WhAaAaAaAaAaAtTtT?!!!
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- Jan 27, 2010
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Personality
Behavioral Patterns Every human being is a cocktail of various behavioral patterns and temperaments, and as such, to describe Sarma’s personality with simple words would be to pigeonhole her character, more or less. However, as each person has a set of defining factors, her most characteristic traits will be addressed under three major headings:
The Good Naturally, Sarma is a very warm person. From her inviting voice, to that smile that is almost always present in normal circumstances, down to her interactions, she’s the kind of person that, once you don’t have any issues with prejudice (based on her outlandish looks),you’ll have little problem rolling with her (unless of course, you are a natural ****, and no one is at peace around you). She is almost the stereotypical extrovert, interested in going out, having adventures in new environments, meeting people and making friends.
She has this ‘sometimes’ annoying sense of optimism that makes her very difficult to discourage, and it is indeed uncommon to see her being among the first to throw in the towel. Sarma likes to believe and hope that the best can still happen. Add to that a high level of confidence and an upbeat personality, and there you have it.
For the most part, there is something calm and relaxing about her, and she never seems to be too flustered much about what is going on around her. She is level headed to a good extent, and can detach herself from the chaos and worry around her, in order to view things from a more objective point of view. She is also very daring and not easily daunted, and there are few things that naturally cow her. The calmness she exhibits also shows in the way she hunts. Sarma can wait for long periods in hiding, in the same position, just to lure out her prey. She is very patient, with both her quarries and her relationships.
Her positive energy also shows in the way she handles her work: she is very industrious and responsible, and she believes that honesty is yet a virtue… but that depends a lot. For instance, she does not feel that honesty has much to do with stealing from a target, but she will never willingly dupe or betray a client, ally or friend. This makes her very dependable, and if she says she’ll get something done, you can expect it to be done, unless factors beyond her control intervene. Making a good, trustworthy name is what counts, in her opinion. She is also very detailed, and takes pride in doing “perfect” work. As such, she keeps various training regimens, just to stay in tip-top shape, as her job description demands it.
Sarma is also humble, and is thus capable of interacting fluidly with people of different positions and echelons in life, provided they allow her. She disapproves of looking down on people, and thus, seems to have a problem with the rich, who often come with a slice of pride. She is always excited, pleased and reverent when meeting powerful but modest persons, and hopes to keep her creed that says: “Beneath the clothes and skin color, all human souls are basically the same”, when she has become powerful and influential (which of course, she hopes to be).
The Bad No one is perfect. For Sarma, it’s not seen readily, but when it is seen, prepare for a storm, and that is her anger. As said earlier, it’s hard to ruffle her feathers, but it’s possible, and when that happens, the best way to describe her anger is explosive. It happens fast, leaves craters in its wake, but does not last. However, the damage done during that period may be extensive, and it is often... violent. Her verbal barbs are mostly targeted at those she is averse towards, and while she may be more physical with those she is closer to in heart, she is careful of what she says in the height of anger, for she believes that “Body wounds may heal fast, but Heart wounds take much longer to mend.”
While her mouth may not be quick to fire off words when she’s pissed, to be honest, Sarma doesn’t always thoroughly think things through. This makes her reckless and impetuous, especially in desperate situations. Perhaps we can blame it on the fact that she is naturally the valorous sort, but the bottom line is that it is not a very safe way to live.
Wait… did we mention that Sarma is the cool, calm and controlled type? Well, that is not entirely true. The easiest way to getting her to chew her fingernails is to put those close to her heart in jeopardy. She is a terrible worrier, and even fusses over those who are above her in age, strength, status and wisdom. She can also be overbearing, especially when she is trying to help someone who feels they don’t need help, and she thinks they do, and while it may cause abrasions, she actually just has the best for them at heart.
A woman of silent tears, Sarma can be secretive, even with her family. Truth is, she doesn’t mind sharing secrets and burdens, but once she feels that the information might endanger them, she keeps it to herself. Hypocritically, she is always trying to help others out of her problems, but feels she ought to solve hers alone. She is very appreciative, though, when someone helps her out, though she initially tries to dissuade them first.
