Post by zeis on Jan 1, 2011 16:50:28 GMT -8
Name: Gr'y (Grey)
Age: 18, Summer
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Rank: Winglet, Black-rider
Location: Eyrie
Personality:
Gr'y is outwardly unremarkable. A quiet, unassuming, young man, he does not impose himself on others, or make a great effort to make himself noticed. In fact, it almost seems as though he knows no other way of life than living in the shadows. When he does somehow become the center of attention he is reserved, silent, and a bit awkward. His slowness to act and social failing might be misunderstood as shyness or perhaps even stupidity. In truth it is because he only speaks if there is something worth saying, something meaningful and necessary. Banter is a skill that he does not easily possess. Complicating this issue further, he is highly independent, and values his ability to do things for himself. This has led to him becoming slightly estranged from his fellows, and over the course of his life developing few relationships that were not forged out of blood.
Despite his isolation, he is rather helpful, and at times surprisingly selfless. He is willing to put himself on the line for someone else, and will usually commit himself to a favor asked, even from a stranger, if he sees the need for it. He has spent his whole life putting the needs of others in front of his own, and as a result is neglectful of his own emotions. He has sacrificed much to be such a hard worker, and tends to ignore his own problems, letting stress and unhappiness build inside of him until it must be addressed.
He can be a bit distant, and though he may seem dull, he is surprisingly mentally gifted. Gr'y finds his own thoughts entertaining enough, and has a tendency to simply sit and daydream in his free time. He has the mind of a tactician, first spending time calmly observing, learning, then adapting. He enjoys solving problems of any kind, whether mechanical, or even social. He can be very meticulous and focused on something when actively interested, ignoring everything else around him. As such he tends to be a more efficient worker when given a single task at a time, otherwise he becomes overwhelmed, and unable to focus.
Having put his real life on hold for so long, Gr'y still struggles to regain time and development that he sacrificed in the name of his family. He often feels like a person in progress, and as such whenever he discovers some new aspect of himself, any interest at all, he pursues it if possible. He has maintained an interest in swordplay since his time before the Eyrie, and is a capable, if not particularly gifted swordsman. Sparring has become a favorite past-time of his, since he finds the competitive rush of adrenaline, and the strategic thinking required both relaxing and freeing. He also has a still budding interest in the biology of birds, particularly now the massive simourv. It is not uncommon to find him reading tattered copies of the limited texts available on the matter, or sketching the sleeping form of Rixasileuph.
The black simourv that has become his partner is now a vital aspect of his life. Gr'y lives for Rixasileuph as much as he has ever lived for anyone, and is comforted that the black feels much the same. Much of what he values is mirrored in his partner, but like other Winglets their relationship is not completely harmonious. Gr'y and Rixasileuph may both be selfless, but the black-winglet has often had his careful calculation and observation interrupted if not foiled by the brash and foolish actions of his partner. However the problems they face are just another challenge to be worked out, and he has earnestly taken up the task of finding the middle ground between their methods.
Appearance:
Gr'y looks about as average and unremarkable as his name suggests. Standing at 5'9", and weighing around 150 pounds, he looks very common-place for any young man his age. Especially any young farmhand. His time spent on the farm has gifted his frame with a decent amount of muscle, hours working having toned his body, and kept him in good if not great shape to begin with. Now having undergone the majority of his Winglet training, the rigorous exercises and workouts have quite easily finished the job. His skin is a dark tan from working outdoors, and recently from time spent flying. His bleached salt and pepper hair is slightly shaggy, and often windblown, trimmed and looked after absently.
His eyes are the color of frosted earth, an icy blue speckled faintly with brown. His face, and all features about it, are slightly broad and rounded, as though he was created with the medium of all things in mind. The only anomaly is the bump on the bridge of his nose, the last remaining sign of a childhood accident. His ragged facial hair gives him a rough, almost forgotten appearance. In truth, he often forgets, or simply cant be bothered to shave. As a further consequence of losing himself in his work, his appearance is usually similarly disheveled. When order is not demanded of him, his clothes are often wrinkled, and rumpled. He often looks like he just rolled out of bed. He has a slow, but deliberate manner, always looking before he leaps if he can help it.
It is in all honesty, difficult to tell a happy Gr'y from a sad one. He does not show a lot of intense emotion, or at least he doesn't show it often in public. His usual manner is unshakably calm, and passive. His voice reflects that, a slightly deep level tone that makes him at times sound almost bored.
