Link to Approved Character
Approved by Sou
Name: Paran (P'an should he Impress)
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
Craft: Apprentice Beastherder
Rank: Candidate
Physical Description: Paran is gorgeous and he knows it. His build could comfortably be described as 'delicate', but he prefers the term graceful. Standing just under 5'6” and very slim, he could be easy to overlook- but a palpable charisma prevents such a travesty. He has thick, light-brown hair that bleaches to fine gold in the sun, and it falls around his face and over his ears in loose curls. His face is round and his chin is pointed, his cheeks dimple when he smiles, and his nose is thin and sharp. His eyes are so dark a brown that it's hard to tell where his pupil starts, and he is blessed with thick lashes much darker than his hair. His eyebrows are a tad too thick for his tastes, lending the only truly masculine note to his features, and any attempt to cultivate facial hair ends in disappointment- the fine gold whiskers are barely visible.
He takes a particular delight in his physique, because his slender build shows off his muscles to great advantage. Given a choice, he'll wear little more than a pair of loose leggings to display his trim form, so his light skin is usually tanned to an even golden brown. Not one to shy away from the extra time it takes to really look good, his nails are usually neatly trimmed and polished, helping to set off wide hands with slightly raised tendons. He's left-handed, though he shakes hands with his right- his left hand has a pair of scars across the back of which he is mildly ashamed. They mar his perfection, you see. Anyone who asks about them is likely to be diverted with questions or teasing comments- if he does explain where they came from, it's very unlikely the explanation will be true.
Personality: Is there anyone in the world more appealing than Paran? He severely doubts it. In fact, he'd be downright appalled if anyone suggested such a thing. He's clever, funny, charming, witty... and absolutely, entirely, overwhelmingly conceited. If he could choose lying about in fields being admired as a craft, he would. He's certainly tried, at least- his preferred position when tending his family's flocks was reclining on a hillside while the caprines took care of themselves and he played a set of pipes. With a good ear, warm tenor voice, and a strong affinity for music, he toyed with the idea of becoming a Harper, but he lacked the ambition or the will to make actual effort. He, of course, would choose the terms 'languid' instead of 'lazy' and 'introspective' instead of 'self-absorbed', but there is no denying that his sense of entitlement based on his looks is excessive.
For all that, Paran is not without compassion and empathy- when he can be bothered to look beyond his own personal needs, he is quite giving. Often he doesn't have much to give besides time and conversation, but he will listen, and is quite happy to share stories or gossip. If one is able to get past his narcissistic tendencies, he really is charming, just as able to give flattering words as he is to receive them. He's not shy about smooth-talking anyone who catches his eye, be they male or female, and his utter confidence, and ability to inspire similar confidence in his partners, tends to make for some very good experiences. Rejection is not something Paran understands well. Having little experience with it, his responses to being turned down are likely to be somewhat immature, very likely including spiteful words and cold glances for days afterwards. Of course, such things require effort to maintain, so it's likely it won't last too long- he'd rather not spend the energy on someone who can't appreciate how marvelous he is.
While a good portion of the time that Paran spends gazing into space or playing his pipes is spent on admiring himself, it's not all, and he tends toward thoughtfulness. He's not really impulsive except where seduction is concerned, but even there, he'd rather have a carefully-laid plan than jump in without looking. He'd almost always rather be thinking than acting, though a few challenging words can get him on his feet if he feels he needs to prove something. He pouts and sulks if he feels he's being overlooked or that enough attention isn't being paid to him, but he generally won't risk his dignity or take the chance on embarrassing himself just to draw eyes. After all, his looks should do that for him, right?
Used to spending a lot of time alone or with only one or two companions, Paran is occasionally awkward in large group setting. It bothers him if he isn't the center of attention, and he isn't naturally patient when several others are talking and he's only peripherally involved. Depending on the situation, he'll either interject comments until he's back in the thick of things, or withdraw in a huff and sulk because he was being ignored. Once he has a group of friends he trusts well enough to believe they don't mean it as a slight when they don't fawn over him, he'll probably settle down a bit, or retreat to them if he feels under-appreciated somewhere else. Being Paran's friend means being on-call at all times, as he very much believes that his needs are absolutely urgent- so what if it's still two candlemarks from dawn?
History: Paran is the middle son in a family of seven- he has two older brothers, two younger brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. His family works a small cothold just north of Nabol hold, where they raise caprines.
As the middle child of such a large group, he would likely have been entirely unremarkable if it weren't for his looks. His angelic smile and sweet demeanor quickly made him his mother's favorite, and she spoiled him outrageously- much to the occasionally-mutinous irritation of his brothers. When he was a toddler, no treat or toy was out of his reach- all he had to do was distract his mother by smiling or put on an artfully sad expression until she gave in. His older sister was just as bad, and just as quick to pander to his whims, leaving his older brothers fuming at the unfairness of it all. His father, an entirely docile fellow, simply did his best to stay clear of it.
Paran was entirely offended, then, when a new baby came along and stole the attention that was rightfully his. Worse still, when he reached five Turns of age, he had to start helping. This meant actually doing work, something Paran immediately knew he didn't like. It wasn't that Paran didn't like the caprines- they were nice enough, as far as smelly animals went- but why on Pern did he have to carry water for them?
His irritation grew mildly less intense when he was old enough to actually keep watch over the flocks- mostly that didn't take much effort on his part, and he heartily approved of that. Of course, his mother's continued insistence on still more younger sibs was frustrating, but it wasn't so bad once his younger sister Renna was old enough to walk. He decided she was tolerable, and spoiled her nearly as much as his mother and older sister spoiled him.
The first time he heard a Harper play a set of pipes, he decided he absolutely had to have one- and after several months of begging, pleading, pouting, sulking, and being altogether intolerable, his mother found the funds to get him a set. It wasn't a particularly good set, but it was the very best she could afford, and Paran kept it with him constantly. He taught himself a few simple melodies (using Renna shamelessly as a sounding board), and eventually began to improvise a few tunes. He toyed with the notion of becoming a Harper, rather liking the mental image of lying in luxury playing his music while people around him swooned adoringly, but actually doing something about it was far too much effort. He couldn't be bothered- he was content with his fantasies, after all, and the caprines didn't complain about the noise when he played. Perhaps they didn't appreciate it quite as much as they should, but he generously forgave them that fault.
When he was fifteen turns, he met Liara. Liara was a lovely young woman from a neighboring cothold, and she was entirely willing to croon adoringly over him. His first charms were practiced on her, and by the time their short-lived romance was over, Paran had a whole new level of confidence. After Liara, there was Sendri, and Hennie, and a half-dozen other young women- until there was Tavon. Tavon, a sturdy, quiet young man who kept to himself, convinced Paran that perhaps it was best to keep his options open, as it were. Quietly, of course, as such things were not always viewed favorably.
It was not long after that when he acquired the scars on his hand, courtesy of his eldest brother. Neither boy would discuss it when their mother tried to force an explanation from them- nor would either speak to the other unless it was absolutely necessary. Shortly after, his brother married, and left the area, and they have not spoken since. Paran, for his part, regrets that not at all.
When Paran was Searched, he didn't stop to ask questions about the lifestyle involved- the idea of having a dragon of his very own was far too appealing. So it was that he bundled up his things and headed to Ista Weyr- where, no doubt, he will quickly learn that his idyllic daydream of life as a Candidate was somewhat unrealistic. Still, he is too vain to admit defeat so easily, and he finds certain aspects of Weyr life much more to his liking than the quiet isolation of his fields.
Pets: None, and it's probably best that way.
Other/Talents: Paran can play the pipes fairly well, and has a decent ear for music and a solid singing voice. He knows a few simple dances from small local gathers. He's a genuine smooth talker, quite convinced of his ability to woo others- and not just into his bed. He considers himself quite persuasive. He's also very thorough, and is able to point out the possible flaws in a plan given how long he'll likely mull it over.
Will this character be a candidate? (Yes/No) Yes.
