Meabh Eir [Work in Progress]

(Not using a template just yet. Will change it once the character is further along.)

Name: Meabh Saoirse Eir
Nickname: Mabel Evans, Rachel Donnelly, etc. and Bánánach (from her old PIRA boys)
Age: 43
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Sexuality: Bisexual
Organization: True Cross
Rank: Field Operative and Head Firearms Instructor

Appearance: A woman who has lived through literal hell and high water, Meabh’s body has been honed to a fine degree. Her 5’8” frame is carrying little fat and no small amount of muscle, coming in around 155lbs, and though she may at first glance appear simply trim in reality her body is sculpted planes of hard muscle and scar-marred cream skin. Sometimes in thin threads, other times in landscapes of ruined flesh, the scars she bears are markers of her life until the True Cross; brutal shrapnel trauma, bullet holes and knife wounds have all left their imprint on her physical form, a constant reminder as to the cost of doing business in her line of work. One scar in particular stands out, as it is located on the first thing most people see: her face. Cutting a meandering path from her right temple, across her cheek, and down her jaw, this inkvine scar is the most prominent and forceful indicator that this woman has done more with her life than a simple desk job.

Rich, vibrant red hair frames her face in short layers, coming to rest just above her collar bones. In its normal state, it is simply tucked behind her ears or allowed to wander freely; when in training or combat, it is pulled back into a small ponytail to prevent its wandering into her eyes. And those eyes of hers are slate grey and calculating, and though occasionally cold, they are never cruel. Rarely do her lips smile, but often her eyes will do all the talking for her.

When training, teaching, or hanging about the range, Meabh’s go-to apparel generally consists of fitted t-shirts or long sleeved t’s; BDU pants in either grey, black or tan; military style boots in black or tan; web belt to match; and hooded zip-up sweater. There are also gloves (Mechanix Original Vent Covered) that have a slit in the index finger of both hands for her trigger finger; her finger is never actually exposed until she needs to shoot long range. To her, this is the most comfortable, economical and efficient “fashion” she could find, and it has suited her well for the past two decades or so.

However, when on mission, she will switch out a few things in order to find the most appropriate set-up for the mission parameters. Often the t-shirts become some form of Under Armor compression shirt, while the BDU colour is chosen based on operating area. Again, depending on the mission, she will don a tactical vest or bullet resistant vest that is configured to her needs for the operation.

For her time in the rest of the world - what little time that may be - Meabh prefers to side with casual if she can. Fitted blue jeans, t-shirts or camisoles, and a tailored military jacket. There may be an occasional muted scarf as well, a hold-over from her days of not knowing if you would need a tourniquet or a bandage in the field.


As for the smaller things, Meabh wears a Luminox Recon watch at all times, as well as her escape ring and EDC knife (see: Equipment). She wears no jewelry or piercings as they could become snagged or pulled during a mission.  

Equipment:
DAK SIG-Saur P229R: A compact version of the P226, the P229 is designed in general for conceal carry while still packing quite a punch. This particular handgun is a DAK (Double Action Kellerman) model, which is a DAO system with two trigger reset points, and a lighter, smoother pull than that of traditional DAO handguns. It is chambered for the .357 SIG round, a hefty caliber for something of its size, and indeed a decently large caliber for just about anything that goes bump in the night. The magazines carry twelve (12) blessed rounds each, and they are modified with grip enhancements to give slightly more room for the hand and to protect the magazine well. The grip itself is covered in an an anti-slip material that provides excellent handling in even the wettest environments. (Meabh always carries 12+1 in the P229, as well as two spare magazines on her person.) There was a long stretch in her life where she wouldn’t bother holding on to a weapon unless she had to; now that she has found a place to come home to, she makes a little more concerted effort to keep hold of this one. (The type of ammunition will be determined by the parameters of the mission, i.e. silver, hollow point, etc.)

