Grackle, The Friendly Flamevangelist
Name: Grackle
Nickname/Alias:* Solus (Avian Inferno, Flaming Fowl, Sol’s Loyal Servant)
Age: 17 (that’s at least 30 in bird years)
Race: Kenku
Height: 4’8
Weight: 79 lbs / 35.8 kg
Occupation:* Arsonist
Personality:
Solus is a religious zealot. In service to the sun itself, a god she calls Sol. Completely insane, the creature known as Grackle has a split personality. Referring to the half that fanatically worships the sun as Solus and the half that has some semblance of a conscious as Grackle.
Solus wishes to do nothing but bring glory to her god. Believing that fire itself is the only way to baptize others into Sol’s good graces Solus spreads her gospel relentlessly. Flames are the only purification that bring about the grace of the sun. Without fire, especially at night, Solus gets more erratic than usual.
Grackle believes in Sol. Grackle thinks that the two should be bringing honor to the sun but she doesn’t believe it requires inflicting pain on others. It doesn’t require blazing infernos to erode skin and tissue. It just requires consuming the flesh of those willing to sacrifice their lives to Sol’s Loyal Servant.
History:
Grackle was a perfectly normal chick, the first of her nest to emerge from the egg. Born among the ippan class her parents worked hard, but struggled, to provide for the young kenku and her siblings. At the age of twelve, as her parents were gauging potential suitors, odd happenings began to occur. Grackle would talk to herself, in hushed whispers. A few fires broke out amongst her flock. Before long Grackle’s parents discovered charred objects throughout her nesting area.
Once it was discovered that the source of the fires was Grackle she was put on trial. Due to the extensive property damage and threat to life it was determined by her shogun that the young kenku be put to death.
On the eve of her execution she burned through her bindings and the twelve year old avian freed herself. Using the flames of her release to burn the legs off her guards she plucked their feathers and burnt their bare flesh, feasting upon the cooked meat as they watched in horror squawking out for help that would not arrive. It was on that night that Solus was fully born. Rejected by her people she turned her back upon Kami and the teachings of the kenku and began to hear the voice of the sun itself.
Completely free to embrace the wondrous blaze of Sol she left Akashima to spread the warmth of Sol’s truth. If you are lucky, maybe Grackle will visit a town near you.
Appearance:
Iridescent feathers are sparsely spread across Grackle’s body, several of which are slightly burnt from attempts at unsuccessfully baptizing herself. She wears a thick hooded brown leather coat, tied at the waist. Barely covers enough of her to protect her modesty. She has a long beak with a few burn marks from earlier experiments with fire.
Her eyes are empty. Devoid of what would be considered reason or empathy.
Skills:
Over cooking - Grackle is an excellent chef. So long as you enjoy your food well done. And charred.
Fast Metabolism - Grackle can eat the skin off many humans, elves, nekojin, kenku, orcs, and whatever else without worrying about gaining weight.
Pyromaniac - Grackle draws comfort from flames. She feels much more calm in daylight, when the sun can bathe her in its splendor, or in the midst of a newly kindled inferno. Long nights with no fire can cause her undue stress.
Singing Grackle - Despite the insanity, the joy of burning the flesh of others, and unkempt appearance, this bird has a lovely and unique singing voice.
Sadist - Grackle does not feel bad about inflicting harm unto others. She knows that Solus must do this to prepare delicious meal.
Abilities:
Flamewalker - Grackle can speak with the flames itself. As such, she has mastered the ability to get incredibly close to fire without being burned. In fact, she loves the intense heat of flame centimeters from her own body.
She can walk through small fires and manipulate the fire only enough for the licking flames to give her minor burns. She can have fire immediately beside her without the heat bothering her. If she were in the midst of a large blaze she would suffer minor burns.
Grackle talks to the fire and believes that it speaks back. It does not actually respond, but in her delusion she believes it does. She can not persuade fire to do anything. She may hold a full conversation with fire in the same way a young child would hold a full conversation with their imaginary friend.
Ignition - Grackle, through the grace of the sun’s eternal glory, can heat the air around her fingers to such high temperatures as to ignite a variety of objects she would be capable of holding. Primarily wood, paper, leaves, and other typical combustible objects. Including another person’s clothing if within her talon’s grasp. She must be making physical contact with a combustible object to set it ablaze.
Fire Manipulation - Grackle can manipulate fire only to the extent that it does not harm her. In the future she may be capable of doing more but for now she can only coerce fire not to burn her own flesh (who would spread Sol’s glory if she were to die!).
She can push fire away from herself only to the extent it doesn’t burn her badly. She cannot push it towards another being. Her ability to push it away from herself is very minor. A few centimeters max.
Equipment/Weapons:
A bundle of short sticks, wrapped in cloth and strapped to Solus’ back. For starting fires.
Rags, strips of clothing from victims, and a stack of parchment to use as tinder.
A can of very flammable oil.
Thick hooded brown leather coat.
Flint, in case she needs to ask someone else to start a fire.
Grackle doesn’t need traditional weapons as she is armed with the truth of the sun.
