Name: Zahir Jahan Khosrow Ibn Hamid

Species: Witernes (Myxa amongst his people)

Gender: Male

Age: 17

Height: 7'7" (I can't quite remember the height range you said for them so this may change)

Homeless until university, born in Varangia's underground portion, born too poor to buy a pot to piss in, father works as a dishwasher at a whorehouse, mother works as a maid at that whorehouse. But, first, it's a whorehouse, second, it's a seedy city, third, it's in the underground; so very few people ate there and the owner only paid for cleaning 3 days a week, so it was only part time work. Being Mxya's in another species city, they were already gonna be slightly looked down on by some, and being the pygmy city, it's exacerbated for them. On top of this, his parents were relatively unskilled and completely uneducated, save for the lessons of life; and knowing this, the owner of the whorehouse knew they would not be able to acquire work elsewhere in the city so he heavily underpaid them. However, you would never be able to find two happier people who are more loving and proud of their son than them. And that was before he even got into university.

One day, at age 5, while taking a break for a snack of half a slice of stale bread and some shade from wandering the city aimlessly, he was silently disrupted by a spirit who sensed Zahirs spiritual connection while harassing a Tjorae passing by Zahir. As Zahir suddenly looked up, the fluttering spirit connected itself to his spirit, transforming Zahir into a delicate butterfly. As if thrown into a dream, Zahir felt lucid as everything around him glowed with a dull light that blurred its details and boundaries. Dumbfounded, yet curious, and aware enough to control himself, Zahir started fluttering all throught the city. Weaving in and out of the constant foot traffic and surrounding buildings, Zahir sees an opening and decides to head towards it. Just as he floats through, it snaps shut behind him as a pygmy sized form stumbles away from the opening and towards another larger opening that he proceeds to close behind him on his way out. Zahir lands on a large flat surface, "What's happening?" he thinks to himself. "You're Spirit Walking, of course." came the wholly unexpected response in his own mind. Jumping back, startled, Zahir thinks "*Hello*?!" "Hello." floats a friendly response. "Who...*what* are you?" Zahir questioned. "A butterfly spirit, **obviously**, silly." the spirit ribbed. "A...am I a butterfly spirit right now?" inquired Zahir. "Not quite, but close!" "So I'..", "You **are** A butterfly right now!" the spirit interjected. "You can do that?" implored Zahir. "**You** can do that!" proclaimed the spirit. "I can?!" Zahir asked laced with curiosity. "Of course, my silly boy! You are a Spirit Walker, after all." "How does this all work?" Zahir eagerly asked. "How should I know, I'm a butterfly! You're lucky I knew this much." "Seriously?" queried Zahir. "Deadly." retorted the butterfly. ^ chirp chirp ^ "Stay out of this cricket!" rejoined the butterfly. ~hop hop hop~ "Rright. Guess we'll have to figure it out then." declared X. "We got this!" concurred the butterfly. 

(7 years later):

^huff huff hff fffuh ^ "...definitely don't got this!" bellowed the butterfly. ^huff huff^ "I can **see** that." riposted Zahir.

(Back to 5 year old Zahir):

"Do you at least know how to change back?" asked Zahir with a hint of desperation. "But of course!" stated the butterfly plainly. ^Mmpop^ smacked Zahirs ears as the 2 spirits separated. As Zahir expanded back to his normal size he clattered onto the table he had previously been standing on as the butterfly. Looking around, regaining his wits and whereabouts, he sees a familiar face. 2. 2 familiar faces. Sneering back at him, as before. It was a photo of a married Pygmy couple. His memories flashed before him: the biting cold winter night, the graveling pain of his rumbling pit of a stomach, the numbness beginning to kiss his nose and vice his open hand begging for any pittance, the desperation slithering its way into his mind, the elation at the approaching figures, the shattering at the hexing words "Honey make it go away. It's repulsive! Homeless **and** a Witernes." With the explosion of his foot into Zahirs ribs, the husband derided "You GREASY OOzen! Get the fuck out of here. Ruining the property value around here."

