Hurricane's Quill

Hurricane's Quill (commonly referred to as "HQ" or "Quill" for simplicity's sake) is the newest member of the Author sworn to defend against threats of the Darksides and their leader, Drake Darkstar. HQ first appeared in Author Fighters: Fair Folk Assault. He is voiced by Dave Wittenburg (the voice of Welkin Gunther in Valkyria Chronicles), and his theme song is "the Ace of Spades" by Motorhead.

While he is a front-line fighter at heart, Dimensiondude noted that HQ's true strength lies in strategy. While his fighting skills are above average at best, his knowledge in mass combat tactics is excellent. He is often called in to organize movements for Author Fighter teams as well as their allies.

HQ's Origins
Hurricane's Quill was born the son of Garda, the Goddess of Snow. God-Blooded like HQ are uncommon, but not unheard of. However, when a Yozi named Adjoran, the Silent Wind attacked Garda in hopes of taking HQ and corrupting him to the Yozi cause, she was forced to orphan him to protect him from the Yozis. So HQ grew up amongst the beastmen and the Lunar Exalted of the Haslanti League, knowing he would be safe among their number.

Even though HQ is not a Lunar or a beastman, HQ went through the Lunar trials and became an honorary member of the Silver Pact, the federation of Lunar tribes that are scattered throughout the edge of Creation. He is a member of the Swords of Luna, the Wardens of Gaia, and the Winding Path. To show his affiliation with these Lunar factions, HQ has the emblems of each one on the back of his trenchcoat.

Joining the Author Fighters
HQ first met the Author Fighters after saving one of their own, Hikari Ino, from the Varajtul, a tribe of Wyld-tainted cannibals that roam the North. He learned that the Author Fighters were on the same mission he was: to track Drake Darkstar's movements in Creation. HQ led them to where he had figured the base would be. However, two of his teammates, Shinji and Asuka, accidentally tripped the alarm, and were forced to high-tail it out of the base. When a Fair Folk tried to parley with the Author Fighters, HQ ended up putting a pair of bullets in the diplomat's head. After a falling out with DM, HQ and the Author Fighters went their separate ways, HQ taking the Court of Daiklaves back to Icehome, the Author Fighters to take on Drake.

When they failed, Sakina went to tell HQ, even surviving numerous wounds inflicted by the Varajtul, even going so far as to beg for forgiveness for making DM and the others think he was a demon. Eventually, HQ was won over and went back to Drake's base, freeing the Fighters, only to have the Weaver of Idyllic Dreams bar the way, in the meantime destroying HQ's weapons before he was called away by Drake.

HQ was pretty broken after his defeat, but when the Weaver went behind Drake's back and marched on Icehome, HQ was led by an unseen force to a First Age manse below the Court of Daiklaves building, where he came across his weapon, Gardafang. When he faced the Weaver, he fell again, and this time the Weaver finished the job and killed HQ...or so he thought. It was here that HQ learned the truth: he was the Heir of Garda, the son of one of the greater goddesses of snow. His newly-awakened Essence suddenly supercharging his body and rejuvenated by the Life Auras, HQ took up Gardafang and slew the Fair Folk in single combat. The Haslanti League beastmen then appeared and routed the Varajtul.

DM offered him the chance to become an Author Fighter, but HQ needed some time to think and went back to Snowflake Point, where the battle had taken place. However, thanks to BlackcatRin and at the behest of the Court of Daiklaves, HQ took up DM on his offer.

X's Valentine's Day Palooza
HQ took part in the Valentine's Day bash hosted by the Author Fighters, even though he fell ill after eating Dimensiondude's cooking (the meat was horribly undercooked) and getting shot at from Caboose and X Prodigy, and then singing "Crashed" by Daughtry.

The Author Fighters Triple Author Program
HQ is the man in charge of Team Daiklave, a triple author team consisting of Jean Kazuhiza and BlackcatRin. Their allies include Nero (Devil May Cry 4), Seras Victoria (Hellsing), The Comedian (Watchmen), Lucy (Elfen Lied), Rukia Kuchiki (BLEACH), and Sora (Kingdom Hearts). Their mission is to follow the moves of Terek Kenswell and his allies, although many times they ended up fighting the Draconian of Dark Lightning and his team as well, so they probably have the biggest case load of all the Triple Author Teams.

