The Otter
tadcfnaf
teenangstlife
Xaltwind
Not a Sayan
Shmoopsydude
Cynthia Cykes
Chief Executive Officer, Northern Mecrundyr Company | Grand Marshal of Cephalon
23 / Female / Human / Mecrundyr
History:
The Thallasocratic Republic of Cephalon is a nation of middling size lying in the Northern regions of Mecrundyr. Water makes up much of its borders; in the north, it is dominated by coastline, and to the south, a great river forms a natural barrier from the region’s other republics. Like several others, it is a combinations of cultures, ruled by a democratically elected council. The seat of power in this nation lies not in its central government, however, but the large trade company headquartered there, which controls the majority of the military in the nation and has the ear of the ruling council.
Cynthia is the face of that company and its absolute overlord. She was, however, not born a noteworthy individual or to a distinguished family, but rather to a poor mage, an alchemist, whose career she followed in her early years.
Her early successes there boosted an unsustainable ego, and her mind began to fill with grand aspirations. Fueled by such and influenced by the grand trade that was ubiquitous to the region, she looked to break her own way in.
Cephalon was as much a meritocracy as it was a republic. Although not necessary true, this was a thought instilled in Cynthia since her youngest years. Accelerating ahead of her own age, she clawed her way to take the mentorship of the proprietor of a fledgling company. Humored by the man, she was taught social skills, money, and most of all: greed. Greed gave fruit to ambition, and ambition gave claim to power. She took after her mentor; Cynthia was a reckless risk-taker that gambled with her money and her life alike. Fortune favored the bold, and lady luck graced her with kindness.
As with countless others across eons, Cynthia grew up in the shadow of the Baelwill empire. Its people reigned with impunity, fed by its deadly triumvirate of aces. She would never have believed that they would lose two of the three. On the death of its shield and the fall of its star, a Grand Alliance of interested parties was formed in Mecrundyr. Forces from influential companies and several of the fourteen nations assembled, hoping to finally put an end to the oppressive force that so dictated their lives. From Cephalon, an allied force marched on Baelwill and a vast armada sailed around north, intent on bombarding the capital.
Few from both forces returned.
While others thronged for opportunity, she thrived from their loss. Her country was left a shell of its former self, many of its young, able-bodied men and women never to return. Her mentor, leading a division himself, was among them. Having stayed within the nation, she discovered that control of the company that she had since worked for had been willed to her; he had no family. During this time, the nation entered a period of economic recession that saw the collapse of many merchants of the old guard.
Cynthia was not a person to wait. She renamed the business to the Northern Mecrundyr Company, quickly moving to take advantage of the postwar environment. Using her newfound assets, she consolidated the business, buying up the liquidated remains of others, and as affairs stabilized, filled the vacuum in power that the failed campaigns had wrought. Slowly, as she grew her shipping empire, attaining ships, men, arms, and the ears of important politicians, her own ambitions blossomed alongside it. As time passed and the company’s international sphere of influence increased, the uncertainty of Baelwill came to the table time and time again. And uncertainty was bad for business.
Skills and Abilities:
The Blue Water Merchant
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Despite her age, Cynthia is a true blooded merchant through and through. While she has a small frame and a cute demeanor, she is an individual not to be underestimated, easily holding her own in negotiations against organizations, kings, and queens alike. She has total monopolization in Cephalon, and her impact there is second to none. In her short time, her economic sphere of influence already spans across several nations. To enforce and protect her shipping, Cynthia employs a large professional army of soldiers and armed merchantmen at sea. Chartered by Cephalon, it dwarfs and acts as a second branch of its military under her command.
The Mercury Sea
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Although she ultimately found another path in life, Cynthia never forgot her origins. Cephalonian magic is an amalgamation of many forms; as a field, it is as diverse as its namesake nation. It is almost always necessary for students of Cephalonian academies to specialize, and Cynthia was no exception. She shows a mastery of liquid and waveform magic. Cynthia carries around a vial of metallic liquid that she can transform and manipulate at will to form objects, weapons, and even autonomous entities.