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 Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 5:38 pm
 (Lines by kaname423, colors by Tasinei)
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 8:32 am
⚜ Directory ⚜
Directory
Nabil
Relationships
RP & Adventures
Inventory & Art
Growth Reqs
The Story So Far...
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 8:32 am
Nabil
Basics: Oban - Male
Personality: Hardworking - Skeptical - Avaricious
As a child Nabil was considered a young genius, praised for his creativity and ability to learn quickly as a child, but most of that was because of how hard he studied to gain his father's favor. He loved receiving praise and would work his hardest to excel in his studies as to look worthy enough of the family despite being a b*****d child. After being abandoned as a child because of the new heir, Nabil has become skeptical of everyone and the world. His family was betrayed, his mother cast out and lost to illness leaving Nabil alone to take care of himself and his twin sister, Nabila. He's hard to trust anyone and anything while the previously generous child is becoming very greedy because survival comes first before anything else now, he is not beyond stepping on toes to obtain whatever he wants. The only person he has a soft spot for is his sister, Nabila, as she's the one that keeps him going through the darker times.
History: Cairo was the head of a wealthy merchant family who wanted to be accepted as nobles. While Cairo was a teen, however, he met Laal who was a maid working for his family and became enamored with the beauty. Unfortunately, Cairo's family was set upon him marrying into nobility and a fallen noble family in desperate need of wealth agreed to the match with their only daughter. Shona, unlike Laal, was a cold-hearted woman who despite having a pretty face was absolutely cruel. Shona did not get along well with Cairo, demanding so many things because he bought her title through marriage, but the pair were stuck together in order to appease both families. Cairo despised Shona and secretly began a relationship with Laal, making her a mistress once it was revealed that she was pregnant with his child. Shona, after over a year of marriage, still had no signs of a potential heir and so Laal was moved into the manor from Cairo's family home to give birth and help raise their children. She gave birth to twins, Nabil and Nabila, who were adored by their father but treated with disdain by the rest of the family who did not like the idea of common blood interrupting their plans to blend together their wealth with nobility. Nabil, who at the time was thought to be the only chance of an heir was slowly taken in and taught everything that the heir would know. Recognized as a genius by others, the boy worked his hardest to prove himself since he wanted his father's praise and recognized his mother's worry that he was their hope for a comfortable life within the manor, which was contingent upon his success in everything that the tutors tossed at him. In secret, it was really Nabila who helped the most as she was truly the brilliant one who helped her older twin with all of his studies and stayed up late into the night so that he could repeat everything perfectly in the morning lessons. Nabil was the stronger one, the one who could act out everything while little Nabila was bashful and weaker which meant she preferred to hide while her brother took the spotlight. Everything during those years were tense, Nabil always terrified of a slip-up while his mother endured many trials as the mistress with a lady of the house who wanted nothing more than to end her existence, but they were comfortable in their positions for a time since there was nothing to be done as no other heirs existed and his father still adored Laal not Shona.
Unfortunately though when Nabil turned eight years old, Lady Shona managed to convince Cairo back into her bed after some trickery and finally she was pregnant with an heir. When the boy was born, Nabil received less lessons almost as if he were forgotten as Shona used her family to pressure Cairo to focus more on his actual heir and not the b*****d child. After all, why raise a b*****d child with the skills of an heir unless they wanted to encourage sabotage? Laal did her best to continue her relationship with Cairo but the pressures from Shona eventually became overwhelming and broke the couple apart, the concluding trickery of a faked poison attempt on the true heir forcing Cairo to shun Laal completely. While Nabil and Nabila were forgiven, kept in lesser rooms used by servants now but still within the house as Cairo's children, Laal was completely dismissed and forced into another home within the capital to live on her own. The conditions she endured were too much for the woman who was heart-broken and without much will to live after losing the faith of her love, the very man she thought would always protect her, Laal eventually passed away in solitude. The loss of Laal broke Cairo, the man feeling guilt that he fell into a trap by Shona and could not save his true beloved who later died from illness, and it made him sick to look at the twins who resembled their mother so much. He became much colder leaving the twins to basically fade into the background while Shona and the heir, Djoser, started to dominate the household. Nabil does his best to keep going in order to protect Nabila and she does her best to support him by offering advice as they navigate the stricter regulations and dangers of their changed household. Both plan on saving up as much as they can, sneaking out for odd jobs and such, for fear that when the time comes and they are old enough Shona will have them completely removed from the household.
