"My name's Zhou, It's been a while since I had someone to talk to..."- Name: Zhou~
- Birthdate: 13th. Autumn. 493
- Birthplace: Sylira
- Location: Mithryn Outpost
- Languages: Common(Fluent), Nari(Basic)
Genealogy:"It's been a while since somebody asked me of my roots, though, I suppose I could fill you in on the basics of who I am and how I think I got here... My mother and father were of the Inarta from Skyinarta, in recent days they don't often talk much of their time there. But from what I gathered they had fled from their homes in Wind Reach in order to make their way to Sylira to make a new beginning for themselves. I'm told I'm descended from crafters from both sides of my family, however, I ascertain that in an accident which left my Mother's hands mangled and amputated, she fled the country in self imposed exile with my father in towe, unwilling to be looked down on as a member of the casteless.
They grieve to this day for their lost home-land, but, they made a new home for themselves here in the city, as my father made a wage to support us with his own glass-work. They lived as an honest merchant family for some while as they thrived in this city, and eventually conceived a child... myself.Compared to other families, I know little of my greater family heritage, one could easily consider me ignorant, though, I take consolation from what I am told, that the Inartan people care little for family ties of blood and name, though, from this feeling, it seems our family have become more domesticated over the years of living here than many think, the values of this society cling quickly like oil, and i crave for knowledge of my people and those who preceded me... "Physical Info:- Age: 21
- Race: Inarta
- Height: 5'5"
- Weight: 165Ibs
- Physique: Toned, Athletic, Fit
- Hair:Post shoulder length, straight and in varying oranges and whites like shimmering fire.
- Eyes: Vibrant opal-like Hazel
- Skin: Alabaster White
- Scars: Various small nicks over his body and left cheek.
Visage:"If I was asked to describe the way that I look, I would have to refer to the way my mother describes me. She claims I have 'hair as bright as the hearth-fires which warm their hearts and bodies during the coldest of winter nights,' though I'm sure she's referring to the bright oranges and whites of varying shades among my hair when it's not muddy. She likes to further describe myself as having crafter's hands and skin as white as marble, with eyes like mixed green glass-work of the finest quality.
But aside from her point of view, I would say I take some pride in my physical appearance as well as my physical fitness. I enjoy running and exercise and it has done me well over the years, be it running from an angry dog, or running to keep track of my errands. Additionally, much like my parents, I enjoy growing my hair long and bestowing it with colored glass beads and feathers within my braids which resonates within me, making me feel closer to my supposed culture.
However when it come's to attire I've never known myself to be too showy, I do however enjoy the addition of some color in my day to day wardrobe, but sadly I'm not in a position to adorn myself with the finest of multi-layered foreign silks. And so, I'm most often seen to be enjoying wearing a dark green cloak and mantle with a dark underlay, coupled with whatever comfortable wrap-pants and leather boots which allow for the most mobility, finished with leather gloves for the purposes of protection. Nothing flashy, well, not yet."Personality:"I could be considered many thing's depending on the person looking in from the outside, impulsive, rude, ignorant, whimsical, kind, generous, crude, stupid or brave, asking for someone to tell you who they are in a couple of sentences isn't really something that will ever give you the clarity I think you're looking for, but, I can perhaps give you an insight into what I believe are my core traits... though keep in mind, there are exceptions to every rule in great circumstances."- Forward: "As a person I perceive myself to be blunt and out-spoken, growing up I was always taught that silence was merely unspoken permission, and that 'honesty, although it could land you in trouble, it is better to live and die as an honest man than to be haunted your long life by your many lies.' I think there is wisdom in these words, I greatly fear the thought of myself to awaken one day only to find that the man I saw reflected in the mirror was but a collage of untruths, and actions never taken."
- Loyal: "When it comes to those I care for, I am fiercely loyal. Be it my family, my friends, my teachers or those I simply hold in high regard, my moral compass leaves no room for betrayal or malice toward them from myself or others. As such I tend to get involved in the affairs of others a little brashly on occasion. Surrounded by those who care not for etiquette, this fire and passion within those I surround myself with can be considered an asset and a great virtue. But among bureaucracy it creates an Achilles heel which can be seen as a potent character flaw."
- Chivalrous: "Justice, Honour, kindness, Morality and responsibility were the ideals which I developed from living in Syliras. The knight like codes of conduct which abolish villainy and protect the weak and helpless quickly became codes which I found just as endearing as those I have heard of from my own cultural heritage. I'd say I have a knight in shining armour complex, the urge within myself to protect others and prove myself is a strong one, perhaps as strong as the urge to learn more about my roots."
