application for lifeaftr

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Player Information
Name: Zero
Age: 18+
Contact: arrpee or zero#8942 on discord
Current characters: n/a



Character Information
Name: The Drifter
Series: Hyper Light Drifter
Appearance:

Small, lithe humanoid. Wears a flowing red cloak along with black armor underneath, coupled with a gray and red horned helm. The most striking, however, is their physical features: from what little of their face the player can see, they possess bright blue skin and a very dark pair of eyes. Their clothes are well-worn and somewhat tattered but sturdy enough to have lasted them for a while. They bleed a bright pink liquid that fizzles and rapidly evaporates not long after contact with the ground.

They possess a small, hovering companion that looks as though it skirts the line between magic and technology. It is the primary means through with the Drifter interacts with the world, displaying their equipment, ammunition, map, and HUD. An entity independent of the Drifter but devoid of any apparent sentience, the fact that companions can be switched out along with outfits and weapons indicates that they're simply part of a drifter's standard equipment. Given that the world of Hyper Light Drifter is purposefully vague, it is unclear if the companion (and, indeed, many aspects of this particular universe) counts as magic or technology. However, I will note that the Drifter is a mute protagonist, and is possibly incapable of speech on their own (while NPCs often make grunting or chirping sounds to symbolize speech, the Drifter never does), and will therefore need to rely on their companion to project text for the purposes of communication.

Age: Ambiguous. I'll say early thirties.
Canon Point: At the game's end.
Canon History: There is a wiki page available, but much of the information is conjectural or speculative, and not confirmed as canon. I will be supplementing it with my own summation of the game's events:

The Drifter is one of many drifters, it turns out: the name of nomadic warriors who rove about the world following the calamitous event that poisoned many of the living creatures and gave rise to horrible, monstrous things in the ground, warped by the corrupting entity known as the Immortal Cell, or Judgment. There are certain objects, known as modules, scattered throughout the world that may help bring a balance and restore order to the world, but it seems that only drifters have the strength and skill to achieve them. Upon gathering modules, the protections keeping the Immortal Cell from direct attack will be lowered, and confrontation of the being poisoning the world can take place. The Drifter is merely one of many of said drifters, but is also the first to succeed. It's not known what drove them to drifting in the first place. Whether this was a pathological need, a forced requirement, or a last-ditch effort to save their own life is unknown. What we do know is that sometime before the events of the game, the Drifter contracted a fatal, terminal illness. The path that leads them to try and piece the world's fragmented core back together and rid it of Judgment's influence stems from a final, desperate attempt to find a cure - the hope that, in mending their shattered world, the Drifter may be free of their illness. What is clear is that the Drifter's race, whatever it is, is not native to the area - the only other blue-skinned entity they encounter in the entire game is a town drunk, who tells a story of being beaten and left for dead by the other villagers. NPCs will make conversation with the Drifter and sell them equipment, but most seem to avoid them deliberately should they approach.

They progress through the entire game silently, pausing only to speak to a scattered collection of people, those still sentient and willing to share their tales about the terrifying creatures that now rove the world's surface, enslaving, slaughtering, and devouring the peaceable inhabitants. They plumb dungeons, crags, and caverns infested with animate plants, birdlike mages, and crystalline monstrosities with a grim resolve, collecting the modules within. Only when all the modules have been assembled can the Drifter face Judgment and its their presence once and for all. Throughout all of this, their illness progressively worsens. The Drifter hacks up puddles of pinkish blood, tormented by visions of Judgment pulling them to pieces, skewering them to death, and inflicting all manner of generalized unpleasantness upon them.



The Drifter, at least, is not alone. Another drifter helps them sporadically throughout the journey, even if they perish before its conclusion - finally having wasted away, it turns out, from the same illness eating away at the titular Drifter. Their only other notable ally (aside from shopkeepers and informative but non-active NPCs) is a strange jackal-like creature they catch glimpses of, periodically leading them to places of note. This jackal - the extended materials refer to her as "Anubis" - is bent on undoing Judgment's work as well, and has chosen to assist the Drifter to do so. It's implied that the only reason the Drifter manages to keep going despite all odds, particularly near the end, is the fact that Anubis is able to revive them from death or serious injury and spur them onward, even if they're living on borrowed time.

Personality:

Stoic, silent, and resolute, the Drifter remains forever set on finding a cure for their illness despite how it obviously weakens them. For all their determination, the Drifter is also notable for their sharp foresight and caution: upon encountering Judgment, their first act is to slash at the treacherous black tendrils that claw at them until the foe simply reforms, at which point the Drifter takes note that they're at a disadvantage and flees.



The Drifter bears no name beside their profession, for in this world, plenty of "drifters" exist, wandering the world and acquiring technology and tools as they travel. At least one other drifter has devoted themself to deconstructing the Immortal Cell, confiding with the Drifter as to location of the modules necessary to retrieve in order to open doors and power the elevator that will allow the Drifter to confront Judgment. The Drifter, true to their trade, is resourceful: upon encountering foreign technology or tidbits such as keys or the currency known in-game as "gearbits," they will harvest them from corpses without hesitation and quickly make use of them.

