QUICK STATS

Name: Hui Chouyan, or Ember—a facename for her crimes, with an added perk of being easier to pronounce for most Le'raanians that speak of or to her.
Age: She looks to be in her early twenties, possibly 20 or 21.
Gender: Female, with she/her pronouns
Species: Part human (ish), part red phoenix
Ethnicity: On her human side, she has blood from Huohu. As for her phoenix side... she's super unsure.
Height: 5'6", or 167.64 cm.
Occupation: Pirate
Residence: Her ship, the Black Torch, is where she mostly stays, but will take some rest in the occasional inn across her travels when restocking.

IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description: Ember's physique, though not exactly the tallest nor the most bulky, is nothing to balk at. She's fit, lithe, and flexible, with strong limbs that have no problem with going toe-to-toe with enemies in deadly dances of blades and a firm core that would be a boon in the water if she actually swam. Her skin is naturally a warm tan tone, further browned by the constant sun she sails beneath, seeming to never burn; her hair is just a touch wavy from the sea spray and exceptionally long, reaching her hips, the color seemingly a deep black on the outside—where the sun strikes—and a dark red on the underside of each strand. Her Huohu-ren heritage shows in the angular slant to her eyes, the two white dots on either side of her nose bridge, the slitted nature of her pupils, her pointed ears, and the very thin skin above her heart that shows the bright, glowing colors inside when she's particularly emotional. Her irises are completely heterochromatic—her right one, a bold orange-yellow, a thin lining of pale yellow surrounding her pupil and the edges of red at the outside of her iris, the colors seeming to dull when she's sad but intensify when she's angry or happy; the other, a dark, somber black, her pupil lined with a faint touch of dusty gray, like volcanic ash. Her features are sharp, her jaw defined and her shoulders steady, though her flatter nose gives a sort of gentleness to her otherwise knifelike smile.

She enjoys wearing brightly-colored, intricately-detailed clothing, commonly poet shirts or other kinds of lace-up tunics tucked into practical pants and a pair of sturdy but fashionable boots, a sleek pair of gloves and a waist sash sealing the whole outfit together. When physically active, she tends to tie or braid her hair back so that it doesn't get in her way, rolling up her sleeves and tossing off her large, tricorn hat as needed. The hat in question is black on the outside and red on the inside, just like her hair, with gold trim and a similarly-colored hatband on top with a bright orange-yellow feather stuck to it, seeming to glow and steam when wet. She has long coats that she puts to use when it gets too cold for her liking, but doesn't often have to wear them. She has a fondness for jewelry, especially if the clothes she's wearing are rather plain, usually seen with many piercings in her ears and dangling from her lobes, a gold ring piercing her bottom lip, a few necklaces tucked in or left on the outside of her shirt depending on what statement she wants to make, many rings adorning her nimble fingers, and the occasional bracelet or bangle. A multitude of scars and sporadic, dark freckles speck her body, with one particular beauty mark dotting her left cheek.

Ember's waist sash often covers her much less fashionable-looking belt, with many pouches, pockets, and holsters attached to it. Normally, she'll have two broadswords at her belt, one on each side, as well as a dirk to her right and a rudimentary pistol to her left. A small pouch of bullets, some money, and a handheld compass tend to take up the rest of the space.

Personality: Lively, bold, and just a little bit crass (or a lot crass, if she has one too many drinks), Ember is just about what most expect from a swashbuckling, adventurous pirate. A curious spirit at heart, her natural affinity for strong emotion and love for social interactions makes her an avid learner of just about anything, so long as it's presented in an exciting or passionate way. Her usual lightheartedness doesn't mean that she doesn't have her dark days, however, and has a temper that matches her fiery disposition when things go especially badly or the right (wrong?) buttons are pushed. Additionally, despite what some may think of someone who enjoys roughhousing and drinking until she goes blind, she indeed has the capacity for seriousness when the situation calls for it, and will show off her incredible command of her crew and her skill in battle to win the day if need be. All in all, she's a firecracker, that one, and lets every emotion flow through her fully, but is just as competent and intelligent as anyone else in dire times.

