Hurricane's Quill



Hurricane's Quill is the newest member of the Author sworn to defend against threats of the Darksides and their leader, Drake Darkstar. HQ first appeared in Author Fighters: Fair Folk Assault. He is voiced by Dave Wittenburg (the voice of Welkin Gunther in Valkyria Chronicles), and his theme song is "His World" by Crush 40.

HQ's Origins
HQ was 17 at the time of his Exaltation, when he was living in the city of Cherak, a Scarlet Empire satrapy. Knowing the dangers that the revelation of his newfound power would entail, HQ took off north, using his falcon form to fly across the White Sea to the north, where he happened to be found by a group of people from the Lunar-formed Haslanti League. It was here that HQ was introduced to the Silver Pact, a federation of Lunar tribes scattered throughout Creation that had formed when the Lunars fled Creation following the Usurpation 2000 years before. HQ became a member shortly after being tattooed, using his skill in martial arts and use of a lance to blaze through his trials.

He is a known member of three factions of the Silver Pact: the Winding Path, the Swords of Luna, and the Wardens of Gaia. However, he spends most of his time with his personal team of mercenaries known as the Court of Daiklaves. A fanfic under the same name is being contemplated to explain the origins of the troop.

Joining the Author Fighters
HQ first met the Author Fighters after saving one of their own, Hikari Ino, from the Varajtul, a tribe of Wyld-tainted cannibals that roam the North. He learned that the Author Fighters were on the same mission he was: to track Drake Darkstar's movements in Creation. HQ led them to where he had figured the base would be. However, two of his teammates, Shinji and Asuka, accidentally tripped the alarm, and were forced to high-tail it out of the base. When a Fair Folk tried to parley with the Author Fighters, HQ ended up putting a pair of bullets in the diplomat's head. After a falling out with DM, HQ and the Author Fighters went their separate ways, HQ taking the Court of Daiklaves back to Icehome, the Author Fighters to take on Drake.

When they failed, Sakina went to tell HQ, even surviving numerous wounds inflicted by the Varajtul, even going so far as to beg for forgiveness for making DM and the others think he was a demon. Eventually, HQ was won over and went back to Drake's base, freeing the Fighters, only to have the Weaver of Idyllic Dreams bar the way, in the meantime destroying HQ's weapons before he was called away by Drake.

HQ was pretty broken after his defeat, but when the Weaver went behind Drake's back and marched on Icehome, HQ asked Rovus to fix his weapon, and even make a few modifications. When he faced the Weaver, he fell again, and this time the Weaver finished the job and killed HQ...or so he thought. It was here that HQ learned the truth: he was the Heir of Garda, the son of the most powerful air elemental in Creation. His newly-awakened Essence suddenly supercharging his body and practically resurrecting him, HQ took Phoenix Buster and Dragon Breaker, he used his Blade Reconfiguration and fused the two together (hence, the modifications), creating the Gunblade he called Gardafang, which he used to destroy the Weaver. The Varajtul then fled as the Haslanti league beastmen troops appeared on the scene.

DM offered him the chance to become an Author Fighter, but HQ needed some time to think and went back to Snowflake Point, where the battle had taken place. However, thanks to BlackcatRin and at the behest of the Court of Daiklaves, HQ took up DM on his offer.

The Author Fighters Triple Author Program
HQ is the man in charge of Team Daiklave, a triple author team consisting of Jean Kazuhiza and BlackcatRin. Their allies include Nero (Devil May Cry 4), Tifa Lockheart (Final Fantasy VII), The Comedian (Watchmen), Lucy (Elfen Lied), Rukia Kuchiki (BLEACH), and Sora (Kingdom Hearts). Their mission is to follow the moves of Terek Kenswell and his allies, although many times they ended up fighting the Draconian of Dark Lightning and his team as well, so they probably have the biggest case load of all the Triple Author Teams.

Relationships
HQ is loyal to all his Author Fighter friends, but he's especially good friends with Hikari, given the fact that they both come from similar backgrounds. HQ's relationship with DM was tenuous after HQ went to save them at Drake's base in Creation, but everything smoothed over after a while.

