Name: Thalia Hope

Occupation: Chainbreaker. Reaper of the Hunt. Assassin.

Actual Age/Apparent Age: 99, appears to be 27 years old

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Race/Species: Ethyan Reaper


Appearance:

Thalia was an average, hardly noticeable woman. Her lithe 5'8" frame, shoulder-blades length black hair and pale skin were par for the course for most Ethyan crowds -- or, at least, those who were still among the living. Her garb was appropriate for a Lich Broodmother-to-be, the simple black robes and dresses cementing her stature within society. Her grey-blue eyes and the freckles upon her face were the only truly special traits about her, passed down from her mother; one final memento for her to remember each time she'd gaze upon a mirror.

That was before the Binding, her pact with Death himself. Since then, her form grew thin to an almost sickly degree, her skin hugging her bones so tightly one might be afraid they'd poke through. Her cheeks grew sunken, granting her an almost chiseled appearance, as if carved from the most hardened block of granite. Dark rings surround her eyes, suggesting that sleep is a distant, half-forgotten notion to her. The grey blue is still there, burning brighter than ever, the flames of her rebellion and will ever present. When conjuring Shadow, however, they become bloodshot and yellow, whilst veins of black travel upon her skin, markings of her Undeath.

As a Reaper, Thalia can shape Shadow to gain any outfit she can imagine. Instead of profiting from this, she has elected to keep her previous attire, both out of habit and as a statement. The simple black robes she chooses to 'wear' are there to show that anyone can join the Reapers, so long as they are willing. That anyone can fight for freedom from the Lichdoms of Ethya and regain control of their lives.


Scent:

While Liches may smell of rotten carcasses and cadavers, their immortality is far different from that of a Reaper. Her scent, instead, speaks of mist and the sand of cold and forgotten beaches. The smell of early morning wind, digging deep into one's breath and filling it with ice.

Personality:

Once, Thalia was a quiet, soft-spoken girl. An innocent, like thousands others, filled with the passion to learn, with the desire to see, touch and breathe life. Her will was strong, yet she was naive; when Lich Aethos' army approached the village, she did not understand her mother's despair, or the dread that graced her village. She could not see the fear they felt towards those who were brought back from death. Was it not a good thing that they saw their loved ones yet again? She wished she could see her father among the half-rotten faces, if only for just one more time.

When she finally understood, her flame grew cold, reduced to bitter, painful embers. Her submissive nature remained, and it was what saved her, what landed her into Broodmother Lania's bosom. With her aid, her curiosity gave way to knowledge. Her desires to wisdom. She learned the ways of the land, the ways of the people, and the darkness that stood at the hearts of all Ethyans, alive or turned to Liches.

But while Lania lost all semblance of hope, she never could. She always remembered her mother's dying words, and schemed of a way to release them both from their Lich's grasp. It was by her mind that she orchestrated the Hunt's attack, and it was by her hand that her Lich fell.

However, she could not stop there, for the flames within began to burn anew. Being as she was groomed into the Lich's future Broodmother, she had seen her fair share of brutality and hardship among the young. She saw the chasm of insanity, and much too often lingered at its precipice.

She would not allow anyone else to suffer such a fate.

After the Binding, the Chainbreaker would work from the shadows. Slowly sinking her claws within one Lichdom at a time, her grip would only turn to fist when the time was right. She was patient; with eternity ahead of her, she would bide her time and wait until her strike brought the most pain. Until she felt that the vengeance she claimed on behalf of the lost was enough. There was no malice to it, no bloodlust. She would only feel the will to bend the Liches, to make them bleed, just as they had bled an entire world with their hunger for eternal power.

"To live forever is to embrace pain. To die is to be free. I chose pain so that others may taste freedom."

Abilities/Skills:

Undeath - Thalia Hope cannot die. No matter the trauma, no matter the pain, she will never be granted passage beyond, not until Death himself claims their Binding to be fulfilled. This also means that she cannot sleep for more than a few hours a week, or when her body is damaged, thus explaining the Reapers' telltale dark rings.

This does not mean that she is invincible, however. Thalia can feel pain, loss and torture, just as any other living being. In fact, one might see it as a curse; to feel one's fingers ripped out of their sockets hours on end, knowing that they would grow back only to be removed yet again, is a horror the mind can only take so long. Many Reapers lost themselves within a Lich's dungeon after months of relentless torture, their contract only released when they became but fragments of their former selves.