Unique Alpine TPG-3 A4: A fairly new and certainly not widely-used sniper rifle, the TPG-3 A4 is designed solely for tactical, high precision long-range shooting. Overall length is 46 ½ inches from butt to muzzle, with the fluted barrel taking up 26” worth of that total, and weighs in at 13 ½ lbs (empty). The chassis, stock, mount and action are all hard-coated aluminium, while the bolt and the barrel are steel, the latter being ceramic coated to prevent issues from exposure. While her previous TPG-1 originally came with a polished, anti-corrosion finish on the barrel, with the TPG-3 everything is matte black or grey finish down the the trigger.

Speaking of which, the entire rifle has allowed for some amazing modification and customization on the travel, pull, weight, and trigger stop, meaning this rifle has been set to only one person’s shooting standards: hers. Others may be able to fire it, but no one will be able to pull the incredible accuracy and consistency out of it that she does. As for the smaller details, the rifle is fitted with a bipod and monopod (butt spike), and a fully adjustable stock. Due to the TC operative’s gifted eyesight, she does not rely on scopes for any engagement less than 600 yards; however, if over that amount, she will use a version of the Vortex Razor HD 5-20x50 EBR-3 scope. Regardless of range, if at night she will use appropriate nightvision gear.

The TPG-3 is chambered for the devastating .338 Lapua Magnum round, more than enough to kill a man and hefty enough to drop something supernatural. The polyamide magazines hold five (5) rounds each, and though there are larger capacity magazines available, Meabh doesn’t care for the way they feel with the rifle. The .338 rounds themselves are a mixture of types, each used depending on the situation. Always blessed, they come in everything from standard FMJ to tracer and the monstrous HEIAP (High Explosive Incendiary Armor Piercing) rounds, that are enough to take down a decently armored vehicle (and most of whatever is inside); most of the .338 ammunition has an effective range of 2100 yards. Again, depending on the mission, Meabh will choose whatever ammunition is appropriate; she will also carry the number of magazines she feels the situation warrants (no fewer than two (2)).

FNH SCAR-H Mk 17 Mod 0: The battle rifle version of the modular assault rifle SCAR, the SCAR-H fire the standard 7.62x51mm NATO round, and has an effective range of 660 yards; more than enough should close sniping be called for, yet also enough range to cover strays and stragglers. It comes in at 38 inches flat with the stock open, and the barrel takes up 16 inches of that length, which is a decently sized, middle-ground weapon for possible urban combat. When empty of its 20 round box magazine, the matte black rifle weighs just a hair under 8 lbs, making it an easier carry than her TPG-3. It is not fitted with a scope, however it does utilize a EOTech holographic sight. (This rifle is used according to mission parameters, and the type of ammunition used is based on the situational need.)

Denal Mechem NTW-20: The largest and most intimidating of all her weaponry, the Mechem seems to have a life all its own. Sleek, imposing and elegantly black, this enormous rifle is 79 inches in total length, and weighs in at a staggering 61 lbs, meaning it takes two people to carry (separated into two carry packs). Of course, it needs the size to be able to withstand the massive 14.5 x 114 mm Russian and 20 x 83.5 mm MG151 rounds it fires.

These two versions have slightly different applications: 20mm version, built around WW2-era German MG-151 aircraft gun round, can deliver high explosive, fragmentation or incendiary shells with accuracy, so a relatively "soft" target could be disabled by the blast and/or fragments. When long range and armor penetration is an issue, the 14.5mm version comes into the play. It is built around another WW2-era round, Soviet 14.5mm high velocity, armor-piercing cartridge, developed for PTRD and PTRS anti-tank rifles and still widely used in Russian KPV / KPVT heavy machine guns on armored cars and in anti-aircraft mounts. While not as precision accurate as the specially developed .50 BMG (12.7x99mm) rifles, mostly due to unavailability of the "match grade" ammunition in the 14.5mm and 20mm, NTW-20 offers significantly more terminal effectiveness than any .50 BMG rifle/round combination. The 20 mm version would be most effective against targets like parked aircrafts and helicopters, command and communications equipment, radar cabins, fuel dumps, unarmored cars, while the 14.5 mm version will be more effective against armored personnel carriers or relatively large "soft" targets at extended ranges.

