Holy Murder: As The Crows Fall

[Vay]

Original discussion

The IC

The world was not always like this. Once man was king of all we could lay his hands on. We thrived, we grew, we prospered. Back in out great grandfathers' days there was no hardship, there was no ignorance, there was no fear. Man was so close to understanding the fundamental laws of all things big and small and things were only looking to get better.

Maybe he pushed too far, dug too deep or became too proud but overnight it all came crashing down. One minuet we were alone in the universe, the next we were being butchered and hunted in our own cities as they burned around us. Many simply could not believe what was happening, and who could blame them? What had come for us was not from space, nor the predicted war over dwindling resources. They were called many things but over the years one name stuck and was passed down to us. Demons.

Paralyzed in our peaceful ways we fell quickly, but not all of us. Blood flowed without end across the land and commerce and the infrastructure ceased to exist. Many cities managed to drive the beasts out and stockpile weapons, we even thought we might win within a decade but there was no end to the monsters we faced, and in the struggle we turned to the one institution that could help us against the enemy we faced. God's Church. As shocked as everyone else they nonetheless organized a resistance and founded a new militant arm. We call ourselves simply "Paladins" and fight because we must do so to survive and protect our city. And never must we let anger and hate for the enemy consume our hearts and our souls.

Here we stand, our last home with our enemies at the gates but we do not stand alone. Through interment short wave radio transmissions mankind communicates between its fortified cities. From the bridges skyscrapers of New York to the domes of St. Peter's itself, we fight and we survive.

*​

This is a post-apocalyptic demonhunter RP. Players will be playing as a member of the order of paladins that stands watch over what was once Mexico City. Although set in the future there are very few usable firearms being at least 2 generations since any guns or bullets were made. Swords and axes are the main weapons used by the Paladins while the city militia use mainly spears and pikes.

Paladins are given their choice of weapons and armor and once thy have passed their final training (that only happens after they have proven themselves through a few years in the fortress guard) they enter one of the branches of the order.

The different duties range between training new recruits, training and leading the militia, being officers in the fortress guard, questing, and attending to the captain and bishop's safety as well as retaining the knowledge of the past so that knowledge and technology are not lost.

Only a portion of the city is left standing but what is fortified by a wall of rubble that over the years way been smoothed and filled in to resemble a medieval wall built from chunks of cut concrete. The fortress itself is within Mexico City's old cathedral (third picture) and contains the barracks and armory along with the official offices of the city government.

Normally the captain of the paladins and the bishop hold equal power, the bishop overseeing the city and the spiritual aspects of the fortress as well as being leader-in-name of the militia while the captain commands the paladins but after the recent death of Bishop the captain has withdrawn to his Spartan quarters to fast and mourn the death of his closest friend and brother and seek penance for failing in his duty to safeguard the Bishop's life so the burdens of temporary leadership fall to their aides but a situation has arisen that cannot wait for the captain to emerge, which he will only do if the fortress it threatened directly or his fasting is completed.

Radio transmissions have ceased from an outpost where church researches were working with the tribal shamans who live outside the city to investigate the nature of the demons. While this is not unusual it has been several days and a team must be sent to check on the outpost and assist in repair of their radio if necessary.

 

[Vay]

Re: The Crows come

CHARACTERS

Gabrielle Alvares Orphaned and hunted by demons, now a squire on her first mission. Played by Diana Notacat
Aaron Northgate Paladin fighter secretly in love with Gabrielle. Played by Asmodeus
Hawk Copper-Fire Mayan shaman working with the church with many tricks up his sleeves. Played by Ocha Hou-ou.
Mercy Guerrero Vega Somewhat clumsy paladin fighter with a lot to prove. Played by Ocha Hou-ou.
Javier Marquez Agile paladin fighter with more children than he should. Played by Torsty.
Vohren V'aaschHonor guard to the head shaman and a good cook. Played by MeaZ.
Tajo MorenoPaladin fighter deeply devoted to the community he prey up in. Played by DocKelly.

