Ramona (TRoR)

## Introduction

Ramona is the punisher of The Missing Masks. She excels at confusing opponents, Blocking damage and dishing out pain to anyone who crosses her. Ramona was once consumed by an all encompassing rage but now she has learn't the ability to channel that rage into her powers which takes the form of shadow.

## History

### Child Slave

Ramona has little memories of her childhood. Her first memory is of her father bartering with a slave merchant. She can barely remember what he looked like but she does remember his voice. "I'm tired of the girl, Give me a good price, She's a pretty child at least, The men you sell to like that stuff right." Even aged six she knew what was happening and that was the first day she felt something more than just anger boil up inside of her.

Years of pain, torture and violation went past. She was sold from master to master until she ended up in the

house of an Imperial Noble named Beeoto Fallhaven. It was the year of the revolution and Ramona was 15. Her new master was particularly sadistic compared to most, being a powerful politician he was almost untouchable. One day she failed to please him and so he had her eye removed. Every day her rage grew and grew but she held it down not allowing it to take hold.

Then it came. The night of the revolution Beeoto was on top of the list for the revolutionaries. His home was raided and burned but Ramona saw her chance to escape before she got caught up in the bloodshed and misery that would follow. She fled through the city streets which were already in flames and made her way down to the docks were she gave up what coin she could grab to get onto any ship that was leaving Yanis.

### A Land of Mystery

Ramona learnt as she watched her home burn the the boat she had managed to get on was heading to Tao Shen. A long journey and she would have to keep her head down. Time passed slowly as she ran through what would happen. The crew brought her food and gave her a hammock but otherwise left her to her business.

When the ship docked Ramona was one of the first off the boat. Looking around at her new world Ramona couldn't help but feel for the first time in her life that even though she had no money and no home that now

things would finally look up. The Warm tropical air contrasted her attitude to this new place perfectly against the cold temperate climate of Yanis. As her new life began she became a traveler packing up what she needed working odd jobs for food and travelling round Tao Shen.

One day while in a forest in the West of the Country Ramona was surrounded by bandits who upon learning she had no money clearly wanted something else from the young woman. She took her opportunity and ran. She blitzed through the trees aware that one misstep and she would have to endure the torture she had tried so hard to escape. She turned back to check the distance of her pursuers but before she could get a good view of behind her she found herself crashing into what felt like a brick wall. Only it wasn't brick, her hands were running over flesh, A lot of it but definitely flesh. Looking up she saw the confused smirk of a Tao Shenii man much larger than her. In a second the bandits who were following her crashed through the trees a half orc, bugbear and three Tao Shenii men stood before the pair. "Don't worry little cyclops, This isn't even a fair fight." His voice was gruff and deep as it passed through his beard. He drew a large Zen Spade that was hanging from his back and readied to attack the bandits. One of the Tao Shenii spoke to the man. In the year or so she had been wandering she had picked up some of the language. enough to understand that the bandit wanted her and was calling the the man old. The other man said nothing and then in a swift movement he charged and struck bring down two of the men in one swipe. The Orc stepped forward with a gnarled sword and attempted to bring it down on the man but the man lifted the back of his Zen spade up and bounced the sword attack of the spade making the Orc stagger back. The the bugbear came swinging a long knife wildly at the man. However, almost as if he could see each individual wild swing in slow motion he lifted his leg to kick landing his foot right on the bugbears diaphragm. The bugbear went down dropping his knife and gasping for air but the Orc was returning to fight, using the momentum of the last kick he flipped his whole body over, which did not seem like an easy feat given his size, and brought his other foot crashing down on the orcs head. The last bandit left standing stared blankly at the man. He was the one who had spoken and the man looked directly at the bandit and in Tao Shenii proclaim what she thought was "I'm 42 you fucker." The bandit ran and the man did not follow. Instead he turned to Ramona. "We need to go. He'll only be back with more." But Ramona felt her leg fail, Her knees buckled and she hit the floor. Everything was spinning. Then she felt a great mass below her scoop her up and bring her close and she lost consciousness to the feeling of being in the arms of a man running.

### A New Master

She awoke on a bedroll. The first thing she heard was the sound of running water, A waterfall maybe. As she

opened her eyes she found herself next to a pool in what seemed to be a cave. Light shone through what appeared to be the cave entrance with a waterfall hanging over the entrance. plants and vines hung around her and she seemed to be in an enclosed area.

