Krios

"[Helios] was a nice guy, that much was obvious. And, unless he was considerably smarter than he looked, he'd be flat broke in less than twenty-four hours, just like all the other nice guys who'd been so unfortunate as to cross paths with a certain black-cloaked, nimble-fingered, smooth-talkin' rapscallion."
— Narrator, describing Krios's first meeting with Helios

Krios
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Species	Vortixx
Element	N/A
Kanohi	N/A
Alignment	Chaotic neutral
Weapons/Tools	Protosteel stiletto knife / Throwing stars
Powers	N/A
Occupation	Gambler / Con artist / Information broker
Group	Varying; currently none
Creator	Shadowhawk / currently played by Kughii
{{{Row 10 title}}}	No information
Too many parameters

Krios is a cold-hearted, analytical male Vortixx rogue and rapscallion. He currently resides in Ga-Koro, and is not affiliated with any particular organization.

Biography

Original Backstory (pre-2013)

The details of Krios’ history are vague and uncertain, save to him alone. He is believed to have been born around seventy-five years ago in the crime-sodden village of Xa-Koro, of unknown parentage. Again, the details of this period of his life are frustratingly mysterious, and exactly how he worked his way up to the financially capable position he now holds, is unknown. Any careers he might have held during this period, any friends he might have had, any notable events he might have been involved in; all are unknown, and he does not reveal the knowledge easily.

Following the destruction of the Kumu Islets, Krios made his way to the jungle village of Le-Koro, where he witnessed, and played a minor role in the defense against, its final assault by the Rahkshi legions of Makuta.

He continued to reside in Le-Koro for some time, simultaneously stripping unwitting villagers of their hard-earned finances, keeping in good favor with the laws and traditions of the community, and desperately attempting to keep up-to-date concerning the rapidly-forming schisms between the six city-states of Mata Nui.

2013 Arc

• Misunderstandings with local would-be gamblers force Krios to hastily relocate to the village of Ga-Koro, where he becomes involved in a Marine-conducted diving expedition to his sunken homeland of Xa-Koro.
  • After receiving temporary Marine status under the alias Private 'Soirk', Krios is subjected to several weeks of intensive military training, particularly in matters of diving, underwater salvage, and navigation.
  • Krios plays a supporting role during expedition, acting mainly as ship's navigator of The Invincible.
  • Krios survives said expedition with minimal injuries, and, after the group's triumphant return to Ga-Koro, is payed in full for his services. As per prior agreement, he is also stripped of his temporary military ranking.
• Krios takes up semi-permanent residence in Ga-Koro, where he begins frequenting the local taverns and businesses in search of news, con victims, and gambling opportunities.
  • Krios meets Helios, a young and naive Toa of Gravity, and during a friendly luncheon at the Great Takea, attempts to swindle him for money and information. Krios instead learns of the mine tunnels under Ko-Koro.

Personality and Traits

Psychological Description

Polite, soft-spoken, and casually evasive, Krios deliberately avoids attention, preferring to remain in the shadowed background of society. From this vantage point, he carefully ponders the social and mental dynamics of his intended victims or possible allies, taking no chances of any sort. Eerily perceptive, he misses nothing; his quick wit and shrewd intelligence are his greatest weapons. A skilled gambler, he makes his living off the ever-present rabble of fools, generally in a legit manner, though there is nothing in his personal code of morals that prevents him from doing otherwise.

Cool-headed, carefully controlled in thought, deed, and word, Krios takes few chances, makes few mistakes, and plays for keeps. Every possible advantage, every possible variable, every aspect of the situation, is considered with the utmost care before he makes a single action of any type, and when he finally moves, it is with swift efficiency. Yet he is not overly cautious; like most Vortixx, he is nothing if not adaptable.

Slow to smile, slower to trust, Krios is something of the stereotypical lone wolf, dedicated solely to his own well-being and viewing laws with emotionless detachment. Fearing betrayal, he avoids unnecessary social relationships of any sort, and maintains a strict mental barrier against the world in general. He is not cold or antisocial; merely an exile of his own choosing, shielding himself behind a thick cloak of withdrawal.

