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 Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 2:39 pm
 Looks like you guys have noticed quite the lovely lady here. She is a selkie, the Celtic/seal version of one of the most classic types of faeries in the world. I could give you a looong list of equivalents in other cultures, but this fay lady is a seal maiden. Her powers and her life story are completely unknown at this time. If she is a shapeshifter, she is the first shapeshifter in Dream Dancers (and I WILL attach limitations), if she has a little one around somewhere, I will color up her little one...but you may not keep her little one. You must gift her little one to someone else. Same in the unlikely event she has a mate around here somewhere. Her life is entirely in your hands. ^^
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Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:58 pm
Rules
1. Shop rules and Gaia ToS apply
2. Entries will not be accepted before 6pm PST October 1st and not after 6pm PST November 1st (7pm MST, 8pm CST, 9pm EST)
3. Selkies are like the tenshi of Japan (you'll know where to post this)
4. Fill out the form completely
5. Editing will be permitted for up to ONE WEEK after you submit your entry or the end of the contest, whichever comes first
6. If you edit your entry, you MUST POST IN RED IN THAT POST that you have edited the post
Specialized Rules
1. If your selkie is a shapeshifter, they are subject to the same requirements as the selkie in folklore: they MUST be wearing their pelt to shapeshift, and what they shapeshift into is the same animal as their pelt. I highly discourage shapeshifting selkies who are in temperament similar to Soquili's skinwalkers. Soquili skinwalkers and gentle creatures like the selkie are polar opposites in personality, savvy?
2. If your selkie has an offspring that is written in as being alive and around the lady selkie above, I will color the foal. However, the winner MUST give the foal away to someone else.
3. If your selkie has a mate, I will again color up the other Star, but you MUST give him away; the same goes for if the selkie has any other kin whom you write in: I will color, but you MUST give them away. The limit of number of family members who may be with the selkie is one adult and two children.
4. In the case that the selkie is written as having a mate and two children, the two children will be treated as having been acquired through a normal breeding slot...and will be presumed to be on the way. Lone family members may be described in a way that I will treat them as customs, but if the other parent and any children are written in, only the adult will be treated as a custom.
This is a SPECIAL RP contest based heavily on the stories of the selkie. To look up what the classic male version of the story is, look up the song The Great Silkie. To look up the classic female version, look up the film Secret of Roan Inish.
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Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:06 pm
Prompt and FormThe prompt is very, very simple since I'm more curious to see what people come up with, rather than seeing people respond to one to three strict (and sometimes boring or uninspiring) prompts. Prompt: The life story and the powers of this selkie are not known at all. All that is known is that she was swept ashore after her Fall to Earth and calls herself a selkie, and she seems to have an unusually complete memory of her life before Starfall.
Who or what was she before she Fell? Was she one of extremely rare shapeshifters that is born once in a very great while? Did she have a family? Did that family Fall with her? If so, who Fell with her? Describe her life up to the time she fell, and RP the time after the selkie Fell to Earth. To post your entry, fill out the following form: [b]Username:[/b]
[b]Selkie's Name:[/b]
[b]What is the selkie similar to?[/b]
[b]Prompt Response:[/b]
(Response here)
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:36 pm
The life story and the powers of this selkie are not known at all. All that is known is that she was swept ashore after her Fall to Earth and calls herself a selkie, and she seems to have an unusually complete memory of her life before Starfall.
Who or what was she before she Fell? Was she one of extremely rare shapeshifters that is born once in a very great while? Did she have a family? Did that family Fall with her? If so, who Fell with her? Describe her life up to the time she fell, and RP the time after the selkie Fell to Earth.
Username: dawns_aura
Selkie's Name: Ciarra Dara
What is the selkie similar to? the Tenshi of Japan.
Before I begin, please be aware that this is the verrrrrrrryyyyy condensed version.
Also: The names of the selkie's family will obviously not keep, unless their owners want to.
