Eiuka Rila Ak'kazu-Kazaiso Tor Anzon
Eiuka was one of the most influential figures of the Advent Era. He began as a freedom fighter of the Faur'ri Nations, working to overthrow Malisyk influence. He was backed by the Aempian Prefect's son, Akotan Khandea and helped smuggle arms into the country for their revolution against Valuser'ran rule.
When Aempis rose to power, it reneged on many of its deals with Eiuka, and revealed itself to be working with the Malisyk Cult to train many of its soldiers and snipers against Valuser'rh.
Eiuka swore he would get revenge on Aempis. In the end, he did.
Revolutionary
Eiuka was born in one of the Faur'ridar'ru Subnivean citadels, tucked away from the eye of the totalitarian Malisyk regime. He was raised to hate them, but to act against them only in secret and when he was sure his attacks would land without getting him caught.
This upbringing turned him into an activist and an assassin—one of many who habitually caused Korum Quakes underneath Malisyk citadels. Later, as he aged into his early 20s, he took to more direct attacks against the regime—spreading anti-Malisyk pamphlets among the cities by day, and by night carrying out assassinations and firebombings of major Malisyk figures.
Eventually, Eiuka and the revolutionaries which followed him gained enough footing to take an entire district for themselves. They began to trade in secret with their neighbors to the south in the Aempian prefecture, specifically with Akotan Khandea, who was using them to amass arms against Valuser'rh for an upcoming coup.
The Coup
When the coup began, Akotan and Eiuka continued to operate in concert, with Akotan feeding Eiuka important intel about the Valuser'ran armies and their supply chains, as well as about the Malisyk leadership and forces. This relationship allowed Eiuka's small country to grow, taking on several neighbors. It also contributed to the success of the revolution against Valuser'rh, and so helped Aempis become a sovereign nation.
It was during the revolution that Eiuka became a Monolith of war—specifically an incredible marksman. Before the war was over he also became a Monolith of martial arts, excelling in claw combat forms such as SighanaBr'rv and Stilettos—the latter of which he created a training program for Aempians to help them defend themselves.
Betrayal
As Aempis grew from nation, to power, to empire, to superpower, they became less and less helpful to Eiuka, and even started to demonstrate an antagonistic streak towards him. Things came to a head when Eiuka learned that the Aempian Triptych had a secret 4th member—Mhatua Khasu Tor Bhato, who had been trained by the Malisyk. In fact, many Aempian assassins had been trained by the Malisyk, and Akotan had paid for that training with intel on Eiuka.
The Sacking of Tyrn Cha
Rather than take this sleight, Eiuka turned the anger of his betrayal towards the Malisyk, and resolved himself to toppling them. He and his forces reached out to the Faecha tribes north of Drat'n Metkrah and made an offer to work alongside them to kill and topple the leader of the Malisyk: a Focus by the title of Murder. This meant attacking his stronghold at Tyrn-Cha.
The stronghold proved harder to breach than anticipated, putting Eiuka at odds with the Aempian Jhoutigari black ops who were closing in quickly. Desperate, he broke the line and attempted to infiltrate Tyrn Cha with several Faecha Maidenseers and his own soldiers. They were able to open the gates, and corner Murder. Unfortunately, they found themselves outmatched, in the end, and after a brutal fight between Eiuka and Murder, Eiuka was slashed up by Murder's venemous claws and thrown from the turret of Tyrn Cha into the river below.
It was not long before Murder, the leader of the Malisyk, found, caught, and tortured Eiuka. Using Dawn and Dusk, he stabbed Eiuka through the chest, cursing him with his weapon's tortuous effects, and dumped him in the snow when the writhing (and breathing) came to an end.Return From Death
Eiuka woke some days later, buried under a thick snowfall. By sheer force of Grace he had returned to life, animated by one of his Feats. He quickly sought and contracted Sathiidism to restore his body before it failed once more under the curse.
He would suffer the curse for the rest of his life. It was not until years later that Kvarlo the Weird was able to identify the curse, but in attempting to dispel it he contracted it as well. For Eiuka, the agony of constant decay and regeneration came to define his entire life. The condition only worsened each time he invoked one of his feats of grace, which happened many times during his long life.
The Crimson Thorn
Eiuka disappears even as his soldiers continue to thrive and fight on and grow. He changes his name to Idraeda, meaning "faceless" to match the horrible wounds on his face. He becomes the Leader of the Crimson Thorn by working his way up as an assassin. Because of his ailment and appearance he isn't able to do many high profile kills, but his training proves a powerful asset to the Thorn and his quick tongue puts him in a seat of power remarkably fast.
Eiuka becomes the leader of the leaderless, the head of the Thorn. He begins to conspire against Aempis, who never gave the Eiuka the hills Bastet promised, and Valuser'rh, who lives in those hills. He founds gang after gang, each with a different name and oblivious that they share a common leader. He wouldn't admit to himself that his fury was founded partly on Nightshade turning against him, as he was growing to love her.
The Rilaem
The Rilaemshi War
Death
"I have died twice before," Eiuka said. He glanced at the barrels of Nick's shotgun with an expression of annoyance rather than fear. How rude. "Are you hear to make it a third? And what will you do when I rise and come for you again?"
"This will be your last death, Eiuka, your final rest."
"Will you look me in the eyes when you do it?" Eiuka asked. His breath matched his appearance, it made Nick's eyes water.
"Do you think I'll flinch if I do? That I'll show mercy?"
"No. No. Your mercy is my death. I just want to watch the lights in your eyes die when you do it. I think you're a good man, Nicodemus; that will end tonight, but it was heartening while it lasted. I want to look into your eyes and see that man, to know that righteousness still exists."
"I am not a good man," Nick assured him.
“Good men rarely think as much."
"A good man would have killed you by now."
"And why haven't you?"
"I want to watch you beg."
"I don't believe that. Why? So you feel validated in murdering me? I've given enough reason to do that. Many have died for my beliefs. Many more will."
"Not if I have a say in it."
"You don't. It’s in motion. I've fostered an idea."
"I've killed ideas before."
"What, 12 Gauge? Your little art project? Even that will haunt you until the day you die. My idea is bigger than both of us. It was around before me, and will be around after me." He gestured to Nick's shotgun. "Not that ‘after’ is far off.”
Nick fell silent again. Eiuka pressed his point.
"Either you're hesitating because you don't agree with Aempis, or because you agree with me. Or perhaps you really do want to see me squirm. Either way, this all ends with me dying. Why hesitate?"
"You already asked."
"You haven't satisfied me with your response."
"Nor you I."
"What, by not begging for my life? Pull the trigger."
"Why the rush?"
"I'm tired of the anticipation. Why hesitate?"
Nicek considered his options before he spoke: '“I don’t have to kill you. I could take you in and let fair trial sort you out.”
"That’s noble, but I won’t let you.”
"How could you stop me?”
“I would shoot you. I’m a very good shot, and a quick one; I used to be an assassin.”
"I know,” Nick said. “I could leave.”
“No.” Eiuka shook his head and flourished the gun. “Shot again. I’m not giving you a choice, take solace in that. You can either leave and die a coward and a martyr with a bullet in your back, or you can kill me.”
"You’re hellbent on dying.”
“Quite.”
"Why?”
"Because my life is miserable, Nicodemus, because my body is failing, because I’ve said all I need to say. My death punctuats the statement of my life.” His voice rose as he did, and my gun barrel followed. He smiled, my stomach turned. Passion took his words and lit them ablaze. “Do it! Perforate! Punctuate! Does my statement end with a period, a question mark, or a bang?”
Nick stood and aimed.
Eiuka looked Nick in the eyes, and his shoulders fell. "There he goes."
Nick pulled the trigger.
Appearance
A face mapped in loss, there wasn't a detail of Eiuka that wasn't scarred.
A long life, and performed enough feats of Grace, that his Sathiidism had progressed into antagonism and his body was in a constant state of decay and regeneration.
Summary
Idraeda (Crimson Thorn)
Puppet-King (Aempis)
Monolith
While fighting in the rebel forces during The Rebalancing, Eiuka became a Monolith of both Ballistics and Martial Arts.
DomainsA thermite rifle was Eiuka's weapon of choice. The greater the distance between him and his enemy, the better.
Eiuka carried an Aempian Stiletto on his person at all times.
Eiuka could survive even brain death. When his brain regenerated his soul wrote his memories back into it.
Eiuka's touch could induce a debhilitating sense of doom, as well as causing great pain.
Eiuka could exude an unnerving and fear-inducing presence.
A whispering fog bank manifested and followed Eiuka as he bade, radiating his Chilling Presence to all within. 20m across.
Well-Connected
One of Eiuka's greatest assets was his knack for getting in contact with those who could further his goals.
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