Fira No'Var
Fira No'Var
Raised in a small research clave, Quina, founded by her parents in the deep south of the Beyond in a small oasis within Matheunis the cold desert, the ever enthusiastic, bubbly and curious Fira has what most consider a unique (and perhaps reckless) approach to life.
Between what she learned from her parents - Orina Var, an errant member of The Order of Truth and Zarah No a once professor of The University of Doors - as much as from the students/ knowledge seekers who gathered in the clave, Fira developed a deep drive to KNOW and a firm, bone-deep belief that doors are meant to be opened, all knowledge is worth seeking and that knowledge should be shared for the benefit of all.
She's deeply confident in her own abilities and is absolutely willing to extend that confidence to the abilities of her companions and friends, often urging that they are all capable of pushing the boundaries of what they've done and faced before and will be more than capable of seeing the next challenge through to the end. She may be small but the force of her personality and motivations are boundlessly large.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Short, slight and with far more bounce than elegance or steadiness. Her constant state of animation and movement means she tends to seem like she takes up far more space than she actually does.
Body Features
As with all who studied in Quina, she is tatooed with the strange metal called Quina Silver that her parents had discovered in their travels and lingered to study. All who studied there chose the form of their tattoos, originally infused in the skin as an ink-like oil pressed from the nuts of a plant unique to the oasis, followed by a small application of the metal which would, over time, growing over their time there to cover the entire surface of the originally deep black designs, marking them uniquely as those who had studied within this remote clave, and granting them a firmer connection to and ability to manipulate and focus the nano clouds that infuse the ninth world. Fira is unique among the Quina scholars in that the metal, silver on all others, is a bright gold on her, the reasons why are unknown but the speculation is that it's an effect either of being born and raised within the oasis in which the metal is found, or the result of being born to one who was already infused with the metal. But as the sole natural born child of Quina (for now) neither hypothesis had been tested by the time she and her parents departed the clave to seek new mysteries.
Fira's tatoos are spaced closely and seemingly randomly as variably sized small specks of gold metal that cover her face and body like stars in the night sky. When she engages her esoteries and manipulates the nano field they glow a bright gold and the very thin traceries of the metal that connect these dots, which are almost imperceptible otherwise, become visible, tracing glowing patterns across her skin.
The greater the effort she puts forth the brighter the metal glows.
Facial Features
The metallic gold spots tattooed across her face give the appearance of stars in the night sky and those unused to the yellow-gold hue of her eyes, a colouration which extends into her sclera, might find it unsettling except that her bubbly, friendly enthusiasm tends to help disarm and overwhelm any other initial impressions.
As with her tattoos her eyes tend to illuminate and glow when her esoteries are initiated, as if the Quina Silver has infused not just her tattooed skin but her eyes as well.
Physical quirks
Is in a semi-constant state of movement and tends to chatter about what she's doing and thinking as a matter of course.
Apparel & Accessories
Tends to dress in multiple layers of deeply saturated contrasting golds and purples. Though she wears far fewer layers in these warmer climes than she was used to in her native icy desert.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Early Life
Grew up in the very small isolated aldea of Quina founded a few years before Fira's birth by her parents- Zarah No and Orina Var who discovered the caldera (as well as the ruin that lay within it and the Quina Silver that lines the bottom of the lake) while chasing rumours of floating edifices described as dark sisters to the infamous Foundation Stones. Intrigued by the properties of Quina Silver, the unique plant life, and the ruin, the pair lingered to study the oasis. At first they invited a handful of people to assist them but eventually others began to arrive on their own chasing obscure rumours spread by the few who traded with the Quinans of two nanos who were willing to teach any clever enough and willing to assist with their research regardless of prior training. Fira was born into this insular community. Bright and curious she absorbed everything anyone would teach her as well as the values of her parents that had become the tenants of Quina's research clave:
- doors are meant to be opened,
- all knowledge is worth having,
- discoveries should be shared for the benefit of all,
- understanding and using the Numenera is the key to ensuring the bright future of the nine world,
- understanding requires one to embrace risk and the unknown
Quina Silver and Gold