Notes: -Nabil enjoys theatrics, as a child when things were still good within the household he adored going to performances with his family.
-Carries a small fragrance pouch that was gifted to him from his mother, the scents her favorite that reminds him of her even now.
-Enjoys doing flower arrangements, another hobby that his mother had, and is fairly talented with them. While Nabila is good with numbers and such, Nabil excels with the artistic side of things.
-Nabil has found a talent with cooking, learning how to make a variety of dishes and collecting spices from all over to create his own take on recipes.
Relationships:-Cairo, his father by blood who is distant even more so since the loss of Nabil and Nabila's mother.
-Shona, the horrible lady of the household who wants the twins kicked out.
-Djoser, the blood heir and his younger half-brother.
♥ Nabila, his dear twin sister. ♥
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 8:32 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 8:43 am
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 9:08 am
⚔ Growth ⚔
Prentice Growth Form Character Name: Nabil
Class Promotion: [Aristan (Stage 4 Here) ]
Current Location: Oba
Journal: [X]
Growth Point Links:
25/25
Aftermath WE w Zuribali
[Honest Accident]
[Storm]
[Truth or Dare][Solo] - 1500 wc - 5 pnts Class Affinity/Choice Solo: [Restaurateur] [1500 wc]
Growth Blurb: Nabil is preparing to make a stand for his own future by leaving the family manor and venturing towards Jatine to try to find work so that he can gain the skills and wealth necessary to start his own restaurant in the future.
Physical Description: Thinking something like this top but with a half apron [for what is visible] some earrings and similar to before with the hair, makeup, etc. Exact design can be played around with by the artist. Have fun!
Body Type: Lean muscle, building up a bit more weight over time.
Preferred Artists: [Kana, Scar Full/Collab]
WIPs: Sure!
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 9:04 pm
⚔ A Present ⚔
Nabil had been at odds with Cairo, his father, ever since the passing of his mother. The trickery of Shona had been far too successful, the vile woman harming the relationship between father and son beyond repair. At least that was what Nabil had continued telling himself as he spent the last few years scraping by in the manor, the boy shoved into that tiny room in the far corner of the Oban estate with spiders and cobwebs serving as decorations while the larger and more lavish rooms of the main building sported far too much gold and gaudy furniture. He was thankful though that it was quieter here, Nabil having endured too much torment by his stepmother to want to even be remotely closer to her now that Djoser existed. Just seeing his half-brother made his stomach twist, Nabil wondering why they had to lose so much just because Shona wanted all of the power to go to the snottier Oban boy. But despite his disdain for the past and the disgust at seeing how spoiled his half brother currently was, Nabil found some blessing since it took the burden of heir from his shoulders and gave him space from his stepmother. Cairo’s own coldness over the past few years had only isolated Nabil and Nabila further from the main family, the pair keeping to themselves while Nabil worked hard by sneaking out to earn as much coin as possible. Day after day he would wake up before dawn, do his chores to make certain that their rooms wouldn’t fall into more disrepair while sneaking out stale bread that was allotted for him and his sister with whatever meager bit of cheese or porridge was added to it, and then he would work on his studies or whatever he could while staying out of the way in his rooms until the family was caught up in their own business. When the family was busy or gone he could sometimes sneak out and find work in the market, Nabil using the back window of the servants’ quarters and an older tree to climb over the southern wall without the guards’ noticing. Then when the moon was up in the sky he would sneak back over the wall as those within the estate retired for the evening, Nabil shoving whatever pieces of a meal was left outside of their quarters by the servants and then preparing to go into the kitchens to help clean and cook with the few still working. It left him with very little sleep and aching limbs, from running around even though