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 Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:58 pm
“ ‘Ey, boy-o. Ye’ up?”
I slowly open my eyes, blinking wildly to chase the sleep from my mind--and because the sun was so ******** ridiculously bright. Before me is the weirdest man-creature in the world. His name is Eshu, or something along those lines, and he’s a god.
His lips are parted into the most annoying smile ever, revealing all of his black, shiny shark-teeth, and he has little smile creasing around his ghost-eyes. I really just wanna punch him in the face when he wakes me up before the sun has moved to the ‘night-time’ part of the sky. I figure, though, if I punch Mr. Chuckles-and-Fun he will put -another- batch of dead rights in my bed roll or something horrible like that. I hate dead rat--well. I hate rats in general. So I swallow my spite, smile back at him (oh god, my smiling muscles are way under-used.), and run a hand over the slowly growing, five inch horn that I have the ‘honor’ of ‘wearing’. I trace the ridges, following it up to the tip, where it curves ever so slightly, and stare at Eshu.
Eshu who is completely mocking me by running his own long spindly hand across his arching horn. The horn that, unlike mine, comes right out of the middle of his forehead and curved back over his head. Mine, on the other hand, is to left side.
“What, Eshu?”
“ooooh, nu’fin much, m’boy! Jus’a seenin’ how ya’s doin’. Yea’know?”
God. I wanna punch him.
“No, Eshu. I don’t. Harbor rat, remember? Not much of a social life, if you exclude the pigeons. Yea’know?” Eshu grins at me in all his black-man-razor-toothed glory, and leans back on the heels of his bare feet before standing and waving his hand. Yeah. He waved his hand, and like he was manipulating the air, suddenly (OUT OF ******** NO WHERE) there is his stupid walking stick. The stupid walking stick that he thwacks me over the head with.
“THE ******** t’be frien’lee, Mr. Cartel, or you’s gonna be gettin’ mo’e then rats in y’bed, or a thwackie on de’noggin. Yea’hear?”
“Yeah, I hear,” I grunt, rubbing my head and glowering up at the fading man. I hate how he does that. HE doesn’t just ‘fade’, he ******** does this thing where first the skin and ******** goes, and then BAM, there is this ******** skeleton staring at me, and then he is gone.
“Weird, ******** weird a*****e.”
’ ‘eard dat, boy-o.’
Yeah, Eshu is a god, and I am his godling. His little pawn. ******** my life.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:28 pm
Name: Jebadiah Andrew Cartel
God: Eshu
Likes: shiny stones, fruit, hitting people, laughing
Dislikes: his own blood being spilled, losing, baggy shirts, riddles
Age: 11
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:31 pm
Personality:
Quiet is a word well placed when describing Jeb. He isn't a shy boy, or a nervous boy. He just prefers to take his time thinking out what he shall say before he says it. He is prone to gnawing at his nails or knuckles when he thinking. He dislikes fast paced conversations, and prefers a good fist-fight over a witty-word-war. Possibly because he is not well educated, or perhaps because he feels he is too educated, no one is really sure.
And while he is usually a quiet child, people are constantly shocked to find that when Jeb does take the time to open his mouth, he is quiet the dirty talker. He cusses like a sailor twice his age, and not always in english, and he is quiet a flirt. Jeb enjoys, when speaking, to make lewd and nasty comments towards women, but cannot put two words together when talking to a boy. Eshu seems to be the only masculine figure the boy can speak to without sounding like a stuttering babe.
So both volatile and quiet, people are quick to mark Jeb as a trouble child. And perhaps he is, but under his quiet and shockingly crude exterior, the boy has a soft heart and a deep sense of loyalty. Once he has offered his hand in friendship, he can be a person's most loyal friend, but if they do but one thing to go against him, his friendship is lost for an eternity. He enjoys playing pranks and laughs about things most people would not.
Such as a person tripping and cutting their knee open because their shoes were tied together, or a woman waking to a bed full of dead vermin. He also gets a kick out of pickpocketing and then watching his victims panic when they realize their stuff is gone. Usually, in the end though, he feels miserable and leave half of what he stole at the persons home or on their person when they aren't looking.
But as it were, he despising being tricked himself (or stolen from, for that matter), mainly because he hates knowing that he has his guard down and was tricked. In Jeb's mind, that is a way of losing. And Jeb. Does. Not. Lose. (or so he says!)
