*************************************************************************************************************************************** Blackbeak, Ri`Vahz's Enforcer: 230HP, 2DR Age: unknown Month of Birth: unknown ***** (Controlling, Hard Working, Loyal, Neurotic, Patient, Professional) ***** APPEARANCE: a darkly toned gryphon with his feline half being panther, the avian half being crow, an interesting contrast compared to his dark blue edged, bright orange eyes. He has few noticeable scars for an Enforcer, both due to his relatively new position to this profession and an unorthodox fighting style dating back to the Late Dynasty Era. ***** BIOGRAPHY: majority unknown. While in training when Sevrit's reign was becoming established, Blackbeak wanted to train under Sha'Ro as he wished to assassinate her at a later date, planning on gaining her trust by any means necessary to complete his plan. After Sevrit's death, he was chosen by Ri`Vahz to become her new Enforcer as his training was nearly finished, and had been untainted by Sha'Ro's influence. He had also become the sole bouncer for Corvren's Inn, having been offered the job after being selected as Ri`Vahz's Enforcer, agreeing since his duties of keeping the peace and loyalty to Ri`Vahz were unneeded thanks to the new Warlord being popular amongst the Vale. Has mentioned a former year long relationship to the now current Huntsmaster of the Vale, Cu'Nir, when they were much younger. Although it ended peacefully and they went their separate ways, Blackbeak tends to unconsciously avoid being paired with her on tasks given to him. He will, however, reluctantly follow his orders through. When he agreed to help Captain Swe of Razorback Company hunt down several gryphon deserters resulting from the conflicts between the Order and the Gryphon Kingdoms, he did not anticipate the revelations he read on a rune soap cube, taken off one of the deserters after executing them with aid from Swe's ruthless and expert tactics. Reviewing Captain Swe's words, 'Deserters do not deserve mercy', what was written on the deserter's paper, and including his actions during Sevrit's upheaval, Blackbeak has has begun silently questioning himself and his place in the rebuilt Vale ever since. Unfortunately, there seems to be no clear answer in sight for his questions. He became second in command during excavations of an unknown land discovered by Cu'Nir, Ghost and Swe, though due to recent hostile activities in these lands Blackbeak is on a constant hair trigger, to the point where, if events ‘were to go south’ (an ancient curse-phrasing which meant ‘heading towards the Suthlaands’, AKA: Stalliongrad), he would not have been able to handle those stresses. After Simon and Swe's experimental breaches into the innards of the uncovered structure, Blackbeak led a sizable excursion deeper for some time. Although they encountered no traps, nor were any ambushers met, as soon as the excursion force left for camp they all collectively fell ill, each individual experiencing varied effects ranging from nausea to falling unconscious. This brought Blackbeak to a near breakdown from stress, and had to be convinced by both Swe and Healer Sláint to take up a bed, leaving him winded and visibly shaken at his own leadership. Blackbeak spent seven months during the second Razorback Fortress renovation by concentrating the forces under his command and excavating the plains surrounding the main digsite. While prohibiting entrance to the now mostly uncovered pyramid, he silently waited for Cu'Nir to return and give him a concrete order. ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES Master Assault+10 Master Parry+10 Master Riposte+10 ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Expert Stealth+5 ***** UTILITY ABILITIES: Expert Negotiation+3 Expert Perception+2 ***** SPECIES ABILITY: -Raptor's Eye: a standard trait of intelligent predators, typically gryphons, that adds +1 to and grants an additional roll to one of the following skills: Assault, Parry, Riposte, Ambush, Perception, or Stealth. The bonus is only added to whichever skill is in use that turn. ***** SPECIAL ABILITY: Master First Strike [Stage 3 Copy]. This memetic ability, albeit heavily downgraded, was taught to Blackbeak as part of his Enforcer training under Sha’Ro, a technique descended from the Middle Dynasty Eyries. Few understand the complexities of First Strike, and even fewer are willing to learn; only the privileged, and some say jokingly ‘sanctified’, number attempt to learn it due to a prolonged, near-existential threat complex-engram. When used, Blackbeak's body locks into a pouncing stance where his entire muscular structure tenses for a time, and, like a coiled spring, the stored energy is released instantly in a blast. If held in such a stance for too long, his body will begin deteriorating at a rapid pace as his musculature and skeleton begin taxing under the strain. This ability thus becomes significantly more lethal towards the intended targets, yet is well known for unintended (and often irreparable) side effects. *Roll 4x [1d6+2] to initiate, can only be utilized 3 turns in a row, though Blackbeak suffers -20HP per turn after the 3rd turn; the result of each roll is additive on successive turns, and CANNOT be impeded by other factors *Can only be used every 4th turn, though this number increases if Blackbeak chooses to go over the 3-turn safety limit -SHOCKWAVE: an optional secondary ability used along with First Strike to stun enemies utilizing 3x [1d6+2] rolls; likewise the result of each roll is additive Unlike First Strike, Shockwave can only be used once per Operation as the production of an Air-Infused Gravity Elemarental shockwave itself takes a heavy toll on Blackbeak's wings, and may only be triggered once the limit is reached on First Strike. *Limited to 3 uses per Mission/Operation or will cause 20 aggravated damage per EACH attempt! ***** UNIQUE ARMOR: -Vale Enforcer's Armor, Modified (Custom-Fit, Rune-Forged): custom fit to his exacting proportions, this Enforcer armor set is a standard design seen throughout most Gryphon Kingdoms' regions, the Vale & Anfang being no different. The only differences between this set and others are the wing cutouts, just wide enough to allow Blackbeak to perform First Strike with greater ease and comfort than normal, and a few minor alterations for greater flexibility. This, of course, causes some concern amongst other Gryphons, especially those whom either do not understand the consequence of First Strike, or are arrogant enough to believe it has ‘less value’ than standard designs. -Armor Value: 4DR -Armor Class: Full Body, Heavy -Enchantment Slots: 3/3 remaining -Heavy Weight Penalty: suffers a -1 penalty to all Block/Evasion/Flight/Reaction Speed/Sprint rolls ***** PHYSICAL ENCHANTMENTS: 3/3 Slots *************************************************************************************************************************************** Countess Folunasi (real name: Rain-Touching-Valleys; her common name is a mistranslation of 'Follows-Until-Unasi', though is best translated as 'Until The Rain Ends On The Moon's Valleys'), Demi-Proctorate: 220HP, 1DR Age: 50 Month of birth: Jewely ***** (Dislike: Open Lewdity, Easily Embarrassed, Friendly, Honorable, Intuitive, Level-Headed, Minor Psychosis: Irritation, Natural Speaker, Noble, Peaceful, Polite, Respectful, Savant, Studious, Soft-Spoken, Veterancy: Alchemy/Mysticism, Warm-Hearted) ***** APPEARANCE: an attractive, middle aged bright neon green coated Saddle Arabian mare with soft purple eyes and a number of stress lines present across her face, most prominent on her muzzle and around the eyes. Her mane and tail, both a vivid chartreuse, are constantly brushed and well groomed. The mane is cut to medium length, rolled halfway down her neck and allowed to flop on whichever side it chooses, while her tail is left long, the end cut into a pronounced half-moon. She bears only a few scars from combat, mostly hidden under her coat. Physically fit and in good shape for her age, Folunasi's fondness of sweets and pastries, especially those from Prance and the Crystal Empire, leaves her with particularly accentuated curves across her neck, barrel, and flanks. As a highly unintended result, Katyal often calls her a 'chunky hot mama mare'. ***** BIOGRAPHY: mostly unknown. Born and raised on her family's estate in the Olvia Tributary