29 December 2012

Vixen Virago: Meet the Characters

Vixen Virago

Vixen is the stalwart captain of the Feisty Wench. She has made it her life's mission to fight against the forces of Ampaerium.
Born on the Free Isle of Arguar and left motherless at an early age, she was raised by her father, Iaxo Virago, the ship's previous captain. Merchant by trade, he sailed the main shipping routes and occasionally came to blows with pirates.
An attack that changed everything came not from pirates, but from an Ampaerial vessel, captained by Amperitus Ryse. The Feisty Wench managed to escape, but captain Iaxo and many of the crew did not. Vixen took over command and swore revenge against Ryse and his kind. As a Free Islander, she made a vow never to touch the Ground. She became a pirate herself, though only as a means to achieve her goals in the fight against the Ampaerium. Five years have passed since then...




Bosun Ridley

Maon Ridley is the boatswain on the Feisty Wench, though he is never heard giving orders. In fact, he is never heard at all. Many believe him mute, though he has never bothered to clarify the matter. Nor has he ever been seen to read or write, so it is entirely possible that he is illiterate.
How he came to hold the rank of bosun is unclear. Those that have known him for years have learned to tell his mood from the slight differences in his frown. He is the oldest crewman aboard, as well as the longest surviving. He already served as bosun under Iaxo by the time Vixen met him.
One thing remains true; he is completely loyal to Vixen, as he was to her father. 





O'Hartigan

Temnen O'Hartigan is the ship's first mate, though there is little love lost between him and the captain. They are both staunch fighters against Ampaerial oppression, and this seems to be sufficient reason to keep them working together.
Vixen does occasionaly, and grudgingly, admit that his strategies are sometimes the better, but she often deems them as too cautious or even cowardly.
The crew are used to their constant bickering and opposition. They may take their captain's side, but they are also glad that O'Hartigan will never hesitate to warn of any rushed decisions. The middle ground upon which the two find themselves usually seems to work.






Tinker

Finnat "Tinker" Tiarnach is the ship's jack-of-all-trades, standing in as navigator, mechanic, doctor, and trainer. He is not human, but rather a descendant of the Tribes of Irial, commonly referred to as elves.
He is a hundred and twenty eight years old, but nothing betrays this fact. Quite the opposite; his behaviour would be entirely appropriate for an inexperienced teenage human. While socially inept, he is quite handy when it comes to the ship and its operations. The Feisty Wench would probably fall apart within minutes of his leaving its decks and masts.
Tinker is second mate on the ship, though he rarely pulls rank, preferring to do every task on his own. As far as his crewmen have noticed, he never seems to sleep, and is always tinkering with something - hence the nickname.






Niels Stauber

Niels Stauber is a Human-Ampaerial hybrid. They are very rarely seen in the Free Isles and are usually suspected of being Ampaerial spies. Why the Ampaerials would bother to use spies so obvious is anyone's guess. Or second-guess.
Niels himself is no less of a suspect. After he promises to reveal Captain Ryse's location to Vixen, he is reluctantly accepted into the crew... but only under lock and key.
Whatever his motives, Vixen has chosen to believe at least some of his claims. If anything, he has proven himself as an able navigator and an even better mechanic than Tinker.







Captain Ryse

Captain Amperitus Ryse is a commander in the Ampaerial Navy. Little is known about his past prior to the Great Cloud War, during which he proved himself an able combatant and strategist. He led many attacks against the Free Isles, subjugating them under Ampaerial rule and pulling them down one by one.
In one such attack, Ryse's vessels fell upon the Feisty Wench, but they were ultimately outrun. Captain Iaxo Virago sacrificed his life to stall Ryse and help his ship - and daughter - escape. This was in the final year of the War.
After the Sarbonna Treaty was signed, and a period of truce was reinstated, Ryse disappeared. Vixen swore to find him one day and claim her revenge.

25 December 2012

Happy holidays!


Quote lifted from Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, just in case anybody starts wondering...

10 December 2012

08 December 2012

Film Noir 4


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