I need to speak to your Emperor. NOW! - Harnuphis (to an unknown centurion)
Harnuphis (b. 154 Ūga Anwu; pronounced: HAR-noo-FIS) also known as "The Blue Madjai" was a human Taurari female of Kushite and Kemetic heritage who could tap into Source aṣhẹ. Her occupation was that of a Madjai hence the nickname, The Blue Madjai. Harnuphis' character was first introduced at the beginning of the 20s A Difficult Age album riding her mount, Cursor into a military camp with the message of Avidius' betrayal from Antoninus for Verus Antoninus.[1]
Early Life
Harnuphis was born 154 C.E. to a family of herders, currently little is known of Harnuphis's early life but she is known by her people, her country, and throughout the Latian empire for her ability to manipulate the weather, given light by way of the prophecy and word of mouth. This is alluded to by the way Pertinax, introduces her arrival to Verus Antoninus:
"Caesar, there's a young woman here to speak with you...it's...it's her." - Pertinax (to Marcus Antoninus)
A young Harnuphis as she appears with her father Isadores during a vision while on the Herb of the Ancients.
In the year 172 C.E. Harnuphis's father, Isadores was seemingly killed by Avidius during a revolt by her people against him.
Thunderbolt 12 Legion
A eighteen year old Harnuphis depicted with short hair during the Thunderbolt Legion 12 arc, illustrated by Orelias from The Album Booklet: 20s A Difficult Age .
Harnuphis was a member of Thunderbolt 12 Legion. She tried to kill Avidius but was captured.
20s A Difficult Age
During the First Frontier Wars, carrying a message for Latium's emperor, Marcus Antoninus, Harnuphis rides to his camp to find him. After demanding, she is finally granted the access to relay the message she carried, directly. Before the meeting, in Harnuphis's absence, the military leaders conclude a drinking session and sober up. Marcus, Pertinax, Harnuphis, and Didius then meet to discuss the looming military strategies. With soldiers wounded, dehydrated, and fatigued they head into battle without choice, severely losing and unable to retreat. As a last-minute resort, Harnuphis summons rain hydrating the soldiers and saving them from imminent defeat. After the border is won, back in Latium (Rome) celebrations are held at the colosseum where Harnuphis is home staying with the Antoninus family. During a dinner with Domitia Antoninus, Junius, and Marcus Antoninus she sits silently eating while Marcus and Junius discuss politics. Here she is introduced to Annia Antoninus who arrives late to the meal, Annia, Marcus's younger sister introduces herself to Harnuphis by way of her mother's request, gives a brief rant about the importance of reading, and questions Harnuphis's relation to her brother. Offended, Harnuphis is taken back. Embarrassed, Marcus interjects.
The Blue Madjai arc
Harnuphis arriving on the shore of Wagadu Mandé, Alkebula.
Later that night after the dinner is over, with her light orbs leading the way, Harnuphis wanders the halls of the Antoninus villa and finds the she-wolf on the wall that she sits with and views almost every night. While observing the wall, Marcus Antoninus and Harnuphis discuss Annia, his sisters, behavior and ask Harnuphis to forgive her for it. She does and the two-part ways. Harnuphis clutches the Thunderbolt Legion 12 ring around her neck. The next day Domitia, Marcus's mother, and Harnuphis walk through the Antoninus villa courtyard. Domitia shares a
bit apart of her storytelling the Blue Madjai how she found peace in marrying and having children with the father of her children. Harnuphis rejects wanting to start a family and instead voices her frustration to Domitia about not being able to control her powers and wanting to use them to stop Avidius. Domitia suggests a solution. Harnuphis then finds herself on the shore of Wagadu Mandé, Alkebula. Arriving, she asks various natives where to find a woman named "Iya", eventually led to the city, Harnuphis travels into the marketplace outside the city located in Wagadu Mandé, there she approaches the well-dressed merchant namedFisi and ask where she can find Iya, he then tells her she occupies the "Leaning House" but that Iya hasn't been seen in "many moons" and to be careful of the "red eyes", Harnuphis thanks him and departs. Upset that one of his workers is sitting down he yells at Edi to get up and get to work. Making her way to the outskirts of the city, she finds the leaning house and decides to enter the home, although food is cooking - no one is there. Harnuphis decides to sit by the sheep pen and "wait" for Iya. Not sitting for long, she is interrupted by a man name Nibi, Nibi speaking Yoruba - pokes fun at Harnuphis for sitting in the abandoned yard of Iya. Harnuphis exclaims she cannot understand Nibi and ask again if Iya is at the home but he continues explaining that she is arrogant for searching for Iya the "sheep demon". Unsure what he is saying she follows his banter, she picks up that he is alluding to the sheep pen and ask again, where Iya is. Watching from the sheep pen, Iya leaps from the pen and transforms into her human form, surprising both Nibi and Harnuphis. Afraid and confirming the legend to be true Nibi runs away in fear.
