New God Ruuben

Queen of Umelan, Princess of Salt, Mother of Godkings

And out of the sea came a giant of the old world, but she was not of the old world, and she was not of the new world, and with her rose up the greatness of Illsmore. She birthed Umelan with the salt between her thighs, and they succeeded in all that they did.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Towering above humans, Ruuben has the frame and height of the old world's giants. Her body is thick, soft, and rounded, which has encouraged Umelan to correlate her with birth and femininity. Though predominantly woman-like, there are aspects of her being that refer back to her time in the sea, most of which otherworldly and horrific.

Body Features

Ruuben's body is covered in a softened layer of fat, past documents describing her as 'robust', 'well-formed', and 'matronly'. Though equipped with the assets of a female human, her skin is strongly transparent and ghost-like, and her eyes are like that of a large fish. Her hair, though she is described as being hairless during her first encounter with Illsmore, is a glassy shade of platinum blonde. It has grown beside the formation of Umelan's kingdom, and it is custom that it be carried behind her during festivals by younger acolytes. Due to her transparency, it is also possible to see when she is pregnant, and for this reason and others she routinely goes unclothed.

Facial Features

Ruuben's face has the presence of a wide-set, unhinging jaw, accompanied by luminescent pockets of light rimming the underside and filling the fat of her lips. Her teeth are grown to a length where closing her mouth is improbable, and so it hangs agape. This does not interfere with her speaking considering she does not have to move her mouth to do so. While her eyes, too, show signs of her predatory lineage, Ruuben often covers them with blindfolds made of soft gauze. This is because the light of the sun is painful for her, but also because she recognizes their unnerving appearance.

Special abilities

While Ruuben herself has never participated personally in any of Umelan's battles, she is considered capable of otherworldly powers, having risen the mountains surrounding Umelan with her hands and breathed snow over their peaks. She granted her followers a holy mist that roused the dragons from hibernation, the same mist powerful enough to awaken the old god Balmund from his eternal sleep. It is believed Ruuben has the capacity for great destruction only stemmed by her greater capacity for mercy.

Apparel & Accessories

Dressed only by the trailing veil attached to her crown. She does not wear clothes, but enjoys decorative and embroidered veils, specifically ones with flowers.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Having heard the desperate cries of Illsmore during his days of reckoning, Ruuben is said to have risen out of the sea and bestowed Illsmore with strength and tenacity. She birthed a sword from the salt in her womb and granted him a shield made from the muscle of her bosom. She promised him success in all that he endeavored, and Illsmore promised her his kingdom and all that it encompassed.
Ruuben gave him the mountainous valley by the sea to rule as his own, her hands lifting their peaks high enough to forever protect and surround him, and over them she breathed snow. She encroached her presence into the surrounding land and drew forth followers for Illsmore, because she knew he could not rule alone.
With her help, Illsmore became a king, and when his army grew vast and his city sprawling, Ruuben rose him up yet again to destroy the last of the dragons. With this command, she placed bravery inside of him, filling the temple constructed for her with veils of holy mist that would flush the dragons out from their slumber. As she had commanded, King Illsmore invaded the great fissure and brought death to many of the dragons, but Ruuben did not foresee her mist awakening Balmund, who toppled into the canyon and took with him much of the Umelian army. The dragons escaped yet again across the newly formed Deep, and Ruuben's temple fell dark in the wake of this disaster.
Illsmore, after returning to find his kingdom swallowed by unending twilight, mourned on the beach for three days and tore his clothes in shame. Feeling the depth of his loss, Ruuben rose for a second time and returned her waking arms to surround Illsmore and his people. Having fallen in deep love with the new god, King Illsmore asked for Ruuben's continued hand in raising kings for Umelan, and she devoted herself as queen-mother to King Illsmore and all those who followed.
She has birthed two godkings since her betrothal to King Illsmore: King Rogerin and King Aelfrid. While her people still adore her and celebrations over her are met with great enthusiasm, Ruuben has grown quiet within her seaside temple. This behavior can easily be trailed back to King Aelfrid's acceptance of a dragon into his court, soon allowing it the title of duke and thus making it of royal descent. While most of the kingdom went against this idea, most thinking Ruuben a child of the old god Vaneeshka, Aelfrid went against all of their pleas.
Ruuben now remains inside her temple in somber solitude, and some have begun to worry if she will not accept pregnancy until Brinus has been expelled from her kingdom.

