Knightfall

Heanta

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Character information

Name: Knightfall (originally Darros Clanless)
Age: 38
True age: 248
Sex: Male
Personality: Knightfall is a cold, calculating and ruthless individual. As far as he is concerned, he only survived as long as he has by relying only on himself. He prefers to act alone, disliking contact with other people. He is supremely confident in his own abilities, but stops short of overt arrogance or hubris. A man of few words, Knightfall is quietly assured and prefers to let his actions do the talking, rather than wasting time and money on words. Everything Knightfall does is for his own benefit, and he will use others as long as it is necessary for that goal.

Knightfall is singularly goal-oriented, and anything that gets in his way is simply collateral. He is not one for wanton destruction or mindless violence, but he does not even blink if someone comes between him and his target. He is a killer as a profession after all, and he does it well. Ending a life is just a flick of the wrist nowadays, nothing more. He cares not for the lives he ends, only that their deaths serve a purpose. If he accepts a contract, he will not stop until it is fulfilled. Once done, it is highly recommended that the client also fulfills their end, as Knightfall will not hesitate to void a contract by killing a client who wrongs him.

Knightfall is quite spartan in lifestyle. Despite the fact that he is a very successful assassin, he prefers not to flaunt his wealth. He invests only in what is needed for functioning, and not much else. Knightfall sees such trappings as superfluous. The only art form he respects is the art of killing. He feels no attachment to people or things, even going so far as to look down on such things. He spurns relationships with others, seeing friendship and other similar concepts as unaffordable weakness. If someone decides to put their life in another’s hands, they deserve to die. Someone who trusts is easier to kill.

The only thing Knightfall takes pride in is the quality of his work. To him, the art of the kill is as important, if not more than, the kill itself. When hired for a job, he likes to make sure it is as close to perfect in execution as it can be. Knightfall will only take jobs that he feels are worth his time. He relishes the challenge of killing important people, and he does not like to waste time with menial contracts. He cares not for honor, but rather he derives great satisfaction from someone building up their defenses and believing they are safe, only to prove their foolishness by taking their life anyway, completing his mission in spite of them.

Knightfall believes that in taking someone’s life, he is simply proving that they were not worthy to keep it in the first place. He does not use poisons in his work, believing them to be sloppy and also taking some of the art and form out of the kill. His alias Knightfall comes from his ability to reach any target, no matter how much armor they cloak themselves in. Knightfall also, above all else, has developed an extreme dislike for the Heanta Korroth Vex. While he normally is apathetic and generally uncaring of others, Korroth annoys him like no-one else can. The man is a successful murderer despite being the opposite of Knightfall, messy, loud and with no appreciation for subtlety.
Likes/dislikes: Knightfall likes a challenge,he likes overcoming that challenge, and he likes killing people. He does not like talking, people, and especially Korroth Vex.
Fears: Knightfall is afraid of trusting people, imprisonment, and being vulnerable.

Appearance

Height: 6’1”
Weight: 183 lbs
Appearance: Knightfall is a moderately tall and athletically-built Heanta. His skin is a dull gray, and his eyes are a deep red color. His horns are almost indistinguishable from his hair, which is a silver-white color. The horns themselves are swept back just above his pointed ears, and are the same color as his hair.

Clothing: Knightfall’s outfit rarely changes. He wears a black woven shirt, over which he wears a black waistcoat with various pouches for tools and equipment. He also wears black trousers with dark leather travelling bots that extend up over the knee. The outfit is completed with a black leather long coat with a high collar.

Fighting Style

General Fighting Tactics: Being an assassin that prides himself on his efficiency, it stands to reason that Knightfall would keep himself as freeform and flexible as possible. Knightfall prefers to fight with his Malady’s Kiss whenever possible, but he will switch when he deems necessary. He will use Destino if he has to deal with tougher targets, while using his knives to combat faster opponents, or when attacking from cover or from behind. On the rare occasion that he has to face multiple opponents, he will wield Destino and one of his knives simultaneously.

