Hirem's Plotnotes

[Hirem]

UPDATED July 2014

IC Goals: Redemption

Hirem is a man governed, first and foremost, by regret. He has spent almost one full decade chasing a foolish dream, realizing how bitter and awful his worldview had truly become, and regretting it thereafter. Though he has turned a new leaf in leaving Eyktol, essentially giving him a fresh start in the world, the weight of his sins still burdens him heavily. His murders, his poisonous rhetoric, his unwitting victims... Hirem seeks to come to terms with all of it. He tries to be a good person, not just for the benefit of others, but also to redeem himself both in his eyes and the eyes of his god.

His faith in Yahal, coincidentally, is his primary source of strength. Through his connection to the god of his ancestors - at first distant, but now made personal with the manifestation of a Gnosis mark - Hirem manages to find the fortitude and willpower necessary to combat life. He owes his life to Yahal, and strives to become an even greater aid to the god of purity and faith. Any challenge that Yahal poses, Hirem will answer it... and, in doing so, correct the imbalances that he has left upon the world.

After spending a season in Riverfall, Hirem has managed to discover a cause that he can become devoted to... in fact, he's discovered two of them. A chance meeting with Kavala made him realize his Cytali roots and desire to once more rejoin the fight against the hated Ruv'na. Meanwhile, contact with Caelum, the owner of Alements and nemesis of Haev Provedan, made Hirem realize that the issue of slavery, which he once fought bitterly, is alive and well in places outside of Ahnatep, such as Kenash. His current plan is to join forces with Caelum and help build an underground slave moment in Kenash, and once that matter is settled, return to Riverfall and build a life for himself among the kindred Cytali. Only time will tell if he can feasibly work towards the good of both causes at once.

OOC Goals: Championship

Back in the silly days of roleplaying initiation, I conceived Hirem as a warrior, destined to drive the Eypharians out of Ahnatep and establish a new desert kingdom. Needless to say, this was a really stupid idea that jarred heavily with the complex themes at work in Mizahar. I've greatly enjoyed correcting his character and transforming him from pious warrior to repentant sinner, and now I want to make his final, ultimate shift in character: wise priest. Someone that thinks before he acts. Someone that finds all of the answers to life's questions in his faith. Someone that is a beacon to others.

In order to achieve this, I've decided to throw Hirem onto a globetrotting expedition across Mizahar, in order for him to see all the different cultures available in this wide world. He will gain wisdom about the world and about himself; he will be tried and tested and face unbelievable pressure. At least, that's the idea. At the end of the day, I want Hirem to grow into a man that he would become proud of being, and further develop his relationship with Yahal... culminating, hopefully, in Hirem becoming Yahal's Champion. It's a lofty goal, but one that I'm really excited for.

Also, while he's in Kenash as a slave, I really want to emphasize Hirem's growth as a leader. He will not only be organizing the slave's and creating a means for them to escape Kenash, but also inspiring them to take such bold action against their masters. Hopefully I can create a player organization based on this slave network that Hirem intends to create, and see the plucky Benshira square off against all sorts of enemies. I have no idea whether or not Hirem will prove to be a good or effective leader, but he'll be damned if he doesn't at least try to unite the slaves together.

Skills Wishlist

I'd like Hirem to get his Unarmed Combat skill to Competency, as this will allow him to qualify for Kuvan status in Riverfall. Bodybuilding is also a priority. To help with his priestly aspirations, Rhetoric and Writing would be handy as well, since Rhetoric makes him that much better at delivering sermons, and Writing would allow him to add to the Penita Scrolls and develop his own religious texts. In order to better assist his plots in Kenash, investing in some Intelligence / Leadership training would be a major bonus.

