C A S T A || M A R K O S
"For my Queen, nothing is too great.â
"For my Queen, nothing is too great.â
P H Y S I C A L I T Y
Appearance
Hair: She has long brown, almost auburn hair that tumbles down her shoulders and falls to just past her shoulders. Though it is usually kept up and under her helmet, when it is down there is no denying that it is rather a mess. She has more important matters to deal with than her personal appearance and as long as it does not hinder her in battle she could care less. Occasionally someone will ask why she does not just cut it all off. Her replies are not exactly polite.
Facial Hair: None.
Eyes: A deep yet bright brown that reflects light not unlike a steel blade.
Build: Casta has a somewhat stocky build for a woman, her body honed after years of training and testing on battlefields and elsewhere. While wearing her armor it is easy to confuse her for a man, both because of the lack of distinct features but also because she has the barely defined muscle of someone who was born with a sword in their hands. She is rarely seen without the vast majority of her armor, but those who have seen her in more noble-esque clothes such as robes rarely connect her with the intimidating guard of the Queen. Casta is by no means a small woman and she knows it; she has, indeed, trained herself to be at the peak physical capabilities and it shows.
Skin Tone: A faded bronze color, more prevalent in torch or sunlight than anywhere else.
Height: 5â 10â
Weight: Roughly 150 pounds; of course with her armor this number goes up substantially.
Voice: Her voice is relatively deep for someone born a woman, but not nearly enough to attempt to pass as male. As far as singing talents, letâs just say that there is a reason Casta uses a sword.
Handed: Originally left handed, she has trained herself to be able to use either hand without care.
Body Markings: Casta does not have any tattoos or other markings that would make her stand out anymore than necessary; she rarely does undercover work but she also would never do such a thing without asking her Queen for permission first.
Scar Tissue: Surprisingly, most of her scars remain hidden as long as she wears her armor. There are several notable marks on her torso from earlier events, as well as a long line on her back from a single whip lash.
Unique Body Features: None.
Name
Casta Markos
Nickname
Champion (often the only name she is ever referred by, though she does not mind)
Queenâs Knight (a somewhat more casual term, though still considered respectful in courts)
Cas (a childhood name, one that she has not heard for many years)
Title
The Queenâs Champion
Race
Human
Visual Age
28/29
Factual Age
30
Gender
Female
Sexual Orientation
Asexual Panromantic
Mage Ranking
Noram
Class
Knight
M E N T A L I T Y
Personality
She is not particularly complicated, given her simple(r) way of thinking about things and the fact that she trusts the Queen enough to allow her to make the important decisions. However, Casta has a vibrant personality that is easy enough to understand and, if one so chooses, even manipulate⊠though the fact remains that she will always value the Queen above anyone else, including herself. Castaâs sense of self-sacrifice is not necessarily a new development, though nobody who was not one of the original disciples of Aule really know how deep Castaâs loyalty runs.
Casta is a warrior, simply put. She lives for the ease of combat, where it is no struggle to tell one side from the other and victory comes when the other side is done bleeding. That is often how she lives her life: there is good, there is bad, and that is that. She does not so much as question orders given to her by the Queen because all of the royal family are good. Castaâs almost blind obedience is only matched by her loyalty to the people she serves. Even if the rest of the kingdom wants the Queen dead, Casta will protect her with her life. And nobody could convince her otherwise.
That being said, there are other aspects to Castaâs personality that must be taken into account. She has a strong sense of personal morals, such as the idea that killing children or innocents is wrong and that stealing is looked down upon. Casta understands that some rules must be bent during wartime, or against enemy combatants, but she has never been comfortable with the idea of spies or torture. Even taking prisoners is a difficult matter for her; she dislikes having to feed and care for them, which her honor demands, but she also does not want to kill them if they are unable to fight back. While Casta can suspend her morals to a certain extent, after enough time she cannot remain silent. Itâs just not who she is.
When she does find herself disagreeing with someone, which has not been the case for many years, Casta does not back down or compromise. She is stubborn, yes, and does not believe that giving up a little to gain a lot is worth it. There are no shades of gray in this matter: she either gets what she wants or she does not. Partially adopted from her moral code, this way of looking at life helps remove complications and allows her to file people into enemies and allies. There is no category for friends, because the Queen requires her full attention. Indeed, if anyone could qualify as something more than an ally it would be the Messiah, though Casta would never even suggest that they are anything other than master and loyal servant.
