Zojja

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Background

Asura

The Asura are newcomers in the known history of Tyria. They used to live deep underground and had few contacts with surface civilisations. When the Elder Dragon Primordus woke up, the Asura had to run and barely made it to the surface alive.

The Asura now chiefly live in the Maguuma Jungle, in their new capital Rata Sum. But many Asura travel abroad, as they are a dynamic and curious lot.

The Asura are a bunch of magitech nerds. Most of them appear to be researchers of some sort. Asura life revolves around lab time, studies, experiments and inventions.

Though most people pay attention to stuff like magitech flamethrowers, explosives or combat golems, Asura science seems to roughly cover the same span as real-world modern science. For instance there are Asura biologists, sociologists or psychocognitivists. Their level of sophistication can also be very roughly compared to 2010s Earth, albeit there are endless differences.

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The general Asura heuristic  framework, explaining how various things are related, is called the Eternal Alchemy. It has a near-mystical resonance with many Asura. But it is closer to a theoretical model of the universe than a religious construct.

Thus, an Asura platitude such as “all things have a place in the Eternal Alchemy” actually means that all things can be explained using the Eternal Alchemy framework given enough study and experimentation.

Appearance

Asura are tiny. Most men are about 4’, and the women are an inch or two shorter. They have small bodies, large heads and big eyes. Their general proportions are reminiscent of very young Human children.

Though many look adorable, Asura also have various bestial aspects. These include pointed teeth, little claws on their fingers (though these look mostly useful for digging) and strange three-toed feet. Many have inhuman facial features, often reminiscent of rabbits. This is especially true since Asura have large ears reminiscent of drooping rabbit ears.

Being so small, Asura are physically weak – though this is suspended in the video game to ensure that all species are balanced in gameplay. However, they can rely on their golems to do the heavy lifting, and on various guns and explosives to defend themselves.

Likewise, their tiny legs do not allow them to move as fast as larger species (which is also suspended in the game).

Though the women do not have visible breasts, the Asura are reportedly mammals operating much like Humans. Asura call their children “progeny”, presumably because it sounds more learned than “kids”.

Social organisation

Asura are fiercely individualistic. Thus, they are generally terrible at running their society. They also tend to all be convinced that they are smarter than the other Asura.

Asura associations, including romantic ties, tend to be quasi-contractual matters with a clear end date. They are usually spurred by a shared interest in some sort of scientific or engineering research. The basic Asura social unit is called a krewe, and comes together for a given research project (or series of such projects).

Bird’s eye view of the central plaza at Rata Sum, minus the crowd

A much larger, but much looser social organisation is called a college. There are three colleges in Rata Sum – Statics, Dynamics and Synergetics. They are of course all convinced that their understanding of the Eternal Alchemy is the best one.

Rata Sum is run by an Arcane Council. But most members are intriguing to leave the Council and return to their beloved research. This usually involves tricking someone to take over all or part of their responsibilities.

There is a police of sorts, the Peacemakers, though most Asura think of them as cretins. The Peacemakers do have powerful golems that serve as enforcers, though. Usually these are PM-632z models.

Achievements

One of the most notable contribution of the Asura to Tyrian societies are the Asura Gates. These huge vertical ring-shaped structures that can be stepped through to teleport to another Gate.

Major cities are linked by a network of Gates, immensely facilitating commerce and tourism. The Gates are military neutral. Asura toll operators do not allow them to be used to ferry armed troops, though supplies are allowed.

The Asura weapons engineers are also an important asset against the forces of the Elder Dragons – with Zojja being the preeminent such engineer. Their golems, explosives, war vehicles and heavy weapons can considerably bolster Tyrian military units. Super-heavy weapons such as megalasers allow for the destruction of foes that would overwhelm entire armies.

Powers & Abilities

Zojja is a genius of the College of Synergetics. Among other specialities she’s an elementalist magician and a golemancer mentored by Master Snaff himself. Even among Asura, she’s markedly above the intellectual norm.

As an elementalist Zojja can cast spells that emit fire, lightning, wind, water and perhaps other elements. Her water spells can even have a healing component, such as a rain that heals wounds.

Originally these abilities were minor. But as she grew in competence while adventuring with Eir Stegalkin and Master Snaff her firepower became considerable. Her spells remain short-ranged, though, in proportion to her size.

She can also sense the presence of magic at a distance.

As an Asura, she has a developed sense of smell and slightly superhuman hearing. But that seldom plays a role.

Enchanting

Zojja is good at using powerstones to enchant objects. For instance, for the strike against the Destroyer of Life, she used cold powerstones to make Destiny’s Edge weapons emit a potent burst of cold when striking their opponents.

Golemancy, part 1

Snaff and Zojja could build golems significantly more powerful and more sophisticated than what other Asura geniuses can build. A classic Snaff design, the paired Big Snaff and Big Zojja golems, were essentially mechas . The pilot rode in an armoured cockpit in the chest, and interfaced with the humanoid golem so it reproduced their movements.