In terms of his tactics in a fight, Knightfall likes keep moving, offering as little opportunity as possible to his opponent. He uses his powers mainly to keep the enemy off-balance and spoil their formation, preferring to deliver the killing blow with his weapons. He is assured in his own skill, but he will recognise immediately if his advantage has been lost and will not hesitate to retreat and regroup. However, the target cannot afford to get complacent, as he does not leave a contract unfulfilled.

Combat Stats-

( All stats are considered average unless stated. Stats must be balanced. You must decrease a stat to increase a stat. Raising one to good means you must lower one to fair. Read The Character Combat Stats Guide for more information)

Strength || Fair
Speed || Good
Agility || Very Good
Durability || Poor
Stamina || Average
Magical power || Average

Strengths:
Knife-master: Knightfall is extremely skilled with his favored weapons, with his combination of hand-speed and technique able to pose a problem for most opponents.

Quick Wit: Knightfall has not survived as long as he has without the sense to keep himself alive. He possesses an exceptionally quick mind allowing him to form contingencies and improvise extremely well when he needs to. He doesn’t like doing this too much, believing that improvisation is only for those who don’t plan properly. Still, there are always things he cannot plan for and so he must be ready to adapt.

High Pain Tolerance: Knightfall is not the sturdiest of fighters, but he can endure a tremendous amount of pain without clouding his mind, allowing him that extra bit of survivability.

Weaknesses:
Shadowborn: Knightfall has invested considerable time and effort in perfecting his shadow-element magical abilities that he has developed a weakness to light-based energy attacks. He takes double damage from such attacks.

Compromised Racial abilities: Due to the unorthodox method by which he obtained his Demon Matrix, he cannot use the Darkmoon Claws ability. His True Demon Form is also compromised, as detailed in that section.

Lack of Hand-to-Hand Combat Skill: Knightfall feels that if he finds himself in a dangerous situation without his weapons, then he deserves to die. He regards unarmed combat as distasteful and crude, not bothering to train in such things.

Weapons

Primary Weapon: Malady’s Kiss

Description: Knightfall’s prized possessions. Malady’s Kiss are a pair of finely-crafted curved knives of Eldari design that he obtained in his youth. The weapons are 12 inches long, with a curved handle and a vine-like pattern etched on the blade. Malady’s Kiss is made from enchanted steel, and possesses a special ability. If an opponent is wounded by it Malady’s Kiss leaves a trace of dark energy in the wound, causing the target immense pain for a post. The ability needs a post of downtime, and the effect is largely dependant on the targets pain threshold. Opponents with high pain tolerance are affected far less, while the opposite is true for those with low tolerance.

Secondary Weapon: Destino

Description: Knightfall’s secondary weapon is a bastard sword that he took from a former client of his that hired Knightfall and tried to betray him. Knightfall managed to avoid the trap set for him and tracked down the client, hanging his body out to dry like his client did to him. The sword itself is made from divinium, and is expertly crafted, befitting the wealth its former owner possessed. The weapon is 4ft long perfectly balanced and relatively light for its size, meaning it can be used effectively in either one or two hands.

Demon Matrix Powers

Demon Matrix Appearance: Knightfall’s Demon Matrix takes the form of a diamond-shaped gem, ruby-red in color. The gem is embedded in the center of his chest, and glows when Knightfall is in combat. The gem itself appears damaged in the top half, due to the nature of its acquisition.


Name: Shadow Mastery
Element: Shadow
Description: Knightfall’s hands become enveloped in a dark aura, resembling tendrils of smoke.
Effect: The user is skilled in the manipulation of a chosen element. They can manipulate their element in several ways like throwing out waves, balls and blasts that can travel up to 50ft, or shoot it as small projectiles up to 130ft. Elemental manipulation attacks deal damage based on that element. Larger blasts and waves deal average damage but travel slower, and smaller projectiles travel faster and deal less damage.
Cooldown: 3 post duration with power points reduced by 2 for the duration, 4 post cooldown

Name: Shadow Step
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall can step up to 3 times in a single post. He’s not teleporting but moving at high speeds, and is open to being hit by attacks and abilities. The maximum distance for each step is 10 ft..
Cooldown: 1 post