The Ugly The characteristics here may not be completely good, or bad; they may have a penchant for both. Sarma is an idealist, thanks to her optimism. She makes her opinions, and finds it tough to let them go, and while it is good to see the silver lining on the grey cloud, sometimes, idealism still looks for silver linings on mushroom clouds.
Once a person gets into Sarma’s circle of trusted friends, she believes strongly in them. This is very good, because she is very supportive of them, and will help out always, but this also predisposes her to manipulation by self-seeking friends. She cannot bring herself to believe that her friends will betray her, and believes that they have a good reason for every bad thing they do.
At times, Sarma can be pretty aloof, dreamy even. When she wants to think hard about something, she can just detach herself, and go vacant. She might not even seriously react to events going on around her, and can even ignore serious distractions. These pensive states are the very scarce moments she actually appears distant, though they are, as was mentioned, few and far between.
Also, while it is good to be daring, bravery and stupidity are often confused for each other. Truth is, the more courageous you are, the less prudent you might become.
On a last note, Sarma is completely heterodox in behavior. If her apparel is not enough to say so, then her view on rules will do so. Sarma does not really believe much in human laws, and will only keep them as long as they are convenient. Having spent most of her life out in the wilds, she does not understand the concept of formality, and while she doesn’t see anything wrong with her outfits, some of them are regarded as shocking in many ‘civilized’ circles. She finds their reactions amusing at best, and annoying at worst, but beyond that, she pays them hardly any heed. She has little time for hedonism though; after all, “a shaman is expected to be pure in both body and mind.” She also thinks that most machines are bad news, and views them with a mild, comical distaste.
Likes Meat: Sarma loves virtually any dish that has meat in it, and the more spicy the dish, the better for her. She prefers meat to fish, and does not really like eating raw meat or fish.
Hunting: It’s like she’s in her element when she’s on the hunt. She has commented that she can’t trade the thrill for anything else.
Natural environments: Fresh air and pristine environments always fill Sarma’s heart with peace, and she enjoys spending such time in them, breathing in the healthy air.
Dislikes Beer: It is surprising to note that while Sarma does not make a habit of drinking, she can hold her liquor. Yet, she is not very keen on downing alcoholic drinks, as she likes to keep her head in control. She hates beer, however, simply because of its taste.
Slavers: Perhaps it is her inherent dislike for oppression, or her history with such people, but Sarma thinks very lowly of those who involve themselves in such a trade.
Trivia - Her name is actually the name of a certain wind, named after a valley in the real world (but since the real world bears very little import on this dimension, I feel I need not say more).
- Although she can speak and write Fioran quite well, she seems to have issues with certain structures of speech, and is thus capable of making many silly puns or using certain terms out of context… all in comic fashion, of course (though some of her questions can be tiring). Her primary language is neo-Maztec (one of the more common dialects used in the Mazahar Basin).
- Sarma uses a certain lotion to keep her skin moisturized, which also doubles as a natural insect repellant. The lotion has a mild but somewhat heady fragrance.
History
The Legend of the Shaman Wilder of the Mazahar Basin There are many tribes in the Mazahar Basin, with different cultures, religions and myths. Some are hardly aware of what goes on in the outside world, while others tend to have interactions with more mainstream Fiorans every now and then. Before discussing the life of the shaman, the peculiarity of her tribe ought to be looked into: The Ancani tribe was a large tribe that resided on a colossal tree somewhere in a Blood Mangrove forest. Unlike most tribes in the Mazahar, this tribe was neither for nor against the looting of temples; these ancient sites were simply arenas of lore for them. This was because part of their history involved them being “separated from the gods” in ancient times. As a result, they had a religion detached from that of the original Maztecs. According to them, anyone smart or stupid enough to wander into a temple for treasure ought to accept whatever fate they met with. This was one of the reasons they were friendlier to outsiders than most other tribes. Their beliefs focused more on preservation of the land and the fellowship of kinsmen. And although they saw a lot of trade from the civilized world, they did not deal in artifacts, as that would invite the wrong types of client. They were not so keen on letting outsiders into their enclave however, so they created “market sites” where trade could go on, while their village was protected by special secret runes called ‘wards’, that hid the village from prying eyes. The Ancani usually had two leaders: the political leader and the spiritual leader. The political leader was usually voted in by the council of elders, while the spiritual leader, who was called the Shaman, was chosen at birth by the sky.
