Owner Name:Skeseth
Name:This is the most difficult thing for me to come up with... Names have to be original for me, something to make it extra special. Of course I immediately think of the obvious choices. GLaDOS being the first, then Chell, then Atlas or P-body or Wheatley-- but no, those are strike me as 'male' in my mind. So to be even more original, do I go further with Caroline or Mel or Companion Cube (kidding on that last one).
Nah... Instead, I'll go with Norina.
Why Norina?
As I always do, I investigate a name until I feel it is as original and as fitting as it can be. It has to have some connection to Portal (obviously) and most especially it has to connect to the Rune Dragon as well, physically and emotionally. Sometimes I take the root of a word, find its meaning, and find a suitable name with the same meaning. I was tempted to do just that with Caroline, since GLaDOS isn't a real name Norina is a variation of Eleanor, which means Sun ray/ shining light. I love the meaning, it matches as far as physical looks with the colors and the way this Rune shines.
The way I found Norina is this way: GLaDOS's voice actress is Ellen McLain, who I found out is an opera singer too (she sings the songs, even the Turret Opera). I was surprised, because I love opera and have seen my fair share of a few productions from college-run productions to several live shows at the Metropolitan Opera. I found she played Norina in Don Pasquale. This is a comic opera that I actually have seen and loved. Norina actually schemes with the Doctor in it to teach the old Don a lesson, and I love the mischievous way she is involved in this scheme. In a way, it matches what I see as a personality in this Rune dragon too.
Gender: If you can give something mechanical a gender, I suppose it would have to be female. Why? Well, GLaDOS possesses a feminine programming (especially if you consider whose mind was inserted into her), and it's hard not to give something a gender if you see and hear it in your mind as a she. I find myself that I cannot say anything else but she.
Why do you wish to have him/her:Obviously, the first thing I enjoy most about the dragon is the fact that it is Portal themed, one of my favorite games. It kept me up during a really rough night back in college, where I had stumbled upon it at a so-called house party I was invited to. Instead, I was shown someone's entertainment set up and they introduced me to Portal, where I ended up playing on their dual-monitor desktop... I eventually got an audience as I played that whole game in one sitting that night. To say that I was hooked is an understatement. Best house party I had in a long time, that night. Unfortunately, I would have played it again and again to savor the first game if I could, but I didn't have a good enough laptop at the time to download it. Eventually I did, and I've lost count since it's such a quick game to play at the end. lol
So first knowing it's Portal themed, it already had my attention. Upon reading the rune's description, she really struck me as a mixture of all the best things in both game: intuitive in nature, the portals, a companion... How could I refuse to even try, with the little chance that I have to begin with? The moment I saw it... I'm not lying when I say that the rune is much better than I ever could have imagine and I could not think of any way it could have been better. All the Runes here have such amazing details and the art is superb, but out of everything that could have been chosen for Portal this really captures the best. The colors are amazing, and they go perfectly together-- GLaDOS colors of course-- but I feel like no matter how often I look at it there's a new detail to find. I know I haven't seen Rune Dragons quite as long as the other fans here have, but I'm smitten by the detailed fact. I just won't try for any other Rune (not that they are any less amazing) if they don't speak out to me.
Also another reason to really want this one, since a Rune that will really call out to me is so few and far between (at least ones that I would spend a lot of effort on), I could finally officially join the Rune Fanclub and other activities with owning my first Rune dragon
Where will you keep him/her:I've got a character thread that I keep updated and of course I'd love to show this rune off in my signature for a long time. I generally switch it out if I get a new character or adoptable, but I would go back and revolve them after awhile. I especially love to keep them in my signature for a longer period of time if I enjoy the adoptables, not just for the pets but for the people. I found Rune Dragons from someone's signature, after all. ^^
Would you like to breed him/her in the feature:Most definitely! Can you imagine the sorts of babies this rune could have? And I'd love to be able to share babies if they come out more Portal-themed, unless they are another theme and are irresistible. Of course, if it cannot reproduce because it isn't a real Rune dragon than I'll just have to be happy to have the only one...
But otherwise, I do not see why a Rune should go unbreedable when a combination could produce runes that would make great companions for someone new. If there were never any other way for more Portal themed runes, it would be a shame to hold back on others getting the chance of owning a piece of something they love, as I know I know I only like to go after something I have a true connection with and not just for aesthetic purposes or to own one of the adoptables that are hard to get.
Personality: (The style used here is something I used to do a lot in the past when creating characters for others... A favorite hobby of mine that I am no longer a part of, unfortunately. So it was fun to revisit it, somewhat. It is a sort of inspiration for someone to use to role play their new pet/character, which is why I use 'you' etc in regards, though in reality this will be referring to me. It is good reference for myself with how to play her, should I be so lucky ^^)GLaDOS (Still Alive): We do what we must/ because we can. When you have the ability to create portals and move instantaneously from one area to another, you would take advantage of that too, wouldn't you? Norina is notorious for doing just that, and she does it in a way to always test the limits. This is for science, after all. She is not so easily frightened, as one would think with such an unusual talent. The portal ability was not created so that she can safely get away,, although it is very useful for that in the most dire of cases. Instead what may be mistaken as fear is always, in fact, to get a better picture of the situation.
If her mechanical life is ever threatened in any way, then she will certainly leave the scene to a safer distance. She won't sacrifice herself, she is much too important. Somewhere in her processor there is a strong desire programmed in to gather information under any circumstance. Once she is in a place where her life is no longer threatened, she will reassess the situation and figure out her next step from there. The first word that usually strikes people's mind when they see her in action, flicking in here and there for a closer look, is curiosity. And she has plenty of that to spare; it may be cute and interesting to see, but fear when you realize it involves everything else around her. After curiosity, you realize the phrase 'the world is my playground' suits her better.
Everything around her is an experiment waiting to happen. From the most mundane situation to really technical schemes. Portal in front of you to scare you-- what's the outcome? Portal little objects around her to see how far they can go flying, from different angles-- what's the outcome? What she does with this information, no one really knows. Stored in some part of her processor for another day. She still plays, of course, and enjoys it thoroughly, especially with her bonded. Perhaps in some part it is still an experiment.
If there is one thing you must know about her, it is that experiments are always meant to be retested. And retested. And retested. She'll never grow tired of a game, or an activity, although sometimes she will learn when one experiment is done and she should move on to a new one. But do not underestimate her ability of returning to it months later... once you think she's finally stopped trying to frighten you, it'll suddenly happen again. It's always when you start to let your guard down. It is not that she forgets-- Norina has a near-perfect memory, not too surprisingly for something mechanical. If at any point there is something she might have forgotten, it is usually a strange glitch that should be checked on.
Cave Johnson: Science isn't about why - it's about why not. You ask, Why is so much of our science dangerous? I say, Why not marry safe science if you love it so much? In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out - because you are fired. Most likely, those dangerous situations are ones that she gets into by herself or creates. It is not only portals that she plays with, to see how many different ways she can use her unique ability, but also experimenting with everything and anything around her. As a mechanical Rune, she has an affinity for tech. Tweaking, building, creating. Unfortunately, a lot of things that she has touched has a tendency to break or explode. She's a resilient little thing and it does not affect her at all, but you should be careful when approaching things in case it has yet to go off.
It would probably be safer to buy her own bits and pieces and wires for her to mess with, though it will only save your own appliances and gear for a short time before there is something she will eventually want to mess with. It is an unfortunate side effect with having her but eventually she will learn to fix things and put them back to how they were (unless she finds something useful to do with it and steals it as her very own invention). She will have a stock pile of technical gadgets in some hidey-hole of hers to use for another day's experiment. Having her around will never be boring, and it will always keep you on your toes. Because science isn't supposed to be safe, it is an ever-learning process and if you can't handle that... well, too bad. But she'll love you anyway.
Wheatley: Okay, almost there. On the other side of that wall is one of the old testing tracks. There's a piece of equipment in there we're gonna need to get out of here. I think this is a docking station. Get ready...