As might be expected, Krios’ inmost core of being is painstakingly concealed, and just what turbulent emotions lurk there are unknown. Although seemingly content with his chosen trade, he is unable to restrain a dark and bitter restlessness, which would appear to stem from a subconscious longing for all the friendship and warmth he has denied himself throughout the years. Yet he continually deludes himself, stubbornly believing that more and greater wealth is the answer, and all the while his twisted, troubled heart smolders endlessly, with a dangerous heat. Even now, it is very near the breaking point, at which smoke catches fire and the dark flames roll.

Psychological Vulnerabilities

Prone to mild depression; lacks a conscious source of true motivation; has great difficulty working alongside others for extended periods of time; struggles with various inner flaws and vices, few of which have become outwardly evident at the present time.

Physical Description

Tall and slim, built lean as a razor and lithe as a bullwhip, Krios’ physical coordination, dexterity, and ease of movement are of remarkably high caliber. As concerns physical strength and stamina, however, he is nothing more than merely average when compared to others of his race and gender.

Regarding appearance, Krios looks every inch the meticulous, well-groomed gambler that he is, although he occasionally tries to understate this for purposes of deception. Like most other Vortixx, his physical coloration is a mixture of dark greys and blacks, with a slight bluish sheen to those areas of his body that are of the deepest black, particularly his forearms, hands, and face. His hands are long and slender, well-kept, with clawed, nimble fingers. His skull and facial structure is also distinctly reptilian, with slitted eyes of icy blue, sharp white teeth, and a few thin scars on the left cheekbone. He moves with a precise, deliberate ease, wasting little motion.

Krios robes himself with the utmost care for appearances, comfort, and practicality. His garments (whatever a primarily-organic male Vortixx would generally wear; something equivalent to a shirt and jeans, I suppose) are simple, but of good quality, being black or dark grey in color, well-fitting, and tastefully modest. He wears a wide, intricately-tooled belt of black Rahi-hide, and his backpack, belt pouch, and custom-fitted traveler’s boots are all crafted of this same durable material as well. His threadbare-but-clean traveling cloak is a dark blue in color, somewhat faded, with several hidden inner pockets. He wears no hat or similar, but does occasionally wear a dark blue neckerchief.

Physical Vulnerabilities

Unaccustomed to extended periods of raw physical hardship; unusually vulnerable to Fire-based elemental energy; prone to stress-related migraines.

Relationships

Friends and Allies

• Name: relationship to character

Enemies

• Name: relationship to character

Inventory and Possessions

Weaponry

Regarding weaponry, Krios favors an antique stiletto knife, of foreign make, which he keeps hidden in an inner pocket of his cloak. Crafted of fine blue-black ironwood, the knife’s handle is inlaid with runic inlays of shining silver and reinforced with protosteel studs. The seven-inch blade itself is also forged of protosteel, as is the internal locking/latching mechanism. Estimated worth: approximately 20,000 widgets.

Since the time of his involvement in the Xa-Koro diving expedition, Krios also possesses three Marine-issue protosteel throwing stars, otherwise known as 'shuriken', which he keeps in various concealed locations on his person.

Tools and Equipment

• x1 backpack (black Rahi-hide, well-worn)
• x1 belt pouch (black Rahi-hide)
• x1 rope (50 ft., flax-woven)
• x1 heatstone (w/ canister)
• x1 lightstone
• x1 whetstone
• x2 slow-burning torches
• x2 air bladders
• x1 waterskin
• x1 fishing tackle

Widgets and Treasure

• x2,304 widgets (w/ storage sack)
• x73 assorted gemstones

Miscellaneous Items

• x6 dice
• x2 card decks

Trivia

• Krios intensely dislikes abnormally extreme temperatures, such as those found in the deserts of Po-Wahi, the icy slopes of Ko-Wahi, or the lava fields of Ta-Wahi. For this reason, he keeps strictly to Ga-, Le-, or Onu-Koro, where the environment is generally more hospitable.
• As might be expected, Krios is a capable pickpocket, a skill he honed during his early days in Xa-Koro.
• Krios was originally created and played by Shadowhawk; during the 2013 arc, however, Shadowhawk began suffering from an increasingly prominent lack of interest in the character, and ownership of Krios was subsequently transferred to Kughii, who had expressed interest in 'taking over the reins'.