Jamal Mdogo
Bahath of the Elegiac Pavilion
Eshu Wilder
Blessings & Band-Aids
Description
Mortal Seeming: ~The young black man exudes vigor in his every breath. Every smooth step he takes, every graceful gesture he makes, Jamal appears to be a professional dancer in casual motion. He keeps his black hair trimmed so short that he appears almost bald. The rest of his appearance follows suit in such simple and durable utilitarianism. His legs stay clad in long dun-brown or gray cotton trousers and his feet walk on sandals. Normally, a woolen vest will be all the man wears from the waist up, baring muscled arms and athletic physique. In chillier weather, he favors a hardy, cotton, plaid shirt complete with hood. The man's only vanity are thick wooden bead bracelets on his wrists. Jamal's light-brown eyes reflect both his easygoing lifestyle and accommodations, staying interested and aware of his environment. His chin remains level and his composure confident and proud. Jamal almost passes as a displaced throwback to African nobility. But it could just be the man's quiet and unflagging dignity and strength.~
OOC: Appearance 2; Royal Lineage 1
Fae Mien: ~When his human shroud falls away, the Eshu reveals his true wayfaring nature. Jamal's flesh darkens to a deeper ebony hue. And while he is no more dexterous than his mortal frame permits, Jamal carries himself with a higher grace and noble essence. This remains in part to his finer attire in his true fae mien. The Eshu wears a long cotton robe in deep, dark purple dye with the trimmed white fur of some exotic dream-beast. Stenciled on the back of the robe in gold thread are Arab-like letters, remarking upon the noble Eshu bloodline from which Jamal descends. His sandals seem to have been hand-carved of the most perfect teak. Gold and ivory jewels adorn his neck, wrists, fingers, and broad nose. His jawline sharpens to strong edges, leading up to fey-slanted ears. But most extraordinary of all are the Eshu's eyes. Jamal's brown-eyed gaze darkens to an inky blackness as deep as the universe itself. At the heart of those eternities linger two bright supernovas for pupils. Jamal breathes to illustrate the dreams of men in wonder of the heavens' meaning and splendor.~
OOC: Appearance 2; Royal Lineage 1
"Perfection is only unattainable when dreams can't find their path."
History
Youth
The Wolof didn't like new people or places. They preferred to exist apart from the rest of the world, sedentary, in West Africa. The Mdogos were a bit of an exception, however, since the family moved from the isolated villages in Senegal to Dakar. They needed money, they needed the city's industry, they needed jobs. Jamal, from a young age, had to work at a grocery store just to put food on the table. He didn't mind having to work so much. He loved his parents and his two older brothers and two younger sisters. He just yearned for more. Jamal hated how close-minded his parents were, and how that infected his siblings. The middle child became more and more discouraged with his family life from an early start.
So that was probably why he spent so many afternoons playing with friends in the streets and parks. They played football (soccer), lacrosse, and often just wrestled. Jamal displayed a lot of physical prowess even while young. A capoeira master, Yol Pau, moved his studio into business near the street Jamal played on the most. The instructor came out and watched the youths play one day. Afterwards, he approached Jamal and offered the nine year old a job as cleaner in the studio. In exchange, he would paid the boy a little, but also teach him capoeira. Excited to do something so new and exotic, Jamal agreed without considering the impact lesser pay would have on his family.
Of course, the Mdogos soon noticed that Jamal wasn't bringing home the right amount of money. But the boy rebelled, refusing to do their bidding, and ran away from his father's anger. He half-lived in the capoeira school ever after. He almost never went home, for fear of his family's anger and the shame he would bear for abandoning that responsibility. But his master, educated in the West, assured him that now wasn't the time for the boy to work. Now was the time to learn. And Jamal couldn't agree more…though secretly wondered if he could just learn, forever.
And in capoeira, Jamal demonstrated a natural affinity for the rhythm of dance and self-defense. Within a matter of five years, he qualified to become Master Pau's assistant instructor. Jamal loved the work. But at the same time, he felt cut off. His family practically disowned him despite that he was now making better money at the successful martial arts studio than he would have ever made at the grocery. And he was paying his family his dues still. Jamal was sick of their intolerance and impatience. He began to wonder if they were Wolof at all, and started to pride himself on being a stronger and more noble member of his great tribe. Consequently, Jamal's newfound arrogance began to alienate his family and friends both. Jamal's sleep also became disturbed, filled with chaotic dreams of shapeless colors and swirls. It filled Jamal's waking hours with confusion, wonder, and worry.
