Name: Alba
Age: 21+
Contact: albaaulbath @ plurk
Other Characters: N/A
Interests: Character development and plot in general. Perhaps an assassination here and there.


Name: Thane Krios
Canon/OC: Canon
Journal: outil
Race: Elf
Nationality: Orlesian
Occupation: Assassin
Division: Undeclared. Thane will do whatever the Inquisition deems best for him. Neck snapping preferred.
Mage or Not: Not
Age: 35

History

Here is Thane's original canon history, and here's the AU'd adjustments:

- When Thane was five, he was purchased from his family from the alienage into the noble Orlesian family, the Harcons. It was a decision made with a heavy heart, and to this day Thane has convinced himself to not begrudge them for the choice.
- The Harcons raised Thane for a multitude of skill sets; true, he often acted as a servant, but his true purpose and training was to become their personal assassin and guard. Thane was treated exceptionally well despite what he was being used for, but obviously the situation was morally questionable.
- As a result of his upbringing, Thane is generally Andrastian.
- At age twelve, Thane took his first kill. His skills continued to only grow.
- Thane continued into his career, serving the Harcons and taking out their enemies as needed, protecting their interests.
- In his early twenties, Thane had followed his target into the nearby woods, tracking him down with the intent to kill. What he did not expect was a Dalish elf to come into his way to protect him. Her fierceness and sharp eyes startled him, and he could not conclude his kill.
- Thane followed up, determined to meet her. He tracked the elven woman, wanting to know more about her. Her name was Irikah.
- Over the course of several meetings, Thane and Irikah fell in love. Irikah chose to leave her clan, taking refuge up in a cabin while they had their son, Kolyat.
- Eventually, unfortunately, Irikah was tracked down and killed. Angry, Thane took vengeance upon her killers, and found himself with the cruel understanding that he would be incapable of raising his son. Feeling that it's the best choice, Thane asked Irikah's clan to take Kolyat in, raise him as their own.
- Thane returned to a life as an assassin, submitting himself to the service of the Harcons once more.
- Thane was granted to the Inquisition as a gift of confidence and gesture from the Harcon family to act as their tool. During a mission, Thane ended up captured by some of Corypheus's followers while attempting to protect elven servants. Thane was captured for sometime until he found a way to escape, but it was too late for him. Red lyrium is now beginning to grow in his lungs, slowly killing him.
- Feeling that he will die anyway, Thane is comfortable serving his last days in the Inquisition, wanting to give as much as he can before he inevitably perishes.

Personality

At a glance, Thane Krios appears to be a distant person. Considering what he does for a living, this is easily understandable. Still, he appears to be mostly a "lonewolf" type of individual at first, keeping to himself and keeping quiet. After all, being a professional assassin doesn't leave too much room for socializing. Thane is more used to keeping his back to a wall and facing the door at nearly all times rather than making friends. It's not as if he doesn't know how to be civil to people, and Thane is more than capable of being polite to others even if he doesn't always agree with thier lifestyle. In terms of building friendships? Still a strange thing, and frankly Thane will be more comfortable in the shadows watching than interacting openly. He's capable of being empathetic and showing his excellent manners, but he has difficulty in making personal connections.

On a deeper level, Thane has good enough intentions; he has a sense of mercy, and presuming his targets are not innocent, he will go out of his way on a mission to protect the unfortunate. On the other hand, if his target is indeed innocent, he will finish his contract without question. While he does have an obvious sense of morality, he does not take responsibility for his actions as a killer. Considering how he was raised, Thane believes himself to be a weapon, a tool to be used for whatever purpose is needed. However, he does feel the guilt of each kill, and each one has lingered in his mind that much more prominently since Irikah's death and his separation from his son. After every person he kills, Thane will pray to the Maker for mercy after each one even if he does not stop himself from acting on a hit.

Thane, for the most part, has little fear of dying. After each job he takes since the Red Templars captured him, he has completely expected to die in the process of getting to his target. He hopes that by joining the Inquisition and supporting the Herald of Andraste's people that the Maker will forgive him for the sins he has committed. In the meanwhile, Thane feels he has little purpose otherwise other than to provide himself to the Inquisition's needs.

Opinions & Affiliations

CHANTRY: Immense support. Thane was raised to be Andrastian by the noble family he served, and thus believes in the Maker strongly.
THE QUN: Skepticism. Thane is mildly curious about the Qunari in terms of knowledge, but is otherwise suspicious of those who follow it.
MAGES: Thane supports the idea of the Circles, but certainly not the abuse that some of them have had in the past. He's known many Templars, and while several are good and mean well, he knows the system was far from perfect and places like Kirkwall did not help anyone.
TEMPLARS: They deserve respect for their work. Not all Templars are good, not all templars are the devil.
ELVES: Thane respects the Dalish, but he could never follow their ways. He's tried. He feels for his fellow city elves and wants a better life for them, quietly hoping to ensure no other families must be separated.
HUMANS: No strong feelings one way or another.
DWARVES: No strong feelings one way or another.
TAL-VASHOTH/VASHOTH: No strong feelings one way or another. During his travels, Thane knows that there is some difference between them and the Qunari.
RIFTERS: Concerning. He has heard many rumors, but mostly he is curious about them.
ORLAIS: Not All Nobles! Thane fully believes that the Harcons treated him well, and knows other nobles have cared for their elven servants. However, he does know that others probably deserve to have their asses kicked or probably need to be killed.