Family:
Horatio - Father - 55 - Farmer/Botanist
Maybelle - Mother - 49 - Farmer/Stay-at-Home Mother
Lucian - Brother - 17 - Apprentice Guard
Oliver - Brother - 13
Willow - Sister - 11
Aspen - Sister - 11
Rosemarie - Sister - 9
Horatio "Tiny" II - Brother - 7
Pets:
None present at the Eyrie.
Simourv Name: Rixasileuph
Simourv Color: Black
Simourv Age: 1 (Post fledgling, 15-18 months.)
Personality:
Rixasileuph is first and foremost a gentleman. He adheres to a higher code of behavior, a willing burden of chivalry that is his very bread and butter. All of the life and vivacity that his rider is missing is found in him, and perhaps amplified a couple times. He is dignified as a black should be, and he is as honorable as any black hatched before him. Somewhat of an idealist, he touts valiance, bravery, and courage in all aspects of life. For him, there is nothing to fear, not even fear itself! For he is a noble soul, a champion of the strong, and a protector of the weak. He understands his destiny, and his place in the Eyrie, and embraces the future with eager talons.
Too eager, almost. For if he is anything else, he is foolish. He has some desire to prove and test himself, without any real thought or expectation that he might fail. He does not want destiny to come to him, but to rush out and meet it on his own terms. He is brash, posturing, stubborn, and impatient at times. For all his grandiose ideas, and pristine ethics... He is not very wise. He has difficulty weighing risk, and understanding viewpoints other than his own. At his worst he can be pompous, and at times even willfully ignorant of something he does not want to face. The young black can get particularly frustrated at Gr'y, who often wants to hold back and assess the situation, while his every instinct screams charge.
At his core though, he is a benevolent, and respectful being much like his rider. He cares deeply for his bonded, and his kin. He views the rest of humanity with a patronly gaze, and goes out of his way to lend his assistance to others, whether solicited or not. Beneath all his serious oaths and vows, he is a slightly playful, adventurous creature. He adores sporting competition done in good fun, and is the sociable half of the pair. Much more willing to part with words than his rider, he is not afraid to make his opinions known. He is in the end a well meaning king, if in need of guidance as most kings often are.
Appearance:
Average sized for a black, Rixasileuph is growing into a healthy adult. Slightly smaller than the largest black of the Alpha clutch, he stands a few feet shy of 30 feet at the shoulder. His youthful down has given away to a sleek glossy black coat of feathers, and his wings have grown broad and powerful. As his color suggests, his body is largely a dark coal black, though closer inspection can reveal a mask and collar of darker inky black feathers around his neck and head. His ebon horns, still growing as he is, have a graceful forward curve to them. His eyes are a deep reddish amber color, and his beak is a moderate grey tipped at the very edge with white, as though he were just drinking milk. His wings are alternated crescent patterns of different tints of black and white laced feathers. A skunk stripe of white travels down his back between his wings, over his rump, to taper out one third of the way down his tail. His sides and flanks are mottled with a slightly bluish steel gray feathers, giving him a studded or peppered appearance. His armored legs are blackish gray, scaled, and corded with muscle.
He has a purposeful and regal stride, whether through natural or conscious effort. His voice is loud, ringing, yet with a slightly effeminate quality to it that almost sounds fake, as though he were trying too hard. Every movement he makes is slightly exaggerated, and he has a tendency to pose grandly, or languidly posture himself in what he imagines is a pleasing way when resting.
Parentage:
Gray Eceph x Black Alianph
History:
Years ago, two people fell in love. One, a man named Horatio, was a botanist with grand dreams. The other was a woman named Maybelle, who owned a humble yet charming flower shop. The couple cared for each other deeply, but they were also workaholics, enamored with plants. In the year 40, they were gifted with a young son named Grey, and faced with a dilemma. In order to raise their budding family they would have to uproot themselves, and turn over a new leaf that would allow them more time at home. The small family started a farm on the forest floor of Chydyn, and a year later their second son Lucian was born.
The next four years saw their family off to a good start. The farm was doing well, and both Grey and Lucian had grown in young boys, who couldn't be closer but also could not be more different. While Grey was quiet, sweet, and relatively tame, his younger sibling was loud, wildly energetic, and prone to acting out. His parents spent a lot of time dealing with his younger siblings shenanigans, that Grey, as often happens with eldest children, began to be ignored.
In the year 45, another son named Oliver was born. It seemed to his parents, the perfect time to raise another child with the farm doing so well. With the birth of his brother came the death of Grey's short lived childhood. Both parents found it was easier to give Grey chores than to attempt to get Lucian to do them, for the boy would carry them out handily and on time, while his brother would play mischief and shirk work. His mother, also now burdened with a new baby, farm-work, and her other children, enlisted her eldest to aid her in their care. At 5 years of age, the boy was responsible and remarkably mature.