HQ's girlfriend is Lenalee Lee, a female Exorcist that HQ met when he recruited Allen for the Court of Daiklaves. However, after a fight with Ma-Ha-Suchi over this matter, HQ and Lenalee agreed that it was best that they share a long-distance relationship. However, if Lenalee needs help, HQ will answer the call.

HQ's Powers
HQ is a Lunar Exalted of the Full Moon Caste. As a Lunar, HQ is a sworn defender of Creation, protecting its denizens from other beings foreign to Creation, especially (but not limited to) the Fair Folk. He also is called in to take out rogue demons that somehow escaped from Malfeas, or in some cases, demons that slipped out of a sorcerer's grasp during a summoning.

HQ's tattoos also are important. This is what protects HQ from the shaping energies of the Wyld. If he also should choose to activate his anima banner to stage III, it also increases his jumping ability and his strength.

HQ's weapons include Phoenix Buster and Dragon Breaker, but HQ will also pull out a Gallian SR-5 on occasion for reconaissance and the odd sniping.

Shapeshifting
HQ's trademark ability (as an Author Fighter and as a Lunar Exalted) is the ability to change shape. Every Lunar has a spirit shape that often represents their nature as a person. In HQ's case, his spirit shape is a silver-furred wolf.

Lunar Exalts also have the ability to obtain different animal forms by hunting them down in a sacred ritual hunt, often called the blood hunt. By killing an animal that falls within certain parameters and drinking its heart's blood, they can become that animal. However, each Lunar also has a special "Tell" that identifies them from a group. HQ's Tell is his wolf ears, which through use of his shapeshifting abilities, keeps well hidden. In animal forms, the animals' ears are oddly triangle-shaped.

HQ's other animal forms are a marlin, a falcon, a bobcat, and a mouse.

War Form
The foundation of the Lunar battle techniques, the war form is an amalgam of the Lunar's human and spirit shape. When HQ activates his war form, he suddenly becomes a nine-foot tall powerhouse, his skin breaks out in black and ash-gray fur, his eyes become a become an eerie green, his wolf ears are easily visible, and his hands obtain cruel-looking silver claws. One final bonus is that when HQ activates his form, it also activates a single-use regeneration ability that can heal most minor wounds and make major wounds a little less life-threatening.

HQ can also limit some parts of this transformation to only certain parts of it. He namely uses this trick to gain the eyes of a wolf to enhance his night vision.

Goddess Trigger
During the final battle against the Weaver of Idyllic Dreams, HQ was visited by Garda, an air elemental also known as the Goddess of the North Wind, and learned that he was Garda's son, the Heir of Garda, who was said to be the savior of Northern Creation that would appear in its hour of need. As a result, HQ obtained the power of what he calls his "Goddess Trigger," which is like a enhancement of his war form that he can activate at any time. Think of it as a spirit-based Devil Trigger.

Theoretically, HQ can obtain different forms of Goddess Trigger by the forms he can take on. However, Goddess Trigger can only be used by forms of supernatural creatures (other elementals, demons, even Fair Folk and other Exalted), and using Goddess Trigger can severely drain HQ's Essence.

Currently, he has only one type of Goddess Trigger:

Garda Form: In this form, given to him by the spirit of his mother, HQ glows a bright blue, surrounded by the image of a blue bipedal wolf, lightning crackling over his body and fur blowing in the wind as it flashes a bright blue at odd intervals, tattoos glowing like a brand. He will also use Blade Reconfiguration to turn Dragon Breaker and Phoenix Buster into Gardafang. HQ has the ability to fly and run at increased speeds, and the winds can deflect lightweight projectiles when in his Garda Form. He also can manipulate air, and ice and lightning to a certain extent. He also unleashes a flurry of wind, lightning, and ice from his hand at will with an attack called Dragon's Suspire.

Charms
Lunar powers not tied to shapeshifting are called Charms, which is a catch-all for abilities that allow for powerful manifestations of Essence. Any kind of Exalted or powerful celestial beings (spirits, ghosts, demons, etc.) knows at least a handful of Charms. Lunar abilities are described as power enhancements that increase one's skills tremendously, but only for a short time. There are hundreds of Charms practiced by their respective Exalted, and new ones are being formed for almost every occasion.

