Thais 'Tawny' Akakios is the party's healer, and the only female in the group.
| Character Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Race | Human |
| Weapon of choice | Quarterstaff |
| Religion | Elona |
| Current Location | Myronment |
| Role | Healer |
History
She was born in Epiach; her parents were merchants. When Thyrul and his legion of the undead attacked, Tawny and her family were evacuated to the underground temple. There, they were initiated into the service of the temple, becoming lay members. Tawny’s brothers all eventually joined the militia. Tawny herself helped at the hospital, learning how to save lives using salves, bandages, thread and splints. She saw the divine powers of the clerics, as well as their selfless nature and determination, and was intrigued. When her younger brother died from injuries battling the undead, Tawny was devastated. She was introduced to Elona, and Tawny took up the mantle of cleric. With her newfound faith and the memory of her fallen brother, she was determined to do good, and not let anyone she loved down ever again.
When Thyrul was defeated, Tawny joined her brothers in scouting the city for the last remaining undead. Investigating the ruins of a burnt-out home, Tawny found a young child surrounded by the undead. She managed to shield the child from harm, holding the undead at bay with force and faith until her brothers were able to come to her defence. Tawny's bravery wasn't without its cost - she recieved several terrible scars, especially across her face. Despite the severity of her wounds, Tawny insisted on seeing to the child’s welfare first. By the time she was able to turn the attention to her own wounds, however, she was too late to heal them cleanly. She would be scarred for life, the left side of her face being now little more than puckered scar tissue. But her selflessness was rewarded by Elona, who granted the novice cleric with a greater awareness and understanding of how to heal and cure wounds and sicknesses. Tawny honed these skills, along with her skill in fighting in heavy armour and with quarterstaff.
When the fighters from a hell attacked, Tawny stayed above ground as a battle-cleric, being where she was needed and helping whom she could, especially her brothers. She earned more scars as a result, but healed and fought with the warriors who fought these unholy combatants and their strange weapons. However, her twin brother - who had, by this time, earned a reputation as a devoted and courageous fighter - was killed in battle. This was a pain Tawny could barely cope with; she had to be dragged from the battlefield. Feeling like half of her was cut away, Tawny stayed underground for the remainder of the time, healing others while she grieved, until the hell-spawn were driven away.
With Epiach safe for the time being, Tawny's family have returned to their business, trying to rebuild their livelihood. However, with the course of the river diverted and people still shy to visit such a dangerous area, the Akakios family will behard-pressed to have trade - and life - return to normal. For Tawny, however, with the two brothers she was closest to dead and buried, she didn't feel that her life could ever return to normal ever again. Garreth Caesar’s call for able-bodies mercenaries attracted Tawny’s attention, but given her current emotional state she did not feel she was up to the task. Until, that is, she was aprroached by Kolskegg and asked by Typhenon personally to go deal with the trouble, as he trusted her to be capable, devoted, and honest enough to deal with whatever had to be done.
Physical description
Taller than most women, slim but not skinny, nineteen years old. Thais’ late mother Helena gave Thais the nickname ‘Tawny’, for her unusual mane of orange-brown hair; all the other members of the family had black hair. She used to be teased when she was younger that she had Shyen blood in her. Her hair is currently just past her shoulderblades, and left unbound. The right half of her face is scarred, and there is a claw-mark made on her left jaw; however, despite these scars, she is still somewhat an attractive young woman.
She wears the blue-and-white robes of Elona, tied with the gold belt, and the silver holy symbol around her neck. She also wears pants under her robes. Over her robes she wore a heavy breastplate, but now she wears Angus' chain shirt, given her armour is not only unwearable but at the bottom of a pool of acid.
Possessions
- Robes of Elona
- ring of protection
- Healer's kit
- flasks of holy water
- holy symbols - two silver and one wood
- traveller's robes
- hooded lantern
- covered candleholder, a tiny candle nub within
- a black pearl, a trophy from the slug-bat's lair
- other miscellany of adventuring gear
- bag of iron filings
- a magical straw hat, taken simply to keep the party from squabbling
- her Last Will and Testament, written on a scroll of parchment in green ink
Relations
Tawny was the eldest child in a family of five brothers, including her twin brother Adrastos. Her mother Helena died six years ago of a sickness, leaving Tawny the only woman in the family. She cooked, cleaned, sewed, and did all manner of 'girly' chores, whatever was required to fill the hole that Helena had left. Tawny also kept her rowdy younger brothers in line, often with the back of her hand or, when occasion called for it, a big stick. When she was older, she and her twin brother were given the responsibility of keeping the books and the finances by their father, Eustathios; her other four brothers would ply the river with their boats, bringing goods for the marketplace and keeping the business afloat.