on the northwestern Saddle Arabian coast, Countess Folunasi, real name Rain-Touching-Valleys, is an outlying senior Demi-Proctorate of Saddle Arabia's well known Circle of Assassins, a position similar to that of Master Thief in the Rogue's Circle. The young Countess-to-be was trained, as most Saddle Arabians are required, in the basics of mysticism, showing above average preference and talent for healing and divination rather than affliction or causing harm. While she inherited the title as her family's birthright, she professed little enjoymarent for its duties or standards, spending the majority of her time acquiring (“Really skimpy! How do I know? ...who do you think BOUGHT most of what she wears in private, heh!” -Katyal) clothing from Equestria, jewelry from Gozka, food and recipes from Prance. The rest of her time is spent relaxing at her remodeled estate south of Buzzard's Rest, pursuing Alchemy, history, and instructing other Saddle Arabians at her leisure. By far the most idealistic and non-violent member of the Assassin's Circle, Folunasi's well-meaning inclination of peaceful conduct has made her well known and appreciated throughout Saddle Arabia, Germaneigh, and Ewerup, always preferring to negotiate in a marener that benefits all parties involved. As a long time trade broker and third party negotiator, Folunasi is often the first pony called upon for her skills, especially in volatile political situations and in cities such as Buzzard's Rest, Saddle Arabia's second largest city, known for the notorious tempers of its usually peace-loving inhabitants. (“Buzzard’s Rest is a fucking paradox. One that’s not the good kind, the private kind, or the lewd kind. There’s enough Eldritch, Otherworld, Planar, Spectral, and Undead corruption floating around that ponies just… snap. No rhyme, reason, or recourse for why. I love the ponies, enjoy the buildings, and hate the tension that anytime, anyplace, anywhere, shit can go horribly wrong. Just like.. nevermind.” -Katyal) She is even more legendary for her deviously playful nature, being somehow always able to escape her Mareguards, constantly exploring Tallus cities without their supervision and potential meddling, even going so far as slipping away to meet potential suitors in private locations far from contact. (“Jeff, no joke: THAT mare can escape in ways not even me or Greeny can begin to understand. Left her alone in our bedroom for not even ten minutes to get dinner, come back and she’s gone, no trace. Found her three hours later in Prance, some little town on the coast, in a cafe eating baked sourdough rolls with sliced tomatoes on top. I had to BRIBE the damned portal Remnant with a bunch of books just to get access there!” -Katyal) Around the same period that most humans arrived on Tallus in Equestria, the Countess was called in to negotiate with the elders of Imeron during it's dry season immediately after the appearance of a strange, well armed biped 'mare'. Quickly ascertaining that the mostly hairless smooth skinned female, calling herself Katyal, was less of a danger and more of a quirky, knowledgeable Otherworldly oddity, she realized Katyal's disruption could prove to be beneficial for Imeron and Saddle Arabia as a whole, due in part to the many Otherworldly or Planar dangers that still inhabited the country's outlying regions. Initially taking Katyal on as a hired mercenary, both in order to teach her more about Tallus and to keep eyes and ears on the depressed woman, Countess Folunasi was angered to learn how agents on Katyal's world were treated as expendable resources. Offering her friendship and home freely to the First Responder in the hopes that she could soothe her mind, she learned quickly that humans were much more amiable (and less snarky) once in pleasant conditions, choosing to make her employment permanent. Despite Katyal's reluctance and many of the Circle's members calling the pair of good-natured but hedonistic renegades little more than lazy Discordites, Countess Folunasi became well respected for her renewed dedication and urgings to make the Circle of Assassins a legitimate organization once more. However, Katyal's unwavering code of ethics, steadfast depression, and hatred towards those that would abuse their power and position for selfish meant that even though the relics of her former life was being put to good use, she was neither officially sanctioned, nor accepted by the majority. Fortunately, most of the Circle's older members turned a blind eye towards Folunasi's activities, especially after noting her collected evidence that the younger Circle members in Buzzard's Rest had degenerated into little more than a self-serving gang of thugs, was causing political storms to erupt in both Equestria and Germaneigh whenever the mention of treaties or trade agreements with Saddle Arabia came about. After a number of incidents involving blackmailing, disgracing corrupt Circle of Assassins members in public, and outright stealing evidence of illegal activities, Countess Folunasi went before Imeron's elders, along with a number of like-minded Proctorates, presenting Katyal's history, actions, and incorruptibility before the gathering as proof of her charge's honor and harmlessness. As debate between the Saddle Arabians and Eyes gathered ensued, shortly afterwards Katyal was granted permanent mareship in Saddle Arabia, with all due rights and privileges. Much to the surprise of those gathered, the Proctorates immediately admitted Katyal as a Soft Hoof, the first rank of the Assassin's Circle, under Folunasi's tutelage. She accepted Katyal’s stern demarend that no human technology or knowledge which had the potential to destabilize their country, or the rest of Tallus, could ever be shared or revealed. Pleased at this, Folunasi obliged by accepting the Circle's proposal for Katyal, whom was stunned at the offer, nonetheless deciding not to challenge her marefriend's acceptance. Believing that adding her own legitimacy to the Circle would allow for greater contact and beneficial trade on Tallus, Folunasi chose to seek ownership of her family's formerly vast estate in the Va`Sanuez Delta, a region that was once home to several hundred villages, also formerly a thriving training ground for mystics. Though the jungles and swamps had overtaken the estate after a Remnant from the the Lunar-Solar Conflict devastated the coastline, several attempts to obtain her family's silver leg guards through standard means faltered, her veteran combat entourage rebuffed several times by the dangerous reptiles and other creatures of the swamps. Noticing her Mareguard's twin amusement and exasperation at the circumstance, Folunasi was surprised at Katyal's request for aid in hiring a human from Razorback Company, known in Saddle Arabia as the 'Lost Sun Mercenaries'. Understanding that a Razorback member might offer a broader range of capabilities and skills than Saddle Arabians or Eyes would have, Folunasi accepted the request. Offering a contract through Captain Shanis of Tartarus Isle, a beloved mercenary pegasus whom had the celebrated honor and distinction of killing the Solar Tyrant and was fondly known as the Marecenary Queen in Saddle Arabia, placing half a million Bits down for the retrieval of her family's heirloom leg guards. Along with the paymarent, a number of odds and ends the pair had taken from now-imprisoned, outcast, or reforming Assassins, were added to the contract should any other family relics be recovered. Hearing that the contract had been taken while enjoying a pleasant night in Imeron, Folunasi and Katyal quickly passed through the city, though were unable to escape the notice of Thrill and Starglow Remostrine. Laying down in the hopes of taking a nap next to the Delta's translocation matrice while Katyal went to survey the ruined estate, Folunasi politely greeted Jeff on his arrival, finding his appearance to be of little threat, and was greatly curious as to how a male human would act and function. Noting an interesting lack of similarities between him and her Mareguard, she was greatly surprised at his charm and friendliness, turning bashful at his words and reminding (or chiding) herself to invite him to her home in the Olvia Tributary should business conclude proper for.. extracurricular 'business'. Despite having to silently threaten Katyal into cooperating nicely with Jeff, the Countess, knowing that collateral