Malekiah, from the tents of Jabim, of the sons of Jeroab

[Malekiah]

Malekiah, from the tents of Jabim, of the sons of Jeroab Basic Information Race: Benshira Human Birthday & Age : 12th day of Spring 469 AV, 42 Gender: Male Physical Description Standing a little over six foot, Malekiah is a broad shouldered man, with a weatherworn face and long, sand damaged hair. He often wears his brown hair down past his shoulders, but at times – especially more formal occasions, ties it into a neat ponytail. His skin is heavily tanned from the constant beating sun from high above. Over his years, he has allowed the growth of a slight beard around his protruding chin. His deep brown eyes, mysterious and alluring, have seen decades of sand, sun and even more sand. Character Concept Malekiah is a man who has led his life simply by following the ways of the Benshira. He is devout and faithful to Yahal, and often prays to the Patron of the Benshira. He is not an ungenerous man, and while having little in his life, has never once thought to ask for more. A simple man with simple need, Malekiah has mostly been happy with his life. Although at times he does hold some regrets to the life he chosen. He wonders how different life would have been for him if he had chosen to forgo the holy city of Yahebah, and instead forge out his own path in the great deserts, become a Nomadic shepard like so many of his people, instead of clinging to the relative safety of the great city. Character History Malekiah, from the tents of Jabim, of the sons of Jeroab – as his name would suggest, is the son of Jabim. The third child of four, Malekiah was born with an older brother and sister, and several years after his birth – came another brother. Born in the tents of Jabim out in the Eyktol deserts, Jabim was a shepard with a flock of few. But it was more than enough to sustain him and his family, and as such, they would never ask for more. Malekiah’s family would often wonder the deserts, only seldom meeting with other travellers- mostly other Benshira nomad’s, but occasionally Chaktawe , and even more rarely, non natives to the desert. As following the teachings of his father, and of his mother – Malekiah was always respectful and kind – even to outsiders. But it was not something he had to exercise often, in his life wandering the desert with his family, only thrice had they come across kin not indigenous to Eyktol. As a boy and a young man both, Malekiah had wondered what the homelands of these non natives, these aliens were like in comparison to the world he had grown up in. It was a youthful fantasy, but he had dreamt at times of travelling to these places. Of seeing more than just sun and sand. But alas, dreams are often ignored, and often forgotten. Out in the deserts, Malekiah worked hard alongside his family, and he learnt a lot. Not in the ways of science and mathematics, but rather in the ways of survival, in the ways of the Benshira. He would help herd the livestock, he would create rudimentary pottery, he would spar with his brothers. Both with and without blade. He himself, his father and his brothers were not well accomplished fighters. Their father was self trained, and he passed on that rudimentary knowledge. They could all handle themselves in a small scuffle, but they were not soldiers. They were all good shots with a slingshot to deter a scrounging night predator, but they would be hopeless against an impending horde of enemy assailants. Of course, not all of Malekiah’s life was spent in the dune sea, the travels that he and his family were on often took them to the great city of Yahebah, and less often to smaller settlements smattered about the Eyktol. Yahebah was strange to the boy and later, young man who had spent his life in an endless sea of sand and a gathering of moving tents. It was strange, and strangely alluring. It was different to the life he was used too, and to the life he imagined himself having. But at the same time, it felt like home. The people here were still Benshira, they were still his people. And he still felt accepted, it was the same society. The same people. The only difference was there was less moving about. It was in Yahebah that he met the woman, Serula, who would later become his wife. She was the eldest and only daughter of a carpenter in the city. A man with great pride in both his work and his family, his standards for a prospective groom for his only daughter were rather high. As such, the advances of the twenty three year old shepard’s son were at first dismissed. And so Malekiah and his family moved on. But they returned again, and again – on business. They were travellers, but they had to find a place to barter with their produce, and as such, they often returned to the holy city. And each time, Malekiah would approach the father of Serula, and each time – he would prove not to live up to his standards. Serula’s father was not an unkind man, he simply did not think that the roaming son of a shepard had what it took to adequately support his daughter. But still, Malekiah was undeterred. The visits of him and his family became more frequent – them no longer roaming as far and wide as they used too. This wasn’t just due to Malekiah’s desires, of course. But also due to the fact his