"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Rhukana--
Nickname: "Rhu"--
Gender: Appears
Female {genderless in natural form}
--
Age: Unknown--
Affiliation: None--
Race: Vyrkaa--
Occupation: Curios/Information DealerRhukana appears as a human female exactly
155cm (~5' 1") tall and thickly built, aged roughly in her early to mid-forties, sporting a
short unruly bob of graying chestnut-colored hair. Her skin is a pearly white and fairly smooth to the touch, though the beginnings of laugh lines just now becoming visible on her face and small wrinkles appearing around her joints. Oddly, random small patches of
pale mauve can be seen.
Rhu's eyes are usually
an olive brown, though they appear to be turning solid white, giving her the appearance of someone who is blind. More off-putting is the "shimmering" effect that happens occasionally, which can cause a fright for those not used to her quirks.
In truth, Rhu is a
Vyrkaa (see "About Vyrkaa" section at the bottom), a wandering and her current appearance is one she has created for herself. Some parts of her may change depending upon the realm she currently resides in, but generally remains similar to her described appearance (see "ODDITIES" below for variations). Her actions mostly oust her as someone not entirely human, given her occasional awkwardness when interacting with others.
ODDITIES::
Sonlas: Her left arm is partially covered with scales in a similar (but not the same) tone as her skin. These rustle slightly when she moves more than slight motions.
Personality: While generally spry and cheerful, Rhukana has little tolerance for idiocy, being quick to snap if someone is being obnoxious or "acting silly". Her demeanor is closer to that of a teacher; the amount of knowledge she has acquired is vast, and she is more than willing to share it in various ways, whether those around her wish to listen or not. More annoyingly (to some), she is usually right.
Like a computer, new words, phrases, and situations may confuse her until she learns or discerns their meaning or intent, leading to the occasional awkward situation. Rhu may also take an unusually-scientific approach to some situations; most notable is her fascination with death -- more specifically, the emotional reactions in others towards death and similarly stressful situations, as she herself has little in the way of such responses naturally.
EQUIPMENT::
.//BASIC/Tome/: This book is (practically) sutured to her side, tied to her belt by a medium-length chain. Its contents are for Rhukana's eyes only -- except when she's feeling generous enough to share, of course. Looks old on the outside, but the inside is all glowy and technical-looking; a volume as ominous and mysterious as its master. Its contents are sealed behind a thumbprint lock, though the mechanism may be more complex than just magical or mechanical.
.//BASIC/Staff/: Rhu's staff is a simple but solid piece of wood, about 5' in length, with no visible markings or writings other than scratches and dents. It can be wielded as a weapon, but she usually uses it for supporting her (current) vessel form while walking.
.//BASIC/Baubles/: Rhukana carries a number of trinkets and components that can be used at any time, none of which weigh more than five or six ounces.
POWERS::
>>Lesser Powers::
<<Powers that are passive, are limited in utility, and/or require threadstarter permission>>
.//MEMRY/Eldritch/: While not necessarily a machine, Rhukana's memory is as good as one -- being able to not just remember information with unerring clarity, but when and where she learned it (if necessary). She can also recite it back in any language that she know - of which there are many - with perfect accuracy; this includes most known languages
and their regional dialects, as well as a few that most will be unable to understand.
.//MOVE_/Drift/: Through means unknown, Rhu is able to pass herself between realms without requiring physical transportation. This does take her out of her current vessel, however, and depending upon the differences in time between realms, it may take a mere instant, or last for years (may result in the death of a given vessel if the latter, unless they are artificially suspended/controlled).
.//SENSE/SixthSense/: Rhukana can sense
story tension the ins and outs of the world around her, occasionally granting her advanced warning of life-threatening events affecting herself and those immediately around her.
.//SENSE/OtherSight/: Rhu's eyes are able to discern things invisible to the untrained eye (and even many
trained eyes as well), allowing her to see energy in various forms -- both mechanical
and magical.
.//PHYSC/Vessel/: Physically, Rhu's body is tougher than that of the average being in the space she inhabits, able to resist more damage and recover from injury faster than normal. It can still be "killed", but she can build a new one if the current one becomes irreparable. Currently uses a human-shaped vessel.
