Tʜᴇ Rᴏᴀᴅ Lᴇss Tʀᴀᴠᴇʟʟᴇᴅ Bʏ {literate ; closed}

[videlicet]

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
{The Road Not Taken; Robert Frost}

We exist for the journey. Wanderlust courses through our veins like fire, spurring us forward. We are the nomads, the travellers, the pilgrims, wayfarers, vagabonds -many names we have been called, and we embody them all. But, amongst ourselves, we are the Ssael [pronounced SH-aleh]. People of the road less travelled by.

Our existence is, on the surface, simplistic. We are a people of few material comforts; a life on the road does not lend itself to the accumulation of paraphernalia. Our belongings consist only of essentials; furs, food, water, weapons, medicine, portable means of shelter. Distractions have been stripped away, and there is nowhere left to hide. It is us, our Guides*, the sky, and the road, alone.
Our children are born on the road. The first things they see are the sky and the path, and often the last, as well. They are raised to be strong, enduring -able to survive in this endless land of snow and ice which we so travel through. And, at the age of sixteen, they are put to the test. It is, amongst our people, one of the most important experiences in our lifetimes -second only to childbirth. Not only do our children prove themselves able, and rejoin us as functioning adult members of society, they find their Guides in the process. And, until one is joined by their Guide, they are incomplete. One half of a whole.

We call it the Passage -because that is what it is, in more ways than one. On the spring equinox, the 20th of March, when the Sun and our Earth are on the same plane, and the day and night are equal in length, all children who have turned sixteen before that point (usually around eight) are sent out. It is their task to meet us at the Winter Home (the one constant in all of our travels) before the winter solstice, but no earlier than the first days of December. It is about an eight-month journey. By the time the survivors return (often, at least one or two are lost in the process -it is a good year when all return unscathed), they are different people. They have grown up, and there is wisdom in their step. The tilt of the world has shifted, and they have their Guides by their side to light their ways. Their return is always greeted with a celebration of such frivolity as is never seen amongst us at any other time.

The equinox has arrived, and it is your sixteenth year at last. Are you ready? We took the road less travelled by -and that has made all the difference.

*A Guide is the animal that best represents and encompasses your non-physical being -what many call a soul. It takes the form of an animal, but is not entirely one; it can converse with humans (though rarely chooses to speak to any other than the person to whom it is bound). They reveal themselves to those who are sixteen years of age on their Passage. Sometimes soon after the journey has begun, and, for others, almost at its end. There is no set time. Occasionally, one mightn't even realize their Guide is with them -they may see the same bird in a tree for many days in a row, and not realize that creature is their Guide until it chooses to speak with them. Once a Guide has established contact with their other half, the two are nigh on inseparable.

[videlicet]

► all of Tess' rules apply (as always).
► this is a literate roleplay; I'd like at least 6 sentences per post (the occasional writer's block is understandable).
► you may play one human, and one Guide maximum.
► you may not play your own Guide (it's more fun that way!). However, if you're having issues with the person playing your Guide, or vice versa, please PM me -I'll do my best to sort things out.
► when speaking out of character, please indicate -use brackets, or something to that effect.
► please, don't do any excessive posting. I, for one, am an incredibly busy person, and can't always get on.
► no cursing, gratuitous violence, or detailed "romance". Think of the children!
► As there are only 16 spots (eight human and eight Guide), I will be judging your forms very closely. Please try your best on them!
► Have fun! c:


*if you have any questions in regards to the roleplay, feel free to PM me! I'm always happy to oblige! c:

[videlicet]

► ari ingvar sverrir. male. played by s e v e n. x.
ioree zera. female. domestic shorthair cat. played by Musicality. x.

► eloise amelia blackwhithe. female. played by GrayStar51. x.
ying. male. golden eagle. played by arabmorgan. x.

► nathan delmar. male. played by Leviathan007. x.
gwendolyn. female. mountain lion. played by s e v e n. x.

► serenity rhodes female. played by Speak. x.
aiku. male. wolf. played by Sadist.. x.

► krystal lynne pryde. female. played by arabmorgan. x.
luna. female. wolf. played by ~Fullmetal.Heart~. x.

► alena silverwit. female. played by Sadist.. x.
cuán. male. wolverine. played by Speak. x.

► korbin evenwood. male. played by Keriae. x.
zephyr. male. tasmanian masked owl. played by Leviathan007. x.

