Pathfinder Society Record
- Known Name: Tamina Sarenei / Shahazadei Kalish
- Race: Human (Keleshite)
- Apparent Age: early 30s
- Birthday: 14 Sarenith (June)
- Height: 5'8" / 160lbs
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Affiliations: Church of Sarenrae
- Religion: Sarenrae
- Character Class: Cleric (Angelfire Apostle)
- Place of Origin: Born in Kelesh (Casmaron), raised in Katheer (Qadira)
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
When people think of talk about classic keleshite beauty, they imagine Tamina. Taller than the average human women, with a bearing that makes her seem taller still, her dark brown hair, bronzed skin and curvy form cut an imposing figure. Her light brown eyes verge on golden and shine with a vibrance that hint to some possible otherworldly heritage, and only her smile shines more beautifully. Yet, for all Tamina's outer beauty, it is her inner beauty that most remember, with many stating that Tamina's smile drives away sorrow and fear, reminding you that - like the the kelesh words tattooed on Tamina's eyelids - The dawn brings new light.
Tamina is usually seen wearing her Sarenite garbs, commonly associated with Sarenite dervishes and almost considered the expected clothing for Sarenite clerics. Whilst Tamina would state that she (and indeed any Sarenite) is free to wear what they wish, as someone raised in the Qadiran deserts, her garbs are not only religiously symbolic, but practical for hot weather environments. She traditionally wears a long, blue chasuble depicting golden sunbursts over sand-coloured desert-robes. Amongst the layers of clothing she wears a black and gold chain shirt, and normally wears a Sarenrae-crowned helmet with a Keffiyeh wrapped around it, the colour matching her robes. Around her waist she wears a red sash, although she has been known at times to wrap this sash around her head as a keffiyeh instead, most commonly when she is not wearing armour and may want to hide or protect her face such as from the desert winds.
When less formal, she often strips down to simply her blue chasuble and trousers, with her red sash worn as a keffiyeh or waist sash. In whichever form she wears the sash, the long strip of red Qadiran fabric is wrapped several times and held in place with a golden clasp depicting Qadiran horses.
When there is cause for it, she favours wearing an elegant and light blue silk dress of Qadiran fashion, with golden adornments symbolising sun or flames, though more subtly than her chasuble.
Background
Shahazadei was one of the many many daughters of Padishah Emperor Kalish XXII, whilst Her mother Zehla was a beautiful but enslaved Janni sent by Qadiran Satrap Xerbystes II as a concubine tribute. Tamina has never met her father, and only spent a brief period of her infancy with her mother. Born from the union of a royal and a concubine, this made Shahazadei both a free citizen by Kelesh law as well as a keleshite Princess. Barely old enough to walk, she was assigned and sent to the royal court in Katheer, where she would be raised in wealth and luxury, well educated, and serve in Xerbystes' court along with many of her spoilt siblings.
Shahazadei, however, became increasingly discontent with the idea of serving and living by the graces of the court which enslaved geniekin. Attending services at the Zenith of the Dawnflower, she was taken with the beauty of the shrine's stained glass windows, polished white marble spire, and the grace of the priestesses who practiced swordplay each dawn as they offered their morning players. Over time Shahazadei became a devoted sarenite - at first learning The Birth of Light and Truth, then later studying the healing arts and art of swordplay. Encouraged to find her own path of self-discovery to the Healing Light, she took advantage of what little royal privilege and wealth she had and attended the Venicaan College of Medicaments and Chirurgery. When her time there ended, Shahazadei spent what remained of her royal wealth on armour, weapons and equipment, then cast aside her previous life and name. Dedicating herself to a simple life, and wishing to explore and learn more about her suli-jann heritage, she took the name Tamina; a lower class name associated with the desert nomads and janni tribes that wander the southern deserts, from where her mother came.
Tamina journeyed southwards past the Zho Mountains, exploring the perilous southern desert seeking her mother's tribe. After years travelling with various clans of horse nomads, surviving great dangers and doing heroic deeds in the name of the Everlight, she found the Tents of Erukh - her mother's tribe. The genies showed her kindness and hospitality and spoke to her at length about her mother and geniekind, and was gifted with a genie-booned horse after proving her bravery in Erukh's challenge. Although she was accepted as kin, Erukh encouraged Shahazadei to make her way among the Keleshites. His hope being that her actions may help sway Qadirans to accept geniekin as actual people rather than potential slaves, perhaps somewhat lessening the bondage of other genies.
Since then Tamina travels according to signs and portents the Dawnflower gives her, and how she feels she can best help others or develop herself to better serve the Healing Light. Tamina understands the role of slavery in her society, but sees it as a gross injustice. She voices disagreement with it when she is able to do so, and actively attempts to curtail the excesses of the slave trade. She has developed a close friendship with Captain Aafka Akif of the Qadiran navy, who is like-minded and secretly sinks slave ships, freeing the slaves in Khatapesh as refugees.
