Sawu

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Sawu is a character from the 2006 real-time strategy computer game Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends.

[edit] Background

Accounts differ on Sawu's as to his ancestry and even species, but according to Big Huge Game's article on the topic - Rise of the Dark Alin, Sawu was originally an Alin Mystic of Sand, Mekarrah in service to the "Brat King" Narsadi, 1000 years ago before the current game timeline. The young King wanted Mekarrah to retrieve what is called the Talisman (in reality a part - possibly a generator - from the Cuotl mothership) which fell on the night of the death of the former King, Fassari the Wise for the acension ceremony seven days before the full moon rises.

Unfortunately, Mekarrah dabbled with the powers of the Talisman. Using its power, he attempted to fuse fire and sand using spells and powers that are now lost in antiquity. Although he succeeded, there was an unforeseen side-effect of corruption that forever changed him into a being of Dark Glass — a tough, dangerous substance that gave him great abilities but drove him, apparently, quite mad. In a series of wars that nearly destroyed the Alin as a people, Mekarrah (now calling himself Sawu) and his glass forces were finally defeated by the greatest mystics of that time. Sawu himself was imprisoned in his home city of Mezekesh, and the city itself was buried deep beneath the sand, never to rise again. However, over the recent years, Dark Alin have been constantly sighted, and now growing into a potent threat against the Alin Kingdom.

Fast-forward to the present, Giacomo's Walker was stolen after a group of Dark Walkers ambushed the convoy in Padonia. The prepetrator turned out to be Marwan, a genie under the service of Sawu himself. After defeating Marwan, the Dark Alin were not seen again until Giacomo arrived in the lands of the Alin in pursuit of The Doge. Marwan took the guise of a mystic named Ascerbus, tricking Giacomo into believing he can guide the Vinci soldiers to the city of Azar Harif. Just as hope seemed bleak, Arri arrived and saved them. Shortly thereafter, Giacomo was told by the King of Azar Harif that the Dark Alin threat has been growing in recent times. He has now made it his priority to seek out the lost city of Mezekesh and put an end to the Dark Alin once and for all. To do so, he sought out the two Keys - Dahkla and Damanhur - and opened Mezekesh's doors. Once there, he confronted Sawu, and released him from his madness. Shortly thereafter, he joined Giacomo in his fight against the Doge, and later assisting him against the Cuotl False Gods.

[edit] Abilities

Sawu's quadruple limbs allow him to throw four swords at once. Being a master of Dark Glass magic, Sawu is able to create an aura of swirling swords around him, entrapping enemies in a glass prison, and summoning Marids to do his bidding. He is also able to summon a giant Glass Spider (a Master Unit in its own right) to do battle against his foes, though in the single-player campaign this was modified to summon a Glass Dragon instead. Passively, Sawu increases Timonium income by 10 (per level up) and provides a free Dark Glass Spider each time he levels up.

[edit] Trivia

• Sawu is seen in the game's opening cinematic, where he is assaulting a Vinci city with an army of Scorpion Riders, Rukhs and Glass Golems. This might've been non-canonical in nature, or might be an event happening after the fall of the Cuotl False Gods.
• In the second mission of the Cuotl campaign, when Giacomo determines which band of heroes he must take to face the Cuotl Gods, Sawu will still remain on either side even though he is considered an Alin hero.

Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
Civilizations & Factions	Vinci • Alin • Cuotl • Neutral factions
Vinci Heroes	Battaglion • Distruzio • Carlini • Giacomo • Lenora • Pulitore • The Doge • Venza • Vinci Lords
Alin Heroes	Andromelek • Arri • Belisari • Dahkla • Damanhur • Sawu • Dark Alin Genies
Cuotl Heroes	Czin • Ix • Kakoolha • Shok • Xil • Yontash
Locations in Aio	Vinci City States • Kalahese Desert • Kumee Jungle • Beastlands