Saeleothesis
01-17-08, 06:38 PM
Name: Radheed Al-Hazam
Alias: The Necromancer
Age: 64
Height: Between 5'7" and 5'8"
Weight: 135 lbs
Occupation: Gentleman Necromancer, Beet Tycoon
Physical Description: Sayyid Al-Hazam, a most humble and respectful man, is seldom seen without his vast collection of weather-beaten robes, and a pair of cork-and-wood sandals that have seen nearly as many years as he. His face is a wash of natural tan, and that which ages spent bare beneath the sun has given to him; beneath his plush black and white beard, the mess of cracks and wrinkles makes his features more similar to an earthquake zone, than anything else. In fact, the only thing that seems remotely young or virile about his entire body -- excluding, of course, the panther-like grace with which he carries himself, despite his age -- are his sparkling blue eyes, which are often bouncing with merry cheer, or the excitement of his work.
On the subject of that, the only set of clothing he owns that is in truly pristine condition are that of his esteemed and honorable profession: the necromancer. The thick black robes are fairly simple; the only adornment comes from whatever charms Radheed himself has woven into place. A fair-sized stripe of bright gold runs down the middle on either breast, and the middle parting is similarly colored in passionate red, decorated with a black zig-zagging line from top to bottom. The turban atop his head is done in similar colors, and boasts a thin veil which may be tucked away when it is not in use. A special satchel, similar in size to that of a messanger bag, contains the various tools he may need in order to perform his duties, and is held fast with a keyless brass clasp which opens only to his touch.
Persona: Rasheed Al-Hazam is a man who knows what he wants out of life, and aims to get it...respectfully, of course. Raised to obey the laws of his god, as well as of man, he carries that lifestyle into a profession that is typically known for being cruel and lawless, while at the same time maintaining a cheerful disposition. Ever the salesman -- his trade, before he became a diciple of Hastur and a gentleman necromancer -- the ability to wheedle and push on more or less anything with even half a brain works surprisingly well in his current profession, and if anything allows him to advance his cause far more than any of his bretheren. Where they might secret themselves away and quietly do harm in order to bring about a society to their liking, it would be the goal of the honorable Al-Hazam to coincide peacefully while pushing his own agenda, slowly but surely, until it replaces the machine entirely.
To that end, it is his dearest wish to build the biggest series of beet farms and beet plantations in the world, as a starting point for a commercial empire the likes of which most men have never even dared to dream of.
Equipment:
Walking Staff : a light-weight wooden staff, it is, unsurprisingly, used to aid him while walking.
Ritual Dagger : A curving, darkened dagger used in the many, many rituals the Necromancer is required to perform, and which is quite handy in cutting a beet. It is easily coated in toxins, and fails to corrode even under high-intensity acids.
Charms
Steel Charm* : Worked into a shape closely resembling a dreamcatcher, this ornate ring hangs from around the Necromancer's neck, and is all the shield he needs on the dangerous road. The high-tension wires are actually able to sense a coming attack, such as from a sword or arrow, and spring to life en masse, in order to either catch or deflect the offending weapon. While this works extremely well with arrows, spears, and light blades, it should be noted that it has a much harder time taking care of such heavy threats, such as oversized swords and most clubs. Similarly, because of the strength of the enchantment, there is only so much that the cables can do at one time.
*It should be noted that the current strength of the charm limits it to be effective up to steel weapons, but in that case, more and more of the cables are required to deter the weapon. This could roughly be considered as effective as a steel shield.
Minor Ward: Mysticism : This star-shaped piece of heartwood and brass serves as the Necromancer's only real defense against other mystics: it allows him to shift aside or negate, to some extent, minor attacks sent his way from casters. While it's by no means a stop-all, it serves him well, given his physical condition.
