QUICK STATSName: Vaiura, though they prefer to be called "Vai" most of the time.
Age: About twenty
Gender: Maha; they're fine with any pronouns except for "it," and tend to refer to themself with the same pronouns as the person they're interacting with (unless, as stated before, the pronouns are it/its/itself).
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Their mother is Yoreiqi; their father was Yoreiqi, too, but with Thanati blood as well
Height: Just about 5'10", or 177.8 cm.
Occupation: Trader/merchant of clothing and jewelry
Residence: Ainu, Yoreiq
IN-DEPTH STUFFPhysical Description: Of a slightly-below average height for most Yoreiqi, Vaiura seems like just about the average islander—with tawny, warm-toned, brown skin speckled with sporadic splays of freckles across their lean, well-toned body. Their wavy hair is quite long, and has seemingly never been cut, usually pulled into three braids that are then braided into one large braid that settles over their shoulder, decorated with clattering bones, shells, and feathers affixed to beads. Its hue is black, but with noticeable hazel undertones due to the frequency of sunlight, and is streaked with an intense cobalt color (though it gets a little lighter and less-pigmented at the tips). Their eyes are a brown so dark they look black, almost sucking in all the light around their irises, and are flanked by short lashes. Their nose is on the flatter side, but with a sharper angle to its downturned point, and they possess full lips, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline. They have broad hips and powerful thighs, along with a similarly-strong upper body and quick feet. While they aren't as bulky or burly as those that lift weights all day, they're certainly strongly-built from their work and upbringing.
One of their most prominent traits—besides the thin scar that slices up from their right cheek vertically through their thick brow—is a pair of wings that are almost pitifully small compared to some others'. They're rather cute, made up of vibrant blues and teals and greens and yellows, but are practically useless for flight purposes, mostly keeping them off-kilter when standing still due to their strange placement and ruffling (and the wind tends to catch on them and slow them down when running, as they're too small for flight but just big enough to be a nuisance). Such wings are peculiarly-placed: rather than between the shoulderblades as one might expect, they're painfully and crookedly affixed to their lower back, with their right wing slightly higher than their left. Moving such wings usually causes at least a sharp ache, though they do their best to push through the pain. On the bright side, they can groom their wings with at least moderate efficacy; on the other hand, they're sort of forced to sleep on their stomach and sometimes have to take long breaks when moving around a lot.
Vai's tattoos are their favorite part about themself, with sharp angles tracing over their cheekbones and brow, canting down the sides of their nose before splaying to the side a bit to emphasize the lines of their face when they grin. The nape of their neck holds further tattoos, arcing down like lightning across the rest of their body, keeping their jagged forms in the upper parts of their body and petering out into softer, more flowing designs by the time they've reached their hips. Some symbols are especially placed close to their wings in hopes that they would ease their pain.
In terms of clothing, Vai keeps their chest tightly wrapped in colorful cloth most of the time except for strenuous physical activity, bathing, and sleep (not necessarily because they find their chest inappropriate; they simply prefer the flatter look), preferring yellow, orange, or blue cloth. Loose, comfortable-yet-fashionable sarongs make up most of their lower body's coverage, and since they tend to make their own clothing, they're flattering to their figure and have the patterns that please them best. Like many, they go barefoot, but their ankles, neck, and arms are adorned with handmade jewelry of their own.
Vai normally carries a small knife at their hip for both utility and the rare self-defense purposes, as well as a small pouch with various types of money that they've collected over the years in case they need to deal with a foreigner that does use money.
Personality: Vai might seem a bit aloof compared to most other Yoreiqi—though they certainly try their best to be welcoming and would hate to seem unfriendly, they're just kinda... awkward at times. Unless they're hawking their wares to other Yoreiqi or chasing away animals from their belongings, they're not very good with their words and oftentimes stutter and backtrack on their sentences. They're especially bad with foreigners—while Vai finds them interesting and certainly won't turn any outsider away from buying their things, they're at a loss with how to communicate with them. What do they have in common? What would a foreigner be interested in? Is their accent too thick for them to understand? All these factors make them very nervous with outsiders, and causes them to come off as meek or even standoffish if they're particularly confused. They're certainly an introvert.
