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Aberrant female
Your challenge, should you chose to accept it, is to fill in the blanks in her character form and also to answer the prompt below. You are only allowed to add to the character form, don't delete anything that's already in it.

You'll need to give her a name, a task and a personality and perhaps add to her existing history. You may add a companion if you feel it would make sense for her to have one and you can justify it.

Born to produce Chestnuts?
While the Chestnut type is small in numbers, they have managed to avoid excessive inbreeding by mingling their bloodlines with the Deep Woods. And that is exactly why she was hatched. Her grandmother was a petite and beautiful Deep Woods, and when she was approached by a Chestnut gentleman she didn't hesitate to take the chance of her lifetime. Now it's the grand daughter's turn to do her duty. This pretty little female is the most "successful" of her siblings, and there's a chance that some of her own chicks will look completely Chestnut. It will soon be time for her to meet the male she was "made" for.

Prompt
She knows that she's always been intended for an arranged mating, but she doesn't know to whom. However, since she has already graduated and joined the adult society since a few seasons back, it will only be a matter of time before someone will be chosen for her. How does she feel about it?

Chestnut male
Your challenge, should you chose to accept it, is to fill in the blanks in his character form and also to answer the prompt below. You are only allowed to add to the character form, don't delete anything that's already in it.

You'll need to give him a name, a history and a personality. You may add a companion if you feel it would make sense for him to have one and if you can justify it.

The Storyteller task
While the Storytellers of the clan began as Bards, they no longer focus on pure entertainment, and the task is in fact considered a support task. These Sentinels have started to take a much more aggressive interest in the oral tradition, and the history of the clan. Many 'pure' families will employ the services of a Storyteller to impart tales of their great family history, for example, and the Storytellers are always popular at festivals.

Prompt
Matchmaking might seem like an unlikely task for a bard, but since this male have made a point to memorise as much of the Chestnut family tree as possible he is often consulted before two Chestnuts decide to mate.

Among the minor types it's generally accepted that you won't be able to choose your mate freely, or at least that you're not the one with the final say in the matter. One of the Chestnut Elders might strongly discourage from a certain mate, and that means that the mating is not going to happen. Period. In other cases a Chestnut in his or her prime might need some encouragement to actually get their tailfeathers in gear and pick a mate. If subtle hints are not enough, a slow male or female might find themselves presented with someone suitable.

Does he like the matchmaking part of his task or would he rather concentrate on learning more clan history and passing on his knowledge?

How did he decide to be a storyteller?

You may answer one or both of the questions in your prompt.

I was made for loving you, baby...

Part I – The Sentinel

Player: ???
Name: Thistleweed
Nicknames: Thistle
Species: Sentinel of Noctua
Age: Young Adult
Hatch Date: 07/05/???
Type: Aberrant (Chestnutx(ChestnutxDeep Woods))
Task: Minder
Personality: To say that Thistleweed was proud of her heritage would be an understatement. She prides herself in the fact that she is more than half Chestnut, and in extremely vain. More often than not, she's seen preening her feathers and making herself as presentable as possible, even though her only usual audience are the young hatchlings she cares so dearly for. Considering she was raised knowing how important she was for her Clan, she has a nasty habit of sometimes talking down to others, though her intentions are entirely pure, rest assured. She will very gladly sit and watch the children, teaching them the importance of good bloodline and whatever history she picked up from her grandfather, as well as the importance of hygiene and appearance, which she constitutes as almost important.

Despite her vanity, however, she has nothing but respect for the elder members of the Clan, and often speaks highly of them, stating that, if it weren't for their genius, many of the Chestnuts would not be here today. She is, simply put, the product of good breeding, and she knows that and gives all credit to her grandparents.
History: She have been taught that diversity is essential for the Clan to survive, and that the minor types are too important to be lost. It has never been a secret that she was born to help the Chestnut type stay strong and healthy.
Territory: Thistleweed stays as close to the home territory as possible, not only because she has a higher chance of keeping her own, but also because she can't bare to be away from her own kind for too long.
Mate: None, yet.
Companions: N/A


Prompt Response: She had been raised knowing the truth.

Born of Deep Woods and Chestnut, she had only been conceived out of necessity to keep the bloodline strong, to bring her Clan to a higher population, with more pure blood and more variety. From the very beginning, she had been taught the history, the importance. She had known that, when she was old enough, she would join the ranks of the adults and have a suitable male chosen for her.

