Mthandihle/"Myth"

"They will never see me. After all, I am just a Myth."

## History

Mthandihle was born in a small tribe of nomadic catfolk in one of the warmer, southern forests of Etera. She grew up as a hunter-gatherer, living as much in the trees of the forest as below them, as was the way of her people. But while she enjoyed exploring the forest, learning her people's dances and skills, and proving her worth in her tribe's rituals of adulthood, she also found herself more and more curious about the towns they occasionally visited to trade.

During one such visit, she left the tribe.

The town was just as exciting and different as she had imagined, and she just had to handle all of the strange new things she saw. Sure, some people called it stealing, but she meant to give the things back when she was done looking them over. If they'd quit chasing her and yelling at her she'd explain that, but as it was, she was getting to teach them how good she was at climbing and hiding. Eventually she found some people who understood her, who helped her learn how to get better at getting into places and taking the stuff they were unjustly hoarding to themselves. They were the ones who started calling her Myth, after she got tired of them mispronouncing her name for the twentieth time.

It was during one such excursion, looking for interesting things in the manor of an overly wealthy merchant, that her life changed again. An unusual little statuette in his home caught Myth's attention. It was shaped like a leopard, carved from some sort of green stone, but as she picked it up and looked it over, she noticed that instead of spots it seemed to be covered in a number of carefully carved little eyes.

She was still holding it when she heard shouting and had to bolt for the window she'd left open. As Myth climbed through the window the statuette slipped from her grasp, landing on the cobblestones below with a sharp crack... moments before she stepped on it. She bit back a yowl of pain as a sharp edge from the broken statuette cut into sole of her foot. A crawling sensation started working its way up her leg as she fled, reaching her head as she rounded a corner. She found herself thinking how useful it would be to have four feet... and suddenly she changed, body shifting to a quadrupedal stance. She took only a moment to bolt from the spot, figuring she'd have time \*after\* getting away to figure out what had just happened.

With four feet she fled faster than her pursuers could follow, leaving town for the forest beyond before her form changed back. But it was not unchanged--she found that her claws were sharper, her feet fully cat-like, and her fur thicker. Not wanting to lead pursuit back to her friends she decided it was time to leave town anyway, exploring her new shapeshifting abilities and changed body at the same time as she explored parallel to a road she'd heard would lead to another town.

In time she would find new friends and new opportunities, especially as her shapeshifting abilities now let her get places and do things she never could before. Only one thing troubles her now... on stormy nights or nights with a waxing crescent moon, she sometimes dreams of a leopard with eyes in place of spots, watching her from the shadows.

## Current Location

Myth is currently helping with placing Ghostwards in preparation to seal the Tower of Death.

## Appearance

Myth is a svelte, fit catfolk. She leans more towards the feline side of her race with digitigrade feet, a tail, and leopard-spotted fur. She dresses in loose-fitting clothing that easily hides her armor and array of daggers.

## Personality

Confident, fun-loving, curious, and friendly... except when she's on a job. The speed with which Myth can go from 'gregarious and chatty' to 'focused as a hunting wildcat' is a bit startling. She seems to have a compulsive need to touch things she finds interesting, which has a lot to do with how she ended up becoming a thief. She thinks "City-folk" ways are kind of silly, but also endlessly fascinating, and so can often be found people-watching when she has nothing she needs to do.

## Stories

Tower of Death Preparations

Lalotai Defense

The First Dream

The Second Dream

The Third Dream