Futuristic Portals to the Afterlife - Character Signup

[Chordling]

The Crew of the Cold Raven​

Sign-Up Information

This thread is meant for CS applications only. Please refrain from making OCC comments here.

All character submissions should be posted here. Characters should be well thought out with realistic personalities and backgrounds. I highly advise using the Private Workshop forum to your advantage. While formatting is always a plus, your abilities to use BBCode will not affect your chances of being accepted.

You may reserve any open position. To do so, simply create a post below stating your desired role. First come, first serve. If the reservation is accepted, the role will be held for approximately 48 hours. You will be notified once after the first 24 hours of your reservation have run up. If you would like to create an additional role, please PM me.

Character sheets may be formatted in any way you like, but they must be thorough enough to explain your character's role, appearance, personality, and background. You are free to add more elements and alter the formatting of the CS if you desire. Again, you are free to format your CS is anyway you like, just remember to consider the essentials.

You will be notified if your character sheet is accepted or otherwise.

Questions or comments may be sent via OCC thread or PM.

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~The Captain~ Captain Woods played by Chordling

~Quarter Master~Aleksander played by Alecto

~Boatswain~ Torrey Singer played by Kaerri

~Cabin Boy~ Iksel played by Pretzel Heart

~Carpenter 1~ Winston Polay played by IctoraPost

~Carpenter 2~ Nova played by Ronan

~Gunner~ Emil Valentine played by SentinelSevn

~Researcher 1~ Nine played by Syrenrei

~Researcher 2~ Faraday played by Rhakun

~Pilot~ Angelica Hudson played by The One Called X

~Rigger~ Opal played by ApfelSeine

~Powder Monkey~ Toki played by YumenoTsukishiro

~Sea Artist ~ Apollo played by whitepaperplates

~Surgeon ~ Brie played by Life.​

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Rules
Lore
In Character
OCC

 

[Chordling]

Captain Woods
[ Martin Simmons ]

​

Age: 29
Gender: Male
Height: 6' 1"
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Marital Status: Single​

Father: Granger
Mother: Belladonna
Siblings: n/a
Cousin: Piper Simmons​

[ Appearance ]
He's handsome, to say the least. Captain Woods has many manly facial features. His prominent eyebrows, smoldering brown eyes, defined jawline, and well groomed hair. Lest we forget that devilish smile? His history of sailing has earned him a well muscled body. Needless to say, he's eye candy for the ladies. Captain Woods is good looking and he knows it. If you asked him, he'd say he's the best looking captain out there.

No matter where he is or what he is doing, Captain Woods always wears a belt decorated with guns around his waist, a trait which he picked up from his father. There's no telling as to how many pistols he has at a time unless you actually care to count. Usually people are shot before they find out. He has a lovely, deep scar that runs across from his left shoulder down to his right hip. He won't exactly tell where it's from and usually keeps it concealed.. If it impresses the ladies in bed, that's all that matters.

[ Personality ]
It would be an understatement to say that the size of Captain Woods' ego is large. A blind person would be able to sense it, not that he tries to hide it in the first place. Some may like to blame his fame, good looks, and charm, but Woods just naturally likes to think that he's better than everyone else. Of course, people have tried to prove him wrong, but that usually does not end well for the challenger.

Part of the reason why Captain Woods hasn't gotten himself caught is because he's very good at getting out of trouble with money, guns, and words. There isn't an argument in his life that he has ever turned down. Whether his debating tactics are ethical is, well, up for debate. When it comes to winning or losing, Woods doesn't like to sweat the small stuff. He likes to keep things simple. If he gets what he wants, no one has to get hurt!

To make things even better, Captain Woods is a ladies man. It's hard for him to resist pretty faces and he'll do anything to get one in bed with him. Has he ever committed himself to a serious relationship? Absolutely not. No one would ever believe that, especially with the amount of respect he shows to women in general. That is not to say that he isn't romantic. He is very romantic, just not that type of romantic.

On the contrary, Woods can be very heartless, and may only seem to care about his treasure. The sacrifices he has made to gain what he wants are unspeakable, but harm his family, crew members, or dog, and you'll meet a completely different captain. Woods would do anything to save a loved one if they were truly in distress.

[ Background ]
He was legally born as Martin Simmons to Abraham and Lana Simmons aboard The Cold Raven. His parents are professionally known as Granger and Belladonna to all pirates, scavengers, and government officials. No one outside of his family and the deceased know what his true name is. The living only know him as the ruthless Captain Woods.

As a child, he was not bothered by the fact his family's legacy was all about the pirate life, in fact, he revelled in it. By the age of seven, he became a proficient swordsman. When he was 12, his father taught him how to use a gun, which has now become his preferred weapon. Of course, growing up was not always easy. Woods often felt lonely, even aboard a vast airship with hundreds of crewmates. And when your dad is the scariest pirate in all of planet Earth, not too many of the other children wanted to try to confront Woods, in fear they would be blown to pieces.

Woods found female companionship at an early age but this still wasn't enough. When he turned 15, news of a missing pirate ship swept across the decks of The Cold Raven. Unlike other rumors, this particular one placed his parents in great distress. Months after the rumors had been released, a members from The Fleets of Giovanni arrived with a small baby girl. The rumors developed. The missing ship belonged to Granger's brother and the located baby was his niece. The infant's parents and the ship itself was not to be found. It was an unfortunate circumstance for the close family relatives, but Woods found it as a sort of blessing. Despite the age difference, he no longer felt like he was socially isolated, and found it enjoyable to bond with his cousin, Piper.

On his 18th birthday, The Cold Raven was handed down to him, and Woods learned the secrets of the mysterious Giovanni. Besides a measly crew, Woods was not left much else. Only three at the time, Piper was required to leave with Belladonna and Granger to live on the Giovanni. However, understanding that Woods would feel companionless without her, Granger decided to leave his son with their black labrador, Diablo.

From time to time, he makes visits to the Giovanni, but these visits are short and extremely rare. With the despised government always on his rear end, it would be disastrous if one of them followed him to the pirate's mothership. Otherwise, Captain Woods spends most of his time wreaking havoc across the skies aboard The Cold Raven. Crew members have come and gone, but Woods and Diablo have never left the ship's woodwork. He hopes that his cousin, now 14, will take The Cold Raven under her control someday.

[ Family Portraits ]

Granger

Belladonna

Piper Simmons

Diablo

 

[whitepaperplates]

Coding credit goes to Cychotic

MEET THE CREW

Apollo The Artist
""I hope for your sake God will have mercy, because I know for a fact that I will not."

basic data

PIRATE NAME: Apollo
BIRTH NAME: Calypso Karnes
AGE: 28
GENDER: Female
SEXUALITY: Bisexual
ROLE: Sea Artist. Paints sceneries, portraits, maps, and the like. Also helps with navigation.

appearance

HEIGHT: 5'5
WEIGHT: 145lbs
DESCRIPTION: The epitome of grace and poise, all wrapped up in a certain edginess. A dangerous representation of fine bones, aesthetic elegance and one-hundred-percent woman. If eyes are the window to your soul, Apollo's are lancets. The color of her irises are a stark shade of honeyed-yellow, accented with amber if you manage to get close enough for the distinction.

Her bronzed skin is a product of her blood, yet it holds a golden hue. There's no telltale crags wrinkling the contours of her face, but if you're close enough, then you'll notice the frequent crinkles of her eyebrows; the subtle laugh lines creasing her slanted eyes, and the dimples ridged into her cheeks. Her face is a myriad of angles. She has hawkish features that only seem highlight the unfriendly perception people have of her. She offers smiles easily enough but it can be difficult to distinguish which are genuine, and many hold an unsettling quality to them, not unlike a cat watching a mouse.

Apollo has a fighter's build; ropy muscle corded around her arms and legs, fingers blunt and knobbly from fights and hours wrapped in ragged bandages. She's all legs and voluptuous, womanly curves. She knows it and flaunts it at every available opportunity; not for sex, not for admiration, not for attention, but for herself. Similarly to all pirates, her skin is a canvas of visible scars and nicks. Her hair is thick and long, falling clear down her back. A bright and garish color that is presumably artificial. Often pulled up into messy braids and buns.

personality

Hearty, brash, and unafraid when it comes to speaking her mind. She’s got a strong head on solid shoulders, and an iron will to match. That isn't to say she's unfriendly. Apollo enjoys being around people, and though she may come off as unnecessarily brusque and overly blunt at times, she's a very fierce and loyal companion (and an excellent drinking buddy if you've got the stomach). She's a man with a rack of breasts. She likes to think she's the toughest cookie around, from head to toe, which doesn't seem like much in her small stature, but don't tell her you think so. You won't like it when she stomps you down a few pegs. She likes to play at being one of the guys but still prefers the company of women when it comes to friendships. She can drink, curse, and smoke with the best of them.

She's slow to anger unless you've injured her pride. And she's equally slow to forgive and forget. Grudges are second-nature and she's got a damned good memory. She's confident and thick skinned and definitely not worried about other people's opinions. Although she doesn't really care what you think of her, she won't tolerate gossip behind her back. Snottiness is disdained. As things go, Apollo doesn't feel as though she needs the company of others, so it can be very difficult for people to form any kind of relationship with her, let alone gain her trust. She's just as happy alone, as she tends to find that other people are disruptive to her life and habits. It is only when she is in exclusively female company that she feels truly at ease, and only then that she ever seems really calm and open.

An intelligent and improper creature, Apollo can be somewhat off-putting at first impressions. There is a perceptiveness about her that catches many people off guard, and a sharpness to her gaze that can be unnerving to some. She's isn't outwardly respectful. She won't bend over backwards trying to make others comfortable. If you were expecting her to bat her thick eyelashes, offer pretty smiles and words, you might be disappointed. Passionate, strong-willed, stubborn as an ox. Apollo puts her heart and soul into everything she does. If it isn’t worth doing right, she doesn’t feel it's worth doing at all. She has embraced this in all aspects of her life and when she sets her mind to something it 's nearly impossible to sway it. While for the most part this can be a good and admirable trait it also leaves her prone to misbehaving when people disagree with her which includes but is in no way limited to: tantrums, defiance, glares, and both physical and verbal abuse. Her anger is fearsome. Like most uncontrolled fires: it burns hot and intense but will burn itself out with enough time, if you leave her be. She holds grudges and doesn’t seem to ever forgive, readily bringing up past offences to fling in people’s faces. It's not beneath her throw objects with intent to harm, or to physically attack. She can be ruthless.

Despite first impressions, Apollo really isn't all that stuck up. She knows that she can be an utter bitch. It's a trait she has cultivated and groomed. She recognizes societal ranks but doesn't put any more value than necessary in them. She is far from selfless, but she can prove to be very fair and just with her people. She's confident in everything she does; she's a woman who knows what she wants and how to obtain them. She doesn't often make mistakes, and when she does, she tries to rectify them immediately. She's a bold and unflinching; willing to bulldoze her way, personally, through obstacles instead of kicking her feet up. She's always quick to use dry humor, crude remarks and sarcasm. She doesn't really like dealing with idiots, and if she's having a bad day, her icy remarks will let everyone know.[/COLOR]

background

Calypso was born into the affluent Karnes family, the youngest child of three. Her grandparents were politicians and her parents were scientists, a doctor and a botanist. Calypso grew up learning their trades, developing connections within the government, under the belief that she would one day in the future take after them. It was then she became acquainted with art. Even from the early age of 7 she was making detailed sketches of medical illustrations and plant life. It was said that if you gave her a minute to study the image she could replicate it on paper from memory.

She had always preferred the company of her older brothers over anyone else in her immediate family. Despite the two being a pair of twins, with how similar the trio was, they could have been mistaken as a set of triplets. Most of the Karnes' elders are by nature stoic and reserved, so it was a trick of fate for them to be burdened with three obnoxiously rambunctious children. If they thought Calypso was a handful, her brothers-- Lloyd and Jaedyn --were comparable to an active grenade thrown directly into their laps.

