[hider=S'venia][center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/Yxakt3L.jpg?1[/img]
[b]Name:[/b] S'venia Skor
[b]Gender: [/b]   Female
[b]Age:[/b]   44

[b]Origins:[/b] S'venia family hail from the Val'kan Oasis deep within the Saldonian Nation.  Her people all sport elongated and pointy ears and thin, short frames that have a surprisingly strong muscular build.  The Val'Kan Oasis, famous for its dates, is the largest of its kind found within the nation and has been given the nickname the Palm Tree Oasis by outsiders.  The oasis has served as a crucial middle ground between the mountain range The God Fangs and the easternmost coast with The Grand Road cutting straight through the walled-off oasis.  The oasis finds plenty of shade for its inhabitants to escape the oppressive mid-summer heat under the thick palm tree canopy.  

Originally the oasis was much smaller than it is found today.  It took many years, and investments made by the Saldonian Nation, to make this midway point as effective as it is.  Great aqueducts carry vast amounts of clean water from the northern lakes and help supplement the already enormous underground aquifers that supply the oasis.  The oasis is a vibrant location, both in terms of colors and in terms of food offered.  Indeed, travels and locals alike both find the refuge a fantastic place to have a good time.  Some local mages have developed the ability to have their magic erupt from their mouths, making them the perfect mages for shows and other demonstrations.  

Mages from this location are often fire or water-based.  The fire mages that hail from this region are often some of the most adept fire mages the Saldonian nation has to offer.  The oasis boasts one of the most excellent mage schools around, and fire mages of all locals often opt to travel vast distances to study under the master mages.  Although nowhere near as adept, there have been water mages that have hailed from this location.  While there are few, and far in-between, masters at this location, the water mages still have options when it comes to training.  Most end up working the aqueducts or servicing the area in other means.

[b]Magic:[/b] Fire Magic:

S'venia is a fire mage.  She boasts near-complete control and uses her magic as a strategic instrument.  From flame storms to beams, and everything in-between, S'venia is well on her way to mastering the arts of her magic.  S'venia's magic revealed itself long before she remembers her first memory and has spent most of her life studying, and training.  She is a capable fighter when it comes to using her magic.  In extreme circumstances, she can even produce fire of blue heat that tears its way through even the most resilient of armors.  

She has, like many fire mages from her area, learned how to control her magic in different ways.  While nowhere near as proficient as if she channeled her magic traditionally, she can send firestorms from her mouth for a brief moment.  As a commander, she has been blessed with the addition of a conduit staff to aid in her magic.  With it, she can use her magic more freely.  She can also use her magic to have her hand engulfed in intense flames that can melt steel.

In total, she is a patient mage who prefers sudden and brutal strikes instead of a constant assault, and she is well known to our enemy.  

[b]Appearance: [/b] 

 S'venia stands at a modest height of five foot eight inches tall in heels and an accurate height closer to five foot seven.  She has brown hair that flows downward with elegance.  The last week, however, has caused her hair to feature some mud and numerous twigs and leaves.  Her posture is astute.  Even with the numerous parts of nature her ensemble features, she still carries a glorious grace that betrays her plain clothes.  While thin, she boasts a strong muscular core from years of training.  The most defining feature, before she starts to use her magic, is her rather large and pointed ears that rival any for the longest in the Nation.  When she starts using her magic, her eyes glow a fiery glow, and the veins in her ears respond in kind.  

[b]Personality:[/b]    

S'venia always needs to be in control of her situation.  She is meticulous to details and honest to a fault.  Since her early years, S'venia always has sought control, be it in her studies or her clothes, and even the schedule at which she trained was something that she always wanted to be in charge of.  The master mages would not relent and S'venia has since then held a grudge that helps fuel her fire.  S'venia is also very detail-oriented and can decipher small details from the way someone talks or in their movement.  If someone's tone is off, or if they phrase a report different than before, she will feel suspicious and will have a desire to find out just what is going on.  She is also incredibly honest, and it has gotten her into more trouble in her youth than she would care to admit.  

