Cu Chulainn

Fate/illuminated histoire

Finn Shot (Thunder)

• Name: Kullervo, Vengeful Son of Evil
• Class: Berserker Avenger
• Appearance: All that talk about justice, and here I am... Just another killer...
• Personality: The embodiment of hatred taking the shape of an all-consuming storm. A wicked child who was never given the chance to truly grow, Kullervo acts purely on his own impulses, doing what he believes is right and ignoring those around him. Being summoned as an Avenger has only warped Kullervo's mentality further, going so far as to destroy anyone who would dare spite him. Despite this, reasoning can be reached with his Master, especially if they share the same pain he had endured in his life: The pain of abuse and abandonment, to be torn from his family and sold off as a slave, and to have every semblance of his life taken from him. To those who are familiar with this abuse, Kullervo would sympathize with, taking on their burdens and allowing them to fuel the ever-raging tempest stirring deep within his heart, where naught but an overwhelming desire for vengeance remains. Kullervo knows that his very existence is painted with the misery of his people and that he must carry that burden even in the Throne of Heroes. Rather than changing that fate, his wish is to ensure that no child should carry the same burden.
• Stats:
  
  • Strength: C
  • Endurance: B
  • Agility: C
  • Mana: A
  • Luck: -
  • Noble Phantasm: B
• Class Skills:
  • Avenger: B+. Signature class skill of the Avenger class, denoting one's state of being that gathers the hatred and resentment of others onto one's self. In other words, the very way of living as an Avenger. Not only is it easy for negative emotions to be drawn towards Kullervo, but he is empowered by them. The grudges of those around him only serve as fuel for Kullervo's tempestuous rage, that resentment automatically converted to both strength and energy. Gathering grudges is exceptionally easy due to Kullervo being a "living curse".
  • Memory Correction: B. Class skill of the Avenger class. Humans, as living things, are forgetful of many things, but an Avenger never forgets. Consumed with a rage for the vast misfortunes both he and his tribe have suffered, Kullervo's hatred will never falter. An endless storm rages through Kullervo's heart. It’s this unending torrent that caused him to abandon and even curse his own family in his desire to obtain revenge. By attacking from beyond the memories of his opponents (and because he also carries the memories of his tribe), critical effects are strengthened
  • Self-Replenishment (Mana): -. Class skill of the Avenger class. Until one's revenge is complete, magical energy is endlessly replenished. However, this skill has been sublimated into The Vengeful Storm That Rages Endlessly due to Kullervo's form of mana replenishment going above and beyond the limits of this skill.
• Personal Skills:
  • Witchcraft (Wild): B-. Signifies one as a practitioner of the black arts. Kullervo was noted to have an incredible talent with sorcery and alongside the nature of his body containing numerous grudges, he would truly be a first-class genius at the art if not for his ill-fated life. Instead, Kullervo impulsively wields a vast assortment of curses and other dark magics as a weapon against all those who would spite him. However, because he wildly casts spells due to his anger, the expected outcomes are more varied and the effects are much harder to control.
  • Madness of the Spirits: A. The maddening howls of Kullervo, a child born from the countless grudges of the murdered tribe of Kalervo, scour the Earth, causing the spirits sleeping from within to stir and crush the will of all opposition. A mental interference effect that temporarily decreases the STR and AGI of his opponents, Kullervo's screams carry the collective weight of his entire tribe's rage and anguish.
  • Prana Burst (Lightning): C+. Magical energy is infused with the element of Lightning, surging from one's weapons and body. A skill that combines Kullervo's internal magical energy along with the properties of his Noble Phantasm, Ukonvasara. Summoned as an Avenger, blackened lightning overflows from Kullervo's body, enhanced and made stronger by the resentment accumulated within him, bestowing this lightning with a grudge effect and further darkening it similarly to the black flames of a certain other Avenger. Eternally, Kullervo is covered in a furious tempest that grows along with his anger, protecting him in an armor of cursed lightning that also serves as a manifestation of his all-consuming desire for vengeance.
  • The Vengeful Storm That Rages Endlessly: A. A mutation of the Galvanism skill made by synchronizing his Noble Phantasm with his existence as an Avenger. Rather than stray magical energy, negative emotions and even curses are instead converted into electricity used to further fuel his quest for vengeance. The grudge-filled electricity paints Kullervo's mana, darkening his magical energy. Because of his state as an Avenger, who is constantly filled with negative emotions, this skill constantly fuels Kullervo like a Perpetual Motion Engine, allowing him to survive even spiritual core damage momentarily so long as he remains sufficiently angry. So long as the storm within his heart continues to rage on, not even the World can end his existence.
• Noble Phantasm(s):
  
