Rending Talon
11-26-07, 03:47 PM
Name: Alandriel Termyn
Age: 22
Race: Human (Soulbound Demon)
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Grey
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 145 lbs
Occupation: Information Gathering
Personality
Alandriel likes to present a straightforward appearance and give an impression of forthrightness. She speaks evenly, favoring eye contact with her subject; she shows emotion as appropriate, but doesn’t allow it to carry her away and especially keeps anger and its cousins on a short leash. She is quick with a smile and a compliment, slower to criticize. Underneath she has a temper that is slow to manifest but fearsome, and she possesses a nearly infinite capacity for bearing grudges. You may hear her forgive, but you can bet by your god that she hasn’t forgotten. The mask of the even-tempered, curious student and dutiful daughter of a minor noble is one that she has worn for so long that she barely recognizes it as a mask anymore, but in combat or stress it lifts around the edges; the little snarls and flashes of teeth show that at least a part of her hasn’t forgotten the little girl who bit her brother’s ear for stealing her wooden giraffe. The other driving force worth noting is an underlying craving to be useful to someone -- anyone. Growing up last in a line of succession with an impression that her living or dying didn't really matter all that much will do that to you.
Appearance
A lean, moderately tall woman in her early twenties with a cool grey-eyed stare and obvious muscle in her shoulders and arms, Alandriel is handsome though not beautiful by the standards of human women. Her skin is pale, in stark contrast to her lustrous black hair, which is nearly always neatly brushed and gathered into a tail that hangs down to the small of her back. She most often wears a loose tunic in slate blue or grey, belted around the waist, with a small quiver of arrows and a shortbow slung over her back and an obsidian knife sheathed at her right side. The only piece of evident jewelry is a wrought-iron collar that encircles her neck, featureless save for a careful examination, which would show dozens of intricately-etched runes of binding.
History
Born to Ethan and Lahmia von Termyn, part of a minor noble family in Salvar, Alandriel enjoyed a protected childhood rather free of the distress that the country’s continuing instability wrought with others. She was the second of two daughters, and the youngest of five siblings, but still ate well every night and obtained a considerable degree of education in both the practicalities of financial administration and in various nobles’ pastimes -- most notably archery, to which she took naturally.
On her sixteenth birthday, and passage into the realm of adult responsibility, Alandriel had come to recognize how little she could do for her family. A second daughter, and not an especially attractive one at that, had few prospects for marriage alliances; her brothers were all ahead of her to inherit the family seat. Thus it was that she went to her father Ethan, who reluctantly told the young Alandriel of a plan that he had devised to strengthen House Termyn’s ties to influential actors in Hadia. He needed a ‘peace child’, a link of some sort to the demon government, to gain their trust -- but he doubted that humans and demons could bear fertile offspring, and he was loathe to risk aging Lahmia in this way anyhow. Thus, he spoke of his idea to bind the soul of a demon to the soul of one of his daughters, creating a synthesis of sorts that would satisfy the demons’ desire for control and commitment while not endangering the future of the line, since the affected person would still be human in body and able to bear young.
After some thought and a little research of her own, Alandriel agreed to the plan. The details of the involved ceremony and magic have little bearing, but the end result was that Alandriel’s soul was bound to that of a minor demon by the name of Khwali. The two of them happened to get along reasonably well, in a surprising stroke of luck; there was only a little internal shuffling needed for Alandriel to establish a balance with the chaotic and impulsive creature that now shared her mental space.
For the next several years, Alandriel continued to mature and do odd jobs for her parents and their allies, even as she struggled to understand and make full use of the gifts that her internal transformation had brought. Her information and guidance were one of the reasons that House Termyn was able to make its way almost completely unscathed through the march of the Entente of Light (the primary being that they were really too small to be of much note). However, her father was by that time growing old and preparing to pass off patriarchy to his eldest son, Marik. Ethan called Alandriel before him, voicing concerns that external powers might make a play for the weakened nation, and commissioning her to go out with her developing gifts among those who would shape the development of the world around them. Her primary task was to ensure the House’s safety, but given her relative unimportance in succession her father also granted her a great deal of freedom. And so it was that she left the land of her birth, bound to places she had never seen.
