Character Name: Cipher 19 (Lara)Gender: Female
Biography and Acts of Valor:
In Earth 5739281, there are a few key changes. For one, it's remarkably easy to get to-in the case of alternate dimensions, anyway. It's made it easy for other races to find them...which has had a host of bad effects.
In its early history, a mutagen plague spread by a passing species killed off nearly every person, or changed them. The reason for this is unknown, but it affected them unto the subatomic level, perhaps for some long planned future invasion. Here, Mankinds development was critically slowed, Rome never rose, and the dark ages never truly ended. Mankinds survivors also gained a psionic heritage, allowing nearly half to be able to manifest somehow, and the other half highly open to suggestion both good and bad. Nearly all them have 'hunches', or psychic twinges that allow them to better read people or places-and sometimes a prewarning of danger.
Next-The first World War happens, but it really was over by Christmas courtesy of Russias lightning Blitz-Nikola Teslas alternating current was adopted over direct-and in the year 1931, the secret to the fusion generator was discovered completely by accident, due again to the likely interference of other realms-perhaps one who was benevolent, even. This followed an expanded scope second, and third world wars, which took place primarily between an allied Africa and the US against Europe.. Instead of a steady technological progression, it all ground to a halt, resulting in the 'steampunk' fiction becoming reality. With the energy problem having been solved, all others became moot. In the year 1999, the world was devastated a third time-it's ice caps melted and it's people driven into the sea by a hive minded ocean dwelling race...which themselves became a victim of the same plague that effected the Humans. Only with them it was far more fatal. In their modern area, both sides were at an impasse, unable and unwilling to communicate
The only way for Humanity to go was up.
Our Heroes were born 100 years after all that, in one of the flying sea-fortresses armadas that still house what remains of Humanity. The Skyfleet Lusitan...home to almost ten thousand souls.
Her given name is Cipher-Lara is known to only herself and her partner. She and they exist in this smallest pocket of airborne civilization, as it's protectors- silent ones. Even on the Lusitan, there were enemies-foes that were infiltrators from other realities, whom her people had always despised. Seeking to steal their knowledge, their lives-whatever they could loot from a broken world.
They could not even use Shiftspace as others did to strike back-unique fluctuations in humanities atomic structure, remnants of the mutagenic weapons, made one way trips of nearly everyone who tried to leave, unable to return without going mad...their own technology is buried in the past, and no conventional force could hold these back. For that, they needed Ciphers. Psionically bonded agents trained to detect and remove threats before they could come to light.
Of 20 agents, she was number 19-two for every vessel under the fleets control. Her skills were subterfuge, charm, stealth and a dizzying array of spy gadgets and tools-most of them either steampunk tech or artifacts culled from those numerous alternate dimension incursions. She did what she had to do...and was counted for at least forty incursions stopped, many before they could do any damage.
Her fall came about swift-a duo mission, with her partner and bondmate, aiming to follow one of these strange invaders back through shiftspace, around what they hoped might turn out to be a portal that would allow two way travel for the inhabitants of their reality-a device they had never seen before. Given this might be their only chance to obtain a copy of the technology, they embarked on what was believed to be a suicide mission.
It turned out it was a trap for the spies. The Abomination was seemingly interested in their genetic abnormalities-and keen if they could unlock the secrets of the horrible viral weapon that was unleashed on their people so long ago.
Before her and her partners intellects and DNA could be devoured and digested, a surprise raid by alliance forces broke into the prison that held them. Not technically to rescue them, even, but fate has a strange way of sparing people for grater things.
Faced with no easy easy way back home-the Abomination is not keen to help them-and an impending threat larger than anything, Cipher 19 and her partner volunteered to join the team. Given the lack of trained field intelligence specialists, and even fewer with such in depth knowledge as planar infiltration as them, they were rapidly accepted. Her only condition was, in the unlikely event they succeed, her world be offered full membership and protective rights by the newly formed alliance.
Description: Cipher 19 is a brunette woman of around 23 years of age, ocean-blue eyes, her Caucasian skin permanently tanned-she is short and thin to the overt eye, perhaps even sickly, but this is but a cover for an impressive physique gained from her life of service in the Ciphers.
When not on mission, she is usually dressed in heavy coats and scarves as if constantly cold-this is because her own world has a slightly warmer, older sun than our own. She prefers to wear blue tinted goggles casually as a fashion statement, again since the suns of other worlds are usually brighter than her own. She has been described as classically beautiful, without being overpowering-accentuated, without being obvious. She hass the classic look of the best agents, which is to say, barely noticeable at all if she chooses.
Mentally, Lara is a supremely confident person, bordering on reckless-she's rarely if ever experienced defeat or setback, and prefers life lived on the razors edge. In her own mind, she is the best, and has the skills to prove it to anyone. She is reserved and closed off in most ways socially, a byproduct of the close bond with Desmond. When two have shared so much, ordinary friendships can sometimes seem trivial and pointless. She is not in any way an honorable or honest person, and enjoys deception and mindgames. Whatever it takes to win...her only weakness is her greatest strength, which is her bondmate. Lying, hurting or deceiving him is unthinkable-like cutting off her own hand would be.
