Bronze Riders

[Shikai]

Bronze Riders of Araelen

Weyrleader M'kel, rider of Tirenth
L'kas, rider of Seath
Weyrlingmaster B'kay, rider of Syth
D'gellin, rider of Lancetoth
A'tair, rider of Tristiath
H'run, rider of Gawyth

[Shikai]

Character Name: Mirenikel, now called M’kel

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Previous Position: Holder

Current Position: Dragonrider

Appearance: M’kel stands at 5’8”. His dirty blonde shock of hair flashes imperiously in the light of the sun, rebelliously (in his Hold, anyway) grown past his ears. He has hazel eyes that are usually dancing at some mischief or another, but also belie his conniving side. There is often a sparkle in those depths of hidden thoughts and ambition. He has a slender form, and is often teased for it by his bulkier, stronger brothers. Nevertheless, it gives him a nimbleness and agility that has come in handy in many unfortunate confrontations.

Personality: Even as a lad, M’kel was hungry for power. He was always looking for an edge on his competitors, even his siblings, in his quest for control. While his siblings would throw tantrums when younger, as all children do, Mirenikel would try another tactic: being pleasant and amusing, even if he was forced to grit his teeth through a grin and dig his nails into his sides to hold back his anger. Therefore, he became cheerful and eager, though with a conniving gaze behind his smiles.
Mirenikel was also the carefree, diligent son in the lot. His good-natured humour is still tainted from time to time by the fiery ambition and pride that can erupt violently when unrestrained. He is youthful and naïve, unused to the stratagems of experienced adults and sometimes easily misguided by promises of power.

History: In a family of nine children, with only one small Hold to share between them, it was well known that not all would inherit land, and only one would succeed their father in status as a Holder. Unwilling to make the challenge easy for his children, as well as delighting in the prospect of many chore-free days for himself, their father declared that the old ‘first born inherits’ rule would be thrown out the window, and they were to battle it out in an effort to impress their father and be chosen as the most suitable for Holding.

Unable to utilize oldest child superiority over his siblings, especially with a brother barely a year younger than him and the spacing between the following siblings also relatively short, Mirenikel was forced to resort to cunning and quick-wittedness. His burning resentment at being shorted in what was only his due threatened to engulf him at times, but Mirenikel harnessed the fire to feed his ambition instead. Undermining the others, especially the youngest, was easy enough, but left the lad unable to trust. This resulted in a childhood filled with suspicion, though Mirenikel, in an act of self-preservation, approached his days with a forced joviality and apathy.

Always looking to gain an edge and rather musically inclined to boot, Mirenikel spent many a day in secret study with the Hold Harper. These meetings were kept hidden from the others both to prevent teasing at his interest in such a frivolous pursuit as music, as well as to keep the others unsure as to the extent of his worldly knowledge. The Harper was willing to share some of the tricks of his trade with such an eager, bright mind, in the belief that Mirenikel was considering the pursuit of his Craft. As the Turns wore on and such a concept was discounted by the boy’s ending youth, the Harper was forced to continue the lessons through other persuasions.

Mirenikel’s ambition was further encouraged, rather than quenched, when he was taken to the Weyr on Search. Despite his youth, M’kel, upon Impressing his bronze, determined to make himself Weyrleader at all costs. Although the goal was now different, the means of achieving it remained the same. Unfortunately, his youthfulness and naïve confidence left him at risk for the manipulations of the real world.

When it was whispered, oh so enticingly, that the Junior Weyrwoman wanted fit, young bronzeriders to follow her forward in time to found a new Weyr, M’kel couldn’t resist this alluring opportunity. It not only eliminated his strongest competition: the older, more experienced bronzeriders, but also drastically sped up the opportunity for a new Weyrleader to rise. The so far uncaught queen would rise to mate for the first time in the future, and M’kel was determined that his bronze be the one to catch her. It was an open contest and the chance of a lifetime.

Position in Family: Mirenikel was the first child born to a young Holder couple, conceived after one year of attempts, 6 months of which were in wedlock, and was believed to be the only child the couple would successfully bear, due to their difficulty in conception. Thus, unable to choose only one name for their son, the couple, according to Mirenikel, combined as many names as they could into one, leaving him with the unfortunate result. Soon following Mirenikel’s achievement of 4 months of age, the couple conceived the first of another eight children to follow him. Suspiciously enough, their names were much shorter and simpler than his.

