Umen’thia
Work by Goss
Race: Otani
Gender: Female
Birthday: Fall, 470th AV - there isn't a birthday per se, instead she celebrates the entire season as the one that brought her into this world. |
Body
To talk about Umen’thia’s physical features is to understand them. Changing appearance at mere whim, this moldling holds no constant shape. Mostly resembling a pale version of the Akontak, one could actually mistake her for one if it weren’t for her pale green hair and the translucent skin. Further setting her apart from the land dwellers are scales covering most of the humanoid husk. Besides, has anyone ever seen a somewhat translucent land dweller? It is this form she most fancies when presenting herself to the peoples of Mizahar. Sometimes the colors will change, but the body will still be recognizable by the land dwellers. Adorned in pieces of coral and an occasional starfish clinging to her legs, a sleeveless tunic resembling the waters she had just been in reaches down to her thighs. Upon inspection one would find the fabric to resemble seaweed but few get the chance for firsthand inspection – and even less dare. When seen on the shore, Umen’thia is 5’9’’ and lean with no obvious monstrous features. A firm believer in pragmatic shapes, while land dwelling she doesn’t allow any clear deformities to manifest on the outside – unless she’s trying to scare someone that is.
While in the water however, her already fluid form is constantly reforming without a distinct shape in mind – sometimes she’ll switch appearances for comfort, sometimes it will be for fun, and sometimes out of boredom, but it will always be inhuman in many ways. Perhaps it will have hooves because she gazed at the cattle herders that morning, and maybe it will have butterfly wings with no particular function for she saw an Akvatari flying over her head that night – only one thing is certain whatever she holds back around land dwellers, she will readily release in her own private corner of the seas. |
Persona
The girl is everything, she believes, an Otani should be. There are no ifs and buts in her mind. Instead it is plagued by what ifs and why nots and the questions will often push her into some ludicrous quest with no goal besides fun whatsoever. She will be found conversing with sailors and warning them of the trouble ahead (even when she knows there isn’t any) only so they would feed her in the honor of Laviku. She would still request separate tribute for the God of course – bowing down to one of His servants isn’t the same as bowing down to Him. Uneducated people or those of little wit generally aim to please her, not wanting to provoke Laviku’s wrath. There are those that wouldn’t condone to such ‘piracy’ however. It is these sailors that Umen’thia likes harassing most. Silly land dwellers, one can’t sail the seas and tread on her father so readily without mending their sins with tribute. Laviku is kind and patient to let them stomp over Him like He does, but she isn’t Laviku and there is no such thing as a free ride.
She isn’t completely devious however. Should there be a storm that sank some ships, it would be Umen’thia that goes forward to rescue the sailors. She would probably still steal their clothes and pile them up so it seems like they all slept together naked. There aren’t any free rides, but sometimes the only toll she needs is her own amusement. The Otani isn’t here to pass judgement, but she is here to protect the seas. To cause murder and mayhem on the sea is to provoke her anger – perhaps their weak land dwelling legs could dare to do such a thing back home on breast of their warm mother Semele, but not here – never here. While not beyond simply diving down in search of a larger creature to help her, Umen’thia will mostly simply drown the men she can reach while pulling away those who weren’t at fault. One can’t disrespect her father and His ways – the only murder she can condone is a well justified one; everything else is pure waste of life and blasphemy. The only one who should ever dare to strike a man down on the oceans without a significant reason in sight is Laviku himself – his word is law and his actions could never be questioned.
To act decently is to fall prey to her taunts and games, but to act indecently is to provoke her. And while still playful while provoked, her playing around might do some actual damage this time around. Never quite serious, Umen’thia isn’t stupid, but prefers to not be seen as much of a scholar. Attention spans ranging in chimes, her attitudes, goals and moods will switch readily if the current ones have stopped entertaining her. Even then they usually reflect the bright end of the specter. To see a sad Otani isn’t impossible, but it is rare and should be considered an honor in her eyes.
Even though she would never admit it, this girl wants to be Avalis in more ways than anyone could ever understand. While playing around entertains her most of the time, should there ever be an opportunity to do something for her maker she would readily sacrifice everything to do so. And if that doesn’t actually make her great in His eyes, she would happily repeat the process ten times over if it gave at least a sliver of hope that one day she would be someone He appreciates. |
History
On a strange night, to two strange people, a strange child was born. And as if things weren’t strange enough, the sea became one drop richer that night. No one would notice but the two towering beings that had cradled it with their bodies. No Svefran ship would sink, there would be no thunderstorms and had it not been for the touch of Laviku upon the small one’s shoulder, the happening may have very well fallen to the wayside. Water would never ripple its calm surface to greet the birth, but He did – and that was enough.
Umen’thia, they would name her. There was probably some meaning behind that, but neither her parents nor the young girl could hold the thought enough for that significance to remain. They would leave soon after the girl was born, and she would never keep any real memories of them. Her father was Laviku and her mother was Laviku, the ones who spawned her understood this and with their absence soon she would as well. Unlike those weak land dwelling races, this was quite a normal occurrence among the Otani. For one to grow strong, she had to be independent, and for the longest time that’s all she ever was.
She would begin approaching strangers soon after, sneaking up onto ships and enjoying her time there as a stowaway until she would be found out. The girl growing into a woman would soon begin to think how fun these land dwellers could be. Alas, not all were the same. Upon entering a ship once, she was captured, and only by Laviku’s grace was her life saved. The enslaving tyrants sunk to the bottom of the Suvan while her lone figure stood shaking at the greatness that was the sea god.
Since then she would never again trust humans so easily even though her unfortunate short attention span would often let her forget the very nature of land dwellers until the very last moment. Luckily she was never caught again after this, but many men have died trying as she soon found herself much more aggressive than she’d believe possible when it came to protecting her freedom. Laviku had saved her life; she couldn’t disappoint him and let her existence be in vain, she could never stoop so low!
Searching only for those marked by Laviku to keep her company she would display herself to other land dwellers after she made sure they couldn’t entrap her. She would play same games with all of them, marked or not. Yet after what happened, she would never allow herself to be too close to a land dweller. She had Laviku, and for the longest time, that would be enough. |
Languages
Common – Fluent
Fratava – Basic
Char – Poor |
Training
Reimancy (water) 15 (5 SP, 10 RB)
Singing 15 (15 SP)
Storytelling 15 (15 SP)
Bagpipes 10 (10 SP)
Lute 5 (5 SP) |
Lore
Religion – Laviku
Currents of the Suvan Sea |
Ledger
A ship sunk long ago, and it still holds a treasure Umen’thia calls her own for many cycles now (600 GM) |
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by Umen'thia on July 22nd, 2012, 11:39 am