Asha
Character in Cyberia
Name: Asha Kamala Mahamari
Age: 22
Shadow of Origin: Desolation of Dust, shadow Shapa
Sex: Female
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 152#
Hair: Black
Eyes: Green
Shadow of Origin
Shapa means 'Cursed' in the tongue of the dwellers in this dark place, and it lives up to it's name. The people eke out a living migrating across the barren landscape in search of the scarce resources of this place. The sun is rarely seen, with light being available on average less than 3 hours a day; storms scour the landscape regularly of any landmarks, and any lifeforms unfortunate enough to be caught in their wake. Food is in short supply, though some fauna and flora have adapted themselves to the dark and arid environment. But in general the inhabitants are a hardy lot, thriving even in this place, through their traditions and religions.
Appearance
Tall, very ethereal looking, swarthy complexion. Exceptionally beautiful, with perfect features, and a tattoo of a dragon on her left shoulder, winding around the arm, with the head of the dragon at her hand. Feathered wings with a 12' wingspan sprout from her back.
Background
Asha was born a sickly child, and the tribe wanted to leave her in the desert, for they determined that she would not survive in any case; the presence of her blue eyes, considered an ill-omen did not help her case. But her mother was a strong woman, and fought for her daughter, even in the face of her husband's reticience to keep Asha. As she grew, she carried her own weight, and in spite of her sickly stature, appeared to exhibit the heartiness of the most healthy child her age.
At the age of 7, she informed her mother that a storm was coming. None of the storm watchers had foreseen it, so the tribe scoffed at her claim, but within the day, they found out that she was correct, as a freak storm threatened to wipe out the whole tribe... only their proximity to a cave that many of them were able to scurry to saved them from extinction. It was said then that she was marked to become a storm watcher... but her destiny lay beyond that of just her tribe.
As she grew, changes began to come over her. Though not as voluptuously built as the others of her tribe, she began to exhibit a natural beauty that far outstripped her contemporaries. But she remained humble, her self-confidence stripped by the cruel jests at her expense in her youth. Her mother was her only companion, and she did anything she could to aid her.
As she came into her teenage years, the tribe was raided by another tribe, and during the attack, her mother was killed. This triggered the change in Asha that marked her a Stormlord. Seeing her mother fall, she ran to her side, falling to her knees, tears falling from her eyes. As a raider came to claim her as prize, she turned on him, and he saw that her tears sparkled with the fire of the sky, and her eyes seemed to reflect that same fire in them. As he took her arm, he too lit up, and was electrified. She howled her grief, and a storm answered. When it was done, only she walked away from that scene, the ground scoured of all evidence of the raiders, and her tribe.
With everything and everyone that she had ever known dead as the sands that she trod upon, Asha wandered the deserts in anonymity. As she came across those in need, her heart went out to them, and she subconsciously utilized her abilities to help and protect them. And with these acts of kindness, she became famous in spite of herself. Thus she found that soon after, she had a following of people that wished to reap the benefits of her goodness. In exchange for her protection, they began to provide for her, and make offerings to her. A mecca grew up around her favoured place, and from her presence, that place became the centre of trade and a place of power in Shapa. But it was not destined to last.
As Asha's reputation grew in Shapa, it spread to surrounding shadows, and Franx, Stormlord of an adjacent shadow soon heard of her, and the riches of the Mecca. Tearing a rip in reality, he descended upon the peaceful settlement with his raiders, intent upon plundering it's riches and taking the woman for his own. Though she was not trained in the ways of warfare, Asha's natural powers were great; the havoc of the ensuing battle destroyed the settlement, and all of Franx's raiders. The two Stormlords fought to a standstill, though gradually, Asha came to know her weakness. Her endurance, while still more than that of the average person, was much less than a Stormlord. Franx eventually wore her down, capturing her as his prize.
Franx was a brutal master, taking from Asha her relative innocence and her purity. He attempted to grind her under his will- to break her. But even though her body had failed her, her spirit was stronger than she ever could have thought. Through experimentation and questioning, she learned to control her powers with finesse to make up for her lack of endurance. She also developed her body and combat skills- she would never be at anyone's mercy again, even without her powers. Through subtle manipulations she learned to extract information from Franx, and over time, won him over to have true affection for her, and he taught her even more about herself, though she kept the extent of her powers a secret from him.
She also learned of other shadows and of Cyberia. Even from their short raids, Cyberia fascinated Asha. The city talked to her, it's etherical flows a siren call that matched that of the storms of her homeland. She realized how much the land of Cyberia frightened Franx- it was the first time she saw him frightened of anything. Though he raided out necessity, it was not something he did with relish like the other raids. She knew that this presented her only chance of ever escaping Franx. So she began to build on his fears, hoping that he would make a fatal mistake.
Franx had tenous contacts in the lower sprawl of Cyberia... contacts that he held in check only with goods from the wastelands, and the occasional raid on a rival's territory. Knowing that this was also a weakness that she could exploit, Asha insinuated herself into the seamy world of the sprawl, acting as go-between for Franx on whatever occassions she could, and using her natural beauty and charisma, and recently developed manipulation skills and power to gain a less temporaral connection to the gangs of the sprawl. She found that her survival instincts for the concrete jungle were just as instinctual as her survival instincts in the wastes. Then, at an opportune time, she was able to utilize these contacts to confirm Franx's fear of the sprawl, as the members of the sprawlgang known as the Screemers turned on Franx during a deal at her urging. As his gange was cut to shreds around him, he attempted to call a storm to take him back to the wastelands, but just as the storm was forming, a destructive bolt tore through the sky with furious force. Franx was reduced to nothing, and most of both gangs were destroyed. Asha survived only because of her abilities and quick instincts to seek shelter.
With nothing left for her in the wastelands, Asha joined the gangers and as more of her innocence was stripped from her, rose to a place of preeminence in their number. Killing the leader, she took control of the gang, and now leads them in their rise to power...
Chronicles
Welcome to the Chronicle of Asha Kamala Mahamari. Hers has not been an easy tale to tell, but who of the blood lives a sedentary life? These chronicles are her own tales, which take her from her humble beginnings in Shapa, through her days in the Tatters and beyond.
So, dear reader. Partake of her words, and learn from her tales. Watch as she ascends to the heights that she was meant for- or crashes and burns as so many before her have done.
The Chronicles of Asha
Chronicle 1: At Oblivion's Edge, Of the arrival of the ephermerides, and the destruction of Kane's Boyz.
Chronicle 2: Dancing with the Devil, Of the deal with Astaroth and the Glorious Lords.
Chronicle 3: The Devil You Know, Of the arrival of Rook and the illumination of Asha.
Chronicle 4: Kingdom of the Rain, Rook and Asha grow closer as she learns more about who she is.
Chronicle 5: Shadow Play, Asha has a deadly confrontation with a technological abomination.