  • Name:Ukonvasara, Blood-Thirsting Thunderbolt of the Sky God
  • Rank: C ~ A+
  • Type: Anti-Army
  • Appearance: Literally Stormbringer.
  • Effects:The magical broadsword given to Kullervo by the High God Ukko, Sky Father of the Finns. A "sentient" sword that can move and attack on its own commanded easily by its wielder's will, its main ability is to grant its wielder the destructive power of Ukko, the blade itself containing the High God's lightning. However, it seems as if this power has been severely weakened due to not being summoned under the Saber class, losing the ability to launch direct bolts of lightning. Instead, Kullervo has directed Ukonvasara's power internally through the use of his witchcraft, granting him the Prana Burst (Lightning) skill and essentially serving as a glorified lightning rod.
    Because Kullervo's body is filled with grudges, the lightning borne from the blade is also strengthened with these negative emotions, resulting in a peculiar effect that allows the blade to transcend its standard rank as a Noble Phantasm. By invoking the blade's True Name and striking it into the ground like a thunderbolt, the tempest of hatred held within Kullervo is brought outward all around him, resulting in a destructive maelstrom that scales in conjunction with Kullervo's accumulated grudges. If sufficiently powered, this storm has enough destructive power to raze an entire forest or wipe an entire village off the map, permanently scouring the Earth with Kullervo's hatred. The very ground struck by this maelstrom is made barren, incapable of producing life or gathering magical energy for quite some time.
    Interestingly, the sword is also capable of speech. However, the personality of the sword has been significantly warped into that of a blood-starved murderer due to holding the countless grudges contained within its wielder. Even the blood of Kullervo's allies or even the wielder himself would satisfy the sword's blood lust. A terrible conversation partner, but otherwise loyal to whoever wields it. A sword is made to be a tool used for killing, after all.
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Changes: Essentially, Kullervo is the same as he was depicted in the Kalevala with one important denotation that he is made up of the tribe of Kalervo’s negative emotions. A “living curse” of his tribe whose sole existence is to bring justice to the slaughtered. Most of the abilities standard of a living curse (such as eating curses of lesser mystery, serving as the perfect mats for witchcraft, etc.) have already been noted in his skills.

Fate/illuminated histoire

With the changes edited into my sheet, am I good to go or are there still things that need to be discussed?

Cacophony Concord

_{HP 110/110 SP 80/80 MP 10/10}

---

Lew took a knee, folding an arm and wiping the kappa blood off of his wakizashi with his sleeve. Retrieving his other fallen blade and returning them both to his sheathes, Lew glanced over to Klein, who had seemed to have produced something interesting. Despite his sacrifice, it seemed he wasn't dead, either. At the same time, Lew didn't recall Klein taking any classes. Was this a special class, or did he unlock that early on? In any case, Lew took Klein's heroic sacrifice to heart, and gave the giant a nod of respect before standing up to face the rest of his allies.

Lew didn't care too much about the loot. It would have built up over time, either way. After a bit of grinding, the group would have more than enough coin to buy what they need. As for leveling up, Lew could allocate his stats later. He planned to head to town first anyway to check on his progression. Instead, Lew was more concerned about those needing to play catch-up. While they did level up, Lew knew that the allocation wasn't equal. Some of them didn't even take any jobs! As a matter of fact, one of the biggest offenders of this cardinal sin seemed to call to him to ask for one of his swords.

Lew slowly turned to Ari, giving her an ominous and very scary look. Untying the wakizashi from his daisho, he slowly approached his catty companion before grabbing her by one of the cat ears.

"You can borrow my sword after we get you a Class, first. I don't want any of us behind just yet, anyway. Lew lectured Ari, before turning to everyone else. "I'm going to head to town, get Ari a class, and maybe do some searching for any future prospects for us. I do have a few more keystone queries I want to make, anyway. If you guys want to continue grinding, feel free. We can meet up at the keystone if we're all still online when you're done, or you all can just ping me on our Discord." Finally, Lew turned to Klein. "You can join us if you want. I don't recall you taking a class either, but those new tattoos of yours and that figure that appeared us for a bit... Wait, did the game just give you a stand? Uh, disregard that. If you want to head to town and grab a Class with us in case you aren't getting any XP, feel free to. If not, send me an add over on Discord. Lew D.#1713."