They left the nest when she was young and still encumbered by the reigns of her parents and grandparents. They were government scavengers, but rumors circulated that they went rogue when she was 11. The hushed, but open whispers tainted the Karnes' reputation and soon her brothers' names became a taboo.

Calypso was 16 when she received a secret message from her estranged siblings. That night she disappeared from her home. To this day, there are still speculations about her fate.

The next four years will always be remembered fondly. Upon the former scavenger ship, Nike, she roamed the skies with her brothers and their crew. Growing more and more infamous, the threat of government attacks were always present. One fateful encounter with the government ship, The Braveheart, only ended in devastation.

While the crew of The Braveheart was annihilated and their ship left ablaze, only a handful of Nike's crew lived to tell the tale. None of which included Jaelyn or Lloyd. Calypso was devastated, but channeled that despair into a righteous and never-ending fury. She now considers herself an enemy of the government, not merely because of her occupation, but out of a deep and sincere loathing towards them. Nightly, she concocts plans of revenge.

She steered the tattered Nike aimlessly for an unknown period of time when she ran across the infamous ship of Captain Woods. Immediately she yielded to him. Taking a blow to her pride, she requested that he accept her and the few remaining members of her brothers' crew into his own. For that, she will always be grateful to him and indebted.

 

[SentinelSevn]

WANTED
DEAD or ALIVE​

EMIL VALENTINE​

Standard​

Age: 31
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Height: 70in
Weight: ~163lbs

Appearance​

View attachment 295998

Nature​

Extremely volatile in nature, this pirate is not to be underestimated. While already a threat because he is member of The Cold Raven's crew, this man himself has been known to run off on his own to cause havoc along the city streets; although at a decreased rate of individual terrorizing once made public he was a member of the imfamous crew. He makes little effort to disguise his profile to the public, leaving us to believe that this criminal has little fear of his targetting.

In combat, his techniques are often viewed as merciless, both with a blade and with machine. While often seen manning the The Cold Raven's larger turrets, there have been multiple counts of him boarding an enemy vessel to fight in melee combat. As skilled with the gun as he is with a sword, rumor says he's fended off a handful of privateer-class airships with a bucket full of musket balls. Armed or unarmed, there have been very few who oppose The Cold Raven's Gunner and live to tell the tale.

Spoiler: WIth the crew

To the crew, Emil can hardly be seen as a threat. While initially leaving a very malicious or dark impression, one often becomes more accustomed and could effortlessly shrug away his common jokes and teasing. He jokes often, especially when teasing the younger crew members. During times of momentary peace, Emil can be found spreading tall tales of the portals and their past with some of his subordinate gunmen.

While he is as violent as the posters would say, nothing would sway his loyalty to the captain or the crew, unless of course he smelt traitorous mutiny brewing between the ranks. While his jokes are quickly identifiable to the experienced crew member, his threats are similarly distinguishable. He's nearly beaten quite a few of his own team, although rarely, for doubting the captain's intentions. The mere thought of abandoning ship or rebelling against another leader already earning the sorry fellow a few lashes from Emil's cat-o-nine-tails, the reprimands for actually taking action would be unimaginable.

Background​

While his entry into the pirate lifestyle is unknown, Emil's history with the crew date back to about six years ago. Since then, the criminal's involvement with their larger plunders have been notable, controlling the airship's primary form of defense and evasion. His skill with commanding the other gunman from across the ship while also maintaining his own weapon is astounding, being equal to the most trained professionals even without proper military training.

Spoiler: Emil's History

Growing up without a family and without a home, Emil was raised in the impoverished lifestyle. And it was because of this that the violent and careless attitude he carries with him today is the way that it is, hardly ever thinking that others stand a ghost of a chance living through the life that he had.

As he matured, living everyday like it was his last no longer was enough for Emil, soon hiring himself out as a mercenary to explore the world. His discovery of his skills with a gun came quick, and soon attracted the hiring of not just pirates, but military as well. His infamous name was becoming widespread, and he soon expected to live the lifestyle of a king with his name in the books. At least, until a certain pirate gave Emil the invitation to join the crew.

For about a year, Emil lived under the impression that he was staying with the crew of The Cold Raven for the mere thought of striking it rich and staying with the protection of the captain's name. But that mindset did not stick around for long, soon investing himself wholeheartedly into the welfare and maintenance of the crew, and giving his loyalty to the captain as if he were a king. His selfish intentions shifted, soon his goals becoming parallel to the goals of the crew, this time being to seize and control the mysterious power of the ancient portal.

Known Weaponry​

Spoiler: Mid-Class Mounted Turret

Twelve are mounted on the deck of the ship, six on each side

View attachment 295999

Spoiler: Armored Low-Class Turret

Eight placed on the outer hull of the ship, facing different directions for more coverage.

View attachment 296000

Spoiler: Heavy Armored High-Class Turret

Two on the deck of the airship, one in the front and one placed at the rear.

View attachment 296001

Spoiler: Twin Flintlock Cutlasses

Both are attached at either side of the hip, a modified version of the historic sailor's cutlass. The serrated edge of the blades allow adequate tearing and slicing, but nearly completely nullify the option to stab. The hilts of both are built similarly to a flintlock pistol, a button on the higher handguard firing a single musket ball in case of emergency.

View attachment 296002

Spoiler: Flintlock Pistols

Four are placed on his body, the barrels hugging snugly across his lower back on an adapted bandolier. All are prepared to fire, with a pouch of musket balls hung from his belt on the left hip.

View attachment 296003

 

[IctoraPost]

Winston Polay

Age: 29
Gender: Male
Appearance: Winston is a man of unexceptional height, weight and build. He likes wearing a hat with goggles on it for aesthetic purposes. The cogs on the lens don’t actually do anything – they just obscure the sight of whoever is wearing the goggles. Though they can be used normally, with the cogs able to be easily taken out, Winston prefers wearing normal goggles instead, as they usually prove to be more effective at their job. He also has a dagger on his person at all times, for safety. He would have had a flintlock as well, except he would risk having the gunpowder ignite in his working environment.

Personality: Winston is a quiet, calm sort of person, very soft-spoken and amicable, hardly ever getting annoyed or angry and having a tendency to never raise his voice above a certain level. This usually results in him losing just about any argument he goes into and often getting complained about by crewmates for being too silent and uninteresting. He often gets pushed around and roped into things without any resistance, usually because he dislikes confrontation and can’t be bothered going and disagreeing. However, Winston can be quite adamant about things when he wants to, sometimes even going as far as to raise his voice to suitably loud levels. He is extremely slow to anger, but when done so, he will vow to be the one to drive the last nail in the person’s coffin.

Normally, though, Winston is relatively friendly, in a quiet sort of way. He can get along fine with people and enjoy a good drink or two, but will usually go back to work afterwards. The work he does as a carpenter is something that he enjoys very much – building and maintaining things, knowing that without him, everything could fall apart. Though Winston appears to be dutiful to the captain, his loyalty, in truth, only goes so far. He would stand by his side and follow his orders, of course, but that would be more out of fear than any intrinsic devotion. He definitely wouldn’t give up his life to save the captain’s. There are far greater causes to die for.

Background: Being raised in a fairly well-off family of scavengers on a scavenger ship, the Abysmil, Winston was destined to be foraging out in the wastelands from the start. He was taught the skills necessary to survive in this dangerous world, and, while not learning quite as fast as one normally would, he was progressing along relatively well. Then, at the age of twelve, the Abysmil experienced some kind of engine failure and crashed into the desert.

Winston was one of the only members to survive, and the only one to leave without being quarantined. Horrified by the experience, grieving for his family, and left without a home, he set out through the airships to find some purpose in life. Eventually, he was taken in by a kind engineer and her husband after attempting to steal their ship Furantur and almost managing to fly away into the storm, a feat that should have been quite impossible, given that an entire crew was needed to operate it. The couple had openly accepted him, and, after a short amount time, he felt the same about them.

In the years that followed, Winston learned many things from his new family, and found his calling in the field of engineering. He loved the feel of heat in the engines and the sound of the hissing steam, where he could feel the peace he was searching for from the memories of his old life that were constantly plaguing him. Work opportunities were found on various ships and, after some tearful goodbyes, he left his home and became a mechanic of the ship Waterlog. Contentment ensued.

Of course, this would not last, and, after several years, the ship came into an ill-conceived disagreement with another ship, which also happened to be one so large that it rivalled The Arcaine in size. By some miracle, the Waterlog managed to successfully escape, but not without being forced to leave a substantial number of its crew behind, whether dead or still fighting. This time, Winston was one of the unlucky ones. Luckily, though, one of his remaining crewmates was able to convince the pirates to let the survivors live and join their company, in return for the extra workforce. Since then, over a year ago, Winston had been working hard as a carpenter, gaining the crew’s confidence and becoming more loyal to the ship as a whole.

Role: As a carpenter, Winston must help repair and maintain the ship’s engines, mechanics, inner workings, and overall structure, making sure that it doesn’t fail and kill everyone.

 

[The One Called X]

Angelica Hudson

A Girl and her Dog​

Surface

Name: Angelica Hudson
Role: Pilot
Age: 20
Height: 5'11''
Appearance: Angelica is tall and willowy, with a small frame despite her height. Her curly dark hair falls a little below her shoulders. Her skin is warm brown, her eyes nearly black. Her features are soft, the eyes piercing, the mouth delicate. She has a graceful, elegant look to her; though it's obvious she's not particularly strong. She's very slender- almost too thin, though she's lost the dull-eyed, wobbly, underfed look she'd had when she first signed on to The Cold Raven. Regular helpings of decent food will do that.

Her clothes are old and have a worn, ragged look, though she keeps them meticulously clean and in good repair. One can see where tears were mended, thin fabric patched, or- on some pieces- hems let out or material added to accommodate a teenager's rapid growth. Her hands are delicate, the fingers long and deft, and crisscrossed with small, pale scars, which are also distributed much more sparsely on her forearms. There's a long, thin scar stretching from the right corner of her mouth almost to her ear, but it's very faded and hard to see- whatever caused it happened long enough ago that she can't remember it.

Angelica moves, most of the time, like she's trying to take up space. There's times that her walk is more of a swagger, with a certain confidence and assurance, an insistence that she be noticed and remembered. All the same, her eyes are honest and her grin is easy, open. Her voice is smooth, pleasant, and tinged with a drawling accent.

HeartAngelica is a lot of things.

One, she's cocky as all get-out. She's a hell of a good pilot- unnatural good, almost- and she knows it. Being fake humble never helped anybody, and she doesn't see the point in pretending like she doesn't know she's one of the best there is. She's just a little bit smug about that. It's a soul thing, sometimes, guiding a ship, reading a storm, feeling herself dissolve into it and just knowing. It's the closest she ever comes to finding religion.

Thing is, though, it's not like she's dumb about it. She doesn't think she's better than anyone. She's got a skill, that's all. Fine to be proud of it, doesn't mean she knows best all the damn time. Sometimes, she knows, you just gotta shut up and listen to other people. Let them tell you what to do, if it makes sense. She doesn't like taking things just on authority, but she's not gonna go off and do something stupid just to prove that so-and-so isn't the boss of her.

She's friendly, but cautious. Keeps a knife strapped to her leg under her skirts. Keeps a big, scary dog with her near all of the time. Being one of a handful of pretty women on a ship'll have that effect, but Angelica's been wary of people since childhood. Not a cynic, not quite, just waits for folks to show who they are before deciding to trust them.

