Name: Taaru Stage: Stage 3 (Sniper) Race: Ice (3/4) /Shifter (1/4) Gender: Male 3 Base Traits: Pure, Bold, Loyal Personality: Taaru loves his family and would do anything for them. He does enjoy playing, but has a pure spirit about himself as he would never wish anyone harm. Like his mother he loves playing with animals and helping them out so anytime he can assist her with healing he will try his hardest! His loyalty knows no bounds as he will always push himself to do the best for anyone and he is a very honest person. He's also very bold and will speak up whenever he feels it is needed.
Other than that he will get in trouble for being a bit too honest at times and sometimes it will be easy to get tricked by another because of his pure intentions.
Description: Taaru has gold eyes, smooth light blue skin, and white hair. He has soft features and long hair tied into a ponytail with one lock of hair he can never quite tame. He is somewhat slender, with a slight upper body build from archery practice. Clothing: Typical Zenan furs and leathers Accessories: A bangle from his mother that he loves to fidget with, a gold earring on his right ear History: Taaru grew up alongside his twin sister Katori. They loved playing and getting into trouble together with their familiars their parents got them. They were a handful for both their parents and babysitters, but they were good kids nonetheless.
As Taaru got older, his father, Eresin discovered his aptitude for magic and started to train him. While Taaru loved learning magic from his father, he often found the lessons to be too straightforward and boring. He took up all sorts of martial arts from their family friend Tryston, like sword fighting and Taaru's favorite, archery. When he wasn't training with his father, he sought ways to practice his lessons in more creative ways. He tried using magic with less practical uses, like combining his magic with sword fighting. As he experimented, he found his favorite combination was archery with magic and it seemed it was his most efficient combination. "Huh, guess I have a knack for this."
When he had a better idea of what he was doing with his newfound skill, he showed his father, and together they worked towards helping Taaru perfect his sniper and magic skills.
Familiars
Gammu, the Mammu
Gender: Male History: Gammu is Taaru's awesome, best friend who also happens to be a mammu. He received him when he was a child and the baby mammu has grown up with him. The two are practically inseparable, always getting into trouble together.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:37 am
Updates
2/19/17 - Taaru was born!
Currently: Practicing magic and archery with his father in their manor at the southern border in Zena
Being a youngling in Zena was interesting, especially when one was also a hybrid living on an animal sanctuary. Since his mother and father were often so busy and his family was wary of wandering too far away from home Taaru often found his playmates via animals. That and his sister, though at times she could be just as flighty as any chiavi with the bite of a raptrix if he wasn’t careful enough. Oh! And big sis Serana was also fun to play with whenever she wasn’t spouting off about how things could be dangerous like playing with some of the weapons from the armory or racing about on Gammu’s back. Big sis Serana also was fond of lists that included all of Taaru’s chores for the day. As the boy had gotten older, he would be ten in a few months, he had racked up some more chores. In the morning he would wake up roll over and then sleepily head down to breakfast. Thankfully he didn’t have to do much of that since he enjoyed Serana’s cooking the best!
Mom’s surprise stews were nice but….well for a normal breakfast it was great to have Serana around. Taaru would scarf down some eggs and bread before taking his plate along with the rest to the kitchen and assist with dishes. When he didn’t wash them then he would help Katori dry them and then leave them out for the next meal. It was hard to dry things after all if you kept them in a cabinet during the winter months so he thought it was best to just leave the wooden and china plates out so that the big fires of the hearth could evaporate any dampness left.
After that he would have some lessons, boring things about reading and writing that his father insisted the twins learn together, and then he would have a free moment for a snack. Normally snacks would involve some fruit or vegetable that he would snag from the kitchen when Serana wasn’t looking and those “snacks” often went into the mouth of Gammu rather than Taaru’s. Because after lessons and a some free time he would help out around the great big barn in the early afternoon. Mama kept so many animals in there! Sometimes there would be a lot of huge mamus like Gammu and other times there would be small strange creatures like his mother’s perzi who would twist around his legs as he walked through the kitchens. She always seemed to know when it was food time! Taaru giggled at the thought before handing her a piece of dried meat, another thing he somehow managed to tuck away in the few pockets inside of his leather jacket. You had to dress warmly after all in the winter months up here~ Though they lived on the borders by Sauti the valley still had a bitter chill coming from the north where the deeper parts of Zena began. Taaru could only imagine what it would be like living out there since he already slept in a massive pile of furs and blankets! The cotton ones from Oba were his favorites since his mama had purchased a few with designs of the foreign country’s animals embroidered along the edges. One day Taaru was determined to go out there and meet his mamma’s family and also the animals that he heard so much about! If Iska was anything like the rest of Oba then Taaru was pumped to see it. He loved action and adventure after all.
