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Approved by Tawny

Name:Ethan
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Sexual Orientation: Undiscovered/unaware bisexual
Craft/Rank: Trading (at post), Apprentice
History: Ethan was born and raised in the village of Toren, minor hold of Atlini Hold. Atlini rests on the easternmost branch of the eastern river in Trine, and Toren lies on the westernmost branch. This makes Toren the primary port for goods going upriver that originate in the Central and Western portions of Trine - for those goods not traveling over land, that is - and it also catches some of the ships from the north that don't want to wait in the docks of Atlini before unloading their goods.

This was how Ethan's father was able to make a solid living as a settled trader in Toren. He settled down as soon has he was able and opened a post, then bought a set of docks where he was able to unload foreign ships and load freshly-emptied domestic ones to more easily disperse the goods across Trine. His wealth grew, and before long, so did his family.

Ethan was the only son (and drain on resources, frankly) that his parents required, to carry on the family business. Being as wealthy as they were, Ethan was never wanting. When he was old enough, they spared no expense to give him tutelage above and beyond what the harpers were teaching the other children... not that Ethan was necessarily doing much of the learning. His mind was on other things...

There is a legend in Toren that stretches back further than anyone can remember. A single rider and his dragon saved the entire village from a particularly heavy threadfall, winning the loyalty of the entire town, but costing him his life. That last bit, the dying, was lost on Ethan, and is not usually brought much focus in the yearly festival held in that rider's honor, so the only thing Ethan truly wants, what his father can never give him, is to be a rider to see the people in his hometown parade through the streets in HIS honor.

He spouted this dream, with confidence, to all who would listen - his parents, his caretakers, his classmates, his father's customers - with regularity, to the point that when a Searchrider came to town, it surprised no one that he came to take Ethan to Trine as a candidate. The comeuppance they had hoped would befall the child (by not selecting him) did not happen, and there were murmurings that the father had paid the Searchrider an exorbitant sum of money to either spoil the child by giving him his chance at being Impressed, take Ethan off his hands once and for all, or both, but no one knew for sure.

Before the Searchrider came, it was an uncertain time for his father's post - the consequences of the recent revolution had put the future of the established contracts he'd had with the overthrown Weyrs in jeopardy. However, a universal outward respect for others, long established before any contract is signed, should carry the post forward. As for Trine, the more people in the Weyr, the better an audience they will make for his ascent.

Description: Ethan is a little short for his age (just enough to be noticeable) and rather average in build. While handling day-to-day tasks at the post is enough to work off the excesses of his lifestyle, it's not really enough to have gained him any sort of muscle. His most striking feature is his green eyes, as his tanned skin and shaggy dark brown hair don't provide much of a contrast otherwise.

Personality: Ethan is a spoiled brat. He doesn't particularly care about the well-being of others beyond their usefulness to him, and he finds them not particularly worth his time otherwise. Some would call him a bit manipulative, but others would just say he's just a clever young businessman. Sometimes he goes to such lengths to NOT do something that the effort required to avoid that task is much greater than it would have taken to just do it in the first place. He's not the most practical thinker, but he has a lot of conviction and determination. He thinks he's the best, and says he's the best, and will do whatever it takes to get to the top of the heap of his peers. He's also got a mean case of selective hearing.

When it comes to authority, his obedience is strictly reliant on the clarity of the ends of their requests for his own benefit. He obeys laws because doing so allows him to freely continue pursuing his goals, for example. Menial tasks are not for him, however, and he will coax others to do the work for him whenever and however possible.

He will make himself stand apart in Trine, trying to adapt his situation to his advantage as soon as possible. For example, he'll take on some of those menial chores for another in exchange for academic assistance, then pawn those chores off on someone else if possible in exchange for some kind of resource or protection. This is how he tends to make "friends."

His goals and passions are simple - to be valuable and gain the adoration of everyone. His biggest fear is fizzling out and no one knowing who he is. He is loud whenever possible, deferent when most beneficial, and figures out and knows his place quickly in relation to others. When put in a corner directly, he will become confidently (though not necessarily wisely) self-reliable. Others will make him the best, but once he is the best, he no longer needs them.

Other: I've been thinking it would be neat (if Ethan happens to get a dragon) to have Ethan, at the end of his life, go back in time to the previous threadfall and make himself the legendary Rider of Toren. This is assuming largely that he feels that he has done nothing else of note with his career as a Dragonrider. He could either volunteer for the position, or he could subvert the original rider tasked with the job (by killing, otherwise subverting) and taking the mission himself. This is totally optional, of course, and dependent on how his character might grow and change throughout his lifetime. I've spoken to Skie about it, and should I pursue that plotline, she has said she would provide quest details.

Thanks! Approved!