 

[Diana]

Re: The Crows come

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Gabrielle Alvares (She's taken the last name of the Priest she traveled with.)
Gender: Female
Species/Race: Human
Age: Recently 20
Birthplace: Unknown
Occupation: Paladin In Training.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

General Appearance: Creamy mocha skin, dark brown eyes. Brunette. 5'5". Her figure hints at would-be curves had she enough nutrition. Her clothing is well-worn with over use and on the fringes of being tattered.
Strengths: Having been on the run for a few years, she knows how to make herself blend in and disappear in to the background. Gabrielle is pretty good about being able to squeeze in to tight spaces or go unnoticed. She has quick hands.
Weaknesses: Bone density deficiency due to years of malnutrition!

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: Become a Paladin
Talents: Weaving (baskets). Quick learning. Speaks fluent English and Spanish.
Inabilities: Noticing Details.
Fears: Sleeping in the Dark. The ache of loosing someone again.
General Personality: Gabrielle is the sort of person you can bare your soul to and feel like you have been understood. She cares more about people than just the passing acquaintances. But, she seems to hold herself back from others. Where she will listen and discuss other people, she rarely wants to speak about herself. Gabrielle isn't prone to emotional moodswings, but there are things that trigger strong responses from her. She is devoted to her faith.
Inner Personality: Gabrielle misses the days of her youth were the world didn't seem to hang above her head. She's often haunted with nightmares about the demons that attacked and killed everyone she knew. After the death of the other survivor and the Priest that took care of them, she doesn't want to feel that pain again. So even though she genuinely cares about the people she is trying to help, she is trying to keep herself from becoming emotionally attached. It's going against her nature and need to feel compassion and connected with people... but she's just that afraid of the pain. Gabrielle truly believes in her Faith, but sometimes she uses it as a shield.
Secret: [Insert to be decided plot-device about delicious blood/soul here.]

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History:
When she was only a year old, Gabrielle was left on the doorstep of a Church-run Orphanage. Who her parents were or why they left her was unknown. Sadly, it was a fate that happened to many children. With so many lost homeless souls, the Church did it's best to care for them all. With the world as it was, children were rarely adopted. They spent their life at the orphanage until they were old enough to leave out on their own or join the Church to help keep the place running. Gabrielle was raised the same as all the others. Simple lessons or chores during the day and bible study on the weekends. "Playtime" was a luxury that was hard to come by, though the Nuns and Priests tried hard to let the children have time to be children. No one EVER left the Church after dark. Outside the walls of the grounds, there could be one or two lurking demons at any time. Volunteers would sit up in the tower each night to keep watch.

Gabrielle was sixteen when several demons hit the orphanage and slaughtered near everyone inside. They crawled the place, grabbing each person to sniff as if they were looking for something in particular. When it wasn't found, they ripped them apart. One of the Priests managed to escape with Gabrielle and another of the younger boys.

The Priest feared that something drew the demons. The way they seemed to be searching... Without a large group to help protect she Church, the Priest decided traveling was the best option. Over the next few years they moved from city to city, moving when there was a need to find new work. The young boy never quite bounced back from the experience. He ran wild to later get himself in trouble with vagrant street gangs and killed. The Priest and Gabrielle kept moving. ...Until the Priest was too old to move any longer. Their final stop was Mexico City, where the Priest finally passed away. Gabrielle buried him with a promise that she would treasure all the words he taught her. But with him gone, she doesn't want to run any more. They spent years running and now she wants to do something more.

Present Life:
Gabrielle has decided that the best thing she could do with her life is to become a Paladin and find a way to stop the demons. To end this Apocalypse and bring the world back to the way God meant it to be.

 

[Asmodeus]

Re: The Crows come

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Aaron Northgate
Age: 22
Birthplace: Delaware, US.
Occupation: Paladin


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Strengths: A damn good fighter, smart and resourceful

Weaknesses: Allergies and several old dislocations that have a habit of recurring

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: To fight his feelings for Gabrielle.

Talents: Aaron has one of the highest killcounts in the order and is renowned for his calm and organised approach to hunting. He takes the lead in combat, excelling with the sword and the use of guile and entrapment to bring down larger foes.

Inabilities: He is not one for arguments and certain parts of social interaction escape him. He prefers the simplicity of life and death scenarios and feels uncomfortable when he is left alone with his thoughts for too long.

Fears: He fears betraying his wife, Sarah, and his infant child, Dylan. He risks not only destroying their lives but consigning his soul to damnation.

