Name: AnaliAge: 27 29
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Rank: Goldrider
History:
Born to a Metalsmith and his Dyer wife, Anali was the firstborn of two children, with seven long years between her and her brother. Her parents hadn't wanted a girl, and were disappointed with her arrival, but it would be an unfair stretch to say that they treated her poorly. They didn't neglect or openly resent her, but neither did they expect much from her. She was raised to take up her mother's Craft, at which she proved surprisingly talented, but garnered little praise for her efforts, and quickly grew out of wanting any. She was good at what she did, and that would have to be enough for her.
It was a shock to everyone when she was Searched to Telgar Weyr at 15, but she accepted the opportunity to become a Candidate not with open delight, but cool smugness. She had always known that she was better, even if everyone underestimated her as nothing more than average. It was a trend that continued once she arrived at the Weyr, and she made no effort to dissuade anyone of that notion. And so when she Impressed Banshidheth, it came as a surprise to many, but she went to the gold with the same cool sense of vindication, as though she had known all along that this would be her fate.
The pair has gone on to prove themselves time and again, not by pushing and shoving, but with singular focus, subtle maneuvering, and when necessary, sharp words from Anali.
When word reached them of the Revolution that took place at Benden and Malvren, it drew their interest immediately. This is a step towards the ideal Pern that Banshidheth would like not only to see, but help to shape: one where all Weyrfolk, from dragons and whers to crafters and drudges, work as one whole for the betterment of all. It is a pity that violence was necessary, but it was inevitable, and sometimes the ends justify the means. So they reached out to Keller, to offer themselves and their aid. Someone will need to produce this new generation of dragons, after all, and who better than Banshidheth?
Description:
Anali is a plain woman, to put it politely, with a snub nose and a too-round face. Her dull brown hair is thin and straight, and her narrow eyes are brown as well, but a good deal brighter. Her figure is stocky, but not in the sense of carrying excess weight - she really is just big-boned and strongly-built. She keeps in good physical shape, but she will always be strong rather than agile. 5'1".
Personality:
With an unexceptional appearance, Anali spent her life until Impression underestimated, and only gained acknowledgement when she became the upset 'winner' the day Banshidheth called to her. In the Hold where she grew up, no one had bothered to look past her unremarkable appearance, and had dismissed her as an unremarkable girl, but all along she had known something they did not: that she was smarter than them all. Smart enough that, rather than fight the assumptions, she had let them think what they wanted, knowing that one day her unrecognized intelligence might prove to be an advantage.
She is cold, calculating, and ambitious. She wants more than anything to reach the top, but not by throwing everyone else down to the bottom. No, she is much more subtle than that, willing to wait patiently and plan. She collects information obsessively, digging up anything and everything she can find and use, expertly wielding rumor and blackmail to get what she wants. She is a manipulator to the bone, always with an eye on the bigger picture, the ultimate goal. Initially, her goal was broad, a quest for power and influence in whatever form she could find it, but Banshidheth has shaped that compliment her own goals. Anali will have power and influence, yes, but because of her, and they will wield it together for the good of the Weyr...and perhaps for themselves, if it does not detract too much from their greater duty.
Anali's upbringing, combined with her ambition and intelligence, have made her into a very distant individual, with no want or need for close relationships. She has her dragon and their grand plans, and there is no room for anyone else. Though she will smile and pretend to allow others familiarity with her, they will always be held at arm's length from her true self. She will form mutually beneficial alliances if she thinks it will get her what she wants, but she keeps no friends and no lovers. While she is not incapable of empathy - she did Impress a dragon, after all - she recognizes that caring for others can compromise her agenda, and has hidden that part of herself deep down where none can find it.
For now, only Banshidheth knows that Anali's heart is only frozen over, and not ice all the way through, and that is how it will remain for the forseeable future. There are things to be done, and sacrifices must be made if greatness is to be achieved.
Positive: intelligent, patient, ambitious
Negative: distant, manipulative, cut-throat
