Honor: Regular Name: Jax Thrace Age: 39 Gender: Male Race: Hylian Place of Origin: Refugee of the Western Caves P/W/C: 2/2/3 Treasures: Sense Spin Attack Lover's Bond (-50 Rupees) Straight Shooting (-15 Rupees) 35 Rupees left Height: 5' 10" Weight: 153 lbs Equipment: Steel Longsword: This decade-old implement of death has seen dozens, if not hundreds of fights in Jax's steady hands. Kept in good repair, the sharp steel blade is just under three and a half feet in length. A simple cross-guard separates blade from leather-bound, sweat-stained hilt, which adds another ten inches to the length. When not in use, the blade lies in a scabbard of wood and hardened leather at Jax's left hip. Steel dagger: Older than his longsword, it's joked this blade has seen more throats than a retired barber. fortunately, hardy construction and constant, one might say loving care has kept it in fighting shape. The keen double-edged blade is fourteen inches in length, a round battered hand-guard and worn leather-bound hilt (roughly eight inches long) keeps Jax's hand from slipping to the sharp steel. It is sheathed in leather and sits just behind his longsword, when not in use. Armored attire: Used to being on the move and fighting nimbly, Jax's attire is lightweight and rugged. Sturdy, aged boots, old worn leather pants and belt. A cloth shirt, followed by a chainmail hauberk sandwiched between another, lighter cloth shirt, finally followed by a hardened leather jacket with reinforced shoulder and elbow pads. Time, patching and a massive dose of the elements have worn his clothing down to a patchwork of browns and greys. The only recent items he wears are a pair of brown leather half-gloves. Longbow and quiver: A battle-tested (some might just call it "old") longbow of indeterminate wood is slung across Jax's back. A quiver with a half-dozen arrows in it is slung low from his belt and over his right buttock. Also in the bottom of the quiver is a small leather pouch with a little food, what coins he has and a gently worn, well-kept gold ring. Appearance: When he was younger, Jax was described as a handsome, carefree young lad, sure to win the hearts of all the women in town. Now constant movement and surviving in harsh conditions have taken their toll. His once handsome looks have been harrowed by lack of food, lending a gaunt, almost haunted look, sinking his eyes and stretching the skin. Despite being constantly in the midst of conflict, his tanned, weathered face is remarkably lacking in distinguishing scars of the type people seem to swoon over. His lone mark being a faded, almost indistinguishable white scar, no more than a half-inch in length, just under his left eye. His eyes are hard, steel-grey in color and ever narrowed in feint annoyance. His once-handsome aquiline nose is now a tad off-kilter, broken long ago and clumsily reset. Thin lips almost always pressed together in a wary expression, hiding away simple teeth that most often reveal themselves with an annoyed sneer. His hair is close-cropped, dark brown with streaks of feint grey appearing slowly around his ears, a seemingly permanent growth of stubble adorns his hardened jaw. His frame is lithe and sinewy, gaunt from lack of food, though not quite starving. Without excess would be the best way to describe his appearance. A few minor scars crisscross his body, the most noticeable being one just off his right shoulder, a large jagged mark, fading slowly with time. His hands are gnarled, fingers lengthy, dirty nails cut painfully short. When not fresh from a bath, he generally has a subtle covering of dirt and sand over his body and in his hair. Personality: Once a quiet, relatively normal and well-adjusted young man going through the motions of life Kakariko village. something in him blossomed, when Ganon's forces came. Awoke in him a dark, grim love of combat and survival. He came into his own, as it were. Now battle-hardened, Jax's icy personality is that of dour pragmatism, biting sarcasm, vicious pessimism and an intelligent, wary view of most situations. He pays only as much attention to greater affairs as he is required to stay alive. Not caring particularly much about the other Hylians that are stuck with him in the South, unless they're in need of mercenary or bodyguard. While not exactly "mean" or "Cruel" to others specifically, he's rarely kind. He and his wife share a wandering, loner attitude towards everything, and it shows. Sticking to the outskirts of any meager settlement. They venture deeper in only to pick up jobs, resupply and occasionally find a bed to stay in. After that, it's back out into the wild, dangerous territory to hunt Ganon's minions, or whatever catches their fancy. In conversations with most, he comes off as terse and to the point. With those he knows, his deeper sarcasm and jaded side show through. Some see him as vaguely heroic, in that if he happens across a fight during his constant travels, he'll generally hop in. Of course, his motive is more because he gets a sense of enjoyment from battle. Saving people in trouble is not generally a concern of his. If it rewards him with a bit of money or a place to stay the night, he's not one to complain. Combat-wise he is a lethal opponent, and not a bad tactician when it comes down to it. Though his jagged, harsh personality and lack of over-all kindness makes it hard for others to actually work with him. Vexing as he is to work with, arrogance is a trait he (quite surprisingly) does not