Lili
Name: Lila "Lili" Shahzadi
Garou Name: Sakhet Leaps-Through-Darkness
Gender: Female
Species: Garou (werewolf)
Ethnicity: American, of Persian-Iranian descent (her father is first-generation American, born to naturalized Iranian immigrants; her mother is second).
Age: 19 at the very beginning of the story; 27 by the end.
Occupation: Werewolf, demon hunter, corporate saboteur, fugitive, renegade blogger; former law student
Tribe: Silent Striders
Pack Affiliation: The Desperados; closely allied with the Nomads
Auspice: Philodox ("judge"; associated with the half moon)
Height: 5'10"
Build: Thin, but toned; runner's body
Hair: Very dark brown, almost black. When she's trying to look professional, she irons it straight and curls it under; for everything else, she keeps it loose in its natural waves and pins the side locks back in a barrette. The part naturally falls on the right side of her head, whether her hair is wavy or straightened (which is to say, the left if she's facing front in a picture). When relaxing, she gathers it up in a claw clip, but this is rarely seen outside of her bedroom.
Eyes: Dark brown, almost black; in all her forms besides human, they're golden. After passing through the Realm of the Dead, she has a scarlet ring in the iris of just her left eye.
Skin: Very light tan/olive. It really only looks "dark" next to very pale people.
Tattoos/Piercings: Pierced earlobes only. Midway through the story (after parting ways with the Nomads) she gets three tattoos: one on her inner right forearm that reads "Rage against the dying of the light"; one on her left forearm that reads "Leap and the net will appear"; and one large Celtic knot on her lower back. Late in the story, she gets the Sanskrit text of the Gayatri Mantra on her left scapula. See ref images.
Scars: Midway through the story, she gets a pocked bullet hole on her front outer right thigh just below the panty line, and her right ankle has a row of hooked teeth marks. Later on, she also gains a long, jagged scar on the right side of her back, extending from her shoulder to the middle of her outer thigh. See ref images.
Weapons: In all forms but human, she has sharp wolf teeth and claws. She carries a shotgun as well, though most of her fighting is done unarmed; between the claws and teeth and her proficiency in krav maga, she's pretty lethal in any shape even without the gun.
Other features: She has five forms in total: homid (human); glabro (near-human); crinos (wolf-human); hispo (dire wolf); and lupus (wolf). All fur is black. In the Umbra, she can grow a set of black owl wings that appear on all her forms. The wings can manifest in the physical world as well, but they look less solid and appear to be made of rippling, roiling black smoke or shadow.
Clothing: She often wears red or red-orange shirts, with a cropped black leather jacket and jeans. She retains her clothes in glabro form, but for all the other forms the clothes are transferred to the spirit world and don't appear on her body.
Jewelry: Very often wears jewelry, usually earrings and necklaces of gold, brass or copper (never silver, as it burns her) with distinctive, vaguely ethnic design. Late in the story, she and Arran are married, and she wears a plain steel ring on a leather cord around her neck. When in the Umbra, she wears a gold Egyptian usekh (wide collar) necklace shaped like an owl with outstretched wings in all forms. The necklace cannot manifest physically.
Totem Spirit: White Owl Woman, who can appear with Lili either in humanoid form or in the form of a very pale-feathered barn owl. As Bennu Hemet, or Phoenix Woman, her coloration is more tawny and flamelike.
Personality: Lili has an extremely Type A personality. She's bold, confident and more than a little shrill when it comes to arguing and defending whatever opinion it is she might have. She's a high achiever and pushes herself very hard to succeed at whatever she's doing; whether it's academics, sports, or embracing the Garou mission, she has impossibly high expectations for herself and inevitably is disappointed and frustrated when she falls short of them. Lili keeps a laundry list in her head of various social/political/economic ills in both human and Garou society that need to be fixed (ideally, by her), and is a strident advocate for anyone she feels is at a disadvantage, even if they never asked for someone else to fight their battles for them. Her intensity, drive, and fierce competitiveness tend to frighten people off; while not completely socially inept, she nevertheless comes off as very scary to most people. She is, however, very aware of and attentive to her image; although incredibly high-strung and easily stressed, she makes a big show of appearing as if achievement and "together"-ness is effortless and second-nature to her. This isn't always a successful effort, and leads her to lash out at people who don't deserve it, far more often than she'd like.
Relationships:
Mentor: Djehuty Seeks-The-Question
Skin: Very light tan/olive. It really only looks "dark" next to very pale people.
