ABILITIES: Jin's gifts are well suited for the art of war and served him well in his years as the General of the Imperial army. Jin can inspire courage in his soldiers, blood lust, rage or feelings of peace depending on the outcome he anticipates. This gift is limited to certain situations. He will inspire his army to fight when he knows they must, but when peace is a possibility, he strives to attain it. Jin is also a strategist. He can see the outcome, staying one step ahead of everyone else. He makes decisions based on probabilities, which can change the tide of a battle almost lost. Jin also has an affinity with water in its natural state. He can manipulate floods and tsunami’s, guiding them along the least destructive paths.
WEAPONS: Jian sword or a pair of Katana blades.
TALENTS/SKILLS: Jin has a talent for settling arguments and soothing tense emotions.
KNOWN ALIASES: Known by many names throughout the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, serving as General, Prince and even Emperor for a time.
TOP SECRET NOTES: Jin believes his parents are long dead, but I can assure you they are not.
~ ~ ~
Ming Lao Long
I knew Ming Lao when she was a small child, playing with dolls in her father's store. She was a beautiful, sweet-tempered girl, but even then, I knew she would grow into a powerful woman. I met her again, centuries later and I hardly recognized the hard, jaded woman leading an army against the Mongols. Fighting and warfare was all she knew for so long, she couldn't seem to give it up. It wasn't until she met Jin Jing that she finally allowed herself to find some happiness. And what a first meeting that was! Talk about love at first sight. I distinctly remember a lost shoe and a quick escape. It took Ming a long time to face him again after that memorable first encounter.
AGE: 870
BIRTHDATE: Summer of 1146
BIRTH STATUS: Natural born daughter of LuLi and Ju Long, born and raised in Beijing until Genghis Khan sacked the city in 1215.
COMPLEMENT: Jin Jing Long, bonded since 1510
CURRENT LOCATION: Kelleys Island, Ohio
APPEARANCE:
EYE COLOR: Obsidian
HEIGHT: 5’ 5”
HAIR COLOR: Black
ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Chinese. Also heavily influenced by the French culture and has given all her children French names.
OCCUPATIONS: Ming has a long history of military service. Currently, she is Lieutenant Governor of the Great Lakes Region alongside her Complement, Jin Jing Long. She is also a Captain in the U.S. Coast Guard, Great Lakes district.
HISTORICAL BIO: When the tyrant, Genghis Khan sacked Beijing and Ming witnessed the destruction of her childhood home, she left in the night to join the Imperial army. Ming was outraged to find the army scattered and in total chaos, fleeing for their lives. She and her mentor, Jing Zong eventually joined a Mercenary army where she rose in rank quickly. For years, Ming fought against the Khans and in 1227 she finally had a chance to bring an end to their reign of terror. Using her talent for disguise, she transformed herself into the image of the Tangut Princess, and presented herself as a gift to the great Genghis Khan. When she was finally alone with him, she touched him with her gift. Once she had hold of him, he was hers. She searched his body with her power, finding a diseased heart. She knew he could live for many more years, but with just her touch, she accelerated his condition until he died of heart failure. In the following days, she watched as his sons fought for succession. Eventually, his third son, Ögedei Khan, took up where his father left off and established the Mongol Empire. But he proved to be a much better man and ruler than his father before him. That was the beginning of her military career, which spanned nearly six centuries.
Jin’s father ruled China during the rise of Khan’s. But in the early years of destruction, he abandoned the throne to a lesser noble and fled the country. Years later, when the Mongol Empire was established under the Yuan Dynasty, he returned to masquerade as Kublai Khan and resumed his schemes.
CURRENT BIO: Ming serves as a Captain in the Lake Erie Coast Guard, running rescue missions and patrolling borders. Serving in the military has been such a huge part of her life, she has never been able to give it up for very long. But she dedicates a great deal of her time to training her daughter and her friends.
ABILITIES: Ming Lao’s defining ability is quite sinister. She can accelerate any physical condition to the point of death. When she uses this gift, once started, it cannot be stopped. She can fell an entire group of people without a great deal of effort. As a mercenary warrior, this gift was useful in battle, but she no longer uses it unless she absolutely must.
