Post by Ac3 on Jun 21, 2023 22:26:04 GMT
Name: Katavasha
Alias: Prospect, Rakasha
Age: 24
Origin Game: Absolver
Homeland: Ripa, Adal
Faction: Blackstone Legion
Gender: Female
History: Katavasha grew up in the Ripa desert towns, the packed streets of Oasis bazaars making way for her formative life as a pickpocket. As she grew she went from hunting gold to hunting men, enduring herself to one of the Ripa assassin clans. As an assassin, she traveled through Uring and Adal, turning in a number of heads while learning the ways of the Tension Shards from her masters.
After the Calamity, Katavasha succumbed to the call to become a Prospect. She heard the Masters' voices in the air, and there was no greater way to become stronger than the ways of Folding and the title of Absolver. The life of an immortal warrior was too much to resist.
While at the Sanctuary, the monks taught her the way of folding and meditation, that her mind could be still, that the forms of the earth could be bent to her will, with some Essence and focus. As she learned to Fold, the monks took her to their master, the Etherean, and it beseeched to her the same mission all successful Prospects were given. Kill Risryn. The old Absolver trials had long ended since her betrayal, and she was the aim of all would be Absolvers. So she was thrown into the rubble of the empire, setting off to its center and to come out with Risryn's head.
As she waded through the ruins, fighting off the weak and those that abandoned their purpose, she came upon the Raslan Coliseum. There she met Kuretz, who called himself King of the Broken. The duel with him went well enough, until the rest of his fighters jumped in. She fell among them, their numbers too great, and became a Broken Prospect herself. She helped add many to their ranks, from those others who passed so early on their journey.
Some moons had passed before one came who finally defeated her, and Kuretz, ending his reign over the weak. Katavasha then challenged the prospect to a duel. They allowed eachother to heal at Guidance Bridge. The duel was blow for blow, the Prospect pulling out a blade and meaning to cut Katavasha down. She disarmed and gutted him, resigning herself from the task the monks and the Etherean had given her now that her bonds had been lifted. She traveled out of Adal, through distant lands to see what else the Fold had in store for her.
She found herself in the forests of Valkenheim, and found no rest amidst their constant raids. The hunt for food and shelter never ended, for her or the armies, and she constantly found herself in the middle of Viking conflicts. They drove her southward, to the sight of a great siege. After failing to scale down a wall under arrow fire, she found herself among other bound prisoners, in a line to be executed by the invading Knights. In a desperate lunge, she bit a guard's neck open, sprinting within the camp as she tore and cut away at the ropes. More Knights came upon her among the tents and lodging of the camp, Katavasha viciously defending herself. Darting between attackers, up and around structures, one corner brought her straight into their leader's claws. The knight was massive, like the shadow of a castle made form. The Knight held her out by the neck with one arm, her armor too much for Katavasha's panicked, indirect flails.
"Prove to us...what you really are." Throwing her to the ground, the black Knight began at her without hesitation. Katavasha rolled, kicking up dust. And as it cleared, their blades were poised at eachother's throats, though the knight had a grip of Katavasha's blade. The knight cackled, snapping the Prospect's blade and forcing her to her knees. The knight laid her own blade to Katavasha's throat. "A wolf, but you need to keep your teeth sharp. There are much tougher things than steel ahead for you here." As the knight bade her to stand, she handed back her broken blade.
"I am Apollyon," she said with a turn to the smoldering city beyond them, the cheers of victorious assault now ringing about the new banners. "you have hunted alone for too long, welcome to the Blackstone Legion."
Drive: Katavasha is driven by a desire to master herself completely, to have no obedience to any masters or otherwise. A lone wolf, by the words of Apollyon
Visuals
Visual Appearance: Katavasha's body is muscular and tone, built over years of hand to hand combat and scaling buildings. She is naturally tan with fair skin, with small, light stripes of scars from numerous encounters passed. Her hair is medium long and flows freely, however the wind may carry it, behind her mask.
Clothing/Armor: Katavasha wears layers of cloth with very little else other than some leather on her extremities and that which ties her pouch and sword to her person. She keeps the base of her colors black for the Legion, donning crimson robes and fauld overneath to catch the eyes of the strong on the battlefield.
