[hider=Character Sheet: Beric Vendal] [b][u]Beric Vendal[/u][/b] [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Race:[/b] Human [u]Appearance:[/u] Beric stands at an even six feet in height, with somewhat tanned skin due to his time time spent outdoors. He has medium length brown hair, and a short beard. His eyes are a dark piercing blue, with a scar running from under his left eye to the bottom of his cheek, partly obscured by the aforementioned beard. Moving down to the rest of his body, the life of a hunter and bandit has made him considerably well-built, and he is more agile and strong than most. There are a few scars here and there from various incidents, but nothing that immediately stands out. As for his armor, Gerald wears a quilted gambeson, over which he wears a vest of boiled leather, with some steel shoulder plating a pair of steel gauntlets. For legwear he has a set of padded leather pants, with steel greaves and some leather boots. Lastly, he also wears a green hooded cloak that would blend in well with local foliage, and has a few splashes of mud for good measure. [b]Biography:[/b] Beric was born in a decently-sized village. His father was a fletcher, fashioning bows and arrows the local lord and his guards, but in his spare time he was also a poacher, sneaking off to the woods with a bow he had made himself and quietly bringing back meat to feed the family. It wasn't long until Beric figured out where all this extra food was coming from, but he knew enough to keep quiet. At the age of ten, Beric's father began teaching him how to shoot a bow, and he soon turned out to be a natural. At the age of fourteen, his father began taking him out of hunting trips, showing him how to track and forage. His first kill was a deer, as his father watched proudly on. Beric felt a strange sense of empowerment, watching the animal fall. His father began to take him on more and more hunting trips, and eventually trusted him enough to split up and leave him to his own devices. They covered more ground, brought in more food, and the family rarely went hungry. Eventually, they began to take Beric's younger brother Edgar on the hunting trips as well. Edgar hated hunting, and was could not bring himself to shoot a single rabbit or deer, much to their father's annoyance. So Edgar was tasked with foraging for berries and roots, while Edgar and his father focused on gathering meat and skins. They continued on like this for several more productive trips, and then on one day it all went wrong. Beric had been tracking a wolf when he heard shouting. Naturally he felt compelled to follow it, and came upon three guardsmen dragging his father's unconscious form back to the village. Rather than risk open confrontation, Beric immediately went searching for his brother, which took him about half an hour, and they made their way back to the village, dropping their bows and supplies at the usual hiding spot. The local lord was swift when it came to enforcing the law. When they arrived at the village square, his father was already standing at the gallows, and a small crowd had assembled. Charged with poaching, he was sentenced to be hanged. Beric and his brother could only watch with horror as the noose was tied around his neck, and the lever was pulled. His neck did not break. So horrified at the sight of his father choking to death, Beric did not even notice one of the guardsmen pointing at him until they had already drawn their weapons and began to advance towards him. Beric took the most sensible course of action, which was to grab his brother and run. Just before they slipped into the forest, an arrow pierced Edgar's ankle, forcing Beric to carry him on his back. Though the added weight of his brother slowed him down, Beric knew the woods better than the guards, and was able to slip away, though he knew could not return to the village. That night, he pulled the arrow out of his brother's leg, dumped water into the wound, and binded it up best he could. Over the next few days they continued walking, his brother limping along. They would make camp, Edgar would start a fire, and Beric would hunt for the evening meal. But eventually, Edgar began to grow sick, and Beric realized the wound had become infected. Lacking the resources to treat it, all they could do was press on and hope they found a town with an adequate healer. In the meantime, Beric couldn't help but think back to the moment when his father had been captured. How he had just stood by and watched as his father was dragged away. If he had only thought to use his bow... he could have taken one out right away, shot another while they will still processing what was happening, and killed the final one as he closed the distance. And why not? He was a crack shot with a bow, but he had been afraid to kill... And why was he afraid to kill, he wondered? How many animals had he slain? How many rabbits, how many deer, how many foxes? Were humans really that different? That was a question his mind would linger on for quite some time. That night, Edgar looked at him and began to cry. Beric figured the boy thought he was dying, so he told him he would live. But instead, Edgar shook his head, and then tearfully confessed how he had told one of his friends about the poaching... his friend, who was the son of the one of the village guards. Beric backhanded his brother across the face, and for a long time sat in silence, before finally going to sleep. The next morning, Edgar would not wake. His fever burned hotter than ever before, and his wound had turned a ghastly colour. Beric tried for an hour, but nothing would rouse him from his slumber. Then, an old memory came to him. He had once came across two deer. He shot one of them and the leg, and they both fled. Tracking them was easily enough - he just had to follow the blood. He found the wounded deer lying in a clearing, lacking the strength to stand. The other deer was long gone, having abandoned his friend to save his own skin. Beric realized this was the same situation, and the surviving deer had been right, because in the end neither he nor his father had managed to track it down. If the other deer had stayed with its friend, it would have been killed as well, and the only difference would have been him being able to bring back twice as much meat Edgar was weak, and helpless. Beric was strong, and still had a chance. So he rose to his feet, packed up camp, and continued walking, leaving his brother behind. But as the days went on, Beric found that his own luck had taken a turn for the worse. The few trails he could find went cold. And when he did find an animal, something spooked it before he could fire his shot. His luck in foraging had seemed to run out as well, and he had to sustain himself on the few roots and berries he came across. At first he thought he had been cursed by the gods for leaving his brother behind. Then, one day, as he was walking along the road, he noticed a caravan - what looked to be a merchant transporting supplies, who had only a single guard. Desperate for fresh food, Beric took a concealed position. As the caravan passed, he fired an arrow into the horse that was pulling it. The guard drew his sword and leapt from his seat, only for an arrow to pierce his throat. The merchant took cover behind the caravan itself, but Beric merely stepped out from cover and knocked the man out with the butt of his hatchet. Beric then proceeded to help himself to the caravan's supplies, which mainly consisted of fresh cheese and expensive wine. After eating an entire wheel, he stepped out with a bottle in hand, and immediately heard the sound of clapping. Half a dozen figures emerged from the bushes, clad in leather and furs, wielding bows, hatchets, and swords. They were bandits, and Beric had just let his guard down. But they did not wish to kill him, or rob him. Their leader, a man by the name of Derrick, had been impressed by Beric's pinpoint accuracy with a bow, and deciding that they were in need of another pair of hands, invited him to join their group. Beric reluctantly accepted, figuring that they would just kill him if he refused. And then the leader told him that there was one condition: he had to finish off the merchant who still lay unconscious on the ground. To kill an armed man for some food was one thing. To kill an unarmed man who was no longer a threat after you've already had your food? That was another. But at the same time, Beric understood that if the merchant wandered back into town and gave his description to guard, he would become a wanted criminal again. So Beric drew his dagger, and slid it across the merchant's throat. That night, Beric and the bandits feasted on wine and cheese. Beric would remain part of the bandit group for a number of years. Though he had initially impressed them with his skill at archery, they soon came to admire his cunning as well. Previously, the bandits would simply fire at travelers from the cover of the forest. But Beric gave them new ideas, such as sending out a few of their own as a distraction, setting up traps, or placing fallen trees in the middle of the road to serve as road blocks. He soon became Derrick's de facto second-in-command, and their ranks gradually doubled as time went on. The fact that they were killing and robbing innocents had initially weighed on his conscience somewhat, but he soon learned to shake those doubts off. They lived in a world where only the strong truly thrived, and the weak were expendable. And that was what these people were: weak. They could not defend their own lives or goods, and so both would be taken from them. He slowly came to view it as just another form of hunting, and soon felt that same sense of pride and satisfaction he received from killing any other animal. That said, he eventually became dissatisfied with their way of life. True, it kept his belly and pockets full, but sleeping in the woods next to a dozen unwashed men was not very appealing. At least back in his village he always had a bed to return to and a stream he could bathe in. Then there were the noble lords and ladies, who demanded taxation and tribute from their subjects, but were allowed to sleep safe and secure in their castles and manors. He wanted that. He knew he would not get it, but he wanted