[videlicet]

The Ssael live in the far North, a land that bears no name. They are its only human inhabitants; the temperatures are too harsh for any others to dream of venturing there, and the distance between it and any other continents is too massive for any other human populations to breach. For now, it remains untainted.

This land is locked in an eternal state of permafrost, and few trees, and even fewer plants, grow. The SSael must dig deep into the snow to find edible matter, or else travel far to the sea coasts, where plants grow in greater abundance. Coniferous trees are found in greater abundance in the south, though a few still cling to a feeble existence in the northernmost reaches of this land. As a result of this, few animal species exist naturally here (Guides, of course, may thrive wherever their companions are; they need no sustenance beyond the health of their human).

But, what this land lacks in hospitality and habitability, it makes up for with beauty. Nearly every night, the aurora borealis will flicker into life, filling the dark sky with a wide array of colours, and lightening the snow below. Sometimes, in the very far north, the aurora will even be visible during the daylight hours. As well, natural ice and snow sculptures are on display everywhere, born of hundreds of years of shifting snow and relentless winds. These creations can range from the size of boulders, to small mountains. Occasionally, they may even harbour small caves carved into their faces; these are one of the favourite shelters of the Ssael, and the Winter Home has a plethora of them (most natural, some human-made).

The temperatures here vary greatly; summers on the southern coasts can rise to 10 ºC, where winters in the northernmost reaches can drop to -50 ºC. There is one benefit to the cold, though -the further north you go, the less it snows. It becomes physically too cold for snowfall. In the south and warmer months, though, blizzards are quite common -and can be extremely dangerous.

To paraphrase, the land with no name is one that exists very low on the habitability scale (for most, far below it). Life is difficult to the extreme, but perseveres nonetheless.

[videlicet]

The forms below are merely suggestions; you can use them, or you can choose to make your own. Remember: there are only sixteen available spots, and I am judging your admittance based on your literacy in your form.

Code: Select all

[center][img]picture%20goes%20here[/img]
[img]http://fontmeme.com/create.php?text=Firstname%20Possiblymiddle%20Surname&name=JennaSue.ttf&size=28&style_color=2D2452[/img]
[size=85][color=#2d2452]► [b]name [/b] Full name goes here. It doesn't have to be foreign-sounding; it doesn't matter to me either way. c:
► [b]age [/b] This one's pretty much a given; your character is going to be sixteen. Perhaps delve into specifics?
► [b]gender [/b] Male or female?

[img]http://fontmeme.com/create.php?text=Skimming%20the%20Surface&name=JennaSue.ttf&size=25&style_color=2D2452[/img]
► [b]appearance [/b] How do they look? What colour is their skin? Eyes? Hair? How tall are they, and how much do they weigh? How do they wear their hair, how long is it? How are they built?
► [b]paraphernalia [/b] What sort of things did they bring on this journey? Do they keep a diary in their pocket? What about weapons, clothing, lucky charms?

[img]http://fontmeme.com/create.php?text=Under%20the%20Skin&name=JennaSue.ttf&size=25&style_color=2D2452[/img]
► [b]personality [/b] What are they like, on the inside? How do they act when people are watching, versus when they're alone? How do they view themselves? Others? How are they feeling about the Passage?
► [b]interests [/b] What interests them?
► [b]strengths [/b] What are they good at? (Hint: they don't only have to be physical things.)
► [b]weaknesses [/b] What are they bad at?
► [b]guide [/b] What are they hoping for in their Guide? What animal do they want it to be? What animal do they think it will be? Do they have any idea at all?
► [b]crush [/b] Do they have their eye on anyone?
► [b]sexual orientation [/b] Which way do they swing (if any way at all), as the saying goes? Are they straight (heterosexual), gay/lesbian (homosexual), bisexual, pansexual, asexual, demisexual, etc.? Do they even know?

[img]http://fontmeme.com/create.php?text=Back%20to%20the%20Start&name=JennaSue.ttf&size=25&style_color=2D2452[/img]
► [b]history [/b] How did they grow up? How did their parents treat them? How did they find journeying -did they have any close friends? Where were they born?
► [b]family [/b] Who are their family? Parents? Siblings? Are they alive?
 
