Faerlin Dercaiya
Appearance
What is first readily apparent about Faerlin is her build. Unlike most women, she has honed her body to be as strong as that of any man. Years of combat training and wearing heavy armor has left her a solid mass of muscle. Her broad shoulders are the envy of many. However, people find her unapproachable. Perhaps it has something to do with her demeanor; she never smiles, and her green eyes are often piercing and cold. Her features have been hardened by being hit a few two many times in the face, and her nose is crooked from being broken and not set properly, but they remain relatively delicate despite this, a fact she loathes. Granted, it makes people underestimate her, but she’d prefer it if she had the rugged looks of one of her male compatriots.
Indeed, her one concession to her femininity is her strawberry blonde hair, which she keeps shoulder length in a tight braid, usually coiled on the top of her head. To avoid it being a liability in a fight, she weaves in a spiked cord, so that any opponent grabbing it is in for a nasty surprise, or keeps it under her helmet. It’s rare to see her without her longsword, shield, and plate armor, but when she is not wearing them she can often be found in loose fitting clothes that allow ease of movement.
Indeed, her one concession to her femininity is her strawberry blonde hair, which she keeps shoulder length in a tight braid, usually coiled on the top of her head. To avoid it being a liability in a fight, she weaves in a spiked cord, so that any opponent grabbing it is in for a nasty surprise, or keeps it under her helmet. It’s rare to see her without her longsword, shield, and plate armor, but when she is not wearing them she can often be found in loose fitting clothes that allow ease of movement.
Skills and Abilities
As a soldier trained by the greatest war machine known to Arethil, Faerlin is skilled in a variety of weapons and combat styles. While she can fight unarmed or with weapons as varied as a morning-star or a quarterstaff, by far her weapon of choice is a longsword with a shield, and she is deadly and graceful with both. From a distance, she prefers to attack with a longbow, but she’d rather get up close and personal with her enemies. She also has the strength and endurance required to wield her weapons and fight a whole battle—a whole campaign, even—while wearing full plate armor.
Furthermore, Faerlin is a paladin of Nykios, and is capable of channeling his divine might through her. Specifically, she has been granted the ability to curse her foes for a variety of effects. These range from weakening them physically, to stirring fear in their minds, to causing disease in their ranks. It gives her a deadly edge in any fight and makes her invaluable in pitched battles.
Unfortunately, while she has honed herself into the perfect Vel Anir soldier, she is solely lacking outside that specific fear. Indeed, beyond fighting and the other skills necessary to a campaign (camp skills like cooking and pitching a tent, to some logistics training), she has no marketable skills. Even worse, she has no head for politics, social niceties, or leadership, all important for her to rise in the ranks as she so desperately desires.
Furthermore, Faerlin is a paladin of Nykios, and is capable of channeling his divine might through her. Specifically, she has been granted the ability to curse her foes for a variety of effects. These range from weakening them physically, to stirring fear in their minds, to causing disease in their ranks. It gives her a deadly edge in any fight and makes her invaluable in pitched battles.
Unfortunately, while she has honed herself into the perfect Vel Anir soldier, she is solely lacking outside that specific fear. Indeed, beyond fighting and the other skills necessary to a campaign (camp skills like cooking and pitching a tent, to some logistics training), she has no marketable skills. Even worse, she has no head for politics, social niceties, or leadership, all important for her to rise in the ranks as she so desperately desires.
Personality
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Faerlin is that she is tough. Indeed, she maintains a hard edge at all times, even becoming hostile when people try to befriend her. She definitely comes across as abrasive, something she would actually welcome and agree with. Having grown up on the streets of Vel Anir, she is very much of the mindset that might makes right, and that physical and mental prowess in battle matters above all. While this might make her the model soldier, it doesn’t serve her well in other arenas. Indeed, even among her fellow soldiers she has few, if any friends. Luckily, she’s not looking for friendship.
The second thing that comes to mind in regards to Faerlin is her faith. Indeed, her unwavering devotion to Nykios has led to her being labeled a fanatic, both in her devotion to her god and her country. She usually dedicates her victories (of which there are many) to him. While she doesn’t preach his ways, she tries to show the value of worshiping the god through her actions.
Underneath both of these is a single minded drive to be the best, to excel, to whatever she commits her time to. She hopes to rise above her lowly station—and to wash away the shame of her father—by becoming one of the heroes of her people. And she’s not worried about those she has to step on to get to that point.
The second thing that comes to mind in regards to Faerlin is her faith. Indeed, her unwavering devotion to Nykios has led to her being labeled a fanatic, both in her devotion to her god and her country. She usually dedicates her victories (of which there are many) to him. While she doesn’t preach his ways, she tries to show the value of worshiping the god through her actions.
