Post by Shikai on Jan 21, 2009 20:17:51 GMT -5
Character Name: Amika
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Preference: Males
Previous Position: Apprentice Baker
Current Position: Candidate, soon-to-be Wher Candidate
Appearance: Standing at 5’3”, Amika’s slight figure is surprisingly willowy in form, with thin, long limbs giving her an appearance of height that is contradicted only upon closer scrutiny. One might presume that such a delicate build would be accompanied by grace in her movements, the chance of a forceful breeze being enough to sway her. On the contrary, Amika is very deliberate in her movements, almost to the point of fearfulness, as if any mis-step could be her last.
The nymph-like image created by her figure is further complemented by a narrow face, eyes wide with innocence and apprehension above a pointed nose, and wavy auburn locks that frame her features. Her hair is usually shorn at just below her chin, long enough to tie back but short enough not to be a nuisance. There is nothing remarkable about Amika’s eyes, or so her mother would often complain, which are a dark chestnut colour that almost appears black at night.
In fact, her parents often remarked that there was little to notice about their youngest daughter. She was below average in height, had average features, and rarely smiled. A pity, compared to her three older sisters.
Personality: The first thing that one will notice about Amika is that she is very difficult to notice, much as her parents predicted. The girl learned early that the safest way to go through life was through drawing as little attention to herself as possible. At home, at least, this served her well, for it meant her father was less likely to find fault or vent his frustration on an unresisting target.
As a result, Amika could be described as both shy and withdrawn. The former is demonstrated in her hesitant interactions with others, the latter more marked in her fearful gaze levelled at any person engaging her in too long a conversation. If one wishes to have a chat with Amika, he/she will need to watch closely, for in a momentary shift of gaze, she may slip away.
The fear that follows her like a shadow through all social situations was enhanced at 13 Turns to a nearly uncontrollable level, leaving Amika so uncertain that her anxiety has begun translating itself into physical clumsiness. This is, of course, the complete opposite of what she needs, for it is very difficult to remain unnoticed when knocking things over.
The root of all lies in the insecurity her father seeded soon after birth, that was then encouraged to grow and bloom in the following Turns of derision and scorn. There remains little confidence in her own abilities, let alone value as a human being.
For those lucky enough to penetrate the barriers and catch a glimpse of the girl inside, it is apparent that even Turns of misery have been unable to fully quash the true Amika. In rare moments, she allows her emotions to colour her features with the compassion and warmth that fills her spurned heart. Despite all she's been through, Amika cannot stand to see another in pain and will do all in her power to assauge it.
And happiness? Truly, this does come to her at times. In the plains around her Hold, Amika was free to explore and live. The kindness shown her by her sisters was always a reminder, despite the darkness of her father, that there were a few in the world she could trust.
History: By a very young age, Amika came to recognize that her life at home would forever be filled by insurmountable expectations and harsh criticisms. Her parents had successfully produced three shining daughters, all in succession, and each was strikingly unique from the others. With Amika’s arrival, she had followed this trend, as unique from her elder sisters as each of the others had been, but in a most disappointing way. She was boring. Average. With her eldest sister having red hair that shone like Rukbat at dawn, the second with eyes as piercingly blue as the depths of a mountain lake, and the third with rosebud lips always spread in a smile that melted hearts, Amika’s brown hair-brown eyes combination was both unexpected and upsetting.
One might hope that parents would explore the individual virtues of each child, rather than basing pride solely on appearance, except that Randin was an anxious man. As the Turns passed, this grew to be more and more of an understatement, as anxiety climaxed in a frenzy of injustice and despair. He was a Minor Holder, after all, and he needed sons. Sons to inherit, sons to work alongside him in maintaining the Hold, sons to follow in his footsteps. Daughters were convenient for strengthening ties between Holds, it was true, but without a son, there was no point. The Hold as it was under his family’s hand would cease to exist. All of the strivings of his life would be made obsolete.
And so he looked with greater scorn upon each new daughter, judging her more harshly than the prior.
And with Amika’s birth began her streak of cruel luck. Her curse began with an average appearance and was crystallized by the Healer’s proclamation at the end of the harsh labour. Larna would likely be unable to bear another child.
And so Randin’s dream of a son ended with Amika, the most disappointing of his daughters, and a fourth dowry was assured for his coffers. At least, he had reassured himself, the prettiest girls would require little haggling and might not cost him too much to wed. But Amika would certainly be a drain on the Hold’s finances.
Little did Randin know, ensnared as he was in a thicket of bitterness and resentment, that Amika could have had as much hope as the others in charming a suitor, for her demeanour was naturally sweet and kind. But the ensuing Turns all but eliminated this hope, for it is difficult for a spurned child to find any courage to charm.
