Orian Se Nerkka
The most adventurous adventurer of this part of the galaxy
I guess it could be worse. It could be raining
In the highest spheres of the First Domain, the Se Nerkka family is one of the most influential. Yet, despite their staggering power and wealth, the core of the family is restrained to a handful of people. Their youngest representative is barely 12, and also happen to be the last of his family alive following the sabotage of the cruise ship he was on with his parents. Stranded on an unknown and hostile planet, but alive. That alone is enough for Orian to make it back.
Golden Child
For the best of his younger years, Orian has been kept out of the conspiracies and duplicity of the High Spires. His father did not even pass the century before having him, and his mother was only 101. Both young and strong enough to hold their own in the game, they decided to preserve their only child from the turmoil of politics until he reached his 15th birthday.
Thus, the young Orian never had any worry growing up, and lived a life of blissful ignorance. With both parents busy with their respective duties, he spent most of his earliest years listening to the stories of his great-grandfather, an old man savouring a temporary retirement before going back on another commercial venture. While Stanislas Se Nerkka had lived a full life and was built like a brawler, most of his stories were made up, just plausible enough to fill with stars the eyes of his impressionable descendant.
Grappa, tell me again!
Again, little devil? Alright, so I was stranded in the harsh desert of Qualit, with bloodthirsty creatures all around me. My vessel crashed on top of a dune that let me assess the dire spot I was in. No signs of my crew, or anyone nearby. Only me, hungry beasts and a faithful lump of iron. So I did what any true man would have done...
If the old-fashioned man instilled some rather questionable views on manhood to Orian, he also awoke a long-lasting thirst for adventure. In the silk cocoon of the family's buildings, there wasn't much in way of thrill for a reckless youngster. Even with the best efforts of his parents to arrange a full skyscraper as a gigantic escape game that emulated several biomes with great fidelity, it wasn't enough. It just didn't feel like a real adventure, one in which any mistake could mean the end of him, where his very life was at stake. Like that time when grappa Stanislas lost his right arm in the jaws of a feline three times bigger than him.
To satiate their son's curiosity, his parents often took him on their business trips. Still far from the adventure he yearned, these trips allowed him to discover various biomes and cultures at a young age. The last trip they would ever make as a family, however, was no business. The only leisure time the two busy politics really took in a decade, cut short by an unfortunate incident involving a great deal of sabotage and hitmen.
Olicar Se Nerkka
Second son of Sinclair Se Nerkka, he was a direct descendant of the prestigious family, and the one destined to replace his father in the High Spires. Already a foreground player in the political game, he was the front face of the family. Stern and firm, he was seconded by his older brother, who prefer to work from the shadows.
Merina Se Nerkka
While she left most of the political duty to her husband, Merina took on the industry side of their affairs. A dangerous woman to deal with, she expanded their commercial empire and absorbed several smaller families in the process. This did not go without making powerful enemies, but she proved herself to be the one nobody want to make an enemy of. She was also very religious, a fervent adept of Zeraustreph, the god-prophet. With every successful venture, she was said to add a pearl to one of her necklace, as an offering to the divine foreteller.
Story involvement
What's in a name?
Se was a particle whose use became common in the latest decades of the Imperium of Man, appearing first in official documents written in High Imperi and more widely used by the First and Supreme domains before falling in disuse. It means "owner of", placed before either a land, an item or a trade.
The meaning of Nerkka has been lost to time, although given their ancient roots, the family's genealogists suggest it may either be the name of a commodity they had monopoly of, or a forgotten system. It is not uncommon for First Domain aristocracy to have forgotten the true meaning behind their name, as most of them stem from very ancient roots, some tracing back to Earth itself.
"He has your eyes!"
The Se Nerkka family prides itself of not using any implants or heavy enhancement treatments, in opposition to the shattering majority of the other great families. This stance is easy to take for them, whose ancestry traces back to the genetically altered Supreme Domain. What is there to improve when you already are biologically perfect? The pink eyes are a marker of that, a common sight in the Supreme Domain but not so much elsewhere. Beyond that, this prestigious family is gifted with less flashy but powerful hereditary traits.
Cat's Eyes: The eyes of a Se Nerkka is not only of an unusual color, they are also able to see clearly at a far greater distance than a regular eye, and pick up very small details, as small as a bacteria when at the right range. Furthermore, they possess partial nyctalopy, their pupils become slitted in the dark, trading colored sight with the ability to harness even the faintest light in their environment.
Nerves of steel: Due to a deficiency in [stress hormones], they are much more composed in dire situations and never let their emotion hinder their best judgement. As a side effect, they feel close to no empathy, but it is more of a boon in their line of work, both political and industrial.
Delicious toxins: Both the conformation of ligands and receptors for most biological process are unique to the Se Nerkka family, meaning that they are impervious to most of the common toxins which are unable to bind to their usual targets. Any poisoning attempt on them would need to be specifically engineered to fit the specificity of the Se Nerkka. For their enemies, this is not worth the effort compared to a good old bomb.
Against all odds: When put in a desperate situation, multiple biological process will activate in response to the stress biomarkers, especially chromatin methylations. It has a wide variety of effects, like slowing down their metabolism, reinforcing their muscle and hardening the skin. While it is nothing beyond human capabilities, it allows them to survive an extended period of time in a hostile environment, at the expense of making them tire more easily and shortening their lifespan if maintained for too long.
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