Vykhlu the Erudite

Although considered moderately good looking by Promethaen standards, Vykhlu finds his own appearances quite lacking. His affinity for bright colors was entirely unheeded by his DNA, and he remains mostly an iridescent onyx despite his desire for a flashier palette. He does, however, have accents in a silvery-blue tone that he finds quite appealing.

Vykhlu's eyes appear like brilliant orbs of liquid mercury. They are one of the few aspects of his physique that he finds appealing.

As for body shape, Vykhlu is long and slender, like most of his bloodline. He has a crown of ebony horns and a fin that traces down his back and onto his tail. 

However, unlike his relatives, Vykhlu has none of the graceful certainty so evident in his father, Tzintl the Silverblooded, or his sister. No, he doesn't even have the elegant poise of his mother. In fact, his manner is rather... hesitant. Although when he actually is pressed into action, he matches the characteristic beauty of his race, until that point Vykhlu demonstrates an almost uncertain carriage.

To most, Vykhlu appears entirely different from what he actually is. To the majority of Promethaen, he's a proper, professional scientist with a quick mind and neat mannerisms. To those that know him (read: Tsui), he's a slightly neurotic, socially awkward recluse.

One thing that is certain about Vykhlu is his unerringly polite diction. He speaks with a calm, even manner, and uses pleasantries and formalities frequently. Although many suppose that this is due to a desire to remain professional, it has the actual effect of keeping Vyk quite distant from anyone he meets, leaving him socially, if not physically, removed from people.

This is augmented by the fact that Vykhlu's appearance is nearly always perfect. He cannot stand to appear messy, and every single molecule of him shouts in protest against his personal effects being disorganized. Tsui is frequently called upon to comfort him when he notices paintings hung slightly off-kilter. And one mustn't touch his research notes. Impeccably organized in neat, flowing script, he will kill to keep them perfect. Any lack of organization among his things must be corrected, or else he becomes hopelessly fretful.

Vyk keeps his mind distant and calm. Like a still lake, his mind is efficient and serene, enabling him to view things from an unbiased and logical standpoint, providing the necessary objectivity for his xenobiological research. He detests large bouts of emotion, and thus keeps himself as calm as possible at all times.

However, this does not mean that Vyk is immune to feelings, especially feelings of ineptitude. He is terrified of the disapproval of beings whom he respects. Should one manage to gain his approval and trust, he will try his hardest to receive one's approval right back. This sort of neediness for praise and support can leave Vykhlu flustered very easily, especially if he doesn't get the favor that he wants.

Another interesting aspect of Vykhlu's personality is the fact that he rarely wants to fight. Unlike many other Promethaen, he sees his trip to Earth as another day in the field, and thus would prefer a live specimen of a behemoth over a dead one. In this and in other regards, he will often wait to fight. However, once in a fight, his deep understanding of magic proves invaluable, as his creativity enables him to improvise easily.

Born beside the white-hot embers of a dying star, Vykhlu was cautious from the moment he stepped into the universe. His parents, Pallatia the Erudite and Tzintl the Silverblooded, treasured his extraordinary intellect and demanded that he hone it.

Despite his best attempts, however, Vykhlu was constantly outshone by his elder sister, Kvrai the Silverblooded. The Eye of the Infinite, she seemed to succeed where he failed--whether that was in combat, magic, or position. She was also only about two hundred years older than him, and thus it appeared as if he had no excuse for his apparent lack of talent.

Thus, Vykhlu worked quietly with his OAI Tsui to hone his skills. He developed a deep theoretical understanding of magic that allowed him to apply it in creative and innovative manners to study and document subjects in his chosen area of expertise: xenobiology, or the study of extraterrestrial life forms.

His mother was startled to discover upon her visit to him one day that he'd managed to capture and dissect one of the most dangerous monsters known to the Promethaen, a Hektus, from a distant and obscure world. Bound by chains of quickshadow (a substance of his own invention, combining the properties of mercury with his own control over shadows to form a liquid that could solidify on his command), the beast "happened" to be splayed out, still-living, cut open, helpless, in the middle of his dining room. In reality, it was a very carefully placed pleasant surprise for Pallatia, who immediately took a newfound curiosity in what her son had been up to.

It took him a very short amount of time to write an impressive dissertation on the beast's anatomy that manged to reach the ears of the Infinite without any interference from his family. He was soon appointed as the Head of Xenobiology--a position that the reclusive Vykhlu took with little pleasure. After all, it would mean that he would be forced to prepare speeches and reports for the Infinite. For someone who got jittery talking to his parents, this was not exactly a prime job. However, he accepted regardless, understanding that his parents would have it no other way.

Currently, he has taken an interest on the humans and the Infinite's experiment there. As such, he's descended to the planet and established himself an alibi.