Chrysalis & Tutelage
Thus, it was only a matter of time before the teenager's hormones, family problems, and strange behaviorisms all caught up to head. The resulting crash instigated his Dream Dance, at the age of seventeen. In a haze, Jamal went home to give his parents money. His father flew into a rage at the boy's apparent disregard for family. Jamal complained back, but showed so much cool aggression that his parents became afraid of him. The argument ended when he raised his fists. But he never struck his parents. Instead, he turned and ran away. He fled from his family, from Master Pau, and from Dakar.
Tears blinded the youth as he ran, and even though he was on the paved roads of the city, he saw himself crashing through the jungle. Soon it all gave way to the beach and the roar of the tides. He stumbled and collapsed to his knees in the lapping water, weeping even as his imagination carried him through the Dream Dance. The jungle returned and he envisioned himself in ancient but noble garb, wielding only the might of a walking stick and his own bare hands. He was a heroic figure, beating back demons and monsters and saving pretty girls from grisly fates.
The blast of Glamour from Jamal's Chrysalis was felt far and wide. Jamal dragged his confused and overwhelmed self from the beach to a patch of nearby reeds. There he collapsed and fell into a sleep, a long and deep sleep that was more like a coma. From the beach floated a chimerical starfish. As Jamal slept, it laid upon the youth and hid him from all eyes until his chosen patron arrived. The Eshu that would foster Jamal was in Casablanca when he felt the tug of fate pull him away from merry-making. He traveled down along the coast, taking a week to reach Jamal there.
The "expired", dried-up starfish was brushed off as Jamal stirred from his long sleep. He found the older black man standing above him with a grin and an offered hand. Jamal accepted it and stood up face to face with the Eshu. Jamal introduced himself to the man he learned was just called Anka. Anka soon revealed to Jamal the truth of his fey nature, of his existence as an Eshu all along, and of the Dreaming. Jamal was unexpectedly shocked, but the charismatic Anka took the fledgling under wing and taught him how to fly, so to speak. Jamal proved to be an apt student, too. For the past few years especially Jamal felt different than everyone else. He wanted to know his true self, as Master Pau always used to say -- "know yourself, know your enemy".
So leaving his old life behind, Jamal accompanied Anka on journeys across North Africa. They walked most of the time, even crossing the Sahara. While journeying together, Anka taught the youth more about the fae. He also schooled the youth in a few basic mystical spirit-arts, assuring Jamal that the power of dreams was enough to fuel these spells since Eshu themselves were spirits caught in flesh. And as part of paying his new master respect, Jamal gladly taught Anka capoeira. In exchange, Anka showed the youth a bit of jujutsu. Anka also encouraged Jamal to seek out his destiny during this period of fosterage. Through meditation, reflection of dreams, and even hashish-inspired vision ceremonies, Jamal searched himself for his future road.
Early Years
But it wasn't until they reached Cairo that Jamal finally enjoyed the epiphany for which he searched. Oddly, it was in the middle of a Gnostic orgy in some flesh pit. Anka had a taste for that kind of night life, as Jamal could testify. He lost his virginity in Tunis thanks to Anka's friends. But enough was enough, his visions told him. Jamal realized his road would require a more disciplined life. Because he would be the one to master every martial arts style in the world. Jamal walked out of the party and just chilled out until morning.
Then he met with Anka and told him of his vision. Anka chuckled, knowing his more sybarite lifestyle would not sit well with the fledgling. So he agreed to apply the test for Jamal to earn his Name as Eshu three months earlier than the full year traditionally accepted. Jamal was taken to the shore. Anka was in a sail boat, and informed Jamal that his test would be to swim across the Mediterranean, from Egypt to Greece. Jamal blinked at that impossibility, but Anka was forceful. So Jamal started swimming and Anka kept pace, languishing in his boat while Jamal suffered. Jamal didn't make it, of course. In fact, he only made it a few miles before exhaustion set in and he almost got sucked under. Anka rescued the youth from the sea and sailed on. He clasped the half-drowned and utterly-spent youth's arm. He passed the test simply by trying and giving it his best effort.
