Bergen

image made with Portrait Workshop

Name: Bergen
Age: 32
Gender: Male

Description: Bergen is a tall, wide-shouldered man with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, tired eyes, a flat nose and an unusual moustache. He's been doing physical labour for a living and it shows. He's burly and strong. Bergen usually wears black pants, grey shirts and the remains of a jacket. He has yet to find a new one he likes. 
Personality: Bergen is a rowdy man. He is open and fun-loving, but knows to keep his wits about him. He enjoys going out to bars, but he truly loves pitting himself against nature and coming out victorious. He wants to be the strongest person alive, to protect himself and those weaker. He is the one who had the most moral problems with their mercenary work for Lord Stannon. 

Homeworld; Gremyne
Family: Probably has a few kids in neighbouring towns, but no official connections.  

Companion: Dojeon Balechild from Eldiheim (Planet Kynn)

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ELDIHEIM

Bergen felt the force dragging on him gain. He held on tight but there was no holding on to Hegouw. Both of them were torn apart and had to continue on their own. Scenery, shadows and Scents appeared and went. Never did he see one of the others. Bergen called out, hoping for a reply but all that came back were his own words, echoing on unseen obstacles. 
Sometimes a deep cold took hold of him, sapping his strength and confidence. Like ghosts of failure clutching at his soul. It was thus that Alden found him. Assailed by shadows, barely holding on to sanity but somehow managing. Qetszal made quick work of the mindless shades that had attached themselves to the mercenary.
"I smell another of your comrades close by." the true chaotic shadows whispered.
"Take us to them." Alden asked.
One second they were in the Elsewhere, the next they were in a dreary place, seemingly warped and yet thriving. Qetszal seemed to take care not to touch the terrain and when Alden asked only gave the most vague of explanations:
"I don't want this corruption to take hold of me. I belong to another."
"We should look for one of ours, Qetszal says they're close." Alden said, returning his attention to Bergen.
"I'm surprised anyone got out of that place on their own." Bergen noted.
"Same." Alden added, "It's taken me too long to find you. Maybe some of the others have managed to get away too. If they're not in the Elsewhere, Qetszal might not find them."
For that, the blond mercenary received a concentrated slap of shadow against his head.
"I will find them. As I did this one."
And true enough, Qetszal pointed his wings toward a woman that approached them.
"Tinien!" Alden called and both he and Bergen raced toward her.
"I never thought I'd see you again." Bergen called out.
"I'm tougher than whatever they threw at me." Tinien said coolly.
"I guess you are." Alden acknowledged. 
"But where are we?" Bergen asked.
"Eldiheim." Tinien said, "I've not been here long but they've been welcoming. They want people to bond to the balespawn that are growing in their eggs. I figured it might not be so bad to go for it."
Alden looked at Qetszal with a questioning look.
"They are not from me and mine but they would be similar enough for your friends." the shadowling let his rider know. 
Alden recounted his dragon's words and asked whether or not they wanted to stay or return to Lantessama. But neither mercenary was all that keen to venture back into the Elsewhere quite so soon. 
"Give them something of yours and it will become a beacon if they later want to return to us." Qetszal suggested.
Alden nodded and cut two strips of his cape that he handed to both mercenaries. Qetszal's unease rubbed of on him and he wondered if he'd ever see his two friends again. 
"Only time will tell. Now come, it's best if we don't linger here. The others will notice." 

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Hatching

Eldiheim was a peculiar place, but after the time spent in the Elsewhere it just felt blissful to not be alone. Hegouw, Bergen and Tinien had little trouble fitting in with the humans. The dragons were something else. Coming from a world where there were none, seeing them up close, interacting with them and preparing to raise one in the near future was a daunting thought. Especially since the Balefire dragons were hardly docile creatures. They were headstrong with a penchant for mischief. But the mercenaries from Gremyne never shied away from a challenge. And they knew hard work.
When the call came to head for the hatching eggs, the trio of mercenaries did so with dedication and purpose in their step. They walked swiftly as if heading out on a mission. And in a sense they were. The hatching was wild, chaotic and hard to contain in the minds of mere humans but in the end a message was relayed to each deemed worthy of caring for one of the bioluminescent green offspring.
Bergen was told the following:

"Morals are unnecessary. Might makes right. And I will be the strongest. You...may be useful."

Name: Dojeon Balechild (Name Meaning: Challenge (Korean))
Gender: Male
Coloration: Peridot
Parentage: Zouo Balechild x Smaragyr
Personality: Ambitious, Analytical/Cold, Selfish
Abilities:
     *Breath Weapon (Lightning)
     *Elemental Magic (Lightning)
     *Breath Weapon (Poison)
     *Plant Growth & Manipulation
     *Corruption Powers
     *Immortality
     *Realm-Traveling
     *Sizeshifting
     *Telepathy
     *Teleportation
     *Verbal Speech

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ADULTS

Bergen, Hegouw and Tinien had remained at Eldiheim while the dragons in their care grew. At times it was difficult to say who was in charge since the Balespawn had not so much bonded and appeared to view their human companions more as servants. Every dragon worth their salt needed minions after all. But luckily, Eldiheim would provide.
Or rather, Nathair, sire to Tekateki, had prepared blighthounds for all the growing Balechild-offspring. The hounds were the result of a long and arduous process of regulated balefire corruption and flesh sculpting, resulting in a highly intelligent - albeit non-sapient - pack-oriented hunter and companion. Carnivorous and fast-growing, the Blighthounds would form an empathic link with a specific Balespawn and obey only them. They would protect their chosen and anyone deemed part of their pack.
The trio of Balechildren had gathered to chose their pups, knowing the pups would need to be able to tolerate each other. Dojeon's eye fell upon a large, dominant male with brown fur striped like a tiger.
"I shall call him Schorseneer and he shall have both bark and bite."
Ristiriita went for a smaller female with green fur mottled with silver and black.
"She'll follow but also keep Schorseneer on his toes. I like her very much."
Tekateki took longer to decide, their mercurial mind going over plenty of options and imagining a variety of possible cases. Finally they chose a quiet silver-furred pup:
"She is ice, quiet and stable until she cracks and then she'll be deadly."

Name: Schorseneer
Gender: Male
Species: Blighthound
Abilities:
     *Telepathy: Mind-to-mind communication involving colors, images, sensations, and general impressions.
     *Empathic Bond: The supplemental mental connection formed between blighthound and Balespawn master
                              Allowing for complete and precise understanding of complex verbal or mental commands.
     *Naturalized Balefire: Additional exposure to balefire does not alter the blighthound, unless intentionally applied by a Balespawn.
     *Venomous Cocktail: Intensely powerful toxins secreted from any sharp bodily protrusion. Effects vary. Balespawn are innately immune.
     *Superior Regeneration: Rapid healing of damage, including restoration of limbs, barring injuries that are immediately lethal.
     *Eldritch Locomotion: Movement that seems to break physics (eg bending in unusual ways, slipping outside of reality mid-stride)

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Back to Story - Lantessama Isle

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