Instead, Amika grew up in a state of constant apprehension. She flinched whenever her father entered the room, writhed inwardly on the occasions that his cold eyes touched her form, and suffered his frequent lashings out in silence, wondering what she had done wrong this time.
Her sisters were sympathetic but wary of their father, and none of them spoke out at his unequal treatment of Amika. They did make a point of taking her from the home whenever they could, though, either on trips to the local Crafthalls or on adventures in the Hold’s surrounding plains. It was at these times that the girl fancied she could actually feel happiness, thus never losing hope entirely that life could be better outside her family’s world. Her mother, Larna, was also kind to her, though this gentleness diminished in the presence of Randin. It almost felt like more of a betrayal, somehow, that her mother would only indulge her behind Randin’s back.
At the age of 12, Amika was given an unexpected gift in her run of bad luck. Her father, despairing of ever marrying all four daughters off, apprenticed her to a Baker. Although he assumed that such an assignment would humiliate the girl, since none of her sisters were being taught Crafts, Amika grasped at it as a chance for freedom. She fervently applied herself to all of the tasks, her enthusiasm so great that the Master Baker was actually impressed (much to Randin’s dismay). Amika even began to befriend her fellow Apprentices in her own shy way, an unusual accomplishment for the insecure girl.
It seemed that her curse might have lifted, and a Turn into her training Amika’s tentative confidence had asserted itself enough that she dared having a crush on one of the other Apprentices, a 15-Turn old lad named Layne. For the first time in her life, the girl began to feel some essence of control over her own circumstances, and her eagerness allowed her to work late, avoiding home.
When fate’s cruel hand struck again. She was working alone with Layne one day, the Master having rushed out to fetch a missing ingredient, and her fellow Apprentice, perfectly aware of her adoration, was laying on the charm. He was a performer, addicted to attention, and her wondering gaze spurred him to more elaborate stunts. In her distraction, Amika moved too hastily away from one of his feigned lunges with a sword, tripping over a bucket and spilling water all over the floor. She caught herself on the edge of the table, much to Layne’s bemusement, and her face flushed red at the sound of his guffaws. A moment later, he cried out, “I shall rescue you, fair damsel!” and leaped forward as if to sweep her up into his arms. Mounting excitement was shattered immediately, for his errant leap met with an unsteady landing on the wet floor, and Layne slipped, tumbling backwards onto the cast-iron oven, with four loaves of bread already baking inside. His echoing screams never left her, chasing her in the darkness of every night.
The girl that could have been was lost again, all security and hope vanishing in that terrible day. The other Apprentices, who had admired Layne as much as she, blamed her for the accident, even though the Master Baker declared that the boy’s rambunctiousness had made injury inevitable.
Ostracized at home and now in the Craft she loved, Amika withdrew into the protection of invisibility. She could not feel loss again if there was nothing to lose, after all.
That day also left her with an unfortunate habit. The always hesitant girl seemed to be mocked by a sudden clumsiness. Despite enacting every movement with utmost care and concentration, Amika found herself spilling ingredients, bumping into the other Bakers, and dropping utensils at every turn. It was a miserable predicament, making it very difficult to be invisible when her smallest actions drew such attention.
So it continued for another two Turns, with the Master Baker tolerating her only out of appreciation for her earlier skill and suspecting the likely cause of her sudden awkwardness. Luckily, Amika wasn’t forced to confront the day when his patience ran out, for a dragonrider arrived in the Hold on Search and plucked her from the crowd. It was a new opportunity, perhaps even cause for new hope, yet the disbelieving girl was slow to accept the change. She couldn’t possibly be worthy of a dragon, the most awe-inspiring creatures on Pern. And so the girl grew suspicious of the dragonrider’s motives. Why would Araelen want her?
Position in Family: Youngest of four daughters
Pets: None
Alignment: Uneasy Loyalist, for now
Wher Appearance: On the large side for a brown, although not by a great amount, Amisk is a rich, deep brown in color. However, a vibrant, almost golden sheen coats him as a result of a lighter overtone, which can almost make him appear to be glowing. Light, almost metallic-looking speckles dust the top of his head and the tops of his wings, while the undersides of his wings appear much darker, as they lack the golden sheen of the rest of him. Except, that is, for the center of each wing membrane, where a large, circular patch of golden brown stands out in striking contrast to the rest of the wing. This gives his unfurled wings the unsettling appearance of two great eyes. He is undoubtedly large for a brown, although his limbs appear slightly shortened. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Amisk is truly a beautiful wher.
Wher Personality: Amisk has quite an unexpected personality for a wher. Unlike his broody siblings, he tends to be good-natured and cheerful, a light in the life of his handler. He is confident, although also given to entering situations before thinking his decision through. His heart always leads his mind, and perhaps this is the reason that misfortune seems to plague him. Fortunately, he is not too long in recovering, and will always stand by his handler with steadfast loyalty.
