Sobek the Cursed Brood
Jan 22, 2019 9:16:42 GMT -4
Post by sesh on Jan 22, 2019 9:16:42 GMT -4
Name: Sobek the Slate Gator
Species: Half lizalfos, half hylian.
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Physical Appearance:
Sobek, by many Hyruleans' standards, is a frightening image. He is an abomination according to the majority of both of his bloodlines, and first impressions are often sour regardless of the other party's general dispositions. He has the bearing of a Hylian warrior, though taller than most at 2.2 m, with stony scales in place of skin. Many of his scales are chipped, seared, or completely missing, leaving an ashy-black, leather-like skin beneath. Sobek's left eye is oft bandaged or covered in a patch, and his right eye is a deep, near lifeless pool of blackness. A dozen ruthless horns sprout from the top edges of his head, with a larger, fin-like horn cresting the middle of his scalp. His tongue is forked, his teeth sharpened, and his digits crowned by monstrous claws.
A weathered suit of armor is oft seen covering most of Sobek's body. It is aged and used for countless, nameless purposes, though cared for greatly as not to fall apart at the seams. An azure standard of some unknown house is faded upon several parts of the suit, with old scratches mostly polished away adorning those. The gauntlets and boots have been modified to fit the hunter's unique physique, and the entire armor set lengthened height-wise for the same purpose. A royal blue cape cascades from his beastly shoulders, its extremities seeing just as much abuse as his scaly exterior. All of Sobek's clothing is worn to near rags, with a litany of stitches and patches almost making up nearly the entire wardrobe. Beneath his armor (and when the suit is removed), he wears faded blue Hylian dress befitting a lesser knight. This clothing has seen just as many modifications as his armor, with a sizable family crest upon the back depicting a falcon clutching a serpent in its talons and the words "Steel In The Darkness" etched beneath in ancient Hylian.
Background:
Dark were the days when Vaati and Ganon ruled the Realm of Hyrule. It was under this black sky that the monsters and beasts of the land claimed dominance. A clan of Lizalfos reigned over the Ridgeland west of central Hyrule in those days, captained by a shadowy figure known as the Obsidian Asp. This leader possessed an enigmatic magic that instilled their people with exaggerated, monstrous strength, paving their way towards dominion of the realm as a whole. It was but a single warrior and the fair maiden at his side that dared stand against this bestial race of savages, and the end of this conflict was bittersweet.
The valiant knight cut down lizard after lizard, his shining armor glistening with black blood within seconds of the battle's commencement. He fell time and time again under the onslaught of the foul creatures, but holy magic and soothing words from his fairer companion lifted his body and spirit every time. The balance of power between the knight and his enemy fluctuated for many hours, and then several days, before the mass of scaly monsters had dwindled significantly. Their mighty dominion had crumbled under the arm of a single opponent, and soon their rage was substituted for cowardice. Much of the remaining forces fled into the shadows of surrounding lands, and the Obsidian Asp was left with but his personal guard.
The knight approached, darling companion at side, and rose his blade to face the dark cult leader. "Forgo your claim over this land and release it from your foul miasma," the knight said, "or I shall claim your head as a prize." Even dripping with the rank visceral of his slain foe, he stood as a beacon of pure light for the subjugated people of the Ridgeland.
The Asp cackled horribly, a guttural symphony of discordant hisses. "Thou batheth in the blood of mine children," the beast spoke, his voice filled with a sadistic glee rather than grief. "May it never washeth from thine skin, and seep into thine veins, and curse thine brood for this day until the end of days." The black shaman leapt at the knight in a final gambit and was cut down posthaste. The guard fled like their inferiors, and the land was rid of its menace.
In the aftermath of the battle, and the coming downfall of Vaati and Ganon, celebrations were consummated between the knight and his maiden companion. A child was seen on the horizon, and the two found bliss beyond all imagination. It was then that the curse took hold. One knight, upon a full moon, the knight's skin began to slough from his body and beneath were terrible black scales. His eyes were polluted with blackness, his tongue split at the center, and his fingers broke and twisted into the claws of a beast. The transformation brought about pain beyond description, and he died agonizing in the arms of his beloved wife.
In spite of her sorrow, the widow took her child to term. However, it was only the beginning of her personal nightmare. The child resembled her husband upon his deathbed: skin pebbled by ashen scales, eyes black as an abyss, fingers twisted into foul claws. The widow, though weakened by childbirth and rekindled sorrow, rushed the abomination to the closest cliff and cast him unto the rocks below.
