Chieftain Kanatu Skyrunner
Nineteenth Chieftain of the Skyrunner Tribe; Kanatu Skyrunner
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Ritualistic warpaints decorate his body. Done in the same style as many Grimtotem he utilizes white and creamy yellow paints to color his fur in runic and ancestral patterns. These warpaints are almost always seen on and each day are a different pattern based on his prayers that morning. Of late he has started to use other colors to his daily application such as red, blue, teal, and black.
ScaringA long scar runs from his right shoulder to his left hip along the front of his chest. The wound, clearly deep even as a scar, would have killed him to be sure. It healed cleanly though and in time the scar tissue which rose up from his skin covered over with thin pure white but patchy fur. There also is a large wound on his back just above his right hip where it looks like something large and pointy was rammed into his skin. This too has healed over with patchy, pure white fur.
Ritualistic BrandingThe symbol of his tribe appears to be burned onto the ball of each shoulder. The skin raised up and colored white from the damage. This branding was done when he finished his Rites of the Earthmother and is a marker for his body identification and a sign of his dedication. Though ritualistic branding is not common any longer it is still practiced among the tribe as a whole.
Brass AccessoriesA number of polished brass accessories adorn this bull. Sharp horn tips, a three quarters bull ring through his nose, three hoops in the tops of each ear.
Decorations and FeathersKanatu has a number of feathers that hang from red ribbons wrapped around his horns. These feathers vary in size, color, paint design, and meaning. Each one was given as a reward to service to the Tribe or to service to organizations outside of the tribe that have chosen to honor him in the ways of the tauren. He has over fifteen on each horn though he can tell you exactly what each one is in honor of.
Three hundred and fifty-seven small brass bells are woven into his mane, braids, beard, and the ribbons on his horns. These small bells represent the death of any creature he deems to be sentient and sapient such as ogers, centaur, naga, and others. Animal life is not counted among these bells. If asked he would explain that these bells are his homage to the dead and his way of honoring their absence from the world, but also as a way for the spirits to find him.
From his horns hang a few small trinkets that have been given to him. A wolf-head wooden carving of Goldrin, and a large black feather said to be able to call the giver to Kanatu's side, from Eneytof. A small clay baby wyvern curled into a ball and sleeping from Koza. A troll protection hex charm made of mouse bones, a few feathers, and a small gem, from Huntha.
Ceremonial and Casual GarbFor the Feast of Change Kanatu wears a special ceremonial outfit. On his shoulders are two ancient wyvern skulls bleached from time and etched with runic elemental magic that dates back to nearly seven hundred years ago. He leaves his chest bare and paints himself with colors matching the theme of each season is intricate patterns. The iconic gloves are a representation of Skyrunner ideals. One arm is covered in plate and bone, protected from finger to elbow. It represents the hardened mindset of action, protection, and the unyielding fist of judgment and war. The other hand is a simple leather glove with cloth wrappings up to the elbow. This represents the open hand of hospitality, crafting and creativity, and the helping hand that is always at work. He also carries with him the staff of Iteech'atu which is a magical staff with a three-foot-tall crystal at the top. The crystal changes colors with the seasons and is used to channel the necessary magics of the Tribe into the ceremony. This staff is nearly six hundred years old and carries with it great elemental and natural magic. It is likely one of the most powerful artifacts from Skyrunner history.
For general ceremony Kanatu wears traditional shamanistic lightning-rod shoulders etched with tauren pictograms and runes. The tall rods are a symbolic gesture to the Skyfather as they reach above a tauren's head. He also wears the skull of a grand eagle of Stonetalon which is his Spirit Totem Guide. This representation of his spiritual form made manifest is a special symbolic gesture that he uses only for ceremonies such as burials, mate bindings, naming ceremonies, or rites of recognition.
A selection of casual garb Kanatu is known to wear.