damage to the old estate was more than likely a necessity, brushed aside her concerns as the pair returned to the translocation stone, alive and (apparently) unharmed, after an hour, yet still took amusement from tormenting the Responder's obvious lack of taking precautions. With the heirloom leg guards in her possession, a number of crested hoofbands and a personal treasury from one of her ancestors being retrieved as well, they were immediately translocated back to the Olvia estate, sending a missive to Shanis that the secondary contract award was to be delivered promptly. Curious, yet unsurprised, at Belltower's impromptu arrival from the Fortress, Folunasi immediately recognized her as one of the Starborn's preeminent thieves, recalling numerous Circle members encountering her in Detrot and Manehattan. While amused at the byplay resulting from Belltower's arrival, the Countess, moderately annoyed at Katyal's constant and aggravating attempts at flirting, resorted to pinning the Responder in order to shut her up, giving Belltower and Jeff time to speak, while also noticing the signs of Katyal sustaining the beginnings of an arcane overdose. After learning Folunasi's 'other' offer, Belltower decided to humor Jeff for charming the noblemare, and immediately turned her own silver-tongue on the Countess, asking if she would mind the pair having their Hearth's Warming Eve at her estate. Unwilling to disappoint her contract taker or his mate, Folunasi immediately agreed, and as a side note began to understand Katyal's strange reasons for throwing herself at every pretty mare or handsome stallion whenever she was able to. Entering the Olvia estate with Jeff and Belltower in tow, Katyal succumbed to a full fledged Arcane Overdose, forcing the Countess to deliver the woman to her attendant entourage, leaving the two to lounge in her private sauna. Returning with an exotic dinner, Belltower queried Folunasi about bringing Malyne to the estate, both as a statement of good will that she was not under orders to spy on the Countess, and out of genuine respect. The proposal was accepted without a second thought. Arriving with Malyne, the four shared an exotic dinner, the batfoal's sincere, if strangely amused, appreciation for the food giving Folunasi a sense of ease with the three. As dinner concluded, the Countess, on a whim, gave Malyne 'official rights of exploration' to her manor, stating that she could venture anywhere she wished and inspect whatever she wanted, sending the foal along with one of her non-combat entourage. Ensuring that Malyne had left and closing the alcove door, the Countess slipped a small blue bottle from her wine pouch, offering it to Belltower with specific instructions to only drink half.. ..while not one to be jealous, Belltower is still surprised, and a bit envious, at both Folunasi's 'goods' and experience. In recent days, several reports from unknown contacts in Saddle Arabia and, surprisingly, pegasi from Tartarus Isle, have placed Countess Folunasi and Katyal in Stalliongrad. Zigri's few earth pony contacts affirmed that both are currently working for Stream Lark without pay. Rumors abound as to why, but especially how, though the mostly taciturn Arcade Blades in the Fortress refuse to speculate. ***** PSYCHOSES: -Irritation, Minor. Although Folunasi's peaceful nature normally keeps her mood in check, Katyal's constant flirtation and outright, to her, disgraceful mareners tend to grate on the Countess' nerves quite often. She seems to have little (or no) care in what methods she utilizes to keep her Mareguard quiet, up to (and disturbingly often) including having to suffocate Katyal between her rear legs. ***** CUTIE MARK: two gold mounds with numerous silver droplets falling between each. ….looks EXACTLY what it sounds like. ***** STATUS: currently overseeing the restoration of the entire Va`Sanuez Delta region when not taking action against dishonorable Assassins. ***** RELATIONSHIPS: -Belltower: sees the batmare as a curious oddity, especially since she allowed Jeff to be shared for a night. -Jeff: quite agreeable towards. -Katyal Alvugarde: her lover and marentor. Also her sometime jailer when the Responder loses control... -Malyne: desires nothing more than to pamper the fuzzy orange batfilly. ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Assault+5 Master Parry+5 Master Riposte+5 Master Mysticism+8 ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Expert Block+4 Expert Evasion+4 Expert Reaction Speed+4 Expert Sprint+4 Basic Stealth+3 ***** UTILITY ABILITY: Master Alchemy+9 Master Appraisal+5 Expert Bartering+3 Master Negotiation+5 Expert Perception+4 Expert Research+8 ***** SHARED ABILITY: Grandmaster Lone Waltz. Through sharing their experiences on Tallus, Katyal and Folunasi have found that, although they are from entirely different worlds, cultures, and upbringings, they share more in common together than with those of their own species. *Whether alone or together, both may at any time sacrifice one of their skills to gain additional rolls equal to that skill's rank for the rest of the Operation (Basic = 1, Expert = 2, etc.). *Katyal must add +2 to all Assault/Parry/Riposte, Block/Evasion/Reaction Speed/Sprint, and Ranged rolls *Folunasi must add +2 to all Alchemy, Assault/Parry/Riposte, and Mysticism rolls *Furthermore, Countess Folunasi's knowledge and teachings grant Katyal an active Master Alchemy+4 skill ***** UNIQUE ABILITY: Master Warm Hooves. Countess Folunasi's protective marentality, ponial combat-support philosophy, the aptly named ‘Sand-Denying-Storms’, and her life long study of mysticism's more peaceful uses, have combined with Katyal Alvugarde's (mostly) useful companionship and knowledge, granting her greater effectiveness in supporting her Mareguard's (completely) unhinged combat style, and allows her to render aid towards (utterly) unhindered tactics that would otherwise be unsupported. *Adds +4 to all non-combat Alchemy, Mysticism, and Negotiation rolls *Grants a [1d6+4] ClearNet Transceiver System, R11N Series: a rather common late stage bionic, little more a series of biologically safe filaments, vibration detectors, and pinhead liquid-state microphones, embedded across the lower jaw, vocal cords, and chest. Numerous carefully positioned, nanometer grade filaments embedded within both ears and canals allow an individual to regulate receiving volume levels with ease. Connected to a suite of integral, neurochemically controlled micro-processing units which allow for a wide range of tone and frequency adjustments, the R11N functions as a squad based, neural-assisted radio and transmission system. Capable of receiving nearly all frequencies, significant mental training and conditioning is required to make full use of the R11N, which itself is a marginal step upwards from the vastly inferior, long defunct, and often painful R10C series. When combined with other ClearNet interfaces, hardware, software, wetware, and other suites, more options become available. *Functions as a standard transceiver with an 8 mile line of sight radius, though degrades to 4 miles in difficult terrain, and 2 miles site-to-site otherwise *Can also connect to WiFi, Bluetooth, and similar >ClearNet Storage System, P85L Series: an embedded suite of miniaturized solid hard drives throughout Katyal’s upper body, allowing for a maximum of 80TB storage. Dissimilar to typical human SDD’s, unlike its predecessors, the P85L relies upon a neural network based bioplastic medium storage and an extremely efficient temperature-electrical transmission system. Undergoing an unusually long 6-year trial period, from prototype to experimental, and finally general civil issue, the P85L is appreciated for having much simpler controls when connected to the R-series of corporate transceivers, though retains far less storage and transmission speeds than dedicated systems such as the GP, WMN, and ULB series. Among its few failings are: limited connectivity to non-ClearNet Corporation devices due to over-programmed hexocoding stability, slow cleanup cycles in case of formatting errors, an odd inability to store certain file types, and sometimes a distracting, often pleasurable biological hum. The P85L is nonetheless trusted by strike, assault, support, mechanized, and tank units, along with some bipedal or quadrapedal pilots, though commanders and officers rely on the P-83K for its quicker write/rewrite cycles. When combined with other ClearNet interfaces, hardware, software, wetware, and other suites, more options become available *Storage: 80TB ***** TOTAL XP: 97 UNSPENT XP: 3 ***** BIOGRAPHY: while she states little about her pre-FBI (“Fast Breakout Initiative. ..I try not to think of that time.