Post by Deryn on Jan 28, 2011 0:15:28 GMT -5
Candidate Application
Name: Pyreskel : Contraction: P’skel
Nickname: Py
Age: Eighteen Turns
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Rank: Redemption Weyrling (Green Weyrling)
Appearance:
A tall strapping young lad, Pyreskel stands at six food one, and yes, that will be his final height. He isn’t about to grow much more, although perhaps there will be an inch or two thrown in there for good measure at the last moment. That won’t be for a turn or two, if it happens at all, so for now he simply has to deal with the fact that’s he’s tall and not really tall. Not that Pyreskel is the type of person who cares how tall he is. He’d be slightly put out if he was five foot two, of course, but five foot ten would be all right, or really more than alright. Six foot one, in fact, is a bit much, and Pyreskel often walks with a slump when he can get away with it, reducing his height to around five foot nine, or five foot ten. Weighing anywhere from one sixty five to one seventy one, and he has muscle. He has a thinner frame, that is true, but he is not stick thin, and he is muscular and fit. He’s a working lad, and strong because of that, and no other reason. After all, a smallish family in a cothold wouldn’t have much problem feeding themselves, but a larger family, like Pyreskel’s, needs everyone to work, and to work hard. This means that while Pyreskel is strong and muscular, he’s not built or overly defined. Which is fine to him. Most of his siblings and relatives are built similarly, taller, but not hugely so, and strong. Stronger than most simple non-crafters and non-riders are anyways. Life is difficult on the outside.
Of course, Pyreskel has darker tanned skin. He works in the sun, and that has consequences. Part of those consequences are tan lines, which yes, he has. Not so much on his chest, because mostly he works without a shirt, but from his waist down to about mid-thigh to mid-calf, yes, it is possible to tell that he is tanned. His skin is normally an olive color anyway, so he tans easily without burning most of the time, but he had been known to get a painful burn every now and again. He’s especially prone to burn across his long shoulders and upper back, which are speckled with dark freckles because of a few times with really nasty burns. These are fetching, to say the least, although not really anything special. On the back of his hands, and around his wrists it is also possible to see a few freckles, but they are few and far between. Some people might expect to see more freckles on Pyreskel’s skin, especially on his arms and back, but there are only the few. Pyreskel does have long arms, however, to match his long legs, and a broad strong back. He tends to be rather clumsy with them, as though he still hasn’t gotten used to his body. Pyreskel will knock things over and fumble to catch them, almost never succeeding. He just simply isn’t aware of where his body is in space most of the time, and that can be dangerous. As he gets older, it will get a little bit better, but it will never go away completely.
A long face combines with Pyreskel’s family’s traditional high cheekbones to give him a sort of naturally jolly look, especially when he smiles, which is quite a lot. Or at least, used to be a lot. It’s up for debate whether he smiles much anymore, but he will try to, at least, and he looks adorable when he does. He will have smile lines when he is older, and the start of them can be seen now, as well as the smallest of dimples which form when his eyes become slits while dancing and laughing. Pyreskel is a person who really comes alive when he’s smiling and laughing, and so it is lucky that he is a very happy person. A strong jaw and rather high forehead all help to make Pyreskel look more masculine than perhaps those who know him think he should look. This isn’t a bad thing, mind. Pyreskel could stand to look masculine, because he doesn’t really act it. And he’s not super masculine in appearances either, but at least there, you can tell. A large nose dominates Pyreskel’s face, slightly crooked because of where he broke it as a young boy and it never set quite right. It certainly isn’t Pyreskel’s best feature, but it’s correct. His nose seems to fit in with the rest of his face well, filling it out and making his features a cohesive whole.
Yes, it is true that Pyreskel is attractive, in his own special way, but he is certainly not stunning, or dashingly handsome, or winsome. He’s someone you’d perhaps smile at in the street because he’s smiling at you and whom you wouldn’t really give a second thought. Not unattractive, so that he sticks in the mind, but not so attractive that he’s stunning. Sort of, average. And that’s fine by Pyreskel, because that’s how he likes it. Ears that are slightly larger than normal stick out slightly and he will be forever trying to hide them under his hair. Thick dark brows, which, surprisingly, don’t make Pyreskel look as though he was brooding, although that would probably be because he is the type of person who will forever be wishing to look brooding and mysterious, and will always fail miserably, are straight and dominating. You see them before you see his eyes, which are sunk just a tiny bit into his face, although this isn’t noticeable because he gets regular sleep and hardly ever gets circles under his eyes. Whenever he gets sick, which is also rare, his eyes will be the first tell-tale sign of his illness.
Fuller lips cover slightly crooked teeth. The only real problem with Pyreskel’s teeth are the fact that the front two are turned inward toward one another, and the others are turned away slightly. Not everyone can have perfect teeth, remember. Despite the fact that Pyreskel finds them rather embarrassing, he won’t be able to hide them when he smiles and his lips part. A rather pointy chin finishes up the physical aspects of Pyreskel’s face, which is usually covered in stubble, for that is something that Pyreskel needs to have time to do, and which he usually does not. Shaving happens on the fly, but, more usually, not at all. Usually, Pyreskel forgets that he has to shave and it takes someone reminding him for him to get around to doing it. And it’s not like it’s hard to miss. Pyreskel’s facial hair is as dark as the rest of his hair, which is a deep brown color. Nothing interesting, really, just a deep dusty brown. There’s no special sparkle to it, no deep hidden color. It’s just brown. Just like Pyreskel’s eyes. Pyreskel’s eyes are dark, just like his hair and skin, and covered by lashes, which are indeed quite feminine. It’s a good thing, perhaps, that Pyreskel forgets to shave, because if you were to just look at his eyes you would swear he was female.
