Speak softly, carry a big stick

There were a painful few weeks back where I was restructuring my Guardian world. Found I needed a new character for an outside role. It would involve a primarily solitary existence sprinkled with some team playing. Upon asking myself who would be good for such a role, I came up with two basic people. Rugged mountain folk,  and the creative soles. Someone who doesn't conform with society, a free thinker. And so, Kalina was created. She's my first character created from scratch, not modeled after anyone. I had a lot of fun creating such an eccentric character. She's an artist, lives for bringing the peace and simple beauty of nature onto a canvas. And often, evidence of that paint can be found on her face, clothes, or in her hair. Every artist knows, art isn't clean! If your work doesn't reflect on you, are you even an artist?

Teddy Roosevelt believed that if you spoke softly and carried a big stick, you would go far. Kalina is my version of that. She uses her skill, plant manipulation, to track danger, to hide their passage and to restrain foes without the singing of a single sword passing through the air. Her ability allows her to get her point across without violence, without raising her voice. 

She is often found wearing clothes that don't match, living in her cluttered hut on the edge of the city that overlooks the forest. She has an old wall phone for contact with Headquarters and bean bag chairs for seating. Who needs an expensive couch anyways? 

Every war needs it's defenders, someone more eager to protect then to fight. Someone who sees beauty in peace. And that is where Kalina steps in.