Altered Lore

Arjun

7 min read

Arjun

Overview

Arjun, born 360 AC, is a Muna Exalt and Alterer who specializes in agriculture and cultivation, with expertise in hydroponic farming, permaculture, soil regeneration, and biomimicry. Through The Musubi ceremony, they bonded with Spike, a sentient cactus Chimera who serves as their Alter Ego. Arjun proposed the Rediscovery Endeavor to find a cure for the dying Spindle and volunteered to lead the expedition beyond Asgartha’s borders.

Background

Arjun comes from a farming family with extensive agricultural lands, including niece Flore, brother, grandfather, and various cousins, aunts, and uncles. They are an expert farmer who can identify soil quality by examining and smelling earth samples. Their daily work follows the rhythm of digging, planting, and harvesting. Arjun hums Muna nursery rhymes when planting seeds, following a ritual of preparing soil furrows to provide nutrients and protection.

For years, Arjun observed The Spindle withering away despite all efforts to save it. They traveled across the peninsula in search of a treatment, invited mushs to spread mycelium on The Spindle’s bark, and applied ointments, but the tree did not recover. The Spindle is a knot in The Skein, and the entire Mana web of the peninsula is connected to this tree.

Arjun met Spike while wandering under the canopy of trees—the small Chimera was trying to climb an apple tree. Arjun struck the trunk with a stick and an apple fell next to the sentient cactus. After that encounter, Spike followed Arjun and eventually began resting on their shoulders or in their hood. The two later bonded through The Musubi.

One evening during a fireside gathering, Arjun stood up to speak—to help The Spindle recover, there was no choice but to venture beyond the borders of Asgartha. Through The Skein, Arjun received the blessing of their peers. Many years separated Arjun’s proposal from the great departure, and Arjun went to the capital to help the Expeditionary Corps prepare, providing expertise in hydroponic farming, permaculture, soil regeneration, and biomimicry. Before leaving, Arjun took a few months to see their family again.

Timeline

379 AC - Summoning Mowgli

Arjun set down basket of offerings at old forest threshold and summoned Mowgli, the wild child Eidolon.

380 AC - Encounter with Parvati

While bathing in river, Parvati appeared and placed hand on Arjun’s cheek, projecting images showing essences joining.

382 AC - Encountering Multi-Headed Hydracaena

While climbing hill, Arjun encountered imposing dracaena creature with multiple heads approaching Arjun’s apple.

384 AC - Traveling with Kimo

Arjun helped Kimo, a traveling Cornucoopia merchant, whose carriage wheel got stuck in mud; Kimo suggested visiting Spindle Tree for official training.

388 AC - Summoning Daughter of Yggdrasil

Village faced food crisis, and Arjun summoned Daughter of Yggdrasil, a sentient tree Eidolon whose canopy produced flowers then fruits.

392 AC - Creating Hot Spring with Aloe Vera

Arjun tapped into Mana bits Spike gathered and materialized natural pool with sulfur-tinged water; Aloe Vera appeared and played with Spike in the water.

392 AC, October-December - Territorial Dispute with Lindiwe

Arjun wanted to transform scrubland into orchard where Expeditionary Corps could harvest fruit. According to Treaty of Aysun, area was site of Indus Tribe’s last camp. Lindiwe prevented Arjun from claiming the land to protect the sacred burial ground.

393 AC, January-March - Caring for Sick Spike

Repotter Otter repotted fevered Spike in greenhouse with clay, bark, and soil, removing wilted flowers so new buds could bloom.

393 AC, January-March - Rescue Mission with Yeti

Spike led Arjun on rescue mission where they discovered Yeti sheltering cold birds against chest in snow.

393 AC, January-April - Rescuing Rin and Nilam Discovery at Storvhit

During Storhvit expedition, Spike shed form to ride Tumult currents after summit became singularity. Arjun spotted Rin stumbling through blizzard toward a sérac edge and rescued her with Orchid’s help, providing shelter in a grown floral tent. After Rin’s recovery, Arjun led exploration through cerulean moraine, discovering massive crystallized roots—the fossilized remains of a dead world-tree similar to The Spindle. Following water course, they discovered the cyclopean trunk of The Nilam, surrounded by Mana Moths swarms circling its sapphire-glowing heart.

393 AC, January-April - Seed Sharing Discovery

Rin found seeds in Arjun’s pots when taking down floral tent, and shared them as Arjun had with Teija.

393 AC, June-August - Collecting Samples in The Undergrowth

Arjun collected plant samples in The Undergrowth for The Farm’s greenhouse and herbarium, gathering berries and species from thickets and flower beds with unfamiliar petals.

393 AC, June-August - Fair Fox Encounter

Fair Fox appeared to Arjun in The Undergrowth, presenting its Hoshi-No-Tama artifact—indicating Teija was nearby and needed help. Arjun accepted the artifact and followed the fox.

393 AC, June-August - Escorting Cuddly Corgi to Nilam Spires

Arjun escorted Cuddly Corgi—one of Arawn’s hounds sent by Teija from The Crow’s Eye—to Nilam Spires to request Yzmir aid, providing regular Mana infusions during the journey. Teija’s message warned something was “not right” down there.

393 AC, June-August - Exchange with Flore at The Farm

Arjun visited The Farm and met with Flore’s Eidolon in her vegetable patch, delivering bulbs and plants gathered from The Undergrowth. In exchange, Flore gave Arjun Sap-engorged strawberries wrapped in cloth.

393 AC, June-August - Cart Ride from The Farm

A gardener offered Arjun a ride in a cart laden with Sap-cultivated produce destined for The Mess and the morning market at the Ordis town hall square.

393 AC, June-September - Sap Discovery in City of Scholars

While at the City of Scholars excavation site with Spike beside them, Arjun conversed with Treyst about the substance being drilled. Arjun theorized that the substance was the Sap of the world-tree, which the ancient inhabitants had channeled and exploited until the tree died. Arjun noted a fresco on the wall depicting the world-tree connected to the city below and observed that the Sap’s finite supply meant a similar fate awaited any civilization overly dependent on it.

Abilities

Arjun uses Alteration to extend their perception through The Skein, sensing the energetic web and how different plants interact, including detecting when plants are under pressure from neighbors. They can identify soil quality by examining and smelling earth samples, and possess expertise in hydroponic farming, permaculture, soil regeneration, and biomimicry. Arjun can also channel Mana gathered by Spike to materialize natural formations.

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