Sprint - Living For Speed

Sprint
I'm Aeria's fastest man, and no-one can handle it. No-one! Yeah!

Megadeth - Grabbag

Duke Nukem Soundtrack

One step forward, heave forward. Shift your left slightly to the right, lean out, push forward, forward, forward! Gain speed, keep going, power over that slight rut. Rock ahead, push of with feet, front leg out, bend rear, over, land, shove forward, go, go, go.
Forest ahead, five hundred metres, power forward over the plain, eyes forward, nothing can touch you, and then bam, in the forest, trees everywhere! There we go, time for a bit of fun. Hand up, leap forward, grab a branch. Swing body forward, leap, legs tucked up, land on log, power up, leap. Land on the branch, and jump! Jump! Leap forward. Right foot out, push forward, out.
And then a moment of silence, flying through the air, branches whistling on either side as you slowly fall, the ground rising up to you, a brief out-hanging branch whipping your side as the ground rushes up...
Land, roll, push out, keep moving, keep powering forward, move left and right, shifting through the trees...
Savor the adrenaline.

Being fast may not always be practical.
But, by the gods... it's fun.

As any follower of her knows, Akadi, Goddess of Air - and Speed - is flighty, changing her mind often. One love of her life is boring, old, and useless the next day. It is for that exact reason that she will probably never take a partner and make him the God of Speed, to stay by her side. Or, in the unfortunate event that she did, he would probably be lucky to last a week before she got sick of him and politely asked their membership ended.

However, if there ever was a person foolish enough to want to marry Akadi, with her irritatingly flighty nature, he would probably look a lot like Sprint does - a man who simply radiates speed. His skin is barely tanned, but significantly red and burnt by years spent hurtling over plains, deserts and roads. A job that is part of working to earn the reputation of the fastest person in Aeria. Or even the world. And what's more... he might be able to achieve it.

He wears messenger robes, brown and dirty from a week of running along dusty roads. Unlike his robes, however, he wears two thick shoes of leather, with hard soles, designed not to wear out through intense use. His head is shaven, the sweat from a sprint constantly showing in the light. His body is light, tight, slightly muscular, as if water has constantly worn him down to a streamlined shape. Despite this, he looks young, around eighteen, still barely a man. But if you can catch him in a moment of stillness, as he constantly shifts from foot to foot, his hands swinging, impatient to move again, you might notice his brown eyes are slightly tapered at the edges, his nose delicate and pointed. Most noticeable, however, are the small points at the tips of his ears, clearly apparent against his bald head. He shaves it religiously, ensuring that Akadi's sigil, tattooed to the back of his head, is always prominent.

If they observed his face for a while, it would apparent to anyone that has a knowledge of the races throughout Aeria that Sprint is, in fact, half-elf. Of course, this fact isn't something that Sprint offers easily. He's constantly running around, doing something, always taking action. Even if he has opted to halt for a conversation with you, it is doubtful that he will be at any point be still - even sitting down, he shifts from side to side, drumming his hands against the table, or walking in circles, bored. Sprint lives for speed - a resonance for movement is, literally, part of him. Choosing not to take action, to keep moving, is as foreign a concept to him as not breathing. It's what he is.

At top speed, he can hit up to twenty-five miles an hour. As fast as a horse at full gallop, in fact. Naturally, though, that kind of speed is unsustainable... he can hold it for maybe two hundred meters, and it'd bring him close to collapse. Generally, he'll keep an pace of a significantly more sedate eleven miles per hour, and maintain that for a long, long period of time, picking up speed as he needs to. And he can keep that speed for hours on a well-maintained road. That's not all he can do, either. To a lesser extent, he's agile, though not incredibly so. He can easily climb up a building, swing off posts, climb trees, but he's not a highly skilled thief, and prefers to use pure speed over cleverly moving through his environment.

Sprint
Character Sheet

Age:

Sprint is the young age of nineteen, though he rarely says how old he is. In terms of his physique, it rivals most thirty year-olds, well-toned, fit, with thick legs. But his face is still young, innocent, flames of ambition and passion burning through his eyes. The combination makes him appear a strange mixture of old and young, as if he was simply ageless.

Race:

Sprint is half-human, half-elf, though certainly not raised by the latter. His father simply passed through his mother's village, a brief romantic fling with a beautiful partner of a strange race. Both enjoyed the brief coupling, but the gift he left behind... that wasn't something she wanted. Not now, not when she was still so young. He grew up as a street urchin in human towns, and despises the elves for 'abandoning' him, having heard - incorrectly - that his father was human, his mother an elf who abandoned him.

Birthplace:

A small town called Lavince, twenty leagues North-East of Surna. He left the town at the age of six, delivering a letter from a man named Roman to his lover in the main city of Leyanara, and from there continued work as a messenger. If asked, he'll simply say he was born on a strange road, and never stopped running.

Occupation:

Sprint survives by conducting messages through Aeria, gaining a reputation as a fast, reliable messenger, and attracting a few merchants and wealthy men as clients, enjoying the speed he has over others. But this isn't what he considers to be his true calling. He lives as a servant of Akadi, Goddess of Air, and adores her, willing to do anything she needs.

