Adam Sowande, also called Adama, is an Ojo Eshu Wilder and General of the Army of the Dreaming.
Overview[]
Adam grew up in the Roxbury district of Boston and learned early on that he needed to stand tall and proud in order to survive in a harsh world of racial stereotypes. His parents impressed the importance of honoring his African heritage on their oldest son (he has three younger siblings). Sadly, Adam's father died unexpectedly from a massive coronary; at fourteen, Adam had to assume the responsibilities of a man. His mother refused to let him quit school to work full time because she believed an education was more important than a few more dollars. She herself took on two jobs, wearing herself out before she was forty.
Adam excelled in school despite the stresses at home and in the inner city with his peers. His studious nature caught the attention of college recruiters who urged him to apply for academic scholarships. The summer before he would have gone to Boston University, though, he attended a celebration of African-American culture. During a particularly inspiring dance presentation, he got caught up in the rhythms and colors and plunged into his Chrysalis. The head of the company felt the explosion of Glamour in the audience and sought out the source. So Adam came under the protection of Michael Nangila and learned about his other heritage; that of being an eshu.
Instead of attending university, Adam informed his mother, to her dismay and great disappointment, that he was joining the dance company as support staff. For the next year he travelled the States, or rather Concordia, receiving an education not usually found in college. From such exposure to the kingdoms of the fae, Adama, as he now called himself, learned the histories of many kith and soon acquired a formidable collection of stories from many cultures.
The more he learned, though, the more he saw the inequities between noble and commoner. He grew disheartened when he realized that even the children of the Dreaming suffered the same petty prejudices as mortals.
His innate ability to assess situations and people manifested not long after this rude awakening. He could feel the fractiousness growing in the fabric of fae society. He knew that before long the delicate balance between noble and commoner would dissolve. When he slept, he dreamed of war. Believing the Dreaming had chosen him as a vessel, Adama left the company and, surprising many, enlisted in the army. For four years he studied the science of war, tactics, and the art of inspiring troops to give their life for a cause. At the end of his tour, he left the army and returned to the world of the fae.
The next year David Ardry disappeared. Within a year and a day Concordia was in the midst of a war with many sides and Adama found himself thrust into the position of leader of the Armies of the Dreaming.
Personal[]
The Dreaming has chosen him for a key part in the conflict in Concordia. Though he has had no combat experience, his time in the military - dictated by his Birthright, he believes - has given him the skills to direct the army of commoners seeking a better life. He has a keen mind and his time with the dance company, plus being in the army, has honed his body to a fine pitch. Sometimes he feels he isn't up to the task of leading but knows he can't let anyone doubt his ability. He forces himself to exude confidence and inspiration, even when he doesn't feel it himself. He walks in the footsteps of heroes. He must be worthy of those who went before him.
Image[]
Adam stands well over six feet tall, with ebony skin, powerful shoulders, and a trim, warrior's build. His face, all sharp angles and planes, bears the mark of nobility. His dark eyes regard everyone he sees with a calculation born from years of assessing an individual's potential as ally or foe. In his fae mien, Adama is taller and slimmer with the same regal presence. He favors ethnic African attire, though he doesn't keep to any single tribal finery; he prefers to borrow from the styles of many nations. He likes wearing elaborate headdresses to add to his height and draw attention to himself. He carries a spear with runic looking etchings on the head that suggest the weapon serves ceremonial as well as practical purpose.
References[]
- CTD. War in Concordia: The Shattered Dream, pp. 81-83.