Iya repeating a recipe "steamed okra with nettle, pepper, and mushroom", Harnuphis still stunned immediately asks Iya for training but is blocked by Iya. She then continues to introduce herself and ask how Iya shape shifted in which Iya replies, "embarrassing to learn" and continues to talk to herself while informing Harnuphis at the same time that she sleeps in the sheep pen because "no one bothers the sheep". Telegraphing Harnuphis's words Iya replies "no" before the Blue Madjai could speak. Walking into the Leaning House of Wagadu Mandé, Harnuphis ask how Iya shape-shifted from a sheep, repeating the recipe to herself, Iya includes that shapeshifting is "embarrassing to learn". Telegraphing Harnuphis again, Iya throws a bowl at her to which Harnuphis pleas that people she cares about are in danger. Showing no empathy, Iya communicates that death and war are apart of life and Harnuphis should ask her parents.
Harnuphis asking Iya to train her.
Harnuphis replies that both of her parents are dead and that she has nowhere to go to which Iya informs her that everyone has "somewhere", she told Latium no and has no problem telling Harnuphis, no but Harnuphis proclaims she never said where she came from. Throwing another bowl Iya exclaims "no", frustrating Harnuphis she storms out. Outside she sees a sheep in the pen, feeling mocked - she returns to confront Iya, Iya ask if she's "back already, little girl", Harnuphis responds by saying she is not a "little girl" in fact she's twenty years old and that Domitia Antoninus sent her. Unconvinced, Iya tosses another bowl at Harnuphis. Serious Harnuphis ask to be trained kindly.
Iya denies but Harnuphis doesn't give up, sitting around for several days. Reentering the Leaning House, Iya is impressed by the pupils' persistence, she offers to train Harnuphis under one condition: that she return to the Leaning House after completing her mission in Latium. Harnuphis agrees and asks "why", Iya ignores Harnuphis and says she must obey her in order to unlock her power, offering a bowl of food to which
Harnuphis kindly rejects but Iya doesn't budge until her pupil accepts. Once she does, Harnuphis exclaims that she thought she'd have to sell her belonging as the denariii doesn't travel well in Alkebula, Iya inclined tells Harnuphis that the "barbaric" currency doesn't travel far because it's "worth nothing" but now that she agrees to her rules, the Blue Madjai can stay with her citing that times are too expensive to live in, the mysterious mentor continues to recite the recipe of the "white hat" stating her food never "rots the soul". Harnuphis taking mental note pivots the conversation asking who the "pelekpe" is caught off guard Iya expresses she spills kunun at the name. Iya goes onto to explain the pelekpe attack cattle and villages in the
Iya expresses her displeasure for the Pelekpe to Harnuphis.
dead of night and that she's seen it, furthering the legend - Iya explains many warriors have tried to kill the pelekpe and failed and that fear paralyzes people from leaving or fighting back. She insists that her new pupil rest and then ask to see Harnuphis's sandals, approving of them Iya gives Harnuphis a cryptic response, "these narrow roads you will walk are like coffins for the poor" but Harnuphis wants to talk about the pelekpe, Iya responds "we'll see if you let me down, Madjai".
Avidius as he appears in Harnuphis's vision standing in front of a levitating Harnuphis, and a child Harnuphis trapped inside a ball of water.
The next day in the field behind Iya's home Harnuphis and her new mentor travel to "the isaro rock" on it sits a bowl with the Herb of the Ancients, Harnuphis says it looks "uncomfortable" to which Iya responds "Sit! in discomfort, you grow." Obeying Iya's wish, the mentor asks how Harnuphis unlocks "aṣhẹ", Harnuphis replies "anger" and follows up by asking how long she is supposed to close her eyes and inhale. Iya displeased with this answer tells Harnuphis she will teach her to control anger through meditation so it doesn't control her and that time can be her greatest ally or enemy depending on how she utilizes it, all great leaders understand this. Harnuphis says she's not a leader in which Iya self-proclaims she is more. Inhaling the herb, a vision begins in which Harnuphis is still present and can hear Iya's voice. The Blue Madjai sees she and her father in their home. The door is opened and the herb goes into full effect, Iya's voice is heard saying "embrace your shadow self. this time breathe, feel the breath." turning around Harnuphis sees Avidius Cassius standing alongside her teenage-self and younger-self (trapped in a bubble of water). The trip gets darker, Iya's voice ask "do you see her?", turning around again she physically sees Iya in her human
Harnuphis unleashing her light orbs via "The Herb of the Ancients".
form then turns around and sees herself then Avidius lunging at her. Harnuphis realizes that the herb is showing her, her fears and that her mentor has gotten inside her head. Iya's voice returns reminding Harnuphis that if she runs now, she will run forever and that she is a beautiful "rock" but an ugly rock lies on top. Falling to her knees her powers emerge and she screams "I am broken". Coming out of the trip, Iya holds up a cloth with a symbol and explains that all life draws aṣhẹ from "source power" ruled by darkness and the light. She then states that meditation will unlock her power and meditation will clear her mind, focusing on the fact that Avidius is a mortal man and the grief he brings is minuscule emphasizing her purpose is much bigger. Should Harnuphis fail to see that, her world would remain off-balance possibly
forever.
