000-IV
Gender
Male Boundary Entire Mountain Biome Crystals Mostly ordinary rocks, with some crystalline ores - usually left in precious places around the biome. Origin Traveler Nature Gruff Size Immense Nature Features dolerite crag rocks, mosses, green shield lichen Air Purification Elemental Summons clean air and dispels pollution |
000-IV Masterlist entry
Mountain Biome Wanderer Character misunderstood, crotchety, altruistic, secluded, reluctant Though Raaga is a traveler, he has no interest in forming friendships with esk, preferring to spend his time on subtle work that purifies the mountains and enriches the lives and afterlives of those that live within them. He is protective of his mountains, overseeing them much as an old man dotes on his prized vegetable garden—some excessive smoke that needs to be purified here, a growth of destructive humans that needs to be relocated there, and, of course, his favorite trees, cliffs, rockfaces, all need to be trimmed and refined. Raaga’s hostility seems to only be directed towards his fellow esk; he indulgently cultivates the spread of living creatures in his biome, only interfering when they seem to pose a substantial threat. This hostility towards other esk may stem from a strained relationship with 000 and the other Wanderers; he seems to, in fact, avoid them even more than he avoids other, ordinary esk. He resents his status as a Wanderer, associated as he is with 000 and with a great power over the earth, and that his position causes other esk to seek him out for wisdom or elemental gifts. He would much prefer being an anonymous traveler who could exist unbothered and work on his mountains in peace. Raaga tries to avoid the many esk who actively search for him and, when one actually manages to find him, he is gruff and unwelcoming, warning them of danger if they stay or sending them away to perform meaningless busywork. Unfortunately for him, this has created an aura of mystery about his existence; esk tell each other that Raaga only rewards those who have earned his respect through a trial, and some esk devote themselves to tracking Raaga, trying to decipher a pattern to his actions, movements, or responses. His brief, unfriendly admonitions have often been misinterpreted as containing hidden kernels of wisdom, and with each interaction the conspiracy surrounding Raaga only deepens. On occasion he is genuinely helpful to esk that seek him out, but his support is usually subtle: grass shifting to reveal a hidden object, or a path that presents itself to a wandering esk, the only mark of Raaga’s presence being the sudden sharpening of the air. The esk that he gravitates toward—if he could be said to gravitate toward other esk at all—are responsible and respectful, and not sycophantic or disguising ill intent. Raaga is a creature of few words, and expects the same of those that he interacts with—the sooner they get to the point, the sooner he can return to his dutiful solitude. He does allow some into his inner circle—older esk of a similar temperament, who see the preservation of the land as their duty. Raaga encourages those who seek his wisdom to devote themselves to the earth, and with these esk he meditates or heals the mountains and its creatures in companionable silence, their work and understanding of nature so instinctual that words barely need to be said. Those who have been given an abnormal transformation or elemental abilities are esk who have striven to reach inner peace, whether they be trespassers or travelers, and they must not ask it of him: they are gifts, after all, and it would be greedy to expect them to be given. While Raaga is gruff with almost all esk, he is surprisingly tender with the land and even with humans: he tries to provide clean air and guidance for its denizens, using the wind to alert them to nearby resources or oncoming danger. Raaga sees himself as a sort of curator for the mountains and encourages the growth of unusual or intriguing species; he would always prefer nursing an animal or plant back to health over transforming them, but will transform those on the brink of death who served the mountains in life, or the last of an extinct species. He figures that, even if the species itself does not survive, then their memories, at least, could live on—and, if the esk was transformed from an endangered plant, they could spend their days repopulating the land with their seed. He prefers not to guide these transformed esk through their new state of existence, though: he leaves that task to other esk or the mountains themselves. When alone, Raaga spends his time in quiet meditation. He can be still for weeks, months, or even centuries at a time, and his consciousness melts into the surrounding rock: he feels the mountains breathe and breathes with them, absorbing the pollution and wildfires and storms and exhaling crystalline air. He is at his most peaceful there, melded into stone: he isn’t quite angry at his existence as an