father was in failing health. It was getting harder for him to make the longer, more strenuous journeys that years ago he was able to complete with ease. And as such, they returned to the great city after only weeks away, instead of months. And this increased frequency did help a romance, and subsequently a wedding to blossom. But not so for Malekiah, rather for his elder sister. She became betrothed to a young man, a tradesman, with great potential – and she left the family to live in the city with her new husband. It was only a few days after the joyous, lengthy celebrations that Malekiah’s father passed on. There was a ceremony, of course, and then the family got on with life. Malekiah’s eldest brother became Patriarch of the family. He already had a wife, and a son, and now he was in charge of his greater family, too. Malekiah’s sister left the family to start her own with her new husband, and Malekiah himself faced a choice. And he reached a decision. He wanted what his brother had, and what his sister was building. He wanted a family of his own. And so he left the nomadic roaming of his sheep herding family behind, and made effort to settle in Yahebah itself. His aim was to prove himself worthy to Serula’s father. The man himself was humbled by Malekiah’s dedication,, but he was less convinced that the man was suitable now – Malekiah had no job, no way of support. Serula’s father offered Malekiah an apprenticeship with him, but the young man refused. He was twenty nine years old now, and he was determined to stand on his own feet. And stand on his own two feet he would. He struggled at first. He had skills, but no real talent. He was a capable fighter, potter and shepard – but that wasn’t really skills that were high in demand. So, unsure of what to do next, he went to the temple to pray to Yahal. He offered a sacrifice by burning incense, and meditated in lone harmony for a period of time. He left the temple, not feeling all that enlightened. Barely a few moments after he stepped out of the sanctity of the temple, Malekiah was attacked. He wasn’t sure who by, and it was clearly an opportunistic attack. The assailants, he believed there to have been at least three, took him by surprise – and then took his possessions. He had little to take, but they took it anyway. And then, bloodied, beaten and on the floor – Malekiah realised that his prayers were not in vain. This was a sign from Yahol. And so he followed the sign of his god. The streets of Yahebah were not safe and secure. There was always danger, and there would always be innocent victims that would fall prey to that danger. And there would be some to protect those who could not protect themselves. Yahalmen. And so he enquired, and thus he became Yahalmen. He had his blade, his uniform, and he had his orders. He knew that he alone would not be able to make the city a safer place, but he did know that he would be able to make it that little bit safer. And hopefully, he would be able to introduce a child of his own into this safer world. And so he worked, and so he saved. Routinely, once a month, he would take Masha with Serula and her family. And, after years of persistence, Serula’s father finally gave Malekiah the blessing he had worked so hard to gain. And so the Yahalman, married. It was a joyous occasion – and as usual for the Benshira people, lengthy. And so he settled with his new wife, Serula in the city of Yahebah. He continued his profession as a Yahalman, and while the pay was not perfect, nor the hours fantastic- he felt that he was doing his part. It was Yahol himself who put him on this path, and he had trust in Yahol. As such, he reasoned this was the path for him. Without Yahol and his career, he never would have had Serula. And as such, his three children that later came – the eldest son Jabim, after his Grandfather, and then two daughters – Isallah and Gerolina. But he at times wondered if he had made the right decision. If he did wrong by giving up on his youthful dream of travelling the greater world. He still saw his family at times when they visited the city, but it was few and far between. His brother took his family on further and longer excursions than their father had. He still had his sister in the city though, so it was not like he was completely devoid of interaction with his lineage. He never really gave it any serious thought though – the musings of a life lost were simply just that. He was happy with his life in the city. With his wife, with his three now teenage children, with his job. Everything. Training Skills Intelligence: 10 (+15 Racial Bonus) = 25 Investigation: 10 Persuasion: 5 Weapon(Slingshot): 10 Unarmed Combat: 5 Weapon(Sword): 10 Lores Lore of Yahebah’s streets Lore of Religion - Yahol Languages Shiber – Fluent Common - Good Equipment and Possessions Basic 1 Set of Clothing – cotton robe, leather shoes, cotton tunic 1 Waterskin 1 Backpack which contains: 1 Set of Toiletries (comb, brush, razor, soap) Food for a week or 1 bottle of embalming fluid (for Nuits) 1 eating knife Flint & Steel Family Heirloom Tarnished brass ring belonging to father. (approximate value, three gold miza) Weapons Iron Longsword -10gm Hebrean Slingshot – 6sm Slingshot bullets x40 – 4sm Ledger 100 gm (-11gm) = 89gm Thread List