ORION SKY-STRIDER
AerielsCourier and Message Runner
"The sky connects everything. You just have to be fast enough to ride it.""
Identity
- Residence
- Various - constantly traveling between sky-cities
- Civilization
- Aeriels
Appearance
• Physical: Lean and athletic with the build of someone who spends more time flying than walking. His feathers are an unusual mottled pattern of brown and gold that helps him blend with clouds. His wings are slightly larger than average, giving him exceptional speed. • Clothing: Minimal and practical - a simple leather harness for carrying messages, wind-resistant goggles, and talon-grips for landing on slippery surfaces. Everything he owns must be light enough to not slow him down. • Distinguishing Marks: A small tattoo of a diving falcon on his shoulder - the mark of the Courier's Guild. His beak has a slight chip from a collision with a cliff face during a storm delivery.
Relationships
- Family - His parents still farm clouds on the outer islands. He sends them money but rarely visits - the slowness of their life makes him uncomfortable.
- Allies - Other couriers form a tight-knit community. A ground-dwelling merchant named Petra pays him well for "special deliveries" between sky and surface.
- Rivals - Younger couriers constantly challenge his speed records. Traditionalists who believe important messages should only be carried by skycraft.
Personality
- Traits: Restless, curious about everything, uncomfortable with stillness, surprisingly well-read
- Mannerisms: Paces constantly when grounded, preens his feathers when nervous, speaks in rapid bursts between breaths
- Voice: Quick and slightly breathless, with a tendency to trail off when something catches his attention. He often finishes other people's sentences, impatient with slow speakers.
Backstory
Orion was born to poor cloud-farmers who couldn't afford to educate him properly. He discovered his talent for speed during a childhood game of tag that ended with him accidentally flying into a restricted zone. Rather than punish him, the Courier's Guild master recognized his potential and took him as an apprentice. Now he's one of the fastest message carriers in Caelum, though he dreams of seeing the world beyond the clouds.
Daily Life
His days are a blur of flight - carrying urgent messages between the sky-cities, delivering packages too sensitive for skycraft transport, and occasionally carrying passengers who need to travel quickly and discreetly. He sleeps in courier stations scattered across Caelum, rarely staying in one place more than a night.
Secret
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Story Hooks
- 1 Orion was the last person to see an important diplomat before they disappeared. He needs help finding them before he's accused of involvement.
- 2 He has discovered a hidden message route used by a criminal syndicate and needs trustworthy allies to help him expose it without revealing his own side activities.