Relationships
HQ is loyal to all his Author Fighter friends, but he's especially good friends with Hikari, given the fact that they both come from similar backgrounds. In fact, HQ views Hikari as the younger sister that he never had, and takes great lengths to protect her alongside Darkmagicianmon.

HQ's relationship with DM was tenuous after HQ went to save them at Drake's base in Creation, but everything smoothed over after a while. His biggest rival is Ranger24, whom he views as a cocky windbag who needs to have the stuffing knocked out of him. This causes him to be good friends with Roscoso who also think's that Ranger needs to be knocked off his high horse. After that, HQ also has a rivalry with Rushuna Tendo, the busty blonde-haired gunslinger. They have often against and alongside each other, and it is often considered to be a fight similar to that of Alexander Anderson and Alucard, or maybe Cloud and Sephiroth, except it's more of a battle of pride than ideals. There are rumors, which were recently confirmed, in the gunslinger world that Rushuna is HQ's ex-girlfriend. After Rushuna, he dated Lenalee Lee, a female Exorcist from London for a time, and then briefly with MistressofDawn. Because of this, HQ views himself to be very unlucky with women.

Weaknesses
HQ, for all his Exalted strength, has some very glaring flaws. Most prominent of which is the fact that HQ is very emotionally fragile. Physically, he can take anything and come out smiling, but after searching for acceptance amongst his peers and generally everyone in particular, HQ is easily broken emotionally, and it shows especially when he's depressed (he shot himself in the hand when he learned Dawn was seeing Jiro). It also doesn't help because HQ also counts years because he's a Lunar (and therefore can live for almost 3000 years). Rovus observes that his depression may be stemming from something the Lunars call "Arwen Syndrome."

The Haslanti Warrior's Code
Despite being a God-Blood, HQ was born Haslanti. And the Haslanti culture is mainly built around the joining of physical and mystical, making them almost like Creation's eskimos. Therefore, HQ's fighting style and personality are formed around the Haslanti warrior's code, as shown here.
 * "Never Flee, Never Surrender."
 * "Repay Your Debts."
 * "Be Just and Generous to Those Beneath You."
 * "Slay Not Your Brothers and Sisters."
 * "Defend What Is Yours."

HQ's Powers
HQ's powers, although limited to wind and ice-type abilities, are considered to be among the most diverse of the Author Fighters, although he cannot claim complete overall masteries like Darkmagicianmon's mastery of spells and perhaps the overall diversity of abilties like Airnaruto and Hikari Ino.

He is the Author Fighters' sole Exalted, a Full Moon Lunar to be precise. Having Exalted at the age of thirteen, HQ's Lunar Exaltation gives him superhuman strength, stamina, and speed. He also was ritually tattooed in moonsilver, which not only protects him from chimerism and mutations caused by exposure to Wyld energy.

His final mundane ability is mastery over weaponry. He often refers himself as the master-of-arms of the Author Fighters, and can teach anyone how to wield weapons.

Lunar Shapeshifting
HQ's signature trait comes not from his ice manipulation or his mastery of weapons, but from his shapeshifting abilities. As a Lunar Exalted, he has the ability to take on the forms of any animal he kills in a ritual hunt by drinking their Heart's Blood. Currently, HQ can transform into a wolf, mouse, bobcat, marlin, hawk, tiger, and blue jay. He often uses this to surprise his foes (after all, shapeshifters are hard to come by), but he also uses this to hide himself in a pack of animals, although the mark on his forehead (shown in his wolf form) makes him identifiable.

According to Rovus Kermeki, also a Lunar Exalted, HQ's parameters for the ritual hunt, the special hunt that allows him to obtain new forms, are the most diverse of all the Lunar Exalted in the whole north, and is second to only Lillith the Owl Woman. He also hints that his shapeshifting skills are not confined just to animals, but to spirits, demons, and even humans. However, his shapeshifting has a key weakness: his Tell. All forms that HQ has have unique trait involving HQ's human form: his huge silver mane of hair.

