"Seek peace, knowledge and, understanding... that was the dream she had for our kind. But she had a particular faith in me… that I would someday lead our people towards a greater prosperity. I have found my path, and I accept its many burdens.”
"Knowledge is not a trove to be hoarded by some to rule over others. The Archives we work to protect belong to no one, and that shall prevail until the end of time." — Her words during the Neophite Accords
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Aliases: Daughter of the Exile
Age: Unknown
Race: Aanuh Ka'ri
Place of Origin: Akrul
Residence: NEOPHITE ARCHIVES, Neophis
Affiliation: Order of the Archives
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Zah'ra is the founder of Order of the Archives. She is a prominent figure among the Aanuh Ka'ri, known as the Daughter of the Exile.
From a young age, Zah'ra possessed a heightened capacity for emotion, strong curiosity, and high intellect, setting her apart from other initial members of her race. She would often sneak around the Exile's laboratories and study the various experiments and logs. Zah'ra surprised the Exile with her deep understanding of her work, which she gained from carefully studying the records in secret. Her natural aptitude for learning and analysis allowed her to quickly grasp complex scientific concepts.
Growing up, Zah'ra inspired others with her warmth and charity, and she quickly became a pillar of wisdom among the Aanuh Ka'ri. Her vision for the Archives emphasized not just the freedom and preservation of knowledge, but also its ethical distribution and use. She believed that understanding came with responsibility, and established strict protocols for accessing its channels. She founded the Order of the Archives to protect this wealth of information.
The Neophite Accords, where several factions within the Intergalactic Alliance attempted to gain control over the Archives' vast repository of knowledge, deeply affected Zah'ra. Though the Order successfully established Neophis as a neutral territory, these events led her to take drastic measures to ensure the Archives' protection. In response to these political pressures and later threats against its control, Zah'ra made the ultimate sacrifice by integrating herself directly into the Archives' systems. This integration meant she could no longer leave the Archives' confines, but it allowed her to serve as its eternal guardian, maintaining a constant watch from within while the Order's members protected its physical access.
Her decision to merge with the Archives marked a significant shift in her personality and accessibility. Where once she had been a visible leader and mentor, she became increasingly distant, rarely interacting with others except through the Archives' systems. This self-imposed isolation, while ensuring the Archives' security, has left her as an almost mythical figure to others, known more by reputation than personal interaction.
As a testament to her enduring influence, stories of Zah'ra's wisdom and sacrifice continue to inspire new generations of Archivists. She maintains a unique connection with Ibeq, frequently manifesting herself through the Archives' interfaces to provide direct guidance and mentorship. These personal interactions, rare for anyone else, demonstrate the special trust and bond between them.
While not initially developed with these characteristics, Zah'ra was among the first of her race to display heightened emotional connection and intellectual curiosity, which led to her special bond with the Exile. The Exile took her as an apprentice, at first to study her development to better correct or remove these anomalous traits. Over time, the Exile's scientific interest transformed into genuine care and affection, leading her to view Zah'ra as a surrogate daughter. This personal connection sparked a growing compassion in the Exile for all her creations, fundamentally changing her perspective on the Aanuh Ka'ri as a whole.
The Exile would assist in sending of Zah'ra and her other creations off the planet of Akrul to seek freedom, knowledge, and a place to call their own. She placed a certain faith in Zah’ra to one day lead them. After the Aanuh Ka'ri exodus and the inception of Neophis, Zah'ra founded the Order of the Archives, a cornerstone institution of Aanuh Ka'ri civilization dedicated to collecting and preserving knowledge from across the universe. Under her leadership, the Neophite Archives grew to become a significant repository of universal knowledge.
To ensure the safety and security of the vast repository of universal knowledge within the Archives, Zah'ra took the ultimate step of integrating herself directly into the Archives' systems. This sacrifice means she can no longer leave the confines of the Archives, but allows her to serve as its ultimate guardian. The other members of the Order of the Archives now serve as external guards, protecting entry to the facility while Zah'ra maintains her eternal vigil from within.
Among her disciples, Zah'ra took great interest in Ineq, seeing in them the same curiosity and dedication that had once marked her own journey. From early on, Zah'ra began grooming Ibeq as her potential successor, carefully nurturing their abilities and understanding of the Archives' deeper purpose. She believed Ibeq possessed the necessary combination of wisdom, integrity, and vision to one day assume the mantle of the Archives' guardian. Ineq’s strong commitment to the Order's principles eventually playing a crucial role in protecting the Archives when she exposed a plot by the Exceeds faction to seize control of the facility. Zah'ra appointed her as leader of the outside members.
Prior to her integration with the Archives, Zah'ra possessed the standard abilities of the Aanuh Ka'ri race. These included shape-shifting capabilities that allowed her to alter her size from as small as a pebble to as large as a small vehicle. She could also modify her density to accomplish tasks such as passing through small openings or withstanding high pressure.
Like all Aanuh Ka'ri, she had the ability to manipulate sound waves, which could be used for both communication and defense. This sonic manipulation allowed for creating barriers, disrupting electronic systems, or even inducing temporary paralysis in targets. As with other members of her race, she required regular maintenance cycles in specialized chambers to maintain form stability.
After integrating with the Archives' systems, Zah'ra gained unprecedented control over the facility's infrastructure. Her consciousness became intertwined with the Archives' vast network, allowing her to monitor and control all aspects of the Archives' security systems. She can manifest through the Archives' interfaces to communicate with visitors and members of the Order. Zah’ra can also process and organize the vast repository of knowledge stored within the Archives.