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 Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 4:04 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 4:05 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 4:13 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 4:43 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 6:44 pm
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:17 am
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Goddess, guide my path!
Name: Jyotsna
Meaning: "Moonlight" in Indian
Personality:
At first, Jyo was a creature with the sole purpose of keeping her mother alive and semi-sane. This lead her to become determined, but easily confused when new things suddenly occured. After her mother's death and coming to be a part of the Mlima, Jyo truly blossomed. Albeit still a bit of a recluse, she became a devoted, hard-pressed individual with a love for seeing others succeed, and a drive to create happiness where there might not have been any. She's mostly a kind creature to those who come to befriend her, though she has a tendency to stare...
History:
Jyo never really had a true home to call her own. Born to a leopard pair in the valley not too far away from the territory of the Mlima, her mother and father parted way not long after the birth of the litter... or rather just of Jyo. Her mother was not of the strongest body or mind, raving at times about invisible creatures and terror. And what of her father? Jyo doesn't remember but the faintest glimpse of him before he walked away from her. As Jyo grew, she turned her attention on caring for her mother who's health was slowly declining with fever and raving sessions that would leave her weak and delirious. What was a cub to do? She took care of her to the best of her ability, at times asking for help from a passerby their small dugout home for aid in hunting. But her mother was not to be saved. One evening, silence was all that was to be heard. Jyo, not used to this, ran to her mother's side, only to find her body still and breath no longer making her chest rise and fall.
For a while, Jyo knew naught what to do. She was alone, without other family to turn to. Bewildered and stricken, the now-adult leopard walked away from her mother's body without a glance back, as if to glance would be to be haunted once more by her presence. Jyo walked for ages it seemed, mountains looming ahead of her like darkness taken form. She knew only that there lived a colony there, perhaps a home, perhaps nothing.
Why are you so devoted to Shan Furen?:
When Jyotsna arrived among the Mlima, her first interactions gave her some initial knowledge of some deity that she had known nothing about before. But they acted with much reverence toward it. After a time of learning of this new place, she made it a goal to devote herself to Shan Furen for the simple fact it gave her something to finally believe in, and with the knowledge that she was never alone.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:34 pm
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Out love will grow!
Male's Name: Mbali Kizuka
Meaning: Mbali-Far; Kizuka-Vision
Username: bullterrierlove
Personality:
Mbali likes to be seen as cordial and noble. He truly does. Raised as a b*****d child of a noble and a mere nanny, he had always wished that his mother and father would marry so he could become one of the lords of the pride. Fate, however, had other ideas in mind. His parents did not end up mating.
Instead of refusing to deal with any nobility, his envy, along with his mother’s encouragement, drove him to be noticed by the lords and ladies of Mlima, and do his job right down to the smallest detail. He wanted to be the best, someone that noble parents would want for their children. Someone that people could trust.
So, he decided to become a guard when he came of age. It was the best choice for him. His body was more than capable to protect the pride, and, with his far sightedness as well as his ineptitude socially, a guard seemed like the ideal choice. There wasn’t much interaction with the people, where he had to think and be cordial, he wouldn’t have to pay attention to details up close, and, most importantly, it was a job where he could potentially be close to the higher class. As long as he played his cards right and prayed to Shan Furen daily.
Thankfully, the goddess saw his efforts and provided him with the perfect opportunity. To be honest, he wasn’t paying attention when Nyota fell from the tree and landed on top of him. However; he didn’t complain at all when witnesses told her parents that he saved her. In fact, he went ahead and let them believe it. Why, if he was honest, they would have never given him the opportunity to court their daughter. He aspires to win her heart, so therefore, he can finally be in his “rightful” place as a noble.
(Sorry for putting history and background into personality OTL )
Female's Name: Nyota Maua
Meaning: Star flower in Swahili
Username: Lollipop x L u x u r y
Personality:
Nyota is quite the obedient daughter. Why, many witnesses could attest that barely a protest ever escapes her, even over the most trial of things. She cares deeply for her family, heartbroken when she learned of her older brother’s death. At the current moment, her world is on standstill at the idea that her other sibling could possibly be taken from her, as well.