Magic/Abilities:

• Ember can manipulate fire and, to an extent, heat (mostly at will, though she's accidentally singed her bedsheets once after jolting awake from a terrible nightmare, and the air noticeably heats up around her when she's struck by especially strong emotion, with her hair sometimes smoking and eventually catching fire at the ends). This is usually limited to lighting torches, braziers, and really big candles, since she doesn't have a super-fine control of this power, but she's used it on more than one occasion to scare off a thug and blast someone right in the face during combat. It takes a lot out of her to use it frequently, though, almost as if the fire comes from her own energy. That being said, she's impervious to any fires she sets herself, but can still be harmed by fire that comes from, say, a flint and steel, though it does take a lot longer for fire and high temperatures to hurt her than many others.

• As a captain of her own ship and crew, she's obviously quite an adept leader, and can command a group of people with much skill. Of course, it's much easier with a group that she knows well, though.

• Ember is a fighter, that's for certain. She knows how to use every weapon on her belt with at least moderately competent skill (with her pistol being the one that "weighs everything else down," or so she says. It's fast, it's powerful, and it's cool, but she needs more practice with it than her blades). She's a menace with something sharp in her hands, and prefers to dual-wield, with some combination of sword(s), dirk, and fiery hand usually coming into play when she can. She's not too shabby bare-handed, either, and has fun sparring and horsing around with her crewmates

• She's a pirate and knows the pirate life for sure. She knows her way around a ship, whether it's tying a good sailor's knot, keeping her feet steady on a rocking boat, or looking over each decision of the navigator. She didn't become a captain just because she had a strong voice, after all—she works hard at everything she does, and believes that if she doesn't know at least basic knowledge of each job on the ship, she's not fit to lead

• She might not know everything, but she does have a rudimentary knowledge of alchemy, and keeps a good alchemist on deck to brush up on her skills every so often. She generally knows what things go boom when in contact with fire or water or air, and seeks to continue her education in this vein for the foreseeable future.

Relationships:

• Marlon Kenway: Her second-in-command. Born out of wedlock to a clever Serenian mother and a rebellious Connlaothian father, Kenway inherited both the quiet genius and fine-cut good looks of his mother and the strong-backed stubbornness and adventurous spirit of his father, growing up as an orphan that hid in wagons and slept in trees to have the chance to explore Le'raana. Eventually being picked up by a mysterious female pirate who raised him to be a captain of his own when he came of age, his love for the seas and exploration never died, even when he set aside his expectations for being captain to be second-in-command for someone that he truly thought deserved to lead. He's usually addressed by his surname and rarely gives out his given name, but Ember is one of the few that calls him "Marlon" or "Mar"... in private, of course, lest the rest of the crew tease him for seemingly having the name of a fish. He's about 6'0", taller than most Connlaothians, with a neatly slim but athletic build that holds strength well, his skin naturally fair but taking on a sunkissed tan (with some burns, when he's not careful) due to his life at sea. He has bold purple-indigo eyes and wavy hair that reaches his shoulders, normally tied up in a haphazard bun with many free-hanging strands, the color light and silvery with the faintest touch of lilac in the right lighting. He has a thin, dark scar that slices diagonally down his face, starting at his hairline and scraping off his jaw in a path of jagged, rough skin

• Pan Jinhai: A Gushui-ren with somewhat of a stick up his ass, but nevertheless an invaluable part of the crew as the on-ship alchemist. Paid handsomely, fed well, and exposed to many different places, people, and things along the Black Torch's travels, he has little to complain about (though he still nitpicks incessantly, as he'll settle for nothing less than total perfection—there could always be a more efficient way to divine how the winds will be for the next week, a better method to preserving food for storage). Will ignore anyone who does not refer to him with his full name, save for Kenway and Ember, as they're his superiors and have proven stronger than him. He teaches Ember some small bits of alchemy; though he will squeeze in the occasional teasing comment about how she doesn't know certain concepts, he appreciates her efforts and respects her leadership. Of course, he'll never teach her enough to be free to release him from her service, though—a man needs to eat. He's one inch shorter than Ember, which mildly irritates him, but his strong, sturdy build, scar-marred cool-toned tan skin, and sharply intelligent gray-blue eyes make him an intimidating figure nonetheless. His straight, pitch black hair only reaches his chin and is usually tied in a short, functional ponytail with two sidelocks in the front, marking him as a convicted, "recovering" criminal of the Shijie Empire. He refuses to disclose what his crime was, and Ember doesn't force him to—she has better things to do than piss off the man who could blow up her ship with the right combination of chemicals.