Her natural attention to detail and her somewhat blunt nature have allowed her to rise through the ranks and become the leader of a small group of fire mages.  Though her ambition is only sated for now.  She dreams of big things, and she will do whatever she has to achieve them.  

The loss at the fortress weighs heavily on her mind.  She lost many soldiers under her command, and their voices have started to haunt her dreams.  S'venia has taken to ignore their pleas and focus on protecting those under her wings for now. 

[b] History:   [/b]  

S'venia's entire life has been training for where she is today.  Her earliest memories were in the center of the beautiful oasis, conjuring sparks for the strict fire mage masters that were teaching her.  From practice to studies, to training, and more, S'venia's childhood was nothing short of a professional student.  She would spend most of her early childhood here, with her family visiting every-so-often.  After twelve years, she rose up the ranks and became an apprentice to a master; Master Sal-va Sordorlas, a very dull and blunt old fool.  He was quick to judge and even quicker to point out each and every flaw he saw in her form.  He was also ready to teach the correct posture or the proper form, and even the right cadence to breath to achieve the most potent blaze.  He was quick to judge, but even quicker to bestow knowledge upon the young mage.  S'venia very much appreciated his teachings.  From him, S'venia learned control of her magic and how to keep herself composed as a whole.  

After she had grown into her young twenties, she became a fire mage for the Nation.  She would continue her training under her new master, Bal Ko, and learn how to channel her blaze for war.  She would discover this new magic and master it in full, well before the Empire started to pound on her nation's door.  Initially, she and many mages like her were kept in reserve and instead focused on training while the footsoldiers attempted to hold back the encroaching enemy.  Eventually, she and many mages were attached to numerous units and began to join the war in full.

That was a decade ago, and S'venia still finds herself in the thick of war.  With casualties mounting, among other reasons, she found herself a position as a teacher and as a leader of fire mages. She has lead her soldiers on numerous missions and, up until now, has delivered victories for her nation and protected her soldiers.  Though now, with the fall of her fortress, she finds herself leading a new, diverse group with different skill sets.   She will try and guide them all home, but only time will tell whether they make it.

[b]Equipment: [/b]  

-Conduit Staff:
S'venia, as a leader, was awarded a conduit staff to aid in her magic.  The staff contains a conduit gem which, for reasons unknown to S'venia, can be used in place of her own latent magic.  The gem draws in power from the surrounding area and stores it for later use.  S'venia can use it to power her magic and even enhance her own.  While it has a limited capacity, if the situation calls for it, she can use this to push an advance or steady a defense.  It is currently inoperable and needs time to charge.  She currently has it wrapped in various clothes to hide the pristine white staff and help it blend into the surrounding woods.

-Common Clothes:
As opposed to her standard style of dress S'venia finds herself under the dull drab of a commoner.  The green and red of her dress and the white cloak she wore has been replaced, much like her soldiers, by a plain lace-up shirt, that was once white, hidden underneath a leather vest that offers little protection.  She also finds herself wearing a simple, dull black colored pants with the lower half caked in mud; all stolen from a clothesline from some unfortunate village.

-Map:
As a commander, she was privileged to receive and even lucky to still maintain a map of the area.  On it, enemy locations and routes to take are clearly labeled as are directions to crossing points where she can take her soldiers home.  

-Short sword:
Robbed from a dead Empire soldier, the short sword is stapped across her waist, and she hopes to never learn how to use it.

-Backpack:
Her pack contains most of her regular clothes, among other things.  She has a water canteen, enough dried meat to last a week, and some Empire money in case they need it.[/center][/hider]

[hider=Ardur][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/hFQT3Ke.jpg?1[/img]
Character Sheet:

[b]Name:[/b] Ardur Bennor
[b]Gender: [/b]   Male
[b]Age:[/b]   50
[b]Origins:[/b]

Ardur's family traces back to the bogs and swamplands of the Aterius marshes, a place where the small amount of solid ground was fought over and where people lived in raised cities.  This was a lawless place where murders were plentiful, and a bounty hunter could live a comfortable life; if he didn't find himself on the receiving end of a blade first.  The primary source of income here was found in trappers and fishers.  There exist a plethora of native wildlife whos pelts are in high demand across the continent. As such, it is not uncommon to see a boat filled to capacity with skinned fur, meat, and fish roll into the docks.  