Bone Charm -- Heraghast A small ornament secreted away somewhere on or in his body, this charm, carved from bleached bone, is used by Rasheed to call up one type of servant to aid him in those rare occasions when he needs to defend himself. The Heraghast, a mythic creature from his homeland, was said to be a creature risen from the body of one who lingers unburied; it was often found in the wake of bandit raids, where the robbers would leave their victims to rot in the sun. The rancid odor and degredation of the unliberated and unblessed spirit attracts darker things from beyond our world, which in turn devour the soul of the newly-dead, and take over their collapsing body. The Heraghast walks the land, a bloated horror full of toxin and acid and malice, until it is either destroyed, or until it falls apart.
It is said that among enchanters and mystics of the spirit world, that one may make a contract with one of the Bloated Men, by inviting them freely into your home and feeding them meal after meal, until their unearthly hunger is satisfied. Thereafter, all one needs to do is wisper the hidden name of the spirit into a charm made of its host's bones, and it will come to answer the call.
Bone Charm -- Geisthora A small ornament secreted away somewhere on or in his body, this charm, made from tempered brass, is used by Rasheed to call up one type of servant to aid him in those rare occasions where he needs to defend himself. In his homeland, a Geisthora was a continuation on the common word 'Geist', or 'ghost'; to this end, the 'Geisthora' were the 'Ghosts of Hora', a fairly expansive region of desert widely known among traders for its dangers, both natural and supernatural. A common belief was that the spirits of those who died in the wilds returned not always as bloated demons, such as the Heraghast, but often as mournful shades. Black shadows on the horizon; out of the corner of the eye, they are known to take bodies from the sands and stones and bones of the lost, in order to blend in with the living and retain some measure of what they used to have; for this reason, it is a custom to check the number of men in a caravan every morning and night, in case there are more heads than there should be.
Powers & Abilities:
Necromancy : While not nearly so esteemed as many of his bretheren, Sayyid Al-Hazam has learned the ability, through practice and faith and patience, to return life to that which is lifeless, and to call upon the spirits of the dead. Because of his current level of mastery, this is fairly limited: he may raise a body, or call upon a spirit, but it takes time and patience, and above all else, the use of a ritual. There is no flinging of the hand to raise an army of skeletons, or a whisper to give rise to a legion of banshee; a great deal more study is required until he reaches such a point, to say nothing of the blessing of the King in Yellow.
Enchantment : On a similar scale to his powers with necromancy, this allows him the ability to create base charms and ritualistic devices, such as the bone charms he uses to call forth vassals.
History:
Hailing from a distant, unheard of land -- the sound of its name likens to gibberish -- the honorable necromancer, Rasheed Al-Hazam, is a man of business, a man of the dead, and a man of his god, although not always in that order. For the majority of his life, he had the life of a peddler: moving from city to city, selling his wares and establishing relationships with his many customers. Over time, he grew more and more successful, although never nearly so much as the richly-robed men who greased their beards with oil, and who wore great jewels on chains around their necks. All the same, he did well, and was pleased with this fact; his ambition and dedication drew him ever-upward, and made him dare to take routes few others would accept.
On one such journey, he was waylaid in the desert by bandits, and left for dead. After days of crawling through the blistering sand sea, he was taken in by a strange man in yellow, who brought him blessed darkness, and the healing touch of caring men and women. This was a secret coven of the King in Yellow, Hastur, and those who inhabited it wore the robes of the necromancer; for all that he had been told of such people, though, their actions spoke contrary. It was clear -- especially to a man of his profession -- that he was in the debt of their patron deity, and as such, he agreed to become one of their number, in order to better repay it. For a time, he made his rounds as he had before, but did the work of his lord as best he could, given the attitudes of the region. After a while, however, he prayed unto the Yellow Star that he might be given some special calling, so that he could truly benefit the cause, instead of laying a charm just so, or whispering to a man like that; he wished to truly show his patron the depth of his gratitude. This wish was granted, and so he was sent by Hastur's great hand across the world -- or, perhaps, across whole worlds -- the Necromancer was bade simply to "do as he would".
