Ebon_Arbiter
Grand Abolisher
Kenji the Falcon of Unity
Appearance
Alternatively
Concept - Background
"When I want to feel free, I imagine myself at sea.
Swimming or sailing. Cutting ever so lightly the azure waves of my beloved Archipelago, flowing with them.
The smell of salt in my nostrils. The fluidity of water around me. The mesmerizing rise and fall of the tide.
My emotions calm and my soul is serene. The endless ocean flows around me".
First entry in Kenji's journal, aboard the Azure Mist.
Kenji, the one who would be later known as (Golden) Falcon of Unity, was born in the Wavecrest Archipelago to a family with long tradition at seafaring. The firstborn son of a trader captain, Kenji, learnt to swim before he could even walk properly and was taught early the fine art of sailing, becoming quite adept at it as he grew, a fit young man and a fine mariner. Things were going well and his family was discussing even for marriage arrangements, but those carefree times were not to last. His father tried to expand their business, to cover for the families extended needs and began, thus, to utilise trade routes that expanded into Realm controlled territory. This was frowned upon by those Dynasts with naval interests, particularly the members of House Peleps and they decided that his activity had to cease by any means necessary. As Kenji would later find out, there was a certain household inside the Great House of Peleps, that handled the so called, shady dealings considering sea activities. The aptly named Kaizoku, were notorious for being the closest things the Realm had to pirates and their ruthlessness was known and feared.
Fate would have it, that while returning from a profitable voyage to An-Teng, Kenji's father would fall prey to those metaphorical sharks of the Kaizoku household. Even more, Kenji himself was on board. The Realm's dogs came through the mist, from across a shore full of reefs and treacherous currents, closing in on the ship before Kenji's father had any chance for proper reaction. Besides his ship was outfitted for trade purposes, while the Kaizoku one was smaller, faster and armed for naval conflict. After the initial surprise assault, chaos ensued. Kenji - aware of pirates being one of the gravest dangers in a sailor's life, had devoted a considerable portion of his free time to sword training. Longer weapons were mostly useless and obsolete onboard naval vessels and especially in conflicts that took place below decks. The attacker's seemed to share the same preferences, and soon water was not the most common fluid onboard. Amidst the carnage, Kenji fought valiantly to protect his fellow sailors, his father and their ship, but they were outnumbered and outmatched.
When he saw a slender man, with hair coloured as the deep sea and the smell of the ocean about him, closing in on them with steady pace and a wickedly curved sword that emanated a bluish glow, Kenji instictively knew that their situation would be unsalvageable. They were no match for a Dragonblooded and this one seemed bent on tearing their ship apart and slaughtering them to the last man. Despite the voice of logic and self-preservation that almost tore his mind, screaming that he should run and attempt an escape, Kenji decided to make a stand. Boldly, he ran towards him, but the other pirates fell on him and slowed him down. He raged as the Dragonblooded proceeded to slaughter many of the crew and finally decapitate his father, with unnering precision and incalculable cruelty and malice in his face. That moment was the catalyst for Kenji's transcendece from a mortal to an exalted, a Lawgiver, one of the Chosen of Sol Invictus. A brilliant, almost blinding, gold-white light erupted from him, scattering the pirates and devastating the already damaged ship, while his mind and soul overflowed with images of a life unknown - yet so strangely familiar - to him. When he regained consciousness, he saw the Dragonblooded who had killed his father, being somewhat paler, and shouting orders frantically to his men, talking about an Anathema, about demons and other things that Kenji, especially in his dream-like haze could not exactly understand.
Kenji let out a deafening cry as he saw the severed head of his father lieing at the feet of the pirate captain and closing the distance between them in an instant delivered a devastating attack, that knocked the Dragonblooded off his feet and sent him overboard in the waters of the ocean. Then the instinct of self preservation took over him, and he realized that even with all the power he felt coursing through him, he'd be hard pressed to fight the remaining pirates, especially with the wounds he had already sustained. Already, another pirate ship could be seen at distance and Kenji wasn't keen on seeing what troops or weapons it could bring to bear against him. He vowed for revenge and then dived to the cold waters of Wavecrest, swimming at the best speed he could manage towards the point where he knew the shore was.
Time passed and Kenji kept swimming till he almost passed out. He fought with waves, evaded sea predators and lied on calm waters for days and nights, till one afternoon a merchant ship noticed and rescued him. To avoid further attention, and to lay low till he could discover what had happened to him, altering his nature in such an obvious way, Kenji - when he recovered - decided to stay and work on the ship that rescued him, petitioning the captain to allow him to do so, as an expression of his gratitude. The captain looked at him carefully and after consulting the first mate briefly, granted him the persmission to stay onboard and serve as one of the crew. Time passed, and gradually Kenji gained the trust of the captain, rising in status among the crew, using his newfound capabilities to assist both in steering the ship, with safety, through even the worst storms, and also in securing profitable bussines deals, whenever they reached a port. Well, and on a few unfortunate cases when pirates attempted to seize the vessel, he was there with his sword - a treasured artifact he recovered from a semi-sunken shipwreck they discovered - to show them the error in their ways and maintain the safety of both ship and crew.
