All right! To be clear, I did not give the Phoenix your hat. I had intended to return it as I had promised. However, before I realized what had happened, I was walking under the shadow of what appeared, at the time, to be a dragon.

Of course I ran away, but this only made me more vulnerable. Or... in this case... I guess it made your hat more vulnerable, because once I reached the field, it just... snatched the hat and flew away.

Yes, that's what happened!

— The errand runner, Nalaya, who may or may not have actually had a hat stolen by the Obsidian Phoenix



Overview

Since its first sighting in 1006Y, the Obsidian Phoenix has been a source of great confusion, intrigue and fear as its complicated personality has confounded those who encountered it... assuming they survive the meeting, as the Phoenix is known for its appropriately fiery temper.

A Brief History of Encounters

1006Y
The Obsidian Phoenix destroys a slaver camp that had been founded in the aftermath of the Caelestise-Sura War.

4058Y
The Obsidian Phoenix guides a lost boy, Uros,through a swamp for a price, extracting a promise to return the favor in the future.

11534Y
A Black Magician calls to the Obsidian Phoenixand ends up engaged in a disastrous battle of will with it as the Phoenix senses that he is not trustworthy.

15892Y
The Obsidian Phoenix demands the repayment of Uros's debt from his family as Uros himself is long-dead. The family refuses with terrible consequences.

17098Y
The Obsidian Phoenix pranks an archmage, Ivahna, as she walks in the forest.

21583Y
A rebel band enlists the Obsidian Phoenix to rebel against its oppressive lord, only to be destroyed as a lesson after they betray the Phoenix by trying to enslave it.

22481Y
The Obsidian Phoenix is spotted chasing and being chased by Zuelis-Tyt. Fortunately this does not happen anywhere near a populated area.

33054
A branch of the March of Pyres is wiped out by the Obsidian Phoenix after days of pillaging and destroying everything in their path.

The Phoenix, as one of the oldest known Great Beasts, is broadly associated with vengeance, judgment, and the tricks and pranks that it plays to keep itself entertained.

A Brief History

Though it later became just as famous for wrecking havoc with pranks as with its power, the Obsidian Phoenix's first known appearance in Empirica Sin was deadly serious.

In the aftermath of the Caelestise-Sura war, a group of human mercenaries set up a camp near the border between Gaean and Incaendium, just on Incaendium's side of the Golden Cage, and began capturing and selling Debils into slavery. This went unnoticed - or at least uncommented upon, for over 150 years... until the arrival of the Obsidian Phoenix brought an end to the camp for good.

In the centuries and millennia that followed, the Phoenix has been... inconsistent, to say the least. At times its rage seems unquenchable, and at times, it seems motivated mostly by the desire to keep itself occupied. Overall, it seems fair to suggest that it seeks to right wrongs... but it is not always clear that its definition of "wrong" is the same as that of non-phoenix beings.

Habitat

The Obsidian Phoenix primarily resides atop mountains near to active volcanic areas... making the chances that it will encounter Zuelis-Tyt rather high.

Appearance

Much as its name suggests, the Obsidian Phoenix appears as an, in this case exceptionally large, bird made of igneous glass. When not moving, it appears similar to a carved statue. When it moves, the polished surface of its glass-like body appears polished almost to the point of seeming liquid. The bird's size varies (see below) from roughly the size of a young dragon at 15' in height from foot to head.

The appearance of glowing flame-or-molten-rock spots on the body of the phoenix is reminiscent of the body of Zuelis-Tyt... however with the Phoenix the flames run slightly cooler (red rather than yellow fire).

Behavior

Much like it's pseudo-sibling Zuelis-Tyt, the Obsidian Phoenix has a personality that hovers between terrifying and endearing. When it feels playful - which generally amounts to when it's bored - it is something of a trickster, copying voices and chasing people through forests, or stealing their hats and other accessories. However, when it is enraged, the nature of the Great Beast becomes evident.

The Obsidian Phoenix considers itself an avenging force - a purging fire. Its primary targets are the people (or descendents of people) who have wronged or betrayed it any of its present or past lives. Its secondary targets are the cruel or oppressive. It has been known to make its rage known of its own volition, as with the slaver camp that originally drew it out. The Phoenix is not omniscent, however, and so it is also open to requests.

That is to say, if someone stands in a forest near volcanic activity and speaks their grievances into the wind, there is a chance that the Phoenix may hear it. And, if the Phoenix agrees that the one who called it has been wronged, there is a chance that the Phoenix may act. It would be a poor decision to try and take advantage of this by lying, as the Phoenix is adept at reading people's intentions. If it is suspicious, it will challenge the petitioner to a "game" of sorts, or an interrogation. If it judges that the petitioner is dishonest, it may act out in frustration, which is almost always fatal for the lying petitioner. On the other hand, it may simply leave. It's difficult to guess.

