Keziah Sidiq
Biography
From the moment of her birth, death has been Keziah’s constant companion. When her griffon mother died in childbirth, she was left in the care of her all-too-human father. As a successful merchant in Mashriq he had the means to raise a child, if not the inclination. So she had a multitude of nannies and tutors, none of which knew how to deal with a child who could take a partial beast shape, let alone one who seemed to speak to thin air. Several quit flat out when she spoke of things she shouldn’t have any knowledge of, passing on messages from beyond. Some whispered that she must be blessed by Tepemkau, though more often they considered it a curse on the house for marrying a beast woman.
As she grew older, she learned to keep her ability secret, not that it was easy to ignore the restless dead. She kept quietly to the background and watched her father work, learning about his business and how he dealt with people. In the bazaar, she observed the rich and the poor, always taking a moment to share an extra coin or a bit of food with those less fortunate than herself.
Then came the fall of their house, a single poorly handled deal taking them from comfortable wealth to near destitution. Disgraced, her father became even more distant. One night she came home to find him on the floor, poisoned by his own hand. With almost nothing to her name, and no knowledge of her mother’s family line, Keziah learned a harsh lesson, experiencing first-hand the treatment she’d so often witnessed. Yet she also witnessed kindness and generosity of spirit, as those she had helped in the past returned the favor.
It was her gift that saved her. A wandering spirit spoke of things left behind where she could find them. It was hardly anything of value, but it was enough for a simple meal to share with the other unfortunates who had taken her in. After that came more such finds, sometimes things left by owners with no one living to claim them, other times items they did not wish their heirs to gain. Why let their greedy relatives who had them killed inherit gems or gold when they could deny them by letting Keziah quietly collect them to sell for her own gain? Little by little she built up her stock, learning when and where to sell, gaining comfort in the streets of Mashriq and even venturing to Dastarkhan and Qarsythe, until she had a modest business of her own, passing on the profits stolen from the rich to the help the poor.
Personality
Keziah is a free spirit with a strong sense of justice, even if it might be seen as skewed by some. Then again, right and wrong are all dependent upon one’s perspective. She is just as quick to smile as to fall into melancholy, her moods quite often affected by the spirits around her. Equally comfortable among the upper and lower classes, she moves between the castes with ease, one moment seeming a refined young lady with impeccable manners and then slinking through alleys to sell wares in the black markets. Despite her more clandestine activities, she draws the line at wanton violence or stealing from those who would be truly harmed by the loss.
Physical Description
A tall and slim woman with long brown hair and ametrine colored eyes that often seem far too somber and serious, even when she smiles. Her skin has a slight golden olive cast. She favors light and breathable fabrics but her recent excursion into Arangoth has introduced heavier attire into her wardrobe to combat the cold. Despite having reached forty years of age, she looks closer to 25, graced by her griffon heritage with longer years and salwar aging.
In her partial griffon form, Keziah gains a pair of beautiful wings with feathers the color of pale sand tipped in a deeper golden hue. Her nails become sharply curved talons capable of rending flesh.
Abilities & Skills
Mundane Skills
- Reading and Writing - Before the fall of their house, Keziah had access to a full education befitting a merchant’s daughter and heir. She is fluent in Najjira and Common, and has begun trying to learn Arangotek.
- Merchant Know-How - As a merchant, she has the knowledge to deal with money and accounts. Haggling comes naturally.
- Appraisal - She specializes in jewels and antiques, as these are the bulk of what she tends to acquire and sell. As such, she has learned to identify the worth of these items, able to tell a fake from an authentic piece.
- Jeweler - Keziah has taken to crafting her own jewelry, breaking down the pieces she’s acquired and making them new and different. She works with gemstones, precious metals, polished bone, and carved wooden beads.
- Lock Picking - A skill borne of necessity, Keziah has become quite the skilled lock pick in order to retrieve the items she turns for profit.
- Stealth - Getting in and out of places she ought not to be. Keziah is light on her feet and has learned to use the shadows to her advantage.
Magic Skills
- Medium - Keziah is able to see and speak with spirits who have not passed to the beyond and wander the realm.
- Channeling - By allowing a spirit to use her body for a time, they can speak through her. While in this state of semi-possession, Kezia has access to their skills, restricted only by her body’s limits. Stronger spirits can channel longer, upwards of a day, while weaker spirits may only last a few minutes or an hour. The longer she channels, the weaker she’s left at the end, requiring a day or more of rest to recuperate, as this ability uses up her own energy.
- Summoning - With proper focus and something to tie herself to a spirit, Keziah can attempt to call forth a spirit that has already passed to the beyond, though only for brief minutes.
Equipment
Weapons
- Dagger - Keziah owns a curved dagger engraved with flowers, one of the few items she kept from her former life. It was a wedding gift from her father to her mother.
- Claws - In her shifted form, Kezia has razor sharp talons.
- Wings - Strong griffon wings can buffet people and even break bones.
Armor
- Nothing of special note.
Tools
- Accounting book - a small journal written in her own code to keep track of all her acquisitions, sales, and purchases.
- Lock Pick set - Kezia has a variety of lock picks tucked about her person. Her favorite set is cleverly hidden within a pair of engraved silver hair sticks.
- Jewelers Tools and Loupe