esk, or at his mother and siblings, as much as he is just tired—tired of his ancient body, the ceremony of being a Wanderer, the old family hurt that festers like an infected wound. And so he retreats: into the earth, into the sensation of shifting plates and human and animal footsteps, and he is something and somewhere else, if only for a time. Appearance Despite Raaga's huge size and distinctive silhouette, he can be difficult to see - he has a habit of keeping incredibly still during his lengthy meditations, and the bold markings on his back resemble snow scattered across black stone. This is partly by design - he doesn't particularly enjoy being sought out, after all, and frequently curls his surprisingly lengthy body into such a position that his snout and legs are not visible, and he looks like a large pile of rocks. Esk that have seen him describe him as mostly white, with a thick coat of coarse fur on his torso and long but surprisingly round-looking legs with much shorter fur. He has a long neck and a bold black marking across his body that resembles a snow coverage pattern on the ground. His face, however, has a soft, sandy color - often the easiest way to distinguish him from his mountainous surroundings. He has a prominent brow ridge as well as small eye sockets, which, combined, make Raaga look like he is either sleepy or deep in contemplation. He is very, very large - for reference, the mossy stones that line his back can reach the size of boulders that hikers might try to use for recreational rock climbing. They create the effect of a stegosaurus with a spiky, swinging tail, although in truth Raaga actually has a very small tail resembling a bear's. He is quite squat, and usually stolid, moving like a tortoise, but he can actually move quite quickly if he wants to beat a quick retreat - this kind of gait is more like an alligator's. Elemental Power Raaga has the power of air purification, which he seems to use for personal benefit. After all, he enjoys solitude and meditation, and relishes clean air pure of others' influence. Often after receiving esk visitors he'll spend hours trying to eliminate their scent, so that he (and, secretly, the inhabitants of his mountains) can feel undisturbed. However, he also uses his power to subtly aid and guide creatures in his domain, and to clear the air when it has been polluted. His power often manifests as large, soothing gusts of clear air emanating from a focal point above his forehead. Often the only marker of his presence is a crisp but gentle breeze ruffling through the air. |
Using Raaga in your character stories
Raaga can be freely integrated into your narratives and backstories.
Raaga often does not want to be found, and does not like providing advice or performing transformations. However, while Raaga is anti-social to the extreme, he often dedicates hours nursing lost creatures and plant specimen back to health or toward safety, and prefers to transform only as a last resort. He tries to do this as silently and unobtrusively as possible, so many Mountain esk have actually passed him by without realizing he was there. He is not likely to be friendly to your esk, and will probably hide from them, but if they are respectful and direct, or if he senses that they have a temperament very similar to his, he might be willing to provide some aid. He does not like sycophants.
You may use Raaga in your Origin Prompts as long as your Esk belongs to the Mountain Biome. If your Esk becomes an Air Elemental, you can use Raaga in your character's story as the source of this power (Biome Wanderers can pass their elemental powers on to other Esk).
You can draw and write about Raaga without having to ask permission; please honor the concepts provided here by maintaining the character's integrity, appearance, and lore in your works.
Raaga often does not want to be found, and does not like providing advice or performing transformations. However, while Raaga is anti-social to the extreme, he often dedicates hours nursing lost creatures and plant specimen back to health or toward safety, and prefers to transform only as a last resort. He tries to do this as silently and unobtrusively as possible, so many Mountain esk have actually passed him by without realizing he was there. He is not likely to be friendly to your esk, and will probably hide from them, but if they are respectful and direct, or if he senses that they have a temperament very similar to his, he might be willing to provide some aid. He does not like sycophants.
You may use Raaga in your Origin Prompts as long as your Esk belongs to the Mountain Biome. If your Esk becomes an Air Elemental, you can use Raaga in your character's story as the source of this power (Biome Wanderers can pass their elemental powers on to other Esk).
You can draw and write about Raaga without having to ask permission; please honor the concepts provided here by maintaining the character's integrity, appearance, and lore in your works.