And, in knowing all this, she feels eager.

There is a sort of primal need in knowing that the elders will soon be presenting a male for her. Surely, they will chose one who is strong and beautiful, full of Chestnut in mind and body. Surely, he will be vigorous and fill their children with not only his genes, but also his prowess and stature. They will provide her the best option, she knows, and her eggs will bud and bloom in true Chestnut fashion.

In knowing all this, she feels no passion.

She hardly thinks she must love him in order to have chicks. She knows this from the hatchlings she tends to, raising and rearing with the best of the Clan's interest in mind. She is naive in thinking this way, in thinking that having chicks with an unknown, chosen male will not effect her, but she is content to be naive. Perhaps, yes, perhaps he will love her, and perhaps she may love him, but never as much as her Clan, never as much as the thought of seeing the Chestnuts thrive and become a major type. It has too long sat within the dark confines of the minor title, too long had to suffer the thin spreading of genes hither and tither among Chestnut and Deep Woods. She wishes nothing more than for it to rise from the ashes, like a phoenix after rebirth, and shine brightly, like the stars in the night sky.

In knowing all this, she is hesitant.

She wants to think that she will never love him more, desperately, insatiably, but there is fear. What if, by some ill-bearing wind, she falls in love, and loves him more than her Clan? No, she thinks, shaking her feathered head fiercely. She would never, will not. There is only one true love in her heart, and room enough for only that; the Clan and it's survival.

As she looks out on the forest, high above, she is all smiles and preened feathers.
Yet deep within her, hidden among muscle, feather, bone; uncertainty.

I was made for loving you, baby...

Part I – The Sentinel

Player: ???
Name: Bronzeburl
Nicknames: Bronze
Species: Sentinel of Noctua
Age: Young Adult
Hatch Date: 23/10/??
Type: Aberrant (Chestnutx(ChestnutxDeep Woods))
Task: Ranger
Personality: Being born an Aberrant, even one who so strongly resembles a minor type, has fostered a great ambition in Bronzeburl to be seen by the clan for more than just the pattern of her feathers, or those of her potential offspring. Perhaps especially because of her Chestnut-like appearance, she feels the need to prove herself worthy of the family she was born to continue, to show that she can contribute something to the bloodline other than mere aesthetics.

It has also instilled a great fear of failing miserably at such.
History: She has been taught that diversity is essential for the Clan to survive, and that the minor types are too important to be lost. It has never been a secret that she was born to help the Chestnut type stay strong and healthy.

But that never meant it was going to be easy.

Mocked for not only being an Aberrant, but for aspiring towards a combatant task despite her slight stature and average skills, Bronze chose to become a Ranger and remove herself as far as possible from other Sentinels to toughen herself up. It was her hope that by the time her family called on her to meet her intended mate, she'd be a stronger, more able Sentinel, and prove that she is fully capable of being a combatant, and worthy of the honor of continuing the Chestnut type.

Sadly, only a few seasons have passed between then and now, and she feels just as tiny and wimpy as when she graduated; not at all the sort of Sentinel she thinks is a benefit to the bloodline.
Territory: None really, her task sends her so far out that nobody minds if she sleeps in any old tree along her patrol route. While all this fuss about a mate is going on, she's keeping near the edges of her grandmother's territory.
Mate: Well, that's what this is all about, eh?
Companions: n/a


Prompt Response:

Bronzeburl was nervous.

For several seasons, ever since her graduation, she'd taken up the duties of a Ranger, aiming to improve herself away from the judgmental eyes of friends and critics alike, and prove herself a Sentinel worthy of her bloodline.

The problem was she just wasn't getting better.

She wasn't quite a total failure, she supposed. She saw her Corporal every two weeks, and dutifully rattled off every little thing she could remember from her patrol, because even things that seemed insignificant could be important, and truthfully nothing exciting ever really happened. And then he, who was undoubtedly a kind old bird for not sending a tiny awkward thing like her straight back to the Woods to pick a different task, would send her on her way, but not before giving her a fond parental look, the sort you'd give a fledgling after a successful but less-than-graceful attempt at flight.

And speaking of that, maybe she was a bit stronger a flier, able to go just a little faster, just that little bit farther without rest...

Maybe she was getting better, but it just wasn't fast enough.