Though there is the common conception that her entire life centers around fighting and protecting the royal family, and though that is certainly a large part she has other interests as well. For example, if one were to engage her in a discussion of books they would discover that she is actually rather well-read and enjoys such conversations rather well. Far from being a simple sword-swinger, Casta has a depth of knowledge and often yearns to discover new things. Of course she does not have much time for anything that doesnât have to do with protecting the royal family⊠but itâs there. Natural curiosity and all that.
Furthermore, Casta has been told that she can be rather sarcastic and witty when given the opportunity. This is rare and her main source of humor is the deadpan tone of voice she often employs when talking to others, but there are occasions where she cracks jokes. These are rare, as are the moments when she laughs at other things people say, but that does not mean she doesnât appreciate them. Casta just doesnât find it appropriate to laugh in most cases. She does enjoy the occasional fools who find themselves in the castle for whatever reason.
Neutral Good
Motivation
Casta is has the simple goal of protecting the royal family, though the Queen is the most important of them all. She does believe, despite any doubts that may linger in her mind, that the Queen is the best ruler for Dorelith and that no one else could possibly bring peace and unity to the nation. For that reason, Casta will defend the Queen and her family to the end.
Fears
Failure; A natural thing to fear, something that Casta cannot stand even the thought of. She refuses to imagine a future in which her Queen dies or is defeated because that would be the end of all Casta has ever found herself loyal to. During the long nights, Casta will occasionally dream of her Queen and the royal family murdered⊠on those nights, Casta does not sleep.
Helplessness; Casta still remembers the mind-numbing feeling of being at another personâs mercy, unable to know if they will help or harm her, and she is determined to never experience that again.
Aule; Oh, of course she still worships the god and believes everything the Queen tells her about the God of Mercy, but Casta cannot shake from her bones a sense that something is wrong about the god. She knows that she cannot do anything against him, however, and keeps her thoughts to herself.
Likes
Horses; As a child, Casta has fond memories learning how to ride horses. As the years have passed, she has grown more and more close to the creatures and enjoys their presence as both relaxing and overall comforting.
Warm Food; After years of low quality everything, Casta has come to appreciate the simple comforts in life like good food.
Winning; To put it simply, Casta is only human. She does not like to lose and she very much likes to prove why she is the Queenâs champion and not some other person. Fortunately, she rarely loses.
The Royal Family; Of course to some extent her love of the royals is a job requirement, but on the other hand it stems from her respect for the Queen and the idolization she has for her. That is not to say that Casta finds the family perfect, but she generally can look past any of their faults.
Dislikes
Daemons; The beasts disgust Casta and she really doesnât know why they are tolerated to exist. If it were up to her, she would lead a crusade against them and wipe them from the continent.
Snow; Casta hates the cold and the snow really just symbolizes the worst of it. She finds no redeeming aspects about snow and abhors it on principle.
Mermaids; She regards them almost as lowly as she considers daemons. The only thing better about mermaids is at least they stick to the sea.
Strengths
Swordsmanship; Casta has been extensively trained in the art of using a sword to injure or kill another person under almost any condition. She has earned her place time and time again as the champion and there is a reason her weapon is a sword.
Endurance; Much like any other soldier, Casta has been through hell and back in the name of her Queen and it is shown every time she is put to the test. Casta has always been a natural survivor and she does not do the âgiving upâ thing; she will pass out before stopping if she has not reached her goal.
Physical Abilities; Due to both training and good genes, Casta is pretty much a specimen of physical prowess. She may not be the largest in size, but what she lacks in sheer weight she makes up for in technique and knowledge.
Weaknesses
Magic; Casta has essentially no magically capabilities or defenses beyond her weapons and whatever blessings her Queen has happened to bestow upon her. As it is, she rarely fights against those who do use magic but when she does it is always a challenge.
Swimming; Due to her childhood far from any major bodies of water, Casta never really learned how to swim. While she is certainly strong enough to do so in theory, the amount of armor and other clothes she wears make it much more of a struggle.
Is your character literate? In what languages?