Despite her obedience, Nyota isn’t at all… a submissive daughter. She will put on a face for her parents, agree to any and all of their wishes, if she could. But when away from them, the mask will slip, and Nyota ends up doing exactly what she wants to do… preferably with minimal information getting back to her parents.
That being said, as an adolescent, Nyota was deadest on getting the male to leave. Fortunately, she only had to spend designated dates with him, giving her the ability to ignore his presence afterwards. As an adult, however, she was no longer able to avoid him… and in fact, had to exchange her vows under Shan Furen with him. She still hasn’t settled into the role as his wife, though no longer is she attempting to completely expel him from her sight; instead, she is a bit bitter when alone with him, stubbornly holding onto her dislike, even as it slowly starts to fade.
In front of her family, however? She is the prime example of a girl in love; letting them believe otherwise was a big no-no, a cost she wanted to avoid at all cost. If calling him pet names and snuggling up to him for a public appearance was what was needed, then so be it.
She prays the act isn’t starting to become reality.
It's your first date. You're both adolescents and your parents have set you both up in an arranged marriage. What do you two do on your first date together? How does it go?
Nyota kicked at the ground, pouting; she was told to go on a date. Of course, the usually obedient daughter didn’t make a fuss; but she didn’t want to go, didn’t want to meet her intended. It wasn’t like this meeting was going to change anything; if she liked him, she was going to be with him. If she didn’t like him, she was still going to be with him. So, why did they insist? Sighing, she looked up, eyeballing the leopard distastefully, before turning her nose up.
”You’re late,” she told him snottily, turning her nose up.
The leopard gave her a flat stare, before responding smoothly, voice monotone. "I'm sorry, my lady. I may be late but you're the one in the wrong place.....Dear."
Nyota’s ears flattened, opening her mouth to retort, before giving a quick glance around. She could have sworn this was the correct place... but then, she was too busy fighting back a protest rather than listening to her parents.
”Don’t call me-” she hissed,cutting off, before giving him a steamed look. Behave, she told herself. Her parents were over the moon. Her betrothed had apparently ‘saved her life’, according to witness. It took all of Nyota’s discipline to not set the records straight and disappoint her parents. She wasn’t suppose to be climbing, not so soon after her brother’s death, not with how he died. But she wanted a better look at the strangers. And the leopard just happened to be beneath her when she lost her hold and came tumbling out of the tree. Why, if she explained exactly what happened, she would have been reprimanded for the climbing and the victim. Besides... things had gotten out of hand. Too quickly. And now, she was betrothed to her hero.
It made her sick.
”I don’t want to go anywhere with you” she told him stiffly. ”So, why don’t we wander off and then, go our separate ways; if they ask, we’ll claim we were... wandering around the caverns together,” Nyota instructed stiffly.
Kizuka’s tail flicked in irritation, jaw becoming rigid as he mulled over her proposition. ”And if they see us elsewhere during the time that we’re supposed to be in the caverns?” His eyes went to the ground in concentration before they wandered back towards her own, this time, with a more gentle look. ”Lady, my Lady Maua, how about we try to get along? I have done no wrong to you thus far, have I? Would you have liked me to let you fall instead of catching you? Did you intend to break your neck that day? Your parents, I’m sure, wouldn’t have approved.” The leopard sat up, staring at her imploringly. “What are your issues with me?”
”My issue,” she seethed, stiffly, glowering, ”Is that you didn’t even catch me. You just happened to be there.” Stiffening at the words, she glared off to the side, before letting out a frustrated sigh. ”Fine! I want to visit a merchant; there is something I’m looking to buy. You’re welcome to join me, I suppose,” she remarked with a glower, turning away from him and moving without waiting for a response.
His mouth opened to retort, but he was quick to shut it, exhaling in exasperation. ”Shan Furen,” he remarked slowly, eyes cold as can be, ”put me there in order to catch your fall. It was fate that put us together.” There was conviction in his words, yet, ears flat and maw placed in a frown, he didn’t seem to happy that she was the one that he was courting.
But she was already turning from him, not even giving him a second thought. With a silent snarl, he dutifully followed her towards what he assumed to be the merchant. Keeping his thoughts to himself. Shan Furen may have given him the opportunity to become a noble, however; this female was going to give him a run for his money.
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Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:01 am
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Goddess, guide my path!
Name: Salma
Meaning: peaceful, righteous, honest
Personality: Salma might seem a bit grumpy and antisocial, but she's very sensitive to the emotions and needs of others. Her less then welcoming demeanor is just the way she protects herself from being overwhelmed by the world. She's showed no interest in the opposite sex so far, and the celibacy of a priestess suits her well.
History: If asked, Salma will tell of a simple upbringing. Her mother was a rogue who held a small territory and raised her cubs alone. Salma never met her older siblings, and she was the sole survivor in her own litter. For all she knows her mother might still be out there somewhere, doing her thing.
Her mother told her stories that shared many elements with the Shan Furen mythos, even if the leopard goddess in those stories never had a name. When she met a member of the Mlima Tuokoa it all clicked into place and she knew she had to join the pride.
Why are you so devoted to Shan Furen?: Salma wasn't always a believer, but back then she didn't know better. You could say she's making up for lost time, and she's more strict in her devotion than some of the priests and priestesses who have grown up surrounded by their religion. She's not going to miss out on her chance to hunt with Shan Furen in the Endles Forest after this life!
Salma would love to get a vision from Shan Furen. She even goes as far as to try to provoke visions by staring into polished ice for extended periods of time or experiment with herbs. This is not something she willingly shares since there hasn't been much result yet.
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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:13 am
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Goddess, guide my path!
Name: Manami
Meaning: Japanese name meaning 1) "affectionate beauty"
Personality: A practical yet sweet female. A decent hunter, she views life fairly prosaically. She appreciates what she has and tries to do good by others when she has the opportunity.
History: Born a rogue she had lived a perfectly ordinary life, hunting and protecting her own small territory. She believed in the vague notion of gods but as with many rogues, had little use for extended worship. Barely even thinking of such things when she had en empty belly to fill.
One day a pair of lions, brothers, came into her territory and easily drove her off her most recent kill, chasing her so far she was forced to flee into the mountain foothills to escape them. Unfortunately, being a stranger to the snows, she soon found herself in trouble and, predictably, was on the road to starvation and the possibility of being turned into a permanent resident of the mountain.
She was rescued while near death by a red-spotted leopardess who called herself Junius. The older female dragged her out of the snowed-in rock cave she had found before delirium had taken hold, and forced her to scale the impossibly steep mountainside to a large and fur-lined den higher up. There the stranger nursed her back to health, hunted and fed her, even brining water into the cave in a carefully carved turtle shell so she did not have to go out into the freezing cold. She recovered reasonably and started to accompany Junius on short hunting trips. Under the pristess' care the younger recovered fully and while doing so, managed to tease out the elder's story. Who she was and who her colony were. Eventually Junius confessed that a vision had led her to the stranded female and that made Manami want to return the favour to the Goddess who had apparently saved her.
Why are you so devoted to Shan Furen?: Believing that Shan Furen saved her for a reason and simply grateful to still be alive, Manami decided to devote herself to worship as both thanks and payment for a life spared.
Extra: Once she is officially part of the colony she sticks with Junius, becoming the grumpy female's only friend despite Junis' many attempts to drive her away. Gradually Junius accepts her, though reluctantly, and Manami ends up becoming the High Priestess' carer when her visions strike at their worst. Looking after Junius just as the priestess once did for her.
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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 3:28 am
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Out love will grow!
Male's Name: Nyota Kanzu
Meaning: Star Coat (Swahili)
Username: Khit Khat
Personality: Kanzu has always been a warm, empathetic soul. Soft-spoken and gentle, Kanzu has not been the most noticeable of leopards. He doesn't keep his head down, but he doesn't go out of his way to draw attention to himself, like some males will.
He has a natural protective instinct, which led him to becoming a guard in his earlier years. He wanted to help the pride safe and to expand the territory by finding new caves if possible. He became so set in his goal to help the pride as a whole, that when the marriage proposal came to him, he was surprised. His parents were the one that agreed to the proposal, which was no surprise, for it had come from a noble family.
At first, he wasn't sure what to make of the noble female he was to be paired with. She was hurting, that much he could tell, but she wouldn't respond to him. His goal changed when he met her: Instead of protecting the pride, he would be her protector and hers alone. She clearly needed him more than the rest of the pride did and he would be there for her forever.
He hasn't left her side since and with his constant friendly face nearby, he hopes that one day in the future, she might show him a more cheerful side to her.
Female's Name:Puawai Koa
Meaning: Cheerful Flower (Maori)
Username: Belloblossom
Personality: Koa was always a family-oriented lioness and she loved her brothers and parents more than anything else in the world. When she was a cub, she thought everything would be peaches and cream forever. She smiled at everything and would often remark to her parents on how she couldn't wait until she grew to have a family of her own. She was spirited, she was gleeful, and she was full of laughter.
Her world was shattered when her eldest brother died. She didn't see his body, her parents had thought her to be too young, but she was heartbroken all the same. While she was struggling to keep her head, her remaining brother seemed to recede into himself. He was never the most sociable or friendly, but Koa was left feeling as though she had lost both of her brothers, instead of just the one.
She didn't smile anymore, she didn't laugh, and she certainly wasn't merry. Her parents grew concerned for their daughter and began searching for some sort of solution. The conclusion they came to was simple: Their daughter had loved family, so the way to bring her back to her former self was to set up a marriage with another of the pride. It was difficult at first, because her personality set off many equal to her rank, so they settled for someone below their status.
Little did they realize that this would only push Koa further into her shell. She didn't know if she could bear the thought of starting a family and she didn't want to settle with a male she herself hadn't chosen. Still... the feline wanted to appease her parents, to make them feel secure, at least and she found that the leopard they'd chosen for her was not awful. She tried to get along with him, for her parents' sake and found him to be a pleasant presence in her ever-grey world.
Perhaps, in time, she shall grow to love him, but before that can really happen, she needs to adjust to the losses that she's experienced and somehow move on from her misery.
It's your first date. You're both adolescents and your parents have set you both up in an arranged marriage. What do you two do on your first date together? How does it go?
It was a strange encounter for the both of them.
Koa's parents had been chattering into her ears all morning about how lovely a boy her betrothed was and how lucky she was to finally get what she'd wanted for so long. They had smiled so hopefully that the leopard couldn't speak up against them. She knew they were trying their best to ensure her happiness, but they should've gotten the hint by now. Koa couldn't feel better, not with both of her brothers gone.
When the female's betrothed approached her for the first time, Koa could only stare blankly in his direction. She did not make any movement towards him, nor did she utter a sound of acknowledgement. She simply stared, like she always did these days. She would only observe and only then, she could not find peace in simply looking. She could not find peace in anything, anymore.
For Kanzu it was a different sort of strange. When he first looked upon the noble female, he'd made eye contact with her and smiled, but she didn't return the gesture. In fact, it seemed as though she were looking through him instead of directly at him. His parents had warned him of this happening and he was prepared. He approached the female, his eyes and voice soft while he sat next to her.
"Hello, Puawai Koa. May I call you Koa?" He gained no reply from the female, so he went on, "I am Nyota Kanzu, but you can call me Kanzu, okay?" Still, the noble was silent, yet Kanzu was not discouraged. "Well, I guess we're to be married, hm? I know that neither of us can stop it from happening and that may cause you to feel trapped, but... I would like us to be friends, Koa. I know it's going to be hard, but I think... I think this could become something wonderful, you know." He paused for a breath and turned to look at the noble--no, at Koa, directly. "Because, well, I know it might be silly, especially after we've just met, but I want to be near you, Koa and I can hope that in time, you'll want to be near me too."
What he did may not have been considered bold to anyone else, but Kanzu had realized that Koa was a fragile leopard. Still, he wanted her to feel comforted by his presence, not threatened by it, so he simply leaned slightly towards her, closing the distance between them by a hair, and much to his surprise and delight, the pretty leopard in front of him, and his wife to be, leaned towards him too, her fur just brushing against his.
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Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:13 pm
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Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:57 pm
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