Mate: Belenus Leannan- The goddess Selenia marked him at his birth, granting him her favor to spite the other deities.
half-Selkie (mom was pure selkie, dad was an arcturus)
night sky coloured nova with arcturai horn/beard, Leopard seal pelt, is able to transform
Daughters:
1) Eirlys Elen- three-quarters selkie
A somewhat lighter version of her father w/out the horn and beard
She shares the same accessories as Ciarra
Has harbor seal pelt, but is not able to transform. (carrier of Selkie genes)
2) Gwawren Endellion- three-quarters selkie
Is a blend of both parents
Has a harbor seal pelt and like mom and dad can transform.
History:
Of the selkie stars- Once there was breed of Nova favored by the oftentimes capricious Moon goddess Selenia. They were a rather gentle and peaceful breed that, because of the goddess’ particular favor were so enchanting and magical (otherworldly in appearance, and able to transform at will, so long as they were wearing their pelts) that all the other stars grew jealous. The other stars resented them, and appealed to the other gods and goddesses to either grant the rest of them special powers or to curtail those of the selkie, if not eradicate them completely.
The deities agreed with the stars that the selkies were unfairly favored, though they would not give of their own powers and grant their chosen ones similar gifts, and told the moon goddess she needed to take back her favor and gifts, but Selenia refused. She believed that they needed to exist, because there needed to be greater magic in these realms. A compromise was reached.
Cursing the selkies so that those who existed became barren, until they all but died out. After they reached that stage, she intervened. The magic line could not completely vanish, so she made selkie dna dormant, a recessive gene dominant in females (they had the greater likelihood of being born with the powers granted the race), while males were more often carriers though rarely inherited the abilities. Only a handful were permitted to exist at a time, and these only rarely. They were still doomed to lives of tragedy.
Ciarra Dara in particular-
The selkie genes had long been dormant in both her parental lines, having become so dilute as to be very nearly non-existant, it was both a surprise and blessing. Her family had dedicated her to Selenia when she was just hours old. Once she was old enough, she followed the ways of her goddess becoming a very devout priestess.
Although Selenia was a very jealous goddess, she chose to grant her two absolute favorites a chance at happiness that was not allowed others of their kind. She orchestrated chance encounters between Ciarra and Belenus, preventing them from following the curse’ path. The fall deeply in love of their own wills. They are blissfully happy together for some time, even to the point of starting a family of their own, until the other gods choose to meddle…..
The goddess Selenia could not do anything to directly help them. She was prohibited from direct action by the very compromise she made to keep her chosen breed safe. So she sent a dream to Ciarra and Belenus, offering them a chance.
~~~~in the dreamscape~~~~
“My precious ones, oh how I hate to see you suffer. If it were possible, I would help you, but alas I cannot. But do not give up hope, mine own. You and your daughters will survive."
"But how, Great One? Your own fellows seem determined that we should not even exist?"
"They are jealous of you, and of me. While I am unable to physically or psychically intervene, I am still your goddess. I can still bestow my favor."
"How?"
"What is it you wish more than anything my loves?"
"We want to be together, to live together as a family. Away from the caprice and vindictiveness of your fellows."
Selenia sighed. It was the right wish, one that she could grant, though it would cut them away from her life as well. "It will come to pass, my loves, though not perhaps in the way you should want it. But as with all things, it does have a cost." She warned them.
~~~~exit dreamscape~~~~
The sand was harsh and dry beneath her body, the cool comfort of water teasing along the bottom of her tail fin. Ciarra's eyes fluttered open as she heard a groan come from somewhere next to her. She turned her head and saw the most exquisite selkie lying so close to her that if she dared to stretch her neck even just slightly she would be able to touch his muzzle.
"Pardon me, but do I know you?" She asked softly. "You seem so very familiar..."
And at that moment, she felt a shifting within her body for the very first time. .....
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:06 pm
The life story and the powers of this selkie are not known at all. All that is known is that she was swept ashore after her Fall to Earth and calls herself a selkie, and she seems to have an unusually complete memory of her life before Starfall. Who or what was she before she Fell? Was she one of extremely rare shapeshifters that is born once in a very great while? Did she have a family? Did that family Fall with her? If so, who Fell with her? Describe her life up to the time she fell, and RP the time after the selkie Fell to Earth. Username: Silent~Wolf~Demon Selkie's Name: Callisto (Latinized form of KALLISTO. A moon of Jupiter bears this name -- Greek Mythology) What is the selkie similar to? Selkies are like the tenshi of Japan Prompt Response:((None of the other Stars have a name because if they are colored up, the owners will then have a choice for their name and I cut out another 5 pages worth of Microsoft Works word >.<)) “Songs of the ocean call forth to my heart
I cannot tread among land dwellers
But I have little desire to
Though only one winged Angel owns my love
Calling like a Siren, brighter than any lighthouse light
Men are drawn to me beneath the seductive night
Cavorting on the shores
Melodies of dulcet, familiar songs are hummed by my voice
Pulsating my love for the waters to which I belong
Like a ripple on the glassy surface of the Ocean
My soul filled song can be heard universally
Swirling around all of those who adore the World’s seas
Sweeping them up into a warm hearted tune; lullabies of a bewildered life
And all of this merry making
I do beneath the safety of the Moon Mother’s luminescent light and love” Softly, the drip drops of water could be heard as they fell from the pillars, shaped to point at the end as they hung from the cave’s ceiling. This cave was special. It was not an underwater cave, but it was only accessible by Stars who could live and fly among the crystallized waters. Rocks were scattered here and there, as well as a large landform that was big enough to have four or five Stars standing or laying on it and still allowed comfortable room to move and play. The silver color of the cave walls shimmered in little light, reflecting the ripples of the water as something moved beneath the depths.
An opening over head allowed the light of the Stars and Moon to filter through and as their light hit the smooth surface of the water, it refracted back in a rainbow of colors. Iridescent and inviting the colors were, and they worked as a perfect night light .Dully lighting the cave, it was a perfect, safe place for the two sleeping novas as they were curled up together in the cave below the watchful eyes of the night.
Barely foals, they whinnied in their sleep sweetly; dreaming of venturing out to play with the other Novas like them. Or at least, remotely like them. The two younglings had a secret that they didn’t even know of yet because their mother was fearful if anyone else knew what they had inherited from her. Plus, they were now the only three living Selkies that she knew of; her kind was rare to find. But some say Selkies were fallen angels like the fairies, except that they had fallen into the sea and became seals. Or beings able to shift from a seal form to their true soul’s light.
Ears twitching, one opened her brilliant green eyes lazily, and glanced around. Within a few seconds a giant smile gleamed across her dark blue and golden features, and as she moved to the water’s edge, her brother was soon awakened and had the same mirroring smile and sparkle in his dark eyes adding a youthful innocence to his pearl white and blue coloring.
“Mommy!” They both cried in unison as two diamond white ears broke the surface. It wasn’t soon that a loving expression followed as Callisto met her children with a nuzzle to each of their cheeks.
Each child of hers had glowing celtic knots that ran along their bodies like vines and ended at a heart that was located in the middle of their chests. Her daughter was a deep, dark blue, as deep blue as the ocean would ever be, with her markings in the color of glowing gold. Her mane was the same raven black as her mother’s and shone with a fair light.
Callisto’s children both took after her. Her son was the same pure white as she was. The only difference was the markings, which were in the color of different shades of blue that glowed with the Moon’s warmth and reflected his Father‘s nobility. His mane was tawny and gold and reminded his mother of the treasure that was located in the depths of the abyss down in the canyons of the ocean floors. Or a lion, to be simple.
“You two are suppose to be asleep. Were you playing while I was out?” she didn’t scold them. Callisto was kind hearted and instead had a playful tinge to her question as she moved to climb up onto the water slick, rocky ground.
“We were sleeping. Honest. We just couldn’t wait until you got home! So are we going tonight? Oh please mama, please,” her daughter pleaded with a pout. Callisto had promised them some nights ago, that she’d take her younglings out to see the sky at night. They hadn’t caught much of a glimpse, except for what they experienced through the opening of the cave ceiling.
