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Appearance
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 34th of Spring, 487 AV
Height: 5'11"
There is often a sinking feeling of discomfort that crawls into the pit of ones stomach when standing in the presence of Gideon, his dark eyes touched by the spark of insanity. Old scars line his bronzed flesh like silver threads to an incomplete tapestry, riddling his calloused hands most of all from a childhood spent making mistakes. His hair is a tangled mess of sable lengths he rarely bothers to maintain, brushed unconcernedly back when things don't sit well with him. A slight bend at the bridge of his nose suggests he broke it at an early age but never bothered to reset it, and thus left him with a curious asymmetry to an otherwise well defined face.
Dressed often in homespun attire, Gideon finds little difficulty blending in with the crowd, perfectly comfortable as a silent observer. When he does speak, his voice is soft in cadence yet compelling in its delivery, like the current of a great river. |
Concept
One’s status in life can compel a man to do strange things. For Gideon, it was a profound sense of isolation within his own adopted enclave that beseeched him to endorse a misanthropic way of life while still playing a part in the grand scheme. Sharing no personal disdain for the individual, it is when minds assemble into the writhing masses of society that he is possessed by a preternatural caution. This has led Gideon to a somewhat sequestered life over the years, far less concerned for the dangers the wilds entertain than what awaits him within the walls of cities.
But it is that scrupulous nature which allows him to excel at certain tasks, driven towards means that bring conclusive ends without palaverous nonsense or subtle games of manipulation. These mercurial methods often give him a reputation for being detached from emotion, cold-hearted and blistered by contempt without the hope of contrition to ease the heart. Only the intuitive mind might suspect there is more to the man than his predisposition, and that his primal nature exists only to upset the status quo. Though it would be denied with a silent stare of condescension, Gideon does have a side marked with compassion. Thankfully for his sake, there is such a thing as alcohol to help him repress it. |
History
Outlander. It was epithet that quickly substituted for handle, whispered on the lips of Eyktol’s denizens as both a regional legend and branded mummery. Gideon did not spawn from their world as was plain to see, his flesh nigh bloodless and his manner deplorably foreign. He lacked the fortitude of his adopted people, the red crow Chaktawe, whom found him on death's doorstep along the coast amid a sea of wreckage, crying out in infantile voice for resolution. To the ears of his adoptive father it sounded like an innocent soul begging to be saved. So, swaddled in the skins of the golden wolf, Gideon was brought back to the tribe to await the judgement of his fate.
Some suggested he be put to eternal rest, that their world would only bring him suffering the likes of which he could not endure. Others contested that his survival embodied Eywaat's cunning, and that his longevity would bring them prosperity in the years to come. A handful even believed that his presence was curse, and that to let him draw another breath was blaspheme against their ways. Still, it was the Wayhali's decision which presided over all, and after consulting with the tracker whom had found him along the shore, it was agreed that they would let the boy live under his adoptive father's care and tutelage. Shumakube, as he was known, was delighted to come home to his wife Cha'risa bearing a new son.
The bound couple's efforts to conceive had been met with several miscarriages in years past, Cha'risa's body weakened to the point where trying again would undoubtedly mean a risk to her own life. Gideon was nothing short of the answer to their prayers, leaving the boy never wanting of the knowledge or love from his biological parents. But growing up proved to be challenging in many other ways...
Unlike the Chaktawe, Gideon's body was not accustomed to the extreme temperatures of the burning lands. This became problematic as he came of age, leaving more minds to question if the boy had not been better off dead when they found him a decade ago. His thirst for water seemed all consuming, and his ability for travel turned into a test of his will to survive. The oppressive heat sapped his body entirely of all strength, shriveling it to a mere husk of flesh by day's end. It became evident to Shu that if his son were to continue on in this manner, his life would be forfeit before the boy's eighth birthday. This prompted a father's desperation, which resulted in turning to a woman whose powers he did not entirely comprehend, but knew held the key to his son's survival.
Approaching her took a fearlessness he did not know himself to possess, but after several meetings it was agreed upon that Paloma, a wizened old crow who knew a great deal of arcane secrets, would teach Gideon in private. Her mystical ways mingled with taboo, and it was her curiosity of the one simply known as Outlander that she agreed to pass on her knowledge of reimancy. Put to the test in the privacy of her own tent, Gideon cultivated an understanding of djed and its purpose. He learned the principles of meditation, and what it meant to put the body under duress and into a state of overgiving. For one so young, it took several months before he was able to even develop his Res, and still weeks then before he transmuted the matter into water. But at long last, the key to the boy's survival seemed found.
Trained in the arts of survival and hunting by his father, and with a power that blessed him with the ability to create water for himself, Gideon accompanied Shu on his treks across the desert wastes. It was in these years that the boy's resilience blossomed, his strength building and his knowledge flourishing. He became inspired by life and emboldened by each trial he faced. Soon the desert no longer became his enemy, but rather an old friend he knew by name. And with its secrets revealed, Gideon quickly realized that this was what home felt like.
Each time he returned however, the Outlander realized that his heart belonged more to the world than in the comfort of his adopted people. Many years had passed since his celebrated arrival, the novelty of his station having dissolved into obscurity. No longer was he the bauble that caught everyone's eye, but now the interloper who was overstaying his welcome. Whispers rose behind his back when he walked, and talk collapsed when he drew near. Aside from his mother and father, Gideon found himself devoid of social structure, alienated though not entirely crestfallen. But all it took was a simple look to the beyond, where the sky met the gold of the earth, to realize his purpose was greater. His destiny awaited him.
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![[Verified by Sentinel]](./images/checkmark.png "[Verified by Sentinel]")
Gideon Mason 
by Gideon on August 9th, 2012, 4:04 pm 