[Hirem]

Connections to Yahal

As a holy man, Hirem has spent a majority of his life chasing after Yahal's will, seeking to hear the divine mandate of his god and set it into action. Whether or not he's been successful is, of course, up for debate. The following are threads that demonstrate this unwavering faith of his:

1. What We Once Were - Hirem demonstrates his faith by willingly leaving shelter and companionship. In retrospect, a bad move.
2. A Matter of Justice - Even when in total, grievous, insanely-misdirected error, Hirem is convinced that he's doing Yahal's work.
3. Prison Blues - Hirem, in a moment of self-introspection, realizes that Yahal probably doesn't want him to eradicate an entire race of people.
4. Storms and Trials - Hirem reaffirms his faith after being beset by a scary, murderous teenager.
5. One of the Dark Places of the World - Hirem offers himself up as a sacrifice to keep the darkness of Hai suppressed.
6. The Heart of An Immense Darkness - Through suffering, Hirem comes into closer contact with his god than ever before.
7. Hirem, the Strong - Through yet more suffering, Hirem finally turns himself around and believes once again in Yahal's grace.
8. Once More, With Feeling - Hirem relies upon his faith to help get him through some exercise.
9. Street Rat - Hirem ends up stumbling upon a sign from Yahal, reasserting his faith in the deity's grand design.
10. Ghosts of Riverfall - Hirem resolves to make the best of what his god has granted him, promising to never again let Yahal's faith in him go unrewarded.

[Hirem]

Dares
Let it never be said that I am not a brave man! Hirem has been dared by:

- Natsu Nendo to react to a common event by screaming in an unmanly fashion. Challenge accepted! - Completed in: That One Itch
- Tsukiko to discover more information about two or more gods/goddesses. You're on, Mizaharian pantheon! - Completed in two threads: Thief and Scholar (Laviku) and Heated Discussion (Nysel)

[Hirem]

PC Relationships

The following is a quick summary of Hirem's thoughts towards the many people that he has encountered on his travels. Though his opinions may range from adoration to complete contempt, never forget that I love each and every one of my threading partners. You guys rock.

This section will get filled in as threads are completed, giving me a firm idea of how Hirem feels instead of a shaky estimation.

Alaia

Though their first meeting proved incredibly awkward for both parties, Hirem nonetheless developed a quick fondness for the young, innocent, and kind Konti healer. He believes that she is a genuinely good person, and can find no fault with her extraordinarily pleasant personality. He wishes to see more of her in the future, though her desire to learn more about the world - and her ability to discern his true intentions - can create conflict regarding his troubled past.

Ashar & Jek Rhiad

Meeting Jek at the library proved to be a stroke of luck for Hirem, as he has found perhaps his greatest Akalak friend so far in Riverfall. The two share a connection based on their love for the scholarly arts, their keen minds, and their willingness to discover more about the world around them. They seem destined to become steadfast companions... but Hirem doesn't know that Jek shares his body with the much more raucous Ashar. Only time can tell how the Benshira will react to the revelation.

Kavala Denusk

Possibly the wisest person that Hirem has ever met, Kavala opened his eyes to the truth of the Chavi, the Cytali, and the Ruv'na, and successfully convinced him to once more donate his life to the cause. Hirem thinks of Kavala as more than just a mere mortal, and believes that he is honored to even stand beside her against the enemies of the gods. He has even managed to forgo his usual prejudice against witches to believe wholeheartedly in her cause. So far, Hirem hasn't been exposed to any negative aspects of Kavala's personality.

Timothy Mered

Hirem has never met this young boy before, but the two nonetheless share a very powerful connection... the Benshira is his father, after all. A brief love affair with Stella Mered, back when Hirem was 18 and filled with the arrogance of youth, resulted in Stella becoming impregnated without Hirem's knowledge. If the two should meet, it is unlikely that Hirem would pick up right away on the fact that Tim is his son... but if he should find out, his entire world is destined to change.

[Hirem]

Hirem & PTSD

This is an idea that I've been toying around with for a while, and even though he's been acting fine ever since he got to Riverfall, I believe I can implement this into the character without creating too much of a rift. Basically, after his experiences in Hai, Hirem has developed a moderate case of post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short. This is a disorder that is most often found in war veterans, but can result from any traumatic event... and I'm pretty sure that his time in Hai certainly counts. PTSD is known to trigger flashbacks, hallucinations, and generally causes the affected to try and avoid bringing up memories of their past.

It's been four years since Hirem crawled out of Hai, but he hasn't gotten any psychological treatment from a professional. He's been forced to try and come up with his own methods of coping, which are... flimsy, at best. Therefore, any reference to Hai, or his crusade against the Eypharians, as well as signs of obvious dark magic, send Hirem back mentally to his near death experiences in that forsaken pit. They won't always cause him to have a total meltdown, but they won't do wonders for his mental state either.