Alona Hawse
Nightmares of a year in hell plague this former Knight Captain of the Merchant Guard of Elbion. She has decided to travel the world, plying her skills for coin and the chance to face down the demons within.
Overview
Physical Description
Alona is of average height for a human woman, which would put her at a distinct disadvantage were she not devoted to her skills as a knight. She has dark brown hair that she keeps cut short so it will fit under her helm. Her soft gold eyes show intelligence and compassion and occasionally will show the depth of horror she has lived through in her short years.
Typically, Alona can be found in her enchanted leather armor, a gift from her parents as she left Elbion that bears the arms of the Merchants Guard of Elbion. She always keeps her hand-and-a-half sword, Hearth's Edge, by her side. Like her armor, it is a utilitarian blade that is obviously well made, but un-ornamented. She also keeps a well-made arming sword, dagger, and crossbow with her equipment, though not necessarily on her at all times.
Typically, Alona can be found in her enchanted leather armor, a gift from her parents as she left Elbion that bears the arms of the Merchants Guard of Elbion. She always keeps her hand-and-a-half sword, Hearth's Edge, by her side. Like her armor, it is a utilitarian blade that is obviously well made, but un-ornamented. She also keeps a well-made arming sword, dagger, and crossbow with her equipment, though not necessarily on her at all times.
Biography
Early Years
Alona Hawse was born into a family that was strongly tied to the College of Maesters. Both of her parents taught at the school, and her older siblings both attended. Alone among her family, Alona could not naturally manipulate the energies of the arcane. This did not daunt her in the slightest, however, as the strive for excellence that her family shows in their arcane pursuits shows alive and well in Alona's pursuits, namely her skill at arms and combat.
Once it was found that she would not be following the family trade, Alona was given the choice of paths to follow. Through the years she turned more and more to the sword, training nearly tirelessly to gain a mastery of physical combat and tactics. By the time that she came of age to join the Merchants Guard, she was readily accepted, and put into an accelerated training for becoming a Guard Officer.
Once it was found that she would not be following the family trade, Alona was given the choice of paths to follow. Through the years she turned more and more to the sword, training nearly tirelessly to gain a mastery of physical combat and tactics. By the time that she came of age to join the Merchants Guard, she was readily accepted, and put into an accelerated training for becoming a Guard Officer.
Merchant Guard
All of the time that Alona spent training with the blade, learning from various tutors who were experts in a myriad styles, did not prepare her for training to join the guard. Despite her youth, she was an excellent duelist, but the guard was more than just combat oriented, and she needed to learn how to act as part of a team. Having to rely on those that she at first thought as nothing but inferior fighters proved difficult, but after a few tough lessons that she couldn't handle everything alone, she came around to teamwork.
Once she was ready for the guard, she was put through officer training. Her ability to work with a team was once again put to the test as she was put in charge of a team. Officer training culminated in helping a new class of green recruits get through training. Throughout this phase of her training, her fighting skills continued to be sharpened, and were adapted to both leading a team, and fighting as a team.
Her first time on the streets of Elbion in a Guard tabard, she wore the rank of Officer. She was in charge of a small unit that manned the walls of Elbion on a rotation with other such units. Once she learned about the people she was leading, she quickly pushed them to improve, getting them to the point where they were one of the best units on the wall. Her dedication gained her a promotion, and her team members were each put through officer training to continue her work leading teams of their own.
As a Knight Lieutenant, she was placed into various districts of Elbion in the main role of the Guard, maintaining the peace. Despite all she had thought she learned, her stint in the various districts always taught her more and more, about herself, about being a Guard, and about the various races and people of the world who passed through Elbion.
After years of working the beats of Elbion, Alona was promoted to Knight Captain, and given command of the over night shift of the Merchant District. As Knight Captain, she could have followed the style of many of her contemporaries and never hit the streets. However, this was not her way, and she had her eyes set on becoming Knight Commander of the Merchant Guard one day. Every night, she rotated between teams, working the streets with them in turn, with every third night being saved for the paperwork that was the true hallmark of a commander.
One night, however, she was working the streets with one of her teams and responded to a cry for help. She was the first of her team to get to the scene, and the other guards who reached where the cry had come from found only Hearth's Edge, the enchanted blade that Alona always carried. Nothing was seen of Alona for over a year, though both the Guard and her Family continued to search.
Roughly one year later, a team that happened to be led by one of Alona's early protege was following a lead on restricted magic in a house just outside the city. When they broke the door down and searched the house, the mage that lived there was not to be found, but Alona was. She was chained in the buildings basement, screaming out about things that no one else saw, an illusory torment to go along with the obvious physical torture she had experienced.
