, incriminating papers appeared at the desk of the King of Alcea's Royal Court, suggesting that Lord Martius's son was in fact a child of a slave, imported by slavers from persons taken in raids upon the northern isles. Indeed, investigations proved that the orphanage had been involved in the practice of buying slave children to meet demands, and that the child 'sold' to the Captain of the Guard was indeed the child of a slave. Held up in court, the Lord of the Valehold was charged with aiding and abetting in slavery, and although the judges were split towards the extent of the Lord Martius's knowledge, the King held true to the enforcement of the law, offering no leniency on account of Martius's noble birth. Not believing that Martius truly knew that his 'child' was a slave, the death penalty was spared, but exile was decreed as a suitable punishment, and all of the Valehold was expropriated and subsumed under the crown. Martius was banished, along with his family, from the Kingdom of Alcea. 

Years passed, and Martius had crafted something of a life for himself and his family as a merchant in Ilvance. His second daughter, Cinindel, was seventeen at this time, and took it upon herself to pursue a martial code that Martius had hoped that his lost 'son' might one day take. Taking advantage of differing laws in IIvance, Cinindel trained under Martius's former master of arms at Valehold, training herself in the ways of a true Alcean knight; in addition to this, she familiarised herself with the more exotic combat practices of IIvance, formulating her own 'middle road' that balanced Alcean discipline and fortitude, with aspects of grace and speed more suited to her own build, which she acquired from more widely sourced tutors of combat. Martius was somewhat mixed about his daughter taking part in such activities, which he traditionally viewed as male pursuits, but over the years he came to see that the old ways had no place in a new world, and that one must adapt to survive. Thus it was that the family armour of the vale was re-crafted for Cinindel, and she had the pick of weapons from the old stores. She would lead a new age on knights - the only problem was the permanence of the exile bestowed upon her and her family.

It was in the years that followed, as Cinindel was making something of a name for herself as a 'sword for hire', allying herself with a band of like-minded folk, that words came of the coup in Alcea. Cinindel had dedicated herself to taking out her family's shame upon the slavers that brought it, and had waged many a small campaign against their kind, not without some considerable sacrifice and danger. However, the usurping of Alcea's King by the powerful sorcerer Janolf, appeared at first to present an opportunity. Indeed, Martius used his contacts to explore possibilities of his reinstatement as the Lord of Valehold, but quickly dismissed the idea when truths about Janolf and his cruelty returned to his ear; he would rather stay exiled than compromise his morals, a point on which Cinindel agreed.

It was sometime later, once the flavour of this news had passed and Cinindel was in her thirtieth summer, that news came that the Queen of Alcea was herself stationed under the protection and hospitality of Ilvancean Emperor. Despite the dangers, Martius agreed that his daughter go to the palace to pledge the family of Valehold to her cause, and that Cinindel herself would give dutiful oath to serve the line of Kings once more, in hope that some honour be returned to those fallen from grace. 
 

Skills: Cinindel is an accomplished fighter, irrespective of any culturally suggested limitations on account of her sex. Many a time has a man underestimated her to their folly (and often subsequent demise). She can also be quite charming when required, and has a keen perception of people's intentions, often quick to spot deceitful words and actions. 

If your character is from another culture/country, some notes on that: A daughter of the former Lord of the Vales, Cinindel has strong roots in this area of Alcea. Many in this area still think the exile of Lord Martius harsh, and given the increased difficulty of life under Janolf, many would consider rising under the banner of a daughter of the Vale, were one to return to these lands.

Other: Called 'Archangel', partly on account of her armour's design, but also for the terrifying fury with which she has routed bands of slaver 'devils'.