SERRAT

FULL NAME:  Serratula Blazkowicz

NICKNAMES: Serrat, Serra, the Slayer's Dragon

SPECIES:  Umbral Irrunix (also known as an Umbral Swiftfoot)

KNOWN LANGUAGES: Irrunix, Draconic, Argenta, English

RELIGION: Unaligned

AGE: Unknown

GENDER: Female

PRONOUNS: She/Her, He/Him

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Demiromantic

OCCUPATION: War Mount

EYE COLOR(S): Red

BODY COLOR(S): Pale Green

HEIGHT: 18' (at shoulder)

WEIGHT: 3800 pounds

BODY BUILD: Large, bulky, muscled

NOTABLE PHYSICAL TRAITS: Cybernetic prosthetics and enhancements

ALTERNATE FORMS: None

VOICECLAIM: Misty Lee (Sigrun - God of War: Ragnarok)

PHOBIAS: None

MENTAL HEALTH: C-PTSD

PHYSICAL HEALTH: Traumatic amputation of forelimbs, extreme facial mutilation, total spine replacement, loss of left eye

ASSISTIVE DEVICES: Prosthetic forelimbs, protective helmet protecting head, prosthetic wing attachments, jet propulsion attachments

MEDICATIONS: None

PARENTS: Unknown mother, Unknown father

SIBLINGS: None

PARTNERS: None

CHILDREN: None

FRIENDS: The Doomslayer

ALLIES: The Doomslayer, the Argenta

RIVALS: The Wintherins

ENEMIES: Demons, Hell

Content warning for mentions of war, death, extinction, animal abuse, and animal death. 

Born in the frigid wilds of the Umbral Plains, Serrat was the runt of a wild litter. Her small size and late hatching left her abandoned without the expectation that she would be able to survive. As such, her youth was spent struggling to learn the laws of nature without a mother's protection. Though small, she was a clever and crafty beast that learned to survive by squeezing into small spaces, burrowing into snow, and moving quickly when she was sure nothing of real danger was watching. She fed off of fish, insects, and small animals, gradually working her way up to larger and larger prey as she grew. Though she remained small compared to others of her kind, what she lacked in size was compensated for in speed. Against all odds, the lone Swiftfoot managed to survive to adolescence even as the rest of her kind dwindled in numbers. 

In the unforgiving climate of Argent D'nur's pole, the Argenta had taken to taming and domesticating her kin to be used as mounts and beasts of burden. Perhaps because of her own experiences with her kin or her survivalist disposition, Serrat resisted all attempts to be tamed. The Night Sentinels, made familiar with her though complaints of her stealing food and causing damage to Argenta property, saw in her great potential. Though small, her agility and intelligence was something rarely seen in the wildlife of Argent D'nur, and though she had no wings like a Wintherin, it was thought that she could serve as a powerful support on the ground. Despite the best efforts of the Night Sentinels however, Serrat proved too cunning. She evaded every trap and saw through every trick, always managing to slip through their fingers.

For Serrat, life was a struggle. The Argenta, though offering great opportunity for stable food supply, were bothersome. She did not trust others of her own kind and, against her instincts, made her way as a solitary creature wandering the icy tundra of the Umbral Plains. However, even this simple existence was made all the more difficult as the war between the Argenta and Hell began to overtake her home. Weapon fire and the diabolical sounds of monsters tearing through flesh echoed through the night. Lush lands were blackened and peppered with the remnants of infernal corpses and Argentan armor. Plants began to dwindle, and with them her prey. She was pushed further and further from her home range, forced to adapt to new environments more and more frequently. It was through cunning and speed she managed to steer clear of the direct conflict for the most part, as well as resist the growing attempts of the Sentinels to tame her as a mount. 

It was at the Battle of Black Pyres that everything changed. 

Hell rose swiftly - too swiftly even for her. Demons and Sentinels clashed violently and she was caught in the midst of the fight. Despite her size, Serrat fought against the mindless horde with a ferocity matched only by one other on the battlefield. She tore through the legions, goring them with her horns, reducing them to chunks of meat and roasting them in the flames of her fiery breath. Yet even with her relentless strength and endurance, the demons outnumbered her by thousands. They razed the land and fell her, only retreating with a final strong push from the Sentinels. Serrat barely managed to survive the encounter and likely would not have, had it not been for the Slayer. Felled and mortally wounded,  she lay gasping against the scorched earth. It was with missing forelimbs, half blinded, and with a face utterly mutilated that she was found by him. Ever defiant, she attempted to raise her head and growl at the Beast but he remained unshaken. After a long moment of examining her injuries, he asked that she be tended to. The Sentinels were hesitant - they knew Serrat by reputation and told him it would be a lost cost but he insisted. And so they brought her back to the Aviary.

Her healing would be a long and arduous process rife with struggle. One in which the Slayer would not leave her side. Many a Sentinel found themselves injured in their efforts to try and treat her, yet Serrat would not tolerate the touch of any but the Slayer. He tended to her wounds personally, speaking to her in hushed tones to try and soothe her and staying through the nights when it seemed like she might finally succumb to the worst of her injuries. Ever the stubborn beast, she endured. And he displayed pride for her endurance. Despite some resistance, Serrat came to understand that the Slayer was trying to help her and protect her, and so she allowed him to feed her and help her drink. As she recovered, she would engage with him more, often coming to scoot beside him when he came to the aviary and offering comfort during times of loneliness. She would even take to playing with him. The two of them came to form an incredibly close bond. Serrat would come to answer to none other than the Slayer. Though she was an outcast among the aviary's dragons, she would come to garner their respect - and their fear - once her cybernetic implants were fully installed. 

