[b]Name[/b] – Alem Elshadeed [b]Age[/b] – 19 [b]Gender[/b] – Male [b] Faction [/b] - None, for now. [b]Personality[/b] – Alem is a very placid, ungovernable person with strong individualist morals. His duty is to the people, but his ambitions will appear antagonistic to the highest social class; either the majority are satisfied, or no one should be. Tied closely to those who grew up poor and without others to care for them, his sympathy was built from the lowest social class and his immersion into that society. He believes that the people who work and struggle to make an end meet are the ones who should decide their fate, not those above them. He is often on his feet and rarely found idle, attributing to his status as a ‘wanderer’. Due to his desire to bring justice in places where those tasked with it are incapable, Alem’s status is easily comparable to that of a vigilante. The people’s justice, his justice, is dealt at speeds dictated only by him. Having spent too long under the thumb of those that did not care for his well-being or that of others, he is rarely willing to compromise his individualism to work with others, finding that it could be detrimental to how he operates best: Alone. Alem, like many young men and women, is seeking a greater purpose in his life. He believes that if ‘Allah’, God to the Arab people, merely watched as so much suffering in the world went on, it may have been for a greater purpose. He believes himself no more than a tool or instrument to bring radical change to society, and that his life up until now had been intended to shape him into the man he is. In short: He firmly believes in destiny, and believes himself someone capable of changing it. A crusader at heart, Alem is willing to join a movement that benefits the lives of many, rather than letting a mere few prosper. Death is part of change and, to him, is unavoidable on a quest to shape a world already being molded by those blind to its cruelties. This often creates a rift between those that may share his beliefs, but not believe in the actions he is willing to perform in order to bring forth a better society and a world as a whole. There is often a look of neutrality on his face, as if nothing around him is surprising or particularly pleasant. Emotions are hidden at all times, but a boiling point is still present. He is human, and is capable of feeling sadness and a frightening sense of hatred, so testing him consistently will have negative results. Instead of openly fostering these emotions, Alem keeps them inside as motivation. If something makes him sad or angered, he wishes to remedy that; it is not the problem of anyone else, merely his own, and so he does not react for the world to see. For all his talk of wanting to protect the people and help benefit them, Alem is not at all sociable and would rather keep watch from a distance than join in a conversation. This could easily be confused with thinking he believes himself better than others, when in reality he believes the best way to protect someone or something precious is to stand watch and destroy the threats before they reach them or it. Though his emotions are exclusively kept inside, Alem strangely enough has a strong respect for love and knows that its power is without peer. To dedicate yourself to one person and sacrifice anything and everything for them, and to know that they would do the same, is the definition of loyalty that no common man could possibly understand. If there is one thing in the world that would cause hesitation with his blade, it is that very emotion and being able to recognize that it is truth, not simply imagined in the heat of the moment. If you are in love and truly understand the weight of those words, to bear that burden is to acquire his respect. You can be the fastest being alive, be able to carry a horse in one hand, or be able to read his mind but none of it shall impress in the face of that single emotion. Never take it, or him, lightly. [b]Appearance[/b] – With brown skin and natural coarse black hair that falls just above his shoulders, Alem’s physique represents that of a youthful man in his prime, though his dark gold eyes betray the idea of youth in favor of experience. He has a look about him that says he has seen much, and there is little you may be able to add to his perspective. The young man stands at 5’11 with a toned build, muscle favored in place of significant body fat. His skin is notably tough and hard to the touch, prolonged contact feeling more like a warm sentient wall rather than a human being. He wears a plain white headband that covers the majority of his forehead and is bound securely beneath his hair. With it is a brown sleeveless shirt and pants tightly bound by a dark maroon sash, both crude in appearance and representing a more modest sense of living. Behind him secured by the maroon sash is a small vertical holster, concealing a basic dagger for easy use and surprise attacks. For footwear, plain sandals with no attractive quality to them. The most interesting quality of Alem’s fashion sense is his affinity for cloth wrappings. The heels of his feet all the way to his ankles are wrapped in white linen. His left arm, from the middle to the wrist, is wrapped in the same way, covered with a sturdy black armguard with a strong fiber top that is bound by two belts. Atop all of this is a worn, armless dark brown cloak with a hood that is noticeably frayed at all edges, implying heavy use in the crude environment he is based in. It hangs just several inches from the ground and shields him from harsh elements, most specifically sandstorms, and conceals his entire body when completely tied together by the neck with a black string. Beneath that combination of white and brown, Alem’s torso and back are covered with scars as a result of both combat and self-mutilation. Despite conditions in his environment, his hygiene is acceptable; his odor is not going to seduce you, but it will not repulse either. Some may even say he smells exotic but cannot hint as to what, likely leaving it to natural pheromones exuded. [b]Weapon – “God’s Favor.”