“) years, Katyal was once a Bureau agent, whom at an uncertain time decided to apply to the First Response Division, an advanced, well equipped unit specialized in rapid infiltrations for hostage rescues and other terrorism related activities. Formerly a male only Division, Katyal's acceptance along with a large number of female agents created a relatively hostile environment during, and after, the new mixed sex unit's training. In her words: "..typical Old Guard Spies versus New Guard Spies bullshit with political skull-fucking as the side dish". Passing basic and intermediate weaponry training with above average scores, she decided to take the position of emergency trauma medic, passing the course in the top 5. Though her superiors considered her well acclimated to the new environment due to her easy-going temperament and high scores, something Katyal thought amusing, she consistently chose to butt heads whenever the mistakes of others would prove distracting or fatal, preferring to keep her newfound friends in the Division out of politics as much as possible. During her first four years in the Division, which had begun sending their units overseas to combat numerous jihad and warlord militias alongside military forces as backup and intelligence gatherers, Katyal's effective, but careless, speed-and-violence-only approach to recovering wounded agents and military personnel across the globe garnered her enough favor to apply for a position in the Critical Response Division. Immensely pleased at the promotion, Katyal shortly found herself under constant movemarent from hot spot to hot spot, and with the rare few times a decent sleep before being thrown into conflict was had, discovered that the inordinate stresses of her new position were rapidly wearing her down. At this time she often slipped herself and others in the Critical response teams painkillers or amphetamines from her own supplies whenever possible, a mistake that would later see her blacklisted. Despite major normalization between the new and old Division agents, budgets for the various Divisions were rapidly increased as their effectiveness continued to rise, which also meant adding psychiatric counselors to combat teams during off duty hours. After a medical quota for the Critical Response Division's supplies turned up short on several items, an inquiry by a hardline quartermaster was made to the commanding agent, whom immediately dismissed the potential for substance abuse. Although the commander was well aware of the positive effects Katyal's numerous 'additional dosage necessary' addendums to transcripts, he had little reason to throw his now respected agents to the political wolves, and considered the charges to have no substance. Undeterred, the quartermaster, along with aid from older intelligence agents, scrutinized the outflow of equipment and supplies until tracking down the sole unit responsible. With her fellow agents suspended from duty, in court and under oath Katyal was unable to provide sufficient logical reasoning for the quantities of substances used, forcing herself to take one for the team and admitting that she was over-prescribing for combat trauma and stress related problems. Demoted from the Critical Response Division after barely 5 months of service, her promotion and service dates were stricken from the FBI's records, and was sent back to First Response with numerous unsigned, undated, and unlisted black marks. Disgruntled, but still uncaring as always, Katyal immediately returned to service, and while happy to be back with her friends, she was unaware that she would begin seeing the same 24/7 surveillance at her former Division. After three years of off and on fighting, small brushfire conflicts across the world exploded into full blown wars when small remote robotics, most with semi-autonomous AI's, went from ridiculously expensive and highly unreliable to cheap, rugged, and virtually impossible to hack. This made the need for cross-training personnel in the newly redesigned medical and combat equipment setups between the military and government agencies to became a requirement, forcing many of the Divisions to train with the new technologies available whenever off duty, adding tremendously to their workload. Plagued once again with sleepless nights, unshakable fatigue, and constant stress, Katyal's performance slowly degraded to abysmal levels, whom began appropriating painkillers and amphetamines once more just to keep herself sane and able to function. A year and a half of further service later, Katyal quit the First Response Division, turning to civil life in order to escape from deeply entrenched guilt, several addictions, and disgust at the Bureau's treatment of agents. Due to the several notable honors on her records, she was immediately accepted at a regional hospital in her home city as a nurse, spending the next two months working without a problem. Finding herself feeling useless outside the FBI, but unable and unwilling to join again, she began slipping into depression, often going for a friendly local drink to improve her mood. With her outlook on life striking rock bottom upon hearing news of expanded military operations, Katyal began drinking heavily. Fired after coming into the hospital drunk, she moved five times over the following eleven months to different cities and different hospitals to avoid her track record from catching up with her. (An excerpt from Anon's notes: "The world that Katyal hails from is, like most human worlds, remarkable, unique, and majorly stress inducing to talk about. She is loathe to speak on the exact predicaments, situations, and problems, but due to her extreme aversions when dealing with 'monsters', I'm certain that her world's opponents were not originally human. At one point she did reveal that the term 'FBI' was short for the 'Fast Breakout Initiative'. Maybe Jeff or Belltower could convince her to share more.) Late one night, while drunkenly stumbling back home, she was fatally struck by a car from behind, from what she was willing to state. (“Best I can remember the Genetic Security APC’s are eighteen to twenty tons depending on loadouts. Not real popular, but easy to modify and improve if you had permission. Most common one has a sixteen cylinder diesel engine, real distinct, that’s the type that ran me down. Class Six heavy composite armor, complete environmental sealing, Atomic, Biological, Chemical, Neutron, and… OTHER. Six to ten rapid fire plasma cannons of variable sizes, four hard mounted sponson grenade launchers, four short ranged rocket launchers, and a big neurocom network suite.”) Landing face first into Imeron's sandy lakebed during the dry season, strangely outfitted with her former equipment loadout, the village's inhabitants quickly took Katyal into custody, which she willingly agreed to. Interrogating her Otherworldly nature and existence, Katyal was convinced that she was having a hallucinogenic episode, and played along with the tall, brightly colored, saddle-wearing talking ponies.. until she became bored of their repeated questions. Deploying her trusted rifle against an enemy coconut, with hysterical effects from the Saddle Arabians, she was then secluded in a guarded cottage for several hours in fear of her unknown, possibly volatile capabilities. Awoken from a decent nap, a bright, neon green Saddle Arabian mare without a saddle or ornamentation introduced herself as Countess Folunasi, and unlike the others, was merely curious as to Katyal's arrival. Confused and concerned by the quirky woman's story of her own death, Folunasi continued to answer her questions about Tallus, eventually deciding that Katyal meant no harm and was simply being self-protective. Noticing her depressive statements, Folunasi was unwilling to allow her be the subject of a mystic's interrogation, and decided to offer Katyal a job as a mercenary under her employ. The rest, of course, is history. (“Look Jeff, on my world there were two choices: live under one fucking government’s heel, or live under another fucking government’s heel. No one had a choice, not