Name: AharakiAge: 24
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: ???
Weyr: Western Weyr
Rider Rank: Wingrider
Previous Rank/Craft: None
Physical Description:
More or less average in both build and height at 5'6", Aharaki has well-tanned skin, silky black hair, and gold eyes that never quite lose a sparkle of mischief.
Personality:
Aharaki has the air of someone who is up to something at almost all times, with keen eyes and sharp wit that never rest. Cleverness and a quick tongue have saved her skin more times than she can count - though she will gleefully recount her most notable close calls - and she hasn't let a few Turns in the relative comfort of a Weyr dull her instincts. She may not be conning anyone or picking pockets anymore, but that's no reason to let herself get lax. Time in her company can be trying for those with thinner skins, as she often teases and plays, but her jokes and games can be a bit sharp; while she doesn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, she sometimes does with pointed words that go a little too far. Though she now has Surahrith, who has blunted her sharp tongue some, that edge isn't entirely gone, but at least she can help her smooth out some of the ruffled feathers and hurt feelings.
She can be charming when she wants to be - even moreso since Impressing - or play at innocence or helplessness if she thinks that it will get her something she wants, or out of trouble, all acts that have served her well in the past and that she will fall back on whether because she needs to or because she's bored. Aharaki does become bored very easily, whether or routine or of sitting still, and needs excitement and adrenaline in her life. She thrives when facing a challenge, and may seek one out to entertain herself if things in her day-to-day aren't quite enough. The fight against Thread is a good outlet, but that's not always quite enough, as she still enjoys the puzzles and challenges that people present. Risky physical stunts are all well and good, but she needs mental stimulation, which can lead her to games and manipulations. As with her teasing, it's all in good fun for her, but she can at times go too far, and needs to be reined in by Surahrith if she starts to cross a line that might lead to someone's distress.
One thing Aharaki doesn't do well is plain honesty, particularly about herself and her own thoughts and feelings. She is more inclined to half-truths and deflections, albeit pretty ones that may well be what someone wants to hear, and she swears to herself it will be a balmy day Between before she gets truly and deeply attached to anyone but Surahrith...and even if she does, that doesn't mean she has to admit it. Though not inclined to get too close to anyone, she does still enjoy a good time, and can be a lot of fun to be around: a lively party, a strong drink, an attractive partner...she will happily indulge in them all.
Positive Trait List attentive, clever, jovial
Negative Trait List mischievous, slow to trust, manipulative
History:
Born to a brothel-worker (and not a well-to-do one) in Rivercrest, Aharaki grew up largely fending for herself. Her mother did her best to keep her fed and clothed, but had little time to devote to her, so she spent most of her days with other children of similar or worse situations, and together caused and got into no end of trouble. Aharaki was begging early, and then thieving, which was where she quickly found her niche. She was a scrawny, scrappy child who could squirm her way into or out of all sorts of spaces, clever enough that she was rarely caught and quick enough on her feet that when she was caught, she was usually able to escape. She stole mostly to make ends meet, to feed herself and her friends and even her mother on occasion.
As she entered her teenage years, she started to flirt with the possibility of taking up the same line of work as her mother, but ultimately the lure of cons and thieving was too great, even if it was a slightly rougher life. Not that her mother's work didn't come with its own risks, but for Aharaki, by comparison it seemed boring, and as time went on she saw her mother less and less. When she was 19, and hadn't seen her in over a Turn, Aharaki received news that Aharana had died, killed by a client in a disagreement over payment. It was a massive shock to Aharaki, who rarely let her emotions have much rein at all, if any, and she was greatly subdued for several weeks after. Eventually, she did what she could take shake herself out of it, walling off that part of her that cared, and turned the feelings into a much safer resentment by blaming her mother for the choices she'd made in life. She, of course, was far less foolish, too clever to ever let such a fate catch up with her.
