Age: 29 (Impressed at 26)
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
Weyr: High Reaches Weyr
Rider Rank: Searchrider
Previous Rank/Craft: Journeywoman Cook
Physical Description: Born in the mountains and raised in kitchens, Ryah's naturally fair skin has retained its paleness, even as she expanded her horizons as a dragonrider. She has a small, angular face and petite figure, but there is a hardness about her – a flash of a glare in her eyes, a subtly defensive quirk in her body language. At a distance, she may seem the picture of a waifish courtesan. Get closer, and she is a tightly coiled package of lean muscle and purposeful gait. Like the rest of her family, her eyes are light blue, but hers seem to take on an even icier hue beneath the fringe of black hair. Her hair is worn plaited, typically in two braids framing either side of her face to keep it pulled back, the rest hanging loose down to just below her shoulderblades. She tends to wear a drapey tunic cinched by a small vest, a little more feminine than practical, over riding pants and thick-soled boots. (When Thread is falling, of course, she adopts a much simpler appearance.) It is as if she feels determined to radiate femininity while atop her unconventional pairing with her beloved blue.
Personality: At her most basic, Ryah is a caring, maternal figure who has spent her life waiting for someone to do the exact same for her. She knows she can take care of herself. She knows that she can weather the most demanding of challenges. She can stand up for herself, soothe herself, inspire herself. But she doesn't want to – she wants the music to swell, the room to part, and the person of her dreams to turn and finally see her, really see her, and tell her how great she is and how stupid they are for not realizing it sooner.
And that isn't just romantic; it applies to all aspects of her life. Ryah spends her time trying to make life easier and happier for those around her, both professionally and personally. She is a devoted Searchrider, a supportive teammate, the kind of person who will pitch in and help in any and all situations. You may even find her in the kitchens one morning pitching in because she has spotted two of the normal cooks are too sick to work. She does these things because she loves the feeling of being necessary and helpful – but for the love of Faranth, she wants you to notice and appreciate it. It is not uncommon for Ryah to take on unpleasant, difficult, or demanding tasks, or to work overtime.
Part of it is because she is confident in her ability to succeed at things she puts her mind to and enjoys accomplishing goals that further the cause of her team, but the more pervasive reason is that she wants to fly a giant banner proclaiming how self-sacrificial she is. She is hungry for words of praise from her fellow wingriders, her Wingleader, that guy who she helped carry armfuls of root vegetables that one time, or... anyone. Validation drives her, though she would never admit it openly (though doing so would make her life much easier), but she sure will make passive aggressive comments if she feels she is being looked over or ignored. Laziness drives her insane, as do those who love to take advantage of others (even if she regularly allows herself to be taken advantage of). And if you do compliment her? “Oh, no, it was nothing really. You are so sweet – no thanks needed! Happy to help!” This is a lie. Thanks is needed. A lot of thanks.
The flip side to this is that Ryah tends to be very attentive to the emotions and needs of others around her for genuine reasons of caring, love and support. She can be an incredible friend. She has remembered your name day, your siblings' names, and your favorite place to visit. Oh, and look! She even baked your favorite bread today, just because she thought you were looking down. Just don't forget that she wants you to turn around and do the same for her. And if you don't? Expect some side comments and, if you are close enough, an eventual eruption of emotion of a Turn's worth of perceived sleights and hurt feelings. Unfortunately, her life experience has often been wanting in this regard, making her bitter and skeptical of the goodness of man.
Positive Trait List Maternal, Helpful, Empathetic, Stalwart
Negative Trait List Bitter, Martyr-ish, Passive Aggressive, Validation-Seeking
History: Born at High Reaches Hold in a family of 8 children, Ryah falls sixth – the youngest living girl (the seventh child died as an toddler), older than just one of the siblings, the only boy, Lorrox. Her parents are bakers. Her sisters are bakers. And Ryah? Also a baker. The only sibling who broke that familial line was fussy little Lorrox, a tiny whelp greedy for attention as a child and hungry to be different from the rest of them. He was already the only boy – was that not enough? And then there was Ryah – a youngest too, at some point. Yet she did not act like him, did not feel so self-righteously entitled to things. In this world, no one is special.
