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 Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:22 am
Groanspring account!AMITYVILLE ACADEMY ENROLLMENT FORM  Name: Vero
Nicknames: Determined by others
Gender: Male
Age: 14ish
Faction/Race Ghost / Spirit (Nature Elemental Spirit, specifically concentrated on insects like bees and wasps)
Natural Ability: Nature elementals have an affinity for, well, all things nature-y, and they can actually heal faster if they maintain physical contact with something like a tree or dirt. When not hurt and in contact with them, nature elementals feel more at ease or calmed.
Personality: Vero is surprisingly organized, quiet, and tolerant regardless of what goes on for the most part. “Busy as a bee” doesn’t know the half of it: he is always finding something to do, possibly seconds after a task is finished; even sitting or standing still is hard, as he tends to twitch or sway in place.
Since work is not always to be found, Vero occupies himself with a near-constant game of people observation. Never having been amongst humanoids on equal footing, the new perspective leaves a lot of questions to answer and experiences to, well, experience! Vero is not afraid to pipe up and inject his opinion, nor is he afraid to try new things at least once. This is your yes man/ghost/bugthing.
Vero believes feelings just cloud judgment or create the illusion that he's incapable of controlling himself, and thus he prefers to remain emotionally stolid and pursue things in a scientific manner. Prodding, interrogating, sniffing, licking, handling – he is very much one that wishes to know everything about everything. His common misconception is that a person is easy to logically disassemble, and thus he tends to deconstruct all movements, words, and body language with deductive reasoning; and yet he doesn’t mind being proven wrong, as it only brings him closer to the truth!
Keeping this mind, there is a small part of his room that would be dedicated to the Study of Things. Vero collects bits and bobs for no other reason than to examine, classify, and organize. This makes for a very studious, if impersonal, spirit. Vero is still young by ghost standards, however, and exhibits childlike wonder to even the most basic of facts if it is the first time he is learning it. Just . . . please don't ask him to take off his armor.
Why are they enrolled in Amityville Academy? A center of FEAR-centric studies that also includes other classes of mental stimulation? Why wouldn't he be there? This would be the perfect place for Vero to get used to his new body as well as observe what is considered “proper” for a denizen of Halloween Town. Also, the reaper and skeleton who took him in don’t want to hear his constant buzzing all year long without putting him to better use.
FEAR: Vero creates an extra layer of armor on top of his person that shaves off a fraction of damage from physical attacks and most FEAR attacks.
Physical Description:
Eye Colour: Big, bug-eyed, and inky black
Hair Colour/Style: Vero's got peach fuzz around his head if that counts, but most of the hair is found on his arms and legs, or in the neck scruff.
Skin Colour: Black/gray, with some brown (due to the hairs)
Clothing Style/Colours: While not clothing, the most integral part of a Vespian is his armor; Vero's is tarnished silver in color, the head piece of which is simply a metal mask (aka the rest of his head is exposed). If he must, Vero also wears simple shorts and a very battered cloak/hood. The little spirit tends to eschew clothes, but on occassion also wears squealies (the Halloween equivalent of heelies shoes) when he wants to replicate the feeling of flight by coasting down the hall.
Extra: Vero's wings are there, but too small to rely quite on flight just yet. The ensemble otherwise is a combo of open skin vs. armor, which is better illustrated in the refs. The artist is free to CC anything they feel like, though, as a mixture of bees and wasps can have multiple interpretations! Antennae are not equal in length, the right being the stunted one. Vero also has a second pair of arms, though they're also stunted in comparison to his first.
One thing for sure though: Vero is short. If the artist wants to add any of his possessions that aren't necessarily clothing, check the miscellaneous below!
References:
Ref Aid
Bee
Wasp
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:52 pm
 MISCELLANEOUS · Vero uses we/us/our as a Vespian's equivalent to someone using "this one" or referring to themselves in the third person: this is a way to deflect direct association, in concordance with the spirit's want to keep all ties with the things he studies as loose as possible - and to avoid taking the blame when things happen. This is viewed as childish language in his culture, however, often met with a reprimand to own up to one's actions. There are few things Vero actually uses the singular possessive pronoun for, such as his armor.
· Vero's possessions include squealies (the Halloween equivalent of heelies, which he uses to replicate the feeling of flying since his wings are too small), a jar of dirt (which probably excuses his usually calm demeanor, given the natural ability), and his pen and pad, whereupon all things scientinifical are written about each denizen he finds. There is also a very large list with boxes by each item, as if it were an odd shopping list of experiences that Vero must have.
· Both his armor and the barbs about his body are fastidiously and fervently cleaned to avoid looking unrepresentable. These hairs unfortunately susceptible to getting sticky or oily, and they act like Vero's sensory organs; if they become clogged (especially those on his antennae), he loses a majority of his auditory and tactile senses.
· Stimulating exercises drive him, be it physical or mental - though granted he does not have the most muscle. Guessing games (such as figuring out someone's species) and riddles are his particular favorites, though Vero will also join in a sport should someone point it out to him; perseverance is his strongest suit in spite of his stick-thin arms and legs.
· As an insect, Vero has particular wariness around cold/ice and heat/fire related things, as well as birds. He also doesn't really care for furry creatures, not able to understand the charm behind wearing so much hair all the time. He is also quite a capable dancer, believe it or not, since Vespians are great nonverbal communicators.
CURRENT MINIPETS
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Fetch was found by accident when she snatched Vero Sleuth's badge in a digging challenge, purely for the lulz. Since "Fetch" was the first command he gave the minipet, it has apparently stuck on the perpetually happy ghost dog as an actual name.
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This chick found his way into Vero's hands after far too many tries at the tables in Rage's gym and one good chuck of a chest to the face. He quite honestly doesn't know what to name it yet and is actually afraid of the tiny minipet. This apparently pleases it.
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:54 pm
VESPIAN CULTURE What is a Vespian?
A Vespian is simply a nature elemental created from the fear humans have of bees, wasps, and hornets. They are not wholly one or the other but a mixture of two or all three for the most part, though it isn't unheard of for purebreeds to be found. Natural forms usually are around a 1' - 1'5" in diameter, though of course fluctuations can also produce smaller and larger (the largest usually coming from the more hornet-like specimen, who can grow to 2'6" feet under ideal conditions). While not the most intimidating size in comparison to other denizens of Halloween, a seasoned Vespian will remind you that humans are already scared of the puny specimens they have over there - y'know, like ones that are only half an inch long.
Where do most live?
In congregations known as colonies, though informally they have also been referred to as hives. These large constructs they call home are often well above the ground, latched onto some surface and growing larger as more Vespians populate it. Other smaller additions can be added as needed, connected by both above- and below-ground tunnels. Some colonies do live on the ground in muddy niches, but most prefer to be secluded and almost inclusive in their locations. Several of the largest and most well known colonies are Colony AS251 (the 251st generation under the reign of the Queen Aloissa Stingwald brood's rule), Colony RO604-TK09 (what used to be under the Queen Rildred Ortan's brood, then usurped into the current 9 years of Queen Teres Killspawn's reign), and the Colony PROJECT RENEWAL (CPR), otherwise known as "that one hive with a boil as the leader". It isn't spoken of in polite company.
Why do Vespians wear armor?
Armor is as much an integral part of a Vespian's sense of being as it is a way of stating social class or defending against attacks. Most Vespians will never shed their armor unless it is with their lover or family, and even then to be unarmored creates such nervousness that most never reveal their soft bodies. When a Vespian is born, it is the family's job to procure the necessary ironbark to craft armor for their spawn, and they must continue to do so until the scareling is able to fend for itself. To be unable to afford armor is a severe social faux pax.
The lower class gather what resources they can and wear crude representations, usually in slandered copper and misshapen ironbark. These denizens are usually the least regarded members of society, those whose skills are not befitting the highly competitive job market, whose records are rife with crime and unwanted behaviors, and those who are simply lazy. At any given time, a colony's "Cop Outs" (slang for the characteristic copperish color as well as their dropping out of society) is around 3-5%. Why so low? If given any reason to be arrested, the worst ones are often harvested for their FEAR to be recycled in some way or fashion.
