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Daria Tahirah - AOW

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[UPDATE] Older Tahi.... I tried to do the Disney style I used for the Traditional pieces, but it didn't work so well... I guess I just need more practice..

Well - I give up. This was just too tempting. So if she has any long absences it can be blamed on her brother - as explained in her history (which is very looongg - so if you read it all I'll give you a cookie or something :D )

My warrior character for :iconathenaeumofwar:


Name: Daria Tahirah (Tahi)
Age: 20 - Co Mentor with her brother
Gender: Female
Species: Half Nephelae/ Half Human

Personality: Bubbly and adventurous Tahi is your typical girly-girl. She’s overly fond of clothing/fashion, gossip, and breaking rules. She’s firmly non-violent – mainly due to her 1. lack of real close combat skills 2.Unwillingness to mess up her hair/clothes in battle. And 3. Belief that with a little manipulation it’s possible to get in and out of whatever situation she chooses. When confronted – either in a real battle or in an argument Tahi will use whatever means she has at her disposal – except violence: fake tears, a stupid comment that makes it sound like she has no idea what she’s talking about, or talk the opponent into circles – even run away – but she’ll never raise her voice or pull out a real weapon unless it’s her LAST resort. Tahi likes to know what’s going on with everyone and has a tendency to stick her nose places where it doesn’t belong.
Although Tahi makes an effort to appear to be an air-head – she’s actually quite clever. Maybe not book-smart (she’s not too fond of sitting still or being lectured), but definitely street smart thanks to her penchant for exploration. She learns from the world around her. One of her first lessons was that men, and most women, will disregard someone they think is a complete ditz – and thus let their guard down. Tahi’s a friendly person, and is one of the best people to have on your side if you’re in trouble – but her bad side is not a fun place to be. She – like her brother – is also pretty irresponsible, and sometimes hard to count on. She’s not always there when you want her to be (hey – wardrobes don’t make themselves you know!), but always there when you need her to be.

History: Tahi was born in Alexandria in Ptolemaic Egypt. After Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great, Egypt became an interesting mesh of Hellenic and Egyptian cultures. Tahi’s mother was the eldest daughter of an aristocratic Egyptian family, and when the Greek invaders came she was married off to one of their generals in order to safeguard her family through political marriage. Both Tahi’s mother and the general found this idea distasteful, but did their duty and married. The marriage was consummated – but Tahi’s mother never got pregnant – and after a while the general turned to slaves and mistresses. Tahi’s mother was lonely too – so when a mysterious man with bright stormy eyes and white hair that seemed to be constantly wind tossed courted her, the poor woman couldn’t resist. Their relationship remained strictly platonic for fear of the general, until one drunken night Tahi’s mother gave in. The next day – terrified that she could be pregnant, Tahi’s mother seduced the general as a safeguard – and horrified with herself sent her mystery man away. Nine months later Tahi was born. She was given the Greek name Daria by her father, but her mother demanded part of her Egyptian heritage as well – so she was given the second name Tahirah.
As the general’s only child and heir – Tahi was raised as a little princess, with all the toys and dresses she could ever want. But seeing as she only saw her ‘father’ on rare occasions, but was raised by her mother and her people, her dress and formal speech may have been Greek, but her heart was Egyptian – the streets of Egypt was where she played. Her mother would only call her Tahirah – and this became the name she was used to hearing. Soon only her father was allowed to call her Daria.
Everything went well with Tahi’s childhood until she began to hear the voices. Whispers carried on breezes that shouldn’t have existed told her things. There were happy stories, and silly stories. Sometimes there were just snippets, and Tahi would spend whole afternoons imagining what was in between the conversations she heard (with the input of her dolls of course). But there were also terrible things. Things no child should hear – screams, pleas for help that would never come in time. Tahi did her best to ignore these voices – but sometimes they would cause her to curl up, clutching her ears while pleading with the voices to stop. She was alone the first time this happened – but the next time Mariah – a maid of her mother’s witnessed her strange fit. Soon these strange fits became all too common. Mariah and her mother concealed them as best they could, but soon the whispers on the wind told of Tahi’s strange behavior as well as the usual gossip. But the rumors might have been left as rumors if Tahi hadn’t had an episode on one of her father’s rare visits. It was his yearly inspection of his 7 year old heir when – seemingly out of nowhere – a breeze blew into the room right at Tahi. All of the color drained from her bright green eyes as she inclined her head slightly. Her father was discussing things with her mother and she was bored. Maybe the wind had something good to tell her. What she heard instead was Mariah’s voice – screaming in agony. Terrified for her friend and nurse, Tahi ran to her parents and pleaded at them for help.
“Daddy! Mommy! Please – it’s Mariah. I think she’s in trouble! I - ” Her father cut her off.
“Hush Daria! I will not stand for any of these fits anymore. You cannot play oracle – ”