- Confliction: "However, as a product of all other things, I feel like I am a child born of two worlds. My experiences and my upbringing forge me as a citizen of Sylira, with Syliran values and morals, while, the boiling blood which rushes through my veins, my mannerisms, and my heritage paint me as a nomad from Wind Reach. With this role confusion, I feel as though I am caught between each of these two worlds, perhaps I am able to assimilate into both, but doing so has a tendency to create a reluctance which forges feelings of social isolation, oppression and distance within either... This distance, could easily lead to something different, if left to fester... "
Personal Beliefs:"Sadly, I'm not as Versed in each of my culture's gods as I would like to be, Though I do know their names and their most basic presidencies. Each of them being; Zulrav of Storms, Syna of the Sun and Leth of the moon. As a sign of respect to my culture, even to gods which I am unfamiliar with, I hold each of them in great reverence, praying to them when I have the time, though most of all Syna, as the Sun, to me, gives me something to aspire to. I don't know if it is because it gives me clarity or images of power and freedom, but, there is something about the Sun I feel i have an affinity for, its vast power and brilliance shining down on all of us, if only I could be so grossly incandescent... It may be this reverrence which granted me my Gnosis when I was ninteen..."
"When it comes to the beliefs of others, I do my best to learn and respect their gods and cultures. However trying and succeeding are two very different results, and I have little room in my heart for dark gods, and the gods of monsters which would do others harm like Uldr and his dark brood. But I am not so blind to ignore that sometimes tragedy causes the darkness within all of us to come out in our most desperate times, gods like them prey upon those moments of moral despair, turning even the most pious of men into a sinner, or a killer. But, as I tend to be ignorant of many such things, I try to only judge those by their caliber as a person, I may have distaste for what they do, but how they hold themselves irregardless of their circumstances tends to be what I grow to admire, or loathe.
Finally, I believe every citizen has the right to choose their destiny, make their own informed decisions and pave their own path through the world. Whether that would lead them to their fate, or leave their family, choice is something which I consider sacred, given to us by the most ancient gods. Those bound by shackles I pity or do my best to aide wherever possible, these things have been imparted to me by my mother, and further reinforced by the honour and hard working nature of the people here in Sylira."Affinities & Distastes:- Affinities:"I assume you refer to what I like and what I dislike. Well, It's not exactly a comprehensive list, but I'm sure I can give you the cliff-notes and what context I can muster. Like I have mentioned before, of all the things I hold in high regard, the highest is a person's right to freedom and choice. Of course they can choose to serve, as that is their freedom, but one should make that choice... As a child I heard tales of the undead who wear the bodies of others like a skin as the person watches themselves wither and die as a passenger in their own bodies. Such stories used to frighten me as a child and give me the most horrible nightmares. It wasn't an enjoyable experience..."
"I like those who assert themselves and their beliefs, especially against oppression, whether they're able to back it up with strength or not. I pay great respect to the honorable as well as those who exercise their freedom through whimsy or following their own moral compass and not those of others. I enjoy the many beauties nature, the sun on my face, the smell of blooming flora and the laughter of kind people as well as excitement, action, beautiful women and hunting."
- Distastes: "Among the things I dislike, would be those who oppress others with their power. Tyranny and malevolence irk me on a deep and moral level, though when it comes to those who do dark deeds, I attempt to look at the grander picture. But seldom does it really work... Thieves also earn my ire through their crimes and deeds, be they thieves of material gain, in stealing the livelihoods of those who earn their keep, stealing the trust of others through lies and deceit, or stealing the lives of others through murder."
History:"Alright, but this is the last question I answer... "
My story begins not with myself, but with my parents, Zebb and Alya. My father, Zebb, an adept weapon smith and glass crafter, owned his own smithy in Mt Skyinarta. His crafts had little renown though he had his own reliable client base, he provided weapons, armour and other metal crafting works and supplies for those around them. My father had a name for himself as a kind man, more-so than most. Well known for giving Deks the chance to apprentice themselves and learn the trade of metal crafting under his tutelage. However, many speculated it was perhaps he enjoyed the reverence, yet I choose to see it as a choice to give something back, and teach his skills to those who would appreciate them the most, and make the most of themselves with them... From what I'm told of the lowest class in Inartan society, every one of them would have almost killed for a chance to be a part of what he was offering... some of them more than likely did, though, such are the times we live in I suppose.
Of all of these students, one of which was an Inartan girl named Alya, head strong, proud, but still wanting to learn, Alya mirrored Dads' passion for his craft. She worshiped the ground he walked on, though she would never admit it if she was ever asked. What drew Zebb to her however, was not her affection, he had received attention of all kinds from his other female students before. It was not her beauty, or his pity for her position... It was her hands. Her perfectly proportioned hands, rough as an aging blacksmith, but also delicate, and flawless. They were crafters' hands, strong hands, and as he taught her his craft she very quickly became undoubtedly the greatest student he had ever trained under himself. After she had finished her short apprenticeship under my father, she moved to the finer and more delicate art of glass making. Falling in love my father expanded his own workshop to accommodate her craft, and it was not long before the two of them were lovers.
Love blooms in paradise, and each of them complimented each other, fueling each other's desire and inspiration to create. Competing, advancing and learning together in an intricate waltz which rampaged across the loose lips of their neighbors. Eventually, in tradition, they were married, and the Dek that was once my mother was now considered an Avora through marriage and through trade, just as Zebb was. The whirlwind romance settled, and they dreamed of having a child. Zebb made a blade for their child of the future, a gift for him to aspire to, believing it to one day be a great Endal, with the backing of his mother's craft and father's smithery, their child would be well equipped for life and their parent's pride...
but alas... tragedy befell my progenitors.
