Tropical Flak





Present Day
Flak currently resides in Celtenn. His house is on the west side of the settlement, near to the coast. He lives a modest life of farming and resource gathering while working on his house. In his downtime, he writes about his past experience and the history of others. After some time, his efforts were recognized and he now serves as the Minister of Culture of Celtenn and a senator for the Soleannan Imperium

Social Interactions
Flak has a personality akin to that of a curious scholar. He likes to listen and write about stores he hears about and wants to spread it to others too. Flak is very easy to teach and willing to learn about anything. He dislikes violence, but if it had to come to it where he must use force, Flak is not completely defenseless. Though he can be a bit of airhead and often farms mindlessly, as it serves as a way for him to relax after a hard day's work at the writing table and building.

Flak's past before coming to Rathnir is shrouded in complete mystery. Only a small bit of information was ever obtained from him, and that was due to being heavily inebriated during a festival. He refuses to drink anything stronger ever since. He is particularly tight-lipped about what occurred prior to him washing up on the shores of Khanji, Nieden. Though when questioned about who he is, he does say he used to serve for a military from a faraway nation in an unknown land which seems to both imply his former residence as a citizen of Alamayn, and his previous occupation in his homeland.

At first, Flak spoke a broken version of common, often substituting certain phrases and even whole sentences with words that are not a part of the language. When asked why he originally did this before he learned how to speak fluently, his response was simply "I'm still getting used to this". Unknown to most people is Flak's precise gender. Often wearing thick heavy clothing, even during his time in the desert, covering everything besides their eyes. Due to this nobody really knows Flak's true gender or race. Flak does not seem to mind this however, and prefers to keep it that way. It has been said that he does this in order to keep people from getting to know Flak too personally, to stop him from hurting them, or them hurting him. People often refer to Flak as "he" or "him" due to the hushed whispers that Flak speaks in, making it hard to hear at times due to its low volume, low energy nature.

Many ask why he calls himself Flak and encourages others to call him that. He says it was his callsign from his past, due to how he was responsible for repairing both long distance and anti air canons which are called "Flak Turrets". He still refuses to divulge anything about his personal life, despite constant attempts by several people over the course of his stay in Rathnir. The reasoning for this remains unclear even after being questioned as to why he safeguards it so.

Despite being in a country full of believers of Soleannen, Flak remains steadfast in his denouncement of the religion. This remains confusing to most people of Rathnir, as religion is apart of life, and thus, apart of being alive. Flak often says its due to some past trauma that he never got to fix properly. This hasn't stopped people from trying to convert him, which often leads to very tense, and seldom violent outbursts.

Combat Style
Flak is quite ill equipped for direct combat. Often just barely being able to dodge attacks, and parry strikes. This is not due to a lack of strength or endurance, but a lack of melee combat training. Despite formerly being apart of 2 militaries, he explains that he was never taught how to deal with, quote "People in magic armor, wielding swords and axes that can set people on fire and cut through solid steel". However, when it comes to ranged combat, Flak is proficient with using a bow and crossbows while often preferring to fight in large battles in this sort of position. When it comes to melee combat though, Flak is particularly skittish, often preferring to dodge and block attacks before going in for a few hits at a time, leaving him particularly susceptible to attacks at close range.

Day to Day life
Flak often starts his day with a cup of tea. Brewed freshly from a farm that they have created, when too lazy however, a glass of warm water is enough. Flak often prefers a nocturnal lifestyle, sleeping in during the day and staying awake during the night due to his past as a forced conscript. Old habits die hard, supposedly. (This is due to the player having a time zone of GMT +8). After washing up and preparing his clothing and tools, Flak then proceeds to tend to his crops, before doing a few tasks that he often busies himself with, which takes up the majority of working hours of his time. The first of which is resource collection. This can range from cutting wood, quarrying stones, or smelting ores. He often donates the resources back to the settlement he is apart of, but takes a small portion for himself for personal projects as well as any valuable ore. Secondly, he could aid in construction of various buildings and or structures in the area. This can range from a repairing a small dilapidated section of a city wall, to helping build a grand library set to house a city's most important books and literature. Oftentimes, he requires direct instructions or planning in order to be able to construct efficiently, as Flak often sadly admits that he does not have a good eye for architecture. Thirdly, he can and often will begin writing about lore. He considers this the most important thing he can do, and often does this instead of the other 3. This often involves hours of writing and meticulous research which can often lead him to travelling to other nations or inner regions for more accurate information. After one or more of these tasks have been completed for the day, Flak heads back home to inspect his Glow berries if they are cultivated properly, harvesting and pruning if needed, before preparing his gear for tomorrow and then heading off to bed. Flak often sleeps peacefully, but seldom has dreams of events that transpired in the past, particularly those of battle, or just the usual strange nature of dream subjects as a whole.