As the team was releasing her, being careful of her thrashing, the mage returned. In the ensuing fight, the mage and several of the Guard perished. Alona was rescued, and with the mage dead she regained lucid thought. Upon waking from the nightmare, she was nearly catatonic, only slowly coming out of it as friends and family visited her, and her body slowly healed.
Once she was ready for the guard, she was put through officer training. Her ability to work with a team was once again put to the test as she was put in charge of a team. Officer training culminated in helping a new class of green recruits get through training. Throughout this phase of her training, her fighting skills continued to be sharpened, and were adapted to both leading a team, and fighting as a team.
Her first time on the streets of Elbion in a Guard tabard, she wore the rank of Officer. She was in charge of a small unit that manned the walls of Elbion on a rotation with other such units. Once she learned about the people she was leading, she quickly pushed them to improve, getting them to the point where they were one of the best units on the wall. Her dedication gained her a promotion, and her team members were each put through officer training to continue her work leading teams of their own.
As a Knight Lieutenant, she was placed into various districts of Elbion in the main role of the Guard, maintaining the peace. Despite all she had thought she learned, her stint in the various districts always taught her more and more, about herself, about being a Guard, and about the various races and people of the world who passed through Elbion.
After years of working the beats of Elbion, Alona was promoted to Knight Captain, and given command of the over night shift of the Merchant District. As Knight Captain, she could have followed the style of many of her contemporaries and never hit the streets. However, this was not her way, and she had her eyes set on becoming Knight Commander of the Merchant Guard one day. Every night, she rotated between teams, working the streets with them in turn, with every third night being saved for the paperwork that was the true hallmark of a commander.
One night, however, she was working the streets with one of her teams and responded to a cry for help. She was the first of her team to get to the scene, and the other guards who reached where the cry had come from found only Hearth's Edge, the enchanted blade that Alona always carried. Nothing was seen of Alona for over a year, though both the Guard and her Family continued to search.
Roughly one year later, a team that happened to be led by one of Alona's early protege was following a lead on restricted magic in a house just outside the city. When they broke the door down and searched the house, the mage that lived there was not to be found, but Alona was. She was chained in the buildings basement, screaming out about things that no one else saw, an illusory torment to go along with the obvious physical torture she had experienced.
As the team was releasing her, being careful of her thrashing, the mage returned. In the ensuing fight, the mage and several of the Guard perished. Alona was rescued, and with the mage dead she regained lucid thought. Upon waking from the nightmare, she was nearly catatonic, only slowly coming out of it as friends and family visited her, and her body slowly healed.
Knight Errant
Once she was deemed fit to return to duty, she did. However, the turn of events surrounding who the mage had been, and the mental torture she'd endured left her going through the motions, hollow compared to the vibrant personality she had been before.
It had turned out that her brother, Elarum, had been the mage to take and torture her. Alona could remember bits and pieces eventually, and only knew that her brother was looking for something that their parents supposedly hid and gave her the key to. Alona knew nothing of this, and her parents were mournfully silent on the topic.
After a few months of trying to regain her life, Alona decided that she needed to find a way past everything that happened. She needed time away from her family, and away from Elbion. She went before the Merchant Council, and resigned her commission from the Guard. She took her belongings that she needed, and left to find her way as a mercenary, feeling that sharpening her skills in the wider world would help exorcise the demons in her mind.
It had turned out that her brother, Elarum, had been the mage to take and torture her. Alona could remember bits and pieces eventually, and only knew that her brother was looking for something that their parents supposedly hid and gave her the key to. Alona knew nothing of this, and her parents were mournfully silent on the topic.
After a few months of trying to regain her life, Alona decided that she needed to find a way past everything that happened. She needed time away from her family, and away from Elbion. She went before the Merchant Council, and resigned her commission from the Guard. She took her belongings that she needed, and left to find her way as a mercenary, feeling that sharpening her skills in the wider world would help exorcise the demons in her mind.
Mercenary
Alona's first stop after leaving Elbion was the city of Alliria. There she joined with the Blades of Alliria, a combination mercenary company and mercenary contracting organization. As a mercenary for the Blades, she joined in a local job to Clear out Goblins[1] in an ancient temple, and run bandits out of an old Allirian fort[2], and traveled to Vel Anir to see the pinnacle of human military might[3].
Character
Personality Traits
Focused - Alona is a very focused woman, she sets a goal, and she moves to attain that goal in as direct a path as possible. She won't do unscrupulous things to gain her goals, but she will fight tooth and nail to get there.
Nightmares - Alona suffers from the memories of her torture at the hands of her brother. As the memories continue to surface, they become more and more real to her.
Nightmares - Alona suffers from the memories of her torture at the hands of her brother. As the memories continue to surface, they become more and more real to her.
Skills and Abilities
Swordsaint - Few in Elbion could best Alona in a one-on-one match-up. She has focused her years of training well and is a magnificent weapons master.