Jeb claims he is cold-hearted and ruthless and will kill easily in the game, but that is questionable when he cries over dead pigeons.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:58 pm
Powers:
Newbie powers
Stone Skine I:
In the beginning, this ability works in small areas, such as across the face; arm, or leg and is the first trick Eshu taught his charge. By concentrating on an area of his body, Jeb can force the water to leave the area, and then hardens and rearranges his molecules until his skin takes on the tendencies of stone. While that part of him becomes hard as all hell, the water that is discharged from the area leaks from his pores, and he must drink heavily after exerting this power.
Toss:
Jeb can concentrate on the ground around him and force a little army of pebbles and rocks to rise into the air and shot at an enemy, pelting them. More annoying then anything.
Curious Eye I:
Jeb can stare a person down, and with his signature 'mirror-eye' can cause a person to have auditory and visual hallucinations, but for this to work he must have their stare for more then 15 seconds, and cannot blink. Shorter 'staring contests' can lead to his opponent becoming confused or dizzy. If he glimpses himself in a mirror, or fails at a stare, he can make himself ill or cause hallucinations on himself. This skill seems to work easier and longer on animals or regular citizens, and on other players it tends to last less then a minute, while regular people can have a hallucination up to five minutes.
As it is right now, he cannot control what a person will hear or see when he uses this power.
Lucky:
Jeb gets premonitions, of sorts, randomly, telling him to do a certain thing or go a certain way. Usually good things, but he has had some bad luck with this premonition think as well.
Stamina:
Jeb can run for long distances and never feel tired.
Bird Talk I:
Jeb can, on a basic level, communicate with pigeons, but if he wants them to do anything, he has to convince them.
Prophet Powers
Stone Skin II: His strength and ability has enhanced, he can now harden larger parts of his body, such as a torso or several limbs. It takes less exertion now, but he still needs water. He can harden soft, organic objects as well now (ie: hardening an orange into a rock or something of the sort.)
Hurl:
Jeb can now lift larger rocks, and even small hunks of ground, and use them as projectiles.
Curious Eye II:
He can now, usually, force a person to see what ever he wants them to see, but hearing is still questionable. The ‘spells’ last longer, and the duration of time it takes hypnotize an enemy is shortened.
Touch:
Also, Jeb can touch a person or a thing and cause them either to (if a person) have fortune or misfortune, or if a thing, cause the owner to have fortune or misfortune for the span of a day or two, mattering on how much the person believes in fate. He cannot control if they have bad luck or good luck at the moment, but his current feelings when he touches them does tend to affect the ratio of bad to good. angry = more mad then good luck, happy = more good then bad, etc.
Jump!:
Jeb has come to a point where he can jump high or long distances with ease.
Bird Talk II:
Jeb can mostly understand pigeons, but has a hard time communicating clearly. HE can influence their actions, but not force them to do anything they don’t wish to do.
Cultist Powers
Stone Skin III: He can now focus and turn his whole body into stone, though it is rather dangerous since he becomes severely dehydrated. Along with that, he can also, now, harden the skin of an enemy or ally if need be.
Curious Eye III:
He can completely control the illusions now, and they last as long as he wants them to(unless they are broken by a stronger enemy). He only has to make eye contact now, and does not feel any back-fire affects from using the power, besides a migraine every once in a while.
Mimic:
Jeb can now ’mimic’ an enemies attacks. If, for example, in a fight, his enemy used fire manipulation, Jeb can mimic (on a much weaker scale) that ability and return fire with his own flames. This technique doesn't seem to always work, and when it does, Jeb becomes slightly dizzy afterward. It is an attack he cannot use very often. A trump card of sorts.
Bird Talk III:
Jeb can now completely communicate with pigeons, and even ‘force’ them to do as he wants them to do.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:03 pm
Appearance:
Jeb, at 11, is a tall kid who always looks slightly awkward in his own skin. Ranking up there at 5' 10", he is shockingly tall for his age, and he is rather thin as well, and sometimes people reckon he is a walking skeleton. His face, though, is filled out well enough and very boyish. His lips are full but serious and his nose is a little bigger then average, and there is a small bump on the bridge where he broke it when he was younger.
With well defined eye brows the color of snow, people would suspect the boys natural hair color is that as well, but as it is, he has very dark, nearly black hair that grows surprisingly fast and often. Jeb has given up on attempting to style it some how, and instead lets it fall every which way across his face.