History
Flak's past is can be divided into 2 parts. The Alamayn Period, which is his more distant history, from slightly before he first arrived, up until he left Alamayn for good after the leader stepped down. Currently, it has been fully documented and has no need of addendums or edits. The second period, Aesperium Period or Scribe Period, is the newer one of the two periods. This section is still currently ongoing and is being expanded as soon as new information comes in.

Alamayn Period
These are the most notable events that occurred during Flak's time in Alamayn. Flak's overall opinion during his time in Alamayn is quote to be "I honestly have fond memories of my time in Alamayn. Despite being mostly alone, it was a good learning experience for what this world has to offer. Given the choice to come back though, I would reject it. I have a new home, but I still appreciate the experiences and friends I earned along the way."

Hopes and Dreams
Tropical_Flak first arrived around 7/15/2021 after arriving by washing up onshore on the northern shores of Khanji, Nieden. A former conscript that escaped by sea after bearing witness to their homeland's downfall. Growing disillusioned with serving for a cause he never believed in, he abandoned his entire past and family in order to pursue a life of freedom from the oppressive government that ruled over his people. Albeit, he had little caution about how he would escape which would lead into the predicament he finds himself into now. He decided to sneak out of the barracks in the middle of the night, during a storm and make his bolt for freedom by boat with the thunder and lightning covering his retreat into the sea. The fact that he washed up onshore should be evidence enough that it didn't end well for them.

Flak has never told anyone of this, at first fearing that it would bring up too many sensitive and traumatizing subjects, or just simply being reminded of what horrible things happened back then. Eventually after several months have passed it came to him deciding that the past should stay in the past and should never be brought up unless it was necessary. The fact that he awoke on a beach in Rathnir, meant that this "fresh start" for him was enough to eventually break free from what chained him down for so many years.

A Neon Glow Lights the Way
With no money and tattered clothing after arriving after a storm, Flak had to figure out a way to survive in this new hostile environment. He harvested apples from trees, and caught rabbits for food. After getting back up on his feet, he travelled down the road to trade some valuable ores he dredged up for better tools and armor, as well as some food at one of the local settlements. Then he kept travelling, leading this nomadic lifestyle of "Harvest, Sell, Rest, Travel, Repeat". Until one faithful day, an extreme rainy thunderstorm had brewed over the desert which he was trekking through at the time. He didn't know what to do, so he decided to dig in to the sand for the night. He needed materials though for a bed and door, and the only ones available were on a small road that led further out into the storm. He took some materials from said road to build a makeshift shelter as he slept peacefully as lighting illuminated the landscape of the desert.

Drive Me Wild
Waking up to the sound of furious, repeated knocking at the door, Flak drew his blade and crept slowly towards the source of the noise. He peeked outside, only to see a man dressed in special desert attire with a horse nearby. He opened it slowly and told the man to back away, as the man did, he opened it more until they both got a good view of each other from the doorway. The man introduced himself as Sip, the mayor of the large town nearby. Otherwise known as Lumeno, the glass city. It had turned out that Flak based right in-front of Lumeno, unable to see the towering city behind him due to the storm reducing visibility significantly. The man was angered that his road was destroyed but otherwise forgave Flak if he agreed to join them. He had no choice seeing as Sip was essentially threatening him and so, he nervously agreed, as he continues to live outside the city walls.

Good for Health, Bad for Education
As Flak gathered materials to repair the road, he went exploring for more materials to use to build his base. That is when he encountered DracoBlood, also known as Jack. He had been working on a large circular farming village in the middle of the swamp the separated the two deserts from each other, on one  side was Lumeno, the other, Adwa, the Capital of Alamayn. DracoBlood explained the situation and people he should expect to find in Rathnir, as well as acquainting him with the local religion and language. Eventually Flak went home, repaired the road once and for all, and then eventually went back to sleep. After some time had passed, he became a reasonably important figure in the area, becoming the official customs officer of Lumeno. Helping travelers pass by and helping immigrants find a new home. However, these people were far and few in between, as his home lay at the edge of the world, surrounded by an endless ocean and expansive desert.