“Zy-Zy is lucky that he got to go already.” Taaru pursed his lips at the thought before continuing to the barn. Enough thinking about outside countries it was time to focus on his own life here at home! Who else could say they lived in a sanctuary of so many amazing animals after all? Like Gammu! At the thought Taaru ran to the animal barn, opened the doors and slipped inside. He looked around and spotted his favorite familiar in one of the stables. Being a large animal, he stuck out like a sore thumb, as he was taller than the walls that kept him in his spot. He also, on occasion, when Taaru slacked off about bathing him had a strange odor that was pretty obvious to the boy by now. But thinking about how big Gammu was made Taaru always wonder why he didn't just burst out and roam free. He knew the mammu was strong enough to, but he guessed he liked it there in the barn. I guess I would too since it’s so chilly out. Brr! But others did roam out along the lands and Taaru enjoyed taking his free afternoons to go out and observe the herd as they grazed along the valley.
"Gammu!" He said excitedly. "Come on buddy, let’s get you out of there. We're gonna go play in the snow!" He said as he opened the door to his stall. The mammu walked out, being careful not to rattle his neighbors, and once he was outside, he picked up Taaru with his trunk and put him on top of him. It was something that they had both practiced for months now and Taaru went up with ease. Though as he got bigger the boy had to wonder, would it always be this easy? Gammu is so big though he’s getting bigger too. So surely it would be okay! As he settled on top of his familiar Taaru pointed forward and said "Let's go!"
Taaru and Gammu ran out of the big doors and into the open area around the barn. It was nice and clear since his mother didn't have many patients out and about today. But Taaru wasn’t about going in circles around the paths there. He much prefered the open range of the valley’s fields. So he stirred Gammu on with a yell, “Onwards!” They ran past the side of the mansion, passing by a few sticks, “Oh!” Reaching out he grabbed one and held it proudly, “I’m like a warrior now!” Taaru grinned like a fool before lowering his arm. He could practice with this and be as awesome as Serana one day!
Too bad Tori was doing things with their momma today. If not Taaru could challenge her to another jousting match. When Serana didn’t catch the two of them in the act their battles were pretty fun! He enjoyed imagining how grand his battle with his twin sister could be. Then they could either dismount and let their familiars rest and go back inside for the midday meal, something light that usually consisted of bread and cheeses. After that they would either have more lessons or something else to do with the family. He enjoyed the afternoons when they went on walks to the village. Even if some of the villages had once looked at him funny they had gotten accustomed to the strangeness of his hair and his smaller ears. Though a girl had tugged on them once before and even tricked him into thinking that tugging them over and over could make them become as long and pointy as the rest of his family’s ears. She was a horrible liar. Taaru pouted before reaching up with his free hand to gently poke at an ear. His momma had explained that it was from her shifter blood and after a time the boy had grown used to them. They were cute and the others could just be jealous of how adorable...err masculine he could be with them!
They did get along with the people in the village since momma was such a great healer. All the animals seemed to love her and she had saved a few familiars from the village. As he rode along Gammu’s back Taaru smiled at the memories. One day a boy almost his age had come with his father to the sanctuary to ask for help. Not only had they brought sweets but he had gotten to play with the boy! He had been fun to play with and had come back a couple of times throughout the following months. But they were merchants so they had to travel all across Tendaji and so Taaru could only stay here and hope the boy returned with even more amusing stories of the outside countries.
Thunk! Taaru blinked from his daydreaming to realize that Gammu had walked a bit far while he wasn’t paying attention, “He-hey!” Blinking some more Taaru glanced around to try to find out where they were. Somewhere in a valley? The stream was nearby, but he didn’t remember those trees being so thick and tall. Oh boy. Whistling the boy tugged at Gammu’s fur, “Turn around Gammu. We gotta go home now!” He didn’t like it! As brave as Taaru was he still wasn’t about to get into some trouble especially with his tummy rumbling.
It was dinner time after all and he wasn’t about to miss out on his mother’s special stew! Plus Serana had made some pies this morning that Taaru remembered smelling amazing like. He was eager to try them and could come back here another day. With Tori of course. Always with his sister since he hated trying new things alone.