General Personality: The man always with his head lowered, despite his achievements. He is solid and dependable in a crisis situation, but holds too much of himself back when it comes to conversation. Many see him as a man trapped and silenced by his thoughts, a heart struggling to articulate the fires within.

Inner Personality: At the base of all things, he loves Gabrielle, and this love is twisting him. He fights a constant war against it.

Secret: Gabrielle has no idea of his feelings.


HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Aaron owes a great deal to his father, who was by all accounts a man of infinite talents. History has forgotten what made him this way, but his father taught Aaron everything he knew, not least how to survive in a world gone mad. Perhaps the most important lesson was that of grace - the ability to take all things in your stride and look each day in the eye. With this philosophy they were two of the few who trekked from the ruins of Delaware and made it south through the killing fields to Central America. Aaron's father, like so many, was lost in an act of sacrifice, protecting his son from a creature spawned of blood and darkness. This was close to the Mexican border, and all the teenage Aaron could do was run onwards, across the long wastes to Mexico City where his father had spoken of Paladins and Shamanic hope.

Present Life: Five years later, Aaron is one of the foremost Paladins, though does his best to remain in the background of public salvation. He follows the church as he followed his father - quietly and with a stoic, some would say nihilistic, acceptance that everything that comes to pass cannot be but so. Many are the injuries he has suffered, but from each agony he has returned stronger and quieter.

Unfortunately, the things his father never taught him about were matters of the heart. Within a week of entering Mexico City and living like a vagrant on the streets, he had found comfort in the arms of a recovering drug-addict named Sarah. They had been stupid and Sarah had gotten pregnant. Becoming a father spurred Aaron to succeed in his promotion from city guard to the Order of Paladins. The child is now less than a year old and Sarah is devoted to it, so much so that Aaron is slipping into the background. He works hard and wears his wedding ring each day, but even more than those nights without his father, Aarom feels that a part of him is missing.

And now Gabrielle has come into his life...

 

[Diana]

Re: The Crows come

YOU DIDN'T POST IT IN THE THREAD, SO NOW THE ASMO GETS NO BREAD!

Go write your bio! D:<

 

[Asmodeus]

Re: The Crows come

No!

 

[Ochalla]

Re: The Crows come

Haha! Asmo had awesome title but was too lazy to suggest it!

Yeah, yesterday did not go as planned, bios for Female Paladin and Male Shaman coming soon!

 

[Asmodeus]

Re: The Crows come

God's Murder: The Crows Fall

It was something like that.

And I didn't suggest it because it was a collective idea and I was trying to not be the one pushing everything forward as usual like I always do in my unique way that proves the perpetual salvation of this forum.

 

[Diana]

Re: The Crows come

It was Holy Murder: As The Crows Fall

D:<

 

[Asmodeus]

Re: The Crows come

Well thanks for FINALLY backing me up here.

 

[Diana]

Re: The Crows come

You're welcome Asmokun! :3

 

[Vay]

Re: The Crows come

For some reason I laughed my ass off at that, Fine I'll edit the title to what Diana said. Then we can get this rolling and post some characters, hmmmm...?

 

[Vay]

Just to clarify a point ocha raised.

Relationships between paladins are allowed, but consummation is forbidden without marriage. Weddings can be officiated by either a priest or a ranking officer. The paladins may have their own priests who care for the spiritual matters of their comrades and may be spoken to in a paladin is troubled but otherwise are just like any other paladin.

 

[Ochalla]

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Hawk Copper-Fire
Gender: Male
Race: Maya yucateco
Age: 26
Birthplace: Valley of Mexico
Occupation: Shaman
More:

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

General Appearance: This dark man with broad shoulders and a fit body has a gentle air about him. His eyes dance most of the time in merriment and there is a ready smile on his plain looking face.
Strengths: Endurance, this has been built into him with his training.
Weaknesses: He does not have nearly the physical prowess of most of the male paladins and even a few of the females likely could beat him in a contest of pure strength. Also because of his training he is not skilled in any sort of weapons other then what he's used for hunting.
More:

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: To find a way to rid the world from the demon threat once and for all.
Talents: Hawk has been training since his childhood to become a shaman. As such he has many insights and more then a few tricks up his sleeve. He also has great patience.
Inabilities: He has no head for strategy or really anything related to warfare. He is seriously out of his element if he ends up in one of the city fortresses.
Fears: Due to his weaknesses he will fail those that depend on him.
General Personality: The smiling, quiet sage one could say. There is something very good natured about Hawk, but at the same time he seems very removed from those around him. It's not like he's cold, just a half step in another direction.
Inner Personality: Hawk is actually much more energetic and good natured then his mysterious persona might make people suspect. He walks two worlds and sometimes forgets that not all those around him do the same.
Secret: Shaman's are full of secrets.
More:

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: An offshoot of an offshoot of a Mayan tribe, Hawk's family clan have found themselves away from the Yucatan Peninsula. They have no desire to join the people, in their mind refugees, in Mexico City, nor any of the other fortress cities. Instead they keep to themselves and defend themselves, often thanks to the guidance of their shaman.

At the age of seven, Hawk had a dream and in the dream he saw the sky turn black, but he was not afraid, for this was not the darkness of the end, but of life on wing. He did not understand the dream, but knew it was an important one. After telling his dream to the aged shaman, he was taken on as an apprentice, for his dream was not only a omen, but a duty that Hawk had to see through.

Present Life: While city people and tribal people don't always see eye to eye, they all know that their continued survival might lie in sharing information. It was with this idea that the Church and various tribes came together at one of the fortresses to try to share information and come up with new ideas. The first such meeting was informative and a succession of meetings followed. Now they're not just meeting their periodically. They're actually working together to use information, new and old, mundane and mystical, to find ways to beat back the demons.

Special Historic Notes:

 

[Ochalla]

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Mercy Guerrero Vega
Gender: Female
Species/Race: Hispanic
Age: 23
Birthplace: Mexico City
Occupation: Paladin
More:

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

General Appearance: Not quite man height, but taller then the average woman. This sweetfaced woman has a body a sculpture would weep over, save for the lattice work of scars that are already on her skin. She has almond eyes and black hair that's cut just below her ears.
Strengths: She's deceptively strong, or rather she knows very well how to use the strength she has with leverage. She's also a very experience horsewoman.
Weaknesses: She can hit the side of the barn, but she can't get the arrow in the barn, even with the doors wide open. She's also embarrassed by her lack of grace off the battlefield or the practice court. She bumps into things far too often.
More:

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: Mercy is very dedicated in her role as a Paladin and takes her duties seriously. At some point she would like to marry and have a family, but she has a hard time imagining it happening.
Talents: A wonderful tracker, she has learned many wilderness skills that makes her a valuable member of any team going outside the city. She's also studied the sacred texts of the church dutifully. Partly out of piety, and partly in hopes that something might be buried away that can help her directly or indirectly.
Inabilities: She can't debate. Her passion can take her a little over board and can have a hard time stepping back and being rational about why she believes the way she does. Because of this she sometimes can't see another person's point of view until much later.
Fears: A long lingering death. Death by demon is never pretty, and she hopes that if her time comes because of one of them it is quick.
General Personality: Hot headed, act first think later. It is best to stay on her good side because if she runs out of words to express how much you've upset her she might use her fist instead.
Inner Personality: Mercy is passionate. She is trying to live every moment to the fullest, because all you have are moments. The future is too uncertain.
Secret:
More:

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Pedro Flores Guerrero was a Paladin. A good one at that and when his wife and son were killed by demons that had actually made their way into the city, he snapped, leaving behind his daughter to be orphaned completely within a few days after witnessing her mother and brother's death. It was only due to luck and the guard that she herself did not die at the hands of the demons.

It was months before she could walk again, and when she could she was placed with the wards of the church. Like many of them she got an complete education including about church ethics and church law.

Present Life: At sixteen, Mercy formally requested to join the ranks of the defenders of the city. Over the never several years she worked hard to hone her skill and prove herself. She was determined to become one of the best and her hard work eventually paid off.

Special Historic Notes:

 

[Diana]

My bio is up. :D If there's any errors left, you can suck my balls!

 

[Torsty]

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Javier Marquez
Age: 35
Birthplace: Mexico City
Occupation: Paladin

​

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Strengths: Flexibility, endurance and balance.

Weaknesses: Javier is not the strongest paladin alive, which leads to him being pretty much unable to use heavy weapons.