That’s when her father saw them. Her bright white eyes. He had always wondered why Tahi’s mother had come on to him so strongly the night she was conceived. Now he knew why. There was no way that this child was his. He left without saying a word.
The winds were very insistent with Tahirah that night – but she was angry. They had made Daddy leave – and she saw him so rarely. She snuck into her mother’s room and took out a small gold ankh. Clutching the small trinket in her hand and concentrating she found that she could turn the winds away from her.
“You know – when they’re insistent like that it’s best to hear what they’re trying to tell you” a boy’s voice came from the entranceway. Shocked, Tahi looked up – still keeping the winds at bay. The boy looked about ten or so years older than her, but what was unusual was his long silver hair and his bright white eyes. Eyes that matched her own when she had her episodes. “It means they know something important.”
“Who are you!?” Tahi yelled. “If you know about the winds can you help me get rid of them? Please – I want them to be quiet! Daddy hates them, and Mommy’s afraid of them. Horus may choose some other to send his messages to!”
“My name is Kallistrates – and that man is not your father, nor are the winds messengers of the gods of Egypt. Your real father wasn’t human, he was a nephelae – a cloud nymph. The winds are a manifestation of your heritage from your real father – our father. And if you had listened to them tonight you would have heard a very important message. You need to get out of here Tahirah. That man is very upset.” Kallistrates voice was full of urgency, as if something bad was going to happen very soon. Tahi didn’t like it. This man was obviously insane. Of course Daddy was her father. There was no way her father was a … nephel-whatsit. But he knew about the wind. He had the same eyes. Maybe the same powers. He could make it stop.
“Please!” she pleaded. “Just make them go away and Daddy will be happy again.” She clutched the ankh even harder.
Kallistrates sighed. “Forgive me,” he murmured as he swiftly and silently knocked her out. Pulling his unconscious half sister into his arms Kal hurriedly left the estate.
“My lady” he called silently into the night. “I know I have not asked you for much, because in truth – I probably don’t deserve it, but forgive me my selfishness this one time. Please take her into your care.”
Kal felt an odd warmth fill him, and knew his lady had come. Hestia was the same as ever – her skin luminous with divine radiance, her eyes dancing with the same warmth they had when she had found him all those years ago. “She is young Kallistrates. Too young. You know this. She does not know what she is, or what she can do. Her mother is dead, and her father was not who he seemed to be. Her entire world has been turned upside down. And now she has been kidnapped by her half brother whom she has never met before in her life. I will not be a part to that Kallistrates and you know that. Our presence here is fragile enough as it is. We have a truce with the gods of Egypt, but they are not happy with our presence here.” She nodded to the ankh in Tahi’s hand. “She is as much theirs as she is ours. Do you ask me to start a war for the sake of your sister?” Her words were stern, but her gaze was kind.
“I know, my lady – but it is for her own good. Her father just – ”
“I know what he did Kallistrates, there is no need to repeat it. Though cruel and unfair, it is the legal punishment for adultery. You have come to the wrong goddess if you wish vengeance.”
“I wish only protection. The sins of the father are not the sins of the daughter. And he was coming for Tahi next!”
“Then I entrust her protection to you – one of my finest Warriors. I know how much you love to wander. Take her with you and teach her the ways of the world until she’s old enough to come to my hands – and only if she chooses it” Hestia decreed with an air of distinct amusement in her voice. It was fitting as Kallistrates looked as if someone had smacked him in the face.
“But she’s a girl! I don’t know how to take care of a child – let alone a girl one!”
“Then talk to Mnemosyne, or any one of those Charites you always seem to be surrounded by.” Hestia was now openly laughing at him. “Raising a child will be a good experience for you Kallistrates. You may finally learn some responsibility.”
“Yes mi’lady” Kallistrates grumbled, knowing when he was beaten.

For the next eight years Kallistrates raised Tahi and helped her learn to keep her magic under control. At first she was reluctant – withdrawn, and hostile, but that got her nowhere with Kallistrates. She eventually warmed up to him when coaxed the winds into telling her what had happened with her parents (Kal had forbidden the winds from bringing Tahi the evidence – her mother’s dying moments – but there were too many rumors floating around for him to completely block out). They traveled all over the ancient world – in both the mortal and immortal realms. Tahi swam with sirens, talked with Gods and Goddesses, and learned about her father’s people. When she was 15, she accepted Hestia’s offer – and came to the Athenaeum – though sometimes her brother would ‘kidnap’ her again when he had a particularly interesting errand to run for his lady. It drives Mnemosyne mad – but then again Kallistrates has a habit of doing that.

Preferred Weapon: Misdirection and Information – but for practical use she also has a pair of small throwing knives.

Ability: From her nephelae father Tahi inherited wind magic – but her human blood makes it unstable. Theoretically she could *do* anything that her brother could as far as manipulating the winds, however it’s liable to give out at any time. For example once when she was seventeen, and after a little encouragement from Illios who was trying to find his own wings, she tried to fly by summoning up a breeze to propel a glider – and it worked at first, but gave out while she was still in the air. She managed to fall into the nearby ocean – sparing her from serious injury, but still managed to get a concussion, several fractures, and a broken rib.
The major – and most reliable – manifestation of her power is that she can listen to things carried on the winds. Conversations, gossip, secrets – the winds bring her whatever they think is interesting. As such she’s known for always being in the know – and is the prime gossip of the Athenaeum, though there are some secrets she chooses to keep and others she chooses to… use.
Her eyes turn white when she uses any of her powers.

Classes:
Archery
Swords and Daggers
Wind Magic
Healing Magic
Battle Strategy
Rituals and Temple Works

Roommate:


Congratulations for reading all of that
Tahirah - :iconangeladelacruz:
AoW - :iconthedutchesse:

Come join the fun ;)
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Comments55
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allybee113's avatar
Wow...she just looks so gorgeous here! I'm not saying she doesn't in the other drawings you have of her, but this one she looks extremely gorgeous.

I read all the history C: