#papango

the basics Name: papango rivomahery  Aliases: ango, rivo  Country: madagascar Gender/Pronouns: genderqueer, they/he Sexual/Romantic Orientation: demisexual, homoromantic Age: 30 Occupation: court historian  Faceclaim: ncuti gatwa Marital Status: single Loyalties: madagascar, but not the ratsifis   Pets: n/a

aesthetics (loose) Inspiration: richard papen (the secret history), madeline mackenzie (big little lies), belize (angels in america) Animal: the madagascar serpent-hawk  Tarot Card: judgement Zodiac: virgo Element: earth

tldr; papango is incredibly pleasant, and is often called a workaholic. outside of official events, they are commonly found in the library, reading, researching, and writing. if not there, they can be found outside in nature- especially near the water. they are confident in the world's ability to be something beautiful, but believes it takes a concerted effort to make it that way.

backstory: They were born in a small village on the Helodranon’ Antongila to two young, loving parents, thrilled to bring a child into the world. They named the boy Rivomahery, owing to the terrible, windy storm that blew through their village the night they came into the world. It was a happy enough childhood, and one surrounded by the wonders of the natural world. A young child that couldn’t get enough of exploring and- more importantly- understanding the world around them. 

It was a short-lived happiness, flattened entirely when the Malagasy army invaded their quiet village one morning, ransacking houses. It was terrifying, but nothing compared to the moment the fires began. Rivo saw it themselves- soldiers instructed to raze the town. Fires blazed, and the child ran down to the water, having lost track of their parents in the earlier chaos. Their parents never came to find them- they had perished in the fire that engulfed the town. They’d later learn the full story- that the king’s advisor, Pascal Rakotson, had gone on the run in an attempt to evade receiving justice, and the king had sent the army out to look for him. The general leading the troops was certain they’d find Pascal in the village, and believed the fires would force him out of whatever house he’d hidden away in. Pascal would later be found on the south eastern side of the island, nearly 600 miles away. 

The child was found a day later by a passing fisherman, sitting patiently, waiting for their parents at the treeline, watching the gentle waves. A Madagascar Serpent-Hawk sat in the tree above them, looking as if it was standing vigil, watching over the child until someone found them. The fisherman asked for their name, but was met with a silent, petrified stare. The child could not speak- and they utter a word wouldn’t for nearly a month. As the fisherman took them to an orphanage a few miles south of their home, he began calling them Papango- the Malagsy word for the hawk that had protected him. The name stuck, and when their ability to speak returned, they kept it, ultimately choosing to take their birth name as a second name. 

Papango was only in the orphanage for two months before they were adopted by old noble couple that had been unable to have children of their own. Life could not have been more different, full of fine things, comfort, luxury. Papango’s adopted father was trusted by the king, and the family name held a great deal of respect throughout Madagascar. 

It was here that Papango was given a private teacher, and they began to thrive. Their intellect was fostered and well-fed by their new family, but they excelled in the study of history. As they grew into a teen, it became an obsession, and they devoured the history books of every nation they could find. It was always a passion- not a job prospect- until they discovered a new history of Madagascar. In it, they saw a brief mention of the atrocities in their village, but was horrified to see them listed as an accident. It was written that the town was engulfed in flames after a torch was dropped, and the high winds that day caused the fire to spread uncontrollably. 

This discovery sparked something great and terrible within Papango. They’d always wanted justice, but they had made peace with the fact they would not ever receive it. Now, they saw a way. It took patience- God, so much patience- but they made their way through university, and after years of building their reputation, they were offered a job in the palace as the court historian. 

now:  They say history is written by the victors- but it’s not. It’s written by people like Papango. With just a few untrue words, the previous historian had entirely erased the history of their village. 

With a combination of their stellar professional reputation and the trust their family had garnered amongst the court, Papango was given nearly unfettered access to the Royal Archives, the Royal Library, and the ins and outs of the royal court. It was their job to record the present for future generations- and with that, they became privy to a great deal of sensitive information. Information they could sell to Madagascar’s enemies.