Deadly Beastman Transformation: This technique allows access for HQ to access his War Form, a merging of his spirit shape (a wolf) and his human form, allowing him to gain access to huge strength and endurance. However, whenever he activates this, he also activates an Lunar power called the Relentless Lunar Fury, which further increases his strength, but for the next sixty seconds, HQ completely loses himself to his battle rage.

God-Blooded Abilities
HQ's mother is Garda, the Goddess of Snow and second-in-command to Adran-Beaol, the Northern Wind Master. HQ takes the bulk of his abilities from his God-Blooded heritage.

Affinity Element Control: A given considering his heritage, HQ can manipulate any ice within his area of influence, and wind to a certain degree.

Elemental Rejuvenation: HQ has the power to heal his wounds when he's fully immersed in ice or snow.

Garda's Rebuke: HQ swings his weapon, watching as a wave of blue Essence dissolves about his enemies, freezing his enemies in about two feet of ice.

Blizzard Cannon: HQ takes his Essence and fires it in a wind and ice-style Kamehameha wave. Has the same destructive effects of the Kamehameha wave, but also freezes what it doesn't destroy.

Azure Sky Rain: HQ takes his Affinity Element Control and uses it to summon ice from the air and carry it into the wind, then have it come raining down his enemy.

Goddess Trigger: The apex of HQ's God-Blooded abilties, HQ taps into the core of his being, taking that Essence and releasing it outward, surrounding himself in an aura of light-blue ice Essence, the sudden eruption of Essence causing a sudden snowstorm to prevent a catastrophic climate shift in weather patterns. In this form, his Affinity Element Control reaches new heights, allowing complete control over the wind and even allows him to create ice from air, enhancing his Azure Sky Rain and Blizzard Cannon.

Shiro Articuno Abilities
HQ has a special connection with the Winged Mirage of Ice, Articuno, another ability granted through his mother. However, it is different than his connection to his mother, due to the fact that Articuno is, by some degree, an air-aspect elemental that is a representation of Garda (even though Garda is most commonly represented by a wolf). So HQ, to some degree, is in fact an Articuno Pokemorph. However, he can only use his Articuno Pokemorph abilities by using a Pokemorph Limit called Shiro Articuno form.

When this activates, his ice Essence aura suddenly takes on a form of the Freeze Pokemon in question. His Pokemon attacks in this form are Ice Shard, Sheer Cold, Sky Attack, Blizzard, and his combo move is Frozen Gale (a combonation of Sheer Cold and Blizzard), which by beating his wings, he sends a blast of frozen wind in front of him that freezes everything in about four feet of ice.

Sunotori Raikiri: When on a mission to Konoha, HQ persuaded Kakashi to teach him his Lightning Blade jutsu. This form of Lightning Blade, called Sunotori Raikiri (Snowbird's Lightning Blade), functions like Lightning Blade, and also freezes the target from the inside out, turning him into a living ice statute. It's not a very pretty technique, so HQ will only use this technique on those he has sworn to kill with his bare hands.

Kamen Rider Garren


In Author Fighters: Shades of Black, the Draconian of Dark Lightning attempted to turn Los Angeles into a shadowland by using engineered undead created from necrotech and aid from a being known only as Joker. Quill's first victim, a Stag Undead, was a category Ace Undead, and after Rovus gave it a once over, determined he could make a new system based on the Kamen Rider Systems used by many of the other Author Fighters (Ross, Hikari, Dawn, Rin, to name a few), and as such created the Kamen Rider Garren system.

Kamen Rider Garren's abilities are centered around the use of Undead of the Diamond Suit, swiping their cards through his Garren Rouzer, a pistol-like weapon. Each card has their own ability to empower him or his gun. Even Starchaser, Quill's Air Skimmer IV, was modified to use these abilities, although currently it only can use the Six of Diamonds.