The barrel can be interchanged in little over than a minute in the field, meaning technically both calibers can be used in the same encounter, without needing two distinct rifles. This makes whatever team is utilizing the Mechem exceptional in their ability to provide cover and create large amounts of destruction with accuracy from well over a mile away. Fed by a three round box magazine, the rifle doesn’t have a lot of continuous support compared to five or seven round magazines in most other long-range rifles.

Of course, firing the Mechem repeatedly takes its toll, as it is believed to have the largest amount of recoil of any known personal weapon, often times detailed as the most recoil an average soldier can handle. Meabh does not use this rifle on the regular; it is regulated to larger scale offensives and heavier targets. Unlike the TPG-3, the Mechem requires a scope, as it is bereft of open iron sights; it is also rarely used for any target less than 1500 yards.

Long Tactical Knife: Chosen for functionality of design before “does it look pretty”, this blade is 8.75 inches of Anodized AUS-6 stainless steel, coated in a corrosion resistant finish. The grip is wrapped with a no-slip, textured rubber polymer, and the blade itself contains no silver. However, there is a strip of pure silver placed just above the cutting edge, making it a “silvered’ weapon without compromising the integrity of the steel; this silver must be replaced over time. It is also blessed.

EDC Knife: An everyday carry (EDC) knife by Kershaw Knives, the Lonerock folding drop point knife blade is 3.5 inches long, and is made of 8Cr13MoV steel, with a titanium carbo-nitride coating. The grip is glass-filled nylon with a K-texture finish. The knife has been modified to include a belt clip, and while it is not silvered, it is blessed, as it is a utility and last stand knife.

Grenades: Though she will often use standard smoke, incendiary, and stun grenades, Meabh’s go-to grenade in combat with the supernatural is a modified M67 fragmentation grenade. They are slightly larger than the standard M67 as they are comprised not only of a main charge filler, but also silver shavings. The interior of the body is lined in blessed silver as well, which means when it detonates, not only is the effective casualty-producing radius 15 meters (16.5 yards) and the killing radius 5 meters (5.4 yards), but it is also throwing out blessed silver shrapnel in addition to normal fragmentation shrapnel.

There is also her custom atomized silver smoke grenades, based on the AN-M8 HC White Smoke grenade. They “burn” for 100 seconds and create a cloud of white, silver-infused smoke. It is harmful to creatures sensitive to silver, as they are instantly coated in the substance and remain taking damage from it until they move outside the area and wash themselves clean. (If in enclosed environment, the cloud will remain for as long as 15 minutes.) However, there is a drawback with this grenade, as is hides both sides from one another, unless they have some form of thermal imaging available. As with most of her equipment, these grenades (and any others) are chosen base on the mission.

Holsters: Meabh is a master at mixing and matching, utilizing the setup needed for whatever mission she is on with maximum efficiency. Granted, when she is just around TC, she will wear her SIG in a thin conceal holster at the small of her back, as well as black Kydex belt-holsters for her two spare magazines. When on mission, she will either use a chest holster (when not sniping) or a drop-leg holster (as it stays out of the way when she is prone).

Mobile Phone: This mobile phone can withstand just about anything thrown at it, and while it may not be able to play Angry Birds or Candy Crush, it has been loaded with programs for weather data, topographical layouts, street maps and ballistics calculator (to complete extremely long missions). All important for her job, especially when she is without a spotter.

Rosary: http://cdn.instructables.com/FAB/TBR4/HHMI6YWY/FABTBR4HHMI6YWY.LARGE.jpg


Wallet:a charcoal grey Trayvax wallet made of aircraft grade aluminium. It is designed to protect against RFID scanners, and it capable of taking a great deal of torture before breaking, or even bending.

Sobranie cigarettes: The distinctive black cigarettes hooked Meabh when she was in her 20’s and she has kept them around for the occasional smoke ever since. She isn’t an idiot when it comes to smoking; the act is terrible for her lungs if she continues on a constant basis, and she needs those lungs for her job. So, she rarely uses them, most usually as a small “reward” or a momentary de-stresser after a particularly hairy mission.