She's brave, too, the kind of brave that comes from having almost starved to death once or twice, knowing that there's worse ways to die out there. Tends to go calm and focused instead of panicking. She's not a killer. Could be, though. Not cold-blooded, but if she had to. If it was needed. She knows what's important to her, what's worth fighting over. She's smart and fast- has to be, skinny girl like her, no muscle to speak of. Lucky she's a fast talker, good at smoothing things over, good at making people feel at ease and friendly-like. Lucky she can run like a deer. Lucky she's got Joey, and he's the best backup a girl could ever ask for.

She's stubborn as hell, cares less about beating the other person and more about getting what she wanted and getting out safe. It just gets complicated, sometimes. She's got a protective streak a mile wide. Tends to go a little mama bear over kids and animals. She'll put herself between a kid and any threat in a heartbeat. Has a habit of adopting every kid she comes across that might need someone looking out for them. She can't walk away. She knows how it feels when people walk away.

MemoryAngelica was born on the Giovanni. Could be said she was born into the pirate life. Her folks had a small ship, just the three of them and two, maybe three other hands. Things were all right, but money was always scarce. Her pa caught wind of a job, supposed to be lucrative, but dangerous. They left Angelica with her ma's sister, and headed out. They never came back. Angelica was five.

Next few years were tolerable. Not good. Not the worst. She survived. Her aunt's family fed her, housed her, and that was about it. It was known that she wasn't really part of their family. They gave her room and board, and in return she stayed out of the way, did chores, and didn't look for affection or complain when her cousin was cruel to her. Things didn't start getting tense until she was a teenager. She started fighting back against her cousin, and the other girl doubled down on the bullying. Angelica kept refusing to take the abuse. Things got nasty. By thirteen, Angelica wasn't welcome in their cabin anymore.

What followed was two years skulking around on the Giovanni. Granger was all about keeping things orderly, but the Giovanni was a huge goddamn ship. Folks slipped through the cracks every now and again. Mostly orphans and unwanted kids, cripples who couldn't get work, nobodies who couldn't get someone to vouch for 'em to get started on a crew, anybody what was on their own and couldn't quite look out for themselves on the up-and-up. There were ways to make money, but Angelica could never bring herself to do more than steal food- partially out of morals and pride, but mostly out of sheer fear of what would happen if she got caught.

Any shot at getting clean money was a shot worth taking. Angelica had always been clever with machines- their workings came natural to her, like talking and breathing. She learned to pilot damn near on the fly- some rich kid offering decent cash for anyone who could make a ten-mile roundtrip in under a minute on a busted one-person speeder held together with duct tape and desperation. That landed her the first decent meal she'd had in a few weeks. Money wasn't much, but it was a start. Racing was a way to make money- and Angelica was good at it.

It wasn't a good career, per se. Whether or not it was permitted was a bit dubious, for one. The prize money was inconsistent, it was dangerous, and competing against experienced pilots meant that she lost more often than not. Still, it was better than nothing, and it kept her eating enough to live.

Her fortunes turning around when she was sixteen. Wasn't any one particular incident that did it. Just a slow buildup of folks who knew about Angelica Hudson, that scrawny slip of a girl who could work all manner of magic behind the controls of a ship, just a few captains being willing to take her on to fly a job for them. She started to make a name for herself as a reliable pilot, one of the best. When she was nineteen, The Cold Raven gave her a shot, and she proved herself, earned her place. She's near indispensable, now, with a kind of intuition that lets her handle even a big ship like the Raven through the most turbulent weather and the tightest spots. It's not a bad life, all things considered.

Family

Joey is a damn good dog, and that's all there really is to it.

Yeah, he's one of the grumpiest animals you're ever liable to meet. Sure, he never lets anyone but Angelica touch him- and honestly, if you're not Angelica then the best you can hope for is him not actively hating you. And good lord is he one ugly son of a bitch. End of the day, he'd follow his girl to Hell and back, and that's what matters.

It's clear to anyone who knows what to look for that he was a pit dog, and a prized one at that. There's always one dogfighting ring or another getting broken up, but usually the dogs that get pulled out of the business are bait dogs or bit players, not the real moneymakers. The organizers make more of an effort to protect the dogs they've invested in- and it's clear that Joey was a big investment. The big scars along his belly, for one- a killing blow, one that most pit dogs would've been left to die from. Joey got stitched up nice and neat. Then there's the unnatural metallic gleam of his teeth- would've been ultra-sharp titanium, before, screwed into a reinforced metal jawbone. Half for show, half for weaponry. Now Angelica's replaced them, made them less sharp so his mouth doesn't get cut up anymore. Same with the claws on his front feet. Add in his sheer size- he's a hulking, musclebound brute of an animal- and it's clear that someone spent a lot of money on this dog- and he made them a lot of money in return.

It's not entirely clear how he came to be in Angelica's company. All anyone on the Cold Raven knows is that on her first leave- about two months in to her employment- she marched back on to the ship with fire in her eyes and the dog in tow and declared that she was keeping him. Nobody was particularly inclined to argue, as the dog appeared to share her sentiments. He's an intimidating creature. Half his face is mangled by scars. His right eye is milky, with scarring on the eyeball itself. The scars cover his chest and front legs, with a few scattered on his back and sides. If one cared to, they could read a history of fights survived in them.

Joey's a good dog, you see. He just ran out of fucks to give a while back. All he really wants out of life is to stay with Angelica and be left alone by everyone else. They're a team, Angelica and Joey. A dog and his girl.

 

[Kaerri]

Reserved for boatswain.

Name: Torrey Singer

Sex: Male

Age: 32

Appearance: Torrey's features are a jumble of races. His high cheekbones and golden skin point to Asian ancestors; reddish-brown hair and slender nose to Europeans; his warm brown eyes could go either way. He is of average height and rather stocky (but not at all fat), with surprisingly slender hands marred only by callouses, so far. His arms and shoulders are another matter; if he has occasion to take off his shirt, a number of blade and ball scars can be seen, all in non-life-threatening locations. He also has an unusual scar wrapped around one ankle, like a rope burn but deeper.

Spoiler: Picture

Picture credit: A Day For Heroes by Jaasif

Personality: In general, he's even-tempered and reserved, especially about his past. Off-duty, he tends to be more approachable, but still not very expansive. He likes to carve small figures of animals (extinct and currently-existent, as the mood strikes him) out of scraps of otherwise useless wood; some of them he keeps, some he sells, and some he'll give away to a crewmate.

On-duty, he's more standoffish, even stern at times. He rarely yells in anger, instead growing colder and more formal. He is particularly meticulous when it comes to equipment and what might be called workplace safety.

Professionally, he's completely devoted to Captain Woods and the Cold Raven, but though he always follows the captain's orders, he doesn't necessarily agree with them (a view he doesn't share with the crew, of course). He doesn't enjoy killing, but doesn't shy away from it when necessary or ordered to it.

Most people think the surname "Singer" is either unusually apt or an assumed name, for he frequently hums or sings to himself, particularly when working with his hands. He claims it helps him concentrate, and he does have a fine baritone singing voice.

Spoiler: Torrey's voice (and theme song)

Spoiler: Lyrics copied from metrolyrics.com

Happiness is just a word to me
And it might've meant a thing or two
If I had known the difference

Emptiness, a lonely parody
And my life, another smokin' gun
A sign of my indifference

Always keepin' safe inside
Where no one ever had a chance
To penetrate a break in

Let me tell you some have tried
But I would slam the door so tight
That they could never get in

Kept my cool under a lock and key
And I never shed a tear
Another sign of my condition

Fear of love of bitter vanity
That kept me on the run
The main events at my confession

I kept a chain upon my door
That would shake the shame of Cain
Into a blind submission

The burning ghost without a name
Was still calling all the same
But I just wouldn't listen

The longer I'd stall
The further I'd crawl
The further I'd crawl
The harder I'd fall
I was crawlin into the fire

The more that I saw
The further I'd fall
The further I'd fall
The lower I'd crawl
I kept fallin' into the fire
Into the fire
Into the fire

Suddenly it occurred to me
The reason for the run and hide
Had totaled my existence

Everything left on the other side
Could never be much worse than this
But could I go the distance

I faced the door and all my shame
Tearin' off each piece of chain
Until they all were broken

But no matter how I tried
The other side was locked so tight
The door it wouldn't open

Gave it all that I got
And started to knock
Shouted for someone
To open the lock
I just gotta get through the door

And the more that I knocked
The hotter I got
The hotter I got
The harder I knocked
I just gotta break through the door

Gotta knock a little harder
Gotta knock a little harder
Gotta knock a little harder
Break through the door

Background: ((Note that Torrey won't have told his story to any of the crew.)) Born David Torrence Shaper to a pair of scientist/officers who expected him to follow in their footsteps, Torrey was something of a disappointment to his parents, having decided early on that he wanted to be a scavenger. A greater disappointment was when his sister Diane chose to join him. That led to something of a rift between parents and children, who finally realized they just didn't understand each other. Torrey and Diane made an excellent team, though, and were close friends.

That partnership came to a screeching halt when Diane unexpectedly started showing signs of radiation poisoning and was whisked away to Quarantine. Unable to accept it, Torrey started investigating and found out that his sister's sickness was caused by a faulty filter in her suit. That was bad enough, but then he learned that the government had known that that particular filter line had been faulty, and had done a remove-and-replace on those belonging to important people (i.e., not lowly scavengers). A recall order had been working its way down to Torrey and Diane's level, but not fast enough. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it. His sister was gone, and wouldn't be coming back no matter what he did. He tried complaining to the government, only to be met with false sympathy and dead-end walls.

Angry and despairing, he found himself spending more time in bars than in the field, eventually ending up on the fringes of "proper" society -- which is where he first met the pirates. He and Diane had been known among their own crowd as being pretty good at what they did, and Torrey assumes it's that reputation that caused the pirates to offer him a place as gunner on the Firecat, a small but fast ship on which he first became known simply as "Torrey Singer." Not knowing what else to do with his life, and refusing to stay on with the government that caused his sister's death (as he sees it), he accepted, and found himself fitting in better than he'd supposed. Since then, he's worked his way up the ranks, only recently (about 8 months ago) transferring to the Cold Raven under Captain Woods.

Role: As Boatswain, it's Torrey's job to keep the crew in line, which he does with fairness but not a lot of kindness. Mercy isn't generally in the best interest of a pirate crew, after all. He also assumes a lot of the day-to-day work of keeping the ship running. In his view, officers (like the captain and the quartermaster) are for being in charge, and boatswains like him are for actually doing the work.

Weapons: Most of the time, Torrey keeps a knife on each hip and a pistol just behind them. One never knows, after all. However, if he's expecting trouble, he'll buckle on his main weapon, a well-maintained, razor-sharp cutlass. He's an excellent shot, and not bad with the knives, but prefers the cutlass for its grace (and romanticism, not that he'll ever confess to that).

 

[Alecto]

General Information

Birth Name: Alistair Sterling
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Role: Quarter Master, second in command

Appearance

Height: 6'0" / 72" / 183 cm
Weight: 181 lbs / 82 kg
Build: Athletic
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Dark brown
Distinguishing Marks:

• A faint scar splitting his left brow

Overall Description:

Aleksander inherited his father's strong features, from the sharp jaw, the steep arch of his brows and his prominent cheekbones, while he had his mother's colors. He has a slightly crooked nose that has taken one too many punches, and thin lips that are often pulled into a friendly smile that does wonders for his otherwise strong features.
Although he does not possess a physique as exceptional as the others on the ship, Aleksander has maintained an athletic figure and often bulks himself up by wearing layers upon layers or thick clothing which he then chalks up to wanting more protection from the radiation. A blatant lie, but let the man keep his pride, thank you.​

Personality

Much to the amusement of his parents and his uncle later on, Aleksander never grew out of his cheerful and amiable nature, always willing to strike up a conversation with anyone at any given time, either for the sake of being friendly or gathering information. He also has a tendency to make the light of any dire situation, prefering to mask his unease with lame jokes, ill-timed comments and a positive mood; he'd rather deal with baleful glares and unbelieving stares than the pit of discomfort in his gut.

