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Name: V'al (Viskal)
Created: July 6, 2010
Age: 17 (15 at creation, updated 6/28/11)
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual (though he doesn’t know it yet, hehe)
Rank: Wingrider
Family:
Mother: Gretcha (NPC)
Father: Unknown
Siblings: None
History: To understand V'al’s origins, his mother must be explained first. Gretcha was a tanning woman who, given to self-pity over her low status in life and lack of high relations, frequently took to drinking and exuberant parties at the cheapest pubs available. On one of these exuberant nights, she was mugged while walking home from a pub. The attacker took her money and shoved her down before fleeing. He took little besides enough to buy himself a few meals, but Gretcha was robbed of more. The fall cracked her head, and though she survived, little could be done about her addled brain. After the mugging, Gretcha’s temperament became erratic and notional. She was given to believing in childish fantasies such as she heard as a child, and became outspoken of her complaints of other. However, she was usually cheery despite the content of her speech and capable of complex thought, so she was not demoted to drudge work, but simply considered ‘off in the head.’ Her friends slowly drew away from her erratic behavior, but Gretcha forgot about them swiftly after cursing their fickleness.

The effect on her mentality never stopped her drinking, however, and in a drunken stupor similar to the one that she lost her mind to, she conceived her b*****d child: V'al. She only had vague notions about who the father was (the son of a tavern owner, though he would never know it), but simply refused to ever admit her guesses about her son’s parentage to anyone, even V'al.

Raised by a woman drank heavily, lied often, and occasionally believed that flits were the cleverest of beings, V'al grew up believing the world truly was a dangerous shifting place of fantasy and deceit. His mother’s indecency kept him from having many playmates, and it took some years before he began to separate his mother’s imagination from reality, which was more dull and perhaps more cruel than he imagined.

Despite his lack of close friends and Gretcha’s inattentiveness, he never openly complained of loneliness, and preferred to work with the small leather scraps his mother brought home, making ragged belts or armbands with his mother’s encouragement. The reason became clear when after twelve turns, she foisted him to a local leatherworking journeyman. Though they still saw one another often, being so roughly removed from home embittered him toward her and his trade greatly. He was, however, gifted, and picked up on handling the delicate blades and dyes. He might have become skilled as well, but he was searched too soon.