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Preference: Males
Previous Position: Apprentice Baker
Current Position: Candidate, soon-to-be Wher Candidate
Appearance: Standing at 5’3”, Amika’s slight figure is surprisingly willowy in form, with thin, long limbs giving her an appearance of height that is contradicted only upon closer scrutiny. One might presume that such a delicate build would be accompanied by grace in her movements, the chance of a forceful breeze being enough to sway her. On the contrary, Amika is very deliberate in her movements, almost to the point of fearfulness, as if any mis-step could be her last.
The nymph-like image created by her figure is further complemented by a narrow face, eyes wide with innocence and apprehension above a pointed nose, and wavy auburn locks that frame her features. Her hair is usually shorn at just below her chin, long enough to tie back but short enough not to be a nuisance. There is nothing remarkable about Amika’s eyes, or so her mother would often complain, which are a dark chestnut colour that almost appears black at night.
In fact, her parents often remarked that there was little to notice about their youngest daughter. She was below average in height, had average features, and rarely smiled. A pity, compared to her three older sisters.
Personality: The first thing that one will notice about Amika is that she is very difficult to notice, much as her parents predicted. The girl learned early that the safest way to go through life was through drawing as little attention to herself as possible. At home, at least, this served her well, for it meant her father was less likely to find fault or vent his frustration on an unresisting target.
As a result, Amika could be described as both shy and withdrawn. The former is demonstrated in her hesitant interactions with others, the latter more marked in her fearful gaze levelled at any person engaging her in too long a conversation. If one wishes to have a chat with Amika, he/she will need to watch closely, for in a momentary shift of gaze, she may slip away.
The fear that follows her like a shadow through all social situations was enhanced at 13 Turns to a nearly uncontrollable level, leaving Amika so uncertain that her anxiety has begun translating itself into physical clumsiness. This is, of course, the complete opposite of what she needs, for it is very difficult to remain unnoticed when knocking things over.
The root of all lies in the insecurity her father seeded soon after birth, that was then encouraged to grow and bloom in the following Turns of derision and scorn. There remains little confidence in her own abilities, let alone value as a human being.
For those lucky enough to penetrate the barriers and catch a glimpse of the girl inside, it is apparent that even Turns of misery have been unable to fully quash the true Amika. In rare moments, she allows her emotions to colour her features with the compassion and warmth that fills her spurned heart. Despite all she's been through, Amika cannot stand to see another in pain and will do all in her power to assauge it.
And happiness? Truly, this does come to her at times. In the plains around her Hold, Amika was free to explore and live. The kindness shown her by her sisters was always a reminder, despite the darkness of her father, that there were a few in the world she could trust.
History: By a very young age, Amika came to recognize that her life at home would forever be filled by insurmountable expectations and harsh criticisms. Her parents had successfully produced three shining daughters, all in succession, and each was strikingly unique from the others. With Amika’s arrival, she had followed this trend, as unique from her elder sisters as each of the others had been, but in a most disappointing way. She was boring. Average. With her eldest sister having red hair that shone like Rukbat at dawn, the second with eyes as piercingly blue as the depths of a mountain lake, and the third with rosebud lips always spread in a smile that melted hearts, Amika’s brown hair-brown eyes combination was both unexpected and upsetting.
One might hope that parents would explore the individual virtues of each child, rather than basing pride solely on appearance, except that Randin was an anxious man. As the Turns passed, this grew to be more and more of an understatement, as anxiety climaxed in a frenzy of injustice and despair. He was a Minor Holder, after all, and he needed sons. Sons to inherit, sons to work alongside him in maintaining the Hold, sons to follow in his footsteps. Daughters were convenient for strengthening ties between Holds, it was true, but without a son, there was no point. The Hold as it was under his family’s hand would cease to exist. All of the strivings of his life would be made obsolete.
And so he looked with greater scorn upon each new daughter, judging her more harshly than the prior.
And with Amika’s birth began her streak of cruel luck. Her curse began with an average appearance and was crystallized by the Healer’s proclamation at the end of the harsh labour. Larna would likely be unable to bear another child.
And so Randin’s dream of a son ended with Amika, the most disappointing of his daughters, and a fourth dowry was assured for his coffers. At least, he had reassured himself, the prettiest girls would require little haggling and might not cost him too much to wed. But Amika would certainly be a drain on the Hold’s finances.
Little did Randin know, ensnared as he was in a thicket of bitterness and resentment, that Amika could have had as much hope as the others in charming a suitor, for her demeanour was naturally sweet and kind. But the ensuing Turns all but eliminated this hope, for it is difficult for a spurned child to find any courage to charm.
Instead, Amika grew up in a state of constant apprehension. She flinched whenever her father entered the room, writhed inwardly on the occasions that his cold eyes touched her form, and suffered his frequent lashings out in silence, wondering what she had done wrong this time.
