Suri Yaktosh

"Suppose I am interested in helping you find this book; where would I begin to look?" ―Suri Yaktosh, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 7
Suri Yaktosh is one of the dual protagonists of Shrouded Piety, starring in her own book, Order of Yaktosh, before sharing the following books with Selina Osiris. In the previous, now defunct version of Shrouded Piety, Tale of Two Godcrafts, Suri was considered the sole protagonist of the series.
As of the 4th century CE, Suri is an immortal magical healer who walks among the Goths of Crimea. It is unknown to anyone exactly where Suri comes from, what purpose she serves in life, or even how old she truly is, but Suri has found purpose in helping her tribe all while worshipping Baphomet. With the spread of Christianity, Suri finds herself a 'half convert,' wishing to adopt the teachings of the Bible and take Christ as her savior while at the same time not forsaking Baphomet. This refusal to reject the old faith leads to Suri's exiling down a well by her own people, where she remains trapped for nearly a thousand years. Eventually, a group known as the Knights Templar rediscover Suri and bring her to Acre to be educated on being a proper French woman and servant of God. Suri, unbeknownst to the Templar, continues to worship Baphomet and seek out the mysteries of her past, as well as learn more about the mysterious Egyptian woman living in her necklace that she calls Brunna.
==Appearance==
Suri is a self-proclaimed Crimean Goth who is presumably hundreds of years old by the 4th century CE, and yet features a young and healthful body. Despite her youthful face, Suri has pale skin, gray hair, and supernatural pink eyes that have been known to radiate at times. It is not certain what race Suri truly is, but she considers herself to be European for the simple reason that her earliest memories of life come from Europe long before her tribe migrated to the Crimea. Suri seldom opens her eyes all the way, and has a tendency to socialize with her eyes trained on them from the side, rather than forward.
Suri's everyday appearance is constantly changing over time. During her Gothic days, she has a preference for wearing thick garb, almost always gifted to her by a gracious tribe. While residing with the Templar in the 13th century, Suri is granted black robes similar to what the knights wear, sans the cross, for she is not considered a Templar.
The most recurring part of Suri's appearance is her golden necklace, featuring a star being pierced by a spear. This necklace is a source for her powers, and also contains an unearthly world that she may enter and reside in any point. For these reasons, the necklace has been on Suri's person for as long as she can remember.
==Personality==
Suri is best described as a friendly sort with childish tendencies but otherwise charitable traits. She has a great desire to make friends, but struggles in maintaining many of them due to her jokester mannerisms pushing people away; she attracts most of her friends by utilizing her Godcraft powers in ways that impress.
Despite the friendly face Suri often wears, in reality she lives in constant conflict with herself, constantly questioning her Godcraft purpose while also struggling tremendously in feeling at home, especially following the Crimean Goth betrayal that saw her trapped in a well for hundreds of years. Furthermore, Suri, desperate to justify her own existence, constantly seeks out ways to make herself useful to whatever tribe or organization she is loyal to, but is often disappointed to find that her immortality and powers not utilized effectively to this end.
Outside of the Shrouded Piety canon, Suri is portrayed as strange and carefree, often emphasizing a love for boxes. Suri tends to relate best to her 'twin' sister, Tomako Angel, due to EngelReise and Shrouded Piety being released the same week, and mostly avoids the domineering ways of Chiya Flower, who more often targets Tomako.
==Key Relationships==
===Selina Osiris/'Brunna'===
"I can make out so little of her finer details—like her face—but even so, I can tell you for certainty that she is beautiful. Her skin is dark and her hair an unnatural blue, and whenever she lifts herself from the ground, you are towered by a height not so common. I believe we are equal, but I admit to being both infatuated and intimidated by her. I do not even know her name." ―Suri Yaktosh, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 6
Whenever Suri is in her necklace (the Hall of Godcrafts), she is usually greeted by the vague and mute likeness of a woman she calls 'Brunna,' who in actuality is the Egyptian Godcraft, SAt-Wsjr, who would later adopt the name 'Selina Osiris.' Selina has been seemingly trapped in the Hall of Godcrafts for as long as Suri can remember, leading her to the conclusion that Selina is her equal, but more importantly, trapped somewhere on Earth and therefore taking eternal refuge in the Hall of Godcrafts. 