Human/Common is the only language Casta knows how to read or write in. However, she is quite literate and occasionally reads for entertainment.
C O M B A T || P R O W E S S
Hand-to-Hand Combat: Excellent. Casta has been roughhousing since she was a child and she has brought that early experience to the present. She is not afraid of using âdirtyâ tricks to win and has no qualms against taking any advantage she can get⊠not that she really needs it.
Melee Combat: Excellent. Though she prefers to use a sword, Casta is also proficient in spears and axes. She is able to use more melee weapons well and can fight with or against them as needed. Again, extensive training has helped her reach this level.
Ranged Combat: Above Average. Casta does not often used ranged weapons such as bows or crossbows, and her preferred weapon in this case would be throwing daggers/knives. However, she does know the proper technique to using bows and could wield one if need be. She has only used throwing spears and axes a handful of times.
Magic Combat: Very Poor. Considering she has next to no magical ability, Casta has never been trained or even attempted to use magic, nor does she have any plans to in the near future. It remains one of her only weaknesses.
Mounted Combat: Good. As a knight, Casta has been trained to ride horses into battle with some amount of skill. And while she is comfortable on them, she has never really mastered the art of fighting with them. When possible, she prefers to stay on her own two feet in battle.
Class Skills
High Defensive Capabilities; Casta wears fairly strong armor that can block a surprising amount of attacks, though it is less surprising when one discovers that it is enchanted. Furthermore, Casta is well trained in combat and can adopt a defensive strategy if she feels it is needed.
Sword Mastery; Of all the weapons a knight uses, Casta is most familiar with a sword and enjoys using it above all others. This is reflected in her capabilities with it, which go beyond most others.
Discipline; As to be expected, Casta is incredibly self-disciplined and keeps herself on a strict regime in order to maintain her ability and standing as the Queenâs Champion. It is extremely unlikely that she will be tempted by anything, including but not limited to: money, alcohol, food, or, uh, company.
Proper Education; Though her early years were not the most typical for knights, Castaâs natural intelligence and sheer willpower has helped her advance to about the same level of education as her peers, if not slightly ahead due to the resources at her fingertips. It certainly helps that she retains a natural curiosity about all things around her.
Spells/Powers
None
Racial Abilities
Stubborn; Like most humans, Casta can be as stubborn as an ox when she is given the chance to express her opinions. The only person who can really change her mind is the Queen, and even then Casta may disagree. However there is a difference between agreement and obedience.
Adaptable; It is difficult to find a situation that Casta is completely unprepared for, but even in the more⊠unique ones, she generally can think of a way out of it. Her mind is quick and her reflexes just as much. Itâs difficult to catch her on an off moment simply because they do not exist.
E Q U I P M E N T
Casta generally has the Queenâs seal on her person at any given time, as well as any outstanding orders or any items that may be necessary to complete her most recent task. This can vary but usually she does not carry much as she does not need it. As the Queenâs champion, no commoner or noble (or really anyone who values their life) is allowed to deny Casta anything that she requests in the name of the Queen, so she does not really carry money around either.
Accessories
Casta does not keep many things that would really qualify as accessories; almost all of her belongings are necessary for her job and therefore are some kind of armor or weapon.
Weapon
Weapon Name: Harbinger of Justice
Weapon Type: One-Handed Longsword
Material: Steel blade with leather grip
Ammo: N/A
Length: Five feet
Weight: Roughly four pounds.
Weapon Description/Info: The sword is a simple blade, double-edged, and forged from magical fire summoned by the Queen herself. It was created solely for Casta to use when enforcing her Queenâs wishes, which generally involve killing people considering Castaâs rather unique skill set. Harbinger is supposed to never break or grow dull, and it can cut through most materials with relative ease. It does struggle against anything else that has been enchanted, as well as anything that is thick enough, such as stone walls or the occasional person.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Dagger
Material: Steel blade with leather grip
Ammo: N/A
Length: Five inches
Weight: Less than a pound.
Weapon Description/Info: A simple dagger tucked into Castaâs belt at all times.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Dagger
Material: Steel blade with weighted handle
Ammo: N/A
Length: Four inches
Weight: About a pound.