Skills
Soulbound Traits: The dual nature of Alandriel/Khwali allows her to access some gifts that typify what demons often manifest. These are not actual physical alterations to her body, but channeled demon magic, and so require a degree of concentration and awareness.
Demonic Flight: Alandriel can manifest a pair of large, black, leathery wings that extend from her back and make passing use of her developed back muscles. Almost all of the motive power and control is done by magic, making dedicated flight strenuous but not exhausting -- about on the order of walking very quickly. Currently Alandriel’s mastery of her wings is incomplete; she can hover, and fly in a straight line at a constant seven miles per hour, as fast as 15 in short bursts. She can slow a descent, but her ability to recover from dives is extremely limited, and her turning is clumsy and slows her further. It requires a basic level of concentration to maintain her wings, similar to a person consciously breathing deeply, and so if she is rendered dazed or unconscious, or is asleep, or is busy eating or any number of other things, she cannot fly. It’s worth noting that the wings have a distressing tendency to rip through clothing when they manifest, leading her to prefer modified clothes that have an open back or slits in the appropriate place. The wings are difficult to damage, but if seriously damaged or destroyed cannot be used again for a full day afterwards.
Demonic Resilience: Alandriel can draw on some of the inherent toughness of her cohabitor to help protect her in the absence of armor. While she concentrates on protecting herself in this manner, blows will tend to glance off her or their force will be spread out over a larger area. This is the equivalent amount of protection afforded by a suit of light chain with a padded undergarment. Unlike actual armor, it will not hamper her movement; unlike actual armor, it will only protect her so long as she is able to concentrate on it. While asleep or distracted or dazed, she is as easy to poke as any odd person.
Iron Allergy: Alandriel is allergic to iron due to her Binding, the sole exception being the collar around her neck that keeps Khwali subdued and sociable. This causes her to avoid high-iron cuts of meat, certain other foods, and the wearing of metal armor of almost any kind. Overconsumption of iron, as well as iron shards stuck in her, will cause her to become violently sick; too much iron close to her skin will weaken and sicken her in a similar fashion. Generally, clean weapon wounds cause no more distress than they would to a normal person, and passing contact will have no effect.
Arrow of Force: When firing her bow, Alandriel can forgo loading a normal arrow in order to manifest an arrow of magical force. It is unaffected by wind, making it more accurate over long distances, and can wound creatures that might be unaffected by a mundane arrow. It is no better at penetrating shields and armor than an ordinary bodkin head, and is identical in terms of apparent mass. Manifesting the arrow takes only a thought and causes very little fatigue. Thus far, this is the only direct application of her gift that Alandriel has puzzled out; she postulates that her focus when firing makes it possible, a focus that she currently lacks when attempting to manifest other demon magic. If she attempts to manifest an arrow of force without drawing her bow with the intent to fire, it simply doesn’t work.
Weapons: A natural with bow and arrow, Alandriel is proficient with the shortbow both on the ground and on the wing. Due to long training in both methods, she is above average in skill with the shortbow when fired from any position. With her knives, she is considerably less able; she’s plenty good at sticking them in soft places, but is overall below average. In hand-to-hand she knows a few techniques for breaking holds and has a vicious bite, but that’s about it.
Education: Alandriel knows the basics of commerce routes, economic theory, logistics and supply, and mid-level mathematics. She’s no trained professional in any of those fields, but her knowledge is broad if very shallow.
Equipment
Currently, Alandriel carries only a shortbow and two knives in the way of weapons. The shortbow is made of a carved fire dragon femur (a weapon acquired from Haidian trading contacts), and has a high draw weight for its fairly small size, requiring roughly 70 lbs-ft to fully draw. It is no more durable than normal wood, but does Look Nifty. Her quiver holds twenty bodkin arrows and twenty blunt target tips. Both of her knives are made of steel, which she handle very carefully and is always sure to keep in a sturdy sheath away from her person. She also has two changes of tunic, a travel dress, and a cold-weather raincloak.
