Talia Stenvarg

Basic Information
Race: Lycanthrope (Werewolf)
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Weight: 143 lbs
Height: 5'11"
Hair Color: Dark red
Eye Color: Icy blue

Physical Description: (Sorry guys, no pictures for this one) Standing tall at a height just shy of six feet, Talia is a fair skinned woman who hails from the North. Blessed with the statuesque figure, there is no place on her body that does not speak to her athleticism. She is lean and shows a fair amount of definition, though not so much as to overpower her feminine features. She is lucky enough to have the high cheekbones and many of the delicate facial features of her mother, including her full lips, striking blue eyes, and thick crimson hair. However, there is strength present in her face as well, the strength of her father which is shown in the strong jaw and stern brow she took from him. Talia's history in combat is shown on her body as well, marked in scars that crisscross her body and the tattoo of three diagonal slashes across her face, representative of claw marks, that signifies her as a follower of Bjorn Ironhand, god of Combat, Challenge, and Strength.

In her hybrid form, Talia gains the look akin to that of a traditional werewolf. Fur of mottled black and gray cover her neck, chest, arms and legs and her skin turns a dark black. Her ears and snout become long and sleek. Claws grow at the tips of her fingers and her feet shift from the flat feet of a human to the long ones of a wolf. She even gains a large, bushy tail. In her animal form, Talia resembles a black and gray wolf with mottled fur. In all three forms she retains her blue eyes.

Brief History: A child of the frozen North, Talia spent her childhood a hair's breadth beneath the snow capped peaks that made up her mountainous home. Conflict of all sorts was a day to day thing for her. Even in her youth she would be confronted with life threatening situations, for that is the kind of life the Northerners lead. Lives of struggle, strength and strain, where the sight of a new day is a reward given to those who prove themselves strong enough to withstand the bitter chill of the mountains and the creatures who inhabit them. From the earliest possible age Talia was taught the arts of war and defense, just as all Northern children are. There are few creatures that can survive the harsh climes of her icy home, but those who do are reputed for their strength, their ferocity, and their tenacity. Whether it be the vicious trolls, the mighty giants, the steadfast dwarves, the feral wargs, or the occasional terror of the all but forgotten dragon, dangers run rampant in her home. Because of this, the weakest links must be broken before the threats from without have the chance to destroy them.

Talia spent most of her childhood days honing her skills with axe and shield, taking after her mother. Traditionally she would have learned from her father, but he met is end before her birth whilst fighting to protect their small village from an attack by a raiding party of lesser giants. This lead to ridicule from some of the village's other children. They would heckle her with insults, claiming that her bloodline was weak because her father allowed himself to die against lesser giants. However, their words did not deter the girl. Rather they drove her ever onward, fueling her desire to overcome the others when the time came for the Hederlig Kamp, the ritual combat that would mark those who survived as being truly worthy of continuing on in the harsh world they called home.

The Hederlig Kamp occurred upon the winter solstice of each year, and would continue on throughout the entirety of the day and long into the night until, of all those involved, only twelve remained. Every child who saw thirteen years would participate in a fight to the death. A harsh coming of age, but a necessary one for the life they lead. When the day came for Talia to join the Kamp, her mother pulled her aside and revealed a truth to her that she did not know before. The insults spat her way were not truly because of her father's death, but because he had left the village on that day, using the attack from the giants as a ruse to hide himself away from a legacy he felt ashamed of. Talia looked to her mother, confused, and asked what she meant. "The blood of Ironhand's Chosen courses through us," she said. "With it, we have a power that is feared by those who do not possess the blessing of our god." Talia still didn't understand, but her mother assured her that the truth would become clear during the Kamp.

When the sun rose on the day of the solstice the children were already gathered at the warpit. Armed with their favored weapons and dressed in little more than rags, they would fight amongst one another. This year, eight would enter each time. But, as the rules of the Kamp dictated, only one could emerge from each fight. Talia looked at the soft snow that covered what was otherwise hard packed dirt and stone. She wondered how many bodies were hidden beneath that snow, the bones of those who did not survive the previous trials. Would her own be counted among the dead, or would she emerge victorious? There was only one way to find out. When sunset came, she stepped into the warpit.

Was it fortune or fate that decided Talia should face off against the very children who would belittle her so? She couldn't say. All she knew was that when she saw their faces staring back at her with wicked grins and eyes full of bloodlust she had no intent on allowing any of them to live. Not that she ever did. Hoisting her shield before her she crouched low, as her mother taught her, and watched the seven others who payed no heed to any but her. The blood of Ironhand's Chosen courses through us. Such contempt they held for her, she could see it on their faces. Was her mother telling the truth earlier? Did they truly hate her because she had some gift she knew nothing about? Her grip upon her axe tightened, knuckles growing white as the snow that fell around her. Chills ran through her and every breath came with a puff of white. Bitter cold, enough to kill a full grown man if he stayed in it too long, and yet she withstood it in mere rags. The others stared her down with hate, but she could see them shiver. The fight had yet to begin and already they were beginning to succumb.