As for the rest of Pyreskel’s body, he has a thick neck that’s just a little bit too long, and has a rather pronounced Adams apple. Coupled with a striking collarbone and rather bony shoulders and elbows, Pyreskel is not a comfortable person to lie on. Despite his muscle, he is still rather pointy. His hands are large, with long fingers and bony knuckles. Pyreskel has large feet too, which he is almost always tripping over, and over pronounced knees, although sometimes you can’t see those. His legs do have muscle on them, don’t be fooled, it’s just that his bones tend to show through the muscle, and muscle is rarely ever actually on the knee. Strangely, Pyreskel actually looks well put together, although he has this sort of loose floppiness about him that puts you in mind of a rag doll. Along with his slouch and clumsiness, he’s not really someone who looks helpful, although again, there, you might be surprised.
Personality:
Pyreskel is a shy person, not withdrawn or socially awkward, or, indeed, socially inept. It’s nothing like that serious. He just tends to blush a pretty dusky rose color when people smile at him, and has the urge to avert his eyes when someone praises him. That’s really all it is, but it’s worth mentioning, because it is part of his personality, and one that makes him very adorable at that. Indeed, a lot about Pyreskel is adorable. He’s the type of person who you could image going “Oh… fiddlesticks…” Pyreskel is someone who will start talking as soon as he feels comfortable, although that seems to take some time. He gets fidgety when he’s with people he doesn’t know, and will cling almost obsessively to those few people he knows. That is Pyreskel’s comfort zone, and he isn’t a person who will willingly leave that comfort zone. New experiences are all nice and well, but they are also rather scary to Pyreskel, and unlike some, he does not find terror pleasing. He’ll be more likely to freak out and hyperventilate than think about things calmly, at least, from the start. If you can kick him out of that mood, however, by shouting or a well-aimed slap, he’ll pull himself together and help. He is not incompetent, he just needs some help to get his wits about him and to stand up for himself, because he will no do that without some help.
Sweetness is not the same as kindness, although Pyreskel has both. Sweetness is something that comes naturally, and manifests itself in little things, like a smile in the right place, or a well placed word, or just a hug at the right time. Of course, if you were to randomly hug Pyreskel he would probably freak out slightly because he doesn’t know you, and he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. He’s just a sweet person, and that what you get from talking to Pyreskel. He’s a person who will honestly try and be understand and helpful, and no matter what he wishes you to believe, no matter his mood at the time, his natural and underlying sweetness will come to the surface. Of course, he finds this rather annoying. After all, he has been taught since he was a young boy that men should be solid and dependable, emotionless and gruff. Pyreskel isn’t really any of these, at least, not in large amount, and not in the way that others would think.
Pyreskel is dependable, if you need someone to help you, to stand by you and do work, to fetch things and run errands, to deliver messages and be a sturdy person. Pyreskel is a good match for these things, but he is not what people would call a leader. He can motivate, and move others to lead and be what they need to be, but he will freeze up and mutter, shying away. He isn’t afraid of the commitment; commitment isn’t an issue with Pyreskel. In fact, Pyreskel is someone who has issues with people who do have commitment issues, and when he falls in love, or takes on responsibility, he’ll do it and work for it no matter what. It’s more of stage fright issue. As long as people aren’t watching his every movement, his every reaction, he’s perfectly all right. He’s a functioning capable person in every respect. He simply has issues, like many do, with people expecting things from him and watching him while he does them. If he is able to just get along with his work, he’ll be fine. If he’s pushed, he’ll have more issues.
It needs to be mentioned that Pyreskel is intelligent. Now, many would believe that this is a good thing, but in many circumstances, it isn’t. He’s intelligent and doesn’t know that sometimes the best and most intelligent thing that he could do was not show others that he is intelligent. So it would be correct to say that Pyreskel is intelligent, but not clever, and that right there is an important point. Booksmart is what Pyreskel is, and he knows vital information about his jobs at the cothold, but very little about things outside of that. Of course, that doesn’t mean Pyreskel doesn’t want to learn. He is the type of person who loves to learn, and who will spend time learning, but learning does take time. It is not an instantaneous thing, and he doesn’t always understand this. He has been known to get frustrated with things when he doesn’t pick them up right away, and will sometimes give up on things before he has actually gotten a good grasp on them. This is indeed one of Pyreskel’s shortcomings, and he will always have issues with it. It is simply that some things come so easily to Pyreskel, and others come more slowly, and the slow things frustrate him greatly.
Then there is the sort of… pathetic part of Pyreskel’s personality. That is, if the rest of his personality wasn’t sort of pathetic enough to begin with. It’s just that Pyreskel is a clumsy person, his body and mind not quite meeting up in some ways, and so he is the type of person who will trip over his own feet and face plant into the ground even when sober. It’s much more hilarious when he’s drunk. He’s alright when he’s working, apart from bruises and bumps, of course, but when he’s not concentrating it gets all the worse. Pyreskel just doesn’t know how to interact with the space around him a lot of the time, and he’s clumsy to no end. He’s prone to injuring himself, cutting his arms and breaking a few toes and maybe a finger or two. Nothing bad, nothing major. He’s just the type of person who doesn’t realize he’s bleeding until he sees the blood, at which point he’ll most likely faint, or until someone points it out to him, and then he sees the blood, and then he faints. He’s really not that useful when blood is in the picture. That’s when he freaks out the most, especially when it’s other people’s blood. He doesn’t faint then, but he does fret and become rather frantic. His usefulness also drops.
It doesn’t help that Pyreskel is incredibly disorganized. Forgetful and a true space cadet when it comes to the things that he could have sworn he put down only a moment ago, Pyreskel is not the person you’d want to tell the location of something important. He’d forget it in an instant and then beat himself up for it later when he forgot and everyone’s watching him with a “Well?” expression. It’s not that he doesn’t try. He tries very hard, but he’s just no good at shifting things from short-term memory to long-term memory, or recall. His recall problem also comes up with words, and has something to do with his shyness. After all, when you have to say things like “uh….” and “um…” you tend to loose self-confidence in yourself as a public speaker. It just doesn’t help. It could be considered endearing, to some. Most, however, just find it irritating, especially since Pyreskel doesn’t seem to want to change it. That’s what it looks like, although he really does have legitimate issues with this sort of thing.
Last, but certainly not least, Pyreskel is passionate. Now, this might seem a slight contradiction to a lot of his personality, but that is because of the normal way passionate people act. Pyreskel is the type of person who latches onto one idea and will never give up. It is from this that his passion comes, and his ability to get others motivated, even if he cannot seem to muster up the energy for himself to do it. It can be rather a sad state of affairs, sometimes. Unfortunately, a lot of the other sections of Pyreskel’s personality don’t allow him to follow through on the things that he’d like too. His stage fright and shy attitude dissuade him, usually before he begins, from many things, and this is where Pyreskel gets blocked. Although he has passion, he also has his down moments, and like any human, gets depressed and sulks. Because of his normal attitude, Pyreskel’s lows are even lower than average, because he is such a happy person normally. And he is. Pyreskel is happy most of the time, and tries to be happy for other people, because there always seems to be so many people who are depressed and upset. The world needs more happiness, and that happy is Pyreskel for the most part.
Family:
Mother – Arimakel
Father – Pyretash
Older Brother – Pymakel
Sister In Law (Married to Pymakel) – Hadurra
Older Sister – Aritash
Brother In Law (Marries to Aritash) – Thatian
Nephew – Thatash
Younger Sister – Aresh
Uncle (Father’s Brother) – Pychahon
Aunt (Married to Pychahon) – Vieddra
Male Cousin (Child of Pychahon/Vieddra) – Pychidra
Cousin In Law (?) (Married to Pychidra) – Gretmia
Male Cousin (Child of Pychahon/Vieddra) – Pyeddra
Uncle (Father’s Brother) – Pytyuid
Uncle (Married to Yartild) – Pyrakon
Aunt (Mother’s Sister) – Yartild
Female Cousin (Child of Pyrakon/Yartild) – Yarkona
Female Cousin (Child of Pyrakon/Yartild) – Yarako
Background:
It is always difficult to know were to start when describing the life of someone. Do you start with their first moments, or would it be better to start with the lives of their parents and potential siblings? But then, how far back can you go? Where does it stop? At what point does it simply become a ridiculous mess that will leave everyone confused an annoyed at the world in general? Well, this particular story starts, or at least, has a break where it would be convenient to start and not too ridiculous, at the point where Arimakel and Pyretash are married. It was, and still is, a happy marriage, to a point. Arimakel and Pyretash were in love once upon a time, as many people are. To marry the one you love was not such an issue for them because of where they lived. Small cotholds do not typically have much issue with marriage between their members, especially if it allows for an alliance in tough times, and as long as the cotholds benefit, there is no issue. That was the case for Arimakel and Pyretash. They were married around the time that Pyretash’s brother was married and Arimakel’s sister was married, so, together, they all set out to build their own small cothold.
In the beginning, it was simply the seven of them. Pyretash and his two brothers, and Arimakel’s sister, her husband and Pyretash’s brother’s wife. Soon, however, children were added to the mix, and things became harder, at least for a time. Children always make things harder, for they are needy. Those first few turns were troublesome. After all, the cothold was up near Crom, further north and further west than the major hold, but still somewhat in the vicinity. The winters were biting, and the summers were harsh. There was never much break. Perhaps in the spring and fall there were a few good days, but good days meant more work, and more hours working. The real only break came when the traders appeared. Merry times, they were. Especially when the children were old enough to understand. The first child born was Pyreskel’s cousin, Pychidra. Second, Pyreskel’s older brother, Pymakel. For a time, these were the only children who survived the harsh climates. Some others came and went, and then, finally, Aritash was born. The first girl to survive, Aritash, was a perceived miracle, and a sign that the cothold was beginning to become successful.
After that, children came rapidly. Yarkona was next, and then soon after her, Pyreskel. The one the story is actually about. Then Pyeddra and Yarako, and then, several turns later, Aritash. Aritash was the youngest of the children, and the baby of the group. A spoilt rotten little child who demanded the attention of the older children and parents alike. But this story is not about Aritash, it is about Pyreskel, and therefore he is the important one here. Pyreskel was always the quiet child, third in his family and not so much overlooked as needed. Pyreskel was raised more by his siblings, his older brother and sister, than his actual parents. Actually, Pyreskel was raised by all of his family together, his aunts, his uncles, his cousins and siblings. That’s how they did it, and that is how they lived. And indeed, how they still live. Pyreskel was raised to work, and work he did. They all had to in order to survive. That was the way of the world, and the way that Pyreskel was taught.