Dragon Colour: Bronze

Abilities:

Strength: 17
Concentration: 8
Agility: 10
Team Coordination: 12
Creativity: 4
Allure: 10
Rescue: 9

[Shikai]

Name: L'kas

Age: 25

Gender: Male

Previous Position: Bronze Rider

Appearance: L'kas has sun bleached blond hair with unruly curls making it sometimes impossible to keep in any kind of decent order. His eyes are a deep hazel color, the color shifting toward green when he is sad or upset, and shifting toward a greenish blue when he is happy or excited. He stands about 5ft 7inches tall and has a slight muscular build, but not too heavily so.


Personality: He seems to always have a smile dancing at the corners of his mouth. When he impressed he was a tad shy, having just overcome his teen awkwardness, but when he impressed Seath he became confident and truly loved the responsibilities that went with being a bronze rider. He became more outgoing and a bit of a flirt, but if he needs to have a cool and confident head he definitely does. He really enjoys being in a position where he needs to be in charge.

History: L'kas was orphaned at birth. His mother died giving birth to him and he never knew his father was and never really cared to find out. He was raised by a woman in the kitchens at harper hall and was an apprentice for a short time before he was searched. He didn't mind leaving harper hall. They said he had great potential, but he never felt that he belonged there so he gladly went with the search rider and not long after that impressed Bronze Seath.

Dragon Colour: Bronze

Dragon Name: Seath

Abilities:

Strength: 16
Concentration: 11
Agility: 12
Team Coordination: 12
Creativity: 6
Allure: 6
Rescue: 7

[Shikai]

Character Name: B'kay

Age: (candidates must be between the ages of 12 and 22): 27

Gender: M

Previous Position: (if applicable, what was your character’s job before becoming a candidate, dragonrider, etc.?): Minesmith

Current Position: Bronze rider

Appearance: (include height, eye colour, hair colour, etc.): B'kay is dark and swarthy, thick set muscles, short straight black hair and dark brown, impenetrable eyes. His skin colour is a deep bronzish tan, and he sports a thick scar that runs across one cheek and down his neck and shoulder, from threadscore he received in his first fall. He has a straight, aquiline nose and deep-set eyes under even brows. His mouth is thin and straight, and he wears an expression that is perpetually grim. He is approximately six feet in height and broad across the shoulders, evidence of his mining past.

Personality: (is your character protective, easy-going, fun-loving, solemn, what?): B'kay is dark and brooding, he gets close to no one, and has few friends. Internally ambitious, he does not confide those goals to anyone, and attained a position of wing second at Artemis Weyr more because he bends his back silently to getting the job done than because of any obvious leadership skills. He seeks his pleasure in private, and bears his pain in silence. Only his dragon knows his heart.

History: (include parents’ names and ‘jobs’, character’s location growing up, exciting or dreadful events that occurred to your character that aided in shaping their personality, etc.): B'kay was born Bronulkay, fifth son of miner Bronulon and his wife Kaytrilla. In addition, the family had two daughters, the youngest children, who were really the only siblings Bronulkay got on well with. His brothers, all older, treated him harshly, as did his father, for the world in the mines was a harsh one, and no boy should be coddled. He entered the mines to work at the young age of eleven turns, and bent his back to the silent and lonely task until a green dragon and her rider landed at the mine's adit one day and picked him, alone, out of the group of men and boys filing up from the depths. It was only three days before the Hatching, and he Impressed the dark bronze, black shaded Syth quietly and without any fanfare. The pair have been bonded for eight turns.

When the Junior Weyrwoman vanished one day, along with several other riders, and then others began disappearing in small and scattered groups, B'kay, the 'uninvited', sought answers to this mystery without confiding in anyone else. Finally, he had his firelizard, brown Griz, follow behind a group of 'travelers' that the flitt had stumbled across and, unseen, he tracked them not only to a new place – but a new time far in Pern's future.

Griz returned, brought back exciting and intriguing images, and B'kay and Syth made plans to follow....

Position in Family: (oldest child, youngest; if creating an important figure which requires application in the Special Requests section, leave this flexible [don’t force only child unless granted request]) Youngest son of five, with two younger sisters.