Once all that talking was done, Lew dragged Ari back to town, still holding onto her ear like a parent pulling away a misbehaving child.

Fate/illuminated histoire

Sheet has been updated with the changes in mind!

The Epic of Beginnings - Fragments of a weathered scroll

Malphas
Second Floor, ???

@Rune_Alchemist@Crusader Lord@Guy0fV4lor@malmshodes

Malphas grinned as his spell seemingly worked! While the lack of information from his attempt at using his newly given magic may have seemed disheartening, the appearance of this "status" screen was more than enough to allow him to enact his plan. It wasn't the fact that he couldn't see the statuses of his fellows, but rather, Malphas was taken aback by the curt responses he was given by his allies. A lack of respect will surely be a problem he will face in the beginning, it seems. From what Malphas could understand, he will need to give these primates a reason to respect him... After all, if this Guardian truly was a force to be reckoned with, then they would have to believe in him, if they wished to succeed. In the end, it seemed he needed to enforce his own will upon them, whether they wished it or not. Before Malphas could give them a chance to transcend, they will learn to know their place!

"I'm afraid I cannot help with digging through the garbage. It is not my place to... and besides, it seems that those weapons there were scattered at that particular part of the room for a reason. Feel free to step into danger, but for our safety, I will not abide by such a self-destructive order!" Malphas looked down, crossing his arms as he shook his head. "Like I said, if you truly wish to defeat this Guardian, then you will be more than thankful when I put my abilities to the test... Which is why it is imperative you all should be defending me, instead."

"Unlike all of you, the goddess had been privileged to have given me two cheat abilities. The first, [Humanities Scion], won't be likely to help us here, especially given the mood. The second, my true gift, and yours as well if you put your faith in me...

"[God Hand]. Twelve miracles granted to me by the Goddess herself, limited in number, but limitless in power... Only, it can only shine if those who desire them choose to believe... Your lack of faith in me is obvious, and I'm afraid it will be your downfall... But I shall give you all a second chance, regardless! Rejoice in my first miracle!"

Malphas raised his arms as he focused the mana around him once more. He did not try and do anything complex, nor did he actually attempt to make a wish. Instead, he commanded the magical energy around him to surround and fill his body, to make it glow as brightly as it can be.

"O, Goddess, grant me your first gift... One of obfuscation, to mask the presence of myself, my miracles, and my allies, to hide us from any such heathens that wish us harm!"

Malphas continued to allow himself to glow, spreading his light towards the two who had doubted him, and even focused towards the third person, having recently emerged from their own pod. As much as could be done, he accomplished such, before slowly allowing the light to fade. Anything in his power to ensure his gamble would work. They did not need to believe him right away. All Malphas needed was to sow the seeds of piety, to fill these scared simians with hope. They will soon believe in him when the time comes.

"And there you go. I have wasted my first blessing just to keep us all safe. If you don't believe me, have a gander among yourselves. The Goddess had told us all we could see the unseen, yes? You will find that this miracle have mine has obfuscated such a gift among ourselves. If you do not believe me after all this, then all I will do is sit and wait in the safety of these chambers, obscured from whatever Guardian lurks these apocryphal halls."

Lowering his head and shaking it once more, Malphas awaited their compliance, or their deaths. Whatever came first.

Fate/illuminated histoire

I'm fine with the tweaks for the most part. Oblivion Correction was at A because Kullervo in this form is "the memories (grudges) of the tribe of Kalervo", rather than just the grudges of just one person alone. I'm fine with lowering it to B if there's any issue with that, however.

As for the Noble Phantasm, I should have been more clear on the implications for why I had it classified as Anti-Fortress, but the main reason is I intended it to be specialized against territories specifically. I'll clarify its mechanics a bit more in the future, but the idea was the ground that Kullervo activates his NP on would be "cursed" in a sense, making it harder to cultivate and gather magical energy from, as well as destroy any established territories. The justification I had for this was due to one event where Kullervo wiped out an entire forest with his magical power, and that ended up also cursing the soil so that it would not be able to grow trees again. The only other time he used his magical power to that extreme was to wipe out an entire tribe's village off the map, as well. I'm fine with having it lowered to Anti-Army, though I'd like to make sure the implications of what it does remains.