he did manage to snag more food for him and his twin when he could spare the expense, but his coin purse was growing. He wanted out of this hell, he wanted to go out and make his own way in the world and buy a home for him and his twin where they could live peacefully and not worry about misstepping every time they left their rooms. As it was, even Nabil couldn’t tell how much longer this facade of peace would last. Eventually Shona would remember their existence again and cause some sort of ruckus to get him beaten or left without food, the Oban noblewoman eventually planning on getting rid of Nabil permanently to avoid any chance of him taking her precious son’s spot as heir while potentially selling off Nabila into marriage to someone else just to get her into another family. The very thought made Nabil punch at the herbs harder with the mortar, the teen working in the kitchen since the family was out at an event. It gave him a chance to express himself, the spices and flavors of the meal temporarily giving him something to focus on other than his misery with the familial situation. But once again he had not been expecting someone else to be in the kitchens and the familiar figure of Cairo had the teen freezing in surprise. “Fa-milord.” He couldn’t say the word father in front of Shona, the habit of saying milord taking over ever since he had been forced basically to act as a lesser servant in the estate.
“You can relax, Nabil.” Cairo looked over his own shoulder as if making certain that Shona was not there, the man slowly walking around the counter and inspecting the meal that Nabil had prepared. “You made all of this? Not Mayhe?”
A flush decorated Nabil’s cheeks, his body tense as if preparing to either fight or run. “I did, but I bought the supplies myself from working…” He added quickly as if afraid to take from the family’s supplies for fear that Shona would have him flogged. “I thought the family would be out today so that the kitchens could be used.” Crap, crap, crap. He didn’t trust Cairo at all. What would happen now?! He could survive a round of lashes, but that would take him out of work for the week. The last time his back had been torn into by Shona it had taken a week to heal, Nabil stuck laying on his stomach while getting help from others who dared to take mercy on him while his stepmother’s back was turned.
“It looks good.” Cairo’s hand lingered in the air above some spiced fish that Nabil had just pulled from the ovens. “May I?”
“Ah, yeah.” Nabil nodded, still hesitant and confused about what was happening.
Cairo slowly took the piece and chewed, his expression neutral until he finally swallowed and something akin to longing crossed his features. “Laal made something like this…” He murmured, the bittersweet expression on his face twisting with pain as he thought of his departed lover.
“Don’t.” Nabil started sharply, his amber gaze burning with fury as he looked towards his father. “You aren’t allowed to miss her, not when you…” He realized his words as they blurted from his lips, but it was so hard to contain his anger. In the past he had blown up at Cairo and Shona before, but the amount of punishments from Shona and his fear that something would happen to Nabila made the boy hold his tongue until he had grown silent and cold over the years to avoid any future conflicts. This was the first time he had been alone with his father in over two years, and it had been even longer since he had heard his mother’s name from Cairo’s lips. “I took the recipe from what I remembered about the flavors and made it my own. I guess it’s good if you reacted like that, so that’s something at least.”
“I…” Cairo did not react with anger, he simply leaned against the stone counter with regret written on his expression. “I understand.” He managed at last with a small forced smile, his lips twitching with the effort of curving in a way that he had nearly forgotten. “You have talent, you should keep at it.”
“I will.” Nabil replied, crossing over to try to pick up the counter more even with his father present. “I should clean up though before the lady of the household comes back and gets bothered by my presence.” A small jab, but one that he couldn’t resist.
“Fair enough.” His father’s voice was low, thoughtful even and Nabil felt some guilt for the first time in a while when he recognized the pain there. “You’re seventeen now, correct?”