Name: Shadow Clone
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall creates an illusory image of himself that exists for a single post. The illusion is visually identical to Knightfall, but cannot harm or be harmed, nor otherwise physically interact with anything or anybody. The purpose of this ability is simply to draw the eye of an opponent, even for an instant. The illusion is mentally directed by Knightfall.
Cooldown: 1 post

Name: Shadow Barrier
Type: Defensive
Damage Category: Weak
Description: Knightfall creates a spherical barrier of shadow energy around himself, just large enough to encompass his whole body. The barrier repels a physical or energy attack of Weak damage or lower, disappearing immediately afterwards. Stronger attacks will simply shatter the barrier and continue on unimpeded. The barrier lasts only long enough to block an attack, so is essentially a reaction power.
Cooldown: 1 post

Enhanced Powers

Name: Shadow Jump
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall has the ability to disappear and reappear a short distance away. He can step up to 10 feet away, with the entire maneuver occurring in a split-second.
Cooldown: 2 posts

Name: Enhanced Shadow Barrier
Type: Defensive
Damage Category: Average
Description: A stronger form of Shadow Barrier. This barrier can block a physical or energy attack up to Average damage or lower. Anything stronger punches straight through. Size and appearance are identical to Shadow Barrier. This barrier is the same size and shape as Shadow Barrier, but the barrier is darker to the point of being almost opaque, though Knightfall can see through it unimpeded.
Cooldown: 3 posts

Name: Shadow Veil
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall gains the ability to hide fully in shadow. If he is in an area upon which a shadow is being cast, he can disappear into it for a maximum of 2 posts. Using any abilities or attempting to attack an opponent with a weapon while concealed will immediately reveal him. He is undetectable by normal means, though any magical detection ability will see through the Veil and any Area of Effect attacks or other effects that produce splash damage will hurt him and reveal his position.
Cooldown: 3 posts

Name: Shadow Cannon
Type: Offensive
Damage Category: Strong
Description: Knightfall fires a beam of pure darkness energy at his opponent. The beam is cylindrical and 1 foot in diameter, and continues until it hits something or somebody. The beam only harms living beings, dealing Strong damage to them if it hits. The beam has a range of 60 ft.
Cooldown: 4 posts

True Demon Form

Transformation method: Knightfall holds his hands in front of his Demon Matrix, as if casting a spell, before slowly moving his hands apart, revealing his Matrix which has turned green and glows intensely.
New appearance: Knightfall’s overall appearance doesn’t change for the most part. The details of his clothing glow with the same shade of pale green as his Demon Matrix, as do his eyes. He also becomes shrouded in a black aura that resembles tendrils of smoke.
Special note: Due to the unstable nature of his Demon Matrix, Knightfall can only use his True Demon Form once per thread, and only for 4 posts before it loses cohesion and reverts back to his normal form.


Name: Demonic Shadow Barrier
Type: Defensive
Damage Category: Strong
Description: The strongest form of Shadow Barrier available to Knightfall. It shares the same physical parameters, but can block up to an attack up to Strong damage, with only the strongest attacks punching through. Appearance-wise, the barrier is similar to Enhanced Shadow Barrier, but a green lightning-like effect, the same color as his Demon Matrix in this form, runs over the surface.
Cooldown: 4 posts

Name: Shadow Dance
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall creates 6 columns, each made of darkness energy and each no more than 40 feet from either Knightfall or another column. Knightfall then launches himself at the first column, which then propels him to the next column at extremely high speed. Once a column has been used it disappears. This ability has many uses, from using the columns to assail an opponent from many angles rapidly, to making a swift getaway. The columns last for a post or until used, whichever comes first.
Cooldown: 3 posts

Name: Swift Shadow
Type: Support
Damage Category: None
Description: Knightfall temporarily becomes a blur to the untrained eye. He gains a +2 bonus to both Speed and a +1 bonus to Agility for 2 posts.
Cooldown: 5 posts

