Kihiga Nau
Halo-Burning-Black

Day of the Stormenders
Tilau of the Amadu-Simba

Description


Homid: ~There are men and there are lions. You can usually tell which are which at first glance. Beside the fact that Kihiga Nau towers over six feet and boasts a broad, imposing physique, he's clearly a lion. Though lacking a "mane" due to a scalp shaved bald, the dark-skinned African-American sometimes maintains facial hair in the form of a mustache and goatee. Kihiga dons fashionable attire that can be elegant or rugged depending on the occasion and mood. Shrewd sports suits in bold colors clash with casual leather and silk. But it's not the clothes that define a lion's skin. It's the eyes, it's the passion. Kihiga's brown-eyed gaze smolders with such ferocity and single-minded, predatory focus that it's difficult to ever even meet those eyes directly. His voice, so deep in pitch that it can tremble sensitive ears, carries the compelling command of the king of beasts. Lions don't rule their lands by royal privilege, but upon the bones of their enemies. And Kihiga looks to be racking up quite a collection.~

OOC: Appearance 2, Style 1; Ferocity 7, Honor 6, Cleverness 4

Sokto: ~Sudden hair growth accompanies Kihiga's rise in mass and height. Almost double the puissance of his natural form, he becomes huge and muscle-bound. His clothing stretches and rips, giving way to veiny sinew. His scalp grows a wild and shaggy mane of dark hair. His hands and feet become almost like feline paws, complete with retractable, hook-like claws. His eyes are slitted and haze into a furious gold. Otherwise, he actually stirs the senses with such an exotic mix of man and beast -- fiercely handsome and compelling indeed, albeit wholly unnatural.~

OOC: Appearance 3; Ferocity 7, Honor 6, Cleverness 4

Crinos: ~The vestiges of humanity fall away as Kihiga shoots up taller and far more imposing. At a staggering nine and a half feet tall, this Simba is a frightening sight indeed. All clothing is gone, replaced instead with tawny fur that shines gold in the right light. His fluid and predatory gait brings the aggressive werelion closer to his prey, barbed claws flexing with fury. Most outstanding is how his head becomes entirely feline, complete with a short muzzle lined with razor teeth. His eyes blaze with sunlight-charged ferocity. And his dark hair becomes a regal mane of golden hair, loose and wide like a halo. But the tips of his mane are black, as if he bore a rare point coloration in just the mane. Halo-Burning-Black is a supercharged monster, filled with savage grace and energy, and he's coming for you.~

OOC: Appearance 0; Reduced Delirium; Ferocity 7, Honor 6, Cleverness 4

Chatro: ~Seven hundred pounds of quadrapedal killing machine, this huge lion turns the smilodon evidence on its head. Tawny-furred and maned as a lion would be expected, this hunter also boasts elongated canines capable of spearing through an elephant. Kihiga's mane is still illustrated with those black tips to the hairs. Golden eyes radiate only primal savagery that lightning sprints bring to quick, bloody conclusions. Just seeing this primeval monster can reduce prey animals into quivering masses of huddled bones and flesh...~

OOC: Appearance 0; Full Delirium; Ferocity 7, Honor 6, Cleverness 4

Feline: ~As a large specimen of his kind, Kihiga imposes wherever he stalks. Of course, lions are not native to this land, so he takes this delightful form carefully. Handsome and regal, he does not seem overfed or too lean. Full of muscle and feline dignity, Kihiga admittedly does appear somewhat lazy. Chances are he's napping rather than stalking in this image of the savannas. But the demeanor is quite misleading, for primally focused lion eyes and keen swiveling ears draw him instantly to any goal nearby.~

OOC: Appearance 2; Ferocity 7, Honor 6, Cleverness 4


"You will need all of your friends today."

History


Youth

America was populated largely by immigrants. Not all of them were willing immigrants either. Like most African-American families, the Stalls were descendants of slaves centuries ago. Billy was a carpenter and Raquel did her best to take care of the kids. Born in 1985, Eric was the second oldest among five siblings: his older brother James and little sisters Corey, Jessamyn, and Natasha. Their piss poor house was a dingy and decrepit old home in the middle of the woods outside of Jackson, Mississippi. Eric had to share a room with James, and they both picked on their sisters…when they weren't picking on whatever wildlife they could find. Boys will be boys.

