Generation 7 Heroes

It would be harder to find a more mismatched duo than the nimble Edith and towering Mr. Tin in any city. And yet this odd pair have done far more for local residents than most, and earned whatever supplies they require many times over. Edith cannot remember a time when the metal humanoid affectionately named "Mr. Tin" wasn't a part of her life. His origins are a mystery—as much a mystery as her own origins at least. But such mysteries pale in significance to the very real help by which Mr. Tin has made himself indispensable in every settlement and a favorite of children everywhere.

Mr. Tin did not always have a name nor a home, unless it were considered the endless Tundra. And so it would have remained until his parts had rusted or the end of the world but for encountering a strange cradle heated by intriguing mechanics. A baby slept within. Why did Mr. Tin shield the cradle in its arms until its deliverance to a nearby city? Instinct? Her cries certainly made impression on the terrified residents shrinking back from the metallic monstrosity. But actions speak louder than words. The cityfolk decided to welcome the duo with open arms. It is from this day forward that Mr. Tin earned his name.

Mr. Tin had won a permanent home amongst humans although nothing is free in an eternal winter. Mr. Tin worked tirelessly to assist the growing Edith and ensure the city never lacked for manpower. Edith grew into a precocious scientist, endlessly fascinated by her local library and the inner workings of mechanical devices of all shapes and sizes, especially her humanoid benefactor. She was a quick study, and soon became relied upon by Mr. Tin exclusively for repairs in which she was more skilled than any other city craftspeople. Edith graduated into the role of Mr. Tin's spokesperson, substituting body language and his simple vocalizations for a language by which the pair seemed to easily communicate. It was easy enough as, instead of parting ways as the years wore on, Edith and Mr. Tin were increasingly drawn into shared endeavors and each other's company.

Mr. Tin's source of power was not exactly a secret although in these times only the most well-educated could guess at the mysterious Fire Crystal that lay humming beneath his shiny exterior. Yet how the Fire Crystal had been installed and the colossus created remained unanswered. In fact, the entity had begun as a prized masterpiece of a power-hungry maniac intent on a source of authority not reliant upon human subjects. A humanoid form and Fire Crystal were chosen, the which also imbued it with a primitive form of thinking, reasoning, and even what one might call a kind of living vitality. The mechanical beast was trained with ruthless efficiency against mock targets yet failed to translate its destructive skills against enemies of flesh and blood. Nor did any amount of threatening or shouting by the angry maniac make any difference. The maniac's pet project, despite its early success, had failed. Mr. Tin was discarded to the silvery wastes of snow with contempt and, until Edith, a solitary existence except for the occasional bird or animal. It proved the existence of a deep, non-violent yearning within the android, perhaps an act of the Fire Crystal within. As Edith has discovered, this commitment to peace is conditional and where the stakes are raised, and her life is threatened, Mr. Tin still possesses enormous destructive capabilities.

Gordon is a terrifying presence despite his scholarly demeanor, particularly for those he deems not to have the best interests of the Tundra's civilians and its cities at heart. Plunderers and pillagers, in other words, have much to fear from Gordon's reputation as the "great poisoner of our time". The strongest shield and the toughest armor will do nothing against Gordon's weapon of choice: the slow toxin for the man he wishes to immobilize or elixir of pain for the man he wishes to torture without leaving a mark. Nor does the poison-resistant Gordon have anything to fear from his own devices. As Bahiti has noted with joy: "We should thank our lucky stars Gordon only deploys his unusual talents on those seeking to do harm."

By day Gordon does nothing more adventurous than teaching, by which he shares his extraordinary scientific knowledge with the most brilliant minds of the next generation. His students have little to fear from the erudite professor who has killed thousands, because his reputation is improved by his teaching ability and charisma. It is only outside the city, against those threatening the lives of innocents, that Gordon exercises his peculiar poisons without mercy against the "locusts" as he describes them. And in so doing he becomes a madman, willing to deploy fast-acting poisons and deadly mists across every corner of the battlefield to asphyxiate those who do not "deserve" to live.

