Description

Age:31
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 111 lbs.
Hair color: Crimson
Eye color: Crimson
Scars: Tear-stain shaped scars run down Kelai's cheeks
Defining features: Like all Shades, Kelai's canine teeth are elongated, and her body is extremely gaunt.

Personality

All traces of her former personality erased, Kelai now serves as her master's attack dog. While she is ruthless, Kelai isn't an insane hate machine. If a situation requires some civility, she can handle that. She's served as a spy, emissary, assassin, and more for her master. In combat, however, all trace of humanity is thrown out the window. She attacks her foes with a ferocity and cunning that is almost unmatchable. Kelai is also versed in forbidden spells and techniques, which makes her an unpredictable combatant. Of course, no power is without drawbacks, and Kelai isn't invincible. When she taps into her inner power, it frees the spirits inside her to push for complete control. Her "guests" lust for blood and destruction, and when they manage to gain control of her body, they lay waste to all around her. Once their limit is reached, however, she slips into a micro coma to recover the massive amount of energy expended. At these times, Kelai is more vulnerable than a grounded bird.

Equipment

Putting her great strength to good use, Kelai specializes in heavy weapons. Her favorite is a portable ballista, which can fire bolts larger around than a man's arm up to 100 meters in distance and still tear the wings off a fly. If an enemy manages to make it through her fire, then she has her backup weapon; a wicked mace that is heavy enough to crush skulls through armor. If all that fails, she is adept at hand to hand combat.

Kelai dresses in a simple black tunic and breeches when not in combat, unless she is on a special mission for her master. As an emissary or spy, Kelai wears the clothing of the local populace, as well as a wig and colored lenses to disguise her nature as a Shade. Her preferred armor in combat, however, is a heavy spike-covered platemail. She delights in the pain and grevious injury that her armor can inflict, as by simply running into someone is enough to cause terrible wounds. The armor is enchanted to grow the spines back if they are ever broken off, as well as a small amount of flame defense.

History

Once a pious priestess, Kelai Marakos was abducted by a wicked sorcerer and taken to a far away lair. There, she was tortured for days on end until she broke down and surrendered to her captors. Her faith and fortitude had been blocking their attempts to bind spirits into her, but once she surrendered herself to them, the process was swift. At first, the sorcerers thought the process had gone wrong since she wasn't submitting to their orders. It wasn't until she'd slaughtered them all that they realized their mistake; they didn't know her new true name. Left to her own devices, Shade Marakos explored the stronghold she'd found herself in, learning about the people that had once inhabited it and their ways. She picked up a fair amount of knowledge of the forbidden arts there, but it wasn't enough in the end. She finally broke out of her prison and set her sights on the world at large.

For a couple months, Marakos sated her bloodlust by preying on a small village, killing them in terrible and inventive ways. Once she became bored of that game, she moved on to a bigger city in hopes that there would be an actual challenge there. Once again, she was disappointed. However, her exploits had reached the ears of someone that normally didn't take notice of the world under them. He had to send three messengers before she finally stopped just killing them and actually listened to their message. The fact that someone wanted to meet her and wasn't quaking in fear piqued her curiosity.

Wealth and land held no interest to Shade Marakos, but power...power was very interesting. Upon meeting the man who had summoned her, his air of absolute authority and disdain for all around him intrigued her. Who in their right minds wouldn't fear a Shade? Her interest caused her to meet this man, but his promises are what made her decide to stay. He promised power, wealth, blood...many things. Even more curious, he demanded nothing of her, simply that she stay and hear him out a bit. A partnership with a powerful man suited Kelai far more than terrorizing small hamlets for her own amusement.

After many months of carrying out contracts and assignments for her new master, Kelai's name became known in the underworld as a synonym for fear. Fear of the darkness, of the light, of your empty bedroom, even of a crowded place. She could strike anywhere, get into any building, take down any target. Her master began selling her services to the highest bidder, and they didn't come cheap. Now, with the onset of the Grey Folk, Shade Marakos is busier than ever.

So begins...

Kelai Marakos's Story

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Setting

Inheritance Cycle, aka Alagasea

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#2012-12-01 20:38:32, as written by Basta

"Please, sir? Money for a poor, starving widow?" begged a raggedy woman from an alleyway. The noble she'd queried turned to her incredulously, as if he couldn't believe such scum existed, much less had the audacity to speak to him. He felt soiled by her presence, and wasn't afraid to show it. Inhaling deeply, the man spat into her bowl, covering some of the money given to her with a blob of phlegm.

"Thank you, sir..." mumbled the beggar. Nose turned upward, the noble marched on, no doubt to conduct some important dealing or another. He didn't even think twice about the woman he just scorned. That was his second to last mistake. As soon as he was out of sight range, Shade Marakos unfolded herself from under her filthy rags and retreated deeper into the alley. She shed her disguise, quickly cleaning herself with magic and changing into a more fine regalia, something suited to a lesser noble. Focusing, she felt the resonance of the marker she'd bound to the noble's leg as he passed her and began to track him.

Gallant Masters entered his uncles estate, frowning heavily and lost in thought. This morning he'd received a letter stating that his uncle had fallen ill, which worried him. Gallant needed his uncle to stay healthy, as he had no other means of income and wasn't keen on losing his posh lifestyle. He was greeted by a servant and led to a side parlor where he was instructed to wait while his uncle was fetched.

