Jahi
“And so it came that the Raaka abandoned their temples and cities, took up their packs, and spread to the corners of Nirthas. They walked all lives, and learned all tongues. And they found comfort in the beauty of Nirthas and its denizens; and in turn the younger races flourished and all grew together until avarice seized their hearts.”
-Chronicle on Fables of the Raaka, 1:23
Appearance
Jahi, like most Brisi, is of a shorter and leaner build than most of his Strigi or Taki brethren, though he is taller for a Brisi. His eyes are a brilliant shade of blue with black, a rare colouration among the Raaka as a whole. His plumage is black, with grey at the tips, and white at the abdomen and shoulders. His beak is short and rounded, a trait more commonly found in the northern Raaka. Beneath his eyes and on a mark on his chest, he has shown his only magic talent: dyes. Jahi keeps the mark and eyeshadow the same brilliant blue of his eyes, a distinctive style and one that he takes great pride in.
For clothing, Jahi wears non but wraps on appendages, and a cloth girded round his waist. He keeps some charms from his home and travels about his neck, and he bears a belt with all manner of useful and transportable items. For weapons, Jahi carries with him a large knife and a bow, though he much prefers the former.
Skills and Abilities
Flight- Jahi has the wings of a Brisi and is more than capable of flying a good distance without having to stop to land. However, he cannot carry much on any such journey, and after a point, his wings simply will not give any lift.
Blade and Bow- While unblooded in a proper fight, Jahi is a competent combatant having trained years under a master swordsman. He prefers the interaction that the blade provides, but is more than content to kill at a safe distance with a bow.
Stealth- Jahi is particularly decent at remaining hidden when it suits him, his lighter Raaka structure giving him a slight edge in regards to moving silently.
Dye Magic- While incapable of anything great, Jahi has refined a magical talent in marking and dyeing. While it never does last, he is more than happy to sell this as a service wherever he goes.
Personality
Even among his clan, Jahi was known to be a curious one. Before adolescence, he had mastered two tongues and was reciting poetry. Though he grew up, he never grew out of his deep and abiding interest in learning new things. His innocence is another story. Years under the brutal tutelage of his former master has left him wary of other; while he might put on a good face and laugh at all the jokes, he is silently gauging how these others might eventually hurt him. While he tries to overcome this prejudice, it has proven most difficult to truly set aside all suspicion.
Biography & Lore
Jahi was born, as many Raaka are, in a traveling wagon. And like most Raaka, we was raised around that wagon, learning whatever he could of his people and the world around. And again in rather common form, he took to learning languages as readily as he took up flight. As his family traveled to the corners of the Allir Reach, he picked up on all the stories and dialects that bombarded his mind. Ever curious and hopeful, he always inquired as to the goings on of the world abroad, whether from fellow Raaka caravans, or from the traders which their caravan dealt with. And his curiosity only grew from there.
So it was that barely into adulthood, young Jahi set forth to ply himself on the greater troubles and wonders of the world. He found himself in a stronghold near Belgrath before long, and there he looked to train in the blade and bow. For all his coin and many years service, he found a suitable mentor, a gruff Elven mercenary by the name of Ramiq. The elderly mercenary was not fond of taking on an apprentice this late in his career; but he found glee in torturing the young Raaka, knowing full well the pride of their people.
For years, he studied under the grueling and torturous teachings of Ramiq, learning all that he could. He learned to love the blade, not for its practicality, but for the interaction and skill that was required; though he did not forsake the bow, knowing full well its value. Then came the day that Jahi came home to find his mentor dead, throat slit while seated at the table. Jahi knew how badly this would look for him. “A Raaka apprentice abused by his Elven master slits his throat while he sleeps.” No, he knew he would die for this if he stayed. So Jahi gathered all of the valuables and weapons that he knew he could safely fly with and departed without a second glance.
On the road, Jahi has managed to make his way as a hired blade, scout, and occasionally thief; whatever job kept him alive from week to week, he did. He has even sold himself for nights before, a surprising amount of affluent individuals interested in the exotic blue-eyed Birdman. These days, there have been a slew of jobs available to “Adventurers”, so that is his new title.
The softest touch
Of spring's first dew,
A lover's cant
To carry you
(To) my heart once more.
We met against
Our people's wish
And love was quick to bloom.
The bastard of a caravan
With grace of knightly groom,
And the child of a great house
Dest'ny all but writ.
The softest touch
Of spring's first dew,
A passion's ode
To bear your love
To my heart once more.
In the moment
Of our crime
We broke our family ties
Across the moors at setting sun
We made safe our escape
Yet treachry we could not await
Our dearest ally's guilt
The softest touch
Of spring's first dew,
A dreadful knell
To drive the knife
Into my heart once more.
Your life avenged
That bitter day
My anguish will endure
For the life that we once had.
Its sting a bitter blade
Calling me to find our life
Alone
Without You
Still.
References
Where Angels Do Not Tread