The shaman underwent five stages in their life: when the child was born, the parents would wean the child, then relinquish their rights of parentage to the Elder. From birth, up until they had learned various relevant skills and lore, they were referred to as the Shaman Acolyte. The Acolyte waited on the Elder, and was more or less their adopted child. Once the Elder felt the Acolyte’s physical and mental training was complete, they would make the Acolyte undergo a series of trials and tests in order to see whether they were indeed ready. If the Acolyte passed the test, they were promoted to Shaman Scholar. The Shaman Scholar would be permitted to visit special “sacred sites” by the village, where their learning of lore and practical survival skills would continue. The Scholar would have to discover a mystery in one of Mazahar’s many ruins, and then solve at least most of it, in order to proceed to the next level or would have to show their ability to ‘interact with the spirits’ based on the lore they had been taught (actually, that involved the manipulation of magic). They would also show that they were capable of maintaining the ancient secret wards that protected the village from invasion by outside forces. If the Scholar was able to do all this to the satisfaction of the Elder, then they would be promoted to the Wilder. The Shaman Wilder lived a turbulent life. It was their job to alert the village to spiritual and physical threats, which were not often few, due to the closeness of the village to the Dead Scar, a place that festered many malevolent and malignant entities. This was mainly why a shaman was taught to fight extensively. The Wilder was a military officer, and had to use their training to determine whether a threat needed to be simply placated, or exorcised, or fought against with weapons, or avoided. Either way, most of the village’s safekeeping rested on their shoulders. They were also responsible for the wards. This stage was usually the longest part of a shaman’s life. After years of proving themselves capable of protecting the village with their wisdom and skill, the Wilder would be honored by the village leader with the title of Lore Master. The job of the Shaman Lore Master was less hectic than the Wilder, though it would still entail mostly the same thing. With age catching up to the shaman, they would have to rely more on wisdom than bodily strength, but that was usually sufficient to keep the clan’s fighting force well informed of any threats. The Lore Master was responsible for handpicking those that would help train the new shaman, and it was also during this time that a child would be born, whom the heavens would identify as future shaman. And once this child was born, the Lore Master became the Elder. The main task of the Elder was to groom the young shaman for the tough life ahead, and it was indeed a responsibility, as the success or failure of the future shaman was usually accorded to the Elder.
The position of shaman was a very prestigious one in the clan, and there could only be two shamans alive at a time: the older resident shaman, and a younger apprentice, who would fill the role when the elder died. While the birth of a shaman child was usually met with celebrations in the tribe, Sarma’s was met with mixed reactions. The heavens that established her destiny also revealed dark portents: the death of the clan would happen in her time. The signs were not very clear; it was not certain whether this child would destroy the clan, or whether such things would simply happen while she lived. Some elders of the clan believed that the child had to be sacrificed for the sake of the clan, others were of the opinion that since the omens were not explicit, the child might have nothing to do with the end of the clan, and thus was not to be judged for a crime she may never yet commit. After much debating and discussing, the Shaman Elder’s will prevailed: the child would live, and he would be responsible for seeing that she was trained to avert the impending disaster. Since the auguries of the skies had not ruled out the possibility that she could yet be their hope, it was eventually agreed on by all that she would live.
Growing up for Sarma was fun, because she got to learn a lot of things from the many wise people and the Shaman Elder of her tribe, as well as from the “layered” people that traded with the tribe (‘layered’ referring to the copious amounts of ‘cloth layers’ these people wore). She was taught how to hunt, fight, cook, prepare potions and survive in the wild by her people, and since her tribe was friendly towards outsiders, she learned from them how to read, write and handle firearms (note that while the clan offered a hand of friendship to the ‘civilized folk’, they were aware that many in the basin would rather exploit them, hence their use of the ‘market’ spots, where dealings could be made with the layered people, so as not to expose their enclave). Intelligence was an important trait in order to be a successful shaman, and fortunately for her, her acute mind made the learning process smooth. Through it all, she was trained and guided by the wisdom of Bahar, the Elder, who was like a father to her. He did not mention the circumstances that surrounded her birth to her, although he taught her very important things that would help immensely when it was time for her to know.