He was taught to read in the evenings, after dinner with the other children by the women. He fed chickens and milked cows when he was old enough to understand the jobs, and he laughed and played with the other children when they were supposed to be working. That was how Pyreskel grew up, and he grew up happy, they all grew up happy. The older children taking care of the younger children. There were fights, there were tears, and there were troubled times, but on the whole, they were happy. Hardworking and tired, but happy. Pyreskel grew up there, under the trees, working on the land with his family and rejoicing when the traders came. Three times a year, they would get together with the other nearby cotholds and hold a great feast when the traders came, and that was always a jolly time. Of course, Pyreskel’s education is rather spotty because of this, but he learned by doing, and when he can, he snatched scrolls off of the traders, before voraciously devouring the words. Knowledge was the best thing that Pyreskel ever got off of the traders, although he didn’t know it.
As Pyreskel and the others grew up, they gained a basic knowledge in… pretty much everything. A little bit here, a little bit there. That was how Pyreskel learned, for the most part. Basic healing for the humans, which became important when Pyreskel didn’t move fast enough and he was kicked in the face by a young runner. This particular incident left him with a broken cheekbone and a smashed nose. The cheekbone set correctly, the nose never was, which is why Pyreskel’s nose is crooked. That was an exciting time, having to help out with his face swollen and two black eyes. But it was an experience, and Pyreskel certainly learned from it, and in more than one way. Then they learned about farming and weaving, although weaving and cooking was more of a feminine duty. That didn’t really mean much, however, in Pyreskel’s family. The children were exposed to everything, because everything needed doing. You had to help, or you didn’t eat. It wasn’t a punishment so much as a lesson. You are important and it is up to you to make sure you survive.
That was how Pyreskel moved from a young child to a young teenager. Learning every day and being at peace with his life. Of course, Pyreskel dreamed of being a rider, when he was young. What boy didn’t dream of riding a bronze? Even in such a time as those current to Pern. There was always such a mystery about it, a beauty and sense of adventure. By the time Pyreskel hit teenagehood, however, those dreams had mostly faded. Life was tough, and you had to grow up fast. Not too fast, mind, but certainly faster than those who didn’t have to deal with winters that had snowfalls up to the roof, or other such things. So Pyreskel learned how to be efficient and practical, and he learned about life. All aspects. The one thing that Pyresekel didn’t really get was constant and consistent socialization. His family, however extended and large it may be, doesn’t really count. Those who you grow up with never count in this aspect.
And then Pyreskel’s oldest brother got married. It was a joyous time, although it meant another mouth to feed, and then, quite soon after, yet another, smaller, more delicate mouth to feed. Soon after, however, the number of mouths was reduced by one as Pymakel and his wife lost their child. Despite this, it was a good sign, however. The cothold was growing, despite everything, and becoming prosperous. Trade had sprung up between the surrounding cotholds, and while they could not be considered rich by any means, they were prosperous and happy. Soon after, his sister married as well, and instead of leaving to either form their own cothold, or join the groom’s family, they decided to say with Pyreskel’s family, if only because of the success that they were having. It was not long after that they added their own child to the mix, and this time, the child lived. At least, for now. Death was always an option, and happened frequently despite everything.
But what the trade between cotholds allowed was communication, and that was what allowed for Gretmia to travel from her hold all the way near Southern Boll up to their small cothold. That was a special event for all, and highlighted how lucky they all were. The Pernese might not be superstitious, but luck perhaps played a part. Sturdy bodies and hard work did the rest of it. That brings us to the current day. Relations with the other cotholds has grown stronger, especially since some of the children have branched out. They are no where near the prestige or success needed for a true hold, but they are successful with what they have. However, that brings an interesting point to question. Pyreskel is due to participate in a stagnight… but to a child who’s never shown any interest in girls, and isn’t about to say his interest lies in other areas, how long can the charade stay up before things come crashing down? After all, success should be followed by more success. And Pyreskel has always been a person to help where asked and not complain.
Pets: Nope. He’d like some, but who wouldn’t like a pet? But he does’t have any. He used to have a canine, but you don’t exactly have a canine with you all the time, and certainly not when you’re out on stag night and you get kidnapped… So no, he doesn’t have a pet.
Color Preference: I do not care. Seriously, I play to have fun. Color has never been, and never will be, an issue. So whatever you want. I know that the fact that I just said that is kinda annoying, but…
Queen Only: Considering he’s a male. And likes his own gender, I don’t think there’s any chance he’d even be looked at by a queen. Maybe smacked by a tail of a really generous one….
Name: Pyreskel : Contraction: P’skel
Nickname: Py
Age: Eighteen Turns
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Rank: Redemption Weyrling (Green Weyrling)
Appearance:
A tall strapping young lad, Pyreskel stands at six food one, and yes, that will be his final height. He isn’t about to grow much more, although perhaps there will be an inch or two thrown in there for good measure at the last moment. That won’t be for a turn or two, if it happens at all, so for now he simply has to deal with the fact that’s he’s tall and not really tall. Not that Pyreskel is the type of person who cares how tall he is. He’d be slightly put out if he was five foot two, of course, but five foot ten would be all right, or really more than alright. Six foot one, in fact, is a bit much, and Pyreskel often walks with a slump when he can get away with it, reducing his height to around five foot nine, or five foot ten. Weighing anywhere from one sixty five to one seventy one, and he has muscle. He has a thinner frame, that is true, but he is not stick thin, and he is muscular and fit. He’s a working lad, and strong because of that, and no other reason. After all, a smallish family in a cothold wouldn’t have much problem feeding themselves, but a larger family, like Pyreskel’s, needs everyone to work, and to work hard. This means that while Pyreskel is strong and muscular, he’s not built or overly defined. Which is fine to him. Most of his siblings and relatives are built similarly, taller, but not hugely so, and strong. Stronger than most simple non-crafters and non-riders are anyways. Life is difficult on the outside.
