Gum
01-15-16, 10:32 PM
Appearance
Gum's renown was as a Dheathain shaman. Head to toe, he could be nothing else. His hair was matted with ant infested berry juice, for every drop of sugar binding his wild mane together there were two drops of lethal toxin. His face was painted yellow with black rosettes. The weary lines in his leather skinned face caused the caked colours to crack. Beneath the warpaint he was brown skinned. Strapped with leather, a pair of round goggles were pinned over beady his eyes. Beneath the eyewear was a prominent feature, his nose. It was broad and hooked, ugly by conventional standards. For a mouth he wore a wide frown, its noteworthy width matched that of his aged jowls. From there his neck gave way into a wiry frame of muscle and bone. Said torso was barely dressed, he was naked but for straps of hide and fur tangled and draped over his body. His feet were wrapped in a tough hide. Gum forewent armour in favour of faith in the spirit worlds. He hadn't reached six feet tall due to childhood malnutrition.
History
Dheathain's jungled valleys were a savage haven for shamans and witchdoctors. Early in life, Gum's tribe identified his affinity for the spirit world. As such, he was offered away to a travelling shaman master, named Do U. In exchange, Do U offered protection from demons and enemy hexes. His parents knew that a Dheathain shaman would best be able to train Gum to live the life of a revered holyperson.
Gum's new master was obsessed with interdimensional travel. He believed in more than just realms for the dead and the living--this truth was at the core of shamanic knowledge. More than that, he believed in other realities for the living. His thoughts focused on a place he dreamt of, Earth. It was there that Gum's master learned of Aztec jaguar knights. These knights believed the jaguar's pelt would give them the strength of a jaguar in combat. Do U believed tales of these knights achieving the ultimate power, transforming completely--becoming jaguars. Do U longed for the day that he could become a jaguar and stalk the forests silently. He believed that once he could become a jaguar, it would eventually lead him to becoming a master shapeshifter.
Years went by, and both Gum and Do U journeyed to Earth in their dreams. Eventually, Do U's magic grew so powerful that he was able to open portals to other worlds. Soon he brought back jaguars from Earth and introduced them to Dheathain's forests. They adapted well and displaced other predators in the food chain. Do U continued trying to master the power of transformation once in the presence of the brutal beasts. He was never able to.
More time passed and word of Do U's interdimensional travel fell into the wrong hands. Gangsters captured Do U and forced him to import weapons and drugs from foreign realities. With the help of their captive shaman, the drug runners were able to introduce all manner of narcotics, firearms and explosives to the Althanian black market. Eventually, without the spirits of his ancestors approving of his behaviour, Do U fell into darkness and joined them in the spirit world. In truth, his ancestors were rescuing him from life.
It was at this point that Gum escaped and continued work on his master's goal of achieving transformation. A lifetime alone in the jungle, with only jaguars for company, eventually Gum mastered the transformation with help from Do U's spirit.
Abilities and Associated Caveats
Can transform into a jaguar. Benefits while in jaguar form:
Jaw muscles give him the strength to pierce a skull with his canines, other bone would be more difficult to bite through.
Burst speed is increased in jaguar form, Gum can reach 40mph for a short chase before slowing significantly.
Can leap short distances, typically to aid in climbing trees and other structures.
Dull claws, so blunt they are useless in combat. Gum's ability to transform into a jaguar has yet to be perfected.
Side Skills
During the magic hour, Gum has the ability to guard the sun in its journey through the underworld. (When the sun is setting, Gum can travel to the underworld--i.e. the world of the dead--to accompany the sun. The world of the dead is a dangerous place, Gum returns at dawn mentally spent and unable to fight until fully recovered)
Able to commune with the dead. (Possible uses for this ability are kinda niche. But if an NPC is killed by a PC then Gum could get what would usually be meta info about the PC from the NPC and use it to his advantage. I wouldn't want to bunny people's NPCs so it would need some cooperation, it'd have to make sense for the spirit of the dead person in question to cooperate with gum. For example, the dead ally of a PC wouldn't give Gum useful info of course.)
Can create vision portals to other times, places, worlds and realms. (Not really that useful in combat whatsoever. Nothing can pass through the portals, it's just like a window to another time and/or place. As for size and shape, round with a five foot diameter. This would be a good diplomatic or manipulative tool--to show a person something they weren't supposed to see.)
Weapon and Possessions
Gum has a piece of wood studded with obsidian.
Gum lives in a forest clearance in the depths of the Dheathain jungle, his house is surrounded by a small area of farmed land.
Gum owns a table and chairs and a bed, made from forest hardwoods.
Gum opperates an exotic animal trade and therefore is in possession of a herd of goats, a brood of hens with a single rooster to fertilise the eggs and a number of pools full of Earth imported fish.