► [b]other [/b] Is there anything I've forgotten? (Probably.) Anything you'd like to add, like a song you think represents them, or something relating to how active you're going to be?[/color][/size][/center]

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[img]http://fontmeme.com/create.php?text=Name&name=JennaSue.ttf&size=28&style_color=2D2452[/img]
[size=85][color=#2d2452]► [b]name [/b] Write their name here.
► [b]age [/b] The Guide's age will be identical to it's human counterpart's.If you don't know who their human is yet -it's a safe bet just to put 'sixteen'. :p
► [b]gender [/b] Male or female?
► [b]species [/b] What species are they? (Note: it has to be an actual species; no dragons, or sphinxes, or phoenixes.)
► [b]other half [/b] Who is their human companion? If you don't know, feel free to put "undecided", or something. If you'd like to PM a person first, to see if they'd be okay with you as their Guide, or ask me to choose someone for you, or maybe even wait for someone to ask you to be their Guide, that's all fine, as well! c:

► [b]appearance [/b] What do they look like? What kind of animal are they; how do they compare to the norm? Fur/scales/feathers colour? Eye colour? How large are they? How are they built?

► [b]personality [/b] Contrary to popular belief, Guides and their humans can have very different personalities (they can also be very similar). They may disagree sometimes, hit rough patches, and get into arguments -but that's the wonder of the relationship between a Guide and their companion. It is unbreakable; it can withstand any and all turmoil.
► [b]interests [/b] What do they like?
► [b]strengths [/b] What are they good at?
► [b]weaknesses [/b] What are they bad at?

► [b]other [/b] Anything I've forgotten? (Note: there is no history, because they come into being as soon as they are needed by their companion. There is no family, either, for the same reason. As well, they can't have crushes, or anything like that, because they aren't exactly material beings. Their love belongs solely to their human counterpart; it may, eventually, be extended to the person their companion falls in love with, and that person's Guide.)

 [/color][/size][/center]

[videlicet]

► name "My name is Ari -full name being Ari Ingvar Sverrir. Bit've a mouthful, and rather discordant too, I've always thought. Seeing as my own name's short enough, I've never acquired anything in the way of a nickname. I'm just Ari, and that's that."
► age "I'm sixteen, but only just. My birthday was on the fourth of March -I haven't even been sixteen for a month!"
► gender "I'm a boy, as I hoped would be apparent. Some say it isn't -I've always been a bit on the feminine side -which I loathe with every fibre of my being; you don't know how much I envy those manly... men. That sounded kind of strange, didn't it? Just forget it, then. But, as I was saying, I'm a boy, and, hopefully, by the winter solstice, I'll be a man."


► appearance Hovering at a meagre 5"6, Ari is very small for his age, a fact that is corroborated by his weight (if you could even call it that) of only 134 pounds. Even his face still clings to the vestiges of his childhood; Ari's body seems to be rebelling against the natural phenomenon of ageing -something he would be grateful for if it were taking place many years in the future, but not now. No, certainly not now. All it gets him at the moment are taunts and jibes, cutting him down even shorter than he already stands.
His eyes are the deep brown of chocolate, or, to be rather less romantic, mud. He certainly sees it as the latter. If one stands almost nose-to-nose with him, and squints slightly (both actions he would definitely not condone), they may be able to make out the faintest suggestion of a golden hue rimming his pupils. Ari's hair bears a similar colouration to his eyes, if fractionally lighter in hue. His fringe is creeping lower and lower down his face; resting at the moment just above his eyebrows. He sees no point in cutting it -if anything, the extra hair will keep his face warmer in the months to come.
There is one advantage to Ari's slight stature, and that is the fact that it makes him fast. Very fast. He's not lugging around any extra weight, and that lends him a huge advantage over the rather burlier males who have to rely on muscular strength to propel them forwards. And, Ari's not as weak as he looks; being a Ssael, there is a wiry strength hidden under the layers of furs. But, in comparison to most other male specimens (and, depressingly enough, quite a few females) of his age, Ari is as scrawny as a newborn rabbit.
From the views of his close female family members -namely his mother and older sister, Ari is, to quote, "the cutest little boy ever". How's that for a confidence booster, eh? Ari can practically hear any notion of his masculinity going up in flames. Their view of him really isn't all that skewed by familial bias, though -he is cute (in an endearing six-year old sort of way). When he smiles, a dimple appears on his right cheek alone, and the lightest dusting of freckles cover his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. And, whilst puberty may not have appeared to have hit him yet -neither has the acne that inevitably comes along with it. His face is as clear as fresh snowfall -and almost as white, as well. There isn't much opportunity for any darkening of the skin in this land of weak sunlight.
► paraphernalia Ari packed only a single bag for the Passage; a large, sealskin creation, made to be carried on the back. It's old, and slightly mottled, the last vestiges of hair missed during the initial shaving of the fur long since worn off by use. It's waterproof, sturdy, and capable of carrying everything Ari needs (or thinks he does, anyways). In it, he has carefully packed all three of his blankets (slightly old and a bit rank; he kept prodding his mother for new ones, but they never actually got around to it), extra sets of mitts and hats, and a few more clothing items, as well as a not insubstantial amount of food supplies. In the left pocket of his undercoat, Ari carries a time-worn journal, bound with fraying sinew and containing decaying pages. He's had it for ages, and rarely uses it -it's become more of a comfort item than anything else. His father gave it to him. He has been planning to use it more readily come the start of the Passage; he's never really thought he had anything interesting to write about thus far. But, he is self-conscious, and doubts he'll have the gall to physically take out and write in what would constitute as a diary in most of the minds of his peers. He's ostracized enough as it is, thanks. In the way of weapons, Ari carries both a long, bone knife concealed in a sheath around his waist, and a shorter one in his pack. He's praying one of the people he's travelling with will know how to shoot -he despairs of being able to catch anything at all with his meagre arsenal.


► personality Introverted, perceptive, weak, emotional, envious, passionate, self-deprecating, creative, moral, idealistic, illogical.
Ari is rather introverted; he prefers being in a small group when interacting, and hates the limelight. He doesn't speak all too often, afraid his ideas will be shot down and ground to dust by those around him. But, if someone else takes the initiative, and takes the time to break down his wall of reservation, they may find a completely different individual hidden underneath. Ari is quite emotional, which may or may not be a side effect of having been raised by his mother and sister; he never really learnt or built up the typical male aversion to feelings. No, Ari is, perhaps, the opposite of that -he is deeply attuned to emotion, and this helps him recognize it in others, and sympathize with them. With that level of perception, he could easily manipulate others to serve his cause -but he doesn't. Ari is deeply morally-bound; he has a clear sense of honour, and betraying others would be very much akin to betraying himself. And, he reflects this moral-code onto the world around him.
When he was younger, Ari was bullied quite a lot -called a "sissy", or a "girl", because of his small stature, and the fact that he used to cry openly -quite often. And, whilst this didn't manage to destroy the idealistic view of the world he clings to, it did tear away any and all of the little self-confidence he had at that time possessed. He learnt to hold his cards close to his chest, and put on an impassive mask in public. He beat himself down, beginning to view himself as all the others did -taking their words to heart. Ari is awash with self-loathing, and this has lead him to view all others as superior to himself. He is not a dominant individual -all he really wants is harmony, for everyone to be level and the same. In other words, Ari is weak.
Another notable thing about Ari is his incredibly idealistic view of the world. Some would classify it as naïveté, others, as delusion. Ari believes, with his whole heart, in the beauty and morality of the world. Everything must happen for a reason, and there is a greater good behind all the bad. It was this worldview that helped him cope with the death of his father. But, he still gets dejected easily; he wavers, as does everyone, and forgets about the "greater good" that drives everyone forward. Sometimes, it all just seems so pointless. And, if there is one thing Ari cannot stand, it is pointless suffering. It isn't just, it isn't fair -it isn't right. All Ari really wants to do is stop the world from hurting.
But he doesn't know how.
And that fact hurts, more than he would care to admit. This is why Ari is also prone to jealousy -he looks around, and sees all these people, all so much stronger and more talented than he -and he thinks: if only I could be like them, then maybe, just maybe, I would be able to do something. His own worthlessness stings. He has a goal but no way to achieve it. He values goodness, but hasn't contributed anything at all himself. What is he but a spare part?
Ari's strength of emotional response tends to make him illogical; he doesn't value reason and analysis half as much as intuition and gut feeling. On the rare occasions when he does act out, speak up, or do anything at all to attract attention to himself, it is spur-of-the-moment, based on whim and feelings. Reckless. He is not a logical person, and, if he were not so introverted as he is, that might just be a problem.
One final thing that not many people know about Ari, because no one has ever really taken the time or given the effort to get close to him, aside from his family, is his level of creativity. He has a passion for the written word, and delights in metaphors and other forms of word play. When he does speak, he tends to do so with rather more sophistication than would be considered average, though he doesn't do it consciously. Having read a large number of the few texts the Ssael keep, he's acquired a large vocabulary almost through osmosis.
► interests Ari enjoys reading, writing, whittling (though he isn't very good at it, as the various nicks and cuts on his hands can attest to), helping people whenever the opportunity to do so arises, and sleeping (he is visited by the most vivid, bizarre dreams).
► strengths Ari can move very quickly, the one benefit of his slight build, and he has a penchant for language, being slightly more articulate than a few others his age. As well
► weaknesses Being short and scrawny, Ari is seriously lacking in the 'strength' department. As well, he has a tendency to be irrational, and relies more heavily on emotions than logic in all situations, which can get him into trouble sometimes. He is very introverted, and rarely speaks unless spoken to, and even then, not much.
► guide Ari wishes, as do most, that his Guide will turn out to be something impressive in stature; a wolf, a big cat, a horse, a stag... Something to compensate for his own lack of physical bearing. But, knowing his luck, he'll probably end up with a Guide just about as imposing as a dormouse. In all honesty, though, Ari has no idea what animal his Guide will turn out to be. | His Guide is Ioree Zera, a female Domestic Shorthair cat.
► crush Not as of yet.
► sexual orientation Ari is what would classify under the heading of demisexual; he experiences only secondary sexual attraction (but, as of thus far, hasn't at all). He can only form any sort of physical attraction towards a person once a strong bond has already been formed, be it romantic or merely platonic. But, he himself, at the moment, would merely label himself 'confused'. He's never found a girl pretty -or, at least, not in the way he's supposed to, and isn't sure where that leaves him -he can't be gay (right?), because he doesn't see boys as attractive, either.