In addition to his sociable disposition, Aleksander is pretty flexible and resourceful, easily able to adapt to most situations and come out unscathed for the most part, even if it's outside of his comfort zone.

On the other hand, despite being friendly, Aleksander will not hesitate to throw someone under the bus if he thinks if it's what would benefit the most people in the end, and is not above using underhanded tactics. He is also a bit low on empathy for the deceased, even if he knew them pretty well, having been used to people dying left and right as he grew up. Why mope about it? People are going to die; it's the one thing he knows is constant. Besides, the dead probably wouldn't want him to dwell on them too much.

Background

Born as Alistair Sterling, the youngest child to a pair of former renowned scavengers, Jonathan and Alexandrine Sterling, Aleksander grew up rather comfortably alongside his older siblings, Sebastian and Victoria. Often their parents and friends would regale tales of their travels and their scouring, instilling a great sense of adventure in all three Sterling children. Both Aleksander and his brother decided firmly to become scavengers as soon as they would be allowed to, while their sister leaned towards joining the military instead.

Shortly after Aleksander turned ten, misfortune fell upon the Sterling household. Alexandrine fell ill and her condition worsened after they received news that Victoria had died on duty during a poorly organised skirmish against the pirates which could have been easily prevented had her commanding officer decided to retreat. Rumors that Sebastian's crew has been in cohorts with pirates also began to spread. And barely a year since his sister's funeral, they received word that Sebastian's crew were taken under custody, and during the struggle, Sebastian had been one of the unfortunate few that were shot.

Due to the controversy with Sebastian, suspicion turned towards their small scavenger community and accusations began to fly. It didn't take long for the suspicion to turn to his father which resulted in his imprisonment and a little while later, his execution. Shortly after that, his mother eventually fell to her sickness and the grief of losing two of her children and her husband. Now orphaned, Aleksander moved from relative to relative until his father's younger brother, Corvinus, offered to take him in until he felt ready to stand on his own.

During his stay with his uncle who was a very flightly man due to his business, Aleksander found himself with a lot of time to himself while they traveled around. Time that he used to gather his wits and try to keep a tight lock on the grief gnawing at him, and just as he thought he was fine, he found himself back in the community he grew up in after almost six years since he left. His grief turned into anger as he interacted with his parents' friends, feeling as if they had betrayed his father and brother. They knew damn well that they didn't have any connection with pirates. He had scoured high and low looking for any connections whatsoever, only to come up completely empty-handed.

He left the community in a huff and resumed traveling with his uncle on various ships, reveling in the fact that he met numerous, different people if only for the distraction it was. It was during one of these trips that he met a handful of pirates in the area his uncle had a client in. Despite his avoidance of them, it was simply impossible for them not to interact as both parties frequented the same locations. Even the hotel they stayed at, Aleksander caught a glimpse of the pirates. And during one of the nights they were in the same tavern, he caught the end of an exaggerated tale of their travel, their hardships and accomplishments, making Aleksander's insides ache and twist, painfully reminded of his parents. The adventurer in him turned green with each tale they regaled.

Of course, it only took a matter of time before Aleksander found himself interacting more with the pirates, tentatively relaxing around them, as his uncle took his sweet time with his client. And each time he met these pirates, they would come with their stories of embellished hunts for treasure that would have him rolling in laughter. But even considering how well he managed to get to know these men, it came as a surprise when he was asked to join their fairly small crew and ship for a trip. Considering the issues his family dealt with due to the pirates, he hesitated. While his uncle was just as wary, he covinced Aleksander to take the offer to have the adventures he wanted as a child, to experience the thrill of the hunt, swearing at the same time on Jonathan's name not to snitch on Aleksander.

And from there on, things began to look up for Aleksander as he began to make his name known due to his ever friendly disposition. Of course, there were incidents where he had been accused of being a sleeper agent and what not, but those were little hurdles as he slowly made connections and gathered strings-to-pull that eventually lead to him being recruited into The Cold Raven where he worked his way up to the second in command.

Miscellaneous

Family:

• Father: Jonathan Sterling
• Mother: Alexandrine Sterling nee Black
• Siblings: Sebastian Sterling, Victoria Sterling
• Other: Corvinus Sterling (uncle)

Other:

• Aleksander never lost his love for adventure
• He has a preference for guns and shies away from close quarter combat, opting to put more distance between him and his opponents.

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

“Yes, my name’s a mouthful. Distracts them long enough to get a bullet in their head.”​

Pirate Name: Tanegashima Tokitaka (Or Toki, for short)
Birth Name: Umikawa Yuuko


Sex: F
Age: 14
Height: 4’11
Weight: 46 kg
Role: Powder Monkey


Appearance:

Her Asian roots are quickly apparent in the smallness of her eyes and the paleness of her skin. If she had worn her dark hair long, she would’ve been a visage of beauty. As a member of the Cold Raven she had it cropped short. Coupled with a mischievous grin, it gave her that rough, boyish air. Being a young girl in the service of pirates gave her a few scars across her back, and lean muscle from all that running and carrying. But her long, delicate fingers tell the story of careful dedication to a craft, of meticulousness with purpose. She is feminine enough that curves showed up in the right places, but not enough that she could pass off as a boy. Besides, if anyone wanted to try anything to her, they’d have to get through the deep black of her gaze, dark as a starless night and just as unnerving. And the twin flintlock Tanegashima pistols she always has on her person.


Personality:

‘Powder and Spark’ is the popular moniker for the little girl wonder running up and down the ship like an uncaged Shiba. She’s filled with the enthusiasm most boys her age would envy. There’s always something to do, something to tinker with. Her mind is constantly in high gear, shifting from one thought to another in the span of a nanosecond. When with friends (mostly the crew) she can talk their ears off with tales about her homeland and its rich history, and with stories of her own making, some of them not meant for sane ears.

Toki has little patience with people who can’t keep up with her pace because she’s learned at an early age that slowing down was apt to get you shot in a fight. She has worse tolerance for people who has the gall to call her and her friends ‘criminals’ or any other equally unsavory terms. The worst is people who point out her height. She knows it’s an asset for her role in the ship, but she can live without someone reminding her every other minute or so.

There are those rare moments at night, when the rest of the crew is asleep, that she’d lean over the gunwales and watch the moon in complete silence. In here she sheds the spark and takes on the quiet child she’d been before she started life as a pirate. Only a few people have seen her in this contemplative state, and they argue that this mild-mannered, melancholic person is the real Yuuko.


History:

Toki’s life has been one of powder and spark. She could trace her proud bloodline to the Japanese lord who first sparked the production of European-style arquebuses in her homeland. Her family was renowned as one of the best manufacturers of firearms and ammunition. She wore the name as a pirate, and displayed prowess with firearms all the same, but before she was Tanegashima Tokitaka, she was Umikawa Yuuko. This is her story.

Yuuko was trained at an early age in the family craft. Her father’s gunsmithy in the Giovanni found a huge and profitable market in the myriad pirates who risked their lives day after day. The quality of their products was a major part of their popularity, but little Yuuko’s earnest attitude and silent dedication to work brought in a lot of customers as well. Of course some ruffians tried blustering their way to discounts or freebies. Yuuko quickly proved herself not only a good craftsman but a quick shot as well.

Once, the famed captain of the Cold Raven himself visited their shop. Yuuko was manning the counter then. One look at the chiseled features of the man was enough to teach Yuuko her first lesson in love: it comes unexpectedly, like a sudden spark. Immediately she asked the man to take her in as a crew member of the Cold Raven, offering her services as a gunsmith. She was rejected just as fast, but the spark would not go away. In time, it would grow into a flame that would push her towards dangerous tides. Tides that’d end up pulling her under the waves.

She bid her time. She knew she wasn’t accepted because she was too young, and that she’s a girl. She needed to prove herself to the handsome captain somehow. She needed something that’d force him to look her way and see a woman worthy of the Cold Raven. So she stowed away on one of the pirate ships heading for distant lands in search of treasure. She wrapped bandages around her modest breasts and cut her hair short. She took on the persona of a roughened pirate, and brought along with her a couple of flintlock pistols-- her own handiwork. And she took on the name of Tanegashima Tokitaka, Toki for short.

Her adventure broke a hundred rose-colored dreams she had of the pirate’s life. She was relegated to Powder Monkey, and while it wasn’t as glorious as she imagined it to be, she had fun running around the ship, bringing powder wherever it was needed. Her silence could do her no favors so she forced herself to fully live the little boy pirate. She quickly befriended most of the crew with her smiles and talkativeness, coming up with tales on the fly to regale them with. She even had the ear of the captain, which all but ensured her a good place among the crew. It was a good life for the first few months, even while struggling through skirmishes with the government here and then.

But then she made a mistake. She screwed up, causing their ship to lose valuable gunpowder and nearly an entire broadside of cannons. The friends she thought she had shouted profanities at her and shoved her across the deck. The captain she thought was her guardian ordered thirty lashes on her back. On that day, as the whip came down mercilessly and relentlessly, two things were lost from her; her secret, and her innocence.

The following morning, eyes tear-blurred, nose snot-filled, back bleeding, she stole into a lifeboat and made off with it. She had no thought but of going home, damn the pirates who hurt her and humiliated her. It didn’t occur to her then that the ship could easily chase her and shoot down the little boat. She didn’t even consider to bring provisions for the journey home. Perhaps the kami saw her plight and had mercy on her when a Government frigate appeared and engaged the pirate ship. She managed to slip away, though the pain of her wounds on her back and in her heart dragged her into a sleep filled with dreams of her aging father and the gunsmithy.

Somehow, by some divine favor she managed to come back to the Giovanni. Another ship took pity on her broken lifeboat and brought her into their ship, giving her safe passage through the Mothership’s defenses. Once docked she immediately made for the gunsmithy. One more dream left to shatter beneath reality. She expected her father waiting for her with open arms and the warm smile she loved. She expected to be healed and back at the counter, silent and content in her craft. Instead she was greeted with a dilapidated spot that used to be her father’s workshop. The entire place was ransacked. Anything of value was taken. Her dead eyes fixated on a spot of blood crusting beneath the doorway, and the couple of crimson handprints just a few inches from it.

She knelt on wounded knees. Hands clasped in front of her as she muttered a prayer to the kami. Whispered words became hiccuping sobs became grieving howls for the childhood she had lost.

In a daze she asked around if the Cold Raven had docked in port. They hadn’t. She waited until the next day. She asked again. They hadn’t. She waited another day. She asked again. They hadn’t. The wounds on her back festered. She asked again. They hadn’t. She lied down on the dock, breathing shallow, vision fading. She asked again. Captain Woods himself answered. The spark, which had long died, finally came to life once more.

 

[Ronan]

ACCESS TERMINAL :

❯ NAME :[ REDACTED. ]
❯ ALIAS : Nova.
❯ ROLE : Mechanic.
❯ PRONOUNS : Genderfluid / Nonbinary. She / Her or just They / Them but doesn't really care if you used any ( e.g. They, Them, He, Him, Ze ). Will refer to herself as she. She will never refer to herself as male or female nor using other terms of boy, girl, et cœtera under delegation of pronouns.
❯ AGE : Thirty ( 30 ).
❯ ORIENTATION : Demi / Grey-romantic pansexual. Romantic attraction is very rare. While she can experience love of many capacities that involve platonic dynamics, romantic experiences are almost entirely written off due to a vehement disinterest / inability. Sexually attracted to any / all genders or the in-between, but primarily enjoys extreme masculinity or extreme femininity.
❯ LANGUAGE : Intermittent Spanish is not a sign of ignorance. It's a sign of brain damage. Being shot in the head, twice, at point blank and being buried alive will leave lifelong effects including: synæsthesia, hypoxia, memory loss, PTSD, claustrophobia, headaches/migraines. The effects are not limited to this list. Speaking their mother tongue is both signs of damage but also a coping mechanism. A comfort of trying to wade through the confusion.

