Tianxia:Jakamas

(Pending rewrite.)

Jakamas is a skilled amber craftsman originating from 8th-century Lithuania, and has since inherited the control of the amber trade from his family. That same family has been the overseer of amber commerce since the Iron Age - at least, according to written history. When the Romans wrote about the Aestii and their hoards of gold and amber, they did mention some of the names of those whom they traded with, but such things have been lost to history.

His own studies delved into the properties of amber like no other before him, which led him to become a magician. Accordingly, Jakamas has since revoked the restraints of humanity via spells, but still possesses most, if not all, of his emotions and personality from when he was properly human. The reason that he did this instead of deciding to choose a heir for the next generation of his family is likely due to a certain pride Jakamas has lit in himself, filling him with a sense of purpose. In addition, his incorporation into the Order of Great Baltic Wizards and, eventually, an important role in the Romuva-Suomenusko Alliance further instilled his will to live on. However, with the collapse of Heaven, he was long separated from his brethren, and involuntarily gainsaid his position. He now wanders the world, visiting mercantile ports and traversing routes of trade, and is thus unemployed.

Personality
Taking into account the amount of work that he is required to accomplish on a daily basis, Jakamas rarely gets the chance to interact with people on a level higher than mundane trade affairs or exchange of paperwork. After all, the work that the combined roles of an economist, craftsman, and merchant is called upon to perform is not for those who lack work ethic. So, naturally, Jakamas may be seen as a shut-in who thinks of his work as far more important than extended periods of social interaction. Nevertheless, even with his often overwhelming amount of work, he can still make time for breaks and schedule in leisure to converse with people whom he may be conducting business with.

He is exceedingly meticulous in daily life, almost to a fault. Seeing things organized and working as they should makes Jakamas rather happy, especially if he was the one who worked on said things. His meticulousness does help him make schedules and factors into his ability to accomplish the complicated jobs he is given by his superiors. Conversely, he may silently judge those who carry themselves out in comparatively untidy ways, but is more than willing to counsel people on organizational skills. Being at the very top of the Alliance's economic hierarchy, Jakamas is seen by many as a guide to their own success. In fact, the emulation of his own work ethic down the line of command has been the driving force in the Alliance's great economic success in the face of changing times.

Jakamas may seem overly reverent at times, but this is garnered from a long line of traditionalism in his family. Amber was a material that provided a connection to the divine, so a life of adherence to tradition was a must for any member of his family. This reverence shows not only in his continuation of ancestral traditions, however - he seems to be exceedingly respectful of his business peers, as well. Even in modern times, he sees that a friendship with those whom he conducts business with is crucial to the future success of a treaty, deal, or simple barter.

This respect that he shows is not fully derived from his reverence, notwithstanding. He is more than aware of the existence of individuals who "cheat the system" in deals, and has certainly done so himself many times in the past to get ahead. Staying on the good side of anyone he meets is a tactic that he generally employs to promote the least likelihood of his equivalents having a reason to trick him.

With regards to craftsmanship, Jakamas absolutely adores art. He is a staunch advocate of phrases such as "For what would the world be, if we removed from it art?" Anyone who shares this same general mindset or even strives towards it is considered worthy of his time. Unfortunately, he often has a tendency to dive too deeply into such things, and feels the need to work on one of his own creations in amber. In these instances, it is often the people who he has mentored that help him get back on track.

Power/Combat
Jakamas is a wizard who is more than a milennium old, but he has generally avoided direct combat in the past. He has had far more time to hone his craftsmanship than his destructive capabilities. That is not to say that he is incapable of holding his own in combat, because he can certainly do so. A wizard is not simply an overwhelming force that shows their meritorious prowess in combat, but a scholar of magic who is learned and well-read. Jakamas focused on  reading about what his ancestors had to say about amber for several centuries, traveling far and wide to uncover texts and verses that would have been otherwise lost to history. Such was the extent of his reading that he has been dubbed the "Second Aspect of the World of Amber" by his magical peers.

Amidst his own studies, he eventually managed to learn the spells that would make him akin to a Hiisi - unaging and not needing food or drink to survive. This gave him the opportunity to further his academic pursuits like no other scholar of amber had done before, but he decided to focus on bettering his understanding of how the petrified sap could help others and how he could find new ways of putting it to use rather than studying how to lay low his foes. In this way, he does not possess the same destructive capability as the other Baltic Wizards, but is still skilled enough to do battle with such beings if need be.

Jakamas's amber magic has a number of complicated properties that are utilized in various ways. The most direct (and arguably most important) form of its usage, however, is its extraordinary healing properties. Naturally, the chemicals found in amber have anti-inflammatory, anti-toxic, and stimulative properties. which Jakamas is capable of magnifying to an enormous degree. He can prevent any sort of infection from occurring in his body if he had an open wound, as well as create large zones of exclusion for toxic and corrosive substances. This is but a small portion of the uses of amber, which is also found to have properties that can help gather animals or people into a certain area, calm the nerves, or to create spiritual wards.

If he were to be among a forest, shoreline, or body of water rich with petrified sap or any sap in general, he could manipulate that sap to a frightening degree. A variety of traps, prisons, magical projectiles, and other things could be conjured by him if he needed to do so. In general, he is also capable of most other forms of magic to some degree, in addition to being versed in fighting with the quarterstaff.