Heroes

Koss
Relentless Adventurer

"Trust me on this one."

Origin: Kournan
Age: 25
Profession: Warrior

An idealistic and brutally effective soldier, Koss has great hopes for the latest generation of Sunspears. He's proud of what they've done, sometimes to the point of arrogance. With brute strength and overwhelming confidence, he cheerfully muscles his way through one confrontation after another, often using the same approach when dealing with people. For the good of the Order, he's used a combination of ruthless charisma, physical intimidation, and flexible morality to build up a network of contacts and informants. Of course, some of those contacts aren't entirely trustworthy. Dealing with the dregs of the underworld has its risks, but when the fate of his homeland is at stake, he'll do whatever it takes to keep Elona safe. When push comes to shove, Koss is a loyal ally, a dedicated Elonian, and most importantly, a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound fighting machine.

Melonni
Headstrong Crusader

"You can push, but I will push back...only harder, much harder."

Origin: Kournan
Age: 26
Profession: Dervish

Melonni's a headstrong young woman from a small town in Kourna, an idealist who's become a thorn in Varesh Ossa's side. The villagers of her homeland will never forget her, and with good reason. Melonni antagonized Varesh so much that the entire region is now under the watchful eye of Kourna's militarized government. As for Melonni, she has no regrets, because she always does what she knows is right. She sees herself as a woman who fights for what she believes in...even when no one else around her agrees.

When she left in search of adventure—or more precisely, left to protect her home from Kournan reprisals—many citizens were hoping that she'd never return. Deep in her heart, she knows that her decisions will be proven right in the end. For some unfathomable reason, she seems to be very concerned whether Koss understands the importance of her values. Melonni is slowly learning to pick her fights a bit more carefully, largely through trial and error, and she's courageous enough to finish the fights she starts. By the time she's ready to return to her home, she's hopeful that she'll be welcomed as a hero. If no one can accept that, she'll just have to show them the error of their ways.

Acolyte Sousuke
Explosive Zaishen Disciple

"Understanding is half the battle... and now you understand."

Origin: Cantha
Age: 27
Profession: Elementalist

This guy talks too much. Sousuke always has advice, wisecracks, and commentary on his current situation. His amused outlook on life, unrestrained curiousity, and quirky sense of humor are rare for a Zaishen warrior, but he backs it up with a flamboyant, explosive fighting style. A mission is only a failure, he believes, if you don't learn anything from it... and Sousuke doesn't care much for failure. As a Zaishen warrior, he insists he's one of the deadliest combatants in the world, and he has a compulsion to prove it again and again. If that's not enough, he'll tell you, again and again.

Acolyte Jin
Grim Zaishen Archer

"Actions, not words."

Origin: Canthan
Age: 17
Profession: Ranger

When Jin was a young girl growing up on the coast of Cantha, her family was slain by monstrous creatures in the dead of night. From that moment on, she trained as an archer, determined that the forces of darkness would never take her by surprise again. For hours, she silently practiced with her bow, taking some small measure of comfort in the sound of a bowstring releasing or the menace of an arrow in flight. Even before she joined the Zaishen Order, she was a determined and deadly adversary, and their instruction has made her even more dangerous.

Traveling with others makes her feel a little safer, but she considers the concept of "safety in numbers" a delusion. In the end, she knows it's her own skill that means the difference between life and death. She does not care about rank or status in the Zaishen Order. Each day she systematically eliminates another monster threatening Elona, she finds it a little easier to survive one more night of troubled sleep.

Dunkoro
Master Strategist

"The outcome of a battle is determined before the first soldier leaves the barracks."

Origin: Istani
Age: 48
Profession: Monk

A lifetime of experience has made Dunkoro the man he is today: a master strategist who knows his way around Elona. He's a veteran of countless battles against pirates, centaurs, desert raiders, Thumpers, and stranger enemies. With that wisdom has come a realization that he's not the best soldier to lead a charge; instead, he prefers to advise those who do. Not everyone accepts his advice, though. Some claim that he's become too careful with old age, that he's lost the edge that makes him a deadly soldier. Time will tell. For any hero who would hesitate before rushing into battle, Dunkoro would be a valuable ally. If you're willing to listen, he's the man with a plan.

Tahlkora
Idealistic Runaway

"I signed on for the heroic songs and the praise. I did not sign on for the blood-sucking bugs."

