Altered Lore

Waru Toowoom

11 min read

Waru Toowoom

Overview

Waru Toowoom is an Ordis Exalt, politician, and historian who publicly serves as chief opponent to Basileus Avkan ruun-Heshkari, while secretly collaborating with him to ensure the success of the Rediscovery Endeavor. He is bonded with Mack, an ermine Chimera named after Machiavelli, through The Musubi ceremony.

Background

Waru and Avkan ruun-Heshkari met at university where they became close friends and intellectual rivals. Despite diametrically opposed views, they gathered evenings at a tavern in the Ruzzante to debate. Waru had a passion for history while Avkan had an interest in tales of great explorers. Mack was a gift from Waru’s father when he enrolled in his political curriculum.

When certain indicators hinted at future troubles—growing population, limited resources, declining mines—Avkan was convinced solutions required looking beyond the Peninsula’s borders, while Waru believed solutions existed in Asgartha. One evening, Avkan likened Asgartha to a colony of mice that would collapse upon itself; Waru left the tavern. When they graduated, a chasm had opened between them.

In truth, they made a secret pact: they would pretend to be opposed in every way, with Waru appearing as Avkan’s chief detractor. By positioning himself correctly, Waru would appear as a weighty ally for Avkan’s opponents while weaving his conspiratorial web among the shadows. Together, they would lead Asgartha toward its destiny beyond the Peninsula’s borders.

Partly thanks to Mack, Waru built a network of spies and informants. Once linked through The Musubi, Mack could share what he saw and heard. Despite their machinations, Avkan was elected Basileus given his growing popularity. In the end, they could only delay the inevitable, securing certain concessions including Waru’s appointment as Exalt.

Timeline

363 AC - Submitting Launch Plan to Monolith Legate

Waru submitted Rediscovery Endeavor launch plan through official channels while Legate annotated document highlighting funding issues and budget cuts.

364 AC - Taunting Robin Hood

Waru met Robin Hood at breivikensveg tavern, taunting him about past as outlaw while Mack watched and noticed spy on Avkan’s payroll.

365 AC - Issitoq’s Judgment

Issitoq judged Waru with immediate removal and three-year expulsion, a sacrifice that gave Avkan freedom to launch the Rediscovery Endeavor.

367 AC - Monolith Archivist and Restricted Grimoire

Waru visited Sanctum restricted area while Mack secretly searched shelves, finding heavy grimoire that Waru later deciphered for Avkan.

367 AC - Thoth Translates City of Scholars Reference

Thoth translated Tumult Nomad memoir fragments, revealing “City of Scholars, where source of The Tumult is engraved.”

368 AC - Council Ratifies Rediscovery Endeavor

Waru theatrically protested while Tetrarchy ratified Rediscovery Endeavor edict, maintaining masquerade with Avkan exchanging discreet nod.

386 AC - Teamwork Training at Monolith

Three Exalt duos (Waru/Mack, Sigismar/Wingspan, Gulrang/Tocsin) were chosen by four Ordis branch representatives: Kakoba, Frog Prince, Cestimir, Nassefa.

386 AC - Frog Prince Confirms Exalt Status

Frog Prince examined Basileus’s seal and signed notarial confirmation that Mack and Waru were Exalt.

392 AC - Exploring Caer Oorun Ruins

Waru examined ruins covered in moss/lichen/ivy at Caer Oorun, reconstructing building with ghost-images while Mack expressed boredom.

392 AC - Political Opposition Activities

Waru forced The Ouroboros to stay put, blocked Kadigir Mages’ authority, denied Treyst budget, confiscated esoteric works from Lindiwe, Afanas, and Fen.

392 AC - Casino Intelligence Gathering

Waru gave Mack coin purse to gamble while gathering gossip, watching General Vong, and observing Subhash Kadis.

392 AC - The White Lie Revelation

Waru met secretly with Avkan ruun-Heshkari aboard The Ouroboros, revealing what he believed was his scheme: forged evidence creating the Source of The Tumult as fabrication. Avkan countered that he too served a higher power, and Waru was merely a pawn in a larger game.

392 AC, October 23rd - Cebir Espionage Planning

Waru wrote correspondence from Elikadura Fjords Region noting Cebir had become center of tensions between Bravos and Yzmir. Following Wanjiru’s intervention, Yzmir locked down site citing quarantine.

392 AC, November 3rd - Calida Expedition Leadership

Waru established expedition at Calida hot springs in Strand Region with forty explorers led by Historians’ Guild scholars and Axiom prospectors.

392 AC, November 18th - Irundu Archaeological Assessment

Waru examined pre-Confluence city ruins in Irundu with paved courtyard and pointed arch colonnades, though Ordis dignitaries focused on Mesektet recovery.

392 AC, December 11th - Mesektet Crash Site Journey

Waru traveled with Ordis dignitaries to join Axiom forces at Mesektet valley crash site, confirming Aerolith core severely damaged.

393 AC, January 8th - Marsa Exalt Gathering

Waru settled in Marsa ruins in Tilted Steppes where all Exalts were summoned to plan exploration of luminescent mountain westward.