“Almost eighteen.” Replied Nabil after a moment. He hadn’t even thought about his birthday in forever, was it that close already? Not that his father cared, he shouldn’t based on how distant he had been ever since…well ever since they had lost Laal. The thought made him sick to his own stomach, Nabil losing his appetite.
“I see.” Cairo didn’t apologize, didn’t say anything other than placing a small brass key on the counter. “I came back early hoping to catch you here. This is for you to take. In the old house…I kept it as it was….there’s a chest in the wall beneath a brick that’s engraved. Take that for whatever you want to do, if you want to pursue cooking then I wish you the best.” It was the most that Cairo had said to his son in years. “I can’t keep you because the others will be back soon, but I do truly hope you find a good path.” Away from this hell, a place where you can survive and avoid becoming another sacrifice for Shona’s greed. It was almost as if Nabil could hear the thoughts in his father’s expression, but all he could do was nod as he took the key and clutched it in his hands with the soft thank you falling from his lips only after his father had disappeared from view. Nabil didn’t think he could ever truly forgive the man, but it would be a lie to say that the surprising moment didn’t stir some form of fondness for the father that he once had loved as a dear family member that he never wanted to lose.
[1519]
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 9:05 pm
⚔ Restaurateur ⚔
Nabil enjoyed the activity of a bustling market, but he enjoyed the aroma of delicious food even more. Where once he had dreamed of running his own store, the boy had started to find other options in life the more he ventured out from beyond the manor and into the city to look for work. At first he had taken smaller jobs of helping with sorting through inventory for merchants or carrying boxes as caravans arrived in Sulburi to unload their goods, but then over time he had found himself drifting closer to the food stalls where he could also help a vendor willing to negotiate a warm meal or treat for an extra pair of hands to help out. Eventually Nabil found himself actually doing more than cleaning, the boy taking up a wooden spoon to stir a curry or flipping kabobs on an open flame before handing the final treat to passing travelers for their coin. The look of delight on their faces as they took the first bite along with the murmurs and compliments as he learned a few tricks from older chefs at actual restaurants within the city, Nabil passing from kitchen to kitchen where he could do dishes and eventually help actually with meal preparation, clicked with him and heightened his interest in the culinary arts. Perhaps instead of twisting arms to make profit by selling goods and haggling deals he could actually use his talents to make a living in a way that could also warm the stomachs and hearts of others? With that in mind, Nabil began to work in earnest in the food districts of Sulburi so that he could observe the cooks in the busy kitchens and pick up all of their cooking habits and recipes. After the first year of simply observing the young Oban had taken to sneaking out of his family “home” to instead check out the lower markets where he could pick up a variety of ingredients to play around with back in the kitchens at the family’s manor. Thankfully the staff were fairly nice to him, those that weren’t completely in his stepmother’s pocket, and so with the help of a couple servants the boy was allowed to work on practicing his culinary skills in the manor instead of needing to sneak in lessons whenever he could escape the house to work in the city. At first he had never thought to dare step into the kitchen back at the manor for fear of his step-mother’s wrath, the stinging of his last punishment from her servants still aching across his upper back, but it was one of the older servants, Mayhe, who encouraged him to come to the kitchens late at night while she was cleaning up for the day. The old Matori had been with his father ever since he was a younger teen and her cooking was so loved by the family that she knew she was safe from the lady’s wrath unlike others who dared to step forward. As long as Mayhe stayed in the kitchens that was her sacred place and the Oban noblewoman who had so many under her thumb knew to avoid the place that even her husband protected since he cared deeply for the Matori who had basically raised him since he was a child and it was her cooking that gave him some solace even today despite the bitterness of their realities. Needless to say then Mayhe was not afraid to encourage Nabil when she noticed him lingering near the kitchens and she was the one who ushered him inside so that she could start going over her own recipes and showing him the herbs that she used especially in her dishes that were unique in comparison to those he had experienced in the Oban restaurants and food stalls. And since Mayhe was watching over him, Nabil was never discouraged from entering those kitchens late in the evening and so over the next few years he managed to hone his skills by practicing with the older Matori who guided him. But now that he was older, nearly old enough to leave home on his own, Mayhe was the one who pushed him to think even more about the future and how his enjoyment of cooking could play into things. “Ya’v been workin’ on and off in these kitchens for the past feh years, Nabil.” She commented one day, plucking another piece of freshly cooked food from the plate that he had prepared for the servants to enjoy as thanks for allowing him to sneak into the kitchen during the evening hours when most of the household was preparing for sleep. “I think it be payin’ off. I’m glad my efforts weren’t in vain with ya.” The older Matori chuckled, her golden gaze bright with amusement as she chewed on the piece of pan seared duck that he had glazed with a citrus mixture and dusted with herbs. “But it’s gettin’ harder to explain all the smells comin’ from here late at night. How much longer are ya going to be doing this type of thing? Ya can’t sneak around forever, not when ya should be sharin’ this food with the rest of the world and not our lil bit o’ staff ‘ere.”