It didn't help that Eric's parents weren't the most responsible folk when it came to the kids. Eric had way too much slack to run around and do whatever he wanted from an early age. Undisciplined and out in the middle of the boonies with no real adult role models, Eric's frustration and anger grew unchecked. Sure, he went to school, but the grading system was a joke and he learned very little. He spent most of the time doodling lions on his test papers. It was just a childhood obsession. And sure, Eric was dragged to church, but his parents didn't really understand what the Bible was telling them, and the Christian message was lost on the Stalls.

So instead of doing homework, Eric was usually outdoors (it's not like his parents could afford to buy the kids a Nintendo to keep him occupied indoors). His brother and sisters noticed how he grew more aggressive and domineering the older he got. Eric was also gifted with a bigger body build than even James. Hell, he grew so big so fast that he could shout and terrify his siblings. He started practicing a "Simba roar" like in the Disney movie The Lion King.

But perhaps the most dangerous thing that Eric got into was fire. The boy was drawn to it as some youths are. He played with matches and more. When he was eleven years old, he got a hold of lighter fluid one afternoon. James tried to get him to stop but it only infuriated Eric. The fluid was splashed all over the porch. In spite for his brother's commands but no real malice intended, Eric lit the fluid. He meant to put it right out, just to give the older boy a scare. But it spread too fast, too quickly. The house was consumed in a mere minute. James crashed indoors to try and save their sisters and mother, who was napping (dad was out on a contract, winning the bread). Eric tried to put out the flames, but it was futile. Panicked, he ran.

Right then and there, Eric decided to leave that life behind. For all he knew, his whole family but his father was dead. And boy, would dad be pissed. He hated the life anyway. It felt hollow, pointless, and mindless. He was bigger and better and smarter than that. Eric felt a sickening twist in his belly as he realized his family probably was indeed dead.

First Change & Kuasha

Fear drove Eric on faster. Presuming it to be malicious arson, the police chased him through the woods, using hunting dogs to track the boy. As the trackers got closer, Eric's panic doubled. The adrenaline of the race through the woods prompted his long repressed Simba bloodline to kick in. His human guise was shed as the preteen adopted Sokto and soon cycled through Crinos to take the ferocious Chatro shape. The saber-toothed lion still ran in fear, but the dogs were stymied (and perhaps frightened by the scent of a greater predator). He nearly lost the pursuit soon after, but kept bounding through the woods until he collapsed from exhaustion.

Barely conscious and unaware of his transformation, he returned to his natural Homid shape. When he next opened his eyes, it was to a bunch of cops aiming shotguns at him where he lay and a shout of "Freeze!" Dogs barked as his hands were cuffed and he was hauled back to the city. He sat in police headquarters and described to the detectives exactly what happened. It was an accident, a foolish accident. Eric learned that everyone, even James, died from smoke inhalation or burns. His father came in but refused to speak to the boy, horrified and miserable as he was. Eric was filled with misery and shame as well, and couldn't look anyone in the eyes.

After everything was worked out, it was agreed that Eric would have to do community work and undergo psychological evaluations. The father retained custody of his only surviving son, the boy who killed his family. They stayed in a temporary apartment in the city. Eric's father made his life miserable as much as possible. Out of nowhere though, his uncle, Dumaka Nau, showed up on the doorstep. Born in America like Billy Stall, Dumaka went back to Africa as part of the "black pride movement" in the 70s. At least, that was what Eric's father thought.

In truth, Dumaka Nau was Simba, just as the Stalls were all Kinfolk to the Simba. The chaya (spirits) notified Dumaka that a new Lion was born in America. Like himself, he Changed in America, too, and went to Africa to learn what it meant to be Bastet. Dumaka confided these realities to Eric, who at first refused to believe any of it. But how else could he explain that day, those strange feelings he felt? When Dumaka changed before his eyes, not only could Eric no longer deny it, but he felt an instinctual urge to change, too! So he did, and the two Crinos werelions stared at each other in the cramped little apartment. Dumaka told Eric that he would teach the boy what it meant to be Simba. He would have to go to Africa with him to do that. Eric didn't really want to leave the States, however. And while he especially hated his home life now, filled with sorrow and guilt as it was, Dumaka scared the shit out of him…more than his dad ever did.

