Age: 19
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
Craft/Rank: Journeyman Harper (Law/Arbitration)
History:
In some ways, Sevya is just like her father Yaneven, who was a hard-gambling, fast-talking Harper out of the Bitran region that was assigned to Malvren Weyr. She herself was born to his Weyrbred love, who had a reputation for being more forgiving of his moods and moments than he deserved. Alsie had not been enthralled with his attitude, but she assumed that time, his assignment, and a family would settle him down. However, when Yaneven then spent the evening Alsie was in labor playing dragonpoker and dallying with other women – Alsie had had quite enough and ended the relationship. Yaneven was lucky that he even got a say in naming their child before she was sent off to the Weyr Creche.
Even though she was raised by the Weyr as a whole, and her father was reassigned elsewhere before her second Turnday, Sevya grew up with him as something of an influence in her life. It turned out she'd inherited his rambunctious spirit as well as his looks. The man had been something of a legend for his escapades, and Sev heard “For the love of Faranth, stop acting like your father” more than she would care to admit over the Turns. Weyrfolk got used very quickly to Sevya being on double chore detail; she could probably have mapped the entire latrine system if she'd had ink and paper handy, she was cleaning them so often. If the Weyr nannies had stopped nagging, Sevya might not have been such a rebellious child. It did made her want to be more like him, because all they were saying just couldn't be true, right?
To no one's surprise, she chose to leave the Weyr and follow her father right into the Harper Hall at 12 turns. Her very distant mother was somewhat upset by the news but also relieved; one, her daughter's behavior was now someone else's problem, and two, perhaps being entirely out of the Weyr would actually do her good.
Needless to say, it *has* done her good. The behavior the Weyr gave her heck for in the Weyr was certainly *not* tolerated in Harper Hall from the get-go, and they were not about to let her slide on account of her Weyr birth. Her first Turn there was something of a trial that she never expected; the Hall had...interesting ways of punishing errant students in its friendly confines. However, while she was there, she learned to play dragonpoker and turned out to be very good at it. "Sharding Bitran blood," was often heard when she'd win a game or two with her fellow Apprentices and a couple of journeymen; again, her father's reputation had preceded her.
Her Master joked the night she walked the tables shortly after her 18th Turnday that if Sevya had taken any longer to shape up and mend her ways, she might very well have been the first Journeyman to specialize in Detention. Needless to say she *did* shape up, and she's on her way to being a respectable young journeyman specializing in law and mediation. Ironic, given what a discipline problem she'd been, but hey, who better to learn about law than someone who tended to get in trouble so often?
After another turn of study and preparation, she requested Malvren as her first assignment, and got it. The harper currently assigned did need a second to help with instruction of the children and recordkeeping, and she would certainly get her chance to mediate plenty of disputes in the lower caverns.
However, the blue dragon who came to pick her up requested that she stand for the upcoming clutch since she was coming home anyway...
Description:
Sevya is in her late teens with dark brown skin and a couple of acne scars around the temples. Her skin also freckles along her nose and cheeks when she’s out in the sun; this doesn’t keep her from going out in it.
The young Journeyman Harper stands around 5’6”, having taken her height from her father’s side rather than her mother’s. She would probably greatly benefit from some gained weight, and she’s slowly putting some on her willow-stick frame - but both her eating habits and her metabolism make this sort of difficult to get past her present 120 pounds. She's barely got a chest to speak of, and her hips are practically nonexistent, making belts a must.
Overall, it's enough to figure out she's feminine, but aside from that, she’s extremely boyish in build, flat as a board. All that training and work has given her the starts of a nice athletic build, though.
Her features, while pretty, are somewhat long and slim like the rest of her. Her high, prominent cheekbones have been known to trigger the cry of “Get that girl some food!” by Hall and Weyr aunties. Sevya's eyes are probably her best feature; they're a clear dark brown, and wide-set. Her nose is a tad too big for her thin face, and the left side mouth is almost always quirked up in the beginnings of a smile.
Her hair is a sooty brown-black, the locks fading to near auburn-red at the ends from exposure to the bright sun and wind. She usually ties it back with a a scarf to keep it out of her face; she has a chestful of those, in endless patterns and every color of the rainbow. That plus the occasional skirt are the only feminine things you'll see Sev wear. Most days she prefers comfortable tunics and trousers.
Her voice is a rich, deep alto; although singing is not her specialty, she's got a voice low enough to sing with the first tenors when she's asked to join in. Every word she speaks is perfectly enunciated, but she's never lost her Malvren accent even after Turns away.
Personality:
As she's a junior journeyman, Sev hasn't quite figured out the fine art of mediation yet, but she'll get the hang of it given practice. Harpers weren't built in a sevenday, after all.
She's sweet-natured and polite, but any Weyrfolk that knew her growing up are well aware that this particular trait has to be more from force of habit than it is genuine. The Sev they remember is far more spirited, with a stubborn streak a mile wide. Turns of Harper diplomatic training have taught her how to Act Like A Proper Adult when it is needed, but since that's not really *her*, and she hasn't figured out how to integrate the two in a way that's acceptable, it's taxing and can only be sustained for so long. It's easy to tell when she reaches her limit; that's when she either holes up with a good book or her lapharp, or takes off outside to watch the world go by.
Keep her from that, and her temper hits surprising levels. Give her some time to be herself, and she'll emerge again, far less growly and ready to take on Pern once more.
This extremely clever girl has an uncanny gift for reading body language, thanks to Turns of learning to spot and read tells – those unconscious physical tics and changes of expression that can mean the difference between winning and losing a game of dragonpoker. People have them outside the game as well, and she's been trying to figure out how to use them to figure out what people aren't actively telling her However, based on what she thinks she sees, she'll sometimes make an intuitive leap from A to C without considering B sitting right there in between.
Her tendency to give advice to the youngsters while stopping scuffles in the courtyard is also something of a problem. While the littles appreciate her insight on how to execute a proper punch next time, her elders certainly aren't thrilled by it. What's wrong with that?
The issue is that Sev quite often can't leave well enough alone. Sometimes, squabbles like that will resolve themselves without her help, thank you very much – time apart can heal wounds. She has yet to really figure this out, in the zeal to do the job she's been training all these Turns for. And so, having the ever-helpful Sevya butting her nose into matters actually exacerbates the situation, leaving her wondering “Why did that go wrong?” And then she tries AGAIN, her temper spiking. Her craft superior simply watches and knows that this, too, will resolve itself in time.
Other:
