Gin Blossom de' Praetoria de' Shandell

Padding through the cobblestone paths and backwoods of the Imaginarium, one might catch a glimpse of a winged fur, white and pink moving quickly past in some hurry. An exotic feline with large arching wings and a compact, tiny but muscled body. A large white overcoat with dusty pink trousers, laces, belts, sword and axe and even a fancy tri-corner hat with a large plume. She is lovely and her eye has a wild, frisky feline shine to it as she pounces and snickers, full of energy.

While definitely eccentric, Gin is a very intelligent and learned woman. A conversation with Gin is a feat in itself, she often clouds her thoughts with nonsense and her thick North Sea accent does not make her easier to understand, but somewhere beneath it all is her point. When one does take the time to sort through her lingo, she has a wealth of lore to offer a listening ear and may even be very grateful for the company.

Age: 22 years (Feathercats live to the age of 1000. If Gin seems a bit immature at times, don't worry, she's got another ninety eight decades to grow up.)

Species: Feathercat half-breed

Inherit traits

• Feet fall - A given in any true feline race is their ability to twist in mid air when falling and land on their feet. As an airborne race, feathercats are even better at landings than a common feline.
• Magic Sensitivity - Feathercats are very sensitive to raw magical energy, often reacting spontaneously and violently to spell casting in close proximity. Few feathercats cast magic as a result, but those that do must suffer penalties unless wielding magic in one of their dancing rituals. In Gin's case, her half-breed blood dilutes her sensitivity to raw magical energy, however; unless Gin is casting the spell herself, she may become a bit twitchy and nervous.
• Reaction time - Feathercats are known for their quickness and dexterity. Fierce fighters in melee combat, both pure and half-breeds alike are dangerous opponents. With a high reaction to adrenalin, speed boosts are frequent as well as a swift reaction time without loss of stamina. (This is not a magical ability, it is an evolutionary trait.)
• Reptilian charm - Feathercats have evolved with a powerful instinctive snake charm taunt. This taunt usually appears as a series of pawing motions into the air with an indirect gaze. (Does not require eye contact.) While the charm effect is known to disorient reptilians as large as dragons, Gin uses it more often for hunting the common grass snake and chameleon.
• Feather allergy - A side effect of feathercat half-breeds is their allergy to feathers, including their own. Violent sneezing fits are common in worse case. Gin suffers from a light allergic reaction to feathers when brought in proximity of her nose.
• Echo purr - Feathercats are airborne predators, preferring avian over rodent prey. Evolving with slightly longer sharp feline ears and a echoing, sonar-like purr ability, they are efficient hunters, able to locate their prey and see in almost zero-visibility conditions.

A feathercat far from home

Colonist from the main lands settled the small wild volcanic island of Tigre in the South Seas a hundred years ago. Its native inhabitance, a race of winged warrior felines called 'Feathercats' lived peacefully side by side with the colonist for many decades. Gin was born into this golden age, the daughter of the traveling duke, Praetoria de' Shandell and the Feathercat tribe rain dancer, Lauralwen. While her father traveled the world by ship and caravan, building castles and other structures, Gin was brought up by her mother to be a feathercat rain dancer and musician. Gin possessed many talents and interests in her surrounding world, and it wasn't surprising to her village when she successfully trained as both a rain dancer and warrior.

The autumn of Gin's 10th birth day came with an unexpected surprise as her traveling father returned to the island after a long journey to visit his wife and daughter. But the visit was not a leisure trip, Praetorian de' Shandell was forced to remove his men at arms from the island to be replaced with troops from his rival, the black Barron of Fargo. Praetorian had lost a major battle at Brutanica Island, and almost all of his kingdom's territories had been seized by the black Barron. Despite his best efforts to relocate his feathercat family, Lauralwen would not evacuate with Praetorian and Gin, and preferred to stay and fight the new oppressive magistrate. Praetorian couldn't not stay, his terms of surrender did not allow him to become involved, without putting many other captured lands in peril. Reluctantly, Praetorian took his daughter Gin and accepted exile.

The journey northward was long, crossing stormy seas through the channel of Norfare and across the frigid straights of Noria, and finally into the coves of Ethidoic, the pirate’s haven.  While Gin’s beginnings were roguish, she became wealthy at a young age, raiding along the coasts of Norfare in her ‘prize’ the Roger Young. It wasn’t until the kingdoms Norfare rallied an armada to track the wily feathercat, did her mischief and mayhem on the high seas come to an end two years into her piratical career.

The expanding ports of Noria offered new opportunities to Gin in the way of inland careers. Across the mountainous island, into the heart of the wolven clans, she ventured, learning the ways of the warrior, and renewing her feathercat spirit. In an age of chaos with their western vulpine cousins, Gin was offered a commission as commodore, and at the age of fourteen, lead the flotilla spearhead into Norfare waters. The series of battles to follow would later be known to the kingdoms of Norfare as “The dark times”.

Emerging from the chaos of the North Sea conflict, Gin traveled east, to the Spanish isles, where she would later meet her half brother Cerulean, and enter her father’s school of masonry, and would also receive a proper education.

(To be continued...)

Gin Blossom’s Equipment