Origin: Vabbi
Age: 18
Profession: Monk

Some adventurers are a little too eager to be heroes. Many have tried to guess which village or city Tahlkora ran away from, but Vabbi's a pretty big place. No doubt her home is far away from the horrors of war and the nightmarish abominations that stalk scorched wastelands. She certainly seems well-educated in the myths and lore of the land, but her practical education needs a bit more work. As a young woman dreaming of heroic triumphs, Talkhora has diligently studied tales of romance and high adventure. She's as fluent with the folk tales of Istani commoners as she is with the thrilling narratives of great literature. Now that she's seen what adventuring is like in the real world, however, the difference between dreams and reality is rapidly becoming more apparent.

Zhed
Rebellious Centaur

"Tell me again why I should help you. Where were you, two-legs, when my family was slain by the Kournan jackals?"

Origin: Centaur
Age: 17
Profession: Elementalist

Like many races in the world, the leonine centaurs of Elona are struggling to survive. They've overcome incredible hardships, including the need to survive without help from more populous races—including, it would seem, humanity. Zhed is a centaur who's keenly aware of this last fact. He's seen his people suffer and die while the masses of humanity continue to spread across the savannah. In fact, he claims to have seen atrocities the Kournans would not dare admit. Some centaurs insist that humans are responsible for the death of their race, and Zhed certainly agrees. At best, he sees the "two-legs" as a means to an end. In the worst of times, he sees them as rivals...or prey. His dealings with humans have not been good, but if he must work with adventurers to reach his goals—and adventurers need to work with him—he'll need to set aside his animosity. How long he can be trusted is another matter entirely.

Margrid
Seafaring Scoundrel

"Risks? So there are risks. That's just part of doing business."

Origin: Corsair
Age: 27
Profession: Ranger

A native of Freeman's Cove, Margrid was born a sailor. She took her first steps on the rolling deck of a sailing ship, and she proudly claims to have sea water in her veins. She's not just a corsair—she's the descendent of generations of corsairs, a woman who knows no other way of life. Life on land seems strange, predictable, and dull by comparison. People on land have vastly different ideas about morality and business, but for her, the Code of the Corsair is as immutable as the laws of nature. Land-dwellers sometimes regard her as a little shady, overly cynical, and blatantly self-interested, but those qualities are essential to anyone who survives in a world troubled by pirates and thieves. She's learned to roll with the punches, coping with everything life throws at her. Anyone who travels with Margrid should be ready for an exciting, dangerous journey. If Margrid has anything to say about it, the venture will be eminently profitable as well.

Norgu
Struggling Artist

"Fame is fleeting, but a good meal will keep you going for days. You want that roll?"

Origin: Vabbi
Age: 24
Profession: Mesmer/Actor

Norgu is a classically trained actor, a visionary unappreciated in his own time, and a large, dramatic, boisterous glad-hander. As the leader of the Lyssan Fools acting troupe, he is currently on an extended tour of the estates of Vabbian nobles. Everywhere he travels, he leaves a memorable impression–such as his insightfully accurate and delightfully humorous parody of General Bayel in Gundara, a performance that should keep him on an extended tour for quite some time. Norgu claims to have traveled throughout Tyria and Cantha, including a standing-room-only performance at the Henge of Denravi. Moving quickly from one region to the next, he uses his sunny disposition and personal charisma to get last-minute invites to parties, audiences with the rich and powerful, and of course, free food. Norgu never met a buffet he didn't like. As long as the supplies hold out, Norgu can be a loyal and clever ally–and he's egotistical enough to make sure you never, ever forget that.

Goren
Dedicated Bodyguard

"The prince likes to give orders. I like to take orders. It's a good life."

Origin: Vabbi
Age: 28
Profession: Warrior

Goren is big. Goren is strong. Goren is really, really good at sprinting into battle. Unfortunately, Goren isn't exactly the sharpest blade in the armory. He understands everyday conversation, and he can carry out simple commands–particularly sentences with the words "hit" and "smash" in them–but the finer philosophical passages of the Flameseeker Prophecies will remain eternally outside his comprehension. Eager for work, Goren has found employment working as the bodyguard of Bolmank Bokka. Money and influence don't mean much to him, though. Loyalty does.

Master of Whispers
Cryptic Spymaster

"Of course I know who you are. It's my job to know."

Origin: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Profession: Unknown

Dare not speak the name of the Master of Whispers–not unless you have a good reason for doing so. This cryptic figure is so mysterious that he's hidden his real name; instead, he's always addressed by his title. The Master of Whispers has unquestioned command of an efficient organization, although many debate what form his authority actually takes. One rumor holds that he's the province's spymaster, keeping a job where he serves as a central collector of information from spies across the nation (and perhaps beyond). Others believe he deals with supernatural threats, training his agents as ghost seekers and demon hunters. Whatever the truth may be, he often finds reason for traveling with adventurers exploring Elona (and perhaps beyond). His reasons for doing so are strictly on a need-to-know basis. You're just not ready to learn that yet.