Within the party, Tawny has yet to make any deep connection (friendship or otherwise) with any of the people she is travelling with. However, that doesn't mean she isn't without her opinion of them.
Surd - A good warrior, and a loyal friend. His Orcy pride doesn't make him many friends, but I know I can trust him.
Ritnik - I feel terrible for what happened to him, but I hope that he can be redeemed. It may be beyond my abilities, though…
Ranubi - I blamed myself for his death, and I cannot help but feel responsible.
Urkepi - I have a lot to tell her about her brother. She may be angry with me, and I don't blame her.
Theopholous - I may go back to Epiach one day, to make sure that he's alright. I am glad he survived, but I know it may take years before he recovers.
Maximus - He was a total nutcase. His death was unfortunate, and I wish I'd been able to stop him, but I get the feeling he probably would have been more of a danger locked in the room with us…
Angus - I watched him die the same way Adrastos died. It wasn't fair, that he should come so far for such an ignoble death… At least his family has his sword, so perhaps his soul will find some peace…
Faolan - The brother of Angus, and quite unlike any magic user I've met. I don't have much to share with him, but perhaps I can soften the blow of Angus' death with the sword. I'm not very sure about Shyen customs, but it seems important.
Argyranthe - A lovely young woman, whose sacrifice shall never be forgotten.
Kallias - A champion of Feloqui, and previously spent some time in Epiach. Also, quite handsome. I should play it cool for a while, I think… wait and see… ;)
Jaakkima - He bears the burden of leadership very well, but it's clear that he feels alone in his duties. I'm no matchmaker, but maybe I can find someone in this town who might be suited to marrying him?
Viper - Such a bitter disappointment.
Personality
Tawny tends to be introspective and withdrawn, especially when meeting new people or in confrontational situations. As a result, she can seem scatterbrained or incompetent. When she first joined the party, she offered to cook porridge for them. A combination of nerves and shyness made her burn the water, branding her a terrible cook. In all fairness, though, she'd never cooked over an open fire before, nor with strangers watching her every move.
Despite her initial shyness, once people have earned her trust - or, at the very least, made her smile - she is a loyal friend. If someone needs her help, she will rush to their aid without question, even if it puts herself in harm's way. She still hasn’t gotten over the death of her brothers - particularly her twin - but she feels she has to be strong for the sake of her remaining brothers and her father, as well as for the other people who depend on her. Typhenon’s trust has given her a certain degree of courage, though, at the same time, the expectations placed on her leaves her somewhat uncertain whether such trust is warranted.
Tawny is aware that her scarred face makes people feel uncomfortable, and can be occasionally self-conscious as a result. Tawny prefers not to 'spread joy' through sex - unusual for a cleric of Elona - though she's not above ogling an attractive young man should the opportunity present itself. She tends to hold herself a little distant from people; for those who get to know her, her warm personality wins friends easily.
Thais grew up with a large family, and the fact that two of the brothers she was closest to are now dead weighs heavily on her mind. She saw the group she was travelling with as something like her new family, despite their strange quirks; their deaths, betrayal, and/or madness hurt her deeply, to the point where she was taking the blame for most of it. With the ascendance of the Tree, however, Tawny seems to have come to terms with theirdeaths, and, while she still grieves for them, she no longer has the burden of grief weighing her down.
Current State
Watching the sunrise over Myronment, praying before she goes and starts helping the townsfolk rebuild.
Tactics
Having grown up in a family of boys, Tawny knows how to hold her own when it comes to fighting. However, given that she grew up brawling with her brothers, who more often than not let their big sister win, she feels more than a little ill-prepared for battles with the demonic and supernatural. What battles she has participated in, she has remained mostly in the background, out of harm's way, casting beneficial spells as needed and calling out encouragements. Her few attempts to battle on her own terms have left her feeling - and seeming - somewhat more inept than she is. Since descending into the Tower, however, she's had more chances to show the skills and the rage she hides behind that placid scarred face of hers. During her imprisonment, she clung to hope, and that hope alone was the only thing that's kept her sane.
Plans for the Future
For the time being, she wants to stay in Myronment. While she no longer feels the burden of guilt and grief for the events in the Tower, she still doesn't quite feel ready to return home. One of her main concerns is returning to tell Caesar Garreth that she has failed in the misson he trusted her with (not just the cleaning out of the Tower, but also converting Ritnik). This spills over to her family - she doesn't feel like she can face them after everything that happened to her. She feels she's changed too much, and they would not understand. However, she plans to write as often as she can, to assure her family that all is well. Perhaps, she could even get a trade route started down here. That would make Papa proud.
What's In A Name?
Thais means 'bandage' in Greek; Akakios means 'no evil' (in the sense of 'anti-')