Ace (Change): When slid into the Garren Buckle Rovus designed, this allows Quill to turn into Kamen Rider Garren.

Two (Bullet): This card enhances Quill's effectiveness with the Garren Rouzer.

Three (Upper): This card enhances Quill's uppercut attack.

Four (Rapid): This card increases the rate of fire for the Garren Rouzer.

Five (Drop): This card enhances the drop-heel kick and leg strength.

Six (Fire): This card supplements the next attack with fire properties.

Seven (Rock): This card allows for Quill to enhance his resilience by turning his skill to stone.

Eight (Scope): This card enhances Quill's accuracy with the Garren Rouzer.

Nine (Gemini): This card creates of a doppleganger of Garren.

Ten (Theif): This card allows for Quill to steal or mimick an attack or form.

Jack (Fusion Jack): When combined with the Queen, it allows Garren to take on a Jack Form. This Jack Form empowers his Burning Smash and Shot abilities and allows Garren to fly.

Queen (Absorb Queen): This card allows for special forms to be used by sliding it into the Rouze Absorber.

King (Evolution King): Garren's ultimate card, it allows him to take on a King Form not unlike Blade's.

Some cards can be combined for special moves.

Burning Smash: Created with the Five and Six of Diamonds, Garren leaps up and kicks his opponent with a fiery blow. This is Garren's so-called "Rider Kick."

Burning Divide: Same as Burning Smash, but add the Nine of Diamonds as well to create two Garrens attacking, although only the real one makes the actual blow.

Burning Shot: Created with the Two, Four, and Six of Diamonds, Garren showers his opponent with a flurry of fiery bullets.

Burning Punch: Created with the Three and Six of Diamonds, Garren channels his fist with fiery energy for an uppercut.

Burning Blast: Created with the Two and Six of Diamonds, Garren fires a single fiery bullet.

Straight Flush: Created with the Two through Six of Diamonds and only useable in King form, Garren takes the new King Rouzer, creates the old Garren Rouzer and fires two huge bullets at the enemy.

Royal Straight Flush: Created with the Ten through King and Ace of Diamonds, Garren takes the King Rouzer and fires a golden kamehameha-like wave.

Running Gags
A Warrior, Right to the Last: Having grown up with the beastmen of the Haslanti League, HQ was trained to be a hunter and a warrior like any other beastman. But with the cast-iron endurance and strength it gives him, it also comes with a near-obsession with being a warrior.

A General Rule of Thumb: HQ is very proud of his mane of silver hair (which is his Tell, no less), and anyone who insults his hair is in for a world of hurt.

Alcohol is My Middle Name: HQ's been drinking since he was twelve. But because he's Exalted, his alcohol consumption rate is nearly twice that of even X and Ranger. He is rarely seen without a flask of Haslanti vodka strapped to his ankle, hidden by his pant leg.

Quotes

 * "Never falter, never run, never surrender. That is the warrior's credo."
 * "Hey now, is that anyway to greet your savior?"
 * "They don't call me 'One-Shot Quill' for nothing, ya know."
 * "Hi, I'm Quill, that's Dawn, and there's a bunch of zombie marauders outside! OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!"
 * "The judge quit being a douche? Maybe gods do exist."
 * "BATHE THEM IN FIRE!"

Trivia

 * HQ went through two different stages before eventually staying with his Lunar self. He originally began as a Solar, but was viewed to be too powerful. His second stage was a Dragon-Blood, but was eventually scratched it because it didn't fit his theme (that and the fact that he had new information to work with, which screwed up everything). The Heir of Garda is his third state.


 * HQ also shifted from a Dragon-Blood and Solar to also take up a theme not used very much: shapeshifting. Most of the Author Fighter's abilities that focus around shapeshifting is usually in the same theme as HQ's Goddess Trigger. However, shapeshifting and its other abilities make up the bulk of HQ's combat profile.


 * HQ's Goddess Trigger is a spinoff of a Devil Trigger.


 * HQ has Asperger's Syndrome, a trait he shares with Roscoso, Airnaruto45, and Dimensiondude, among others.