Will - Above all, Thalia is patient, determined, and relentless. She has an entire infinity ahead of her; an infinity to shape herself into the perfect weapon of Death and justice. She is never one to act without thinking, always questions the nature of her surroundings, and never settles for less than what she wants.

Shadow - As a master of Undeath, Thalia can also command the Shadow, the dark powers of decay. She can turn her nails into claws laced with rotting poison, blend into the shade, and walk with steps as silent as falling feathers. Her eyes turn a sickly yellow and become bloodshot, allowing her to see life, death and Undeath. Her abilities also allow her to produce dark veils and bones, which she can use to clothe herself. While most Reapers prefer to use this to create intimidating armor for themselves, she instead wears dresses and robes reminiscent of her Broodmother days.

History:

Thalia was born in a quiet village at the edge of the Lichdom of Greater Ameni, bordering the Wastelands to the west. Though the soil yielded little and famine was an everyday occurrence, her family found themselves quite lucky to live there; the terrible conditions meant that it was far removed from the perils of war and strife, where the whims and yearnings of the Liches were no cause for concern.

Of course, though war did not visit her childhood, Thalia was no stranger to violence and suffering. Her father died during a raid, slain by bandits seeking to claim what little resources the villagers had. Her mother was constantly sickly, lacking the strength to fully fight off her disease as she granted her 'little hope' what food they managed to sow. Though she struggled to keep her mother well, some days were harder than others. Nevertheless, the young girl kept her will strong, for both her sake and her mother's.

It was on her 12th birthday that the army came. Lich Aethos of the Lichdom of Velora had succeeded in his conquest of Greater Ameni, yet still he did not find a suitable 'gift' for his Broodmother. His army was ordered to scour every single village, to gather both the living and the dead and to shepherd them to Velora, leaving nothing but burnt lands and a ruined people in their wake.

As his general approached Thalia's village, bringing with her the corpses of those she could raise from the grave, she gave all those there an ultimatum; to surrender their children to become Velora's property, or perish and fill the ranks of the undead. When her mother refused and the blade pierced her chest, Thalia's will cracked. Even as she spoke her last words, urging her to never forget her surname and what it stood for, the young girl could only stare into nothingness, her mind simply refusing to process such a turn of events. No, she had never lived a good life, but how could it have gone so awry? She could not fathom the reality in which she was thrust, nor the general in front of her as she urged her to kneel.

And thus, she knelt, and was quickly led towards a wagon with all of the village's young ones. The village's adults faded from her sight, never to be seen again, though later, much later, she'd come to know their fate: fallen on the frontlines, as thralls to the very general who had taken her mother's life.

She was still catatonic when she reached the Lichdom's capital, the vast and unbearable necropolis unfurling its spires across the horizon. Far more dead than living dwelt within its walls, fueled by the unnatural magic that coursed through the Lich's long-decayed veins. Thalia could see them by the thousands, the children brought forth from the conquered lands of Greater Ameni, some silent like her, others unruly and violent, yet all with terror in their hearts.

It was then that she saw her first Lich. A being more skeleton than human, its flesh red and boiling with the puss of a thousand horrors, its grotesque body coated in an oddly regal, yet decayed robe. She could sense his nauseating strength the moment he set foot within the grand plaza, ordering all children under 10 to leave through the same archway from which he had appeared. The rest remained behind, forced to stand still under pain of death, as the Lich moved through the small crowd, inspecting his tribute.

Eventually, his empty eye-sockets found her as he passed her row. The Lich gestured for her to follow, which she quickly obliged; her mother had made sure to drill into her head that to disobey a Lich was to die a gruesome death. Another girl was chosen in a similar manner, after which the other children were forced to leave through the same archway as before.

Now within an empty plaza, the Lich separated the two by a fair distance, before providing both with a knife. His blood-curdling growl beckoned for them to draw their knives and defend themselves; the one to survive would be allowed to serve him.

As the other, far stronger girl clenched her knife and found the courage to attack, Thalia simply placed the knife onto the ground, before bowing in front of him. Her mother spoke to her of the Lich's necromancy; resurrecting the dead would only yield a valuable servant until the body inevitably crumbled to pieces. The more ruined a body before resurrection, the weaker a servant one would obtain. Thus, she told the Lich that she would not fight, not because she wished to anger him, but because she wished to please him; better to have a butchered girl and an untarnished servant-to-be than two sub-par child-thralls.