► history Ari was born on the road, as are most Ssael youth. The deliverance was swift, and there were no major complications impeding his mother's recovery. Freyja Sverrir was a strong, healthy woman. For the first few days after his birth, whilst his mother was regaining her strength -even smooth and swift childbirth is taxing- Ari was fondled over by his older sister, Lara, who, at that time, was five. She talked to him, told him secrets and stories and shared her dreams, soothing him when he cried (which was often), and rarely straying from his side at any time at all. That was the foundation of their bond. At five, Lara played a stronger parental role than Ari's father, who remained distant. He loved his son, certainly, but no strong paternal urges coursed through his veins. His wife remained the focus of any familial interactions; he found children difficult to interact with.
So, Ari grew, raised mainly by his mother and older sister. He learnt compassion and kindness from them both, and the value of emotions. Lara, who had quite an artistic streak, was always encouraging him to try to paint, or weave, or sing like she did. Unfortunately, he showed no particular penchant for any of those artistic endeavours, and, eventually, she gave up.
At the age of eight, Hrafn, Ari's father, began to show a greater interest in his son, beginning to spend more time with him, talking about hunting and fighting, showing him, demonstrating, teaching. And, though Ari didn't seem to be all too skilled at any of those activities either, Hrafn persevered. They were a man's calling, in his opinion, and no son of his would go through life as an incompetent.
And, then, in the month of January, when Ari was nine years old, a fierce blizzard swept through the land, raging around them for two days and two nights. All forward motion stopped, and the Ssael gathered close, hunkering down to last out the storm. And, when the last flake of snow had finally fallen to the ground, and the sky had once again lightened to a steely blue, Hrafn Sverrir was gone. Search parties were sent out, but his body was never recovered. He was proposed dead, and the Sverrir family was offered condolences. Ari grieved well into his tenth year.
But, time heals all wounds, as the saying goes, and, eventually, Ari wiped the last tear from his perpetually puffy eyes, and learnt to smile again. And, now, bound by suffering, Ari, his mother, and his sister were even closer than previous. When he turned eleven, Lara was sixteen, and it was her turn to embark upon the Passage. He has a powerful memory of clinging to her heavily-furred form, crying publicly and begging her not to go. And she had leaned down, and promised him that she would be back before he knew it. Then she left, and thus began the days of waiting. The other boys who were around his age began to bully him with more ferocity then, growing into young adolescents and realizing the true scope of his weakness. Many a day Ari came back with a bruise or a scrape, and his mother would grow more and more angry as she enfolded him in her arms. But she did nothing. Amongst the Ssael, there is no room for weakness. Ari had to learn to face his own demons.
He never did -he merely grew more adept at hiding from them.
And, just as she had promised, the day came when Lara returned from the Passage. She was a woman now, and by her side pranced a beautiful stag, eight tines on his antlers. This was Raefyel, and he was her Guide, closer than any friend, lover, parent, or child. At first, Ari resented him deeply. In his mind, the stag had usurped him, taking his place in his sister's life. But he soon learnt that was not the case; Raefyel accepted him just as easily as Lara had, because he was a part of her. His sister was whole now, and happier than he had ever seen her before. And so resentment grew to respect, and, finally, love. Raefyel was one and the same with his sister, and Ari treated him as such. It was he who inspired in Ari such a fierce longing for a Guide of his own; he had few people he could even count as friends (they were acquaintances, more like; fellow outcasts who did not spit at him like the other boys), and he wanted a bond like that.
And so it was that Ari came to view the Passage with both a boiling excitement and fair helping of dread. It has finally arrived, and Ari is intent on making this the journey of a lifetime.
► family Ari's close family consists of only his mother, Freyja Sverrir, and older sister, Lara. His father died when he was nine, lost in a blizzard that took a few other members of the community as well, though most considerably older and more infirm than he. Hrafn Sverrir was everything that Ari is not; strong, capable, tall, and imposing. His death was mourned widely -it was not his time to go, yet, but the world worked in strange and oftentimes cruel ways. His Guide had been a raven.
So, Ari was raised through his teenage years by the female members of his family. And, whilst he does love them with every fibre of his being, sometimes he wishes he had more of a father figure to look up to. His father's father is still alive, yes, but he is distant -they never spoke much before his father's death, and, now, even less. Ari thinks that the old man might blame them for his son's death (ridiculous, and completely unfounded).

