Asha

Asha is a sandborn warrior hailing from Naishn, watchpoint-city of the southwestern Shattered Sands.

Appearance
Standing at an athletic and toned six feet in combat gear, Asha holds the confident sway of a woman who is no stranger to consistent combat and muscle exertion, and currently possesses a lithe build that—despite her height—allows for remarkable finesse and agility. Decades of life fighting in Aneos have left her physically fit for the myriad of hazardous encounters that the strange and vast world has to offer, with her prolonged experience as a soldier easily spotted in even the simplest of her casual movements.

A natural mid-tan complexion, long and wavy black hair tied back into a high and loose ponytail if not kept together by headscarf or bandana, and relatively pointed ears will confirm any observer's suspicion as to Asha's heritage. Well-defined cheekbones remotely narrowing into an equally-figured jawline, striking, straight eyebrows resting fiercely over vigilant, golden amber eyes, and full, symmetrically-shaped lips all help to create a sense of exotic allure, but in direct spite of her innate looks, much of that potential air of appeal has since been stripped away and marred by nearly two centuries worth of battle.

Though her head has gone relatively unmarked throughout her lifetime aside from some small nicks and cuts, the ever-so faint traces of age lines forming in her face tell much of the long years behind the woman. For the large majority of her body, skin that was once as smooth as silk no longer stretches for more than mere inches at any point without display of scarring, an empty canvas progressively altered into a rough patchwork of suffered injury: indication of slices, slashes, stabs, thrashings, gunshots, arrow holes, and burns equally find themselves etched into her exterior, and oftentimes the site of where one old wound ends and another begins can be difficult to determine without close inspection or direct inquiry. Of them all, the ones perhaps most notable are also the ones that were placed with the most intent: firstly, the symbol of her Tukam'Asan bloodline having been Branded onto the back of her left hand, with a replication of the insignia also over her heart; secondly, the large, albeit faded scar of the Golden Order's avian symbol that was involuntarily carved into her upper back at a young age. Though the first two Brands are symbolic of heritage and who she is—often visible in plain sight—the lattermost scar is one she regards with nothing but hatred and shame, and is the only one upon her body that she will actively try to keep hidden at all times.

In battle not long ago, the woman's left eye was torn from her face via a jagged battleaxe. Starting at her left brow and continuing all the way down to her jawline is a thick gash that has only just recently begun to heal. Typically, she keeps a separate strip of dunewrap tied about her head to cover the main wound, though it fails to hide the rest of the freshly acquired scar.

In favor of preferring to stay mobile and flexible in combat, Asha dons a relatively simple outfit made almost entirely of sheer, white dunewrap. Virtually, the dunewrap resembles a highly form-fitting, sleeveless, long split tunic, with extra, almost bandage-like strips haphazardly twisting about and covering the majority of her abdomen and legs, the inside portions of her upper thighs left the most exposed. Over her forearms, similar pieces of the dunecloth are wrapped taut, but they serve little purpose in providing any actual protection, and instead seem to have found cause as a comfort factor more than anything. As far as any legitimate armor is concerned, the Sandborn warrior tends to equip only a pair of knee-high, tight steel plate boots, the thin yet sturdy metal colored in Naishn's signature maroon with lines of gold and silver tracing throughout its edges.

Unlike many other women of her kin, Asha dons no jewelry whatsoever save for a single ring, center-pierced through her bottom lip, that is made of her bloodline's emblematic syfocast gold.

Personality
A mostly militaristic and solitary life taught Asha to be casually cautious and exceptionally vigilant, above all else, and has kept her from becoming overly trustworthy of those who have not yet proven themselves so. The amount of people she has lost over the course of her life leaves her hesitant to become attached to those of whom she does trust, if simply out of fear of the unfortunate exercise in mortality being repeated. When she actually does attempt to befriend or reciprocate likewise, she does so with great care - being both highly protective and oftentimes stubbornly determined, slipping into a solicitous or even maternal role is something she does so with ease, and she will not hesitate to put her life on the line for those she has grown a fondness for.

Once with a reputation as cold, merciless, cynical, brutally pragmatic, and utterly no-nonsense, Asha has since those long-passed years become a good deal more warm and empathetic as an individual. Though still a warrior at her core, still quite practical in nature, she no longer holds the mindset of someone so logic-driven they will seize victory at absolutely any cost, all collateral damage ignored and anything or anyone caught in the crossfire be damned. This personality shift is likely - at least in part - a direct result of gradually-built, long-term, and deep-seated post-traumatic stress. But, despite this ongoing sense of "war-dread", as her people label it, she keeps this agonized disposition decently reserved by practice and remains a relatively pleasant person to speak with in person, if moderately reticent at the onset of interaction. As such, her rather intense demeanor can occasionally make her feel difficult to approach to begin with, but those that do take the time to get to know her will find a friendly woman who will happily share conversation, stories, and perhaps even a joke or two, although inquiries on especially personal matters may be swiftly deflected by seemingly uncharacteristic, subject-shifting humor; one of the few, if only, nervous habits she possesses, and one that doubles as a defense mechanism at that.