And what he would was farm beets.
Alias: The Necromancer
Age: 64
Height: Between 5'7" and 5'8"
Weight: 135 lbs
Occupation: Gentleman Necromancer, Beet Tycoon
Physical Description: Sayyid Al-Hazam, a most humble and respectful man, is seldom seen without his vast collection of weather-beaten robes, and a pair of cork-and-wood sandals that have seen nearly as many years as he. His face is a wash of natural tan, and that which ages spent bare beneath the sun has given to him; beneath his plush black and white beard, the mess of cracks and wrinkles makes his features more similar to an earthquake zone, than anything else. In fact, the only thing that seems remotely young or virile about his entire body -- excluding, of course, the panther-like grace with which he carries himself, despite his age -- are his sparkling blue eyes, which are often bouncing with merry cheer, or the excitement of his work.
On the subject of that, the only set of clothing he owns that is in truly pristine condition are that of his esteemed and honorable profession: the necromancer. The thick black robes are fairly simple; the only adornment comes from whatever charms Radheed himself has woven into place. A fair-sized stripe of bright gold runs down the middle on either breast, and the middle parting is similarly colored in passionate red, decorated with a black zig-zagging line from top to bottom. The turban atop his head is done in similar colors, and boasts a thin veil which may be tucked away when it is not in use. A special satchel, similar in size to that of a messanger bag, contains the various tools he may need in order to perform his duties, and is held fast with a keyless brass clasp which opens only to his touch.
Persona: Rasheed Al-Hazam is a man who knows what he wants out of life, and aims to get it...respectfully, of course. Raised to obey the laws of his god, as well as of man, he carries that lifestyle into a profession that is typically known for being cruel and lawless, while at the same time maintaining a cheerful disposition. Ever the salesman -- his trade, before he became a diciple of Hastur and a gentleman necromancer -- the ability to wheedle and push on more or less anything with even half a brain works surprisingly well in his current profession, and if anything allows him to advance his cause far more than any of his bretheren. Where they might secret themselves away and quietly do harm in order to bring about a society to their liking, it would be the goal of the honorable Al-Hazam to coincide peacefully while pushing his own agenda, slowly but surely, until it replaces the machine entirely.
To that end, it is his dearest wish to build the biggest series of beet farms and beet plantations in the world, as a starting point for a commercial empire the likes of which most men have never even dared to dream of.
Equipment:
Walking Staff : a light-weight wooden staff, it is, unsurprisingly, used to aid him while walking.
Ritual Dagger : A curving, darkened dagger used in the many, many rituals the Necromancer is required to perform, and which is quite handy in cutting a beet. It is easily coated in toxins, and fails to corrode even under high-intensity acids.
Charms
Steel Charm* : Worked into a shape closely resembling a dreamcatcher, this ornate ring hangs from around the Necromancer's neck, and is all the shield he needs on the dangerous road. The high-tension wires are actually able to sense a coming attack, such as from a sword or arrow, and spring to life en masse, in order to either catch or deflect the offending weapon. While this works extremely well with arrows, spears, and light blades, it should be noted that it has a much harder time taking care of such heavy threats, such as oversized swords and most clubs. Similarly, because of the strength of the enchantment, there is only so much that the cables can do at one time.
*It should be noted that the current strength of the charm limits it to be effective up to steel weapons, but in that case, more and more of the cables are required to deter the weapon. This could roughly be considered as effective as a steel shield.
Minor Ward: Mysticism : This star-shaped piece of heartwood and brass serves as the Necromancer's only real defense against other mystics: it allows him to shift aside or negate, to some extent, minor attacks sent his way from casters. While it's by no means a stop-all, it serves him well, given his physical condition.