Sexuality

Female. Accepting of feminine titles and self-described as a 'daughter'.

Intellectual Characteristics

Ruuben, like most of the new gods, differs from her older counterparts in the sense that her actions and desires are strangely human. She cries, she wants, she loves; Ruuben perhaps has gained such great affirmation and loyalty from her people because most, if not all, feel personally accepted by her. While this trait has brought her great might, having the most powerful kingdom devoted solely to her name, it has begun to weigh on her heavily, as seen in her recent years of seclusion.
While it is unknown to Umelan, Ruuben has begun to feel the persistent hold of emotional symbiosis, trapped between her desire for acceptance and her desire for authority. After the death of King Illsmore and her betrothal to King Rogerin, Ruuben was confused by Rogerin's continued dismissal and apathy toward her. There were times where he rose armies to command Umelan's respect of her, yet he did not visit her temple, or pray to her, or express as great a devotion as King Illsmore. While this hurt Ruuben deeply, Rogerin still led Umelan to prosper, and she held her tongue in hopes that--with her continued support in his ruling--he would soon love her just the same.
By the time of Rogerin's passing and the beginning of King Aelfrid's rule, Ruuben had become a shell of her former self. No longer the soft-spoken commander of the king, she now sat quietly behind the throne, Umelan's long, voiceless shadow. Shackled by her unmet thirst for love and recognition, Ruuben continues to selflessly give to Umelan with hope that her effort will soon be rewarded.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Interwoven eternally with the Kingdom of Umelan and its movement, though it is believed this strong devotion could have branched out from her great love for Illsmore. She seems primarily emotionally driven, most of Ruuben's actions speaking volumes of her desire for affection and going against what most would see as tactful or strategic. In a sense, they very well could be seen as such, but Ruuben is most captivated by her own, personal yearnings and is therefore intensely dedicated to the idea of receiving. She believes that if she gives then she should get a return, and this expectation is settled at the core of her private struggles revolving around Umelan.

Likes & Dislikes

Has a strong penchant for flowers and most forms of environmental art pieces. King Illsmore began construction of a great mural in her temple depicting flowers and woodland animals. This mural was finished four years after King Illsmore's death, which led to King Rogerin painting over it to depict instead the story of Ruuben emerging from the sea. Ruuben was saddened with the change, but grew to accept it.

Virtues & Personality perks

Forgiving, patient, and empathic. Capable of seeing from many points of view and understanding/assimilating emotions outside of herself. Astute understanding of humans and their vices; most notably excels in listening to the plights of her people and able to construct relationships built chiefly on giving. Slow to anger and speak. Thinks fully before talking and can articulate her emotions. Subconsciously perfects an ability to manipulate and can socially sway others with time and ease.

Vices & Personality flaws

Has a strong sense of being either engulfed or abandoned. Externally references herself and has low self-worth accompanied by a belief in 'perfect unions' which ultimately drives her to have unrealistic expectations of herself and others. Creates and seeks out situations in which she can become a martyr, caretaker, or savior. Unaware of any 'negative' feelings and highly sensitive to anger within herself; forces herself to separate from any feelings of anger in reference to others. When asked about her opinions, has a tendency to distort or lie. Continual investment into situations or people that require obstructive amounts of vigilance, caretaking, and dependence. Has a constriction of emotions and is prone to outbursts (dramatic or not). Is drawn to impulsive, addictive, and disordered people.

Species

New God

Circumstances of Birth

Perceived daughter of the old god Vaneeshka. Rose up from the ocean during King Illsmore's days of reckoning and blessed him with fervor and success.

Eyes

Much like the eyes of deep sea fish, with a pupil that does not change size or shape, but moves closer or further from the retina. Wears veils and gauze over them due to sensitivity to light. Bulging and wide; unsightly to humans.

Hair

Floor-length, straight, and near-white. Has a golden hue to it instead of grey or silver. She does not cut it, as it grows in accordance to Umelan's years in prosperity.

Height

9'5"

Weight

400 pounds

Aligned Organization

Balburan Empire

Other Affiliations

• The College of Ruuben

Ruled Locations

• Ruuben’s Bluff