Dragon Colour: (if applicable): a very dark, black-shaded Bronze

Dragon's Name: (if applicable): Syth

Relation to Existing Character: (if applicable): other than living and serving at the same Weyr, none

Abilities:

Strength: 13
Concentration: 16
Agility: 6
Team Coordination: 11
Creativity: 11
Allure: 6
Rescue: 7

[Shikai]

Character Name: D'gellin (Deg – L – in)

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Preference: Females

Previous Position: Short-lived apprentice in varying crafts. Last attempt at apprenticeship was in the Harper craft.

Current Position: Junior Weyrling

Appearance: Degellin is a strangely attractive young man in a contradictory way. His silky strawberry blonde hair crowns his head with very slight delicate waves. Contrastingly sun-darkened skin makes his fair tresses look misplaced on his person. His eyes are large and misleadingly innocent; a light, sparkling blue. He's thin and wiry, not at all built for hard labor, but his long, lanky limbs make for perfect running equipment. His smile is dashing and crowned by two precious little dimples. He walks in a proud, head-held high way that resonates with his overflowing confidence. But the boyish roundness to his face and rather petite height of only five foot one (and a half!) make for him looking a fair deal younger than he actually is; a blessing or a curse?

Personality: To those who don't know him well, Degellin is an angel. He's always smiling, usually polite, and almost always submitting to orders without a fuss. But Degellin is far from being the delight that he first appears as. He's a jittery kid who can’t sit still for more than two minutes without getting up to do something. He's stubborn but it seems as though nothing can quench his unyielding need for change and movement. He's rash and strangely devilish once you get to know him. His impish demeanor points toward a devious, tricky undercurrent in his mind. Everything and everyone is fair game in his endless abundance of pranks and gags. If there's ever a disturbance or a hoax pulled that no one would dare attempt, the culprit is probably Degellin. He's not beyond tripping a higher-up in the halls but he's smart enough to use more tact then that. The odds of catching him if you don't already know his history are practically zilch. He really is a little demon. There is one catch though: he has an inability to lie to females, something that's been a real thorn in his side on one too many occasions.

History: Holdbred and fourth child of five, Degellin never did stand out very much in his early days. And all in all, he lived a pretty decent, quiet childhood. It was probably as he got older that he began to get bored of the repetition of his life. Nothing new ever happened, nothing altered, it was like the world was stuck in time, and before the next day could come Degellin was right back at the beginning of the previous day. It drove him absolutely bonkers. And it was around that time that, in his desperation for originality, he picked up on playing pranks. They offered a new form of fun and a strangely compelling challenge. Could he pull off his next stunt or was it too difficult, his victim too smart? The whole thing was a game to him but it always offered to be a diversion from the monotony of everyday life. He welcomed it warmly and quickly ascended into mastery. His tiny, lithe body was ideal for escaping if things got sticky and his sharp eyes and mind kept him always on his toes. But as time wore on boredom returned for another round. And Degellin turned his pranktactical sights higher. The problem, however, was that he knew there was nothing left for him in the little Hold once he'd successfully snuck into the Lord Holder's bedchamber and left the poor sleeping man's fingers in a cup of cold water. It was just too easy now.

Fortunately, he managed to tough it out long enough to survive to the age of twelve, and jumped at the chance to apprentice himself to a Master. But absolutely nothing could keep his interest long enough. He needed change. He always needed change. But the Masters wanted dedication. They always wanted dedication. And they were a little less patient with Degellin's array of tricks and pranks then his parents were. Before he knew it, Degellin had been in and out of apprenticeship in three different crafts. Personally, he thought he’d been a real trouper. After all, he had lasted almost a whole turn in each one. That was more than generous considering how tediously repetitious the lessons were. It seemed he might have found his calling in the Harper craft, where his dexterity with his fingers and his intuitive sense for music proved beneficial with instruments (although he couldn't sing for the life of him), but then the Search Rider came by and, to Degellin's absolute delight, he was Searched and whisked away to candidacy. Weyrlife certainly seemed more compelling for two reasons: one: dragons, the masters of the skies who hadn’t been seen in generations, were involved. And two, it was an entirely new experience that Degellin welcomed with eager open arms.

