Hendrik Kurenov - When a Problem Comes Along...

[The Samophlange]

This is probably a little overdue. With my current semester being a bit more demanding than usual, I just don't have the time or energy right now to devote to a position of power on Efu. That last few times I managed to log in I was hopelessly behind on things, a trend I don't see changing for a while. So, rather than existing as some kind of ghost Sergeant, better to letter Kurenov retire into middle management.



When I set out on Hendrik, I had two goals: Make Sergeant, and take no shit. I was successful on both fronts. I engaged in more pvp on this character than any other that I have played. Roughing up various criminals, often for simply running their mouth a bit too long, and fighting against perceived enemies of the city. I'm not the most aggressive player by nature, so it was interesting to push myself to fight outside of situations in which I would normally do so.

[hide= Background]Born the son of am Impilturan duke, Hendrik led a life of tremendous expectation. He was groomed to succeed his family's control of several lucrative bloodstone mines, and through this control the interests of the Kurenovs under the gaze of the country's council. Ultimately, it was a duty he would throw away, instead choosing to abdicate his inheritance and let his younger brother assume his position. Instead he began a captain of the Warswords, a position he filled with enthusiasm until the Darkening. There were murmurs that he was perhaps overzealous in his disciplinary methods, but never enough to push the matter.[/hide]

A devout follower of Loviatar, Kurenov believed pain was the method through which men were improved. No lesson lingered in the mind as long as the bite of the whip, a tool he used to try and promote men to better themselves, and through this improve society. He wasn't a very nice man, taking exceptional and occasionally inappropriate glee in these punishments, but he was a firm believer in the duty of mankind to band together and form a strong, cohesive civilization. Even following the death of his goddess, his time in Sanctuary remained in pursuit of perfection through agony, and a more rounded home for the final survivors of the Darkening.

[Hide=Arrival]


Hendrik enlisted in the Watchers shortly after his arrival, finding the prospect of adventuring to be too foolish to serve as a long-term profession. Almost immediately into his service the Rough Guys would launch a string of attacks that resulted in the death of a Sergeant and many rank and file Watchers, leaving Kurenov one of the few left on the active patrol. As a result he was in the odd position of being the oldest recruit, having to guide newer Watchers into service despite having served only a week or two longer than them. This began an unfortunate trend of severe under-staffing that lasted through most of his career.




Though hardly a 'clean' Watcher, Kurenov wasn't interested in gold. Most of his collars involved leveling an outrageous fine upon the heads of those involved, to offer them a more reasonable punishment if they would agree to accept several public lashes. Several took him up on his offer, though few of them would seem to change for the better as a result. As he was fond of saying, 'some lads simply never learn'.



Even as a private, Kurenov expected the Watchers to be treated with respect. Several of his early scuffles came as a result of people flippantly dismissing him, resulting in busted jaws and time shackled. Those unwilling to follow orders and behave intelligently had no place.




Despite his faults, he was a ruthless and effective combatant that distinguished himself through many field missions and sieges upon Sanctuary. It was difficult to question that he was a tremendous force on the city's behalf. His zeal was a result of his zealous masochism, enjoying the wounds even as they threatened to undo him. On several occasions his comrades would remark at being disturbed by the sheer joy he seemed to receive in battle, often demanding that his enemies strike harder to try and bring him down.




It was during this time that he began to develop his relationship with the Spellguard. Though he initially thought of Thynne as a brute and a simpleton he would come to respect the woman's tenacity, finding her to be an overall positive influence on the city even with her reckless behavior. Vyrgil, on the other hand, almost immediately came into conflict with his views. The old Agent had largely locked himself away, wallowing in his sadness for several months. It instilled a sense of contempt in Hendrik for him, something that would result in them butting heads several times.



Eventually, the turning point in his career would come as the result of the trial over a Prefect. Olla Fe was ousted from Sanctuary after embezzling a large amount of gold from the city to pay her employees rather than use her own gold. Hendrik organized the case against her, resulting in a tribunal finding her and her associates guilty. They were all exiled, until such a time that they paid five-thousand gold per head to return. Few of them would do so.



And so, Kurenov got what he had wanted. He would serve as Sergeant.[/hide]

[hide=Post-Promotion]




Upon making Sergeant, the first line of business was whipping the current Watchers into shape and pursuing several of the outstanding cases in the files. Hendrik never thought of himself as much for paperwork and investigating, but he managed to close a few of the dusty and unsolved cases. It is something that would earn him the ire of many criminal elements...




During a routine patrol of the Machine a pair of Vault thugs high on Bloodshot would subdue Kurenov and his comrades. When the Sergeant refused to back down or plead, they took a hammer to his leg, beating the fallen man until the limb hung only by a single, stubborn tendon. Elaine and Mason helped him to the tower, where the leg was amputated and replaced with a crude metal claw. This would prove to be a defining moment for Kurenov, stripping away some of his cheer and exposing more of the raw edge that lurked beneath.