Aterius sits as a bit of an enigma when compared to the other former nations.  Its lawlessness was embraced by the ruling body.  It thrived on having its hands in every jar, collecting some "taxes" to turn a blind eye to the rampant crime.  Yet, despite the rampant corruption, the nation would prove to be the first sore that beset the Empire.  The Empire launched its first attacks into the marshland fifteen years prior, sending boats filled with soldiers into the wet battlefields.  The Aterius people were crafty, and their magic potent.  From logs sharpened into giant spears that pierced the hulls of their enemy ships to their force and water mages using the natural elements of the bog to assault.  And when they did make it to their floating city, the soldiers soon found themselves in a fight for survival as hardcore criminals and bounty hunters alike fought a dirty fight that exposed the invading soldiers to the brutality of the war to come.  

The nation would fall after its third year of putting up a defense, forcing her people on the run.  Eventually, they found themselves before the walls of the Saldonian Nation.  In a rare turn of events, the Nation accepted these criminals and thugs into their nation, under one condition.  Every able-bodied man or woman would have to fight the Empire.  Many would heed the call.  With there knowledge of the underground and their stealthy-by-nature ways, these soldiers have been utilized to significant effect in the stealth war.  

These people range in height and appearnce, but a common characteristic of the native Saldonians are that they are usually shorter, standing between five feet five inches and five feet eight inches, with shorter but still pointed ears.  They are evenly split between force and water mages, with some able to dabble in the use of both.  The vast majority are no more skilled than an average mage, as they spend very little time studying the magic and instead have opted for learning through use.  They can command powerful magic, but also the capability for their magic to consume them more readily.

[b]Magic:[/b] Force mage:
Ardur is a force mage.  While he has not spent much time studying under a master's, the streets of Aterius taught him enough.  While his control of the magic can be subject to extreme swings in both power and precision, he can use it to deadly effects.  From lifting an enemy helmet and inserting a knife into the exposed flesh to throwing them into spikes and other objects, Ardur is not a pushover when it comes to fighting.

The control of his magic is not very well defined, even with years of use.  Lack of a master and of training have meant that he has had to learn through trial and error.  He can count the number of times he has nearly been consumed by his magic if he uses both hands and a foot or two.  This shows up in the heat of battle at times.  With his thrown weapons wobbling through the air or outright missing their target altogether.  

When he is in control, he can be deadly.  He has been known to be as precise as lifting an enemy helmet or opening their visor before he thrusts a dagger or another weapon into the opening.  More often, though, Ardur prefers to use his magic to supplement his own skill with blades.  From pulling the legs out from under his combatant to ripping a shield from the arms of its soldier and bashing it against their helmet to mixed effects.   

[b]Appearance: [/b]  Ardur always stood a head above his friends and family, standing close to six feet in height.  He has two blue lines that are tattooed across his clean-shaven face.  His hair is messy and long, with two braids twirling down in front of his ears.  From his days fighting for Aterius, he has opted for less protective armor and instead wears a simple leather vest overtop a padded jacket and some commonly dyed pants.  His clothes feature his signature patchwork repairs ranging from well down to entirely off style; Ardur is function over form.  His boots are a durable leather pair that he has worn for years, stolen from the home of the Empire Commander, who had invaded his nation.


[b]Personality:[/b]    

Ardur is as calm as the sea during a raging storm.  His upbringing, combined with his years of combat, have left a cold, emotionless shell who's only goal is to survive.    He has left friends to die, and this is something that does not dwell on his waking thoughts.  Ardur is quick to distrust and slow to learn details about people's lives.  