Position in Family: The second youngest of five siblings, all of which are girls with the exception of Degellin. (It's probably why he can't lie to women. Having to deal with four sisters who knew him far too well all his life built up a notion that there was simply no fooling the opposite gender).

Dragon's Name: Lancetoth

Dragon’s Appearance: Lancetoth is mostly a light bronze colour, except for a dark, nearly black stripe that starts at the tip of his nose, runs up between his eyes, down his neck and spine, and all the way to the tip of his tail. This is quite a stretch indeed, for his tail extends quite a distance, posing possible in-flight difficulties when he will need to coordinate with a wing. He is an average-sized bronze with a fairly nimble form, allowing for flexible movement in the air.

Dragon’s Personality: No day is dull for Lancetoth, for he is passionate about life. Nearly every daily occurrence demands a strong emotional reaction from him, be it excitement, anger or fear. This can be constructive in that he is determined and energetic, but it may also begin to wear on those around him as nothing can be taken lightly. Coupled with this zest for life is Lancetoth’s valiant nature, which leads him to believe that his noble services are required in a variety of circumstances. This can be quite charming at times but may also contribute to an overwhelming presence. Lancetoth is also very driven by desire. When he wants something, he will strive to attain it, be it the female dragon of his dreams or a specific rank in the Weyr.

Dragon’s Abilities:

Strength: 13
Concentration: 15
Agility: 11
Team Coordination: 10
Creativity: 5
Allure: 11
Search/Rescue Skill: 5

[Shikai]

Character Name
Altair

Age
21 Turns

Gender
Male

Preference
Females

Previous Position
Farmer on the outskirts of Ceros Hold

Current Position
Junior Weyrling

Appearance
If there is any part of Altair that can be absolutely, positively, one-hundred percent certain, it's that he's a complete break from the stereotypical seaman: rather than being tall and stocky, his head falls below the chin of many taller women and most men, and while heavier than he used to be, the tailors can still be heard to mutter about the fact that he's too thin, and why do they have to alter everything that wasn't made for him in the first place?

Don't let his stature (or rather, his lack thereof) fool you into thinking that he's a weak fool, however. Concealed beneath the thick clothing that it is his habit to wear, he's actually quite muscular. Altair has a strong jawline, though it, too, is frequently hidden beneath a high collar, and a rather broader nose than he would like. For all the masculinity that the rest of his face portrays, however, his eyes rather detract from the image, large and a dark brown, with faint laugh lines around the edges. It's hard to conceal it when you smile so much. And smile he does, regardless of the fact that he is slightly buck-toothed.

Of his colouration, it is fairly obvious that he spends much of his time in the shadow of the mountains around Ceros, or indoors aiding the Healers as best he can. His skin is extremely pale; even the light of Rukbat reflecting off of the snow that is everywhere so many months out of the Turn is incapable of changing that fact. His hair, too, is a dark brown unlightened by the harsh sunlight that many farther south are bombarded with.

Overall, Altair could be deemed fairly attractive. Definitely good-looking enough to be sought after by a number of young women. If only his heart weren't already set on someone else.

Personality
For the most part, Altair is one of the happiest people that you will ever meet. It's a rare moment that he's not smiling, not joking around. Occasionally even likened to a Harper in his love of wit, he does however possess a slight tendency to offend, quite likely due to his sometimes rather aggravating brand of sarcasm. Unlike a Harper, though, his musical ability is absolutely nil, though that doesn't stop him trying to carry a tune, the frequent elbows to his ribs going ignored. His particular philosophy involves being able to do something that you love, ability for said something notwithstanding. Or rather, lack of ability. It's been surmised that he's somewhat tone-deaf. However, a highly stubborn streak runs through him, and he refuses to quit trying, regardless of how horrid he may be.

There is, for all the jollity, a darker, brooding side to Altair. He is quite careful to keep this face hidden from the public, and when he's in one of his darker moods he is wont to keep to his quarters, either by himself or with Corenne. During these times, he is as unpredictable as a green runner, and can go from raging mad to near-suicidal in less than a minute. Perhaps, with the medicines present on Terra, these moods could have been controlled; however, Pern not being Terra, they are allowed to continue as they will. Fortunately, his competency as a Holder has not been questioned, as they rarely if ever last more than a day or two, before subsiding from anywhere between a month and a Turn.