Suri admits that due to the completely unknown nature of Selina, she has for long considered it possible that Selina is actually Baphomet; she has, however, long dismissed this as less likely than the theory that she is a fellow Godcraft who finds herself trapped. While the two can hardly see one another and have no way of verbally communicating, Suri has long confirmed that the two are aware of one another's existence, usually through hand gestures and failed attempts at sign language. Suri would reach the conclusion that Selina is a Godcraft far sooner than the latter, who would for many years change her theory of Suri, at one point believing Suri to be a righteous Egyptian god, to at another point suspecting her of being a demon, to other times thinking she is a friend. Suri's insistence on making mostly calm and friendly gestures over the years would help guide Selina to the eventual conclusion that Suri is a fellow Godcraft and friendly. 
For the longest time, Suri knew Selina as a sad person living in the Hall of Godcrafts as a prisoner of sort, unlike Suri, who freely lived in the world of the living amongst Crimean Goths. Not until much later in history would Suri find herself in a similar predicament, as she was thrown down a well and forgotten. Suri would find herself soon imprisoned in the Hall of Godcrafts just as Selina had, where the two would spend centuries together, still never learning anything much about the other. Despite Suri becoming trapped much later than Selina, she would also be freed much sooner as well, once more walking as a free woman about 550 years before Selina. 
Following Suri's return to the world of the living, a much more sympathetic woman would make it her mission to try and find Selina using what very little resources and information she had available to her. Despite so many people discouraging her from picking up this side quest, Suri would persist on keeping an eye open for whatever might be keeping Selina prisoner, hoping she may one day get to meet the woman outside the Hall of Godcrafts. 
===4th century CE===
====King Goltz-Plut====
"She is immortal to age, and resurrects from the claws of death. This makes her the most qualified to speak the history of our ancestors." ―King Goltz-Plut, Order of Yaktosh - Prologue
Although Goltz-Plut was King of the Crimean Goths, he—like many others before him—held a special admiration for Suri due to their long history together. As an immortal Godcraft and tribal healer, Suri was the one to deliver Goltz-Plut from the womb, and from there on cared for the baby heir his entire life, acting as something of a godmother to him. Eventually, it was destiny that Goltz-Plut would exceed Suri's physical age, and with this came a necessary change of treatment of Suri from godmother to treasured community member. Suri, while not as attached to Goltz-Plut, nevertheless maintained a special familial-like relationship with the man. 
By the start of the story, Goltz-Plut has positioned himself as Suri's superior, and even now lectures her regularly. Despite technically being far older than he, Suri assumes a more laid back, sassy personality toward him, but nevertheless respect. In addition to being the chronicler and healer of the Crimean Goths, Suri also acts as somewhat of an advisor to Goltz-Plut on matters both serious and minor.
A major point of tension between the two revolves around the mass conversion of Crimea. Whereas Goltz-Plut is a fully converted Christian and aspires to see the entire tribe converted as well (largely to avoid invasion by Christians), Suri insists on a religion that combines Christian with the old Baphometic theology. Consequentially, her resistance to a full conversion, mixed with her popularity among the tribe, led to many Crimean Goths following in her footsteps and becoming half-converts themselves.
With the eventual arrival of three Roman bishops to oversee the conversion of Crimea, Goltz-Plut is convinced very reluctantly to allow for Suri to be kidnapped and exiled down a well, so that Crimea may finally be free to embrace a full conversion. His agreement to sacrifice Suri is only done out of his concern for the wellbeing of the entire group, as he saw it better to lose one magic healer than risk invasion.
Suri going forward seldom speaks of Goltz-Plut, however, she does acknowledge that she was betrayed by her own people, and suspects that Goltz-Plut had authorized the dark deed.
====Father Modestus====
“Come with us back to Rome. Let us help you cross over into the light, and perhaps there under us, you will gain the knowledge you have always wanted—to heal the wounded souls of men and women.”
Suri gawked, “Me? Go to Rome?” ―Father Modestus and Suri Yaktosh, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 1
Although their time together is brief, the time between Modestus and Suri was very impactful. With three Christian bishops all trying to convert Suri to full conversion, it is Modestus who appealed to her most by simply trying to defeat her point of view in argument rather than turn to aggression or threats of damnation. Furthermore, Modestus earned some of Suri's respect by truly hearing her out on her desires, acknowledging that she wishes to learn how to heal one's hurt soul. He, unlike the others, believes that Suri indeed may be immortal and powerful as she claims, and believed that she should be taken back with them to Rome, where she could be more effectively examined. Modestus' much more approachable and diplomatic character won the most respect out of Suri, and hundreds of years later, his name would be vindicated of guilt when Suri discovered that it was his written plea that someone rescue Suri from the well that would eventually lead to her rescue. 