even those trying to keep ‘civilization together’. We were all fucked. What we did get to choose is how screwed we got when it was time to open security doors and chamber that first shell. I’m not interested in talking about everything I’ve done in Saddle Arabia and Eyeraq. Folu is… good at heart, way better than I’ll ever be. She was the first truly open, honest, loving being I met. Most of the Circle of Assassins are the same. They love each other and their own without regret or remorse. Her being a pony is the beautiful icing on top of the most perfect cake. Hm? Nah, there weren’t any equines on my world, ‘cept for some ten or so million year old fossils. Heart and soul, I love her, especially when she leads me into the most fucked up situations that I don’t expect to survive. I follow her orders due to respect and admiration, no questions asked. Where I was born, that didn’t exist. Will tell you this though: Saddle Arabia and Eyeraq are haunted by things they didn’t and still don’t deserve. Lunar-Solar War shit that doesn’t end. Less I say the better.”) Having quite a bit of fun retrieving her lover's family heirlooms with Jeff's immense aid, her encounter with the Hookfanged Water Viper and the Swamp Prowler, along with Jeff figuratively kicking her ass in, has boosted Katyal's confidence some. Though of course she is still extremely frightened about potentially entering wilderness areas. In recent months both Katyal and Countess Folunasi have been spotted in both Canterlot and Stalliongrad, typically under heavy Solar Knight or Tower Guard escort, though neither have revealed why. ***** STATUS: formerly cleaning out the Circle of Assassins, then finished aiding Countess Folunasi in surveying the Va`Sanuez Delta. As the Olvia Tributary restoration project has increased in scope and size, Katyal has been taking small Independent-aligned contracts throughout the Dragonspine Mountains, also trading for raw or refined materials from the same. ***** RELATIONSHIPS: -Belltower: “Damn you Jeff, I’m jealous!” -Countess Folunasi: her lover, primary Mareguard, and soon to be... wife? ...maybe? Who knows which one even WEARS pants… -Jeff: feels comfortable being around. -Malyne: wants nothing more than to pamper the batfilly senseless. ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Assault Master Parry Master Riposte Master Combat Rifles/Shotguns Expert Intimidation Master Small Arms ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Block Master Evasion Master Reaction Speed Master Sprint ***** UTILITY ABILITIES: Expert Engineering Master Explosives Expert Medical Expert Perception Expert Scouting Expert Thievery Expert Traps ***** SPECIAL ABILITIES: >Acclimated Manhunter: having little regard for the lives of humans is, on most worlds, considered either a great flaw ,or a valuable asset. On Tallus, however, having such a disposition is inherently useful, given Katyal’s… unique nature. *Katyal must always add +3 to ALL Scouting, Tracking, and offensive rolls, including enchantmarents, when tracking, hunting, capturing, killing, or executing humans, regardless of circumstance. Expert Charm+2 Expert Seduction+2 ***** UNIQUE SKILLS: >Enhanced Assassin's Synergy (Expert): “Can’t. Say. Anything. The Assassins are great ponies, they TRULY are, but I’m not gonna talk about their training methods unless you join them.” -Adds +1 to all Combat Rifle/Shotgun and Sprint rolls *Adds +2 to all Assault/Riposte, Small Arms, and Reaction Speed rolls >Enhanced Reconnaissance Specialist (Expert): “Simple: I keep my eyes open, ears unplugged… and Folu’s teats outta my mouth. At least in public.” *Adds +1 to all non-combat Stealth and Ranged-type rolls *Adds +2 to all Block/Evasion/Reaction Speed/Sprint & Perception/Scouting rolls >Veteran First Responder (Expert): “...don’t wanna talk about it.” *Adds +2 to all Reaction Speed/Sprint, Medical, and Scouting rolls *TWICE per Operation, Katyal may sacrifice two of V.F.R.'s listed skills for 2 turns, adding +4 to all rolls of the remaining skills, though the sacrificed skills cannot be utilized for the rest of the Operation after this occurs ***** EVOLVING ABILITY: Hard Stomp. Granted by Empress Silver, ONCE per Operation, Katyal is granted the ancient earth pony technique that she dubs: "THE NEGOTIATOR", granting her the ability to either stomp a downed/unconscious target or one below her in height. *Grants 4x [1d6+2] rolls that ignore 1/2 the target's DR *This ability deals double damage against Fragile targets and Undead, but only deals half damage to Eldritch and Spectrals *During the turn that Hard Stop is activated, Katyal may ONLY utilize Defensive skills NEW DUTY: 3 NEW USES: 6 RECORDED DUTY: 0 RECORDED USES: 0 ***** TRADE SKILLS: Proficient Alchemist Graduate Ancient Sumarea Senior Assassination Junior Biologist Graduate Bronze Guardians Apprentice Cartographer Senior Circle of Assassins Adept Dragonspine Mountains Senior Elemarentals, Saddle Arabia/Eyeraq Graduate Eyeraq Observer Eyes Junior Geography Adept Heavy Military Vehicles Observer Human Electronics Senior Late Dynasty Junior Late Dynasty History Adept Late Dynasty Military Junior Late Human Weaponry Apprentice Otherworld Eyes (Outer Known) Observer Purrsian History Apprentice Research Observer Quad-Leg Hunter-Killer Suits Graduate Saddle Arabia Graduate Saddle Arabians Graduate Saddle Arabia History Graduate Saddle Arabia Military Graduate Sumarea Proficient Sumarea History Junior Tallus Senior Tallus Geology Junior Tallus Militaries (Lunar-Solar War Era) Pupil Tallus Planes Adept Tallus-Planar Materials Observer Unicorns ***** TERTIARY SKILLS: Expert Electronic Warfare Operator+2 Expert Gambler+1 Expert Sportsmare+2 ***** SKILL SPECIALIZATIONS: >Alchemical Tolerance: adds +1 to all Alchemy rolls >Bronze Guardian Favored: adds +1 to all Bartering, Charm, Negotiation, and Seduction rolls when dealing with Bronze Guardians >Desert Runner: adds +1 to all Block/Evasion/Reaction Speed/Sprint rolls >I Dropkicked Them Off The Peak: adds +1 to all Assault/Parry/Riposte rolls >Last (Human) Mare Hidden: adds +1 to all non-combat Stealth rolls >Keeper of An`Meliu: adds +1 to all Bartering and Negotiation rolls when dealing with EXPLICITLY sapient, non-hostile Mystical beings >Non-Standard Medical Practices (Unicorn): adds +1 to all Medical rolls, increases to +2 when using or dealing with esoteric and Elemental effects >Pyramid Delver: adds +1 to all rolls when Scavenging in Purrsia, Saddle Arabia, and Eyeraq >Sumarean Empire Wanderer: adds +1 to all rolls when attempting to identify artifacts and relics of Purrsia and Sumarea ***** TRAIT: Grandmaster Lost Secrets of An`Meliu. Unknown. *At any time Katyal may roll [1d6+2], the result being the number of turns that she is granted a [1d6+4] roll of her choice which functions as ANY standard skill she has above Basic rank *Katyal is granted +10 MaxHP permanently, and is conferred a passive Grandmaster Iron Will+4, though her complicated personality makes this extremely difficult to utilize as she must be suffering from a negative mental status effect for a minimum of 1 turn *ONCE per Mission or Operation, Katyal may summon Grives An`Meliu at any time using a [1d6+4] roll, whom will immediately arrive and remain for that result’s number of turns *An`Meliu will heal and removing/restore/destroy status effects from Katyal and any nearby allies using 2x [1d6+10] Hardened Responder's Leather Jacket & Cargoes (Mystic-Forged, Unique Legendary Permanent Artifact): a lightweight, heavily modified, and well worn set of cold weather leather clothes used by Rangers on Katyal's world, numerous leather pouches later added for storing all of her miscellaneous alchemy and personal items. An ancient water-walking enchantment was the first addition to this set, granting the ability to walk, run, sit, (or sleep in her case) solidly on liquid surfaces without worry of falling through. Later imbued with a Lishanki Silver-Gift charm for additional versatility. (“Took that from an Assassin that illegally spent time in Equestria.”) Multiple reinforcements, the first coming from a basic armor charm, were further added to by a series of of tough, properly cured Dune Serpent hide segments, increasing its weight and bulk to what should be an uncomfortable level, though the amount of "ventilation holes" make it at least somewhat useful in most regions. -Armor Value: 3DR -Armor Class: Full Body, Light -Enchantmarent Slots: 0/3 remaining -Offensive Enchantment #1: adds +1 to all Intimidation rolls -Passive Enchantment #1: adds +1 to all Bartering & Negotiation rolls -Utility Enchantment #1: grants permanent water-walking ***** STANDARD WEAPONRY: -Combat Knife: adds +1 to all Assault/Parry/Riposte rolls ***** >RELIC WEAPONRY: >Lightened Arkadian Sledgehammer (Arkadian-Aligned, Mystic-Forged, Late Dynasty, Legendary Archaic Artifact): Katyal's primary weapon, a 4' long, 2" in diameter sealed and runed ironwood handle attached to a dark brown steel-like material. One square head, similar to a common sledgehammer, is complemarented by the opposite triangular armor piercing head. While she refuses to state how exactly she acquired this archaic Late Dynasty Era weapon from the Arkadian clan, the first of three offshoots from the Ferron, it has been kept in excellent condition, and bears an impressive earth elemental enchantment, typical of anything owned by the Arkadians. (“Aaaactually, a traveling marechant gave it to me! She was so horribly confused trying to speak and understand Saddle Arabian that she looked miserable. You know how some ponies are, they’re terrified of insulting others. I helped her for about.. gonna say six hours. It was her thanks to me and Folu.”) Mostly used for smashing coconuts open or being waved around while delivering vague (or far too specific in the case of mares) threats. -Melee Weapon Class: Two-Handed -Enchantmarent Slots: 2/3 remaining -Armor Crush/Pierce: 2 -Base Modifier: adds +4 to all Assault/Parry/Riposte rolls -Offensive Enchantmarent #1: grants a [1d6+4] RANGED WEAPONRY: >Customized 6MM Haisel & Krantz 77PDW (Weapon Traits: Custom-Fit, Personal, Unique): a personal defense submachine gun similar in appearance to a standard H&K MP7, though this one uses a high velocity 6x35MM penetrator cartridge. Recolored in green-blue swamp tones and and has been engraved with a relief of Folunasi.. from the rear. (“About fifty thousand years ago there was this coastal civilization. One country started digging relics up from them, that was maybe a couple hundred years before I got killed. The back side of their shields had these wonderful carvings made by children, teens, sisters, wives, mothers, you name it. They wanted their people to go into battle content that even if they died they weren’t forgotten. I had this painted, not for lewd purposes, but to show her off, like she was always scouting ahead of me.”) -Base Modifier: adds +2 to all Small Arms rolls -Armor Pierce: 3 -Ammunition Class: 6.2x35MM LSC -Ammunition Magazine Capacity: 36/36 cartridges, comes with 8x magazines + 820 extra -Maximum Optimal Range: 50M with a -1 penalty per 25M beyond this range -Maximum Effective Range: 100M -Attachment #1: Holosight, adds +1 to Small Arms rolls when in use >Customized 8MM Magnum Haisel & Krantz KLR-73 Pistol (Weapon Traits: Custom-Fit, Personal, Unique): a semi-automatic pistol mostly similar in appearance to a standard H&K USP-2, though this one uses a high velocity 8x31MM penetrator cartridge. Recently recolored using desert toned ceramic paint, the grips carefully resized and etched with a decorative Saddle Arabian flower motif. (“That’s the Desert Flower. Fun fact: nearly all of them are sapient Mystic beings. If you EVER come across a flower in Saddle Arabia or Eyeraq, TALK TO IT FIRST! Chances are they’ll speak with you. Be polite and they won’t try to kill you.”) -Base Modifier: adds +3 to all Small Arms rolls -Armor Pierce: 3 -Ammunition Class: Small Arms, 8.5x24MM LPY -Ammunition Magazine Capacity: 15/15 cartridges, comes with 5x 15-round magazines + 470 extra -Maximum Optimal Range: 50M with a -1 penalty per 25M beyond this range -Maximum Effective Range: 125M -Attachment #1: Holosight, adds +1 to Small Arms rolls when in use >Customized 10MM Remiliav Advanced IRR (Weapon Traits: Custom-Fit, Personal, Unique): a combat rifle virtually the same as a stock Remington ACR, though this one uses a non-suppressed, relatively high velocity 10x56MM rifle penetrator cartridge. Painted in a basic Saddle Arabian desert camo. -Base Modifier: adds +4 to all Combat Rifle rolls -Armor Pierce: 5 -Ammunition Class: Combat Rifle, 10x56MM NGT -Ammunition Magazine Capacity: 30/30 cartridges, comes with 8x 30-round magazines + 850 extra -Maximum Optimal Range: 400M with a -1 penalty per 200M beyond this range -Maximum Effective Range: 1,200M -Attachment #1: 3x9 Scope: adds +1 to all Combat Rifle rolls & +1 to a SINGLE Perception roll when in use ***** >COMMON ITEMS: 1x Advanced Multitool, 1x Binoculars, 1x Duct Tape, 3x Hurricane Lighters, 1x L-Flashlight, 1x Smartphone, 6x Zip Ties ***** >SUPPLIES: 4x Canteens, 12x Officer MRE, 8x Sweet Bulb Juice ***** >EXPLOSIVES: 8x Bouncing Betty, 9x C4 w/Remote Detonator, 8x Claymore, 10x Flashbang, 4x Firebomb, 16x High Explosive, 12x M67 Frag, 9x Molotov, 9x Shrapnel, 6x Smoke, 8x Tear Gas, 6x White Phosphorous ***** >MEDICAL ITEMS: 6x Amphetamines, 20x Bandages, 6x Iodine Bottles, 6x Morphine Syrettes, 1x Paramedic Bag (Old), 6x Painkillers (Medium Grade), 16x Ringer's Solution, 6x Small Medical Kits (Old), 16x Wound Dressings ***** >ALCHEMY ITEMS: 2x Adrenaline Surge, 10x Antidote, 1x Cryptus, 2x Dampener, 10x Detox, 2x Elemental Ward, 2x Gloss, 1x Hardening, 2x Marker, 8x Medusa's Scales, 5x Protoform, 4x Restoration, 4x Regeneration, 4x Refresh, 2x Torch, 5x Waker, 10x Wormwood ***** UNIQUE ITEMS: >Ark Viper Totem [Tier 4]: a 1" in diameter piece of rolled Bitter Glass, shaped as a miniature Saddle Arabian Ark Viper. Given to Circle of Assassins Initiates after clearing their final trial as a mark of respect, proving that they are a worthy, honorable member. *For numerous reasons the Circle of Assassins must legally state Katyal is directly under Countess Folunasi's commarend, and must speak the following: 'I am NOT allowed to take any contract I want without strict supervision' to any prospective contract offered, given, sold, traded, or ‘other’. >Burst Pendant, Gravity [Tier 5]: ONCE per Operation allows a [1d6+20] Burst Pendant, Flame [Tier 5]: ONCE per Operation allows a [1d6+20] Custom Kit Bag: a tough, durable multilayer cotton woven, 120 liter desert camouflage storage bag. The zipper is a heavy tungsten alloy, and has two large pockets on the end with further internal storage inside each. *Contents: 3x sets of Black Skintight Silk Nightwear (Neighsian), 3x Butane Cans, 2x Coldstones, 1x Diamond Cookware & Utensil Set, 5x Duct Tape, 2x Heatstones, 1x Large Heatstone, 4x Luxury Hygiene Kits, 1x Lighter, 1x MP3 Player (Modded), 1x Multitool, 1x Radio+Headset (Modded), 4x Luxury Sewing Kits, 1x Professional Armor Maintenance Kit, 2x Profession Water Filtration Kits, 2x Professional Weapon Cleaning Kits, 4x Super Tape, 12x Superglue, 6x Water Filter Spares, 1x Weapon Cleaning Kit, 12x Zip Ties >Improved Soundstone [Tier 5X]: a traditional piece of equipmarent for nearly all Saddle Arabian natives, these bright yellow oval pieces of glass are created by heating, compressing, and compacting a layer of Howling Dune region sand, then enacting several Mystic rituals related. When carried against one's skin, sound stones enhance the bearer's sensitivity to vibration, also slightly increasing visual acuity, obviously emulating the ability to 'see' through sandstorms. This particular one was created and heavily modified by Countess Folunasi. While functionally the same as any other Soundstone, this superior version prevents feedback from loud noises, foul odors, and bright light, but not sense of touch, notably pain. *Adds +1 to all Perception OR Scouting rolls >Neighpon Alchemical Satchel, New (Stolen): similar to Equestrian traveling Alchemist styles, this 4’ long, 3’ wide, thick sided cotton satchel is entirely decorated by a variety of metallic Neighsian orchids, including one for each Elemarent. A large top flap with a Velcro-like system made from woven bamboo opens into three compartmarents, each divided by a lightweight, thin wooden sheet, bound in bright white cotton layers. One hundred internal, thick walled pockets spread throughout off an incredible amount of storage space. When summoned on Septimber 39th of 29,998, only 60% of the contents were delivered, implying it hadn’t yet been completed for use. (“When I find whomever made this one, I’m giving them ten thousand gems… and paying five hundred percent more for a complete refill.” -Katyal) 