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 Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:14 pm
All dancing steps and singing voices, the Acha are as beautiful as the stories--and just as hedonistic and vain. Creatures of pleasure, they received their dreams as the Kiokote had, but saw it not as a challenge, but as a great and pleasing game. Their most hardy and adventurous broke off (after a proper send-off feast, of course) and are arriving in chattering waves at Matope. The Acha live in the great deserts far to the north of the Kiokote's plains, where they congregate into enormous nomadic tribes numbering up to the hundreds, frequently merging into huge parties at oases on certain days of the year. Monogamous relationships are even more uncommon with the Acha than the kimeti, although exclusive pairs do form, as do lifetime relationships made with the understanding that both partners will dally with others. Pansexuality is also far more common than among the Kimeti or Kiokote. They live entirely for pleasure, and value beauty, wit, and artistic talent above all else. A great dancer may find herself the leader of a large group based solely on this ability, but that's okay--strife is uncommon among the Acha, and political dealings tend to play out in gossip and underhanded backstabbing. The occasional abnormal Acha who seeks power through other means is neatly disposed of by the greater majority: the Acha do not look kindly on physical violence but are happy to repay it in kind if necessary. That said, Acha with a particularly wild bent may find themselves in the valued position of hunter. Hunters train the beautiful, savage dogs the Acha use to track and kill, and bring home hares, lizards, and birds to supplement the Acha's meagre diet of desert vegetation. Even most of the hunters, however, view their important job as an enjoyable game. Although the Acha tend to remain for long periods at any oasis or green patch they can find, they are resourceful and hardy and can go days without food. They obtain most of the water they need through cactus plants, and find the idea of drinking water a novel pleasure. The Swamp will be a joyful place of abundance, and even if mud puddle jumping might mar an Acha's prized impeccable appearance, it sure is fun. In addition to their many songs, their beautiful dogs, and their own gregarious company, the Acha bring to the Kimeti and Kiokote a novel new gift: choral singing. They have mastered the art of combining many different voices into one song with a complexity that far outstrips the simple harmonies of the Swamp, and they are glad to share this unique ability with the rest. Let the revelry begin--the Acha are here!
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:16 pm
Acha Concept Contest Eight Acha among the many that have arrived are up for grabs. Reflecting the beauty of their barren home world, they are up for the taking via a concept contest. Just like the Kimeti and Kiokote, Acha receive their names in a dream had while they slumber in their brittle, hard-shelled eggs, although their names are more likely to feature references to their desert home and pleasurable lifestyle than references to the far-off Swamp. They, like the Kiokote, have stories recalling their split from the Kimeti and Matope, although versions vary wildly. You may enter up to two times. Your entries can be both female, both male, gender neutral, or one of each--it's entirely up to you. Please post both of your entries in the same post using the following form. You don't have to list every single Acha in your preference list--just the ones you are interested in, even if that's just one. Entry Form
[b]Your username:[/b]
[b]Your preference list:[/b]
[b]Acha name:[/b]
[b]Concept in three words or less:[/b]
[b]Short paragraph about your Acha:[/b]
First, second, and third place bonus prizes In addition to winning their Acha, the top three favourites as selected by Rejam and Blue will also receive a sand dog, the speedy, dainty, snooty, wild hunter-pet of the Acha. The first place winner will receive a custom sand dog colored to coordinate with their Acha or one semi-custom sand dog (specify three colors). Second place will get first pick of the two dogs pictured above, and third place will get the remainder. Sand dogs can interbreed with both Eaglehounds and the ghost/demon hounds from the Tain event. The resulting babies will be on one or the other lineart, and will not appear as hybrids.Contest ends at 11:59 CST on Saturday August 6th!
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:27 am
Your username: Jun D
Your preference list: Cactus Flower
Acha name: Red-stained Blossom
Concept in three words or less: Artist Statement: Kill!