She knew, just as sure as the moon in the sky, that as she'd been out here working her tailfeathers off to improve, the elders of her family were busy discussing her future. And she was terrified. Any time now they could call for her, bring her back to the Deep Woods to appear before them and be presented to the mate they'd carefully chosen for her.

The mate she wasn't ready to meet.

She'd known her whole life that her mate would be chosen for her, her family gathering and planning to pair her with a male suitable to continue the Chestnut line, and she had no doubt of their ability to choose well.

She was the one who wasn't suitable.

If only she had more time. She was sure she would be able to become a strong, swift Sentinel, be able to make them proud and give the family beautiful, healthy chicks, but she needed time.

Time, it would seem, that she did not have.

--Let me tell you a story--

Part I – The Sentinel

Player: Alinedra
Name: Ghusoon
Nicknames: Ghus, prefering his nickname to his extended one.
Species: Sentinel of Noctua
Age: Adult
Hatch Date:3/08
Type: Chestnut
Task: Storyteller

Personality: Ghus is a cunning and charming fellow. He gains enjoyment from coming up with new and wonderful stories to entertain his peers with. He's never gloated about his abilities, but still shows the confidence needed for the part. He is also a watcher, keeping up on the latest gossip, personality quarks and other things that may add to the history he collects for the chestnut family tree. He is proud of his ability to memorize so much about a particular sentinel and add it to his collection. Overall he's a very likeable character, with only a few flaws, such as his elitism and extreme attention to detail that can sometimes be too much. He also doesn't take criticism well, but what artists do?

History: Having grown up with an excellent storyteller in the family, though it was a distant cousin, he always felt the need to continue on that tradition. He learned all he could from his mentor before he passed on, and learned much more after. As a fledgling Ghus was extremely curious, often getting into trouble for eavesdropping or getting into places where he aught not be. When he became a young adult he started his training, and has continued it ever since. He now frequents festivals and speaks with elders about possible matchmaking opportunities for the younger ones. He himself has remained a faithful bachelor for the time being. It takes an interesting female to spark his attentions away from his work.

Territory: He resides in a craggy old tree, hollowed out from age and critters past. It contains several branches for others to sit on, listening to his stories as he can sit comfortably on his stoop and tell them.
Mate: none as of yet.
Companions: n/a

Prompt Response:

Laying back, enjoying the early evening, Ghus had one thing on his mind. Love. How would the two young ones get along together, and would they continue their lines nobly? It was a difficult job some days, being a bard. Not only was he responsible for the family history, and constant entertainment that they seemed to want, but he also was tasked with the heavy job of matching prospective younglings together to carry on their noble lines. Today was no different, though he was sure that he'd have no stories this night to tell.

He was scheduled to meet with a sentinel many refered to just as The Grandmother. While many didn't agree with her presence, she had been a valuable tool for giving advice on such matters. Heaving a sigh, he expanded his great wings and took of toward her territory, hoping she were still in her resting place this early. It was with luck then that he had nearly passed her by as she feasted on her evening meal. Swooping around and down on a neighboring branch, he waited till she was finished, which took only a gulp or two.

"Merry evening! And how is my favourite grandmother other than my own?" He teased her constantly about her age, though he wasn't that far behind her in all realities. She laughed and preened herself a second.

"Fine, fine. Lets get this over with, so i can get back to what i was doing. " As impatient as always, she tended to take on more tasks than necessary to prove herself. He'd never commented on it to her, but took it as a necessity to keep spirits up toward her.

"Very well. As you know, Willowood is becoming a fine young adult, and i've choosen two fine men that would suit her well. The problem is, both are excellent candidates, and i'm having difficulties making up my mind which would be better. The two in question are Bramblebriar and Oleander. " Waiting for the dawn of recognition to come to her face, she nodded for him to continue.

"Bramblebriar would appeal to her young adventurous spirit, that may or may not stick with her into adulthood, and Oleander is very much a rock, and a great mate for her should she not be so flighty in the future. I lean toward Bramble due to his colourings. His markings would make good fledglings. Oleander however has unique markings that when fused with hers will bring a very classic depth...." Ghus paused, for the Grandmother was laughing at him. She couldn't help it really, the sentinel took his job way too seriously!

"Oh point her toward Oleander. The flightiness never lasts into adulthood. Bramble will be good for someone else. My dear Ghus, you take way too many things into consideration sometimes! How long have you been idling over this?" She asked accusingly, as Ghus sweat, knowing the answer was probably going to get more laughter. When he revealed that he'd been mulling over it for a week already, The Grandmother nearly fell out of the tree laughing.

"Well it's my job to make sure this line is continued with distinguished markings and personalities. Not only my job, but all of the elders and adults jobs. We will parish if we don't create new blood. So if i take my job too seriously, it's only because i care that much. I don't want my choices backfiring for us." He had puffed up defensively at this point. Ghus hated being laughed at when he wasn't telling a direct joke in one of his stories. So what if he enjoyed his job just a little too much.

"If you'll excuse me, Willowood needs some persuading. Thank you for the consultation." Leaving her laughing, he swooped down, bent on finding Willowood and Oleander this very evening before he changed his mind. (which was known to happen.) Chuckling a little, he couldn't help but laugh with her now. Perhaps he did take it too seriously, but he'd convinced himself it was because he cared. Maybe he'd make it into a story. The Owl That Cared Too Much.... there could be consequences and comedy all wrapped in one. As he flew through the twilight, his mind ticked away at how he'd make the story work, and searched for two soon to be parents.




((I am going to be gone from June 11th-15th to move to my mothers. It shouldn't effect my RP much at all though, as i should have access to a computer after that.I am also still learning about the world here, so if i got anything wrong i'm truly sorry. I tried to make it generic in setting. I will continue reading through the forums however. ))

((preference to the storyteller prompt, but mostly i am in it for the RP regardless))

--Still stunning--

Part I – The Sentinel

Player: Alinedra
Name: Suri
Nicknames: Grandmother, Grams, hey you.....
Species: Sentinel of Noctua
Age: Older Adult
Hatch Date: 4/07
Type: Deep Woods
Task: Watcher

Personality: Suri is a perfectly able adult sentinel. Her choices over the years have broughter discomfort and hardship, but also rewards beyond her belief. She's helped continue on a bloodline that could have very well died out, and she is beyond proud to have helped with such a task. She still thinks she has it in her to help more as well. She's not that old yet. In a whole though, Suri keeps to herself, feeling a little outcast. She volunteers for odd jobs that need done that others don't want to do, and gives advice when asked for it. She mothers over many of the young ones, and is always on the look out for their safety over all other things. She is kind and caring, and has not a resentful bone in her body for what she's endured during the years.
History: In her youth she was courted by a Chestnut gentleman and was offered a rather unique opportunity. Unfortunately her position as the mother of a new family of Chestnuts did not protect her from being frowned at for willingly creating aberrants.
Territory: A few trees near most of the other Chestnuts, so she can watch over the young ones
Mate: After her first Chestnut gentleman, she hasn't had any other mates.
Companions: n/a


Prompt Response:

Suri felt old. From her perch, she watched the young fledglings and hatchlings in all their glory, glad to be a part of it. It had been a long time however since anyone had courted her, and age felt like it was beginning to creep up on her. Was she not wanted anymore? Had she served her purpose? Shrugging such negative thoughts away, she swooped to a higher branch for a better perspective.

Her job as a watcher was exclusive to the young ones in her mind. She watched for danger, and tried to keep them as safe as possible. It was her sanctuary away from those that had different opinions about what she was doing. She didn't hate them, those that talked about her behind her back, but she didn't feel the need to subject herself to such behavior either. After all, who would want to just stand there while they're being made fun of? This was her family, she had brought fresh blood to it, and her hard work paid off. There were beautiful Chestnuts, some her very own children. It was hard to believe that she'd had a hand in creating and helping in the ancient blood line. Something still nagged at the back of her mind however.

She'd grown up a normal sentinel, until approached one day about helping the blood line out. She'd had a best friend, and was about to be matched with a fine young man. When she'd made her choice to 'jump ship' however, she'd lost everything. She'd always wondered what happened to Birchwood, her friend. She refused to speak to Suri after they'd fought about her decision to leave their family. Birch had accused her of going off to create something wrong, and Suri had been hurt too much to ever go back to her. She just didn't understand, none of them did.

Deciding that it was time to find out, Suri spread her great wings and took of toward where she'd grown up. Undoubtedly Birchwood had stayed in the area, keeping her family going, as she had been with hatchlings when the fight had happened. It had been years, but she was certain that she'd be able to find her. Flying around, she finally landed, looking around for her long lost friend. That's when she heard behind her a hiss. Spinning, she stood in front of a large greying sentinel. At first she wasn't recognizable, but it was hard to mistake those markings as anyone but Birchwood herself.

"What do you want out here. I thought we made our feelings perfectly clear." The venom in her voice gave Suri pause. How could she still hate after all this while?

"I...I just wanted to see how you were, how everything was. I'm sorry that you still feel that way." She didn't know what to say really. She was one that let her anger go, finding it was healthier. It obviously had aged her more gracefully, as her old friend was obviously old, and she still looked in her late prime.

" We're doing fine without you, thanks. "And without warning, she turned around and flew away. Suri sat there in shock and disappointment. It had not been the reunion she'd envisioned. It had hardly even been a meeting. Taking off home, she felt like crying out in pain. She was truly alone besides her family. Her family was enough, but to be pushed away like that, with Birch hardly batting an eye.... it stung in places that hadn't stung for a long while. How lonely she had been for her old friends company, and now she knew that it was not meant to be. She was to Watch for the rest of her days, perhaps having one more batch before the end of her life, but she was truly part of the ancient Chestnut lines now. There was truly no going back.

It took a while, but Suri was fine with that. Taking one look at the young hatchlings reconfirmed her belief system. 'May the others never know my happiness,' she muttered under her breath, and she resumed her job watching over the most ancient of blood lines.

((My first preference is the intended mate <3))

--Still stunning--

Part I – The Sentinel

Player: ???
Name: Hazel
Nicknames: N/A
Species: Sentinel of Noctua
Age: Adult
Hatch Date: 31/12/??
Type: Deep Woods
Task: Teacher
Personality: Stubborn as a mule and horribly persistent once she gets an idea stuck in her head. Hazel is known for never giving up. She believes that hope and willpower is something that no one can take away from, no matter how hard they try. If someone pushes, she pushes right back. In her younger days she was a Huntress, but later switched tasks when age began to deter her reflexes and movements, causing her to make mistakes she otherwise wouldn't have. Her fierce nature and mildly abrasive personality seem to mirror the fact she held a combatant task in her youth, and while her body is tired and her reflexes are not what they used to be... she's still beautiful and the spark of life and strength in her heart has come nowhere near dieing. If anything, it's burning with greater force than ever now that her grandaughter is finally nearing the time when she'll be courted.
History: In her youth she was courted by a Chestnut gentleman and was offered a rather unique opportunity. Unfortunately her position as the mother of a new family of Chestnuts did not protect her from being frowned at for willingly creating aberrants.
Territory: Holds a decent sized territory near the heart of Deep Woods, which she defends fiercely, even despite her age.
Mate: N/A
Companions: N/A


Prompt Response:

Fools, the lot of them.

Hazel could barely keep herself from chasing them in an attempt to bite off their pretty little tail feathers as she sat on her branch. Her eyes were closed and her tufts were mildly lowered as she puffed out her plumage, making it look like she was asleep. Of course, that was the only reason the pair of sentinels up head were so much as daring to talk about her in such rude, disrespectful manner while in her presence.

Young, foolish and horribly rude! That's what they were.

How DARE they slander her in such a manner? Couldn't they see she could HEAR them from where she sat?

A small sound of irritation escaped the old female as she cracked an eye open and finally pinned the young adults in the near distance with a half glare. Both youngsters instantly stiffened when they noticed the Teacher was, in fact, still very much awake, and looked just about ready to teach them both a lesson they would always remember. Making small, nervous noises, the pair jumped off their perch and flew off into the distance. Hazel's gaze followed them all the way till they vanished before she shifted her position in an attempt to get a little bit more rest before the fledglings came in for their lessons.

Fools.

It had been the same way back when that polite Chestnut gentleman had courted her. She had accepted the courtship with grace, having realised what a great honor it was to be chosen to keep such an old, fine bloodline. Of course, that she understood didn't mean others had to. She had been on the receiving end of constant harassment and mocking from her neighbours. It had forced the once sweet beauty to harden up in order to live through it. She had learnt that when others pushed, she had to push with greater force... she had to show them that she was not to be taken down by such childish, foolish behaviour!

She was convinced she'd done the right thing, and that was what had kept her alive through that difficult stage of her life. Now, old and seasoned, she was still convinced her actions had been the right ones, specially when she lay eyes on her young, beautiful grandaughter. It would only be a matter of time before she found a mate, and then they'd show all of them! Such were the thoughts that crawled through her mind as she ruffled her feathers again, sinking her head a bit into her plumage, sleep slowly taking her.