APPEARANCE :

❯[ DATE REDACTED. ] Nova is an amputee. Despite trying to salvage the arm that was almost completely severed / suffered extreme nerve damage using cybernetics, the upkeep becomes too painful. In the beginning after being so adamant about saving an arm that would clearly decline in function / become infected, necrotic and cause pain, she has an awful inner turmoil that if she loses her arm she would be less. She would be weak. But she does come to terms with her loss and decides to use another entirely cybernetic arm that is detachable and incapable of long hauls.
❯ HAIR : Ebony brown.
❯ EYES : Hazel.
❯ BODY : Mesomorph.
❯ HEIGHT : 166cm.
❯ ATTIRE : Tattered with rips and tears. Old and faded greys and red. Her jacket is missing a sleeve and her pants are too big for a slim waist that is tied on with a deck rope.
❯ OTHER : Prominent eyebrows, strong jawline, broad shoulders, long legs.

MAINFRAME ACCESS DENIED :

❯ MBTI : ( ESTP ), an abbreviation of extroversion, sensing, thinking, and perception. They are the ultimate realists; at one with objects and experiences now, in the only living, pulsing moment that ever really exists. Pillars of action who live in the thrust of enthusiasm and excitement; blunt, straight-forward, risk-takers who are willing to get their hands dirty.

❯ STRENGTHS : Bold. Full of life, energy, consistently pushing boundaries, discovering and using new things / ideas. There are many synonyms of boldness associated with bravery and does not always lead in rash context and can have a great positive connotation to the word. In social situations, being bold is being brave.
→ RATIONAL AND PRACTICAL. A love of knowledge, philosophy ( but oft not for her own sake ). She will find actionable ideas and drill details to put them to use.
→ PERCEPTIVE. Very good at noticing change and when they need to change, including small shifts in both habits and appearances. These observations can aid in creating connections with others. This is something that has made her exceptional when it comes to gambling and liars.
❯ WEAKNESSES :
→ INSENSITIVE. Feelings and emotions are awkward, uncomfortable affairs and the blunt honesty doesn't help. She often has a lot of trouble acknowledging and expressing her own feelings.
→ IMPATIENT. Moves at their own pace to keep themselves excited. Slowing because someone else 'doesn't get it' or having to stay focused on a single detail for too long is extremely challenging for ESTPs.
→ RISK-PRONE. This impatience can lead her to push into uncharted territories without thinking of the long-term consequences. These personalities sometimes intentionally combat boredom with extra risk.
→ UNSTRUCTURED. To see an opportunity to fix a problem, to advance, to have fun and seize the moment, often ignoring rules and social expectations in the process. This may get things done, but it can create unexpected social fallout.
→ MAY MISS THE BIGGER PICTURE. Living in the moment can cause her to miss the forest for the trees. People with this personality love to solve problems here and now, perhaps too much. All parts of a project can be perfect, but the project will still fail if those parts do not fit together.
→ DEFIANT. She won't be boxed in. Repetition, hardline rules, sitting quietly while they are lectured at this isn't how they can live their life. They are action-oriented and hands-on.

❯ TEMPERAMENT : The choleric temperament is fundamentally ambitious and leader-like. They have a lot of aggression, energy, and passion and try to instil it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were choleric. They like to be in charge of everything; however, cholerics also tend to be either highly disorganised or highly organised. They do not have an in-between setups, only one extreme to another. As well as being leader-like and assertive, choleric also fall into deep and sudden depression. Essentially, they are very much prone to mood swings.

❯ ELEMENT : They are the earth. The element that speaks to stability, the seed of all things and is made fruitful by other elements. The first foundation. The element is a heavy, passive element and contrary to air. We could not exist without it. It's the caul of a womb, a vitality, a fertility; we are interred in the earth / it corresponds into a darkness.

PROFILE, REDACTED :

❯ HISTORIA :
[ SHE DIED. NOT ALMOST. NOT SHOULD HAVE. NOT MAYBE. DEFINITELY. ]
Fuckin' Benny shot her in the head. She thinks about his murder: finally getting vengeance on the person who shot her in the head; stole her memories, her life, her sanity to some extent. It's a very real, visceral part of recovering her sense of self. 'Y'see—the desert has a habit of making people disappear; a phantom, in part or whole remnants are by thew or thought. Sand scorpions, familial cactaeae and threadbare flags. Like all of our rebirths into civilisation, this corresponded to entropy.'

So here's how it goes: she enters the town, and they ask you to hand over your weapons. She hides her switchblade. Benny flirts with you and invites you to their hotel room. This, she accepts. When Benny's sitting down to make her a drink thinking he's just about to get lucky, she slits his throat. It's not clean. He's soaked in his blood as he chokes against her, hand clamped against his mouth. He'll suffocate. He'll die by her hand. They don't question anything. The chairmen are mostly afraid of the one with the face like thunder, covered in blood, blade in hand. They hand back her weapons, no questions asked.
Outside, for the first time in weeks, there's a torrential downpour. It washes it all away. Blood and water at the feet. He's dead. She had her vengeance. No gods, no masters. Nova won't stay in that town, but now she runs it. She's the kind of person who would go out and find people who need somewhere to go. Building settlements, solar panels, wind turbines, planting food, finding people who have skills / important trades. Her main advantage is her charisma. People will follow. They don't just promise to change or do better things but actually do them.

[ LOADING : SCAVENGER, PIRATE, MECHANIC? CLICK. ]

She is a Scavenger when she shot Benny. [ ERROR. ] She is a Cold Rave—The Vegas pirate when she shot Benny. They came to the desert town looking for a Ruin. They took her as expiation and turned her into a Vegas pirate. She worked below deck in the engine room with fire and steam in her face. They took her arm and laughed, so she shot them and drifted.
When the supply water was low and The Vegas ship strewn in blood and body, The Cold Raven pirates discovered their ship and decided to raid it, hoping to steal what was left. They found a week's supply of food, three days of water, and a seventeen year-old Nova.
Granger took Nova and what was left of The Vegas. She's been a Cold Raven pirate since then, keeping her share of treasure and secrets to bring back to the town someday.

[ TOWN LOCATION : UNKNOWN. ]
[ SECRETS : MISSING. ]

But Woods?
Yeah, she'll shoot him in the head someday.
[ END TRANSMISSION. ]

[ Credit : Aukanai ]​

 

[Syrenrei]

Nine

​

• Basic Information
• Personality
• Background

• 
  Birth Name: Elizabeth Anne Johnson
  Alias: Nine or 9
  Gender: Female
  Role: Researcher (Scientist)
  Marital Status: Single
  Age: 26
  Height: 5'5"
  
  Appearance
  Nine looks slightly younger than her twenty-six years and has the blonde hair and blue eyes that might strike envy in others. A splattering of pale brown freckles are splashed across the upper portion of her cheeks and her nose.She is neither ugly nor beautiful, neither handsome nor hideous, but a middling between. A few small scars from altercations can be spotted on her face, shoulders, arms, and thighs, but none of them are substantial or remarkable. Most are old and faded, indicative of the fact they are years old rather than recent in origin.
  
  What she lacks in the visage she has kept in physique. Nine lacks much in the way of muscle definition, favoring being nimble over strong. What toning she does possess is most defined in her legs. Her clothing is fitted and in that it is flattering... however she has never been seen in a state of undress. It is established fact that Nine sleeps fully clothed, usually in leather armor if she can, regardless of whether she is sharing accommodations or is completely alone. More than a few rumors have circulated about the manner in which she bathes if she is so adamantly opposed to being naked (and she must because she is not unclean in any way). Nine rarely wears bright colors or fashionable items, preferring practical clothing when possible. By her own admission leaving her shoulders and thighs bare seems silly, but she has found that wearing it over her entire leg feels too limiting and she needs her fingers and shoulders free for a wider range of movement.
  
• 
  Nine is an incredibly curious person. When she comes across something new, be it a place, animal, plant, or scrap of metal she wants to know explore it completely. Since childhood she has been fascinated with the world around her and has wanted to understand it better. The more doors that were opened the more she thirsted for knowledge and innovation. Even now she is content to sit alone in a room with bags full of strange items found on the surface, inspect them, and write a report on her findings. Older, established items are not exempt from this insatiable appetite. When left with resources and given direction she will become enraptured with trying to unlock new potential for them: mixing a new poison, applying a new herb as an ointment, or taming an unruly animal to be a creature of burden. Her enthusiasm is hard to contain and given an opportunity she will spend an eternity explaining the most mundane nuances to you in intricate detail, ignoring your disinterest, and taking silence as encouragement.
  
  As a member of the crew, she seeks to utilize her wit and study to innovate on behalf of pirates. She keeps records of things that Captain Woods has in passing mentioned he would like to hypothetically have- even impossible things- and works towards those goals in tandem with more realistic directions. Nine takes orders very seriously and follows the orders of her superiors without complaint, rebellion, or even a whiff of insubordination. Nine is eager to prove not just her worth, but that of all scientific endeavors.
  
  Nine is very uncomfortable in the presence of most male strangers. She trusts Captain Woods, as well as her peers for the most part, but she has made a formal request not to be touched unless absolutely necessary and she has given explicit permission. When a stranger does not respect these guidelines she visibly recoils. Any and all romantic passes that are made at her are summarily ignored. To date she has neither dated or slept with anyone of the crew (male or female), though she has mentioned in passing she'd like to be "less alone someday."
  
  It is also worth noting that while Nine has a passing proficiency with the sword, she is also deeply uncomfortable with guns citing that "they are hard to control." Nine will avoid murder at all costs but does not take issue with anyone else killing around her.
  
• 
  Elizabeth Anne Johnson was born to two very unremarkable parents. Her father Marcus was a politician and her mother Gloria was a scientist that specialized in alchemy. From an early age they groomed her to join the military and pushed her to excel in her studies. Not only did they have high expectations for her, they expected her to be a role model for her three younger siblings: Henry, Benjamin, and Lucy. Elizabeth wasn't the genius of the known world but she was bright enough to follow in her mother's footsteps and apply to join the military when she reached adulthood.
  
  It was during her studies that things began to go awry. She struggled with using a gun, associating it more closely with death than she did swordplay. As smart as Elizabeth found herself to be, her coordination was somewhat lacking and she barely passed her physical requirements and combat tests. This did not go totally unnoticed by her peers. As she began to hit her stride with botany in particular, some more wealthy and 'important' men that studied alongside her were frustrated. She had survived military exercises by the skin on her teeth, was excelling at retaining and grasping subjects, and had shown no 'respect' for their appearance, intellect, or station. By her own admission Elizabeth was basking in the realization that was so clever. Prior to enrollment she had considered her intellect "normal" because she based it off her parents- but now she saw that she quite a bit better than that! Three of her male peers cornered her after a late night; they said they were 'pranking her.' They did not get far before a senior military official happened upon the scene, but the event was burned into Elizabeth's memory as well the subsequent punishment... or lack thereof. The boys were of prominent enough families that they were reprimanded and required to apologize, but nothing more. Since that day Elizabeth has taken issue with trusting men and has kept herself always guarded with her garments.
  