Short paragraph about your Acha:
She bursts into the swamp, all swagger and verve, sand dog bounding eagerly in her wake; males should romance her, she informs, but with females, she prefers to do the romancing - oh, that's not what you're after? Then let her tell you about her work instead, the one thing she loves even more (of course, next to her darling puppy - who's a good puppy? That's right!): you see, she was born with a dream - well, they all were, but her dream revealed her passion. She's a hunter, but not just any hunter - she is an artist. Loping far, far out, the thrill of the run; finally - a hare - her dog pounces, shakes it limp, flings it into the air. She springs - slices it open with her sharp little hooves, arcing a bloody ballet across the desert sands with one leap, then another, turn, kick, spiral aaaand stop - ta-dah! Piece number 137: Impression of dunes, with three stars above; red on tan. At the end of a day's hunt, she delights in cracking open a cactus and wiping her limbs clean of the stains before taking a big bite of juicy pulp; blood does flavour a cactus so well, and red blossoms so beautifully into pink across the flesh...pink is such a lovely colour, don't you think? That was back in the desert, of course; now that she's here in the swamp, she can't wait to get started - after all, she's been dying for a new canvas.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:10 am
Your username:
Your preference list: Fennec, desert skies female, Cactus female, Cactus Male,
Acha name: Follow the Sun
Concept in three words or less: energetic, joyful, dancer.
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Leap and twist, kicking heels out towards the sky as though inviting the clouds to play, mincing steps kicked up sand in their wake. Dance to greet the morning as it chased away the cold night, dance to wake the flowers and the birds. He lifted and twisted and spun again, pure joy twisted into movement so each leap and turn was tearing at the seams with exuberance. What a strange and wonderful place, what a watery oasis of new things and faces, what wonders yet lay before him and he leaped forward to greet them.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:20 am
Your username: RoyaumeDePrusse
Your preference list: Agama (Female)
Acha name: Red Oasis
Concept in three words or less: Kill With Kindness
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Agama Oasis likes her fun, and she likes attention, but she thinks the other Acha can take it to rather silly levels. Still, she can't deny the appeal of it. She doesn't tell anyone that she thinks it's a tiny bit much, that might cause too much of a stir from someone who's not particularly good at any one thing, but she does satisfy herself with knowing that every kind word she says is laced with condescension and sarcasm... not that anyone really seems to notice that. It's alright, though. She's heard the Swamp is much more laid back, and maybe she can find a happy medium, there~
Your username: RoyaumeDePrusse
Your preference list: Desert Skies (Female), Fennec (Male)
Acha name: A Sandstorm's Song
Concept in three words or less: Dancing Whirlwind
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Meet Sandstorm. Of course, you don't actually meet Sandstorm, you watch desperately from a distance and envy her and want her because you will never be quite as good as her. She dances like the very wind is beneath her hooves and she sings with the voice of a songbird and she is good at everything she does... And the worst part is that she knows it, and she will never lower herself to associating with... ah, but wait, what's this? Curiosity beckons in the form of mud and greenery. What happens when this stuck-up little princess actually finds somewhere she's not (supposedly) perfect, something she can't do, and creatures who don't adore her every move?
Oh, dear.
[A note:
All 'her/shes' are interchangable with 'him/hes'.]
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:20 am
Your username: Roadkill
Your preference list: Cactus (male), Desert Skies (male), Fennec (male), Mojave Aster (male)
Acha name: Prancing Dog
Concept in three words or less: garish, cocksure, clever
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Prancing Dog is a performer on not only the stage, but in all aspects of his life. What ever he may be doing, he is guaranteed to put on a show. He speaks quickly and in a singsong; Prance always sounds like he knows everything he's talking about, so it must definitely be true. If someone were to question or insult him, they would only be met with confidence, wit, and a roguish grin. By all accounts, he comes across as boisterous and carefree, and those accounts would be correct. Even when singing his opera, and weaving his stories through song and dance, Prance is over the top and loud. The swamp is a fanciful place full of excitement and fun, but it is just a new audience to play for.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:04 am
Your username: Kitty Sprightt
Your preference list: (MALE) Fennec, Aster, Cactus
Acha name: Langour
Concept in three words or less: Jovial, competitive hunter
Short paragraph about your Acha: A reveler as is normal for his kind, and a trainer of hunting dogs. A lover and a fighter, to whom all life, including the hunt, is sport to be tallied. In fact, he has a system which he uses to score and categorize others, and he talks about it glibly, seeming to never run out of information about it. He won't get into how the system's calibrated, but he only associates with those of similar rank or higher.