Name: Knightfall
Type: Offensive
Damage Category: Very Strong
Description: Knightfall’s signature ability. Knightfall concentrates pure darkness energy between his hands and fires a narrow beam, roughly 6 inches in diameter, at a target no more than 50 ft away. The beam does not cause any physical damage to the opponent’s body, but instead targets their life-force and magical power. If hit, the target will suffer Very Strong damage, which will kill NPC characters(not including event characters or other staff-made enemies) instantly. PCs will survive unless they have already suffered serious damage or are struck in a vital area. They will also have their Power Points for the next 2 posts halved, rounded up. The beam ignores physical protection, but is susceptible to magical defenses.
Cooldown: This ability can only be used once per thread, and once used will immediately end Knightfall’s True Demon Form, as well as dropping him to Exhaustion Stage 3 for 1 post.

New Boosts: +1 Strength, +2 Speed, +2 Agility, +1 Durability, +1 Stamina, +1 Magical Power

Background

History:

In the year 753 of the Second Age, two Heanta was born to two Warrior caste parents. They were twin boys, named Darros and Kallus. Kallus progressed through his upbringing as a normal, proud Heanta, making his parents proud. He had all the right tools to be a Heanta of some renown eventually. Kallus was physically imposing and ruthless, and he had just the right amount of fierceness and ambition. Darros, on the other hand, had none of these things. His parents were not proud. It soon became clear that Kallus was the favored son, and the soon began to scorn and neglect Darros. They mistook his lack of aggression as a lack of ambition. This was far from the case. What the twins’ parents failed to see was that while his brother excelled and earned all of the plaudits, Darros was quietly plotting his own path to greatness, and little did they know, they were not a part of it.

Kallus progressed quickly, and became a heavy favorite to complete his Trial when he came of age. Darros was also progressing, making up for his lack of physical presence with a cold and cerebral approach. The smaller brother had demonstrated an unnerving efficiency in his killing, even taking pride in his work. It was during this time that Kallus began to secretly fear Darros. While Darros looked like a runt, he was exceedingly quick both in body and mind. There was also something in his eyes, whenever he got into fights and scraps, though it didn’t happen that often. A look almost of enjoyment as he analysed an opponent and systematically tore them apart. Kallus decided to take the initiative, thinking that Darros wouldn’t expect Kallus to move against his own brother.

It was his first mistake. For Darros had foreseen his brother’s panic, and was ready for his ruthless but clumsy attempt to end him. It happened during Na’Kora’s Trial, a rite of passage for young Heanta who wished to be recognised as adults in society. The Trial involved the candidates surviving the Magma Chasms, and unstable area of lava chambers underneath Kyrias. Simply surviving the area was difficult enough, but there was also indigenous wildlife to contend with. The trial was attempted in groups of ten, they soon found themselves as the only surviving contestants. Some died to the Trial, others fell victim to Darros. The moment of truth came soon enough.

Kallus, predictably, had selected a ledge overlooking a long drop to the lava below. He had always had a thing for the dramatic. Darros played his part, and sure enough, Kallus kicked him off the ledge. But Darros had not factored in just how dramatic Kallus wanted his death to be. The pit was actually the home of a particularly angry Magma Mauler. Kallus had bribed an official to let him in on the layout of the Chasms for this years Trial. Darros fell back, using a grappling hook he had brought. He grappled the side of the cliff, as planned. However, he peeked over the edge, expecting to see Kallus leaving. But he was still standing there. He grinned evilly as Darros felt a sudden pain in his leg. He looked down to see a Magma Mauler latched onto him. Kallus laughed as he turned away.
“You were always smart, brother. But not smart enough.”

Darros began to fall as the rockface gave way under the grappling hook. He landed hard, bouncing off of the Mauler’s head and landing on a ledge just feet from the lava pools below. He quickly assessed the situation. He had suffered serious injuries in the fall, but the impact of the Mauler had weakened the structural integrity of the cliff he had fallen from. The Mauler acquired him in its sights and prepared to charge. He had only one option that could save him. He waited until the Mauler got close enough, to the point where the heat of the creature began to cause burns, before jumping out of the way at the last moment. The Mauler smashed into the rockface, causing the whole cliff to collapse. Darros dodged and weaved, at least as fast as his injuries allowed. He was struck by rocks and splashes of magma, but he managed to just about get away, while the Mauler was buried beneath the rockslide.

