Nikolena Montgomery

=Physical Description=

Glossy red curls fall from the crown of her head to brush her lower back. Large, fiery, topaz-colored eyes rest under her perfectly shaped eyebrows. She has a thin nose that rounds out slightly on the tip and balances her features well. Her lips are full and a natural light pink color, and she has perfect, straight white teeth. High, soft cheekbones and a slightly rounded chin finish out her features.

Her body is petite with an hourglass figure, but she is deceptively strong from hours spent training and honing her skills. While Nikki is in no way able to hold her own in a fight, she is capable of using her speed and agility to tire out larger, stronger opponents when need be. Her true skill shines through when she is at a distance and able to use her bow. Her aim is deadly and precise, a product of years of constant practice.

Armor

 * Plain Clothes - Leggings and tunic-style tops are Nikki's go-to for everyday wear. She is a creature of comfort, so she often pairs this with a scarf and knee-high boots. The shirts are more often than not black, while her leggings vary in design and color.
 * Sailing Clothes - The deck of a ship is no place for plate or mail, so she can often be found in a typical naval outfit in a Kul Tiran style while sailing. The overcoat is a royal blue with gold trim that falls to mid-thigh, with thick black leggings tucked in to brown leather boots and a matching leather belt at her waist. If the coat is off, she typically has on a plain white or black sailor's shirt that falls to just below her ribs, exposing her midriff.
 * Leather Armor - Nikki's favorite set of armor is made of reinforced leather.
 * Mail Armor -

Arms
A leather belt is slung low across her hips, resting at an angle. On the lower-hanging side is a cutlass made of a dark metal with a black hilt. Tucked in a holster on the other side is a flintlock pistol, one of two she always has with her. Hanging next to that is a pouch of ammunition. The second pistol is tucked away out of sight, underneath her coat at the small of her back. Behind the buckle itself is a dagger, with a second one peeking out of the top of her boot. Finally, strapped to her back is a bow and accompanying quiver full of various kinds of arrows. Some carry normal tips, while others are full of poison or have explosive charges. The feathers on the shaft denote their function. The bow itself is a simple thing, a recurve bow made of dark wood with gold banding to make it stronger in certain spots.

Tattoos
A more recent addition to her appearance are her tattoos. On her left side is an anchor covered in flowers that covers a large, poorly healed scar. The scar itself is barely even visible because of the skill of the artist. Behind her right ear is a red fox, done in a watercolor style in honor of her pet fox, Tonks. Her right forearm sports a compass design with an arrow running from North to South. Her left wrist is decorated by three arrows. Each has its own particular style and size, representing Nikki and her two brothers. Taking up most of her back is a swallow design, a staple for most sailors as well-traveled as she. Finally, on her right ankle is a ship's wheel design with a mandala pattern in the middle.

=Personality=

It is rather obvious from the way she carries herself and the way she speaks that she is of noble birth. Her mannerisms while interacting with new people further reinforce this. When around those she trusts or knows well, her propriety slips and she is just 'one of the guys'. She has been described as clever, independent, headstrong and mischievous. She is a fun-loving, playful girl that is much more likely to crack a joke in serious situations than she is to act appropriately. She almost always has a playful smirk on her face and is not shy about flirting with anyone. Her confidence borders on cockyness at times, and her stubbornness frequently keeps her from listening to sense.

Beliefs
Despite growing up in Kul Tiras, Nikki was raised to follow her mother's faith. She accepted and understood the Tidesage faith and even went so far as to pray to the Tidemother while at sea, but her heart has always been drawn to the Light. She isn't the most faithful of followers, but she does occasionally pray when she remembers to.

Familial

 * Travis Ridley -
 * Amelia Bristol-Ridley -
 * Darion and Andrew Ridley -

Romantic

 * Tyr'nathar Dornelis -
 * Nathaniel Lancaster -

=History=

Adulthood
=Military Service=

Kul Tiras Navy
Nikki's time in the Navy started when she was just a child. She would stow away on her father's ship when he was leaving on a deployment and stay hidden until it was too late to turn back. The first time this happened, she fell in love with sailing. Thinking she could use a lesson in hard work, the Admiral made her earn her keep by keeping the ship clean. From there, it was a game to see if he could find her before they got too far out. Every time she revealed herself, she was made to work until she eventually stopped hiding and openly joined him when he left. Her love of sailing combined with her work ethic saw her rise quickly through the ranks. At the age of seventeen, she was made a Captain of her first ship, the LAS Storm's Reach. Her primary focus was to track down and capture pirate ships within Kul Tiran waters, something she was incredibly skilled at. She combined her knack for gathering and using information and her skill at sailing to capture over thirty enemy ships, but one pirate eluded her no matter what she tried. The attempts to arrest Captain Dornelis ultimately ended in the sinking of her ship during a storm and forced her to take a leave of absence from the Navy while she recovered from the horror of losing her entire crew as well as her physical injuries.

