Vortex

"I don't need anyone to tell me who I am - I already know. Your need to classify me doesn't make a damned difference!"

Known by their nickname to the wider Voidsea, and their birth-name of Kai Kibomirai on their home-world, Vortex is a Kin originating from the anachronistic Void Island of Seruska. Vortex is well-renowned among her home-world for being the first Seruskan to leave, explore the boundaries beyond their Void Island in over fifty-thousand years, and learn the Arcane Arts, foreign to their world. They are also famous for writing the book 'Vortex's Guide to the Cluster Gyre'.

Vortex would attend the Oathwalker Pathfinder Academy on Seidrheim in VA:M25:500, where they would learn to perform Taekni, study the Broadwave, and learn about the vast history that the rest of the Vetrarsaer and Sky River as a whole underwent while Seruska remained in isolation. She would notably become close friends with Keyji Kai'Oso, Jolt, and Symphony.

Noted for being a passionate student, Vortex is academically gifted, though lacks practical experience. Growing up in complete isolation of Taekni has left them particularly lacking in the field, even compared to others who grew up within Null Zones in this regard. Vortex has demonstrated competency with their Trait, but most staff would correctly assert their strength is in their mind.

Gifted in the realms of linguistics and history, Vortex has learned much about the state of the Voidsea in the current era. Despite it all, they have shown an incredibly sense of optimism and hope for the future - One which they wish to help Seruska be part of. Vortex has been an adamant advocate for Seruska's membership into the Cosmic Union, and a voice for the political unification of their divided home-world.

Vortex would become affiliated with the Raven Way, upon learning about the Shadow War fought between them and the Iron Decree.

Personality and Characteristics

Vortex is an intelligent person - Upon meeting them for the first time, one may not get this impression. Hyperactive, easily distracted, gregarious, and with a tendency to use run-on sentences, and lack an understanding of personal space, individuals are consistently surprised when Vortex demonstrates an incredible capacity to learn. Becoming conversational in Nova Runic within a matter of months, no longer requiring the use of a translator, Vortex has demonstrated a keen sense for linguistics, matched only by a passion for history and travel.

This often comes into contrast with their upbringing - Growing up on Seruska, much of Vortex's mannerisms and terminology is considered to be highly archaic, and to an extent, a novelty. They will refer to Void Islands as 'Planets', and the Voidsea as 'Space' or 'Outer Space.'

Sociable to a perhaps invasive degree, Vortex often lacks an understanding of physical boundaries between individuals, which can result in discomfort caused between them and others. Despite this, Vortex is driven by a genuine desire to improve upon themself, learn about the world beyond their own perspective, and atone for any mistakes they make. One should not mistake this for an inability to stand up for themself, or willingness to take an ideological position and defend it with everything they have.

Vortex is, at heart, a traveller. Wishing to be an artist-journalist on Seruska, they were already on the other side of their world when the Cosmic Union first arrived. Relentlessly optimistic, Vortex is not ignorant to the dangers that the Voidsea poses, or it's highly chaotic and brutal state in the Valhallan Age. They believe it can be improved, and finds herself to highly favour the Cosmic Union for sharing that attitude.

Vortex will also often introduce themselves by their given name, only to then immediately insist that 'friends' get to call her Vortex. In practice, they do not prevent anyone from referring to them as Vortex, unless it is an individual they actively dislike.

Background

Seruska is a Void Island that was isolated following the Technopocalypse and the Confluence, made all the harder to find by way of it having ended up in a Null Zone. Technology heavily reliant on Taekni would not function in the Azure Dawn Null Zone. Though various Factions expressed an interest in the region, it was never explored, due to there always being more pressing concerns. Within it though, laid Seruska - A time capsule of a society.

50,000 years since the Technopocalypse, and Seruska's technology was still relatively simple. It divided itself into three nation states, and it's linguistics had not changed at all since before the Technopocalypse. Void Islands were still called 'Planets', the Voidsea still 'Outer Space' and Traits 'Superpowers'. Much of both galactic and Cluster Gyre history has passed them by, and they had remained ignorant to just about all of it for over 5000 centuries.

Into this environment, Kai Kibomirai, who would become known as 'Vortex', was born. Part of the nation of Forestside, Vortex grew up in what was recently conquered territory, as the last small, independent nation on Seruska died. Despite this, Forestside was the weakest of the three remaining nations that vied for domination.