Of course, Pyreskel has darker tanned skin. He works in the sun, and that has consequences. Part of those consequences are tan lines, which yes, he has. Not so much on his chest, because mostly he works without a shirt, but from his waist down to about mid-thigh to mid-calf, yes, it is possible to tell that he is tanned. His skin is normally an olive color anyway, so he tans easily without burning most of the time, but he had been known to get a painful burn every now and again. He’s especially prone to burn across his long shoulders and upper back, which are speckled with dark freckles because of a few times with really nasty burns. These are fetching, to say the least, although not really anything special. On the back of his hands, and around his wrists it is also possible to see a few freckles, but they are few and far between. Some people might expect to see more freckles on Pyreskel’s skin, especially on his arms and back, but there are only the few. Pyreskel does have long arms, however, to match his long legs, and a broad strong back. He tends to be rather clumsy with them, as though he still hasn’t gotten used to his body. Pyreskel will knock things over and fumble to catch them, almost never succeeding. He just simply isn’t aware of where his body is in space most of the time, and that can be dangerous. As he gets older, it will get a little bit better, but it will never go away completely.
A long face combines with Pyreskel’s family’s traditional high cheekbones to give him a sort of naturally jolly look, especially when he smiles, which is quite a lot. Or at least, used to be a lot. It’s up for debate whether he smiles much anymore, but he will try to, at least, and he looks adorable when he does. He will have smile lines when he is older, and the start of them can be seen now, as well as the smallest of dimples which form when his eyes become slits while dancing and laughing. Pyreskel is a person who really comes alive when he’s smiling and laughing, and so it is lucky that he is a very happy person. A strong jaw and rather high forehead all help to make Pyreskel look more masculine than perhaps those who know him think he should look. This isn’t a bad thing, mind. Pyreskel could stand to look masculine, because he doesn’t really act it. And he’s not super masculine in appearances either, but at least there, you can tell. A large nose dominates Pyreskel’s face, slightly crooked because of where he broke it as a young boy and it never set quite right. It certainly isn’t Pyreskel’s best feature, but it’s correct. His nose seems to fit in with the rest of his face well, filling it out and making his features a cohesive whole.
Yes, it is true that Pyreskel is attractive, in his own special way, but he is certainly not stunning, or dashingly handsome, or winsome. He’s someone you’d perhaps smile at in the street because he’s smiling at you and whom you wouldn’t really give a second thought. Not unattractive, so that he sticks in the mind, but not so attractive that he’s stunning. Sort of, average. And that’s fine by Pyreskel, because that’s how he likes it. Ears that are slightly larger than normal stick out slightly and he will be forever trying to hide them under his hair. Thick dark brows, which, surprisingly, don’t make Pyreskel look as though he was brooding, although that would probably be because he is the type of person who will forever be wishing to look brooding and mysterious, and will always fail miserably, are straight and dominating. You see them before you see his eyes, which are sunk just a tiny bit into his face, although this isn’t noticeable because he gets regular sleep and hardly ever gets circles under his eyes. Whenever he gets sick, which is also rare, his eyes will be the first tell-tale sign of his illness.
Fuller lips cover slightly crooked teeth. The only real problem with Pyreskel’s teeth are the fact that the front two are turned inward toward one another, and the others are turned away slightly. Not everyone can have perfect teeth, remember. Despite the fact that Pyreskel finds them rather embarrassing, he won’t be able to hide them when he smiles and his lips part. A rather pointy chin finishes up the physical aspects of Pyreskel’s face, which is usually covered in stubble, for that is something that Pyreskel needs to have time to do, and which he usually does not. Shaving happens on the fly, but, more usually, not at all. Usually, Pyreskel forgets that he has to shave and it takes someone reminding him for him to get around to doing it. And it’s not like it’s hard to miss. Pyreskel’s facial hair is as dark as the rest of his hair, which is a deep brown color. Nothing interesting, really, just a deep dusty brown. There’s no special sparkle to it, no deep hidden color. It’s just brown. Just like Pyreskel’s eyes. Pyreskel’s eyes are dark, just like his hair and skin, and covered by lashes, which are indeed quite feminine. It’s a good thing, perhaps, that Pyreskel forgets to shave, because if you were to just look at his eyes you would swear he was female.
As for the rest of Pyreskel’s body, he has a thick neck that’s just a little bit too long, and has a rather pronounced Adams apple. Coupled with a striking collarbone and rather bony shoulders and elbows, Pyreskel is not a comfortable person to lie on. Despite his muscle, he is still rather pointy. His hands are large, with long fingers and bony knuckles. Pyreskel has large feet too, which he is almost always tripping over, and over pronounced knees, although sometimes you can’t see those. His legs do have muscle on them, don’t be fooled, it’s just that his bones tend to show through the muscle, and muscle is rarely ever actually on the knee. Strangely, Pyreskel actually looks well put together, although he has this sort of loose floppiness about him that puts you in mind of a rag doll. Along with his slouch and clumsiness, he’s not really someone who looks helpful, although again, there, you might be surprised.
Personality:
Pyreskel is a shy person, not withdrawn or socially awkward, or, indeed, socially inept. It’s nothing like that serious. He just tends to blush a pretty dusky rose color when people smile at him, and has the urge to avert his eyes when someone praises him. That’s really all it is, but it’s worth mentioning, because it is part of his personality, and one that makes him very adorable at that. Indeed, a lot about Pyreskel is adorable. He’s the type of person who you could image going “Oh… fiddlesticks…” Pyreskel is someone who will start talking as soon as he feels comfortable, although that seems to take some time. He gets fidgety when he’s with people he doesn’t know, and will cling almost obsessively to those few people he knows. That is Pyreskel’s comfort zone, and he isn’t a person who will willingly leave that comfort zone. New experiences are all nice and well, but they are also rather scary to Pyreskel, and unlike some, he does not find terror pleasing. He’ll be more likely to freak out and hyperventilate than think about things calmly, at least, from the start. If you can kick him out of that mood, however, by shouting or a well-aimed slap, he’ll pull himself together and help. He is not incompetent, he just needs some help to get his wits about him and to stand up for himself, because he will no do that without some help.
Sweetness is not the same as kindness, although Pyreskel has both. Sweetness is something that comes naturally, and manifests itself in little things, like a smile in the right place, or a well placed word, or just a hug at the right time. Of course, if you were to randomly hug Pyreskel he would probably freak out slightly because he doesn’t know you, and he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. He’s just a sweet person, and that what you get from talking to Pyreskel. He’s a person who will honestly try and be understand and helpful, and no matter what he wishes you to believe, no matter his mood at the time, his natural and underlying sweetness will come to the surface. Of course, he finds this rather annoying. After all, he has been taught since he was a young boy that men should be solid and dependable, emotionless and gruff. Pyreskel isn’t really any of these, at least, not in large amount, and not in the way that others would think.
Pyreskel is dependable, if you need someone to help you, to stand by you and do work, to fetch things and run errands, to deliver messages and be a sturdy person. Pyreskel is a good match for these things, but he is not what people would call a leader. He can motivate, and move others to lead and be what they need to be, but he will freeze up and mutter, shying away. He isn’t afraid of the commitment; commitment isn’t an issue with Pyreskel. In fact, Pyreskel is someone who has issues with people who do have commitment issues, and when he falls in love, or takes on responsibility, he’ll do it and work for it no matter what. It’s more of stage fright issue. As long as people aren’t watching his every movement, his every reaction, he’s perfectly all right. He’s a functioning capable person in every respect. He simply has issues, like many do, with people expecting things from him and watching him while he does them. If he is able to just get along with his work, he’ll be fine. If he’s pushed, he’ll have more issues.
It needs to be mentioned that Pyreskel is intelligent. Now, many would believe that this is a good thing, but in many circumstances, it isn’t. He’s intelligent and doesn’t know that sometimes the best and most intelligent thing that he could do was not show others that he is intelligent. So it would be correct to say that Pyreskel is intelligent, but not clever, and that right there is an important point. Booksmart is what Pyreskel is, and he knows vital information about his jobs at the cothold, but very little about things outside of that. Of course, that doesn’t mean Pyreskel doesn’t want to learn. He is the type of person who loves to learn, and who will spend time learning, but learning does take time. It is not an instantaneous thing, and he doesn’t always understand this. He has been known to get frustrated with things when he doesn’t pick them up right away, and will sometimes give up on things before he has actually gotten a good grasp on them. This is indeed one of Pyreskel’s shortcomings, and he will always have issues with it. It is simply that some things come so easily to Pyreskel, and others come more slowly, and the slow things frustrate him greatly.
Then there is the sort of… pathetic part of Pyreskel’s personality. That is, if the rest of his personality wasn’t sort of pathetic enough to begin with. It’s just that Pyreskel is a clumsy person, his body and mind not quite meeting up in some ways, and so he is the type of person who will trip over his own feet and face plant into the ground even when sober. It’s much more hilarious when he’s drunk. He’s alright when he’s working, apart from bruises and bumps, of course, but when he’s not concentrating it gets all the worse. Pyreskel just doesn’t know how to interact with the space around him a lot of the time, and he’s clumsy to no end. He’s prone to injuring himself, cutting his arms and breaking a few toes and maybe a finger or two. Nothing bad, nothing major. He’s just the type of person who doesn’t realize he’s bleeding until he sees the blood, at which point he’ll most likely faint, or until someone points it out to him, and then he sees the blood, and then he faints. He’s really not that useful when blood is in the picture. That’s when he freaks out the most, especially when it’s other people’s blood. He doesn’t faint then, but he does fret and become rather frantic. His usefulness also drops.
It doesn’t help that Pyreskel is incredibly disorganized. Forgetful and a true space cadet when it comes to the things that he could have sworn he put down only a moment ago, Pyreskel is not the person you’d want to tell the location of something important. He’d forget it in an instant and then beat himself up for it later when he forgot and everyone’s watching him with a “Well?” expression. It’s not that he doesn’t try. He tries very hard, but he’s just no good at shifting things from short-term memory to long-term memory, or recall. His recall problem also comes up with words, and has something to do with his shyness. After all, when you have to say things like “uh….” and “um…” you tend to loose self-confidence in yourself as a public speaker. It just doesn’t help. It could be considered endearing, to some. Most, however, just find it irritating, especially since Pyreskel doesn’t seem to want to change it. That’s what it looks like, although he really does have legitimate issues with this sort of thing.
Last, but certainly not least, Pyreskel is passionate. Now, this might seem a slight contradiction to a lot of his personality, but that is because of the normal way passionate people act. Pyreskel is the type of person who latches onto one idea and will never give up. It is from this that his passion comes, and his ability to get others motivated, even if he cannot seem to muster up the energy for himself to do it. It can be rather a sad state of affairs, sometimes. Unfortunately, a lot of the other sections of Pyreskel’s personality don’t allow him to follow through on the things that he’d like too. His stage fright and shy attitude dissuade him, usually before he begins, from many things, and this is where Pyreskel gets blocked. Although he has passion, he also has his down moments, and like any human, gets depressed and sulks. Because of his normal attitude, Pyreskel’s lows are even lower than average, because he is such a happy person normally. And he is. Pyreskel is happy most of the time, and tries to be happy for other people, because there always seems to be so many people who are depressed and upset. The world needs more happiness, and that happy is Pyreskel for the most part.
