Ninazu

Origin:

Born from the union of two Anunnaki, Ninazu is himself a god. Though tainted by the otherworldly place of his birth as well as the curious natures of his parents, Ninazu is blessed with numerous divine capabilities that have forever marked him as the King of Snakes.

Known Powers:

Immortality: part of the Anunnaki extended family, Ninazu is a divine entity. He can be reduced to zero Health and Endurance, but will eventually return to plague his foes no matter how terribly they harm him. His heritage also grants Ninazu these related, divine powers:

* Awe: like all of the Anunnaki, Ninazu possesses a powerful melam, or immortal life force. He can expose its awe-inspiring aura at will, which overwhelms mortal beings within Very Near distance who fail a Psyche (will) FEAT against Incredible (40) rank.

* Boon: Ninazu readily grants requests for power. He may do this with Incredible (40) ability, bolstering magical spells related to serpents in some fashion, or directly fueling Detoxificaiton, Healing / Others, Ophidia, and Poison entreaty spells.

Animal Control / Reptiles: the King of Snakes, Ninazu may command them, and similar creatures, as he sees fit. He possesses this power at Monstrous (75) rank, and is only rivaled in the intensity of his kinship with reptiles by his eldest son, Gishzida.

Animal Hybridization / Snakes: while he mostly appears like unto a conventional, humanoid member of the Anunnaki, Ninazu can adopt the form of a serpent, whether partially or in full. This Amazing (50) ranked power allows him a host of additional, serpentine abilities.

Animal Sympathy / Reptiles: having inherited various bestial traits from his father, Ninazu bears a strong affinity for serpents. As such, he may communicate with reptiles of all sorts, including his precious mushkhusshu, with Amazing (50) ability.

Detoxification: associated with serpents, Ninazu is often implored to spare others the ill effects of snake venom. He can in fact provide such relief with Amazing (50) ability, removing poisons and contaminants of all types from the bodies of others.

Healing / Others: though his very name is associated with healing, Ninazu himself isn't all that much of a medicine man. Nonetheless, Ninazu possesses this ability to some extent, being capable of healing others with modest, Excellent (20) skill.

Poison: no matter the current composition of his physiology, Ninazu may poison others at will! He can spray venom from his mouth, striking anyone he wishes within his current area. Ninazu's poison acts on contact, and is of Amazing (50) potency.

Limitations / Enhancements:

(none)

Equipment:

Mushkhusshu: the creator and breeder of these magical creatures, Ninazu is always accompanied by at least one mushkhusshu, and occasionally more. Chimeras of a sort, they seem a cross between several different mundane animals, and are described in their own entry.

Quirks:

Abnormal Attribute: even when he isn't utilizing his animal hybridization, there's something... serpentine about Ninazu's features. He lacks an odd hue, inherent scales, or even fangs, but his looks and body language seems snake-like in aspect.

Talents:

Agriculture: as is his uncle, Enbilulu, Ninazu is often considered a god of agriculture, and one of his titles is 'the lord who stretches the measuring line over the fields.' His Reason in matters concerning agriculture should be considered +1 CS in rank.

Performer: though primarily known for his proclivity to spend his days with his serpentine 'children', Ninazu is also a lover of music, whether merely listening to it or performing. When engaging in the latter, he gains ten Karma for a week worth of entertainment.

Contacts:

One of the Anunnaki, Ninazu can readily lean upon the rest of his pantheon for assistance should he but ask. He is the creator and breeder of the mushkhusshu, after all, serpentine creatures that the leaders of the Anunnaki often utilize as a symbol of authority.

Furthermore, he is a member of Ereshkigal's court in Irkalla, one of the strongholds of his pantheon, and is thus rather highly regarded. The underworld deities in particular will often leap to assist Ninazu if asked to, to improve their own station.

Costume:

As do most of the Anunnaki, Ninazu wears a horned cap to denote his role, along with a roomy tunic and various decorative jewels. He occasionally wears a tiered skirt as well, at least when he isn't taking a half-human, half-serpent form that doesn't require lower body clothing.

Personality:

Ninazu is possessed of a dual nature, as gods with heavily contrasting cults often are. He is often peaceful and shares both his music and knowledge with others. However, his mood can turn on a time, and Ninazu will throw vicious tantrums at those same individuals moments later.

Real Name: Ninazu
Occupation: god of serpents, agriculture, healing
Legal Status: the citizen of no mortal land, Ninazu can be considered one of the people of extraplanar Irkalla.
Marital Status: married
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: the Anunnaki

Height: 6' 2"
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Weight: 170 lbs.
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: wiry for his height, Ninazu's appearance has a serpentine aspect, even when completely human in form.

Story:

Conceived in the underworld of Irkalla, Ninazu shares the traits of both his parents, Ereshkigal and Gugalanna. Born atop the Serpent's Mount, Ninazu took after his father by possessing an animal aspect, but the location of his birth twisted this to a serpentine affinity.

Growing up to become the King of Snakes, Ninazu frequently takes their form, whether in full or in part, though he often occupies an in-between state. A related ability, Ninazu is also a master poisoner, an ability he is often called upon to wield for his fellow Anunnaki.

Quickly overshadowing his little brother, Ninmada, Ninazu was venerated in several cities throughout Mesopotamia. Particularly popular in Ur, Ninazu was the subject of a special festival that the people of Ur held during the sixth month of the year, as they measured time.

Mastering the untapped power of the Serpent's Mount, Ninazu bred a powerful line of dragons: the mushkhusshu. These majestic creatures have horns, a lion's forelegs, and an eagle's hindlegs, and have come to symbolize leadership of the Anunnaki, much like the Tablet of Destiny.

Though he has the dark passions of his mother, Ninazu is primarily a benevolent deity, and cheerfully shares his knowledge of agriculture, music, and medicine with others. It was perhaps this mostly-good nature that attracted Ninsutu, daughter of Enki, to Ninazu.

Soon after the two wed, they conceived Gishzida, who quickly assumed stewardship over his father's mushkhusshu. As the number of children Ninazu and Ninsutu had grew, Ninazu was left with more and more time to serve in the court of his mother, the Queen of the Underworld.

Legal Hoopajoob:

I offer this Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine work under the Creative Commons Attribution license. You may use this material as you see fit in your own, derivative texts or products, whether copying, distributing, or displaying it, as long as you credit me within said works.

If you would like more information about me for attribution, you can contact me via e mail (DashApostrophe@gmail.com).

Extra Goodies:

Questions or comments? Contact the author at your convenience!