For all that he has two distinct faces, Altair is as suspect to human emotion as any other person on Pern, Tau Ceti, Terra, or otherwise. He can have sad moments without descending into total despair, he can have angry moments without going into a nearly uncontrollable rage, and he can indeed feel love, as anyone else can. Perhaps this is most evident in his ardent defence of Corenne's rights, whatever the arguments against her. Or perhaps that is only a second, second to his stubborn refusal to give up trying to convince Corenne that she can, too, be a Rider's wife. That is, of course, if he even ends up a rider.


History
Luckily for his parents, frazzled as they were by the prior antics of four older boys, two of which hadn't made it through their second Turn, Altair was an exceptionally biddable young boy. He never attempted to run off outside during a particularly heavy storm he never attempted to keep a tunnel snake as a pet, he never tracked mud into the Hold for the drudges to clean up, and he never ever gave his parents a difficult time. Note the key word there: his parents. That wasn't to say that he didn't get on the nerves of other parents. Primarily, Corenne's.

As a three-Turn old thoroughly confused by the sudden disappearance of his favourite elder brother, she had been someone to turn to when he needed a friend. Though neither one of them really knew what the word 'death' meant, they had both been made that much more lonely by it. Perhaps it was simply that which they held in common, or perhaps it was a bizarre twist of fate, that he would meet the one he was to love so early in life. Not that he was to know that just yet, still too young to understand death, only able to understand that she was his friend, still young enough to believe that they could stay little kids forever and play together forever and be friends forever.

Corenne's parents were the ones that they would run screaming to when they had found a tunnel snake in a cave just outside the Hold. Corenne's parents were the ones they would run crying to when one or the other had managed to trip and cut themselves on a rock. And thus, Altair's parents were able to escape much of the day-to-day parenthood that Corenne's parents had suddenly found doubled. Things continued that way for two more Turns, as happy as could be.

Altair was five when he and most of the other children in the Hold got sick. He found the spacing between his getting sick and Corenne's getting sick exceptionally aggravating, and was positively gleeful when, two full sevendays after he had been declared cured, so had she. Even at five Turns old, he was not yet old enough to comprehend that his best friend was no longer the same as he was. He found it difficult not to laugh on the frequent occasions when she tripped over obvious steps, or uncharacteristically ran into the middle of a wall. However, a few months later, as she slowly became accustomed to her own differences, he ceased to notice, and came to assume that she was just a bit more clumsy than most people.

When he was eight Turns old, his eldest remaining brother was apprenticed to a Miner. At first, he couldn't have been happier, because on top of getting to know his brother was good enough to be a Miner, he got to go visit the Minehold with his mother and father and two younger sisters. Afterwards, he wasn't nearly so happy. Rather than being allowed to see his brother find a new vein of something that he had been convinced would be valuable, he had gotten to see his brother die. But when the tunnel had collapsed, there was nothing that anyone could do save to aid the survivors and pull out the bodies, of which there were far, far too many.

Lonelier than ever before, he again turned to Corenne, his best friend. For the moment, he didn't want anything to do with learning how to run a farm, even if it was to eventually become his duty, as the eldest remaining son. It was somewhere around that time that he came to terms with the fact that Corenne really was different from him, that there had been a reason why she had burst out into tears every time he had asked her what she thought that a particular cloud looked like. And that he realised he didn't care, because she had been his friend before he knew and she was still his friend afterwards.

Most of his childhood progressed in much the same way, though considerably changed in certain aspects. Rather than senselessly trying to convince Corenne to play tag, they spent a lot of time reading together, he giving her something she had forever been denied, never having had the opportunity to learn how to read and write.

His teenage Turns changed him more than he ever would have guessed. More than anyone would ever have guessed, really. Victim not only to the typical hormones that all of that age get to bother with, Altair found himself inexplicably angry. Not all of the time, just at particular moments. But at those moments, he felt as though he wanted to kill someone, anyone. And yet at the same time, he felt a despair nearly deep enough to want to kill himself. Thankfully, these moments were few and far between, and as he slowly learned to predict them a day or two in advance, he managed to sequester himself in his rooms for the duration, feigning sickness, only to emerge a day or two later, miraculously 'cured' before a Healer could be convinced of its seriousness by his distraught parents.

