Name: Pike Erlendson
Race: Human
Class: Stalker (Path of War)
Alignment: NG
Backstory: Pike might have had a different childhood had he been born to another house, but thankfully for him, he wasn't. His small stature, lithe limbs, and tendency to blend in wouldn't have earned him any renown in say, House Svein. Growing up in Erland however, Pike set his sights high from an early age, and embraced his gifts in emulation of his hero, spending his time training his body to move ever faster and quieter.
When the winter came, Pike and many of his peers undertook training to turn their skills toward battle. For Pike, recognizing where to hit an enemy came naturally and he found himself outpacing many of the other Erlend recruits. Pike honed his talents working up the ranks in years of combat; after a time, he began treating the more trivial battles as exercise, stacking the odds against himself to increase the challenge and push his limits. While others entered battle with the goal of surviving, Pike found himself looking to emerge completely untouched by their enemies. He found much success, and though he talked himself out of blindfolding himself for battle on more than one occasion (rightly concerned for his compatriots) he often found himself training wiht his eyes masked to push himself further.
At a certain point, Pike reached the peak of what mundane skill could accomplish, and yet, his abilities continued to grow and his talents flourished. The learned wizards couldn't identify the exact nature of his abilities, but whatever fueled his power, Pike had begun to take on the more storied and mystical qualities of his idol: Erlend. His senses were almost unmatched, and his skill at stealth outpaced everyone. When he really pushed himself, he could jump in and out of existence itself, and the accuracy of his repeated, deadly strikes was devastating to anything that stood in front of him. Though he doesn't know where exactly his abilities are coming from, it's enough for Pike to know that his emulation of Erlend is at least related. Having pushed past what he thought was possible for a non-caster such as himself, Pike wants to see how far he can take himself, ever-reaching for new heights.
Personality: Pike has a good sense of himself, and is quick to joke, even if he's the target. He's grown up a bit since his days of blindfolding himself, but is still willing to fight to defend his home, even against difficult odds, and if he learns something about himself and his skills in the process, all the better.
Description: Pike's a short young man, with white flowing hair he occasionally ties back. He carries a rapier at his hip, preferring its accuracy and speed to heavier blades. He dresses as appropriate for a scout: light armor, and local, natural colors as opposed to the flashy soldier's uniforms preferred by many, though he does wear a brooch with Erlend's sigil proudly on his breast.
Regarding the others:
Pike looked around at the others selected for the vanguard. Two hulking warriors, an old woman, and himself.
'Well, this ought to be interesting, to say the least,' he thought.
He wouldn't misjudge the old woman, that's for sure. He'd seen some things in his time, and knew enough of magic not to expect anything in particular. Looks could be deceiving. The other two, they looked more like warriors - armed and armored. Big fellows, and neither particularly stealthy. His role was clear in this whole thing. Still, something about the two had to be special, as they wouldn't just send anyone on a mission like this. Now finding out what exactly it was -- that would be the exciting part.
He walked most of the way over towards the others, then disappeared... reappearing half-a-heartbeat later on the other side of the group.
"Pike Erlendson," he said, offering a hand out, "lovely to meet you."