They discovered that the metal, Quina Silver, would “grow” to cover any surface coated or infused with the ink-like of oil of a unique nut growing in the oasis and that this property could be used to create Quina Silver tattoos which seemed to have the unique effect of enhancing a nanos ability to control the esoteries that relied on precisely manipulating the nanite clouds that infuse the ninth world. These metallic tattoos became a mark of those nanos who had trained and lived in Quina. Each choosing their own patterns to be lined in black, which would slowly be overtaken by the silver metal, like some sort of reverse tarnish. Some students would remain in the clave, content in their new home, teaching others who arrived and slowly excavating the ruins beneath the caldera, while many others would return to the world seeking their own discoveries. When Fira was deemed old enough to get her own tattoo of Quina Silver she decided on a pattern reminiscent of the stars. An effect that was to be achieved by concentrated but small spots connected by the thinnest of lines, discernable by the eye only when very close, or when they flare with light when she uses her more potent esoteries. After the metal was applied it was clear that something was different this time. The metal took on a golden hue rather than the silver, though it spread in exactly the same manner, except that her eyes turned golden and several strands of hair were also infused by the metal. It is unclear exactly why it behaved differently though it was postulated it could have been that she was born and grew up within the caldera’s sphere of influence or perhaps an effect of being born to someone already marked by the metal. Other than the aesthetic difference, however, it appeared to behave in all other ways like that of others to be so marked. When Fira was 18 another rumour of a sighting of the floating stones reached Quina, rekindling her parents’ wanderlust. Taking Fira with them and leaving Quina in the hands of those that they had taught they ventured once again into the desert.A Door Opened
It was another several years, under the towering icy edifice of the Southern wall they found them, giant floating stones, surrounded by a sphere of darkness cast from a symbol above the central pillar, a twilight darkening to night flecked by golden motes surrounded a formation of giant floating stones. Unlike the foundation stones no endless stream of water fell, instead a constant inexorable wind drew towards them. Zarah was particularly excited at this, sure that this was a sign they had been right and that the foundation stones AND these represented doors to elsewhere, but perhaps this one could be entered! They approached, giddy with excitement, pointing out features as they went. As they did the metal in their skin started to glow, faintly in the case of Fira’s parents but much brighter for Fira, and the golden motes in the darkness seemed to drift closer to her. At this her parents stopped, asking her seriously, “It seems to be responding to you are you sure you want to continue?” Fira replied indignantly, “No risk taken, no knowledge gained!” Orina smiled at her tone, “Of course, but those with the greater understanding have a responsibility to make sure others know when they are about to take a risk. But if you are sure dearest, let’s go find out!” The three ventured into the darkness more and more motes joined those already swirling around Fira, though nothing else seemed to happen… until they stood directly below the central pillar when suddenly the motes coalesced into what seemed like a solid wall of blinding brightness around her. Then there was darkness.The next thing Fira knew she was lying on soft grass, something she had heard about from those not born in the desert, but never seen. The desert was gone, the stones were gone, and her parents were gone. While she found it somewhat worrisome being in a strange place alone for the first time, she had been raised on stories of The University of Doors and the many strange effects of the Numenera. So it was perhaps less so than it might have been to someone else. She was alive she had found out something about the stone and she would no doubt encounter other interesting things soon. She suspected that something about the way the floating stones reacted to her meant that it was possible she had been transported while her parents may have remained. The spot where she found herself was buffeted by a cold wind from the clear sky directed downwards in a focused area about 2 meters in radius. As she experimented with stepping in and out of the area the wind slowly dissipated until it was gone replaced by still, warm air. Examining more around her she found a faint path worn into the greenery around her. It didn’t look well-travelled but it was something! So she shouldered her pack, picked a direction and started walking. Eventually she encountered people, learning that she was on the portion of the Wandering Walk that cut through the Clock of Kala, far to the north of where she had been.
Learning Along the Way
She bartered skills and several cyphers in exchange for one of the rare maps of the area and estimated based on travel time and direction that she had awoken as close to the center of the clock as made little difference. She wondered if it meant the clock and stones were connected in some way or if there was another explanation. Would a second encounter with the stones lead to the same outcome? Only one way to find out, and also to find out whether her parents had indeed been left behind. She followed the Wandering Walk towards the Sheer finding herself side-tracked often by the many wonders of the 9th world, trusting to her knowledge and skills and luck as she goes. At every turn she follows her parents’ teachings, opening doors, sharing her knowledge, learning new things and taking risks. Eventually she’ll make it back to Quina, until then there is so much to explore!Morality & Philosophy
Doors are meant to be opened, all knowledge is worth learning, knowledge should be shared for the benefit of all.