A Gaze That Invited Disaster
While Flak had many adventures in his time in the local region. Such as eventually being granted access to the capital city of Adwa, which was still under construction but was already looking quite good. Meeting folk like Orm Holfson, Cheli, N b r x, Oxaxefax, VaugeMemory, Willmo3, Luke6556, Eric2772, and many many others that call the arid desert their home. However "he who will not be named" was discovered to be a traitor working for Bardonia to gather intel on enemy nations (which is essentially everyone at the time), and had stolen and left with many crates of goods and resources as well as important documents and items. A tragic loss that didn't set back the progress of the expansion of the nation of Alamayn as a whole, but had hurt the feelings of many of his closest friends and set the tone for things to come.

Troubling news
While on his duties as the Official Customs Officer of Lumeno, while out on an expedition in the wilderness had received troubling news from an unknown messenger. The messenger said that a few of Alamayn's finest warriors and Coalition Soldiers had aided in combat against the Pillars of the Sun which drew attention of Bardonian Mercenaries known as The Hands as they were duped into thinking that was were the invasion was taking place there at their own home base instead of New Dorasterrock. Southern Coalition command had confused Pillars of the Sun as the capital of Andorn which was a city state under Bardonia at the time and thus decided to launch an attack on this to draw attention from the real battle, despite the information being false, it ultimately succeeded. This significantly weakened the fighting force at New Dorasterrock and helped the Third Coalition win the battle that was waged there. However, the residents of the Pillars of the Sun were not so pleased seeing as destruction and the fighting that occurred was beyond reasonable. Significant amounts of drama occurred as it was revealed to the general public that the special Alamayn that first went in to attack using invisibility potions used heavy explosives in the distraction attack on their property. Dozens of Alamayn and Coalition Forces died during that day at the hands of the highly skilled and well geared Hands. After it was all over, the fallout had began to rain down. It was said that the special Alamayn forces which spearheaded the operation only destroyed roads and a few unimportant buildings but this was later proven to be false. Regardless of this, the admins had stepped in and banned the suspected griefers for 3 days before being released after the charges were dropped against them. Even more drama happened because of this, as many people saw the Alamayn forces being unbanned as unjust and "not cool" by a lot of people. The residents of Pillars of the Sun, Alamayn, and other important figures in the war resented each other for a significant amount of time even after the fighting had ceased entirely. Which lead to a very terrible event later down the line. This battle would be known by many names. Namely the "Southern Deception", "Alamayn Distraction" , and most commonly "The battle at the Pillars of the Sun".

Through the Storm, We Will Find a Way
Some time had passed, the Bardonians were kept at bay for just a little longer. The treaty was signed, and people were unwillingly but safely pacified. All was safe until Alamayn received a call for help from a fairly far away nation called (unknown). It seemed as though they had also called other allies to aid them as well such as the now dissolved (unknown), (unknown), (unknown) and finally (unknown). Which at the time was quite shocking to Flak seeing as the two were enemies before this, but now united against a common threat to their survival. Regardless of this, the fighting force was assembled and got ready for combat. The allied nations had sent out some warriors to aid the small settlement defend themselves from the invaders out at sea. One of those sent out was Flak and this is his story.

Better Luck Next Time
The fighting force was relatively unskilled even though they had great warriors among their ranks. However they out numbered the enemy 5 to 1. So that was not an issue. Flak holding a more ceremonial position in Lumeno with little to no experience in combat, had been stationed in Logistics, and aided combat using a fire aspect bow from the top of church that was still under construction on the small island. Flak had lent his protection 4 armor to the great warriors and took their armor instead, seeing as they have seen much combat during their time of use and thus was unfit to be used heavily without the risk of breaking. Though being an archer in this engagement, engaging in melee combat was not his main concern. They waited and waited until the adversaries would arrive. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Could these conscripts really hold up in actual combat? Time would only tell as the hour of death drew near. Then they arrived, in full diamond, protection enchanted plate armor.

The ones on the ground charged them, as the backline held the allies' position. It was a bloodbath for the enemies. They had killed almost all of them and suffered no losses. Flak reclaimed his gear and watched the army's commander brutally interrogate the captured soldier, punching and kicking them several times in the face and crotch area. They were being stubborn but had agreed to lead us back to their base to aid in destroying it in exchange for sparing his own life. The prisoner's wish was granted and they set sail. However what Flak and his comrades didn't know was that the place the prisoner was leading them to was a dead end, and the prisoner had taken a hidden nether portal to escape. None of them expected this, and thus were caught completely off guard. The prisoner proceeded to flee and warn the rest of his gang to evacuate and torch the place they once called home. They attempted to give chase after obtaining enough obsidian for a portal. It was unsuccessful, as the enemy had been long gone by now. Despite them escaping, at the end of the day the battle was won and the allies suffered no losses.