Kanatu is a generally clean individual. He doesn't seem to take particular care of his appearance but he does bathe and brush out his fur as needed. His mane has grown thick and long over the years but he keeps his beard trimmed short due to how much flying he does. His clothing and armor are rough and battered from use but kept in good condition. In addition to smelling like the wilds and the smoke of a fire, he also uses a few drops of an oil blend to polish his horns, hooves, and mane so that they shine and this gives him a spiced-pine scent.
Special abilities
Resurgance of Shamanism
Kanatu was raised up to be a powerful shaman. He turned from this path during the Northrend Campaign that took his mate from him. He blamed the elements for not being able to save her and so turned from their blessings. In time though he came to realize his mistake. Though he will always keep the teachings and faith of a Sunwalker he returned to his path of shamanism so that his people would not be without one. This took him to the Molten Front and there he regained his connection with the various elements of Azeroth.
Kanatu is a powerful shaman. Focusing on Fire and Wind as his dominant companions he takes Earth as a constant addition to give him strength and solid footing in combat. He has almost no skill as a healer, unlike his father, but he can from time to time call on water to form ice spikes or to chill an enemy. His most notable trick is to set a blaze and then call forth howling winds to create firedevils that cause chaos and intense heat among his enemies.
Ancestoral Magic
Ancestoral magic flows through the hearts of most tauren though among their chieftains it seems particularly strong. Pulling on their dead ancestors tauren chieftains can gain insight and wisdom in matters of diplomacy but also foresight, strength, and instinctual training in combat. Kanatu has a strong relationship with his ancestral family and will often spend long hours in prayer with them to gain their wisdom though this relationship comes with a cost. Being so close to the spirts can cause his attention to drift on occasion and seeking the wisdom of the dead also demands following their bidding from time to time without the understanding of why.
Sunwalker Powers
Sunwalkers are mighty warriors and healers within the tauren people. A relatively new or rediscovered path for the shu'halo Kanatu seems particularly strong in his abilities with this Sun and Light-based magic. It is hard to tell where the line is drawn for Sunwalkers though with his elemental background the manifestation of most of Kanatu's abilities appears more fire-based in nature. Before he was a Sunwalker, Kanatu was a well-known shaman. Specializing in the elements of Earth and Air he was well known among the Earthen Ring.
Specialized Equipment
Armor
Created from Elementium ore, Corehound later and bones, and forged in a fire fueled by the heart of a corehound this armor is unique in many ways though perhaps the most stand out element would be the living nature of it. The armor set communes and connects with Kanatu unlike most armor as it allows him to channel his shamanistic power through the materials. Storing some power in a feedback loop of sorts that has the side-effect of setting parts of the armor alive with blue flames and red floating embers.
Weapon
Kanatu fights primarily with his large ancestral totem, Skyrunner Totem. The huge log, carved generations ago and bound by many spells, rests on his back at all times except for sleep it seems. Since his return from Mount Hyjal he's also been working on retraining his fighting style to include his new one handed mace, Blazefury.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
For brevity sake Kanatu's history is broken up here by relevant expansion. Many places in his history are left blank to provide places where other players can connect with his past and as such you won't find full documentation of every time he took a breath here. Instead, basic information is placed here for clarity.
EducationKanatu was raised in the traditional way of the Skyrunners and educated with their practices of Catechism, Storytelling, and Mentorship. He learned to fight under his mother's mentorship along with the assistance of great warriors such as Narv Hidecrafter, Nataka Longhorn, and previous War Councilors. His shamanistic training was done by his father and by the other shamans of the tribe. Though he and his father did not utilize the same call to the elements they shared a great power with them. Being the next in line to become Chieftain he was specifically groomed on many topics of diplomacy, war, trade, mathematics, magic, and various cultures even as a young child. Though this teaching would later prove to be skewed and incomplete he has since then taken to reading or listening to histories spoken by more reliable sources than his reclusive father.
In later years when he became a young adult, he learned from many other sources. Taking with him the way of learning from his people he was always, and remains to this day, a student. Learning by observation, listening, and asking questions. In this way, he was able to learn several languages, cultures, and skills including music, art, and various ways of war. He also learned other skills to a minor degree including metalsmithing, leatherworking, pottery, sewing, herbal tea remedies. Currently, he is trying to get his five-times great grandfather Knilsu Skyrunner to give up his method of brewing Firewater.
