Pherenike (aka Niasa)

[solace]

Character Information
Character Information
Given Name: Pherenike
Now goes by: Niasa
Race: True Atlantean
Occupation: Slayer, turned pirate
OCC: undead slayer / Burster
Diet: meat, fruit, vegetable
Sexuality: hetero
Known Attributes
(Any Applicable, such as great strength, speed, or quickness)
M.A.: 17
P.B.: 17
Description
Gender: female
Height: 6'2
Weight: 180 lbs
Eyes: green
Hair: uneven, but mostly chin-length, dark brown, almost black in color
Skin: pale Mediterranean complexion
Additional Features:
Facial characteristics:
Body type: lean, toned, athletic
Additional features: a variety of tattoos (locations listed below)**
General Appearance: Mediterranean pirate
General Attire: snug-fitting blue or black jeans, jewel-toned long-sleeved blouse, calf-high boots. Also frequently wears a sapphire pendant (which nestles nicely against her cleavage), and/or pearl choker on a bronze chain, sapphire/pearl earrings, and on her right index finger, a silver ring with a stylized wave pattern engraved on it, and on her left middle finger, a silver band with pearls and diamonds surrounding a sapphire.
Age
Apparent Age: early 20s
Actual Age: 23
Life span: 500+ yrs
Personality: protective of those she considers friend. yet guarded when meeting anyone new
General Disposition: guarded, but coming around, willing to be more sociable
Known Objectives: To enjoy the life now ahead of her
History
Known background information: trained as scholar and fighter, though she had revealed to the group that her path was not of her choosing. Her society placed much expectation that the first-born (Firsts) are chosen by the Fates to be trained as Slayers. With that duty comes another responsibility later: the Firsts participate in arranged marriage, to a domestic-trained Second, so the cycle continues. She was sent out from the unnamed city 5 years ago, and has made her mind to never to return.

Resent Activities: While the group spent a few months journeying towards D.C, she constantly worried of the possibility that the lie her grandmother fabricated about Pherenike''s supposed death would be found out.
Once they had returned to Juarez, she did not linger long, taking it upon herself to set out and locate what had come of Ringo and his companions. Her group consisted of herself, Lery, LG, Talyn, Sky, Gash and Aeshna. During this 10-day excursion, Lery had started referring to her as a pirate's wife, while she was trying to decide whether the rest of the pirate crew had meant that she is a pirate or a bandit. She decided that whether pirate or bandit, it did not matter as much as being a pirate's wife. They were married in pirate fashion with little ceremony and no witnesses during the evening of Jan 9. Once they made it back to Juarez, she immediately enlisted Anna's help in securing a space for Ibycus to work and put together the equipment he would need for the mystic tattoos.

After leaving Ibycus to begin his task, she decided it was time to completely and fully separate herself from her former Name and her past. She burned her old leather outfit, headband and straps once used to conceal the tattoos along her arms, then with Lery's help, acquired a new wardrobe and accessories to go with it. Once dressed in one of her new outfits, she went with Lery to the very waterhole she first met Ringo and LG, where she then burned her long lock of hair and a slip of paper bearing her given name, in Greek. (This part was witnessed by Lery, Sky, and Devra.) Once the fire was out, the task complete, she became satisfied with her grandmother's choice of words. Pherenike the Slayer is now at rest, while Niasa the Pirate lives.

Once he was ready, Ibycus altered the sword tattoo on her wrist to that of an oak tree surrounded by water, with a sword in flames laying at the tree's base, and likewise did the same to most of the Atlanteans who had come with him (save the one called Thais). He also bestowed the Marks Marks of Heritage to Lery, for he stands beside Niasa as her mate. The new clan is called Syntyche, meaning "common fate".

