Tashani Red Elk

Dark Chicago    The Usual Suspects    People    Contacts      Dakota

Description

A tall, spectral figure with long braided hair and ceremonial paint that sometimes flickers between forms—modern and ancestral. His features are weathered and wise, his gaze unblinking and distant, as though he sees through time rather than space. His presence is silent but unmistakable: the air gets colder, the shadows stretch, and Merissa always knows when he’s near.

Personality

Stoic and largely mute, Dakota communicates through signs, gestures, and emotions that brush against Merissa’s mind like wind across tall grass. He is watchful, protective, but not fully at peace. There’s an ancient dignity in him, the kind that comes from loss, survival, and things left undone. Though he rarely shows anger, when stirred, his fury is a thing of cold, natural power.

Habits

Appears near Merissa in moments of intense emotion, sometimes even when she doesn't call him.
Causes nearby fires to flicker blue and compasses to spin when he's especially focused.
Visits an overgrown patch of parkland near the river every full moon, standing vigil until dawn.
Sometimes whispers in a forgotten tongue while staring at people Merissa is speaking with.

Hooks & Angles

Spiritual Debt – Dakota was bound to Merissa after she unknowingly disrupted a Veil ritual that would've enslaved his spirit. Her act gave him agency—he chooses to remain with her, though a deeper bond might be forming.
Veil Echo – He knows secrets of ancient Chicago, layers hidden beneath the city. He could guide her to powerful things… or protect her from them.
Dangerous Anchor – Something is hunting Dakota in the spirit world. By staying near Merissa, he puts her in the crosshairs.
Vengeance Unfinished – Dakota was betrayed and murdered during a 19th-century land deal soaked in blood and magic. The men who did it are long dead… but their descendants and spiritual heirs are not.