Calla of Nuastone
Appearance
Calla is small, for a Komodi, but that still leaves her towering over most normal people. She has long white hair often held back in various braids, a double set of large, curved horns, and her skin is covered by white scales that edge on silver on their tips. In one of her many braids, often tucked just behind the protect of one of her lower horns, is woven a pink blossom which never seems to fade and gives off a lovely fragrance. Her eyes are a deep red. Her smile is ready and bright, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Anyone who knows Komodi well will instantly note her as an albino, and a runt to boot, but to the unlearned she is still tall, towering, and more than a bit imposing.
Normally, she wears practical armor, though much less than most wandering warriors since she’s already naturally fairly armored. She tends to favor minimal leather armor, unless she is further north, in which case she switches it out for furs and other things to help her deal with the cold. She almost always carries a giant two-handed hammer she affectionately calls ‘Sunbeam’. Sunbeam is a large chunk of crystal about the size of three human heads, mounted on a thick oak half inscribed with runes that allow it to store and channel a great deal of energy without shattering. The crystal and haft are reinforced with golden bands.
About halfway down her tail she wears a golden band set with sparkling stones. They’re not diamonds, just cheap quartz, but they’re very pretty and seem to hold sentimental value for her.
Normally, she wears practical armor, though much less than most wandering warriors since she’s already naturally fairly armored. She tends to favor minimal leather armor, unless she is further north, in which case she switches it out for furs and other things to help her deal with the cold. She almost always carries a giant two-handed hammer she affectionately calls ‘Sunbeam’. Sunbeam is a large chunk of crystal about the size of three human heads, mounted on a thick oak half inscribed with runes that allow it to store and channel a great deal of energy without shattering. The crystal and haft are reinforced with golden bands.
About halfway down her tail she wears a golden band set with sparkling stones. They’re not diamonds, just cheap quartz, but they’re very pretty and seem to hold sentimental value for her.
Skills and Abilities
Calla is quite skilled in wielding Sunbeam as her weapon of mass destruction, complete with devastating force behind her swings. There are several small chips in the crystal’s head that speak of mighty blows blocked with it. She is an offensive fighter, preferring a good offense to needing any real defense. She is also a deft hand-to-hand fighter, with a unique style that capitalizes on her tail and sharp claws.
Her scales are like a natural armoring, meaning she can simply shrug off most blows, and she has sharper hearing, smell, and sight than a normal human. She is also incredibly strong, as evidenced by how easily she handles the giant crystal hammer. Not to mention, she has the Komodi ability to spit venom or breathe fire, depending on the situation.
Beyond that, Sunbeam is also a magical weapon, designed specifically for the Komodo and her inability to channel magic on her own. The runes on Sunbeam’s haft and bands allow the crystal hammer to absorb sunlight, which can be released in focused or area-of-effect bursts when triggered by Calla (or the wielder) speaking specific trigger words. It takes a full day of the hammer being left out in direct sunlight for it to become fully charged; it can be charged by other sources of light, but often at a fraction of the pace. In addition, because Calla has no magic of her own, the expression of the light is very much unrefined.
Her scales are like a natural armoring, meaning she can simply shrug off most blows, and she has sharper hearing, smell, and sight than a normal human. She is also incredibly strong, as evidenced by how easily she handles the giant crystal hammer. Not to mention, she has the Komodi ability to spit venom or breathe fire, depending on the situation.
Beyond that, Sunbeam is also a magical weapon, designed specifically for the Komodo and her inability to channel magic on her own. The runes on Sunbeam’s haft and bands allow the crystal hammer to absorb sunlight, which can be released in focused or area-of-effect bursts when triggered by Calla (or the wielder) speaking specific trigger words. It takes a full day of the hammer being left out in direct sunlight for it to become fully charged; it can be charged by other sources of light, but often at a fraction of the pace. In addition, because Calla has no magic of her own, the expression of the light is very much unrefined.
Personality
Calla is out-going, friendly, gregarious, a little bit naive, endlessly optimistic, and completely and utterly incapable of understanding sarcasm. She takes people at face value, for better or worse, and is always ready to take action, especially if there is an innocent involved or an evil act being performed. She has a staunch faith in the inherent good in people, and is fairly unflappable when it comes to different personality types.
Because she is such a literal and upfront person, she often misses sarcasm and is easily betrayed, as she assumes the best of everyone she meets. She is not a very suspicious person, much more trusting, though she’s also not stupid -- if someone gives her reason to treat them carefully, she does, but doesn’t default to it.
Calla also is terrible when it comes to slang or colloquialisms. Prepare to be told things such as “A bird in the bush is better than a stone in the sling” and other such nonsense. She tries, but… well, she fails. Often.
Because she is such a literal and upfront person, she often misses sarcasm and is easily betrayed, as she assumes the best of everyone she meets. She is not a very suspicious person, much more trusting, though she’s also not stupid -- if someone gives her reason to treat them carefully, she does, but doesn’t default to it.
Calla also is terrible when it comes to slang or colloquialisms. Prepare to be told things such as “A bird in the bush is better than a stone in the sling” and other such nonsense. She tries, but… well, she fails. Often.
Biography & Lore
Not much is known about Calla’s birth family. She was found, wrapped tenderly in a worn, embroidered blanket, on the steps of a church after a clan of Komodi travelled through the village. She was small, only a third of the size that she should have been, and obviously sickly. Luckily, the woman who picked her up was a member of a local cult -- ahem, religious order -- by the name of the Order of Nua Nua. They took her back to the Order’s base, Nuastone, and there Calla was raised.
As the only Komodi in a village of mostly humans, it would have been very easy for Calla to have grown up cognizant of her oddity and strangeness, but the brothers and sisters were staunchly supportive and never failed to celebrate her unique skills. She often found herself much akin to the bull in the china shop, however, often breaking things meant for humans and not her much more considerable Komodi heft or knocking people over with her strength.
It took much in the way of training and learning for her to develop her skills until she felt ready to strike out on her own and do her best to protect others in the name of her beloved god, Nua Nua.
As the only Komodi in a village of mostly humans, it would have been very easy for Calla to have grown up cognizant of her oddity and strangeness, but the brothers and sisters were staunchly supportive and never failed to celebrate her unique skills. She often found herself much akin to the bull in the china shop, however, often breaking things meant for humans and not her much more considerable Komodi heft or knocking people over with her strength.
It took much in the way of training and learning for her to develop her skills until she felt ready to strike out on her own and do her best to protect others in the name of her beloved god, Nua Nua.
References
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