As for the Curse Galvanism, I think it'd be best if we opened dialogue to discuss potential avenues for it. I do want to clarify that while it does give him a degree of self-sufficiency, there would still be a major toll if he were to spam Prana Burst too much, or even just activate his Noble Phantasm. That said, I feel like it'd be best if we could talk it over PMs or on Discord just to find a direction we'd all be satisfied in without being too strong since I do want to keep the "TOO ANGRY TO DIE" memes in somehow.

If Kullervo's basis is too troublesome though, I can reconsider someone else~

Fate/illuminated histoire

Hihi! Noticed that Avenger is a potentially available class and it's honestly tough looking for a roleplay that would be fine with one, so here's my attempt at one that I've been meaning to play for a while~

EDIT: Had a cursed realization that Witchcraft is basically Ninjutsu and realized "hey, that reminds me of another guy whose entire clan was massacred, was cursed, and had a really cool lightning sword!"

Finn Shot (Thunder)

• Name: Kullervo, Vengeful Son of Evil
• Class: Berserker Avenger
• Appearance: All that talk about justice, and here I am... Just another killer...
• Personality: The embodiment of hatred taking the shape of an all-consuming storm. A wicked child who was never given the chance to truly grow, Kullervo acts purely on his own impulses, doing what he believes is right and ignoring those around him. Being summoned as an Avenger has only warped Kullervo's mentality further, going so far as to destroy anyone who would dare spite him. Despite this, reasoning can be reached with his Master, especially if they share the same pain he had endured in his life: The pain of abuse and abandonment, to be torn from his family and sold off as a slave, and to have every semblance of his life taken from him. To those who are familiar with this abuse, Kullervo would sympathize with, taking on their burdens and allowing them to fuel the ever-raging tempest stirring deep within his heart, where naught but an overwhelming desire for vengeance remains. Kullervo knows that his very existence is painted with the misery of his people and that he must carry that burden even in the Throne of Heroes. Rather than changing that fate, his wish is to ensure that no child should carry the same burden.
• Stats:
  
  • Strength: C
  • Endurance: B
  • Agility: C
  • Mana: A
  • Luck: -
  • Noble Phantasm: B
• Class Skills:
  • Avenger: B+. Signature class skill of the Avenger class, denoting one's state of being that gathers the hatred and resentment of others onto one's self. In other words, the very way of living as an Avenger. Not only is it easy for negative emotions to be drawn towards Kullervo, but he is empowered by them. The grudges of those around him only serve as fuel for Kullervo's tempestuous rage, that resentment automatically converted to both strength and energy. Gathering grudges is exceptionally easy due to Kullervo being a "living curse".
  • Memory Correction: B. Class skill of the Avenger class. Humans, as living things, are forgetful of many things, but an Avenger never forgets. Consumed with a rage for the vast misfortunes both he and his tribe have suffered, Kullervo's hatred will never falter. An endless storm rages through Kullervo's heart. It’s this unending torrent that caused him to abandon and even curse his own family in his desire to obtain revenge. By attacking from beyond the memories of his opponents (and because he also carries the memories of his tribe), critical effects are strengthened
  • Self-Replenishment (Mana): -. Class skill of the Avenger class. Until one's revenge is complete, magical energy is endlessly replenished. However, this skill has been sublimated into The Vengeful Storm That Rages Endlessly due to Kullervo's form of mana replenishment going above and beyond the limits of this skill.
• Personal Skills:
  • Witchcraft (Wild): B-. Signifies one as a practitioner of the black arts. Kullervo was noted to have an incredible talent with sorcery and alongside the nature of his body containing numerous grudges, he would truly be a first-class genius at the art if not for his ill-fated life. Instead, Kullervo impulsively wields a vast assortment of curses and other dark magics as a weapon against all those who would spite him. However, because he wildly casts spells due to his anger, the expected outcomes are more varied and the effects are much harder to control.
  • Madness of the Spirits: A. The maddening howls of Kullervo, a child born from the countless grudges of the murdered tribe of Kalervo, scour the Earth, causing the spirits sleeping from within to stir and crush the will of all opposition. A mental interference effect that temporarily decreases the STR and AGI of his opponents, Kullervo's screams carry the collective weight of his entire tribe's rage and anguish.
  • Prana Burst (Lightning): C+. Magical energy is infused with the element of Lightning, surging from one's weapons and body. A skill that combines Kullervo's internal magical energy along with the properties of his Noble Phantasm, Ukonvasara. Summoned as an Avenger, blackened lightning overflows from Kullervo's body, enhanced and made stronger by the resentment accumulated within him, bestowing this lightning with a grudge effect and further darkening it similarly to the black flames of a certain other Avenger. Eternally, Kullervo is covered in a furious tempest that grows along with his anger, protecting him in an armor of cursed lightning that also serves as a manifestation of his all-consuming desire for vengeance.
  • The Vengeful Storm That Rages Endlessly: A. A mutation of the Galvanism skill made by synchronizing his Noble Phantasm with his existence as an Avenger. Rather than stray magical energy, negative emotions and even curses are instead converted into electricity used to further fuel his quest for vengeance. The grudge-filled electricity paints Kullervo's mana, darkening his magical energy. Because of his state as an Avenger, who is constantly filled with negative emotions, this skill constantly fuels Kullervo like a Perpetual Motion Engine, allowing him to survive even spiritual core damage momentarily so long as he remains sufficiently angry. So long as the storm within his heart continues to rage on, not even the World can end his existence.
• Noble Phantasm(s):
  