Underneath both of these is a single minded drive to be the best, to excel, to whatever she commits her time to. She hopes to rise above her lowly station—and to wash away the shame of her father—by becoming one of the heroes of her people. And she’s not worried about those she has to step on to get to that point.
Biography & Lore
Faerlin’s story was not uncommon among the citizens of Vel Anir. Born to one of the poorest families in the city, her father had been a failed and soldier in the army, who was forced to work on repairing the walls and buildings that kept them all secure, while her mother had been a washerwoman. The two of them hadn’t loved each other, per se, but had banded together for mutual survival. Indeed, Faerlin remembered her parents fighting constantly, the stresses of life causing them to take it out on one another because they couldn’t take it out on anyone else.
They had very little time for Faerlin growing up; indeed, she was left to her own devices more often than not. As a result, she grew up wandering the streets, doing odd tasks and running messages for just a little bit of coin or food, learning to keep herself disciplined and strong where her parents were not. Indeed, lacking the parents to teach her the ethics and morals most children learned, Faerlin instead took her lessons from the culture of Vel Anir itself.
When she had free time, she would spend it watching the soldiers drilling, sometimes even trying to emulate their graceful and strong movements. They represented the best that Vel Anir had to offer, and Faerlin yearned to one day be them. Luckily, the Anirian Guard accepted women, so that dream could come true one day. So long as Faerlin survived to see it.
Her life changed one summer when she was ten. She’d been running messages, and one of them had taken her to the temple of Nykios. Neither of her parents were religious at all, more prone to curse the gods than worship them. Still, after her task was complete, she stood in the back, allowing the words to wash over her. Something in them struck a chord deep within her, one that resonated in time with the beat of Vel Anir’s ideals.
The day she came of age, Faerlin enrolled in the Guard under the banners of House Weiroon, though she holds no particular fealty to that family, but rather to Vel Anir as a whole. She quickly became known as one of the most talented recruits in their ranks; unfortunately, that reputation was matched only by her reputation for having a harsh personality, which prevented her from being considered for a role as an officer. She didn’t even notice, too focused on honing her mind and body into weapons.
One day, in a particularly vicious—and annoyingly even—sparring match, she growled out “Nykios take you.” To the surprise of her, the onlookers, and her hapless opponent, the man she was facing let out a scream of pain and collapsed. When they finally peeled the armor off him, they found him covered in sores. It was then that Faerlin understood that her devotion to Nykios had paid off, and that she was one of the blessed few chosen to wield his divine might. From that day forward, her zeal doubled, and her training was altered so that she could develop both her divine magic and her combat skills in a devastating combination. Even today, her abilities in both magic and might set her apart from her fellow Guards, and she finds that completely acceptable.
They had very little time for Faerlin growing up; indeed, she was left to her own devices more often than not. As a result, she grew up wandering the streets, doing odd tasks and running messages for just a little bit of coin or food, learning to keep herself disciplined and strong where her parents were not. Indeed, lacking the parents to teach her the ethics and morals most children learned, Faerlin instead took her lessons from the culture of Vel Anir itself.
When she had free time, she would spend it watching the soldiers drilling, sometimes even trying to emulate their graceful and strong movements. They represented the best that Vel Anir had to offer, and Faerlin yearned to one day be them. Luckily, the Anirian Guard accepted women, so that dream could come true one day. So long as Faerlin survived to see it.
Her life changed one summer when she was ten. She’d been running messages, and one of them had taken her to the temple of Nykios. Neither of her parents were religious at all, more prone to curse the gods than worship them. Still, after her task was complete, she stood in the back, allowing the words to wash over her. Something in them struck a chord deep within her, one that resonated in time with the beat of Vel Anir’s ideals.
The day she came of age, Faerlin enrolled in the Guard under the banners of House Weiroon, though she holds no particular fealty to that family, but rather to Vel Anir as a whole. She quickly became known as one of the most talented recruits in their ranks; unfortunately, that reputation was matched only by her reputation for having a harsh personality, which prevented her from being considered for a role as an officer. She didn’t even notice, too focused on honing her mind and body into weapons.
One day, in a particularly vicious—and annoyingly even—sparring match, she growled out “Nykios take you.” To the surprise of her, the onlookers, and her hapless opponent, the man she was facing let out a scream of pain and collapsed. When they finally peeled the armor off him, they found him covered in sores. It was then that Faerlin understood that her devotion to Nykios had paid off, and that she was one of the blessed few chosen to wield his divine might. From that day forward, her zeal doubled, and her training was altered so that she could develop both her divine magic and her combat skills in a devastating combination. Even today, her abilities in both magic and might set her apart from her fellow Guards, and she finds that completely acceptable.
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