Lighter: a vintage Zippo given to her by a charming, brutal man in Chechnya. She has kept it on her person ever since.

Escape ring: worn on the middle finger of her left hand, this titanium ring looks simple enough. However, when removed, a thin razor can be removed from inside, strong enough to cut through most rope and duct tape.

Luminox Recon Watch: Used by Navy SEAL members, this analog watch features a tachymeter calibrated to measure walking speeds so distance traveled can be determined, as well as a compass created by arranging the minute and hour hands. The watch has an “always on” feature of the face and hands, which use luminescent tubes that last for 25 years and are clearly visible, even in no-light conditions. The Recon watch is encased in a reinforced polycarbonate with a sapphire crystal face and is water resistant to 200 meters. It is always worn facing in.

Personality:

Abilities:Esau’s Eyes [innate]: An ability only recently (past four years) acquired, Esau’s Eyes allow the red headed sniper to see farther and clearer than any normal human should. The Faeth ability grants her sight that is perfect out to six hundred (600) yards in ideal conditions. Up to that distance, she can see license plate numbers and discern facial features as though they were directly in front of her. This allows her to shoot without the use of a scope up to six hundred (600) yards, though rarely will she go beyond five hundred (500) yards without one. This ability can be turned on and off, particularly in day to day living where such extreme sight modifications are not needed; if used too often, it will cause headaches and tired eyes, so much so that when Esau’s Eyes are switched “off”, normal eyesight will be compromised to less than 20/50 vision for a brief period of time. The only discernible difference in her appearance during the use of the Eyes is the subtle glassy effect in her grey eyes; they are not reflective, but they do have a slight sheen to them, including the pupil. It can be unsettling to witness for the first time, however most operatives are now unphased by it. (This is a continuous ability that is used as necessary. Can be turned “on” or “off” in one post.)

Colours of Heaven (Minor) [1 Soul Point]: Once Meabh unlocked her ability to use the Eyes, her next available Faeth ability is the Colours of Heaven. This particular trait allows her to see the “aura” or spiritual footprint of supernatural creatures, or those who deal in the supernatural or divine (necromancers, mages, other True Cross members, etc) at any range she can distinguish individual creatures. Each target has a different aura depending on their type (vampire, lycan, mage, etc.) and they can be tracked via this aura even in a crowd, though not behind solid structures. Meabh may focus on only one (1) individual at any one time to distinguish their aura type; she may change this focus at any time, however she loses the aura of the previous target. She is also capable of tracking them at night, or even in no-light situations.[The colours for the auras are as follows: vampires show metallic red, lycans show earthen brown, Revenants show dirty grey, mages (of all types) show shades of blue, necromancers show near-black metallic grey, Fae show shades of green, demonic entities show black-streaked red, Divine users show copper and gold.](This ability can be used up to eight (8) posts non-consecutive in any one encounter. Can be turned “on” or “off” in one post.)

Colours of Heaven (Major) [2 Soul Points]: The same as Colours of Heaven Minor, except Meabh can track groups of individuals with up to fifteen (15) members present. And, just as CoH Minor, Meabh can choose to switch to a different supernatural at any time, however she will lose the aura of an individual previous (if the maximum number is already being tracked); she does have control over which aura is lost. She can also now see the “strength” (i.e. level) of the creature through the intensity of the aura. (This ability can be used up to six (6) posts non-consecutive in any one encounter. Can be turned “on” or “off” in one post.)

Colours of Earth [3 Soul Points]: The most powerful and subsequently the most taxing, Colours of Earth allow Meabh to see her target’s auras through solid objects (even if she had not previously tracked them prior to their taking cover). She can “see” the auras through walls up to 4 feet of concrete, 1 foot of steel, 8 inches of lead, 1 foot for most other metals, and 4 feet of wood. This may vary depending on what else is mixed in with the pure materials, but in general those are numbers to adhere to. She is also capable of seeing her targets through earthworks, such as 2 feet of hard stone, 3 feet of soft stone, 4 feet of unpacked earth, and 2.5 feet of packed earth. Again, this is a general rule, as there may be extenuating circumstances to the materials involved. (Also through 20 feet of water.) The use of this ability coincides with the Colours of Heaven (Minor and Major), and if it is used continuously to its maximum, it can lead to headaches, eye fatigue, and nausea. (This ability can be used up to six (6) posts non consecutive in any one encounter. Can be turned “on” or “off” in one post.)

