Difference between revisions of "Vathi"

|booksfirst appeared=[[Sixth of the Dusk]]

She has an Eelakin accent, but with a polish that indicates that she is educated, and she mentions having read books about trappers and the [[Pantheon]]. She is intellectually curious, and she irritates [[Sixth of the Dusk (character)|Sixth of the Dusk]] with her many questions about his life and the flora and fauna found on [[Patji (island)|Patji]]. She is courageous and unflappable, and is able to react quickly in dangerous situations.{{book ref|sixth}}

Vathi iswas employed by the [[Northern Interests Trading Company]] on the mainland. It is not clear how long she has worked there, but she refersreferred to a number of past meetings with the [[Ones Above]]. She had also previously met Sixth on one of his rare visits to the company to acquire technology.{{book ref|sixth}}

She joinsjoined the [[Patji expedition]] captained by [[Eusto]], although her interests arewere more scientific than financial. After the Company establishesestablished a small fortress on the island, Vathi joinsjoined a scout team seeking a site for a second fortress. The scout team staysstayed too close to the beach and iswas attacked and annihilated by a [[deepwalker]]. Vathi firesmanaged to fire a spear cannon at the beast; it hashad little effect, but she escapesescaped into the jungle, although. Mirris iswas injured in the process.{{book ref|sixth}}

Sixth comescame across the remains of the scout team and trackstracked the survivors into the jungle, eventually following Vathi's path which leadsled towards one of his [[safecamp]]s; unbeknownst to Sixth, Vathi had used a handheld Aviar locator to finddetect the safecamplocation inof hopesthe ofsafecamp, gainingas protectionshe fromhoped to find a trapper and request assistance. She iswas able to successfully navigate the extreme dangers of the jungle, but she iswas not skilled enough to avoid being tracked by Sixth and eventually getsgot caught in one of his traps.{{book ref|sixth}}

Sixth iswas not pleased to find Vathi, but he iswas impressed by her skill and her treatment of her injured Aviar. Vathi believesbelieved that the Pantheon willwould eventually be tamed and revealsrevealed the true scope of the Company's expedition to Sixth, which angersangered him. Something suddenly agitatesagitated all of the Aviar on the island, and [[Sak]] givesgave Sixth visions of imminent death. Sixth grabsgrabbed Vathi and demandsdemanded that she tell him more about what her colleagues arewere doing. Although Sixth's actions disturbdisturbed her, Vathi discussesdiscussed her interactions with the spacefaring [[Ones Above]], andincluding the fact that they arewere very interested in Aviar but seemseemed to have rules about trading with less advanced civilizations. She informsinformed him of the large Aviar tracking device held on one of the Company's ships and assumesshe assumed that it was the source of the disturbance.{{book ref|sixth}}

Although traveling in the jungle at night usually leadsled to certain death, Sixth demandsdemanded that Vathi immediately leave with him to stop the Company from activating the device again. She declinesdeclined, and Sixth allowsallowed Sak to show herVathi visions of her death, revealing that Sak grantsgranted a talent even though she iswas not a known species of Aviar. Vathi quickly realizesrealized that Sak iswas a bird from the mainland and had somehow gained a talent on Patji. She also learnslearned that [[Patji's Finger]] iswas a type of tree that hashad blossoms with a mental signature. She iswas shocked by these revelations and wantswanted to learn more. Leaving Mirris behind to heal, she agreesagreed to travel to the Company fortress.{{book ref|sixth}}

At one point Vathi seessaw a mating plume from an Aviar and grabsgrabbed it, setting off a trap, but she and Sixth avoidavoided serious injury. After he admonishesadmonished her, he realizesrealized that he iswas treating her like an apprentice and opensopened up to her a bit more, even telling her the true meaning of his name. A [[nightmaw]] attacksattacked, and Sixth iswas dumbfounded when Vathi iswas able to kill it with her spear cannon. TheHowever, the noise attractsattracted other nightmaws, and the pair recklessly fleefled through the jungle, ending up at [[Patji's Eye]]. Vathi iswas incredulous when she seessaw hundreds of Aviar around the lake, and she deducesdeduced that the birds gaingained their talents from parasites that live ineating the fruit of the Patji's Finger trees that growgrew nearby; Sixth clarified that the key was parasitic worms that lived in the fruit. Sixth nearly sacrificessacrificed himself to try and allow Vathi to escape, but they realizerealized at the last moment that they cancould use one of the blossoms and the spear cannon to lead the nightmaws away from the area.{{book ref|sixth}}