catabasis — Roleplayer Guild

@Hostile


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"I am the mouth and ears of Batisvana. What makes you think you can escape the wrath of my people... or much less, just me?"

The asura are a race that is cloaked in rumor. They are largely confined to three small counterbalanced states in the southern tip of Acadoria, where a lush tropical jungle sprouts from river deltas fed by the mountains. The asura rarely leave their native states, and thus their reputation is marred by legend. What is known is that they are one of the longest-lived races on Ceas, and thus the machinery of politics has left grudges in asuran society simmering for countless years. This has given rise to their nickname as “The Begrudgers,” or insultingly, “Devils.”
Asura are marked by three traits: unusual height (6’7” and up for male is average), dark red skin, and a pair of brown segmented horns rising from their foreheads. It is said that an asura’s horns contains their soul, so to mar another's horn is a grave insult. Asura are commonly fond of decoration: they have perfected the arts of jewelsmithing, body piercing and tattooing and weaving. Their desire for luxury is so common that “an asura’s wardrobe” is slang for an exorbitant amount of money.Name: Jana tiBatisvani Sumbhaya (first name, title/honorific, surname).
Title: Ambassador of Fire.
Gender: Female.
Race: Asura.
Age: 320 (mid-50s by human standards).
Occupation: Diplomatic envoy from the Kingdom of Batisvana to Acadoria.
Allegiance: Batisvana, and Acadoria to some degree (as long as they treat her well).

Jana is a stunner, with a lithe body that is sinuous yet refined. She stands just over six feet in height, which while tall for humans is on the shorter end for mature asura. Like others of her race, her skin is brick red; her eyes are a pale yellow-gold; and a pair of horns sprout from her forehead (hers being noticeably small by asuran standards), each decoratively pierced and capped. Jana ties her glossy black hair in a thick braid, which is then left to drape over one shoulder. Her preferred outfit is a shapely red robe, sumptuously embroidered with gold. Her arms and hands are adorned with many heavy ornaments, bangled and ringed. However, the most noticeable and incongruous piece of jewelry is a seemingly-fragile wooden medallion strung about her neck. This is the mark of her diplomatic status: and as long as she wears the medallion, Jana is obligated to act in the interests of the Batisvani court. It’s as much a duty as it is a privilege.

Jana may be a seasoned politician, but contrary to what one would assume, she isn’t outwardly sly. She’s direct and blunt, wielding political power and protocol like a battle-ax. Her greatest asset - and as much her greatest weakness - is her cool veneer of unflappable confidence. In her many years of service at the Acadorian court, Jana has never been known to raise her voice even once. She tears into the targets of her ire with the same even tone as she would use ordering off a menu, with words that are sweet as honey yet as corrosive as bile. That is not to say, however, that she is emotionless. Contrarily, she has a flare for the dramatic: she was renowned in the Batisvani court for a humiliating prank against a now ex-husband that shamed and exiled him. She does not treat those who spite her with any dignity or respect, looking down on them as if they were ants. This duality exemplifies her nature. Jana is a sword that’s all blade - a great weapon to wield, but one that’s just as likely to hurt its bearer.

However, her true allegiance (if not to Batisvana) is as inscrutable as her smile. Jana prides herself on her ability to keep her cards close to her chest; and while she is always looking for more sources of information, she never gives any away. To those that know her, her motivations are completely opaque: and this is likely the greatest reason why one should respect, if not fear, Ambassador Sumbhaya.

Jana's early years are largely obscure, due to both the distance from Batisvana to Acadoria as well as her general cryptic nature. There are a few facts that are known, though. She was born to a middle-class family of merchants in the Batisvani capital city, wealthy enough for her to afford to go to school. It was there that her intelligence became first apparent, as she impressed both her instructors and the royal observers who kept an eye on the classes for who to recruit into royal service. Jana fit the bill of what they were looking for from even an early age, and upon graduating she was recruited eagerly by members of the Batisvani civil service caste. But despite her parents' insistence that she advance, Jana refused. She didn't want to leave her elderly mother and father to their own devices, instead wanting to inherit the family business.

Well, that wasn't an option that was readily available, as she found one night. The suspicious deaths of young Jana's parents just two weeks after her refusal, leaving only her brother and herself alive, spurred her to join the civil service. If not to support their now-shrunk nuclear family, then to find some sort of closure - or maybe revenge. After all, it was the right motivation for her.

She took her brilliant mind and her ruthless pursuit of success with her, two traits that settled naturally into place in Batisvana's diplomatic corps. Jana went on expeditions to foreign lands, all the while loyally representing the wills of the Batisvana crown and king. She was glad she didn't have to stay in the Royal Pavillions: court life quickly found a disgust in her, and it was more than welcome for her to unravel the knots and puzzles of foreign cultures.

Her service was recognized in time, and Jana ascended the ranks. She eventually received the posting of Ambassador to the Acadorian Court - the most prestigious diplomatic posting in the entire corps, and the one with the most responsibilities. Of course, she wasn't worried of her skills. The best place to prove her worth would be on the stage of the largest country in the world.

Pyromancy: Asura are overwhelmingly aligned with the elemental affinity of fire, Jana included. Their proficiency naturally increases with age, so Jana is considered a formidable firecrafter: one of her many skills that resulted in her ambassadorial appointment. She can conjure a white-hot fire that can reduce organic material to ash in seconds. This skill has been refined and strengthened over the years through her studies, so much that it allows Jana to stand on equal footing.
Fireball: A standard fireball, conjured to the size of a grapefruit and thrown from one's hand. It is Jana's primary way of engaging at long distances.
Blade of Banishment: Jana condenses her conjured fire into a thin estoc, which she wields like any other sword. The blade is a tongue of pure flame that burns "hotter than the Sun" (her own words): anything it touches evaporates from the sheer heat. Jana, of course, is unaffected, protected by her asura heritage.

Swordfighting: Jana has had practice with various types of weaponry, but prefers rapiers and similar blades. This not only came up as a way for her to practice self-defense, but also as one of the so-called "noble arts" of Batisvana.

Intelligence: Incredibly book-learned and wise, there is little that escapes Jana's observation. She has honed her senses and her faculties to the utmost over the years, and has studied all she needs to know about the various countries and cultures that she has visited. It is quite evident that her portfolio in this regard is immense.

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