Welcome to Gaia! ::

Race: human
Position: aspires to join the Cerberus Knights
Stage: witchling
Gender: male


Visual References: He is mostly up to artist interpretation. The requests I have are simple suggestions.
FROM OMIE`S NEW COLOR SWATCHES
Skin: suggestion in the color swatches above---a healthy tan; he spends a lot of time outside practicing with his sword
Hair: general hair ref; color suggestions are in the swatch reference---basically, I'd like him to have pale cream/white, shoulder-length-ish hair with bangs that hang in his eyes. Or, if it looks better with the uniform, his witchling stage can have shorter hair and it can get longer in his additional stages. But it should look perpetually messy and in his eyes~
Eyes: possible eye color; a shade of gold somewhere between champagne and amber is appropriate. Please and thank you <3
Other: His uniform can be whatever color works best. The only specific request I have once he is out of uniform for his witch stage is that he have a billowy scarf of some sort. Then, for his third tier, I prefer lighter, asymmetrical armor as opposed to full plate mail. For lack of a better example~ shoulder guard

Familiar: I'd like to bring Shad`ya over from Moonlore~ I realize she will never be certed with him, as once he is a Knight, she has released her corporeal form; but I'm linking her in addition to the other references as potential inspiration for future stages.


Biography: As the oldest child born of Uriel Einar, a minor provincial noble and Samar Alizé, the daughter of a Moonfall shipping magnate, Azra'iel was raised in comfortable splendor on a small estate outside the port city. His parents were absent more than present: Uriel was loosely involved in local politics and ran the trade company he had inherited from his father-in-law and Samar oversaw the Alizé family's small, exclusive antique shop when she wasn't absorbed by (or dragging her husband into) the whirl of the Moonfall society scene. But they at least made an effort to take part in his, and later his sister's, lives. Family breakfasts were a daily occurrence, allowing Uriel and Samar to keep tabs on the progress of their children through their own eyes, as opposed to only the written reports of hired tutors. While they spared no expense for what they deemed necessary for their children, they did not wish to spoil Azra'iel and his sister by granting their every request. If the children wanted something special, they had to earn it; either working for their parents or through scoring excellent marks from their tutors.

Azra'iel was an intense child. He was friendly enough when he was forced to interact with peers and his parent's friends, but he preferred the company of his tutors and books. He was extremely dedicated to his studies and found many topics fascinating. One of his first words was 'why,' and he was rarely satisfied with a brush-off answer. His parents never shied from answering his questions in a logical and thought out manner, so Azra'iel was confused when other adults were so disconcerted by his direct questions and piercing gaze. His appreciation of logic and constant quest for knowledge and truth made him a challenging student, but he and his tutors shared a mutual respect once they got used to him.

Just before he turned nine, Azra'iel got a new tutor who was a younger man than his father usually hired. This tutor arrived with a sword sheathed at his waist, a cocky swagger, and a big grin. He had brought adventure novels along with more classical literature and seemed determined to tease Azra'iel out of being so serious all the time. For Azra'iel, it was like suddenly gaining a really fantastic big brother: and he worshiped him. For the first time ever, Azra'iel spoke up during a family breakfast to ask his father for a sword and lessons in using it. Uriel was secretly thrilled, he had hoped the new teacher would loosen up the very serious Azra'iel; but he still maintained the belief that his son had to earn a sword if he wanted it, because the work would make it would mean that much more to him. Azra'iel had to maintain his high marks in his lessons, had to help his mother carry things around the antique shop, and he had to "help" his father with some of the books at their shipyard warehouse. But, by his tenth birthday, Azra'iel had, to his father's satisfaction, earned himself a fine practice sword, his first instructor in the weapon, and a life-long friend.