Adaptation Notes

I did my best to try to adapt Thane from a background that would suit fairly closely to his canonical self. Due to the lack of concern or care of drell in Mass Effect, it seemed as close as possible to submit Thane as a city elf in this case. The Harcons are meant to be as close as possible to the Hanar, for example, to whom Thane served as well. While I think it could be interesting to see where the red lyrium goes for Thane's lungs as a medical condition that Thane had was in canon, I would understand if this could not be permitted and I'm willing to make adjustments. I would prefer to keep it, but I'm flexible.

Strengths & Weaknesses

STRENGTHS:
- Thane is an incredibly strong and gifted assassin. Ever since he was a boy, he was raised to kill, and none of those skills have diminished. He's been taught several ways on how to take different kinds of people down.
- He is fairly knowledgeable on Orlesian customs, including the Game, though he's been more of a tool for it than a participator.
- He has a connection with the noble Harcons. This could be useful.
- Thane could probably make anything into a weapon. Anything can kill a man if you try hard enough and believe in yourself.
- Eidetic memory. Thane remembers everything perfectly, to the point that sometimes he can relive a memory in exact detail.

WEAKNESSES:
- Red lyrium is growing in his lungs. This is definitely Not Good and can hamper his breathing at times, and reluctantly Thane is aware that it will also cause him to go mad one day. It will take a long time for it to do anything to kill him or affect him otherwise, but right now it's kind of mild inconvenience at times.
- A bit socially awkward. Thane is polite, but he doesn't view himself as making friends easily.
- Not the most careful for himself when on the job. Thane expects to die one day, so he can come across as reckless when he's working.

Inventory

- Knives.
- Bow and arrow set.
- Serpent stone mask that he's almost always wearing.
- A halla statue.
- REGRET.

Motivation

Thane has been submitted as a gesture of good will from the Harcon family in Orlais to serve as the Inquisition sees fit. He has no problem serving these terms.


EXAMPLE ONE
This used to be easier, for a number of reasons.

Most of his life that he can remember has been a constant movement. It was survival in the alienage, if one could call it that. They all lived in squalor. Thane could not forget. That's why he is what he is now.

Tears running down his face as his father gingerly accepted the bag of sovereigns; there is regret in both of his parents' eyes. Thane wants to cry out, beg his parents to not give him away, but his throat burns and constricts and not a sound creeps out as he's taken away. "Poor rabbit," the noblewoman says gently. "We'll get you cleaned up, first thing."

They left out no expenses, ensuring that the little elf was worth every coin. What good is a frail servant?

They are not cruel, but he is still to terrified to speak much. The food is already better than anything he ever had in the alienage, when loaves of bread were an incredible gift. Here, he'd never heard of steak diane before, and the meat melts in his mouth so sweetly. Lord Harcon laughs. "Finally, you're putting meat on those little bones, Thane." Timidly, Thane smiles, feeling a little warmer, yet hollow still.

He has no illusions. He knows--

It's ache and pains as he trains. He learns not just simple things, like escorting and serving food and making tea and dressing the Harcon family. Also how to be deadly, how to fight someone larger than him, smaller than him, stronger, faster, slower. Everything can break, everything can die.

Thane knows what he is.

This used to be easier.

In the past, he'd been able to kill efficiently. Here, now, he still can, but he feels slower than he should be. Breathing, gradually, is becoming that much more difficult. There are sharp pains as he struggles with air for a moment.

The bandit swings his sword, misses. As Thane ducks, he stifles a cough, then launches out to grab the man by the head. After throwing his body weight, the assassin snaps the bandit's neck.

The last body falls.

The body falls, and Thane feels blood on his knife. His first kill. It's warm, sticky. It is a smell he will never forget, the taste of copper. The body's eyes go glassy, distant, mouth open and voiceless. Everything dies, everything.

Thane coughs. This used to be easier.

There is the taste of blood. The smell.

He could never forget, after all.


EXAMPLE TWO

It'd be easy to enter the tavern in at least six different methods, if Thane didn't want to be seen. At the moment, it's not a particular concern, so long as he can find the proper corner and keep to himself.

When he opens the door, something falls. Smells of paint, a bucket, a splash--

Swiftly, he rolls out of the way, instinctively, all to the disappointed groan of a blond elven girl. "Really? Way to ruin it, yeah?"

"Ruin?" Thane glances down at the floor where bright blue paint has splashed across the floor. "It appears you've more ruined the tavern than anything."

"It wasn't even for you," she laments, as if not really hearing him. "I mean, if you were walking in, could have at least done me the favor and taken it anyway. Would at least brighten up your look a bit."

It doesn't make much sense to him, though he supposes she was looking to prank someone. Not something he's ever done, but he's watched children do it before. He'd think she'd be too old for it, but then, the Inquisition is indeed full of an odd lot.

So, wordlessly, Thane drags the flat of his boot into the paint puddle, before kicking a splash of it at the girl, who lets out a surprised yelp.

"What--"

"I thought it would brighten your look as well." Thane pauses. Perhaps he misread the situation? He is rather poor at this, but he still allows a faint, amused smile. "It goes with the plaidweave."

The girl pauses, then lets out an intense giggle. "And here I was, thinkin' you'd be all glower! All right, not bad. We'll call this a success, yeah?"

"If you wish it." Thane gives a bow of his head before pardoning himself. Odd girl, but that was a bit charming.