| Kirsten Farris | |
| |
| General Information | |
| Date of Birth: | 2258 |
| Age: | 29 |
| Location Information | |
| Status Information | |
| Status: | Active |
| Occupation: | Brotherhood Paladin |
| Physical Information | |
| Gender: | Female |
| Race: | Human |
| Ethnicity: | Caucasian |
| Height: | 5’10” |
Kirsten Farris is the commander of Xiphos Squadron, a recon unit form the Chicago chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel that is exploring the Detroit Wasteland. She has achieved the rank of Paladin, her career bolstered by both her own battlefield expertise as well as her parentage.
History
Kirsten Farris was born to as the illegitimate result of Bek Farris, a Senior Paladin within the Chicago Brotherhood of Steel, having an affair with a tribal woman. Presented to her father at the age of five, she had only limited contact with her mother after that point. Instead, she was raised by the Brotherhood inside one of its enclaves, her career path largely determined by her father. Not that Kirsten objected, however; from the moment she learned of her parentage, she was determined to become a soldier within the Brotherhood’s ranks. This determination, as well as her own raw skill, saw her excel at her training, graduating as a junior Knight. However, it is also clear that her father’s influence aided her results as well.
Kirsten was assigned to a Brotherhood unit in Colorado, at the frontier of the chapter’s holdings. The order had become concerned about the growing strength of Caesar’s Legion, and sought to bolster their forces against any possible aggression. Unfortunately, Kirsten proved to be less then a model soldier in the field. While not reckless or wasteful, she instead boasted a swaggering ego and insubordinate streak, confident that her father’s position and influence could get her out of any trouble that she got into. The result was that she quickly became the bane of her superiors, but at the same time, she would be well-liked by those she was serving with.
In 2281, a series of events began that would soon test her abilities and prove her actual worth. An insurgency on their Colorado frontier had cost the Legion heavily, including the death of a prominent centurion at the hands of a lone sniper. Eager to both pursue the remaining insurgents as well as conceal any signs of weakness, the Legion sent a detachment of troops into eastern Colorado, territory that was obstinately controlled by the Brotherhood. The result was a series of armed clashes between the two groups across two years that served to only further inflame tensions.
Convinced that the Brotherhood was sheltering he insurgents (and had been arming and aiding them all along) Legate Nobilus Marcellus used the border skirmishes as an excuse for an all-out incursion in early 2283. His forces entered Brotherhood territory with the aim of annexing several communities while pushing the Brotherhood back and sending them a message of the Legion’s ongoing strength (Events in the Mojave notwithstanding).
Having been recently promoted to Knight, Kirsten Farris was one of the first on the frontlines of the conflict. Recognising the strength of the force she was facing, Farris opted to withdraw and protect her forces rather then engage in a pointless battle against superior numbers. Using her own quick thinking and taking advantage of the greater technology available to her men, Farris staged a fighting withdrawal that served to harry and distract the Legion while allowing her to gather information on their strengths and dispositions before completely disengaging. This intelligence was then relayed to the Brotherhood’s regional command, providing them with vital knowledge of what they were up against and the exact situation. Sent back to the frontlines, Kirsten Farris became a part of the Brotherhood’s efforts to counter this incursion and slow their advance. While showing a considerable degree of skill and initiative in the field, she also continued to harbour her own superior attitude and ego that made her so intolerable to her superiors. Her ego was not helped by her victories over the legion, including the key battle of Sommerville Crossing in late 2283, where the Brotherhood halted the incursion cold.
Promoted again to full Paladin, Farris was awarded with a suit of Power Armour and a prominent position in the subsequent counterassault on the Legion’s holdings. In the spring of 2284, Farris was amongst the first to enter the Legions’ territory, seizing a rail yard that was being used as a supply depot. Several more successes would follow, accumulating in the battle of Bernard's Pass where she personally killed Legate Nobilus Marcellus, effectively ending the conflict.
