Peley

> *"If it's any consolation, look at it this way. If you'd moved even a step closer, you'd have been ripped to pieces. Be thankful that you have not!"*
> ~ to Riva Geller (\*).
>
>

## Introduction

**Peley the Mechanomancer** – *"but just call me **Peley**, I've no use for flowery suffixes!"* – is one of the older Final Thirteen Chthonian hypersoldiers in the Mecharussian Armed Forces. A diligent perfectionist, he is a brilliant engineer and mechanist, having learned his craft from fellow Chthonians Dedal and his son Ikar. Usually found in his heavily-guarded workshop in the Gorky Special Industrial Zone, he is responsible for maintaining and upgrading all of the Chthonians' gear and augmentations, and often travels the solar system and between dimensions in search of new materials and technology with which to work. He also practices extensive self-augmentation, giving himself great strength, agility, flexibility and durability that exceeds even several other Chthonians.

Peley is named for the Greek mythological hero Peleus, and is rarely seen without his two custom-built guard droids, Balios and Xanthos, nearby. He is also notable for being the father of Akhilles and Talos, and for joining Elena Trotskaya for the interdimensional expedition that would become known as the Flight of the *Polunochnaya*.

## Personality

Peley, as a perfectionist, has a *very* low tolerance for failure, especially if it is a preventable one. He also despises laziness, firmly believing that anyone who can put themselves to use should do so without hesitation. His greatest pet peeve of all, however, is having his work interrupted. Bothering him while he is in his 'zone', especially for something trivial, is very likely to sour his mood for the rest of that day, as is poking fun towards pop singer Varvara Ionanova (of whom he is a die-hard fan). He is also known for voicing his opinions with the bluntness of a sledgehammer, and will not hold back when expressing his disgust for incompetence or foolishness.

While often being described by his fellow Chthonians as an old-timey grouch, being referred to variously as 'Grunkle Peley' (by Atalanta) and 'The Old Fart' (by Ippolyta), Peley is just as likely to issue the highest praise to the Final Thirteen as he is to be their fiercest critic. Like his sword-siblings, he holds firm to the ideals of comradery, bravery and honour that holds the brotherhood together, always and actively going out of his way to assist in whatever capacity he can.

Peley's perceived sour mood is owed to a similar avuncular protectiveness towards his siblings as is issued by fellow Chthonian Persey, though expressed much more forcefully than Persey's gentle nature. For instance, as the task force assembled by Mobilisation Order #47 is preparing the Flight of the *Polunochnaya*, he states that anyone unable to tackle and kill a Sidh space marine one-on-one will be physically barred from boarding the vessel for their own protection. Shortly before, he made sure that Elena Trotskaya received a piece of his mind (in the form of a long-winded rant) for foolishly endangering herself and her country with her arrogant behaviour. As harsh as he is at times, his methodology can be considered the equivalent to parental tough love.

Also in line with the other Chthonians, Peley is a vicious close-combat fighter, employing a customised Saiga-30 assault shotgun and a heavy fusion-bladed halberd in battle along with a wide variety of advanced weaponry and defences, including a personal anti-projectile energy shield and a deadly, whip-like plasma weapon. Additionally, Balios and Xanthos are both armed with plasma repeaters and grenade launchers on their backs, allowing him to bring extra firepower to the fight.

## Notable appearances

* Peley receives several passing mentions in previous RPs, such as *A Blood Debt*.
* He made his in-person debut in *Flight of the Polunochnaya*.

## Trivia

* Peley is the last of the Final Thirteen to appear in either canon (though not the last of the Original Chthonians). He is rarely seen in battle, since he is usually extremely busy with his handiwork. When he *does* fight, however, he is often found behind the controls of one of his various contraptions, only turning to his considerable personal arsenal when necessary.