• Enara and Sibyl Pryce: The Black Torch's dual alarm system and fact-checking machine. A pair of Adelan twin sisters that, upon attending a magic school in Serendipity to try and bolster their powers and return home to help their community, found that they were trapped in debt with few ways out. Naturally, rather than being stuck as labor mules for a nation they held no love for, they ran off to gain riches through piracy to pay off their student loans instead. After getting enough money to pay off their debts, though, they found that they both fell in love with the pirate's way of life and truly enjoyed sailing the seas with people they considered friends, and continued to sail on with Ember under a new contract. Enara is an adept beastspeaker, whereas Sibyl is skilled at divination. Both are about 5'11" (though Enara slouches often and could potentially be taller than her sister), with olive-undertoned, light-medium brown skin dotted with many freckles and long dark hair that reaches their mid-backs. Enara's eyes are large and somewhat sad-looking, colored a soft, doe-like brown, while Sibyl's eyes are usually half-lidded and mysterious, its hue a bright amber, almost gold in its sheen. Enara's physique leans to the slender side, but is clearly agile, strong, and quick, contrasting her sister's svelte yet pronounced curves, with little muscle definition. Enara's wavy hair is usually tied back in a ponytail, but Sibyl lets her loose curls run free.

History:

It would be deceptively simple to say that Ember simply has no history. She woke up one day without memories in a place she did not know with a man she had no recollection of sitting outside of the room of the inn, and that's as far back as she knows. Everything else was filled in for her—she was a pirate, and a captain to boot, with a crewless ship but many riches to her name. She had a second-in-command who stood by her through the accident that induced her amnesia, she had a strange muscle memory for how to handle a sword, and she could stick her hand in boiling water without flinching, but who was she? Where had she been? Who did she know, and where did she come from?

As she gathered her new crew and restocked her docked ship, she found that, while she apparently knew Kenway since he was a young boy, there were still parts of her that she didn't tell him while she still had her memories, entire facets of her past and her self that may never be recovered again, because if the person that seemed to know her best didn't know it, then who else would? Certainly not herself.

Despite that, she hoisted herself up by the bootstraps to explore the world, ruin the lives of people she disliked, gain riches, and seek out any bits and pieces of her past that she could get—a quest that she's still on, even through toil, trouble, and fire.

THREAD TRACKER

Current Threads: Birthstone

Complete Threads:

Vai—like any other morning—had set up shop early in anticipation for the day. Before the sun had even risen, they had started bringing today's stock to the disassembled parts of their little stand. They set it up every day in the same spot, marked with a wood stake with a string of blue-yellow feathers draped over it that they would replace every few days after closing their stall. It wasn't totally permanent, nor was it as gaudy as some of the merchants that would come in decorated head to toe with some of the most bodacious and ostentatious articles of clothing and accessories that they'd ever seen, capitalizing on their apparent exoticism to appeal to foreigners. They could respect the fact that this brought in more resources for their villages, but Vai couldn't help but cringe just a bit at how eager some would be to buy a simple stone mortar and pestle just because someone said it was authentic. Gullible foreigners and their islanding daydreams, they supposed.

They put their stand up in place, settling their short stool behind a modest stand made of wood and palm to shade them from the sun, as well as a small table-like area to display their wares. They laid out some of their newest sarongs and wraps, waistcloths and loincloths, colorfully-dyed barkcloth for one's own creations and grass skirts that made satisfying swishing sounds whenever they moved them. On hooks they hung necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and armlets decorated with beads they bought after meticulously inspecting each of them, and with feathers, shells, and bones that they examined with the same intensity. What would matter if they didn't go presenting their best everyday, right? If they were going to do something, they were going to do it well.

The day passed by sluggishly—not much business today, it seemed. Vai spent most of their time sitting and waiting while stringing shells and beads onto new pieces of jewelry, setting aside a few of the most colorful ones to give to some of the children in their village. There was a fleet of ships approaching in the horizon and a small group of locals coming down by the side, though—their idleness might not be kept for long. They eyed the ships first, shifting nervously in their seat, jagged wings twitching with uncertainty (which sent a pinprick of pain up their spine), before looking to the locals, then back to the ships before keeping their eyes resolutely down on their hands and what they were doing. Whatever might come would roll over and pass like a wave. Only temporary, only temporary.

QUICK STATS

Name: 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 STUFF

Physical 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.