But Eric didn't have a choice. His father was more than happy to get rid of the boy and Dumaka went through the process of legally adopting Eric. The youth was dragged to Zaïre. He lived a rural life on a small farmstead not far from the wild savanna with his uncle. His uncle's Lion name was the Eye-of-Amadu, Eric learned, and the older Simba was a keen observer of the Shadow (spirit world). But he also knew all he needed to know to teach a cub like Eric. He learned about the Karoush, the rules of the Bastet, and he learned the Caliah, the history of the Bastet and Simba especially. Eric developed physical strength and skills under Dumaka. The boy needed discipline desperately, and his uncle drilled him mercilessly until he was strong in spirit as well as body. The Simba's place was to rule, he learned, but first he had to prove he could rule himself.

The youth's training was taken to the savanna in due time. There he learned the intricacies of his many feline forms. Eric learned how to hunt as a lion and bring down prey and defend it from other predators or scavengers. He learned to respect the spirits' wisdom and engaged in strange spirit ceremonies with his wise uncle, communing with the chaya. He visited with the locals, learning African customs, and adopting an African name: Kihiga. Over the course of that "First Year" (which lasted two) of mentorship, Kihiga learned a very important thing. The Simba, particularly the Amadu family to which he and Kihiga belonged, were meant to rule all Bastet, Dumaka instructed, but as a king…not a tyrant. Black Tooth, the overlord of the Endless Storm, was a tyrant king in Africa. He commanded only fear, not respect. No one called him king until he put a spear to his or her throat. He was just a bully. A powerful bully, granted, that no one -- not even Dumaka -- dared challenge. But Dumaka warned Kihiga to never become like Black Tooth. That was a valediction Kihiga took to heart.

In the summer of 1999, Dumaka determined that Kihiga was ready to prove his worth as Simba. Firstly, he had to flawlessly recite the Karoush and Caliah, for all Bastet must know the ways by heart. The second portion of the test involved a far-ranging obstacle course. Dumaka set the markers for challenges with painted stones. Most of the trials were physical, involving sprinting, hunting, jumping, balance, wrestling, and other forms of ritual combat. But some tested Kihiga's awareness, such as a dark, lightless cave he had to negotiate with his feline senses alone. Kihiga surpassed all of his uncle's expectations, however. This Simba had much potential. Kihiga was entrusted with the Tribal secrets of their Yava weaknesses. He was given the privilege of picking his own deed name and then released as an adult. Kihiga adopted the moniker of Halo-Burning-Black, so that he might never forget his family's deaths, and in honor of his mane's unusual points.

Weathering the Storm

Now on his own, Kihiga began to wander the savanna for years. He enjoyed the wildlife of his ancestral homeland and spent much of his time in his primal feline forms. He occasionally clashed with other predators when he hunted. And usually, that meant he fought other lions. He enjoyed the bouts, battling back normal lions in his normal feline form. Of course, those lions were Kinfolk, but he wasn't searching for a mate among them. He was still young and just wanted to wander and explore the wide world.

Unfortunately, when he accidentally swatted a lioness too hard and broke her neck, he drew the ire of her Simba mate. And the Simba wasn't just any Simba, but Ivory Fang of the Endless Storm Pride! Black Tooth himself and all his werelions chased Kihiga. The young Tekhmet wisely fled across the land. Through speed and daring, Kihiga eluded the Endless Storm for weeks. He took the trees at one point and hopped from one to the other like a leopard. And once he even dove right off a waterfall to avoid the Endless Storm. When their spirit allies sought Kihiga out, he feigned profound ceremonies of spiritual awareness so that the chaya thought he was aware of their presence and ready for their tricks.