have in any great supply. He knows his limits, and while he enjoys fighting and dangerous situations, he makes it a point to "not" run into suicidal missions, or ones that look like they'll fail. Going on the general rule of thumb that old and bold mercenaries do not exist. One point of his personality where he truly comes alive (besides combat) is when dealing with his wife, Sib. Married for well over a decade now, the two have been constant, begrudging companions. Indeed, Jax cannot seem to make up his mind on whether he hates the woman or loves her. Their relationship is a fiery explosion of brief kindness and loving passion, followed by lengthy bouts of vicious glares and extramarital flings purely to spite one another. One can hardly tell he's married, or even why he travels with the woman when most of their scathing conversation revolves around spitting barbs back and forth at each other. The few people who've stayed close enough to the prickly mercenary long enough to realize the interactions between he and his wife are "normal" have a pool going on how long before they kill each other. Backstory: One might wonder how Jax got to where he is, in life. Considering he had a pretty decent shot at it, when it all began. Born to loving (but oh so busy) parents Gerard and Fitalla Thrace, minor business owners in Kakariko village, he was raised in a pleasant fashion. Certainly not rich, but well-off enough to afford decent schooling, especially in the combative arts of swordplay and archery. Much of his youth, when not taking lessons, was spent roaming the countryside around the village. Getting into trouble as some youth do, stealing apples, wooing young farmer's daughters, but always returning home at the end of the day. Around eighteen he finally leveled out enough from playful boy and matured into a decent, if reasonably boring young man who joined the town guard due to his promise with a blade. He seemed to have little ambition in life. Enjoyed what few duties in the guard he had, but at the same time, didn't seem keen on advancing anywhere. That all changed, when the war came. He participated in the heavy, house-to-house fighting of the first wave. Bloody, sleepless hours as he and his fellows pushed and fought and tried to do something, anything. Just when it seemed they'd done it, they'd won, the second wave hit. Jax saw as what was left of the unit he'd been fighting alongside, the soldiers who for a time he'd called . . .well, not friends, you see. But they were pretty close, in his book. He watched as a unit of Darknuts overran them. It's been said by some that he left his parents to die that day, as Ganon's forces overran the town. That he, already an ice-hearted monster, simply looked at the situation and ran to fight another day. Were it so dramatic. He actually looked for his parents, though to no avail. Finally forced to run with the last stragglers or die, he chose the former option. Sadly, Jax never found out what happened to his parents. Presumably they are dead, as they never made it to the refuge of the western caves. What is known of Jax after the attack is fairly clear, though. He took to violence like a parched throat takes to water. Pushing out farther and farther, joining every patrol he could. Reckless at first, he retained just enough skill to not die. Over the next years he morphed from an average, listless young man to an icy hunter, preferring to spend more and more time away from the caves and his fellows. Cold, and not so much distant as just uncaring. he drifted further and further away from the Western Hylians, both in mind and body. Until one day, he didn't return. Somewhere along his wandering path he ran afoul of a monstrous patrol. Forced to flee for his life, he ran for hours. When they did not slow their pursuit, the icy young man turned to face his death, cutting down three of his attackers before an axe was buried in his shoulder. It was then that a red-headed woman leapt down into the fray, saving his life with sword and dagger, arrows from afar aiding her. His wanderings had brought him close enough to a band of Hylians from the Eastern caverns. It was this red-headed, icy-eyed temptress that his hard heart fell for. They were married six months later. Of course it only made sense that the one woman to truly catch his attention was the same as he. A wanderer, almost outcast from the Eastern refuge. The two found companionship, solace and a fiery, sparking passion in each other's arms. A pair of minds who found themselves more at home in this new war-torn world than the older, more peaceful one. But of course, two violent souls such as they could not have an easy marriage. From almost the first moment they clashed. Rebounding and slamming into each other again and again, sometimes embracing, sometimes sparking and arguing violently. On a fairly regular basis, either he or she would take off in a cold fury, find some willing soul, and spend a night with such a person, knowing full-well their spouse would find out. And yet, despite their regular harsh treatment of each other, Jax and his wife have never once thought about "leaving" or "divorce". Something in each recognizes that the only person who truly understands them is the other. And thus, for almost fourteen years, the two have gone through life, taking jobs for coin, hunting Ganon's forces or guarding anyone with the urge for a pair of guards. At their happiest when alone in the wilderness, and yes, with each other.