Tattoos/Piercings: Pierced earlobes only. Midway through the story (after parting ways with the Nomads) she gets three tattoos: one on her inner right forearm that reads "Rage against the dying of the light"; one on her left forearm that reads "Leap and the net will appear"; and one large Celtic knot on her lower back. Late in the story, she gets the Sanskrit text of the Gayatri Mantra on her left scapula. See ref images.
Scars: Midway through the story, she gets a pocked bullet hole on her front outer right thigh just below the panty line, and her right ankle has a row of hooked teeth marks. Later on, she also gains a long, jagged scar on the right side of her back, extending from her shoulder to the middle of her outer thigh. See ref images.
Weapons: In all forms but human, she has sharp wolf teeth and claws. She carries a shotgun as well, though most of her fighting is done unarmed; between the claws and teeth and her proficiency in krav maga, she's pretty lethal in any shape even without the gun.
Other features: She has five forms in total: homid (human); glabro (near-human); crinos (wolf-human); hispo (dire wolf); and lupus (wolf). All fur is black. In the Umbra, she can grow a set of black owl wings that appear on all her forms. The wings can manifest in the physical world as well, but they look less solid and appear to be made of rippling, roiling black smoke or shadow.
Clothing: She often wears red or red-orange shirts, with a cropped black leather jacket and jeans. She retains her clothes in glabro form, but for all the other forms the clothes are transferred to the spirit world and don't appear on her body.
Jewelry: Very often wears jewelry, usually earrings and necklaces of gold, brass or copper (never silver, as it burns her) with distinctive, vaguely ethnic design. Late in the story, she and Arran are married, and she wears a plain steel ring on a leather cord around her neck. When in the Umbra, she wears a gold Egyptian usekh (wide collar) necklace shaped like an owl with outstretched wings in all forms. The necklace cannot manifest physically.
Totem Spirit: White Owl Woman, who can appear with Lili either in humanoid form or in the form of a very pale-feathered barn owl. As Bennu Hemet, or Phoenix Woman, her coloration is more tawny and flamelike.
Personality: Lili has an extremely Type A personality. She's bold, confident and more than a little shrill when it comes to arguing and defending whatever opinion it is she might have. She's a high achiever and pushes herself very hard to succeed at whatever she's doing; whether it's academics, sports, or embracing the Garou mission, she has impossibly high expectations for herself and inevitably is disappointed and frustrated when she falls short of them. Lili keeps a laundry list in her head of various social/political/economic ills in both human and Garou society that need to be fixed (ideally, by her), and is a strident advocate for anyone she feels is at a disadvantage, even if they never asked for someone else to fight their battles for them. Her intensity, drive, and fierce competitiveness tend to frighten people off; while not completely socially inept, she nevertheless comes off as very scary to most people. She is, however, very aware of and attentive to her image; although incredibly high-strung and easily stressed, she makes a big show of appearing as if achievement and "together"-ness is effortless and second-nature to her. This isn't always a successful effort, and leads her to lash out at people who don't deserve it, far more often than she'd like.
Relationships:
Mentor: Djehuty Seeks-The-Question
The first Garou encountered by Lili prior to her first change, Djehuty became her mentor and taught her the traditions and practices of the Garou as a whole and their fellow Silent Striders. Although her initial resistance to the idea of being Garou led her to resent him for constantly trying to bring her around, she now treats him with consummate respect as a tribe elder, although she's not above arguing with him. He's had a working relationship with the pack known as the Nomads for several years, and he introduced them to Lili with the intent of placing her in a similar role to the one he occupied (not as an official pack member, but a sort of independent contractor who travels with them and lends a helping hand on missions). Lili and Djehuty have a very close relationship that was at first akin to that of a father and daughter, but which is now closer to that of an older brother and younger sister.
Totem Spirit: White Owl Woman
Totem Spirit: White Owl Woman
White Owl Woman has been with Lili her whole life as a spiritual presence, but didn't become known to her until just before her first transformation, when she appeared to lead her to a safe place away from people who might have become casualties. White Owl Woman is a type of spirit known as an "incarna avatar", a surrogate for the greater spirit of Owl, totem of the Silent Strider tribe. Not every werewolf has a personal totem, and as her protectee, Lili is referred to by other Garou as a "child of Owl", and indeed White Owl Woman's spiritual presence with regard to Lili is a motherly one, and she grants her child advice and comfort when needed. After the formation of Lili's pack, White Owl Woman is transfigured into Bennu Hemet or Phoenix Woman, an avatar of both Phoenix and Owl together. As Bennu Hemet she is the totem of the Desperados, and a herald of destruction, rebirth, and renewal.