Age: 22
Race: Human (Soulbound Demon)
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Grey
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 145 lbs
Occupation: Information Gathering
Personality
Alandriel likes to present a straightforward appearance and give an impression of forthrightness. She speaks evenly, favoring eye contact with her subject; she shows emotion as appropriate, but doesn’t allow it to carry her away and especially keeps anger and its cousins on a short leash. She is quick with a smile and a compliment, slower to criticize. Underneath she has a temper that is slow to manifest but fearsome, and she possesses a nearly infinite capacity for bearing grudges. You may hear her forgive, but you can bet by your god that she hasn’t forgotten. The mask of the even-tempered, curious student and dutiful daughter of a minor noble is one that she has worn for so long that she barely recognizes it as a mask anymore, but in combat or stress it lifts around the edges; the little snarls and flashes of teeth show that at least a part of her hasn’t forgotten the little girl who bit her brother’s ear for stealing her wooden giraffe. The other driving force worth noting is an underlying craving to be useful to someone -- anyone. Growing up last in a line of succession with an impression that her living or dying didn't really matter all that much will do that to you.
Appearance
A lean, moderately tall woman in her early twenties with a cool grey-eyed stare and obvious muscle in her shoulders and arms, Alandriel is handsome though not beautiful by the standards of human women. Her skin is pale, in stark contrast to her lustrous black hair, which is nearly always neatly brushed and gathered into a tail that hangs down to the small of her back. She most often wears a loose tunic in slate blue or grey, belted around the waist, with a small quiver of arrows and a shortbow slung over her back and an obsidian knife sheathed at her right side. The only piece of evident jewelry is a wrought-iron collar that encircles her neck, featureless save for a careful examination, which would show dozens of intricately-etched runes of binding.
History
Born to Ethan and Lahmia von Termyn, part of a minor noble family in Salvar, Alandriel enjoyed a protected childhood rather free of the distress that the country’s continuing instability wrought with others. She was the second of two daughters, and the youngest of five siblings, but still ate well every night and obtained a considerable degree of education in both the practicalities of financial administration and in various nobles’ pastimes -- most notably archery, to which she took naturally.
On her sixteenth birthday, and passage into the realm of adult responsibility, Alandriel had come to recognize how little she could do for her family. A second daughter, and not an especially attractive one at that, had few prospects for marriage alliances; her brothers were all ahead of her to inherit the family seat. Thus it was that she went to her father Ethan, who reluctantly told the young Alandriel of a plan that he had devised to strengthen House Termyn’s ties to influential actors in Hadia. He needed a ‘peace child’, a link of some sort to the demon government, to gain their trust -- but he doubted that humans and demons could bear fertile offspring, and he was loathe to risk aging Lahmia in this way anyhow. Thus, he spoke of his idea to bind the soul of a demon to the soul of one of his daughters, creating a synthesis of sorts that would satisfy the demons’ desire for control and commitment while not endangering the future of the line, since the affected person would still be human in body and able to bear young.
After some thought and a little research of her own, Alandriel agreed to the plan. The details of the involved ceremony and magic have little bearing, but the end result was that Alandriel’s soul was bound to that of a minor demon by the name of Khwali. The two of them happened to get along reasonably well, in a surprising stroke of luck; there was only a little internal shuffling needed for Alandriel to establish a balance with the chaotic and impulsive creature that now shared her mental space.
For the next several years, Alandriel continued to mature and do odd jobs for her parents and their allies, even as she struggled to understand and make full use of the gifts that her internal transformation had brought. Her information and guidance were one of the reasons that House Termyn was able to make its way almost completely unscathed through the march of the Entente of Light (the primary being that they were really too small to be of much note). However, her father was by that time growing old and preparing to pass off patriarchy to his eldest son, Marik. Ethan called Alandriel before him, voicing concerns that external powers might make a play for the weakened nation, and commissioning her to go out with her developing gifts among those who would shape the development of the world around them. Her primary task was to ensure the House’s safety, but given her relative unimportance in succession her father also granted her a great deal of freedom. And so it was that she left the land of her birth, bound to places she had never seen.