Ming also has an affinity with Earth in its natural form. She can manipulate mudslides or earthquakes and guide them through the safest course to minimize the destruction and lives lost.
WEAPONS: Bladed Tonfa or a longer, O Katana
TALENTS/SKILLS: Ming has a talent for dramatically altering her appearance. Where any Immortal can give off the illusion that they are aging, Ming Lao can take on any guise she chooses, even a man's. The ability is an illusion and not a reality. Her gift affects the way people see her and not literally her physical appearance.
KNOWN ALIASES: Ming was known by many different names throughout the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. She served as Soldier, Commander and General in various mercenary and Imperial armies. After bonding with Jin Jing, she even became Princess and eventually Empress of China for a short while.
TOP SECRET NOTES: The resolute Ming Lao Long––advocate of the clean diet––has a secret passion for HOHOs and Dr. Pepper. She would never hear the end of it if Jin ever found out.
~ ~ ~
Liam McBrien
I knew Liam whne he was a child. Just before the Coalition execution of his parents. I lost touch with him for many years after that, as my attention was needed elsewhere. He was in desperate need of guidance, but I knew Greggory would find him and the young boy would be in good hands. When I met Liam again as an adult, he had grown into an accomplished warrior, but he had so many walls up to keep everyone out ... everyone except his brother, Gregg, whom he idolized. But Gregg was enamored with my daughter and his attention was elsewhere. Liam needed a mentor. A man he could trust. A teacher who would be devoted to him. My good friend, Ashar was the perfect match to Liam's quiet strength. The two grew very close––as close as father and son, although they never bonded as family.
AGE: 2,075
BIRTHDATE: Spring of 59 BCE
BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origin, born near modern Stavanger, Norway. Found abandoned in the bathhouse of the Immortal Hersir’s lodge and was adopted by the warlord and his family. By the time he was four years old, the warlord had named Liam heir.
COMPLEMENT: Unknown
CURRENT LOCATION: Tremont, Ohio
APPEARANCE:
EYE COLOR: Ice Blue
HEIGHT: 6’7”
HAIR COLOR: Pale Blond
ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Nordic/Viking
OCCUPATIONS: Liam and his business partner, George Uruk (Complement to Seamus McBrien) own several bars throughout the smaller boroughs around Cleveland. The bars are frequented by Immortals, which allows Liam to keep tabs on local happenings. He has no patience for politics like his brother, Gregg, but he listens and gathers useful information for the Governor’s office.
Liam has worked in many professions throughout his long life, and holds multiple degrees, but he has most recently started teaching medieval history.
HISTORICAL BIO: Liam grew up in Norway, but after his Awakening, he and his parents fled their home, attempting to begin a new life after staying in their homeland far too long. I fear it was too little, too late. The Coalition learned of the wealthy, long-lived, Hersir’s family. They eventually caught up with Liam's family. His parents were executed right in front of him and the boy was taken captive. He was only sixteen. Witnessing such an event is the worst part about my role as the scholar. As much as I wanted to intervene and save him from his fate, it is not within my power to do so. B
ut I also knew Liam would rise from the ashes of his childhood and persevere.
In 520 AD, Liam finally returned to his homeland. He approached the King of the Danes, seeking a place among his men and his Hall. At the time, the land was plagued by a violent Immortal couple known only to the mortals as vicious beasts. Liam—known again by his birth name, Leikr—agreed to resolve the issue for the King. Liam tried to reason with the couple, but they suffered from the side effects of stealing power that did not belong to them. In their madness, they would surely call the Coalition’s attention and Liam couldn’t face the possibility of becoming a slave to them once more. He did the only thing he could. He executed the couple and returned to the King’s Hall with their heads, earning his place among the King’s men. For the first time in centuries, Liam was among his people again and he thrived there for many years. He didn’t know it at the time, but his defeat of the “beasts” would become legend and history would remember him as Beowulf.