Not a lighthearted person by any means, but behind what may look a face of discipline and attentiveness is a fiery, nigh unchained passion for righting injustice. An aspect of herself a bit separated from the rest, Asha's combat temperament is something a good deal more ferocious than her typical bearing of calm, collected confidence. Extremely efficient, trained aggression borders daringly along the edges of raw bloodlust, with the arrant control behind her swift strikes remaining as the only thing disproving submission to the latter.

Sakaihan Blademaster
Alhough a skill becoming more and more antiquated with each passing day, Asha's experience with blades, particularly those single-edged, is nothing short of exceptional. Trained in her people's way of Sakaiha by the most lethal military personnel that the Shattered Sands have to offer, and with almost two full centuries to hone her abilities, the dubbing of her localized title "the Sidewinder" by fellow soldiers has become increasingly appropriate over time, with the nickname initially given for her unpredictable yet highly effective melee maneuverability. Somewhat of an unfortunate reality, then, when considering that the modern world of Aneos is so wildly changing, so technologically advancing, and thus a proficiency that in ancient days might have ranked her among the best warriors of her people, has turned into a proficiency that is now only adequate in simply keeping her alive.

Tactician
From recruit of the Main Arm to Field Commander of Naishn's covert Sifted Operations Division, from sellsword to Primeguard, from novice to veteran, Asha's experience with most things war and those synonymous has left her well-versed in both the small and larger-scaled workings of battle. Though apprehensive to offer her expertise in areas outside of the Sands, anybody who inquires her of formation regulation, battle stratagem, territorial (dis)advantages, offensive/defensive positioning, unit cohesion, weapon practicum, field discipline, and anything in-between will quickly discover that the woman has not just been a simple soldier for her entire life.

Martial Grasp
In consideration of both her world experience and line of work, it's understandable how Asha might have come to know so many other nations' military leaders and members of importance. However, her many years visiting, acting under, and fighting for other flags has left her with more than just a first-name basis with certain generals, but also fluency in multiple languages, favors waiting to be fulfilled at her request, and where one might go to acquire some possibly or possibly not legal armaments and/or materials - the connections of a commander that has built a long and widespread career, although the reputation she has garnered as such has certainly left her with just as many adversaries as allies, if not far more.

Illusionary Arts
Although possessing the magical ability to create deceptions and manipulate minds via the power provided by Juice, Asha dislikes common use of it in combat and in turn has not garnered much control in the ways of magic. At best an amateur with her abilities, she's capable of only conjuring minor mirages and decoys when amidst battle, and will tire easily even at creation of just those. Her preferred use of her magic, if any, is by obtaining information through direct contact with a subject, utilizing tricks and planting ploys in one's mind through a game of mental deceit. A useful technique, undoubtedly, but the fact that it often fringes so nearly on literal torture has made even its use a rare notion as well.

Turshezq
A Primeguard scimitar forged an age ago for the most elite of Naishn's bygone security forces, and if not for its excellent condition, would be seen more as treasured relic than lethal tool. As beautiful as it is deadly, the weapon has no traditional guard over its elegant maroon handle except for a minimal, pointed metal stop protruding blade-side, and from there the scimitar extends into a single-edged, primarily straight-backed, trailing-point snowsteel blade, with a handful of deep serrations just below its midpoint. In its entirety, the scimitar rests at three-and-a-half feet - ultimately, the weapon's length and lightness work in tandem, permitting for either a one or two-handed stance to be taken and providing much desired room for opponent-based adaptation. The weapon's sheath - much like both its handle and Asha's greaves - is of a rich maroon, with traces of silver and gold along the edges seen throughout, and is typically fastened to her back by belt to be retrieved by her dominant, left hand.

Tretcher Mk.2 Stealth-Class Scimitar
A terrifying yet elegant scimitar that is not all that dissimilar to Turshezq in shape and size, aside from its carbon-black shade and twice as many serrated teeth along the midpoint. A bit lighter due to its composite, and half as beautiful as its more esteemed counterpart, but easily just as deadly all the same. This scimitar, unlike Asha's primary, is not sheathed across her back, but instead rests in a more traditional fashion at the left of her waist, ready to be retrieved either as a secondary by her right hand, or in circumstances where an initial draw from the hip is simply more ideal.

Karambit Pair
Twin, carbon-black, curved knives that have retained their razor-sharp condition despite their stretch of years without use. Now reclaimed by the warrioress, the pair of hawk-talon blades rest in their sheaths at the right of her abdomen, above the curve of her hip.

