Astra Keegan

[Asila]

Name: Astra Keegan

Race: Human (Pirate )

Age: 24

History: Since her mother had died of a wasting disease during the earliest years of her life, Astra was raised an only child by her father, Delano, who was a fearsome, ruthless pirate and had bestowed upon the Keegan name an even greater degree of infamy than that left behind by his own father. He was a devoted parent in his own way, proud of his daughter but strict and exacting, and in his care Astra grew into a clever, headstrong young woman. Her skill with the sword and her fierceness in battle when she fought beside her father to subdue and plunder rich merchant ships soon earned the striking daughter of Delano a seperate title. While her father was referred to only as Keegan (he hardly needed a more dramatic name when his surname inspired so much fear) his pretty daughter with the striking tawny gaze became known as Death's Golden Messenger in honor of those eyes that remained imprinted forever in the minds of those who managed to both face her and escape with their life. Astra, greatly amused by this, began to dress only in shades of gold to honor her infamous nickname.

Together, Delano and his daughter were the force behind what proved to be a rapidly rising power upon Yorl's seas. However, their good fortune could not last forever. The life of a pirate was a treacherous one, and only weeks after Astra saw her twenty-third birthday Delano was run through by an enemy sword as he and his crew fought to conquer and pillage yet another merchant ship. The crew, seeing their captain fall, began to fall back, and had it not been for the grief-ridden fury that provoked Astra into a furious charge they would have lost the plunder that their captain had died trying to gain. But as the crew watched the Messenger fight valiantly to avenge her father's death they rallied behind her. Not a single sailor of the merchant ship survived that battle, for Astra would not suffer a single one to live when it had been one of their kinsmen that had killed her beloved and much admired father.

On the dawning of the next day, the merchant ship was set on fire and allowed to drift into the harbor it had hailed from as the Sea Serpent, with it's banners flying, sailed just beyond the sinking, failing ship in full glory before disappearing beyond the horizon. It was a spiteful message that insisted the Sea Serpent and her crew were the most ruthless of the three seas.

The body of Astra's father was given over to the sea, and since his loss Death's Golden Messenger has added a new meaning to her title by insisting on burning every enemy ship that dares take the life of any member of her crew and sending it sailing into port in just the same fashion as she had the first.

Appearance:
Astra is truly an individual that will draw your eye in a crowd. She is tall, though not unusually so, her skin is a deep tan color and her hair, cut short, is a deep blood red that is streaked with gold. Her facial structure is clearly defined, well-balanced, and it is said that she is as fair as she is fierce. The eyes that had first inspired her infamous title are a deep, honey-gold; the closest shade to true amber that human eyes can manage. She is never seen without a bandanna tied upon her head ((so that she may avoid having her hair tousled by the wind) and wears clothing that is always one size too big since she finds the looser articles of clothing more comfortable. Though the style can very, everything she wears is in shades of gold.


Equipment: First and foremost we have her ship. It is much like the fifteenth-century carrack in style and was christened the Sea Serpent by her grandfather, who has always admired the mythical creature and had often recounted the tale of how he had sparred with such a beast when he had sailed the Green Sea as a young man. The vessel flies the colors of crimson, violet, and silver (though Astra favors gold, she refused to surrender the colors that the ship has flown since her grandfather first captured it) and has developed a formidable reputation over the generations. The figurehead is, surprise surprise, and intricately carved sea serpent that wraps around the prow. Her weapons include her rapier and however many daggers and throwing knives she can carry on her person. And finally, like any experienced sailor of any breed, she is never without her compass or spy-glass.

Strengths: Fencing is the most notable one, though she is familiar with archery and good with close quarter combat.

Weaknesses: Magic-based attacks

[Asila]

The Crew

Dixey Bull- Human, age 42. A cheat with an incorrigible sense of humor, Dixey is seldom seen without a grin of some sort upon his ruddy countenance. His hair has already silvered and he pays it little notice, so it usually sticks up in unruly tufts and one side of his head never quite matches the other. As a result, many find it hard to take him seriously and he often uses this oversight to his advantage. He favors the longsword.

Ignatius Pell- Human, age 36. An unpredictable scoundrel who possesses a mercurial temper. Ignatius is the shortest of the four but also boasts the most muscle. His light brown hair is cut short and is generally covered by a plain black bandanna that is not nearly as flamboyant as the type his Captain prefers. His weapon of choice is the broadsword.

Lionel Kelly- Elf, age 219. Was a good friend of Astra's father and is perhaps the most loyal of the crew to the new captain. He has long blond hair that the sun has bleached into a shade closer to white. He keeps it tied back with a simple strip of leather. His facial features are both elegant and charming, the eyes a dark green that reminds one of a shaded forest. He is slender in build and while he is tall, Roche has him outdone by a few inches. He carries a cutlass.

Roche Brasiliano- Human, age 28. A quiet individual with an intense gaze that most claim to be unnerving. He is tall, (a startling 6'7", in fact), dark in every description from his hair to his eyes to his skin to even the clothes he wears. He is loyal only to his own interests. He is one of the only members of the crew to carry a pistol, though he also carries a rapier. However, he is just the type of individual who would rather kill from a nice, safe distance.

These are the only four that I am going to list by name, though I think that a good pirate crew would consist of more individuals than just five (including Astra). I will just imply that those extras are present though they obviously won't be very important.