^Creak^ "Is someone up there?" Zahir snaps back as the voice belonging to the wife comes into focus from the floor below. "Oh, crap!" gulps Zahir. Eyes darting, he spots the jewelry. Palms an almond sized emerald, and jukes to the window. Throwing it open in time with the door by the wife and tumbling out and down the porch roof underneath before flailing a dozen feet to the solid dirt ground below. Later that day, after narrowly avoiding the authorities by the slime of his tentacles (his teeth don't have skin), he and the butterfly agree they will keep stealing from people in order to get by. However, it would only be from the "dregs of society" and only objects that the dregs stole from others. "I've got just the 'guy'." offered the butterfly, "That Tjorae I was harassing before you, he's an Expeditor, of sorts. And he always has a bunch of '*clean jobs*', as he calls them. Target is always a previously stolen item, fits our criteria perfectly."

(Almost 8 years later)

Zahir "Alright. Vander says the target is a purple cast iron skillet." "Who steals a cast iron skillet?!" the butterfly asks befuddled. Zahir "V said it was to repay a debt. The guy couldn't pay up, so the loan shark took the only thing he had of real value." "A skillet?" the butterfly reiterates. "'S'gotta have some kinda magical properties." Zahir claims offhandedly, focusing on the house appearing around the corner before them. Zahir "Something's...off." "What?" the butterfly asks warily. Zahir "I don't know, but something just feels, wrong. This doesn't seem like a Loan Sharks house. I can't explain it." Butterfly "Van's never been wrong before. Cheap, but never wrong." "I guess you're right. Just..stay extra sharp today." Zahir requests. "Got it." 

"Looks like a museum in here." Zahir observes as he peers around the corner of the study into the elaborate hallway system before him, "and I'm pretty sure it's bigger inside than out." Butterfly flickering through the darkness "I don't know what most of this stuff is, but it all feels magical." "That fits with the amount of defenses this place had on it. Not really with a loan shark, though." Zahir confirmed. Butterfly "Well, this is the door according to Vs source." Zahir deftly maneuvers the knob to avoid as much of the click he can. "Purple, purple..purple." Zahir mumbles. "There!" Zahir whispers, reaching out to grasp the handle. "That. Would be most, unwise of you, lad." came the calm, authoritative, and distinguished voice behind them. Zahirs eyes frantically searching for something, anything, to cause a distraction. "Why try and run, my dear lad? It seems you have some talents, of sorts. Why don't you stay for stew. And a chat." the voice behind him knowingly invites, with an unseen sparkle in his eye, but a tint of genuineness that was unmistakable. 

^Slrrrrrrp-puh^ "DIS ISH DELISHISH!" ^slrrp gulp^ "Where'd you learn to cook like this, sir?" ^Chuckle^ "You learn a lot of things from a lot of different places and a lot of different people when you get to be my age, lad. Use a bit from here and there, in the right way, and you can create something, better." "If you.." ^slurp gulp^ "say so." Zahir says through spoonfuls of stew. "About that chat?" ^slrp ahh^ "Whatd you wanna talk about?" "How did you manage to get in here without setting off any alarms?" Wiping his mouth, "Spirit Walking." "Ahh. So that works against my wards does it? We'll have to fix that, now won't we, my lad." "I, guess." "Moving on. Why were you trying to take that item?" "We were hired to." "We?" "Me and butterfly." "That must be the other presence I sense with us, tiny as it is. Who hired you?" "Hey I ain't no snitch!" "Please, my dear lad, I implore you. This object you are after is very dangerous in the wrong hands. For the good of the people of this city, tell me. I swear to you that nothing will come back to you." Zahir stared into the man's eyes, using everything he'd learned on the streets to get a read on this man's trustworthiness. "His name is Vander. He's not a bad guy. Just really cheap." "What did Vander tell you about this, job?" "He said you were a degenerate loan shark that took the cast iron as payment for an unsettled debt." "Ha. How amusing." the man again chuckled, "Has he ever lied to you before, or given you false information unknowingly?" "Never! V prides himself on the accuracy of his information. And it's hard to get clients when your info doesn't pan out." "Was there anything else you can remember? Maybe something in the room when you talked to him?" "Nothing in the room, trust me, I always diagnose a situation for a way out, and there was nothing I hadn't seen before." "Well..." "Oh! Wait. His eyes. They were off. Glazed over, almost, with the slightest hint of red." "I see. I think I know what happened." "What?!" "A, rival, we'll call him, of mine seems to have used his magic to effectively program you friend Vander to mislead you." "Bastard! Who?!" "Do not concern yourself with that, my lad. It is much to dangerous a situation for one as young as you. I will handle him, in my own way. You will not have to worry about him ever again.." "And Vand.." "Vander will be fine. The effects of the magic have worn off by now, and no one will ever know about this little, incidents but us 2. 3. I apologize butterfly." "He says no worries." "Now, my lad, how would you feel about going to university to study that Spirit Walking of yours?" the man asked with that sparkle in his eyes again. "I'd love to. But if my clothes don't give it away, I don't have much money, sir." Zahir offers dejectedly. "That, is something, you, won't have to worry about from now on, my dear, dear lad. And, please, call me Idris."

Idris al-Amin al-Kanemi proceeded to arrange for Zahirs entry into university, including paying all expenses up front for the full 4 years. He outfitted Zahir with everything he would need for that time. While he told Zahir to spare no expenses, Zahirs upbringing and life thus far prevented him from spending above the mid level for anything. If it was capable of doing the job, he didn't understand the need for better or fancier. Finally, Idris moved Zahirs parents into his own home, a wing to themselves that gets perfect morning sun. Assuring Zahir he would have a place there anytime he needs, he sent him off to university, and his destiny.

Feelings towards other peoples:

Tjorae- overall positive, likes their charity and generosity and thoughtfulness, but isn't the biggest fan of their nobility system placing anyone above anyone else (especially based off nothing but birth)

Pygmy- overall negative but being who he is and how he was raised he tries his hardest to not hold his feelings against them, dislikes their seediness indentured servitude untrustworthyness and how they've treated him and his parents

Humans- overall neutral, met a mixed bag of humans over his life but the continual gluttonous attitudes that came with all of them is slightly appaling to him given his destitute life until university 

Neaderthal- overall cautious, due to his best and only friend (Elias Oliver Henry Washington) being the only Neanderthal he's ever met but knowing their reputation he is cautious of them but knows just like every other species they are capable of great evils and great deeds.

Belaw- overall heavily positive, while some of them may have austentatious coral designs for his taste (heavily influenced by his benefactors viewpoint), given his history with his benefactor he has nothing but positive things to say and feel about Belaw

Calviz- overall positive, while he isn't a big fan of their massive vanity or need for obscenely big structures while others are homeless he understands that vanity isn't the worst trait and while their own houses may be big they do take in more refugees than any other people

Zarael- overall positive, no real qualms with them save for their unnecessarily lustful ways, and understands their connection to spirits and such on a deeper level than most

Lesh- overall heavily positive, enjoys the diversity in their appearance and while he does find it amusing that such a small innocent thing like a squirrel is their most dangerous/prevalent predator he also finds it very saddening that the Lesh have become prey in the manner they have to the squirrels 

Myxa- overall neutral, he is torn about how he feels about his own people because on one hand they are his people but on the other hand they have a sense of superiority while he inherently disagrees with the concept of superiority in peoples and they also can be overly envious looking to gain more than they could ever need while others go without anything at all, he is always cautious of their desire for more

Skills:

  Spirit Stance: Sword and Dagger (default stance):: when an enemy hits Zahir he rolls an Int check vs the attacker to parry the blow for half damage by seeing into the attackers spirit at the last second. He must be weilding a sword and dagger to perform this parry. He may also position himself in one of four positions after the attack, front/behind/left/right of the attacker without changing the distance from the attacker as a result of the parrying footwork.

Spirit Walking: base skill that caps further skills in this tree (Capped By Spirit Walking = CBSW), Int based (circumstantially knowledge maybe), allows me to join with any spirit within 10ft/Ranks, also unlocks the ability to lock in spirits to use their forms at any time as described in Spirit Lock below.