Of course, serving him was not at all what she desired. She figured that she would have nothing to lose. Her mother had spoken of the Lich's love for submissive yet wise servants, and if she misspoke, she'd die quickly regardless, and be reunited with her mother and father.

Thankfully, the latter did not come to pass. Aethos seemed pleased with her assessment and found her wise. Sensing that her future was not as assured as she had hoped, the other girl moved to attack... only to find her very essence drained away. The Lich absorbed the life out of her mid-charge, making the aging girl tumble and fall upon the ground. By the time it was all over, a pile of dried bones was all that remained.

---

And so began her servitude.

Thalia was to be gifted to the Lich's Broodmother, Lania. Though a kind woman at heart, it was clear that her duty broke her, to such a degree that she barely spoke, with her or with anyone else. As a Broodmother, she was to be the Lich's spouse. To be defiled by his sickening unlife until she would be with child. To sire the child with vile magic and bring a new general within his ranks, yet another servant who'd inherit his proclivity for necromancy. With each birth, she'd grow weaker, until eventually her body would give way and finally turn to dust. To be free.

This was to be Thalia's fate, as well. As she would tend to her needs, so too would Lania teach her the duties and responsibilities of a Broodmother, so that one day she may take her place. In a way, Lania seemed happy that she would follow in her footsteps; despite the pain, she wanted for nothing and had her every need supplied, so long as Aethos was entertained by her. She was especially pleased to see how obedient and attentive her successor was, for it gave her hope that she would satisfy the Lich's whims well.

The young one had no such thoughts in mind, however. She was merely biding her time. She knew that alone she had no chance to survive, let alone bring down an empire built long before her birth. Instead, she'd learn how it worked, find those she could trust... and dispose of those who might threaten her influence. She found that every Lich owed their immortality to a phylactery, a soul-crystal that tethered their existence to the land itself. She learned that it was deep within the castle, somewhere only Aethos knew. She also understood that the phylactery required constant human sacrifice to fuel it... the younger the better.

Most importantly, she learned of the Reapers of the Hunt.

A group of powerful mages and assassins, their existence was little more than a rumor. It was said that they were sent by Death itself, to reclaim that which he had not been granted, the lives that had been taken away from him through the Lich's terrible magic. At first, she believed them to be confabulations, myths spawned by those who had nothing else to give them a better night's rest. She did not blame them, for the nights grew too long for her to bear, either.

But then the reports came in. Villages looted, undead slain... the living nowhere to be seen. Had a Lich invaded their lands? Aethos went on many expeditions, sent many generals, and even asked for Thalia to travel with; he had grown to enjoy her sharp mind, and saw her as a potentially useful tool. All of their sorties proved to be fruitless, except for one.

As she approached a village, her group fell prey to an ambush. A horde of Ethyans, more savage than human, descended upon her general and his undead, quickly overwhelming them. Her horse fell to the ground, casting her into the dirt below, where a shadowy figure approached her. Instead of feeling its claws sink into her chest, however, the being simply hid a letter into her hands, before fleeing from the scene. Moments later, the entire group left, appearing to be scared by the general's prowess. As he helped her back off her horse, she spoke nothing of the gift, and merely asked for them to return home... so that she may read the letter within the comforts of locked doors and stone walls.

It spoke of the Reapers, and thus of the shadows' nature. They wished to remove Liches from their world, to cast away the affronts to Life and Death and seek a more balanced use of necromancy, one that would free the living instead of turning them into a resource. Of the eleven Liches that plagued the world, five had already been disposed of, with Aethos following suit. They were slow and methodical, so as to not raise suspicion, and always targeted the one Lich that seemed to tower above all others, so that their death would fuel infighting, not investigation. They promised her passage to a safe haven, but only if she would grant them the means to sneak into the castle, find the phylactery and destroy it.

Thalia could do better than merely aid, however. Bringing all of her collected influence, she began to sow the seeds of rebellion in the hearts of his generals; they all waged wars in his name, yet none were allowed to perform the ritual that ensured his immortality? Perhaps it was time that the sons and daughters rise from their slavery and pluck the secret from their father. As she learned of their plans to rebel, she met with the one the letter mentioned for her to contact, telling him of what she had set in motion. Urging for them to be ready.