He was searched one late evening when he was on an errand to deliver a runner saddle across the hold and saw a blue rider arguing with some trader. The man’s dragon looked to him then, and the argument came to a halt as the man approached V'al. V'al argued with the rider for some time, but eventually gave up and after eyeing the dragon and informing it that it was wrong and wasting everyone’s time, went and packed his things. At Trine Weyr, he Impressed Blue Lerath at his first Standing, and has been growing deeply involved in the politics surrounding the weyr. And, despite being holdborn, he's resoundingly loyal to Trine.
Physical: V'al has finally started to develop some height off the weyr's hearty food and promises to gain an imposing height when he does finish growing. His body is still narrow and thin, but hard with tight muscle put on from training and exercise. His black hair, though chopped short, grows quite quickly and is usually falling in his face. Since he often flies with Lerath, he's begun to develop an average tan that follows his riding leathers. He's actually handsome when he smiles, but usually he carries a distrusting or annoyed expression that entirely undermines his appeal. He does have one interesting feature - due to a recent accident from Timing it, his right arm has been thread scored and the new scars make pink lashes from his elbow to hand, where the damage is heaviest. Though the scarring is fairly gruesome to examine, he still has usage of the hand - though the feeling in it is deadened and he has to be careful to avoid injuring it by accident. Often though, he wears a fingerless leather glove on his right hand. Despite the difficulty in making the hand work, he's nevertheless managed to etch intricate patterns in his leathers and is usually wears fine (but reserved) clothing.
Personality: V'al is a solitary young man. Having not formed close friendships as a youth has made him wary of others and suspicious of their motives. However, dealing with anxious customers, a overly-clever master, and a half-insane mother has made him self-reliant and capable of confrontation. However, the same things have also given him a mild paranoia and he avoids being too reliant and involved with others, as they often disappoint him. In fact, it's very rare that he doesn't disapprove of someone on at least one level. Though he is highly critical and gives gives off an aura of brooding judgement to most everyone, he isn't egotistical. He would rather be called out and charged on his mistakes, and won't try to hide his errors - though he might not admit that his paranoia and unfriendliness is a fault. V'al is also as stubborn as he is straightforward, and the young man and is not fond of being directed by weak superiors. He will follow orders he agrees with without shirking, but he has no hesitancy on questioning someone's leadership and he tends to ruffle feathers where ever he goes. He could, potentially, fall in step to a wiser rider's demands with less trouble, but that trust could be difficult to earn. Until that day though, he's known as a dismal young man that rarely opens his mouth if not to call fault to something. He isn't a layabout however, and seems constantly driven to be engaged in some activity. His attention is most often centered on training with his dragon or learning about (and sometimes becoming involved with) weyr politics, but he also upkeeps his old leatherworking skills in the dead hours. He has no particular love for his old craft, but he does like having his own customized clothes and riding gear. His scarred right hand makes the work slower, but it helps loosen the scar tissue and is helping him learn to be ambidextrous.
Dragon: Blue Lerath
RP Opportunities/Plots:
~~~ When he was young, he crafted several belts and traded them for a rather handsome bow and a small quiver of arrows. He never learned to use the bow, but brought it with the rest of his belongings to the weyr. He obstinately thinks he might one day find a use for it.
~~~ Gretsha obtained a firelizard egg during one of her more manic phases, perhaps out of deviousness or simply bargaining during a more lucid day. In any case, the egg hatched into a green firelizard with a particularly nasty attitude, and after growing up alongside the creature and V'al has developed a quiet fear of the lizards. He refuses to touch even the mellow ones and usually tries to keep a fair distance from them.
~~~ V'al is a very determined and stubborn young man. Even when his intentions are noble, he can be very rude and step on toes without meaning. He can be expected in plots to be the one that says what no one else is saying - sometimes with disastrous results. He could make a good nemesis or competitor to most people.
~~~ Presently, V'al is a very inactive sexually. While he's had one or two brief encounters with women since coming to the weyr (he blames Lerath for this), he's no adept at romance in any way. He could be physically wooed by a woman, but it would take a while for him to actually become close with one. There’s a decent chance of him ‘discovering’ men though, if he finds one decent to his standards to pursue.
~~~ V'al is always interested in weyr politics. He's very much an activist, and he does not hesitate to thrust himself into political debate and personal action.

. : In Progress : .

+++ Searching for Excuses
F'ren

+++ Of Beasts and Dragons
Gauden

+++ Blocking the View
Lina and Galith



. : Completed : .

+++ Welcome "Home"
S'ren
Having just arrived at the Weyr, Viskal goes to eat and bumps into the brown rider S'ren. After questioning him about the weyr, dragons, and Impressing, he says his farewells and leaves, largely unaware of S'ren's opinion of him.

+++ What are you up to?
Salin
Viskal meets Salin and rather rudely suggests the boy shouldn't be so stupidly expecting to Impress. An instant rivalry is spawned, but a truce is drawn regarding the Benden Invasion as they guardedly swap what they know about the foreign visitors.

+++ What have we walked into?
Kyros
Viskal meets Kyros, a newly arrived Candidate with a seafarer's experience. He warns Kyros about the double hatching and Benden's invasion, and leaves swiftly, satisfied by spreading the political intrigue.)

+++ Touching
Trine Candidates
Viskal goes to his first Touching and bothers a great many eggs with his demanding inquisitiveness.

+++ Hatching
Most of Trine and the Benden Riders
The day of the hatching finally arrives! V'al Impresses blue Lerath!

+++ The Heritage of a Dragon
Self RP
After the Hatching and before the Feast the following day, V'al and Lerath explore the weyr and head outside to rest in a grove and talk. At Lerath's behest, V'al explains what happened to the blue's mother and catches him up on the political intrigue in the weyr.

+++ Hatching Feast
Most of Trine and the Benden riders
V'al and Lerath arrive to receive their new rank knots and see who else has Impressed.

+++ A Crimson Funeral
Most of Trine, many of Malvren, and the Benden riders
The political overtone of the funeral of Alumanth's dead rider is clear: Benden has no more welcome in the southern weyrs. Mossy, a green firelizard, scares the bejezus out of V'al, then he and Lerath meet and question one of the Benden riders about recent events.

+++ Uncomfortable New Quarters
Optheli (Dynith)
The day after the feast, V'al finally meets his new roommate. To his suprise, his roomie is a girl! The Holdbred boy has a great deal of prejudice to overcome.

+++ Beta Clutch: Jr. Weyrling Lesson #1
Beta clutch
Two months have passed since hatching, and it's time for lessons. V'al pairs up with G'brel to learn an obstacle course, though of course when Lerath joins in he has his own way of practicing the drill.

+++ What Is That......THING?!?!?!
Optheli
V'al's roomie, Optheli, comes back from a late night walk with the only thing V'al's ever been truly afraid of - a firelizard! And worse, it's green! After cursing his roommate's new pet to the point of making her cry, Lerath blackmails him into apologizing. He's disgruntled at the truce, but once peace is restored everyone gets to sleep.

+++ Beta Clutch: Weyrling Lesson #2
Trine Beta Clutch Weyrlings
This is it - their day to fly, even if O'rer is taking over the lesson! Optheli causes a bit of a scene, but V'al and others manage to get the girl up before there's too much of a ruckus. After mastering the riding straps, V'al and Lerath go aloft, but their plans for testing their metal are foiled by Optheli being severely chastised for pulling a slight stunt. However, not to be put off, V'al concocts a plan to go out later that night and have things his way....

+++ The Great Escape
Self RP
Late at night, the pair sneak out from the weyr, and in the cold night air, they take solo flight, testing their limits and seeing just how far they can go. The escape goes as planned, and after the exhilaration and success of the deed, there's no telling what V'al might try next.

+++ Transplanting
Jalarant
V'al meets up with Jalarant in the weyrbowl. After all the excitement over the mystweed plant, the two now have a sample to attempt to plant. Meanwhile, V'al tries to get to know the Candidate a bit.

+++ Flight of Taith
Taith, various chasing males
Lerath’s first flight! He fails to catch Taith, but he begins chasing at long last.

+++ Flight of Toulonth
Toulonth, various chasing males
Lerath flies again! Again, a failure, but at the end of it V’al turns in frustration to G’brel and taking his first partner to bed…

+++ The Uncertain Aftermath
G’brel and Lifth
V’al isn’t alone in bed for once, but it’s an uncomfortable moment.

+++ Flight of Zabreth
Zabreth, various chasing males
Yet another green is rising, and Lerath gives sporting chase, but doesn't catch her

+++ To a Time We Don’t Belong
F’ren, Xan, respective dragons
The Trine trio are going Between to the distant past to search for mystweed and investigate some grub phenomenon. Lerath and V'al both take bad threadscore injuries but they handle the disaster well make it home successfully.



. : Abandoned : .

+++ Reflections of Searchers
H’ex

+++ Oh Pretty Dragon!
Siano

[Reserved]