Spirit Lock: Ranks equals how many Spirit Forms I can memorize at once. CBSW. Forms: Butterfly, OwlBear, Dog (Pittbull)

Move Silently: as it sounds (or doesn't, depending on ranks), agility based

Hide: also as the name suggests, agility based(?)

Sleight of Hand/Pick Pocket: is their a difference, pros/cons, agility based

Want for Naught: +Ranks to Con/Endurance checks involving food and water, having eaten "leftovers" and stale/moldy/old/no food for almost every meal of his life hes used to subsisting on little/no/gross food.

Bed Time: Having been homeless until 13, hes grown accustomed to sleeping anywhere/anytime/on anything.

Unsheltered: again being homeless for 13 years made him adjust to extreme temperatures so hes able to wear less in extreme colds and survive sweltering heatwaves with little water, doesn't affect fire or ice damage, just weather related temperature extremes.

Spirit Lock: Butterfly:: Ranks equals +movement speed while in Butterfly form. CBSW

Spirit Lock: OwlBear:: Ranks equals +ToHit while in OwlBear form. CBSW

Spirit Lock: Dog:: adds to Tracking skill while in Dog form. CBSW

Sword and Dagger BAB: +ToHit with one while also weilding the other

Sword and Dagger Finesse: +Dmg with one while weilding the other

Sword and Dagger Precision: -1dRanks/hit to enemies initiative while weilding both as he cuts the right spots to slow his opponents down.

Lock Pick: Pick Locks

K: Underbelly:: knows how the underground/black market/shady business/bounties/dregs of society/seedy/ disreputable places people and systems work living in it his whole life.

Art of the Deal: + on checks for bargaining/trading/dealing 

Flaw: Bigger:: for guile checks v people that are younger or smaller than him he gets a -Ranks because he cant help but view them as in need of a protector/big brother so he finds it hard to argue.

Flaw: Water Weakness:: -Ranks DR to water dmg, so extra damage taken from water attacks

Urban Tracking: navigation of unknown (and known) and bustling chaotic city layouts, blind alleys, and rooftops for egress and pursuit and the like.

City Runner: climbing/traversing walls/fences/stone masonry without equipment

Squishy: racial skill

SQUISHY: half ranks added to Squishy

Distraction: view the world around him as a series of possible ways to cause a distraction to escape/enter/get by/steal/manipulate, Guile based.

Street Talk: local "thieves cant" 

One Amongst Many: ability to blend into a crowd/group to avoid detection/pursuit, Guile based

Acute Hearing: to be successful in his life hes had to train his ears to pick up the slightest creaks of floorboards and drown of the cacophony of noises in the city to pinpoint the sound he needs to hear, hearing perception bonus.

Flaw: Uneducated:: outside of his current 3 years of university (which solely focused on Spirit Walking), Zahir has no education, -Ranks to Knowledge checks on things he doesn't have a Knowledge/Profession/Relevant skill in. "If its not on my sheet, there's a good chance I don't know!"

Sloop: dodge skill +Ranks to avoid, being a Myxa he just kinda sloops that portion of his body away from the attack

And Sloop: anddodge skill +half ranks to avoid

Flaw: Slow Reader:: hes only been reading for 3 years since university started, -Ranks to reading checks of any language

Fox and Geese: old medieval board game

Haft Sang (Seven Stones): ancient Persian sport/game involving 2 teams a ball and a pile of seven stones

Inventory:

Travel bag (Backpack)

Tent 

Tarp

Flint and steel

2 required books on Spirit Walking, Phasmobic Physics, and Spirit Walking 101-301

2 extra sets of clothes 

Snacks for a week (bread, some stale, handful of berries, 3 cubes of cheddar, an almond)

Torch

Oil canister

Extra wraps for torch

Water canteen

Haft Sang ball

Haft Sang stones

Fox and Geese board with pieces

Sword

Dagger

Robes for winter/rain

Boots for boot occasions 

Sleeping bag

Pillow

Locket with a picture of his mom and dad on one side and Idris on the other given to him by his parents on the day he went to university 

Butterfly 

Large trowel

6 wax candles

50 ft hemp rope