Swift is the Mind [innate]: Meabh is capable of making calculations and last second adjustments to her shot just based on mental capability alone. This is an ability she has honed from years in the field, and only recently realized it is an actual Faeth related ability. When working out the MOA for a shot, the redhead is able to do all calculations in her head for shots shorter than 1800 yards (1 mile), and is vastly faster than any calculator or computer performing the same task. This also means she has no need for a spotter for anything under 1800 yards (in other words, any shot with her TPG-3). This is a constant ability that cannot be turned “off”.

Swift is the Hand [1 Soul Point]: Though she may have a wickedly fast mind, it doesn’t help much unless her hands are quick enough to act on what her brain perceives. Once she recognizes a target at range (longer than immediate), Meabh’s hands can shoot with accuracy at a speed to keep up with a Talamaur level vampire (or its other racial equivalent). However, this ability does come with cost, as it will tire the user after continuous, maximum use; Meabh will grow steadily physically tired as the ability wears on, and it is a lingering effect that only goes away with an hour or so of rest. (This ability can be used up to six (6) posts non consecutive in any one encounter.)

Swift is the Body [3 Soul Points]: Reactionary speed faster (4 posts non consecutive)

Remarkable and unique, Meabh’s abilities make her a precise and deadly operative. First and foremost among those hard-learned traits is her uncanny skill with a rifle, particularly long range sniping. No matter the weather or terrain, the red head marksman can pinpoint a target and silence it with ease. Her incredible eyesight helps in this regard, but even with divinely blessed eyes, there is more to the act than simply point and shoot. She is capable of doing MOA (minute of angle) calculations quickly and accurately, many times simply in her head (but that is usually regulated to shots made from under 1800 yards), which means she is rarely in need of a spotter when in the field. She does occasionally utilize a ballistics calculator for any shot she has time to set up for it, or when she is without a spotter for extremely long range shots (over 1800 yards); this includes calculations for wind, drop, distance, and a half dozen other variables that come into play when taking such a long shot.

This is not a talent that many (or any, as her case relies on Swift is the Mind) can achieve, as a vast majority of snipers need spotters for their longer shots (and sometimes even just the shorter ones as well in difficult situations). Such remarkable talent has left her name in the minds of many in her world, and very few in the business of long range “reach out and touch someone” don’t know of her, or her various exploits. Even before the Eyes, Meabh as able to perform these calculations with speed and precision while utilizing a scope; now, she is even more deadly, because she is not reliant on the narrow vision of a scope.

However, Meabh’s singular capabilities with a rifle also transfer over to her handling of most other ballistics weapons, including (but not limited to) assault rifles, submachine guns, light machine guns, handguns and shotguns. She does of course prefer the sniper rifle, handgun, and assault rifles - in that order - but that doesn't mean she isn’t proficient in the others. Her quick mind lends itself to making crack shots with the AR’s, while her familiarity and love of the handgun allows her to utilize it in close combat situation with ease and competency. Indeed, her uncommon mental quickness lends itself quite well to combat instances that more commonly find knives and fists drawn, and instead she is able to use a sidearm with the ease of a natural appendage.

Along the lines of that same “up close and personal” style of fighting is Meabh’s talent for unarmed combat, as well as knives of various sizes. The main form actually taught to her is Systema (from her stint in Russia), though she has always been open to learning new or modified moves from various other styles. Systema in particular held her attention the longest, and instilled in her more than simply how to fight; the driving philosophy behind Systema is to make sure that your training and your attitudes do no damage to the body or the psyche of you or your partners. It is designed to create, build and strengthen your body and your psyche. The body has to be free of tensions, filled with endurance, flexibility, effortless movement, and explosive potential; the "spirit" or psychological state has to be calm, free of anger, irritation, fear, self-pity, delusion, and pride. Because of this mentality, Meabh learned to keep calm and collected in dangerous situations, as well as relaxed in moments of extreme danger or pressure. While it might seem like a rather laid-back and non-violent style of fighting, Systema revolves its training around hand to hand combat, grappling, knife fighting and firearms training (among others), and within that training is found some of the most brutal manipulations of joints and pressure points of any martial art.