[WC 1568]
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:13 pm
Journal - Prentice
Prentice, Solo 1 - Sniper's First Steps (Class Affinity)
It was a dreary, rainy morning in Zena. The sky was covered in dark clouds that sprinkled water all across the area of Taaru's estate. The sound of the slow, low rumble of thunder rolled in the distance. It was a cool temperature indoors and out, and the patter of rain against the windows made for perfect sleeping weather. Taaru was fast asleep in his room, exhausted from his mage training from the previous day. Those days were always particularly draining for him because he had trouble keeping focus when casting spells in the traditional manner. His father always warned him about how dangerous magic could be, and that if he didn't maintain proper focus, he may end up hurting the people around him. Though his father seemed to be light hearted in his lessons, his words were like lead weights that seemed to weigh Taaru's heart down. He dreamed of himself attempting to cast a fire spell alongside his father. As his hand moved, and his voice uttered the proper words, he saw his father smiling in the corner of his eyes, and at that moment a brilliant flash of light emanated from his hands, and an explosion followed as the fire engulfed himself and his father.
There was a flash of lightning outside and a thunderclap outside almost immediately after. Taaru's eyes shot open and he sat up quickly and gasped for air. Phew, it was just a dream, though it all felt too real. He thought to himself as he examined his palms closely. There were no signs of any magic, and he knew that, but the fear in the back of his mind made him check anyway. After taking a moment to recollect his mind, he pushed the blankets aside and got up to stare out the window. He sighed at the dreary day. His twin wasn't home today, and his parents were both going to shop for necessary ingredients for the animal sanctuary. Surprisingly, for how busy he had been lately, he actually had nothing at all to do. Since it was raining, he figured he couldn't really go outside to practice with his bow. Or I could finally try experimenting with my magic ...? The thought of mixing his archery with magic crossed his mind. He personally didn't know anyone that could do it, but his father told him that there were actually other Tendaji inhabitants that could actually perform such a task. He thought to himself, I'm already good at archery too. Something about aiming and shooting a bow gives me unwavering focus… Perhaps thinking outside of the box and applying it to what he was already good at was all he really needed to properly cast spells. It wouldn't hurt to try. What's the worst that could happen? I slip up and cause an explosion that leaves me gravely injured or even dead? Taaru chuckled at his cynicism. His twin's sassy attitude seemed to be rubbing off on him. At least no one will be around me to catch me doing this dangerous experiment, or get hurt with me if something goes wrong. He moved to his wardrobe and got dressed in his most rain proof clothes and cloak, gathered his bow and arrows, and grabbed some food from the kitchens. After scarfing down some bread and fruit, he put his hood up, and went outside through the back door to the family manor.
The rain wasn’t too heavy, but not light enough to be a drizzle. The occasional flash of lightning streaked the sky, followed by yet more rolling thunder. It was definitely an interesting storm, to say the least. The rain bounced off Taaru’s leathers, leaving behind small droplets of water, dripping down his clothes and harmlessly falling off. It would seem that he dressed appropriately enough for the weather. At least I won’t be catching a cold before I explode. This time the thought seemed much more gruesome than funny and cynical. Taaru supposed it was because he was that much closer to trying to make his experiment some sort of reality. He approached the area he frequented for target practice. It was far enough away from the sanctuary that he wouldn’t be accidentally shooting any of the animals that loved to roam the fields, but close enough that he could still see the manor on the horizon, though he supposed most of the animals would be taking shelter under some of the barns and stables from the rain. After making sure he was the right distance away from the target, he drew and shot two arrows in quick succession, both of which had hit the center closely grouped together. Alright, here goes nothing. As Taaru readied a third arrow, he focused on an area near where the other two arrows landed. Once his bow was fully drawn, he inhaled and exhaled to clear his mind. The world around him seemed to slow, the sound of the rain hitting the ground, trees and clothes seemed to all melt away, leaving only his heartbeat. He began chanting the words to a spell and everything seemed to fade from his vision. The ground, background all seemed to disappear, leaving nothing but Taaru and his target. His chanting continued and he could feel magical energy stirring, swirling within himself. Just as he felt the spell ready, he focused his magical energy into the arrow. He was about to let loose the arrow, when he suddenly lost his concentration to a loud and abrupt bleating. He felt the magic fizzle away from his body as his arrow loosed from his grip. While the arrow found its target, nothing spectacular happened. He sighed as everything faded back into view, disappointed that his moment of zen had been completely lost.