>>Greater Powers
.//ELCTR/Tinkerer/: Rhukana's cache of knowledge extends beyond magic and the arcane in general. While not necessarily experienced, she knows a fair bit about machines and their workings, and seems to be able to interface directly with them through methods unknown.
.//TOME_/Recall/: One of Rhu's biggest advantages is the nigh-endless backlog of knowledge she has stored up. By consulting her travel tome, she is likely to find a spell, ritual, or cant that fits a situation.
.//STAFF/Combat/: Rhu doesn't carry her staff just to aide her walking; she's a competent combatant if some poor sap comes within melee range. What Rhu lacks in pure strength she makes up for with a surprising display of finesse and skill, making her dangerous to take head-on without an element of surprise.
>>Weaknesses
.//TOME_/V00dooDoll/: If Rhu's travel tome is "lost" and she is unable to retrieve it, she may become panicked and lose coherent functionality until it is returned. If it is damaged, she will lose mental cohesion and be unable to act normally; if it is somehow (inconceivably) destroyed, Rhukana may actually cease functionality altogether.
.//ELMNT/General/: Elemental attacks (esp. electricity & fire) that contact Rhukana in her natural ("cloud") form causes severe damage, easily able to erase much of her existence. This can happen to a lesser degree while parked in a vessel, given that most forms she takes are of the flesh and blood variety.
About Vyrkaa:
>>
SHORT VERSION: A Vyrkaa is a "race" of rare, cloud-like beings that form physical bodies (called "vessels") upon entering a new realm, and are capable of using magic and technology in equal measure (it is hotly debated as to which side they fall on). A physical vessel often displays physical abnormalities to them, and even when confronted with threats of violence or possible "death", they will likely refuse to alter them. In their natural states, they are quite vulnerable, and can be destroyed with sufficient force -- part of why they create physical forms in the first place.
{In-Depth Description}No one can completely agree on exactly what Vyrki (pl. of Vyrkaa) are. Those with technological fluency in their daily lives seem to believe them to be magical creatures; on the other hand, those that dabble in the arcane insist they are clearly artificial beings with no natural affinity for magic. Whichever they are, these rare beings have no physical form naturally, appearing as a misty cloud or fog that moves of their own volition. Microscopic analysis (when allowed) has yet to discern individual portions within these clouds - not even vapor particulates - deepening their already-enigmatic nature.
Normally, these beings are always on the move, but when Vyrki chooses to settle in a certain place, they can create a "vessel" for themselves -- a physical form that takes the appearance of a common being in the vicinity, often one of sentience (when available). These vessels are alive in most senses, although they often display certain "quirks", such as unusual skin tones, strange shape of some body parts, and the occasional shimmering in specific areas. A single Vyrkaa may be able to create multiple vessels at one time, but this is mere speculation and has yet to be observed or recorded.
Psychologically, vessel-bound Vyrki show variances in mindset that are not easily understood by physically-trapped beings, but can display certain known qualities, such as curiosity, anger, sadness, and affection. Their emotional state can be affected by the length of time they remain in a location, as well as whether they become attached to any beings within that realm, among other factors. How long they stay in one place seems to be random -- some stay for decades or even centuries, possibly hopping between vessels, while others float from one /to another with no rhyme nor reason.
Outside their vessels, they have very little contact with other species, seeming to go so far as to avoid confrontation altogether if they can. While theoretically possible, it is rare that a Vyrkaa will attempt communication with another being, as this has been found to cause headaches and vertigo in a fair number of subjects exposed to such anomalies. Why exactly is still up for discussion, but the general verdict is that most species are not adapted for the form of communication that Vyrki use.
Without a vessel, they are quite vulnerable, and can be harmed in a number of ways. Flame and electricity can destroy Vyrki outright if produced in sufficient quantities, while extreme cold will freeze them in place, and water can act as a barrier (but not water vapor). Other methods of entrapment, from magical barriers to high-tech prisons, may be able to prevent them from escaping. However, if there are any flaws in the entrapment method, a Vyrkaa can escape with ease.