Despite being part of the trio that led to her original downfall, ironically, Father Modestus ended up being the only person from centuries past that Suri would go on to continue respecting.
====Father Sixtus====
“There is no middle ground. You are either with Lucifer or with God in this war that has no end. But know that in your current position, you are on the side of Lucifer, and then also know that so long as even a single one of us continues the fight against evil, we will win, Suri. We will win…” ―Father Sixtus, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 1
The brief relationship Suri had with Father Sixtus was very much the opposite of what she had with Modestus. From the moment they met, Suri held a grudge against Sixtus due to his past as a Roman soldier, and Sixtus held an even greater grudge over Suri's Baphometic beliefs. While Suri respected her order not to cause trouble with any of the bishops, it was against Sixtus that her harshest words and opinions came out. From the beginning, Sixtus turned to his Roman soldier roots of simply desiring to have Suri killed as a solution to the half-convert situation afflicting the tribe. It was Sixtus who would finally convince Father Pius to vote alongside him in having Suri exiled down a well, thus it was Sixtus who spearheaded the betrayal, following threats toward Goltz-Plut that would win his permission over. 
Centuries later, Suri has no recollection of Sixtus' name or many details about him, but she knows it was him who led directly to her exiling. 
===13th century CE===
====Renaud de Vichiers====
"We do not know each other, but we are very much related. We are related through our love for the Lord, Jesus Christ." ―Renaud de Vichiers, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 2
It was under the Grand Mastership of Renaud de Vichiers that the Knights Templar underwent a search and rescue mission for Suri Yaktosh centuries after she was exiled down the well in Crimea by her own people. He acted on an old record left behind by Father Modestus, explaining what had happened to Suri and pleading for the Catholic Church to undo Father Sixtus' rash decision. Although somewhat suspicious of the Templar, Suri held great respect for de Vichiers, treating him as her savior and thus rewarding his trust with her Godcraft servitude, including a greater effort in adopting Christianity.
As de Vichiers designated Sir Egbert as Suri's teacher, very little interaction would continue with Suri beyond progress reports in her education. Despite the lack of personal communication, de Vichiers would live out his final years constantly defending Suri's right to live under the Templar roof, risking the stability of the entire holy order completely due to faith in Suri's destiny. He did, however, eventually reveal to Suri that he wished to utilize her by making her the order's treasure hunter, believing that Biblical artifacts, if found, might aid the crusaders against Muslim forces through divine means. While Suri passionately came to despise this role de Vichiers' granted her, she would nevertheless continue to respect the man as her savior.
One of the biggest additional variables leading to Suri's admiration of de Vichiers came from his surprisingly high tolerance of her continuing resistance to abandoning her old Baphometic faith. While de Vichiers did view Suri's 'half-convert' predicament as evil and something that needed to change, he did not believe in forcing this change through threats of any kind, instead relying on Sir Egbert to complete the conversion. His refusal to take a harder stance on Suri's pagan side would help win her favor, while essentially sabotaging her reputation with his successor, Thomas Bérard, who thought otherwise.
====Sir Egbert====
"Okay, let's try to finish the sentence again," Egbert cleared his throat, "'The dog…'"
Suri spoke, "'The dog… ate the… wolf.'"
"No. Better though…"―Sir Egbert and Suri Yaktosh, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 5
Despite the savior status Suri has granted Renaud de Vichiers, no Templar commands the same respect and admiration from Suri than that of Sir Egbert. While Egbert had done little more than hold the rope while rescuing Suri from the well, it was the simple fact that Egbert knew the slightest bit of Gothic language that would lead to him becoming her teacher and therefore the closest person to her. As her teacher, Egbert was the one Templar who expected frequent error from Suri, as well as respecting that cultural differences would require tolerance that others in the Templar order did not have the same patience to give. Through teaching her as well as asking her questions, mixed with patience for her slow assimilation into French and Christian culture, Suri came to view Egbert in a kind of familial nature, trusting him with deeper concerns and more candid opinions.
Years later, as Suri more comfortably fit into the background of the Templar, spoke French, and served as the order's treasure hunter, her familial style viewing of Egbert would only advance into a teenage-like rebellious stage that had her respecting him while at the same time arguing with him, even going so far as to act against his wishes.
