It's another EO game, and that means it's time for more
character profiles!
*~*
"A mere five hundred En for travel expenses? Has my father lost his wits?!"
Alexis reined in a sigh. "Your Majesty, the entire point of this expedition was to prove that you could stand on your own two feet. As it is, five hundred is more than sufficient for our needs."
The prince sighed dramatically and the next leg of the journey was carried on in silence until the crest of the next hill was traversed, and they were now staring at a collection of buildings and roads.
"So that's Armoroad," Jules said softly, almost to himself.
"Please try to remember that your actions here reflect on not only your family name, but the entirety of the Empire," Alexis said softly.
There was a brief chuckle. "Not to worry, Alexis, I'm sure your incessant nagging has thoroughly drilled it into my head by now."
Lord and retainer shared the briefest of smiles. And then, on an unspoken signal, the two stepped forward towards Armoroad.
*~*
Jules Vernessus Maximillian the Fourteenth
Male Prince
Age: 20
Hit: Exotic Dishes
Miss: Scratchy Clothing
"No, I didn't bring along an 'Arad Knee Thread', whatever that is. Why do you ask?"
A longstanding tradition of the sons of the Maximillian Empire was that at their Coming Of Age, they were to proclaim a vow before the Goddess and make good on that boast. A minor prince of the bloodline, Jules was no exception. Owing to the consumption of a rather unhealthy amount of alcohol the night before the ceremony, Jules' next clear memory was of servants helping to pack his things and set out for Armoroad. He was understandably rather dismayed, but perked up considerably when Alexis pointed out that Armoroad was famed for its wide variety of exotic seafood dishes.
Attempts to project a regal air, but his rather embarrassing ignorance of relatively mundane matters tends to leave him with egg on his face more often than not. Not too proud to realize that he is less experienced than many of the people he hires, he prefers to stay in the back row and focus on rejuvenating his allies.
*~*
Alexis Wulfenbach, Knight of the Golden Eye
Blonde Female Hoplite
Age: 20
Hit: Armour Polishing, Jules
Miss: Rust, being mistaken for a boy
"No, your Majesty, I do not believe that mushroom to be edible. Please put it down."
Prince Jules' childhood friend, confidante, trainer and bodyguard in equal measure, she has served him and the Maximillian family faithfully for as far back as she can remember. When Jules inadvertently swore to conquer the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, the Emperor personally requested Alexis to accompany the Prince to aid him in his trials. (Unspoken was the tacit understanding that he wouldn't last a week without her.)
Alexis also finds herself rather attracted towards the Prince, although her station prevents her from making her feelings known.
Mindful of value of balance in all matters, Alexis is continuously studying both the spear and the shield to maximise her effectiveness in combat. Her study into the cartographical arts also means that she's stuck with drawing the maps.
*~*
Geoffrey von Paulus
Aged Male Monk
Age: 56
Hit: Bodybuilding
Miss: Unnecessary violence
"How hard you kick and punch is all in the mind."
Having practiced the fine art of focusing his Qi for a lifetime, Geoffrey has mastered the techniques of manipulating Qi for healing and aiding others, and has taken on an apprentice. Unfortunately and much to his dismay, said apprentice apparently prefers the more physical aspects of the ascetic path instead of the healing and gentler properties.
He has journeyed to Armoroad along with his apprentice to join a Guild and hopefully let her see the value of teamwork and supporting one's comrades. Spends an inordinate amount of time in the Butterfly Bistro, much to his apprentice's chagrin.
*~*
Adrian Sanders
Red-haired Female Monk
Age: 16
Hit: Folk songs
Miss: Alcohol
"Never met a beast whose lights I couldn't punch out."
Geoffrey's apprentice since young. While her master has devoted himself to mastery of the Arts of Healing and Rejuvenation, Adrian herself has taken an inclination to the Art of Punching Things Really Hard. Despite their apparent disagreement on how one should use the energy of their bodies, the two remain close, and when her Master requested she join her on their expedition to Armoroad, she readily agreed. Part of her enthusiasm has to do with the prospect of meeting 'cute, tough guys', seeing as she appears to value both attributes in equal measures.
Where's a wooden amulet on a necklace under her clothing, and is reluctant to talk about it beyond claiming that it is a keepsake.
*~*
John Rook
Young Male Buccaneer
Age: 18
Hit: Sea shanties
Miss: Eyepatches
"No, I don't draw out my 'R's. And I find the suggestion that I
should rather baffling."
A former privateer, Rook has decided that he'd prefer to earn his coin in a slightly more legal profession and has taken up the mantle of adventuring. Owns the 'St. Eris' which he lets the rest of the Paragon Guild use whenever the feel an inclination to head out to sea for a bit. Feels most comfortable when wielding a rapier, and his nimble footwork allows him to follow up ally attacks with his own.
Has taken up a friendly rivalry with Midori, and has a secret crush on her.