THREAD TRACKER

Current Threads: Painted Beads and Threaded Feathers [Open]

Complete Threads:

What are your favorite kinds of plots and relationships to play?
     This is sort of strange to say in the fact that I enjoy any plot where there's character building—therefore, really any relationship makes me happy so long as the RP is engaging, characters aren't just slamming against each other and nothing else, and there's development in thought and/or personality. That's why combat RPs usually aren't that engaging to me: a lot of the time, at least in my experience, there isn't a lot of development being had besides the development of bruises and cuts. Honestly, it'd be more simple to just say I love every plot and relationship so long as it's not hacking and slashing and only hacking and slashing without room for thought.

     To be more specific, though... I love tension. Enemies/rivals to friends/lovers is so very delicious to me, and I've found that I thrive when writing familial relationships, particularly those between siblings. Maybe it's because I've got a sibling, myself, but I just find it very easy and fun to write. I'm also fond of the "I hate everyone else except for you" trope, which is probably very bad to apply in real life but is very interesting to read IRP. Whatever the case, though, so long as all parties are having fun and characters are being played passionately, I'll probably enjoy it greatly.

What are your least favorite kinds of plots and relationships to play?
     I sort of answered this before (which is why I should really read all these before answering them, but... well, I don't really have an excuse besides I'm tired), but I can't get super invested in combat-only RPs, or where there isn't room for character development or strong thought/dialogue. Most of my RP experiences consist of one-on-one character interactions where there's a clear purpose, or at least reason why they're in the same place. However, this sort of thing is usually suited to characters and players who already know each other fairly well, so just being a fairly good improvisor or thorough planner usually does the trick!

What are your favorite character types to play?
     Though I try my best to make a wide spread of character types, I tend to gravitate towards writing for those with strong conflict in their lives (it's just more interesting and easier to write, you know?). Sure, I could write a mentally stable, totally a-ok person with little to no inner turmoil, but having a concrete goal or intense mindset makes it simpler to etch out.

Are you a planner or a pantser? Do you prefer to pre-plan and stick to a script when posting, or do you prefer to surprise and be surprised?
     I suppose I'll plan out an initial starter for purpose, but I'll usually see/discuss with where my partner wants to go with things and then try my best to go with that. The reason why I RP is to see other perspectives and be met with characters that I don't control or have written down beforehand. Things like quick lore tends to be made up on the spot, and I find that really fun! However, big surprises are a bit more iffy for me—should a big surprise come up without warning, I'll be fine with it, usually, but I'd prefer for moderate to large surprises to be discussed beforehand, or at least foreshadowed. I tend to do the same for my RP partners unless they clarify otherwise, especially if the surprise alters their character or is related to sensitive topics.

How do you feel about group threads?
     I've done group RPs before, and they can be really fun, but I tend to be drained by them rather quickly—answering more then three other people at a time... wow. It ends up making a big clunker of a response that I type up, which usually includes character thoughts and actions that I cut to make it easier to read, then leaving out parts that I like to write or parts that might be interesting to read. Overall, I can manage a group thread, but I tend to prefer smaller groups or one-on-one pairings. That's not saying that I won't do them, obviously, but I definitely don't do them as often as small groups/one-on-ones.

How often can you reply to any given thread? How long should a partner wait before nudging you for a post?
     For people that I don't know well, or for people that are fast repliers, I try to get my replies out quickly—within the first few minutes after reading it, usually, or at least within the next few hours, if possible. Sometimes, I'm completely burned out and tend to wait for a while before trying again. Other times, if someone is a very slow replier or if I know this person well, then I'll leave them waiting for a few days, up until I can gather up the energy to reply or they remind me that they're waiting for a response. Honestly, having a partner clarify just how long they are willing to wait is very helpful.

     As for the last question: they can choose to nudge me as often as they'd like, especially if I haven't replied within a few days, but, chances are, if I don't know you that well, you're a quick replier, and I haven't replied within the half hour, I'll get to it within the day. Generally, though, use your own judgement and your own preferences. I don't mind nudges so long as they're not happening every two seconds.

What is the longest you're willing to wait for a reply to a thread?
     I'm willing to wait for basically forever, honestly. If you start out quick but don't reply for over a few weeks, though, chances are, I'll ask if you're still interested. I try my best to be patient and aware of real-life stuff, including energy and motivation. Writing can be hard!