Kirsten came out of the conflict a hero, but also armed with an even more insufferable ego and self-indulgent attitude. A year assigned to the safe posting of Bunker Alpha did nothing to curb this behaviour, and only served to grate on her superiors. Thus when the idea of sending a recon squad to the Detroit Wasteland was proposed, Farris’ name was at the top of the list as a way of side-lining her and preventing her from being even more of a problem.
If she saw this as a form of punishment, Farris didn’t let it show. If anything, she embraced the new role as a way of seeing more of life outside of the Brotherhood and its territories. As such, she eagerly threw herself into the training and preparation for the mission, taking in all they knew about the city, its territories and its occupants. And while, save for a single member, her squad was entirely new to her, she showed nothing but the utmost respect for them and their abilities.
Having completed her training, she was deployed with her squad to the Michigan region in April, 2287. Farris lead the squad safely through the former state, taking her time to explore leads along the way, which provided them with a wealth of information. Entering the city itself proved to be their first great challenge, with the squad coming into contact with Raiders almost immediately.
Farris took the lead in the squad’s engagement with the local communities, managing to downplay her ego and do a good job of selling herself as a wandering mercenary. Her interactions with the Detroit Wastelands have thus far done a good job of gathering useful intel while forming a more complete picture of the ruined city, its occupants and the key factions vying for control of it. She personally lead the engagement with Park Lane, Grand Central and Chryslus Castle, identifying them as being the three biggest power players in the city.
In the last month, Black Skull Company has been making overtures towards her, seeking to recruit her to their ranks. This has presented something of a dilemma for Farris; joining the company would allow her to gain more information on it and possibly sway it towards the Brotherhood, but also risks separating her from the rest of her unit or even compromising their mission.
Personality
To the outside world, Kirsten Farris could be best described as ‘obnoxious’. When within the Brotherhood, she carried herself with a confident, overbearing swagger, assured that her history of service and popularity with her men (Not to mention her father’s influence) will get her out of any problems she may cause due to her attitude. She is not above using those selfsame traits to get her own way, leading to many quiet grumblings about her promotion and actual capabilities.
Those who have seen her in the field would find their doubts somewhat quashed. Farris is a skilled soldier and capable leader, one who is focused on accomplishing her mission and doing her best to keep her men alive through it. She downplays her ego and attitude, and instead puts herself forward to do what she neds to rather then what will make her look good or promote her own position. If needs be, she is not afraid to get her hands dirty and do something herself.
Kirsten is a strong believer in the Chicago Brotherhood’s goals of recovering technology and lost knowledge, as well as protecting the communities that they control. Even if their hand is oft harsh, she sees it as being necessary to help those who often cannot help themselves. She harbours no biases against Ghouls or Super Mutants, but also understands that those Super Mutants outside of the Brotherhood’s ranks will be almost universally hostile and dangerous. Conversely, she is openly contemptuous of Caesar’s Legion, seeing them as being no better then raiders with pretentions of greatness.
Appearance
Kirsten is taller then the average, with a fit, athletic build bought about by training and refined by years in the field. She has tanned skin from many long hours under the sun, which accentuates her long, dark red hair and blue eyes. Several small scars adorn her face, the result of an active life as a soldier; she does little to hide them, but at the same time does not invite too much conversation as to where they came from. While masquerading as a mercenary, she keeps herself intentionally grimy and scruffy in order to better blend in with the local population.
Equipment
Kirsten Farris' power armour
While masquerading as a mercenary, Kirsten dresses for the part. She will usually wear tattered and worn fatigues or scavenger’s clothing, with pieces of leather armour to give her a modicum of protection. Typical accessories such as goggles, a filter mask, canteen and other such common items complete the look, none of them being out of place or suggesting her origin. An R91 Assault Rifle and a M1911 pistol complete the look, being weapons that would normally be found in the Detroit Wasteland.
Like the rest of her squad, Farris has a stash of Brotherhood issue equipment at their field base for emergencies of other contingencies. This includes a Brotherhood uniform, combat armour and an AER9 Laser Rifle. Finally, she sill has her suit of Brotherhood of Steel Power Armour, for if the worst comes to the worst. However, she has yet to have need to use it since they arrived in the city, and for now it remains on standby in their field base.
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