  Elizabeth was determined to complete her studies and did so, but then immediately requested the government send her on an airship that traveled and explored. She wanted a change of pace and a new environment- as much of one as she could have, anyway. A couple years passed rather uneventfully. She was hitching a ride on an airship back to visit her parents when it was attacked by pirates. As the battle ensued she considered her choices and, when the opportunity struck, she stepped in front of an advancing pirate and offered unconditional surrender. In fact, she had enough with the government. It portrayed itself as virtuous and righteous, but Elizabeth had her doubts. The pirates might seem to be the 'bad guys' but at least it seemed honest and, if they would offer her protection, she would be happy to serve them as a scientist. It was slightly unusual to have a young woman do such a thing, especially military, but she was escorted back to the pirate ship as a hostage.
  
  Four years ago Elizabeth took up the alias of "Nine" or "9" and has officially joined the population of pirates. She spent some time on the Giovanni, but joined the crew of The Cold Raven a year and a half ago. Since her 'defection' she has primarily focused on her strength of botany. The vegetation of the world is strange and often more dangerous than safe, but she believes it has untapped potential that they need only learn how to harness properly (like the wood of the pirate ships). Her current pet project is finding new ways to grow vegetation on the ship for medicinal and nutritional uses, as well as exploring their utilization in defense, with particular attention to solutions that once applied to wood would help reinforce and preserve it better.
  

 

[Life.]

​

Birth Name: Lilliana Mondrakon
Current Name (or Alias): Brie
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Role: Surgeon
Height: 5'0"/60 in/152.4 cm
Weight: 47.5 kg/105 lbs.
Appearance:
A white lab coat is her usual attire. Yes the typical lab coat decorated with some stains, cuts, and tears. It is the only coat she wears. Brie has been wearing it since she was seven and she continues to wear it until it is burnt to ashes (or mistakenly misplace it). Along with her coat she wears black pants, shoes, and a plain white shirt.

Brie has pale blonde hair, so pale that it may appear white under some certain lighting. This accents her warm ivory skin tone and pale green eyes. She has an average build and figure that doesn't often show well due to her lab coat. Brie sometimes will be wearing a pointed mask like one in the image just for the heck of it. Sometimes she wears it as her literal "thinking cap". (You can disregard the marks on her skin in the image.)

Personality:
Basically any synonym of crazy describes her. Alright maybe not a lot of words relating to the word crazy but most of them. She has a horrible sense of direction, terrible taste in clothing, and no common sense. Despite all these flaws of hers she excels at what she does; heal, repair, and cook. One thing that many will notice upon meeting Brie is that she has little to no social skills. If you attempt to talk to her, she may hear you but respond with either silence or a blurb of her thoughts. Because of this she can come off as blunt or awkward. Brie enjoys companionship though, she cares and thinks about others. Brie can be the greatest friend to those who are willing to have patience and are willing to attempt to decipher the odd thoughts of hers. She will reciprocate back to understand those who wish to be close to her.

The only time she ever appears normal is when she is cooking or aiding someone. She becomes focused and controlled when she is in the zone. But sometimes she can be so concentrated that anyone who attempts to talk to her may receive either a shrill, a syringe close to their face, or even worse, the wrath of her wooden spatula. As much as she may seem eccentric Brie can remain calm for some time, especially when someone she greatly respects asks her to do so. She isn't one to go against rules or disobey them, but don't be surprised if she tries to bend around them. Especially when it comes to tending to someone who is injured or ill.

One exceptional quality of Brie's is that she has outstanding memory. She also is very organized with her work and workspace. Now as for her living quarters, not so much. The half of her that dedicates itself to work and helping others organizes itself for the sake of ease, while the other half of personal laziness doesn't tend much to her own well-being. Sometimes she may even forget to sleep or eat. Brie is not exactly the best living on her own, which is why she depends on others greatly.

Biography:
Lilliana Mondrakon was born into a rising family of doctors who resided on the Giovanni. She didn't have any siblings so most of the time she was either in the care of another or under the surveillence of one of her parents. It wasn't until she was seven did she build up the courage to tell her parents to allow her to see them at work. Lilliana did it at first to see what was taking her parents' attention and time from her. Her parents not exactly being the gushy, considerate people decided to expose her to the medical world. So before ten she was in operating rooms, hospitals, and sometimes on airships. Initially her parents thought that by showing her blood and guts that Lilliana would back off from trying to bother them again, but instead she expressed even more interest. That was when her parents decided to focus her studies on medicine and its practice. But during drastic procedures or surgeries they would have to leave Lilliana behind for their sake in not being disrupted. This bothered Lilliana but instead of allowing her anger to control her she decided to busy herself and learn how to coo. So this basically was Lilliana's childhood, cooking and healing. She didn't focus her abilities on anything else since there was really nothing better that interested her.

When Lilliana reached adulthood she was starting to make a name for herself, it was even said that she could become even better than her parents. Her parents thought the same as well and felt that it was time for her to start lending her hand to some of the well known ships. They wanted her to start small so one day they told her to try and join the Alekko airship. Lilliana, having nothing better to do, decided why not. But just as she was about to make her way to the Alekko an injured black cat streaked past her. Instinctively she followed. It so happened that the cat led her to the Cold Raven. At first Lilliana did not realize this because she was too focused on helping the cat and she has terrible sense of direction.

It wasn't until she directed her attention to the captain of the ship she was on that she realized she was on the Cold Raven. The crew was in need of a medic and she was on the ship. Lilliana decided to join the crew then and deemed herself Brie. Her parents were shocked when she told them where she ended up. It has been a few years now since she's joined the crew along with her cat, Berry.

Other:
Brie named the cat Berry because berries and brie make a great combination in taste. Berry was injured badly on some parts of his face and back that Brie decided to attach a lens for the eye he lost and attach a gun onto his body because she needed some kind of weapon and thought it was cute.

​

Spoiler: Wonderful Creation by IctoraPost

 

[Pretzel Heart]

☾ L·E·S·K·I ✯​

✧ Specs ✧​

Pirate Name
Leski.
(Mind-blowingly it's Iksel backwards.)

Birth Name
Iksel Blodwen.

Role
Cabin Boy.
(A young boy who is just learning the pirate trade. Usually carries messages across the ship. Totally isn't a double agent or anything.)

Time Onboard
About three weeks.

Age
15.

Gender
Male.

Sexuality
Who wants to know?

Marital Status
Single. Jesus. The kid is 10.​

✧ Body ✧​

Height
5 feet 3 inches.

Weight
135 lbs.

Build
Ectomorphic.

Hair
Tawny Blonde.

Eyes
Olive Green with a slight Bluish tint.

Distinguishing Marks
He has a small, vaguely star-shaped birth mark on his lower left hip. When he was younger he hated it and frequently tried to scratch it off which only made it worse with scarring.

Appearance
Though Iksel seems scrawny at first glance, it's only because......he is scrawny. But don't let that fool you. Despite the fact he's always had a hell of a time even getting prepubescent muscles to show on his lanky limbs, he remains surprisingly sturdy, and what he lacks in brute strength he makes up for with determination and endurance.
He has a rather pretty face which he not only openly acknowledges but takes pride in, even when (obviously jealous!) peers at school would use it as an excuse to make snide comments behind his back. His adonis looks can be attributed to clear skin smoothed by luxury, and bright, wide eyes that seem to hungrily gleam with a desire to take in everything around (though such a description would surely embarrass him). Equally boyish as his face is the rough and wild hair that is his father's chagrin. No matter how hard he tried to tame it into the same short military cut favored by the other Blodwen men, Iksel inherited his mother's unruly spirit through his locks, giving him a messy appearance when not properly managed.
But some might say that his tousled hair is just the right offset to the rest of his primly manicured persona. Before joining the Cold Raven's crew, Iksel took immaculate care of his appearance and hygiene, manufacturing each look down to minute detail and bordering on hypochondriac in his attention to cleanliness. Nails always clipped into perfect crescents, skin scrubbed clean, any wounds properly dressed...he did all in his power to construct an image that said anything but "common rabble." Sadly, these days he hardly knows how to manage himself anymore, and has appeared to give up trying to retain his lengthy daily ritual. After all, he hardly has enough time to sleep as it is before someone starts hollering to wake up. Thus his face has become lovingly decorated with eye-bags, displaying his dire need of beauty sleep.
Likewise, the clothing of his former life was always of the highest fashion - tasteful, colorful, ornate, tailor-fit, and oozing status. Alas, he had the wherewithal to worry that such fancy threads could give him away, and so opted for the most muted of his wardrobe when he ran, though even these still border on flamboyant. In just a few weeks the fine velvet and satins have already been shorn, breaking his heart a little more each time he discovers a new loose thread.
Iksel naturally carries himself with a slight air of haughtiness (though he fails to notice), and instinctively recoils from things which bring him distaste or he views as below him...in other words, pretty much the entire Cold Raven. His body language may appear overly effeminate because of his tendency to shift around his weight, gesticulate, use his wrists, and girlishly cross his legs. His hapless hands, used to little more than scribbling or occasionally taking up a sword, are now covered in welts and budding callouses. Thus he's taken to wearing thick leather gloves to both try and protect his poor skin and to hide this fact. He wouldn't want anyone to think him soft.
​

✧ Bonds ✧​

Father​

Liberius

Liberius Blodwen, 47. An impenetrable man who served 15 years as a high judge for the military. He ferociously worked his way through ranks after being born to a pitiable ship of small-time scavengers, prizing symbols of status and absolutely detesting pirates - the bane of his former livelihood - because of this. His hardline treatment of would-be offenders and support of massive sanitization campaigns are well known. However, he is still very much a family man who, while not indulgent, is very fond of and takes great pride in his offspring. Currently suspended from duty and awaiting trial.​

Mother​

Mistilslav

Mistilslav Blodwen, 45. A bit of an eccentric (though doubtlessly brilliant) engineer coming from old money. Due to balancing her familial and official duties, she was strict when not aloof and ran a tight house. She was part of a team that works on the Mag, leading to her untimely demise. Deceased.​

Siblings​

Andel, Lauriel, and Cyril

✧ Andel Blodwen, 24. Straight-laced and a bit boring, he became a commander at a young age due to his tireless loyalty and high lineage. Acted as an intermediary between his parents and his siblings, often stepping-in as a father figure when his own father could not. Perhaps a bit too green around the edges, lacking the necessary grit to lead. Exiled, presumed dead.
✧ Lauriel Blodwen, 21. A quiet, motherly woman with whom Iksel was closest. A nurturer who strengthened others through her quiet confidence. She was serving her last term as a scavenger before she was going to give it up for the married life with her fiancee and unborn child. Quarantined.
✧ Cyril Blodwen, 19. Skillful and hot-blooded, she let it get to her head and paid dearly for it. Out of the siblings she and Iksel fought the most as she could rarely resist the temptation to tease him. Fiercely faithful to her father, she constantly pushed Andel to be more like him. MiA, presumed dead.​

Other​

Vardan

Vardan Sterkenburgh, 15. Iksel's childhood friend and sworn rival, though the relationship may be one-sided. He is a reserved, dedicated son to a prominent, decorated politician who is a long-time Blodwen family friend. The Sterkenburghs took Iksel in for about a month prior to him running away. Vardan always seems to be one step ahead. In Iksel's eyes he can do no wrong, and that's the greatest sin of all. Currently living quite comfortably awaiting the beginning of his military career.​

✧ Heart ✧​

MBTI
INTJ-T.

Personality
There's no two ways about it, Iksel is a spoiled rich bitch. Brash, proud, and cavalier, he has the unconscious tendency to look down on those around him, and being outshone by anyone just makes him want to step down even harder on those "inferior." He is a black hole of attention both expecting and needing to constantly be at the center and forefront of others' thoughts. However, despite his confidence in himself and his lofty lineage, circumstance rarely matches with his fantasies. Though certainly above average in several regards (such as mathematics, literature, and history), he is a lifelong sufferer of the cold shadow of his three outstanding siblings and even more glorious parents. Not to mention the bumpy wake of his frenemy and proclaimed rival, Vardan. Thus Iksel's cravings for status, attention, and respect may be the over-compensating result of his never-ending struggle against being second best. This also means he has a nasty competitive streak, though his motivation for performance is often...skewed. The perceived satisfaction of getting revenge for a wronging is, paradoxically, what pushes Iksel to become a better person.

