Ani Nihala (AH-nee nee-HAH-lah)
Ani Nihala
After undergoing a major heartache and uprooting his previous life, Ani and his younger brother Mirri have taken to wandering the Tanglewood in search of dragons to study and document. To date, though the pair aren't held in the highest regard by other researchers due to their inexperience and informality, they have made significant progress in their goals, which include the authoring of the Middle Realm's most comprehensive book of dragons ever to exist. Ani's role in his and his brother's research is to take the line drawings Mirri makes and paint the dragons' coloration and markings.
Ani's Mental and Physical Facets are stronger than his Emotional Facet.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
While slim, Ani is naturally athletic and surprisingly strong.
Body Features
His body is lean and rectangular. He has several nick and bite scars on his hands and forearms.
Facial Features
Ani has a pointed chin and a bold nose. He usually bears a bored or slightly sad expression on his face.
Identifying Characteristics
Ani has a birthmark over his right eye and a mole above his left eyebrow.
After Misibe left him, a grieving Ani cropped his hair in accordance with Suktu hair symbolism. Since he has experienced no further disruptions in his life, he's currently growing his hair out again.
Special abilities
Ani's Boon is the ability to find hidden things. What those hidden things are varies from a squirrel's stash of acorns to a secret compartment hidden in a desk. He is not alerted when hidden objects are nearby, he must actively seek them out. The ability comes in handy when he's searching for dragons in the Tanglewood.
Apparel & Accessories
In true adventurer fashion, Ani's normal garb is brightly colored and stylish. He wears a green coat and baggy dark pants, both of which are embroidered with dragon scale patterns.
Specialized Equipment
He wears a pair of gauntlets to protect his hands from the sharp teeth and claws of the dragons he handles.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Childhood
Ani's childhood was nothing too remarkable. He lived in a part of Verante that was moderately well-off, but thoroughly infested by dragons. Most considered them a pest, but Ani adored them. Their curiosity, nimbleness, and intelligence all fascinated the boy. He began training them to bring him trinkets in exchange for food, a trick they figured out very quickly. For the most part, the objects they brought back to Ani were worthless things like pebbles or leaves, but on occasion, they retrieved something more interesting like coins or jewelry. No matter what they brought him, he always rewarded them with scraps of food and, if they allowed, head scratches. As younger siblings tend to do, Mirri began to take an interest in the dragons as well. Many older brothers would be annoyed, but Ani (who had always been close with Mirri) embraced the fact that his brother shared an interest with him.
Adolescence
It was only as he reached young adulthood that Ani started to exhibit unusual mental symptoms. He began to have mood swings at odd times, ranging from hyperactivity and uncontainable happiness to unadulterated depression. Though doctors prescribed him calming herbs for the hyperactive states, there was little he could do for the depressive episodes besides distract himself with his beloved dragons. Mirri was always there for his brother, no matter what type of mood he was in. Along with the dragons, he never got angry at Ani for acting in seemingly-irrational ways; in fact, his presence and the things he said were one of the few things that could bring Ani back toward something resembling a slightly more normal state.
Adulthood
One day, Ani met an extremely charming and intelligent Suktu man named Misibe. Ani quickly fell in deeply love with him. He adored Misibe, who happened to return the sentiment, but only for a while. Within two years, Misibe lost interest in Ani, even though Ani was still firmly in love with Misibe. Eventually, Misibe left Ani for a woman. Broken-hearted, the only person Ani could turn to was his brother. Mirri stood firmly by Ani's side as he fell into a depression worse than any he'd experienced in his life. Ani refused to eat or leave his room for days at a time. The only thing Mirri found that Ani responded to were the dragons. With that in mind, Mirri suggested they take some time away from Verante in order to see new dragons besides the types that lived in Verante. Ani agreed, reluctantly at first, but with a change in environment, dwelling on his heartache became harder.
Current Day
When Mirri began to document the dragons the pair came across and asked Ani to paint their coloration, the pair found something that made Ani happier than he'd been in quite some time. Their initial collaboration quickly became their new norm. Soon enough, the pair agreed that they didn't want to go back home. Their new way of life, wandering wherever they chose in pursuit of their favorite creatures, was much more interesting than whatever boring career they'd have to follow back in Verante. The two scraped together enough money to buy the Junkheap and set off toward the place where they'd heard the most dragons could be found: the Tanglewood. Ani and Mirri continue to wander the vast forest to this day.Gender Identity
Ani identifies as a man. He has not questioned the gender he was assigned at birth.
Sexuality
He's rarely attracted to others, but when he is, they're always Suktu men.
Education
Along with a children's education standard to Verante, Ani has acquired further self-education in subjects such as history and the sciences.
Employment
Ani and his brother aren't officially employed, but they do collaboratively create drawings and paintings of the dragons they've seen, which they then sell so they can buy the necessities they require.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Thus far, Ani and Mirri have filled exactly half of a large tome with drawings and information about the dragons they've encountered. Both are extremely pleased with this achievement.
Failures & Embarrassments
Ani looks back on his separation from Misibe with deep sadness. Having never been in such a close relationship with another person, the way things ended between the two is still a source of shame for Ani.
Due to the pair's youth and lack of formal higher education, many scholars look down on the Nihala brothers. Ani is of the opinion that they can go kick rocks.
Mental Trauma
The breakup between him and Misibe left Ani feeling as though he's unable to trust anyone besides his brother.
Undiagnosed Issue
The condition isn't yet known to the medical experts of the Middle Realm, but Ani has bipolar II disorder.
Intellectual Characteristics
His intelligence types are spacial, logical, and naturalistic.
Morality & Philosophy
At his core, he believes most people are hiding selfishness behind a mask of kindness. He even believes the same of himself. He assists others and shows kindness himself in order to make up for his own perceived flaws.
Taboos
The mention of anything that reminds Ani of Misibe will instantly send him into a quiet, sad state.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Ani and his brother share the same primary motivation: to document as much dragon-related information as possible, then publish it for others to learn from.
Likes & Dislikes
Virtues & Personality perks
He's an intelligent person with a knack for art, particularly when he's working with colors and patterns. He has a deeper sense of empathy than most for those struggling with mental health issues.
Vices & Personality flaws
Ani has a tendency to act in mercurial ways. He has difficulty making decisions and sticking to them. Along with that, he has something of a temper and tends to become frustrated easily. Mirri is used to this and knows how to calm his brother down when he becomes upset, as well as making decisions for the both of them.
Personality Quirks
He fidgets constantly and has a general inability to sit still unless he's focused on something he enjoys, in which case he'll spend hours enthralled by that activity with little care for his own wellbeing.
Hygiene
Ani has a tendency to forget to care for himself when he gets too absorbed in a project. He relies on Mirri to remind him when to freshen up.
Relationships
History
Ani and Mirri have been close ever since they were young. Though they had their arguments and various other disagreements, they were always quick to make up and resume life as usual.
Current Status
Alive
Current Location
Currently Boarded Vehicle
Species
Conditions
Year of Birth
324 AB
26 Years old
Birthplace
Spouses
Siblings
Mirri Nihala
(Brother)
Children
Current Residence
Pronouns
He/him
Sex
Male
Gender
Man
Presentation
Masculine
Eyes
Hazel, heavily-lidded with bags underneath
Hair
Brown with gray streaks, cropped short above the ears
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Medium-light brown
Height
4 feet 6 inches
Weight
81 lbs