The rockslide had opened a new path out of the chasms, though it meant he would not complete his Trial. None of that mattered to Darros though. It meant he would live, and that was most important. If he was alive, he could get revenge, and revenge was the priority. Kallus had outsmarted him this time, but he had failed to kill his brother. Darros would make sure he didn’t get another opportunity. He was dumped into the Slave caste for failing to complete his Trial, but that didn’t matter. It would make his ascension all the more satisfying.

As time passed, Darros worked enough to keep him out of the interest of the guards, and used his spare time to plot his brother’s downfall. He became extremely proficient in stealth, being able to steal food when needed, and lives when bored. He stole a longknife from a barracks, and began to use fellow slaves, and the odd guard, as practice to perfect the ways to kill a person. Four years after the Trial, he eventually freed himself, and managed to infiltrate Av’Eden, arriving at his parents’ house. Darros ascertained his brother’s whereabouts from them, before ending both of their miserable lives. Kallus had left to begin his pilgrimage to Na’Kora’s Forge, so Darros vowed that his brother had undertaken his final journey in the world of the living.

Darros infiltrated a Heanta prison first, in order to acquire a good weapon. He had become less than enamored with his race as he journeyed through life, so instead elected to take a pair of knives that had been acquired when an Eldari patrol had been captured. While the Eldari were deadly enemies, Darros admired the combination of beauty and function the knives possessed. One of the guards had gotten the knives enchanted with a very Heanta enchantment, intending to kill his prisoners with them. Darros decided to call them Malady’s Kiss, as he used one to slit the throat of the guard who had enchanted them. A fitting name, he thought. The next step was one he had planned for a long time.

Darros managed to get past the guards protecting the pass that was the beginning of the pilgrimage. He tracked his brother as he entered the Crystal Caves, a network of caves where the Heanta on their pilgrimage ventured to get the crystals they needed for their Demon Matrix. Kallus retrieved his crystal without much effort, and proceeded to the Forge. Kallus shaped his Matrix, and infused it with his power. He stood back to admire his work, only for a look of shock to cross his face when Darros spoke from behind him.
“Congratulations, brother.” Kallus turned to gaze into the cold stare of his brother, whom he presumed dead. Darros smiled coldly. “I thought you would have learned by now. Always finish the job.” It would be the last thing Kallus learned, as Darros used the twin knives to sever his brother’s head from his shoulders.

As the severed head landed and rolled over to reveal the perpetually shocked expression its owner had last used, Darros looked around the chamber. He could simply skip town now. He would never be allowed to forge a Demon Matrix for himself, and because he had failed the Trial, he would not even know how to do it. His gaze fell to the ruby red crystal on the Forge. Kallus’ last act in the world of the living. Darros smiled. What better way to truly complete his revenge than using his dear brother’s Demon Matrix to become even deadlier. He approached the Forge and picked up the Matrix, pressing it to his chest. The revenge he had achieved today would remain close to what his heart. The process was painful, even more so given the nature of the Matrix. The crystal itself became damaged, as the two energies were not completely compatible. Darros knew he would encounter complications using the stolen Matrix, but in the interest of vengeance, he didn’t care.

Over the decades, Darros had worked hard to get himself in a position of relative freedom. His actions at Na’Kora’s Forge had divided opinion among his people. Some believed him a traitor and denounced him, while others believed him to be a true Heanta and an example of ambition overcoming weakness. Darros himself did not care much for the opinions of others. He did, however, understand the benefits of having the influence that came with respect and reputation. He honed his skills as a murderer, accepting jobs that complemented these skill. These jobs varied from bodyguard to mercenary to assassin. It was as an assassin that Darros really began to make his name in the world. Darros was an extremely thorough planner, and his plans were generally successful. However, some didn’t go to plan, and he had developed a knack for improvisation, though he disliked having to adapt, believing it to be a failure to plan well enough. He abandoned the name Darros, and thus the last tie he had to his past, aside from his Demon Matrix. His reputation for being adept at killing regardless of how tight security was around the target resulted in his new name, Knightfall.