Relations soured with the Exiles and the newly established Covenant of the Pure. Hendrik was vocal in decrying the works of more volatile members, taking efforts to force out would-be ambassadors of Mur and otherwise stifling the impacts that the 'freaks' could have on Sanctuary.




As a result of his tireless service in opposing the dissident elements of Sanctuary, Kurenov was given the gift of mobility once more. IN a bloody and unsettling procedure his good leg was amputated as well, and two metal limbs were fashioned to replace them. This served as a quiet bit of hypocrisy for the Sergeant, his unfeeling new limbs clearly outside of the doctrine of his faith. And yet, his growing revulsion for his enemies prompted him to consider more drastic measures to become a perfect soldier, and once and for all oust the enemies of the city.




After his surgery, Hendrik would continue to serve as a fearsome face for the Watchers. Through the course of several skirmishes, sieges, and surface missions he left a legacy behind as a man who would accept no disrespect for the institution he stood for.




Even if it would mean correcting rogue elements within the Watchers and Warders. After months of deranged behavior from the Agent, Kurenov would take Elaine help and force the last remnants of Rebecca Locke to be destroyed, killing Vyrgil's 'daughter' once and for all. This would be the Sergeant's last major act.
[/hide]

[hide=Friends]


First and foremost among Hendrik's friends was Agent Vadrell, the woman who advised him to seek a career in the Watchers when he first arrived. They remained close comrades throughout their careers, being present for many of each others most trying moments. They had grand plans for how Sanctuary's future would unfold. But, in the end, it was not meant to be.




Hendrik initially thought very little of Natalia Mason, a woman who seemed more obsessed with creating interesting expklosions than doing anything productive. However her enthusiasm quickly grew on him, and what he thought to be naivete would prove to be a simple optimism of spirit... even in the darkest times. Her death took a significant toll upon him. This, along with the loss of his leg, was the major factor in causing him to so passionately hate the various freakish elements in the city.[/hide]

Unfortunately, this is where his story ends. I had a lot of fun with Kurenov, and I am sad that I couldn't get him a proper heroic end. But, I feel it's better to end the character than let him drag along for months before I might be able to play him properly. So, say goodbye to the jolly sadomasochistic Sergeant, a man who enjoyed the finer things in life: Wine, women, and whipping.

...Okay here's the fun stuff.
[hide=Loot]


The signet Hendrik earned for single-handedly covering the escape of a surface mission. The Sergeant pushed back a full Dread force while the rest of the warband escaped via portal. He would only managed to slide in at the last possible second, his body torn to shreds by the unstable energy of the collapsing portal. But, too stubborn to move on, Kurenov was brought back among the living to continue to server. A very powerful defensive tool, it continued to enabled him to charge fearlessly into danger.



Kurenov's familiar barbed sword. A devastating and brutal weapon, it would constantly gouge into his sword hand and leave him bleeding across the battlefield. The pain helped to keep him focused, allowing him to unleash devastation upon his foes. An amazing signature weapon that helped to push that imposing air I had in mind for the character.



One of the Sergeant's signature tools, he was fond of using the magic stored within the belt to send a horrifying storm crashing down on himself and anyone unlucky enough to be nearby. Out of character I loved seeing initial reactions to it, especially from those that weren't quick enough when he yelled 'CLEAR!'



A recent addition, this unsettling shield of living vines was a very fun item I wish I'd gotten to use longer. It served as both a powerful defensive tool while also leaving him exposed to greater danger, perfectly matching the risk-reward theme of many of his items. I absolutely loved it!





And a few assorted tricks and trinkets, helping to establish Kurenov as an unusual combatant. Much thanks to the DMs that made such sweet items. More than just mechanically I really liked the personality that I was able to display through them, helping to portray the character as a reckless lunatic unafraid of being hurt so long as he crushed his foes.[/hide]

Okay, that's all. I'll probably be back in the future when things slow down, playing a character with less weight on their shoulders. Much love to anybody who played in the WaW during his run, and a special thanks to Dina, Naga, and tinfoilhat. The Dream Team did a lot to help shape the core of the character's identity, and those long Machine patrols were always a good time!

It's been real, Efu. See ya soon.

 

[Dina]

Kurenov was a great character and his interactions with Mason always made me laugh, especially the friendly-fire countdown he had going on.  But my favorite Kurenov moment will always be when he was fighting Animatrons in the Deep Forge and yelled "Harder!" after getting hit by one.

[Golgo13]

Knew you were a crook hiding it well.

[Ravken]

Well played sir.. well played...


Alas, if only I had known what a pain in the ass that watcher that simon tried to bribe would be... (On the plus side, I'm in a screenshot... )

[Pentaxius]

Good stuff samo, as always.

[Dratheqkos]

Always fun times with your pcs. Enjoyed the conversations and rivalry during the events.