"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
-Litany against Fear
Race: Human
Age: 21
Home: Serac Desert
Pillar: Vormyll
Notable Features:
Taller than average humans (6’). Very lean, with a very low body fat percentage attributed to virtually no water fat.
Extremely tan and dry, almost leathery skin.
Deep and penetrating blue eyes. A stare that will make some uncomfortable; as if they can pierce your thoughts.
Several scars on limbs, indicative of one who is familiar with duels.
Biography:
Maud’dib (or “Mouse”) grew up in the Serac desert in a sietch (tribe) built into the neighboring mountains. He was born third son of Naib (leader) Hayek, groomed to be a warrior and compete for leadership. For the Zensunni or “desert folk”, every day is an uphill battle and so strength and endurance are essential for survival. Those who can’t provide for themselves are burdens on the rest and so they are cast aside. Infants of too poor constitution are smothered or otherwise left for dead. It’s a harsh rule for a harsh land, but the tribe must thrive. The most precious commodity, is of course, water, and a person’s status in the sietch is measured by water tokens--these signify the individual's contribution to the sietch’s cistern (water reserves). Duels are frequent occurrences, as only the most fit are deemed worthy of leading; the stakes being the respective individual’s water tokens. Maud’dib had earned enough water tokens to live “comfortably” but this sort of wealth required the owner to be constantly on guard.
As son to the Naib, great things were expected from Maud’dib. His older brothers were more rivals than siblings; and this was encouraged by their father. Naib Hayek would develop challenges that would inevitably force confrontation between this trio. Kendos, the eldest, was a brute of a man with a relish for combat that even the desert folk found unsettling. Baal, the second born, was the least physically capable of the three, but his cunning and charisma earned him the respect of his fellows. Maud’dib, the youngest, faced the wrath and jealousy of his brothers his entire adolescence. He learned at an early age that to pit them against each other was far more effective than engaging them on their respective levels.
This lifestyle eventually became distasteful. His desire for independence and his general introspective nature were not suited for a life dedicated to the sietch. When scholarly red-scale skarlaks arrived in a trade caravan, he saw it as an opportunity to escape his spartan life and pursue knowledge of the world, and more importantly, knowledge of self-mastery. His time spent with the red-scales was short but very rewarding. He learned how to master his emotions, most notably his anger, and engage the world in detached observation. He learned how to “listen” to his body, developing physical skills that most could only attain through body magic. One ability in particular that stands out is his ability to manipulate his vocal cords and calibrate the tone with the receiver's sensibilities. This power of “voice” can allow him to subtly (or quite forcefully) manipulate the emotions of a target. Such effects include making others more receptive of requests, or even compelling others to obey commands. These body skills inspired him to reach the limit of his potential, and so he eventually parted ways amicably with his red-scale brethren and sought knowledge he could use to advance his interests. This thirst is quite insatiable.