Jesper of the Road

Hall Of Fame!

Survival - 10 Wins!

AFFILIATION

Alignment: Hero

Team: Solo Hero

VITAL STATS

Strength: Weak

Agility: Superior

Mind: Superior

Body: Standard

RECORD

Personal Wins: 10

Personal Losses: 1

Inkpencil

On a clear night, after long travels, Jesper lay by the riverside. It was the middle of the beautiful southern wilderness. The stars shone down on him and the moon gave the clearing by the river a soft glow. He stared at the heavens and marveled. The grass was as soft as any palette, though the rock his head rested on left some softness desired. He felt at peace here, as it was his favorite spot. Over his countless centuries of living, it was the one place on Khazan where little changed. For some reason, the river never changed course to veer away from here and the trees never grew further in. There were no cities around, almost as if the population of the world unanimously agreed not to impose on this place, almost a holy place in Jesper's thinking. Here he was far removed from the troubles of his youth so long ago, apprenticing under that forgotten sorcerer. He had no memories of the sorcerer's death at the hands of Argus, the mage. Jesper could have gone on the usual Quest of Avenging, as was expected of an apprentice whose master is murdered. Instead, he left Argus alone. As it happened, he did happen upon the mage when Argus had taken over a small valley and ruled it despotically. Jesper defeated him then, for the people he oppressed, not for Jesper's master. He did spare Argus, much to the people's dismay, since he never liked killing. Argus ran off, never seen again. This night, though, Jesper did not think of Argus or his master. He had warm thoughts. Thoughts of the girl he'd seen in this very clearing. It was a decade or so before, he lay here just as did tonight. He saw a shimmer in the corner of his eye and turned to see her. She was almost a storybook ethereal maiden. She wore all white, something that looked between a nightgown and a goddess's robes. Her golden hair hung lightly over her shoulders, almost as if it floated just above them. Her face was the picture of heavenly beauty. She walked over to him, bare feet parting the grass, but she did not seem to touch the ground. He stood, wanting to kneel or bow, since she had to be above his station in some way. She came closer and touched his face and smiled. It was immediately as if they were meant to be there that night. They talked for hours there by the river. She revealing that she had lived at least as long as he, and that this place was her favorite as well. She fell asleep in his arms as they watched the river flow lazily by. He fell asleep holding her. The next day, she was gone without a sign. He stayed for two more days, and then left when she did not show again. He told himself he would come back regularly, and he did. By this time, he came more out of habit than hope, not realizing that this night would be when she returned to him.

Curiosity and love drive Jesper. Curiosity of the world and love for its details. The road called to him from an early age, millenia ago, and he wandered without purpose. All he wished in life was to see more of existence. When she came to him, he had a new longing, not just for the unending road, but for the companionship of someone like him. When she was taken away, though, he finally had a purpose. And it is a man with purpose that all should fear.

The Old Power

     Weather Control: Ultimate

  • Area Affect

 

Her voice came to him from out of his thoughts. She screamed thoughts at him, and he acted reflexively. He summoned the dark clouds of the storm, raging their wind through the trees. It was at that point that he saw a creature of flame flying at him, screeching in rage. The wind swept through the creature and scattered its flame, snuffing it out. Through the corridor of destruction left by the fire, he saw Argus, hands raised in spellmaking. Jesper lashed out at him through the cloud, bringing lighting crashing against the evil mage. Again and again he formed his attacks with pelting rain and hail, lances of storm. Argus held fast against them all, but visibly weakened with each onslaught. Jesper threw a tornado at his opponent, watched as it enveloped Argus and batter at his defenses. He raised the heat in the tornado, making it a twisted furnace. When he was done, the air crackled and steamed. Argus still stood there chanting. Jesper grimaced and changed his plans.

 

Ancient Knowlege

     Spellcraft: Ultimate

 

Argus had been practicing, that much was certain. Recalling spells he hadn't used in centuries, Jesper began a new assault, first with bursts of energy that slammed into Argus' defenses. His fingers lanced attacks and his waving hands brought punishment down on Argus' position. Explosions and fires raged around the enemy's figure. Jesper couldn't seem to remember everything he learned from the old sorcerer, but what he did remember he sent flying and erupting at Argus, who was now sweating and bending under the strain of his defense. To Jesper's horror, a smirk flicked its way across the mage's face during a pause in the chanting. Argus had learned something new and terrible in the era since their last battle. Jesper sent more attacks against the mage and threw everything he could possibly remember, from mountain shattering battle conjurings to amusing parlor tricks. Argus' defense finally failed with an acid bolt, and he stumbled back from what was left of the blow. Then he finished his incantation with a laugh.

 

Unique Skill

     Matter Animation: Superior

  • Ranged Attack Only
  • Ranged and Melee Attack

 

What came at Jesper then defied explanation. He'd never learned about this spell or seen it cast. He could feel it was more powerful than anything he'd attacked Argus with. He tried to remember defense spells, ran through hundreds of half-complete verses and mismemorized chants. In the end, he decided Argus would die here too. He summoned up his most powerful spell and another storm cloud, this one bristling with malice and power. In the split second he had, he launched them both at Argus, directing them around the mass of evil and straight at Argus. Wind, hail, lighting, and enchantment coalesced themselves, becoming a blade of ancient and terrible power. The blade struck Argus, sliced through him, and left him as nothing. Jesper was hit full force by Argus' attack and fell back into the shallows of the river. Pain coursed through his body and echoed in his soul. He did not have to open his eyes again to see that the clearing had been razed by the battle. He remembered her voice warning him just before Argus' first attack and knew that somehow she helped him survive the last. He half-floated in the cool shallows there, knowing she was in danger. He left the peaceful, contented Jesper there at the riverside waiting in his tears. He would return there, one day, either with his love or by his death.

 

Feeling the Wind

     Danger Sense: Superior

 

His senses stopped him. He could feel a storm coming. Not a majestic storm that painted moving light and darkness across the horizon. It would not carry cleansing, life-giving rain. There would be no orchestra of thunder to the beat of a downpour. He could smell the rain, but it carried hate. Pain. This storm would be a tempest. It would be an angel of death riding on foul winds and wielding a terrible blade of lightning. Thunder rolled in the sky and the torrent began. The town would be destroyed by the tempest unless Jesper fought it. And that is what he planned to do.

 

Unseen Wall

     Force Field: Standard

  • Reinforced Defenses

 

The tempest was sent for him but he would not be found defenseless. The aggressive winds plucked an old willow from the ground and sent it hurtling at him. He saw it approach and threw up a wall of wind and spell that deflected it. He continued his searching, waiting for distraction or mistake to reveal his enemy's location or identity.

 

Into the Storm

     Flight: Superior

 

Feeling the winds, he caressed them to a more forcible cycle around him. He began to lift himself on the currents, slowly levitating into the skyline. The air was like a swaddle around him. Tight and comfortable. Perhaps the most comfortable thing he'd ever felt. He went higher, even with tops of the buildings in Lowtown. Unhindered by the buildings, the storm's full force whipped around him. It was the embrace of an old friend. Even higher, even with the distant skyscrapers concealed by the darkness and rain. Higher. Higher. He could touch the bottom of the clouds here. This would be his studio. Here he would delve himself into his art.