Kul Tiras Marine Corps
After the events involving Captain Dornelis, Nikki decided to transfer herself to the Fifth Fleet of the Marine Corps. She was placed in the Naval branch where she quickly rose to the rank of Third Lieutenant under Captain Godwyn Ladekahn. She participated in the Siege of Boralus Harbor, defending against the Horde and ultimately securing the area after the sinking of the enemy flagship. From there, the Corps deployed to Drustvar alongside The First Regiment. During a witchhunt in Glenbrook, Nikki was injured by a wicker creature. She was sent home to recover, but travelled to Stormwind instead. It was there that she realized her time serving Kul Tiras was at an end, so she put in for a transfer to the 125th Regiment. The request was approved immediately.

125th Regiment
There is not much to tell about Nikki's time with the Valorborne as of yet. She is currently a recruit with only one major deployment under her belt. Currently, she is leading an investigation into a group known as the Blackfang Syndicate that is accused of war crimes and conspiring with the Horde.

The Eastwatch
=Holdings=

Whitebark Cay
Whitebark Cay is located two miles off the northwestern coast of Westfall. The climate is temperate, though only pine trees make up the large flora of the isle. It is agriculturally self-sufficient, with enough fields to support the city with enough left over to store provisions for winter. For obvious reasons, fish is the main source of meat for the citizens. The island holds one main town with a population of roughly five hundred. Nikolena's residence, Pinewood Manor, overlooks the town from a cliff. The entire settlement is surrounded by a wall to protect from the beasts in the mountains.

Within the mountains there are several packs of wolves that feed off of the mountain goats, deer, and moose that live in the forests. Occasionally hunters will be sent in to the forest to bring back some of the larger game for feasts and festivals, but people generally avoid the areas outside the wall. Other fauna include beavers, foxes, falcons, owls, squirrels, and songbirds. There are also various farm animals that are raised by individuals for milk, eggs, or meat.

The island's chief exports include rock, precious metals, and gems quarried from mines within the mountains, wood from the pine forests, and fish.

Crystalbrook Manor
Nikolena's birthplace is located in Tiragarde Sound, between the Norwington Estate and Hatherford. It is an old Kul Tiran manor house situated on several acres of land. It boasts exquisite gardens along with a large kennel and stables for her father's animals. A second, smaller house provides living quarters for the staff as well. Upon the death of her father, the estate is to be left to Nikki.

=Companions=

Tonks
Quite possibly the love of Nikki's life, Tonks came to her in a way she could never have expected. While walking in the woods near the Norwington Hunting Grounds one day, Nikki stumbled upon an injured red fox kit cowering in a bush while a foxhound searched all around for him. She scared off the dog and took him back home, where she tended to his wounds and gave him a safe refuge to recover his strength. She took precautions the entire time to limit his exposure to humans, but her attempts to release him into the wild were less than successful. He had somehow become used to her, and followed her home every time she tried to run him off. After several tries, she finally gave in and he became her closest friend.

To this day, Tonks accompanies Nikki everywhere. Everyone who knows her well refers to him as 'the Boss', while she calls him a little red menace. His favorite pastimes include burrowing under blankets to attack feet, stealing any and all bacon that he can get his paws on, and making a nest out of every pillow in sight. Despite her best efforts to train him, Tonks has remained a (slightly domesticated) wild fox. He is little over eight months old now and still has quite a bit of maturing to do, but he is a loyal and protective shadow for his mistress.

Addler
Addler was a gift from Tyr'nathar to Nikki as part of their engagement. Nikki had always wanted a falcon, but was never around at the right time of year to capture a fledgeling to train. Tyr managed to call in a few favors and surprised her with the bird the same day he asked her to marry him. In true Nikki fashion, she was more excited about the bird than the prospect of marrying the love of her life!

She named him Addler and set to training him right away. His primary function was to be a messenger bird between ships of the fleet, but he ended up becoming her most protective companion, even more so than Tonks. He is constantly hovering around her or sitting on her shoulder. When on missions, he acts as a scout and an extra set of eyes for his mistress while she works from the ground or the ship. His favorite pastime is 'grooming' her hair in to a messy tangle and bringing her dead prey animals as presents. Nikki is sure to shower praise on him while quietly disposing of the dead things when Addler isn't looking.

Addler isn't only trained to carry messages and scout, though. Nikki has managed to teach him signals that he carries out seamlessly while she is attacking with her bow. The two make a formidable pair and have managed to nearly perfect the art of distracting the enemy while the other attacks, giving them an edge in combat.

Aravys
Aravys was a gift from Nikki's father on her twenty first birthday. He is a purebred stallion from the Norwington stables, raised to accompany her on the ship so he is always available when she needs him on her travels. He has a knack for finding and sneaking any apples and carrots within a mile of himself, and will shamelessly dig through a stranger's pack in search of the treats. As a result, he has become quite spoiled and will only eat the finest of foods, which Nikki is more than happy to supply.

Aravys is a gentle giant that adores Nikki, allowing her to braid his long mane and tail so long as she is willing to give him a good brushing after. He tolerates Tonks being a minor annoyance to him, but he is hardly a fan of Addler. Any time the falcon tries to land on him, the horse shakes him off or whips him with his tail until the bird is forced to find a more willing perch, usually on Nikki's shoulder.