A couple of years passed, the captain (who was already becoming old) retired and left the ship, after the unanimous decision of the crew, to young Kenji. Overwhelmed at first, but feeling confident for the fact that he had won the trust of the crew, who had seen him in action and knew, that, despite the immaculate philosophy branding their new captain-to-be as Anathema, he was still concerned for their safety and for the general welfare of Wavecrest Archipelago. Bearing a new flag, with the word "Unity" and a sun rising above the sea, their ship conducted trade among smaller islands, secured trade routes from the predations of Coral Archipelago pirates and arrived in port just in time for their captain to intervene and smooth out any differences and quell any animosities that threatened local stability. In the marketplace negotiating the latest price for silk, in the tavern hanging our for some rest and recreation with the crew, at the luxurious estates of powerful individuals, or at seas, navigating through storms and treacherous waters, captain Kenji seemed equally at home.
Despite his initial disposition towards the Dynasts and the Realm in general, during the time that passed since his exaltation, both his travels in the Oceans of the West and the continuous counseling of Takeno, the ship's first mate, who had become in the meantime Kenji's mentor, changed his feelings. He began to understand that the Archipelagos of the West, and Creation as a whole, to a greater extent, needed desperately not more infighting and animosity between the Chosen of the Gods and those of the Elemental Dragons, but rather, the understanding and cooperation that once made true the splendour of the Old Realm.
To this end, the young captain toils endlessly, trying to establish deals of common benefit and promoting understanding, goodwill and cooperation whenever and wherever he has the chance. Rumours circulate about merchant ships of the Realm that got lost in foggy weather near ragged shores, only to be led in safety by a mysterious ship, whose sun depicting flag was akin to a beacon of light, helping them to navigate safely. And stories persist in various ports of the Realm, coming from the mouths of young sailors, who had seen the death in the eyes of dreadful pirates, only to find salvation from the timely intervention of a western ship, bearing a flag unknown and captained by a dashing young man, who - after defeating the pirates - sent them on their ways even with additional merchandise, to compensate for any losses from the attack. Even a heavily indoctrinated Immaculate has allegedly admitted to a close friend that he saw - what he called as Anathema - standing defiant against the dreaded Lintha pirates and even defeating a hideous monstrosity of the blackest oceanic depths, to save the lives of him and other Realm diplomats who were returning to the Blessed Isle upon the completion of a diplomatic assignment.
These and more still bring happiness to Kenji and acknowledgement in the grizzled face of his elder mentor, yet also an understanding that more must be done, if Unity is one day to sail straight into the ports of the Blessed Isle and deliver the message of Reconciliation.
Appearance
Alternatively
Concept - Background
"When I want to feel free, I imagine myself at sea.
Swimming or sailing. Cutting ever so lightly the azure waves of my beloved Archipelago, flowing with them.
The smell of salt in my nostrils. The fluidity of water around me. The mesmerizing rise and fall of the tide.
My emotions calm and my soul is serene. The endless ocean flows around me".
First entry in Kenji's journal, aboard the Azure Mist.
Kenji, the one who would be later known as (Golden) Falcon of Unity, was born in the Wavecrest Archipelago to a family with long tradition at seafaring. The firstborn son of a trader captain, Kenji, learnt to swim before he could even walk properly and was taught early the fine art of sailing, becoming quite adept at it as he grew, a fit young man and a fine mariner. Things were going well and his family was discussing even for marriage arrangements, but those carefree times were not to last. His father tried to expand their business, to cover for the families extended needs and began, thus, to utilise trade routes that expanded into Realm controlled territory. This was frowned upon by those Dynasts with naval interests, particularly the members of House Peleps and they decided that his activity had to cease by any means necessary. As Kenji would later find out, there was a certain household inside the Great House of Peleps, that handled the so called, shady dealings considering sea activities. The aptly named Kaizoku, were notorious for being the closest things the Realm had to pirates and their ruthlessness was known and feared.
Fate would have it, that while returning from a profitable voyage to An-Teng, Kenji's father would fall prey to those metaphorical sharks of the Kaizoku household. Even more, Kenji himself was on board. The Realm's dogs came through the mist, from across a shore full of reefs and treacherous currents, closing in on the ship before Kenji's father had any chance for proper reaction. Besides his ship was outfitted for trade purposes, while the Kaizoku one was smaller, faster and armed for naval conflict. After the initial surprise assault, chaos ensued. Kenji - aware of pirates being one of the gravest dangers in a sailor's life, had devoted a considerable portion of his free time to sword training. Longer weapons were mostly useless and obsolete onboard naval vessels and especially in conflicts that took place below decks. The attacker's seemed to share the same preferences, and soon water was not the most common fluid onboard. Amidst the carnage, Kenji fought valiantly to protect his fellow sailors, his father and their ship, but they were outnumbered and outmatched.
