Loppi Ironheart: A Strongheart in Twillight

[Empress of Neon]

"My name is Loppi. And uh, I was an apprentice to a craftsman before Sanctuary fell. Wasn't anyone special. Wasn't a big adventurer or hero. A lot of folk probably never even noticed me doin' errands between the trade hall and my tutor. Fellah never did finish teachin' me how to make a blade proper. But I guess we all kind of had our lives upped, after a tyrant-prick name Dhimani went and took our army away to fight the Dread. Worst day of my life, it was. Never could stop hearin' the screams.

I was angry, saddened and wanted to die at times after we lost the city. But after solitude and contemplation in my tent, I chose instead to fight and join the Enginetown Militia. Was sorta inspired by our mayor, ya see. And well, I couldn't just sit and do nothin' anymore when everyone else was off fightin' and scavengin' for our survival.

My first battle wasn't slaying some rats in a basement, or ringing worms. It was against a rampagin' horde of Chosen trying to break through the gates. Somehow, I survived. Can ya believe it? I mean, I never even used a sword before. Much less killed something. And here I was, swingin' with the best of them. I survived my first day. And every one after that. Right up until the very end.

It wasn't easy. A lot of times I nearly came to blows with the wrong people who'd play a big role at the end of it all. Some of them, I wanted to outright gut for murderin' innocent folk and just bein' generally awful people. Would like to say I can attribute that to self-control, but really, I was just sick of seein' people dyin'. Lot would call that a weakness. Didn't want to go with blood on my hands, ya know? I mean, I knew. I held hope, but knew in my heart that I was gonna die. Just didn't know how. So... why bother? Well except that one asshole who killed a puppy. Seriously, a soddin' puppy.

Then there was the idiots. Good GODS I've never seen so many stupid people in one place. Fightin' over the stupidest things! Actin' like fools! Can't tell ya how stressful it was, especially since I was militia. But ya know, a lot of folk turned out decent. Even folk I never met in all my four years... or was it five? In Sanctuary. Even the ones I knew left us to die. In the end, everyone did the right thing. Well, almost everyone.

I never wanted this, ya know? I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't a warrior. But no one was left to protect us on our behalfs, ya know? And I had family to protect. My kinsmen. My friends. Don't doubt a moment I would've stopped breathin' if I was the last lass on Toril. But so long as they lived, so to did I have a reason to go on.

I prayed every hour to the Wary Sword, right up to the end. Even when folk whispered the gods died. I still didn't stop. Never gave up. We didn't have a god of war, us hins. But we do have our watchmen. Our sentinels. And at the time I took up the sword, that was what we needed in Enginetown more than ever. I won't say there weren't moments I was regrettin' it. Watchin' innocent folk die, or get hurt. Watchin' assholes bein' assholes. Gettin' set on fire again and again and rolling around on the ground for dear life. But it always came back to the community. Flaws and all. Wish the longlegs appreciated that more before all this.

In the end, we all won... and lost. We destroyed the Dread, ourselves, even Dendar. We didn't go out quiet. We stayed brave and set. And even though we lost family and friends, we didn't just avenge their ghosts.

We honoured them. In victory, and the hope sent off in the new dawn.

I wish I could be there. Seein' it all unfold. Maybe someday, the sun will nourish life on another world. Maybe someday, folk like us will live on it. With their own gods, stories and communities of their own. Damn, I wish I could see it. But... yeah. I'm dead, ya see. Died holdin' the hand of a gal I wanted to live next to my whole life; Nih. And, well, there just ain't comin' back from bein' engulfed in a new sun. No matter how beautiful it is.

My name's Loppi Ironheart. I was a refugee, made worker, made warrior in life. And I got no regrets.

Whoever ya are, I hope ya ain't sufferin' from any meanness in your world. Been enough in mine to last an All-Time."

Unfortunately, I don't have many screenies. But I do have one that summarizes her character and preludes her ending :)

~Into the breach: Scavenging at its most desperate~


~Farewell my Friends: A final goodbye to the Appetite 8~


~Twillight's Army: I am ready for the End~

[IIIIIIIII]

Really enjoyed our small halfling family in the final days. Great pc  :)

[SN]

[Salutes.]

[Bouquet of Roses]

Nadia liked Loppi a great deal. Even if she did get pretty violent towards the end!