Bone Charm -- Heraghast A small ornament secreted away somewhere on or in his body, this charm, carved from bleached bone, is used by Rasheed to call up one type of servant to aid him in those rare occasions when he needs to defend himself. The Heraghast, a mythic creature from his homeland, was said to be a creature risen from the body of one who lingers unburied; it was often found in the wake of bandit raids, where the robbers would leave their victims to rot in the sun. The rancid odor and degredation of the unliberated and unblessed spirit attracts darker things from beyond our world, which in turn devour the soul of the newly-dead, and take over their collapsing body. The Heraghast walks the land, a bloated horror full of toxin and acid and malice, until it is either destroyed, or until it falls apart.
It is said that among enchanters and mystics of the spirit world, that one may make a contract with one of the Bloated Men, by inviting them freely into your home and feeding them meal after meal, until their unearthly hunger is satisfied. Thereafter, all one needs to do is wisper the hidden name of the spirit into a charm made of its host's bones, and it will come to answer the call.
Bone Charm -- Geisthora A small ornament secreted away somewhere on or in his body, this charm, made from tempered brass, is used by Rasheed to call up one type of servant to aid him in those rare occasions where he needs to defend himself. In his homeland, a Geisthora was a continuation on the common word 'Geist', or 'ghost'; to this end, the 'Geisthora' were the 'Ghosts of Hora', a fairly expansive region of desert widely known among traders for its dangers, both natural and supernatural. A common belief was that the spirits of those who died in the wilds returned not always as bloated demons, such as the Heraghast, but often as mournful shades. Black shadows on the horizon; out of the corner of the eye, they are known to take bodies from the sands and stones and bones of the lost, in order to blend in with the living and retain some measure of what they used to have; for this reason, it is a custom to check the number of men in a caravan every morning and night, in case there are more heads than there should be.
Powers & Abilities:
Necromancy : While not nearly so esteemed as many of his bretheren, Sayyid Al-Hazam has learned the ability, through practice and faith and patience, to return life to that which is lifeless, and to call upon the spirits of the dead. Because of his current level of mastery, this is fairly limited: he may raise a body, or call upon a spirit, but it takes time and patience, and above all else, the use of a ritual. There is no flinging of the hand to raise an army of skeletons, or a whisper to give rise to a legion of banshee; a great deal more study is required until he reaches such a point, to say nothing of the blessing of the King in Yellow.
Enchantment : On a similar scale to his powers with necromancy, this allows him the ability to create base charms and ritualistic devices, such as the bone charms he uses to call forth vassals.
History:
Hailing from a distant, unheard of land -- the sound of its name likens to gibberish -- the honorable necromancer, Rasheed Al-Hazam, is a man of business, a man of the dead, and a man of his god, although not always in that order. For the majority of his life, he had the life of a peddler: moving from city to city, selling his wares and establishing relationships with his many customers. Over time, he grew more and more successful, although never nearly so much as the richly-robed men who greased their beards with oil, and who wore great jewels on chains around their necks. All the same, he did well, and was pleased with this fact; his ambition and dedication drew him ever-upward, and made him dare to take routes few others would accept.
On one such journey, he was waylaid in the desert by bandits, and left for dead. After days of crawling through the blistering sand sea, he was taken in by a strange man in yellow, who brought him blessed darkness, and the healing touch of caring men and women. This was a secret coven of the King in Yellow, Hastur, and those who inhabited it wore the robes of the necromancer; for all that he had been told of such people, though, their actions spoke contrary. It was clear -- especially to a man of his profession -- that he was in the debt of their patron deity, and as such, he agreed to become one of their number, in order to better repay it. For a time, he made his rounds as he had before, but did the work of his lord as best he could, given the attitudes of the region. After a while, however, he prayed unto the Yellow Star that he might be given some special calling, so that he could truly benefit the cause, instead of laying a charm just so, or whispering to a man like that; he wished to truly show his patron the depth of his gratitude. This wish was granted, and so he was sent by Hastur's great hand across the world -- or, perhaps, across whole worlds -- the Necromancer was bade simply to "do as he would".
And what he would was farm beets.