CURRENT BIO: Liam lives in Tremont Ohio, just outside the city. He travels often to help Greggory and Naeemah in their roles as Governor. Otherwise, Liam keeps to himself and his young daughter, Kahlynn. His defining ability alienates him from the world around him, leaving him alone much of the time. However, since bonding with Allie as his sister, he is determined to become more involved in her life and her training. It warms my heart to see the stone faced Liam, reduced to a mushy ol' softy for the two young girls who mean the world to him. Heaven help anyone who ever hurts his daughter or his little sister.
ABILITIES: Liam can track anyone, anywhere in the world as long as he has touched them at least once. The better he knows the person he seeks, the quicker he can find them. His defining gift is much more sinister. Liam secretes a deadly pheromone that is fatal to mortals and will make Immortals violently ill for days. He maintains an iron grip on his control and hasn’t accidentally killed anyone in over a thousand years. The only one who is immune to him is Allie and for the first time in over 2,000 years he can release that iron hold on his power and just be himself with another person. It feels like she's freed him from a dark prison he's known all his life. There isn't much he wouldn't do for his sister.
WEAPONS: Liam is skilled with almost any weapon, but he still favors the spear and shield of his Viking culture.
TALENTS/SKILLS: Liam has an incredible singing voice. It is a rare occurrence, but when he does sing, people find it intoxicating. Especially Immortals and even more if they are also drinking. (Just ask Allie and Aidan about that night in Agra they aren't talking about.)
KNOWN ALIASES: Leiknr was his birth name, but he transitioned to Liam sometime in the 16th century. Also known as Beowulf for a time.
TOP SECRET NOTES: He is severely ticklish. But try it at your own peril. Watch out for the fists, though.
~ ~ ~
Aidan (Aide) McBrien I
AGE: 352
BIRTHDATE: Summer of 1664
BIRTH STATUS: Natural born son of Tristan and Iseult (McBrien)
COMPLEMENT: Hélène Renard, bonded since 1770
CURRENT LOCATION: Buffalo, New York
APPEARANCE:
EYE COLOR: Turquoise
HEIGHT: 5’11”
HAIR COLOR: Dark brown
ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: English/Irish heritage
OCCUPATIONS: Lieutenant Governor of the Great Lakes Region with his Complement, Hélène. Aide is part of a special ops force that targets the Coalition. He knows more about their agenda than almost any other Immortal alive. He has dedicated his life to finding a way to end their violent reign of the last five centuries.
HISTORICAL BIO: Aide’s parents were brutally killed by the Coalition when he was only twenty years old. He blames himself for their death. At the time, he was with Gregg and Liam on a bachelor’s holiday in London. When they returned home, they found the remains of his parents rotting in the sun. He knows if they had been there, they might have been able to save them. It has been his life’s ambition to bring an end to such violence against peaceful Immortals. It frustrates him that the Coalition judges them all as an abomination when most Immortals have fought to protect the mortal race.
CURRENT BIO: Aide spends much of his time researching and studying the masterminds behind the Coalition. He keeps his distance, knowing his best approach is to educate himself on the inner workings of the Margrave's counsel. In recent years, he has discovered a secret sect that works independently of the Margrave. He has yet to learn what their agenda could possibly be.
He doesn't always share what he knows with the Senate, but he works closely with his brother, Gregg to stay abreast on the current events happening within the Senate and the Coalition.
ABILITIES: Aide has an enhanced charisma that allows him to manipulate circumstances. People just naturally follow his lead. He can also see when an Immortal uses their gift in his presence. Most Immortals can tell when the power is used, but Aide can also see which gift the Immortal intends to weild.
WEAPONS: Jian sword
TALENTS/SKILLS: Skilled swordsman and like his brother, he has a talent for forging weapons. Accurate marksman.