Giving them a knowing look, Callisto paused before she answered, “You have been good, so why not?” she gave them another nuzzle before they splashed into the waters ahead of her. “But you must stick with me,” she sternly said as they popped their heads up out of the water and splashed her. To that, she gave a warm laugh and followed after them.
Callisto’s mind drifted off to what she had been doing before she came home.
She had returned from her nightly lounging on the rocks and from her chat with her younglings’ father. A great Lyra Elder. He was a land dweller and had no knowledge that he had any children and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell him. Callisto hadn’t taken him as her mate, but she felt the war inside as it raged against her contradicting thoughts. Tell him! No, it’s better off if he doesn’t know. But what about the children? Again and again, the same feelings ran through her mind and being. She wanted their family to be a whole family, rather than just ¾ of it.
“Mommy? Are you okay?” asked her son as he looked at her with concern clear in his expression. It was then that her daughter noticed how spacey her mother was as well.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine; just lost in thought as a worrying mother always is,” Callisto gave them a forced smile and watched as they nodded in unison. But they didn’t believe her. She had taught them better than that. They just respected and trusted their mother enough not to push any further.
“So what constellations are you going to show us first? I want to see them all tonight! Can we mama? Can we?” Callisto chuckled as her son, who was always wanting to gain more knowledge where he could find it, piped up in excited tones.
“I’ll take you to my favorite spot my loves,” Callisto answered to them both. They were twins, her children were, and she knew they were always thinking the same thing. But somehow they knew who to let ask and answer when need be.
“Will we meet any of the LandWalkers Mom?” It was always a touchy subject, but Callisto’s daughter couldn’t help it. Her curiosity was immense.
Sighing, Callisto shook her head, “I don’t think we will. It’s too late into the night.” Or at least I hope so, Callisto thought. Where she was taking them, was where she had first met their father. From that point on, she had quit going to that particular area, but since tonight was special to them, Callisto wanted to bring them to a precious spot.
He had been so magnificent. It was Callisto who had spotted him first, rather than the other way around. Usually it was the males who fell in love with the Selkie, but it had been Callisto who had fallen for him. But she had never seen a winged LandWalker; much less an elder. His dark blue skin, almost black, contrasted so well with the golden celtic knots that ran through his wings and randomly upon his body. His gold mane that was tawny at the tips added to the honor and pride held energy that surrounded him, and that had swirled around her own presence when she neared him. But his emerald green eyes had held a sadness the night she met him.
It wasn’t merely looks that conjured her fondness of him. This Star; this LandWalker was wise and noble. He was a protector. A leader. He had told her he had been the Leader of a Herd once, but one morning when he awoke, he found them all gone. Callisto was told he suspected his brother had tricked enough minds, that he convinced everyone to leave with him. Callisto had also found out that this LandWalker’s mate betrayed him and left a whole in his heart. From that time on, she had begun to meet him quite a few times for over the span of a few months, but once she found she was pregnant, Callisto quit arriving in her Nova appearance.
She was afraid to tell him she was going to bear his children. She didn’t know why, but something in her wits told her to wait until the children were born. That added a fear of hurting the LandWalker again; she couldn‘t stay away.
So instead of meeting him, Callisto had started to shift and lay on the rocks at night as a lone seal with a swollen belly. She had been right to fear hurting him. For when she would lay on the rocks, she would catch him laying on shore waiting for her; she even heard him shed tears.
Swimming a circle around her children, Callisto shook her head to clear her thoughts, “C’mon you slow pokes! I’ll race you there! It’s only a few more feet away, right up there where those coral beds are!” She grinned and indicated a colorful patch of coral reefs up ahead. A few minutes later, they were all flashing through the waters. Her son was ahead of them, her daughter second, and Callisto strayed behind them. She didn’t want them catching her saddened expression or else she’d get nothing but concerns and questions from her younglings, and they needn’t worry for her.
Below the family of Novas, sea grass and sea weed swayed in their wake. Ripples on the surfaces panned out in a V shape from their racing just feet below the surface. The Moon Mother’s rays of light broke through abstractedly and lit each Nova up with a joyous light, allowing them to glow in a heavenly manner. Callisto had stopped to watch her children and hear their happy tones of laughter as they swam around each other in circles, all the while still trying to be the winner of the race.