Then they struck, starting with a wiry boy who hurled one of two warhammers at her. She brought her shield to bear and planted her feet firm. The heavy weapon smashed into the shield with a loud clank, leaving a visible dent in the thick steel but also leaving the boy without a second weapon. Stupid whelp gave her the advantage. He hoisted the hammer high above his head, poised to bring it down upon her. He met with the rim of her shield crashing into his gut, followed by a swift hack of her axe to his throat. He fell, painting her in red. The coppery scent of his blood filled every breath she took, and her nostrils flared with each sniff. It dripped down her face and she licked her lips. Her heart raced and she grew lightheaded. That fool boy was the first of the day, and it felt so good. But the others would not be so stupid. They surrounded her, each ready to strike her down the moment they got the chance.

She stood on her guard, watching the three that stood before her directly while the three behind remained muddied reflections in the back of her shield. They would wait, bide their time, then lash out at her together to try and overpower her with numbers. Only then would they turn on one another. She licked her lips again, the heavy taste of iron settling on her tongue. Let them come she thought, though the voice was not quite her own. Something had awoken in her. With the slaying of that first boy, with the offering of his blood, she started to bring the gift of Ironhand to bear, even if she didn't realize it yet.

The sun had set, and the children finally attacked. Talia met those before her head on, rushing them, using her shield like a battering ram. She collided with a young girl wielding a greatsword and heard her ribs crack. A squeal of pain rang out and she dropped her sword. Completely defenseless from something so minor, how pathetic. A cleave of the gut ended her quickly, but now she had three to her back and two at her flank. She turned to the left, to a boy who bore twin blades upon her. They caught on her shield and she pushed him away, but only to be knocked prone by the heavy thunk of a warhammer against her back. She fell face first into blood stained snow. Sharp aches throbbed through her ribs and along her spine. Coughs, uncontrollable and hoarse, came with painful jolts through her chest and throat. Two killed by her hands. Not bad, even if she wouldn't live. And what makes you think you wont? She was prone, and they bore down on her. Fighting back now would be meaningless, wouldn't it? A hard kick to the ribs caused Talia to curl up and roll on her back. She could hear the others, barely. Their taunts. Their jeers. They wanted her to see their faces as they killed her, but her eyes did not meet with their faces. She looked above them, to a silver light in the sky. The light of the moon. And then, at last, she understood.

What ensued after that was a slaughter the likes of which hadn't been seen during the Hederlig Kamp in over two centuries. By the light of the moon the blood of Ironhand's Chosen awoke. The blood of his second companion, the wolf. With fang and claw Talia tore the others to pieces and emerged as the sole survivor of her Kamp, the last of the twelve for that year. But her trials were far from over, and they still are. In the thirteen years since her first transformation, Talia has learned much, both about combat and how to control the beast blood that courses through her, but she knows that alone isn't enough. She feels an urge within her, a desire that must be fulfilled. The word of Bjorn Ironhand fills her mind. Prove yourself. Show the world what one gifted by the the blood of Ironhand's Chosen, his second companion, can do.

Personality: Talia is a blunt and direct woman. She does not like to speak in circles with others, nor is she afraid of telling someone exactly what she thinks of them. Like many of her people, she feels the direct approach is always the best approach, for any other way is a sign that you are too weak to handle the challenges set before you. She is a proud young woman and it shows when she fights. However, she is not boastful, and while she is not afraid to make her intent known with words she knows all too well that actions speak louder, especially when spoken through shield, axe, fang, and claw.

Combat Information
Weapons: Blazing Waraxe - A traditional Northerner weapon, the waraxe is a one handed weapon tipped with a small spearhead so that it can make piercing attacks along with the hard hacks and slashes of a traditional axe. Talia's axe has been enchanted with the properties of elemental fire. This enchantment can be activated or deactivated at will, and while active it has a chance to ignite those she strikes with it, dealing extra damage per swing and over time. While the magic is not as effective against water elementals or similar creatures, water, ice, or even the most bitter cold cannot douse the core flame produced by the axe.

Ironhand's Bulwark - A primary form of both attack and defense for Talia, she has mastered the use of this 2 foot diameter shield as a weapon as well as a bulwark. The dozen five-inch steel spikes attached to it enable her to cause grievous wounds to enemies unfortunate enough to be caught in her path while charging or, worse still, the poor souls who are at the receiving end of a violent shield bash. Furthermore, it is enchanted with fortifying magics that not only allow it to sustain far more damage than a standard shield would, but also divert a degree of magical damage. Like the tattoo across her face, the shield is marked with three diagonal slashes, reminiscent of claw marks. This is the symbol of Talia's chosen god, Bjorn Ironhand.