These events had become Sobek's own companion on his many expeditions. Imagery that haunted him, words spoken before his existence that outlined the dawn of his conception. A nasty side effect of the curse placed upon his father, he figured. It was a nightmare that accompanied every night of sleep he had ever had since he had known to dream, and after half a century it still held the same bite as the first. But he had grown hard to the sorrow that flowed through his veins, and learned to live a life in spite of the curse that pushed him to end it every night.
Sobek had found homes in his earlier days by the way of Hyrule's most sympathetic. A child, even a cursed and monstrous one, deserved shelter in their minds. This had ended when his infantile features had vanished. Warm homes were replaced by ramshackle bandit camps. Unsavory people that found a use for a small body or freakish distraction. Still, when the boy had become a man and his size rivaled those that took him in, even thieves and barbarians refused to have him around. After that, it was only loneliness.
However, people were desperate to remove even larger threats from their lands. When backed into a corner, even the most hesitant offered shelter, food, and coin to Sobek. He become good at ridding townships of their looming threats. Very good, in fact. He learned to ply his trade as a hunter of bandit bounties and invading monster threats. His reputation even grew beyond that of the local wandering freak into a sought-after mercenary. Clients and targets alike began referring to Sobek as the "Slate Gator", and the increased mixture of coin and surrendering foe had him adopting this alias gladly.
Upon a fateful knight in a rundown tavern in Akkala, a veiled figure approached Sobek with an offer. He described a monster with piercing, yellow eyes and a powerful, ancient aura, and requested the Slate Gator's services to hunt the beast down. Sobek, now valuing himself greater due to increasing fame, brushed the man off without a second thought. It was then that the figure began to relay a story that the hunter was all too familiar with:
"Dark were the days when Vaati and Ganon ruled the Realm of Hyrule. It was under this black sky that the monsters and beasts of the land claimed dominance..."
The mysterious client described the entirety of Sobek's nightmare. Transfixed by this forbidden knowledge, Sobek flew into a bewildered rage and grabbed for the man to demand how he knew of such things. His claws grapsed upon nothing, and the figure was suddenly a step further away. The Gator, calming and newly afraid, asked what the figure would offer for this job. "A curse removed, as if it never was. A life renewed, as if it always was."
Though he had very little to go on, Sobek accepted, and began the search for his bounty.
Relevance: Recently approached by a stranger wielding unique wealth beyond measure, Sobek was tasked with hunting down the location of a beast with piercing, yellow eyes and a powerful, ancient aura.
Skill Set:
Track, Stalk, Kill
Forced to make a living by hunting the menaces of Hyrule, Sobek had picked up a variety of talents needed to track and kill his targets. He can spot signs of movement in a nearby area up to several weeks old, and accurately catalog the timing up to a week. He is sensitive to scents (which is also partly due to his animal nature), can differentiate multiple smells in a single area, and is able to attribute the direction of a smell's source. He is skilled at following behind a target without being seen or sensed unless his target has particularly keen senses them-self. He is wise to the best moments to strike a foe unaware, and in turn is himself more difficult to catch unaware by ambush.
Born to the Blade
Though the blood is tainted, the Slate Gator was born a lineage of great swordsmen with natural affinity to blade combat. He can best unskilled melee fighters with ease at close range, and is worthy competition to even the most skilled swordsmen of the realm. His impressive height offers an advantageous arm length, and he can wield in a single hand a larger blade than the average Hylian. When fighting a normal-sized Hylian of comparable skill, Sobek with more often than not come out on top. Monsters and animalistic creatures, however, are Sobek's specialty, and he is extra talented at taking these types of enemies down.
Serpent Sniper
When the sword is not an option, a trusty crossbow serves as Sobek's alternative. Often used as the opening of an ambush or while shooting fast, flying, or elusive foes, the lizalfos has learned to make his shots count. He values precision over speed in using his crossbow, taking the time to line up shots on the weak points of enemies rather than volleying an entire quiver of bolts. He tips the end of half his quiver in the venom from his claws, and can ignite it with a plume of fire from his gullet. Thus, he can fire plain bolts, poison bolts, and fire bolts at his targets.
Reptilian Repertoire
Though cursed blood has been the blight of Sobek's existence, there are benefits that have offered unique talents. His forked tongue enhances his senses of taste and smell, and his serpent eyes allow greater vision in the dark. The claws on his hands seep with venom upon command which paralyzes in small doses, kills upon a heavy dosage, and is inflammable. There is a gland in his esophagus that inflames his breath, letting him spit a range of fire from small sparks to a spray of flames up to a meter away. The larger and longer the flame produced, the more rest is required before more fire can be summoned. Sobek can also swim with natural mastery up to the speed of a thoroughbred race horse, can hold his breath for several hours without air, and can leap upwards and forwards threefold that of the average Hylian man.
