[b]Old Stuff[/b] [hider=Ren - Alien Bartender Thing] Name: Rennee "Ren" Byrne Age: 26 Career: Bartender Appearance: Ren stands at 5’5, a height that is neither tall enough or short enough to be considered remarkable. Her average height is accompanied by an average weight. As someone who enjoys running, she is fit, but by no means exceptionally toned. Her skin is pale, but it darkens with any time spent in the sunlight. A handful of very light brown freckles adorn her cheeks, somehow making her round face appear even more pleasant. She has large, deep set blue eyes, and plump pink lips. Long, black hair falls to her waist, normally without any structure, but occasionally done up in a thick braid. Normal attire for her consists of blue jeans, black tennis shoes, and a hoodie. Here is the image that inspired her look. It isn't 100% to what I have in mind, but it will give you some idea! Personality: Ren is generally a mild-mannered woman. However, when challenged, she will argue to the point of being excessive. She has a short fuse and a nasty temper, a trait that many associate with the Irish. She is fiercely proud of her heritage and will not hesitate before laying out anyone who mocks her thick accent. Independent and self-reliant,Ren cares not whether she is surrounded by people or entirely on her own. When she has to, she can play well with others, but often has to resist the urge to take charge. At the end of the day, she will do whatever it takes to survive long enough to return to Ireland. She refuses to meet her maker on unfamiliar soil. History: Born and raised in Killarney, Ren grew to hate the small-town atmosphere. She always wanted to get out and find something bigger, but she was haunted by the notion that she might never leave the town. Killarney had been the birth place of her parents, and her parents parents, and so on. Her chance came when she was accepted to the National University of Ireland. She packed up everything and left for Galway, promising herself that she would never again be trapped in such a small, sleepy city. She fell in love with Galway, and after graduating with a four year degree in business, decided to stay in the city. She hoped to one day open her own pub, and to build her resume, she began working at one full-time. As she was on her own in a big city, Ren studied martial arts, and became familiar with defensive hand-to-hand combat. Though she was away from them, the girl managed to stay in close contact with her family, especially her uncle Mike. They had always been close, and they grew even closer after he helped her pay her college tuition until she became more financially stable. One day, she received an interesting offer from him. It seemed the man had been offered a job in the United States, and he had just purchased a new house. Rather than hauling his wife and two young children across the pond just to find out the house was not to his liking, he asked Ren to check things out for him. He offered her enough money to cover the trip, as well as the promise of a new adventure. At first she was hesitant, as it was a long trip to make on her own. But remembering the money he had given her, Ren knew she owed him a favor. She learned that she would have the house to herself for three weeks. She would be free to do whatever she pleased. With high hopes, she had accepted. But when the taxi dropped her off in the incredibly small town in Vermont, the girl feared she might snap. It was like being back in Killarney, but everyone spoke strangely and she knew no one. She spent her days learning how to shoot a hand-gun at the local range, just to blow off steam and give her a feeling of being in control. Of course, the girl could never know that she would be sprung from the city only weeks later by an alien attack. She swore no matter what, she would see Galway again before she died. She would do whatever it took to stay alive that long. Abilities: For reasons that Ren does not understand, she awoke with the following abilities: - Memory manipulation: Ren can "tweak" a person's memory, and replace it with something of her choosing. For example, she can erase her presence from the memory of someone she is trying to sneak by. - Reading thoughts: Ren also has the ability to read the thoughts of those around her. She must do this deliberately, by focusing on that individual (she doesn't just hear a jumble of thoughts from around her). - Invisibility: This physical alteration begins to manifest throughout the story, and she struggles to control it. * Note: These abilities do not work on every race that she encounters. It is really hit or miss. [/hider] [hider=Lana - Gryffin Princess Thing] Name: Lana Gryph Race: Gryphos Gender: Female Age: 27 Rank/Affiliation: Crowned Princess and Heir to the Gryphos Throne Personality: Those who do not believe that Lana is fit for the throne believe that she is “too soft” to make anything of herself. The young woman has a difficult time with pressure, and when scolded or talked down to, she never retaliates. Rather, she merely listens to the complaints, and responds without any evidence of anger or frustration in her tone. She seems perfectly content to skate by under the radar, making the people of her kingdom happy but never looking to expand. Her reasoning for such an outlook on life? Lana firmly believes that everyone, and everything, is inherently good. This is problematic for a number of reasons, and she has been taken advantage of more than once. However, most see these as the perfect traits of a caring, popular princess. She is patient, observant, and passionate, just as she always has been. Lana continues to be the same sweet child as she moves into her late twenties. She does not lie, nor does she ever choose a path that might hurt another. She always has the best intentions, and simply cannot pass up the opportunity to help another. She is goofy and clumsy, traits which humor some but annoy others. Despite all of this, it would be a mistake to label her weak. She is an incredibly passionate woman who would fight until the end for a cause she believes in, even though her preferred