  • Name:Ukonvasara, Blood-Thirsting Thunderbolt of the Sky God
  • Rank: C ~ A+
  • Type: Anti-Army
  • Appearance: Literally Stormbringer.
  • Effects:The magical broadsword given to Kullervo by the High God Ukko, Sky Father of the Finns. A "sentient" sword that can move and attack on its own commanded easily by its wielder's will, its main ability is to grant its wielder the destructive power of Ukko, the blade itself containing the High God's lightning. However, it seems as if this power has been severely weakened due to not being summoned under the Saber class, losing the ability to launch direct bolts of lightning. Instead, Kullervo has directed Ukonvasara's power internally through the use of his witchcraft, granting him the Prana Burst (Lightning) skill and essentially serving as a glorified lightning rod.
    Because Kullervo's body is filled with grudges, the lightning borne from the blade is also strengthened with these negative emotions, resulting in a peculiar effect that allows the blade to transcend its standard rank as a Noble Phantasm. By invoking the blade's True Name and striking it into the ground like a thunderbolt, the tempest of hatred held within Kullervo is brought outward all around him, resulting in a destructive maelstrom that scales in conjunction with Kullervo's accumulated grudges. If sufficiently powered, this storm has enough destructive power to raze an entire forest or wipe an entire village off the map, permanently scouring the Earth with Kullervo's hatred. The very ground struck by this maelstrom is made barren, incapable of producing life or gathering magical energy for quite some time.
    Interestingly, the sword is also capable of speech. However, the personality of the sword has been significantly warped into that of a blood-starved murderer due to holding the countless grudges contained within its wielder. Even the blood of Kullervo's allies or even the wielder himself would satisfy the sword's blood lust. A terrible conversation partner, but otherwise loyal to whoever wields it. A sword is made to be a tool used for killing, after all.
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Changes: Essentially, Kullervo is the same as he was depicted in the Kalevala with one important denotation that he is made up of the tribe of Kalervo’s negative emotions. A “living curse” of his tribe whose sole existence is to bring justice to the slaughtered. Most of the abilities standard of a living curse (such as eating curses of lesser mystery, serving as the perfect mats for witchcraft, etc.) have already been noted in his skills.

Windfall ☄ A Character-driven Fantasy

Derrick Lowborn

Scourge of the Great Swamp

Derrick Lowborn ● 24 ● He/Him

^{______________________________________}

^Appearance:

5'8, slender but athletic build, dark brown hair, pale skin, and sullen amber eyes. Wears a mixed set of armor emphasizing mobility and an assortment of dark, natural colors, perfect for skulking around wooded lands and underbrush as well as protecting against the rain. Also carries an assortment of different smaller weapons such as a hatchet, an arming sword, and a light pick. He most notably sports a black mask when hunting, made to protect himself from fungal spores and other inhaled threats common to his homeland. Image for reference. Dos.

^Reputation:

A roaming, "ranger"-type mercenary. When one would ask about the "Scourge of the Great Swamp," one would receive a variety of different accounts, many of which are heavily exaggerated. One common theme is that he is a monster slayer of no small renown, a local legend to those living in the more remote regions of the Lowlands and a folk tale to others nearby. All of these accounts are unreliable, however, as he leaves just as fast as he arrives. Those who have traveled with him would describe him as rather reserved and quiet, a soft-spoken expert when consulted in matters he specializes in, and turning into "something else" in the throes of battle.

