I will live and I will die, and the cycle will carry on.
Age: 37
Race: Anubis
History
In the hidden pockets of The Wasteland the cycle of life continues. Amidst the deserts nomadic beings of inky fur and marble eyes barter goods and baubles amongst one another, intertwining and stirring underneath the night sky, their dark bodies moving like shadows. The Anubis are a race of mysteries, and even to their own do they keep secrets. Travelling along the sands in exotic caravans clad in glimmering fabrics and jewelry, the few outsiders that have met them have likened them to the everchanging night sky.
Among the uncountable nomadic caravan societies lay a smaller one, a star among constellations. The Great Iqa's Caravan of the Heart, organized by a clan of magicians making a living through their various services devoted to the weaving of emotions. Carrying tarps the color of crushed violets and enchanted baubles engraved in the symbols of organs, they had managed a healthy stream of clients.
Ar'oa Aqalb was one of the youngest apprentices to enter the fold as a weaver and had the potential for greatness from the direct blood connection with the clan´s most powerful magicians. Unfortunately, his magic had never risen to what was expected of him. He had spent his life laboring twice as hard to achieve half of the results of his brothers and kin, and had become distraught at his inability to heal the minds of others.
Success had flowered for their clan with the discovery of several new artifacts that could heal an ever broader range of ailments, and for a time it seemed as if it their prosperity would continue. However, to live in The Wasteland is to know that nothing truly thrives in the desert. An attack from one of the many vicious creatures of the land had occurred quickly and without warning. A sand wyrm the size of an adult dragon had sprung and ravaged its surroundings in a mindless frenzy. In only minutes half of them had been wounded or dead, black silhouettes sprawled against the floor of a landscape that threatened to swallow them up forever if the vile creature didn´t consume them first. In the midst of the carnage, Ar'oa unfurled a howl of longing and misery at the full moon. One by one, the once mortally wounded victims of the attack began to stand and stare in horrified silence at the apprentice before them. Their bodies had become whole once more.
After the ordeal had snuffed out, his elders recognized him as a physical healer rather than a mental one, and introduced him to the trials that would be necessary to grow in his craft. Throughout these conflicts a horrible secret had been imparted to him. His clan had been cursed by a powerful ethereal long ago for having desecrated sacred land, and death would pursue them to the four corners of The Wasteland for as long as they continued to live. Attacks like the one that nearly tore his bloodline to shreds would surround them for eternity unless the curse was lifted.
He understood what his true role in the clan had been all along. Gathering the enchanted tools that he had amassed over the years, Ar´oa set out to rid their burdens once and for all.
Personality
The heart is a puzzle box I´ve yet to understand.
Ar´oa Aqalb´s upringing has led him to become an empathetic individual. He is aware that everyone is a unique individual with their own burdens to carry, though this does not make him a pacifist. To survive in The Wasteland and its cruel deserts means to be just as vicious as the twisted fauna that inhabit it. Ar´oa, like most of the anubis, will avoid unnecessary conflict but will readily fight through any means necessary when pressed for combat.
He is quiet and soft spoken, treading lightly around conversations and being careful not to ever reveal too much. The anubis honor each other´s secrets, and Ar´oa respects what people choose to keep to themselves. His ability to read the emotions of others is lacking as well, further adding distance. Ar´oa is fascinated by the social recklessness and arrogance of the other races and is eager to participate in conversations with them, partly to observe emotions through a more honest lens and partly to not be so deliberate himself. His amicable and extroverted personality is in no way false. There is an enjoyment to be had in assisting others.
Throughout his journeys in The Wasteland he has come to the conclusion that life is miraculous but easily disposable. The world is cruel and not every wound can be mended, nor can every beast be tamed. A friendly approach to life is ideal, but never to the point of jeopardizing oneself.
He is aware that his quest to rid his clan of their fatal curse may very well result in his death, but has come to terms with the reality of it for the most part.
Powers and Skills
An Anubis likes to wear several gaudy accessories and have no shame in displaying them to any and all near. Be careful, as this is more than just cosmetic. Having so many baubles that look enchanted will keep pickpockets and opponents guessing and unaware. -Excerpt from an adventurer´s handbook.
On the battlefield, Ar'oa is a shooting star of fortune and unpredictability. Having spent his entire life under dangerous circumstances he has managed to combine healing and mobility under one combat style. Unlike other anubis he wears relatively simple robes and is drastically more suited to healing rather than fighting. Most of his trinkets are tightly fastened to his body underneath the cloth.
(Dark elemental magic and magic engineering).
Shift - StrongestAr'oa melds with the shadows and teleports a short distance. This ability strengthens at night or away from light sources. This is the most basic ability taught among magic proficient Anubis and is their equivalent to carrying a dagger around. In an environment riddled with sandstorms and creatures that use the confusion of the shifting sands to their advantage, being able to escape quickly is what separates an Anubis from a corpse with a canine skull.
Spirit Orb - StrongAn offensive spell that is considered typical among the anubis. An orb of smoke and stars that explodes upon contact, leaving behind a shroud of dark smoke. Ar´oa is able to see through the smoke and moves much quicker when engulfed in it.
Flourish - StrongestHeals the target gradually. Grows in power the closer they are to each other. Effectiveness varies based on the severity of the wounds and Ar'oa's own energy. Can be used on himself.
Purge - WeakestRemoves diseases and poisons from the target. A difficult and laborious procedure that requires the use of various artifacts.
Rest - Weak The only spell pertaining to mental healing that Ar´oa is proficient in. The target is put to sleep. It will only work on severely weakened targets, or targets that have given mental consent.
Miscellaneous Abilities- The anubis are known for having an impressive physical strength. Ar´oa is one of the weaker members of his species, but is still able to overpower average members of other races.
- The anubis are proficient in survival and endurance from their environment, and he is no exception.
- A capable runner, like most anubis who have devoted themselves to the study of magic and have an increased need to avoid damage.
- Ar´oa has learned to howl the strange ancient language of the anubis, used for communicating with others in emergencies and casting rituals related to the purging of illnesses.
Miscellaneous
Ar´oa stands at a height of 8´4, considered gargantuan for many of the other races but small for the anubis, who average at around nine feet. His frame is also much more lithe than the average anubis, a clear result from his studies in magic. Anubis also have a lifespan that is slightly larger than those of humans, making Ar´oa a young adult for his race.
Member
Kuro
Pezz570
mickilennial