"Must be serious if Uncle is making me wait. I hope the old fool didn't catch fever again," whined Gallant. A half hour passed before the same servant entered the room, handing him a paper and quill.

"Another love letter? Uncle needs to stop trying to arrange a marriage for me," he muttered. Scribbling on it quickly, Gallant didn't even read the document. His last mistake.

"You really should have considered being a kinder man. You've many enemies far wealthier than your precious uncle." Before the confused young man could speak, a fist collided with his face so hard that it tore his head off at the neck. Shade Marakos rolled up the deed to his family's property, along with the one his uncle had signed before he, too, was murdered, and put them in her coat. No longer needing the disguise, she removed her wig and lenses, stowed them in a case, and glided out the front door.

Those that recognized her, turned away, and those that didn't followed the trend. No one wanted to attract the attention of someone that exuded as much danger as this woman. Kelai met with one of her contacts at a local inn, trading the man the two deeds for a bag of gold and sending him on his way. She ordered a drink from the bartender with a smile, baring her fangs and laughing at his fear. She thoroughly enjoyed causing discomfort to others.

---

Setting

Inheritance Cycle, aka Alagasea

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#2012-12-05 08:22:04, as written by Basta

Her master had impeccable timing. Kelai had been in that dinky town for far too long, and was starting to get the killing urge when one of his messengers showed up with a summons. Snatching it from his hand greedily, Kelai's expression changed from excitement to disbelief extremely quickly.

"The Spine? What's so important at the Spine?!" exclaimed the incredulous Shade. Still, her master didn't give her busy work, so it must be important. Without complaining further, she retrieved her belongings and mounted her horse, making for the estate where she lived. Her master had impeccable taste, and his home reflected it. Beautiful gardens, fancy house, and bright open scenery not only communicated his wealth, but also his intelligence. While some of his business ventures were "below the table", her master was mostly legal, which helped to allay most suspicions people could have of him.

After a grueling three day journey, Shade Marakos couldn't have been happier to return home. She was greeted at the door by a servant, who took her belongings to her room while she went to visit her master. Not one for formalities, Kelai simply pushed the door to his study open and entered. Her master didn't seem surprised or annoyed, but waited until he'd finished reading some legal document before addressing his servant.

"Your task went well, I see. The properties will be re-purposed shortly, and as always you'll get a say in how it's done." He paused a second to glance back at the paper before removing his spectacles and looking the Shade in the eyes. "You're no doubt curious about my missive. I've had agents come to me with information that a dragon has been spotted in the Spine." Marakos' eyes lit up on that note. "Of course, you know I can't trust anyone but you, so I'm sending you to investigate. Now, listen close. I know you enjoy a challenge, but you are not to engage this supposed dragon unless your life is threatened. I want to learn about it...maybe see if it can be bent to my...our will. So, for my sake and yours, play nice. That's all. You have one day to recuperate and then I expect you to be off. Grima will get you any supplies you might need." Her master turned back to his papers, indicating that he was through with her.

'A dragon! Ooohh a real challenge! I'd love to see its eyes fade as I choke the life...' The last part of her instructions replayed in her head. No fighting. It was almost enough to cause a Shade to grind her teeth, but once again, her master had a reason for all this. A dragon serving them would be an incredible boon, true, but being forbidden to kill it almost hurt her physically. Then again, magic wasn't really fighting, was it? She'd have to see if there was a way to get around her orders this time. After all, how often do Shades and Dragons clash? Three times in known history? Marakos grinned at the thought. She'd gladly risk death if it meant the chance to murder one of the strongest magically inclined creatures on the planet.

The following day saw Kelai lounging about the mansion and tormenting the servants, having a bit of fun before being off on business. The morning of her departure, her masters other most trusted servant, Grima, handed her the map of the region, as well as the last known location of the dragon. She took the map and turned to leave, but suddenly whipped about and hissed at him, causing the dour servant to jump backwards in fright. Kelai cackled aloud, then turned and left, leaving Grima in a sourer mood then before, if that was even possible. She decided it would be more expedient if she traveled on foot this time, as her armor would allow her to scale the mountains with ease.

Taking off at a dead sprint, Kelai blazed through the rocky countryside, entering the Spine within the second day. She had to stop briefly to refil her reserves of stamina, using one of the forbidden techniques with which she was familiar to siphon life energy from the local flora and fauna. Around midday on the fourth day of her travel, Kelai began to see markers from her map, so she slowed to a jog to better scan her surroundings. Kelai altered the color of her armor with magic, turning it snow white and slightly reflective, to better help her blend in. Luckily she'd left her weapons at home, so she didn't have to worry about that.

After hours of searching, Shade Marakos almost let her frustration cause her to become reckless, but she felt a brush of a vast mind in the distance. From the stories she'd heard, there was no doubt it was a dragon. Zeroing in on where she'd felt the touch, Kelai erected a mirror wall around her mind, effectively camouflaging her mind from prying eyes. Hopefully the dragon didn't notice her presence in that brief touch, or if it did, it wasn't enough to spook it.

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