When with people they know, however, they open up a little more. Around other Yoreiqi, they're a bit more sure of their language and customs, so genuine smiles will pop up more. They look people in the eyes more often, maybe make themselves a tad louder. When around people they know especially well, they'll truly open up—but those are few and far between, as they'll normally skitter around a lot and fumble with their busy schedule. Whatever the case, Vai tries their best to provide for others, and will step in firmly (albeit anxiously in the head) for others if they need help or protection. Kind, caring, and somewhat charming with their clumsy communication skills, Vai could be called a friend so long as you were persistent.
Magic/Abilities:
- Vai has little to no magical aptitude; perhaps there's a spark within them somewhere deep, but without training or practice in it, it'll eventually fizzle out.
- In combat, Vai knows various techniques and basic self-defense, but is far from the best warrior on the field. They can kill prone animals, but alert ones? Maybe ask someone else. They'd have the will, probably, but not the strength.
- Though not well-versed in combat, they are a very proficient dancer! They move very well to both music and to whatever mood they're in, mixing fluidity with strong, succinct movements. However, they may have to take some breaks in between due to the intense pain that may flare up in their wings and back.
- They're an exceptionally good clothes- and jewelry-maker, since it's their job and all that. Their proficiency with weaving sometimes extends to things like tapestries, but those are few and far between.
Relationships:
- Kawehi: Their mother. They're still very close with her, and she frequently helps them out with chores, errands, and their business, as she had them at quite a young age and is still strong enough to do most things. She hunts, though, when her child doesn't need help. They both love each other very much.
- Kekoa: Their main father figure, who helped Kawehi out the most in raising Vaiura when they were young. While Vai never knew their biological father (apparently, he left the islands before they were born—whether he left of his own volition or he was exiled, they don't really know), Kekoa is probably the best dad that they could ask for. Of course, they appreciate everyone else in their village for helping to bring them up the best they could... but Kekoa was the one that brought them fishing and taught them how to make jewelry from what shells they found. Loves him to bits.
- Kaleo: An old childhood friend who's probably exploring the world right now. Though he comes back every once in a while to visit home, get supply refills, and maybe boast a little bit if he's feeling like it, Vai doesn't see him around that often anymore. They could really use his help with communicating with foreigners, since his Common is so much better than theirs (or so they say every time he comes for visits), but they're content with letting him run around the world and bringing back souvenirs. They still care deeply for each other.
History:On all accounts, Vaiura had a good childhood—they were well-fed with solid meals and delicious treats, they were well-read from what their village tried their best to teach them, they were well-sculpted from lots of dancing and running around, they were well-tempered by their mother's patience and kindness. Despite all these blessings, they were left with one, lingering, malicious curse: their wings.
Such appendages were supposed to be light nuisances at worst, perhaps a bit hard to clean up or wriggle through foliage with, but Vai's wings plagued their life like a thick miasma clinging to their skin. They ached as they grew along with them, sent shockwaves of pain every time they tried to spread them full, and would creak and whine horribly whenever shamans and healers and well-intentioned others would inspect them. They made it horribly hard to dance, which Vai loved so much, and would leave them feeling miserable on the best of days and completely bedridden on the worst. Though they knew most everyone would help them and be accepting of their condition, they couldn't help but shake the feeling that they were
useless. A flightless bird without even talons to defend themself—how much more pitiful could they be?
Knowing they couldn't pursue their dream of dancing for entertainment as a career, they switched to something a bit more realistic for them that could still help provide for the people they cared about. They push forward, and have learned to mask their pain as much as they can, as persistent and permeable as it is. Despite their physical hardships, they hope to live a full life that can help others as much as they can—it's the least they can do to repay the kindness that they've been shown.
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