Sunday, December 17, 2006

Introducing our heroes





From left to right, we have Grigori Larsa, Braydon Grath, Tagrak Boomtongue, Ian Cathmore, and Islene Hartwick, the noble (or at least intrepid) heroes of our tale. Here we see them strolling the Rigs of Five Fingers--something they have, in fact, never yet done, though I imagine they'll get around to it eventually.

The Rigs, by the way, are a tremendous network of ropes and scaffolding built across the rooftops of Five Fingers. The most roguish part of a roguish city, the Rigs are populated by the sort of colorful individuals who prefer not being required to answer to authority. Surely our enterprising adventurers would feel right at home there.

But let us become acquainted with the heroes of the piece.

Islene Hartwick is something of a crusader. A noble and patriotic soul, she holds herself ever ready to step forth to serve the cause of right. Indeed, she has even been awarded a knighthood by the King of Cygnar for her services to the crown, much to her parents' combined pride and dismay. Though she comes from a wealthy, well-educated family, taking her for an easy target would be a fatal mistake. Islene is in fact a gunmage, a unique sort of sorcerer (or sorceress) who has learned to channel her magic through her firearms to deadly effect. She hopes one day to train as a warcaster, a mage who learns how to channel their power in order to control warjacks, the deadly, hulking steamjacks built specifically for warfare.

Ian Cathmore is a kind and faithful priest of Morrow. Though an exceedingly well-meaning young man who, with Islene, forms the moral backbone of the group, his somewhat orthodox background occasionally trips him up. Ian grew up on the streets of Corvis as a thief and pickpocket, until he was taken in to be raised by a gentle priest named Himerald. This, it turns out, is only half the story, as he recently discovered that the father he never knew had been an assassin for Vinter Raelthorne's Inquisition. Ian, too, is knighted by the King of Cygnar, and is enamored of a young priestess named Alicia Blair. The two make a nauseatingly cute couple.

Tagrak Boomtongue is a Trollkin Fell Caller, one of those dauntless Trollkin individuals whose voice is so powerful it can be cultivated as a weapon. Tagrak often eschews it, however, in favor of beating the living daylights out of those who cross him. When not relishing battle, he may usually be found relishing food, or alternatively drink or possibly a good party, if there's one to be found. A being of simple tastes and pleasures, he nonetheless enjoys practicing what he likes to call the art of 'diplomacy,' which in his case consists mostly of telling colorful stories about himself or of looming menacingly over uncooperative personages until they agree to his demands.

Braydon Grath is a Scharde, one of the men of sinister Cryx. Having...if not more morals then at least more discretion than most of his countrymen, he contrived to escape his homeland first as a pirate (a time-honored Cryxian profession) and then to simply book it for the mainland at his first opportunity. He left what might be charitably referred to as an 'adoptive family' on the islands, which he hopes fervently never to see again. A fairly relaxed soul aside from his ingrained paranoia, he is largely content to follow the lead of his companions, and remains bemused at the concept of having trustworthy friends.

Grigori Larsa is a roguish archaeologist with an obsession for the Orgoth. He firmly believes they will return one day, and counts it as his duty to the world to learn everything he possibly can so that the inhabitants of Immoren will be prepared for that day. Today, he works for the University of Corvis as their Orgoth expert, but he was not always so proper. Hailing from Five Fingers, that bastion of thieves, Grigori once made it his profession to rob tombs. This backfired terribly on him when he robbed an Orgoth tomb, only to be possessed by an Infernal that had lain trapped there for centuries. Though Grigori regained himself shortly after, this has left what you might call a mark, and it promises to leave some marks on his friends as well...

1 Comments:

  • Gentle? Himerald isn't gentle! Have you seen that man's Warhammer?!?!

    By Blogger Nicolle, at 2:58 PM  

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