“What in the world…?” He turned to look at where the sound came from. Off to his right side, he saw a white roati, completely soaked from the rain. As they made eye contact, the roati let out another bleat. Taaru became extremely frustrated. “Oh come on!” Another flash of lightning streaked the sky followed by a thunderclap. The rain started coming down harder as the surrounding area whooshed from the sudden downpour. The roati bleated again, and Taaru sighed once more. “Fine! I’ll take you to the barn…” He then muttered under his breath, “Stupid roati…” He slung his bow over his back and put the arrow back in his quiver. He beckoned the animal to follow, and it trotted along just behind him as he started walking back towards the manner. “I was this close to doing something amazing, you know.” He sounded exasperated. “Then you had to ruin it.” As if the roati were conversing with him, it’s responding bleat sounded almost sad and apologetic. Taaru paused, and then decided to let it go. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry. I didn't mean to shout. It wasn’t really your fault. I know you just wanted to get back with your friends and get out of this rain.” He stopped to pat its head, and led it the rest of the way to the barn. It let out a happy sounding bleat and went to cuddle up with the rest of the roati staying at their animal sanctuary.
The rain started to let up a little bit, slowing to a slight drizzle, and the lightning flashes and thunder seemed to stop altogether. “Huh, seems like the storm is finally passing.” He started making his way back to his little shooting range. The scent of fresh rain on grass filled the air, and Taaru stopped to take a big whiff. He loved storms and animals, and all of the rest of nature’s beautiful, awesome, and sometimes scary features. As he smelled the air around him, he caught the scent of something else. A campfire…? There’s no way. The nearest town is quite far from here. His parents had this place ever since he was born, and probably for longer, and as far as he could remember, there were never any campers or travellers staying near the manor. Anyone who actually did come to visit usually came to their front door from the path that led there in the first place. He decided it would be best to find the source of the fire, following the scent of smoke. As he happened upon the source of the flame, he was shocked to see he was led right back to his archery target. Instead of a campfire and people like he expected to see, he saw nothing but the open field and trees lining the clearing, and his archery target was on fire! “What?!” He exclaimed. He took a step forward before realizing what was actually happening. Then that means my spell actually worked! The sudden realization made his heart leap and skip a few beats. Excitement brewed in his chest and he couldn’t help but gasp, and laugh. He threw his head back and screamed to the heavens “Yes! I actually did it!” Without even thinking, he ran back towards the manor, leaping for joy along the way. He couldn’t wait to tell his father, and was even more excited to demonstrate his newfound skill.
[WC - 1537]
Prentice - Stage 2 Class Quest - A new Adventure Awaits!
In this solo, Taaru reflects on the good times he had his family, while also preparing for his journey to help animals all across the continent.
Taaru was getting in some last minute archery practice before he had to leave for his first journey ever. He was really excited because it was his first assignment. His parents finally deemed him ready to take part in helping out their animal sanctuary by travelling across the continent towards Tale. After he showed his parents his ability to combine magic with a bow and arrow, his father showed a great sense of pride in the boy. “Look at you, my son, all grown up!” His father’s tease echoed in his head. From that point on, Taaru trained with his dad to hone his skill, making casting spells and shooting arrows in unison a breeze. When they were both satisfied with his training results, Taaru’s mother and father decided it was time for them to go on their first adventure and explore the world, while also performing some tasks while they were away. His and his twin’s job would be to just travel and see the world, helping any animals, gathering herbs and other ingredients, and taking some animals back to the sanctuary if necessary.
Taaru loosed an arrow at his target, only for it to miss the center. Strange. His mind kept wandering on his upcoming adventure as he knocked and let another arrow fly. This arrow also missed the center. I just can’t seem to focus on this. I’m too excited! He collected his arrows, and went back to the manor to prepare for his trip, gathering the rations and money his mother left him for the trip. He had already said goodbye to his parents before they left for their daily trip to the market. His parents hugged and kissed him goodbye, and went down a whole checklist, making sure he was good and ready, as any caring parent would. They really wanted to make sure I had everything... His mind floated to his parents. Taaru was really going to miss them. They cared about him so much, and he loved them in return. He honestly couldn’t ask for better parents, even if his dad was a dork sometimes, and his mom could be a little too protective at times. He reflected on all the good times they had as a family. Yeah, I’m definitely going to miss them. I guess I’ll just have to stop by home a lot to check in on them, just to make sure they aren’t driving each other crazy. Who was he kidding? The real reason he’d visit home was for his own satisfaction of seeing them. He wanted to take care of them someday, just as they had taken care of and raised him.
“Well, I suppose I should stop dallying and actually leave. Katori must be tearing her own hair out waiting for me.” Taaru chuckled at the thought, but then immediately groaned at the sore arm from her punches he would later receive for making her wait. Taaru stopped, made sure he had everything, and slung his pack with all his supplies over his shoulder. He went outside and walked away from the manor. He paused to turn back and wave at the building. Goodbye, home, and hello new adventure. He continued towards the start of his journey where his twin was waiting.
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