Nere Ashorn

Age early twenties

Origin Cindersend, half-elf

Occupation Striker

A young adventurer, Nere has dedicated her life to defending the innocent above all else. Runic tattoos cover her body, both a testament to her faith and a conduit of her magic. She is a polite woman who prefers diplomacy over violence, but is not afraid to go against those with nefarious intentions.

Nere comes from humble, but comfortable origins. Her mother was a Striker of House Talonrune, and her father was a scholar of Miraj'Dah, learned in the magical arts. When Nere was still a babe, the family settled in Cindersend in a vain attempt to bring the faith of Din al-Aja’re to the city's denizens. Growing up, Nere was caught between her parent's two worlds - the unbreakable freedom of the Cinderians, and the tempered harmony of the Miradi.

Nere considers her upbringing to be fairly average, and doesn't think to mention it most of the time. In reality, she spent most of her youth narrowly avoiding deadly run-ins with twisted criminals and dark magics on a regular basis. This has irrevocably shaped her, body and mind, and she's developed a strong sense of justice in her few short years. She's also collected several, several weapons highly effective in teaching any unsavory persons a permanent lesson. After diplomacy fails, of course.

Appearance

Height 5'6"

Build Healthy

Hair Black

Eyes Blue

Dark blue eyes are set into an angular face, with a slight point to her ears showing elven ancestry. Sleek black hair is always in a perpetual state of coming half out of the braid, no matter when she's last brushed it. Nere prefers leather and cloth to anything metal, her standard gear including a thickly padded gambeson and sturdy boots. She doesn't appear to carry any weapons on her when traveling, only a small hunting knife better suited to cleaning dinner than combat. Peeking out from under her armor is a latticework of tattoos, magic runes and leylines embedded into her skin. These aren't as noticeable as one might think, until they start glowing.

Personality

One might think that a woman covered in tattoos would be intimidating, but most of the time Nere manages to come across as unassuming, or at least good-natured. She has a calming presence, well-spoken with an even tempo. Language is important to her, the weight of first impressions laying heavy on her mind. Sometimes she weighs her words for too long, bringing awkward pauses and complicated responses to otherwise simple conversations.

Skills

Nere is one of the few who can channel the Shroud directly through her body, without the use of an outside focus. Because she uses her own blood as a source, she can cast even in areas depleted of the Shroud. The drawbacks to this, of course, are blood loss and anemia. As of yet, Nere has never used the blood of another living being. She puts her own body at risk not out of a lust for power, but out of a desire to protect others. Her magic is self-contained, and the consequences of it her own to bear.

Walking Armory - Each one of Nere's tattoos on her body corresponds to a weapon that can be summoned and wielded. The weapons themselves do not have any inherent magical properties - they are physical objects that can chip and break like any other.

Diplomat's Persistence - Nere possesses an unnatural level of stamina, both physically and on a magical level.

Burning Sigil - Two new runes mark the backs of Nere's hands, freshly welted scars instead of the smooth ink of the rest of her work. These runes can turn blood explosive and cause a burst of fire. The detonation of the blood is naturally delayed by a few seconds. Nere can extend this duration to a few minutes, but it takes all of her concentration.

Mend Metal - By writing runes upon its surface, Nere can reforge fractured metal or stone back to its original strength.

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 13, 2024