^{Reason for Traveling:}

Simply put, Derrick wishes to become a hero. His mother, a powerful and infamous enchantress, had raised him for such a purpose, sending him off as soon as he came of age, having ingrained the young man with that aimless goal in mind. However, Derrick's opinion of "becoming a hero" is incomplete, as he believes this equates to seeking out stronger monsters and slaying them in battle. His current goals are to find such a monster, having grown unsatisfied with the "smaller" threats he normally faces.

^Skills:

As expected of someone raised in the wilder regions of the Lowlands, Derrick is a skilled survivalist, with proficiency in hunting, tracking, gathering, and other skills expected of a Ranger. Derrick is also gifted in more clandestine acts, taking advantage of his smaller frame and his conformity with the woodlands of his home to hone his skills at hiding and moving silently. Derrick is also a skilled trapper, able to make rudimentary snares out of sticks and vines alone, and more deadly traps if given the proper time and resources. Due to being raised in the Indiga Great Swamp, he has a familiarity with many of its flora and fauna, taught to him by his mother.

That said, while Derrick is trained in many practical skills, his weakness is in magic, as he is incapable of using his mana or casting any spells due to a curse placed on him at a young age. To compensate, Derrick has honed his skills with weapons to a degree that rivals that of a trained knight, specializing in smaller arms to complement his role as a skirmisher. However, when compared to a warrior that has received formal training, Derrick's fighting style seems to be more vicious and destructive in nature. While a knight of similar skill would fight in order to "defeat" their opponent, Derrick fights in order to "annihilate" his opponent. In other words, a professional slaughterer. This method of combat shines fully when up against supernatural beings.

^Meta:

For Derrick, I was looking to do something of a deconstruction of a folk hero, as well as the classic Hero's Journey story, using elements from different classic legends (such as being raised by a powerful magic being, slaying monsters, etc.) and hopefully turning all of it over its head. The conclusion was an aloof young man who was raised with high expectations in mind and doing his best to accomplish them without really knowing the meaning behind them. That said, I do have a desire for Derrick to grow out his shell and hopefully learn that there is more to being a hero than slaying every single monster he comes across. Hopefully in the end, Derrick would have received proper rehabilitation from his dubious upbringing. Of course, I'm a fan of tragic endings as much as I am of happy ones, so we'll see what the story has in store in the future~

There are other, more secretive elements to Derrick's growth I already discussed with Yankee previously for the sake of narrative such as the curse that doesn't allow him to cast spells, but I can say that they may involve Derrick's witchy mother making an appearance, among other things. Hopefully the twists and turns I have planned aren't too obvious from the get-go... And of course, I do also want to have cool monster fights every now and then, as expected from those who know me.

^Extra:

Art Source

Cacophony Concord

_{HP 103/110 SP 56/80 MP 10/10}

---

Seeing Klein leap into the fray took Lew by surprised. He assumed that most of his allies were busy dealing with the other kappa, and that he was prepared to face off with this one... Not that Lew was complaining about the help, anyway. It seemed as if it weren't for Klein doing what he did, Lew would have lost his opportunity, somehow. Still, things looked ugly for his larger ally, making it obvious to Lew that now is a perfect time to release his Power Attack! Before he could move in to do it however, Klein's unorthodox method of stopping the kappa from biting into his face caught Lew just a bit off-guard. Kappa fisting was one thing he was too familiar with, but he wasn't expecting it to go both ways!

Still, Klein seemed hellbent on sacrificing his arm in order to ensure the kappa's demise, and between that as well as Raymond charging in, Lew knew that if he didn't act now, he would only be dishonoring his friends.

Lew charged forward, holding his wakizashi close to his waist before leaping upward. As he made his descent, his eyes met Klein's for but a brief moment, conveying the emotion that he accepted his companion's sacrifice. Raising his blade in the air as he neared the kappa, Lew finally released the deep breath he was holding in for all this time for the most cool weeaboo fightan sword technique line he could think of at the moment.

"Water Skipping Stone: Two-Strokes!"