[/b] – A khopesh with a worn white braided grip and a dark steel blade, Alem has deemed it such a name as he believes himself a man closely favored by the divine being. The blade is three feet in length and, due to establishing what is known as a ‘Bond’, can summon it from far distances. The blade is always sharp, its edge never dulled, making it perfect for quick slices and incisions. The materials are not legendary, and its make is unknown to him, but it has served him well since his acquiring. It has even been known to slice projectiles completely in half, depending on level of power and speed. The beauty of it, to Alem, is its ability to not only weaken defenses, but also keep his up. There is no other blade quite like it to him, and believing himself fortunate, has dubbed it “God’s Favor.” Accompanying it is a simple dagger attached to the back of his waist, unremarkable but still quite deadly. [b]Abilities / Talents / Traits - Stalwart Stance / Unwavering Guard[/b] – Alem is a fierce combatant, but plays a strong passive game that merely involves him standing strong against any foe and outlasting them. Being self-taught and adopting a more slow and steady approach to defeating an opponent, he makes the most of his energy and conserves as much of it as possible in order to wear them down for a quick and decisive victory. His stance is solid and his strength is above average, allowing him to hold fast against a number of blows in quick succession, even with only one hand on a weapon. Breaking his guard is possible, but only those with might far beyond normal human capabilities can hope to do so with ease. [b]One-Handed Sword / Dagger Proficiency [/b]– Simply put, Alem works best with one-handed blades and daggers. This does include knowing how to handle opponents that wield both, at least if standard and with no special qualities to them. [b]Survival[/b] – Growing up without guarantee of a meal every day had conditioned Alem’s body to run off of very little food and water. He can go nearly a month without food, and at least two weeks without something to drink, making him perfectly capable of thriving in harsh environments. Conditioned to withstand the nagging pain of hunger and the call of water, he will readily hand someone else his share of a meal if he deems it appropriate. In spite of poor conditions, it would take him reaching a critical level of starvation to show a hint of weakness in his abilities. Alem is highly capable of surviving off of very little, and often prefers to. The life of luxury, of three square meals, was never his to live. [b]Endure / Pain Tolerance[/b] – As well as being able to shrug off the pain of hunger, Alem has also taken it upon himself to self-mutilate and condition his body to readily accept pain. Having cut, burned and whipped himself frequently, his body has been hardened by his suffering, and pain is no longer threatening to him. Cut him or beat him, Alem will not cry out in agony, but instead promise that he will return the favor if he deem it appropriate. It would take much to evoke a reaction from him, such as dismemberment or a shattered bone. [b]Poison Crafting / Resistance[/b] – Getting into the habit of crafting poisons as a budding adolescent, Alem has the skill of combining the right set of materials to create liquid pain and death. Though he often acquires materials from a black market, he knows what to gather for himself and put it together with his own hands. It should be noted that each of these poisons have been tested on himself, serving as a personal trial. It is done so that he might be able to identify with those he uses these on. Often applied to his weaponry, but can be just as dangerous if consumed. Using it on himself has helped him better resist the effects of his own work, and having a supply of antidotes also helps in case something goes wrong. These are a few of his works: - [i]“Hommat el Sahara” or Desert Fever:[/i] A concoction used to cause intense dehydration. Difficult to identify as it is colorless and odorless, works within minutes, and is used by Alem as punishment. The victim will have a severe craving for water, but will find it difficult to quench. The effects have been known to last up to five hours with no permanent side effects, and is more a severe irritation than a method to murder. Often used to prove a cruel point. Drink up. - [i]“Sarab” or Mirage:[/i] As the name suggests, this poison is used to cripple an opponent’s vision, causing them to see doubles and in extreme cases things that aren’t even there, pure hallucinations. Reducing accuracy is a strong boon in combat, making this Alem’s most used poison for combat purposes. Works when contact is made with the enemy’s bloodstream, and is quickly absorbed. The color of the liquid is a dull yellow, and can last up to one hour. The faster the body pumps blood, the more intense the effects become. The best counter of this poison is to avoid physical activity and wait it out. Can be identified by an intense burning sensation throughout the wounded area that will make its way up to the eyes, causing irritation and stinging, pace depending on how hard the victim’s body is working. - [i]“La’net Allah” or God’s Bane:[/i] His last and most deadly creation, Alem will use this as a last resort when he believes there will be a battle he won’t walk away from, or there is someone that cannot go unpunished. Like Mirage, contact with the blood stream must be made, only instead of being fast acting this poison acts slowly and much more deliberately. It will make its way throughout the body without any sign as to its presence, taking shelter through the veins and organs. It strikes