His sleep is haunted by the deeds of his past.  Frequently, the bloody battles that erupted all across Aterius in her final days flash before his eyes. He remembers in detail the savage nature of the battle and the unspeakable horrors that were committed.  He remembers the non-combatants being cut down as they fled.  He can feel the terror of the enemy soldiers as they were dragged to a murky fate by the water mages.  The battle may have ended long ago, but it still is a war being fought in his mind.  The actions he has taken since have had added a burden though less in intensity.  He has had to do horrible things, but they were for the good of his people and his new Nation.  

[b] History:   [/b]  

Ardur remembers little of his parents.  His father was a gambler, and a bad one at that.  When his debts caught up to him, with his enemies pounding on their front door, he tried to fight back.  He used every ounce of magic in his body but was quickly dispatched by the cutthroats.  His mother wanted to avenge him and met a similar fate soon after.  From then out, Ardur lived in a poorly run orphanage.  Here he learned the tricks needed to survive in such a desolate place.  From using his new emerging force magic to rob the coin purses of the more affluent citizens to training in the back alleyway of fighting.

As he entered his young teen years, he was adopted into an organized crime unit. He began committing crimes and waging small battles against other gangs.  He continued to hone his magic and sword skills in the years that followed, eventually becoming a capable swordsman when his magic was in play.  

Eventually, the Empire turned its eyes to the resource-rich area and began its invasion.  Ardur, and every other cutthroat began waging a series of ambushes and brutal battles against their invaders.  Ardur and his comrades were particularly adept at sneaking into the enemies camp as they slept, and killing a few in their beds.  As the war waged on, and the sheer numbers began to encroach on the capital docks at Avala, Ardur found himself more commonly on the frontlines.  In these last few months, Ardur lost friends and enemies who became friends alike at a rapid pace.  As their enemy began to breach the walls, and the battle turned to a chaotic mess of magic and steel, Ardur and a large group managed to escape thanks to the water mages.  They powered rafts that were able to move around the makeshift ships the Empire had created.

After many more skirmishes, and retreats through foreign lands, the survivors found themselves on the edge of the Land of Whispers at the gates of a Saldonian Nation stronghold.  A deal was made. The Saldonian Nation would allow the survivors refuge, but they would have to serve in the upcoming war.  Most agreed.  Many became spies and assassins and began to terrorize the backlines of the Empire, and Ardur was no different.  Over the years, he has had numerous close calls.  Recently, he was saved by a fire mage and her soldiers and pledged his services to her if she would ever need them.  

As his home fortress burned, and on the retreat once more, he found his services called into use by S'venia and will attempt to guide them back home using her map, and his skills.  

[b]Equipment: [/b]  
-Twin Swords:

Ardur has two swords, both made from the same forge with different hilts and handles.  The first, named Fang, is a bastard sword that features a wider hilt and has a brown handle.  This is his standard sword when it comes to dueling.  It is off weight, but he is used to it and can wield it with one or two hands.  The second is a curved blade with a knife-like handle.  He will use this sword against lighter armored foes and has a proper balance.  He has been known, in fits of madness, to use both at once.  He gets tired very quickly.  

-Common Clothes:
As always, the less impressive he looks, the better.  His clothes are a mixture of bad patch jobs and various different materials.  He does have a simple leather vest, and a padded jacket underneath that offers some protection. Still, he is better served, not taking any blows.

-Various knives and daggers:

Across his body, Ardur is covered in hidden daggers and knives that he uses for a change of pace (with some throwing daggers hidden inside his vest) or for his magic (small and thin daggers used to force into exposed face guards).

-A necklace from home:

Ardur wears a simple necklace from home.  It is nothing more than a durable string with a pearl drilled to fit.  No matter where he travels, he carries this memento with him.

-Pack:
His back is filled with various poisons and other nefarious devices.  He has some tools used to extract information and carries enough coin to get by if he gets stranded behind enemy lines for long.
[/center][/hider]