Okay, I have a character I'd like to play if this gets off the ground. I apologize for the length, but I do like coming up with characters. Some of this may need to change depending on what the warlord character is like, but anyway I'd like to hear what you think.
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Name: Selistria Arasmor
Age: 42 (actual) / ~20 (apparent)
Orientation: Bisexual
Appearance: Fairly athletic, but still lithe and feminine, Selistria moves with preternatural grace. She is a brunette with long hair, pointed ears, and bewitching purple eyes. She dresses either in the uniform of the warlord’s army, or in elven camouflage. She almost always has a dagger, a sword, and a bow with quiver of arrows on her person. On very rare occasions, such as when she is ordered to attend a formal event, she will dress in the revealing and sensual fashions typical to elven maidens—even then, she will still have the dagger.
Personality: Selistria is cold and analytical, preferring to carefully weigh her options. But when she does act, she is decisive. She is fiercely loyal to the warlord, though not blind to his aggression. Despite her traumatic background, there is very little hatred in her—though there is not much empathy either.
Deep within her there is abhorrence toward killing, but her need to be dutiful to her master is stronger still. In wartime she prides herself on using just enough violence to get the job done—to her battle is a utilitarian exercise in which neither cruelty nor mercy can play a roll.
She has however consistently counseled that subjugated peoples should be treated leniently—a few tax breaks and a diligent reconstruction effort can often forestall revolt. This saves a great deal of treasure and manpower in the long run—resources that might be put toward further conquests, if the warlord so desires.
Background: Selistria was born in a small elven village near the edge of human lands. Her early childhood was a happy and carefree affair, filled with art, archery, communing with nature, and other typical elven past-times. But at the age of twelve she was kidnapped by human bandits and sold as a sex slave.
Selistria’s first master was extremely cruel, though for her part the elf was very resilient and determined not to give in to despair. However, after two decades of abuse she finally broke completely and attempted to kill herself. Her stress was so great that she became sickly and weak. She was considered nearly useless at this point, and sold to the warlord for little more than a peasant would make in a week.
However, the warlord was perceptive enough to see something in her—the dying embers of a fierce spirit that could still be reignited. He treated her kindly and let her rest until she recovered her physical vigor. When he then offered her the chance to fight for his army, she was extremely grateful to him and gladly obeyed. She resumed her practice with the bow and trained hard under his officers. In battle she immediately distinguished herself, and despite being an elf she rose through the ranks.
During brief periods of peace, Selistria studied hard under human and elven mercenaries to pick up new tricks. She read voraciously about war, everything from philosophies to history to inventive weapons and tactics. Through both experience and education she became an expert with small unit, asymmetric tactics—hit-and-run strikes, wilderness survival, supply interdiction, assassinations, poisoning enemy foodstores, and so forth.
Before the invasion of Saurantin began, Selistria was given command of a small but elite force. She trained them hard in her ways of stealth. The warlord granted her the title of Ranger-General, a rank that had until then only existed in the elven military—this signified her success in combining the ancient elven ways with human aggression and brutality.
Selistria and her soldiers, called simply “the Ghosts,” spent most of the war behind enemy lines. They conducted daring nighttime raids, and used every dirty trick at their disposal. It could hardly be disputed that their activities greatly shortened the length of the war. Though the elf had long gone without a surname, the Ghosts took to calling her “Arasmor,” an elven word that roughly translates to “the doe concealed in the night.”
Other: Selistria is highly skilled with the bow, and competent with melee weapons. She is much stronger than she looks, able to pull back a bow just as well as a strong human male. She has extensive knowledge of plants and wildlife, and some very basic knowledge of alchemy—just enough to produce a few healing salves and poisons. As an elf, she can see better and further in dim lighting conditions than a human.
She is secretly fearful of being sexually involved with a man due to the abuse she suffered. Her only physical intimacy since she left possession of her first master has been in the form of a couple brief, casual flings with female soldiers under her command. While she would willingly give in to an advance from the warlord, he has never asked anything of this nature from her. She assumes he is either not interested in her, or fears drudging up old emotions might undermine her loyalty.