Understanding and using the Numenera is integral to the future of the people of the ninth world and understanding requires one to embrace personal risk, the unknown, and the things you are not yet able to understand.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
1 Discovery and Learning:
Wants to know and understand as much as possible2 Power:
Wants to learn how to harness various Numenera and master esoteries in order to accomplish wonderous thingsSavvies & Ineptitudes
Strengths
- Smart, intuitive, quick learner and well-educated
- Precision in her use of esoteries assisted by the metal tattooed into her skinFriendly and charismatic, tends to be able to make friends easily, partially because she is openly generous with her knowledge and talents
Weaknesses
- Can be very distractible/hyperfocused, if there is something interesting or shiny it WILL draw her attention to the exclusion of all else
- Often oblivious to or dismissive of threats and/or willing to dive into something risky if she thinks there’s knowledge to be gained
- Doesn’t really understand that others might not feel the same way she does about learning and discovery
- Can lean towards the arrogant regarding her own intelligence and skills
- Still fairly new to the way things function in society outside of the aldea she grew up in or the time spent exploring with her family or mostly on her own
Relationships
An Inquisitive Nano Who Wields Power with Precision "No risks taken, no knowledge gained!" "Doors are meant to be opened!"
View Character Profile
Alignment
Chaotic Curious
Age
25
Birthplace
Quina
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Gender
She/Her
Eyes
Yellow-gold
Hair
Deep black with contrasting sections of metallic gold worn in a short frohawk-like style. The golden strands glow when she uses esoteries.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Deep brown, verging on black
Height
4'8"
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Stirthal and Trouble at Asaranti University
7th of Ninth Month (9), 402 (OT)
As Augus has obligations (i.e. debt) to pay back in his home city Stirthal and also has not checked in on his workshop/forge since being unexpectedly teleported away from it, we decide to check in there. We teleport in to the busy street and are noticed by Gireth who approaches us while we are at Quanon's numeneran tinkerer's shop where we trade materials (particularly those related to energy and power generation, his specialty) and some interesting items for a defensive artifact that will help protect Augus from the effects of debilitation or even death.
Gireth wants our help on behalf of his friend, Uala Sav who has apparently been kicked from her position at the local Asaranti University due to a rumoured connection to the local criminal group known as the Chain Cutters - who started as slave freers and apparently has recently started having a reputation for more extreme action/mixed reputation but are still generally committed to the idea of freedom. Gireth insists she isn't actually associated with the organisation but she desperately needs her research materials because she's working on something important - learning how to shut down or even possibly control the Iron Wind.
We agree to look into getting it for her, but if Augus feels it's too risky and might mean we get caught in a way that hinders his way to return home he will pull the plug. We pose as new students and get on the list of approved entrants to Workshop Red run by Proctor Durdas partially due to expressed interest and partially due to agreeing to Provost Daroon's request to (very quietly) look into potential immediate threats to the university from the Chain Cutters. She gives us a device that will apparently allow us access to the Chain Cutter's Hideout by walking down a specific street.
The red synth vials we were asked to retrieve for Uala Sav are stored within a safe (the code to which we have managed to observe while Proctor Durdas entered it) and are apparently artifacts that were found and somehow are able to contain the Iron Wind in stasis and in fact DO contain the Iron Wind. With this learned we decide we need to determine exactly what use those vials will be put and make sure our safety concerns are addressed before we hand over something as dangerous as samples of the Iron Wind to someone we haven't even met, and find out if the Chain Cutters ARE interested in it and if so, what for.
The Doors Behind the Maze Behind the Door
26th of Eighth Month (8), 402 (OT)
We explore the mazelike rooms and corridors behind the door, finding many rooms with varied traps and strange phenomena including a contained iron wind, impenetrable darkness, an almost jungle-like overgrown (though wilted) garden room, an ocean contained in a small pool, a non-euclidean room containing two oddities (a seemingly living world within a ball of crystal, A writhing "armlet" of circuitry and wire) and a tame black hole. During our exploration Xavis manages to befriend and tame a baby Isthyn and a fully grown Seskii and Augus and Fira work together to extract a Phase Generator that was used to make a disappearing door.
We find a series of 4 rooms containing elemental altars which are activated by representations of each element from within the maze (plants from garden, water from the ocean pool, deactivated iron wind nanites, and fire lit by a motion activated flame spouts). This unlocks the final door revealing a room of myriad and varied doors with a flock of mechanical birds in the shape of keys. We manage to unlock a series of doors that allow the unlocking of a final door through which we pass into The University of Doors, where Fira reunites with her parents, Orina Var and Zarah No .
Fira's parents apparently need to remain at the University for the time being as Zarah has been asked to assist resolve a potential issue with the current Headstone, Sajeen Dar. Sajeen is apparently trying retain power past his time of appointment and possibly willing to go to extreme lengths if the more diplomatic approach fails.
We spend several days availing ourselves of the Library before taking one of the doors back to the Thaemor Obelisk, where a few days of concerted work by Fira, Yfra and Augus combined with new knowledge from our time in the library of doors pays off and we manage to repair the long-range teleport and gain a remote activator that will allow us to return.
Whispers of Rachid
20th of Eighth Month (8), 402 OT
On our journey towards the clock we stop in Yosh-ul, a festival town and visit the The Great Slab, lacking the means to scale it's vast height we move on to Rachid where we receive whispers from the Catholith including one snippet from which Fira manages to pick out some meaning "Naharaii Rises".
When we approach the guard, Officer Janira , on the long suspension bridge that spans the Catholith Span into the settlement we learn that outsiders are not particularly welcome, though they are permitted if seeking the knowledge of the Catholith. We also learn that there are two primary factions interested in the whispers - The Aeon Priests (interested from a more scientific study perspective) and the Cathics, who claim that the Catholith is a sleeping god who can be awakened (and that the whispers may contain the secrets that allow them to do just that).
Following entry into the town Fira finds and engages in an enthusiastic exchange with Sereka Senn, an Aeon Priest working on compiling a lexicon of the whispers. Sereka believes that the Catholith accesses bits of the Datasphere.
On further conversation Fira also learns of the doors on the Rachid Mesa to the north of the town, some local explorers have manged to retrieve iotum from the other side of several of the doors. While it's Sereka's opinion they have more to do with the Catholith than the The University of Doors Fira is intrigued and wants to check them out regardless, figuring that whether its an entrance to the university or not it's sure to be interesting anyway. On the Mesa itself we find clusters of doors surrounded by hastor plants. Choosing a door Yfra manages to unlock a complex lock that is part mechanical, part responsive to specific sound frequencies, opening to reveal a long dark corridor.
The Streets of Latos's Mind
15th of Eighth Month (8) 402 OT
On our way to Yosh-ul we encounter a dying man and the warband that killed him. The warband was apparently protecting a "great treasure" within a large crater. At the center of the crater is a fissure that provides access to the perilous corridor of reflections and a towering city that turns out to be the inside of the head/mind of a creature known as an Latos that, in this case, is mostly dormant. During our explorations we find that the lit towers are accessible, hosting many varied strange devices including a globe displaying a real-time view of the ninth world. Unfortunately a mistake while manipulating the view results in the view spiraling into The Night until we catch a glimpse of a gargantuan winged metal entity among the stars, it seems to look back at us and at that moment the tower shuts down, with alarms blaring and we escape before it seals itself into inaccessibility like the other dark towers.
During our explorations we find an biomorph cypher that Augus uses and over the next few hours his skin changes, becoming hardened scaly and naturally armored. Additionally Fira ends up with a piece of synth embedded in her skull that provides a better understanding of spatial reasoning and navigation.
Deeper within the city we encounter the adjunct representative of the Latos who is attempting to restore the Latos but needs a vital component which has been stolen by a Vesiad. We agree to assist in exchange for a safe way out of the Latos's mind city. We approach in stealth and enter the building where the Vesiad has set up camp through the back, disabling the laser that it has been using to destroy the adjunct's attack vehicles before we confront it and it's automaton guardians, returning the stolen cognition annealer to the adjuct, who shows us the way out and gives us an artifact in thanks.