Land of origin: precise location unknown; somewhere in Africa
Birth order: first born
Joined the Party: when the vampires attacked the city
Legal Status:
Marital Status: married to Lery (as of Jan 8, 103 P.A.)
Known Relatives: Her grandmother is a former Slayer, now retired from active fighting, but she trains the young ones in their path to become Slayers. It was she who sent word among the home city that the Slayer known as Pherenike is "at rest"--in other words, dead.
Known Allies: Anna's pirate crew, The Shaded Fang, and the others she has traveled with so far, plus the Syntyche Atlanteans
*Known Enemies: vampires and other undead, as well as those who could be of her previous Clan
Abilities
Known Skills: dentistry - tooth extraction; also apparently able to fashion clothing from leather
Known Combat Abilities: martial arts
Known Powers: tattoo magic, setting herself on fire
Preferred Weapons: sword
Aura Reading results
Health: full
Level: medium
P.P.E.: low (while her tattoos are concealed)
Magic: yes
Psi: master
I.S.P.: high
Possession: no
Enchantment: no
Supernatural: yes
Genetic Aberration:
Chi Examination Results
Type: positive
Chi Strength: medium
Chi Mastery: untrained
Other Martial Arts Powers:
Chi Impression: very strong

Other notes

Tattoo locations known to her companions:
rose - base of throat
pheonix - right side of throat
raven - left side of throat
gryphon - left inner elbow
horse - right inner elbow
pigeon - beneath right ear

**When she boarded The Revenge prior to leaving Juarez, no trace of her tattoos could be seen.

[solace]

((OOC disclaimer: What follows here is a glimpse of Niasa's writings.. but she does not share these openly with just anyone. ))

Feb 19 103 PA, wee hours of the morning

Devra has just left, daylight is still a few hours away, and I must take the time now to write my thoughts, to gather them more wholly. It has been so long since I have had time to write. My mind has been much clouded on this journey, obscured with shadows of doubt, memories resurfacing...belonging to the one who was. It is more important now than it has been before that I get beyond these things, lest I destroy more than what I have already. It was only fortuitous that it had been Lery's turn for watch, else he surely would have gone into smoke and flames, as many of our belongings did.

I have become, as Anna and Aliza have made mention, a Burster...

I have been unable to shake the mass of fear, distrust, anger that have burdened my thoughts these past weeks. I cannot put them out of my mind--they are stronger now than when we were back in Juarez or traveling to our previous destinations. All of these emotions have been able to bubble into something I am not certain I can control. It would seem Aliza is the only one who may be able to aid me... for she is said to be a powerful psychic, and she did demonstrate that she controls the powers of flame... Yet, I am wary. My knowledge of her is limited, aside from that which I have …. experienced. She is somehow connected to Ringo.. that alone is enough to make me cautious of her, for I do not feel I trust him, either.. some of my companions may, else he would not be on this journey, but I do not. Added to this, she is psychic and I am not certain of her abilties, what she intends to do with them..

I have always been wary of psychics, of what secrets they may glean. Nigel is one example. He, through Cody, knows of my past identity, and perhaps, this one. He knows of the one of my original lineage who has helped fabricate the rumor. I know not how far his reach stretches. He may be able to alert those who would still seek me, inform them that I am not as dead as I would have them believe. THAT is why I still fear being found..especially nearer to the Land of Origin than I ever wished to be. ...

Elexorien has helped me in the past, at a time when my thoughts were troubled and I had begun to lose myself--but that was after I had the chance to learn of him and his ways, grow at ease around him. And even then, it was not easy to give in to his instruction, to take the lessons to heart.

But for Aliza, I have said little to her on the journey here, after she assisted with my seasickness. I am still angry at the manner in which she tricked me...kissing me like that.. I am not to her as I am to Lery! Reflecting on it, it continues to make my blood boil....even in spite of what the others have said..



A few days ago, Elexorien mentioned that I should try to trust her... that perhaps, one day, it is she who saves my life. Be that as it may, I state again, I do NOT trust her. I am ill at ease around her.. how can I expect that she will be able to aid me? She may be willing.. she did offer.... But at what cost? If she learns of the past, what guarantee do I have that she will not speak of it openly, near to ears that need not hear of it? But I must try... Whatever wisdom she may be able to give. I do not understand how to control what has happened, only that I am near certain my emotions are bound to it. I should learn more, but options here are limited.. With Gash's attempts to lift the seasickness, I thought perhaps she may know something that would help... but, it is beyond her ability. She did mention, it could be possible for Anna or Percephone to assist as well, but my fear now is that Aliza is my only hope of making certain Lery does not end up charred, along with the bedding, or while we share a mount, if I should lose control again.