Rituals:

One: Threw himself off Surna's guardtower, into the river below, falling for ten seconds. While on fire.

Spoiler:

Two: Chased down a fleeing robber, using his falling ritual to snatch the stolen goods when the bandit fell off a mountain.
Three: Rode non-stop to Imperia, and back, to save Surna from the Plague.

Skills:


At top speed, he can hit up to twenty-three miles an hour. As fast as a horse at full gallop, in fact. Naturally, though, that kind of speed is unsustainable... he can hold it for maybe two hundred meters, and it'd bring him close to collapse. Generally, he'll keep an pace of a significantly more sedate eleven miles per hour, and maintain that for a long, long period of time, picking up speed as he needs to. And he can keep that speed for hours on a well-maintained road. That's not all he can do, either. To a lesser extent, he's agile, though not incredibly so. He can easily climb up a building, swing off posts, climb trees, but he's not a highly skilled thief, and prefers to use pure speed over cleverly moving through his environment.


After serving Akadi loyally, Sprint has been given a new ability. It is purely magical, a blessing, and can thus be stopped through magic. It's a significant speed boost, making him reach speeds beyond human capacity - he can hurtle at nearly fifty miles an hour by pushing himself, and he can keep it up for quite a long time - thirty minutes. Even when he's running a long distance, he moves at the speed faster than most people can run - twenty-five miles an hour, as fast as a horse can gallop. Naturally, it's a blessing, not an innate ability, and Akadi can revoke it as she wishes.


This is a slightly curious ability, one that doesn't affect his speed, but rather how he moves. His pure dedication to the ideals of movement has resulted in Akadi giving him some of her resonance for movement. It's a sign of appreciation for his devotion, when so many neglect her. The result is that he has an affinity for moving, as quickly as possible, yet it's difficult to comprehend. In simple terms, even if he's in a strange, unknown place, he knows, almost instinctively, the fastest routes to take to get him somewhere. It's an inexplicable connection to movement. Of course, the fastest route is often not the best one.

OOC Note: If you're worried about metagame, don't be. The fastest route may involve collapsing an unstable wall to avoid using a door.


Not exactly a skill, more a piece of knowledge, Sprint has been taught one way to worship Alkadi outside of a temple, a declaration of faith and love for the Goddess. It involves heights, wind, and speed, three things that instantly give Alkadi power, and gain her often fleeting attention. By falling through the air for three seconds, or more, he shows his service to Alkadi. Of course, it's also really dangerous, but it makes her happy.

Backstory:

Running was always freedom, to Sprint, even as a street urchin living on the streets. Movement, being able to run as fast as he could, was a momentary release from the dull reality he lived in - a child abandoned at a temple, forced into a life of service. When he could... he ran. Abandoning himself to the sheer ferocity of movement, ignoring shouts of people as he bolted past them. It was freedom, from the reality of a life where he was only half-human, unwanted, despised by everyone who saw him. A mere street urchin, conducting rituals he didn't enjoy.

Fate had plans for him, though. Or maybe it was Akadi, moving the winds to gain control of the young boy, sensing the potential he had. But eventually, the hatred and conflict in him became too much. He fled. He ran outside the town, sprinting along the road. Unsure of where he was going. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. The temple may have hated him, despised him, abused him... but it also fed him. Kept him alive. At the young age of five, he was forced to consider what he needed to do to survive, whether it be theft of food, work, slavery...

There was a brief rustling as the wind blew through the trees, whistling over his head, as it worked its way into the forest. An inexplicable attraction overcame him, and slowly, he followed it, heading through the trees, moving by sheer instinct, disappearing into the forest, heading towards the mountains...

Five years later, he left that same forest, now ten years old, a sigil of Akadi tattooed on his now-bald head. Slowly, he walked along the street, before picking up speed, moving into a jog. Then a run.

As he grew older, he devoted his life to the pursuit of speed, simply running for the sheer joy of it, sprinting through village streets and across roads, obsessed with the freedom of movement. It become a core part of him, as he took on a new name. Sprint. What he was truly good at. The only thing he was good at. And he threw everything into that cause, determined to be the fastest. For Akadi. His savior.

So who really cares if you can't fight, if you're weak, if you can't use magic, if you're not smart.

If you can outrun someone, you always win.

Alignment:

Similar to his adored Deity, Sprint is best described as being Chaotic Neutral. His feelings and attitudes change as his feet beat along a road, preferring to remain free, despising authority and restrictions.

Favored Enemy:

Sprint, fortunately, has very few enemies, and doesn't enjoy making them, well aware of his weaknesses in combat.

Favored Weapon:

If there is combat, Sprint will always try to run, first, unless he has an incredibly good reason not to. If he has to enter combat, he'll use a high-speed style, preferring to dodge and weave until his enemy is tired, before he'll start striking, landing swift and light blows with his fists. If it's available, he'll use his environment to fight, as well.

Deity:

Sprint serves Akadi - but perhaps 'serve' isn't quite the right word. Her wind blows in him, intently. He doesn't just serve her, he loves her. He'd jump off the edge of the world if she wished it, simply to please her. His adoration is fanatical, and speaking ill of her in his presence, while not resulting in violence, will result in him rapidly becoming angry with the heathen.