With a hardened edge, Aharaki continued on her own path, until at 21 she was Searched to Western Weyr. By comparison, it was a much quieter, easier life than she was used to, but also far more structured, and though she wasn't stupid enough to act out, at times it was a difficult adjustment for her to make. Nonetheless, she persevered, and ultimately, her time came when she stood for Killakeeth's clutch. While there was much excitement elsewhere on the Sands, a small, delicate hatchling unfolded herself from her egg and, after a full and luxurious stretch for whatever lucky eyes happened to be upon her, wound her way through the Candidates, taking her sweet time to find her way to her; she'd known full well Aharaki was Hers ever since the Touching, but she couldn't resist building suspense, or giving those she passed a glimpse of what they surely wanted...but would never be theirs.
Other: Derg is repurposed/reworked from a prior contest, rider and such are new!
DRAGON
Name: Surahrith
Color: Green
Origin of Name: A Hindi word for reed-grass सुरहरी, surahrī, as the Jungle Cat is also known - far more accurately - as the Reed Cat.
Inspiration:
The jungle cat (Felis chaus), also called reed cat and swamp cat, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littoral and riparian areas with dense vegetation. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, and is mainly threatened by destruction of wetlands, trapping and poisoning.
The jungle cat is a small-to-medium-sized, long-legged cat. The head-and-body length is typically between 59 and 76 cm (23 and 30 in). This cat stands nearly 36 cm (14 in) at shoulder and weighs 2–16 kg (4.4–35.3 lb). Its body size decreases from west (Israel) to east (India); this was attributed to greater competition from small cats in the east; body size shows a similar decrease from the northern latitudes toward the tropics. Sexually dimorphic, females tend to be smaller and lighter than males. The face is long and narrow, with a white muzzle. The large, pointed ears, 4.5–8 cm (1.8–3.1 in) in length and reddish brown on the back, are set close together; a small tuft of black hairs, nearly 15 mm (0.59 in) long, emerges from the tip of both ears. The eyes have yellow irides and elliptical pupils; white lines can be seen around the eye. Dark lines run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose and a dark patch marks the nose. The coat, sandy, reddish brown or grey, is uniformly coloured and lacks spots; melanistic and albino individuals have been reported from the Indian subcontinent. White cats observed in the coastline tracts of the southern Western Ghats lacked the red eyes typical of true albinos. Kittens are striped and spotted, and adults may retain some of the markings. Dark-tipped hairs cover the body, giving the cat a speckled appearance. The belly is generally lighter than the rest of the body and the throat is pale. The fur is denser on the back compared to the underparts. Two moults can be observed in a year; the coat is rougher and lighter in summer than in winter. The insides of the forelegs show four to five rings; faint markings may be seen on the outside. The black-tipped tail is marked by two to three dark rings on the last third of the length.
The distribution of jungle cat is largely oriental; it occurs in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, central and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and in southern China. A habitat generalist, the jungle cat inhabits places with adequate water and dense vegetation, such as swamps, wetlands, littoral and riparian areas, grasslands and shrub. It is common in agricultural lands, such as fields of bean and sugarcane, across its range, and has often been sighted near human settlements. As reeds and tall grasses are typical of its habitat, it is known as "reed cat" or "swamp cat." It can thrive even in areas of sparse vegetation, but does not adapt well to cold climates and is rare in areas where snowfall is common. Historical records indicate that it occurs up to elevations of 2,310 m (7,580 ft) in the Himalayas. It shuns rainforests and woodlands.
Personality:
Surahrith is, in her very esteemed and privately-held opinion, a dragon unlike any other who has ever been shelled. There is not a moment where she is not poised, when she is not unaware that there are eyes upon her: because there are always eyes upon her, or should be! While Surahrith will play at humility, will hide her gaze behind a coy flutter of her wing, she loves attention. She wants to be looked at, listened to, talked about, and thought about, whether in a positive or negative way, although she most prefers a middle ground of vexation. She delights in being a puzzle, in shrouding herself in an air of mystery, which comes to her as easily as breathing. The less anyone knows about her, the more they will wonder, and so Surahrith will stay in their thoughts.
