Zephyren collects blades almost obsessively, perhaps because they are some of the least detectable weapons. Or, he does it instinctively because a bird is never complete without its talons. In result, he's also the most proficient with blades.
On weapon usage:
People have guns (even in Canada, they're just quieter about it), but Zephyren legally cannot own one, and traveling with those can be such a pain for those with licenses anyway. He very much prefers a quieter option too. Also, blades are far more versatile (he wants to toss a bunch of vegetables in the air one day and try to slice them all). Never bring a knife to a gun fight? Think again.
On blade proficiency:
Fighting isn't the only thing Zephyren uses blades for. If anything he's rarely had to fight outside contracts; he mostly uses knives in the kitchen, and since he has been cooking from a very young age, there's no surprise that this is what he's the most comfortable with. In any video games, he predominantly uses a knife or sword. Don't ask how he's gotten through Resident Evil; let's just say he had to face a lot of corpses up close.
On bird talons:
Thankfully Zephyren has never been attacked by a bird, but from what he's read, talons can be really sharp. They have to grip onto things after all, even if it means they'd puncture their target.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with knives and daggers.
+2 dice to all rolls with knives and daggers. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using knives and daggers.
You also gain the following effects:
Muscles over muscles over muscles, specifically along his arms and chest. (Hulk-proportioned. His biceps are 3 times bigger around than his head)
Like a rhino or drug addict, as long as the adrenaline is pumping he is very hard to slow. It's not even so much that it does nothing, he just doesn't care even when it does.
Genetically 100% human even if you wouldn't guess it looking.
Sure, maybe some lab went through the genome and port and polished certain bits, dotted some i's, crossed some t's, but he's not a spliced abomination, a gorilla man, the spirit of power incarnate, or a alien benefactor.
He's American, born and bred. Several organs are engorged, and on an X-ray his pituitary looks horribly deformed and over-effective, but as a side effect of his cancer there are pockets of metastisised pituitary cells throughout his body, applying GH, repairs, and enhancements to areas directly as needed.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your Brawn rating is increased by 2. You may Exert your Mind to automatically gain an Outcome of 5 on any roll that uses Brawn (cannot be used on combat rolls or Effect activations).
You also gain the following effects:
Kashmir always seems to have an ethereal glow about her: a radiant perfect complexion, silky dark hair, and always seems to be wearing some sort of rich perfume, only those who are familiar with the flowers of her home have been able to figure out the scent...
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You are permanently and visibly transformed: iridescent skin and a constant aroma of datura flowers blooming at night. You are considered to be a Sapient, Living being when targeted..
Any Animate being that consumes or is injected with your bodily fluids receives a Severity-1 Injury. Every Round, they must roll Body Difficulty 9. If they fail, the Injury worsens by 1 Severity. If they succeed, the Injury stops worsening.
You dash forward with an unnatural burst of speed, trailing black smoke in your wake as you slide next to the panel. As you take an extra second to ponder your choices, a discordant whisper that chills you to the core guides your hand to the correct button. You appear a genius to an outsider, even if you technically did nothing.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your Intellect rating is increased by 1. You may Exert your Mind to automatically gain an Outcome of 5 on any roll that uses Intellect (Cannot be used on combat rolls or Power activations).
You also gain the following effects:
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
Your senses are enhanced in the following way.
Any senses which have been heightened cannot be overloaded. Battle Scars you receive cannot affect these senses.
The Silver Rider, after practice, has mastered the use of his blade. With the added agility from his suit he can perform impeccable feats of swordsmanship and recreate iconic scenes from his show to defeat his villains!
You gain the following benefits as long as you are using your mastery to protect or rescue innocents and you are engaged in combat with Rider Weapons.
+2 dice to all rolls with Rider Weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Rider Weapons.
You also gain the following effects:
Standard issue in the Future Soldier's home time, the Personal Shield Generator (PSG) projects a protective energy barrier around the body. It absorbs damage far better than traditional armor, but its battery is quickly drained. When depleted, the PSG must spend a few seconds recharging.
When struck, the normally-invisible field of the PSG flashes, revealing a bright yellow honey-comb pattern encasing the body.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You have 6 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
Your Armor cannot be destroyed, and it always provides a minimum of 2 Armor regardless of any Armor penetration. It cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.
Any time your Armor prevents damage, your total Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 1. Whenever you go two Rounds without preventing any damage, it is restored back to its full value.
The Ninja is so attuned to the sounds of their surroundings, they may focus their mind to "see" using the subtle acoustic vibrations.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your senses are enhanced in the following way.
As long as the Ninja is dressed in an appropriate uniform, their movement is almost silent.
You gain the following benefits as long as as long as you are visibly dressed head to toe in black with hardly any skin showing.
You are obscured in one of the following manners. You may Spend an Action to change the way in which you're concealed.
While this Effect is active, any Effect that would obscure you from other, additional senses fails automatically. If someone discovers you, this Effect will not help you hide from them for the next minute. Activating a targeted or obvious Effect, attacking, or being Injured ends the Effect. When the Effect ends, it is disabled for one minute.
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: compulsion to test the awareness of allies by sneaking up on them with a weapon.
This device is a piece of chrome the size and shape of the back of a spoon. When placed against the skin, small hypodermic needles sprout from the device and attach it to the user's bloodstream. There, it filters and releases lifesaving drugs into the bloodstream, granting complete immunity from contracting new diseases and added resiliency in all other cases.
WARNING: The immunizing drugs have been shown to reduce inhibitions in test subjects.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You get +2 dice to any Body resistance rolls you make. You also gain the following effects:
The ninja does not approve of guns; they prefer using the bow for its stealth and versatility.
You gain the following benefits as long as engaged in combat with wooden longbows.
You receive +2 dice to all rolls using wooden longbows. Reloading is considered a Free Action.
You also gain the following effects: