Suchus Anes
Suchus is a Nagai native who has headed off to the mainland on a mission he is willing to risk his life for. In his homeland, he watched over the helpless clutches and hatchlings, a role that requires a surprising range of skills. While not magically endowed, and even falling short in some naga-related regards, Suchus is a quick learner and intimidatingly tenacious.
Appearance
Suchus is an adult male naga. Broad and muscular with a beastly head shape opposed to anything remotely human-like. He has several sensitive pits on his snout and a robust, powerful jaw that has a noticeable underbite. The inside of his mouth is reminiscent of a cottonmouth viper; extremely pale, almost white. When startled, Suchus tends to instinctively pop his mouth open as a threat. He doesn't have a pronounced pair of fangs and instead has numerous teeth that hook backwards slightly.
His scale coloration is a mottled striped pattern of browns over a warm yellow underbelly. Into the length of his tail, his brown striping fades into solid black. His eyes are a piercing blue with slit pupils.
While he is decently large, Suchus has poorly-developed fins. The undeveloped fins appear as stout spikes along the back of his head, leading down to in between his shoulder blades, on his elbows, and then about half-way down his tail leading all the way to the tip. They're a little harder than normal, extended fins, but are not particularly sharp and have some bend when pressed on. They give little armor but do not hinder his flexibility and assist him in the water.
He has thick fingers with long claws on them. Most people would say they don't look too graceful and they'd be 100% correct to assume as much.
Clothing-wise, Suchus often doesn't wear much. When he must, he will wear chainmail or other protections, but usually just has a pack slung over one shoulder. He wouldn't dress fancifully unless forced.
His scale coloration is a mottled striped pattern of browns over a warm yellow underbelly. Into the length of his tail, his brown striping fades into solid black. His eyes are a piercing blue with slit pupils.
While he is decently large, Suchus has poorly-developed fins. The undeveloped fins appear as stout spikes along the back of his head, leading down to in between his shoulder blades, on his elbows, and then about half-way down his tail leading all the way to the tip. They're a little harder than normal, extended fins, but are not particularly sharp and have some bend when pressed on. They give little armor but do not hinder his flexibility and assist him in the water.
He has thick fingers with long claws on them. Most people would say they don't look too graceful and they'd be 100% correct to assume as much.
Clothing-wise, Suchus often doesn't wear much. When he must, he will wear chainmail or other protections, but usually just has a pack slung over one shoulder. He wouldn't dress fancifully unless forced.
Skills and Abilities
KEEN-MIND
He's an alert individual with keen sight, smell, taste and touch (particularly along his underbelly, palms, snout, and in water). He has a sharp mind and is a quick learner, but more importantly is actually interested in learning most of the time. He is always observing the situation to absorb new information and earn himself some new advantage. When Suchus is sniffing, his tongue will flick out to taste the air. Suchus' hearing is below average compared to a human but likely normal for a naga.
BRUTE STRENGTH
You do not want to be tackled or bitten by Suchus. In a full sprint, he's surprisingly fast on land and terrifying in water. While he's adept with a spear, he is most comfortable putting his body's natural talents to good use. It's like wrestling a crocodile.
CONTRICTING FLEXIBILITY
His tail his thick, muscled, but flexible. It allows him to climb trees, but also wrap around a target and squeeze the life out of them. It pairs well with his teeth that curve backwards, hooking into flesh and clothes. With his teeth sunk in, he can be hard to push away. Actually, sometimes even he has trouble turning his head the right way to unhook his teeth, especially when they get caught in fabric.
INFRARED
The extra pits on Suchus' snout sense heat. He can choose not to use them, allowing him regular sight. When active, his brain registers his 'sight' in heat signatures. This sense technically works underwater but significantly reduced distance.
AQUATIC ADEPTNESS
Suchus' happy place is resting submerged, waiting for trouble whom he can catch by surprise. He can stick his nose out from the water, allowing him to breath and use infrared to sense what's around him. He can easily hold his breath for 10 minutes, and 20 minutes if he doesn't move around. He has extra eyelids that are clear, allowing him to open his eyes underwater.
QUICK HEALER
Not magically so, but he heals from cuts and broken bones a bit quicker than average. A bone break that might keep you down for 6 weeks is likely to keep Suchus down for ~4 weeks. Additionally, while he's still vulnerable to poisons and venom, he's unlikely to get an infection or the flu.
He's an alert individual with keen sight, smell, taste and touch (particularly along his underbelly, palms, snout, and in water). He has a sharp mind and is a quick learner, but more importantly is actually interested in learning most of the time. He is always observing the situation to absorb new information and earn himself some new advantage. When Suchus is sniffing, his tongue will flick out to taste the air. Suchus' hearing is below average compared to a human but likely normal for a naga.