Weapon Description/Info: Similar to the other dagger, except this one is weighted for throwing. Casta keeps it in her left boot.
B A C K G R O U N D
Messiah Queen
Marital Status
Single
Relatives
Mother; unknown, presumably dead
Father; unknown, presumably dead
Brother; dead
Origin
Silibard Forest, Dorelith
Social Rank
Born a commoner, she has advanced to a knight through loyalty to the Queen.
Occupation
Champion for the Queen
Bio/History
Casta was born right at the edge of Silibard Forest, fifteen years before the rise of the Queen. Her father was a carpenter who specialized in detail work, so hand carved figures for homes and little embellishments for furniture or whatever people brought to him. Castaâs mother, of course, helped support the family in whatever ways possible and though they were not rich or comfortable, at least Casta felt loved. She was able to spend her days exploring the forest, climbing trees and running around the town, capturing the hearts of those who saw her. Even then she had some amount of physical ability, and she was often chided for acting too masculine and not adhering to what a proper young girl should be. After all, how was she ever to get married if she acted like such a hooligan?
Jaice was born when Casta was five; he was the son her family had long since hoped for and they cherished him closely. But rather than being jealous, Casta became his protector and his guard in many occasions. He, much like his sister, was a bright child who enjoyed adventures and generally sticking his nose into business that he had no right to care about. And Casta followed him all the way, often being the one to drag him out of the trouble he so often cooked up. But even if they were not the most responsible or educated, they were at least happy children.
When news arrived that there was a religious uprising of sorts, some kind of movement that was spreading across Dorelith, Castaâs parents were skeptical. They told her, one morning that she still remembers, where the sun filtered through the trees and the birds were just beginning to sing their spring songs, that she had nothing to worry about. That the danger of war and religion was far, far away from her peaceful little home. And Casta, who knew nothing of what her parents were talking about, believed them. She was perfectly willing to stay in the village, to ignore the outside world and continue her life as it was.
But Jaice always had a mind for adventure and exploration and he always wanted to know more, more about the world and the conflict and all the strange and wonderful things. Casta did not care nearly as much, but his curiosity was contagious and one day he convinced her to go with him to the next town over, one that was what they thought was far away and held all the answers of the outside world. He was determined to go alone, and Casta only agreed to join him in order to protect her little brother.
Of course nobody could really have foreseen what would happen, how they got horribly lost and wandered the vast yet empty lands of Dorelith for weeks until stumbling into another forest, one that was so different from the one they were familiar with. In all honesty, they should have died; armed with nothing more than a few knives stolen from the blacksmith and an axe that was made to cut firewood and nothing else, they managed to survive the horrors of Darkwood for a total of three days and two nights. On the third night, Jaice was taken by a creature Casta still cannot describe without losing the ability to speak.
Casta thought she would die too, alone now without a reason to continue fighting, when a miracle happened. The Queen came in all her glory and saved Casta, pulling her into the arms of Aule and his mercy. When Casta heard of the Queenâs amazing abilities, how she could bring people back from the dead, the girl asked for her brother to be brought back. The Queen claimed that it was impossible, that the dark forest was too dangerous and that her brotherâs soul had been corrupted, but if Casta continued to fight for Aule then maybe there would be hope one day. Casta does not still retain that dream, but on some nights she thinks she hears her brotherâs laugh.
Having joined the forces of the Queen, Casta found herself dedicated to fighting for what she thought was right. She became one of the most loyal followers and quickly displayed great natural talent for combat, especially when using swords and her own body to defeat opponents, which caught the eye of the man leading the mercenaries, who served the Queen. Casta trained under them and soon joined the fighting, helping take the city Citha. She was twenty years old when she was knighted by the Queen.
Casta continued to serve in the army, continuing her military career through a mix of her sheer stubbornness and dedication. She may have continued, no more than a typical knight, when her squadron was captured by one of the remaining pockets of resistance. They were imprisoned and tortured, asked for information about the Queenâs next plans, but it was soon apparent that none of them had any idea except for the commanding officer⊠Casta. She resisted for three days before being rescued, when she was healed and brought to the city to meet the Queen herself. Upon receiving accommodations for her actions, Casta was asked what she wanted.
âAll I want, my Queen, is to protect you and your family.â
And that, as they say, was that.