Oriana was born on a tiny moon called Caesaria, a fiercely Christian colony with a small, tight knit population. Her father, being the pastor, made many of the major decisions for the colony, and was well liked and respected. Caesaria had a steady trade of sheep’s wool with the neighboring planet named Eden. While uninhabitable, Eden was used as a trade depot for several surrounding planets. Because the surrounding planets tended to be cold, Caesaria’s wool was in high demand, and the colony lived in comfort and peace. Growing up as one of the oldest amongst thirteen brothers and sisters (after all, the Lord commanded them to be fruitful), Ori was expected to marry a man with a sizable flock, and create their own huge family, hopefully to expand to the other moons around Eden and spread God’s word.
All was well until Caesaria received a strange visitor. A man, declaring himself a monk, landed moon-side and began demanding hospitality. Ori’s father, always the trusting and gracious man, took the stranger in and fed him. Ori’s mother, who was more cautious and disliked having this man around her children, politely put her foot down at the man’s staying for more than a night.
If only she had demanded that he left then and there.
That night, while the house slept, a giant procession of ships landed in the colony and began turning people out of their houses. Ori’s father, being the leader, stepped out to protest the mistreatment of his people. The strangers arrested him, apparently for the reason of leading a rebellion against the Alliance; upon finding their mysterious “guest,” Ori’s father was executed on the spot.
Of course, this didn’t sit well with the colonists. Grabbing anything that resembled a weapon, the colonists rallied against the occupation.
The massacre was swift and brutal. Anyone who fought against the newcomers was struck down immediately. Ori, who had been trying to stop her brothers and sisters from attacking, found herself caught in the middle of the battle. A gun spun at her, and she picked it up, hoping to give it to someone else. But something made Ori pause. She looked down at the gun. It felt right in her hand, like it had always belonged there. Everything else seemed to melt away… Until she heard her brother, Oliver, screaming as a man grabbed him by the neck and pointed his gun into his chest. Without thinking, Ori raised her gun and shot the man between the eyes. Grinning, she turned to Oliver, but he was looking at her with an expression of horror and disgust.
After the battle, the strangers left the colony in ruins, and the few colonists that were left flew to Eden, hoping to find someone who would help them rebuild or take them somewhere they could find work. Ori separated herself from the five siblings that were left of her family; the story of her sudden prowess had spread through the survivors, and the gunless colony found they could not be around her without being jumpy and suspicious. Ori became depressed, and after suffering through a few days on Eden, hitched a ride with a passing merchant. The captain, named Lance, discovered her skill with a gun and immediately outfitted her with a weapon of her choice. Ori chose the pistol that she has with her to this day, affectionately named “Bessie.” While having reservations about shooting people, Ori abandoned the religion she had grown up with, picturing the frightened and terrified faces of her family. It was around this time that Ori’s characteristic shaking began; the medic tried a number of medications to relax her and was baffled when nothing worked and only hindered her abilities during jobs.
It was her shaking that caused the end of her job. Suspicious of her tremors, Lance demanded the medic fix it. Panicked, and afraid he would lose his job, the medic told Lance that Ori was close to a nervous breakdown. His paranoia confirmed by a lying medic, Lance dumped Ori at their next drop, Ita Moon. Stranded with nothing but Bessie and a little cash, Ori was forced to beg for food, and the next big ship that came through became her hiding place. The stowaway was discovered and thrown out at New Melbourne, where she met the group. Onward!
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Here's my tK profile, for her appearance.
Oriana isn’t what you’d call an ordinary hired gun. She is small and slight, measuring a mere five feet and two inches. Tight black curls fall below her shoulders; paired with her pale Irish skin, she gives a slightly vampire-esque impression. Vivid green eyes stand out on her face, which are slightly too large; otherwise she is passably pretty.
Oriana can be found wearing worn jeans and brightly colored blouses. Often she adds a well-loved black trench coat, which ensures that her side-arm stays out of view. Light boots accompany this getup; the looseness of her clothing suggests ease of movement.
Though she acts sickeningly cheery mixed in with slight naivety, Oriana’s eyes never rest upon one thing for more than a moment. Upon closer examination, she appears to be shaking slightly, especially in her fingers. Theories and rumors propose this shaking a side effect of her reflexes; it’s been said that she can draw a gun so fast, it seems as if the gun simply jumped into her hand. Her gun of choice, a small and yet hefty pistol, never leaves her side, and she affectionately refers to it as “Bessie.”