Zebb had continued to apprentice the Deks of the area so that they might learn a trade, while he insisted that Alva do the same. It was while my mother was at home tutoring an apprentice while Zebb had been smelting ingots of pure metals for distribution to other smiths that tragedy struck. The apprentice, little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing, drew a blade on my mother, ordered her to hand over her trades glass-work in order to flee with his gains. My mother, unfortunately, was no pushover, raised from the same world she knew how to fight off an attacker, but there was a struggle... A struggle which led to one of my father's vats being spilled, my mother bounced off the falling stone and fell, rotating and extending her hands to brace her fall, landing them into the splashing molten steel... The cries of agony could be heard throughout Wind Reach, in one fell swoop my mother's hands were destroyed, almost utterly by the steel as the robber fled.
An Endal who had heard the scream came to aid, catching the thief with an arrow through their chest for attacking a member of a higher caste. But there was little that could be done for my mother's once precious hands. Burned to the bone, they were removed and cauterized before they could fester, ending my mother's practice of her beautiful craft. My father was shattered, releasing his apprentices from service while she recovered, and vowing to never take another because of the event. All the while my mother spiraled into a deep depression, as her once luminescent life in Wind Reach became only a shadowed memory of how far she had fallen... This, combined with a dark paranoia of being forced to return to the ranks of the city Deks.
After her recovery, for her mental health, my father and her made the sacrifice of leaving Wind Reach, to pilgrimmage to Sylira. A long journey for the two of them, but after selling their businesses my parents had managed to purchase a cart for their trade tools and horses for travel to a land which they would later settle and make their home... after months of travel, they found their place at the Mithryn Outpost, though not in the most pleasant of means...
While bandits are rare within the lands of Sylira, highwaymen are a risk anywhere you travel on the road. As Inartan nomads, my parents had run into trouble, entering a fierce gallop, moving as swiftly as their horse drawn carriage could take them, they attempted to flee the party whom were giving chase. It had been well into the chase when they saw something small rise against the horizon, a great wall came into sight, followed by a single dark shadow floating high in the sky, glinting with a hint of steel and whistling like an angels whisper. The arrow cascaded down from the heavens into one of the horses of their pursuers, striking the horse to the ground and toppling the man with it, who fell beneath the wheels of the high speed carriage followed by a sickening crack of bone... My father turned their cart to move in the direction of the supporting archer, while the host which gave them chase quickly turned to flee... only to be chased down relentlessly themselves by my parent's first sighting of the great Syliran knights of the Mithryn Outpost...
They offered my parents sanctuary, and not long after my father disclosing his trade, residency... It was a year later they decided to have a child, and in a matter of months, i came into the world.
---
I was a troublesome child, always running and inquisitive, it was my mother who took the greatest pride in me, saying that I had inherited her hands and my father's blazing hair. And although disabled, my mother worked hard for her keep, as she was unable to perform all of the deeds which a normal house wife could, or work in the fields as well as the others, I was substituted as her work hands while she performed other tasks. Often teaching others within the area to read and write, and undertaking other tasks which were many times less physically intensive. Life here was happy, but that didn't stop me getting into my fair share of trouble as a boy. Free-running I knocked over all sorts of things, getting yelled at by merchants and knights alike and was overall a menace on my community when my hands were not busy with the work which I needed to accomplish for my family.
I was raised on the regret filled tales of Inartan culture, and with wide eyed ambition I embraced them regardless of their tone, hoping that one day I would be able to return to the place they had once called home, and experience the peaks of Skyinarta for myself. I took to dressing like an Inartan, thinking like an Inartan, trying to act like an Inartan would. But, as my perception of it was skewed by ignorance, I reached this half caste distinction between of an Inartan being a mix between the persona of a Syliran knight, and a nomadic wanderer... In my boyhood I was told the stories of how my parents had managed to travel here, and how they were saved by the knights when they had been accosted by highwaymen, further increasing my admiration for the Human knights of this area.
As I aged, I matured... a little, more knowledgeable than wise, I taught myself to hunt, and eventually, managed to leave the nest and move into my own place of residency. honing my skills and training, I aim to make my own impact on the world...
And so... here I am...
A child of circumstance, torn between two places, two cultures, two worlds...
My story begins."Skills:| Skill | Experience | Total | Proficiency | | Weapon: Short Bow | 10Rp + 16Sp | 26Exp | Competent | | Weapon: Bastard Sword | 10Sp | 10Exp | Novice | | Falconry | 6Sp | 6Exp | Novice | | Hunting | 6Sp | 6Exp | Novice | | Trapping | 6Sp | 6Exp | Novice | | Tracking | 6Sp | 6Exp | Novice |
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![[Verified by Crosspatch]](./images/checkmark.png "[Verified by Crosspatch]")
Zhou~ 
by Zhou on August 31st, 2014, 10:58 am 