Where Do I Go From Here?
After the war was over, Flak returned home with many stories to tell his compatriots. They however, had much more ambitious goals, such as creating an arenas, trade hubs, as well as completing the capital city once and for all. Flak meanwhile relegated himself to fishing off the coast from the safety of Lumeno's walls. He thought about his friends, the large scale death he witnessed during war, the bonds he formed along the way, and all the wealth he had gained during his time in Rathnir. Flak wondered what it all meant to him, if it meant anything at all. Did any of these material goods even matter? He spoke badly about his comrades behind their back, resented the Gods for killing his friends, and worst of all he abandoned his home country for freedom that he never truly gained. Would he be a slave to his own incompetence for all eternity at this rate? That's when it happened. The Hands had invaded. It was their revenge for the events at Pog Bar. Almost 2 months in the making. Everyone knew it was coming but almost nobody was prepared. The city of (put name here once I remember) was razed entirely to the foundations and torched to symbolize the destruction all those months ago. To add insult to injury, when The Hands were satisfied, the God Emperor, Luke, stepped down due to this massive "L" and later proceeded to make an alt account to resume control of the shadows. Alamayn was disillusioned by the lack of a leader. Eric tried stepping in, but it was clear the neighboring nations were looking for a bite of the territory and wanted to seize the opportunity provided to them by this moment. Flak had to act fast, war was coming and he was not ready at all. Flak decides to sell his belongings and move on, having learned a lot from his time in Alamayn. With this he set off, saying goodbye to his friends, his horse Myrrh, and Alamayn as a whole. Back to square one, once more. This time, he knew what he was supposed to be doing.

Aesperium Period
These are the most notable events that occurred during Flak's time in the Aesperium Niedea (now known as the province of Alterei under the Soleannan Imperium). This is currently considered to be present day. Important events are being recorded as soon as possible. Flak's opinion on his time here is currently as follows: "All I honestly request is that they stop their version of God's Witnesses showing up at my doorstep every few days, asking me if I have heard of their lord and savoir, Solaris. I do feel bad for the poor guys, but these Soleannen missionaries have got to leave me alone, for fuck's sake. I won't convert, and they cannot make me. I'm in Celtenn afterall."

Safe Haven
After months of travel he was slowly running out of cash for transit and food. Then a kind stranger approached him and said he needed people for his town. A metropolis planned for the west coast of Niedea in the Duchy of Varmerion. The Duchy of Varmerion was the largest province in the Aesperium Niedea (before reunification) and is the most western of the province of the empire, before it was shrunk along with the Duchy of Reykara in order to make space for the new Enrei of Oogleron in the Azeren Region. The man urged Flak as soon as he stored away his few goods that he kept with him, to convert to Soleannen stating that it would quote "make his life easier" but said it was completely optional in his city. The man's name was Akesor Oakerd Arkoden of Celtenn, the mayor of the planned metropolis. A bit of discussion occurs and then after Flak was formally accepted into Celtenn, where he now resides today. Though he does not believe in any faiths, he acknowledges the existence of Gods but flat out refuses to worship any of them due to his past. Oakerd respected this and allowed him to call Celtenn home. He was safe now, and had time to write about his travels in Rathnir as well as finally getting to know the people he had met.

Every Day is Night
After countless hours of work at the writing table, drafting up events to be recorded into the general pool of information circulated throughout the world, Flak wonders if he should take this a step further. In the late afternoon of that day, as he woke up after a night of transcribing the extremely long history of Fort Harsengaard, he got ready to do something he has never done before. He packed up his writing equipment, ate some baked potatoes and headed out into the dimly lit Celtenn streets. He made his way over to Oakerd's house, and knocked on the door.

The lights were on, and movement can be heard inside, despite the deafening noises of trees swaying in the wind and nocturnal wildlife just beginning to beginning their day as well. After a tense few minutes of anxious waiting, Oakerd answers the knocking and decides to let Flak in, after exchanging pleasantries. After setting a kettle to boil water, Oakerd sits down along with Flak at their dinner table and asks him what he's doing here so early, for Flak at least. As Oakered was already aware of his nocturnal nature. Flak explains several details of his work, depending on Oak for further clarification of the events that transpired before his arrival. Oakerd, despite being so young, was already more well versed in the history of the Aesperium Niedea (now the Soleannen Imperium) and the cultures and events that surrounded it. Flak even in fact, looks up to Oakerd to an extent, aspiring to be an important figure like them one day. Regardless of these aspirations, Flak asked Oakerd if he could request something. Oakerd was eager and willing to listen to one of his people's humble demands. Flak respectfully stated that he is seeking to perhaps gain an official title, having contributed quite a bit to Celtenn's development, by becoming his second in command. Oakerd pondered on this at the moment, as the whistling of a heated kettle beckoned Flak to turn off the stove.