*~*
Midori Ayasatoi
Young Female Ninja
Age: 17
Hit: Kitsune masks
Miss: Insects
"I'll name
this one 'Fluffykins Cuddlypoops'."
Found unconscious in a back alley of Armoroad, Midori has relatively little memory of her past, but her body has apparently not forgotten her skills at stealth or combat. Hidden memories of some terrible secret of the Labyrinth has led her to seek out work at the Guilds in the hopes of discovering more about her past.
Is also in love with fox masks and her room at the inn is stuffed to overflowing with them. She also names each of them, to her Guildmate's minor discomfort.
Has a friendly rivalry with Rook, and a secret crush on him.
*~*
Pure
Blonde Male Farmer
Age: 15
Hit: Naps
Miss: Work
"*yawn* Huh, whassat? We leavin' 'ready?"
A young and lazy farmer, he joined the Paragon Guild with the understanding that his primary task was to help them gather resources.
He later found out his secondary task was to help them fight monsters, and is now frantically poring over his contract, looking for an escape clause.
*~*
'Clay'
Dark-haired Gladiator
Age: 25
Hit: Arm Wrestling
Miss: 'Softness'
"Heh...
cute. I can take you all!"
Left homeless and destitute after a war rolled over her sleepy home village, the young woman was eventually captured by the victorious invaders. Eventually they decided that they would have her fight for their amusement and sent her into the gladiator's ring.
Luck and skill was with her, and a quick string of unbroken victories made her a fan favourite - and her owner's prized slave. One night, she seized an opportunity caused by an errant fire in the estate and fled, eluding her pursuers as far as Armoroad, where she joined the Paragon Guild under the assumed name of 'Clay' to elude her pursuers. She has thus far refused to reveal her true name to anyone.
Fights most comfortably with a club to smash through the enemy. General antipathy for authority makes her not get along with Jules, and she sees Alexis as a rival, although the Hoplite remains entirely unaware of such things.
*~*
Alice 'Sidney' Marguerite
Young Female Arbalist
Age: 19
Hit: The Butterfly Bistro's Quencher Special
Miss: Fancy dresses
"Ain't
nothing gonna survive a four foot arrow through the craw!"
A native of Armoroad, and daughter of one of the more prominent merchant houses (for what
that was worth after the Calamity had wrecked their shipping lanes a hundred years ago), Alice had always entertained dreams of helping to restore Armoroad to its former glory. However, her temperament and lack of talent at niceties and negotiation meant she was unlikely to be able to do a good job in taking over her father's financial empire when it was time for the reins to be passed down.
And so she settled for the next best thing - venturing into the Labyrinth, finding out the secrets of the past, and hopefully amassing enough loot to help with the restoration of Armoroad. Quickly became fast friends with Adrian upon joining the Paragon Guild.
*~*
Melina Koolhaas
Brunette Female Farmer
Age: 15
Hit: Mushrooms
Miss: Dark, damp places
"Hoo, this trek... is more draining than I thought! ... I'm perfectly fine though, don't worry about me."
The daughter of two great adventurers, Melina had always longed to follow in her parent's footsteps, but lacked the endurance and skill to become a full-fledged warrior in her own right. When the Paragon offered her a spot in the Guild, she quickly joined up, vowing to improve herself as much as possible so she could become a great explorer herself.
Until then, her constant study of the Labyrinth has given her invaluable insight into the nature of the flora in the area, not to mention she knows how to harvest its plentiful resources, so she's still useful to the Guild.
Is irritated by Pure's lackadaisical attitude towards work, and is constantly pushing her fellow Farmer to help out with the Guild's duties more.
*~*
Sar'Vok Atahualpa
Older Male Wildling
Age: 32
Hit: Roughing it
Miss: Being indoors
"..."
The former Tun'Ga of an island tribe to the East, Atahualpa has handed the mantle of Leadership over to his eldest son and set off for greater challenges. Eventually, he heard tales of the wondrous and unconquered Labyrinth, and has journeyed to Armoroad to test the forest and prove his strength.
Unused to the local tongues, he rarely speaks save for acknowledging requests and commands. Midori, feeling similarly displaced, has taken to spending more time with him. (She's also trying to get him to learn how to summon foxes, with little success so far.)
*~*
Asmodeus Frei Varn
Young Male Zodiac
Age: 24
Hit: Quiet and solitude
Miss: Socializing
"Hmm... intriguing. Our chances of survival refuse to go any higher no matter our actions."
A student at the Great Library of Sovelude, Asmodeus was commissioned by his teacher to venture to the Labyrinth and to attempt to gather what knowledge he could for the sake of Library. Considering it largely a fool's game, he nonetheless fufills his duties to the best of his ability.
When not called to go Labyrinth hunting, he is usually found by the port, head buried in one tome or another. Has no real friends in the Guild, but no real enemies either.
An Ice specialist.
*~*
More to come later once I've created them. Right now I've barely done the first floor.