How do you feel about instant messenger RP?
     It's sort of intimidating! I'm also not super sure of the definition of instant messaging anymore! I can RP very comfortably in Discord servers, but not quite Discord DMs; I've RPed over ShamChat in the past, but that was when I used one-liners, which I've eradicated from my roleplay style; I've also RPed over text message, but they were far smaller and lower quality than others. Overall: forums and Discord servers suit me just fine, and I'm comfortable with them, as well as other places that are similar to them. I won't refuse an RP just because it's over an instant messenger, though.

How do you feel about post volleying/rapidfire RP?
     Scary! But I can definitely do them, provided I have a stretch of free time and a lot of energy. These times are certainly rare, however, and if you're expecting a rapidfire RP, then please let me know—I might decline, depending on how much time I have on my hands and how much motivation and energy I have. I don't like one-liners or extremely low-detail posts, though, so any rapidfire RPs are preferably not those.

What's your preferred posting style? Long posts? Short posts? Anything and everything?
     I try to match the post size of my partner, but there are times where I accidentally post a lot in comparison to a small reply or post disappointingly little in response to a large post. Posts that are a few paragraphs long are nicely in the middle, and I like them; posts that are super, super long may take longer to reply to, though, and I will probably not like one-liners or extremely small posts.

Any RP styles/habits that you love?
     Please use as much detail as possible! If not, I might ask a lot of questions that you might roll your eyes at, because I tend to be overly worried about whether or not my RP partner is okay with x or y thing, or if I'm imagining what they're describing correctly. I also love descriptions of body language and actions, as well as intonation (I suppose that falls into "as much detail as possible") and overall passion in writing. Doing research (light, medium, heavy, however you'd like) or just putting common sense into a certain occupation, demographic, accent, etc. and then applying it into RP always makes me a little giddy; quadruple backflips off of an icicle while on fire is super cool, but acknowledging the constraints of leather pants while doing such an act is equally as cool. Having fun and maybe being a bit flowery sometimes is just my jam!

Any RP styles/habits that you avoid?
     One-liners and very small replies (like short sentences consisting solely of "Jack walked to the bar. He ordered a beer. He smiled at the bartender and said, 'How are you?'" and nothing else) are definitely not for me. Frequent misspellings (you can certainly make spelling mistakes, but using "weary" instead of "wary" every time will start to grate on me, sorry) or a total lack of punctuation also tend to peeve me.

     In particular, this style of RP does not suit me at all:

     *puts on hat* This hat is really nice!

     Using asterisks to indicate vague movement and zero quotation marks... nope, sorry, not for me.


What are you limits regarding powerplay/godmoding?
     So long as your character isn't absolutely hitting my character every single time on the dot, I'm usually okay with it! Also, please ask me or let me know before seriously injuring/killing my character. Besides that, though, I'm mostly okay with anything. Just beware of what my character might do in response!

What are your limits in regards to romantic situations?
(What are you comfortable with and not comfortable with? Do you prefer to pre-plot relationships or let them happen organically? Are you open to IC-rejection or love-triangles? Age differences? Etc.)
     I'm okay with anything so long as it's between individuals of ethically sound age, mindset, etc. If they aren't of ethically sound age, mindset, etc. then I won't see it as a true "romance;" instead, it's dangerous conflict. What my character might see, though, could be different—just know that, in the end, it will not be seen in a positive light by me, at least.

     I'm fine with pre-plotting and organic romances both, but if you attempt an organic romance, there's a definite chance of IC-rejection, or IC-"I'm not ready yet!" Regarding pre-plotted relationships: sometimes the sparks just don't fly, and that's okay! They don't have to be romantic, and I'll let you know if I don't feel like they're right together, or if there's anything we can work on as RPers to make it work.

     Anything else to me is fine; if you think what you propose or what you want to try might stretch my boundaries, then don't hesitate to just talk to me!

What are your limits with regards to graphic content such as sex, violence, drug use, sexual assault, etc? What is your comfort level?
     While I'm fine with literally anything, do keep in mind that I am a minor. Engaging in a mature thread would be against site rules for me, I believe—once I hit eighteen (and if I'm still around in SotE), I'll expand upon this more, but for now: all sexual scenes are fade-to-black, at least. Regarding violence, drug use, abuse, etc., so long as they're modified to align with site rules regarding RPing with minors (I assume they need to be very much non-explicit or at least not super-super graphic?), I'm okay with it.

What are your limits in regards to pregnancy within plots?
     I'm fine with all things regarding pregnancy, provided (again) they don't violate rules regarding mature themes and under-eighteen writers.