As Flak returned to the table, Oakerd finally replies to Flak's request with "Perhaps another time. Ouro has been here for longer, and I cannot betray him by putting you as my second in command. However as he is departing soon for Mortem, perhaps I can consider your request". Flak is not surprised, as he just arrived a few weeks ago whereas these men have been together for years. Flak understands and nods accordingly. However, Oakerd adds onto his statement with "Perhaps though, for your efforts I can grant you another role. The Minister of Culture in Celtenn. Your work has been the cornerstone for the development of this town, and for that, we are truly grateful to you". Flak is astounded, seeing as he came into this expecting nothing. This was, however, a great deal of news to him. One step closer to his goal. He thanks Oakerd as he pours him and himself water to make into tea. The two men exchange stories and recount events as the night dragged on. At the crack of dawn, Flak eventually went home, waving goodbye to Oakerd, as he took care of some housework before going to sleep sometime before noon struck.

Nighttime Maneuvers
As Flak cut down trees to get firewood and building material, he pondered what he should do next. He was the Minister of Tradition in Celtenn now. While that doesn't really change anything, seeing as the local residents have already taken a liking to him, thanks to his literary works. Perhaps he can eventually attain official recognition from the Aesperium. Most of the regional officials have labelled him a dangerous heretic that should be punished for his insolence and misbeliefs. Perhaps the High Council, who deal with foreign affairs can be more understanding of his state, and would allow him to resume his activities in place. Right then and there, in the dense spruce forest, he had found his final goal. To become apart of the High Council. Not for political power, not for status, but to be able to find out more about the empire with the authorizations that come with such a role.

The sound of running and heavy breathing interrupted the ear splitting chirps of the crickets of the northern Celtenn spruce forests. Flak becomes painfully aware of this, as arrows begin to fly past his head, narrowly cutting a piece of his hat off. He turns to look towards the attacker, shield and axe at the ready for a brawl. Adrenaline courses through his veins as beads of sweat drip down from his face, the attacker lowers their crossbow and waves at Flak calmly, as if greeting a friend. It was an Imperial messenger, who seems to have mistook Flak for an illegal logger, but eventually recognized their face as he looked towards them. Flak breathed a sigh of relief and greeted them as he lowered his weapon and attempted to sew back on the torn piece of his cap. The messenger apologized and explained the situation unfolding as they spoke. Reunification with Escharia, the Aesperium Niedea, and the Holy Cities occurred at last. Weeks, if not months of careful negotiation lead up to this moment, and finally the fruits of the labor of both the Imperetor and the Shogun were finally upon them. The messenger eventually detailed the newfound borders of this new empire to Flak, as he quickly scribbled down notes regarding this new matter at hand. After exchanging final pleasantries, Flak was left to ask himself what he should do next as the messenger departed into the brush.

Carrying cut logs back into his home before morning drew near, he knew he had to register himself as a Minister of Tradition in this new Soleannan Imperium. There was still much to know, and many things to do. Brewing himself a cup of tea, he sat among the potatoes in his field, as the moved his hand across the outward leaves of these tubers while planning for a new voyage to be able to sign up for this new ministry. Thankfully for him though, some Imperial Noblemen were going through the region already to be able, and so he didn't have to leave Celtenn for a significant amount of time. Despite this, he began to travel around to explore all these newfound territories that all Niedene, Aesperium or Escharian, now have access to. He began to write about his travels and the things he has learned. This eventually caught the eye of a duke, who requested that he present a very short but simple interpretation of the Imperium, as new information had to be written about this unified empire. The duke was satisfied with Flak's work, and remarked that they will be watching him more closely now that he had displayed this minor competency in writing. Several days later, he would happen upon a new city, called. They were greeted by the leader of the city,, who welcomed him and began small talk with Flak. After Flak explained who he was and what he did, the leader's interest was piqued. He had needed someone like them, to be able to write about their past, which, in these lands, remained undocumented. Several hours go by, as night turned into day, until eventually Flak managed to write down several pages worth of history and culture within the tribespeople. thanked Flak, and said that he was eternally grateful to him. Flak, humble as he is, remarked that it was "his pleasure". Then he left, a written recorded copy of the information about this tribe in the region.