BRUTE STRENGTH
You do not want to be tackled or bitten by Suchus. In a full sprint, he's surprisingly fast on land and terrifying in water. While he's adept with a spear, he is most comfortable putting his body's natural talents to good use. It's like wrestling a crocodile.
CONTRICTING FLEXIBILITY
His tail his thick, muscled, but flexible. It allows him to climb trees, but also wrap around a target and squeeze the life out of them. It pairs well with his teeth that curve backwards, hooking into flesh and clothes. With his teeth sunk in, he can be hard to push away. Actually, sometimes even he has trouble turning his head the right way to unhook his teeth, especially when they get caught in fabric.
INFRARED
The extra pits on Suchus' snout sense heat. He can choose not to use them, allowing him regular sight. When active, his brain registers his 'sight' in heat signatures. This sense technically works underwater but significantly reduced distance.
AQUATIC ADEPTNESS
Suchus' happy place is resting submerged, waiting for trouble whom he can catch by surprise. He can stick his nose out from the water, allowing him to breath and use infrared to sense what's around him. He can easily hold his breath for 10 minutes, and 20 minutes if he doesn't move around. He has extra eyelids that are clear, allowing him to open his eyes underwater.
QUICK HEALER
Not magically so, but he heals from cuts and broken bones a bit quicker than average. A bone break that might keep you down for 6 weeks is likely to keep Suchus down for ~4 weeks. Additionally, while he's still vulnerable to poisons and venom, he's unlikely to get an infection or the flu.
SUBDUED VENOM (Spit)
Compared to other naga, Suchus has weak venom. To kill your average adult human, Suchus would have to empty his entire reserves of venom, or at least somehow get a considerable amount of his spit injected in the heart. The effect of Suchus' venom is numbing and peacefully shuts down the muscles in the area injected. With a good enough bite (or poisoned weapon), the venom can spread enough to knock a person out. More likely, the venom spit will make the area perfectly numb and uncontrollably floppy.
If you get the spit on your skin, it will tingle but is harmless. If you get it in your eyes, it is akin to soap; somewhat painful and temporarily blinding.
Compared to other naga, Suchus has weak venom. To kill your average adult human, Suchus would have to empty his entire reserves of venom, or at least somehow get a considerable amount of his spit injected in the heart. The effect of Suchus' venom is numbing and peacefully shuts down the muscles in the area injected. With a good enough bite (or poisoned weapon), the venom can spread enough to knock a person out. More likely, the venom spit will make the area perfectly numb and uncontrollably floppy.
If you get the spit on your skin, it will tingle but is harmless. If you get it in your eyes, it is akin to soap; somewhat painful and temporarily blinding.
DOMESTIC ADEPTNESS
The role of broodwarden comes with a lot of fixing things up, and Suchus is fairly adept in most basic domestic chores, including but not limited to sewing and cooking.
CRAFTSMAN
He is capable enough with metal to smith without hurting himself. He can make basic repairs to armor with the right working space, but couldn't be counted on to make a refined, beautiful sword from scratch. Or even just like, a basic passable shortsword.. What he can do from scratch is glassblowing! It has its uses, albeit Suchus now has less opportunity to partake.
MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE
He knows the herbs and medical practices of Nagai. He is eager to learn what the mainland can teach him in this regard. He could be counted on for patching up a human/human-shaped person--from the waist up anyways. He'll try his best with your toes since they're kinda like fingers but he doesn't have the slightest grasp on, for example, knee injuries.
The only thing he knows about making poisons is what plants/fungus/animals are poisonous to him. He doesn't have any interest in making poisons and would be insulted to be asked.
The role of broodwarden comes with a lot of fixing things up, and Suchus is fairly adept in most basic domestic chores, including but not limited to sewing and cooking.
CRAFTSMAN
He is capable enough with metal to smith without hurting himself. He can make basic repairs to armor with the right working space, but couldn't be counted on to make a refined, beautiful sword from scratch. Or even just like, a basic passable shortsword.. What he can do from scratch is glassblowing! It has its uses, albeit Suchus now has less opportunity to partake.
MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE
He knows the herbs and medical practices of Nagai. He is eager to learn what the mainland can teach him in this regard. He could be counted on for patching up a human/human-shaped person--from the waist up anyways. He'll try his best with your toes since they're kinda like fingers but he doesn't have the slightest grasp on, for example, knee injuries.