Though signing up for the absolute bottom rung on a ship infested with repulsive pirates to prove a point has got to be an all-time low.

As fate has decided to hand him one short straw after another, Iksel has shed his cocksure ways to be replaced by a mantle of wallowing self-pity. Naturally he expects others to understand the tragedy of his plight, and is unable to fathom how someone's problems should play anything but second fiddle to his own. When snubbed in this regard (or any), he might not openly acknowledge the offense, but he's the type to silently stew in his grudges forever, though he will visibly pout whenever he doesn't get his way. Every time the pity party comes to town, he relishes in lamenting what a joke his life has become, and melodramatically refers to the Raven as his "prison" (despite joining of his own accord). He is also one hundred percent convinced that the ship will be his final resting place, likely from the business end of a barbaric cutlass. Not that he has anywhere better to go but the grave should he fail. The fact that Iksel has tried to cast grief from his heart by flooding it with bitterness has given him an overall grim outlook on the world. Even his firm faith in the meritocracy on which his father built his fortune has begun to shake, and the ubiquitous grey morals of the pirates aren't helping to restore his faith.

While he's had as much military training as expected of an upper crust brat, he is still very much a kid with little actual experience or worldly knowledge. Most of his information comes from what he's read in books, and indeed Iksel is quite the reader. He is shockingly book smart and invigorated by intellectual conversation. An outspoken introvert, he couldn't resist bringing a few of his favorite tomes with him to his new life, and, whenever he can sneak away, finds solace in turning their worn pages curled up in as quiet a place as he can find. However, his people skills remain impaired, and his street smarts are zero to nonexistent. His childish naivety (mixed with forceful emotions) means that he is all-too-easy to tease and manipulate, and is susceptible to being beguiled by terrifying rumors, particularly about the ghastly pirates. The boy's first few nights were especially horrible as he spent hours lying wide awake expecting someone to break into his cabin and attack him at any moment. At the same time, he cannot suppress a sense of childlike wonder and curiosity at the new dimensions the pirates have opened up to him. Though he stubbornly claims to himself that it's all for the sake of gathering intel to one day bring back to the government, secretly he can't help but be taken in by the sheer immensity of his steadily growing world.

Iksel's very traditional upbringing imprinted onto him a respectful admiration of organization and regulation. Though he is not (and never has been) a perfect follower of the rules, he appreciates "the system" as something that works, punishing the unjust and rewarding the innocent. The first 14 years of his life were dedicated to learning this system and how to work it to his advantage, utilizing all the resources fate had gifted him. After all, his family would be nothing without merit...and it is precisely for this reason that his father symbolizes the reassurance of structure that he has always confided in. Though not as blindly loyal nor dedicated as his older siblings, Iksel very much admires his parents and desires to emanate them in order to attain their same level of prestige. Because of this, his family is extremely precious to him, both as a source of idolatry as well as a healthy motivator giving him an ideal to strive towards. He greatly leaned on them for attention, love, and care, and stumbling through life without them has become as walking is to a legless man without crutches.

On the downside, Iksel's admiration of his family and his government meant that he became as obsessed with image as his father, constantly worried about being outshone by the many stars which surrounded him. He had to learn to carefully groom himself, carrying himself in the role in which it was expected he be seen. The perfect son, soldier, and prodigy, just like the rest of his family. While their loss has crippled him, it has also made him more self-aware of how tightly their expectations had bound him. Though it horrifies him to admit, there is a part of his heart which is endlessly jealous of the complete liberality which the pirates embody, so different from the life he has always known.

Needless to say, everyone and everything on the Cold Raven more or less disgusts him. Nevertheless, around the crew he tries to keep his repulsion on the down-low, cursing beneath his breath and outwardly trying his best to suck it up and put on a facade, pretending to be a good little excitable green-eared fetch-and-run boy who is ever-so-grateful for the chance to work with such great and awe-inspiring roles models as the legendary Cold Raven crew!
Cue eye roll.

If you think he's a bit of a hypocrite for finding pirates repulsive for being selfish and careless of others...and yet himself being selfish and carless of others...then you'd be right. But Iksel hasn't quite caught on to that, yet.​

✧ Past ✧​

Coming from an elite lineage, Iksel started out life in the cruel new world with everything gently laid before his cushioned fingertips. Even though conditions are harsh for the remaining bastions of humanity...that's only for those foolish enough to be born poor. For the rich, floating idly about in their luxurious mansions protected by barriers of military honors and titles, life couldn't have been grander. And with such a meritocratic, fair government dangling, if nothing else, at least the opportunity for social ladder-climbing, there was really nothing to ever feel guilty about.

Still, inspired by the great Blodwen name, Iksel did his part to prove his worth. His older siblings, like his parents, were all something of prodigies in one way or another, excelling in their studies and beginning bright careers of their own. Always looking up into the light where they stood, Iksel assumed that chasing that starshine was his destiny, and bullheadedly plowed ahead without considering any other option, or that there might even be any other option to consider. He studied hard, enjoying the knowledge and stories he gained from books, and practiced diligently his military training. Most of all he relished in the praise he garnished at every achievement, and felt sure that his future as yet another Blodwen prodigy was secured. Though, admittedly, he could never quite make it to the top of his class...thanks to the sterling, glistening prince of perfection that was his eternal rival, Vardan. But Iksel did okay for himself, and was considered an exceptional, if not top tier, student. Proud of his lineage and the government that produced it, he only occasionally stopped to ponder the selfishness of his motivation, and that his hard work was being channeled towards something he felt he ought to want rather than something he had truly decided for himself. But as he received attention from his elder siblings, parents, and peers, it was enough for him to be happy.

But karma isn't known for looking kindly upon those poisoned with conceit.

The family had always held a special contempt for pirates, as patriarch Liberius Blodwen had never forgotten the threat they posed to his own humble parents just trying to scrape by on their piddly scavenger ship (and he still has the scars to prove it!). But for years the criminals were little more than pervasive pests, always buzzing irritatingly about the government's ears but being of no real threat to the isolated paradise that was Iksel's world.

That is, until the day Lauriel was targeted. Made of a constitution not fit for military fare and not brilliant enough to follow in her mother's academic footsteps, Iksel's beloved older sister had worked sparingly as a scavenger, bringing in what extra income she could and doing her part to eradicate the dangerous portals Mistilslav had brought them up to fear. Over the course of her many missions, Lauriel had fallen for an engineer aboard the Arcaine, eventually coming to carry his child. Shortly after news of the pregnancy, she decided to give up the working woman's life to devote herself full-time to the art of nurturing......just as soon as she completed one last term. After all, she only had a single week to go. Her tiny ship had been struggling to come across anything of real interest, and indeed had nothing of value onboard when the pirate ship Flayer attacked.

Despite the scavengers' protests that they hadn't anything to offer, the pirates showed them no mercy, decimating the vessel (presumably to sell for parts), after getting rid of all that extra weight of the onboard crew. Lauriel was lucky, able to get down low enough to survive her fall to the surface. Unluckily, the impact damaged her protective suit, rendering her a victim of radiation.

Iksel never even had a chance to say goodbye to his favorite sister; by the time news reached the Blodwens, Lauriel had already been ensconced to a quarantine ship, the baby reported lost, and the engagement ended. The young woman never truly recovered, and despite all her father's financial support, her condition has been said to deteriorate ever since.

Each of the family members dealt with their grief a different way. Mistilslav buried herself in her work, spending most of her time away from home aboard the Arcaine where she could more closely monitor the Mag. For the youngest daughter, Cyril, she channeled her emotions into a fiery rage, heading out on one sterilizing mission after another. Their father likewise grew even sterner in his rulings, persuading the local government to crack down on suspected piracy and speed up the rate of trials...every one ending in a death sentence. Andel was left to both fill in the hole Lauriel had left as well as keep his family from falling apart. In an attempt to reign in his sister, he requested that Cyril be put on his ship under his direct command. As for Iksel, he retreated into himself, completely shocked by fate's sudden revelation of cruelty, its audacity at having stricken his great family so, and the weight of his own desolation.

All of their decisions were to have dire consequences in the months to follow.

Liberius's pressure to crackdown on suspected piracy only seemed to increased the frequency of reported attacks with alarming ferocity. In a vicious cycle of retaliation, both government and pirates fought with the tenacity of one proving the justness of their cause. Mistilslav's choice to go back into the field backfired when a pirate ship attacked a boat she and a research crew had taken out to test samples. Upon discovering her connection to the Mag, the pirates decided to try and force information about the mysterious machine from her, thinking that by shutting down the government's trump card they could gain access to portals, riches, and the upper hand. Coroner's reports of the body they recovered revealed hours of torture before the woman, knowing nothing, was eventually thrown to her death. When Cyril picked up a rumor about which ship had done the deed and where, one night, they might be docking, she was somehow able to convince her so typically staunch elder brother to lead his men in a surprise attack. Iksel knew the plan, but found himself hesitating to do anything, whether to join the mission to avenge his mother, or to put an end to it. Unfortunately, by going through with Cyril's provocations, Andel had to disobey direct orders, abandoning an important transport cargo and endangering the life of his crew. It didn't help that it was a complete failure, ending in the cargo being lost and the senseless death of many good men and women. In shame Andel returned, but his baby sister did not. The burden fell to Liberius, and the eldest Blodwen sibling was tried for insubordination and carelessness. Father could do nothing to intercede as son was sentenced to exile through one of the hellish portals, like his sister, never to be seen again.

The once sizable family now reduced to two, Liberius found himself breaking down, losing faith in his government and becoming even crueler in his rulings. Eventually, a family scorned brought his unjust bias to light. Even though there was no proof that his rulings were incorrect, the seed of doubt had been planted and it soon felt as if Iksel was the only one remaining who still believed in his dad. But, once again conflicted over which path to take, he said nothing and kept to his studies. Liberius either resigned from duty or was relieved, depending on who is telling, and now rumors circle that the government is coming for him next, to stand trial himself for potentially sentencing innocents to death in his thirst for blood. It is said that soon into the portal father will walk to follow his son.

In just under two years, Iksel's tightly-knit family and well-woven understanding of his universe had completely unraveled. Backed by 15 years of government teachings and faith in the system he had been born into, it was only natural that, in the young boy's mind, all the blame be put on the pirates. After all, they were the selfish ones who had carelessly chosen to blatantly disregard the rules that kept the precarious world in order. And, in Iksel's eyes, they were barbarians who knew nothing of humanity, kindness, or mercy. But as a mere trainee, what could he do? In order to preserve his son's education, Liberius insisted that he be sent to live with the Sterkenburghs (and their dreaded son) till after graduation, in an attempt to shield him from the unsavory proceedings. Late one night on the Sterkenburghs' massive ship, Vardan had turned cool eyes towards Iksel, immediately seeing through him to his greatest weakness.

"You're a coward, aren't you? That's why you didn't go with your brother and sister to avenge your mother. That's why you didn't offer to testify on your father's behalf. And that's why you aren't going to do anything about it now."

In that moment Iksel was forced to face the realization that it was all true. For all his pride and confidence...he was a coward at heart. And that was all the kindling the fires of his twisted competitive spirit, after months of sleep, needed to be set aflame. Throwing a few necessities (and some not-so-necessities) into a bag, Iksel took a small boat and began scouting for enemy ships. Even surprising himself, he was about to do the most daring thing he had ever done. He would get revenge on the filthy pirates who had taken everything from him. He would prove to the government that his father hadn't been overreacting, that pirates were a very real, very dangerous threat. And he would restore the sullied honor of the Blodwen name that his parents and siblings had worked so hard to venerate. He was going to successfully infiltrate the pirates, learn their secrets, bring them back to the government, and show that stuck-up Vardan who was boss!

