Hellebore
Squadron Commander Hellebore Dawncrescent of Aspenbridge Southwesting
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Hellebore is in excellent shape--despite any lackadaisical attitude or rumors that she is letting herself go, she is physically just as fit and ready as ever. She is just starting to show signs of aging, grey hair at her temples and fine lines at her eyes, but they're easy to miss for her youthful strength.
Physical quirks
She has a slight limp at the end of a long day, or early in the morning before she's warmed up properly.
Apparel & Accessories
Though she has numerous medals and awards, including the Ascendant's Chain, the highest honor awarded by the kingdom, she does not wear any of them. There are rumor-mongers who find this shameful--a rude gesture in return for the recognition she was given, or even at Valor Ascendant herself.
Her preferred armor is simple and functional, though she also has a full set of highly-coveted and beautiful Dragonforged Metal armor. Hers is textured like tortoise shell, so every ridge catches the light in waves across the surface, showing off the rare metal's beauty to full effect.
These days, her dragonforged armor gathers dust in a friend's attic, and even her everyday, plain armor is not kept in top condition. She never changed out the blue accents for the red of her current flight, and has let them get quite faded and worn.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Early Life
Hellebore was originally apprenticed with the Herbalists Guild, but she desired a more active life--hungered for action and recognition. Though the aunt who read the skies at her birth cautioned her to beware ambition, she would not be stayed, and applied to the Valorian Temple.
She was among the first Fauns to be admitted to the Valorian Knights. There were those who felt that her presence was politically motivated, and they did not hesitate to confront her with that directly. She proved them wrong by ensuring that she was better than her detractors on every front: faster, stronger, more insightful and exacting. She made herself the ideal Knight, the pinnacle of every Valorian ideal.
It may not have made her exactly popular, but the Valorians have always highly valued competence, and she was valued accordingly. As her aunt predicted, however, her ambition cost her.
Later Career
When a greater dragon threatened Damerel Shire, her Wing was sent ahead of the Flight to stay the beast. Though they managed to hold it off away from much civilization until reinforcements arrived, it cost the lives of her Wingmates, and her own gryphon was badly wounded--though it survived, she is now barely able to fly, and certainly unable to fly into combat. Hellebore declined a new mount, choosing instead to become a Squadron Commander, leading rookies on ground missions. Even at that, she does her best to avoid being assigned a squadron at all.
The popular rumor is that she was "broken" by combat with the dragon, exposing her cowardly heart in the first fight she couldn't win. Those in the front line of the Flight, who witnessed her standing alone and bloody in the dragon's shadow, take no part in such talk.
Education
As an Herbalist Guild apprentice, Hellebore studied healing poultices and tinctures, as well as the foundations of reading the landscape for portents, called Naturology or Greenreading. She also learned gardening secrets that she now leverages to grow a unique mix of herbs, guaranteed to season the best chicken you've ever eaten.
Once accepted to the knights, she turned her attention to martial studies, and remained focused on improving her skills as a knight until the fateful Battle of Damerel Shire. As she recovered from her wounds, she picked up the closest reading at hand to occupy her mind--the physicians' textbooks. Since then, she has studied nearly every topic she can get her hands on, becoming well known both in the Temple Archives and the City Library.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Hellebore had too many accomplishments and achievements to list... until the Battle of Damerel Shire eclipsed her past along with her future. And though she was lauded as a hero, she does not count the victory as anything to be proud of.
Social
Family Ties
The Aspenbridge Southwesting Fauns more or less cut contact when Hellebore left the Herbalists Guild. She and her family are cordial with each other, but do not keep in touch.
Religious Views
If she is observant of her allegiance to Valor Ascendant, she does not show it.
Wealth & Financial state
She keeps a small but well-appointed house in New Lakefront, and seems to always have a new scholarly book in hand, no matter the cost of many such tomes. Otherwise, she does not give any sign of how well rewarded she may have been for her life of heroism.
The Faun that Saved Damerel Shire
Hellebore in her prime, wearing dragonforged and gold-trimmed armor.
It must have been hard to survive that. The people badmouthing her can go ahead and take a fall.
Too low they build who build beneath the stars - Edward Young