The Obsidian Phoenix does not have a known natural speaking voice, but it can copy the voices of others, and it is as intelligent as any human... so it can and does speak through mimicking the sounds it has heard. This can make speaking with the Phoenix a surreal experience as it constructs sentences and words from sounds and the voices of those who have crossed its path in the past.

There is an often overlooked quirk inherent to the Phoenix that has been known to get people into difficult situations with it, as well; specifically, the Phoenix is its own child, its own parent, it's own grandparent and grandchild. When the Phoenix dies, it simply rises again in a new, but similar, form with all the memories and knowledge of its previous form. This is notable because the Phoenix does not quite understand that not all species are like this - or indeed that it is likely the only one that is. This leads to problems when, for example, the Phoenix attempts to collect a debt from someone's descendent centuries after the death of the one who incurred the debt to begin with. Because, to the Phoenix, a person and their descendents are the same being with the same obligations.

When exhausted the Phoenix will enter torpor for months at a time to recover. Toward the end of its 500-750 year life cycle, it does this increasingly often, while a newly reborn Phoenix will rarely sleep at all.

Abilities

Body of the Phoenix

Glass Body: The glass body of the Phoenix may be fragile, but it is also... sharp. Its feathers are both imbued with its magic and razor sharp, allowing it to cut through nearly any material with ease. It can also detach and rebuild these feathers, allowing it to barrage enemies with the equivalent of a rain of high speed razorblades.

Avian Agility: The Phoenix has incredible agility and speed in flight, easily maneuvering and dodging if necessary.

Form Alteration: In order to shrink, the Obsidian Phoenix turns parts of its glasslike body to dust, leaving the smaller bird behind. It can pull the dust back into itself later to regain its stature. Alternately, it can visit an area with volcanic activity and absorb the igneous rock present.

Palingenesis: Appropriately enough, the Obsidian Phoenix is a bit of a glass cannon, having immensely powerful offensive attacks, and a relatively fragile body. This is less of a problem than it could be, however, because when the Phoenix dies, its body explodes into fire and glass, tearing apart and burning everything in its vicinity; it then rises from the chaos, reborn. In a desperate situation, the Phoenix can trigger self-destruction and rebirth at will, though it prefers not to do so as exploding is still pretty unpleasant.

 

The Avenger

Phoenix Fire: From a dull warmth to a fire that melts the flesh of those in close proximity to it, the Phoenix can produce or alter any flame. It can also control its movements, keeping it contained or expanding to ravage miles of land. This is a magical fire that can easily melt or burn even more heat resistant or "inflammable" objects or substances. Generally, it will burn out like any fire unless actively maintained by the Phoenix, but it cannot be put out through non-magical means.

Transportation By Fire: The body of the Phoenix disappears into flames and reappears where flames are. The combination of this and its fire production abilities makes it possible for the Obsidian Phoenix to travel at extreme speeds... with the consequence that it burns spots beneath it as it goes.

Cleansing Fire: A particular kind of fire that purges toxins/disease and cures most wounds. It is a painful process - feeling akin to receiving a second degree burn. However, it does not actually damage the flesh and, when flames die out, the person's illnesses or wounds have been healed.

Generational Memory: The ancient Phoenix can remember everything that has ever happened to it in any of its lifetimes.

Fury of Vengeance When on mission to avenge a wrong, the Phoenix becomes focused and precise - its attacks suddenly surging in power and becoming nearly impossible to dodge. This includes all previously described attacks.

Air manipulation: The Phoenix can create and manipulate the movement of air. On the most basic level, the beating of its wings can stir up massive gusts of wind, however it is also capable of moving air in other ways, creating windstorms, or contained near-vacuums.

 

The Trickster

Trickster Touch: Perhaps the greatest tool in the arsenal of the Phoenix's trickster side, this allows the Phoenix to imbue objects with its own chaotic energy, causing it to behave in unpredictable ways. This can even cause inanimate objects to move around for a short time - for example, a pair of shoes might get up and run away, leaving their barefoot owner scrambling after them.

Echo of Voices: The Obsidian Phoenix's voice is a remarkable instrument, capable of copying nearly any sound it hears. The Phoenix's own natural voice produces a song so beautiful that it has been known to mesmerize those who hear it, or drive them to tears.

 

Status Quo

The last sighting of the Phoenix was less than two decades ago, so it is fair to say the it may still be active. That said, many believe the current incarnation of the Phoenix is nearing the end of its lifecycle, and so it may have entered torpor.

Threat Assessment:

It can be easy to underestimate the Obsidian Phoenix's strength, particularly when it is in one of its smaller forms, but the Obsidian Phoenix is intelligent, resourceful and highly skilled in the precise use of its impressive range of abilities. With its sharp mind, control over fire and air - including the creation of nonquenchable fires and near-vacuum conditions - along with is palingenetic immortality and the destructive means by which it engages with its own life-death cycle...

The Obsidian Phoenix is a Vis level threat!