Companion: Adam Taylor
Companion: Adam Taylor
Adam, in life, was an acquaintance of Lili's who unwittingly became a Fomor demon, possessed by a type of spirit called a bane: a virulent Wyrm-corrupted spirit that inhabits the body of a human. The bane intermittently took control of his body and caused him to commit several murders, but his consciousness remained his own through the whole ordeal, even after the demonic presence gained the ability to shed Adam's physical skin. During Lili's first transformation, the bane attacked her, and she killed it as well as the animated skin-shell that still held Adam's spiritual presence. Several years later, after the maelstrom that ravaged the land of the dead, Adam returned to her apartment as a wraith. By the time he had realized what was happening during his possession, it was too late for any type of exorcism to be effective, and although he ended up dead, he was grateful to Lili for ending his suffering. When he returned to the world of the living as a ghost, he committed to helping her and the Garou fight the forces of the Wyrm, in the hopes of preventing others from becoming Fomori and meeting the same end that he did. Even though he was romantically interested in her when he was alive, Lili can perceive none of that left after his death, and the two have a very close (if somewhat unorthodox) friendship.
The Nomads:
The Nomads are close allies of Lili and later of her own pack, the Desperados. They're among her first Garou friends after her first change. Founded many years before the start of the story by Ivan Scars-The-Wyrm and Kaneonuskatew, the Nomads are a pack with a great destiny that figures into the battle of the Apocalypse. All members are Garou bikers of different tribes, and the pack's totem spirit is Waboose, the White Buffalo of the North Wind (who considers them "good children; their hooves are strong and their horns are sharp"). They were present for the birth of the Perfect Metis, the prophesied Garou who heralds the imminent coming of the world's destruction, and spirited him away to be kept in safety until the age of his maturity. As their name indicates, the Nomads are wanderers with no home sept.
The Desperados:
Formed in the last days prior to the Apocalypse, the Desperados are a pack of "brethren who are not brethren"; although Lili, a Garou, is the alpha and leader, her pack mates are various other Fera, or werecreatures. They are united under Bennu Hemet, an avatar of Phoenix and the transfigured form of White Owl Woman. The Desperados have the distinction of being the only "Golden Pack". Similar to traditional Silver Packs comprised of Garou and formed under avatars of Phoenix at times of great strife to accomplish epic tasks, the Golden Pack is destined to meet the world's end and defend its rebirth.
Reference Images by me:
Guest Art:
The Nomads:
The Nomads are close allies of Lili and later of her own pack, the Desperados. They're among her first Garou friends after her first change. Founded many years before the start of the story by Ivan Scars-The-Wyrm and Kaneonuskatew, the Nomads are a pack with a great destiny that figures into the battle of the Apocalypse. All members are Garou bikers of different tribes, and the pack's totem spirit is Waboose, the White Buffalo of the North Wind (who considers them "good children; their hooves are strong and their horns are sharp"). They were present for the birth of the Perfect Metis, the prophesied Garou who heralds the imminent coming of the world's destruction, and spirited him away to be kept in safety until the age of his maturity. As their name indicates, the Nomads are wanderers with no home sept.
- Kaneonuskatew (Ken)- The peacetime leader of the Nomads, Ken is a level-headed and supportive friend and ally. He finds Lili a little tiring sometimes, but is more than willing to try and encourage her more positive impulses and is a very patient listener when she's on a rant. He is an invaluable ally in developing the written Garou language, helping to preserve the nuance inherent in the oral tradition.
- Ivan Scars-The-Wyrm- Ivan, the Nomads' wartime leader, is gruff and uncouth and has a tendency to call everyone by nicknames (his favorites for Lili are "College Girl" and "Cleopatra"). She initially hated him for his rudeness and combative attitude, and he hated her for her pretentiousness and backtalk. She's warmed up to him as kind of a "pack dad", and even though he still mocks her it's mostly affectionate at this point- although he vocally doesn't approve of her relationship with Arran.
- Torch- Torch, the Nomads' muscle, made a terrible first impression on Lili. Asked by Djehuty to bring her somewhere safe in her first few weeks as a Garou before she learned to control the urge to frenzy, he and Marty attempted to abduct her by force to a local sacred caern, but not knowing exactly who these people were or where they were taking her, she fought back and she and Torch got a few hits in on each other before she trashed their van. It took her a long time to realize that Torch was just too dumb to use more finesse and he really did respect her mentor enough to have her best interests at heart, and once she got past that stumbling block, she and Torch have become very friendly. Of all the Nomads, he's the most like a cool big brother.