Magic was never a consistent trait in either family line and had never passed directly between descendants; it always skipped a generation or two. Azra'iel's power did not manifest itself in an overt way. In fact, he was completely unaware of it's existence until he was twelve years old. An incident involving a loose sword flying toward his little sister prompted a spontaneous summoning of a barrier to protect her from harm. A somewhat shocked Azra'iel went immediately to his father's shipyard to tell him about this occurrence. Having no powers themselves, his parents' immediate solution was to have a magically-inclined friend of the family come visit to assess their son's abilities. She couldn't say for certain what Azra'iel's magic concentration might be, but she was able to guide him through some basic skills shared by all witches over the next few afternoons. She suggested that they might be able to find someone to help Azra'iel focus his powers and learn basics, but recommended he plan to attend the Makai Royal Academy as soon as he was old enough.

The idea of attending a school had never occurred to Azra'iel, he had always had a tutor or two. But, the very idea thrilled him. Saif, the tutor and friend that had brought adventure and fun into his life was contacted and agreed to accompany Azra'iel to Makai and help the younger man start to find his way in the world. Azra'iel was determined: he would go and learn all they could teach him and he would master his powers and master the sword and then... who knew where that would take him?


Inspiration to Protect: Ultimately, Azra'iel seeks to protect those who he feels cannot protect themselves. The deeper one works their way into his heart, the more fiercely he will seek to protect them. He does not specifically look for these souls, they just somehow find him...or perhaps he's just a big marshmallow.

Rylia, his younger sister, could not speak for some reason and was a painfully shy child. But she was endearing and as endlessly curious as Azra'iel himself. He hated seeing her treated any differently because of her lack of speech. So Azra'iel appointed himself her champion; he went out of his way to talk to her, to draw their parents' attention to her if she had news to share, or a request to make. It was his personal quest to keep the younger girl smiling. Even as she grew and started speaking normally, he still sought ways to brighten her days. He worries what will happen to her while he is away at school, but has her promise that she will write every other week, expecting him to write her on the alternate weeks.


Personality: Azra'iel is somewhat of a loner; unless one addresses him directly, he appears rather unapproachable. He rarely smiles outside of a conversation and more than likely has at least a slight frown of concentration on his face. He maintains a reserved, but courtly manner and has his own private code of chivalry: protect those who need it, seek the truth in everything, and always 'mind your manners'... ...well some parental dogmas never can be shaken off! His protective nature is both a boon and a trial to him: if he could just pull everything he wanted to protect within his own skin, he might relax more often.

While most only ever see him as very solemn and may feel he is trying to act beyond his age, Azra'iel truthfully possesses a ready sense of humor, a love of irony, and appreciation of the ridiculous. One simply has to engage him to get to know him a bit. Some might call him slow; he would quietly inform you he is deliberate. The same some might also call him stubborn, though he prefers the term tenacious. He is comfortable in his skin, with his powers, and with who and what he is.

Tenacious may be the term he prefers, but that tenacity is a trait he steeps himself in. Not a perfectionist precisely, Azra'iel is patient and stubborn enough to not try anything until he is certain he can accomplish it. He also won't give up on a project even when it seems hopeless. His manners, while impeccable, are sometimes a source of ridicule due to his formal, and sometimes antiquated courtesies. Growing up almost exclusively in the company of reserved parents, a near-silent sister, and stern tutors, Azra'iel is not used to being teased and does not take it well. In defense, he generally takes on an even more polite, nearly icy demeanor; though his glare sparks fire even as he spits ice.