When her younger sister died, Ryah swore to protect her little baby brother, to make sure he was safe and protected. And he was! But what did the family get in return? Scorn. Problems. Whining. Sure, the family had never been wealthy, had wanted often for things, but they had stayed together, as a unit. Was that not something to be proud of? Apparently not for her brother.
There was little love lost when he left the home at 10 Turns of age. Without him, things were... easier. As much as her more doting sisters complained of missing the little firecracker of a boy, Ryah could not relate. And apparently neither could Lorrox. He barely wrote them; he never visited. They were lucky to receive a letter every Turn, regardless of how many they sent his way. More likely they would receive a letter from whatever unfortunate soul was now responsible for him, usually complaining of things he had broken, people he had fought, or informing them that he was being moved, yet again, to a new place.
Ryah kept her head down and focused on her craft, eventually branching more into cookingcraft as a whole instead of limiting herself to the breads and sweets her family had made historically. When her older sisters began to get married and pregnant, there were even more mouths to feed, even more crying, even more people. It was not an easy decision, but Ryah made the difficult decision to move out. Of course, she wouldn't go far. High Reaches Weyr was in reasonably close proximity – close enough for her to still communicate often with her family, even to go home for visits. It helped that her family knew other families and their kin that worked in the kitchens there – and, perhaps, that she was a young, unmarried woman of childbearing age to help populate the Weyr so heavy with female dragonriders. So at 26, a cookingcraft journeywoman, Ryah joined the staff at the Weyr instead. Of course, her brother was now likewise at a second Weyr – Western – and had stopped long enough to write a letter. No doubt simply because he hoped that the new knowledge that he was a Candidate might usher in some kind of approval from his sisters and parents.
His timing could not have been more... typical.
The same month – Faranth help her, maybe it was the same Sevenday – that Lorrox was Searched to begin his life as a Candidate at Western, Ryah had undergone her own major life event. At High Reaches, the Sands were hot and laden with eggs. In her life, the Holdborn girl had never seen a Hatching, and with the preparations for the feast well underway, she snuck out with a kitchen weyrbrat to watch from the Stands.
It was the first time she had been to a Hatching, her time at the Weyr having barely begun, and it was there that a boisterous little blue had ambled out of its shell, hissed threateningly at the semi-circle of Candidates, snapping its jaws for effect, and instead trudged clumsily through the crowd, stumbling over rows of seats to plop down in front of Ryah, dropping his still-wet head into her lap unceremoniously and asking when it would be time to eat.
Like a dutiful daughter, Ryah immediately sent word to her family who were beyond proud and delighted to have a dragonrider in the family once more! But the new rider had one stipulation: no one may tell Lorrox, not a word, unless he specifically asked how she was or what she up to.
That was over three Turns ago.
Now, Ryah has a fulfilling life as a dragonrider at High Reaches. She found out quickly that she had a passion for Searches, for discovering and nurturing the capability lying dormant within others, and that her beloved baby blue was especially attuned to sniffing out quality Candidates. They have a very high Search-to-Impress ratio (and Ryah is definitely keeping track) despite their relative inexperience and are often allowed to Search in more remote areas that are not as high of a priority.
Other: She is the older sister to Lorrox, Candidate at Western.
DRAGON
Name: Kairinth
Age: 3
Color: Blue
Size: 35” – on the big end, but certainly a gentle giant.
Physical Description: Kai's dark blue wings are offset by a blackened wing knuckle, as if burned. A dappled effect spans the length of him, cloud-like splatters that his rider finds charming. The dream-like exterior is certainly echoed by the interior. His ridges are darker too, hinting at the edge in him that can rise, but his overall appearance is still affable, approachable, and much more complex upon closer look.