Surahrith is a difficult dragon for anyone, Surahrith included, to know. She is what she needs or wants to be at any given moment, whatever she feels, and if the mood strikes her, whatever she thinks someone else wants or needs him to be. She loves to be a listening ear, to be confided in and consulted, looked to for advice. This advice, more often than not, will be open to interpretation, with a vague or cryptic quality. This is both because she enjoys being mysterious, and because by giving an obscure answer that leaves multiple meanings open, it could be interpreted as correct regardless of the details of the outcome. She rarely gives the plainly-spoken truth, exactly as it is; she prefers to bend it, and has no compunctions about lying outright. Lies, after all, are so much prettier, and often what people truly want to hear.
This dragon, for all of her love of attention, is soft-spoken and demure, never one to grandstand or shove another aside, and rarely raises her voice. She is naturally captivating, and will use body language, turn of phrase, and the quiet intensity of her presence to catch and keep the attention that she desires. When it comes to romantic attention, anyone interested will find her slippery indeed, as she will lead all potential lovers on a long and winding chase...only to slip through their claws like so much smoke soon after being caught.
She has a deep-seated disdain for following orders, not out of any innate drive to rebel, but because she and her rider, and no one else, should be the masters of their own fate. She wants to make her own choices, regardless of the outcome, and unless her rider can sway him, will listen to heart and instinct over logic. If this leads her to a poor outcome, she will accept it and move on, rather than denying it, dwelling on it, or blaming it on someone else. If nothing else, at least his choice was her own.
Size: 20'
Physical Attributes: Delicate and fine-featured, this green is beautiful, with a slender build and long, graceful lines. She has a long, narrow face, and elegantly long legs.
Additional Notes:
She is unlikely to chase another female, unless on a fanciful whim or if she believes there is something to be gained. She would much rather be chased herself, and has no qualms about distracting and poaching another's suitors of any color if she does happen to take to the sky in pursuit. It is unlikely that she will ever be an earnest paramour herself in any regard, in the sky or out of it; it is very possible that no being on Pern other than her rider will ever be capable of holding her hearts. If ever Surahrith were to find her feelings for another to be more than fleeting, no one would be more surprised than she. She considers himself a connoisseur of fine things, and will enjoy well-crafted tack and beautiful accessories.
Why Me: What a delightful, complex woman Aharaki is! From her cleverness to her love of mischief, Surahrith found her positively irresistible. Who else could keep up with her and be her match, who else could possibly hope to even begin to understand a dragon of such mystery and secrets than one who had their own? Aharaki, too, can act and play at whatever she wants to be, and together they can puzzle and play with all the Weyr. At the same time, Aharaki still has a hard grounding in reality that can keep Surahrith in check and on task when she needs it, while Surahrith can soften some of her sharper edges and begin to gently open up the feelings she hides even from herself. She cannot hide them from her, and perhaps in time, she might share them with a select few others as well...though secrecy has great allure, one can't go through life all alone.
- - - -
How did your character behave during Weyrling Training?
Between the two of them, they averaged out to middling students. While Aharaki had grown accustomed to Weyr structure by the time she Impressed, Surahrith hatched with a deep dislike for rules and orders, and it took time - and often coaxing and cajolling - to get her to pay attention and do what they were supposed to do, and put her all into it. Still, even at her most recalcitrant, she remained amiable and charming to their teachers, and saved her more peevish thoughts for Hers.
What did your character think of so many twin dragons? What did your character think of having not one, but two, gold sister?
How very curious! She certainly likes being her own, perfectly unique dragon, without another who knows her as deeply as a twin would, but the pairs of twins are quite fascinating. As for the golds, well...given her dislike of orders and authority, she definitely prefers one over the other (not that she would ever admit it).
How did your characters do during flying lessons and Between training? Were they naturals or did they struggle?
Graceful Surahrith was a natural when the time came to fly, and thanks to Aharaki's clever, precise mind, they faired quite well during Between training as well...once she'd gotten it into her head how critically important it was for her to focus. Between is a life-or-death matter, and no time for flirting with clutchmates.
How has your character been handling being graduated and a real dragon rider?
By the time they graduated, Surahrith had been shaped into a fair fighter of Thread; though she may resent taking orders, she does revel in doing things well when she sets her mind to them, so when the time comes to fight, she does well. Aharaki has settled into their new role in life well, and keeps her on track when she needs the reminder.