Even with Egbert's mentoring of Suri eventually fading, she still seeks his presence on certain missions, and almost always desires his opinion on a variety of matters serious to her.
====Thomas Bérard====
“I pray to God. I love him, I sacrifice to him, I preach him, I aspire to walk his path—both then and now. To Grand Master Bérard, it is all invalidated because of my belief that God granted me this gift through his subject, Baphomet.” ―Suri Yaktosh, Order of Yaktosh - Chapter 8
Bérard was merely second-in-command of the Templar Knights under Grand Master Renaud de Vichiers when Suri was rescued from the well. As he was not present during the rescue and not personally involved much with Suri's day-to-day life, Bérard played a constant role by de Vichiers' side as the Templar constantly fielded fierce debate over Suri's role in the order. Bérard never took a firm stance one way or the other on whether Suri should stay or leave, but he made clear enough his devotion to wishing to see the Templar order stay united and strong, therefore hinting that he would have preferred Suri's removal if it meant preserving a more united holy order.
The relationship of Bérard and Suri truly started off running the moment de Vichiers died and Bérard inherited the role of Grand Master. From the beginning, Bérard was at a disadvantage with Suri, as he had to fill the shoes of the man she viewed as her savior. On one hand, Bérard was welcoming enough to keeping Suri under the Templar, but still refused to admit her into the order itself as a full member. More controversially was Bérard's less tolerant treatment of Suri's Baphometic tendencies, asserting that if Suri made public showings of faith in Baphomet, that she must be severely punished. Worse yet came from Bérard's general distrust of Suri, fearful that she might be a vessel for Satan whether she knows it or not. While still officially keeping Suri as the Templar's treasure hunter, he subtly proceeded to downplay this role, not wanting to grant her access to sites considered holy out of fear that she would invite Satan into these places. This would become especially problematic as Suri around this time began to build a lead on a hunt for 'The Book', which she believes to contain her hidden history and purpose in life; Bérard, paranoid of her desire to search Christ's tomb for further clues, actively worked against her search. This sabotage would not go unnoticed by Suri, and as such would only further provoke their relationship, as well as initiate something of a contest over Sir Egbert's loyalty and faith.
==Concept Art + Inspiration==
==== Concept Art====
Suri's design concept was made July 8, 2014, and introduced the character as she would appear in Tale of Two Godcrafts.
As Tale of Two Godcrafts took place in the year 2099, rather than the 13th century, Suri had a contemporary look consisting of unkept blonde hair, a blue muscle tee, black and gold biker pants, and white tennis shoes.
A significant detail to note is that Suri was originally intended to carry a very robotic personality, essentially a slave to Father Vickers. Henceforth, her earliest artwork depicts her with a robotic stare.
====Inspiration====
*The Boss (Saints Row 2) - Suri's earliest inspiration comes from the protagonist and player of Saints Row 2, The Boss. Drawing from the ruthless and comical nature of The Boss, a character design was drafted in-game that would eventually make up Suri's Tale of Two Godcrafts outfit. Furthermore, The Boss' thoughtless killing and insane dealings would inspire Suri's own unpredictable and random nature. Ironically, despite being inspired by the violence of The Boss, the final version of Suri would instead take issue with random killing.
* France Gall - At a later time, the musical artist known as France Gall would play a powerful inspiration in Suri's character, especially her past self. France Gall's very energetic singing would directly inspire Suri's own hyperenergetic traits and even influence Suri's face and hair overtime. France Gall's influence over Suri carries over to the new Shrouded Piety the most.
==Trivia==
*Templar Cook vs. Healer - In Tale of Two Godcrafts, Suri was formerly affiliated with the Knights Templar as she is in Order of Yaktosh. The difference is that originally, Suri was said to be a Templar cook who had a nature of causing trouble. With Suri now having the ability to heal afflictions, her role is instead that of a Templar healer. In the case of both versions of the story, Suri does not actively fight in the crusades.
*Aversion to Rome - In Tale of Two Godcrafts, Suri had an exceptional dislike for Rome, which she viewed as a prison and wished to avoid whenever possible. This dislike for Rome returns in Order of Yaktosh, but this time due to paranoia caused by the Roman Empire, further made worse due to being betrayed by the Roman bishop, Father Sixtus.
*Silver Hair - Suri's hair color was changed from gold to silver with the Shrouded Piety reboot so that both she and Selina would share in common unique hair colors.