Name: Poczy Tingwen
Nickname/Alias: Her first name
Race: Elf
Height: 1.73 meters (5 foot 8 inches)
Weight: 54.5 kilograms (apPOCZYmately 120 lbs)
Age: 250 years
Occupation: Alchemist, Brewer
Personality:
Many believe in a destiny--a certain calling--that exists for every life. This purpose is what supposedly drives their actions, beliefs, and livelihoods. A sizeable counter-culture exists, however, that rejects this notion of preordained purpose in life. Instead, the universe is a blank canvas for which, through sheer will alone, they paint a colorful, fulfilling masterpiece. Though the universe is silent, they believe an unwavering spirit can defy this oppressive silence with song.
Then there’s Poczy Tingwen.
Is there a higher calling at work? Absolutely not; this is merely a fairy tale designed to maintain the population’s cooperation. Is there free will? It would be foolish to think so; every creature alive can be broken down into predictable patterns. Biological drives, behavioral adaption to environmental stimuli, norms and expectations in a given social structure, and common goals established through group dynamics. These are what dictate the hopes, dreams, and desires of every living thing to Poczy. She believes that there is no escape from this, not even for herself.
If all actions are a product of indoctrinated morality, social order, and survival instinct to Poczy, what’s left to keep herself invested in life? Simple: curiosity in her own ability to survive. She has intellect, agility, and explosives. What else could she possible need? Why consciously think about the rest?
History:
“Hi Journal!
Father gave me this journal to start writing down stuff that happens to me, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m Poczy and I’m five years old and Father told me this is an important journal and I’m going to write in it. My handwriting isn’t very good right now. I’m sorry Journal. Anyway, Father makes really cool stuff, and I’m helping him! Father says that I’m really important to his work. I want to tell Mother, but Father says I can’t yet. It’s a surprise for her, Father says. But I want to tell her what I did today! Father gave me a purple drink and it tasted yucky but it was sparkly so I didn’t mind too much. Anyway, I drank it and I ran really really fast! I ran faster than our hunting hound. Father says he never saw a little girl run so fast, and that made me really happy. I couldn’t stay fast for long, though. Father says I ran the fastest for only ten minutes. After I stopped running my tummy hurt and I didn’t feel good and then I coughed and when I coughed blood came out. I told Father I didn’t feel good and he told me it was ok and put me in bed and then gave me this journal and told me that I should write in it so that’s what I’m doing. My head hurts too now, and I’m feeling sleepy. It’s getting hard to write in this journal. I’m still coughing up blood and Father is watching me and he looks sad when the blood comes out but I’m going to be brave for Father though and help him with his important work.
Father says I have to rest so it’s time to put you away Journal so he can read it. Goodnight Journal.â€
Poczy Tingwen, Age 5
"What an exciting day! After fifteen years of studying physiology, botany, and alchemy, I'm finally ready to be Father's apprentice! Being the daughter of a master alchemist certainly has its perks. Of course, with few and far alchemists it's not that hard to be considered a 'master' alchemist. Still, Father's achievements shouldn't be undercut by that fact. No other alchemist in all Althanas has made as many contributions to the study of physiological alteration through alchemical means! At least I haven’t seen as many writings from other sources on the matter, I should say.
On a related note, I made one hell of a mutagen today! Now I’ll admit I may not be the most… physically powerful individual. But after making some improvements to my father’s formula? Oh, I felt like a god! Usually I can only lift and carry about 25 kilograms for thirty five meters at a consistent walking speed. Today, thought, I’ve set a new personal record: 75 kilograms for thirty five meters at a brisk walking speed! My stomach hurts and I’m coughing up blood again, but damn was it worth this!
I wanted to push for 80 kilograms, but Father stopped the experiment once he saw blood.“
Poczy Tingwen, Age 25
“So I’m just some damn experiment? A ‘possible biological link to human longevity;’ is that all I really am? I’m just some case study to be published, aren’t I? Has he been doing this to himself, too? Is this what Mother can’t know about? Oh gods, what am I? Decades of research, every experiment we’ve done, all the years of study-it was all so I could continue his unholy work...
I can’t stand to look at myself. I have to leave.â€
Poczy Tingwen, Age 58
"
Poczy once met a man at a store
And this man, boy, did she adore!
But he grew of old age,
and in a fiery rage,
Poczy swore to feel love no more
She examined society
And concluded morality
Was nothing but a conformist ploy.
So she turned to science,
Her now only reliance,
To make all Althanas her toy.
Looks like I’m not much of a lyricist, am I? Better stick with my dayjob. Anyhow, it’s been quite a while since I’ve even laid hands on this thing. Writing into it again is oddly comforting. Perhaps my emotional stability is more dependent on this journal than I thought.