What about healing?
     While I don't usually personally have my own characters pursue magical healing such as wiping away scars or making a blind person sighted, I don't have objections to it for the RPs I'm in, provided my RP partners ask me/let me know beforehand if they try to "heal" my own character(s).

What about characters being transformed against their will?
     Just ask!

Anything else?
     If you're iffy on anything: just ask!

     If you're curious: just ask!

     Should there be anything at all that isn't clear here: just! Ask! I won't bite!

This box is endless... and also only holds three characters for the moment, but more will come. Probably. Maybe. Regardless, this box will never be full!

Do you like tall, lanky dudes that never show their face? Do you like someone with a pretty voice, even if they don't or can't use it? Are you interested in whips, by any chance? If you answered "yes" to any of these, then you might like K'ae—he's a little shy, but he'll warm up to you eventually.

Notes on K'ae:

• Panromantic pansexual. Go get him, tigers. Beware of his long-broken heart, though, and general obliviousness.

• If you want to have a bit of knowledge as to what his race (which I made myself) is, you can check his character sheet, which leads to a link to a Google Doc on them that I created. It's definitely not mandatory, though, and isn't unusual if your character has never heard of them before, or think he's an elf or something—Ehaegi were totally wiped out a bit ago, with almost every bit of their history erased from the face of the earth, and were mistaken for elves or fae long before that, anyway.

• May be a bit hostile to weird strangers. I dunno. He's like a wild animal right now.

Are you interested in winged, non-binary people that tend to stumble over their words and get flustered with foreigners at a rate that's honestly very inconveniencing? How about people that can dance like none other but constantly battle with chronic pain while doing it? Do you like someone skilled in weaving, perchance? If you answered "yes" to any of these, then you might like Vai. They're wildly entertaining, whether or not you're Yoreiqi.

Notes on Vai:

• Romantic & sexual orientation is currently a big swirl of "what the heck" for them right now, but they're probably open to any and all genders, and they've got a markedly low libido yet are quite gullible in the romance field.

• They have two sides when dealing with strangers: if you're Yoreiqi, then you're fine, and they'll be pretty regular with you. If you're foreign, though, they might stammer a lot more and stare and ask shaky questions in thickly-accented Common.

What are your thoughts on fiery (literally) half-phoenix, half-Huohu-ren pirates with cool hair, bold dispositions, and rambunctious crews? If your thoughts are mostly positive, despite possible amnesia and hotheadedness, then meet Ember! She might not totally know who she is, but she'll be happy to meet you. Probably. Just don't be too frivolous with her treasure or too rude to her people.

Notes on Ember:

• She's never really thought of her romantic or sexual orientation very much, but gender generally doesn't matter to her. So long as you're an adult, you're competent, and you make her laugh, you're good in her book!

• Getting close to her might be a little tricky, what with her very protective second-in-command Kenway. She's open to hugs, but he might intercept them before you can make it into her arms. It's not out of romantic love, but it's certainly touched with a great devotion and respect to her person.

...And that's it for now! Thanks for checking my box!

Hi there! You can call me Kay, I'm a minor, and I go by any pronouns. I just posted my first character in the Wanderers category, and along the way, I stumbled upon some pretty cool characters, and I honestly feel very lucky that this site seems so full of incredible writers. I couldn't come up with this stuff if I were locked in a room and forced to think up a good story with my life on the line!

Anyways, many apologies in advance—since I'm a big ol' newbie, I'll probably make a lot of mistakes. Don't hesitate to correct me on things, though! I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to RP on this site quite a lot!

QUICK STATS

Name: Xihi lahat K'aerrh (matronymic first), but everyone mispronounces it, so you could probably call him "Bob McJorgensen" and he'd be all exasperated and say, "Yes, that's me, Bob McJorgensen." Some called him K'ae.
Age: 106 summers, but he looks around 23
Gender: Male (he/him, but he doesn't really care if other pronouns are used)
Species: Ehaegi (a crude homemade species of mine that I will mold to fit into this universe and rules)
Ethnicity: Ehae-lun Ehaegi
Height: ~6'4", or 193.04 cm
Occupation: Blade-for-hire, whether it be for bodyguarding, item retrieval, mercenarism, or whatever. So long as there's money, he'll probably take the job.
Residence: Wanderer; he doesn't tend to stay in the same spot for long. However, he used to live with his little Ehaegi group in the outreaches of Ravensway where they tried to live without the hands of authority wringing their necks.

IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description: K'ae is a tall, lanky-looking dude, but with a considerable amount of dry, sculpted muscles tacked onto his form. While he's 6'4" and has the build of an acrobat or gymnast (albeit a little bit softer-looking underneath his many layers of clothing), and can seem very intimidating, he weighs suspiciously little for a man of his size—only about 120 lb.

He has light skin with warm undertones, indicative of distant seh-solae ancestry, as well as a small button nose and sharp, monolidded eyes with long lashes. His irises are normally a deep, dark blue, like the night sky, but glow a bright neon blue once the environment turns dark. His pupils are thin slits that dilate as needed, and are normally black until it gets dark, in which they turn a fluorescent yellow, pale and bright as the moon. He has tousled, straight black hair that is always noticeably uneven but kept short (upper-mid neck, with parts of his choppy hair flopping over his mask and covering the tops of his slightly pointed ears). His expression is usually very stoic, if a little bit curious or biting at times, but his face rarely betrays what he thinks (he's really not thinking about killing someone... honestly, he's probably thinking about dinner).

He has a variety of tattoos and scars, most tattoos appearing on him at birth and many scars as a result of ritualistic scarring. Despite all these interesting features, they are rarely seen—like almost every Ehaegi who grew up within that culture, K'ae wears a mask at all times unless alone or with solely people that he trusts deeply. Such a mask is blank, a signature of the Qel-Aehran, or warrior-class Ehaegi assassins, with deep grooves and thin cracks patched up with still-growing moss. Most times, you can only see the lights of his eyes spilling through in the dark or little peeks of his jaw and cheeks when he slightly lifts it to eat.

As for clothing, K'ae oftentimes wears dark colors, with a nin-aihra (single-piece Ehaegan undergarment) that stretches from his upper neck to the very ends of his wrists and ankles underneath a black tunic, stiff black militaristic-style jacket with five silver stars pinned to the high collar that covers his throat and stops at his hips, and a deep, dark, thick cloak that he discards for hot weather. His pants are also stiff and black, while his riding boots are a dark, dusty gray. He wears tight-fitted leather gloves on each hand and carries one hatchet at each side, along with a hunting knife buckled to his right hip, a tightly-coiled whip at his left, and small, miscellaneous blades strapped to many other places on his body (because you can never be too prepared!).

Personality: K'ae prefers to stay silent, watching rather than speaking, but he also believes that actions speak louder than words—if there's a scuffle, there's a fifty-fifty chance of him either watching from afar or quickly jumping in to break it up without a word. That isn't to say that he's mute, though; he can speak, but prefers to communicate through nonverbal means, instead—his voice is very... special, after all. K'ae is usually stoic and nonreactive, but he usually isn't all that mean unless he loses his temper, in which hell freezes over. Comes off as mysterious and brooding and very intimidating (have you ever heard his laugh? My gods...), but is actually an oblivious dork who tries to help innocent people (though his methods may not be tasteful to all). With a heart still broken by a past love, he is hesitant to get close to others, but his heart is strong despite the fractures.

Magic/Abilities:

   
• As expected of an Ihae boy like him, K'ae was raised as an assassin from a young age and has exceptional combat prowess (primarily close-range, but he is still a cut above the rest regarding mid- and long-range combat). A prodigy even amongst his highly skilled peers, K'ae is most proficient with the double-hatchets, the whip, the knife, the hooked swords, and the weighted chain, but has been taught to reliably use the environment and any resources to his advantage.

   
• As an Ehaegi, he has exceptional long-range eyesight and nightvision.

   
• Since Ehaegi are descended from the fae, if K'ae tries hard enough, he can weave very basic illusions, but it heavily drains him. Conscious magic was never his strong suit. Oof, he got whipped a lot for that.

   
• K'ae thrives in the night—that is to say, he can draw power from the moon. Depending on its stage, his strength, speed, and overall power is increased—the fuller the moon is, the more power he gets. It works the best if the moonlight can strike his skin, but if the moon is simply present, that works, too.
  
  However, during the new moon (or stages such as a thin waning crescent), he is left with little to no lunar assistance. If it's a very cloudy night or he's underground, his power from the moon also diminishes. Despite this, he's still a very capable fighter, but if you really need an advantage, lock him up deep underground during a new moon and you can be sure that he gets no help from the moon whatsoever.