393 AC, January 14th - Jayu Phenomena Reports

Waru received disturbing reports regarding strange phenomena at Jayu Desert including rings of light and beams turning objects into red salt.

393 AC, January-April - Storvhit Expedition Financial Crisis

Waru managed Rediscovery Endeavor finances during the costly Storhvit expedition, nearly reaching bankruptcy after Sigismar Synd used family connections to tighten Isura’s purse strings—Sigismar believed he was countering Waru’s opposition to the RDE, unaware of Waru’s secret collaboration with Avkan.

393 AC, May 28 - Statement at The Screed

At The Screed outpost, Waru spoke to Arkaster Echo correspondent Vera Valesquia, emphasizing that study of the City of Scholars remnants would offer valuable lessons for all Asgarthan people.

393 AC, January-April - Mental Fog at Storvhit

At Storhvit, Waru experienced a constant sensation of forgetting something important after his conversation with Avkan ruun-Heshkari. He read old Arkaster Echo newspaper noting election predictions, Ozma’s manifestation struggles, Phoenix Egg theft at Haven, and Gericht vaan-Brasht’s Colosseum defeat.

393 AC, June-September - Relic Delivery to Leocardius

Waru delivered an octahedron-shaped metal box from a City of Scholars dig site to Leocardius Sree, who opened it by pressing geometric shapes to reveal a Sap figurine of a dragon, with both noting the container’s design was more significant than its contents.

393 AC, June-September - Health Inspection of The Mess

Waru ordered Mahmoud to conduct a health inspection of The Mess, observing through The Gestalt as the inspector documented unsatisfactory infrastructure and cleanliness issues while Hestia attempted to offer meringue pie.

393 AC, June-September - Sap Quarantine Decree

Waru signed a quarantine request to close The Mess and issued a warning to The Farm to stop using Sap for crops, citing insufficient evidence of the substance’s safety and the need to investigate what triggered the City of Scholars’ decline.

393 AC, January-March - Fleeing Belisenki with Dong Da Shen

Waru fled Belisenki pursuit through snow at Storhvit, then used Heka to summon Dong Da Shen on gigantic paper scroll with azure-flaming ideograms, causing Belisenki to disperse.

393 AC, January-March - Nightwarden Consultation

Waru visited Ordis Nightwarden’s tent at Storhvit to discuss rumors about previously unknown Eidolons appearing.

393 AC, January-March - Supply Crisis with Ebenezer Scrooge

Waru discovered empty supply crate at Storhvit camp, then drew Glyphs in snow and summoned Ebenezer Scrooge to ration remaining supplies.

393 AC, January-April - Valemon Ice Rescue

Waru explored glacier cave at Storhvit, heard calls for help behind thick ice barrier, and summoned Valemon the Bear King to break through.

393 AC, January-April - Hypothermia Rescue

Waru discovered Yzmir warlock and explorer trapped behind ice wall at Storhvit with acute hypothermia, then traced explosion Glyph on ice for rescue.

393 AC, June-September - Discovery of Rune’s Scroll in City of Scholars

Waru led a Bravos cohort including Phoenixian Guard into the City of Scholars depths, escorted by Sitina. Using Heka, he created a cube inscribed with Glyphs including the Rhombus of The Gestalt to seek references to the Source of The Tumult. The cube joined the Tesseracts’ network before being destroyed. The data revealed a phoenix shrine where Waru discovered a scroll left by Rune, confirming the Source of the Tumult was a fabrication. Sitina revealed the Phoenixian Guard were keepers of Rune’s Testament—the true purpose was to sail westward and rekindle the Phoenix. The Phoenix Egg stolen from Haven was aboard The Wayfarer. Waru accepted this mission, agreeing to substitute one truth for another.

393 AC - Monitoring Kojo and Phoenixian Guard Research

Waru monitored Asgartha through reports while Kojo Oduro shared knowledge of the scroll’s contents, and continued researching the Phoenixian Guard to determine whether their role extended beyond custodianship of Rune’s prophecy.

393 AC - Awaiting Election Results

Waru awaited Arkaster Echo election results via incoming paper heralds spotted by The Raptors, recalling that Bai Shan-shu’s exploits had been part of his childhood and that seeing Zephyr fly with Zhen had revived memories of the first generation of Exalts.

393 AC - Rati Diagnosis

Rati doctors diagnosed Waru with the same illness affecting City of Scholars labyrinth explorers, though his symptoms had begun before arriving at the City. Waru adopted routine mental exercises in response.

393 AC, June-September - Physical Reaction to Rune’s Scroll

Upon reading Rune’s scroll, Waru experienced an intense physical reaction including migraine and dropped the document.

Abilities

Waru is skilled in Heka Alteration, using Glyphs to summon Eidolons, reconstruct ruins with ghost-images, and create constructs. Through The Musubi, Mack serves as his intelligence-gathering extension, sharing what the ermine sees and hears across Waru’s spy network.

Relationships

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