- Marty Bluetooth- Marty, the tech guy and fellow Philodox (a Garou position similar to a judge), has an almost professional relationship with Lili. Although his approach to the Philodox's role is quite different from hers, he's always able to offer advice, since he's been at it longer than she has. They have their disagreements, and sometimes he thinks of her as a hotshot, privileged city-kid who's more interested in arguing than understanding, but they generally get along very well. He is instrumental in helping Lili establish and maintain the first-ever Garou web network.
- Zita Thrice-Born- Zita, the group's mystic, is the youngest member of the Nomads and is like a kid sister to everyone, including Lili, who outranks her even as a non-pack member. It's hard for anyone to forge a relationship with her since she's somewhat withdrawn and seems to get along better with spirits than actual people, but Lili feels mix of protectiveness and admiration toward Zita. Although Zita is the youngest and in some ways the most fragile, Lili has a lot of respect for the girl's skills and street smarts, as well as her ability to hold her own in a group of rough-and-tumble guys.
- Mún-ar-an-Aidhnín (Arran)- Arran, the explosives technician of the pack, has a tricky history with Lili. For about half a year they were romantically interested in each other, but because of Garou prohibition on relationships between Garou, it couldn't really go anywhere (or at the very least, it would be ill-advised for it to). Of the group, Arran knows the most about her; they often work in tandem for research, investigation and covert strikes. She tries very hard not to lose her temper at him, but he teases her a lot and pretends to take almost nothing seriously, so she's blown up at him more than once. During her initial travels with the Nomads, neither of them knew their feelings for the other were mutual, so they would both make excuses to spend time together or avoid each other entirely, and their relationship (or lack thereof) was a source of a lot of angst and guilt for Lili. Eventually he confessed to having more-than-strictly-friendship feelings toward her, and they hooked up in spite of everything but told nobody. Lili and the Nomads parted ways to pursue their own respective work, and communication between her and Arran would be long-distance, infrequent and awkward. After she vanished into Death for most of a year before re-emerging, they were both extremely eager to renew and pin down their relationship publicly, in spite of grudging disapproval from other Garou. Late in the story, on the verge of the apocalypse, they get officially married but still need to keep their relationship quiet; their wedding rings (steel, not gold) are on necklaces instead of on their fingers.
The Desperados:
Formed in the last days prior to the Apocalypse, the Desperados are a pack of "brethren who are not brethren"; although Lili, a Garou, is the alpha and leader, her pack mates are various other Fera, or werecreatures. They are united under Bennu Hemet, an avatar of Phoenix and the transfigured form of White Owl Woman. The Desperados have the distinction of being the only "Golden Pack". Similar to traditional Silver Packs comprised of Garou and formed under avatars of Phoenix at times of great strife to accomplish epic tasks, the Golden Pack is destined to meet the world's end and defend its rebirth.
- Chris Laughing-Wind- Although he takes the role of the Ragabash, or trickster, and is not a leader type, were-coyote Chris also serves as Lili's "second in command". Opposite to her in almost every way, Chris is laid-back, generally unflappable, and has a tremendous sense of humor. His role in the group is like a peacekeeper; he prevents infighting and generally keeps everyone from annoying each other too much, usually by beating them to the punch.
- Morgan Black- Were-raven Morgan is an excellent scout, spy and researcher, with valuable contacts that are able to help the pack immensely. Although she and Lili always share the personal touchstone of work, they nevertheless become fast friends; if it weren't for Chris, Morgan would easily be the funniest of the Desperados. She's quick with wordplay, flirtatious, enthusiastic and boundlessly curious.
- Nikodim Markov- Haughty weretiger Nikodim is a late addition to the pack. He is bothered by so little on a personal level, and so arrogant, that Lili dislikes him at first and wishes he would be knocked down a peg or two, but after making the effort to talk to him she finds that under all the bravado, he's actually a decent person. He's the strongest warrior in the group, and although up until recently he's been a bit of a mercenary, he nevertheless respects Lili and the others and is fiercely loyal to their cause and the pack. After getting past her initial reluctance, Lili found herself intensely attracted to him for a time (and he to her), but it was never anything more than a crush; as things become more solid between her and Arran, she rebuffs Nik's advances, and he respects her boundaries. Afterward, the two are like brother and sister, and still very close friends.
- Talicia- The last pack member to be assembled, it is nevertheless Talicia, the were-crocodile, who performs the ceremonial sealing of the pack through a shared vision quest. Although Lili has the least amount of time to get to know Talicia before the crap really hits the fan, she likes her instantly. Talicia proves herself to be an excellent ally and just as good a friend, and while (as a natural-born crocodile) she doesn't always understand the intricacies of human relationships, she nevertheless is good counsel to Lili in heavy matters of spirituality, destiny, duty and love.
Reference Images by me:
Guest Art:
