Generation 5 Heroes

Meet Hector, star of the arena, undisputed champion of the brave new world of gladiatorial combat in the post-Great Chill era. Here is a man whose search for worthy opponents, and their defeat, contributes much to his sense of honor and self-worth. Hector's approach to battle tends to be the approach of a furious thunderstorm or suppressive tornado, designed to leave enemies no time to breathe before being crushed. Nevertheless, one should not misconstrue Hector as a brute. On the contrary, he is renowned on the arena circuit for his comprehensive understanding of mixed fighting styles and psychological warfare. Combatants like Hector have been given increasing opportunities in recent times with new arenas awarding fighters for competitive skills, particularly with the rise of many new successful cities. These opportunities have been tremendously exciting for Hector, particularly the prospect of more challenging adversaries.

Hector was born to a small, impoverished town without the protection even of a single Furnace. Times were tough and, unfortunately, there wasn't enough food to go around. Although just a child, Hector was left to fend for himself in the wilderness. It was a grim lesson on the consequences of fragility. Hector's first test arrived in the form of a hungry wolf separated from its pack. True to form, they fought and Hector won! The remarkable triumph caught the attention of a passing Chief named Garald. So impressed was Garald at the boy's abilities, he took Hector under his wing.

Chief Garald was a loyal member of the Icebreaker Alliance, a league that placed great importance on martial prowess. So it came as no surprise when he initiated Hector's training in the gladiatorial arts with an eye to eventually sponsoring him in the arena. Combined with Hector's natural aptitude, he soon became the strongest of Garald's formidable warriors. Like Garald, Hector too embraced the importance of militarism and strength. By contrast with Garald's strong city, Hector's hometown had already succumbed to the ice and snow long ago. Hector's exceptional strength, skills, and talents earned him immense arena prestige. If Hector feared anything, it must be the memory of his vulnerable youth and its unsettling possibilities. Hector began to believe all hardships in life can be attributed to weakness—whether his own or that of others.

Hector believed that it was weakness that distorted the heart, vulnerability that drove humans to the unspeakable. And Hector also developed a deep disdain for those that did not share his ideology until disaster prompted a more nuanced understanding. Hector was visiting an arena when an immense snowstorm suddenly swept through. Having survived, Hector watched other survivors, most of whom he regarded as feeble incompetents, band together to rescue many others including Hector's own colleagues. Although each was weak individually, together the town had formed a mighty rescue force. The incident invited some soul-searching. Hector had begun to reassess what true strength really means.

Norah's three defining qualities must be her remarkable courage, leadership of a light mechanized brigade, and identity as one of very few truly exceptional leaders in the Dawn Alliance. Norah and her brigade often penetrate deep into enemy territory with the speed of an arrow, undertaking reconnaissance missions, strikes, and rescue operations. And the combination of Norah's tactical brilliance, timing on the battlefield, and weapons expertise makes her an absolute nightmare for Phaethon. Norah's exceptional calmness under pressure and decisive demeanor impress even the most seasoned soldiers—even against near-insurmountable odds. If anything could possibly disturb Norah's resolve, it must be fears for her younger sister Gwen's safety.

Norah may have been part of the same training cohort as Bahiti at the Academy, but the two could not be more different. Unlike Bahiti, Norah is a master battlefield commander and tactician with little interest in anything unrelated to the intricacies of fighting since her scientist father's tragic fate. Norah has developed the firm belief no amount of knowledge can compare to what truly matters: safeguarding those she holds dear.

Norah was only a child when she spotted Phaethon's columns advancing toward her father's laboratory. All her father's brilliance, his vast wealth of knowledge, proved powerless in saving him from the dreadful fate that followed. Norah stood resolute by her father's side, receiving his final testament and instructions on how to flee, all while her baby sister Gwen remained cradled in swaddling clothes. With a heavy heart, Norah carried Gwen to their father's steam-powered sled and escaped with the great driving skills he had carefully fostered. Eventually, she stopped to look back at the lab. All she could see was rising smoke.

Norah and her sister were rescued by her father's colleagues at the Dawn Alliance. This encounter ignited a burning hatred for Phaethon, an unyielding dedication to her younger sister, and zeal for the path of the warrior-soldier within Norah. In the course of time Norah's younger sister has become something of a weak spot in Norah's rigid life—or perhaps Norah's only soft spot. Unlike Norah, Gwen showed extraordinary talent as an inventor, a challenge for Norah who would have preferred Gwen to focus more on ordinary combat skills. Yet Norah could not bring herself to spar against Gwen even in a controlled setting, the thought of an accident and fresh grief too much to bear. Yet Norah has since grown to value Gwen's ingenuity on the battlefield, especially when rescuing fellow soldiers. And over time Norah has gradually come to terms with the reality that Gwen has found her own strong and independent footing.

Gwen and Norah often elicit diverse first impressions although both may be equally respected commanders of the Dawn Alliance. The commander of a mechanized brigade, Norah excels at lightning-fast charges, disrupting enemy formations, ambushes, and daring raids. By contrast, Gwen exudes a scholarly, bookish aura. Her high standing in the Dawn Alliance has come only from her revolutionary flying machines which can mark enemy movements from high above the battlefield. An exceptional pilot, Gwen has pioneered a myriad of intricate inventions instrumental to many difficult Dawn Alliance missions. As the machinist Jessie once said of Gwen: "An engineering prodigy, one of only a few in the world, Gwen's trinkets have done the Alliance enormous good. But I think what Gwen really wants is to create aircraft that will conquer the skies."

Gwen is not fond of combat, but her father's tragedy has also left her with the realization that sometimes fighting and its brutal consequences cannot be avoided. Gwen is a remarkably strong fighter thanks to her older sister Norah's guidance and training. Gwen's prudence still shines through as she tends to disengage when the outcome is uncertain. Ironically, Gwen finds herself most at risk when testing out new machine prototypes. Invention can often be a risky endeavor.

The love Norah holds for her younger sister Gwen is undeniable, yet their journey together has not been without its fair share of conflict. Despite Norah's many attempts to make Gwen wise to the ways of battle, she still harbors profound fears for Gwen's safety in a real firefight. Norah does not want to go through the loss of another family member. Similarly, Norah is anxious about her sister's obsession with flying machines. She worries for Gwen's safety during the invention process and that all these trinket may well prove fruitless. There is also Norah's perspective on Gwen's scientific efforts, highly reminiscent of their father. Just like their father's tragic tale, Norah believes that all the knowledge in the world is futile when faced with the threat of violence and need for self-preservation.

Norah and Gwen's sisterly relationship has improved. For example, Norah has recently embraced Gwen's active involvement in combat and focus on research. A considerable part of this positive transformation has come from Gwen's exceptional contribution during a particularly nasty engagement with Phaethon One fateful morning, Phaethon launched a vicious invasion led by mechanized infantry backed by heavily-armored guards in what can only be described as a ring of steel around the city. It was a daunting, hopeless sight. Gwen, who had earlier been evacuated, returned in an airship which dropped barrage after barrage of explosives on confused enemy forces. Phaethon's panicked response provided Norah the perfect moment for an effective counterattack. Norah had witnessed her younger sister's extraordinary courage, skill, determination, and resourcefulness with a dawning realization: her sister was no longer a child in need of protective guidance. Gwen was fully capable of protecting herself.