HQ's Charms focus around speed, perception, and the odd survivalist's trick. However, his main combat skills focus around the art of combining the Charms he knows, and applying them to his skills with Phoenix Buster and Dragon Breaker.

Blade Reconfiguration: One of HQ's stand-alone Charms, the Lunar can take any moonsilver weapon he carries and can modify it in any way he sees fit. One of the main uses of this Charm is for turning Phoenix Buster into Dual Phoenix Buster or Aero Phoenix Buster, or to fuse Dragon Breaker and Phoenix Buster into Gardafang. White Wolf Fang: HQ leaps upon his foe, bringing down Phoenix Buster upon his foe. It is meant as a crippling move, usually aiming for appendages to disable them or immobilize them.

Twin Fang Blur: HQ surges through his enemy, twirling Phoenix Buster (which will invariably be in its Dual form for this technqiue) like a bo staff, the only thing being visible is a flash of light as HQ cuts down his foes in passing.

Chaotic Ring Storm: HQ's weirdest technique, HQ stabs the air multiple times with Phoenix Buster, and suddenly multiple ghostly rainbow versions of Phoenix Buster appear, stabbing the enemy in random points. Often HQ will make them appear in a ring around the enemy.

Relentless Lunar Fury: HQ's ultimate technique, and the true power of a Lunar Exalted. Glowing a silvery-blue as he howls aloud like a wolf on the hunt, HQ dives into his enemies and thoroughly slaughters them. HQ can activate any of the above techniques reflexively. However, for all its power, it comes with two prices. The first is that HQ cannot identify friend from foe. The second is that it doesn't last very long; it is meant as an ace-in-the-hole. The longest HQ has ever made it last is 60 seconds.

HQ's Enemies
The Draconian of Dark Lightning: When HQ died during his fight against the Fair Folk cataphactus the Weaver of Idyllic Dreams, HQ's soul split into two separate states, which occurs with any being from Creation. HQ's higher soul, or hun, became a Deathlord, a ghost empowered with the broken soul of one of the Neverborn, or slain primordials (in this case, He Who Holds In Thrall). HQ and the Draconian clash whenver they meet, making them seem like a rivalry reserved for Sephiroth and Cloud. His weapon is the Fated Destroyer of Celestial Children, a black soulsteel reaper-class daiklave.

Terek Kenswell: When HQ died during his fight against the Fair Folk cataphactus the Weaver of Idyllic Dreams, HQ's soul split into two separate states, which occurs with any being from Creation. HQ's lower soul, or po, attracted the attention of Octavius, a Second Circle Demon, who then quickly captured it and took it with him to Malfeas, bringing it before the Ebon Dragon. By sealing the soul inside a body made of black lead, iron, white procelain, and brass, the Ebon Dragon then grafted a corrupted Solar Exaltation onto it. This gave birth to Terek Kenswell, the being viewed to be HQ's Darkside. His weapon is Dragon's Vengeance, a black lead and brass fighting chain, and is a master of the Dragon of Emerald and Brass Style.

The Man Behind the Lunar
The man behind HQ, Ryan, started fanfic writing on August 8, 2004. His most famous fic is his cross of Kingdom Hearts and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, called XIII Rising. His first Author Fighters fic is Fair Folk Assault. His current projects include the two fics mentioned here and his Magic: the Gathering/Valkyria Chronicles fic, Valkyria: the Gathering.

Trivia

 * HQ went through two different stages before eventually staying with his Lunar self. He originally began as a Solar, but was viewed to be too powerful. His second stage was a Dragon-Blood, but was eventually scratched it because it didn't fit his theme (that and the fact that he had new information to work with, which screwed up everything). The Lunar Exalted is his third state.


 * HQ also shifted from a Dragon-Blood and Solar to also take up a theme not used very much: shapeshifting. Most of the Author Fighter's abilities that focus around shapeshifting is usually in the same theme as HQ's Goddess Trigger. However, shapeshifting and its other abilities make up the bulk of HQ's combat profile.


 * HQ's Goddess Trigger is a spinoff of a Devil Trigger.