Personality
Tamina often surprises people. She is incredibly kind and forgiving, to a degree that most would find impossible. She simply states that anyone, even those who are evil, may repent and find redemption at any time - and sometimes the smallest spark of light can begin that journey. She spends most of her time healing the sick, aiding mothers-to-be, and otherwise applying her medical and healing skills (even and especially without use of divine magic). She is quick to try to walk away from trouble, often apologising in the process even when clear she was not an instigator. Some mistake this merciful attitude as weakness, to their detriment. Whilst Tamina abhors violence, she is well prepared for it and not shy of using it. Iaome is fond of telling a tale of how she once went to visit her friend who was doing her morning prayers, and found her surrounded by the bodies of several people that had made the mistake of thinking the merciful healer with the expensive-looking jewellery and magic items would be easy prey. Tamina claimed she pleaded for them not to pursue their actions, but when they attacked brought swift justice to them. The one survivor of the encounter, she was already applying healing to, saving his life in the hopes that he may find the path to redemption from the experience.
Whilst Tamina tries to live a simple live, claiming she needs only what is needed to live, it is undeniable that she has a taste for finery. Whilst her clothing may be desert robes, they are made out of good quality qadiran fabric, and her perfume is exotic. She has a passion for horse riding (and is a surprisingly good rider, although admits to knowing little about horse care and training) and enjoys social events (more than she will care to admit), being a graceful dancer with obvious education in keleshite dancing styles. When in Qadira, one of the few luxuries she does take advantage of her royal blood is to take advantage of the famous baths at the palace, and she will claim that there is little that is more cleansing to the soul and a weary body from weeks on the road, than a warm Qadiran scented bath.
If she has a personality flaw, it is her sense of pride. She is renown for keeping her word - refusing to break her word once she gives it unless failure to do so would have dire consequences. She may try to avoid conflict and walk away, but when her pride is attacked it becomes obvious in her disposition and attitude towards whoever offended her. Possibly troublesome for her companions, however, is that Tamina has an almost paladin-like refusal to retreat once battle has commenced. Though she never engages first, once she commits she refuses to back off and there have been times Iaome has had to knock common sense into her when they found themselves in trouble over our heads.
She actively dislikes slavery, believing no-one should live in chains. The fact that keleshite culture relies heavily on slavery is a huge source of shame to her that she hates being brought up and, if the issue is pushed, will quickly get her fired up.
Combat Style
As she is so kind and merciful, and tries to avoid combat, people would think that Tamina might be a liability in combat, and expect her to take a supporting role of aiding and healing her companions. That couldn't be further from the truth. Tamina is a highly-trained swordswoman who is stronger than she looks, agile and tough. She relies heavily on her scimitar, and when she feels she (or her allies) needs it, uses magic to augment her/their combat and defensive abilities, often with magic that increases her/allies ability to defeat allies faster, or to make opponents easier to kill. This seems quite a vicious combat style to those who do not know her, but she states that if it has become necessary to fight, she fights to kill or overcome her foes quickly to end the bloodshed and pain as quick as possible.
Although she does not carry a shield, Tamina is trained in them and has a magic ring that creates a divine shield of force. She believes in fighting fairly and honorably, and does not typically rely on using her magic or shield unless she feels there is need, such as if facing greater numbers or dangerous beasts. If there is need, she will channel positive energy from the Healing Flame to her allies, healing them of wounds and other afflictions during combat. She is a more powerful healer than most clerics, but this gift of healing comes at a cost - she has a reduced ability to cast spells compared to most clerics. If challenged on this she will remind the challenger that being the servant of a god of fire and the sun means she still has access to has plenty of spells - including some not available to those of other faiths - and special abilities not common to most clerics. A case in point, when she channels the energy of her deity, Tamina is capable of curing afflictions that other clerics would need powerful prepared spells to do. And when channelling energy or using divine magic, she can channel the fury of her goddess to summon divine flames to cause harm to her enemies, especially those of evil heart or undead.
When combat breaks out, Tamina typically targets whatever she thinks seems the most unrepentant evil there is (often an enemy leader or monster), and typically reserves serving as a healer until either after combat is over, or if an ally desperately requires it. Those expecting her to run around patching up their every wound are sorely mistaken, and even after combat is unlikely to waste magical healing on minor wounds, simply stating that "there may be a greater need later." She will always accept an honorable surrender and finds the idea of executing those who have surrendered totally abhorrent. The exception is when fighting unrepentant evil, such as the followers of Rovagug, for which she says the only recourse is to send them to a swift death - a mercy, to the world.
Social Style
Although it is difficult NOT to become friends with Tamina, honesty and kindness are the fastest way to earn her respect. She even respects false kindness and politeness, stating that the sentiment may be false, but the end action was positive... and through positive action and repetition does change occur. After all, the path to redemption and change is a long, slow one requiring much patience and many mis-steps. To become a true friend of hers, one has only to respect other cultures, faiths and have a kind heart - and a willingness to have long, philosophical or cultural discussions with her greatly aids.
Slavers and those with unrepentantly evil hearts are anathema to her and find they gain only her sense of pity and sadness, as she drives her scimitar through their heart.