It was then that she shifted without knowing it. The dark blue seal jetted through the waters toward her children even if they didn’t know the seal was their mother. Callisto hadn’t told them about what she was or what they would soon become. But in due time, she would explain what being a Selkie was and what it meant. As she caught up with them, she could hear them debating over who won and who was second. But all fussing over the matter stopped as they spied the seal swimming toward them. Soft, dark eyes sparkled as the seal did flips and twirls around them.
Their laughter started up again and it seemed they hadn’t noticed their mother was gone from sight. Callisto wouldn’t stay like this all night long; only long enough to give them time to play. They chased her through the many hiding holes in rocks and through the twists and turns of the coral reefs as they raced around together without a care in the world. Disappearing from sight once again, Callisto hid long enough to shift back and danced out from behind a different hiding place as their Nova mother.
“Why don’t we go to the surface now?” She suggested with a soft nod up. They followed her without question.
Once up on shore, the family of Novas laid together on the beach. The two younglings listened to Callisto as she explained each constellation, or as many as she could, to them. This went on for an hour and within that hour, an unexpected visitor came to see just what was laying on the shores laughing and conversing.
When his eyes took in the markings upon the two foals’ bodies, his heart jumped with joy. Then when he caught sight of his Callisto, his voice caught in his throat.
It was when her eyes had locked with his, had he begun to gallop their way.
And then they all fell without as much as a warning . . .
Callisto awoke to a blinding light; her body aching. “My sweets-- My babies!” She shrieked. What had happened finally caught up to her memory. She could do nothing but look around madly from her spot in the grainy sand for her children. Before she knew it, tears had welled up in her eyes and were steadily falling down her cheeks. Callisto felt a heat wash over her; as though she couldn’t breath. It smelled odd here too. It didn’t smell like the clear, fresh waters she was accustomed. Salt. It smelled of salt, fish and sand. The smells weren’t unpleasant, but it was. . . It wasn’t home.
Callisto quickly snaked her way to the ocean and dove under as soon as she could. Her heart had felt like someone was squeezing it. Her lungs hadn’t been working properly either, and something told her to get back into the water or else she would die and never see her children again. Once beneath the ocean’s waves, she could breath just fine. But it didn’t replace the hole that was now in her own heart. So many worries raced through her mind. And if she wasn’t with her children, she hoped that at least their father was.
The two foals had fallen and landed in a shallow pool of water that connected to the wide open Oceans of the alien world. It was just big enough for them both to fit. They weren’t alone though. A few feet away a winged LandWalker was walking unsteadily toward them. Both children were afraid, yet excited at the same time. It was the girl who spoke up though. “Have you seen our mother? Please, where is she?” she was about to break down into tears, unlike her brother who was fascinated with the new world.
The elder Lyra didn’t speak until he was a mere foot away from his children. His. He couldn’t believe it, and for now he would stay quiet. But what had just happened? He hurt all over and didn’t know what to do; didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t cry,” he tried with a warm tone, shaking his head clear of the disorientation. “I’ll try to help you the best I can, for now stay close. You need to stay in the water though. You both don’t look so good so no going up on the beach.” He spoke with care clear in his voice and love obvious as well in his eyes. But they probably wouldn’t realize it for a while.
The siblings listened to this strange male and squirmed their way into the bigger, open waters. But they stayed close enough to shore to talk and see one another. The boy felt an immediate connection and looked to this older male as an authoritive figure. “Aye, aye captain!” he said with a grin.
No one knew where to start to look for both the younglings’ mother and the Elder’s mate. She seemed to have fallen from their lives. Would she ever swim back to them?
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Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 7:01 am
Belated, but this is closed. I'll judge this sometime later today and announce the winner.
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Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:38 am
The winner is Silent ~Wolf~Demon! Please post certing info when you can and I'll color up the mate and foals. Choose owners for them and have them post certing info, please, and congratulations~!
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