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: To get a new assignement.

Talents: Leadership and patience.

Inabilities: Javier lacks the ability to trust new colleagues he encounters, getting on his good side might take you some time. Proving yourself as a skilled fighter in battle is the best way to get his respect.

Fears: That the defences will fall and that his childhood playground will be victim of the demons wrath. Taking the orphanage, his wife and unborn child, and everything else to hell.

General Personality: Javier is lively, but with age he has calmed down and is not the loud-mouth he once was when he first joined the questing-branch. He allows his men to talk one on one if need be, which shows he's a caring figure. Yet, Javier doesn't like talking too much about himself.

Inner Personality: All in all, even though he misses his wife and looks forward to changing occupation, Javier loves his job and most of what comes with it.

Secret: He has two children outside his marriage.


HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Javier was born an orphan close to the old cathedral. He spent all his childhood inside what his now the last safe place of Mexico City. Destined to protect his home from the dangers that lurk, he enlisted to the order as early as he could. He started out serving the late bishop as a guard. After that he spent a short time training the militia before he joined his current workfield of questing. Javier is married to Maria, they are awaiting their first child.

Present Life: Having spent the last seven- eight years as a leading figure among the outside ranks, Javier feels it's time his duties are transfered to someone else. He hopes to be assigned in a position so that he can spend more time with his wife and watch his kid grow up, most prefferably training recruits or as an officer in the fortress guard.

 

[MeaZ]

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Vohren V'aasch (Vor-in-Vash)
Gender: Male
Species/Race: Maya Yucateco
Age: Around 34
Birthplace: Valley of Mexico
Occupation: Companion and protector of his tribes Shaman


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS





MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Current Goal/Purpose: His life is dedicated to protecting his tribes shaman.


Talents:

-Vohren is skilled in many forms of combat (I.e. Short sword, spear, crossbow and hand-axe.)
-Can repair equipment, providing he is familiar with it's mechanics
-Quick and adept learner with an open mind
-Excellent tracker and hunter
-Cooking
-A good understanding of herbal medicine




Inabilities:

-His vocabulary is very mono-sylabic
-His temperance
-Inability to read or write



Fears:

-Failing his life service to his Shaman
-The death of his daughter Vohla
-Dying (Simply because his daughter would be left alone)

General Personality:

-Vohren is a loving father and by all means a friendly man. His dedication and determination set him apart from many other men in his tribe. His motivation, his daughter's well-being, drives him. In many cases he lacks the sins of humanity. He doesn't understand pride, being as the only pride he has is his daughters' life. Greed has never factored in his life, everything he recieves he gives to his daughter or more unfortunate members of the tribe. He has barely looked at another woman since the death of his wife twelve years before. In many ways he is innocent, due to his lack of intelligence.


Inner Personality: Although his wife's death was due to child birth and something that couldn't have been stopped, there is a certain self-resentment within Vohren. His innability to help, capable or not, created a cold and numbing pain he still carries.

Secret:

More:

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Vohren was orphened at a young age. His father died in a fire and his mother took her own life soon after. To young to remember much about it, besides the flames, it holds no huge grip on his present life. After the incident he was provided for by a young woman from the village, Corrile. Her husband had been killed and with no other suitors she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life, so in a sense Vohren gave her purpose. Early on Vohren was assumed a simplton, due to his seemingly complete lack of intelligence. However, from a young age he showed signs of preficiency with technology. Corrile proclaimed that he could fix anything handed to him, and everytime the young boy proved it. He had a huge understanding of mechanice, no matter how scarce any working technoloy was.

Around the age of twenty Vohren wedded Aurla and joined the Shaman's guard before she fell pregnant. Aurla died at child-birth, leaving Vohren alone to raise his daughter. He did the only thing he could think of and went to Corrile. She took him and his newly born daughter in and helped a great deal to raise Vohla. In many ways the child resembles her mother, the same dark eyes and smile, however her personality is so close to Corrile it makes Vohren laugh from time to time. It didn't take long for Vohren to rise in rank and take the postion of the Shamans head guard.



Present Life: Vohrens life revolves around his postion as head guard and his daughter. She has reached the age to find a suitor and although she seems to have chosen said suitor, Vohren is finding it hard to get used to the idea.