The only thing he knows about making poisons is what plants/fungus/animals are poisonous to him. He doesn't have any interest in making poisons and would be insulted to be asked.
WEAK TO THE COLD
If he intends on dealing with the cold, he needs to spend a good amount of time basking in the sun--or something else warm in order to charge himself up for it. On hot summer nights, he'll be fine, but on cool nights he doesn't want to be bothered with anything but napping. He'd be troubled by snow.
MAGIC FAILINGS
Suchus simply cannot do magic in any capacity. He can learn its nature, sure, but his body lacks whatever it takes to make even the simplest of spells.
HIS NOSE
His nose is very sensitive, much more sensitive than his hands, as well as most human hands. It makes feeling things out in the water easier, but a simple bonk to the nose will get some sort of vulnerable reaction out of him. To actually be punched there would have him slightly dazed.
JAW'S WEAK OPENING VS. STRONG CLOSING
Suchus has a powerful bite but only in clamping down, not in opening back up. Most humans can hold his mouth shut with two hands.
STINKY
Like other naga, Suchus has complex scent glands that allow him to communicate with others of his kind. They're located on his wrists and neck. Even when they're not in use, Suchus has a strong musk, and a unique one at that. It makes it immediately noticeable and all the harder for Suchus to hide with.
NAGISH
Suchus' native tongue is nagish and it's most of what he knows. He's been taught a small amount of Common Tongue, and wishes to learn more, but there is considerable language barrier. Additionally, some sounds found in common languages, such as words starting with W's, L's, N's, and M's, do not roll off the tongue easily for him, and so he trips on them more.
If he intends on dealing with the cold, he needs to spend a good amount of time basking in the sun--or something else warm in order to charge himself up for it. On hot summer nights, he'll be fine, but on cool nights he doesn't want to be bothered with anything but napping. He'd be troubled by snow.
MAGIC FAILINGS
Suchus simply cannot do magic in any capacity. He can learn its nature, sure, but his body lacks whatever it takes to make even the simplest of spells.
HIS NOSE
His nose is very sensitive, much more sensitive than his hands, as well as most human hands. It makes feeling things out in the water easier, but a simple bonk to the nose will get some sort of vulnerable reaction out of him. To actually be punched there would have him slightly dazed.
JAW'S WEAK OPENING VS. STRONG CLOSING
Suchus has a powerful bite but only in clamping down, not in opening back up. Most humans can hold his mouth shut with two hands.
STINKY
Like other naga, Suchus has complex scent glands that allow him to communicate with others of his kind. They're located on his wrists and neck. Even when they're not in use, Suchus has a strong musk, and a unique one at that. It makes it immediately noticeable and all the harder for Suchus to hide with.
NAGISH
Suchus' native tongue is nagish and it's most of what he knows. He's been taught a small amount of Common Tongue, and wishes to learn more, but there is considerable language barrier. Additionally, some sounds found in common languages, such as words starting with W's, L's, N's, and M's, do not roll off the tongue easily for him, and so he trips on them more.
Personality
Suchus often seems fiery and snappish. He is confrontational and persistent. Still, he knows how to be patient and quiet when absolutely needed. While clever, he's not really a graceful speaker and can come off like all he knows how to do is bite and swim.
Like most naga, Suchus isn't really so concerned with the wellbeing of other cultures and sentient species. He cares about animals and plants, but mostly in terms of longterm health of the environment. AKA, don't drive things to extinction just because you can. He sees most pets for their uses; horses are transport, cats are warm, etc. That being said, he is loyal to his people, his duty, and those he's otherwise close to. He would mourn the loss of a friend, but not the overall decimation of their village.
Biography & Lore
Suchus was born among the thickest populations of Nagai. He was one of many that looked like promising young warriors in the making, but even early on, Suchus had no drive to fight for power or prestige. He found the fire in his heart when, as an adolescent, he helped in warding off a wild animal that had broken into the nursery. He knew where he wanted to be, and began to train as a protector of naga eggs and hatchlings.
It's been many years since then, and Suchus has long since become an accomplished, hardworking broodwarden; guardian of naga youth.
Recently, the knowledge and skills he had in his role were tested to their breaking point; a strange ailment broke out among the eggs. They become dotted with deformations. Eggs were dying for no reason, and the hatchlings born were sickly. A naga's life is bountiful but fast and a single generation can easily be wiped out if unattended, helpless. Suchus is determined to solve this quickly.
Suchus has taken twelve sickened eggs and sealed them in glass baubles. He's left Nagai to search for answers and new medicines, bringing the sealed eggs with him.
