Kuavi

Information

Player: Delta

Character Full Name: Kuavi

Character In-Game Name: Kuavi

Associations: The Darkspear Tribe, The Horde

Race: Jungle Troll

Class: Shadow Hunter (Hunter)

Age: 39

Sex: Male

Hair: Vibrant turquoise and bristly.

Eyes: Red-brown.

Weight: 256 lbs

Height: 7’8” (1.03 scale)

Appearance

Usual Garments/Armour: The cured leather he wears, sturdy yet mobile, is designed to ward glancing strikes away from Kuavi’s limbs. Riveted chainmail proves a more robust defence against blades, and his vital regions are guarded by this type of armour. A rush’kah conceals his face, and he represents the Darkspear with a Sen’jin tabard.

When he isn’t fighting, travelling or representing, his coverage is rudimentary at best or nonexistent if he can get away with it.

Other: Nimble and lean, Kuavi has a hunter’s build. His long, pointed nose and angular features endow him with an aquiline profile, and his skin is the type of bird’s egg blue that you’d expect to find on the stone bed of a mountain river.

He carries a pair of non-identical glaives, a short bow, and an assortment of fetishes.

Personality

Two devotions motivate Kuavi. The first is to his people. Proud of all that the Darkspear tribe has already accomplished, he is committed to furthering their progress and ensuring that they prosper within the Horde. The second is to the loa he serves, without whom he would not have grown to be the man he has become, nor does he believe would he be able to continue fighting for the Horde. Their blessing is, to him, a sign that he is on the right path.

Unfailingly faithful, Kuavi aspires to the virtues of his championed loa. He seeks to imitate compassionate Lukou, righteous Samedi, chaotic Shango, fierce Ogoun, and cunning Dambala. Though he may be perceived as docile, he acts decisively, and will draw his glaives readily if there’s a fight to be fought. In political matters, he applies careful, methodical thought to his input. Conversely, his combative technique is erratic and energetic, utilising quick and unpredictable movements to put his skill and speed to their best use.

Though his duty as a Shadow Hunter entails offering counsel, both spiritual and otherwise, he escapes from civilisation when he can. Solitude and quiet allow him respite. Under these conditions, he is able to better commune with the loa he serves, and his vision is no clearer than when at peace in the wilds.

History

The younger son of a powerful hunter, Kuavi reaped the rewards of his father’s wisdom and position amongst the Darkspear. His older brother, Mak’wan, shouldered the brunt of the tribe’s responsibilities and expectations, leaving Kuavi unencumbered by such burdens and free to enjoy his youth to the fullest. He hunted, roaming the Broken Isles and training in the use of a diverse range of weaponry. When Mak’wan could spare the time, he tested and trialled Kuavi to sharpen both their skills.

When their father indicated that he was ready, Kuavi’s brother ventured into First Home to begin his training as a shadow hunter. Mak’wan was a capable troll; intuitive, swift, and strong. No beast had ever evaded his spear once he was intent on the kill. Yet he never returned to the tribe, and Kuavi couldn’t understand why the loa deemed him unworthy.

Though his father warned him against it, Kuavi followed his brother’s footsteps in the heart of the spirits’ wilderness.

The young troll was no stranger to the dangers of the wild, but he was woefully unprepared for the struggles he faced in the heart of First Home. It seemed as though the jungle had a will of its own, and a vengeful desire to devour unwelcome intruders such as him. Relentless ambushes from wily predators kept him in a constant state of exhaustion, but he held onto his determination and followed his brother’s trail as far as he could.

When all footprints and clues vanished, Kuavi could do nothing but cease his search. His own failure frustrated him. He was furious at the loa. Though he knew little of such practices, he attempted to conduct a ritual in an effort to contact the powerful spirits he sensed around him. Using bones, feathers, wood, and his skinning knife, he created totems, foci for his ceremony. He made primitive instruments of hide and bark and sang in Zandali of his anger. When that yielded no results, he burnt fragrant plants and opened his palms to bloody nearby trees.

When his efforts finally attracted attention, it was of the unwanted kind.

Kuavi noticed the panther’s eyes first, two golden stars glistening through the impenetrable dark of the jungle. Though sleepless and starved, he readied his spear and awaited its pounce. It emerged, a beast far larger and faster than any he had encountered before. They fought. Though Kuavi was victorious, he was injured grievously.

Whilst hovering at the verge of unconsciousness in the dim morning light, the young troll became aware of the jungle growing still and quiet. He perceived that he was not alone. Smoky light seemed to dance around him, assuming the shapes of beasts and birds at play. Their forms shifted and, the long ears and protruding tusks of trolls could be distinguished. Kuavi heard whispers in his ears, countless voices speaking as one. He slipped into a dream.

Through a hazy cloak, he caught glimpses of unfamiliar landscapes and creatures he had never encountered before. Some evoked feelings of dread and fear, others hope and memory. The scenes shifted back and forth as though chronology was irrelevant, and it was hard to recall what he had been shown once it had passed. Mists began to obscure the images, and a voice took their place in the troll’s mind. It was familiar, but he couldn’t understand why, and the words fell short of audible range.

Rain pattering across his body stirred the troll. Kuavi opened his eyes and watched his wounds melt away under the gentle downpour. When he came to his senses, he somehow felt at peace. His anger had left him, and in its place was purpose. He felt that he had an obligation, but he didn’t know to whom or what. Though unsure how long he spent there, he lived out his youth and ascended to adulthood in First Home, enduring the trials of the ancient jungle and seeking to earn the favour of the spirits that had shown him mercy.

Kuavi broke his solitude and returned to his people only shortly before the arrival of Thrall and his followers. Despite the Darkspear and the orcs’ best efforts, Sen’jin’s death could not be prevented. Nonetheless, the stranded strangers had proved themselves honourable allies, and Kuavi accompanied them across the sea. As they battled their way through Kalimdor, the troll found himself fascinated by tales of the orcs’ shamanistic past and in awe of the strength of the scattered tauren. He pledged himself to the fledgling Horde, standing with them against the Burning Legion and assisting in Daelin Proudmoore’s defeat.

He remained in Kalimdor from then on, working to stabilise the Darkspear’s position. Azeroth’s troubles did not slip below his notice, nor did he shun his responsibility to the Horde when he was called upon, but only recently has the shadow hunter chosen to depart from the newly-reclaimed Echo Isles and venture out into the world. He holds no more love for Garrosh and his policies than a certain renowned Darkspear of the same calling, but he understands that now is the time to wait, to watch, and to plan.

Skills and Abilities

Kuavi has training in a variety of weapons, but his primary modes of offence and defence are the glaives he wields. If disarmed, he can fight hand-to-hand, or foot-to-face as often happened when he and he brother sparred. Unfortunately, he was often on the receiving end. When it comes to hunting, he’s a fair shot with a bow.

As far as blessings are concerned, Kuavi works to sustain the favour of the primary loa of the shadow hunter path by observing tradition in the form of rituals and ceremonies. Their blessings may be withdrawn should he ever be remiss in upholding his faith.

Lukou’s benevolence, that he believes saved him as a young troll, grants him the power to call upon a shower of rain to heal and revitalise allies in a small region. He exacts Samedi’s judgement, allowing him to smite undead creatures. Through Shango, he can channel the force of a storm’s energy through a bolt of lightning. Ogoun allows him to curse foes with the form of a frog. Like Dambala, he can move swiftly when he must, and strike with deadly precision.