6x Aether’s Touch 5x Burning Iron 4x Cherry-Blossom Moon 5x Dawn’s Glory 5x Path of Earth’s Grace 6x Peace of Herds 6x Sleep Under Stars 4x Slow Waters 6x Strike The Slate Clean 5x Walk Between Skies >Toy Castle Float: a thick plastic, bright pink miniature floating castle 10' in diameter, complete with an elongated mock noble armchair in the center for lounging, a small false moat around the outside for decoration, and two long, bright pink plastic oars for locomotion. Made from 5MM of dyed rubber, these hardy and easily repairable novelty toys were normally bought for upper class children, though Katyal requested it from a wish disc specifically for the purpose of lounging around Imeron's lake during the wet season. While it doesn't look stable enough for two at first glance, Katyal and Folunasi have used it to survey the Olvia Tributary on numerous excursions. Capacity wise it has enough space for several days of provisions, although it can be spotted from a mile away with little difficulty. ***** UNIQUE TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT: >Atamayaguchi Drones: nine technologically advanced bright yellow drones in the shape of a common Nippon giant hornet, 3" in length, each with an integrated miniature video recorder for transmitting direct visual feed to a display & command tablet with an 8" x 6" screen using a [1d6+3] roll. Created on her world by a PanAsian consortium that dealt with prototype AI and drone technology, these pseudo-hornet drones feature a simple but effective hivemind logic program that allows an operator to safely infiltrate buildings or scout large areas without exposure to enemy fire. As both a safety precaution and a surprise offense, each drone contains a small charge of C-5, a newly (for her world) devised compact plastic-polymer explosive. *Upon use of vocal command or an order from the tablet, the drones will swarm onto a specific target and detonate with a single [1d6+9] roll, dealing the equivalent damage of C-4, inflicting Minor Bleeding on a max critical ***** PHYSICAL ENCHANTMARENTS: 1/3 Slots >Blind-Eye Chant: adds +1 to all Thievery, non-combat Stealth, or Perception/Scouting/Wilderness Survival rolls, but may only use one each turn >Corsair King's Siglet, Copy: adds +1 to all Assault/Parry/Riposte and Block/Evasion/Reaction Speed/Sprint rolls when dealing with living beings, but suffers a -3 penalty to all rolls when facing non-physical opponents. *Removed by Hodch and reformed into its locket >Superior Armor Charm: adds a natural +2DR ***** Anon's Biographical Notes: Encyclopedia: Tallus: Faction Aligned Humans: a snarky, irresponsible, lazy, hedonistic, and obscenely careless (yet not all the time) Mareguard of Countess Folunasi, the Otherworldly human female known as Katyal arrived shortly after the humans of Razorback did, though had the misfortune of landing face first into Imeron's then-dry lakebed during the summer season. Upon the ponies of Imeron finding no evidence of her being a hostile Planar (or worse) being, Katyal accepted Folunasi's offer of a job through what I think was crippling depression. After all, there's separation anxiety, then there's separation from one's own world. Throughout the pair's increasingly erratic, dangerous, and eccentric missions, in particular character assassination, blackmail, and extortion of greedy, dishonorable, or murderous Circle of Assassins members, Katyal remains devoted to Folunasi. In general her attitudes and actions are bizarre, though not inscrutable. Perhaps that is simply due to her peculiar history, one which I am loathe to discover. There remains a distinct possibility that the more generalized, positive social evolutions of her world never occurred during the Early Bronze to Late Iron Ages (Silver to Golden Ages of Discovery). Primarily, her most notable outward flaws are extreme flight and horror responses to 'monsters'; said monsters being anything from a basic tuskboar up to NORMAL sized snakes (seriously, how is a 15 foot long python a 'real life monster'?) Second but no less terrible, Katyal demonstrates a common airheadedness (not lackadaisical) on the level of an average pegasus as her normal state of mind remains easily distracted, no matter the situation. So long as 'monsters' aren't in sight, that is. Can become hyper-focused if something truly does catch her interest, making her mentality difficult to manage and possibly a danger to those close by, though this depends on which of the known three occur. Third, despite the Countess' teaching methods, Katyal easily loses interest in a situation if it seems to be going too smoothly, or roughly, for her tastes. Well known fact: boredom kills. Likely literal in her case. Fourth, the most concerning one to me, Katyal has been known to deploy an inordinate, utterly stupid amount of explosives to cause 'extra mayhem' for the sheer goal of watching damage occur; when simply pissing the Countess off she is rather careful to limit collateral. Deep seated fears originating from her home world, perhaps? I'm torn between searching for purely biological reasons as to her mentality, or deep rooted cultural influences that prioritize high aggression and destructive potential as a necessary safeguard or stopgap. Final notes: I've not attempted to limit Katyal's exposure to the rest of Tallus. Despite her incessant fears about 'monsters', she is unusually eager when speaking to individuals any species that can be (easily?) proven to be fully sapient. Unlike some humans (a few of you in Razorback come to mind) this is a direct indication of pre-existing trauma. In another time I might have seen this as an opportunity to, through her dealings, contact other cultures that I've had limited or otherwise forbidden dealings with. Although.. I am concerned about how much potential Katyal has, her inner psyche truly has been, and is, a consistent series of concerns. As of late I'm still not sure if she is suitable to act as a liasion. 'While in the Mountains of Madness', as one human whom seems to have been on every world wrote, 'is where the mind does not slip: that is where the mind SHIFTS in order to understand what should not be.' *************************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf Shatter: 140HP, 3DR Age: 39 Month of Birth: Octember ***** (Careful, Cheery, Curious, Elite: Thief, HATRED: Humans, Inquisitive, Soft-Spoken, Veterancy: Senses) ***** APPEARANCE: a light yellow bodied, curly coated batpony with large stubby wingclaws and nubby fangs, typical of fruit-eaters, having a touch of Romaneian accent. The three broad, rounded claws on each wing are capable of being curled into an armored 'fist', allowing Leaf to counter melee weaponry and tear through armor, though not without some amount of difficulty. ***** BIOGRAPHY: unknown. Leaf Shatter is a true hermaphrodite, having both male and female genitalia, though is female in mentality, emotional capacity, and action. A master treasure hunter of the Moors, Leaf is known to hang around Las Pegasus for several nights at a time, learning tricks from the other members of the Rogue's Circle, mostly to expand her repertoire of skills, and freely teaching all she knows. ***** FETISH: enjoys being bitten on the neck during sex, otherwise her tastes are incredibly vanilla. ***** CUTIE MARK: a pale, elongated flat-bladed leaf broken into numerous shards and segments. ***** STATUS: a former outlying member of of the Rogues Circle, now residing in the Moors permanently, one of the few true batpony treasure hunters besides Torven. UPDATE: unknown. ***** RELATIONSHIPS: -Torven: formerly a good friend to, now refuses all contact. -Razorback: after Pikeman's rampage in Las Pegasus, Leaf Shatter despises humans. ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Assault+10 Master Counter+10 Master Riposte+10 ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Block+6 Master Evasion+6 Master Flight+6 Master Reaction Speed+9 Master Sprint+3 Basic Screech+4 Expert Stealth+6 ***** UTILITY ABILITIES: Expert Bartering+3 Expert Perception+4 Master Sleight of Claw+9 ***** SPECIAL ABILITIES: -Natural Weaponry: Leaf Shatter's short, nubby fangs are somewhat tough, and her large stubby claws are inherently stronger than most batponies, allowing her to pierce 1DR with each attack when in use. ***** PHYSICAL ENCHANTMARENTS: 3/3 Slots *************************************************************************************************************************************** Old Horn, 600HP, 5DR. Age: unknown. ***** APPEARANCE: a 10'4" Minotaur covered in a shaggy, unkempt mossy coat from hooves to horns, giving him the immediate look of a plant covered tree. The only clothing he bears is a thick, tattered belt made from entwined nettle stalks carrying numerous bags and satchels, all heavy with healing powders and poultices collected from many years journeying across Tallus, making him quite sought after as he has brought back many from death's doorstep. Small creatures have been observed to have made nests inside the thick layer of dirty fur on Old Horn, the most common of which is a tiny Drake that occasionally climbs out to light Old Horn's pipe. ***** BIOGRAPHY: a wandering Minotaur Druid whom travels wherever he chooses, leaving without a word if the place he has arrived feels off to him. As a Druid, he is one with nature and magic, but looks down at magic users such as unicorns since they tend to force magic to do their bidding, rather then work with as the natural order of life functions. This leaves him with a bit of disdain towards magic users since the majority tend to have an air of superiority about themselves. Old Horn has been a Druid his entire life, unique amongst Minotaurs, and has traveled across Tallus numerous times, even delving into separate worlds. This, of course, he highly dislikes; he would rather charge an army alone then go into another dimension willingly. Even with his hunched form, Old Horn towers over most sapients on Tallus, naturally making an intimidating sight to behold. Though his (mostly) passive dislike of magic users is clear, he is still the embodiment of a "gentle giant". In his long life he has seen the worst this world could throw at him and then some, thus he has gained great patience for the "younger ones" and their bickering. He carries a walking staff, in reality an old, gnarled sapling of some sort, with floating runes circling about the top. After Novus' physical death, he collected his Ka and placed it into a herd of nearby Pred-Elk. Originally intended for use against the Efirates, he instantly grew attached to them when he realized that instead of increased intelligence, it gave the herd of low-tier monsters actual sentience. After a few days of careful teaching they soon adopted the Minotaur as a father figure. Out of them all, he favored the most intelligent and curious of the herd, Sparking Fleur. Waking up to what could be seen as a calling, Sparking Fleur then said her goodbyes to her friend Twisty and went back to Old Horn. The only season she could feel was 'Change'. Becoming worried of Sparking Fleur's absence, he sent Bright Amber to investigate, but was surprised to find that Bright too had become enthralled by Razorback when the Pred-Elk returned, and became silently pleased about this change of events. Adding to this, he has devised a plan of action since the original Efirate swarms have been destroyed, making him redouble his efforts on finding the Whitemane's lair. At Bright Amber's behest, Old Horn quickly took ownership of the strange, abandoned complex in the Everfree, repurposing it for the Pred-Elks and studying what lies inside. ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Assault+15 Master Parry+15 Master Riposte+15 ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Grandmaster Druidry+41 **** UTILITY ABILITIES: Expert Healing Touch+10 ***** UNIQUE ABILITY: An Elder's Wise Words. Throughout his life, Old Horn has seen and conversed with many beings, both native to Tallus, also including the flora and fauna, sometimes Otherworldly in nature, gaining valuable knowledge in the art of disarming others with words alone. *Grants a single [1d6+10] roll that functions as Negotiation ***** UNIQUE ITEMS: -Druidry Baggage: sacks, bags, packs, and satchels filled with vast assortments of healing items and other gathered objects, hoarded throughout his wandering life. -Pipe: an aged looking smoking pipe with a long thin stem and a (human) fist sized bowl, usually seen with pillows of smoke wafting out that, thankfully, mask his pungent, earthy scent. -Walking Staff: a tall, gnarled living tree with cryptic runes lazily floating around its top, also featuring a hidden slot where he keeps his pipe and herbs hidden. *************************************************************************************************************************************** Razeek, Courier: 90HP, 2DR Age: 16 Month of Birth: unknown ***** (Elite: Speed, Horn Dog, Hot Tempered, Sensual, Vindictive) ***** APPEARANCE: a small bodied, overly tan gryphon with jade green eyes and several noticeable golden highlights across his body, while the tips of his feathers are bright green and purple, obviously being laced with poison. ***** BIOGRAPHY: Lok'cen's younger sibling, Razeek travels constantly, having been employed as a courier and messenger for Anfang and the Vale, sometimes delivering to Las Pegasus. Razeek has a short fuse, and as such he will spit and shout in another's face no matter whom or what they are, though he is reluctant to use his weapons unless provoked. The poisons lacing his green steel tipped wings are made from his own concoctions, mostly from the Vale and surrounding wildernesses. Each feather has a different effect, from physically paralyzing an enemy, to flooding the lungs with coagulated blood, and more. Razeek has made sure to be immune to the poisons and venoms he collects, but always carries antidotes, just in case. Like (nearly) all Gryphons, he has a certain disdain for unicorns and magic users, oddly enough this quirk extends to Rune-Forgers as well. His run in with Lucky's Enforcer, Pike, and her ward Meridian Veil, has left him with a bad taste in his mouth for the hu'um of Razorback, despite what his older brother says. He has, however, grown infatuated with a female Hu'um, Natalia, ever since she fed him and his family, and has wanted to "repay" her in his own way.. except for Lok'cen being very eager to cock-block for his own amusement, MUCH to Razeek's annoyance. Long wanting to prove himself, once the opportunity arrived, in the form of going underground to explore the depths of lost catacombs in the unknown lands, he took the chance immediately. Apart from a single moment of being frozen in fear, the Fledgling stood fast till the end. Aiding Fuigah in carrying Ghost out of the catacombs, he then vowed to laze about in the Encampment for as long as he feels like it, believing he's earned it after going through what happened down below. During the past few months, Razeek moved between the Vale and the Unknown Lands either running errands or scouting. Noticing, strangely, that he hasn't been contacted for any jobs from Las Pegasus lately, he's paid no mind to it. Recently he moved out of the roost (to Lok'cen's mixed feelings) to take up space in Natalia's Diner, where he helps her out whenever not flying around. Even then, however, he is still timid as fuck, which ensures their relationship stays platonic. ***** RELATIONSHIPS: -Lok'cen: for better or worse, the younger brother to. -Natalia: has moved in to help with her Diner whenever not doing errands, though their relationship is painfully mutual (although he really isn't a beta, they simply don't have enough in common to pursue a further relationship). ***** OFFENSIVE ABILITIES: Basic Assault+2 Basic Parry+2 Basic Riposte+2 ***** DEFENSIVE ABILITIES: Master Block+8 Master Evasion+8 Master Flight+8 Master Reaction Speed+8 Master Sprint+8 ***** UTILITY ABILITIES: Bartering+4 Expert Chemistry+2 Expert Field Medicine+4 Basic Wilderness Survival+4 ***** SPECIAL ABILITY: -Raptor's Eye: a standard trait of intelligent predators, typically gryphons, that adds +1 to and grants an additional roll to one of the following skills: Assault, Parry, Riposte, Ambush, Perception, or Stealth. The bonus is only added to whichever skill is in use that turn. ***** UNIQUE ABILITY: Basic Poison Touch-Venom Brush. Razeek's runic tipped primaries are dyed either a royal purple or a jade green to signify their toxic nature, each one coated in a different fast acting, though somewhat weak toxin. Due to his intense speed and honed fine muscle focus, Razeek can control which poison is utilized with near-perfect precision. *MUST be used in concert with Assault, Parry, or Riposte *Upon landing a strike a [1d6]