within one hour, causing crippling pain and intense aching of muscles. The body begins to seize up and listening to the commands given is gradually going to become more and more difficult. The lethality of this poison is that it’s felt everywhere, almost acting like a self-aware virus that only initiates once it has made enough of a spread through a body. It lasts for exactly one day, and gradually worsens to the point of near death at the very end. Its potency cannot be ignored, as even Alem, a man who can tolerate an incredible amount of pain and agony, could only last twelve hours before needing to take the antidote ready nearby. In twenty four hours you’ll wish you were dead, and after forty eight you will be. The substance of this poison is black and noticeably thicker. It hisses once contact is made with a foreign surface. Due to its thickness, it can be sucked out from the wounded area before it is completely absorbed; you will not die, and it may not last as long depending on your haste, but the pain will still be present for some time. “Make peace with God, for you will not find any here.” - [i]“Ana Samehtak” or I Forgive You:[/i] Not a poison, simply the antidote, identifiable by a crimson color. This is always in abundance and the quantity is easily three times more than his stock of offensive poisons. Has a sweet fragrance to it. [b]Dispel[/b] – Alem has the ability to remove boons to over several foes in an area, bringing them to their base attributes. If someone is naturally fast without aid of magic, they will be unaffected, just as an example. This does not include the revoking of transformations. In time he will manage to dispel magic-based attacks before they come close, but that time is not now. His prime is not yet reached… [b]Slow[/b] – Afflicting an opponent or several with a field of magic meant to slow their movements, this is used to help deal with foes much faster than himself in any aspect. Alem can afflict a single body part or an entire body, as well as project a field that slows any and all objects coming towards him within thirty feet. Takes a moderate level of magical ability, and is always used wisely. The amount of power used is dependent on the size of the target as well as the number. Small projectiles do not tax him as much as several people. [b]Sand’s Beckoning[/b] – Alem has a connection to a desert landscape, as such having sand benefit him in time is not a shock, but a gift he suspects God blessed him with. Alem feels tremors through sand and can use it for tracking, even if it hasn’t been disturbed for days. He is even able to create a perfect replica of himself out of it, telling the difference only being a matter of touch. Naturally a clone is much rougher, but it will have his strength and speed. His manipulation is not major and is mostly used for utility purposes. Sand can revolve around him if he so chooses, erecting a field for him to track movements or form a clone on the go. Due to water’s ability to clump it together and make it unreliable, heavy amounts of water is a strong counter to his control and can render the ability useless. It goes without saying that without a source of sand, he cannot utilize this ability. [b]Allah’s Gift[/b] – Alem’s has found times of great fortune in his existence, believed to be a gift from God. His luck is oddly remarkable, almost as if something is truly helping him along the way… [b]Companions[/b] – Alem, in spite of his personality, has people he can call comrades. [i]Aseela[/i] – An Egyptian Arabian horse with a fine black coat with white mane and tail, Alem had come across Aseela being dragged around by bandits in an attempt to be sold. He met eyes with her one time, able to determine that his coming across her was fate. He took her off of the hands of the bandits, removing the hands of one of those bandits in the process as payback for their use of force on the creature. Aseela has been his companion for some time and is incredibly loyal, only following the orders of Alem and only those close to him and herself. Despite the harsh desert environment, Aseela has thrived and received great care from Alem. She is strong, able to carry up to three adult males atop her back and still manage a strong gallop. Alem has even found himself capable of balancing on her back as she sprints, her training serving him well. She comes equipped with two saddle bags, black in color. Within them contains personal items: Spare daggers, a kit for making poisonous mixtures, dried fruit, three large canteens of water, and of course his poison and antidotes. They’ve traveled together for several years, and are difficult to part. Responds to his whistles and call without fail. [i]Okal, self-titled “Honest Merchant …but not really.”[/i] – Okal is a traveling merchant who operates in dangerous goods; Alem has acquired much of his materials from him. He is a short and slim man, barely a foot tall, wearing a thick white turban and blue robe with a white sash. He comes with a full dark beard, but his hair has secretly regressed early, causing a fit of balding he is ashamed of which is hidden due to his turban. Dealing in weaponry and violent materials, Alem and Okal have become good friends in his fight to defend the people. Okal, though greedy and sneaky, cannot help but come to Alem’s aid when needed, but will not commit suicide for him. He is in his early forties with a large wife named Sadaf, and three sons named Nadir, Rasim, and Yousef. While he holds no particular loyalties, he maintains customer security, and has strong connections to the underworld. His front is selling pottery and plates, but will understand you are a man or woman of specific tastes when you tell him the words “Blood and Coin.” Which will then allow access to his finer weaponry and explosive materials. He is well known to the lower and middle-class, and does well to keep a low profile.