“Sneaking around?” Nabil frowned thoughtfully as he pondered everything. It wasn’t as if he was going to stop cooking, he simply adored it too much, but Mayhe was right that he couldn’t keep hiding here forever. Things were especially getting trickier now that he was getting older with Nabila, his stepmother had keen eyes and was making certain that neither of the twins stepped outside of the shadows for fear that her precious son would lose his edge as the true heir. It was all a mess and Nabil wanted nothing to do with any of it, something that he was adamant about the last time he encountered his own father. And that encounter itself had been strange since he had truly believed neither of them felt anything towards each other, the echoes of a connection once full of warmth now hollow and meaningless since the loss of Nabil’s mother. Now there was a parchment wrapped up in his room with that brass key inside, a sacred thing that he had tucked away since thinking about his own decision to move forward and find a safe place for Nabila and himself. He didn’t want to simply cook though, he wanted to find his own standing in society and gain affluence through it as well. The thought had haunted him for the past few days now, Nabil working on his plans and using his savings to take action after years of lingering in the shadows of this hellish manor. Even if Nabila couldn’t join him just yet then he would work hard to make a safe place for her with him in Jatine, the teen determined to build up a restaurant and their own manor in the future. A beautiful and stable place in Jatine where the crystal waters of the lakes would greet them each morning with azure skies above instead of the desert sands that had made him feel so trapped within the city walls of Sulburi. “Well, I don’t think it’ll be much longer. I’ll be going away with a caravan soon to set up something big. You’ll have to come visit me in a couple of years when I’m running my own restaurant.”
“Is that so?” Mayhe chuckled with amusement as she moved about the kitchen to start cleaning up the mess that they had made preparing this meal together. “I’ll be waitin’ to see how that goes. I believe in ya, Nabil.” Her expression was sincere as she turned to look over the Oban boy with pride. “Bring back that hope and light that yer mother had given us before, alright?”
“I’m glad at least you believe in me. We’ll see what I can do, I suppose.” Replied Nabil as he blinked back the burning tears in his gaze, the teen feeling content as he helped Mayhe begin cleaning up the kitchen. If he could even appease Mayhe with his meals then that surely meant he had a chance, she was an experienced cook and a pickier eater so it truly was inspiring that she could eat his meals without flinching now. “I guess I better commit and not disappoint you. You’ll see me as a grand restaurateur in a few years, Mayhe. I’ll make sure of it.” He would find his way in this world and focus on a working path instead of playing these noble politics that held nothing but false promises and betrayals for those who dared to try to love within their ranks. And even if he couldn’t completely heal the broken pieces of his own past and heart through the comfort of food, at least he could help others by using his recipes and talents to spread warmth to those looking for something positive in this harsher desert country.
[1512]
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