Editing Shattered Lands (section)

====Kat====
''' 'Teoxihuitle'
'''

[[File:teo.jpg]]

'''Backstory'''

Teoxihuitle is an elvish shaman from a strong desert tribe.  As the third daughter of that tribe’s leader, there were no particular expectations placed on her and, for most of her childhood, was given free reign to do as she pleased.  All but running wild, she was allowed to indulge in her natural curiosity, and absorbed any skill or knowledge anyone was willing to teach her.  

This continued until, while still quite young, she was deemed a strong and worthy candidate to learn the ways of a shaman, a position greatly revered within her family’s tribe.  She suddenly found all her previous freedoms revoked, a fact that she resented terribly.  She also struggled with the isolation inherent in shamanism; her nature rebelled at being separated from outside contact for long periods of time.  However, she was ultimately able to reconcile these opposing demands to her own satisfaction (though her teacher, Nahuaque would most certainly disapprove of some of her methods...she has found teonanacatl and oliliuhqui help to either relax or sharpen her senses, and makes good use of both when the occasion calls for it).  

Years later, she returned to her tribe as an accomplished spirit wielder and a skilled healer. Though she often wanders alone, she always manages to find her group during their travels and often aids in their raids and battles. To everyone’s surprise, she recently struck up an unlikely and unconventional rapport with the snake warrior, Coaxoch, and the two of them have proven to be a powerful team.  Her esteem in the eyes of the tribe has been rising, a fact resented by her older siblings, who began to use any means at their disposal to undermine her. Though her calling as a shaman all but demands that she depart for days, perhaps weeks at a time, she was always welcomed eagerly back in the past.  Things had changed greatly when she returned from her latest sprit walk.  

Though normally unconcerned with such a petty thing as politics, Teo quickly became disgusted and angry at such underhandedness; not only did she consider herself directly insulted but, more importantly, her abilities and loyalty were being called into question.  At the limits of her patience, and in a moment of recklessness (helped on by the strange drink supplied to her by Coaxoch after a successful raid) she left.  Though Nahuaque would have chided her on her impulsive reaction to such a "minor" issue,  she vowed not to return until she has honed her powers enough to overwhelm any challenges placed against her, be they political, spiritual, or physical.  

To that end, she has enlisted the aid of Coaxoch who, to her surprise, followed obediently, and demands nothing more from Teo than the communion wafers, of which the secret for preparing them is known only to the shamans.  Teo sometimes wonders if Coax had her own reasons for wanting to leave, but is shrewd enough to take advantage of a good opportunity without questioning it.  The two have made their way to Draj, where the famed fighting arenas stand.  Though she has never been to a city, Teoxihuitle is sure that there can be no better place to start sharpening her skills than in the arena, and is eager to see whether all the whispered talk she has heard about the city-state is justified.

EDIT: It should probably be noted that Teo is grossly under-informed about a few details of Draj.  First and foremost, she believes she is seeking out the Flowery Games, with their chances of glory and status. Instead she is going to find herself in the brutal hell that is the Arena.  The rumors she'd heard of Draj had passed over those minor details.

'''Appearance'''

Standing at 5’10”, she is considered on the small side for an elf (a touchy subject for her).  Her frame is compact and athletic, lean from traveling and running through the desert wastes.  Her skin is tanned to a deep bronze, and she wears light clothing, suited for easy movement and comfort.  Her most noticeable features are the turquoise piercings that adorn the surface of her skin, tracing both collar bones and down the top of her spine.  Her hair has been dreded and braided, for convenience’s sake, though she couldn’t resist the small vanity of adding some blue and white in places.  The large pouch at her waist never leaves her side, and she guards it carefully, almost jealously.

'''Personality'''

Usually fluid and adaptable, she is also proud by nature, and she takes any serious slight against herself, her race or her tribe very personally.  She is also unaccustomed to being blindly obedient and would resent being ordered about like a common slave.  However, she is willing to ally herself to any individual or group she considers worthy or useful, so long as they treat her with the proper respect.  Being a bit small for her race, she is quite sensitive about her height, and has compensated for it to a marvelous degree.  The larger the individual, the less she allows herself to be intimidated (through sheer force of will).  As such, she doesn’t take kindly to anyone’s attempt to deliberately patronize or strong-arm her due to their size.

She has a strong curiosity, though this should not be confused with naivete.  While she wants to learn all she can about other peoples, cultures, and even magic itself, she approaches everything carefully and methodically, filing away details to be considered later.  One can never be sure, when seeing her sitting alone, staring into the middle distance and muttering to herself, if she is in the midst of a spiritual trance or simply cataloging everything of interest she has seen that day.

Despite enjoying the company of others, the fact that she has spent so much time alone, with no one but Xipil, her spiritual insectuar, for company, means she has picked up a few behavioral tics.  Namely, she has a tendency to hiss or growl if her emotions run away with her (Coax swears that she also heard a purr, once, but Teo will deny it to her dying day).  She also makes frequent use of small doses of the oliliuhqui seed, often used to bring one closer to the spirit world, as she believes it opens her mind and senses to things that many might miss.
[[Shattered_Lands/Teoxihuitle]]