Sarma became a Scholar at the age of nine; Bahar even admitted that she was ready two years ago, but he had felt she was still too young. As a Scholar, her ability to put her knowledge into practice was very impressive, and she continued learning at a very fast pace. Expectedly, she was very curious, and on many occasions, had to be reined in by Bahar. She showed some wisdom for her age by recognizing that it was out of his desire to protect her, rather than out of envy of her talents, and therefore, she did not resent him for it. Six years were spent as a Scholar, and she quickly became capable of visiting sacred sites without the help or assistance of guides and bodyguards. It was during this time that she discovered a lost temple from an ancient religion that had belonged to an enemy tribe of the primordial Maztecs, known as the Incuatl, but had been stamped out of existence… a religion that worshipped two goddesses: Quyan, goddess of death and destruction, and Macanatl, goddess of life and creation. Her discovery, further research into this ancient culture, and her ability to interact with the spirits of the sky (she was discovered to possess a rudimentary ability to control wind, although she preferred to rely on her physical skills, leaving her magic mostly unexplored) paved the way for her promotion to the position of Shaman Wilder. And that was when it all happened.
The increase in looting of the Mazahar basin by what other tribes called the “civilized heathen” began to transform the terrain subtly. It would seem that the Mazahar Basin was opening more of its secrets to the outside world, but with each secret came an alarming number of vengeful spirits and destructive entities, each with its intention, none of which was benign. Sarma would soon find herself furtively monitoring the activities of some treasure hunters/slavers that had taken up residence in the Basin. She found herself having to bear a lot of responsibilities at this point, because Bahar left the mortal coil not long after, and the eyes of the clan were on her to see what her choices would bring about. Before Bahar died, however, he informed her of the details surrounding her birth, and she promised him that she would not be the destruction of the clan. He restrained her from also promising that she would not allow the clan to be destroyed, because he believed that if she was not responsible for it, factors beyond her control might cause it, and she would have failed to keep her promise. To add to all this, there was also the need to elect a new political leader, as the current one had also died. After much debates and guidance by the young Shaman Wilder herself, a new village head was chosen, to the joy of many and the chagrin of a select few, who felt that the shaman’s choices had been biased, based on friendship. And these select few felt that it was time that the Ancani tribe had a single leader.
The treasure hunting slavers that Sarma had taken interest in seemed to have some connection with her clan, though she could not place a finger on it, but what was also more curious was that they seemed very interested in the ruins of Quyan and Macanatl, which she had discovered. Unfortunately, they had set up a very well-guarded perimeter, and she was unable to find out what they were doing in there. She eventually discovered that one of those who was very displeased with the choice of the new village head, by the name of Cuchan, was the only one permitted secretly by the outsiders to enter. He had been pushing himself forward as the next chief of the village, even before the election rites had begun, and Sarma frankly did not like him (there was no love lost between the two of them anyway, as Cuchan was one of those who believed, back when she was born, that she would be the cause of the clan’s destruction). Of course, seeing this turn of events caused her to suspect him of foul play, but she knew the implications of accusing him of anything without proof.
On a certain day, she noticed him enter the temple complex as usual, and she was of the mind to hurry back to the village, get along some witnesses and return to the temple, so that they could see him leaving it. To her greatest shock, on returning to the village, the first person she saw was Cuchan. He had already gathered the villagers together and was telling them how she had betrayed the clan by bringing slavers through the protective wards. No sooner had she opened her mouth to deny it than the village was invaded by the same rabble that she had been investigating. For all intents and purposes, Sarma was guilty as charged. It was only the shaman who knew about the wards and how to break them. Since Cuchan was no shaman, he could not have done it.