Her sisters were sympathetic but wary of their father, and none of them spoke out at his unequal treatment of Amika. They did make a point of taking her from the home whenever they could, though, either on trips to the local Crafthalls or on adventures in the Hold’s surrounding plains. It was at these times that the girl fancied she could actually feel happiness, thus never losing hope entirely that life could be better outside her family’s world. Her mother, Larna, was also kind to her, though this gentleness diminished in the presence of Randin. It almost felt like more of a betrayal, somehow, that her mother would only indulge her behind Randin’s back.
At the age of 12, Amika was given an unexpected gift in her run of bad luck. Her father, despairing of ever marrying all four daughters off, apprenticed her to a Baker. Although he assumed that such an assignment would humiliate the girl, since none of her sisters were being taught Crafts, Amika grasped at it as a chance for freedom. She fervently applied herself to all of the tasks, her enthusiasm so great that the Master Baker was actually impressed (much to Randin’s dismay). Amika even began to befriend her fellow Apprentices in her own shy way, an unusual accomplishment for the insecure girl.
It seemed that her curse might have lifted, and a Turn into her training Amika’s tentative confidence had asserted itself enough that she dared having a crush on one of the other Apprentices, a 15-Turn old lad named Layne. For the first time in her life, the girl began to feel some essence of control over her own circumstances, and her eagerness allowed her to work late, avoiding home.
When fate’s cruel hand struck again. She was working alone with Layne one day, the Master having rushed out to fetch a missing ingredient, and her fellow Apprentice, perfectly aware of her adoration, was laying on the charm. He was a performer, addicted to attention, and her wondering gaze spurred him to more elaborate stunts. In her distraction, Amika moved too hastily away from one of his feigned lunges with a sword, tripping over a bucket and spilling water all over the floor. She caught herself on the edge of the table, much to Layne’s bemusement, and her face flushed red at the sound of his guffaws. A moment later, he cried out, “I shall rescue you, fair damsel!” and leaped forward as if to sweep her up into his arms. Mounting excitement was shattered immediately, for his errant leap met with an unsteady landing on the wet floor, and Layne slipped, tumbling backwards onto the cast-iron oven, with four loaves of bread already baking inside. His echoing screams never left her, chasing her in the darkness of every night.
The girl that could have been was lost again, all security and hope vanishing in that terrible day. The other Apprentices, who had admired Layne as much as she, blamed her for the accident, even though the Master Baker declared that the boy’s rambunctiousness had made injury inevitable.
Ostracized at home and now in the Craft she loved, Amika withdrew into the protection of invisibility. She could not feel loss again if there was nothing to lose, after all.
That day also left her with an unfortunate habit. The always hesitant girl seemed to be mocked by a sudden clumsiness. Despite enacting every movement with utmost care and concentration, Amika found herself spilling ingredients, bumping into the other Bakers, and dropping utensils at every turn. It was a miserable predicament, making it very difficult to be invisible when her smallest actions drew such attention.
So it continued for another two Turns, with the Master Baker tolerating her only out of appreciation for her earlier skill and suspecting the likely cause of her sudden awkwardness. Luckily, Amika wasn’t forced to confront the day when his patience ran out, for a dragonrider arrived in the Hold on Search and plucked her from the crowd. It was a new opportunity, perhaps even cause for new hope, yet the disbelieving girl was slow to accept the change. She couldn’t possibly be worthy of a dragon, the most awe-inspiring creatures on Pern. And so the girl grew suspicious of the dragonrider’s motives. Why would Araelen want her?
Position in Family: Youngest of four daughters
Pets: None
Alignment: Uneasy Loyalist, for now
Wher Appearance: On the large side for a brown, although not by a great amount, Amisk is a rich, deep brown in color. However, a vibrant, almost golden sheen coats him as a result of a lighter overtone, which can almost make him appear to be glowing. Light, almost metallic-looking speckles dust the top of his head and the tops of his wings, while the undersides of his wings appear much darker, as they lack the golden sheen of the rest of him. Except, that is, for the center of each wing membrane, where a large, circular patch of golden brown stands out in striking contrast to the rest of the wing. This gives his unfurled wings the unsettling appearance of two great eyes. He is undoubtedly large for a brown, although his limbs appear slightly shortened. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Amisk is truly a beautiful wher.
Wher Personality: Amisk has quite an unexpected personality for a wher. Unlike his broody siblings, he tends to be good-natured and cheerful, a light in the life of his handler. He is confident, although also given to entering situations before thinking his decision through. His heart always leads his mind, and perhaps this is the reason that misfortune seems to plague him. Fortunately, he is not too long in recovering, and will always stand by his handler with steadfast loyalty.
