Tuva

Backstory

It’s unknown for how long Tuva has truly existed, as she has been slumbering underground for many, many, years, hidden away in the Underrot in a cocoon made of the same red and glossy mass that can be seen in areas heavily corrupted by G’huun.

For the many years she grew underground the vast mycelium network spreading out from Uldir absorbed information across the land; of the Loa, people and animals who lived there, of the land’s former lush state and history, of the Titan’s tinkering and toying with things that did not belong to them, and of those affected by G’huun, both within and outside of Nazmir. This in turn has turned Tuva into what could be called an informational bank, an embodiment of the land of Nazmir itself, her body and abilities being as much part of Death and Shadow as it is of Life.

Tuva’s adventure truly begins some time after G’huun’s defeat, at which the mycelium network that had kept her alive till then began to decay, causing her to cry out in a way only those afflicted by G’huun would be able to understand. One of those people was Prophet Zul, who had absorbed the Old God’s powers and in turn became bound to Uldir and G’huun in a similar way to Tuva. With the aid of friends and allies the old Prophet ventured to the Underrot to investigate the source of the calling, and once there he did not only discover Tuva, but his gift of the Sight granted him a vision of how this being one day would help restore Nazmir and heal the land, but she would not be able to do this all on her own. Destiny had brought the two together for a greater cause, and no matter the inner struggles of the Dark Prophet he stepped into his new role.

After being freed from he Underrot Tuva was brought to Dazar’alor, where with time she would integrate with those living there; Zul, Kel’shara, Rastakhan, Jocosa, Kharazul, and many more, all of them coming to learn and understand the greater purpose this new being was part of. Under their protection and guidance Tuva would grow into her own individual, learning what it meant to truly be alive, and to experience both the joys and tragedies and the excitements and fears of the reality she could only dream of while she had been hidden in her cocoon.

Her powers had manifested themselves soon after her “birth”, proving that she was a being of Primal powers, as with her mere touch she could make lichen and mycelium spread across surfaces, make matter decay at rapid speed, food to mold of ferment faster, and fungi to grow in all its forms. Her power may not be as extreme as that of G’huun’s, nor did she want to use it in the same way he had done. He had spread Rot to consume and only consume until there was nothing left, but she’s one who wanted to use her abilities to keep the balance between Life and Death. Without Decay there can be no new Life, and she is the harbinger of that rule of Nature.

Even before she was “born” she was drawn to Zul due to their connection through G’huun, and the fact part of her genetic makeup is made up by remnants of Zul’s presence in the surrounding land. Even when she’s fast to befriend the others watching over her she will always be more drawn to Zul, seeing him as the only one who’s like her, and as a parental figure. With time their bond grows incredibly strong, and together they aid each other in this journey fate has put them in. Tuva with her internal knowledge of the power of Decay helps Zul understand his new state of being after absorbing G’huun’s powers and learning to accept his new self. And Zul in turn becomes the father and protector she needs to fulfil her destiny and to live a happy life.

She has always been drawn to nature, for that’s where she belongs and that’s what she is part of. Embodying the land of Nazmir she always wants to return there and find a way to heal the land, to stop the out of control Rot from turning the landscape into a festering lifeless swamp and spread even further. She knows it is her calling to restore this balance, and she will do all in her power to bring Life back to Nazmir.

Personality traits

• Caring

• Curious

• Naïve due to lack of experience, but filled with a sensitive wisdom when it comes to nature thanks to what she is and the information absorbed while slumbering.

• Very attached to Zul

• Headstrong

• Dedicated

• Gentle

• Confident when in her element

• Sympathetic

• Likes to wander

• Quiet

Abilities

• Fungal control: With the power of Decay she can control any fungi in her surroundings, she can make mushrooms sprout (even into unusual sizes), mycelium to spread, yeast to work harder, and more. If needed she can make mycelium threads break out from the ground and weave together into sturdy and flexible roots to fight with or use as prehensile extra limbs. If threatened her abilities can receive a quick and reflexive burst to quickly sprout large flat mushrooms to shield herself with.

• Mycelium communication: By tapping into the fungal network running through almost any land mass she can sense the status of the land and how different areas are affected. As long as she’s connected to the mycelium she can also track down individuals and sense where larger beings are walking.

• Telepathy: Being part of the Void she has the ability to “whisper” to others. She rarely if ever speaks through her mouth, and instead communicates with others through her telepathic abilities.

• Saprophytic: Like fungi Tuva can gain nutrients from dead matter like dead trees, withering plants, and many other things the regular mortal would find unappetizing or straight up disgusting. Thanks to her fungi-like biology she does not get ill by consuming these things, and in fact eats it happily if given the opportunity, but she still enjoys regular food as well, and has a huge sweet tooth and a big appetite for starchy meals.

• Paradoxical plant magic: By breaking down dead matter faster she can in turn boost plant life through the mycelium network and make them burst with energy and flourish.

• Regeneration: Her wounds heal fast as long as she has the energy to heal herself. Her cells can grow fast similar to how fungi can grow at a surprising rate.

• Reincarnation: Not being truly mortal, she can reincarnate if her body is too damaged to hold her spirit. She will become one with the mycelium network and after enough time has passed to allow herself to gather her strength she will be able to release her soul into a corporal form once more and regenerate her body through the mycelium.

• Fungal bloom: At the most desperate of times she’s able to transform herself into a flower-like structure made of layers of flat mushrooms. For a long time this gigantic bud will remain dormant and gather strength before blossoming and release a downpour of glowing spores to help bring back life to a vast and severely damaged area. Tuva will lose her body in this process, so once the flower’s job is done she will enter the same kind of reincarnation cycle as mentioned above.