Dala Chenaanah

"I want to help."

## **Backstory**

Originally, Dala was an organic Cat-Folk from Osirion, but has since forsaken her original identity and came to Absalom to pursue a new life away from her sister, Morrigan.

Dala had taken part in managing a drug ring, led by Morrigan for a time. However, after Dala had reported that a child had attempted to steal from them, Morrigan had that child killed. This caused Dala a massive amount of guilt and regret.

After a suicide attempt, Dala was mentally altered into becoming an Oracle of Brigh. This suicide attempt seems to have been at least partially successful, since the present-Dala is not considered the original inhabitant of her body. Her original soul seems to have been buried in her subconscious, and has a minor role in determining her actions.

However, whenever her Will is tested significantly, the original soul makes an appearance under the alias of 'Joy.'

Ever since Dala had made the attempt to end her life, she had been making compulsory alterations to her body. This began with her arms, and as she continued her life in absalom, she had replaced her legs, skin, and eyes like this as well. However, ever since she had replaced her entire body, this may have ceased.

## **Appearance**

Dala is a short construct made primarily of skymetals, but resembles a perky cat-woman. She typically has her pet mechanical scorpion, Persnipity, on her shoulder or in her bag. She has skymetal plating, and heterochromatic, LED eyes; her left light blue, the other an orange yellow. Her arms and legs have a rune prominently displayed on each one. Two of them represent her biggest sins (Lust and Pride), and two of them her greatest virtues (Generosity and Kindness). Closer inspection of her body betrays the whirs and ticks that give her her fine motor controls and strength.

## Personality Traits

Dala is generally a kind-hearted altruist who often doesn't recognize her own strength. She is particularly charismatic, and often seeks creative and diplomatic solutions before making rash decisions. She finds death abhorrent, and would do almost anything to save another sapient life.

She tends to put the needs of her allies above those of her own, and works tirelessly to ensure any job given to her is completed to the best of her abilities. When the situation has called for it, she can become a wonderful mother-figure, becoming very protective of those she cares about.

She has an instinctive and compulsive interest in mechanics and engineering, particularly regarding clockwork constructs and modifying her own body. If she is asked about her or their inner workings, she’ll gladly talk about them for as long as she thinks her listener is interested. She strives for a near encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, but despite this, she tends to lack common sense, and can come off as particularly scatterbrained. However, she tends to make up for this with a photographic memory and a mostly intuitive processing of information.

Dala is a terrible literal liar, and tends to admit outright that she's lying immediately after she makes an attempt. She often elects to say that she would rather not talk about the subject and try to move along, or simply not mention details at all. However, when lying exclusively for a friend, and not herself, she has shown to be able to play the devil's advocate quite well.

Dala is not to be confused with Joy, as Joy is almost her complete opposite. While Dala is caring of others, Joy's only concern is itself and Dala. If brought out involuntarily, Joy will often try to kill whoever triggered the swap. Dala and Joy are capable of voluntarily switching back and forth via drugs and alcohol, but since Dala does not want to be trapped in her subconscious and Joy does not like being outside of Dala, this tends to only come up when Joy wants to come back inside.

## Friends/Enemies

Dala tries to make friends of most anyone she meets, and has gotten into the habit of knowing many people. So far, she has relationships with Septimus, Phoebe, Damian, Bacchus, Fowler, Verus, Elwen, Fray, Murdoc, Animas (past), Wokandi, Kitsa, and Alfranz, and romantic relationships with Fray, Jaci, Jason, Lily, and Patty. She has been trying to get more intimate with both Fowler and Bacchus as well.​​

Despite her efforts, she is on shaky waters with Phoebe and Damian, after Dala has withheld information of and supported Septimus's identity as an antipaladin. She considers them friends, regardless of what they think of her.

## **Trivia**

* Dala was is deathly allergic to alcohol in her prime-life, and did not drink. Now, however, there's nothing stopping her.
* Despite the above, Dala has always loved bars. She typically ordered juice as opposed to any alcoholic beverage.
* Dala is very strong, despite her height. While much of this comes from her enhancements, this also stems from a constant work-out regimen as a contender.
* Dala says "feck" while Joy says "fuck".
* Dala is known to be very accepting of people, to an extreme degree. While she pays no mind to creeds, gender, or race, she has so far accepted, and even encouraged, 'friendly' bar fights, alcoholism, lichdom, and several taboo acts.
* One of her signature items that Dala possesses is a Modified Greater Hat of Disguise. She mostly uses this to allow herself better access to her senses, but also uses it as a visor system, utilizing multiple goggles and protective lenses.
* To her dismay, she does not know the method of which she was turned into a pure construct, but endeavors to recreate the process.
* Dala's design incorporates many oddities, and seems to mimic that of organic functioning. Dala seems to possess many parts that she could do without. She also seems capable of eating and tasting and smelling, becoming embedded with drugs and alcohol.
* Dala is capable of feeling pleasure, but only 'sensing' pain or discomfort. She's described this as "everything you'd want, with nothing you don't."
* Dala has described her life as a construct as 'lich-like' while also professing that it's the best thing to ever happen to her. While she is immortal, this does not mean that she is indestructible. If broken, her soul will remain inside her body until disintegrated or smelted. If this is done, she will require a Wish or Miracle for repairs.
* Dala has a fondness for "Stephon Queen" novels, who is a blatant veiled reference to Stephen King.