"Your awake" came a voice from behind her. She turned to see the man. Standing in a makeshift home. A desk sat up against a wall with a book and quill. A small fire with fire cooking over it sat in the middle of the cave and a bed up against the wall. The man stood over the fire clearly watching the food. "Want something to eat". Ramona stood and made her way to the fire. She just stood there and waited. He looked at her. "Fuck me girl you don't say much... Unless you don't speak common and I just look like an idiot." He proceeded to cycle through several languages she didn't know them all but she certainly heard Tao Shenii and Dwarvish. "No, I speak common." She said. "Well took your time little Cyclops. Now wanna eat."

They sat and he explained, through swigs of what was very clearly strong Tao Shenii wine that his name was Aki, He was a monk of a local order of monks until recently when he was ex communicated for holding onto certain vices. She simply stated her name and explained to him that she was an explorer. Astounded he admonished her for exploring without being able to defend herself. She looked up at him and asked him to teach her. He looked thoughtful for a while. Time passed and Ramona started thinking about leaving but then he chirped up and agreed but in payment she would work with him in his job. She asked what he did and with glee he stated it. A Monster hunter.

Several years passed and as they did the training became easier and more natural. As tie passed she found herself becoming fluid in her movements and a capable fighter. They lived under that waterfall for a long time until one day he proclaimed her ready to hunt and so they packed up and moved out. Now fast friends their adventures went well for a long time. However occasionally Aki would have nights, particularly after a successful monster hunt where he would celebrate, get very drunk and try it on with village women who he wasn't supposed to. This would often lead to fights and either Ramona carrying Aki out of the village with an arm over her shoulder. Or having to beat down the very people they went there to help. Ramona however owed her life to Aki. She was going to do nothing to put him down.

One night however they had wiped out a slew of Goblin bandits and found they were closer to their camp than the village. So they returned there. Breaking out the wine they danced and joked into the night until finally they both fell down exhausted. As Ramona began to drift off she felt something. A fumble of a hand on her chest. Simply assuming it to be Aki waving his hands around drunk she ignored not even bothering to open her eyes but as time went on it went from a fumble to something definite the hand began to fiddle with her clothing. "Leave it out Aki" she said and no response came and in a flash The hand removed her top and grabbed her breast.

Her eyes immediately opened but she didn't see anything only red and before her stood a shadow. He approached her and plunged his hand straight into her heart. In a second all the childhood naievity, all the hope for a better life all damage of her youth corrupted her very soul years seemed to pass and all the hatred and fear and rage she had been hiding until now erupted. She snapped back to the real world and at her feat lay the corpse of Aki... split in two.

### Life on the run

She thought it would leave after that day, but it didn't. The desire to kill wouldn't leave and if she didn't it would take hold again and she went from village to village using the shadows as home. She and become the monsters she used to hunt and it disgusted her. Whats worse Akis old monastery had found his body and were hunting her heralding him as a hero.

It was a normal day and a normal hunt. A mysterious man had entered the village she was staying in someone no-one would mind going missing. She stalked him as he left and followed him along the path. His behavior became odd though. It was late a night and he seemed not to check his surrounding and then he just stopped in the road. "Do what you will girl." She struck but before her knife could pierce his belly she felt herself held by magic and then the red appeared again. The shadow stood before her only this time it was different. She felt a presence behind her a pair a pupil less eyes bore down into the shadow and she felt her core wretch and twist and is tried to fight this presence. It wasn't long before the shadow was cowering before him and she returned suspended in mid air his eyes piercing into her. "I can control that power within you and teach you to do the same. Should you wish that you may come with me." Ramona simply nodded.

### Infiltrator

Ramona spent a lot of time with Fish. He would invade her mind and slowly give her more and more control. While linked however she felt things flashes of who he was. It was clear he was guarding what was important but what she did see made her trust him more. He to was fighting a hunger and he to was hunted by his own kind. As for what that was she had no idea. One time she saw an image of a large brain but he immediately removed her and asked to cut that days session short. After a while she began to gain control of the power within her and it wasn't long until she dominated it learning how to use the new powers this control gave her. She developed a strong respect for Fish in this time even though he showed her no more care than any other infiltrator. In the missing masks she found a link with Lela quickly and Fyv was very difficult to not be friends with.