Woodstock [FINAL]

[Imagination]

Name: Mkali Bahari (Raging Seas in his native tongue)

 

Alias: Woodstock

 

Gender: Male

 

Age: Adult

 

Species: Zebra

 

Eye colour: Brown

 

Character colour: White w/ black stripes. Or is it black w/ white stripes...?

 

Mane/Tail/Other: He's an odd one. He wears his black mane in dreads, flowing over a red headband like vines. Several beads decorate these braids, adding a much needed amount of color to his face. His tail kept in order as well, though not to the same extent. It is bound in three places by more red cloth, keeping it in a tight bundle rather than a loose, swishing tail like others may enjoy. 

 

Physique: He is slim, a very agile zebra if ever there was one. He stands at about average height, not much to look at at first glance, though he's very quick on his hooves, and practiced legs make for quick reflexes. 

 

Residence: Resides on The Stormtalon

 

Occupation: First Mate of The Stormtalon

 

Cutie Mark: None, though has a black tribal tattoo on his flank in a vague shape of a flower.

 

Unique Traits: Before life on The Stormtalon, he was a very accomplished alchemist within his tribe, and often did his own experiments with natural remedies and poisons. Specifically non-lethal poisons, useful for putting rampaging animals to sleep and drag them out for the village. No harm to the animals, no harm to the village! He was also a moderately skilled hunter among a few of his friends, often going out and wrangling various animals for sport. They let them go afterwards, of course. 

 

Tribal: Woodstock carries tribal weaponry, unlike the rest of the crew, but it's nasty stuff nonetheless. He carries blow darts coated in his own brewed poison, made for putting others asleep very quickly. No fuss, more loot!

 

​Dig his claws into you: Woodstock is also very talented with tools such as grappling hooks and iron claws, able to latch onto things (living or otherwise) at great distances and not let go. At that point, he can either reel his catch in to him, or pull himself up to otherwise difficult to reach places for a non-winged species.

 

Blow that horn: As for non-combat related things, as a means of entertaining himself aside from his experiments and hunting, he had taken a great interest in the ocarina. He'll often play it when he has nothing better to do, or even as a means of calming himself if his blood ever starts to boil. 

 

Bloodless: He is not a particularly violent individual. Though he is very direct and bold, and while it is necessary at times, he doesn't enjoy causing pain to others. His peaceful demeanor, along with his love for music and stories earned him the nickname 'Woodstock' among his crew mates on The Stormtalon.

 
History:

Mkali Bahari was born an only child at a seaside tribe in Unyasi to a trader and tribal healer, his father and mother respectively. 

 

From an outside perspective, his childhood must have seemed remarkable. Frolicking in the plains with his friends, listening to tribal storytellers and shamans weave tales about spirits and monsters, teaching them not to make mistakes and dishonorable decisions all the while! They got to see zebra 'magic', the manipulation of chemicals and fire to create grand displays of multi-colored lights, and booms like thunder, providing much excitement and entertainment for the young ones. He loved music, colors, and tribal lore. He aspired to be a tribal shaman when he grew older, so that he could perform these miracles himself!

 

But, as he grew older, he learned there wasn't so much magic behind the miracles after all. He learned basic alchemy when he was old enough to take on a trade for the tribe and learned the ways of healing powders and other natural remedies to aches and pains. Along with this, he learned about chemical reactions, what certain things did when mixed with another ingredient, water, or even fire. While he didn't have a firm grasp on the discipline of chemistry in the formal sense, he quickly learned what combination of what plants and roots did what. 

 

His enthusiasm to unlock some mystical aspect of these remedies gained him recognition as a talented healer. Even if he wasn't an official shaman, he was often the one fixing up the little cuts and bruises that were brought to the shamans. If it was a grievous wound, however, the only thing they could do was call to the spirits for help as the zebra just waited in pain. Observing this one too many times bothered Mkali, and he started experimenting with things that could make them more comfortable. Painkillers, anesthetics, anything to make their pain less, and if it came to it, maybe make their crossing over more comfortable. These efforts didn't go without notice, however. Soon the tribe regarded him as the official healer, even though that duty belonged to the tribal shamans. The shamans themselves resented him, accusing him of leading their people down a dangerous path with his 'poisons'. 

 

Eventually, it enough was enough, and the shamans wanted him gone. They filled the tribe with sedition, blaming whatever death or extreme illness they could on the alchemist. Zebras got angry, irrational at being told that somepony they had come to trust was poisoning their loved ones all along! For their own gain!

 

Eventually he was banished from the tribe after a heated debate, where he tried desperately to defend himself and keep his honor intact. When he was unable to do so, he was forced out of the village, made to wander the plains an exile. He was only permitted a few personal belongings. 

