Orek Steele
Orek Steele (a.k.a. Thunderbane)
The famous 'Thunderbane' before he earned his namesake scar against that notorious bandit in the mountains of Porzu.
A freelance mercenary, Orek “Thunderbane” Steele has had a rough life to say the least. An abusive veteran for a father, a reclusive mother and a life travelling around the known world for jobs haven’t given him many higher ambitions to strive for, but he takes what jobs he can. Over the years, he’s served as a bodyguard, an assassin, a member of the infamous Yellow Spears and even had a run as a member of the Green Flame. However, Orek has so far preferred working either alone or with his Vrain ally, Tzuli. The two of them make a formidable combination, with Orek’s power and fighting skill alongside Tzuli’s stealth and deception makes them a formidable duo. Now, they have been tasked with a dangerous mission and have been conscripted into a new merc company full of colourful characters; the Emerald Eyes.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Tall, muscular and athletic, Orek makes for a great brawler either unarmed or with his signature weapons. His height can help him intimidate many lesser men, though can make it harder for him to sneak around.
Facial Features
A short jaw-fitting beard on his square chin, thin but well defined eyebrows, a small nose.
Identifying Characteristics
A large, burning scar on his left cheek, a reminder of when the kineticyst using outlaw slashed his face with some lightning remaining in it.
Apparel & Accessories
Preferring leather, linen and steel, Orek’s preferred colour scheme when in duty is brown to camouflage well and to offer some level of professionalism. However, when in casual gear, his favourite colour is scarlet.
Specialized Equipment
His preferred weapon combination is a 46cm/18 inch long warhammer and a circular shield, used to parry in the absence of a sword. He also has a dagger in case he loses either of these.
Being large and strong, he also is quite powerful with a longbow, but needs more time to set up, as well as the hunting bow. He is generally not too good at more speed-based bows for combat.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Orek’s father, Murrek Steele had once been a caring husband and hopeful father, but being conscripted to fight in the Altyn rebellion, where the current Grand Duke’s uncle attempted to seize the local throne and cede from the Dominion. Watching his friends die and the atrocities his own men committed on the traitor’s home city broke Murrek, and he became consumed in drink and anger, taking it out in those around him. Orek and his mother were those. Growing in his father’s shadow till he drunk himself half to death and fought to true death, Orek desired to be strong to never fall victim to such things again. He took on guard jobs in his local village, then once old enough to do so, he left to join the Yellow Spears.
Despite the good money earned in this position and experience, he shared no love for his contemporaries, who were infamous for their brutality. When he found his secret lover, Tanzelle, brutally murdered by his ‘allies’, he left and swore off them, demanding vengeance, but never having any means to do so. In this, he drowned his sorrows in basic pleasures and freelance work.
At the age of twenty-two, while working in the Governate of Porzica, he earned his most fearsome reputation went sent after a bandit, Jenkarr the ‘Thunderblade’, who terrorised the mountains with a dagger made of kenetycist, a blue, almost mythical metal that could store electricity from static to lightning in it and release it in controlled bursts. In the mountains, Jenkarr could charge it up easily and launch blasts so great they could set entire villages alight. Terrorising the locals for ransoms, Orek and a small group were sent to root out the bandit. One by one, the team was killed off by a combination of bandits, snow leopards and the harsh weather, until only Orek was left to face Jenkarr at the top of Mount Zigrob, over three miles above the ground. The battle is said to have lasted an hour as Orek dodged blasts of lightning from the blade till the two were close enough to tangle. Jenkarr seemed to have secured another victory, slashing Orek’s cheek with some jolt left in it, leaving Orek howling in pain and writhing in the ground, stunned. But as the outlaw went in for the kill, Orek used his last bit of strength to trip Jenkarr off his feet and wrestle the blade away from him, before grabbing his hammer and burying the spike into Jenkarr’s eye, then throwing him off the base of the mountain to the ravine below. Earning many congratulations, and a home from the Governor’s wife, Margoret Seluny (also the magister of Voshia and mother to one of the Decarch candidates), Orek became a figure of legend, touring around the Dominion and beyond for three years. During this, he met the head-hunting Vrain mercenary Tzuliifaznizkuzolzfarnixicuum, better known as Tzuli. The two soon became friends and took on various jobs together.
Gender Identity
Man, he/him
Sexuality
Heterosexual
Employment
Has served as a mercenary for over twelve years now, freelance, in company or as a bodyguard or even assassin.
Accomplishments & Achievements
The achievement that granted his name was when he was sent up to kill the infamous
Failures & Embarrassments
Tamzelle was once a woman Orek loved with all his heart. She was kind, intelligent and considerate, and she gave him something else to look forward to alongside his dirtier work with the Yellow Spears. But his so called ‘friends’ didn’t like that he was having such a relationship, that it made him soft and weak. One day he came to her father’s house with flowers and the finest Phozian berries that were her favourite, only to find her impaled on a long yellow-tipped spear, her parents chained up and forced to watch the whole ordeal. At that point, Orek blames himself for not protecting her and for falling in with such scum in the first place. Never wanting to fall in love again, he drowned himself in courtesans and whores whenever he could, knowing they couldn’t fill in that gap. He has so far refused to fall in with another company, lest they be similar, or tempt him toward vengeance. But now he has no choice but to join another one in Symon June’s ‘Emerald Eyes’. Orek thinks this may be a chance at redemption.
Mental Trauma
Years of physical and emotional abuse from his father left him desiring not to be weak again, and to find another form of family. His later experience with Tanzelle further cemented this, and while he maintains an aura of being outgoing, cheerful and the soul of the party, Orek internally struggles with much self doubt in truth.
Intellectual Characteristics
Witty, charming, a fierce temper when let off (which is rarely), but focussed on the job. Has a nack for tactical thought, as years of experience and planning alone or in groups have ensured that he is quite a suitable leader when out to the task.
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Age
28
Birthplace
The slums of Pharqu, a town twenty kilometres north-east of Phoz
Children
Current Residence
Freelance
Gender
Male
Eyes
Deep blue
Hair
Auburn
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned, white
Height
190cm/6”3’
Weight
90kg
Aligned Organization
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