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 Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:07 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:09 pm
Sanol's Profile
Character Name: Sanol
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Sexual Orientation: Hetero
Craft/Rank: Wherhandler
Description: Sanol is tall, thin, and wirey, though not quite qualifying as gaunt. His skin is somewhat pale, as he doesn't spend much time in the sun anymore, being a wherhandler and all. A few days in the sun would cure this problem right up, however, as he is olive-toned and naturally tans easily. He has rather overbearing eyebrows that almost meet in the center, and scraggly jet black hair that he occasionally takes a pair of scissors to to keep it short. His mother would fuss over it and even it up, but since the advent of having to pay for hair cuts, he doesn't bother much with it. He has gray eyes, one seemingly lighter in shade than the other, but both function normally. He has a small scar on the inside of his left forearm from where he Blooded Sanosk at the creature's birth.
Personality: Sanol is a rather snarky fellow, normally saying what first comes to his mind without any thought of how it will effect others. This tendency curbed somewhat when he was undergoing his wherhandler training, but if he is emotionally distressed in any way (especially if he's angry), his "filter" collapses and he's simply frank. He has a highly developed sense of sarcasm, and a decent bit of wit, but he doesn't use them to be the nicest person around. Nearly inseparable from Sanosk, this could also account for his snarkiness. He has a stoic side, tending to bear whatever comes his way without complaint or outward show of emotion.
He can be nice when he deems it is appropriate, but he isn't very empathetic, so trying to use him as a shoulder to cry on will probably result in getting your feelings stomped on more than usual. He thinks of himself as fiercely independent, and anyone pointing out anything other than how he sees himself is liable to get a verbal lashing. He isn't immediately hostile to everyone, but his general demeanor puts a lot of people off before they have a chance to penetrate his exterior. He normally has to have a cause to be actually mean to someone, though his sarcasm can make it seem like he's meaner than he is. He more enjoys joking people, and, admittedly, toying a bit with them, just to see how they'll respond. He has few true friends, and they normally have to win him over in some manner. With them, the sarcasm is understood to be joking, and even a sign of affection with the tougher jibes, which most will dish right back at him. He's not a pleasant character, but he is efficient in his duty and studies, though he'll never excel at the latter.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:10 pm
Sanol's History
Sanol had never really been the most social person, often preferring to work by himself. He had a bit of a mean streak as a youngling, unable to see that the reason others made fun of him was because he made no effort to be included or to join them. He grew up somewhat bitter, normally ignoring all the remarks others aimed at him. One remark, however careless, did change the course of his life, however. Feeling rather ignored and un-loved, the simple remark, "Well, he's about as friendly as a watch where, eh?" struck home in a powerful way. He doubted he could Impress a dragon - all the dragon riders seemed to be friendly folk. But a watch wher.....now that had potential! He joined the hall as soon as he was old enough, hoping to do well enough to get by.
Like many potential wher handlers, Sanol spent much of his time learning his future craft. When he was finally pronounced as ready as could be without actually having his own wher, he approached the queen wher, bowed to her, and was given his choice of the remaining eggs. Knowing he couldn't tell what color was in them, he just took the closest egg and departed, knowing he'd love whatever partner was in that egg as well as any other. When Sanosk hatched, he was fed his obligatory meal and Sanol blooded him, wanting as strong a bond with his wher as possible. A few days later, Sanosk revealed his name and Sanol was well-pleased. It wasn't as great as Sanolsk, but when Sanol asked Sanosk about it, he tried saying Sanolsk and it came out all garbled - the wher was tongue tied. Laughing but satisfied, they took their lessons together and have now been pronounced ready for duty and assigned to Malvren.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:11 pm
Sanosk's Profile
Description: Sanosk is a bright blue, almost like the color of the sky on a clear, bright summer day. Towards his tail, the color pales to an icier blue, and his color goes through several slight variations over his entire hide.
Personality: Like many whers, Sanosk was blooded to Sanol at his hatching, forming a strong bond with his handler. He is fiercely protective of Sanol, and of anything he's told he must guard. He tends to be quite ferocious and applies himself to his work with vigor. With Sanol, however, he's almost like a flitter - he's affectionate, crooning, and even doting. Basically, unless you're Sanol, you don't want to be coming near this wher unless you're on his list of good folk, or Sanol is introducing you.
He has his own list of sounds that correlate to human words, though the pair are always learning more together. Sanosk is very vigilant, but also has a sort of grudging curiosity about things - he wants to understand what he sees while he's guarding all night long, as much as he can. It should be noted that if Sanol takes a dislike to you, Sanosk will multiply that tenfold and will be openly hostile towards you, hissing and spitting like one pissed off feline.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:19 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:23 am
 Our First Big Journey
It was dark, a good 4 candlemarks after sunset, just as Sanosk liked it. Sanol glanced around at his now-empty wher-weyr, making sure he wasn't leaving anything behind. Most of Sanosk's supplies were already with the traders, but Sanol just wanted to make sure nothing of his was left behind. Finally satisfied, he shifted his pack on his back and picked out the softly glowing eyes of Sanosk, a grim smile on his face. You ready? he asked of his blue. They had received their first assignment - Malvren Weyr needed a watch wher team. Nervousness suppressed and not allowed to show, Sanol put a hand on his wher's shoulder. Rssk he replied, being ready to go and saying as much in his own way.
The pair walked down from the heights, a small sense of nostalgia gripping Sanol. This was where Sanosk had been born, where he had sliced open his arm to feed his hatchling wher. Where both their lives had changed, and for the better. And they were leaving it behind. Sure, he had known it would happen, so this feeling surprised him a good deal. Glows on the path ahead drew hisses from Sanosk, and one or two of them were slowly shuttered as the light from the wher's eyes became visible to the traders. The Wagon Sanosk would occupy during the day was the only one with black cloth covering it, to further block out any light. While their duty was to guard Malvren Weyr, they were going to be providing the same service to the traders they were accompanying on the way, in exchange for food and safe travel. Squaring his shoulders, he headed towards the group, having met the leader of the clan, Virae, only once before.
Well met he offered to the rather large man. The older fellow nodded in his direction - he'd be there in a moment. He gave a few more orders in an undertone, getting his family ready to begin travel. They normally didn't start out at night, but it was an accomodation for the wher, and they weren't going to go too far tonight, just far enough to be out of the hold and away from too many lights. The wher would be in the darkened wagon by dawn, when they would resume their travels. Virae had traveled with a wher handler a time or two before, and had discovered this was their preferred way to travel. The big trader headed towards the team after a moment, offering a hand in a friendly gesture. Sanol took it, shaking only as much as was strictly necessary before returning his hand to his side. The trader smiled - he knew this boy's type, all right. Well, as long as he did his job, the man had no complaints.
Right then. You and Sanosk are guarding during the night, free to go anywhere there's trouble, just don't run off investigating without telling someone. We'll keep him out as late as his eyes can stand it, then into the tent with both of you. I've enough men to keep us safe during the day, but if we are set upon, I'll expect you to help with any defense that might be necessary, Virae explained, knowing that all of this had of course been told to the boy before, but wanting to make sure the boy knew where he stood. Sanol nodded briskly, and Sanosk added his Rssk to the conversation.
So, their journey began. They covered a mile or so, getting a decent distance from the hold before the wagons circled up for the night. Sanosk had been very alert - he had seen grass and roads and stuff many times, but he hadn't ever actually been near them, smelled them, walked on and through them. He kept himself in check at Sanol's request, but as soon as the Traders were asleep, Sanosk frolicked about for a little bit, sneezing at the grass, watching the bugs that only crawled around at night. So close to the hold, it was unlikely that they would encounter much trouble, and any of it, he was convinced he would hear.
The sun had barely lightened the sky enough to see more than bulky shapes when Sanosk had had enough, slinking away into his darkened wagon with a slight whimper. Sanol stayed up a bit later, eating breakfast with the Traders and helping to get things moving before slipping in next to Sanosk to sleep the day away.
They continued, sleeping days, guarding nights, for four days. About this time, Virae informed him that they were almost half way to the Weyr. Sanol nodded, accepting the information without comment. It would be a new place, new things would spook Sanosk, and dragons weren't known to be a quiet lot. Sanol hoped Sanosk would take the adjustment well - he didn't like all of this moving around, and wouldn't complain if he didn't have to make another journey like this one. The cart smelled of runners and was always bouncing them around at the slightest divet in road or rock they ran over. It made for not much sleep, and the pair was growing increasingly grouchy and snappish.
Whether it was because of this snappyness or not, that night Sanosk was making his rounds when he suddenly froze, eyes flicking from infra-red to normal and back again. Quietly, Sanol stalked closer to his companion, having hit the canvas side of one of the daytime sentry's wagons as he passed. He didn't know what Sanosk had found, but they couldn't be the only two to know about it. He heard the man rustling about and the clink of metal and went on to Sanosk, reassured.
Sanosk's nostrils flared wide, drinking in a scent. What is it? Sanol asked him, and received the blurry vision from infra-red of two feline-like shapes. Sanol nodded - the cats probably wouldn't bother them, but if they insisted, the well-trained pair should be able to dispatch them quite easily. The Traders had a few foals among their herd, old enough to travel, but not quite old enough to pull. They were still putting on their growth, and had probably attracted the cats. Sanosk hissed menacingly at the cats, puffing himself up and spreading his wings, making himself as menacing as possible. He had eaten that night and smelled of wherry blood, though whether that would entice the cats or scare them off, Sanol had no idea. He remained linked to Sanosk's infra-red vision, his own brain trying to make sense of the images as quickly as possible. One of the cats moved, seemingly to go circle around to Sanosk's rear. By this time, the sentry was out of his wagon and looking at Sanol for direction. Cats Sanol whispered, waving the man around to protect their rear and to rouse the beast crafters. The cats were either going for Sanosk, or for the herd.
Suddenly, Sanosk charged, hissing all sorts of insults at the feline, who scampered off a ways and turned, hissing and showing its teeth at the wher. Sanosk matched the challenge, and the cat slinked a little further away. Sanol's eyes were in the opposite direction, where the other cat had slinked off. Obedient, Sanosk checked on the location of the other cat - it was returning to his hunting partner. Sanosk trailed them for a while to be sure they wouldn't circle back and then returned, prancing about happily at a job well done. Silence no longer needed, Sanol turned to the few curious beast crafters that had come in at Sanosk's return.
Pair of felines. Sanosk might have taken one alone, but I'd rather not see how he fares against a pair. They seem to have gone off for now, and we'll keep our eyes open, but I'd pull the herd closer in to the wagons to be safe he offered with his typical brusque manner. Wild animals tended to avoid humans, and the closer the beasts were to the wagons, the less likely the cats would be to attack. The sentry man had disappeared for a time, though Sanol hadn't paid him much mind. Sanosk was, however, as the man had a rather drippy bit of meat that he tossed at the wher. Sanosk snapped it out of the air and gobbled it down, taking the gesture of appreciation in stride - it was his due, after all.
The rest of their journey proceeded without incident, though by the time Malvren Weyr came into sight, Sanol was a surly creature indeed. Just over a week with hardly anything that could be called good sleep and he was rather snappish, affecting Sanosk's temper as well. They arrived at the weyr at sundown, though Sanol continued on with the traders until they were settled in, more to give time for night to fall than out of any loyalty to the bunch. When it was dark enough for Sanosk to be comfortable, they took their leave of the pair. Now, who was it they'd been told to seek out upon their arrival to the weyr? He had been told to head to the watch heights, so that was where they headed. The name would come to him eventually, or another handler would send him in the right direction.
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Opening Post