It was at the first Gather that Altair actually danced at, rather than making faces at the dancers, that he discovered something about both himself and Corenne, though at the time it nearly passed unnoticed. Though he had attended the gather while she remained indors for the duration of the festivities, every single girl that he danced with became an unmistakable likeness of Corenne. At first he thought that she was simply average-looking, so that a lot of people really did look like her. But then he started noticing that this girl's eyes were a much duller shade of blue than hers, and that another's cheeks were a lot more flushed than hers that rarely showed much colour. And so, hardly knowing it, Altair fell in love.

And he never did fall out of it.

Five Turns later, he only nineteen Turns of age, he was driven to do his duty to Hold and Hall by a freak storm. Though the sturdy boat that his parents had last been seen on was hardy enough to withstand the cold of the icecaps even farther south, and the roughest swells that exacted such a heavy toll on planking, nothing could have survived that storm without shelter. When the skies cleared, and three sevendays passed without anyone hearing of them, either within Ceros or without it, they were given up as lost. During those three sevendays, there was one concerned face that never failed to be there. One person who he could not have done without.

For the next Turn, his younger sister did the duties that his wife should have done, had he had one. She aided him in planting, in harvesting, in dragging bucket after bucket of water out to the fields when there was no rain. But somehow, he never could work up the courage to just out and ask the girl that he had wanted to marry for enough Turns for him to have lost count. There was always that nagging worry in the back of his head, bombarding him with uncertainty every time he thought that he just might do it. “But what if Corenne doesn't love me in return?”

She did. But always, she declined. He never would accept her excuses. He ignored her protests that she couldn't do what a Farmers wife should do, that how could someone without sight perform the proper duties? But she, too, ignored his protests that his sister was doing just fine in the position that she was in, and that neither she nor her husband were unhappy about the current situation.

But his own arguments fell on deaf ears. Still too stubborn to give in, he would persevere in trying until one of them died or gave in. Either he would die and that would be the end of it, or she would die and he would gladly follow, or he would give in and find someone else, or she would give in and both of them could get what they wanted.

But even that wouldn't be the end of his story, now would it?

Position in Family:
Fifth-born, though through a series of unfortunate events, he ended up as the head of the family with the death of his parents. Also has two younger sisters and a younger brother.

Relation to Existing Character:
Long-time friendship with Corenne

Dragon's Name: Tristiath

Dragon’s Appearance: Tristiath is a pale bronze with darker splotches along his sides and on his wing membranes. It gives him rather the appearance of a Terran paint horse, though with not nearly as much contrast between the shades of bronze. He is slender, nimble, and slightly taller than average. His longer neck gives him an extended vertical appearance, emphasizing his lean build.

Dragon’s Personality: As if embodying the uniqueness of his hide, Tristiath is a non-conformer in dragon society. He is playful and carefree of expectations, doing things because they are fun, even if they may be frowned upon. He is quite musical, although his version of music may be termed discordant to human ears, and enjoys harmonizing with fire lizards or creating his own tunes to hum. Tristiath is also an extremely brave dragon, for he highly doubts the possibility that either himself or those he cares about could actually be hurt in Threadfall. As well, Tristiath can be quite obsessive at times. These tendencies are most often visible in romantic pursuits, in which he may slip easily into infatuation. It will be difficult even for his rider to diminish Tristiath’s compulsions.

Dragon’s Abilities:

Strength: 16
Concentration: 13
Agility: 15
Team Coordination: 9
Creativity: 10
Allure: 6
Search/Rescue Skill: 8

[Shikai]

Character Name: H'run

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Preference: Females

Previous Position: Apprentice Trader, then Apprentice Harper

Current Position: Candidate

Appearance: Hirun is taller then average, although not by much, and of a moderate weight leaning to the slim side. While not the desirable jet-black color of a polished obsidian stone, Hirun’s hair is black, albeit a very dull shade. It is on the longer side of what is typically seen in Pern, hanging in only slightly wavy strands past his ears and to the nape of his neck. His eyes are a bright shade of blue, and are shaped a bit narrower then most. His skin is neither particularly tanned or pale, for he was exposed to enough sun in his younger days to give him a darker complexion, but it lightened in tone since he became a harper apprentice, since he no longer did extensive work outdoors. His face generally carries a stoic look. Hirun’s ears are a large for his face, which is rather angular, and his nose is larger than he would like.