Your username: Kitty Sprightt
Your preference list: (FEMALE) Cactus Flower, Desert Skies, Agama, Cactus
Acha name: Honeyed
Concept in three words or less: Spiteful, gossipy, competitive
Short paragraph about your Acha: As her name suggests, Honeyed is a sweet doe, full of kind words and eloquence and grace... until she's crossed, embarrassed or bested. Then she gets mad, and when she gets mad, reputations suffer through the insidious spread of rumor. She's also really good at digging up secrets - ones that are good to use for blackmail, of course. And if that doesn't work, oh, she's sure she can find some way to make them pay.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:09 am
Your username: Xerianthe
Your preference list: cactus flower female, desert skies female, agama female, cactus female
Acha name: Poetry in Motion
Concept in three words or less: searching for adventure
Short paragraph about your Acha: As her name suggests, Grace’s dancing makes you weep or laugh and join in, however she sees fit – either way your eyes are riveted to her. Because of this she has quite a following. Her one fault (in her mind, the only one) is how easily she gets bored. In the desert she has pushed herself – more beautiful dancing, trying to make her singing as beautiful as her dancing, painting, Acha after Acha, even hunting for a time. When all of that failed to hold her attention for long she turned to her followers, pitting them against one another subtly to watch sparks fly and tongues lash, reveling in her power. But even this joy lost its intrigue. Yet when whispers spoke of a new place, one far different from their desert home, Grace found herself enchanted; she had thought her dreams to be only her longing for new splendors. This ‘swamp’ was supposed to be beautiful and unique, and to the bored Acha it sounded like paradise. So amidst cries of dismay from her loyal following, Grace set out for the place from her reveries.
Your username: Xerianthe
Your preference list: desert skies male, cactus flower male, cactus male
Acha name: Prickly Pear
Concept in three words or less: power hungry, enchanting
Short paragraph about your Acha: Fig is not to be trifled with, not one bit. If violence weren’t so ugly, he’d be the kind to harm others for power. As it is, he topples those he doesn’t like through subtle manipulations and gossip. He finds the feeling of triumph quite beautiful. He is the actor without a stage, in a play only he knows about. For the public’s admiration, however, he sings. In fact, ‘singing’ isn’t the right word for what he does – his melodies enchant, entrance, fill you up with feeling, and take your mind to amazing places. As a whole, Fig was perfectly content with his life acting his part and captivating audiences. Until the dreams started, that is. Filled with a haunting melody and sights he had never seen before, Fig finally understood what his audience felt listening to him; yet he knew with a clarity that this feeling was more and the fierce longing it filled him with astounded him. Had he been empty all his life? The leaving feast was a blur, the call so flooded his mind; and his journey even more so as his nights were filled with murky water and cicada song.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:39 am
Your username: anemosagkelos
Your preference list: Cactus Flower (Female), Mojave Aster (Male)
Acha name: Kiss and Tell
Concept in three words or less: Flirt, Gossip
Short paragraph about your Acha: S/he is a fluttering soul, much like a butterfly on a quest to taste every flower and then promptly tell all it meets about the taste. There's no telling how much being said is true and really to a gossip truth is far from important. It's all about hearsay and interpretation and what makes the best story. This Acha is always happy, one could say eternally childish, as it makes it way through life and into the swamp--so many new boys and girls to flirt with!