The Drifter encounters a vast spectrum of enemies throughout the game's event, and never hesitates to slay them. If they fail and die, Anubis revives them, and after only a moment's respite to re-orient themself, the Drifter simply sets out to make up for that failure and kill what they failed to destroy. They are direct and merciless, swift on their feet, and will not stop until every creature that menaces them is dead. Their methods are quick, clean, and efficient, contrasting the slow and tortuous deaths the Drifter endures at Judgment's hand. While their goals have the potential to be noble in nature, it's clear that the Drifter's primary motivations are of self-preservation; mending the world and destroying the Immortal Cell may not have been a quest they would have taken willingly if there was no chance of a cure. Conversely, it's doubtful that the Drifter has engaged in this quest with the expectation of a reward other than perhaps the possibility that their life will be saved; in destroying the corruption devouring the world alive, potentially put an end to their own fatal illness as well. The Drifter may have ulterior motives, but given their interactions with NPCs and their involvement in the world around them, it's doubtful that their motivations are purely self-serving.



Yet the Drifter has a lighter, more earnest side, despite their stoic demeanor. They refuse to take out their weapons around peaceful NPCs, attacking only those who have made their hostile intentions clear. They engage in polite if one-sided conversation with NPCs that are particularly talkative, and can throw small green candies to animals or NPCs if they wish, despite the fact that plenty of other NPCs avoid them outright, and the only other member of their race tells an anecdote about being robbed and left for dead. Said other member of the Drifter's race also proves capable of speech (in the loose definition of the world of Hyper Light Drifter), and while other NPCs signify conversation via chirping or grunting sounds, the Drifter never speaks or makes any sound to signify as such, leading me to believe that they may very well be mute.

Despite being silent, the Drifter is still respectful to the inhabitants of the village that serves as their central "hub." They return to it numerous times to rest, recuperate, and purchase upgrades with gearbits, possibly out of necessity - though they are not above accepting the generosity of the only other drifter they encounter, who allows them use of a house and a bed, as well as assists them with the supplies of a map and information regarding the modules' whereabouts. The Drifter also may, optionally, engage in a ball game with a child NPC for no other purpose besides the fun and challenge of it, though their prize for beating the child at their own game, one of the coveted gearbits, could also be a sufficient motivation. Despite the child's prowess often knocking the Drifter flat on their face, they refuse to attack them and will only engage in lighthearted play. This is further exemplified by the Drifter's "victory" animation when they succeed in clearing out a particularly difficult area, spinning their blade and thrusting it into the ground. This act is completely unnecessary, as there is no one around to witness this triumphant flair, but even if gravely wounded, the Drifter will perform it nonetheless, more or less boasting their victory over the hostile inhabitants.

The Drifter's apparel makes it difficult to discern their emotional state, covering all but their eyes and the blue skin around them. They make it plain when they're in discomfort due to their illness, hunching over as they cough up their pinkish blood, but even when grievously injured and bleeding out quite visibly, the Drifter's skill for combat remains untouched. This further hammers home their overpowering resolve and ability to push through to a goal no matter the cost. Even if the Drifter does not emote in obvious ways, their finishing "victory" animation when clearing a dangerous area indicates that they do indeed experience emotions such as relief or delight, and simply prefer to express them in silent displays of body language. This may very well be a symptom of their combat-fueled path, as a fair amount of emotional distance is required. When the other drifter, their only consistent friend throughout the game, perishes, the Drifter silently takes in their final words, and...proceeds to gain a new outfit, sword, and floating companion when they apparently plunder their friend's body. Given that the Drifter takes the time to listen to their final words, I believe it's more likely that this was done out of resourcefulness and respect rather than coldhearted instinct.



The characters in the world of Hyper Light Drifter all have corresponding tarot cards to reflect their personalities and purposes to a certain extent. The Drifter's respective card is the Magician, paired with the descriptor of: "A Searcher, aspiring to find a cure." The Magician tarot card further supplements the personality of the Drifter as experienced in-game: someone willing to take conscious action, applying powerful concentration to achieving a goal, and possessing the capacity for creativity and intuition. Stalwart and relentless, the Drifter will continuously drive at their goal until it is achieved, one way or another.

Abilities: While possessed of tenacity and endurance, the Drifter's "resurrections" are likely only possible due to Anubis's intervention, and thus are not an ability of their own. Rather notably, the Drifter's own constitution is rather low. They only have five hit points, and the most formidable of enemies and bosses in the game have something close to fifty - and plenty attacks are capable of dealing two points of damage, draining the Drifter's health bar even faster.

• Companion: As detailed in their appearance section, the Drifter's floating companion is capable of bringing up the Drifter's map of the area, as well as noting their health bar, and how much ammunition and health packs they have on hand. The companion is intuitive, moving to parts of the environment with which the Drifter can interact.
  
