Zoroka Merida Chandaki

"It takes a special kind of idiot to want to challenge an army. All the more reason we should try it." ~Zoroka Merida Chandaki~

Zoroka Merida Chandaki is a mysterious Kumenza warrior who was first seen in the Titans' Playground in northern Tsominku. She is infamous for her rugged stance, her hyperaggressive fighting style, and a massive chain she wields attached to her right arm that serves as her primary weapon. She has established a reputation as a freewheeling maverick who lives very much in the present with little mind for the past or concern for the future. She, along with her two confidantes, are is part of a group colloquially referred to as "The Mavericks".

Early Life
No records exist on Tsominku about Zoroka's early life, but according to her claims, she is 533 years old at the time of The Crown of Zivia. It is strongly believed that she was a test subject of some kind, and her stories claim that it was other dark elves that did it to her. However, any evidence of such dark elves existing among the Kumenza or in Shahar-Eka has yet to show up, implying either that the woman's memory is more shattered than she thinks, or that she is from a different continent altogether.

Considering that few if any people seem to know what lies beyond the great seas, the aforementioned theory holds water, although there is no evidence to prove it as of yet. However, given the wild nature of the Titans' Playground, as well as the legends surrounding Pikas-Jorgomna and how its geographic position is not a singular location, it is very possible that she is from a foreign land altogether.

It is clear, however, that she suffered a sort of mental shutdown similar to that of Zukuren princess Leto Camilla Irizari except on a much more extreme scale. While Leto became a powerful and volatile elementalist, Zoroka's mutations included an increased density and raw physical strength, coupled with powerful magic and a chain of near-unbreakable material. Also, unlike Leto, Zoroka suffers from powerful and often dangerous memory lapses. These are believed to be the cause as to why Zoroka says little about her past--it is popularly believed that she does not know enough of her past to share her own origins.

Post-Mutations
Post-Mutant Zoroka was a wild and feral creature that almost appeared to be without thought. She was responsible for many dangerous legends of monsters in the Sayenzi forests, and part of the reason said forests became popularly nicknamed the Titans' Playground. Many of her appearances were attributed to the Vartiz Pantheon, better known as the Titans, and so the name, originally a colloquialism, became more prominent.

The turning point that helped Zoroka transition from a wild and feral monster into a somewhat civilized Serenza creature is unclear, but something changed in her only recently to the point where she stopped her feral rampages and ceased terrorizing the Titans' Playground, integrating somewhat into many Mencuan societies, particularly Tazuké, Krippa, and Shahar-Eka.

Present Day
Zoroka's appearance and reputation is the one that is well-known across Krippa and Tsominku. She appears as little more than a wild wanderer who actively seeks out danger and draws herself towards it. As such, she meets many powerful and consequential individuals, although the stories are all the same. She fights with the ferocity of an enraged she-devil, befriends those fortunate enough to be on her side, and then moves on to find stronger adversaries. She lives the life of a nomad, often disappearing for months or even years at a time. It is unclear how she gets around, but she always seems to find a way. Most people believe it is some of her magic, while others think she knows of ancient Jalenga fast-travel technology hidden across the continent that may or may not be connected to Pikas-Jorgomna. She is often seen with a Zukuren named Kada Zaltana, and a Todawa named Aveline Zjora.

Appearance
Zoroka's grey skin lends her the notion that she is a Kumenza, but her black hair is unnatural amongst a people whose hair is almost exclusively silver. Her silver eyes are a similar story, since most Kumenza have red irises and orange scleras. Most people simply chalk these traits up to one (or more) of her mutations, however, and so little issue is brought about because of them.

Physical Appearance
Zoroka would stand very tall, particularly for a woman, if she ever stood up straight. Her awful posture knocks her 6'2" frame down to appearing about 5'5" or 5'6", leading some to joke that she's a Todawa that shrunk to the size of a Madizi. Her dense frame, however, is much for suited for a woman of her real height. at 281 lbs, Zoroka is a very heavy individual, although this comes from powerful muscle mass and an abnormally high bone and muscle density, also attributed to her mutations. Her arms are larger than the legs of some people, particularly lithe races such as Zukuren or Mizulen, and a popular joke among her friends is that she can crush boulders between her thighs. Considering that it has been documented that her fists can crack rocks, these claims are likely true. Surprisingly, Zoroka is devoid of scars, although this is attributed to an extremely and abnormally high regeneration rate rather than never suffering severe wounds.

Clothing
Zoroka's attire is simple, consisting of loose baggy pants in a shade of dirty blue that descend just past her knees, and a grey sleeveless top that keeps her muscular arms exposed. She goes barefooted like many Kumenza, although her hatred of shoes is more in line with the Serenghe than anything. Apart from these two simple articles, she wears little else apart from shackles on her ankles and left arm, as well as a larger shackle with a lengthy chain connected to it, around her right arm. This unorthodox outfit has earned a reputation, and she is recognizable almost anywhere when she wears it, particularly because of the chain.

Personality
For the most part Zoroka is a very mellow and subdued individual with a very sharp, dry, and witty sense of humour that she often injects into a situation, adding further to the comic effect by saying things with a straight face. She is mentally unstable, however, and so when provoked to the point of anger, she turns extremely violent and almost feral as if reverting to a more primal state. Fortunately, she is usually accompanied by her friends Kada and Aveline, both of whom seem to have very level heads on their shoulders, and both able to keep her in check: Kada with his cunning and Aveline with her strength.

Zoroka speaks little of where she came from, claiming that "it would just make things more confusing". This leads people to believe that she is neither from Tsominku or Munjang-Îue, since she and both her comrades all have three-word names that fit right in with Mencu's general naming conventions.