Negative Building Blocks- Being unable to protect his mate
- Being such a bad father that both of his children want nothing to do with him
- Turning his back on the elements in Northrend
- Easily embarrassed by playing his flute or ocorina before a lot of people
- Easily embarrassed by displays of his personal affection in public
- Easily embarrassed by surprises or being surprised before others
- Being forced to kill his mate to survive
- Both of his children leaving him
- His father's death, specifically the use of the arcane
- Being influenced by Nzoth in Uldum
- Night Terrors
Sexuality
- Relationship Status: Single
- Sexuality: Heterosexual
- Gender Identity: Male
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
- The wind, the adrenalin that comes with the feeling of falling, mountains, the cold, good food, the Hunt, strong partners, his son... sometimes, sharing things he has made or gathered, bread baked with fruit and nuts and cheese, Spicy Swoop Wings, Mulgore Firewater, a good dance around the fire
- Time-waisters, people that cannot make a choice, being forced to stay on the ground, Centaur, Night Elves, being surprised, people breaking their word, threats to his people, being told he cannot do something.
- Can be easy to talk to and is charismatic on the surface
- Loyal and confident
- Strong Willed
- Can be rash and quick to judge a person or a situation
- Can be easily irritated by people not understanding something, has little patience
- Can be extremely guarded against people getting close to his heart
Social
Family Ties
Religious Views
Kanatu is extremely religious in his observations of the world. From the Elemental and Ancestral spirits to the three aspects of the Earthmother. All of his choices seem to come down to if it is the right thing for his people and if it will honor his Ancestors and the Earthmother. He considers those without faith of any kind to be willfully ignorant and without honor or code. What is a man if he cannot believe in something?
Like many tauren Kanatu holds Animism. Animism teaches that all creatures and some objects have souls or spirits. Tauren believe that plant-spirits, nature-spirits, and earth-spirits exist and that everyone must treat these spirits with respect. From this belief he holds to the idea that anyone who denies the reality of nature spirits severs their connection to Azeroth, the Earthmother, and even others that do not deny their reality. Individuals like this are dangerous as they are lost, confused and spiritually adrift in the world. Many of the alliance cultures confuse Kanatu and he both pities them their disconnect from the earth but it also angers him that they would turn their backs on what is true. He understands his faith in everything having a soul to be spiritually superior to any other outlook on the natural world.
This idea is a bit of a dichotomy within Kanatu himself with how he practices shamanism. Traditional shamans within the Horde, more specifically the orcs, fall into the idea of worshiping elementals and never bending their will to the caller. In many ways Kantu finds this philosophy to be unbalanced. Treating the fire realms of elemental spirits with respect and care as if they were themselves living and breathing beings is one thing, but worshiping them is something different. It is this distinction that sets him apart from many Horde Shaman who follow Thrall's example. An example that in the end left him near powerless because of his 'sins' against Garrosh as he heard it.
He is also willing to bend the elements and spirits to his will as a matter of survival. While Dark Shamans use Decay to repress a spirit and bind it to their will and Horde Shamans use Spirit to calm enraged spirits to not feeling their inner emotions and thus being able to send them back to their own realm, Kanatu walks between these two paths. Beliving, like the taunka do, that survival is paramount to service to the elemental spirits of the world. If he or his people are dead they cannot protect and serve. So in times of great darkness, he will often force the elemental spirits to answer his call. Unfortunately, the air around Dark Shamans is so deeply abhorrent to most that even these rare acts of forcing his call on the elements would make him an enemy to elementals. The taunka understands this concept much more considering their harsh living environment.
