Keen

Full Name: Keen Lamina

Player Name: Zeta

Age: 29

Gender: Female

Species: Black Backed Jackal

Height & Weight: 5'7" 140lbs

Physical Description
Lithe and toned, forged from a life of hunting and fighting in the wastes and northeast mountain ranges. Vibrant green eyes, dirty blonde hair pulled into a short, tight ponytail. Keen's fur is predominantly tawny brown, with the "black" part of her species coming in almost solely on her back, tail, and forehead. Her clothing consists of drab grey pants made of a heavy cloth, tough leather boots that have straps rather than laces. Heavy presence of worked and decorated leather, such as hardened leather shin guards under her pants, as well as bracers of similar style that cover most of her forearms. The protective leather pieces are embossed with swirling designs that mimic blowing sand, giving them an almost ceremonial look. Her torso is covered by a plain shirt, dark brown in color. Most of her torso protection comes in the form of a sandy brown hooded shawl draped across her shoulders. The fabric hangs down to about the middle of her back, when standing. Stitched into the fabric of the shawl with darker brown threads are similar designs to those on her bracers and shinguards. Swirling, spiraling designs meant to recall images of dust and sand thrown about in the wind.

On each finger she wears a golden ring, just simple bands, though some are engraved with an odd text. Her large ears are pierced in several places, near the base on the outer rim, and several times closer to the tips, with simple golden beads. What the jewelry signifies, if anything, is unknown. Dark, black chalk, most likely charcoal, is painted into her fur all across her body, forming the same swirling motifs that cover her clothing and equipment. It is most visible on her face, where lines of chalk edge around the outside of her eye sockets, dropping down onto her cheeks to curl into graceful spirals. Some meandering lines start at the corners of her jaw, lifting to sweep past the spirals before carrying on down the sides of her muzzle, ending near her nose. On her forehead, in the black fur between her ears and her eyes, a small circle of white chalk is centered neatly.

She is an odd mix of "normal" and nomadic, tribal and "civilized".

Mental Description
Devotion and honor. Keen understands these two things very well, as she is the daughter of one of her tribe's leading elders. As such, she carries herself with an air of slight importance. She is not boastful, or arrogant, merely confident. After all, growing up in the hard harsh cradle of the desert and the northern mountains, imparts a sense of reality. She considers herself above most drink, drugs, or other vices. Plus, to fall to those things would harm her ability to carry out her various tasks. Most people she meets are treated diplomatically. A good image must be presented to those who might be potential trading partners, or clients of Makah guides. This is not a farce, as she does believe her tribe to be worthy of praise. Criminals, degenerates, and other unsavory people are treated with hostility. Honor must be upheld. However, what Keen might consider a criminal might not fit the common definition.

Her important position in the tribe keeps her constantly moving from one task to the next, constantly thinking of the greater good. So much so, that often the need to do what is right for the tribe can override the need to do what is right for herself. This fact does bother her, and sometimes she finds herself wishing she had not been honored with such a mission. Still, she steadfastly carries on. Quitting isn't in her nature. Strong-willed as she is, she has her darker moments where the loneliness of her travels closes in around her, and the weight of her duty brings her down. In times like this she has little to turn to, other than thoughts of her family, home, or other distractions.

History
Keen's clan/tribe is known as the Makah. They are a semi-nomadic people residing deep in the mountains northeast of the Sea of Sand. While their ancestors were likely religious outcats brought to Sutekh as political prisoners, all traces of their gods have vanished over the centuries. What is left is a strong worship of the natural, of the weather, the sky, the rise and fall of the sun. They don't necessarily shun technology, as long as it does not significantly damage the planet. Firearms are used when they can be traded for, or stolen. They lack any true significant wealth as a people, however, so such luxuries as firearms and motorized vehicles are limited. Most of their trade goods focus around furs, leatherwork, and water. On occasion, some members of the tribe may offer their services as guides or scouts, for extra income.

The Makah are not openly hostile, but can be territorial, carefully guarding the mountain passes that lead to some of their more permanent settlements. There have been clashes with rival tribes in the past, and even all out war, but currently the violence has subsided. The scars of these conflicts, however, are still borne openly among the people. Keen, with her elevated position in the tribe due to her parents, had it harder than some. Much was expected of her, and she was made to struggle hard, to understand hardship. The Makah women work right alongside the men in all things, even spawn of the elders. Growing up in what one could call the Makah capital, Keen spent most of her younger years exploring, hunting, and learning. From the start, she was groomed for an important role. All of her clan know how to track, how to shoot, how to find food and water where there seems to be none. They know how to survive. Keen was imparted with something extra.

She was given knowledge. The young jackal was schooled from a very early age in the ways of the world beyond the mountains of the Makah. She learned many things that might seem less than tribal, things from the worlds of science, and history, even truths of the universe beyond Sutekh. It seemed the elders have more in mind for her than her initial mission... Her role, for the time being, would be that of one of the clan's roaming diplomats and traders. The elders know well that the outside world has useful things to offer. Firearms, vehicles, medicine... The tribe does not possess these on their own. They must be bought, or traded for. It is Keen's mission to roam the desert, acquiring useful items to bring back to the tribe. This mission began ten years past. On that day, her father gave her the rifle, the armor, and the blades she now carries. Each item is older than she is, by far. So she goes, from one place to the next, in a search that seems to have no end.

Possessions
A leather satchel with a hefty strap hangs at her hip, undecorated. A long, curved knife, strapped to her right thigh in a leather sheath. A much smaller dagger sheathed between her left forearm bracer and her arm itself. Carried at all times is an extremely long, slender, ancient-looking rifle. The firing mechanism is a single shot breech loading system, with an external hammer. The weapon is nearly as tall as she is, and aside from many brass fittings and details (Barrel bands, the hammer, trigger guard, cleaning rod, etc.) that have begun to corrode, it is not decorated. Spare cartridges (9.3x62mm) are carried in a pouch on her belt, opposite of her satchel. A more recent addition to her arsenal is a worn, older model semi-auto handgun (9x19mm). Picked up off a dead gangster in Shantytown, the weapon has seen better days, but functions just fine. It is carried in a leather holster at the jackal's hip, with one spare magazine.