[hider=Halleine Castoran] [b]Name:[/b] Halleine Castoran, also known as "Hally" or "Hall". [b]Appearance: [/b] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/252430550873145345/550627510279340032/unknown.png[/img] A 5'9" figure and a slender frame often obscured by her armor bears her gracefully beautiful, yet oddly enigmatic face, with nigh-colorless irises and flowingly messy platinum blonde hair. A small slice scar runs across her nosebridge diagonally, top-left to bottom-right. [b]Race[/b]: Human [b]Magic/Abilities[/b]: [i]The Alkahest:[/i] A greatsword with a length almost Hally's height, and one of the heirlooms of the Castoran house. It has the ability to be imbued properties based on the alchemical circles inscribed in metal pieces that can fit into the hole within the base of the blade, and is usually imbued with elemental magic during typical combat. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/507744477943693333/550602152838692874/unknown.png[/img] The powers of the Alkahest remain as long as the circle remains in working condition; continued use of a spell wears out a circle and may necessitate rewriting. Additionally, as long as a circle is installed into the Alkahest, the sword is harder to break than usual as the energy running through it reinforces it. The circles in which the Alkahest derives their powers from are drawn from Hally's blood and her own blood alone-- circles drawn from others' blood will not be responsive. This is through a spell imposed upon the sword requested by Hally during its reforging that keeps its ownership to herself and preventing others from using its full potential. Among the notable circles are: Null Circle - Hally's personal favourite, it imbues the blade with anti-magical properties that null magical energy it touches and allows it to slice through magic barriers and parry magical attacks. Mages not well-versed in melee self-defense are prime targets for the Null Circle. Fireblade - A simple, but powerful fire enhancement spell upon the Alkahest that not only ignites the blade, but enables it to throw fireballs in the direction the sword is swung. Spikeblade - Enables the Alkahest to extend spikes from the main blade upon command, which is done to either turn stabs more fatal or extend Alkahest's reach. [i]Master Swordsman:[/i] Halleine possesses a great talent in longswordsmanship that is second only to the Eastern arts in its potential for swiftness and agility. Even then, her proficiency in the longsword makes it so that she is able to wield even the larger, heavier swords, even those that would almost be considered too large to be practical, and to such speed and finesse that it makes greatswords look as light as nothing. [i]Alchemy:[/i] Halleine possesses a wide knowledge of alchemy that, while she doesnt have the innate talent to channel it through her own hand and on the go, she is able to channel through the Alkahest and from transmutation circles. From transmutation circles she can create magical explosives for later use and enchanted steel for reforging her blade. [b]Personality:[/b] Though a mere knight, Halleine is a lady with wit and mysterious cunning with a formidable growing influence among the people. Those who spoke with her may remember her as a woman who was undeniably pleasant to talk with, someone who knew her way with people and kind, even. Stoic at almost all times, she also is blunt with her opinions-- at least, if she has no reason not to. She's not entirely as kind as she'd look, and as people make her out to be. Many of her personal relationships as of the moment are simply her way of attempting to gain control over court politics and city influence, though some of her relationships are genuine, most especially when it comes to people she genuinely respects. Her attempt at being a major player of the city is perhaps a way of patching up the perception of weakness of her family name as a result of her father's... legacy. Speaking of which, talking about her father, positively or negatively, is a big no-no. She wants to hear not a single word about him again. Hally enjoys dark humor and mocking the people around her whenever she feels free to regardless of her genuine opinions about them, though she makes an attempt to lighten the tone for people she likes. She is not particularly religious, but if she were to exclaim and use a Goddess' name in vain, it would be Aylama. [b]Background:[/b] The Castorans are a higher noble family who have been in servitude of the royalty for many generations, at least, for a while. With many properties and vast tracts of lands under their holdings, it's undeniable that the Castoran children has been the envy of anyone. But not for this generation. The patriarch-- Halleine's father, Doryne, presided over a time where the family was in a recession that, while significant, should've been manageable by at least a competent man. But oh, no, he was anything but a competent man. Ever since he inherited the Castoran fortune he's been squandering it with blatant disregard-- useless deals, blatant scams, vanity and more vanity. Halleine, the only child, stayed and studied in Seraph Academy while her father guzzled barrels upon barrels of wine in parties together with his whores and argued drunkenly and loudly-- sometimes to the point of physical violence-- with the loan sharks that chased after him. Halleine's mother disappeared some time in the middle of the ordeal when she was ten, presumably to find a better husband. While in the academy, however, Halleine became a prodigy well-versed in law, history, philosophy, swordsmanship and alchemy, the latter two being something to fuel the family heirloom she effortlessly stole from the living room wall while her father didn't care what it was. Halleine grew to resent her father more and more as he was becoming a big, nasty stain upon the family name, but the tipping point was a deal that simply seemed like any other deal that her father struck after her graduation-- sell a piece of his land for a measly sum of gold. But the land in the deal was rather expensive and strategic, and Doryne was chuckling to himself as if he'd struck a fair deal this time. A week later though, the house was raided by the royal knights and all the assets forced to be seized. According to an snitching insider, the deal he'd struck was with a band of rebel bandits, using the land he sold for them to set up a base of operations and hiring them to siege and sack his creditors, with part of the loot used to refinance the wealth he squandered. Doryne was sentenced to death for treason on account of financing a rebellion, a fact the now-twenty Halleine rejoiced in. But the risk of losing all their inheritances? Not so much. But not only was this an opportunity to recover the Castoran fortune for herself, she also knew this would be a good time to prove herself as someone worthy of maintaining the noble name. As her own lawyer, Halleine fought her way into recovering each and every piece of remaining real, authentic wealth of the family she'd think she deserve and won. But the money she had left was only enough to buy herself a comfortable estate in Zauberheim, and the rest of the family land were auctioned off to other noble houses or left abandoned. From then onward she'd use her degree in the Academy to join the ranks of the knights, train further and reestablish the influence House Castoran lost with both her deeds and connections. [hider=Hider] The lady-knight ever stood still atop the guard tower, standing as firm as the very fort she was standing on, posted to watch over the ceremonies of the Festival. At one point she saw a boy running quickly opposite the direction of where the crowd was walking-- something suspicious in the eyes of anyone and most especially a guard. Most likely a pickpocket, but sometimes just running errands, but even more rarely shadier errands. With a simple signal of the hand she communicated to the guard on the boy's path to quickly tackle him and take him inside the post for interrogation, try and let him clear his name. Halleine, the lady-knight, was officially just a mere knight, mind you. But she had garnered enough respect to be allowed to take the lead where normally the immediate commanding officer would come first. "Where does that bunch o' veggies you're carrying come from, boy?" said Hally, as she sat down. The boy in front of her trembled, but eventually mustered his composure. "Down the shop on the third turn," he pointed. The knights accompanying him dragged him to the stall he pointed. Halleine slouched on her chair in his absence as she waits. During this, she picks up a peculiar piece of metal from her sack, giving it a hard glare as she examines it from her fingers, fiddling with it slowly as a symbol written in blood comes in view. [/hider] [/hider]