 

[Cosmic Orion]

Would there be any tech rules against an Android Paladin?

 

[DocKelly]

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS


Character Name: Tajo Moreno

Gender: Male

Species/Race: Human/Hispanic

Age: 26

Birthplace/World: Mexico City

Occupation/School/Grade: Paladin Trainer

More: The nickname amongst the Madrigueros is Jojo (pronounced ho-ho)

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS


General Appearance: 190 centimeters, 90 kilograms, broad shoulders, narrow hips, physically fit. Brown skin, black hair closely cropped but 3A/3B curly when grown out, blue eyes. Wears a dark green under-armor sleeve on his right arm and an iron medallion of St. Peter, with the inscription "Pray for Us", on a silver chain.

Strengths: Speed and dexterity. Tajo favors the sword but is competent enough with most weapons to teach the basics to others.

Weaknesses: Suffers from chronic tendinitis in his right elbow. The sleeve he wears when active helps, but can only do so much. Tajo has made it a point to begin training his left arm to build strength but still has a long road to travel before his left arm reaches the ability he had with his right.

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS


Current Goal/Purpose: To protect those who depend on Paladins like himself. To rehabilitate from his injuries and actively quest again.

Talents: Excellent percussionist and participates as a musician for Mass time willing. Knows a little Portuguese and a lot of Yoruba (but that's a generally well-guarded secret).

Inabilities: Tajo doesn't judge a book by its cover but once he makes up his mind about something, that's the end of it. He can be a very prideful man so making concessions and reevaluations is like pulling wisdom teeth.

Fears: For his family, his babalorisha and his Madrigueros. That the dream that lead him into the Order was more prophetic than a divine encouragement. That his injury will force him to retire early.

General Personality: Inquisitive, extroverted and will not refuse an opportunity for debate or discuss topics he finds interesting like history or philosophy. Temperate in demeanor but he doesn't suffer fools gladly; if you test his patience, he will put you down. Very family oriented, with the high stakes life of a Paladin that can be all-encompassing at times, he makes an effort to keep in touch with his family and everyone else at La Madriguera

Inner Personality: Tajo is more than a little superstitious and has to make an effort not to break out into a ritual to address ill omens. Loners who can't or don't form relationships with others set him on edge.

Secret: He practices Santeria.

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Tajo's childhood was unremarkable if a bit crowded, growing up in a multi-family dwelling lovingly referred to as La Madriguera. As a nuclear family unit, Tajo's family was poor. However, family in La Madriguera meant more than your father and mother. When his parents had to work, there was always an older someone around who could look after Tajo. Often when it was time to eat, everyone brought what they had, potluck style, and everyone ate. Tajo could do little without someone noticing it and reporting back to his parents and for the most part, the adults had the authority to exact discipline on a child out of line. Santeria was the one other thing that Madrigueros shared. Tajo would attend Mass with his family at the cathedral and upon returning to La Madriguera attend a Bembé where he played the drums to praise the saints. Tajo's crowning saint is St. Peter, something that his parents consider auspicious considering the constant threat of demons.

Tajo decided to become a Paladin after consultation with his babalorisha about a dream he had. In that dream, Tajo is walking down a road that runs alongside a creek. Suddenly the skies darken with crows and a murder of them descend upon the creek. Not more than a minute later the creek is completely dry. The crows lie in the dry bed their bellies distended with water. Tajo approaches the crows who fly off, leaving feathers behind. He touches a feather which pierces his skin easily, drawing blood. Soon the creek is flowing again but instead of water it is with his blood. He joined the Order at age 18 and set his mind to training. Being a quick study and his aptitude with people had encouraged his trainers to suggest becoming a trainer himself, but Tajo was determined to become a quester.

Present Life: Is recovering from a demon attack during a recent quest that has left his sword arm almost useless in a real quest. In the meantime, Tajo has taken up training duties.

Special Historic Notes: Santeria is a tradition that has its roots in camouflaging itself within the Roman Catholic religion, so very little about it has changed except the merge of Cuban (African emphasis) and Mexican (Catholic emphasis) versions of Santeria. Tajo tends be extra careful so he generally uses the Catholic terms (saint versus orisha, St. Peter versus Ogun) unless he is with his family.