Both Big Snaff and Big Zojja were extremely strong and well-armoured. They could kill dozens of opponents in melee with just their fists. Snaff later equipped Big Zojja with a flamethrower, as Big Zojja had to be rebuilt twice.

Another unusual golem built by Snaff and Zojja were the “seven wheels of doom”. These were essentially large, wheel-shaped bombs that could roll under their own power. Zojja could steer them like a swarm using a wireless magitech cybernetic interface. This way, they could be taken to the site where they were to be detonated without having to carry them.

Golemancy, part 2

Two barques were also rebuilt as golems by Snaff and Zojja. These boats were solidly armoured, and were meant as a trap for zombie sailors boarding them. The zombies on the deck would fall through trapdoors into huge meat grinders, and their pureed remains slid back into the ocean.

Since the mindless zombies couldn’t realise what was going on, hundreds were destroyed by these unusual bait/weapons. The barques could be remotely steered and operated using wireless magitech cybernetic interfaces. The operators, Snaff and Zojja, sat on a nearby boat.

However, Zojja didn’t have time to learn Snaff’s peerless use of powerstones for cybernetic interfacing. As a result, she cannot by herself build Snaff-grade golems. Still, the golem she *can* build aren’t exactly slouches, and she might eventually recreate Snaff’s techniques.

Mister Sparkles

After Edge of Destiny disintegrated, Zojja built a new golem to serve as her muscle and bodyguard. She started by buying golem debris from another Asura researcher, Flummox, apparently to save time.

Flummox’s golem was a solid design. Since it could deliver electrical attacks it had been named “Mister Sparkles” by Flummox’s Sylvari assistant.

Flummox found himself strapped for cash and had to sell the frame to Zojja. The Sylvari assistant reinvested her share of the profit in co-founding the very successful Black Lion Trading Company.

Zojja heavily customised Mister Sparkles using her own techniques and those she learned from Snaff. The exact capabilities of the rebuilt Mister Sparkles are unrevealed, ut it can presumably thrash 98% of all golems out there. It is presumably just one tier below the Big Snaff and Big Zojja mechas.

The sleek, intimidating Mister Sparkles has a sophisticated artificial intelligence. It is unerringly loyal toward Zojja.

Mr. Sparkles stated that Zojja had equipped him with a unique golemancer/golem interface. But in practice this seems to mean that Mr. Sparkles is smart enough to understand what Zojja wants from verbal commands and knowing her preferences.

History

Zojja was the genius-in-training (research assistant) of the eccentric genius (researcher) Snaff. Snaff was an extraordinary golemancer (golems-builder), working with just one apprentice rather than with an entire krewe (science and engineering task force) as most research labs do.

Many of Snaff’s peerless techniques relied on using powerstones (gems imbued with magic energy) in novel ways to control his golems.

Most such golems were “piloted” via a magitech cybernetic interface. It usually was a sculpted crown of laurels festooned with powerstones linked to powerstones within the golem. These crowns also included grey powerstones protecting against magical mental influence.

A definitive proof of concept was a pair of piloted golems – essentially magitech mechas. Dubbed Big Snaff and Big Zojja, these humanoid machines needed to have a stone head sculpted in the likeness of the pilot for the powerstones to work.

Snaff and Zojja heard about a brilliant Norn sculptress taking commissions. Thus, they soon met Eir Stegalkin in Hoelbrak to have the stone heads made.

A sculptress in Hoelbrak

Seeing the power of the machines, the charismatic Stegalkin convinced the two Asura to help her take on the Dragonspawn, a champion of the Elder Dragon Jormag.

Their first attempt against the mighty creature was a failure. But it marked the beginning of what would become the Edge of Destiny, a singularly skilled and powerful team that proved able to destroy no less than three champions of the Elder Dragons. See the profile for Eir Stegalkin for more.

Model sheet by YeeWu from his DeviantArt gallery.

The last mission of Edge of Destiny was an attempt to kill the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik. But it narrowly failed and Master Snaff was killed. The team disintegrated over this, and the inconsolable Zojja left in anger, blaming everyone and particularly Eir.

But despite her grief, Zojja remains committed to the fight against the Elder Dragons.

Guild Wars 2

Zojja has come to strongly suspect that the Inquest, a unique Asura social organisation akin to a “krewe of krewes” but with a permanent membership, is corrupt and doing the work of the Elder Dragons.

As Guild Wars 2 starts, there have already been violent clashes between Zojja and the Inquest. But she lacks proof to convince the Arcane Council. Zojja also discovered that the previous apprentice of Snaff, Kudu, has become a higher-up within the Inquest.