Let’s catch you up to speed, eh Journal? I’ve been awfully neglectful.
Since we last met, I tried seeking refuge with an insufferable band of elves; I don’t know why Father fetishized them. I didn’t have much trouble living among humans, but they were so willing to play into insignificant roles. Their obsession with ‘duty’ and ‘order’ almost rivaled the elves’ insatiable lust for superiority. Either way they were the same, subjecting themselves into some meaningless social order. Makes the trip to oblivion a little more convenient for everyone, I suppose.
Thanks to dear old father, I can’t seem to play along. At least I couldn’t do it without losing three-fourths my mental capacity, that is. I’m 173 years old, but I don’t look a day over nineteen. Whatever Father pumped into me has slowed my aging process down, even by human-elf hybrid standards.
No, my fate is sealed. I have my own desires for appeasement, so I guess I can’t be too harsh on them. Even I succumbed to the biological and existential drives for partnership. I had married and lived with a human man for sixty years. Even took up brewery. Amazing how teenage nights sneaking into Father’s lab for fermented ingredients could blossom into a wholesome career.
I still think about Father’s excitement when one of my creations outperformed his own. I haven’t touched alchemy in over a hundred years. Perhaps it’s time to go home.â€
Poczy Tingwen, Age 173
“He’s dead. Mother’s gone. I guess this is my inheritance.â€
Poczy Tingwen, Age 174
“I’ve reached the limits of my research here. Though the flora is plentiful, my work is beginning to require ingredients that aren’t native to this area. Perhaps Corone will be more fruitful; at the very least it could provide some direction.â€
Poczy Tingwen, Age 250
Appearance:
A slender woman of nearly two meters, Poczy stands with a wild boldness seemingly juxtapose to her fragile frame. Her sharp green eyes tend not to fixate on one thing for long, instead darting about to assess her environment. Her ears are slightly pointed, giving the smallest hint an elven heritage.
Skills:
Elite Elixir Mixer: With decades of study and experience, Poczy is able to create alchemical elixirs. Each elixir, depending on the ingredients chosen, have spell-like properties once released from their vials. The way in which their contents are released are inconsequential, depending how how pricey the vial was. All elixirs expire after 24 hours.
Can get you turnt on dat jigga juice
Archery: Through years of training and practice, Poczy has the ability to shoot slow to medium moving objects with relative ease.
Bodacious Botanist: Decades of study have provided Poczy with knowledge of the flora of Althanas. She is able to identify, cultivate, and utilize common plants and some exotic plants.
Let’s Get Physical: Poczy is well studied in the physiology of humanoid creatures, elves and humans in particular.
Abilities:
Feeling Bombastic: By harnessing the violent nature kept dormant in certain materials, Poczy is able to concoct a special elixir with the equivalent force of a bomb. When thrown, this bomb releases raw explosive energy within a one meter (apPOCZYmately three foot) radius. Currently, Poczy is only able to make three bombs per day at max due to time required to concoct these special elixirs and resources.
Mutagen Mania: It’s no secret that all organic life is comprised of simple building blocks. The arrangement of these building blocks, unsurprisingly, greatly determines the physical abilities of their respective lifeform: strength, constitution, dexterity, etc. However, alteration one’s physiology through natural ingredients is not as commonly known. With keen intellect and experience, however, these properties become apparent. More importantly for Poczy, they become useful. With the proper ingredients a special kind of elixir, a mutagen, can be created. Once a lifeform ingests the contents of the mutagen, its strength and speed increase by that of two men almost instantly. The effects of Poczy’s current mutagens can last roughly 10 minutes and should not be ingested less than thirty minutes apart. While ingesting multiple mutagens at a time will stack the benefits to strength and speed, doing so will cause the creature's body to tear itself apart from the inside. At two mutagens internal bleeding damage results that lasts until treatment. At three mutagens sever internal bleeding results and the creature is crippled after the mutagens wear off until they get treatment. For every mutagen ingested in sequence, the time is increased by half that of the previous mutagen. For example: ingesting two mutagens will have a limit of 15 minutes (10 + 5), while ingesting three mutagens will have a limit of 17.5 (10 + 5 + 2.5) minutes. Four mutagens at once are too much for the body to handle; no bonuses are given and internal bleeding is fatal. If a mutagen is ingested after the effects of the previous one wear off but before the cool down period of thirty minutes, internal bleeding damage results that must be treated. This ability is currently limited to three times a day and cap off at ten times a man's strength and speed each.
Equipment/Weapons:
Pouch
Yew bow
Quiver of iron-headed oak arrows
Formulae book
Leather-bound journal