Personality: Kairinth is a dragon who is almost annoyingly casual. In the middle of fighting Thread, he may strike up a conversation about an interesting beast he spotted in the mountains a few days ago he had been meaning to tell his rider about. At times, Ryah may even try to pick fights with her dragon, just to lash out over other frustrations in her life, and the greatest response she may get would be him gently laying a clawed hand on her until she stopped flailing and gave up. Getting him to care or leave his chilled out baseline? Nearly impossible, with a few specific exceptions. If someone is causing trouble, upsetting, or threatening Ryah, his calm, casual demeanor will slip suddenly, and he will return back to the hissing/snapping little hatchling that he was that day on the Sands when others were standing between him and Mine. (Or, if he is very, very hungry.) Mission one of his life is to protect Ryah. The rest of the time? Let's all just calm down and have a nap.
That does not mean the blue is without passion or exuberance. He has many! Knowing things, for one. Exploring, especially places where he shouldn't. And of course, food. All food. Even food that isn't useful for a dragon to eat. It is perhaps not surprising that he Impressed to a Candidate with a history in kitchens, mature in her years, and an unconventional gender. But does Kairinth care? Nope. But let him tell you about a strange thing he saw two Candidates doing the other day.
When it comes to relationships with other dragons, Kairinth often finds himself as a mediator, or a port in the storm. He is tolerant and affable. It would be odd but not shocking to find a cluster of weyrbrats clamoring over him as he lounged, tail lolling calmly despite their grabby hands and indefatigable childish glee. Though he may seem indifferent to rising at times, he tends to do so for most flights, without fail. Perhaps it is because he senses the loneliness in his rider and hopes that a little passion may help her relax. If he loses, he does not mope, but instead goes about his day, maybe hunting a few extra herdbeasts for good measure.
Ryah's care-taking nature attracted him instantly. He admired her devotion and the goodness of her heart. He knew that she would be an attentive and supportive partner, and he could feel how much she needed someone like him in her life. The pleasant blue dragon has made it his mission to help Ryah take a breath, smell the flowers, and try to appreciate all the wonderful things of this world. And she at times views him as her errant son who needs to focus and get serious if he is to realize his full potential.
As a dragon on Search, Kairinth can be painfully nonchalant, but he never fails to get the job done. Ryah may spend an entire day exploring a nomadic village, Kairinth smelling all the new smells, flicking children up into the air on his tail, rolling in the sand, and just when his rider is ready to announce the Search a failure and leave, he will perk up and casually point out two young people who he met the moment they arrived... and just chose not to point out as worthy Candidates until then.
Dragon Art or Proof of Obtainment:
Note for Akina: Need to figure out appropriate clutch, time-wise –
3570.10.02
Eveleth x Thistreth
22 Eggs
0 gold / 1 bronze / 4 browns / 6 blues / 11 greens
Lilum & brown Syruth :: High Reaches Weyr :: smolderingskies
Sorcha & blue Bazoth :: High Reaches Weyr :: smolderingskies
??? & blue ??? :: ??? :: Deceased
Cheza & green Zurath :: High Reaches Weyr :: NPC
3571.02.15
Caracath x Worenth
20 Eggs
0 gold / 1 bronze / 2 brown / 7 blues / 10 greens
Aniela of brown Xaphrith :: High Reaches Weyr :: -_Wish of Tevarae_-
??? & blue ??? :: ??? :: Deceased
Kahina & Green Ysalth :: Zanoma Camp :: ShinosBee
??? & green ??? :: ??? :: Deceased
??? & green ??? :: ??? :: Deceased
3571.06.01
Fianth x Ruvath
21 Eggs
0 gold / 2 bronze / 3 browns / 7 blues / 9 greens
S'rse & bronze Soltoth :: High Reaches Weyr :: DruidTigeress
??? & brown ???? :: ??? :: Deceased
Sam’kel & blue Kinitarth :: High Reaches Weyr :: Prism Shine
??? & blue ??? :: ??? :: Deceased
G'lin & green Neiveth :: High Reaches Weyr :: demon_pachabel
Kyte & green Rath :: High Reaches Weyr :: DarkHikari
Seikih and Green Kath :: High Reaches Weyr :: -_Wish of Tevarae_-
