Aileen

Mountain Dwarf, AKA ‘The Shield’

Appearance

Aileen was described as having well-kept, dirty-blonde hair and greenish eyes with an exceptionally tall, athletic build for a Dwarf.

Backstory

Early Life

Born in Barrowrock Edge, a large town north of Val-Adin, Aileen was one of fifteen, with seven other brothers and seven other sisters. Aileen was well-known around Barrowrock, and not for the right reasons. She was known as a renegade and troublemaker, getting into fights daily with other children and pranking her teachers. Aileen's parents chalked it up to wanting to stand out amongst her community, but most importantly her siblings. The Locket's lived a comfortable, modest life, and the peace and quiet left Aileen wanting more. More than a quiet homebody life.

To pull her own weight around her household, Aileen quit school and took up a job mining for the Barrowrock Coal Mining Company. Coal and minerals were one of Barrowrock's largest exports, so they were in constant need of around the clock workers. Aileen fit right and within a few months was in charge of her own mining crew. The years spent in the mines were some of the most fulfilling for Aileen, who grew into a stout, chiseled woman by the time she left. One of Aileen's crew members, talked about the world outside of Barrowrock. A world outside of hammering away at hunks of rock and ore. When Aileen was old enough, she decided to hang up her pickaxe and hat and explore this world.

The Circus Kid

Aileen took up various odd jobs to pay for all the traveling she did. Eventually she settled down with notorious entrepreneurs, Barnaby and Theodore Bixton, Bill and Ted. The Goblin brothers were running a circus with a few friends and had enough run-ins with bandits on the road they decided to hire some bodyguards. Aileen was one of three bodyguards for Bill and Ted, and since her hiring, very few even thought of robbing Bill and Ted. Lest they tussle with the likes of Aileen's tree-trunk-like arms. On the side, Aileen trained in acrobatic acts in the circus with Bill and Ted's feisty circus bear, Wotjek. Aileen and Wotjek eventually went on to begin performing circus acts with one another, as the Circus Kid and Bear.

Croak and Dagger

Aileen joined Croak and Dagger after she and Wotjek were separated from the circus troupe during the events of Cataclysm. After she found out that one of her oldest traveling buddies, Barbatos, had joined their ranks earlier, Aileen saw it as a sign that she should too. With Croak and Dagger, Aileen found her calling. Aileen's feats of strength and bravery in the face of even the most terrifying enemy, earned her the nickname the Shield, from her biggest fans. Aileen wasn't without fault, and made mistakes like any regular person. But she owned up to every single one of them. After a horribly one-sided deal between Shar and Clymene, Aileen saw her life ticking down. Given just 3 days to live, Aileen went on to drink, laugh, and dance her way until her very last day. With her girlfriend Sam holding her hand, watching the sun go down in a field of grass, Aileen passed away. But some say that's not where her story ends...

Abilities

Wall of Iron. Aileen displayed incredible feats of strength while under pressure. Thanks to her heavy armor and skills with a shield, Aileen was capable of withstanding even the mightiest of blows and locking down an area for her party members.

Circus Performer's Agility. Aileen's time in the circus gave her the edge she needed in vaulting, somersaulting, and mounted-combat whether it was in front of an audience or under pressure in the heat of battle.

Relationships

Aiden - "Ahh... I know I talk a lot of shit about him and goad him on, but it's 'cause I like the guy. Aiden's got looks that kill, and I do mean that literally. He can be pretty boss and be up my ass a lot, but I know it's 'cause he cares. Don't underestimate him, Aiden's really nice when he wants to be, but fuck with us, and he'll tear your throat out."

Andol - "Pretty Boy? Hahaha... oh man... if I had an ounce of style that Pretty Boy had? Watch out ladies. But the whole thing about underestimating Aiden? That goes double for Andol. He might be softer than a pillow full of feathers but he's smart. Crafty. I have got to get the name of his tailor...but anyway--- Andol has pulled my ass out of the fire more times than I can count. He just...sees and knows things...he's patient. I could learn a thing or two from him. Just, don't tell him I said that, yeah?"

Barbatos - "Big Green Meathead! Barbatos picked me up a few weeks after I left Barrowrock. He's the one who trained me in swords, shields, and being an all-around badass, so yeah. He sent me an invite a while before the whole sky opened up and said I'd find some good people with the group he was already with. Of course, by the time I got there...the moron up and gets incinerated. He's...He was a great friend. The greatest friend. If Barbatos found Croak and Dagger important enough to die for, then...then yeah I'll stick around for a bit. See if I can't do the same? Just...without the dying part hahahaha!"

Bill & Ted - "Look, I know they come off as greedy little dirtbags. But trust me when I say, they're good people...goblins...whatever. Bill and Ted pretty much took me in when I had nothing, no food, clean clothes, or any talents outside of just smashing rocks. But they made it work. Found something for me to do, and never asked me to do anything I wasn't comfortable with. You guys see Bill and Ted the businessmen, I see Bill and Ted the brothers. The guys who started with nothing just like me. The guys willing to take a chance on a nobody. So, I love them, and if anyone wants to smear them, I'll smear you. We clear?"

Charles - "What a big neeeeeerd, hahaha looooove you Charles! So yeah, Charles reminds me a lot of my dad. He's always doing stuff for people without asking for anything back. Doing stuff on his own. Sometimes...Sometimes pushing himself. A lot. Charles is my dude, the hookup for some sweet shit to cleave meatheads in two with. But he's also like...really easy to talk to? Charles never looks like he's judging you or anything...he just listens. Chill guy, super big nerd."

Omerok - "Uncle O! Omerok still remains the chillest, coolest dude. No, I'm serious, if you got beef with Uncle O, you got beef with me. I mean, no matter where we're at, no matter what we're doing, even if we're hanging from a freaking cable car over Hell...Omerok keeps his chill. There's not a single person Omerok hates, I don't think. Finds the good in people. Refuses to only see the bad and that's...that's just really cool you know? I have got to ask him one of these days to hook me up with a sweet t-shirt."

Clymene - "I don't think I've met anyone that's as hard on themselves as Clem is. She's like, really hard on herself. I wish I knew what to say but like...I don't know...you know? Clem was always super, super nice to me and building me up, and pulling me out of slumps. I wish we... talked more...? Like, we don't say much to each other and I don't know if that's because of something I'm doing...or something with her? She stares at me a lot and it's...I don't know. Ha...look Clymene, I wish you'd start seeing yourself the way you see everyone around you. That you'd find your center....and I think you will. It just takes time."