► other Though it galls me to say it, I'm not going to be the most active of roleplayers, as I attend a rather competitive private school, which requires my attendance six out of the seven days of the week, from eight 'til six-thirty. Nevertheless, I will make a concerted effort to sit down and reply at least once a day.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

► name "My name is Gwendolyn, and, no, before you even begin to think of calling me any sort of demeaning nicknames, like Gwen, I won't tolerate it. Don't try -you don't want to be on the receiving end of these claws."
► age "Sixteen years of age, still adolescent. In the terms of my species, of course. Sixteen human years would have me old and crotchety."
► gender "Female, completely and indisputably. I resent that the question even merited asking."
► species "Mountain lion, also known by the names of puma and cougar. I, personally, prefer the first -it sounds so much more regal, no?"
► other half Trevor Vincent Delmar is her human companion.

► appearance Gwendolyn stands at an average height for a mountain lion, if fractionally larger than most females. At the shoulder, she is 78 centimetres tall, and her body spans 2.1 metres from nose to tail-tip. She weighs 94 pounds. Although she both resembles, and shares much of her gene pool with, the domestic cat, she is closer in size to an adolescent human being. A force to be reckoned with.
Gwendolyn's pelt sits on the lighter end of the colour spectrum for her species (not taking into account any anomalous melanistic or albino cats), with her belly displaying a hue a shade from white, with a muzzle of the same colouration, and patches of slightly lighter fur around her jowls, eyes, and paws. Her ears, the edges of her muzzle, tail-tip, and two toes on her left forepaw are a dark brown in colour, almost mistakable for black in some of the more saturated areas. Her nose and pawpads share the same medium-pink hue, and her whiskers are slightly longer than average. Her eyes are a golden-yellow, lightening at the rims, and darkening to a reddish-brown around her irises. Striking eyes, when they catch the sunlight.
Having a slightly vain streak, Gwendolyn takes much pride in her appearance, devoting a considerable sum of her time to her coat's upkeeping; grooming it carefully to flatten any wayward hairs, and remove dirt and accumulated grime. She also strives to keep her claws sharp, running them across rocks and other hard surfaces when she feels the tips are beginning to dull.