Skills
Soulbound Traits: The dual nature of Alandriel/Khwali allows her to access some gifts that typify what demons often manifest. These are not actual physical alterations to her body, but channeled demon magic, and so require a degree of concentration and awareness.
Demonic Flight: Alandriel can manifest a pair of large, black, leathery wings that extend from her back and make passing use of her developed back muscles. Almost all of the motive power and control is done by magic, making dedicated flight strenuous but not exhausting -- about on the order of walking very quickly. Currently Alandriel’s mastery of her wings is incomplete; she can hover, and fly in a straight line at a constant seven miles per hour, as fast as 15 in short bursts. She can slow a descent, but her ability to recover from dives is extremely limited, and her turning is clumsy and slows her further. It requires a basic level of concentration to maintain her wings, similar to a person consciously breathing deeply, and so if she is rendered dazed or unconscious, or is asleep, or is busy eating or any number of other things, she cannot fly. It’s worth noting that the wings have a distressing tendency to rip through clothing when they manifest, leading her to prefer modified clothes that have an open back or slits in the appropriate place. The wings are difficult to damage, but if seriously damaged or destroyed cannot be used again for a full day afterwards.
Demonic Resilience: Alandriel can draw on some of the inherent toughness of her cohabitor to help protect her in the absence of armor. While she concentrates on protecting herself in this manner, blows will tend to glance off her or their force will be spread out over a larger area. This is the equivalent amount of protection afforded by a suit of light chain with a padded undergarment. Unlike actual armor, it will not hamper her movement; unlike actual armor, it will only protect her so long as she is able to concentrate on it. While asleep or distracted or dazed, she is as easy to poke as any odd person.
Iron Allergy: Alandriel is allergic to iron due to her Binding, the sole exception being the collar around her neck that keeps Khwali subdued and sociable. This causes her to avoid high-iron cuts of meat, certain other foods, and the wearing of metal armor of almost any kind. Overconsumption of iron, as well as iron shards stuck in her, will cause her to become violently sick; too much iron close to her skin will weaken and sicken her in a similar fashion. Generally, clean weapon wounds cause no more distress than they would to a normal person, and passing contact will have no effect.
Arrow of Force: When firing her bow, Alandriel can forgo loading a normal arrow in order to manifest an arrow of magical force. It is unaffected by wind, making it more accurate over long distances, and can wound creatures that might be unaffected by a mundane arrow. It is no better at penetrating shields and armor than an ordinary bodkin head, and is identical in terms of apparent mass. Manifesting the arrow takes only a thought and causes very little fatigue. Thus far, this is the only direct application of her gift that Alandriel has puzzled out; she postulates that her focus when firing makes it possible, a focus that she currently lacks when attempting to manifest other demon magic. If she attempts to manifest an arrow of force without drawing her bow with the intent to fire, it simply doesn’t work.
Weapons: A natural with bow and arrow, Alandriel is proficient with the shortbow both on the ground and on the wing. Due to long training in both methods, she is above average in skill with the shortbow when fired from any position. With her knives, she is considerably less able; she’s plenty good at sticking them in soft places, but is overall below average. In hand-to-hand she knows a few techniques for breaking holds and has a vicious bite, but that’s about it.
Education: Alandriel knows the basics of commerce routes, economic theory, logistics and supply, and mid-level mathematics. She’s no trained professional in any of those fields, but her knowledge is broad if very shallow.
Equipment
Currently, Alandriel carries only a shortbow and two knives in the way of weapons. The shortbow is made of a carved fire dragon femur (a weapon acquired from Haidian trading contacts), and has a high draw weight for its fairly small size, requiring roughly 70 lbs-ft to fully draw. It is no more durable than normal wood, but does Look Nifty. Her quiver holds twenty bodkin arrows and twenty blunt target tips. Both of her knives are made of steel, which she handle very carefully and is always sure to keep in a sturdy sheath away from her person. She also has two changes of tunic, a travel dress, and a cold-weather raincloak.