El-Marees
Tamina has a shock-white Qadiran horse called El-Marees; which means "South Wind" and is a reference to the powerful and dangerous Qadiran southern-wind sandstorms. She proudly boasts that it is a genie-booned horse (legendary in Qadira, although claimed by Taldans to be just that, only legendary and no basis in reality) that she claims she earned from a powerful Qadiran genie when she passed his challenge of bravery. Whatever the truth of the legend, El-Marees is nonetheless a perfect specimen of a Qadiran stallion, and extremely loyal to Tamina (the only person he will allow to ride him).
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Signature Equipment
Armour & Weapons
- Dawnflower Chain Vest - This armour is made from blackened mithral, and grants Tamina the ability to store a spell of up to 3rd level in it, which she can release at a later stage - often used to heal an ally in an emergency (or heal an undead, harming it) or deliver a combat spell with a scimitar strike. Additionally the holy power of this sarenite armour enables her to cast the orisons Light and Stabilize at will.
- Dawnfire - Tamina's scimitar is made from silversheen, a qadiran silver-like metal that is immune to rust. Once per day it grants her the ability to project a 15-foot cone of flame from a free hand. She can also channel her divine energy through the sword, igniting it in a golden flame that not only sheds light in the area, but increases the weapon's enhancement bonus and damage for a time.
- Keleshite Jambiya - an elegant, curved and jewelled mastercrafted dagger of keleshite style.
- Keleshite Qaws al-Rigl - a simple, but mastercrafted keleshite-style crossbow
Magic Items
- Tattooes of Light and Truth - a phrase from the Sarenite holy text is tattooed on Tamina's eyelids. They are clearly readable only when her eyes are closed. These words of wisdom grant her an enhancement bonus to wisdom.
- Chasuble of the Healing Light - this long, white chasuble has subtle, large pockets thanks to which Tamina always has a healer's kit, and allows her once per day to call on the Healing Flame to guide her hands in treating deadly wounds. It additionally allows her to cast a Burst of Radiance once per day, and empowers her with the ability to prepare an additional orison each day.
- Sash of the Horse Lord - this long strip of red Qadiran fabric is usually wrapped around her head or waist, and empowers Tamina's riding skills and ability.
- Ring of Shielding Dawn - this richly coloured, burnished brass ring appears to be crimson, red, sunset orange or golden yellow depending on how it is held, and depicts a golden angelic ankh. It provides Tamina with the Dawnflower's protection, making her immune to all types of infections and diseases. On command it generates a golden wall of force with the symbol of the Dawnflower boldly emblazoned that functions as a heavy shield.
- Dawnflower Bead - this golden bead is engraved with a sunburst symbol of Sarenrae and on command turns into a pile of burning logs that burns for up to 8 hours before turning back into a normal bead. It is reusable after twice the amount of time has passed as it was used, or if left to directly soak the rays of the sun for the same amount of time as it was used.
Mundane Items
- The Birth of Light and Truth (holy book)
- Golden, stylised angelic ankh (holy symbol)
- Keleshite desert robes
- Exotic perfume
- Healy Myrrh (powerful resin that aids long-term medical care)
Signature Quotes
Tamina commonly quotes various extracts from the Birth of Light and Truth holy text:
- "Let the healing light of the sun burn out the darkness within you. Let your inner light be a guide for others, and a searing flame against unrepentant evil." - a passage from The Birth of Light and Truth that Tamina is fond of reciting when healing, blessing or praying.
- "The Dawn Brings New Light" - a Sarenite saying used as a litany against evil and despair, it reassures the faithful that each day is a new opportunity, a promise from Sarenrae that things will get better, even if only in the afterlife. It is also used to welcome and bless good things in life, such as the birth of a child, unexpected monetary gain or a delicious meal.
- "The righteous stand before the darkness, and the Everlight shall guide their hand" - a popular litany warcry used when fighting irredeemable evil.
- "For the Sun and the Fury" - A popular battle cry calling upon the light of Sarenrae and her righteous anger at unrepentant evil; commonly used when invoking holy fire.
Additionally, she often uses the following popular Qadiran expressions:
- "As fast/handsome/strong/wise as a Taldan Horse" - this may seem like a compliment, but is often used by Tamina as an insult as every Keleshite knows Taldan horses are inferior to Qadiran horses in every way.
- "As fat/large/soft as a sultan's backside" - this is actually a compliment as sultans are wealthy and powerful people.
- "Why wear brass when you could wear gold?" - a Qadiran expression that people shouldn't sell themselves short, or be afraid to display their achievements.
- "There are no second chances in the desert" - popular tribal nomad cautionary expression
When in a satrapy of the Padishah empire, and there is a great need, she has been known to declare:
- "I am Shahazadei Kalish, daughter of Padishah Emperor Kalish XXII and the Janni Zehla, princess of the mighty Padishah Empire of Kelesh and the court of his Satrap, Xerbystes II of Qadira. If you do not fear the wrath of my blade or my goddess, fear the wrath of your Emperor and his Satrap when they learn how you defy me!" She has little real power, but the revelation that she is a princess and has the ear of the Satrap can aid her in intimidating others when there is need.