Natural weapons: fangs and claws (requires werewolf form) - When in her hybrid form, Talia gains the ability to attack with bites and rakes from the natural weapons that form after her change. If she is holding her axe and shield while in her hybrid form then she cannot make attacks with her claws. She can, however, make bite attacks at any time in her hybrid and wolf forms, provided she isn't carrying something in her mouth of course.

Armor: Ironhand's Bulwark - Just as it is a primary form of attack for Talia, the shield she wields acts as her main bulwark against damage. It is enchanted with elemental wards that reduce the effectiveness of certain magics, primarily fire, lightning, frost, and earth magics. Furthermore it possesses a special ward that can be activated with the proper command word, one that creates a magical field of repulsion around her that greatly increases her defenses for a brief period of time. However, due to the nature of this magic, the ward can only be activated once a day.

Mythril Breastplate - Constructed of the mythic alloy that is said to have the strength of dragon scales but the weight of a feather, Talia's breastplate offers her incredible protection while also granting her a much higher level of mobility than most heavier armors would offer.

Powers: Lycanthropic Empathy - Because of the beast blood bestowed upon her, Talia has a supernatural empathy with wolves and wolf-like creatures such as wargs and dire wolves. She can communicate with them both in and outside of her werewolf forms.

Fast Healing - A trait brought about by her beast blood. Damage that Talia takes heals five times faster than damage dealt to a normal human while she is in her werewolf form. Outside of her werewolf form her healing factor is half this.

Hardiness/Aversion - Werewolves are naturally hardy creatures. Those born of divine gifts, like Talia's beast blood, are hardier still, and the gift of the beast blood causes Talia to take less damage from attacks than she would if she were a normal human. However, she still retains the aversion to silver that all lycanthropes possess, and silvered weaponry will deal far greater damage to her as it acts as a poison to her blood.

Bloodlust (requires werewolf form) - Talia gives in to the feral nature of her blood, fighting with incredible vigor and tenacity. When she gives in like this, she will not stop until either her enemy is beaten or she is.

The Horn of Ironhand (requires werewolf form) - Talia looses a ferocious roar that is fueled by the divine power of Bjorn Ironhand. This battlecry inspires herself and her allies to fight harder and stronger while wearing down on the morale of her enemies. Those of weak enough will sometimes flee in sheer terror when she looses this call. This gift, however, is a limited one that is only granted to her once a day.

Techniques: Fighting Style: Northern Shield and Axe - A style that specializes in turning defensive combat into offensive combat. A staple of her people, it is the style that Talia learned from her mother and utilized to devastating effect not only in her Hederlig Kamp, but in all the years since then. It focuses on repelling enemy attacks to create openings for swift and efficient killing blows.

Shield Fighter - Talia has become a master of using her shield as both a defensive tool and a weapon. While most fighters cannot maintain defense while using a shield as an offensive tool, Talia has mastered this art. Attacks with her shield are as devastating, if not moreso, than attacks made with her waraxe. Furthermore, she knows how to attack with her shield while keeping it available for defense at a moments notice, making it very difficult to get around her defenses even during a shield attack.

Deflection - A technique that has proven very useful but very difficult to master. Talia has learned, more or less, how to deflect projectiles with her shield, but it is something that requires pinpoint timing and concentration. A useful tool at best, this skill often falls to the wayside while locked in combat for the simple fact that concentration on an outside adversary is not always possible.

Block Breaker - A specialized shield bash attack, the block breaker is a heavy bash with the shield that uses the force behind the attack to break through an opponents defenses, either leaving them open for attack or potentially stunning them for a period of time.

Spell Breaker - A specialized shield bash attack, the spell breaker, like the block breaker, is an attack meant to bypass the enemy's ability to defend themselves. However, unlike the block breaker, the spell breaker is made against the spell or special attack used by an enemy. If the spell breaker hits, the protective wards in the shield either destroy the spell or attack outright or redirect it towards the user. However, since this technique requires not only precise timing but the drawing of power from the shield's wards, it can only be used a handful of times before the wards are depleted and require recharging.

Special Abilities: Change Shape - Talia can assume the forms gifted to her by her beast blood at will, changing into either the hybrid werewolf form or into a fully realized wolf. When shifting into her hybrid form, Talia retains her arms and armor and can continue to use them if she wishes. She also gains a bite attack that she can use, on top of raking attacks she can make with her claws. When shifting into her wolf form Talia's arms and armor shift with her, merging into her body, a mysterious side effect of the magical process that causes the change. However, upon returning to normal, all equipment she was wearing returns as well. Talia can assume her wolf form as many times as she would like. However, while she can change into her hybrid form at will, maintaining it takes a toll on her mind and body and, without the magic of the full moon, she can only hold the shape for so long before she reverts. After reverting she becomes exhausted and cannot assume either of her alternate forms for some time afterwards. If, however, she is backed by the magic of a full moon, Talia can assume either state indefinitely.