And since Eshu is very often, more then not, pictured with a large back-curving horn, it seems Jeb has been ’gifted’ with such a horn as well, though his seems to be slightly to the right of his head, and curves back like a ram horn that has not completely curled yet. The horn is off-white and very battered looking, and since horns aren't particularly normal, Jeb is often seen running his fingers along it’s length nervously.
His skin is lightly tanned, sort of an olive color, and his has a smattering of freckles cross his nose and along his shoulders and down his back. Upon his face, as well, are the markings of Eshu. There small vertical lines in the middle of his forehead, three vertical lines that rise along his cheek bones on each side, and a single line that goes from the middle of his bottom lip to the tip of his chin. All the lines are matte black.
His eyes are always tired-looking, and would be normal except for the fact that the left eye is forest green and the right is such a pale empty blue that one swears it seems to reflect upon itself; so clear that you can see yourself in it. A mirror-eye.
He wears whatever clothing he can get his hands on, but he always has a jug of water on his hip, and never wears shoes. his thumb nails and pinky nails are painted bright red, as is the wish of Eshu (Jeb hates painting them, but it is better then the pranks he will get if he doesn't). Mainly he is seen is tighter fitting tees, a hoodie of some sort, and earth-colored capris, since they don't catch as easily and don't wear down like jeans do.
List Of Changes Post-Choosing:
Newbie:
Went from 5' 6" to 5' 10", skin lightened in color, hair grows faster, markings upon face, gained the horn that is upon his head.
Prophet:
About 6' 3", skin lightening still, freckles become thicker, markings darken, and horn grows, staring to curl like a ram horn.
Cultist:
6' 7", pallid, thick freckles, markings are completely darkened, and horn is completely curled.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:06 pm
Background:
Born at Harbor South, Jebadiah was a scummer-rat, a little boy with no parents, no sisters or brothers; just himself, a nametag he found in a garbage can, the big ships, and the toxic sea. People were shocked to see him as a small child running about the Harbor, seeing as he was so young and should have died by now if he had no parents. As it were, every time he came close to harming himself, it was as if a large hand had come down and turn him so he would follow a safer path. When young, Jeb thought he was just lucky, and often went about testing how much danger he could get into before he was saved.
One time he even attempted to sneak down the harbor and leap into the water. As he leaned over the edge, he was shocked to find, staring into its dark depths, that there was a dark-skinned man staring back up at him. The figure grinned like a wild cat, then flickered out of view. The sighting was so nerve-racking for poor Jeb that he went back to his little corner and stayed there for several days.
As it was, the figure never showed in the water again, and Jeb continued with his play and dangerous fun. He even met another group of young boys and girls who he could run with. They often teased him about his weird eyes and his funny eyebrows, but he brushed the comments of his a glare or a snort of irritation. They were his friends he figured, so he had to let them tease him.
As it was, one night he was sleeping and his friends came and woke up, only to gag him and tie him up. Panicking, Jeb struggled to free himself, wondering why his invisible protector wasn't letting him free. One of the boys pulled a knife from his back pocket, and Jeb was sure he was dead. They cut up his hands and the bottoms of his feet pretty badly, and left him tied and crying silently. He wasn’t bleeding severely, but he hurt, and anger welled with in him. Why hadn’t anyone helped him?
"'Aight, 'aight, seems'a t'me ya 'ave learned y'lesson boy."
The words were so heavily accented that poor Jeb had been confused at first. They sounded like so many different accents that the child nearly laughed. Until he saw the short, dark-skinned man slip from the shadows. He had a long horn curling back from his head and wild blue eyes. His lips were curved into a sardonic, toothy smile that revealed blackish razored teeth. He wore a Brioni-styled business suit, but no shoes, and his pants were rolled up. In his hand was a fine walking stick, and his hair seemed to s**t from dark, long, and wild to short, gray and slicked mattering on how Jeb looked at him.
"'hinking me it be t'me for y'ta learn some 'ings, 'aight. Bu'now y'know, I ain' no god to protec' aw-l the time. Yeah? I guard y' when y'are in de-anger of deaf, kay?"
Jeb didn't, at the time, understand most of what the man was saying. He was too scared, too shocked, and possibly too confused, but after Eshu untied him, the boy was forced to sit and learn. And learn he did. Eshu, he learned, was a trickster-god, and that there was a Game to be played, and the god who won became the 'big God' as Eshu called it.
"Big boss, see? Y'like that idea? I make you lil'boss, come wiff me, eh?"
