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 Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:19 am
Zshar-ptitsa
A Fa'e Quest for the Fire bird Thank you OMGSOFLIPPINGMUCH, Mouse and Kaliiii~
No matter what, I'll do my best to try to make Suraj the best I can make him, and I hope that I don't come up too short.
Much luv. heart
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:25 am
How May I Direct Your Call? (yes, I kind've took a look at ideas from a lot of the quest threads out there, in regards to what I wanted to include <3)
Post 1 - Intro
Post 2 - Thread Layout/Directory
Post 3 - Updates
Post 4 - Legend/Mythos
Post 5 - Information on the world they grew up on.
Post 6 - Information on ___(as yet nameless D: )___ as a character (background, personality, appearance, etc)
Post 7 - Powers
Post 8 - Possible ideas for plotness, if acquired
Post 9 - History/Information on Ki'retha, the guardian
Post 10 - Artwork
Post 11 - Funnnnnnndzzz?
Post 12 - Links/Credits!
Post 13 - Q&A (current project: answering Cere's quezzies from p3 XD)
Post 14 - Good Luck Charms, Bits'nBobs
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:31 am
.Updates.
9.23.06: Set up the quest thread, so as to try to better organize my own thoughts :3
9.24.06: Most probably going to have to switch to a different concept, unless I have a flash of brilliance as to how to make him suitably different from Lethe in abilities and such as to be able to stick with Huginn and Muninn. So, I'm going to be tentatively switching to the fire bird from Russian folklore.
9.29.06: Suraj is finally given a name, and MOST of the concept areas have at least some rough ideas put into them--now just to refine, which means INEEDFEEDBACK, and I need to work on the possible plotnesses for if I ever were to receive him. 3nodding heart
10.04.06: Adding more stuff, like the Q&A Section, which will only exist til I finish filling out the other sections and properly incorporate the info/answers that are listed down there heart
10.05.06: Made changes to his hair, so for those who haven't read it in awhile, please let me know whatchu think of the changes heart
10.08.06: Took appearance down, as it's beginning to feel somewhat like people have gotten so fixated on what's going on there that what information I -DO- have aside from that is being overlooked/only glanced at.
10.09.06: (early morning) THANK YOU KALI AND MOUSE. *skreejoy*
10.10.06: working mooore on fleshing things out--I'm also reading other diaries, to get a better idea of just how much detail I need, that kinda thing.
10.13.06: ARRRRGH. I spent a fair bit of time last night working on personality stuffs, and stupidly closed the window without updating the post when I went to bed, sooo shall be working towards retyping those new thoughts up again today XD;; <3
10.14.06: Still Redoing/reworking personaliteeee =D
10.23.06: RL eats my face. Expect me back and working on bigger chunks at a time over next few days as I anticipate it dying down a bit x.x <3
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:32 am
.Legend/Mythos.Firebiiiiird =D.Appearance I Opted to Use as How I Saw the Firebird Although there are at least a couple of differing descriptions in the sources I used as to how exactly the firebird looked, I have a pretty clear idea in my head of how I think he looked. I see the firebird as being very reminiscent of a male peacock (although a bit larger than a real peacock) with fiery orange and red feathers that glow brightly even after falling off (or being plucked) from the bird, and eyes that almost seem to work like a pair of prisms (rainbows seem to flicker in their depths as light hits their surface). Lastly, the firebird as I picture it would have been about the size of a bald eagle (just to serve as a sort of realistic reference). www.pantheon.org entry In Russian folklore the Firebird (Zshar-ptitsa) is a miraculous bird. Its feathers shine like silver and gold, its eyes sparkle like crystals, and it is usually been seen sitting on a golden perch. At midnight this bird comes to gardens and fields and illuminates the night as brightly as a thousand lights; just one feather from its tail could light up a dark room. The Firebird eats golden apples which give any who eat them youth, beauty and immortality; when the bird sings, pearls would fall from its beak. The Firebird's chants can heal the sick and return the vision to the blind. Wikipedia entry In Russian folklore, the Firebird (жар-птица, zhar-ptitsa, literally heat bird from жар heat) is a magical glowing bird from a faraway land, which is both blessing and doom of its captor.
Ivan Bilibin's illustration to a Russian fairy tale about the Firebird (1899)The Firebird is invariably described as a large bird in majestic plumage that brightly glows in red, orange and yellow light, like a bonfire that is just past the turbulent flame. The feathers do not cease glowing if removed, and one feather can light a large room if not concealed. In later iconography, the form of Firebird is usually as of a smallish peacock of fire colors, complete with a crest on its head and tail feathers with glowing "eyes".
A typical role of the Firebird in fairy tales is an object of difficult quest. The quest is most of the time initiated by finding a lost tail feather of the Firebird, upon which the hero sets out to find and capture the live bird, sometimes on his own accord, but usually on the bidding of a father or king. The Firebird is a marvel, highly coveted, but the hero, initially charmed by the wonder of the feather, eventually blames it for his troubles.
The Firebird tales follow the classical scheme of fairy tale, with the feather serving as a premonition of hard journey, with magical helpers met on the way, who help in travel and capture of the Bird, and returning from the faraway land with the prize. The most popular version is found in the tale of Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf.
The story of Firebird quest has inspired literary works, including "The Little Humpback Horse" by Pyotr Yershov. Composer Stravinsky achieved an early success with a large-scale ballet score, The Firebird.