Gum's renown was as a Dheathain shaman. Head to toe, he could be nothing else. His hair was matted with ant infested berry juice, for every drop of sugar binding his wild mane together there were two drops of lethal toxin. His face was painted yellow with black rosettes. The weary lines in his leather skinned face caused the caked colours to crack. Beneath the warpaint he was brown skinned. Strapped with leather, a pair of round goggles were pinned over beady his eyes. Beneath the eyewear was a prominent feature, his nose. It was broad and hooked, ugly by conventional standards. For a mouth he wore a wide frown, its noteworthy width matched that of his aged jowls. From there his neck gave way into a wiry frame of muscle and bone. Said torso was barely dressed, he was naked but for straps of hide and fur tangled and draped over his body. His feet were wrapped in a tough hide. Gum forewent armour in favour of faith in the spirit worlds. He hadn't reached six feet tall due to childhood malnutrition.
History
Dheathain's jungled valleys were a savage haven for shamans and witchdoctors. Early in life, Gum's tribe identified his affinity for the spirit world. As such, he was offered away to a travelling shaman master, named Do U. In exchange, Do U offered protection from demons and enemy hexes. His parents knew that a Dheathain shaman would best be able to train Gum to live the life of a revered holyperson.
Gum's new master was obsessed with interdimensional travel. He believed in more than just realms for the dead and the living--this truth was at the core of shamanic knowledge. More than that, he believed in other realities for the living. His thoughts focused on a place he dreamt of, Earth. It was there that Gum's master learned of Aztec jaguar knights. These knights believed the jaguar's pelt would give them the strength of a jaguar in combat. Do U believed tales of these knights achieving the ultimate power, transforming completely--becoming jaguars. Do U longed for the day that he could become a jaguar and stalk the forests silently. He believed that once he could become a jaguar, it would eventually lead him to becoming a master shapeshifter.
Years went by, and both Gum and Do U journeyed to Earth in their dreams. Eventually, Do U's magic grew so powerful that he was able to open portals to other worlds. Soon he brought back jaguars from Earth and introduced them to Dheathain's forests. They adapted well and displaced other predators in the food chain. Do U continued trying to master the power of transformation once in the presence of the brutal beasts. He was never able to.
More time passed and word of Do U's interdimensional travel fell into the wrong hands. Gangsters captured Do U and forced him to import weapons and drugs from foreign realities. With the help of their captive shaman, the drug runners were able to introduce all manner of narcotics, firearms and explosives to the Althanian black market. Eventually, without the spirits of his ancestors approving of his behaviour, Do U fell into darkness and joined them in the spirit world. In truth, his ancestors were rescuing him from life.
It was at this point that Gum escaped and continued work on his master's goal of achieving transformation. A lifetime alone in the jungle, with only jaguars for company, eventually Gum mastered the transformation with help from Do U's spirit.
Abilities and Associated Caveats
Can transform into a jaguar. Benefits while in jaguar form:
Jaw muscles give him the strength to pierce a skull with his canines, other bone would be more difficult to bite through.
Burst speed is increased in jaguar form, Gum can reach 40mph for a short chase before slowing significantly.
Can leap short distances, typically to aid in climbing trees and other structures.
Dull claws, so blunt they are useless in combat. Gum's ability to transform into a jaguar has yet to be perfected.
Side Skills
During the magic hour, Gum has the ability to guard the sun in its journey through the underworld. (When the sun is setting, Gum can travel to the underworld--i.e. the world of the dead--to accompany the sun. The world of the dead is a dangerous place, Gum returns at dawn mentally spent and unable to fight until fully recovered)
Able to commune with the dead. (Possible uses for this ability are kinda niche. But if an NPC is killed by a PC then Gum could get what would usually be meta info about the PC from the NPC and use it to his advantage. I wouldn't want to bunny people's NPCs so it would need some cooperation, it'd have to make sense for the spirit of the dead person in question to cooperate with gum. For example, the dead ally of a PC wouldn't give Gum useful info of course.)
Can create vision portals to other times, places, worlds and realms. (Not really that useful in combat whatsoever. Nothing can pass through the portals, it's just like a window to another time and/or place. As for size and shape, round with a five foot diameter. This would be a good diplomatic or manipulative tool--to show a person something they weren't supposed to see.)
Weapon and Possessions
Gum has a piece of wood studded with obsidian.
Gum lives in a forest clearance in the depths of the Dheathain jungle, his house is surrounded by a small area of farmed land.
Gum owns a table and chairs and a bed, made from forest hardwoods.
Gum opperates an exotic animal trade and therefore is in possession of a herd of goats, a brood of hens with a single rooster to fertilise the eggs and a number of pools full of Earth imported fish.