Personality
Katavasha could be said to be brusque but patient, preferring to work alone and keep little company. When on the march she takes to scouting and in the field, no one is more enthusiastic to duel with an enemy general or second. She trains at war consistently, taking much of what the warriors around her can do into her own repertoire, as is the nature of the Fold.
Weapons/Items
*Blackstone Mask
After the glow had been stolen from her original Prospect mask by Kuretz, it had been dusty and gray, like stone, and heavy upon her head. Upon entering within the Legion, she gathered what Essence she had left and bid a blacksmith to fashion her a new mask, one befitting her new station and ferocity. She never takes it off, and it is what binds her to the use of the Fold itself.
*Blackstone Arming Sword
A sword of simple steel make, manufactured by Blackstone smiths specifically for Katavasha. A straight sword, light and sharp, that she might dance around and shred her enemies.
Abilities/Powers
Folding:
To Fold is to know something inside and out, to see each piece of it in Essence, and move that Essence by your own will. It's a weapon inventory in game you guys!
Kahlt Mastery:
Kahlt is a style of balance that sees their practitioners strike true when the moment is right. A straightforward style with aggression in mind, Katavasha's earliest fighting principles boiled down to: Hit First, Hit Hard.
Master Swordswoman:
Katavasha, from her days as an assassin for hire to her tutelage under Blackstone and its many members, she has done worthy work with a blade. Now among proper fighters, she has seen a sharp improvement to her skills with any blade, but especially with swords. Katavasha keeps herself nimble and aggressive, never still enough to taste the enemy's steel, but a pest even a master Nobushi could not easily see out of reach.
Tension: The monks first teach you the way of Tension, a way of storing energy in the body as combat becomes more intense. Near misses, enduring mighty blows, and successful special attacks and the like all create Tension, which can be used to lightly heal oneself, or make use of special powers and techniques.
Mastery by Osmosis:
The Monks teach you to not only fold your belongings and your energy, but the very world around you. A successfully defended attack can be folded into the user's mind over and over again, eventually mastering an enemy's techniques right out from under them. Though this takes much training, Many Prospects become Absolvers by virtue purely of what they have taken from others.
Roleplay Sample
Katavasha let her grip of dust out at Apollyon as she rolled back, scrambling to her feet. The Knight was too tall and the dirt only bounced off of her black armor in a cloud. Katavasha poised herself, darting to the side of the Knight then back again, slashing under her arms as she went. The chain held strong and only bled sparks, but it was enough to see Apollyon still. The knight raised her Flamberge and gave a heavy swing down. The Prospect spun around it with her own strike, again her waning blade too feeble to pierce between the black plate.
"Backbiter! Not afraid to take an advantage?" Apollyon reared back her sword but feinted the strike, baiting Katavasha's footwork. "I like that." Apollyon grabbed the Prospect by the arm, throwing her against the side of a hut. She went to claim another overhead strike, but Katavasha pressed herself into the Knight, twisting her legs around one of the Knight's knees in a scissor kick. They both went prone, Katavasha whirling her body to stand. Apollyon used her massive blade to lift herself, ready as the Prospect was upon her. She lifted the Flamberge to block, but caught a shin in her side. Katavasha reeled to follow with an elbow, before being slashed across the sides by the Knight's sharpened glove. She flicked the dripping blood from the back of her glove to the ground, the bright red spatter against the stamped mud and snow.
"You make quite the effort, stranger, to stay alive beneath the axe." They circled eachother for a moment, Knights and captives had drawn close to watch the spectacle. Apollyon waved them back, a hole in the crowd formed and beyond, the forest. "Maybe you're not a sheep. No...but maybe not a wolf either. A fox, maybe?" The Knight stood clear of the opening, the nearby treeline the only part of this place spared by the Legion now. "Will you still run? Or can you stand the fight, the struggle, unto death? How much is your honor worth, traveler?"
At this Katavasha lunged again, copying the feint Apollyon had used earlier and turned her blade, and dug its pommel into the Knight's ribs. Another low kick and a slash to the ribs before backing away to the same footing. Apollyon laughed, her fervor undeniable even beneath that obsidian helmet.
They saw the flash of eachother's steel again and moved. Katavasha twisting out of place and Apollyon heaving her great steel, they both swung at eachother, the resounding clang of meeting steel ringing about as they stood. The Prospect's blade had been too short, and was caught within the steel claws of Apollyon, who had her long blade poised over Katavasha's shoulder.