Despite Fira's burning curiosity we heed the warning that remaining here when the Latos awakes would be fatal and make our way out along the winding path the adjunct directs us to. As we exit, finding ourselves on the perimeter of the cater we see the 5-story tall Latos rise and stride into the distance. Once it is far gone out of sight we continue on our journey towards Yosh-ul
Teaching and Terraforming
3rd of Eighth Month (8) 402 OT
By the time we make it back to the city it's evening so we return to the inn for now. Yfra returns to the Night Speaker for the answers she was seeking (no one else is present to hear). In the morning we use our pure elixir barrels to purify the well beneath the city, discovering that this results in an elixir that looks very similar to the "pure elixir" but a deeper shade of gold and Yfra and High Elder Cheresa specifically feel like the air around the well feels significantly fresher. Yfra suggests that the deep gold version of the elixir may be the terraforming fluid and Fira offers to set at least one Dream Titan back to its intended terraforming state and teach a couple of the residents how to do it for themselves or revert them, just in case.
With Cheresa's blessing we return to the Dream Titan accompanied by Leah and Gerard who are enthusiastic and reluctant, respectively. We teach them how to disable the security measures and reset the elixir nanite programming. When we leave the Dream Titan we find it now stationary with thick blue moss and sapphire coloured flowers already starting to spring up around it. The High Council is ecstatic and grateful promising aid if we need it in the future. They also refer to Yfra as "one of the lost children" of their very secretive people ( Yfra's People ) and she manages to convince them to let her leave with a book in their language that she recognises and can understand but cannot speak.
This having been settled we decide to continue east to the Clock of Kala seeking the last terrestrial Obelisk. Only Yfra notices Hamilcar's reluctance to go to the clock of Kala as he hints familiary (a past?) with a city within the clock known as Sada Emidu (the "River City").
Into the Dream Titan
2nd of Eighth Month (8) 402 OT
Found that below the city was a well of corrupted elixir nanites that were turning people into "moss zombies" or "nanite ghouls" we sealed the well for now pending a more permanent solution.
Next day we ventured to the nearest Dream Titan using a phase shifting cypher to enter it. We won past its internal defenses to a control console room with many barrel-sized containers of pure-elixir. Through a combination of experimentation and poking around within the internal systems, figuring out that:
1. Dream Titan 's were originally meant to be terraformers
2. The "pure elixir " is essentially the nanites' unprogrammed form
3. Sufficient quantities of pure elixir can re-write corrupted elixir (An even mix is safe, but pure elixir seems to have a minor upper hand)
4. The Dream Titans have a specific set area that they are meant to terraform
Fira is certain that she can fix the programming of the extruded nanites so that they act as terraformers as originally intended. However, lacking more specific information on what environmental conditions the nanites are meant to create. For now, Fira simply altered the programming to make the extruded elixir slightly less dangerous and left with several barrels of elixir to consult with High Elder Cheresa.
The Temple and Druissi Obelisk
1st of seventh month (7) 402 OT
Back in Ephremon Fira spends some time in the library finding a map with markings suggesting some link between the Druissi obelisk and somewhere in teh Ephremon temple district. She copies the map and few other scattered maps of south of Ba Adenu.
We travel to the temple district surrounding the central temple to the Falgreen housed within a living tree. There are many different temples and buildings including that tended by some neglected Aeon priests.
We find a building, partially collapsing and seemingly abandoned with the unique orange organic matter of the obelisks is incorporated into the entranceway that leads to stairway down. As we descend an increasing amount of the building is the orange substance. We have to traverse and disarm many traps but we find a teleportation device that is activated by Fira's disc-orb key she traded in exchange for a favour. We step through the teleporter appearing in the shadow of the Druissi Obelisk.
As we approach the obelisk the "key" hums and a patch of light appears. We step in and are transported into what looks like a dead and decaying version of the transmission chamber from the first obelisk. Everything is decaying, dead and mushy and we can't get anything powered. We find a pod room, but unlike in the first the person within the tube appears long dead and decayed. There is only one room that seems unaffected, that is completely constructed on non-organic materials with beds and a table and dusty inactive headsets that transport us into the datasphere representation of the Obelisk.
Comments