Five background and concept elements important to Alyssia Winthrope
1. Alyssia grew up in Bosum Strand, and quickly learned how to fight to defend herself. When she found herself wrestling an armed thug to the ground, a young man who’d had the wrong idea about how helpless she appeared, she happened to do so in front of a martial science professor. Following this, she was granted tuition to one of the smaller local battle colleges of Risur – the Valentyr Academy of Military Science – and was praised (or reviled, depending on who you ask) for her reliance on her own body as a weapon. Her graduation thesis was On the Merits of Pugilism and the Weapon of One’s Body, a somewhat polarising work for its insistence on eschewing manufactured weapons.
2. Alyssia was mocked relentlessly during her time at the Academy, and got into her share of scraps with her fellow students. While she never struck first, she often struck last, due to her keen eye and ability to pick up on unprotected spots. And there were advantages – because her style was ‘savage’ and ‘unpredictable’, it was easy for her to use her unconventional methods to deceive others.
3. Perhaps because of the polarised opinions on her style and thesis, Alyssia has low self-esteem, and tends to brush off compliments.
4. After joining the Royal Homeland Constabulary, a natural progression following her graduation, Alyssia found the same opinions continuing. Some of her fellow constables praised her unarmed forms and nonlethal methods of subjugation; some wondered why she was so opposed to the progress of technology. Alyssia started ignoring people more and more, becoming more focused and aloof.
5. Despite everything, Alyssia is confident in her own martial prowess. She knows the advantages of her combat style – nothing for her enemies to sunder or disarm, no heavy armours to get in her way, and being ‘technologically inferior’ in the age of progress means she has the advantage of surprise. Due to this, she can be somewhat stubborn and not so open to suggestions – she knows that what she has works.
Two goals that are important to Alyssia
1. If all I have is myself, then I’d better make damn sure it’s perfect. Since her body is her weapon, Alyssia values it above everything else, and is always looking for new ways to improve her physical form.
2. There’s too much killing in this world. Too many people wanting to shoot first and ask questions later. While she wouldn’t call herself a pacifist, Alyssia wants to see less itchy trigger fingers in the world.
Two secrets about Alyssia, one that she knows, and one that she is not yet aware of
1. Alyssia has focused on her job as a constable because she fears the ruffian she used to be. Lack of control terrifies her, and she hates knowing that her mind isn’t as strong as her body.
2. She has a twin brother somewhere in Danor. While she’s unaware of his existence, she sometimes has nightmares of things she’s never experienced, dreams of laboratories and cold steel.
Four people that are tied to Alyssia, three are friends and one is an enemy
1. Professor Alphonse Mallory of the Valentyr Academy of Military Science. Professor Mallory was a friendly ear for Alyssia through her studies, one of the few who supported her ideas on the body as a weapon. It was Mallory who referred her to the Royal Homeland Constabulary, and the two still exchange correspondence from time to time.
2. Her mother, Clarence Winthrope. Following her divorce from her husband, Nicholas, shortly after Alyssia’s birth, Clarence found the life of a single parent increasingly difficult, regretting that she couldn’t keep her daughter out of street brawls. Now that Alyssia is grown, and able to support Clarence in some way, Clarence has opened her own dressmaking shop, a dream she had to put on hold while her child was growing up. The two are on good terms, though Alyssia admits she doesn’t visit her mother as often as she should.
3. Constable Serena treats Alyssia as a sister, and Alyssia is happy for the connection.
4. While unknown to Alyssia, her twin looks for her. He’s been on the prowl for some time now, and his intentions may not be benevolent.
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks Alyssia possesses
1. During moments of inactivity, Alyssia keeps herself limber – she cracks her knuckles, rolls her neck, and shifts impatiently from foot to foot. This makes her appear restless and uncontrolled, when in reality, she’s just making sure she’s ready for anything.
2. Alyssia has a fear of needles and other thin, sharp, probing objects. She has no idea what this fear stems from, but it’s a pervasive one, and she tends to lose herself when faced with such things.
3. She has a hobby none would have ever expected of her – flower-pressing. Though there isn’t much opportunity for it in Flint, she tends to take samples of flora wherever she can, keeping them flat in her pockets until she can press them at her leisure. If anyone were to find this out, she’d likely deny it furiously.