  
• Combat Prowess: The Drifter is proficient with bladed weapons and ranged guns, making use of agility and strength to deal rapid blows to their opponents while darting back to avoid damage, if possible. Their stamina limits their capacity to deal their most powerful attacks; the Drifter is most effective in short, lethal bursts of action before retreating to recuperate. Their blade appears to be a hard-light construct, capable of forming in their hands at will when drawn.
  
  
• Charged Blade: If the Drifter takes the time to stand still and power their blade, they can deliver a single higher-damage, higher-range swipe. They're vulnerable both before and after this particular action, as it both requires them to hold still beforehand and eats away at their stamina as a consequence. Each instance of this attack, as well as any other special attacks performed with this blade, requires a cooldown before it can be performed again.
  
  
• Projectile Reflection: Having purchased the requisite upgrade from the Sword Master's shop in the town, the Drifter can time swipes of their sword to whack incoming projectiles back at those that fired them. This is not without limitations, as the projectiles must be both energy-based and moving slowly enough for the Drifter to time their attacks. This also affects their stamina, so they can't do this continuously or indefinitely.
  
  
• Warp Pads: The Drifter can access warp pads via their hovering companion. Transportation to said warp pads automatically fills their health and ammunition. This will be nerfed, for obvious reasons; LifeAftr doesn't have warp pads for the Drifter to use.
  
  
• Chain Dash: The Drifter's natural speed and agility enables them to "dash" forward in a blinding flash of motion, allowing them to dodge projectiles and cover stretches of ground more quickly. Their capacity to chain dashes is limited by their stamina, and thus they cannot simply dash forward indefinitely. After purchasing upgrades from the Dash Master and the Sword Master in the center of town, the Drifter can also "dash-slash" - attack while dashing for higher damage - and absorb slow-moving projectiles by dashing into them. Additionally, the Drifter can spearhead a dash with their sword to deal heavier damage, and if their opponent weighs less than them, thrust the target back to deal additional impact damage.
  
  
• Marksmanship: The Drifter is a damn good aim with each of their ranged weapons, and can also handle grenade-like demolitions without damaging themself in the explosive radius. Their ability to harvest weapons and learn to work them quickly suggests at the very least a familiarity with working with weapons of a similar caliber.
  
  
• Ammunition Recovery: The Drifter does not need to loot for ammunition during their travels, as they are capable of generating their own by damaging enemies in melee combat or destroying breakable objects. Killing enemies recharges their ammunition much faster; killing two monsters will recharge their ammunition capacity to full, while breaking ten pots will only recover the capacity to fire one projectile.

Inventory:

• One (1) companion sprite: As previously noted. Non-sentient but intuitive, the Drifter's standard blue-green sprite companion will accompany them whenever possible, hovering just above their shoulder. It's possible that the companion sprite is capable of labeling characters as friendly or hostile, and therefore keep the Drifter from harming allies or themself with their own attacks.
  
  
• One (1) Sword: Comprised of bright blue phase-shifted hard light, to be manifested from its bright red hilt when the Drifter requires it.
  
  
• One (1) Zaliska: A gun dropped by the Hanged Man, the final boss the Drifter confronts in the Western region of the map, the zaliska has an ammunition capacity of four large, slow-moving, orb-shaped shots (upgradable to six in the Armory). Each shot deals three points of damage, but the force of the shot has a recoil that pushes the Drifter back by several paces.
  
  
• One (1) Rifle: Gained after defeating the Hierophant in the Northern region of the map, the rifle shoots a fast-moving, piercing projectile that can hit multiple targets, almost like a sniper bolt. It's one of the most accurate weapons in the game, but deals only two damage at a time. Its ammunition capacity is four to start with, though the Drifter has upgraded it to six shots by purchasing an increased ammunition capacity at the Armory in town.
  
  
• Two (2) Roly Poly Bombs: Upon thrown, the Roly Poly will deal three damage in a wide, circular radius without harming friendlies, a la a grenade. Upon exhausting their supply, the Drifter must wait a full seventy seconds for their Roly Poly to recharge, one at a time. They purchased their initial capacity for Roly Polies, as well as a slot for an additional Roly Poly, from the tech shop in town.
  
  
• Three (3) Health Packs: Vials of bright green liquid that appear to be injected, capable of healing the Drifter to full health. As they are not capable of easing the pain brought on by their illness, health packs appear to heal only physical injuries. After purchasing upgrades to expand their inventory in the town, the Drifter has a carrying capacity of five packs total. While health packs work quickly, the Drifter is vulnerable to attack in the time it takes to administer them.
  
  
• One (1) Cloak: Their starting cloak of varying shades of red with a green clasp. Other outfits the Drifter can equip in town can grant them increased abilities, but the Drifter's basic outfit has no such benefits.
  
  
• The clothes on their back: A dark gray helm with red highlights, gray boots, and a gray tunic. Their clothes are tattered and battle-worn but sturdy.

Sample

Thread Sample: Drifter on the TDM!