[smashes into wall]
Wheatley: Good news: that is NOT a docking station. So there's one mystery solved. I'm going to attempt a manual override on this wall. Could get a bit technical! Hold on!
[smashes into wall, again] Once bonded for life, she will be a good companion, someone that will help you in any way that she can. It may look like she has an ulterior motive to study you as well, but inside her cogs and screws she is very attached to you because she wants to be, and it isn't just science keeping her there. She will always to be by your side, and experiment
together; like her companion cube she tends to stick close. Any affection is usually kept private and away from strangers, and affectionate she can be. In front of others she will be a hovering companion close by, helping where she can, gathering data when she is not needed, and in between running some mischievous idea off on some poor unsuspecting victim when you are not looking.
When it comes to
you, she's a helpful little ally. Still, there are times when you accidentally become a victim to some plot of hers or accident, but it is
never intentional. Such as when your new trinket you bought is in pieces, scattered everywhere (sorry), or when that gift she gave you went on the fritz and exploded and caused a little black char mark on your desk (sorry), or even when she tried to guide you to something she found and you nearly turned to smack into a wall (oops). Nothing is ever perfect and it happens, but it is overshadowed by her companionship.
[to Atlas and P-body during co-op mode]
GLaDOS: As an impartial collaboration facilitator, it would be unfair of me to name my favorite member of your team. However, it's perfectly fair to hint at it in a way that my least favorite probably isn't smart enough to understand. Rhymeswithglue. Orange, you are doing very well. Nori plays favorites... And her favorite is obviously you. Everyone else? Well, they might not like what happens when she appears, because she does not hold back like she does most of the time with you. More mischievous, more experimenting, more reason to portal away before someone tries to smack her out of the sky. If there ever is a moment she hates someone-- and she likely will dislike any person that you dislike-- then she will make it known. Fear the little mechanical rune, because she has a very useful ability to be able to get anywhere and get out quickly.
Quirks Science! And exploding lemons... I mean, science! This dragon embodies the scientific theory: hypothesize, test, results, repeat. As seen in her personality, it's a bit quirky in that way.
She hates potatoes... HATES (which is a shame since I love potatoes myself.).Anyway, nothing in the world can really set her off as seeing a whole potato just lying there, harmless, ready to do something sinister. She just knows it. So if that potato suddenly goes flying off in the distance after some quick action portal casting schematics and disappearing off in the horizon or splattering against the wall at a high velocity so that it is nothing more than mashed goop... Well, it was your own fault for leaving it out.
[claps slowly three times]
GLaDOS: Oh, good. My slow-clap processor made it into this thing. So we have that.She may “trill” and “coo” with her strangely lyrical mechanical notes, but she also shows a variety of personal quirks through her “voice.” Such as this... Her “slow clap.” Three clicks of some spring or three quick whirrs of a cog. Nori has a habit of this and she does it every time something occurs that is not amusing to her. Click. Click. Click.
“Nori, you were really curious every time I cooked all last week. Oh don't worry, I'm not angry about those half dozen eggs falling on top of my head. I brought us a cookbook for us to try together!”
Norina pops up to the tabletop cautiously, trilling softly in question.
"You can definitely help me this time. I'll even taste-test anything you make so long as I know it's edible."
Perking up happily, she hops in anticipation at the new activity.
Reveals cookbook. “The Ultimate Potato Book! This is going to be an awesome dinner!”
Stare. Click. Click. Click.(Norina's personality is mostly inspired by GLaDOS with a touch of helpful Wheatley in the mix of things. I can easily tweak her endlessly, as I have done over the course of the last few days, as the ideas are mostly inspired by little stories I see in my head and satisfied my need when I could not get a real story out. I just hope that others can see the stories as well and enjoy them. I'm sure over time she will evolve to have more likes and dislikes and quirks in her personality, as everyone tends to do. )I'll have to call my form finished and be satisfied with it, even though I've edited it countless times on Word and here. lol I could go on forever if I had the time. XD