But the Endless Storm finally caught up with Kihiga in an open plain of Kenya. Native hyenas scattered as so many lions took the field. They encircled and trapped the Tekhmet. Fortunately, the dark king, Black Tooth, was amused by Kihiga's pluck…and his appearance. The black tips of Kihiga's mane intrigued the Bon Bhat. So he decided to give Kihiga a chance instead of just having the Pride tear him apart. Kihiga could fight for his life in the honorable duel of Hanshii versus Ivory Fang, whom he wronged. And luckily for Kihiga, Ivory Fang was a young warrior himself. Surely it would be a fairer fight than some other option…

The duel was brutal and prolonged. Both he and Ivory Fang were battered and bloodied by the end of it all. But by round twelve, Ivory Fang was KOed. Kihiga, wearied, was applauded by Black Tooth. Then he was told he had a head start to flee. If he didn't get the hell out of Africa, Black Tooth would kill him personally. What more could the Tekhmet do? He took nothing from those early wanderlust days…save for a well-developed sense of Endless Storm tactics. He was one of the few who was hunted down by that dark Pride…and survived. That knowledge could come in handy someday, he realized vaguely, but kept the thought to himself for now.

Instead, Kihiga fled back to Zaïre to visit his uncle for advice. Along the way, he met the King-of-Cats at a waterhole. The spirit comforted and restored him. Kihiga earned the King-of-Cats' friendship through his strength of will and endurance. While Black Tooth despised him, the King-of-Cats respected him. With this Jamak watching his back, Kihiga traveled on to find Eye-of-Amadu.

A Lion's Pride

Dumaka's words were not helpful, however. He advised Kihiga not to leave Africa entirely but to go north, past the Sahara, were Black Tooth had no reign. While Kihiga was no current events expert, he knew enough to realize Northern Africa was a hotbed of tension, complicated by terrorism and war. While there were parts of Africa that were just as bad, Kihiga avoided them well over the years. But most of Northern Africa was engulfed in that monkey business, and there was no real escape. More importantly, Kihiga yearned to return to his original country. Though his ancestry was African, he still felt like an American. With Dumaka's approval and aid, Kihiga first appealed to the chaya to recognize his ferocity and cunning and strength, and he claimed the Rank of Aka. His uncle was proud and even shared a couple new tricks with the young lion.

Armed with this newfound confidence and wisdom, Kihiga left Africa. He returned to Jackson, Mississippi, but his father was nowhere to be found. Frankly, Kihiga didn't want to deal with his dad. He feared he might even hurt the poor man should they descend into an argument. He didn't linger in the state. Indeed, Kihiga took a brief vacation to the Caribbean, embarking on a cruise ship and languishing in the Virgin Islands. He needed time to sort out his ambitions and determine what it was he wanted.

Building the Family

Finally, Kihiga decided he wanted to create his own Pride of werelions. And he would begin by gathering all the stray Simba who, like he, lived in America. He would earn their trust and loyalty and take their merged might to one of two ends: they would either be the king-pride of America, or they would return to Africa and kick the bejeezus out of the Endless Storm. Kihiga wasn't sure what he wanted more yet.

But when he returned to the States, he began to travel north. He went mainly by foot, living a simple life and learning more about American society as an adult. He slaughtered the criminals and freaks he encountered along the way. Their money he took, and any other money he earned, and invested in a national bank account. Eventually, he settled in Kansas City awhile. He intended to move on through at first. However, a certain princess caught his attention. What trouble did she heap on Kihiga's shoulders! Her higher education, which transferred to Columbia University, encouraged Kihiga to go east. He moved to New York City for a time and prepared to acclimate to the Big Apple, a city where everything was centered. But not long after Ismitta returned to her homeland, Kihiga soon followed, re-establishing a "forward capitol" against his rival in Durban, South Africa..

Jamak


Kihiga first encountered the avatar of the King-of-Beasts back in Zaïre. This Totem was impressed with Kihiga's pluck, will, and dominance in the face of such danger as being chased and threatened by the Endless Storm Pride and its dark leader, Black Tooth. It visited Kihiga in the young Simba's sleep and brought him visions when he was wakeful. The King-of-Beasts promised to help the werelion if Kihiga promised to bring honor back to the lions' good name. That honor had been stained by Black Tooth for too long. Kihiga agreed and dipped his head into a waterhole that was summoned partially into the spirit world by King-of-Beasts himself. He tasted the purity of those Umbral waters and felt renewed, invigored with the strength and devotion of his new ally and vision. When Kihiga traveled to America, his powerful Jamak reminded him that his power would wane so far from his homeland. Bearing that in mind, Kihiga has noticed only a reduction in visits from his lord, but that strength still pervades his mind, body, and soul.