Gordon's strange mix of elegance and rage can be traced back to his horrific experience as mayor of a wealthy city turned hellish wasteland through the efforts of Phaethon and Dr. Toxin Theodore. To Dr. Toxin, Phaethon represented the hole to his key of continued scientific experimentation, ideological differences notwithstanding. Dr. Toxin ordered a full-scale chemical bombardment. He had finally found his "experimental subjects." As mayor, Gordon was selected for special treatment—he was submerged in a cellar filled with a toxic goo of unknown effect. There he was left to rot for seven days and nights by cruel observers eager to understand more. It was seven days of pure torture.

As the saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". This was certainly true in Gordon's case. Seven days later Gordon's experimenters had an answer: the chemical goo was painful, yes, but produced no long-lasting physical deformities. And when the Dawn Alliance finally wrested control of the ruins from Dr. Toxin's hands, Gordon was surprised to discover he was hardly injured and, unlike most other residents, remained of sound mind. Furthermore, his lengthy immersion seemed to have made him immune to many other common toxins as well. Gordon's life mission is now to inflict such horrors on Dr. Toxin Theodore as to horrify the world, yet his thirst for revenge has not twisted his mind beyond reason. He knows the past cannot be fixed, but feels a moral duty to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. Thus, Gordon has become a great crusader against the evil locusts and to "return their poison for poison".

Bradley is a model warrior, capable veteran, and military strategist trained by one of the finest military academies in oldworld history. Despite what may have happened afterward, he is also one of the Eagles' finest warriors and will not tolerate anybody saying otherwise. A loyal soldier, Bradley earned his stripes primarily working artillery with his understanding of siege techniques, in this day and age, useful beyond measure. A calculating mind and occasional flashes of brilliance is the main reason Bradley has retained his position as a member of Gina's mercenary company and, at one point, Captain Fawkner's right-hand man. The only shadow over Bradley remains the unexplained disappearance of his entire battalion on expedition, in which he was the sole survivor somehow unable to recall the circumstances surrounding their loss. Bradley returned a changed man, withdrawn, unable to explain why large parts of his recollection were now missing. It is doubtful he would have remained in the company without the backing of their new leader, Gina, by whose trust Bradley has mounted a slow but gradual recovery.

Bradley's skills in the mechanical operation of all types of cannons is complemented by excellent sharp-shooting skills, swordsmanship when the situation requires, as well as fairly decent close-quarters combat abilities. A respected strategist, Bradley has developed a reputation for surgical strikes and minimizing civilian casualties, often quoting that, "Cannons do not win battles. Careful planning, timing, and the courage to seize the moment do."

Bradley was born into a relatively well-known military family in the old Solaris Empire, resulting in his acceptance to the "last class" of the rapidly-dissolving Solaris Empire's prestigious Royal Academy. Truth be told, the Imperial facade was already beginning to crumble before Bradley was handed his first uniform. Bradley's regiment came increasingly to represent what the collapse of the old Empire might mean for everyday survival in the freezing world. Bradley still held out hope their ragtag group could somehow help rebuild the Solaris Empire and its honorable traditions. Most accepted the new reality: discipline and honor were dead, and survival required a cruel hand. The latter sparked Bradley's transition to the mercenary life and confirmed his worst fears. The Solaris Empire was gone and it would never be rebuilt.

To this day Bradley is still wracked by survivor's guilt for the loss of his regiment and, oddly enough, his memories. How could such a well-trained force, led by none other than Captain Fawkner, just disappear? It was a relatively unexplored valley and site of many strange sightings. But why did only Bradley survive? Why can no one account for it? Bradley could have been cast out on suspicion of treachery were it not for Commander Gina's abiding trust in the cursed man. Bradley has since begun a kind of regular pilgrimage to the same valley, seeking again and again some trace of Fawkner, his lost friends, or anything that might jog his memories. So far he has turned up nothing, yet still holds out hope.