► personality Extroverted, self-confident, determined, arrogant, dominant, rational.
Gwendolyn is not quiet by nature. She would much rather be in the thick of it than standing at the sidelines; preferably even the perpetrator of whatever "it" is. She thrives in the limelight. It stokes her ego considerably to have others pay notice to her -and, it has to be said, her ego doesn't exactly require any more feeding -it's bloated enough to have begun to become a hindrance.
When Gwendolyn interacts, though, she rarely does so merely for the sake of it; she is acute, and will often have an ulterior motive. Grand ideas fill Gwendolyn's mind and spur her forward; she rejects conventionality and rules, viewing tradition as a wall in the way of progress, and one she will stop at nothing to topple. Determination and intelligence are on her side. She has a very dominant personality -perhaps a bit stiflingly so. "Control freak", perhaps, would be the accurate word to describe her condition. Gwendolyn does not merely thrive as master of a situation -she requires the position in order to properly function. She needs to know exactly what is happening, where, when, why, and how. And, a little bit of deference on the part of others is always a bonus.
Gwendolyn views the world in shades of grey; rationality stripping all the vividity of emotion away. There is no place for it in her opinion -emotions are messy and distracting. Complicated, and, frankly, not worth her time. As a result of this, she has learnt to shut all of her own visceral reactions away, locking them up in a box and burying the key out in the snow. They are hidden away, repressed, tampered down. Occasionally, the shadow of a smirk will creep onto her face; the one emotion it seems she is incapable of hiding is distaste. And, so, it appears to be something she possesses in spades.
► interests Gwendolyn takes a great interest in leadership, seeking to wrest it for herself whenever and wherever possible. Her image, as well, is something she is much invested in -how does her fur look? Is it messy, dirty? What about her whiskers? They're not bent out of shape, are they? Gwendolyn takes a great deal of pride in herself. Another thing she enjoys is exploration, in more senses than one. Gwendolyn is a great appreciator of innovation and free-thinking; she spends much of her time searching for new ways to do things, new ways to see the world.
► strengths Gwendolyn is excellent at being in charge, though a bit authoritarian in her approaches. As well, logic and intelligence are on her side -she is very analytical, and can occasionally see connections where others cannot. She does not allow feelings to muddy her thoughts, and thus can remain clear-headed in situations where panic would likely grip many others. As for physical strengths -well, she is a mountain lion, and leanly muscled, making her strong without being too burly and cumbersome. She has an excellent sense of balance, and moves with a fluid grace that only those of the feline persuasion seem to have mastered. She has excellently sharp senses, and can see in the dark.
► weaknesses Gwendolyn is arrogant and self-centred; she sees herself as superior to all others, and will not take criticism, even if constructive, lightly. And, thus, she misses out on many opportunities for betterment. She can often come across as cold and disinterested as well, being incredibly reserved in her displays of emotion. And, she does not react well to not being in control of a situation.

► other Nothing that I haven't mentioned previous.

[videlicet]

Bump! Posting now open!

[dogface]

ooc; Wow lucky me, I've been craving to do a roleplay like this for some time now & this looks awesomeeeiusghwdsikfm. ;o; I'm interested in joining as a guide. Just curious though, Guides aren't restricted to animals that are found in arctic regions alone, right? Just wondering since the form claims there can be alterations to scale colour as well as fur & feathers but I'm having trouble thinking of any sort of scaled animal normally found in extremely cold biomes.

[videlicet]

@Sadist., Nope, they're not restricted to simply Arctic animals! c: Thank you so much for showing interest in the RP! (I know; I've been craving a roleplay like this for so long that I just decided to go ahead and make it. xD)

[c h a s i n g dreams]

{This looks very interesting! My form is obviously a wip though...T_T

► name Torleik Koli "Kala" Ravnson, but he is usually addressed as Koli, Tor, or Kala. No one but his mother knew where his name came from, but sadly she is not able to say. The only thing she said was that Kala meant 'to freeze'.
► age He was born in the dead of winter 16 years ago on the coldest night the group of nomads had seen in ages.
► gender Male


► appearance Koli has short, thick, dark brown hair that is just long enough to fall over his eyes when wet. His eyes are a strange mixture of colors. Around the pupil is a dazzling blue 'flame', then a thin ring of jade green. Surrounding the green is a handsome chocolate brown. Throughout the irises are flecks of grey. He's well built and muscular, as he's always participating in hunts and exercising. He stands at a full 6''3 and weighs 227lbs. In all, Koli is a handsome young man with dark hair and captivating eyes, any woman's (or guy's) dream guy. He's tall and well built, able to play almost any sport and not afraid to get in a fight.
► paraphernalia He travels fairly light, carrying most of his items on his person. His main items include a coat made of three layers of fur, two threadbare and slightly tattered blankets, a sewing kit with needles made of bone and thread of sinew, two canteens for water, and two seal skin bags that are made to be slung across the chest or tied around the waist. In the bags he carries the sewing kit as well as the blankets and a journal his mother made for him before she passed. He also wears a bear claw necklace that belonged to his mother, rubbing it whenever he gets nervous or has strong feelings.