Last Resort Dagger
A fairly unremarkable, yet well-balanced clip point dagger that rests vertically in a sheath strapped to the plating of Asha's left boot. Moderately sized and classically colored, the brandishing of this weapon is only ever done for one of two reasons: to throw, or because she has nothing left to fight with.

Background
Naishn, rustic city of the southwestern Shattered Sands, had been locked in struggle for ages. War with surrounding marauders - the cannibalistic, hate-driven, rabid creatures who once may have even been Sandborn men and women - showed no sign of coming to a halt, as it had been for at least centuries. Though seldom breaking out into full conflict, the repeating cycle of guerrilla warfare and terrorist methods targeting the region's denizens gradually wore thin on the city's morale, and measures grew extremely desperate. Rhyzza, as she was named, was born into this time. Coming from a bloodline known as sar'Tukam, or in the Common tongue, "of the Spear", Rhyzza's future as a warrior was something that resided within her from the very start.

Being the only child of Harran, a woman both strict city guard captain by day and caring mother by night, Rhyzza found herself living the majority of her early childhood days indoors or under constant protective watch by city guards, where she spent most of her time reading books about the outside world and the dangerous fascinations it contained. Although she never knew her father, a man Harran rarely spoke of, the young girl's enthrallment with her mother's family's history became apparent before long at all. Harran, fearful yet hopeful for her daughter, guided her girl along the way, knowing full well of the history of war that ran in their veins, and how difficult it would be to stray otherwise given the city's perpetual state of strife. Not a fate for a child to have, but with the young girl's eyes set unfixed on the blade, the inevitable soon became reality. Years blurred by, a hazy stride forward of training and learning the ways of Sakaiha, and before much longer, Rhyzza's fate was finally set in stone...or, more accurately, written in blood.

She was sixteen when she swore the Code. Sixteen when she undertook her bloodline's Passage, and for the first time fully realized what it meant to be sar'Tukam. Four, grueling years of hardship were overcome, the Passage's brutal hold never once loosening its vice, and at twenty, when she joined the three others of the initial twenty that had begun the ancient trial, she was forever marked with them. The Brands placed upon their skin became the final symbol, an eternal reminder of their lives sworn to duty, sworn to their people. She remembered kneeling on that clifftop at midnight, before a great fire, knowing that nothing else mattered now. She remembered drifting, painful memories of past years as she knelt there, of time in the city, time with her mother. She remembered that grim night only a few months before her Passage, the grim night that angry slam on the door woke her, and before she could even react, the Order burst into her home on a wild hunt for her apparently missing mother. She remembered confused words, orders being barked back and forth with haste and anger, as they demanded to know where Harran was, as they demanded that the woman "answer for her crimes." She remembered knowing nothing of what they spoke about, and knowing equally as much of the whereabouts of her mother, but that it didn't matter to the enforcers. When their lieutenant, utterly furious, pushed her down and scarred her back with the Order eagle as punishment simply by proximity, did she finally catch hint of the reality of the situation. She remembered as he held her down, cutting into her skin, and whispered of "collusion with demons" before disappearing into the night with his men. And nothing came of it all.

After that dreadful night, Rhyzza had set out on a search for answers and her mother who had seemingly vanished without a trace. Wielding what little was left behind of Harran's belongings, she left the city of Naishn by herself for the very first time, now donning "Asha", a favorite name she recalled from one of the books she read during childhood in an attempt to mask her identity. She spent months straight on that tiring search, sleepless nights and frantic fights, and turned up not even a hint of a hint. All signs pointed to her mother's death, and when she finally built up the courage to come to terms with this, she finally gave herself to her bloodline. She swore to undertake the Passage, and endure those four years. She knelt before the fire, and remembered it all. And after she was Branded, finally standing as warrior, the rest of her life began.

Decades upon decades began to stack, the woman spending time as both soldier, wanderer, and everything between the two. Experiences all over the world, among dozens of armies, amidst dozens of wars, slowly but surely changed the woman, and made it unclear as to whether she was being tempered...or broken.

It wasn't until many decades more when a single detail surfaced, just an uttering of a name, and resparked the fire that had never left her. A name she had heard that same night the Order broke in. A name of one of the enforcers that had been there. Boldly and without plan, she broke into his home that same day on the fervent hunt for clues. A costly mistake, for an ambush was already lying in wait; her antitipaction in finding answers made her lose focus, and they had caught wind of her intentions. Initially defeating half a dozen Order enforcers at the spring of the trap, she was soon swiftly overwhelmed, bound and dragged away, then told that only that the trials of The Netherforge Gauntlet would determine the severity of her guilt.