Description

Though many Asura have vaguely rabbit-like features, Zojja looks more Human-like than most. She also has a near-Caucasian skin tone. With her inhuman floppy ears being covered by… blue things… her face evokes a Human baby’s.

Since long ears are considered sexy by Asura, covering hers might be done in order to make herself look more serious or some such.

Personality

Zojja is wickedly smart, and almost as arrogant and aggressive. She considers that her genius is the greatest ever, that she can’t possibly be wrong, and that as a consequence she should be in charge of everything.

Though she genuinely liked Snaff she never admitted to it before his death. In her values system that would have been paramount to admitting that Snaff was at least as intelligent as she is.

Though Zojja is at least as arrogant as any Asura about her mental faculties, she’s less toxic than most about it. For instance she can actually admit to having made mistakes, though she’s still unlikely to say it outright. And she occasionally smiles, though it’s almost always before trying out some cool bit of magitech.

Still, her ability to follow orders or listen to others is about nil. The only exception was Snaff. Snaff and Zojja genuinely respected each other’s skill and intelligence, a very rare situation given the normal Asura master/apprentice relations. Zojja grew up in a far more respectful and nurturing intellectual environment than most Asura researchers.

Other traits

Zojja is usually negative and pessimistic, contrasting with the generally happy and positive Snaff. She will seize most occasions to make snappy remarks. She’s amazingly single-minded, driven and stubborn.

Like many Asura, Zojja is a mistress of the wicked repartee and the verbal takedown, to establish intellectual superiority. On a good day Zojja is blunt, sarcastic and temperamental – but in a funny way.

Zojja is still young, and many aspects of her behaviour are adolescent-like. For instance, she feels obligated to pedantically correct any erroneous statement she’s exposed to, in order to show off her intelligence.

Her actual age is unclear, but one gets the impression that when she met Eir she wasn’t even out of her teens, in Human terms.

Benign

Though she’s a difficult, petulant youth Zojja is clearly a white hat. She works for the common good of all species against the Elder Dragons and their forces. She is determined to save lives – preferably by destroying monsters.

Zojja labours relentlessly to save the world, and will do it all alone if she needs to. Furthermore, her bullheadedness and inability to admit to mistakes are slowly improving.

On the other hand, she’s amoral and perhaps ruthless on a more micro scale. She wants to save people, but she seldom cares about individual persons or conventional morality.

Apprentice no more

Zojja was devastated by Snaff’s death. She is still mourning her mentor months later as Guild Wars 2 starts. She buried his ashes under the floor of his lab before taking over.

Zojja also created a Snaff Memorial Prize to be awarded to the most brilliant young Asura researchers, presumably on an annual basis. As Guild Wars 2 starts a Snaff Prize competition, presumably the first one, is being held.

Zojja is the most bitter or the former Edge of Destiny members. She irrationally blames Eir since it was her plan that led to Snaff’s death. Yet everyone but Rytlock and Zojja could be blamed, and Eir arguably didn’t fail.

She doesn’t want to have anything to do with her former companions, and remains angry even months later.

In the game, Zojja is voiced by Felicia Day.

Quotes

Eir Stegalkin: “I am tired of watching fools go to their deaths.”
Master Snaff: “We’re not fools.”
Zojja: “But she just said she liked fools.”
Eir: “I didn’t.”
Zojja: “You said you are tired of watching fools go to their deaths. If you hated them, you would never tire of this. Ergo, you must like them.”

“Even a genius-in-training knows that. It’s all held aloft by powerstone fields arrayed using the dodecaic equation of the Eternal Alchemy.”

Snaff: “*Nobody* else has this technology. Everybody else is making golems *without heads*. Their golems fumble around, while mine combine the genius of an Asura with the power of a titan ! *Nobody* can do this stuff !”
Zojja (to Eir, pointing her thumb at Snaff): “They all think he’s cracked.”

“The stanchions are shattered. The servos are split. We could salvage some thylid crystals — maybe — use some of the gear work elsewhere — maybe — but there’s no way this golem’s going to fight again.”

“Shall we proceed ? The correct answer is ‘yes’, by the way.”

“Snaff was one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived, you empty-headed homonculus ! He revolutionized golemancy ! He blazed trails so brilliant, most people can’t even see his footsteps, let alone follow in them !”

“This lab is the perfect place to run a full battery of tests. There’s good equipment here and more importantly, it’s not mine. So I won’t care if it gets destroyed.”

“I’ll answer your question as best I can… which will be amazingly good, as you’ll see. Ask away.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me. I invented the biting sarcastic rejoinder, you know.”

“I’ve a few preparations to make and a few allies to switch on.”

By Sébastien Alexandre Andrivet.

Source of Character: Guild Wars 2, and specifically the Edge of Destiny novel.

Helper(s): Darci. The Asura Guide  was checked to see what I had missed. It includes lots of information about Asura beyond the primer in this here entry.

Writeup completed on the 6^th of February, 2014.