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:50 pm
Your username: Maxx D
Your preference list: desert sky female
Acha name: Any Day Now
Concept in three words or less: fierce excitable dancer
Short paragraph about your Acha: The sun starts to set in the desert. A few Acha wait, because they have seen this before: a section of the scene separates from the dunes and the sky, the sand kicks up. It too, kicks more sand up - it parts from the backdrop distinctly now, limbs lashing against dry waves; it collapses a dusty wall, it defies the onslaught of sand and wind with joyous ease. When the sandstorm settles, there is a finishing spin, the satisfied flash of dark hooves laid low: an Acha rises, now stark in the dark of night. Her martial artistry is complete. She shakes the sand from her tail, already pining for another chance to battle the elements; when Any Day Now plays, she plays hard. Fair-weather dances are quite delightful and still entertaining, of course, but hardly as thrilling as diving headlong into a torrent of slashing sand; if only the winds that swept the plain would rage more often! And then the dreams came, of some foreign landscape with exhilarating new challenges to sport with...when she heard of the mass departure, she lashed an over-eager kick into some poor unfortunate Acha, quite literally leaping at the chance: what could be more exciting than a whole new world?
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 3:03 pm
Your username: EchoLimaFoxtrot
Your preference list: Agama (F), Skies (M)
Acha name: Sand Runner
Concept in three words or less: Never Far Enough
Short paragraph about your Acha: (Female for simplicity but same concept for male. Also, this concept is in conjunction with Chrystali’s, either Birchwood or Sunset Serenade, but for this entry I will use Birchwood. This entry would be my preference - it is the concept and plots with Chrystali's entry that I love most)
Sand Runner is an acha of the wind and sand. Her greatest pleasure is running, any distance and anywhere will do. When she runs, there is only the sand as her hooves pick it up from the ground. When she sings, in her mind she is still running, and her sounds are of the wind as it whistles by her ears. When she dances, her movements mimic the way zephyrs and sandstorms alike whip around the great dunes she prizes so much. Leaving the desert will sadden her to some degree, but she just would never be able to give up on the journey or on her precious Birchwood. While Sand Runner is a complete acha on her own, her soul forever longs for Birchwood. The two of them grew up together and were all but inseparable. They learned how to sing together, dance together, love together. When alone, she is perhaps more meek and gentle (preferring the joys the desert has to offer) but when Birchwood comes around, it is almost like he brings out her true side. She is more outgoing and perhaps brave. The two of them always dreamed of being Hunters. They worked together to make each other tough, so when one was selected and not the other – well, there was no way they were being left behind. What had become more of a somewhat accepted hunting companion grew in to a full-fledged hunter. Despite their deep love and respect for each other, they accept and encourage that they may find pleasure with others. While their hearts belong to each other, their bodies stray. Neither can be left behind while the other gets to go on any fun adventure, so naturally they departed together on this rigorous but oh-so-guaranteed exciting voyage!
Your username: EchoLimaFoxtrot
Your preference list: Flower, Aster, Cactus M, Cactus F
Acha name: Play It Like You Mean It
(oh gosh, I know, it is very long... hence the nickname and will be RPed with... Fiddle)
Concept in three words or less: Intense
Short paragraph about your Acha: (Note: for the purpose of this explanation, going to assume Fiddle is a she, but this applies to a male as well)
Fiddle is a stubborn Acha. Growing up, she knew no bounds. Her family and group encouraged her in anything her beautiful heart was set upon. Because of this undying support, she not only has a strong voice and quick dance steps, she also has the determination that is unparalleled in her group. Being the center of attention as a youngin', that grew into a busy-body as a mature adult. She is always trying to find out what is going on with anyone and everyone. While she did not have the ambition for a hunter, she preferred to stick with the group where everyone else was, Fiddle still has the will to survive and see all that the desert has to offer. So, when the call went out for those brave enough to travel beyond the desert - Fiddle took on the challenge with unwavering resolve. Some may think she was a little obsessive, others may feel that she goes too far, but all I know is I would not want to get in her way if she chose to fiddle around in my affairs as well; because nothing would stop her.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:59 pm
Your username: Flayre the Pyro Girl
Your preference list: Desert Skies (Male, Female), Agama, Mojave Aster, Cactus Flower
Acha name: Sky Painted Sands
Concept in three words or less: Southern leading Diva
Short paragraph about your Acha:
La la la, ohhhhh--Hello, world! Sky Painted Sands has arrived in your quaint little swamp--time to bow down, pop a squat and open your ears to the beauty and perfection that is the one and only voice of Sky Painted Sands. Ladies and gentlemen, your new idol is here! She sings, she dances, she romances all those lovely boys and girls! Now if one of those handsome bucks over there--yes, you, the bright one on the left--would just agree to show her around this darling little area so she can have a quick little meet-n-greet with all her new adoring fans. Well, bless your heart, darling, aren't you thoughtful? But Sky Painted Sands does NOT eat raw fruits. She only eats meat and and rocked-warmed fruit, but thanks for trying, uh-huh!