It didn't take long, just a few days of chasing rumors and hanging around popular ruin sites. As the hull of the criminal Golden Hind approached his pitiful craft, Iksel used all of his acting chops to pretend to be the sole survivor of a wreck. By some miracle he was brought aboard.

Unfortunately, the boy's misfortunes were to follow him onto the high winds. Scarcely a day later a storm swept up battering the Hind. And yet, luckily, the Cold Raven had been sailing on the same route, and by the fearsome billows of its great black sails Iksel knew he had hit the mother load. Using all his bookish knowledge and the little he had in the way of tact, he claimed to be the cabin boy of the fallen vessel and requested safe passage, even if it meant working for his keep. For once luck was on his side, as it seemed the previous cabin boy had recently had an unfortunate...accident...and the ship was in need of a messenger.

That was nearly three weeks ago, and Iksel is still tripping over himself with mistakes. He's constantly paranoid that the others can see right through him and are waiting for the perfect moment to slit his throat, though if there is any reason to suspect anyone knows his secret, it's because the crew works him so hard he's scarcely had time to get used to his new life, let along search for clues and information. Worst of all, despite his immense anger and hate, Iksel can't help but be dazzled by the elusive Captain Woods....the very antithesis of everything he had come to admire and uphold in his own life. The Captain is able to live so carefree and belong completely to himself. It's not enough to shake Iksel from his mission yet, but late at night in the few seconds between falling into his cot and passing over to the land of dreams, the thought does happen to dance through his mind...

Well, for now, at least, it seems as if this foolish lamb has been accepted into the lions' den.​

✧ Habits ✧​

✧ Deathly afraid of dogs, let alone the hellbeasts masquerading as dogs living aboard the Raven. He tries to hide this fact by saying they're "dirty creatures" and that's why he flinches at the sound of their padding paws or cowers behind other crew members whenever one is near.
✧ Mutters darkly to himself, usually plotting some revenge and occasionally leading to random outbursts of half-crazed laughter. He might actually be losing his mind.
✧ Extremely ticklish, especially around his waist.
✧ Since he's a fashion hog, Lauriel taught him the tiniest bit of needlework (such as how to mend a loose button or torn seam in an emergency), and he brought her sewing kit with him on the ship.
✧ Has surprisingly accurate aim but prefers the sword to a firearm. Stubbornly so, because it's what Vardan excels in. His blade skills, honed in military school, are passable but nothing to write home about.
✧ Often gives into terrifying imaginings about what fate befell his family. Still wakes up to nightmares about the Hellish portal Andel was banished into.
✧ Can sight-read backwards (in other words, he can accurately say or read words in reverse order without spending time thinking about it). His siblings used to use this to get messages to each other and confound their parents, though Iksel was the only one who continued the practice. Thus his spur-of-the-moment alias.
✧ The only thing he hates more than pirates is Vardan. He would give his left arm to slap the smug smile off his stupid, handsome face and then proceed to shove said arm down his throat.
✧ In the bad habit of going through mail en-route of delivery. He's here to steal secrets, after all.​

 

[Rhakun]

~FARADAY~

​

❁ General

Pirate Name: Faraday
Birth Name: Kong Riu-Kuan
Age: 25
Height: 1.70m (5'7 ft)
Weight: 62kg (136lb)
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Role: Researcher

❁ Appearance

Faraday's hair is black, straight and lustrous. He's usually dressed in engineering attire and it is rare to see him wearing security gear, for he doesn't tend to go outside a lot. In addition, this habitude of staying inside has made his skin a pale shade of its original East Asian, jauneish tone. His movements aren't fast, but they're nevertheless sharp and secure. Asides from a scar on his right eyebrow, there are no notable markings from conflict on his body. His features are mostly soft and his eyes rest on a shade of hazel.

He's pacific and calm tempered and that aspect of his personality is widely visible in his mood. Being in the military required him to undergo a degree of physical and combat training so he's mildly muscular from that ulterior chapter of his life in addition to working with machines although his hands are not too rugged or scarred since he wears working gloves most of the time. His weapon of choice is a short rifle that he rarely carries.

❁ Persona

MBTI: INTJ
Likes: Tea, books, reading, soft flavors, sleeping early, baggy clothes and piloting.
Dislikes: Inconsistencies, being too cold and dogs (He REALLY doesn't like dogs, he hates whatever's dirty and believes that dogs are the literal epitome of such).

Faraday's temper one of slippy rigidness. He rarely deviates from a moral pattern based around responsibility and habits that he seldomly updates, but this is balanced by a compromised and natural avidness to listen to people. He can be humorous and forgiving, but in matters of performance and property, he can become stern and distant. It is hard to find flexibility in his person, but not impossible. His current internal conflicts radicate around trying to balance his adaptability to matters and his integrity.

He's loving and caring, deeply fascinated with the subjects of his interest and the people he cares about. However, this process is moderately slowed in the face of his discomfort with having his ideas proven wrong; not because of pride, but because of his discomfort with having things he legitimately trusts in demonstrated false. This is one of his great vulnerabilities, but he's comfortable with confontring this scenario after many clashes he has had with it.

Other than that, he tends to be direct, recluded, self-controlled and empathetic. Not deeply connected with China (although he may claim the contrary), but very well-linked with himself.

❁ Story

Bio:
Kong was born into a well-off family on a civil carrier of the Arcaine that supported his chances for both education and childhood. Asides from occasionally playing with other kids and , Kong enjoyed looking at the vents and propulsors. He sensed awe at the complex net of steam tubes and electrical workings of the system that sustained the airship that he lived in. One of his clearer memories consists of sneaking out in the night to look at the engine's lights in the middle of a summer night just to be scolded by his grandmother after a not-so-silent break in.

Years and a formation later, he joined the government as a scientist. His attitude was one of constant curiosity and discovery so, while his duty and enjoyment were on the studies of nature, his hobbies and free-time focused on browsing history and literature. He had a particular interest in electrochemistry and, throughout most of his early career and academics, he worked on the fabrication of clean-air vents. After reaching his early twenties, he worked on the operation of the Mag; a project from which he knew fairly little.

Exposure to the machine and lectures led him to observe the large human gains that happened during the Enlightenment. He felt a great dissonance at the fact that the portals that had helped make the world a richer place were now sought to be destroyed, although for a legitimate fear, for an unclear motive. He tried, with certain difficulties, to converse with the directors about the reasons behind the portal-destroying endeavors, but either no answers were given or the consults were immediately dismissed.

Kong worked anxiously with this idea in the back of his head until doubt tore him apart; Moreover, the notion that he was perhaps harming natural balances for the sake of an irrational fearmongering decision caught to his nerves. It was then that he advocated for team of sustainers to track a portal independently; his goal was to pinpoint if there could be some (if any) causation relationship between the portals and Earth's demise. These did not go to a big extent: he was caught and charged with the death penalty for professional negligence early into the initiative. Not wanting to die and believing that there was only so much he could do whithin the government to fix things, he rushed an escape out of the Arcaine on an individual airship that he rode until he was captured by pirates that eventually sold him off as a slave in the Giovanni to a small ship called the Songbird.

Time passed with this new crew and his knowledge helped the pirates to identify discarded machinery and gather specific kinds of treasure until the captain gave him the benefit of parlay and, at some point, freedom. He took the opportunity to join an organized crew in the Cold Raven and, ever since, he helps the pirates on board by doing maintenance and recon as he continues on his goal to discover the reason behind the sandstorms. He took the nickname 'Faraday' to facilitate the pronunciation of his own, although he gladly responds to being called Kong.

 

[ApfelSeine]

Opal

- Demographics -​

Name: Opal (originally Ophelia Lowell)

Role: Rigger

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Height: 5'10”

Sexuality: Pansexual/Omnisexual

Relationship Status: Single

- Appearance -​

She is tall and voluptuous, with tanned skin and deep green eyes. Her hair is black and cut in a short, angled bob for the sake of practicality – though it is still carefully styled. She is also quite athletic in appearance, having fairly toned muscles from all of the physical activity she does. In general, her choice of clothing is revealing but easy to move around in. Her preference is for tight pants and low cut blouses. She wears boots and is rarely seen without the belt which holsters her pistol. A locket on a fine gold chain hangs around her neck, and she'd sooner part with her gun than give up that.

- Personality -​

She is a thrill seeker, always looking for adventure and getting involved in anything which seems remotely interesting. She's in love with life and that feeling appears to be mutual since she tends to get whatever she wants - be it through cunning trickery, teasing seduction, or straight up brute force. She isn't afraid to use whatever methods are at her disposal to achieve her goals. If anything, she thinks it would be foolish not to take full advantage of her wit, strength, and sexuality. She's very confident in her own abilities and loves to take any opportunity to show off her skills – particularly her combat related ones. Although she is not one to brag, she is also not one to feign humbleness.

It is next to impossible to tell when she is being sincere, though from her perspective she is always sincere. She rarely says anything she does not mean, but she also is not in the habit of wearing her heart on her sleeve. Her default state is generally one of quiet amusement, or playfulness. Rarely will she display obvious anger, sadness, or concern. This can come off as her not taking situations seriously, but in truth, she is simply not open about any emotion that she does not feel that she is in complete control of. There are a few things that can set her off, but she is more likely to get into a fight because she finds it fun than because she is enraged by something or someone.

She is deeply invested in the well-being of the crew, and while she can be a bit unruly at times in her interactions with her fellow crew members, she's quick to follow orders and do whatever needs to be done to keep the ship running smoothly. Most of the time she is very jovial with the crew, playfully teasing anyone who she thinks can take it and flirting with everyone. Her flirtatious nature is present when interacting with most anyone she meets, but she is particularly fond of flirting with the other crew members. She tends to view flirtation the same was she views all other kinds of banter and tends to dial it back considerably if she gets the impression that her flirtation is being taken seriously. In all the years that anyone has known her, they have not seen her in a committed relationship once.

- History -​

She is not very forthcoming about her past, though she has been known to remark that she was “a very prim and proper little girl”. As hard as that is for many of those who know her to believe, it is actually not entirely far off from the truth. For the most part anyways. Although her family was not wealthy, her father was a military officer and their family was well provided for. Her mother insisted that she receive a good education and be taught all the skills she would need to manage a household one day. She went along with these lessons obediently, but in truth, she always felt that such a stable and predictable future was exceedingly dull.

At age 17, she left home suddenly for a reason that she refuses to disclose. A select few people know that she left with the intent of searching for someone, but she has never told anyone who this person was, or whether or not she was able to find them. The only people who are aware of the reason for her departure are her parents, who she has not seen since the day she left home and who have never made any attempt to get in contact with her. Adjusting to life away from home was difficult at first, and she would likely have gone hungry if not for the opportunity she was given to work as a deckhand on an airship. From there she learned the ins and outs of how a ship functions. She bounced around from ship to ship for awhile, doing all sorts of jobs from routine janitorial work to engineering. She picked up a fair amount of the basic mechanical knowledge during this time period, which lasted about five years.

She joined the Cold Raven approximately five years prior to the present day. At the time was on a small frigate working as an assistant engineer. The ship was carrying fairly precious cargo, and many of the crew were not equipped to handle an attack. This did not stop her from fighting tooth and nail, though, and it was with a great deal of effort and at the cost of a few broken bones that the crew of the Cold Raven managed to capture her. From there she was given the opportunity to either join the crew or be killed. The choice was very clear to her, and she without any particular loyalty to the government she found it immensely easy to integrate herself into the crew. At long last, she feels that she has found a place that satisfies her thrill-seeking instincts.