it nonetheless, and he would not find it here. After a raid gone wrong, which resulted in the deaths of half the group, Derrick among them, Beric decided to strike out on his own, leaving his group behind in search of more profitable endeavors. [u]Skills:[/u] [b]Master Archer:[/b] Beric rarely misses a shot, and can draw and notch another arrow in the blink an eye. He is an excellent judge of distance, and although he favors longbows he is a good judge of the range and accuracy of other bows. [b]The Power of Observation:[/b] Due to his years of tracking both humans and animals, Beric is highly observant. He is a skilled tracker, has excellent hearing, and has a fantastic eye for detail. [b]Agile:[/b] Beric is surprisingly quick and athletic. He can climb trees, roll across uneven ground, dodge enemy attacks, and run quite fast for some distance. He is highly gifted at stealth, and good at remaining both unseen and unheard. [u]Weapons:[/u] -Yew Longbow, with a quiver of two dozen arrows. -Steel hatchet. -Steel hunting knife. [/hider] [hider=Legionnaire Sheet: Cassius the Cunning] [b][u]Cassius the Cunning[/u][/b] [b]Gender:[/b] Male [u]Totem:[/u] Cassius's totem is black comedy mask, one that would be used in theater. When worn, it shapes itself to fit Beric's face and turns invisible, even to Beric himself. It becomes visible again when Beric takes it off, or when he wants others to see it. [img]https://www.camacana.com/Images/Thumbnails/comedy-face-black-692-ResponsivoWide.jpg[/img] [u]Personality:[/u] Cassius was perhaps one of the more reasonable members of the Shadow Legion. Unlike some of his brethren, he was not prone to fits of rage, vengeance, or cruelty. In conversation, he comes across as highly intelligent and charismatic, with a strong sense of humour. That said, he also did not possess a shred of honour, and excelled at deceiving and manipulating others to serve his own ends. But ultimately, what defines him is his ambition, and his desire to shape the world around him. He tended to approve of those with lofty goals, who seek to obtain a higher position or find their own way in life, but he would not hesitate to step on those beneath him if they stood in the way of his own goals. And he has little respect for people who seek power for power's sake. [u]History:[/u] In life, Cassius was a bard and actor who accompanied a theater troupe. This troupe became so famed and renowned that they soon found themselves performing for Kings and high lords. While he enjoyed the wealth and prestige that came with entertaining such lofty company, he couldn't help but notice that so many of the people he entertained possessed tremendous wealth and influence, yet refused to do anything with it beyond throw lavish feasts and entertain guests. It was frustrating: so much power and potential at their disposal, yet it was going to waste. Society was stagnating, and in Cassius's eyes, the Shadow Legion presented a solution. Either they would cast down the old regime to take power for themselves, and shape the world in their own image... or the lords, mages, and kings of the land would finally unite to drive them back, so that they would have finally made use of the power they so dearly hoarded but refused to use. Cassius's charisma and talent for deception allowed the Legion to deceive and manipulate others, and persuade people to follow them. In addition to becoming a powerful magic wielder in his own right, his time at the noble courts throughout the land had allowed him to form valuable connections and uncover various secrets which aided the Legion in their conquests. Though some would say the Legion failed in their goal, Cassius's own personal goal had succeeded: they had upended the status quo. Now, he is ready to upend it again. [u]Relationship[/u] Cassius views Beric as a blunt instrument. He respects the man's ambition, and recognizes that there is a cunning mastermind in there somewhere, but it will take time and guidance in order to see those qualities come to fruition. He just needs a bit of direction... Cassius was also quite fond of his fellow Legionnaires, and save for the occasional quip he was openly friendly to even the ones who were most hostile towards him. [u]Skills:[/u] [b]Position Swap:[/b] Cassius has given Beric the ability to perform a short-range teleport, which swaps his position with someone else. There are limitations, of course, such as the fact that both people must be able to fit within the space they are being teleported to, and the fact that he cannot use it on creatures which are significantly larger than he is. [b]Illusions:[/b] Beric now has the ability to conjure multiple magical images of either himself or other people, and make them speak the exact same voice of the person they are meant to impersonate (though only one illusion can speak at any given time, unless he has them all say the exact same thing). Beric may also project one of these illusions over his own form, disguising himself as someone else. The only way to determine it is an illusion is through physical contact, in which case the hand, weapon, item will pass straight through them. [/hider]