And so, Lew's blade sliced into the kappa's neck with his charged Power Attack, striking in the direction opposite of where Raymond was striking it towards so that their momentum would add on together. Rather than completing his slash with one attack, Lew twisted his body as he raised his blade once more, striking the same exact place his blade had sunk into before with a second Power Attack, adding onto the devastation from his first strike. He tried his best to make the movements flow like water, but without any actual experience with swords or the aid of any automatic combat functions, Lew's actions seemed overly dramatic and a bit sloppy...

Oh well. Style points mean nothing if there are no true beauties to impress.

Windfall ☄ A Character-driven Fantasy

<sub>Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light
He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life</sub>

Hero (Murderer)

Scourge of the Great Swamp

Derrick Lowborn ● 24 ● He/Him

^{______________________________________}

^Appearance:

5'8, slender but athletic build, dark brown hair, pale skin, and sullen amber eyes. Wears a mixed set of armor emphasizing mobility and an assortment of dark, natural colors, perfect for skulking around wooded lands and underbrush as well as protecting against the rain. Also carries an assortment of different smaller weapons such as a hatchet, an arming sword, and a light pick. He most notably sports a black mask when hunting, made to protect himself from fungal spores and other inhaled threats common to his homeland. Image for reference. Dos.

^Reputation:

A roaming, "ranger"-type mercenary. When one would ask about the "Scourge of the Great Swamp," one would receive a variety of different accounts, many of which are heavily exaggerated. One common theme is that he is a monster slayer of no small renown, a local legend to those living in the more remote regions of the Lowlands and a folk tale to others nearby. All of these accounts are unreliable, however, as he leaves just as fast as he arrives. Those who have traveled with him would describe him as rather reserved and quiet, a soft-spoken expert when consulted in matters he specializes in, and turning into "something else" in the throes of battle.

^{Reason for Traveling:}

Simply put, Derrick wishes to become a hero. His mother, a powerful and infamous enchantress, had raised him for such a purpose, sending him off as soon as he came of age, having ingrained the young man with that aimless goal in mind. However, Derrick's opinion of "becoming a hero" is incomplete, as he believes this equates to seeking out stronger monsters and slaying them in battle. His current goals are to find such a monster, having grown unsatisfied with the "smaller" threats he normally faces.

^Skills:

As expected of someone raised in the wilder regions of the Lowlands, Derrick is a skilled survivalist, with proficiency in hunting, tracking, gathering, and other skills expected of a Ranger. Derrick is also gifted in more clandestine acts, taking advantage of his smaller frame and his conformity with the woodlands of his home to hone his skills at hiding and moving silently. Derrick is also a skilled trapper, able to make rudimentary snares out of sticks and vines alone, and more deadly traps if given the proper time and resources. Due to being raised in the Indiga Great Swamp, he has a familiarity with many of its flora and fauna, taught to him by his mother.

That said, while Derrick is trained in many practical skills, his weakness is in magic, as he is incapable of using his mana or casting any spells due to a curse placed on him at a young age. To compensate, Derrick has honed his skills with weapons to a degree that rivals that of a trained knight, specializing in smaller arms to complement his role as a skirmisher. However, when compared to a warrior that has received formal training, Derrick's fighting style seems to be more vicious and destructive in nature. While a knight of similar skill would fight in order to "defeat" their opponent, Derrick fights in order to "annihilate" his opponent. In other words, a professional slaughterer. This method of combat shines fully when up against supernatural beings.

^Meta:

For Derrick, I was looking to do something of a deconstruction of a folk hero, as well as the classic Hero's Journey story, using elements from different classic legends (such as being raised by a powerful magic being, slaying monsters, etc.) and hopefully turning all of it over its head. The conclusion was an aloof young man who was raised with high expectations in mind and doing his best to accomplish them without really knowing the meaning behind them. That said, I do have a desire for Derrick to grow out his shell and hopefully learn that there is more to being a hero than slaying every single monster he comes across. Hopefully in the end, Derrick would have received proper rehabilitation from his dubious upbringing. Of course, I'm a fan of tragic endings as much as I am of happy ones, so we'll see what the story has in store in the future~

There are other, more secretive elements to Derrick's growth I already discussed with Yankee previously for the sake of narrative such as the curse that doesn't allow him to cast spells, but I can say that they may involve Derrick's witchy mother making an appearance, among other things. Hopefully the twists and turns I have planned aren't too obvious from the get-go... And of course, I do also want to have cool monster fights every now and then, as expected from those who know me.

^Extra:

Art Source