Profile
Description
Mokele is a relatively imposing figure at nearly eight feet of lean muscle, although his mixed features and inconsistent posture leaves many to wonder about his tribal background. Spiky locks of red-streaked apple-green hair and curved ivory tusks frame his pointed face, grey-teal hide further offset by small saurian scales and dull purplish eyes, capped with ears that are closer to a jungle troll's in size but still curve upward at the ends. His earlobes typically sport cylindrical plugs of bone, a few steel studs and gold rings worn in his cartilage and septum; and while he'll occasionally swap these pieces out for similar ones, this combination is seen most often. When he's not hiding under a carapace of beaten platemail, he can be spotted in loose pants or loincloths.
Personalities ('The Heads')
'The Boy': Curious and playful, yet often naive, this young trickster tends to be active when Moki is relatively safe and comfortable; his revival of a childhood lost to abuse and neglect. Jani was his favorite Loa was he learned to steal and scavenge on the streets.
'The Beast': A savage, hungry predator that thrives on violence and destruction, this side of Moki is triggered by the sight or smell of blood. However, his innate strength and speed are harnessed more effectively in battle. He feels closest to Hethiss, the hateful viper Loa.
'The Devoted' : While Moki's subservient personality is active, he will obey whomever he perceives as stronger. When certain traumatic memories are evoked, usually by certain phrases, this one steps forward to deflect them with reverence. He owes this 'awakening' to the Akunda.
History
The unexpected result of a secretive union in Tal'gurub, Mokele was brought to Zuldazar by his Zandalari mother as she could not guarantee his safety in the jungle. However, his existence was heavily resented by his mother's narcissistic father. Being a high ranking member of the warrior caste, he'd hoped for a strong grandson; but to him, Gurubashi blood meant weakness and corruption in his bloodline, and so he made Mokele's early childhood a living hell through years of physical and mental abuse while his mother was purposely kept away from him for military training. To avoid his grandfather's attention, Mokele spent a lot of time scavenging on the city's shadowy streets while his mother wasn't around, but frequently endured further punishment upon his return. Fearing for his life, she snuck away for a night and brought her battered son back to his father in Tal'gurub.
As one of the city's primary hunters, his father was largely absent as well, leaving him to his own devices for days at a time. After suffering from memory issues, Mokele had started to develop a personality disorder, his mind fracturing three ways; the Boy, the Beast, and the Devoted. He was also not initially treated well by his Gurubashi peers, often given toxic substances to induce rages and stupors for their entertainment, triggering 'mood swings' that would earn him the nickname "Little Hydra" as a teenager. He eventually met another outcast named Takkouri, a weary traveler from Zul'gurub who sought a new home on Zandalar; but carried with him the stench of undeath, as if he had been forsaken by Bwonsamdi. Despite some initial revulsion, the two bonded over a string of odd conversations and stories.
Their friendship wasn't to last forever, as the undead troll would seemingly betray his halfbreed companion in hopes of acceptance by the more powerful Zandalari. As a skilled alchemist, Takkouri assisted the witch doctor Vol'jamba in mixing up a cauldron of Zuvembi brew to enslave the Gurubashi's minds and turn Tal'gurub into a holdout against Zul. The prophet hired adventurers to 'restore the peace' but this unfortunately meant the death of many Zandalari and Gurubashi alike. Fighting against the Zuvembi haze, Mokele was able to escape after identifying his former friend's corpse amongst the casualties; but not before scooping up the late venomancer's python and riding off on his bat, both creatures having grown attached to their owner's companion as well.
Lost in an existential crisis and hoping to rediscover his purpose elsewhere, Mokele then traveled to Vol'dun and settled at the Temple of Akunda for several months. While followers of the thunder lizard Loa tried to teach Mokele how to unburden himself of painful memories, only the subservient aspect - the Devoted One - was able to benefit signficantly, so he parted ways with the group to sate the neglected Boy and Beast. One personality yearned to connect with others and rebuild a family, and the other needed to unleash his rage through bloodshed. Mokele forced his three heads to focus on earning money through tradeskills for a month or two before setting off to traverse a shattered world under the Horde's banner.