When the fated day arrived, a few months away from her 19th birthday, the capital fell into chaos. The few generals who did not wish to challenge their father were dealt with quickly, before the armies of the undead stormed the castle, seeking the Lich. Of course, the rebellion was doomed from the start; Thalia knew full well of the extent of Aethos' destructive power, even if the generals thought of themselves as stronger.

It would not matter, however. While he was busy cutting down his blood, she would lead the group of Reapers deep into the castle's catacombs, along the paths she had seen the young ones being funneled. The phylactery was mostly unattended because of the rebellion, with the few undead remaining quickly disposed of by the Reapers by her side. Without hesitation, they fulfilled their end of the bargain, bringing their powers to bear upon the soul-crystal, breaking it into pieces and releasing the soul within.

When they returned to the surface, a massacre greeted their sights. Only a few generals were still standing, surrounding a pile of bones, rotten meat and tarnished robes, the only remaining sign that Aethos ever lived. Thalia quickly retrieved Lania before fading into the shadows, far from the capital that housed her for the better part of her adolescence.

True to their word, the Reapers shepherded them both to a land far removed from the domains of Liches. The island was hidden and well protected, with the necromancers there using their undead to stand watch over anyone who would sail to it. Its soil was rich and its fruits aplenty, giving all those who reached the island the chance to start anew, to find a new purpose for their lives. For her exploits, her saviors called her 'Chainbreaker', and praised her for showing a strength of will that was fit for a Reaper.

Yet, as she saw Lania's increasingly lost gaze and her slow decay, her soul so broken that she simply let go of her life, Thalia knew that she would not be happy here. She could not simply sit by and allow herself the privilege of a pleasant life, when thousands more lived lives like Lania's. Lives like hers.

Thus, when the one remaining link to her previous life finally faded away, she took the Binding.

---

Long ago, before the Age of Liches, necromancy was in its infancy. An order of scholars sought to broaden their horizons and unearth its mysteries, their works granting them more and more knowledge of the balance between Life and Death. Life would grant them knowledge and virility, they thought, but it also made them weak. Death was pure-strength, but also all-consuming. Thus, to settle these two sides and gain the best of both, the scholars aimed to storm the gates of the heavens themselves, and bind the two Gods to their wills.

A thousand scholars communed with the balance of Life and Death upon a great field. They entered the land of Life and Death, a land set apart from Ethya itself, and waged war with the two beings. They banished Death, for their magic relied on his existence, and necromancy bent that which was dead to one's will. Though he had claimed the lives of hundreds, the eleven who remained found the strength and cunning to cage him within his own realm, unable to interfere with the horror that would follow.

The remaining scholars ripped Life itself apart. Using their corrupt magic, they consumed the very essence of the Goddess, fragmenting her into eleven crystals that would serve as their phylacteries. With the aspect of Life centered around them, its union with their necromancy changed them into monstrous, immortal creatures, coated in unthinkable power.

As they returned to the land of the living, they found the field upon which they had communed barren and stripped bare of all life, with all other scholars but the fated eleven reduced to bones and cloth; indeed, it was as if the very land itself became darker and grey, no doubt the consequence of their actions. Raising said bones as their servants, each headed off into a different direction, seeking to expand their newfound powers into influence, and conquer all they saw fit to rule.

Death, having lost his lover to those who would cheat his inevitability, was furious and distraught. He watched as her killers perverted the balance the two had designed in order to promote their creations' growth, seeking an answer to the madness that befell him. Eventually, he stumbled upon his solution; he would form a pact with those he deemed worthy, a Binding that would make the ones he chose exempt from his touch. The Bound would be cursed with Undeath, forced to walk upon Ethya forever, until every last Lich would find their immortality crushed. They would be patient, bide their time and strike with inexhaustible will, the perfect assassins of those which think themselves undying.

It was this Binding that Thalia also took to heart, for she wished to fight on, and free more of her brethren. She could not be at peace knowing that there were other Lanias in Ethya, waiting to be freed from their chains and given a chance, if not to live free, then at the very least die free. It was a road she walked for decades, without any remorse or second-doubts, with others of the same mind and with the same indomitable will in their hearts.

Or so she thought. One fated day, mere months away from her centenary, a most peculiar magic plucked her from her hiding place, just as she was planning the assassination of another Lich.


Other information:

Main Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU7rnTG9QOA
Combat Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_6_V57cOMo