 

Rather than wander, he used what little of the Equestrian language he knew at the time to link up with a trader he met in a neighboring village, which had a larger port and better relations with the ponyfolk across the pond. They agreed to take him with them, so long as he earned his keep on the ship. 

 

To the ponies, he had a surprising work ethic, and performed tasks he wasn't even asked to do. They thought he was just eager to repay their kindness, however it was all a distraction to Mkali. Work took his mind off his village. his family. His betrayal. He thought about going back and defending himself again, though knew that would be silly. He'd just get kicked out again, or worse. 

 

His labor continued for a few years, learning the language of the ponies and working his way into an official spot on the trader's crew. While it was a lowly cleaning position, he enjoyed it nonetheless. It gave him purpose and virtue, and he found he liked being on the seas. He didn't have much love for the rest of the crew, however. He just didn't click with them. He found a lot of their customs strange, and often just avoided them altogether, busying himself with work. Until she came. 

 

One day the trading ship was beset by pirates! He could only equate them to tribal raiding parties, looking to loot food and tribal treasures! The cowardly traders were easily subdued by the pirates, taking whatever they pleased. The leader of these pirates, who he later discovered was the batmare Rain Lily, approached him in a large, metal griffon suit. He was astounded by this display of new technology! A flying ship?! A giant metal bird that could move and speak on its own?! He was mostly ignorant of technology from Equestria, and had no idea there was a batmare piloting this suit from within. So, he had to ask what manner of demon the suit was. Instead of answering, she offered him a position on her ship. Being nothing if not intrigued, he accepted. Moreso because he finally found some wonder in his life once again, rather than a want to be a pirate. He had never seen an airship before, and the idea of soaring among the birds tugged at his heartstrings.

 

He came aboard, and moved from a deckhand on a trading ship to a deckhand on a pirate ship. Though the crew learned very quickly he wasn't some random scab they picked up. When a crew member got sick, it was often Mkali that stepped in. During raids, Mkali often resorted to blowdarts rather than direct confrontation. When work needed to be done, he did it without question, and often scolded other crew mates for their lack of work ethic. 

 

He did all this for that mysterious suit's pilot, not knowing what was within the metal bird on his earlier days of being with the Stormtalon crew.

 

It wasn't long before he caught the attention of his Captain more and more, and he rose to higher positions on the airship, eventually making his way all the way up to being Rain Lily's First Mate, and even finally learning what was behind that suit all along. Such trust did not go unnoticed to the zebra, and so he has just as much trust and confidence in his leader. He was able to direct the crew firmly and efficiently, convey orders in a clear, concise manner, and kept his cool under pressure. The crew also looked up to him for his 'mystical' abilities as well, namely his music, potions, and poisons. At long last, he had finally gotten the attention he always wanted, now being a 'shaman' among his new 'tribe'. 

 

 

Character Summary/Personality:

 

Woodstock is a fairly level-headed individual. So long as everypony does their job, and the Captain is happy, he is happy. While he doesn't have much of a temper, he can be quite firm at times. He understands that you don't have to scream and yell at somepony to get them to listen. Sometimes it's much more effective to look them in the eye, tell they what you expect, and telling them the consequences of failure. 

 

While not sadistic in his punishments, nopony can deny that he's creative. Of course, he only has as much authority as what Rain Lily gives him. 

 

As for the Captain herself, he admires her, for certain. With his experiences with her crew, working on her ship, and living the free life of an airship pirate, he has much to thank her for. She commands his loyalty and his effort, as he does his best to make sure her demands are met, wither it be for her crew or some poor sap getting robbed. He recognizes her superior intellect, and is grateful for the opportunity to be her right-hoof.

 

Thanks to his time on Equestrian ships, both sea and air alike, he has learned the Equestrian language as much as he can, though he still has a very thick dialect. At times it can be difficult to understand, though when he has to relay something important he makes sure to put the extra effort in dictating everything he says. On rare occasions when he does get upset, however, he'll sometimes revert back to his native tongue while in a rage.

 

When not directing the crew or performing some task for the ship, he spends his off-time making sure his alchemical creations are in top supply, making them himself from ingredients gathered whenever the ship lands. What isn't taken up with that is often taken up with him just lazing about on a random part of the ship and playing his ocarina. While it's mostly for his own benefit, sometimes his playing can draw a crowd. Not that it bothers him in the least, as he finds peace in spreading his music to others. 

 

He's a peaceful pony in general, though certainly not in his personality. He's plenty rough-and-tumble as needed for a pirate, though he'll often try to find non-violent solutions to confrontations. If it means talking, he'll talk. If it means putting the opponents all to sleep, he'll certainly try. Though if he can end raids and attacks without blood on his hooves, he's a happy zebra.

[SteelEagle]