They sailed to Cyprus and there visited an old Greek temple. The ruins were controlled by the fae, Anka explained. And Jamal didn't see the ruins for long. Their true, ancient magnificence was soon restored to his fey eyes. With Anka's recommendation and payment, the Namer of that place, an old and duty-bound Satyress, agreed to Sain the youth. And after that Greek-styled ceremony, Anka enticed Jamal to one last celebration. A week long party and orgy ensued, and Jamal admitted that he had a lot of fun. Then the two Eshu parted ways and Jamal was left on his own to explore the wide world.
So Jamal began his road. He started in Europe since he was already there. The man decided to save Asia for last since most of the world's martial arts were centered there. And he was having a lot of fun in Europe. He traveled from country to country, enjoying the variety of cultures, places, and peoples. Jamal also sought out native fighting styles, learning whatever he could. He also participated in numerous tournaments over the next few years. As he watched everyone fight in different ways, Jamal found that he loved them all. He decided that it was certain that he had to master all styles.
At age twenty, Jamal finished Europe as much as he intended. From Lisbon, he took a plane across the Atlantic and landed in Boston. The Eshu wanted to see America because of how much of a "melting pot" it was supposed to be. America's "bad name" elsewhere in the world due to the country's aggression towards the Middle East meant nothing to Jamal. Firstly, he wasn't even Arab, never mind Muslim. He was Eshu, and these so-called religious wars were always shrouds for humans' greed for power and wealth. He found it amusing how people were so eager to grab and hold onto "stuff" when that "stuff" barely mattered in the scheme of things.
Recent Years
Cross-country Jamal traveled, mostly by foot. And like in Europe, he paused in many areas. He learned bits of one martial arts style and then another. In this early stage of his life, Jamal didn't feel obliged to start mastering it all now. First he wanted to taste it all. And so that's why he only spent a month or two with any given martial arts school. Also like in Europe, Jamal participated in tournaments as often as he could. They were more open here, he discovered, and he was able to jump into more competitions than he was permitted back in Europe. He decided he would stay in America awhile, indeed!
Eventually, rumors from other Eshu he encountered hinted at the martial arts wonders of Kansas City's Little Asia district. So he decided to go visit these Far Eastern adepts and headed for that city. After trying his hand there for awhile, Jamal decided to inspect the skills and wonders of California. He traveled west with his Satyress lover and their child, and soon arrived to San Francisco, eager to be enlightened. From there, their endless journey took them across the world, back to Africa--to Durban in Zululand. His whole future was laid before his feet. He knew that all he had to do was walk the path and fate and fortune would guard his steps to fame.
Bunk Styles
Style: War & P.E.
Examples: Shadow-box, do a backflip, get limber, assume a fighting pose, burst a punching bag and scatter the filling
Significant Other
Jamal met Corian Scott in 2004 while passing through a summer festival. The two shared tales and discussed their mutual interest in the martial arts. The young Eshu enticed Cori to bed within a few days, and their relationship exploded into sexual revelry Cori hadn't enjoyed in years. Now they train together, play together. Jamal helps Cori enjoy life again. In the process of their acquaintance, Jamal got Cori pregnant. She finds it strange since it's been so long: strange but wonderful. As for Jamal's part, he hopes this is the first of many children. He wants Cori to be his girl. Always. On March 8th, 2005, Corian gave birth to their first exotic daughter, Sydney, who will carry their blessings of Glamour on as Kinain. Now surely their minds were diverted from mere pleasure to protection. Now it is time to protect what they have now, not what they may have lost.
Corian
Weakness
Master of Jack
Jamal wants to master all the martial arts. This is quite simply impossible no matter what he thinks. Firstly, it takes lifetimes his changeling longevity cannot hope to cover. With the number of martial arts in the world and how it'd take to truly master every style, not even Caine, the first Prodigal vampire, could claim to have mastered them all. Consequently, Jamal will lead a disappointing life and leave only a legacy of incompleteness. That is, unless he changes his ultimate goals.
Likelihood of Corruption
Average.
Though an Eshu and therefore likely to jump headfirst into any danger, Jamal possesses a good spirit. He may be tempted by wickedness he encounters, but he won't likely falter. He has too much self-confidence and discipline to cave in easily.
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