Namid
Backstory
Namid is part of the Aikamekw tribe who lives at the border of the narrowest point of the “Desert of the Sinking Sands”
The Aikamekw is deeply spiritual. They believe themselves to be ambassadors sent to Earth on a mission to conserve and protect the life in the dessert. Their homeland is among the stars, on a different plane. As such, they hold regular communes with the spirits by practicing ancient rituals, which often involve the use of sand and dessert exotics. Through these rituals, they seek to understand their missions on Earth better.
Namid is, however, an outsider at his very home. He’s the son of the chieftain, which would normally make him the second most revered person in the tribe if it weren’t for his shameful origin. His father, Mapiya – the Sky – had a secret relationship with an elven maiden, about whom little is known. Namid was the fruit of their passion and for some untold reasons, Mapiya silently keeps the half-elf by his side, taking full care of the boy while his mother’s whereabouts remains unknown.
But others in the tribe do not share Mapiya’s love for the boy. People respect Mapiya too much to disobey him. But whatever discontent they have, they pour it down on the boy’s head. Namida’s natural curiosity and a penchant for all things mechanical do not help. The Aikamekw are supposed to obey the spirits’ orders, not question them. Namida on the other hand tends to point out the ambiguity, vagueness and unpredictability laden within the spirts’ words. He also spends a lot of time wandering around, talking to outsiders, studying nature or just simply gazing at the sky. Thus the people name him Namida or Sky Dancer.
Chief Mapiya has a daughter, Antinanco, with his legitimate wife. Antinanco is an epitome of a Aikamekw keeper – the Aikamekw’s spiritual leaders who directly commune with the spirit and pass down their messages to the people. Quiet, hardworking, charming and obedient, she, not Namida, was chosen last summer to be the youngest keeper of the tribe. The people love her and expect her to succeed her father when he becomes old and sickly.
Although they are vastly different people, Namida and his half-sister Antinanco get along more than well. Namida can often be found showing his sister the newest discovery or just sharing with her some new berries he has gathered on the other side of the hill. Antinanco knows her duty but she also loves her brother and doesn’t let others’ opinions about him affect her.