Battle Scars


Class: Superficial
Description: Vertical Knife Slash
Location: Upper Left Arm
Origin: Hanshii with Ivory Fang
Effects: none

Class: Improper Bone Setting
Description: Dislocated Joint
Location: Right Shoulder
Origin: Hanshii with Ivory Fang
Effects: Shoulder will dislocate again (for one level of aggravated damage) whenever he reaches Incapacitated damage.

Class: Superficial
Description: Bullet Pocks
Location: Chest
Origin: Silver bullets from werewolf hunters
Effects: none

Den-Realm


In the feet of the Drakensbergs rests an arboreal manor. Once a modest park cabin, this place has been vastly expanded, and clearly in an unusual, visionary way. Its renovation transformed the classic rectangular structure into a reflection of a living thing, a great oak wrapping around itself in stout and solid fortitude. The formerly one-story cabin has become a great mansion spreading hundreds of feet around in its great tree-like semblance. The wood appears new and supple; indeed, leaves branch out from the heights of the great tree. Its grounds are carefully curated, with a trim lawn and hedges, while circling a driveway about the front. No fence separates the manor from the rest of the woods, nor does one seem truly needed. The golden-wood exterior of the manor sweeps around with a circumference that suggests deep, large roots buried underground, with modern pipes and wires winding about their clench. Within the manor, the woodland motif continues with heartwood walls sparsely decorated. Those decorations take on a decidedly Pan-African style with tribal masks and statuettes dominating the ambiance. Several large rooms serve the manor’s guests and inhabitants, including two full-service bathrooms and a half-bath on the first floor nearby the kitchen and the trap door down to the wine cellar.

To the casual observer, the Resplendent Opulent Arboreal Residence seems like an unusual building in the middle of nowhere. But to the supernatural, a sense of the regal rises with the tree, which was probably formed into a great house through magical means. The barrier between this world and the world of ghosts and spirits and the ancestors feels especially thin. There feels always a sense of watchfulness and waiting, waiting perhaps for its rightful king to come home and claim its aloof warmth and bounty.

Significant Other


Kihiga met the Princess Ismitta Mapenzi in the climax of the summer of 2005. She was a transfer student from her homeland, undertaking a somewhat lower profile than to which she was accustomed. But Kihiga detected her breeding and knew of her father, a great Simba king back in Africa. He insinuated himself into her life as a hired bodyguard. But soon Ismitta's desire matched her curiosity, and Kihiga seduced the princess. They became a couple to which her father--and rival suitors back home--were still oblivious. Will they go further and become united mates or do it properly and get her father's blessing?

In 2008, they finally returned home to seek proper blessing of her honored father. To Kihiga’s bitter disappointment, the king refused and dismissed Kihiga while hurtling Ismitta into a proverbial cage. To Kihiga's delight, when he moved back to Africa, Ismitta sought him out--though unfortunately she had Changed herself! She was never mere Kin but always a fierce werelioness in her own right, just waiting for the opportunity to First Change. Ismitta proudly aligned herself to his cause against Black Tooth. As for romance...well, it's against the Litany, isn't it?

Ismitta

Significant Other


Kihiga and Rufaro encountered a Khan named Trina at her showcase circus. The three hit it off and Kihaga convinced the Tigress to join their little Pride: a team of big, frightening Cats. Whether Trina will join the Stormenders' ultimate quest--to crush Black Tooth and the Endless Storm--has yet to be decided. As does anything beyond the dalliance they currently enjoy.

Trina

Weakness

Black Tooth Junior?


Kihiga doesn't like Black Tooth. In fact, he hates him and wants to get rid of him. The problem is, Kihiga would probably just take his place and go just as bad. Can he be a king cat without being a psychotic asshole?

Likelihood of Corruption


High.

With Kihiga's current inability to Reach the Umbra, and his attitude towards life, he's just asking to be manipulated or even possessed by Asura. He needs to check himself before he wrecks himself.

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