While she has no qualms about sacrifice, she couldn't imagine living without Desmond...and if her own life could be traded to save his, she would do so in an instant.
Aptitudes: Subterfuge, Retinue/Cipher agents typically do not draw their weapons unless they needed. They rely on stealth, cunning and charm to accomplish their missions, only relying on brute force only if all others options are expended.
They typically carry snubnose pistols, SMG's, sawed off shotguns, knives and swords. All easy to conceal, if needed-and by dint of their environment, less likely to damage the air ships they call home. Cipher agents prefer quick, clean kills from ambush-leaving few witnesses. They do not enjoy protracted firefights, and usually do not engage in them-if given a choice, they will close ground and strike in melee, where their exceptional skill with martial arts and melee weapons gives them an edge.
When forced into open battle, the are trained to travel light, think on their feet, use the terrain, and fight like Hell. They are masters of small arms and close combat tactics-the cramped and dangerous airships they inhabit require extreme levels of personal mobility and dexterity, giving them a style of movement not unlike parkour would be. A certain fearlessness and daring is inherent, when a single bad jump could land one into a deep monster infested sea. Since Cipher agents work in pairs, they typically train for years in tandem fighting, each on supporting the other on instinct-if one Cipher is vicious, two are deadly.
Other: Nearly all of Ciphers stealth equipment runs on fusion driven steam power-at small sizes it doesn't last long, but the effects are impressive-she could many boast offensive and defensive gadgets, though her primary skill is with the steamrapier-a weapon that is like a sword in most respects, in the difference that its razored vibroedges can be turned on at will for a short time, to cut through almost anything. Her peoples scavenger existence has made it so a combination of time, clean salt water and organic matter (such as old banana peels or fish scales) in a backpack sized generator is all that's needed to synthesize the reaction fuel needed to keep them running.
To her credit, she carries very little on her at any one time-relying on wits over technology.
She also has a random assortment of relics she's kept as trophies from her victories, some of which she doesn't even know the true function of.
Retinue: Cipher 20 (Desmond)Biography and Acts of Valor:
Every Cipher is bonded with another of their order, at some point in their life. Done so by a group called the Order of the Psion, they link two agents deeper than any conventional way ever could. Bondmates.
Code name Ciper 20, named Desmond to only himself and his bondmate, he was one of the best in his business-one that usually spoils lives and sullies hopes, more often than not. He was a natural match for Lara, an upcoming hotshot-and he despaired that such bonds are usually forced if not chosen, and so was glad to find her. Luckily, there was something more between them.
He was drawn to Lara by a combination of her strength and will-such things are easy for a psionic to manipulate into a bond. In her 20th year, and his 23rd they were willfully joined mind to mind, body to body, soul to soul. Sharing their deepest thoughts and feeling, they knew each other more intimately than any other person...and they could do wonders together. They could intuitively trust the other in every regard-judge each others actions before they could-perform acts of impossible subterfuge and coordination. The perfect team. Their bond is not entirely psychic, more instinctual and emotional, but it is reinforced every year...and with every year, it grows stronger.
Desmond has followed Lara through whatever all she has faced, and never looked back. His mind and her skill-their deep trust and love-make them a potent team. He knows the dangers, and accepts them...yet, his hope for any future between them is dimming as the Abomination spreads-and how can you tell someone you love everything will be all right when they will know...that you don't truly believe it?
Description: A pleasant seeming man of 26, forest-green eyes, with perpetually messy brown hair and a decent physique. Like his partner, he prefers heavy clothing as if cold, carries little, and seems innocuous. To the untrained eye.
He is similar to Lara in most ways, but a bit more level headed. He is usually the tactical eye that foresees a fight, and tells his partner when the risk is just too much to make the jump, when to slow down and listen. In many ways, he walks an even tighter rope than she-struggling to keep their emotions focused on the mission, to seem supportive but not controlling. He is very careful in his deliberations, but when given a task, he will always try to see it through. While he is something of a killer, he truly lacks the bloodlust that Lara has for battle-deep down, he prefers reason over chaos, and peace over violence. In another world, he would probably be happy as a gardener.
Still, he is no stranger to deception either. While he does not enjoy it, he is no less a master-his strong moral center making him even more dedicated to doing what must need be done, regardless of the cost. He has long realized that he could lie or deceive his bondmate, if he had to-even if he could never forgive himself. It's the sort of person he is.
While he has no qualms about sacrifice, he couldn't imagine living without Lara...and if his own life could be traded to save hers, he would do so in an instant.
Aptitudes: Subterfuge
OOC/Here we go.
I realize this probably sucks a bit and has a fair amount of errors, but I'm reaaaally tired right now lol
Will fix hopefully when I wake.
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Topic: Heroes of Mankind - OOC and Application Thread (Started!) (Read 8899 times)