Zawi - The Apotekari

Artist - Katy Wood - Artstation.com

Apotekari Zawi (a.k.a. Dark Mother)

It was believed that I was going to die. Three days I drifted inbetween this life and the next, until Zawi gave my husband a small vial of one of her creations. The next day I was awake, and not a week later I was back to my old life. The Volvi that visited our house told my husband to make arrangements to send me on to the next life. Thank the gods for Zawi, and curse the Volvi. I will go to her for the rest of my life, and my family will to.

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Early Life and Education

Zawi began her training, just as her ancestors before her, by tending her grandmothers gardens. She learned about the plants, and came to love them as her own family. Her grandmother would tell her the names of the plants, and she would talk of their attributes.
After Zawi came to know each plant as well as she knew her self, her grandmother began to teach her how to use the plants. Some where dried then ground into powders, others were steeped in oils to extract their essence. Zawi learned which plants complemented each other, and which ones repelled each other. This was her introduction into herblore.
Her studies took years to perfect, but when she was ready to accept her destiny as the next Apotekari in her line, her grandmother twisted her hair into the ceremonial locks, and adorned her with her first bead. Her family had been Apotekari's since long before the Valsgardi arrived. She never married, and had no children of her own. She often wondered if she would be the last Apotekari.
In Ringvolstad the skills of an Apotekari are less valued by the Valsgardi than the Volvi are, but among travelers and the Eldblud, she was the chief healer of the city.

Societal Purpose

The primary skills of an Apotekari are used for healing purposes, however one studied in herblore knows all aspects of the relationships of plants, not just the healing ones. If a person knew about her true skills, and knew how to inquire after those skills, they might find themselves in the possession of poisons most deadly. So gentle no one would suspect their presence and so sever none could endure more than a few drops.
The Valsgardi, are known to be cruel and unjust when it comes to the treatment of the lesser citizens of the Empire. This includes, the urchins, the maimed, the afflicted, and of course the indigenous species of Feyfollk, of which the Eldblud most certainly are.
In response to these injustices, the Whisperers have emerged, a group of anonymous members who operate in the shadows with the goal right these injustices. These Whisperers judge the guilty from afar, watching until there remains no doubt, only then, will they Whisper into the ear of the guilty, ensuring that night will be their last.
It is not known who is behind the sleeping deaths, as they have come to be called. All agree there is something behind it all, the deaths cannot be natural. To those who understand the value of an Apotekari, one might wonder if Zawi is somehow involved. If one were to watch Zawi, they might notice an odd amount of people offering her small nods and utterances of "mother".
Is she the leader of the Whisperers? It is unknown, however, what is known is that the victims of the sleeping death are not Eldblud.

Artist - Hilary Purnamasari - Artstation.com

Current Location

Ringvolstad

Species

Eldblud

Age

Middle aged - 77 years

Gender

female

Eyes

deep green eyes flecked with gold and silver

Hair

Long grey dreadlocks adorned in beads of gemstones and precious metals.

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

warm caramel

Height

1.6 m

Weight

75lbs