And Jeb watched as his body changed, mainly as the horn grew on his head, and how he grew quickly in height. He gained stamina, and learned to change his skin at will to stone. And he had to paint his nails.
A joy that was.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:08 pm
Name: Eshu/Esu Eleggua/Esu Elegbara/Eshu Elegbara/Elegba/Legba/Elda/Exú
Culture: Yoruba (Africa)
Esu is the Deity of Roads, Fortune& Misfortune, Chaos& Trickery, Choice, Commerce, Travel, Communication(and Miscommunication)& the Gatekeeper of the Heavens & Messenger of the High God.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:09 pm
Information:
Eshu is an orisha(male deity), and one of the most known deities of the Yoruba mythology and related New World traditions.
He has a wide range of responsibilities: the protector of travelers, deity of roads, particularly crossroads, the deity with the power over fortune and misfortune, and the personification of death, a psychopomp. Eshu is involved within the Orisa (also spelt Orisha or Orixa)-Ifá system of the Yoruba as well as in African diasporic faiths like Santeria/Lukumi and Candomble developed by the descendants of enslaved West Africans in the Americas, where Eshu was sometimes identified with Saint Anthony, Saint Michael or Santo Niño de Atocha , depending on the situation or location. He is often identified by the number three, and the colours red & black or white & black, and his caminos or paths (compare: avatar) are often represented carrying a cane, shepherd's crook, as well as a pipe.
Eshu is a god of Chaos and Trickery, and plays frequently tempting choices for the purpose of causing maturation. He is a difficult teacher, but a good one. As an example, Eshu was walking down the road one day, wearing a hat that was red on one side and black on the other. Sometime after he departed, the villagers who had seen him began arguing about whether the stranger's hat was black or red. The villagers on one side of the road had only been capable of seeing the black side, and the villagers on the other side had only been capable of seeing the red half. They nearly fought over the argument, until Eshu came back and cleared the mystery, teaching the villagers about how one's perspective can alter a person's perception of reality, and that one can be easily fooled. In other versions of this tale, the two tribes were not stopped short of violence; they actually annihilated each other, and Eshu laughed at the result, saying "Bringing strife is my greatest joy".
Taking pleasure in testing the strengths and weaknesses of mankind, he provides the lesson of making the right choices in life. He can be found at the crossroads and can see in all directions, watching carefully those who do wrong. His punishment is swift but he can be kind as well, sitting judgment and viewing all sides of a situation.
Eshu is seen as sitting at the threshold, guarding the many doors and roads which make up the human journey through life. We move through the doors of childhood to adulthood, single life to partnerships, mundane to magic, despair to happiness, birth to death, all the while hoping we are taking the right door or right path which greets us along the way. In Yoruba spirituality, Eshu owns the roads and can provide opportunities and direction. When asked kindly Eshu can point the way but people must still decide for themselves which way to travel. Although Eshu can direct someone along a path, it may be a sunlit journey of opportunity or a dark, thorny trail if it is decided a lesson is to be learned.
It is also said that Eshu was a primordial force that spawned out of a rock, thus becoming a deity.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:10 pm
Personality:
Eshu is...complicated to the 'T'. He enjoys speaking in riddles, and then surprising Jebodiah by suddenly saying something very straight-forward, thus sending the poor boy reeling into a fit of worry as to if his god is using some weird code or just being blunt. Eshu enjoys laughing, but when angered or feeling as if Jeb isn't doing as he should, he can become very violent and upset, usually ignoring his charge for days on end(and leaving dead rats in his bed!). A trickster, at heart and in job, Eshu also enjoys making a fool out of Jeb by misleading him, only to save him at the last moment with a well-placed comment. It isn't really sure as to why he even joined this contest, since all he seems to want to do is cause problems and chaos.
Oh dear.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:11 pm
Purpose for Winning:
Really, Eshu cares little as to if he wins or not. As he likes to say, "Bringing strife is my greatest joy". Watching a bunch of children spread chaos about seems to please Eshu. Jeb, though, thinks that under his god's chaotic pleasure, the god really does wish to win, so he can point all of humanity towards the path he deems correct, and possibly teach them a lesson or two on the way.
Eshu says he does it because he 'has nothing better to do'.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:12 pm
Relationship:
Eshu treats Jeb like a close pal, teasing and picking on him, but always standing up for him in the end. He does get frustrated with the boy some days, but they balance each other...sort of.
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