Bestial Rage
Fueled by the images of his cursed past, the Slate Gator may fly into an animalistic rage once per night's rest. His scales harden, his claws sharpen, and his breath is readily turned to fire during this trance in spite of how well-rested he is. Senses are sharpened, venom becomes more potent, and instincts take command of the consciousness. Sobek's Hylian side is consumed during this rage, making it difficult for him to speak or comprehend others speaking to him in a Hylian tongue (likewise, the speech of lizardfolk is easily deciphered). This phase can last up to half an hour, and afterwards Sobek is exhausted for an equal period of time.
Weaknesses:
The People's Pariah
Rejection comes from nearly all demographics of Hyrule. Hylians view Sobek as yet another monster upon first glance, and lizalfos simply see a cursed human with no relation to their bloodlines. Few are inclined to speak to the hunter, let alone trust him. He is often turned away by inns, taverns, and shops if he even manages to gain entry to a community. Shadier sorts like criminals, monsters, and disciples of the dark are more inclined to give Sobek a chance, though those types are often the target of his work. This situation makes allies a rare luxury, and those closest to the Gator are usually only neutral to his being.
Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold
As a cold-blooded creature, Sobek is forced to take extra precautions when surviving extreme climates. The flammable venom derives from an element in his blood that is sensitive to the heat of the sun, making prolonged exposure introduce the threat of spontaneous combustion (and thus shade or pool of water a requirement). Cold weather can be even more threatening. While he's taken to insulating his armor for the sake of travel in wintry lands, removal of his armor in such conditions is tantamount to death. Spending a day in a frozen land with no contact to a heat source will slowly kill Sobek, and he must be constantly aware of these dangers.
Shock and Awe
While cold and heat might be hazardous over long periods of time, the lethality of lightning is a more immediate peril. Sobek's greatest weakness is electricity, which is only amplified in the rain or while the hunter is swimming. His armor only serves to worsen this threat. Being aware of his shortcomings, Sobek has developed a phobia of electrical currents, which most frequently takes the form of storms. He is weakened by the simple presence of a thunder storm, and is more prone to flee under shelter if the situation permits.
Species: Half lizalfos, half hylian.
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Physical Appearance:
Sobek, by many Hyruleans' standards, is a frightening image. He is an abomination according to the majority of both of his bloodlines, and first impressions are often sour regardless of the other party's general dispositions. He has the bearing of a Hylian warrior, though taller than most at 2.2 m, with stony scales in place of skin. Many of his scales are chipped, seared, or completely missing, leaving an ashy-black, leather-like skin beneath. Sobek's left eye is oft bandaged or covered in a patch, and his right eye is a deep, near lifeless pool of blackness. A dozen ruthless horns sprout from the top edges of his head, with a larger, fin-like horn cresting the middle of his scalp. His tongue is forked, his teeth sharpened, and his digits crowned by monstrous claws.
A weathered suit of armor is oft seen covering most of Sobek's body. It is aged and used for countless, nameless purposes, though cared for greatly as not to fall apart at the seams. An azure standard of some unknown house is faded upon several parts of the suit, with old scratches mostly polished away adorning those. The gauntlets and boots have been modified to fit the hunter's unique physique, and the entire armor set lengthened height-wise for the same purpose. A royal blue cape cascades from his beastly shoulders, its extremities seeing just as much abuse as his scaly exterior. All of Sobek's clothing is worn to near rags, with a litany of stitches and patches almost making up nearly the entire wardrobe. Beneath his armor (and when the suit is removed), he wears faded blue Hylian dress befitting a lesser knight. This clothing has seen just as many modifications as his armor, with a sizable family crest upon the back depicting a falcon clutching a serpent in its talons and the words "Steel In The Darkness" etched beneath in ancient Hylian.
Background:
Dark were the days when Vaati and Ganon ruled the Realm of Hyrule. It was under this black sky that the monsters and beasts of the land claimed dominance. A clan of Lizalfos reigned over the Ridgeland west of central Hyrule in those days, captained by a shadowy figure known as the Obsidian Asp. This leader possessed an enigmatic magic that instilled their people with exaggerated, monstrous strength, paving their way towards dominion of the realm as a whole. It was but a single warrior and the fair maiden at his side that dared stand against this bestial race of savages, and the end of this conflict was bittersweet.
