Sabora Sharkosa was born on a ranch half a day’s ride from Alkenstar in the harsh Spellscar Desert. Though life was tough, she inherited her father’s determination and her mother’s fighting spirit. Growing up in the Mana Wastes gave her a pragmatic sense of honor and justice. One night, a stranger collapsed on the Sharkosas’ doorstep, weak from days of stumbling through the wilderness. He carried a mysterious bundle in his burn-scarred hands. Asking no questions, the family took him in and nursed him back to health as they would any living being. The man, a gunsmith named Regaro, recovered and quickly became a fixture around the farm, repairing the clockwork machines and improving the ranch’s vital wind pumps. He even taught Sabora and her brothers hand-to-hand fighting and how to shoot. Sabora proved to be his best student, often matching her brother’s strength with her speed and technique. Then one night, the shieldmarshals of Alkenstar arrived. Regaro confessed to the family he was a wanted man and revealed a pair of gold-studded gloves in the bundle he’d been carrying the night he first appeared. He fled into the desert, the shieldmarshals on his heels. Sabora followed after. That was the last she ever saw of her home. Regaro and Sharkosa traveled together for many months until the gunsmith met his undignified end on the streets of Alkenstar, shot in the back by petty thieves. From that day on, Sharkosa wore Regaro’s golden gloves on her fists and golden pistol in her holster. She assembled Regaro’s closest allies to avenge their fallen friend, but the group stayed together even after justice had been dealt, with Sharkosa now their de facto leader. By the time they excavated a hideout along the banks of the Ustradi, the group had grown into a veritable street gang, though one known more for ruthless efficiency than wanton violence. To Sharkosa, the Gilded Gunners, as they soon called themselves, were never in it for the money or power, but rather the support and camaraderie they offered one another. For many members, the Gunners are as close to a real family as they’ve ever had, and Sharkosa takes this responsibility seriously. That said, Sharkosa is no saint and the Gilded Gunners aren’t a charity. Back on the farm, workers who were lazy or sloppy didn’t get hired for the next harvest. Sharkosa runs the Gilded Gunners with the same ethos, brooking no cowards, hypocrites, or slackers. Though she’ll go to great lengths for Gunners who have proven their loyalty, she’s also quick to berate or banish them if they step out of line or besmirch the honor of the group. As for the Gilded Gunners’ goals: Sharkosa is primarily concerned about the strength and honor of her gang. She loans her group’s skills to high-paying clients, mainly for assassinations or robberies, though Sharkosa rarely takes part in the jobs herself anymore. Instead, she administrates the Gilded Gunners’ schemes from their headquarters, the so-called Gilded Halls, though she also trains for hours every day in isolation to maintain her incredible strength and speed. As she fights dummies and performs drills, part of her heart is always with Regaro and her family back in the Mana Wastes. She sometimes dreams of leaving the gang to go back home and live with her aging parents, but something dark and heavy within always prevents her from truly considering such a possibility. In her heart of hearts, Sharkosa believes she has spilled too much blood to ever again be worthy of her old life. Some nights, she lies awake in her spartan bed, staring up at the ceiling, questioning everything that has led to her present circumstances. During such dark hours, she commandeers the Gilded Halls’ training area and puts everything she has into each punch and kick. The Gunners’ gilded equipment and golden bullet casings are an aesthetic as well as a way of life. To Sharkosa, gold is the perfect status symbol and a mark of her gang’s magnificence. In her own words, “The gold standard always passes the acid test.” Meaning, there are no shortcuts to success—only true grit can ever suffice.