The Firebird concept has parallels in the Iranian legends of magical birds, in the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale about The Golden Bird and the related Russian magical birds like Sirin. The story of the quest itself is closely paralleled by Armenian Hazaran Blbul. In the Armenian tale, however, the bird does not glow but rather makes the land bloom through its song. Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf Once upon a time in a far away land, there lived a mighty tsar. The pride of the tsar's kingdom was a magnificent orchard, second to none. However every night a firebird, with golden feathers and eyes like crystal, would swoop down on the tsar's favorite apple tree, and fly off with a few golden apples. The tsar was very distressed at this and called in his three sons to help.
"My dear sons," he said, "to whichever one of you is able to catch this firebird and bring it back alive, I will give half of my kingdom now, and the other half when I die."
The three sons promised to do their best to catch the bird. The oldest son stood watch the first night, but he fell asleep and the firebird made off with a number of apples. The next night, the second oldest son camped out by the apple tree in hope of catching the bird but he, too, fell asleep, and the firebird stole a few more apples.
The third night the youngest son, Ivan Tsarevich, guarded the tree. One hour went by, then a second, and a third ... Ivan was sleepy but took his job seriously and managed to stay awake. Suddenly the whole orchard lit up, as if a thousand lights were shining on it - the firebird was making his entrance! As the bird began to pluck golden apples off the tree one-by-one, Ivan sneaked up and grabbed it by the tail. But the bird managed to wriggle out of Ivan's grasp, leaving the youth with only a bright red tail feather. The feather was so luminescent that if it were brought into a dark room, the room would glow, as if illuminated by the setting sun.
The firebird never came back to the orchard after this, but the tsar was so enchanted by the glowing feather that he sent his sons out again to find the bird and bring it back alive. The two older sons, filled with envy that their younger brother was able to bring back a feather from the bird, went off together on their search. Ivan left on his horse alone.
Ivan rode on and on until he reached a pillar standing in the middle of an open field. On the pillar were the following words: "He who goes straight will be hungry and cold. He who passes to the right will be safe, but his horse shall die. He who passes to the left will be killed, but his horse will be safe." Choosing the lesser of three evils, Ivan decided to go to the right and rode for three days.
Suddenly a gray wolf appeared out of nowhere and devoured the horse. For a long time, Ivan wept and eventually continued his journey on foot. He walked for an entire day and became very tired. The gray wolf suddenly appeared again. "I'm sorry I killed your horse," the wolf said, "and making you go all this way by foot. But it was God's will. Jump on my back, though, and I'll take you where you want to go!" Ivan, for some reason, began to trust the wolf now and told the animal that he needed to find the firebird. He climbed on the wolf's back and they sped off like a flash.
After a short while, they reached a stone wall. "Climb over that wall, Ivan, and you will find the firebird sitting in a golden cage in a garden. Take the bird, but don't touch the cage or you will be caught."
Ivan did as the wolf instructed and had the bird in his hand, when he thought, Where am I going to put the bird if I don't take his cage? So he went back to get the golden cage and the minute he touched it, alarms went off and guards seized the lad. He was immediately taken to the tsar, who was furious and demanded an explanation. "I'm the son of Tsar Vislav" Ivan said, "and the firebird had been taking apples from my father's orchard every night. So he sent me to get the bird."
"Well, if you had just come and asked me, I would have given the bird to you," the tsar said. "But now you have disgraced yourself by thievery. However, there is something that you can do for me to redeem yourself. Go to the kingdom of Tsar Afron and bring back the horse with the golden mane. If you do this, I will forgive you and you can have the firebird."
Ivan left the tsar and told the wolf everything that had happened. He said he was very sorry that he had not listened to the wolf about not touching the golden cage.
"Well, what's done is done. Get up on my back and I will take you where you need to go," the wolf said.
Ivan got up on his back and the wolf took off like a bullet. It was hard to say whether it was a long time or a short time, but eventually they reached the kingdom of Tsar Afron. When they stood before the royal stables, the wolf told Ivan to take the horse with the golden mane, but not to touch the golden bridle hanging on the wall. Ivan went in and started leading the horse out. Then all of a sudden he saw the magnificent golden bridle. He was so attracted to it that he simply could not resist taking it. But the second he touched it, alarms went off and stable boys came running to seize the young man. They took him to Tsar Afron, who was furious and demanded an explanation. Ivan told him the whole story.
"Well, if you had just come and asked me, I would have given the horse to you! But now how will it look when I tell the whole kingdom what you've done? However, to get your honor back, there is something that you can do for me. Go to the Thrice Tenth Kingdom and bring back the princess Elena the Fair. I want her, but I have not found a way to get her back here. If you do this, I will pardon you and will give you the golden bridle."
Ivan left the palace in tears and told the gray wolf everything. He apologized for again disobeying the wolf's instructions.
"Well, what's done is done. Get on my back and I'll take you where you need to go," the wolf said. Ivan jumped on the wolf's back and off they went.
When they reached Elena's kingdom, the wolf told Ivan to wait by a green oak tree. This time the wolf was going to do the job himself! When the princess was walking in her garden, the wolf grabbed her and they hurried back to the tree, where Ivan was waiting. Ivan climbed onto the wolf's back next to the beautiful princess and they headed back to the kingdom of Tsar Afron.
As fate would have it, Ivan and the princess fell in love on the wolf's back. Approaching the kingdom, Ivan was in tears. "My dear friend, the wolf, how can I not grieve? Elena and I are in love and now I have to return her to Tsar Afron, or else I will be held in disrepute throughout the kingdom."
"I have served you well," the wolf answered, "and I will help you again. This is what I will do: I will transform myself into the princess and you can take me to the tsar. He will think that I am Elena. Then, when you are riding back in the open field on the horse with the golden mane, and when I am allowed to go outside to walk with my ladies-in-waiting, think of me and I will appear."
Ivan liked the idea and, like magic, the wolf turned into the princess! Ivan led him to the tsar, who was overjoyed at seeing who he thought was the princess. Ivan was immediately given the horse with the golden mane and rode toward the kingdom of Dolmat (secretly picking up the real princess where he had left her). For several days, the two were so enchanted with each other that they completely forgot about the gray wolf. Then, on the fourth day, Ivan thought "What happened to my friend, the wolf?" It just so happened that this was the first day that the wolf was permitted to leave the tsar's palace so he could escape. And just as thoughts about the wolf entered Ivan's head, the wolf appeared there!
So the Ivan, the princess, the wolf and the golden-maned horse began their journey to the kingdom of Dolmat. When they approached its border, Ivan said to the wolf, "Listen, my dear friend, you have done much for me, but could you do one more thing? I would love to have this golden-maned horse to bring back to my own kingdom. Could you turn yourself into a horse, and we'll do the same thing we did with the last tsar?"
Poof! The wolf turned into a golden-maned horse. Ivan presented him to the tsar, who was quite jubilant and they all sat down for a large feast which lasted two full days! On the third day, the tsar gave the firebird to Ivan. Ivan then left for the trip back home, picking up Elena and the real golden-maned horse along the way. It wasn't long before the tsar went out riding with his new horse (who, of course, was really the wolf). At an opportune time, the tsar was thrown off his mount and all he saw after that was tail end of the wolf running off into the distance!
With his speed, it didn't take the wolf long to catch Ivan and Elena the Fair. They traveled together until they reached the place where the wolf had eaten Ivan's first horse. "Now it's time to part," the wolf said. "You have a horse again and I can't be of any more service to you." The wolf ran off and Ivan shed many tears over the parting of his good friend and companion.
Ivan, the princess, the firebird and golden-maned horse headed home. They were still many miles away from the kingdom when they stopped to rest. They tied the horse to a tree and kept the bird beside them. If you remember, the tsar's two older sons, Dmitriy and Vasiliy, had also been looking for the firebird. They were returning to the kingdom themselves when they stumbled upon the sleeping Ivan and Elena. They were quite charmed by the golden-maned horse, the firebird, and Elena. Filled with envy, they decided to kill their brother. Dmitriy took out his sword and thrust it into the body of Ivan. Then they woke Elena, who saw the motionless body of her sweetheart and burst into tears. "You might have been called honorable knights if you fought and won a battle in an open field. But as it is, you killed someone who was sleeping and defenseless. What kind of respect could you possibly deserve?"
The brothers paid no attention and rode back to their kingdom with their treasures, including the lovely Elena. "One word of this to the tsar," they warned, "and you won't live to see another day!"
The slain Ivan lay for exactly thirty days on the spot where his brothers had left him. Then the gray wolf found him, recognizing the lad by his scent. He wanted to help his friend, but he didn't know what to do. When he saw a mother crow and her two babies circling and hungrily looking at Ivan, he waited until they landed and grabbed one of the babies.
"Please don't harm my child," the crow pleaded. "He's done nothing to you."
"Then go to the Thrice Tenth Kingdom and bring me back some magical life-and-death water. Your child will be safe if you do this," the wolf said. The crow agreed and flew off.
On the third day, the mother crow returned and brought two vials of water. Without warning, the wolf ripped into the flesh of the young crow he was holding, and tore it in two. Then he sprinkled some "water of death" on the young crow and the crow's wounds were healed. Next he sprinkled some "water of life" on him, and the young crow came to life, fluttered his wings, and flew off to his nest!
The wolf repeated the procedure with Ivan. Miraculously, the boy came to life, saying, "Oh, how long I've slept!" "Yes," the wolf said, "and you would have slept much longer had I not found you!" He told Ivan everything that had happened and that today Ivan's brother Vasiliy was about to marry Elena the Fair. The wolf told Ivan to climb on and in a flash they were off for the city.
Ivan arrived as the wedding feast was already in progress. Elena saw Ivan and jumped up from the table. "There is my dear fiance, not this coward sitting next to me!"
The tsar, confused at this turn of events, asked for an explanation and Elena gladly told him everything. The tsar, quite naturally, was furious with the brothers Dmitriy and Vasiliy and threw them in prison.
Ivan and Elena got married themselves and were so happy with each other that they never parted.Narrative and translation: Copyright 1996, 1998, Andrew Stonebarger, Tradestone International (acquired this text here.)
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:34 am
.100 Questions.
As yet, they're blank--I'm hoping, however, that as I continue to work on the concept, these answers will become easier to find =D
1. What is your full name?
2. Where and when were you born?
3. Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
4. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
5. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
6. What is your occupation?
7. Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
8. To which social class do you belong?
9. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
10. Are you right- or left-handed?
11. What does your voice sound like?
12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
13. What do you have in your pockets?
14. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
Part 2: Growing Up
15. How would you describe your childhood in general?
16. What is your earliest memory?
17. How much schooling have you had?
18. Did you enjoy school?
19. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
20. While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.
21. While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?
22. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
23. As a child, what were your favorite activities?
24. As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?
25. As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?
26. When and with whom was your first kiss?
27. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
28. If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.
Part 3: Past Influences
29. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
30. Who has had the most influence on you?
31. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
32. What is your greatest regret?
33. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
34. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
35. When was the time you were the most frightened?
36. What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
37. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
38. What is your best memory?
39. What is your worst memory?
Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
41. What is your greatest fear?
42. What are your religious views?
43. What are your political views?
44. What are your views on sex?
45. Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?
46. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
47. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
48. What do you believe makes a successful life?
49. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
50. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
51. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
52. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
Part 5: Relationships With Others
53. In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
54. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
55. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
56. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
57. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.
58. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
59. What do you look for in a potential lover?
60. How close are you to your family?
61. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?
62. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
63. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
64. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
65. Who is the person you despise the most, and why?
66. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
67. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
68. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
69. Do you care what others think of you?
Part 6: Likes And Dislikes
70. What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?
71. What is your most treasured possession?
72. What is your favorite color?
73. What is your favorite food?
74. What, if anything, do you like to read?
75. What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?
76. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?
77. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
78. What makes you laugh?
79. What, if anything, shocks or offends you?
80. What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?
81. How do you deal with stress?
82. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
83. What are your pet peeves?
Part 7: Self Images And Etc.
84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?
85. What is your greatest strength as a person?
86. What is your greatest weakness?
87. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
88. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
89. Are you generally organized or messy?
90. Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
91. Do you like yourself?
92. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons...)
93. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?
94. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
95. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
96. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
97. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?
98. What three words best describe your personality?
99. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
100. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:41 am
.Tell Me Who You Are.Name: Suraj
Meaning of the Name: Sun (Indian) - this name wasn't given to him until Ki returned to the ship she was currently serving on crew with, at which point she was still referring to him as "the kid". As the rest of the crew took in the sight of this distinctly UNmaternal woman carrying a kid around, and realized she hadn't even named her new child yet, one of the crewmembers, a man who simply went by the name of Bombay, eyed the child, and dubbed him Suraj, or sun, as the way that he glowed was bright like the sun in the sky.
The name stuck, as Ki'retha liked the way it sounded, and couldn't dispute that its meaning suited the small fa'e child that had been placed in her care.
Species: Fa'e
Stage: Infant (unborn)
Background:
Before Death: (for ease of narration, I'll refer to the firebird as a he throughout this story, although since the myth mentions no gender, I actually consider it to be genderless in that first incarnation.)
Many years after the death of Ivan, when his son was well on his way to becoming an old man, the firebird still lived, showing virtually no sign of age. Little was known as to where he had originally come from, or how he had come to live within his gilded cage, so long had it been so. It was even unknown as to whether his lifespan was merely exceedingly long, or whether he possessed the gift of immortality. The bird's life was an easy one, as Ivan's son, Peter, doted on his most precious of treasures. With its extraordinary fiery plumage that could illuminate the darkest of rooms, and its gemstone eyes, which seemed to absorb light and refract it, creating all the colors of the rainbow in their depths, the creature was certainly a sight to behold, drawing the envy of any and all who visited the tsar's court.
Paraded before the wealthiest members of Russian society, the firebird was content. He was fed well, with the most delicate of golden apples, and reveled in the attention lavished upon him by the aging tsar, which he responded to with beautiful, (almost hauntingly so) songs that were said to heal minor illnesses and injuries, as well as to bring peace to any who listened.
However, there was one mar on his general affection for humankind--the tsar's son. The boy, for whatever reason, resented the due worship that others lavished upon him, and so it was a personal indulgence of the spoiled bird to deliberately do what he could to draw attention from the young prince whenever he was able. The prince, of course, shared this dislike, and grew up into a bitter, resentful man who blamed all of his shortcomings on the firebird. Surely it was the damn bird's fault that visiting dignitaries continued to dismiss him out of hand, especially when a small flick of the pompous creature's tail served to distract them from whatever he'd been saying. If it wasn't for that filthy bird, it would be -HIM- being doted upon by his dear papa, who he could remember being a very attentive parent, until the bird had supplanted him in his father's affection.
As he sat at the main table beside his father one eve, a full hall of guests present, it was the damn bird who held everyone's attention, every guest's gaze focused on the luminescent creature. How dare his father continue to allow this creature to steal his limelight?! It was not to be tolerated!
When rationally advising his father to do so did not serve to convince the tsar that the removal of his beloved pet was necessary, our self-absorbed prince decided that it was time to take matters into his own hands.
So it was that the crown prince hatched a plan to do away with his fiercest competitor, and still keep his own hands clean. Every year, everyone from miles around gathered at the tsar's palace to celebrate Maslenitsa, a sun festival that consisted of a week of celebration for the upcoming end of winter. In addition to the more traditional means of celebration, one of the more notable things that set that set the tsar's apart was the presence of the firebird, whose plumage so closely resembled the sun. Every year, on the final day of the festival (just before the scarecrow was burned), the firebird's voice rang out, seeming to spread warmth across the still largely-frozen courtyard, and filling the townspeople, both local and foreign, with some degree of inner peace.
It was on this last day, as everyone prepared for the final ritual to end the week of celebration, the prince snuck into the aviary, making a beeline for the familiar golden cage. Carefully looking around to ensure that no one else was looking, he stuck his hands into the cage, working quickly despite the unfortunate bird's panicked flailing. When he left a short time later, he left silence in his wake.
As the revelry continued throughout the day, the prince made sure to continually top up his father's vodka glass, noting with satisfaction that, by the time the firebird was brought out, the tsar was inebriated to the point where he was easy to manipulate.
The cage was set up high, where all could see, and an almost eerie hush fell over the crowd, as they waited for the sweet music to glide outward into the approaching dusk. However, no sound came, save for the occasional loud flapping of wings, as if in irritation.
For the firebird, it was the singularly most painful moment of his life. His throat would not emit any sound, save for a pained rasp when his efforts served to irritate it further. If he could have wept, he would have--for the firebird, who truly found joy in his own song, to be unable to sing was akin to a carpenter losing his hands. Even his feather's seemed dimmer, due to his distress.
However, whispering in the tsar's ear, the prince painted a far different picture. "See, father? The bird obviously scorns your position of authority--see how he will not even sing, although all of these people wait?" As discontented murmurs began to swell in the courtyard below, the tsar considered his options, though his mind was muddled by drink. His son's words made sense, didn't they? And if his men felt he could not even control his own -pet-....there might be whispers of his being too weak to entrust with the position he now enjoyed. Rising to his feet, the tsar commanded the firebird to sing, his tone grave, although he wobbled, balance slightly askew.
When the bird yet refused, the tsar grew angry, his usually slow-igniting temper fanned by both the alcohol and his son's incessant whisperings. In a fit of rage, he drew the sword he kept strapped at his hip, and clove the bird in two. The betrayal of the act mingled with the deep-seated pain he'd felt losing his voice, as he spiralled into the nothingness of death.
Personality: Suraj can come across as proud, and even somewhat vain, however this isn't reflected in a constant need to be praised by others--in fact, excessive praise can make him suspicious. As he grows older (think teen+, as he begins to finally remember and discover more about who he was), one of his biggest insecurities will be in his own self-worth--not in the way of what he can do/what he looks like, as he would have confidence in those--but more in his value as a being in and of himself, as a unique person who's more than what he can do-in his past life, he was a sort of toy, brought out to entertain his tsar on a whim, but really serving no useful purpose other than for the entertainment he could provide, or for his inherent abilities. His greatest personal fear would be to find out that his only real worth is in what he's able to do, and that he himself is worth nothing without those abilities.
His natural tendency is to avoid close, meaningful bonds with others. He wouldn't even know why, as it's not something he consciously does, instead just seems part of his nature, although it likely stems from the betrayal he felt in death at the end of his past life. It's possible to overcome this, if someone were to really take the time to prove that they were worth placing his trust in, but that would most likely be an exceedingly long process. Drastic circumstances might be one way for this to be overcome, but it would necessitate a situation where he had no viable option save to place his trust in someone else--and they'd have to not betray said trust for it to leave any lingering impact on him in that regard. For all his relatively suspicious nature, he can be hurt quite easily, especially by those who he has finally given some degree of trust to. While he could be hurt by those he has placed no trust in as well, it would take a lot more direct of an insult or action to prompt that kind of feeling.
His usual behavior would flicker between avoiding people (he has times where he just doesn't want to bother with it), and contentedly mingling without feeling a necessity to make himself the center of attention in a large group of people--he can't seem to figure out if he wants everyone to acknowledge his obvious superiority, or if he wants to simply set himself apart, and observe instead of necessarily participating.
He hates to see others in pain--with the absence of his voice, and so his ability to at least alleviate others' pain/suffering slightly, being around people in the midst of physical and/or emotional pain just makes him antsy, and he seeks to avoid situations where he's forced to be around it for extended periods of time. Since he's unaware of why the presence of those in pain bothers him, he simply avoids it, or tries to distance himself from it in the most swift manner possible. As he grows up, he'd show this discomfort less, although it would still be something he'd feel, despite the fact that he wouldn't understand just why it bothered him. For this same reason, however, the thought of harming someone else intentionally would make him distinctly uncomfortable.
Because his dislike for seeing others in pain is something that he really cannot explain, other than he doesn't like the way it makes him feel, he wouldn't necessarily see a problem with it, as long as he weren't expected to participate in it, or be exposed to it for an extensive period of time--he's practical enough to realize that there are situations that call for it, although he himself would require threat of death to be willing to deliberately harm another.
One of his pet peeves is to be thought of as being slow, or stupid, without even being given a chance to prove otherwise. The fact that he cannot speak seems to give many people the impression that the reason for his lack of speech is stupidity. That said, medically there seems to be no reasonable explanation as to why he's unable to produce more than the occasional growl. link=a really good article on selective mutism
He's definitely on the smarter end of the spectrum, probably because he's undistracted by talking, or asking questions, and so listens quite a bit, and spends a lot of time in thought...although with tasks or subjects that don't interest or appeal to him, he finds it hard to stay focused, and can be easily distracted. If there's something he wishes to know, or that intrigues him, he can be exceedingly stubborn in trying to learn more about it, unless something else that intrigues him even more comes along...and even then, there are times that the reprieve is only brief.
Amidst a growing confusion as he goes through childhood as to what his own values are, with his parents (both his fa'e parents and his guardian) all having differing views on many things as to what is right and what is wrong, I do suspect that a strong observance of social niceties is likely--something that is likely to be aided by his inability for speech--after all, it's not impossible to be exceedingly rude without words, but it does take a little more effort. That said, I can very easily see his developing quite the mental foul-mouth, the likely result of having grown up around a woman who often gives a good showing for the phrase "cusses like a sailor". When interacting more directly with people, rather than observing and running his own mental commentary, he'd behave politely, at least in most situations, although he might come across as slightly cold at times, or as if he's holding a part of himself back most of the time.
With those rare people he trusts, he can be exceedingly generous, both in time and with material things, and is fiercely loyal to them.
Once he regains his voice, I forsee a bit of his polite social demeanor slipping, for although he'll still maintain it most of the time, he'd find himself almost unable to help the occasional caustic remark.
Likes: Apples, especially those of a golden color (both to eat and to look at--he finds them aesthetically pleasing as well as tasty), having his hair brushed and fussed over (this isn't an indulgence he shares with most, and if commented on, he'd do his best to imply otherwise, but it's a weakness, of sorts, for him.), the sound of the ocean hitting the sides of a ship, creating whimsical designs in gold or silver, and sketching, particularly jewelry designs and ideas. Strangely enough, he dislikes -wearing- jewelry, save for a necklace given to him by Ki'retha when he made the transition from toddlerhood to child (it's a simple gold chain with a small heart-shaped crystal that seems to contain all of the colors of the rainbow trapped within it), and that he rarely, if ever, removes.
Dislikes: Extreme heat, in particular when there is no water around to provide some sort of relief from it (depending on what sort of company he's in or the situation, he'd either want to splash some on his face, or even jump into water when he gets too hot--in a scenario where neither of these actions are advisable, he will grudgingly make do with a cold glass of water), salty food being treated as though he's incapable of comprehending something, or exceedingly dense, because he's incapable of vocally replying or otherwise indicating that yes, he DOES understand what's being said to him. Random strangers touching him inappropriately D< (really, any random stranger who touches him in a deliberate fashion without warning makes him tense up, especially if he doesn't see it coming--it makes him feel vulnerable, and can often earn the guilty party a rather frosty glare).
Hobbies: As an infant and toddler, while I don't know that they could be called hobbies, he'd already be showing his fascination with shiny things--light reflecting off of water, or a shining bauble are fast ways to calm him at this stage, and as he moves up into toddlerhood and the beginnings of his kid stage, he'd start to show a preference towards gold and silver, often gravitating towards them when he's taken past a jewelry store.
As he hits childhood, Ki would notice that there are times that he actively seeks out whatever high places are free--the roof, a tree that he can climb out in the backyard, or somewhere else where he can, (at least somewhat) have some privacy.
As he continues to grow, one of his favorite things to do when he wants to think continues to be just staring at the water, in particular watching the way that light plays across its surface. He also likes to sketch, although his drawings aren't usually of the things he sees in front of him, but rather what he sees in his mind--oftentimes, he's working on a necklace design, or that of a pair of earrings--however, these designs are often, for him, representations of the many things he sees--a pair of earrings may have a graceful whorl of metal that looks like an ocean wave crashing against the bow of the ship, or a necklace with links that fit together in a way that, if looked at justso, resemble the scales of a fish. From these sketches, he enjoys playing with gold or silver, testing out the designs.
How he Communicates: For how he gets across what he's wanting to "say", since he's mute, Suraj uses a combination of mime, gesture, facial expression, the occasional cough/growl/slap/other sounds that can be made without using a voice, and very, very rarely, writing. he doesn't use any established form of hand-signing, or sign language, but instead, over the course of time, he and Ki'retha will find their own gestures to mean certain things--and Ki'retha (along with other people close to him), by the time he's a teen, would be able understand some of his more typical gestures as meaning fixed things, and so wouldn't always have to take the time to interpret,or figure out what he's trying to say.
Appearance: In light of the fact that Suraj is going to be born as a 2nd gen Fa'e, and so without my knowing precisely what traits will be carried over from Rae and Roth, I've opted not to post this part back up, so anyone who missed it will just have to be patient >D.
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:43 am
.So What Can You Do?.
Skills:
Inherent (those which are unconscious/always present): Can be used to amplify magical abilities of others (this one kind've came to me as I got to thinking of his glowyness more in terms of light, rather than a fire-based "ability"--from there, I made a skip to prisms (in my mind) and from there to his serving as an amplifier, of sorts--this wouldn't work on himself, and unpredictable in what degree it would amplify a given spell/magical ability), and his feathers always glow/emit light--even when they're no longer attached to his body.
Other (those which must be consciously used to work): mild healing through song (not til he becomes a youth, however, and regains his voice) - both psychological and physical (for example, could heal small wounds, etc with his singing, or soothe someone under psychological trauma/stress, with at least some small degree of comfort. With a larger wound, it wouldn't be able to heal it completely, obviously (especially not at first XD) - however it might slow the bleeding, or something similar.
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:44 am
.So WhuddowedoNOW?.
Teen:
-check back later, yo. =D
Youth:
-saaaame here =D
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:45 am
.Who the Hell Invited the Pirate?!.
Name: Ki'retha Shai'mar (although most wouldn't know her last name...she's pretty private with information about herself )
Age: Unknown, and unspecified, although she looks to be in her early to mid 20s, and is likely at least a bit older.
Sex: Female
Height: 175cm
Weight: 135 lbs
Appearance: Her skin is a coppery bronze color, testament to both her woodland-elf ancestry, as well as her lengthy periods of time spent on the deck of a ship, often in the hot sun. Her hair is a medium brown, with blonde highlights caused from spending so much time in the sun--she keeps it fairly short so it's not in the way while she's working on board the ship. Her eyes are a tempestuous aquamarine, with a touch of violet when she's experiencing particularly strong emotion.
Race: Elf (woodland)
Occupation/Position: General Crew...also in charge of the Creative Acquisition of Funds (any pirate ship worth its salt needs a thief, ne? wink ).
Personality: On the outside, she's very lighthearted, always quick to make a joke or retort with a witty riposte. However, for all her lighthearted demeanor, she's strangely loyal, a bizarre combination for one with as quick of fingers as she. She also views the taking of a life as a serious matter, and so will refrain from doing so unless given no other reasonable option, although if she were ever to witness a valid threat to Suraj, it's unlikely that she'd hold back.
Because of her odd upbringing (she was kicked out of her home village at as a young teen, after scamming some of the more well respected members of the community. Because she was forced to make her way to some of the larger cities in an attempt at supporting herself, she has a less narrow view than many of her elven peers--while she retains some kernel of the pride and even superiority that many of her brethren possess, she's been forced to recognize that there are people to be trusted and respected from other races and backgrounds as well.
Background: Ki'retha's always been gifted with the ability to sell others on whatever story she might weave, and has, therefore, always been one to capitalize on the freedom this gives her. No one knows much about her home life, but at a relatively young age she found herself forced to leave her home after she scammed the entire village out of considerable funds...
After that, she set about wandering, honing her skills with knives (which she always keeps somewhere about her person ), using her skills as an adept con artist and thief to live a fairly comfortable life, albeit a transient one...until she signed onto a pirate crew, having decided to give that lifestyle a try. Surprising even herself, she'd found the role of crewmember easy to slip into. While the ship was out at sea, she fit right in with the predominantly male crew, refusing to play the helpless female role, cussing and sweating alongside the men, even playing down her femininity by wearing a loose-fitting overshirt with baggy flared sleeves that gather at the wrist, and pants that are loose enough as to serve to at least minimalize her other feminine attributes. This, along with her knife-wielding skills (and impressive number of the small blades hid upon her person), serve to have allowed her to get by without too much of a problem.
However, when the ship docks, she's very nearly transformed--her attire of choice being a strapless lace-up top that uses her appearance to the fullest as a means of distraction, making it easier for her to lull her chosen...victim into experiencing a false sense of security...just before she takes him for all he's got.
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:46 am
.Fanart!. Deargod, eviktedRei, you pwn so hard lovveh crying <333333
and again crying heart
*joygasm* <3!
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:47 am
.Show Me Tha' Money!.
Nada, atm. *emptycoinplink* <3 No donations, please, however~~~
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:48 am
.Links Out, and Credit Due.Credit due to Anya! XD, for coming up with the fa'e, and for continuing to amaze us all with her mad skillz.
Credit should also go to everyone who's helped me refine this concept, or even just encouraged me to keep at it -- Special luvvins, however, go to Prolixity, Cihiru, Aris Ravenstar and Naita, for being the first few people to actually indulge me by reading it, and giving me their take on it. heart
MAJOR UNFGLOMPAGE TO KALI AND MOUSE FOR SURAJ. <3
MORE luvvins to Prox, and to kali for both giving me feedback (and in kali's case, a really awesome crit of raj's personality) <333
also, SOMUCHLUV to eviktedRei for the ZOMGARTS ;w; <3
Annnnd to Cerena, for omggivingmestufftoanswertofleshhimoutmore, as well as talking over possible other non-human appearance aspects that didn't involve wings, since i really REALLY wanted to avoid those =D
Arrien, for one of the most thought-provoking crits I've ever received anywhere--somuchwin *.*
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:49 am
.Ramblings of a Mad Man.
fwoosh. Q&A, baybee (storage for these answers til I actually get around to incorporating the infos into the main stuffs--thanks to Cere for asking these quezzies heart
what kind of hobbies does he have? You sort of mention he can't talk, so how does he communicate otherwise? Also, how is he able to (possibly) manipulate metals?
Hobbies: xD. Well, on the ship, although he doesn't do it all the time, he gets in moods where he heads for whatever high places are free--the crow's next, or somewhere else where he's in a place where he can, at least somewhat, have some privacy. He likes to just stare at the water, in particular watching the way that light plays across its surface. He also likes to sketch, although his drawings aren't usually of the things he sees in front of him, but rather what he sees in his mind--oftentimes, he's working on a necklace design, or that of a pair of earrings--however, these designs are often, for him, representations of the many things he sees--a pair of earrings may have a graceful whorl of metal that looks like an ocean wave crashing against the bow of the ship, or a necklace with links that fit together in a way that, if looked at justso, resemble the scales of a fish. From these sketches, he enjoys playing with gold or silver, testing out the designs.
He also spends a good deal of time practicing with a short sword--nothing fancy or out of the ordinary--Ki made sure from an early age that he had some familiarity with daggers and the like, if only because ports can be a bit rowdy, and she really wasn't fond of the idea of carrying him home dead some day. He's not what one would call expert, but he can manage a good thrust and parry when the situation demands it. heart
Also, while he may not feel a need for close-held emotional attachments to anyone who doesn't actively -prove- that they're worth placing his trust in, Suraj actually quite enjoys people watching--it can sometimes be difficult for him to communicate his own ideas, as getting people's attention and holding it/making himself clear, especially with those who aren't accustomed to his altered methods of getting his ideas across, (he uses a combination of gestures, mime, the occasional cough/low growl/slapping of hand on skin for emphasis, and even, in rare occasions, when he has a difficult to explain concept or thought, he'll even resort to pen and paper), so it's far easier for him to just sit back and let the interactions of a group flow around him, without necessarily contributing anything other than his presence XD.
For how he gets across what he's wanting to "say", since he's mute, Suraj uses, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, a combination of mime, gesture, facial expression, the occasional cough/growl/slap/other sounds that can be made without using a voice, and very, very rarely, writing. he doesn't use any established form of hand-signing, or sign language, but instead, over the course of time, he and the crew/Ki'retha have come to understand some of his more typical gestures as meaning fixed things, and so don't always have to take the time to interpret,or figure out what he's trying to say.
Now, onto the metalworking question! =D Suraj isn't able to work with any metal, only gold and sometimes silver--the closer to being pure they are, the easier they are for him to manipulate into the shapes he wants. He's not sure quite why he's able to mold them with his bare hands, and actually found out by accident using a gold coin he'd been given by some noble in some random port somewhere. There's no heat or fire involved, more an inherent affinity with the precious metals, almost as if they simply desire to become what he wishes them to be (I made this jump from his singing prompting pearls to drop from his beak in the one blurb, somehow getting from that to preciousmetal manipulation). As he runs his fingertips across the metal's surface, if he's doing so with a certain idea in mind, and is focused intently on it, the metal itself seems to move beneath his fingertips, the metal shifting, thinning, rising or moving from the path of his digits, slowly coming to resemble the original idea he's working from, although usually there's a number of changes that he makes as the form begins to take shape, tweaking it as he goes. (again, lemme know if that makes sense, or if it sounds like complete gibberish? XD; *TRYING*)
I know you also said that he's not the type to immediately bond with people, if at all, but how does he normally interact with people otherwise? Is he aloof, preferring to avoid people as much as possible, or is merely content to mingle without necessarily being noticed, or does he want everyone to admire him without actually being able to have him (...much less talk to him), ect? In a situation where he's put into a group and presumably has to work with them towards a goal, would he lead, follow, or break off to do his own thing?
In all honesty, to a certain degree it'd depend on his mood, although his usual behavior would flicker between avoiding people (he has times where he just doesn't want to bother with it), and contentedly mingling without feeling a necessity to make himself the center of attention in a large group of people. He tries to avoid actually being the spotlight/center of attention in that kind of scenario, as it makes him uncomfortable (perhaps a subconscious tug at the last moments of his past life, and also because, with his glowing plumage (both hair + tail + possible peacockish crest), he's had a fair number of negative encounters with jealous men/women due to the attention that his appearance often received, since, aside from the occasional elven set of pointed ears, or oddly colored eyes, most of the beings he grew up among were fairly mundanely human.
...Also, kind of a touchy subject I realize, but sort of important especially at a teen stage -- is he at all sexual, and if yes, in what ways? (I don't get the impression he is, but maybe this should be clarified before people bombard you with stuff like "YOUR FA'E + MINE = UNFUNF PLZKTHX <3")
His view of sex has always been fairly cynical--his "mom" uses her body as a lure to get men to lose their focus, and so, their wallets, and he's never suffered from a lack of attention himself, and so never viewed sex, or at least the accessibility of it as any sort've big deal. That said, having tried it, and with their being no sort of emotional bond with any of the partners he's attempted it with, while pleasant, he doesn't really see the big fuss about it. So, in all honesty, aside from occasionally using his looks as a distraction to get his way (and so playing up his sexuality with a sly peek through his eyelashes or something) I really don't see him as any kind of sexual being, at least not as things stand--it'd take some sort of emotional impetus, I think, to prompt him to really have any sort of interest in it--which isn't likely to develop in any sort of hurry, since, as has been stated, he's exceedingly slow to trust/let someone get close). In regards to gender preference, if he ever WERE to pick a partner, so to speak--I don't really see him having a gender preference--after all, the firebird, as far as I've read, is never listed as having a gender, so while he was reborn male, he wasn't reborn with any real leaning either way.
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:50 am
.Bits n Bobs. A gift from Nimaina Sekan to all've us questers heart
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 pm
EDIT: going to keep my note-bullets here, so that I can ramble freely, and have someplace for people to have a peek at it before I work to update the main bulk of my infos with it. xD;; I'm trying to think this stuff through before even putting it up here, because Arrien's crit really gave me a lot to think about, but there ya go~
Background:
-hatched from an egg, completely alone from birth--whether the egg was created by someone (or something) of great power, or laid by another of his kind, even the firebird did not know.
-Captured as a fledgling; never really knew any sort of close bond with a peer-figure.
-exceedingly self-absorbed, to the point where it wouldn't regard its raiding of another tsar's orchard for golden apples as theft--after all, what worthier fate could one of these sun-kissed fruits ask for, than to feed him? Not maliciously ignorant of the needs and wants of others, at least not -MUCH- so...although feather-plucking and the occasional pinch from one envious prince may have encouraged him to spreading his tailfeathers a bit more impressively than he might have otherwise done, accompanying the motion with a graceful ruffle of wing-feathers when said prince was trying to recapture some of the guests' attention.
-In the case of its thieving of the golden apples, it had been given the freedom to fly freely at night--the bird returned to its golden cage before daybreak each day, as it had no real urge to give up its comfortable home. The tsar it was with at the time allowed it this freedom because he was a firm believer in every creature requiring time to stretch its wings, so to speak--so while it began with allowing the bird short forays through his palace uncaged, he slowly gave the bird more freedom until he'd felt he could trust it to return of its own accord.
In essence, he would have been a good sort, but years of spoiling, and having his every whim catered to would have certainly shown their effects.
--Points to fight with/grapple with from past:
-Betrayal of Trust (king)
-Own inherent vanity/inflated self-worth
-As he grows up and remembers more of his past, inner turmoil in regards of blame for his death
-Questioning own worth as individual, rather than because of what he can do/what he possesses (looks, skills, etc).
-Dependency--in his past life, the firebird's every whim was catered to by others, and so it never even occurred to it to question its place in the world--after all, everything revolved around it, no? He would also have to fight, early on in life, from the urge to let things be handed to him on the veritable silver platter--Ki being who she is, she's not going to be the type of guardian to wait on him hand and foot, even as a child--and it's something that's likely to draw his irritation, not because he knows why he expects it, but simply because he -does-.
--Naming
-Name given by one of the crew members from India, the first time Ki brings him on board, as a sort of nickname based on his appearance--since she hadn't named him yet herself, it stuck.
--Personality Theengs:
-While he's been stuck with a lot of antisocial personality traits from the get-go, a large part of why I wanted to do that is that I wanted to give him room to grow into a more likeable character by others--I wanted him to go through the difficulties of not really being very likely to make a lot of friends, and to grow slowly into someone more able to get along with others--he'll never be a happy-go-lucky sort who everyone loves, but I wanted him to have the chance to learn through trial-and-error how to think of others instead of always himself, and to understand something other than a relationship based on servitude. I suspect he'll always place himself slightly above others (haha), but in learning about how to value himself as something other than an object to be admired, and the dangers associated with such an existence, I hope for him to come to realize how to value others for themselves, also. (I think this needs reworking later, but I wanted to get it down while I was thinking on it, so even if I end up changing part of this later, at least I think I'm a bit closer to getting my idea written down and even thought out a bit more coherently XD; )
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