Black Vulture
Vohl-Turr
Untold ages ago, perhaps even millennia, the star-gods walked the Earth. They gifted the winged-ones with the ability to fly, allowing them to soar high above all others. But when the winged-ones were driven into hiding by the jealous earthbound humans, they sought refuge in the isolated reaches of the arctic mountains, in a place they called The Aerie. This is the recognized homeland of the Avian people, ruled by the warrior-queen Talona.
But not all Avians fled to the Aerie. A tribe of warriors stealthy enough to evade detection by the humans remained behind when the others fled for the safety of the northern reaches. They remained hidden deep within the caves that riddle the highest peaks of The Atlas Mountains. Unlike their distant kin, these Avians did not develop into an agrarian society, but instead held fast to their more primitive ways of hunting and gathering. However, their relative proximity to human civilization made it difficult to avoid drawing attention to themselves, so they evolved in a way that the old gods likely did not intend—they became scavengers. Humans seem to care too much for the living, they found. But rarely do they care so much for the dead. So these Avians learned to avoid detection by feeding off the corpses of dead animals and even humans. In time, they came to view this as a sacred ritual—they believe that the eating of the dead gives them strength, and the higher up the food chain, the greater the strength. Their strict warrior code prevents them from killing and eating one another, unless victorious in a one-on-one fight akin to a duel. That, of course, makes humans the next best and most readily available source of strength.
One warrior who possesses this strength is a young man named Vohl-Turr. He is a born leader whose charisma is matched only by his cruel sadism. Skilled in both the martial and diplomatic arts, he rose through the ranks of his tribe and assumed the role of chieftain after slaughtering the old chief in one-on-one combat. By consuming his heart, Vohl-Turr proved his worth and is now recognized as the undisputed head of the entire tribe.
However, unlike his predecessor, Vohl-Turr is no longer content to hide in the mountains. He is no longer satisfied with the role of chief—he sees himself as a king. He wants to expand the borders of his great kingdom. Perched high on his mountain throne, he gazes down at the nearest cities—Emerald City being the closest—and sees only those who will serve, both as his slaves and as a source of strength-giving sustenance.
Physical Description
Special abilities
Much like others of his kind, Black Vulture is at his most dangerous when he is airborne. He possesses formidable skills when it comes to aerial combat, preferring to perform fly-by attacks using his wickedly sharp claws to shred his opponents. Unlike most other Avians, however, he has remarkable self-control over his bestial side, and in combat tends to fight defensively, using hit and run tactics and well-coordinated teamwork to his advantage. One power that he uses quite effectively is his ability to summon a wake, or flock, of vultures and use them to harass his foes, causing little in the way of actual damage, but greatly distracting them and leaving them vulnerable to his own opportunistic attacks.
Mental characteristics
Intellectual Characteristics
Black Vulture is generally calm and collected and exudes an aura of confident self-control. He rarely gives in to his bestial nature, having repressed it almost completely. In conversation he often seems quite pleasant, but even that cannot mask his cruelty for long. The suffering of others means little to him.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Few people outside of his “kingdom” have even heard of Black Vulture, so he has no allies other than his own tribe of warriors, who are fanatically devoted to him and steadfast in their support of anything he does. He has little use for humans as anything other than food, so he is unlikely to even try to ally himself with other villains. That said, he is intelligent enough to know that humans do make good pawns from time to time...
Because of his rather gruesome penchant for eating people, it won’t be long before Black Vulture makes enemies in and around Emerald City.
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