The Elder Goat
Sir Atticus Yule (a.k.a. The Elder Goat)
Physical Description
Body Features
The Elder Goat is an imposing figure, standing at 6'10'' and weighing 238 lbs. Visiting humans in particular have taken fright not only at his impressive stature but at his appearance; as a Yule goat, The Elder Goat's black fur, bat wings, and caprine face invoke the figure of Baphomet.
In other ways, his appearance is similar to that of Santa Claus. He has a stark white beard hanging around his neck. His long, knarled horns betray his age; at one point, they were a soft brown, but a millenium of exposure to the cold bleached the tips to an icy blue.
Special abilities
During the Winter Solstice season, the Elder Goat's staff is completely charged with the power of the Winter Solstice Spirit. At these times of the year, he will venture south into other lands to gather the wishes of Altairians all around the world.
If for some reason he can't grant a wish, he will instead use his staff and magic powers to materialize a gift for the Altairian whose wish he had to turn down, completely free of charge. He even did this when he was serving as a "Mall Santa" for various vendors throughout Altairus, much to the dismay of the shop owners. Because of this, he is not called in for this role nowadays.
Apparel & Accessories
The Elder Goat's outfit is similar to that of Santa Claus, only instead of red or green, his suit is a royal purple with white trim. The color represents the Dark element, which not only is the associated element of Yule goats but is associated with winter in general.
Specialized Equipment
The Elder Goat carries a magic staff with ice crystals serving as the tip. This staff is infused with some of the Winter Solstice Spirit and allows him to materialize gifts for Altairians when he meets them in person.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Sir Atticus Yule, or the Elder Goat, was born very early in Altairus's history. When he was born, the Yule goats were simply goatmen that lived in the northern regions of Altairus, scraping out an existence for themselves. One day, young Atticus discovered a powerful source of Undifferentiated Anima in the far north of Pandora. This turned out to be the Pool of Solstice Wishes, which possessed the power to grant the wishes of any being that went near it on the Winter Solstice, which then was not recognized as a holiday by most Altairians.
He quickly introduced his fellow Yule goats in the Razorfrost Taiga to what he'd found. When they discovered its power, many moved to be closer to the pool, their settlements forming what is now Yule City. Over the course of many years, the Yule goats developed methods to deliver wishes from other parts of the globe to the pool, and Atticus took on the responsibility of receiving those wishes and vetting through them to see which ones could be granted. For over one thousand years, he and the Yule goats in Yule City have dedicated themselves to preserving this bit of magic that lives around the Winter Solstice.
Intellectual Characteristics
The Elder Goat is known for having a very good memory. This was a crucial trait for him to have when he first delivered wishes to the Pool of Solstice Wishes. Back then, there was no concrete method for delivering the wishes, so he had to either remember them or write them down. Nowadays, with new technology, the wishes are encased in capsules so that they can be viewed and dumped into the pool en masse, but he still retains his sharp memory.
Morality & Philosophy
Like all Yule goats in Yule City, the Elder Goat has devoted himself to maintaining and preserving the magic and traditions surrounding the Winter Solstice. As such, he considers many traits associated with childhood, such as wonder, innocence, and joy to be the highest virtues. This is entirely appropriate, as the Winter Solstice Spirit needs Altairians to experience these things in order to spread its magic across the world at the Winter Solstice.
Taboos
Like many Yule goats, the Elder Goat gets a bit uncomfortable if someone admits they don't like the Winter Solstice in front of him. He's a bit more private about his disdain than other Yule goats, though, as his role requires him to maintain an image of equinamity and joviality even in front of those he doesn't like.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
The Elder Goat has completely devoted himself to preserving the Winter Solstice Spirit. To do this, he works to uphold the traditions and magic associated with the season, collecting and delivering wishes.
Personality Quirks
The Elder Goat's war cry sounds a lot like the video of the screaming sheep on YouTube.
Social
Reign
The Elder Goat is considered the unofficial ruler of Yule City. In reality, he is more like its CEO, orchestrating the actions of the other Yule goats to ensure that their mission is successfully completed every year.
Family Ties
The Elder Goat is the Winter Orchestrator's older half-brother. Despite their differences, they have an amicable relationship and work together to revive and protect the Winter Solstice Spirit if it is in danger.
Speech
The Elder Goat's voice has a bass register. He sometimes makes a bleating noise at the end of sentences. When he speaks, his magical abilities enable him to be understood by Altairians speaking any language.
The Elder Goat has the magical ability to understand Altairians speaking any language, even if it is a language he's never heard before. This is important for his role as a harbinger of dreams around the world.
The Elder Goat is obviously based on Santa Claus. Appearance-wise, he is similar to Baphomet.
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