Traits
✠ serious ---> Whether one considers this good or bad is a matter of perspective; but it does make Azra'iel an excellent listener. However, he isn't always the most fun person to be around.
✠ honest ---> Azra'iel simply does not understand a reason to deal in anything other than the truth. He will always seek the truth of a situation. However, he does tend to get stuck with his foot in his mouth a lot; he can forget the truth isn't always kind and be a bit too blunt for his own good.
✠ sense of humor ---> Considering his serious demeanor, Azra'iel actually has a somewhat sadistic sense of humor. He enjoys seeing how far he can push someone until their temper snaps. But this trait seems to abandon him when he is the one being teased and he gets a bit sulky.
✠ deliberate ---> Azra'iel is precisely that: he uses logic, strategy, and his calm nature to get tasks accomplished. He's not short in the intelligence department, either. Calm strength gets far more accomplished than shouting, in his mind.
✠ tenacious ---> One of Azra'iel's best and worst traits. 'Giving up' is just not part of his vocabulary. Once he has committed to something, it will be seen through to the end. Well, unless it is revealed to be some horrific plot that would bring about the destruction of the world or something...Azra'iel isn't very good at the whole 'evil' thing.

Likes
✠ silence ---> The library is an absolute haven from a loud, less-than-intelligent world. Not to mention, there are books there. But really, Azra'iel just needs a bit of silence so he can hear himself think every once in a while now that he isn't living safely at home.
✠ earning trust ---> Azra'iel enjoys feeling that someone is relying on him; but not in a holier-than-thou manner. He genuinely likes to help others and is honored to have people feel they can request his assistance with problems or tasks.
✠ stargazing ---> Though he'd never admit it to anyone, except maybe his sister, Azra'iel has a gentle, romantic heart. Simple things like stargazing are meditative to him; allowing him the peace and beauty he can't quite admit he is looking for.

Dislikes
✠ entitlement ---> Even having been born to a privileged family, Azra'iel was still taught to value hard work and takes pride in the things he himself has worked to accomplish. Those who feel they deserve something without work really irritate him.
✠ disrespect ---> A personal philosophy of his is that there is someone better than he is in any given situation. Azra'iel doesn't degrade himself, but he does acknowledge his youth. Therefore, there is someone who is older and wiser than he is and he respects that. Those that disregard that knowledge and experience will in turn earn Azra'iel's disrespect themselves.
✠ cowardice ---> Azra'iel wouldn't claim himself to be 'brave,' but he always puts his full effort into accomplishing a task set before him. Those who shrink away or avoid uncomfortable situations draw his scorn with their lack of conviction.

Quirks
---> While his hair is generally beyond his control, Azra'iel is absolutely fastidious about his clothing. Wrinkles are the bane of his existence!
---> Books are alternate dimensions to Azra'iel. If he is reading, one might as well walk away and not bother trying for his attention; it's nearly impossible to yank him out of a book he has opened.
---> Azra'iel can be heard to talk to himself with some frequency. He doesn't harbor additional personalities, it is simply a habit. He doesn't even realize when he is doing it. Since he doesn't exactly have hordes of friends willing to debate philosophy with him, he improvises.


Ability Concentration/Theme: Aside from his sword work, Azra'iel is able to manipulate the light around him. His powers are all under the arc of offensive light magic, though he also specializes in barriers. The more ambient light, the stronger the results of his spells. In the dark, Azra'iel is severely hindered when using spells, but his sword-work remains unaffected. He also shows some interest and aptitude for herbology, though just the literal mixing of herbs, no powers.

In regards to his sword: Azra'iel usually carries a sword from his collection and uses his magic to enhance that weapon. However, once he grasps more of his powers and reaches the stage of witch, he can summon a sword from the light within his being that is essentially a manifestation of his will. Once Azra'iel reaches the distinction of Cerberus Knight, Shad'ya will blend her power with his own and he can summon this sword any time rather than only in desperation. Because the weapon is essentially conjured from the soul of his familiar, a being of magic, it can more easily be charged with his own magic and the results are more spectacular. It also costs him much less effort to accomplish the summoning.

Hmmm, alright I'll start off random, if only because I like to tackle one thing at a time. You say that Azra'iel's parents worked very hard not to spoil him and his sister while they grew up but they were never there? So, how did they actually manage to do this? And I understand that some people are just that way but wouldn't Azra'iel's personality as a child be slightly more rambunctious seeing how his parents were most often away?

Why was Azra'iel's sister not as well off? Did she do something to upset their parents, or did she find herself paling in comparison to Azra'iel a little bit too much in their eyes for them to dedicate more time to her?

The rest of the bio sounds well and is easy to understand. My only question is... why in the world are their parents so distant? It seems their first choice of a solution was to always bring someone else in to do the job for the them; and that aside, how has Azra'iel managed not to snap at them about their behaviour? I know he's stern and from what I've read he's probably also a very kind person who cares about those around him but I find it hard to believe that he didn't once question all this.

I can't really find no issue with his personality -or I'm just way too flexible about how character personalities are formed.... I don't know.

About his powers: did you know that -as far as Pen&Paper RPGs go- some of the most terrifying magic spells are considered 'holy'? There is anything, from divinely summoned meteor showers, pillars of light that can destroy a whole battlefield in the epic tiers and the dual edged 'smite' and 'turn undead' skills that shift together with your character if they join the dark side and still considered holy. What I want to say is, you're basically looking for sealing/protection magic which is not always of holy alignment, and if you think out of the box you can come up with a much broader variety of skills.
Protective magic can keep a blow from landing but a different kind of a seal/shield might simply block out unfavourable temperatures...

About his weapon: I have only one question, mostly because I'm curious. What happens if the blade is damaged with Shad'ya's soul is in it? Even worse what if it breaks?? o no

Lots of delightful background; I like how detailed it is, and it really explains things about his personality well...except that his personality is no where near as detailed as his background. 8D

BUT. His personality is pretty simple and clear cut. Why do people find him to be unapproachable? Is it because of his reserved nature? What exactly does that "private code of chivalry" entail? You said he has his own sort of inspiration to protect "those who he feels cannot protect himself." Does he go looking for people like that, or is it just those who he stumbles across unexpectedly?

I like that he has "a sense of humor, a love of irony, and an appreciation of the ridiculous." It sort of rounds out his otherwise quiet, rather solemn personality, gives him more depth where needed.

When he's ridiculed for his manners, how does he react? Does he get angry? Upset? Ignore them? What happens when he can't protect someone? You have a lot about how he is on the outside, but I think we need a bit more on the inside. Also most of your traits could potentially be deemed as positives with very little negatives, though at the same time it strangely works for him.

tl;dr > a little more depth and you're good.

ps I already love his character. <3

Right, so now I shall buckle down and crit properly.

I like his biography, but whatever happened to his "big brother" he adores and worships so? It's kinda a "huh, I guess they kinda fell apart..." thing. Would love a little more elaboration, especially considering the nature of the relationship they share. You just don't fall away from a big brother you worship.

I'd also like to see a little more elaboration on his more negative traits perhaps? Since they aren't very apparent. Most of his traits have positives and negatives, and more often than not the positive outweighs the negative. He doesn't have any outright negative traits, so perhaps at least one to balance him out? Well, besides him being anti-social.

Speaking of anti-social. If people find him unapproachable, how does he interact with them then? Most people tend to avoid the guy with the "Lemme alone" kinda aura, so how would Azra'iel interact with the rest? Would he be the one to reach out or just skulk in the corner? And since he's in Makai, what about romantic interest? Just wondering for the sake of wondering. If he has a crush on a girl, would he go up and attempt to be nice to her, or just hide back and shove his feelings aside? IDK. I just want to know more about how he interacts with people.

He's solid, almost there.
NOW RUN THE LAST MILE KIA. RUNNNNN! YOU CAN GET THIS APPROVED. -cheers you on-

I honestly can't find a thing to comment on here, you've made a very solid character and very interesting as well. Considering this is a sp case I give approval to it, since it needs three normal staff or one of Omies (which it might have I'm not sure BUT it says open so I'm here to toss in my approval just in case its needed) Very great profile here I can't wait to see him in action. BUT disregard if your already approved by Omie <3