~ ~ ~
Hélène Renard
AGE: 456
BIRTHDATE: Fall of 1560
BIRTH STATUS: Origin Unknown, born on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
COMPLEMENT: Aide McBrien I, bonded since 1770
CURRENT LOCATION: Buffalo, New York
APPEARANCE:
EYE COLOR: Rose Quartz
HEIGHT: 5’8”
HAIR COLOR: Black
ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Caribbean
OCCUPATIONS: Lieutenant Governor of the Great Lakes Region with her Complement, Aide. She also owns a highly successful landscape design firm and works closely with Lucien Daniels on various design projects.
HISTORICAL BIO: Hélène bonded with her mother, Emma Renard and her father, Lou Fitzroy when she was an infant, found among the freshly plowed fields near their home. Emma and Lou were among the first Europeans to colonize Saint Lucia during the Spanish Conquest of the Caribbean. At that time, they lived as husband and wife. With her dark skin, Hélène was often the subject of island gossip among the other European families in the area. It was commonly accepted that Lou had fathered a child with a native woman and Emma was just crazy enough to claim her and raise her as her own. Eventually, the gossip lessened but Hélène preferred to stay in the Caribbean rather than travel the world with her European family. In 1765 when Emma and her Complement, Daniel moved to Barbados, Hélène went with them. She continued to live quietly as she always had, dreaming of a time when the world would see her, and not just the color of her skin. Such trivial things as race were not an issue in the Immortal world, but the mortal race had a long history of breeding prejudice against anyone who wasn’t the ideal “normal.”
In 1770, Greggory and his young brother came for a visit and to everyone’s surprise, she and Aide quickly bonded as Complements. As far as Aide was concerned, the world could go to hell, he wouldn’t hide his wife away simply because she had beautiful skin. They always struggled with those who didn’t understand, and it wasn’t until recent decades that it no longer seemed to be such an issue that their family was a melting pot of cultures.
CURRENT BIO: Hélène was an only child for most of her life and spent much of her time with her father, Lou Fitzroy when Emma was away on her many adventures. Hélène was always close with her siblings, but has a special relationship with her young brother, Quinn. She was hesitant to adopt children for a long time, wanting to wait until the world was less prejudiced against a family of mixed cultures and ethnicities. In the early nineties, she and Aide adopted their son, Dean from Nigeria and a few years later, their daughter, Erin, from Seattle. The two children have very different heritages, but they are extremely close and have never let their cultural differences affect them. Hélène couldn’t be happier to see just how far the world has come since her own childhood. But the world still has so far
to go before racism is truly a thing of the past.
ABILITIES: Hélène has an affinity with nature. She can enhance the growth of plant life around her. Her gift doesn’t work in a single instant; it takes time to cultivate the results she wants. At a baser level, her gift works as a communication between her mind and the organic life of the plant world. As a result, she maintains a vegan/pescatarian diet. She will only eat what has fallen off the vine. The intensity of her Immortal metabolism demands animal proteins, but she will only eat fish.
WEAPONS: Hamidashu dagger and the longer, curved Tachi sword
TALENTS/SKILLS: Hélène has a lucky streak. No matter where she goes, she never has to wait in line, never has to search for a parking space and if there is a prize to be won, she usually comes out the winner. Things always seem to work out well for Hélène, but she can also bestow her luck to others. She prefers to keep this talent hidden from those outside her immediate family. The Senate and Coalition would vie for her loyalty if they knew what she was truly capable of.
~ ~ ~
Greyson Hauser
I've watched this tragic man's life play out, often unfairly. He deserves so much more happiness than he's received. It will be a joyous day when he is finally reunited with his Complement, also a captive of the Coalition. One of the most beautiful moments I've ever witnessed, was the day Greyson bonded with his vivacious daughter, Naomi. His girlfriend at the time had recently adopted Naomi, but the mother-daughter bond had never formed for them. For a long time, Greyson stayed in the relationship because of Naomi. When he finally succumbed to the bond with his daughter, it became clear to all those involved that she belonged with her father. The casual relationship ended soon after and Greyson finally brought his daughter home. For the first time in two thousand years, he knew what it meant to have family.
Emerge: The Scholar: A Fully Illustrated Character Journal Page 3