The valiant knight cut down lizard after lizard, his shining armor glistening with black blood within seconds of the battle's commencement. He fell time and time again under the onslaught of the foul creatures, but holy magic and soothing words from his fairer companion lifted his body and spirit every time. The balance of power between the knight and his enemy fluctuated for many hours, and then several days, before the mass of scaly monsters had dwindled significantly. Their mighty dominion had crumbled under the arm of a single opponent, and soon their rage was substituted for cowardice. Much of the remaining forces fled into the shadows of surrounding lands, and the Obsidian Asp was left with but his personal guard.
The knight approached, darling companion at side, and rose his blade to face the dark cult leader. "Forgo your claim over this land and release it from your foul miasma," the knight said, "or I shall claim your head as a prize." Even dripping with the rank visceral of his slain foe, he stood as a beacon of pure light for the subjugated people of the Ridgeland.
The Asp cackled horribly, a guttural symphony of discordant hisses. "Thou batheth in the blood of mine children," the beast spoke, his voice filled with a sadistic glee rather than grief. "May it never washeth from thine skin, and seep into thine veins, and curse thine brood for this day until the end of days." The black shaman leapt at the knight in a final gambit and was cut down posthaste. The guard fled like their inferiors, and the land was rid of its menace.
In the aftermath of the battle, and the coming downfall of Vaati and Ganon, celebrations were consummated between the knight and his maiden companion. A child was seen on the horizon, and the two found bliss beyond all imagination. It was then that the curse took hold. One knight, upon a full moon, the knight's skin began to slough from his body and beneath were terrible black scales. His eyes were polluted with blackness, his tongue split at the center, and his fingers broke and twisted into the claws of a beast. The transformation brought about pain beyond description, and he died agonizing in the arms of his beloved wife.
In spite of her sorrow, the widow took her child to term. However, it was only the beginning of her personal nightmare. The child resembled her husband upon his deathbed: skin pebbled by ashen scales, eyes black as an abyss, fingers twisted into foul claws. The widow, though weakened by childbirth and rekindled sorrow, rushed the abomination to the closest cliff and cast him unto the rocks below.
These events had become Sobek's own companion on his many expeditions. Imagery that haunted him, words spoken before his existence that outlined the dawn of his conception. A nasty side effect of the curse placed upon his father, he figured. It was a nightmare that accompanied every night of sleep he had ever had since he had known to dream, and after half a century it still held the same bite as the first. But he had grown hard to the sorrow that flowed through his veins, and learned to live a life in spite of the curse that pushed him to end it every night.
Sobek had found homes in his earlier days by the way of Hyrule's most sympathetic. A child, even a cursed and monstrous one, deserved shelter in their minds. This had ended when his infantile features had vanished. Warm homes were replaced by ramshackle bandit camps. Unsavory people that found a use for a small body or freakish distraction. Still, when the boy had become a man and his size rivaled those that took him in, even thieves and barbarians refused to have him around. After that, it was only loneliness.
However, people were desperate to remove even larger threats from their lands. When backed into a corner, even the most hesitant offered shelter, food, and coin to Sobek. He become good at ridding townships of their looming threats. Very good, in fact. He learned to ply his trade as a hunter of bandit bounties and invading monster threats. His reputation even grew beyond that of the local wandering freak into a sought-after mercenary. Clients and targets alike began referring to Sobek as the "Slate Gator", and the increased mixture of coin and surrendering foe had him adopting this alias gladly.
Upon a fateful knight in a rundown tavern in Akkala, a veiled figure approached Sobek with an offer. He described a monster with piercing, yellow eyes and a powerful, ancient aura, and requested the Slate Gator's services to hunt the beast down. Sobek, now valuing himself greater due to increasing fame, brushed the man off without a second thought. It was then that the figure began to relay a story that the hunter was all too familiar with:
"Dark were the days when Vaati and Ganon ruled the Realm of Hyrule. It was under this black sky that the monsters and beasts of the land claimed dominance..."
The mysterious client described the entirety of Sobek's nightmare. Transfixed by this forbidden knowledge, Sobek flew into a bewildered rage and grabbed for the man to demand how he knew of such things. His claws grapsed upon nothing, and the figure was suddenly a step further away. The Gator, calming and newly afraid, asked what the figure would offer for this job. "A curse removed, as if it never was. A life renewed, as if it always was."
Though he had very little to go on, Sobek accepted, and began the search for his bounty.
Relevance: Recently approached by a stranger wielding unique wealth beyond measure, Sobek was tasked with hunting down the location of a beast with piercing, yellow eyes and a powerful, ancient aura.