Social Aptitude
Kanatu has a slow way of speaking that comes from deep in the belly. This slow way of speaking could never be mistaken as being slow himself but he seems to take great care that he never as to repeat himself. As such his statements are clear and pronounced smoothly, even, or perhaps especially, with languages that are not his native tongue. His deep voice can easily pull vivid imagination within the listener and when he chooses to tell a story it can be quite riveting. As can his singing voice though he has not sung any songs in many years so if he did start again no doubt his tone would be rough. In normal context, he is fairly easy going and laughs a good bit. When speaking from a place of authority on a matter his voice is unmistakable and can often have a hard edge to it that hints at danger.
Taboos- Threats against his blood family or his people
- Disrespect to the Earthmother, Spirits, Elemental Spirits, or the natural world
- Disrespect to elders or the honored members of society
- Cowardice
- Blind Faith
This individual is not independently wealthy as he does not trust the idea of currency. Feeling that the use of currency, though convenient, opens the way to laziness and cheats where the practice of bartering is more fruitful for all those involved and is more celebratory of the individual creator. All his wealth comes from the collective resources of the Tribe that he has at his disposal. From lands, goods, and services Kanatu can pull a great deal together should the need arise but he has little in the way of his own personal wealth. What he does have comes from the content of a modest hut big enough for two. In this hut, he has stored many trinkets, baubles, artifacts, and items from his travels, and collectively they would offer a large bit of gold. As it is though he has never looked into selling off any of the items.
Relationships
Relationship Reasoning
Azoti wished to marry for power, for a position within the Tribe, and though she worked alongside Kanatu and shared many of his interests she never loved him. She pretended but not very well. She didn't like to be touched by him and she did little for him other than stand beside him in battle, share a bed, and live with him as a roommate. Kanatu loved her, he willed himself to love her because seeing the healthy relationship of his father and mother for so many years, he understood that there were sacrifices to be made and they would not always get along but his father loved his mate and so Kanatu would love his.
Table of Contents
Tauren (Shu'halo)
EthnicityPlains Tauren- The Skyrunner Tribe
Primary AffiliationsThe Skyrunner Tribe
Secondary or Former AffiliationsThe Horde, The Earthen Ring, The Tauren Tribes, The Highmountin Tribes, The Northrend Tribes, The Sunwalkers, the Argent Crusade
Job
To lead the Skyrunner Tribe
GoalSeeks to bring his people into the greater world and expand their horizons to breath life into what he views as a stagnant pool of ideas and traditions.
Additional GoalTo see his tribe grow and prosper together. He's a romantic at heart when it comes down to this idea. He believes that different people from different backgrounds can still become family and work together for a common goal so long as they can connect to one another through honor, emotion, and story.
Competence4 - Well trained
Likeability4 - Likeable
Proactivity5 - Maximum effort
- Taur-ahe- 100%
- Orcish- 100%
- Common- 70%
- Troll: Zandali,Amani,Gurubashi- 90%
- Thalassian- 50%
- Kalimag- 100%
- Titan- Reading only for artifacts and the like-30%
- Pandaran- 65%
- Furbolg- 85%
- Kwatoko Skyrunner Kanatu's Father, died in the year 33 to a Keldorei raid on the village for the Tear of the Earthmother.
- Atepa Windstream Kanatu's Mother, died in the year 1 due to a mysterious illness that could not be cured.
- Narv Hidecrafter Kanatu's Uncle on his father's side, alive and seeking to help Kanatu be a good chieftain but against many of his ideas that break with tradition.
- Azoti Gloomdreamer Kanatu's first mate, Died in the year 27 in Northrend where she was raised to come after him. He killed her and nearly died himself.
- Danah'lo Skyrunner Kanatu's Son, missing. The last anyone heard knows he was seen in Darkshore with Saurfang's army. He's refused contact with Kanatu for many years now.
- Atuwah Skyrunner Kanatu's Daughter, missing. After the attack from the Forgotten, she left the tribe and went on a revenge-seeking mission that got her badly wounded and her wyvern killed. After she was healed up by Kanatu she bolted. No one has seen or heard from her since. Kanatu still refuses to speak to Enyetof other than tribe business because he let her go.
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