Two years later, when he was 7, his family got bigger. Twin sisters, Willow and Aspen, were both a gift to the couple, but also an added burden. Horatio's life was absorbed almost entirely into farm-work, and solitary independent study, a vice he maintained long since the family's start. Whether through intentional or unintentional selfishness, the large task of child raising fell on Maybelle, and she through similar means, eased her burden onto the shoulders of Grey. As his younger siblings aged, the boy slipped more and more into the shadows, becoming reliable, yet also withdrawn. In comparison to many average Chydyn children, he lived a hard life. Working and assisting his mother in the care of his younger siblings where most other kids are playing tag in the streets.
In the year 49, his mother bore another child, a little girl named Rosemarie. Though she was loved, she was also the straw that broke the camels back. Maybelle stressed and struggling to deal with both her family, and her farm duties began to have marital problems with Horatio. Their conflicts were mostly silent, so subtle they flew over the children's heads, and spoken heatedly in the night once all the children had gone to bed. Grey however, now 9 years old, was accustomed to being invisible and not seen, and being the bright child he was noticed the family tension. He realized in these tender years that his parents were unhappy, but he still continued his chores, watched the children, and spoke of those secretive arguments between mother and father to no one. Two years later, when he was 11, the families seventh child, Horatio the second, was born. Horatio II quickly became the favorite of his father, who claimed they finally had a worthy heir. Horatio's sudden involvement in the family, compared to his failure to help out in the past, made his relationship with Maybelle even worse. The two now did not bother to hide the barbs in their words, while Grey dutifully took care of his siblings, and answered their wide eyed questions.
It was around this time, he realized he was unhappy as well. Like his mother, he felt over-taxed and incomplete. As his siblings grew along-side him, the more helpful of them tried their best to ease the burden of their elder brother's chores. Gifted with free time, he began to discover things about himself. He pursued an interest in swordplay, favoring two handed blades, and emphasizing defense over offense. He grew ever more distant from his family, and unsatisfied with his lot in life. Much of his time was still spent working, and his thoughts often turned inward, chasing dreams that seemed hopelessly far out of reach. In the skies of Chydyn, exotic and rare birds would fly trained, delivering messages to unknown destinations. He was both fascinated and envious of them, because he often felt like he wanted to just up and go somewhere far away.
When he was 16, his silent hopes were answered by a beast he had only glimpsed in recent years sailing through the canopy and a welcome ghost of his past. The tawny Altaph descended from the skies one otherwise unremarkable day, along with a childhood friend he had nearly forgotten, rider Sa'nia. After a decidedly awkward, but happy reunion the Tawny-pair offered him a choice. Remain here and continue his life as normal, or travel with her to stand before an egg at the mountain fortress known as the Eyrie. Not wanting to decide selfishly, he turned to his parents for their opinion, and was both surprised and touched to receive their blessing. Grey was practically a man now, so he should spread his wings and fly.
Grey agreed to become a candidate, and for the next several months that followed lived a peculiar if familiar life. Life as a candidate was very similar to working on a farm. He was expected to do chores, to be respectful, but also to attend lessons. The difference was that he was encouraged to be his own person, and was finally allowed to pursue his own interests. Still a loner, with one exception being his renewed friendship with Sa'nia, he worked eagerly, throwing himself into whatever task was given to him. The great simourv of which he was one day expected to ride fascinated him, and it was with no small wonder that he stood for the first hatching the Eyrie had ever known.
He observed the bonding of simourv to human with interest, noting with an accepting eye that the number of eggs was dwindling. Late into the hatching however, The Noble Giant, a large bluish purple egg with glaring pink stripes hatched, and from it was born an equally noble black simourv. This simourv paraded about the sands, before at last choosing Grey, now Gr'y. His name was Rixasileuph, and together he believed they would do great things.
Since that time, Gr'ys life has been a great deal better. Rixasileuph provided him with much needed support, and companionship, while also proving to be a reliable if somewhat uncontrollable voice for his own opinions. Their life for the next year and a half or so has been a happy one, if busy. As with other Winglets, lessons and chores take up a good deal of their time, but it is work they are willing to do and learn. His experience on his families farm lended easily to the care Rixasileuph required, and their daily task of herding and tending the Eyrie's sizable herds of livestock. It is a hard life, but good.