The middle class make up a majority of Vespian citizens, mostly because they are the ones who are almost bred to work. Known for their shimmering silver and gold armor, these ever-busy "Drones" are the lifeblood of any colony. New or inexperienced Drones wear silver to differentiate themselves from the more experienced gold-members that mentor or lord over them. There is no such thing as a job to low for a Drone's tastes: after all, the only way to truly survive is to prove your skill and worth. Gold-members are usually the ones who can take on such jobs as reaping FEAR from the Human World, and these glistening heroes are often the subject of young scarelings' idolizing.
The uppercrust of society is smaller than its Cop Outs: only royalty sit above the Drones, and each colony has a different family ruling. Ghouls are the preferred (if not allowed) leader, though in the case of CPR they have defected to a boil. A royal family is often small and selective, bred to be the paragons of the Vespians from birth. There have been cases where adoption of more capable Drones has occurred, but that is a controversial subject of birthright versus blessing amongst the populace.
What is ironbark?
Ironbark is the source of a Vespian's armor and is one of the most difficult plants to grow in the colonies, being a near-sentient species in and of itself. A certain amount of FEAR, TLC, and watchful watering are needed, as well as a steady stream of raw metal materials to help feed the hungry plant. Ironbark trees can grow as tall as fifteen feet if taken care of properly, and depending on the metals it digests their colors can range from copper to silver to gold, with glints of other gems as well if they should be slipped in.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:52 am
This is about the same subspecies Cricket (the school nurse) is, although her 'hive' aren't actually insects, but a more ethereal infection that has remained in her in death as it infested her in life that has become her personal b***h.
How does being made of insects differentiate Vero into being a 'ghost' or a 'spirit' rather than a monster like Oogie Boogie was v What Cricket (the school nurse) is? I'm mostly trying to pick up the 'Spirit'/'Ghost' vibe of it.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:59 am
I failed to mention they had to be killed first, and I realized this only today. OTL I guess since it was already in my mind, I failed to remember to specify.
The way I'm trying to angle it is that a sorceror-like reaper melds a recently captured spirit with the spirits of a recently deceased hive - namely, by killing the hive him/herself.
Though I did not know this about Cricket! Then again, I didn't know what she was beyond the school nurse and a ghost. 8D; I'm willing to learn more if you don't mind explaining.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:05 pm
Hmm, I think the mechanics of spirit-meshing might need some GM approval, so be careful with that (make sure you're as specific as possible about it then ask about it in the Q-and-A thread).
As for Cricket, she died from a massive infestation of Mushi (from Mushishi) which warped her body/spirit in death and still remains with her in it. So she can like..break apart but still control the pieces that are apart from her, she holds certain specific weaknesses (Fish think she is delicious), but also certain strengths (being pulled apart doesn't hurt her, though she is capable of being injured and it makes her irritable).
Another thing to note is that hive-minding has sort of given her a 'There cannot be one, there can only be us all' mentality that she puts herself at the top of a hierarchy. It's OK if the students die because she's still around (Well, she does still patch 'em up and the like, ha ha).
That's as about as specific as I ever get with what she does (though I can supply more information if you have specific curiosities)
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:22 pm
*salute* Once I catch up on sleep I'll fling something in there for the GMs to look over.
Cricket's mentality pretty much hits the vibe I'm trying to go for actually as far as the "us, not I" and the being pulled apart vs. being injured by FEAR. If I have other questions, would you mind if I pm you? I've actually had fun reading over some of the nurse's posts, such as the revamped Sex Ed class. XDDD
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:24 pm
Go for it! I will entertain as many questions as I can answer <3
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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 9:56 pm
Alright, did some editing and added some pics! In the meantime, Vero's participating in the Haunted House with quite the group: and already he's gotten (Natalia's) tail. 83
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:16 am
This is me not really giving a crit but THUMBS UP for Vero in action at the Haunted House heart
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:51 pm
Much love to ya, Zyph, and congrats on Edel! <3
Added a little bit more info in the FAQ of my own volition, editted a few other things slightly, and Vero now has a groanspring account! Go prod it with some questions. 8D
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 5:59 pm
Added and edited things! Time to give crits another round!
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:17 pm
Oh Christ, September. oAo Time to some lovin', dear.
With a reconstructed species and some extra info thrown in, let's see how this flies~ Crit away!
I should add in his interactions from the Floresctival . . . DAMN YOU COLLEGE FINALS.
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