Gaia Character Entry: Shamu Leonson

Name: Shamu Leonson
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Clan: Berserkers
Age: 18
Class: Dragon Knight
Height: 5' 1"
Weight: 122 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Long, blue
Build: Slim and trim
Complexion: Fair

Clothes and Appearance: *Image below is 4 years prior to her current age.*

*note that .gif files are seriously hopeless when it comes to doing tween animation*
*click the picture to view it with a white background*

Personality: (4 years prior)
Her outwardly cheerful and happy nature hid the horror she faced during the massacre of her family and clan. Wide-eyed and charming with a little touch of girlish innocence. Also a little ditzy.

Personality: (current)
A changed girl during the 4 years of wandering the lands with Mugen (both thought to be dead). Her cheerful and happy nature now a thing of the past. Her eyes are as cold as steel and rarely opens up to anyone but her dragon pact-beast, Spes Eradlyn; the first-name meaning "Hope" as translated from the ancient Myrkridian tongue.

History:
Being the only female to ever join the Berserker's Dragonian Sect. was indeed something to be proud off. As a result, she was highly respected even if she was a mere 14 year old girl. The Dragon Knights were bound to their pact-beast; both sharing each other's fate. During the Tarnkappe Crusade, against her father's wishes, she abandoned her stationed post at the shrine in Egil and headed towards Myrkridia in search of her brother, Raviel, and her Myrkridian friend, Flaire. As the war pushed towards the Egil Archipelago, Shamu was nowhere to be seen and was feared to be dead. Four years later, with the company of fellow Berserker-exile, Mugen who was also thought to be killed during the initial onslaught of the Crusade, she ventures to the Eastern Lands in search of her friend and brother and to warn them of the incoming danger that they are to be facing. However, both she and Mugen were separated during the journey.

Other Traits/Notes:
Her pact-beast; a female dragon, is called Eradlyn. A name she chose for her hatchling upon her initiation into the Dragonian Sect. As the fate of a pact-beast is tied to that of its master, the fact that she has survived the four years means that her dragon also survived as she did. Months after her apparent escape from the Crusade in the Westfold, she adopted the first-name Spes for her pact-beast which meant "Hope" in ancient Myrkridian. Over the past four years of her travelling, Eradlyn has grown from a hatchling to a strider and finally, a young drake. Now with her wings fully grown, she can finally fly.

Shamu's fighting stance is based on the Six-Sword Disciplines made famous by the first Avatar of Gaia, Hugel Calientes and his master Grake Randgrid during the War of Ascension. They are now recognized as the six main disciplines of sword-fighting. They are:

• Terminatio Vultus (Determination Form) - Known as a basic balance stance. A root stance that may be followed-up by any of the other five.
  
• Litis Vultus (Contention Form) - An evolution of Terminatio. A favourite for Shamu as it heavily emphasizes blade manipulation, quick thrusts and cuts as in fencing.
• Occuro Vultus (Resilience Form) - A defensive evolution of Terminatio. Utilizes a slow approach when in battle; waiting for a chance to counter and disarm the opponent, gaining the upper hand in combat situations.
• Infestus Vultus (Aggression Form) - An assault evolution of Terminatio. Utilizing acrobatic moves fused with swordplay.
• Perseverantia Vultus (Perseverance Form) - A fusion of Occuro and Infestus. Also known as an advanced balance stance.
• Temperantia Vultus (Moderation Form) - A "jack-of-all-trades" kind of stance and focuses on a more "unorthadox" style of fighting. Has been labeled as a "dirty way of fighting" throughout the years. However most practioners confirmed that this is the easiest stance to adapt to in any given situation.

Shamu's current weapon is a rapier (Espada) given to her by her father and a ranseur (Albion) which is the standard weapon used by all Dragon Knights. She has been known to improvise her battle-stances when fighting with her spear.