Skill Set:
Track, Stalk, Kill
Forced to make a living by hunting the menaces of Hyrule, Sobek had picked up a variety of talents needed to track and kill his targets. He can spot signs of movement in a nearby area up to several weeks old, and accurately catalog the timing up to a week. He is sensitive to scents (which is also partly due to his animal nature), can differentiate multiple smells in a single area, and is able to attribute the direction of a smell's source. He is skilled at following behind a target without being seen or sensed unless his target has particularly keen senses them-self. He is wise to the best moments to strike a foe unaware, and in turn is himself more difficult to catch unaware by ambush.
Born to the Blade
Though the blood is tainted, the Slate Gator was born a lineage of great swordsmen with natural affinity to blade combat. He can best unskilled melee fighters with ease at close range, and is worthy competition to even the most skilled swordsmen of the realm. His impressive height offers an advantageous arm length, and he can wield in a single hand a larger blade than the average Hylian. When fighting a normal-sized Hylian of comparable skill, Sobek with more often than not come out on top. Monsters and animalistic creatures, however, are Sobek's specialty, and he is extra talented at taking these types of enemies down.
Serpent Sniper
When the sword is not an option, a trusty crossbow serves as Sobek's alternative. Often used as the opening of an ambush or while shooting fast, flying, or elusive foes, the lizalfos has learned to make his shots count. He values precision over speed in using his crossbow, taking the time to line up shots on the weak points of enemies rather than volleying an entire quiver of bolts. He tips the end of half his quiver in the venom from his claws, and can ignite it with a plume of fire from his gullet. Thus, he can fire plain bolts, poison bolts, and fire bolts at his targets.
Reptilian Repertoire
Though cursed blood has been the blight of Sobek's existence, there are benefits that have offered unique talents. His forked tongue enhances his senses of taste and smell, and his serpent eyes allow greater vision in the dark. The claws on his hands seep with venom upon command which paralyzes in small doses, kills upon a heavy dosage, and is inflammable. There is a gland in his esophagus that inflames his breath, letting him spit a range of fire from small sparks to a spray of flames up to a meter away. The larger and longer the flame produced, the more rest is required before more fire can be summoned. Sobek can also swim with natural mastery up to the speed of a thoroughbred race horse, can hold his breath for several hours without air, and can leap upwards and forwards threefold that of the average Hylian man.
Bestial Rage
Fueled by the images of his cursed past, the Slate Gator may fly into an animalistic rage once per night's rest. His scales harden, his claws sharpen, and his breath is readily turned to fire during this trance in spite of how well-rested he is. Senses are sharpened, venom becomes more potent, and instincts take command of the consciousness. Sobek's Hylian side is consumed during this rage, making it difficult for him to speak or comprehend others speaking to him in a Hylian tongue (likewise, the speech of lizardfolk is easily deciphered). This phase can last up to half an hour, and afterwards Sobek is exhausted for an equal period of time.
Weaknesses:
The People's Pariah
Rejection comes from nearly all demographics of Hyrule. Hylians view Sobek as yet another monster upon first glance, and lizalfos simply see a cursed human with no relation to their bloodlines. Few are inclined to speak to the hunter, let alone trust him. He is often turned away by inns, taverns, and shops if he even manages to gain entry to a community. Shadier sorts like criminals, monsters, and disciples of the dark are more inclined to give Sobek a chance, though those types are often the target of his work. This situation makes allies a rare luxury, and those closest to the Gator are usually only neutral to his being.
Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold
As a cold-blooded creature, Sobek is forced to take extra precautions when surviving extreme climates. The flammable venom derives from an element in his blood that is sensitive to the heat of the sun, making prolonged exposure introduce the threat of spontaneous combustion (and thus shade or pool of water a requirement). Cold weather can be even more threatening. While he's taken to insulating his armor for the sake of travel in wintry lands, removal of his armor in such conditions is tantamount to death. Spending a day in a frozen land with no contact to a heat source will slowly kill Sobek, and he must be constantly aware of these dangers.
Shock and Awe
While cold and heat might be hazardous over long periods of time, the lethality of lightning is a more immediate peril. Sobek's greatest weakness is electricity, which is only amplified in the rain or while the hunter is swimming. His armor only serves to worsen this threat. Being aware of his shortcomings, Sobek has developed a phobia of electrical currents, which most frequently takes the form of storms. He is weakened by the simple presence of a thunder storm, and is more prone to flee under shelter if the situation permits.