Inventory:

332 Gold Pieces
Dirty Messenger Robes
Tough Leather Shoes
Vial of Vita + Instructions

Current Task:

Lifetime:
Become the World's Fastest Man.
Rise in service to Akadi.

Temporary:
Kick John Udgrad's Ass.

Temporary:
Get back at Change and Spite for kicking his arse.

Completed:
Get his hands on some Vita. And coffee. And Akadi's Rush.

Completed:
Find new work. Preferably involving running. Or just going fast.

Completed:
Deliver his message to 'Zayl'.

Interesting. I look forward to seeing how you use this character and his skills.

He can't really run that fast without magic. I mean, our bodies have limits, no matter how hard we train them.

I'd like to at least know how fast you expect him to be able to travel.

Yeah, how fast can he actually run? Do you have an estimate?

Hyperiant wrote:

He can't really run that fast without magic. I mean, our bodies have limits, no matter how hard we train them.

I'd like to at least know how fast you expect him to be able to travel.

Yeah, I think I mentioned in the backstory that he mucked around with potions to gain some extra speed - hence the side effect of physical pain. Sadly, though, I didn't develop that out as much as I'd have liked, so I'll go back over that.

I'm going to go with a top speed, with enormous physical strain, of 20mph. Considering Usain Bolt can hit about 27mph, that seems about reasonable, considering he has equipment that simply doesn't exist any more. And naturally, he can't sustain that kind of incredible speed for longer than a minute than so. I'd say he'd go at just under 8mph when he's running longer distances - an hour or longer.

(If any of these speeds are ridiculous, let me know. I converted from km/h, and I'm sure I screwed it up.)

I also intend to spend a lot of time having him quest for anything to make him faster.

Very, very interesting idea for a character. I love the idea, the obsession for speed, as well as the overall personality of the character.


Also, there is a God of Speed, Akadi.

http://aeria.omgforum.net/deities-f37/akadi-goddess-of-elemental-air-movement-speed-and-flying-creatures-t227.htm

Pat wrote:

Very, very interesting idea for a character. I love the idea, the obsession for speed, as well as the overall personality of the character.


Also, there is a God of Speed, Akadi.

http://aeria.omgforum.net/deities-f37/akadi-goddess-of-elemental-air-movement-speed-and-flying-creatures-t227.htm

Glad to see you like it. I'm going to develop it a bit more, especially considering that last little tidbit. Goddess of Speed? DO WANT. Any special procedure I need to take for the character to worship her, become an Advocate?

EDIT: Don't accept the character yet, I'm not happy with his backstory. Want to tie in all the things I've discovered, change it a bit.

Make him red.

Red goes fastah.

Also, I totally approve of this character- it's entirely original, and I like Scalene, I saw him a bit over in.. other lands. I say he more then deserves this character once he gets his backstory straight. :3

Zaku350 wrote:

Make him red.

Red goes fastah.

Also, I totally approve of this character- it's entirely original, and I like Scalene, I saw him a bit over in.. other lands. I say he more then deserves this character once he gets his backstory straight. :3

ITS FLAMES YOU MORON

FLAMES MAKE THINGS GO FASTER

Updated. It's not complete, yet. I want to finish the backstory, as I've been talking to Pat about Alkadi, and it's given me an interesting angle to change the character. Expect his goal to change, substantially.

Character finished.

A lot has changed. I added two other abilities that are pretty useless - particularly the ritual - but develop the idea of him being tied to Alkadi, the other significant development.

He's gone from being a free agent to a high-speed worshipper of Alkadi.

It's A K adi, btw >__>

Currently looking it over before I give my final judgment.

I invite anyone waiting to listen to this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PXaJxzuDE

Accepted. One of the better character ideas I've seen, combined with actual worship of a God, which is always good, and the general disadvantage that speed is the only thing he's really skilled at.

Pat wrote:

Accepted. One of the better character ideas I've seen, combined with actual worship of a God, which is always good, and the general disadvantage that speed is the only thing he's really skilled at.

Woo, can't wait to hop on the server as him!

Added theme song, which is absolutely perfect for Sprint. It's high-tech, electronic, DJ remix, but it's got this fantastic rhythm... it's his theme. I've got no doubt.

Imo if y'were gonna use a Queen song, should of used this one for Sprint, it's perfection.

i love that song

Sprint's in Surna, now. Updated goals and shit.

Added new task, after that RP with The Trader.

Vita?
OHHH MAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET SOOO MESSED UP.

More than a few drops will kill a man easy.

If only Speed knew that ICly.

Anyway, his plan is to get some of this stuff and use that 'syringe' to stick it directly into his blood, see what happens.

dats mah syringe, you ain't takin it >:O

Also, direct injection would be even worse than ingestion.

This is Sprint's heart:

Except, you know, alot more fatal and graphic

Pat wrote:

dats mah syringe, you ain't takin it >:O

Also, direct injection would be even worse than ingestion.

This is Sprint's heart:

Except, you know, alot more fatal and graphic

I'm so glad I added that emote.