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:12 pm
Your username: Ruriska
Your preference list: Desert Skies male, Fennec male, Mojave male, Cactus male
Acha name: Sing You Home
Concept in three words or less: Company loving singer
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Don’t resent him for his fickle nature, he really can’t help it. He is designed to follow the crowd and what they say goes. A trend follower, not a trend setter; always he will go with the majority flow. But at the very least you can know he will always welcome you with a grin and his song is of the desert, bringing back memories of every joyous moment had upon the sand. Always in the thick of things, it seemed a simply choice to follow his friends to an unknown land... even if it meant leaving a place he adores. But upon reaching their destination his enthusiasm dropped. He had never felt small until now. The desert, no matter how immense, never made him insignificant. This swamp felt like it could swallow him whole. Now the only option for him is to sing louder; entwine his voice with his companions and let the swamp see just how brilliant he is.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:17 pm
Your username: Queen Kiriux
Your preference list: Cactus Flower, Aster, Fennec, Agama
Acha name: Aloe Cluster
Concept in three words or less: storyteller, wise, respected
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Aloe Cluster is an Acha blessed with the gift of storytelling. Knowing many different stories passed down from generations ago, this Acha is well respected by its herd. When someone is in need of advice, or even entertainment, it is wise to seek her out, though sometimes the moral of the story doesn't quite fit the question asked. This Acha spends her free time observing others and creating new stories to share with the others. Aloe Cluster tends to stick close to her herd and vary rarely wanders alone, since she is afraid of being left behind and having no one to tell her stories to.
Your username: Queen Kiriux
Your preference list: Cacti M, Cacti F, Skies M, Skies F
Acha name: Swiftly Forgotten
Concept in three words or less: shy, secretive, reclusive
Short paragraph about your Acha:
Swiftly Forgotten is quite a recluse for an Acha. He follows others around, usually swiftly and silently, observing them. He gets the feeling that he doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the herd, so he makes as little contact with them as possible. Few know his name, though they seem to recognize him as part of the herd. Swiftly Forgotten has few social skills and even fewer friends, as he's awkward to be around. Even he is unsure of what his skills and talents are, and he keeps hoping that one day he'll stumble upon something that he's good at.
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:27 am
Your username: Teh_Sil
Your preference list: Agama, fennec, desert skies (male), desert skies (female), cactus flower (male), cactus flower (female), cactus (female), cactus (male)
Acha name: Debates the Wind
Concept in three words or less: Fierce wit, arrogance
Short paragraph about your Acha: Debates the Wind is known primarily for one thing- his/her skill in debate, and witty responses to every day conversation. A witty acha, it seems that Debates always has something to say, even when an opinion isn’t asked for. There are those that would call this being pompous, and Debates has a reputation as a windbag (which also plays upon his/her name very well) that isn’t entirely unearned. Despite being an arrogant acha who needs to insert his/her opinion into EVERYTHING, Debates the Wind is also a fierce and joyful hunter, running long and hard with a pack of dogs. It's said to be the only thing that can get the talkative acha to shut up. Debates is even a fairly skilled hunter, though there is always an alarming bloodlust in his/her eyes when it comes time to make the kill.
I figured the name works well for both genders, and I really like them all, soooo.
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