When he saw a slender man, with hair coloured as the deep sea and the smell of the ocean about him, closing in on them with steady pace and a wickedly curved sword that emanated a bluish glow, Kenji instictively knew that their situation would be unsalvageable. They were no match for a Dragonblooded and this one seemed bent on tearing their ship apart and slaughtering them to the last man. Despite the voice of logic and self-preservation that almost tore his mind, screaming that he should run and attempt an escape, Kenji decided to make a stand. Boldly, he ran towards him, but the other pirates fell on him and slowed him down. He raged as the Dragonblooded proceeded to slaughter many of the crew and finally decapitate his father, with unnering precision and incalculable cruelty and malice in his face. That moment was the catalyst for Kenji's transcendece from a mortal to an exalted, a Lawgiver, one of the Chosen of Sol Invictus. A brilliant, almost blinding, gold-white light erupted from him, scattering the pirates and devastating the already damaged ship, while his mind and soul overflowed with images of a life unknown - yet so strangely familiar - to him. When he regained consciousness, he saw the Dragonblooded who had killed his father, being somewhat paler, and shouting orders frantically to his men, talking about an Anathema, about demons and other things that Kenji, especially in his dream-like haze could not exactly understand.
Kenji let out a deafening cry as he saw the severed head of his father lieing at the feet of the pirate captain and closing the distance between them in an instant delivered a devastating attack, that knocked the Dragonblooded off his feet and sent him overboard in the waters of the ocean. Then the instinct of self preservation took over him, and he realized that even with all the power he felt coursing through him, he'd be hard pressed to fight the remaining pirates, especially with the wounds he had already sustained. Already, another pirate ship could be seen at distance and Kenji wasn't keen on seeing what troops or weapons it could bring to bear against him. He vowed for revenge and then dived to the cold waters of Wavecrest, swimming at the best speed he could manage towards the point where he knew the shore was.
Time passed and Kenji kept swimming till he almost passed out. He fought with waves, evaded sea predators and lied on calm waters for days and nights, till one afternoon a merchant ship noticed and rescued him. To avoid further attention, and to lay low till he could discover what had happened to him, altering his nature in such an obvious way, Kenji - when he recovered - decided to stay and work on the ship that rescued him, petitioning the captain to allow him to do so, as an expression of his gratitude. The captain looked at him carefully and after consulting the first mate briefly, granted him the persmission to stay onboard and serve as one of the crew. Time passed, and gradually Kenji gained the trust of the captain, rising in status among the crew, using his newfound capabilities to assist both in steering the ship, with safety, through even the worst storms, and also in securing profitable bussines deals, whenever they reached a port. Well, and on a few unfortunate cases when pirates attempted to seize the vessel, he was there with his sword - a treasured artifact he recovered from a semi-sunken shipwreck they discovered - to show them the error in their ways and maintain the safety of both ship and crew.
A couple of years passed, the captain (who was already becoming old) retired and left the ship, after the unanimous decision of the crew, to young Kenji. Overwhelmed at first, but feeling confident for the fact that he had won the trust of the crew, who had seen him in action and knew, that, despite the immaculate philosophy branding their new captain-to-be as Anathema, he was still concerned for their safety and for the general welfare of Wavecrest Archipelago. Bearing a new flag, with the word "Unity" and a sun rising above the sea, their ship conducted trade among smaller islands, secured trade routes from the predations of Coral Archipelago pirates and arrived in port just in time for their captain to intervene and smooth out any differences and quell any animosities that threatened local stability. In the marketplace negotiating the latest price for silk, in the tavern hanging our for some rest and recreation with the crew, at the luxurious estates of powerful individuals, or at seas, navigating through storms and treacherous waters, captain Kenji seemed equally at home.
Despite his initial disposition towards the Dynasts and the Realm in general, during the time that passed since his exaltation, both his travels in the Oceans of the West and the continuous counseling of Takeno, the ship's first mate, who had become in the meantime Kenji's mentor, changed his feelings. He began to understand that the Archipelagos of the West, and Creation as a whole, to a greater extent, needed desperately not more infighting and animosity between the Chosen of the Gods and those of the Elemental Dragons, but rather, the understanding and cooperation that once made true the splendour of the Old Realm.
To this end, the young captain toils endlessly, trying to establish deals of common benefit and promoting understanding, goodwill and cooperation whenever and wherever he has the chance. Rumours circulate about merchant ships of the Realm that got lost in foggy weather near ragged shores, only to be led in safety by a mysterious ship, whose sun depicting flag was akin to a beacon of light, helping them to navigate safely. And stories persist in various ports of the Realm, coming from the mouths of young sailors, who had seen the death in the eyes of dreadful pirates, only to find salvation from the timely intervention of a western ship, bearing a flag unknown and captained by a dashing young man, who - after defeating the pirates - sent them on their ways even with additional merchandise, to compensate for any losses from the attack. Even a heavily indoctrinated Immaculate has allegedly admitted to a close friend that he saw - what he called as Anathema - standing defiant against the dreaded Lintha pirates and even defeating a hideous monstrosity of the blackest oceanic depths, to save the lives of him and other Realm diplomats who were returning to the Blessed Isle upon the completion of a diplomatic assignment.
These and more still bring happiness to Kenji and acknowledgement in the grizzled face of his elder mentor, yet also an understanding that more must be done, if Unity is one day to sail straight into the ports of the Blessed Isle and deliver the message of Reconciliation.