Family:
Mother – Arimakel
Father – Pyretash
Older Brother – Pymakel
Sister In Law (Married to Pymakel) – Hadurra
Older Sister – Aritash
Brother In Law (Marries to Aritash) – Thatian
Nephew – Thatash
Younger Sister – Aresh
Uncle (Father’s Brother) – Pychahon
Aunt (Married to Pychahon) – Vieddra
Male Cousin (Child of Pychahon/Vieddra) – Pychidra
Cousin In Law (?) (Married to Pychidra) – Gretmia
Male Cousin (Child of Pychahon/Vieddra) – Pyeddra
Uncle (Father’s Brother) – Pytyuid
Uncle (Married to Yartild) – Pyrakon
Aunt (Mother’s Sister) – Yartild
Female Cousin (Child of Pyrakon/Yartild) – Yarkona
Female Cousin (Child of Pyrakon/Yartild) – Yarako
Background:
It is always difficult to know were to start when describing the life of someone. Do you start with their first moments, or would it be better to start with the lives of their parents and potential siblings? But then, how far back can you go? Where does it stop? At what point does it simply become a ridiculous mess that will leave everyone confused an annoyed at the world in general? Well, this particular story starts, or at least, has a break where it would be convenient to start and not too ridiculous, at the point where Arimakel and Pyretash are married. It was, and still is, a happy marriage, to a point. Arimakel and Pyretash were in love once upon a time, as many people are. To marry the one you love was not such an issue for them because of where they lived. Small cotholds do not typically have much issue with marriage between their members, especially if it allows for an alliance in tough times, and as long as the cotholds benefit, there is no issue. That was the case for Arimakel and Pyretash. They were married around the time that Pyretash’s brother was married and Arimakel’s sister was married, so, together, they all set out to build their own small cothold.
In the beginning, it was simply the seven of them. Pyretash and his two brothers, and Arimakel’s sister, her husband and Pyretash’s brother’s wife. Soon, however, children were added to the mix, and things became harder, at least for a time. Children always make things harder, for they are needy. Those first few turns were troublesome. After all, the cothold was up near Crom, further north and further west than the major hold, but still somewhat in the vicinity. The winters were biting, and the summers were harsh. There was never much break. Perhaps in the spring and fall there were a few good days, but good days meant more work, and more hours working. The real only break came when the traders appeared. Merry times, they were. Especially when the children were old enough to understand. The first child born was Pyreskel’s cousin, Pychidra. Second, Pyreskel’s older brother, Pymakel. For a time, these were the only children who survived the harsh climates. Some others came and went, and then, finally, Aritash was born. The first girl to survive, Aritash, was a perceived miracle, and a sign that the cothold was beginning to become successful.
After that, children came rapidly. Yarkona was next, and then soon after her, Pyreskel. The one the story is actually about. Then Pyeddra and Yarako, and then, several turns later, Aritash. Aritash was the youngest of the children, and the baby of the group. A spoilt rotten little child who demanded the attention of the older children and parents alike. But this story is not about Aritash, it is about Pyreskel, and therefore he is the important one here. Pyreskel was always the quiet child, third in his family and not so much overlooked as needed. Pyreskel was raised more by his siblings, his older brother and sister, than his actual parents. Actually, Pyreskel was raised by all of his family together, his aunts, his uncles, his cousins and siblings. That’s how they did it, and that is how they lived. And indeed, how they still live. Pyreskel was raised to work, and work he did. They all had to in order to survive. That was the way of the world, and the way that Pyreskel was taught.
He was taught to read in the evenings, after dinner with the other children by the women. He fed chickens and milked cows when he was old enough to understand the jobs, and he laughed and played with the other children when they were supposed to be working. That was how Pyreskel grew up, and he grew up happy, they all grew up happy. The older children taking care of the younger children. There were fights, there were tears, and there were troubled times, but on the whole, they were happy. Hardworking and tired, but happy. Pyreskel grew up there, under the trees, working on the land with his family and rejoicing when the traders came. Three times a year, they would get together with the other nearby cotholds and hold a great feast when the traders came, and that was always a jolly time. Of course, Pyreskel’s education is rather spotty because of this, but he learned by doing, and when he can, he snatched scrolls off of the traders, before voraciously devouring the words. Knowledge was the best thing that Pyreskel ever got off of the traders, although he didn’t know it.
As Pyreskel and the others grew up, they gained a basic knowledge in… pretty much everything. A little bit here, a little bit there. That was how Pyreskel learned, for the most part. Basic healing for the humans, which became important when Pyreskel didn’t move fast enough and he was kicked in the face by a young runner. This particular incident left him with a broken cheekbone and a smashed nose. The cheekbone set correctly, the nose never was, which is why Pyreskel’s nose is crooked. That was an exciting time, having to help out with his face swollen and two black eyes. But it was an experience, and Pyreskel certainly learned from it, and in more than one way. Then they learned about farming and weaving, although weaving and cooking was more of a feminine duty. That didn’t really mean much, however, in Pyreskel’s family. The children were exposed to everything, because everything needed doing. You had to help, or you didn’t eat. It wasn’t a punishment so much as a lesson. You are important and it is up to you to make sure you survive.