And though she may rely on firearms more than her knife, Meabh is trained (through “studies” in the field with her PIRA buddies) in the creation and disarming of IED’s and tactical explosives. While she might not be able to whip up the most sophisticated explosive on command, she is quite capable of putting together an IED that would put most bomb squads on high alert. And again, she is able to diffuse most of them as well, although the more complicated and elaborate they are, the more likely she will simply pass it on to someone with expertise on the subject.

All of this culminates in her profound ability to wage urban warfare with the best of operatives. Sure, she has been in deserts and arid mountains, but her bread and butter are the dangerous, ever shifting landscapes of the cities and towns she served in for a little over two decades. Meabh can find a hidey spot on a roof or near a window or under a car and practically disappear from sight, even to those usually talented in finding people like her. And when in the thick of it, she is capable of moving through buildings, clearing rooms as she goes; she has worked with teams before doing this sort of work, but it was not the norm for her until she joined True Cross. And since then, she has picked up training for TACE (Tactical Adaptive Combat and Evasion), building on her already fundamental understanding of parkour; she was never very flashy with it, as it was only a way to get from point A to point B efficiently and quickly. TACE has become something to enjoy training in, particularly when chased by the TACE head instructor, Kheda Duadev; it is something that pushes her to think in ways she has been missing since coming in from her previous “job”.

For her less active, combat oriented abilities, Meabh is lockpicking most normal locks and deadbolts, though anything elaborate and she will just step away from it, as well as breaking into and hotwiring a car (though she tends to stray away from anything newer than the early 2000’s, as that was when anti-tampering devices started to be the norm, and really, she was in countries where anything younger than 1980 was a miracle, so she never bothered to learn how to get around them). She is also knows just enough about computers and modern technology to keep herself out of prison and in the dark during her pre-TC days; she is not computer illiterate by any means, but she won’t pass for a hacker or tech wiz either. Meabh relied on other contacts to keep her information clean on the international scene.

In parallel to her computer competency, the redhead knows her own “tradecraft”. Tradecraft can encompass many things, but for her it is mostly black bag operations (dealing often with lockpicking and breaking and entering), concealment devices, dead drops, false flag operations, and of course “wetwork”.This she most certainly learned first from her PIRA family - which she has to be thankful for even to this day - and was honed through years of practice and failure.

Another part of her PIRA days that continues with her today is her defensive and offensive driving capabilities. Whether in the sucking mud of the Congo or the smooth streets of Paris, Meabh is quite able to drive most civilian vehicles in a manner that either ensures her safety or the surety of her (and any others in the vehicle) escape. It is aided by her incredible situational awareness; the sniper is quite aware at all times of what is going on around her, whether she is in a car, at a dinner table, or behind a rifle (this has saved her rear more than once in her life).

And again, thanks to the PIRA and her Russian pals, Meabh is trained in rappelling from just about anything (including helicopters and buildings). They (both) also taught her how to hand load ammunition; in other words, how to create a complete round from spent casings and new bullets by hand. But perhaps the greatest thing she learned from them was basic field medicine and minor field surgery; she can stitch up most wounds that aren’t life threatening or serious, and she knows how to treat serious wounds to give the injured person just a little more time to find someone who really knows what they are doing.

In the more minor of her abilities, Meabh is a capable cook, decent seamstress (most usually simply patch repair and darning), and a damn good pool shark. The sniper also speaks English, Irish (Gaelic, her “family” tongue), French, Russian, decent Italian (from her stay with True Cross), some Chechen, and a smattering of Arabic, as well as variations of hand signals commonly used by military and covert operators around the world.


Biography: