Welcome to Gaia! ::

Character Name: A’lenin
Age: 27
Sexual Orientation: Homosexual
Craft/Rank: Rider
History:

Atslenin was born at Ursul hold to a Smithcrafter and his wife. The second of three children and only boy, his family had high expectations for him. He was to follow in his father’s craft, marry a nice girl, and carry on the family line. Which surely would have been a great goal, if Atslenin weren’t queerer than white firelizard. It would have been enough for him to be gay in the quiet, secret way that some holdborn men are. But poor Atslenin was never the sort to be able to hide his orientation, though not for wont of trying. Indeed, when at the age of fifteen, he finally realized he was attracted to men, he was the only one surprised.

His family dealt with this problem in the way some families do. They were never cruel to him, at least not in any abusive sense. They simply did their best to reprogram him, encouraging him to spend time with ‘nice girls’ (or even not so nice girls) and forbidding him from any task that wasn’t deemed appropriately masculine. He wasn’t to help his mother cook, or play with his sisters. And Atslenin, who desperately wanted his father’s approval, put up with it until the aforementioned revelation at fifteen turns.

It took him a full turn to come completely to terms with his sexuality but, when he finally adjusted and discussed it with his parents, they weren’t what one would describe as supportive. He just had to try harder, they told him. Not think about such disgusting things. No son of theirs was going to be ‘that sort’ of man. It was after this conversation that Atslenin began to make plans to run away to Trine, where, he’d been told, a man of ‘that sort’ could find at least tolerance.

He traveled to the Weyr with the tithes and was able to find work for himself using the skills he’d learned from his father. His time there was lonely and homesick, not exactly the escape he’d imagined. He found the weyrborn intimidating, too much so to make friends of, let alone flirt with. Though friendly, even bubbly, in his home environment, nerves left him quiet and withdrawn. This continued for a turn, at which point he was nearly prepared to return to the hold and try again to be the man his parents wanted him to be. But, before the opportunity arose, a clutch was laid. He lingered to watch it hatch and it was at that hatching that Agonquith pushed through the ring of candidates and found him.

Impressing allowed him to feel like ‘part’ of the Weyr to a certain extent, though he continued to suspect those born there were stronger and smarter than himself. He continues to have a sense that he exists on the periphery, that, in some way, Agonquith is his ticket to his friends, his home, his life and if it were not for her, he’d be back at the hold, married and miserable. As such he’s obscenely grateful to his dragon, who he admires above all other things.

Description:
It’s a good thing A’lenin is gay, because if he wasn’t, everyone would assume he was anyway. Delicately built with fine, almost feminine features, he could, without difficulty, pass for an under-endowed girl and is, on occasion, mistaken for one. It isn’t that he tries. He wears masculine clothes, keeps his brown hair cut short, and doesn’t do anything he considers particularly ‘girly’. But he’s, well, swishy. His laugh is more of a giggle and his movements are fluid and graceful. Full lips and blue eyes with long, dark lashes don’t exactly help either.

Personality:

A’lenin is insecure. He has been since he left the hold and despite ten turns spent at the Weyr, it’s something he hasn’t entirely grown out of. Partly to blame is the fact that A’lenin really isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer and he knows it. He’s fully aware that he’s surrounded by those who are funnier, cleverer, and more capable than himself. He’s often the last to get jokes, except those of the most base and simple kind. Besides, from his perspective, he’s horribly unattractive, and that weighs heavily on him as well.

As a result, he tries very hard to please. He’s quick to compliment and admire, and almost always has something nice to say to others. His dragon, he fawns over and his fellow riders he happily builds up willingly telling them how much better they are than himself. On the flip side of this, he’s utterly incapable of accepting compliments himself. He’ll blush, stutter, and generally put himself down in response to even the mildest positive statement.

Romance is an area where he’s at an utter loss. He doesn’t know how to flirt, doesn’t know how to react to flirting, and has a dragon that would generally prefer he spend his time lavishing attention on her, instead of some stupid boy.

Despite all this, A’lenin is not shy. He likes people, wants friends, and actively seeks to make them. He just can’t quite fight the sense that those who he does befriend are either taking pity on him, or only love him for his dragon. It’s worth noting that in all things in his life, Algonquith comes first, and insulting her will always get a rise out of him. Usual kind and gentle he can be absolutely vicious in her defense.