Aware that there was no time for anyone to sit down and listen to her defense, rather than try to exonerate herself, she simply told the Ancani that she was not responsible for bringing down the runes, and that if they wanted to find out the truth, they would help her to deal with the intruders. Then she charged into battle. Some of her clan members didn’t really buy Cuchan’s story, as they had known her to be a faithful person from birth, while most of the others wanted an answer to what exactly was happening. Either way, this thing could only be solved when the enemy was off their lands. Young though she was, her skill in battle was impressive, and many of the intruders met their end by her hands. As the battle reached its climax, with the Ancani slowly but surely overpowering their attackers, it began to be obvious that Cuchan was more of the traitor than Sarma, because while the young shaman fought and risked her life for her land… or tree (wasn’t it strange for her to fight with so much passion against the ones she purportedly brought in?), Cuchan skulked and crept about, and offered no help to his people in combat. Eventually, on seeing that they were on the losing end, the leader of the slavers fled, with Sarma and a few other warriors in hot pursuit. He was eventually cornered arguing with Cuchan on how things had not gone according to plan, and to all present, the truth was evident. A little battle ensued and the slaver leader died, but Cuchan was apprehended alive, that he may stand trial. But as he was being dragged out, he intoned a strange prayer…
Although Sarma cannot clearly recall everything that happened, she would not forget that day. An eerie cold wind swept into the Ancani enclave, and before long, the place was teeming with the rabid undead from the marshes below. The wards which had protected the Ancani, had been set up for such a threat, but on this day, it was certain that something was calling the undead to this place. Those who did not swear fealty to Cuchan were torn asunder, but with the way the zombies were coming for her, Sarma knew she did not have the luxury of making that choice. As she fought her way through the undead, in an attempt to escape with her life, she saw something… a creature of sorts, shrouded in darkness. It looked feminine, and somehow, on a subliminal level, Sarma was aware that this was one of the forgotten goddesses of the Incuatl religion. It pointed a hand at her and called out a curse, just as she got to the boughs at the edge of the great tree she once called her home. Whether she fell, or jumped, she cannot remember. All she knows is that an unthinkable pain spread through her body, and she lost consciousness as she fell.
When she eventually woke up, she realized that she had been out for close to five months. She had miraculously survived the fall, and had been found by another Mazahar tribe, her body however wasting away with a strange fever. It was a wonder she had survived, according to them. Well, that was the good news. The bad news was that the fever had ravaged her body, reducing a once athletic and powerful body to nothing more than a frail husk. It was possible that she could recover to her previous state, but it would take years, perhaps.
While this filled Sarma’s heart with grief, what was more painful to her was the betrayal of Cuchan, and the desecration of her tribe’s proud heritage. She was resolved that she would regain her strength and return one day to her land (or tree), and even if her tribe was beyond saving, she would bring Cuchan to justice (if he hadn’t been turned against by his goddess), and break the goddess’ influence over the Ancani enclave. It was just like hunting a dangerous, intelligent quarry. She could, and would do it.
All that was required was time, resolve and patience.
Sarma slowly but surely began to put things in place to prepare for that future. She managed to carve out a little niche for herself in the Mazahar Basin, though she spent more time outside the Basin, trying to find out more about her magic abilities, as well as restore her body. Her physical skills slowly began to return with each moment of training, filling her with newfound hope. In order to make ends meet, she used the skills she had acquired over the years to carry out odd jobs, many of which involved hunting both human and non-human prey, though she was always careful not to become a hitman for the wrong reasons.
Weaponry/Equipment
Equipment Name: Sewing Kit Class: D Description: An ensemble of various bone needles, fabrics and ‘threads’ of different strengths and textures. They are arranged neatly in a small leather pouch which Sarma carries at her hip. Effect/Function: For basic sewing and stitching repairs. Sewing needles are different from throwing needles, so don’t worry, she does not throw them around.