The Swiftfoot would rise once more - this time to heights no other of her kind ever had. She would take to the skies with the Slayer, her roar echoing across the lands as a sonorous war cry, her power tempered with precision to become an unstoppable force of nature hellbent on enacting justice against the monsters that had taken everything from her. 

And when at last she would fall in the heat of glorious battle, it would be while defending the one who had defended her; saving his life just as he had saved hers.

Serrat's personality lives up to the expectations set forth by her reputation. Though hardly the straight-laced militaristic type, her experiences as an endling, an outsider, and as a war mount have shaped her to be a harsh, hardened warrior with a short fuse and a powerful bite. She tolerates very little and is driven in her goals. Her focus remains fixated on whatever task may be at hand. She ignores distractions, and those she can't meet a swift end at her jaws. 

Though the Sentinels describe her as ornery and rebellious, in truth, Serrat is fiercely loyal to very few. The Slayer is her companion and she is devotedly faithful to him as they share a kindred bond like no other. Any orders she may take may come only from him. Otherwise, she will ignore others who try to show superiority over her. Woe be to those who try to use a stick where the carrot fails - Serrat answers to no one and has a natural distrust that manifests itself into blatant, outward hostility. She is not afraid to warn others when they are testing her boundaries or her patience. Those that fail to see the signs be warned - she only asks once. Her next move will be to enforce them with force. Those that continue to push will not meet a kind end. Serrat is known, among other things, for her brutality. Much like the Slayer, she is a vicious combatant. All the power of a beast blended perfectly with the precision of a machine makes Serrat one of the deadliest weapons to ever tread the earth. She is agile, tactical, intelligent, and ruthless. If animals can hate, she may well be the embodiment of wrath - a perfect complement to her rider in every sense. 

Yet, also like the Slayer she pledges allegiance to, Serrat is just as capable of being gentle and delicate. She is incredibly protective of children and small animals - and even to the Wintherins she shares the aviary with to some degree. When not engaged in the heat of battle, she often shows an interest in the simplest pleasures. The feeling of soft grass under her scales, the breeze as she takes flight, the warm sun, or even the sound of the Slayer's music. She is never more content than when she can be with her companion, even if it's just for a nap. Though admittedly, she finds more enjoyable the task of playing tugs or chasing each other around when they have no other business to attend to. In some way, they both seem to understand each other like no one else can. At the same token, they also know that the other is perhaps the only thing keeping them grounded and offering a sense of normalcy in a world where normal seems so far out of reach it may as well be a memory, 

It is for that reason that Serrat stubbornly persists, refusing to let anything - even death - stand between her and the Slayer. She is nothing if not a loyal steed. And a faithful companion. 

DISLIKES: Sudden loud noises, being confined, being ordered around, being treated like delicate glass, competition, demons

Verses

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• Though Serrat was a born a runt and is smaller than the average Swiftfoot, she'll have more or less reached average size by the time she's fully grown thanks to the Slayer constantly feeding her well.

• Serrat answers to no one but the Slayer with regards to flying or attacking.

• During his early days of struggling to learn the Sentinel's language and be accepted by them, the Slayer often spent his time in the aviary. Animals - even ones as strange as the dragons - seemed to provide a comfort to him. The other humans feared him and he was already quite self-isolating to begin with due to the circumstances of his existence. Perhaps it was because he saved her life, or nursed her back to health, or made her stronger. Or maybe it was just because she picked up on how similar they were - both being outcasts and lone members of their species that were revered but feared and isolated as a result. But Serrat would approach and keep him company. She would come to surround him and guard him from the other dragons. She would beg for his food, learn how to fist bump with her giant paw, and would sleep with his hand resting on her head. She would even play tugs. 

• While the Sentinels believe that the name Serrat came from the word serrated, Serrat's name is actually Serratula; a flower belonging to the Asterraceae flower family -- the same flower family that the Daisy belongs to. 

• Serrat can breathe fire but being a runt means that her supply is shorter and more intense. She has to use it sparingly as it exhausts quickly and takes longer to recover. The Slayer knows this, and has never asked her to breathe fire for him. The only time she's done it is to protect him. 

• Serrat tries to follow the Slayer everywhere - even if she's unseen. She is intensely devoted to and protective of him. Any perceived threat towards him is met with her arching her back, stretching her wings, and snarling. She'll place herself between him and danger gladly. And, if push comes to shove, she'll scruff him by his cloak and carry him off.

• Serrat also displays an intricate and uncanny level of intelligence. It's believed that this is a combination of her adaptations and her cybernetics. Whatever the reason may be, she displays a keen sense of awareness of the Slayer and his status. If she realizes he hasn't eaten anything in a while, she will hunt and bring back prey for him. If he hasn't rested after a while, she will try to stop him from leaving their perceived "nest." If that doesn't work, she will lay on him to try and force him to rest. If the Slayer seems to be in poor spirits, Serrat will bring him various items she's noted seem to make him feel better (flowers, random scraps of armor or weapons, food, small fluffy creatures, etc.) If he hasn't cleaned himself in a while, Serrat will scruff him and dunk him in clean water or lick at him to try and clean him off. 

• Serrat seems to be aware that such activities as eating and sleeping are not necessary for the Slayer. However, that doesn't stop her from trying to take care of him and make him take care of himself.  She's a vigilant guardian and faithful companion to him, both in body and in spirit. 

• Oddly, it has been noted that Serrat can seemingly tell when the Slayer isn't himself. Particularly, she recognizes when he is under the influence of the Maykr's tether. She becomes more defensive and hesitant, though she still allows him to approach. 

• Additionally, Serrat seems to grow restless - bordering on distressed - if she is away from the Slayer for extended periods of time. She will try to fly around and find him, and will try to call out for him to ensure that he's okay.

• Serrat has an excellent sense of smell. She can track down just about anything -- using her mouth.