Personality: Hirun is generally untrusting, and expects very little from others so as not to disappoint himself if they betray his confidence. He is unfriendly, rarely making any move to really get to know another person, unless they start something first. Hirun tends to be harsh and frank when he talks, not a believer in beating around the bush or delaying bad news. However, he is rarely intentionally mean-spirited or disrespectful. As he spent much of his life without the opportunity to develop friendships or relationships with anyone outside of his immediate family, and a few other traveling families of traders they would journey with on occasion, he lacks most social skills and doesn't particularly know how to deal with people on personal terms, not just business terms as he commonly did in his days as a merchant. Although he truly needs to be able to get to know someone enough to trust them, but has no idea where he would begin. At present he would be unlikely to attempt this anyhow, because, as with many who go through a traumatic incident in their life, Hirun has built a wall around his inner self that is difficult to breach. Although he seems unfeeling and distant, this is just part of the wall he has built to protect himself from being emotionally hurt, and secretly hates injustice and bullying. However, he lacks the necessary courage to stand up for others out of fear of being turned on and disliked. The only way he ever shows his emotions is through playing his flute, with which he is gifted, although he only truly plays when he is either alone, or alone with an instructor. This serves as his only outlet for his pent up emotion, and so playing is necessary for his well-being. While he would hate to acknowledge this, Hirun subconsciously realizes this and so he is sure to make time for himself. If he were to get to know someone, they would find him reasonably knowledgeable about the southern holds and crafthalls from his family’s travels.

History: Born to a family of traveling merchants, Hirun traveled about from hold to hold on the Northern continent with his immediate family, his mother, father, and younger brother Kazhan, in their caravan, transporting goods. Although this lifestyle could be risky, with little access to help in case of an accident, his parents loved their life of freedom far too much to settle down into a hold. They enjoyed living this way until Hirun was fourteen. Traveling far from hold or shelter, the traders were caught in a storm. The family struggled to make camp, but the one of the runners pulling their caravan spooked at the site of lightning and caused Hirun’s mother, who had been trying to secure the runnerbeast, to be flung away. Her head was struck on the slippery rocks littering the area, and she died quickly. Devastated, Hirun's father gave up the life he had once loved and brought his family to the southern continent, to start a new life in better safety and security. Still reeling from the sudden loss of his mother and all the recent changes, Hirun was deeply wounded and had a difficult time opening up to anyone, much less form friendships. He had had a bond within his family much greater then that felt by the majority of the Pernese due to the fostering system and the isolation from anyone outside of his family, so her loss was deeply felt. This caused him to try to fortify himself from any future hurt, but actually resulted in keeping others away from him. At the hold, he fell into the harpercraft when his skill with a flute was discovered, despite his mediocre singing voice.

Position in Family: Oldest of two

Dragon's Name: Gawyth

Dragon’s Appearance: Gawyth from afar appears to be a consistently coloured bronze, but upon closer inspection, flecks of lighter tan trace his muzzle. This speckling pattern resembles that of sparks, as if the bronze had become curious and poked his nose too close to a fire. Other than these speckles, his hide is a rich, uniform colour, though his wing membranes are also the colour of the flecks on his nose. His build is muscular and stout, belying the strength of his form, although he lacks the nimbleness of other dragons.

Dragon’s Personality: Any bronze would recognize Gawyth as a formidable opponent, for he embodies an air of confidence and self-assuredness. This pride isn’t intended to be perceived as arrogance, but at times, Gawyth’s brash nature does shine through. Despite a certain overconfidence, Gawyth is not very ambitious, setting his sights on courting females rather than attaining high rank in the Weyr. He is a “ladies’ man” among dragons, and his softer side is visible when Gawyth wishes to assist in the healing of injured dragons and riders. When it comes to personal relationships, Gawyth is fiercely loyal, and he won’t hesitate to defend his friends.

Dragon’s Abilities:

Strength: 15
Concentration: 13
Agility: 10
Team Coordination: 10
Creativity: 5
Allure: 9
Search/Rescue Skill: 8