Name: First Aid Kit Class: D Description: An ensemble of bandages made from riverweeds, kelps and other natural fibers, stitching needles and improvised stitching threads, small mortar and pestle and crucible. They are arranged neatly in a small Stranglehemp pouch which Sarma carries at her hip. Effect/Function: For basic first aid practices such as stitching wounds and bandaging injuries. Also for the preparation of potions and salves while out in nature.
Name: Twilight Lantern Blossom Lotion Class: D Description: A small glass bottle capable of containing about 10 cl. It has a wide lid that can permit three fingers to be inserted at once. The bottle contains a peach colored paste that was made from the flowers and seeds of the Twilight Lantern, a perennial shrub native to the Mazahar Basin. It has a pleasant aromatic fragrance. The bottle is usually kept tucked away in the First Aid Kit. Effect/Function: This is Sarma’s basic body lotion. It is also a very potent insect repellant, although it is only effective against the average biting fly. Magical creatures are not affected in the least by this lotion.
Name: Bestiary/Herbarium Journal Class: D Description: A small book with many papyrus-like pages. It is about 10 cm by 20 cm in dimensions. It comes along with a charcoal pencil, which is used to write on its pages. Effect/Function: This is where Sarma documents every new flora or fauna entry she comes across in her daily adventures. It is usually stashed in the Sewing Kit pouch.
Weapons ***Coming soon***
Stats - 55 Power: 9 Endurance: 9 Toughness: 9 Speed: 9 Accuracy: 9 Magic: 10
Earned Stat Points Earned: 5/5 Arc Points Earned: 0/0 Jewels Earned: 1,100,000/1,100,000
Sources
Sources
Skills & Disciplines
Bounty Hunter Trained in the art of hunting both humanoid and non-humanoid quarry, Sarma has learned to properly utilize the art of stealth and tracking, in order to catch her prey. Even though she is at home in the wilds, a city is not a problematic arena for her when hunting. Also, when hunting, one must learn to think and act like the prey sometimes, so as to successfully prevail against a wily quarry. Thus, she is very skilled in hiding from people, covering tracks, laying ambush, moving very quietly and using the environment to her advantage.
Shaman Wilder A shaman wilder must know about the lore of nature. Sarma has an understanding of the various functions of various floral and faunal parts in apothecary work. She is capable of making crude but very effective poisons and potions from these ingredients, not to mention that she has a very good grasp on basic first aid, and how to source for materials in the wild to thus administer it. Also, she has good knowledge of most animal and plant types, with respect to anatomy, behavior and ecology, and likes to catalogue new findings in a journal which she describes as her Bestiary/Herbarium. As a shaman, she is also conversant with runes, temple and tomb complexes and structures, mystic symbols and esoteric scripts. She is also literate, due to learning from the “layered” people, and is quite talented in sketching.
Brilliant Warrior To survive in a dangerous world, one must be either protected, or trained to become dangerous. Sarma is capable of utilizing various armed and unarmed combat techniques. Concerning weapons, she is capable of using most, if not all simple weapons to a good degree, and even more complex ones such as flails, rope darts and whips. She favors bows and blow guns in long range, and although she can use guns, she considers them “too noisy and unrefined”. Her unarmed fighting favors kicks, since her hands are usually expected to wield weapons, but that does not mean she is not skilled with using her hands alone to fight. She also is a very good grappler, and can utilize various locks, throws and slams to disable opponents.
Survivalist Having lived in the wild most of her life, Sarma has mastered various ways of navigating through dense vegetation easily. She is a very good climber, having practiced with trees, cliffs and mountain faces. Having studied indigenous animals, she is capable of using acrobatic techniques to access various destinations, or move about. She has acquired a plethora of skills that enable her to thrive for long periods in untamed environments. Sourcing for food, other materials, and resourcefully making tools in the wild comes easy to her, she can make fires with stones and grass, has surprisingly good cooking skills, can stitch and sew stuff, and she can identify and interpret various animal calls, as well as imitate them. Her ability to navigate also covers watery habitats (where she has proven to be a very good swimmer) and muddy and quicksand terrains. Besides, having lived in trees almost all her life, she has a powerful sense of balance.
Edited by Fumus, Apr 12 2017, 01:44 AM.
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