► personality "I think of myself as goofy, random, and fun. I like to have fun and hang out with the few friends I have. I'll admit, I'm not always 'Prince Charming', but I can be the guy of your dreams if you look past my flaws. I have quite a temper, and I have beat up many guys who messed with me or someone I love. I love my guns and my knives, I can't live without them. I'm independent, but very protective of my friends and/or lover. I can be your knight in shining armor, or your worst nightmare, depending on your attitude."
Koli is quite the rebel. He doesn't care what others say, and will often do the opposite of what someone tells him, just to show that he has his own mind. He will blow you off if you try to insult him, as he honestly doesn't care what you think of him, but will rip your head off if you mess with one of the few people he cares about. He is a slightly bitter young man with some anger issues as well, making him dangerous when angered.
Due to his sometimes violent nature, Koli doesn't have many friends, as most people think he's kind of a jerk. If someone were to take the time to get to know him, they would find that he's just a big, misunderstood, lonely teddy bear. He's very sweet and protective over the people he loves, even willing to give his life for them.
Once Koli is committed to a relationship, he is totally devoted and faithful. Should his heart or trust be broken, he will never forgive or forget. When a relationship breaks down (even a long standing one) he can disappear into the sunset without a backward look. Koli can cut ties, and leave others heartbroken, but usually there is a good reason why he has broken a tryst. For him, when a relationship is over, really over, it is over for good.
--wip
► interests "Survival, you idiot." | Girls, guys, surviving, making his father proud.
► strengths Fighting, heavy lifting, a strong sense of loyalty and honor, and hunting.
► weaknesses Riddles, math, and most intellectual things except for history and spiritualism.
► guide He doesn't know what he needs in a guide, and so is just waiting.
► crush None
► sexual orientation Bisexual. Koli is attracted to either gender, much to his father's disapproval, but he doesn't care.


► history Koli was born sixteen years ago on the coldest night the group of wanderers had seen in centuries, and was not expected to survive his first night. His mother died during childbirth, as she was already very sick during her pregnancy and the labor took the last of her strength. This caused his father's first hatred for the boy, claiming the child took his wife's life.
Growing up, Koli was always pushed off on Runi, his uncle, and called a disgrace. His whole life, he trained to be the best, to make his father proud. He practiced day and night to hunt, fight, and survive in the extreme weather. When the time came for his Journey, he saw it as the greatest opportunity to prove himself to his father.
► family Bjorn is the name of his father, although Koli doesn't know him very well. Bjorn is a proud man who believes his son is not worthy of his time, pushing the boy off on Runi, Koli's uncle. The father has said openly that he hates his son, calling him a disgrace of the family for no known reason.
Runi, Koli's uncle and brother of Bjorn, pretty much raised the boy along with his wife, Nessa. The two were unable to have children of their own, and so took good care of the boy, but were unable to protect him from the hatred of his father. They felt sorry for him and tried to tell him that he wasn't a disgrace, but he decided to train to be the best he could to make his father proud of him.
Siv, Koli's mother, died during childbirth and so never met her son.

► other None

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

► name "Just Drew, why do you ask?" | Her real name is Jadelyn Drew, but she just goes by Drew.
► age Sixteen
► gender Female
► species "I'm a lion." | Arctic fox.
► other half Unknown

► appearance What do they look like? What kind of animal are they; how do they compare to the norm? Fur/scales/feathers colour? Eye colour? How large are they? How are they built?

► personality Drew is jealous, often insatiable, mean and rude to many people. She sometimes shows authority and control, yelling at others and using force. She is very jealous and possessive of {companion}. Despite her tough attitude, she can get freaked out by a few things, revealed by her horrified reaction to a dog attacking a person, freaking out when her companion is in trouble, crying when she learned she was shedding for the first time, getting scared by a wolf attacking her, and hanging onto {companion} when she hears a sudden loud noise. She doesn't like being told what to do and often points out that she's doing something because she wants to, not because someone told her to. However, she seems to obey {companion} for the most part, and s/he is the only one able to calm her down and make her at least somewhat polite and nice to other people. Often, she is considered "weird" and "disturbing", but most people still enjoy being with her. She has a macabre sense of humor, as well as somewhat sadistic tendencies. It can be seen if you've known her for awhile that Drew can be quite insecure, which may be part of the reason she is so rude towards people.
► interests What do they like?
► strengths What are they good at?
► weaknesses What are they bad at?

► other Anything I've forgotten? (Note: there is no history, because they come into being as soon as they are needed by their companion. There is no family, either, for the same reason. As well, they can't have crushes, or anything like that, because they aren't exactly material beings. Their love belongs solely to their human counterpart; it may, eventually, be extended to the person their companion falls in love with, and that person's Guide.)