For his sake, and for the sakes of my friends.. I will try to speak with Aliza. I do not trust her, but perhaps more, I cannot now trust myself.... There is far more at stake if I do not attempt this.

[/i]




((sometime after Lery and Niasa complete the scouting with LG and Cody))

Feb 19 103 PA, mid-afternoon

I did meet with her before first light. After everything had settled around camp and the others had returned to their tents, I sat awake, unwilling to return again to sleep. I wrote, and then stayed alert the rest of the night. I do not know how long we worked, myself and Aliza. She showed me only the calm breathing techniques and the state of trance, which is rather unlike what I do to regain my spent energies. Why the lotus position is important, I do not know. I did not ask. I felt if I simply went along with her instruction, it would speed the results—or at least lessen the time I must spend with her. My initial approach was not so unlike the manner in which I endured the private lessons of the Patriarch in my training... But I will not write of that.

Every fiber of my being wished to move away from her, even a few inches, as I do not feel at ease with her so near, especially when I cannot see her. At the least, she is aware of my unease and did nothing that would enhance it.. not with intent... But I had to force myself to stay as she placed me.

When the trance was ended, she brought breakfast and we began to talk and.... it was indeed confirmed that my emotions have much bearing on these new abilities of mine. She wished to know why I do not want to be here, and as I told her, those old sensations rose up, swifter than I realized; that was when the flames came over me, as they did in the night. Aliza put out the fire that began to catch the blanket, so there was little damage.. but to be told to control my emotions, more than the flames...

It has proven difficult to this point. How can it be any easier now, when I am among the lands I do not wish to be? Most especially when I have no enjoyment of being so near to Aliza? Those shorts she wishes me to wear..I still fail to see why it is so important to her that I wear them. What could be gained of it? She commented that she does not gain much attention from the way she chooses to dress. These would expect that of her. Not of me, however. From what the others have said, sex is what she knows, what she does.. Does she desire to see me in them, as it is the closest thing she will have to see me disrobed? Anna has Jeff as well as Percephone; Lery has had other women in the past; Elexorien seems to have more than one, though I am not certain of the relations--it is not my place to inquire of such things. Lery is who I have chosen, my first...my only. Is it so wrong for me to be devoted to this one? I know I will outlive him, should he live to his natural old age.. but is it truly so wrong to be content with the one I have, with no desire to approach another for affection or attention? Perhaps that is why my anger was so sharp at Talyn.. Lery and I have been together since he came to be included in our group.. flattery will get him nowhere with me. And Cody, do not get me started on Cody. I would like to know he has changed, but I cannot so easily forget the hold that Nigel had on him...and what he was able to do through him...

And Aliza wishes me to control my emotions, before I would begin controlling the flame? She may as well ask me to crawl through the eye of a stitching needle. I do not feel I should be in these lands, that I may give myself away as being the one they would seek... But neither are my friends and companions safe from me, for as long as I wrestle with the thoughts and emotions trapped within. There is something she has said to me: she could cause me to forget, but she will not. If I could but forget that this is the land that created me, my emotions would not be as they are. Far from this continent, I could grow comfortable with creating a new life, a new identity... that it would be easier to deny I am who they seek.. I cannot do this here. She claims I will not be able to properly face my fears.. but my greater fear now, is that my present feelings will continue to overwhelm me, and that someone will be hurt as a result.


If I cannot progress further with this, If I cannot set aside my lingering distrust of Aliza... then my only choices are to stay, and endanger my friends with my continued inability to gain control of my volatile inner self; or leave, that they may at least be protected from me. If I am to go, I would go alone, for they would need as many able fighters to face the threats of demons. I am painfully aware that my chances of getting caught by some demon or another are great, perhaps greater than running into a stray former kinsman. I cannot forget what had happened when Cody so foolishly decided to ride off in undead-infested lands. But he was not in danger of setting the whole of the keep ablaze, taking the rest of us down with the building.

And so I say, let them come, let any come who seek my demise! Whatever pain, torture, and death they would hand to me, would be kinder than watching one or more, who I would be willing to give my own life to save, die within a fire of my own making.

[/i]