method is words, not weapons. Weaknesses: Lana is quite naive, always assuming that others are good, and that everyone deserves a chance. This can make her vulnerable. She is also more concerned about the welfare of her people than herself, often causing her to make decisions that could put her own life in danger. Finally, her strong moral compass can sometimes keep her from making sense of issues that are not so black and white. Strengths: Lana's patience and desire to find diplomatic means have ended many fights before they began. She is an excellent negotiator, and an extremely skilled communicator. Those who meet her for the first time find themselves drawn to her charm, quick wit, and optimism. She is an intelligent, well-spoken young woman. Despite her desire to choose discussion over combat, she is fairly skilled in the art of swordsmanship. She was trained within the palace at her father's request. Brief Bio: Lana was the only daughter born to the king and queen. Shortly after her birth, the queen was informed that she would not be able to carry another child. As a result of this news, Lana was primed to be the ruler from a young age. She was taught by the best tutors, and given access to all the reading material that a future ruler might need. Her mother trained her to be elegant, and her father trained her to defend herself. Lana grew up to be a well-rounded individual, but the one thing she enjoyed most was human interaction. She loved conversing with the people of her kingdom, though her parents preferred to keep her within the palace walls. They hoped to keep the truth of the war hidden from her for as long as possible. But eventually, she found out that her people were at war. Rather than view the enemy as dangerous as others did, she grew distraught at the thought of killing others. She could not understand why the two parties could not simply come to some disagreement through discussion. It was then that she decided that she would take a more diplomatic approach when she was a leader. She began studying the art of negotiation, and did her best to make as many allies as she could before she assumed the throne. [/hider] [hider=Molly Parker - US Army Soldier][img]http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/e1/f1/dd/e1f1dd0c21f871589a2888ade6c3c43d.jpg[/img] [b]Name:[/b] Molly Parker [b]Age:[/b] 25 [b]Species:[/b] Human [b]Alignment:[/b] United States Army | Lawful Good [b]Skills/Strengths:[/b] Molly is a jack of all trades. Growing up in a military household, she has at least a very basic understanding of most every weapon, tactic, and vehicle that she may come into contact with. She is incredibly patriotic, as her father instilled within her both a love for her country, and a very strict moral compass. She works well with others, and can take the lead when she deems it necessary. She is very trustworthy and dependable, as doing anything to jeopardize her mission or her comrades would go against everything that she was taught. Finally, as Molly has been training with her father from a young age, she has become quite an adept marksman. [b]Appearance:[/b] Molly is by no means an intimidating woman. Standing at five foot, three inches, many of her male counterparts tower over her. She has short blonde hair, which is tightly clipped back when she is working. Her large, deep-set blue eyes always seem to reveal her emotions. She moves with purpose, every move deliberate, a result of her father calling out her slouching and shuffling. [b]Weaknesses:[/b] Molly has a strict understanding of right and wrong. When things fall into a "gray area," challenging her morals, and making her question her own values, she has a very difficult time. Molly grows frustrated quite quickly, with a short temper and a low tolerance for people who make a scene. On a more basic level, Molly always preferred firearms to melee weapons. Therefore, she excels in the former and occasionally struggles in the latter. [b]Personality:[/b] Molly behaves just as one might expect a small-town military child would. She is a go-getter, and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. Of course, her father raised her a soldier, not a lady. She has picked up a few bad habits during her time in the army, such as her tendency to cuss up a storm when she is angry or excited. Furthermore, she can swap sexual innuendos with the best of them. But that hardly means that she does not care about the people she loves. She makes friends easily if she feels that they have the same motivations and morals as she does. [b]Background:[/b] Molly was Maxwell Parker's only child. His wife, Molly's mother, passed away during childbirth. Entirely unprepared to raise a daughter on his own, Maxwell resorted to what he did best - preparing individuals for military service. Molly moved with him all over the country, working with recruits and learning how a solider is meant to behave. Without really knowing it, Molly became a soldier herself. She ran through drills that her father put recruits through, and partook in their physical and mental exercises. She quickly fell in love with firearms, and she shot anything and everything that she could get her hands on. It was no surprise to anyone when Molly elected to join the military as soon as she graduated from high school. She continued to work with her father, now on much more official terms, though she was never sent overseas. Her main tasks were training recruits. When she became aware of the chimeran threat, she was among the first to voice their support and willingness to fight. Though she is nervous about her first time on the battle field, she is eager to try out the many skills she acquired.