Anna

Anna is an acrobatic gunslinger on a mission to stop crime and save Iquai.

Appearance
A small, lithe young woman, perpetually full of energy, often bouncing from foot to foot or unable to stand still. She has grey eyes, tanned skin from living outdoors, and black hair in a tight ponytail wrapped with twine. She typically wears loose, black clothing that allows for full movement and is hard to see at night, with two pistols and a rapier strapped to her side and a bandoleer of grenades across her chest. When out at night she sometimes wears a cloth domino mask and black gloves.

History
Anna was born in Tilnea, a small farming village on the banks of the Sages’ River to the southwest of Ushad. She was a middle child in a family of 9 children, working in the fields with a distinct love of nature - sometimes venturing to the edges of The Bramble to pick rare flowers and herbs, despite the warnings of her parents and elders. She was idealistic, and had a strong desire for adventure and learning, finding the rare book to borrow for a few hours to read. She loved her family, but also wanted to escape.

When Anna was fourteen, a travelling circus came to Tilnea - one of the most wondrous events in years. Mages throwing fire, acrobatics, strange creatures, duelling, trickshots, and more! She was entranced by the spectacle, watching every day for the entire week, talking to the performers until well past when she was due home. When it came time for the circus to leave, she made her decision - she stowed away on a cart and hid.

Two days later, one of the strongmen found her when unloading boxes. He took pity on her and talked to the ringmaster, who agreed to let her stay on if she learned something useful and no one was hunting her. She promised she’d not just learn something, she’d learn everything the circus had to offer.

She kept her promise, or close to it. First, acrobatics. Then, Alchemy, to make smoke and fireworks for the circus, not to mention potions and alcohol. Dueling came next, and then trick shooting and dangerous stunts. She could never master the animals, but by that time she was a beloved member of the circus crew, a staple of the traveling show.

Years passed on the road. She sent letters to her family, and money too. She longed to see them again, but couldn’t bring herself to leave the circus and her new life.

Five years after leaving home, the circus approached Ushad, close to home once more. While they generally avoided major population centers for fear of the authorities, money had been a bit tight and the Ringmaster made the call to move closer to the city. On the second night of performance, as Anna was getting ready for the trick shooting, a group of Orcs entered the ring and shouted for the Circus to shut down, that it was “Disturbing the peace”. The citizens fled, but the Ringmaster argued with the Orc Captain, escalating the situation. Eventually the leader snarled, saying “Enough!” before slamming a fist into the aging performer, who collapsed just as Anna walked in to check the commotion. The rest of the troupe began to flee, screaming for their lives and well being, disbanding the Circus entirely.

In a rage, she drew the sport pistol and fired at the Orc Captain, the bullet striking his eye but not killing him. He screamed for the rest of his men to capture her, but as she drew her dueling sword the strongman grabbed her and pulled her away, the sword clattering to the ground. They fled, but when it became clear they wouldn’t escape he flung her onto a rooftop and demanded she flee. With tears in her eyes, she ran into Ushad, not knowing what would happen to her friend, but sure she’d find a way to avenge it.

For three months she stalked the streets of Ushad. At first it started small, firing at Orcs from the rooftops and fleeing, or stopping petty crime, stealing what she needed to survive. Eventually, however, she started to make forays out of the city to gather alchemy materials. The bombs were crude, but effective. Damaging police stations, disrupting supplies, and generally being a nuisance was enough to get her negative attention, but not enough to make a real difference. She styled herself “The Terror of Ushad”, though the name wasn’t catching on with anyone but her.

One day she heard of a fight between the Orcs and a group of rebels in a tavern, but by the time she arrived everyone was gone. There were whispers of a secret organization fighting back, but her own fear of being caught made it hard to get in touch with them. Searching for members of the circus led only to dead ends or people to scared to do anything but hide and go underground.

Meanwhile, the world was growing darker. Rumors spread of the destruction of Fallowfield, and a dark army amassed for unknown purpose. Demons were reported streaking through the sky and the Sky Glyph went dark, surely a bad omen. Suddenly, a rumor came across that a group of heroes from Fallowfield had defeated some monsters. Whispers came that the Children of Destiny had returned. Someone was fighting back - and Anna wanted to find them.

Skills
Can shoot guns, throw/make bombs, and use a rapier. Is acrobatic and quick, and stealthy.

Goals

 * Revenge on Ruther, the Orc Captain who led the raid on The Circus.
 * Helping the Children of Destiny stop Kunalchusi and save Iquai.
 * An end to The Rorgh.
 * A recreation of The Circus.