20s A Difficult Age (Cont'd)
Harnuphis during shown in the later half of The Blue Madjai arc wielding her more defined Chaos-Sword hilt.
Returning back to the Antoninus villa, Harnuphis attends the wedding dinner for Marcus Antoninus, during the dinner she sits outside where she is met by Marcus. Not seeing each other for almost a year. She seems distracted and somber. Harnuphis reveals that in her time back she received "a message from the east" and must leave with urgency. Acknowledging, Marcus kisses her on the forehead and reminds her how much of an honor it was to have her in his family home. Mounting Sica, Harnuphis rides off in the middle of the night.
Abilities
Harnuphis "summoning" the rain with controlled source. Water orbs surround her hands.
Harnuphis can form a water orb (or two with both hands) created from source power and use it to manipulate the weather so that it rains in a certain location or on a specific person(s).
This is heard during the famous battle called "Victory by Rain" in which a few of her old legionaries and Apollo Legion 15 participated. Surrounded by enemies and mountains - out manned and losing the battle due to unfamiliar terrain, wounds, and soldier fatigue, Harnuphis was asked to use her powers to summon rain, the rain that turned the tide of the battle in the favor of her allies:
Pertinax: We're out numbered!
Didius: What about the girl!?
Harnuphis: I'm here!
Pertinax: Now's the time! Use your powers!
Harnuphis: Alright, alright, cover for me! - Pertinax, Didius and Harnuphis (during Victory by Rain).
Harnuphis is also a relatively skilled swordsman. When channeling her energy to her eyes, Harnuphis can also see up to 3 miles ahead. Since childhood, whenever Harnuphis is in the darkness her eyes glow blue. In old age, the glow has grown brighter.
A discolored Harnuphis painted on the wall of the Antoninus Villa (present-day).
Possessions
Personality
Harnuphis speaks with an accent, she is often reserved but has a temper when provoked. During the dinner with the Antoninus family, she remained quiet and observant.
"Annia Antoninus: Marcus is this your new girlfriend?
Harnuphis: Eh?..." - Annia (to Marcus Antoninus)
Continuing to master her abilities she isn't all the way confident with her gifts and has to be pushed to her limit or anger to bring them out.
Physical Appearance
Harnuphis's eyes glowing with uncontrolled source energy.
Height
Harnuphis is a tall woman for her time standing at five feet and ten inches. When sitting she slumps a bit.[2]
Complexion
She is depicted with dark brown skin and sometimes orangish colored skin (in concept art) and dark red to black hair.
Hair
Her natural hair is usually pulled back in a pony-tail and parted down the middle over her right eye. Harnuphis's hair is seen as black but in the sunlight dons a reddish color.
Kunama Eyes and Oju Iyipada
Harnuphis's Kunama eyes glowing at night with natural source energy.
On the cover of "Blue Madjai", Harnuphis's iris glow blue while using the water orb technique. At the beginning of TBM, her entire eyes glow blue while using the light orbs. Using light orbs is an amateur technique that uses a lot of source power, allowing her to see in the dark but engulfs the entire eye. This is an oju iyipada, even though Harnuphis's iris' automatically turns blue to adjust to the darkness, she prefers to use this technique. As her energy is mastered and her eyes are strengthened, she is able to concentrate energy directly into her iris' naturally without the use of light orbs.
Etymology
- Harnuphis means "protected and beautiful". “Harnu” means "to protect" and translated from ancient Egyptian, “phis” means “beautiful”. In hieroglyphics due to phonetic translation, Harnuphis's name is transcribed as "Harnufis".
Harnuphis's name written in hieroglyphics.
Creation and conception
An early sketch of Harnuphis in The Album Booklet: 20s A Difficult Age, drawn by Marcus Orelias. The image reads "this is Harnuphis after spending a long time in Latium before the Blue Madjai arc."
Trivia
- Harnuphis's canonical "last name" is Bukouloi which means "herdsmen" both the second "U" and second "O" are silent so it is pronounced boo-KOH-lee. It was later dropped due to the chance people wouldn’t be able to pronounce it.
Gallery
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W_dv7vcsX4
- ↑ The Blue Madjai - Vol. 1 (Page 14)