Arlin Kom Trikru

[Deleted]

| ~ • ~ | Character Basics | ~ • ~ |

.:Name:. Arlin
.:Nick Name:. Ari (mostly used by her older brother)
.:Affiliation:. Trikru, the coalition
.:Age:. 21

| ~ • ~ | Appearance | ~ • ~ |

.:Physical Appearance:. Arlin has the slim build of an archer, and her muscles are in top shape after years of weapons training and moving quickly through the woods. She’s light on her feet, moving with a grace that would have made her a talented dancer. Her brown hair tends to be worn down as a matter of preference. Although she does draw back her bangs so she can see clearly. She wears light armor almost constantly, having become so accustomed to its weight that she hardly feels comfortable otherwise. Unlike most warriors though, it’s not uncommon to see a smile tugging at her mouth. She does have kill marks on the back of her shoulder but sees no reason to flaunt them. Killing is a necessity, not a sport.
.:Height:. 5’8”
.:Portrayed by:. Poppy Drayton

| ~ • ~ | Personality | ~ • ~ |

.:Personality:. Around strangers, Arlin usually wears a stern warrior mask. But if outsiders could see her among her own, they would probably find her a bit cheery for a Grounder. A natural resilience helped lessen the effects of the world’s cruelty on Arlin, thereby allowing her to maintain a rather optimistic streak. She finds joy in simple things and loves to make those around her smile. She’s also a fair singer, although it takes a proper occasion and a little prodding to draw out that particular talent.

Arlin cares deeply for her people and will go out of her way to help them. Her mother always said she should have been a healer. But her natural curiosity makes her a talented scout. And while she wishes people could talk through their problems instead of fighting, don’t think for a second it makes her weak. Arlin is the first to stand up in defense of her people, especially if she feels they have been wronged. And she will fight to the death to protect what she loves. The concepts of justice and honor mean a great deal to Arlin, as does loyalty. Particularly where family is concerned.

With that said, she has begun to change in recent months. Her faith in the ways of her people was deeply shaken by Ontari’s victory in the conclave. Arlin had a deep respect for Heda Lexa, and she simply cannot believe the spirit of the commander would choose so cruel a successor. Combined with the loss of most of her family and the trauma following the City of Light, Arlin is carrying more weight than ever before. Much of her optimism has faded, leaving behind a more quiet and grim young woman who is having a far harder time finding a reason to be hopeful.

.:Special Skills:. hunting, tracking, stealth, trained in multiple forms of fighting but best at archery

| ~ • ~ | History | ~ • ~ |

.:Birthplace:. Trikru village
.:Family:.father Lukas (warrior, killed by Mountain Men), mother Rona (former warrior, killed in the Tondc missile strike), brothers Ando (24, warrior) and Rion (13, Natblida killed by Ontari), uncle Toma (blacksmith, tortured to death refusing A.L.I.E.’s chip)
.:Occupation:. scout
.:History:. Arlin’s family was a happy one by Grounder standards. Her parents were warriors who taught their children the value of hard work and loyalty. Despite the stern nature of their parenting, Arlin never for a moment doubted that her parents truly loved she and her brother. Arlin in particular tended to receive a bit more affection than was normal, both from her parents and her brother. There had been complications with the pregnancy that bore Arlin, and the family assumed she would be their last child. So what meager care would have gone to future children was all given to Arlin. That helped to insulate her a bit, resulting in a girl who was considerably cheerier than most her age.

Arlin grew up quite close to her brother, following him everywhere and wanting to do everything he did. Some siblings would have found it irritating. But Ando reveled in protecting and teaching his little sister. He was more than happy to pass on the things he learned. The two children spent their days exploring the woods near the village and eagerly absorbing whatever warrior skills their parents saw fit to impart.

And then along came Rion. He was a miracle child who somehow survived an early birth. Arlin was smitten with her baby brother. She delighted in his very existence, caring for him much the way Ando cared for her. He was the center of her world. But when he was four years old, the family discovered he was special for another reason – he carried the dark blood of a Natblida. Days later scouts from Polis came to take Rion away. Arlin was heartbroken to lose her little brother, but she also took great pride in knowing he might someday be the next commander.