   
• One of his marks of the wild, which is a nightingale's voice, could benefit him. His voice will sound extremely alluring to all—that is, his voice is universally beautiful. While not charged by magic, one will feel more inclined to listen closely to what he says, follow his instructions, and overall be swayed by his voice. Yes, this does affect those not attracted to men, because it's not on a basis of romantic or sexual attraction—it's somewhat like how everyone can agree that Whitney Houston was a fantastic singer. This power is boosted when he is very emotional, but he rarely shows his feelings, so this is quite the uncommon thing.
  
  Though this is a strong power, earplugs and/or a gag can easily negate this. Some other things that can stop him are a sore throat, getting sick/coughs/sneezes, choking him, using silencing magic, and more. Also, those with strong wills can resist him—it's a strong inclination to do something or listen closely, not an actual command or forcing of someone to do a certain task. Besides, he's very hesitant to use his voice because he feels as though it's immoral; one can go for years without hearing him speak. This ability strictly applies to his voice, too; sign language, writing, and body language are not affected by it.

   
• His second and final mark of the wild is a wolf's olfactory sense. Basically, he's got a really great sense of smell. Strong smells can easily overwhelm him, though.

Relationships:

   
• Hmilo lahat Beathas - his father. A healer of the Ihae caste. Very distant from him, because K'ae was primarily raised by his mentor (Xihi, whom he took a new name from) and his father was always off dealing with work. He didn't seem to have much love for his son, either. Likely deceased.
  

   
• Lluga lahal Khanai - his mother. A lower-grade magic user that entertained nobles. A little closer to him, but still distant, considering the fact that Xihi primarily raised him. Likely deceased.

   
• Maqo lahal Stina - his younger sister. A young lady who had just recently become an assassin specializing in poisons. Likely deceased.

   
• Khanai lahat Ulkh - his younger brother. A little boy too young to have his first mask. Likely deceased.

   
• Xihi - his mentor. Raised him like her own son (albeit very strictly) and trained him to be a fine-tuned killing machine. While she failed to properly raise him on many accounts, she did care for him, though she also accidentally preached too much about their "former glory" and now he's got a fair bit of lies ringing around his head.

History:

Born into the Ihae caste of the just-barely-clinging-onto-life Ehaegi society, Xihi lahat K'aerrh was born as Khanai lahat Orrkh before he took his new name during his coming-of-age ceremony. The little settlement he was born in was little more than a tiny group of homes, and he was sent to a slightly-larger settlement in the mountains that made the Serendipity-Connlaoth border so that he could learn more about the art of assassination, once an honorable occupation among his people. There, he was schooled in all what "proper Ehaegi" must know—mathematics, poisoncraft, magic, barehanded combat, weaponry, history, and even literature, among other things. Though he was far less than a star student in all of these subjects, he was definitely a prodigy regarding fighting and strategy, and quickly became a favorite of his group's mentor, Xihi.

Xihi, while certainly a good teacher, was prone to accidentally preaching about the "great golden days of our beautiful people." Lies, however unintentional, were pounded into K'ae's brain about his people's history.

"We were kings once, boy," she would say, bitterly wiping down her spear. "Kings and queens and gods among men. We bowed to none but those we knew as our own deities, bent the knee to only those deemed worthy of the kneel of an Ehaegi. You do not remember our gleaming cities, our bountiful wealth. You know none of it. Soon, those intruding bastards, those foreign devils who stole our land and stripped away our culture... they will feel the wrath of our blades once more. I swear it."

Of course, what Ehaegi history that was saved is likely heavily altered, and there are only a few alive that remember the "good old days," if they ever were true, and it's likely that the history of the Ehaegi will never be truly rediscovered. Despite this, K'ae ate this all up like buttered bread, becoming stronger and more determined to revive his people.

He came across many strange things after graduating from his assassin school, but none so strange as Ynai, an orphaned healer of Ehaegi descent who made his living in Serendipity, maskless and speaking in the common tongue. After a while, they fell in love...

But good things never last forever, do they? Ynai was a thief and con by heart, and once he'd gotten bored of K'ae, he stole everything that fit into his arms and skipped town.

Nowadays, K'ae takes up odd jobs relating to his best (and really only) talents, slowly trying to trace Ynai's path to take back his treasured things—well, treasured thing. Oh, and probably make friends, too, because while he's still very wary... well, it gets lonely out there, and K'ae hasn't met many truly kind people.

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