That was how Pyreskel moved from a young child to a young teenager. Learning every day and being at peace with his life. Of course, Pyreskel dreamed of being a rider, when he was young. What boy didn’t dream of riding a bronze? Even in such a time as those current to Pern. There was always such a mystery about it, a beauty and sense of adventure. By the time Pyreskel hit teenagehood, however, those dreams had mostly faded. Life was tough, and you had to grow up fast. Not too fast, mind, but certainly faster than those who didn’t have to deal with winters that had snowfalls up to the roof, or other such things. So Pyreskel learned how to be efficient and practical, and he learned about life. All aspects. The one thing that Pyresekel didn’t really get was constant and consistent socialization. His family, however extended and large it may be, doesn’t really count. Those who you grow up with never count in this aspect.
And then Pyreskel’s oldest brother got married. It was a joyous time, although it meant another mouth to feed, and then, quite soon after, yet another, smaller, more delicate mouth to feed. Soon after, however, the number of mouths was reduced by one as Pymakel and his wife lost their child. Despite this, it was a good sign, however. The cothold was growing, despite everything, and becoming prosperous. Trade had sprung up between the surrounding cotholds, and while they could not be considered rich by any means, they were prosperous and happy. Soon after, his sister married as well, and instead of leaving to either form their own cothold, or join the groom’s family, they decided to say with Pyreskel’s family, if only because of the success that they were having. It was not long after that they added their own child to the mix, and this time, the child lived. At least, for now. Death was always an option, and happened frequently despite everything.
But what the trade between cotholds allowed was communication, and that was what allowed for Gretmia to travel from her hold all the way near Southern Boll up to their small cothold. That was a special event for all, and highlighted how lucky they all were. The Pernese might not be superstitious, but luck perhaps played a part. Sturdy bodies and hard work did the rest of it. That brings us to the current day. Relations with the other cotholds has grown stronger, especially since some of the children have branched out. They are no where near the prestige or success needed for a true hold, but they are successful with what they have. However, that brings an interesting point to question. Pyreskel is due to participate in a stagnight… but to a child who’s never shown any interest in girls, and isn’t about to say his interest lies in other areas, how long can the charade stay up before things come crashing down? After all, success should be followed by more success. And Pyreskel has always been a person to help where asked and not complain.
Pets: Nope. He’d like some, but who wouldn’t like a pet? But he does’t have any. He used to have a canine, but you don’t exactly have a canine with you all the time, and certainly not when you’re out on stag night and you get kidnapped… So no, he doesn’t have a pet.
Color Preference: I do not care. Seriously, I play to have fun. Color has never been, and never will be, an issue. So whatever you want. I know that the fact that I just said that is kinda annoying, but…
Queen Only: Considering he’s a male. And likes his own gender, I don’t think there’s any chance he’d even be looked at by a queen. Maybe smacked by a tail of a really generous one….
Salvage Egg. green
Name: Relpath
Age: Hatchling
Hatch Date: March 1256
Color: green ; 435D36
Out of: gold Itwasath
By: blue Kesmaroth
Redeemed from: Fort Weyr
Description: One of the first things one is likely to notice about this dragon is that… well, she’s rather ugly. Her hide is a rather dull color that borders on a grayish hue. It’s so dark that people will often mistake it for a deep metal-gray color. Upon closer inspection though, she’s revealed for what she is: unmistakably green. In poor lighting she’ll be dark and drab, her hide a mix of two parts gray and one part green. It’s really an unattractive color. Unfortunately the light doesn’t make it much better; the green shows up more but not even that manages to save her, as it’s a rather unattractive brownish-green. Perhaps one of the oddest things about her though is the fact that her tail is a different shade of green altogether, a shade that’s a pale yellowish brown with hardly any green at all. The membranes of her wings are of the same unfortunate shade.
The only thing Relpath seems to have going for her is that her body is perfectly proportioned. She is on the small side of average for a green, but her limbs and head are all proportional to her body. Nothing is longer, larger, shorter or smaller than it should be; overall though, she’s somewhat of a dumpy little thing. If one could overlook her absolutely hideous coloring, it could be said that this green is… cute. Dumpy she may be, but fat she certainly isn’t; that ‘pudge’ is really muscle, and when she chooses to use it, she can be rather strong in spite of her small size. Her neck is not as long and regal looking as some dragons’, being rather straight and ending in a head that is broad but short, complete with large eyes that whirl dully, the only physical aspect of hers that could be considered ‘disproportionate’ to her body.
Personality: Despite her physical shortcomings, this green is quite possibly the sweetest dragon on Pern. Adoring and unassuming, Relpath is quite friendly and rather affectionate toward everyone she meets. She will greet those she knows quite happily, and even strangers will receive enthusiastic salutations from this friendly green. Oddly enough though her affection does not equal energy; she is not the bouncing ball of fun that many greens seem to be, in spite of her friendly nature. A very easy-going dragon, not much gets her overly excited or energized. In fact, ‘slow’ is a very apt description for this green, and in more ways than one. She enjoys nothing more than having a nap, curled up with Hers or another dragon or even other humans. She won’t hesitate to bespeak someone other than her rider, and it doesn’t take long for one to get a glimpse of her sweet nature.
Unfortunately, Relpath is by no means the brightest glow in the basket. In fact, she’s woefully lacking in intelligence. It’s not simply that she’s stupid, but she literally seems slow; it takes her long moments to process information that most dragons only need a few seconds for, and often her answers won’t make sense. She often does things that even her rider won’t have an explanation for, and if asked, will likely give an answer that, again, doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Even her speech is slow, and she will often leave words out entirely. If it ever occurs to her that anything is wrong, it doesn’t show; perhaps more than any other dragon on Pern, Relpath lives moment by moment… likely because it’s all she’s really capable of.