The family returned to one of four, only to slip to three a year later when Lukas was taken by Mountain Men. Rona was devastated. Needing a change of scenery, she decided to give up being a warrior in favor of learning a trade. She chose to move to Polis where one of her brothers had gone. Thirteen-year-old Arlin and her brother went along as well. Their uncle Toma had become a blacksmith there after an animal attack left his leg too damaged for fighting. But he had done business with many warriors in the city and arranged for his niece and nephew to become seconds to highly respected ones.

It didn’t take Arlin’s mentor long to decide the girl should be trained as a scout. She was fast and quiet, and she was a natural with a bow, having been hunting alongside her father for years. Plus Arlin had always loved the woods. By the time she left her teens Arlin was one of the most trusted scouts in Polis, often being sent to monitor the movements of Azgeda or bring back information from other clans for the commander. She had a deep respect for Heda Lexa, having watched her rise in power, and took great pride in helping maintain that rule.

Being in Polis also brought another opportunity – it put Arlin close to her younger brother. The Natblidas were closely guarded, but Arlin found ways to catch glimpses of Rion. And the more trusted she became, the more she was allowed to be around them, delivering messages to the commander in their presence or occasionally helping to guard them. In some ways it was hard being so close to Rion. Blood bonds were considered a distraction for the Natblidas, and Arlin knew if anyone discovered she was his sister, she would probably be banned from seeing him. So she pretended to have no more attachment to him than any of the others. But secretly she lived for those small moments.

The arrival of Skaikru changed things on the ground. Arlin and the other scouts were busier than ever trying to learn whatever they could about the invaders. Unlike some of the others, Arlin approved of the alliance that was eventually brokered. Better to turn their attention to a common enemy. Arlin and Ando were both among the force that marched on Mount Weather. As was their mother, who had laid down her sewing needle to help claim justice for her husband. But she never got the chance. The family was in Tondc when the missile struck, and Rona was killed. Ando was too injured in the blast to fight. Heartbroken Arlin was the only member of her family to reach the mountain. And while some part of her regretted the commander’s betrayal of the Sky People, she had seen enough of war to understand.

The next few months were tense. Arlin used the escalating political situation to distract herself from the loss of her mother. And then the commander was killed. Suddenly the moment that would decide Rion’s fate had arrived. Arlin seriously considered sneaking in to see her brother before the conclave, but she never got the chance. Instead the usurper Ontari murdered all the other Natblidas while they slept. Arlin had known for years she might lose Rion to the conclave. But for it to happen so brutally rocked her to the core. How could the spirit of the commander choose such a cold and violent successor? Devastated by the death of her baby brother and unable to face bowing to the woman who had killed him, Arlin retreated from Polis to spend some time on her own. Ando offered to come as well, but Arlin insisted she needed time to work through the grief for herself. It was a decision she would come to regret.

Arlin roamed the woods for a time before news of violence in Polis drew her back. But the city she found was not the same. Neither was her brother. Ando seemed completely oblivious to the horrors surrounding him. And he kept talking about a place with no pain. He offered to take Arlin there, but with Rion’s death still fresh, Arlin wasn’t quite ready to let their brother go. So she refused. Except Ando wouldn’t take no for an answer. The older brother Arlin had worshipped turned from her protector to her torturer. He was bigger and stronger and he knew his sister’s weaknesses, so it didn’t take him long to force her to submit. At which point the pain completely stopped. The grief and turmoil were all gone. For a brief moment, Arlin was completely at peace, free to enjoy the world with a light heart once again.

And then it ended. To call it a rude awakening would be a severe understatement. Everywhere Arlin looked there were more broken people. The coalition was in ruins with no clear leader. And the only family Arlin had left was Ando, who she could hardly stand to look at. Knowing his actions had not been his own didn’t make the trauma any less painful. As the city tried to scrape itself back together, rumors began to circulate that the world itself was ending. But after everything that had happened, part of Arlin had to wonder if she even cared.

| ~ • ~ | Member Info | ~ • ~ |

.:Name or Online Alias:. Ash (2)
.:How Did You Find Us:. The voices in the chatbox dragged me over here and forced me to make another one. Okay, not really. But can I blame them anyway?

[The Ark]