[/hider] [hider=Melinda - Professor of History] Full Legal Name: Melinda Anne Reynolds Date of Birth: January 3, 1985 (Age 29) Gender: Female Race: White/Caucasian Country of Origin: United States Fluent Languages: English, German Professional Education: Ph.D Previous Employment (Past 10 years): Student, until three years ago when I graduated with a Ph.D and was hired by a university. Weapon Training: A very basic understanding of small-caliber firearms, as I shoot recreationally. My father introduced me to the sport of competitive shooting when I was still in high school. Other Notable Talents: I consider myself to be a well-spoken individual. I hope this does not come across as malicious, but I do have a way of making people listen to me. Perhaps it is my soft nature, or the way I can make a person feel as though I can truly relate to them, but I am quite persuasive when I need to be. Simply put, I am likable. That has served me well in the past. Something that may come as less of a surprise is my seemingly endless supply of historical facts. I generally use them to impress students and colleagues, but I can see how they might be useful in this line of work. Personality Evaluation List Three (3) Likes: People, jokes, historically-accurate romance novels. List Three (3) Dislikes: Ignorance, cruelty (in any form), anything superficial. Tell Us About Yourself: Truth be told, my childhood was quite average. My family consisted of my father, my mother, and myself. I would consider us upper-middle class, as money was never a problem, but I was still taught the value of hard work. My parents, my father especially, also emphasized the importance of helping others, a lesson that has had an enormous impact on the way that I choose to live my life. I did a bit of everything in high school, from theatre to track and field. I thought being well-rounded would help me get into an ivy-league school, though I did not know what it was that I would study there. Everything changed when my father died suddenly in 2002. He was struck by a drunk driver on his way home from the office. My mother, an only-only child like my father and I, had no one to grieve with but her own elderly parents. I volunteered to take a year off after graduation, but my mother insisted I go to college immediately, as it would have been what my father wanted. Despite my acceptance to Yale, I chose instead to attend Michigan State University. It was closer to home, and it was my father’s alma mater. There, I drifted for a while, my major undecided. It was not until my second semester that I took my first history class, HST 201. It introduced me to the subject in a way my high school classes never had. I fell in love immediately, and decided that I wanted to help other students find joy in history the way that I did. I enrolled in the College of Education, and even in my senior year, I thought that I would be a high school teacher. But my love for researching finally won out, and I chose to pursue an advanced degree. I completed my degree a few years ago, and I wrote my dissertation on the rehabilitation of boys orphaned during the Holocaust. It was quite a change from my usual love of American history, but I was captivated by the stories the survivors told. Recently, I found out about Dr. Frank’s work through a friend. Truth be told, I do not think I would find great enjoyment in traveling just for the fun of it. Granted, it would be incredibly interesting, but I would have a difficult time studying it. As a historian, it is essential that I see the big picture. I need to be able to “zoom in and zoom out” on certain aspects of a period. I fear being completely immersed in the history would make this nearly impossible, as I would spend more time running from raptors or avoiding being convicted as a witch than making observations. However, I would be honored to join the team, as the dangers of changing the past are incredibly apparent to me. Should my application be accepted, I would not be opposed to taking a leave of absence from the university. I hope that this has answered all of your questions. [/hider] [hider=Avatar] [b]Name:[/b] Kiara [b]Age:[/b] 23 [b]Origin:[/b] Southern Water Tribe [b]Element:[/b] Water [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://www.sao-rpg.com/uploads/monthly_2016_03/rsz_photostudy_blonde_girl_by_vurdem-d95ru0e.jpg.2bd25be372f7e0639695c0c106cd50eb.jpg]Kiara[/url] stands at a very average five foot, six inches. Wavy blonde hair hangs to the middle of her back, though she often keeps it in a loose braid over her shoulder. Chopped bangs, which she normally cuts herself, frame her round face. Large, deep-set blue eyes occupy much of her face. Her nose, which is a bit on the small side, is splashed with incredibly faint freckles. They light up whenever her pale skin is exposed to sunlight. She dresses in the loose-fitting garb of her people - breeches and tunics, generally in various shades of blue. [b]Equipment:[/b] A parcel of water on one hip, and a dagger on the other. [b]Personality:[/b] Kiara is a quiet, gentle soul. Patient, compassionate, and warm, she was considered one of the most inviting and personable individuals in the tribe. As such, they were incredibly disappointed when she announced that she was taking her leave. It takes quite a lot to spur her into outbursts of any kind, as she prefers the diplomatic route in any conflict. Despite this, she feels very deeply, and is affected in a big way by emotion - she simply chooses to store this away. Of course, one would be foolish to assume that such a fragile looking woman is hopeless. With the others in the tribe, she learned basic self defense. She also holds herself in very high regard, and will not hesitate to stand up for herself. But her own naivety, strong morale compass, and desire to help others often get her into trouble. [b]Bio:[/b] The young Kiara spent her entire life among the people of the Southern Water Tribe. She had a fantastic childhood, filled with love and support. Unfortunately, the one thing that the girl's life lacked was adventure. She also felt that her life demanded a larger purpose - entertaining the children and healing their wounds only brought her so much satisfaction. This desire, coupled with her worry for the avatar-less world, led Kiara to leave her tribe in search of those who hoped to fight the extrem ists. [b]Other:[/b] Kiara travels with her polar dog, Mav. She is also capable of using her bending to heal minor wounds. She was trained by her grandfather, but she is still honing this skill. [/hider]