Knightfall was on a job in Karem when his ability to adapt would be fully tested. He was hired to kill a prominent merchant in the city. The task seemed relatively routine, but Knightfall was unaware that his client was actually the brother of a mark he had killed a few months back. The “merchant”, it turned out, was actually a mercenary named Kradus, and he had concealed a team in the basement under the house. Knightfall entered the house and was set upon by Kradus and his men. Knightfall took heavy damage, but ultimately managed to escape by luring his assailants one-by-one and eliminating them. Kradus was the final piece, and Knightfall ended the mercenary’s contract swiftly with Malady’s Kiss. He picked up the sword Kradus had used, a sword apparently named Destino according to the scabbard. He lamented the mess of it all, but he was quickly drawn back to the subject of the betrayal by his “client”. If Knightfall was to truly establish himself as a name to be feared, he had to kill the traitor, and he would use the sword that was meant for Knightfall himself.

Knightfall tracked the client at the meeting place they had arranged when he took the contract. The client was predictably happy with his plan having worked, though he did become concerned that his other contractees were late. After a while, the client assumed they were running late, and went home. Knightfall tailed him, waiting until the client got into bed. Knightfall snuck into the room and the last thing the client saw was Knightfall looming over him, cupping a hand to his mouth. Knightfall showed him the blade, and realization dawned across his face, followed by immediate fear. Knightfall sank the blade through the man’s heart. As the man gurgled away his last seconds of life, Knightfall withdrew the blade from his chest and wiped the blood off using his quilt, and gazed at it. The blade would be a constant reminder of the price of trust, and so he decided to keep it.

The news of the failed attempt to eliminate Knightfall spread, and only further enhanced his aura as one of the most lethal assassins in the land. It was then that he drew the attention of parties back home. A new Warlord had ascended to power in Kyrias, Roth Vandel, scion of Clan Vandel. Clan Vandel was one of the clans of the Elite caste, the nobility of Heanta society. Roth was a mighty warrior, but he was also paranoid and impatient. He reached out Knightfall, wishing to enlist his services to eliminate any potential threats. Knightfall was skeptical at first, but eventually accepted. He was mainly tasked with dealing with former partners of Roth’s in the Free Lands. They had become uncooperative when Roth became Warlord, believing him to not be honoring their contracts. Knightfall did not care for the reasons, only that it would give him a chance to demonstrate his prowess on a bigger stage.

Roth also used Knightfall and Korroth, another “enforcer” he had hired, to further his political agenda. Korroth was violent and uncivilised creature, and Knightfall despised him thoroughly. The man had no concept for subtlety or efficiency, instead just solving problems with wanton destruction. But that was why the Warlord hired him. Knightfall was there to clean up loose ends and to take care of targets that would raise suspicion if they were traced back to the Warlord. Korroth was used to send messages, and messy ones at that. The combination of these tactics kept the Warlord in a strong position for the most part, and Knightfall was satisfied with the freedom the job allowed him. He was still allowed to take on extra jobs if he wanted, provided his work was not tracked back to the Warlord.

Knightfall spent the years up to the present day perfecting his craft, becoming one of the most potent weapons the Warlord possessed, alongside Korroth. His very name was feared across Kyrias and the Free Lands, and was attributed to a number of high-profile assassinations in both territories. Closer to the present day the Warlord began to keep both Knightfall and Korroth in his company a lot more, due to the threat of Celaena, scion of the Hornless Clan. Celaena was a direct political rival, but she had too much support to simply eliminate her. Also she was far too powerful of a warrior for a simple assassination attempt to work. The Warlord was wary of Celaena making a move on him, and so became increasingly cautious and protective of himself. Knightfall was beginning to become weary of the constant watch his client asked of him, and was also not enjoying being constantly around Korroth. But for now, Knightfall bided his time, waiting for the opportunity. No matter what, Knightfall would have a plan.
Side notes:
Rp example:

Another Banger of an app. A-5

Everything seems to be in order. 
Approved.