Post by dragonsong on Jul 28, 2010 12:26:55 GMT -5
About you:
Name: Dragon Song (DS)
e-mail: c.johnson_13_1993@hotmail.co.uk
Age: 16
About the character:
Name: Taja
Pronunciation: Tar-juh (Soft j sound)
Age: 21
Rank: Jr. Journeywoman Tanner, Wherhandler
Gender: Female
Orientation: Heterosexual
Family:
Mother: Marjory (died of cloudlung)
Father: Fabian, 46, Runner master, (Somewhere, DS shall figure out soon)
Sibling(s): None.
Weyrmate/lover: Ha. No.
Children: None.
Other: Step mother Cadacia, 44, Same place as her Dad
Physical description:
There’s nothing immensely striking about Taja overall. She’s average height, relatively slim. Not that curvy and fairly flat-chested though, not that she’s bothered about this. In fact, she’s rather happy that she’s not about to go drawing attention to herself. Attention has a nasty habit of drawing company along with it. Annoying company. Hence, she dresses in the darker shades as well, generally shades of brown and dark reds. Coupled with the fact that she prefers the slightly baggy, loose and very much casual working type of clothes, that are sturdy and will last, she doesn’t stand out that much in a crowd.
Her chestnut coloured hair is hardly doted upon. It’s scruffy, can hardly be considered pristine in cut and is most commonly bundled back into a runner’s tail just to keep it out the way. If she actually put any effort into keeping it… not neglected entirely, it would likely be quite nice. As it is, its care regime is a quick comb run through it in the mornings. And rough scrubbings with sweetsand. Her dark brown eyes have a hardened, glaring look to them and are commonly accompanied with a scowl, or a raised eyebrow. They very rarely light up in laughter, though they will spark a bit when she’s amused. The rest of her face is pretty much in proportion, with the tanned complexion that most pernese have. Her mouth is quite commonly a line, rarely turning up into a smile though an amused smirk will tug at one corner on occasion. You may not agree with what she finds amusing though, she has a slightly dry sense of humour. Some call it twisted.
With her determination to do everything for herself Taja doesn’t lack muscle. She’s got a fair bit of strength, seeing as she’s carrying everything herself nearly all the time. Not a lot of good being all weak and feeble if you want things done now is it? Her fingers are stained various shades of brown and black by the dyes for the leathers, and there’s quite often the odd splash on dye on the palm of her hand or on the underside of her arm – where she’s put her arm down on the table that’s had dye on it. So quite often her clothes have spatterings of dye on them too. It’s individuality you know?
Personality:
First thing to note about Taja would be her rather antisocial attitude. All right, correction, her very antisocial attitude. She’s not one for company that’s for sure. As in, if she decides she doesn’t want to talk to you, you may as well go and have a conversation with the wall. You’ll get more of a response. Honestly. If it’s absolutely, totally and utterly mandatory that she speaks to you then she’ll do so but it’ll be minimal wording. Why waste your breath speaking to someone you don’t want to be speaking to after all? Besides, if you ignore someone for long enough they’ll get bored and leave you alone. Unless they’re one of those really irritating chattery happy types that go on and on and on and on and… etc. etc. Those types of people get glares. And if looks could kill they’d have been long dead. As it is they can’t. Good thing too. Taja has yet to reach a point where she’s actually turned round done anything more than growled at someone to go away. It would happen though. She’d resort to physical violence if you really didn’t get the message. Luckily most people do.
So... antisocial can pretty much sum her up. And from that antisocial-ness stems her grumpy seeming exterior. Like an oldtimer in a young body. Fun no? But a lot of the antisocial attitude and irritated, seemingly short tempered Taja originates from her distinct need to be independent. She can do it herself oh thank you very much. Go help someone who needs it. And Taja can most undoubtedly assure you, that someone’s not her. She’s point blank refuses to let someone come in and take over her task, no matter how frustrating she may be finding it. It’s her task so she’ll do it. She is capable of doing it herself, else she wouldn’t have taken it on in the first place. She doesn’t often ask for help, and if she does she’s gotten to a point where she’s at her wits end, or has realised that it would be more worthwhile to ‘work with someone’. Why won’t she ask for help? Too much pride, that’s why. At the start of the task maybe she’ll be able to ask without too much difficulty - cause she’s not started it yet. But once she’s started it, and especially if she’d told you to back off previously, getting her to swallow her pride and actually admit she can’t do it is quite a feat. Her independence is also what means she refuses to find herself a partner or boyfriend. She doesn’t need one, and you can guarantee that she’ll simply glare at the girls who swoon over the latest ‘dream boy’. Taja has absolutely no desire to become devoted and dependant on a man. She doesn’t need one so why get one?
Not helping with the refusal to swallow her pride is Taja’s deep set sense of stubbornness. When she says no she means no. Absolutely not. Not ever. Whining, whingeing, complaining, bawling or any other such action has no effect, other than to irritate her. Hence she doesn’t get on massively well with children. But, in her stubborn hard headed ways she’s fair. She’s not the type to say No just because she doesn’t want you to have something, or because she wants it or the likes. And if you can present a good case and a good argument as to why she should change her views she will. But until then her answer is final. End of.
One thing that can be considered slightly surprising about Taja though, is her loyalty, as well as her sense of gratitude. Her almost constant scowls mean she doesn’t have many people she can consider ‘friends’. Acquaintances yes. Work partners yes. Peoples she knows, yes. Friends… maybe not. But not matter who you are, if you’re not in her bad books she’s not about to let you down. If Taja says she’ll do something she’ll do it. And she’ll fight your cause to the bitter end for you if you ask her nicely enough. And if she agrees with said cause. It may be hard to believe too, but if you do do something for her then she’ll always be immensely grateful. She may not show it, but she is. She doesn’t take things for granted as a general rule. So while she may not be the most social of people, nor the most approachable, she’s a good person underneath. If you ignore the cynical raised eyebrows (She’s a natural cynic) and the common scowls.
History: Taja was never planned to be an only child, but fate had different ideas it seemed. From the day she was born she was adored by both her parents – the journeyman runner breeder Fabian and his wife, journeywoman weaver Marjory. They lived in a large enough house on the outskirts of Nova hold, but had ambitions to set up where there was more space for Fabian to keep his runners. The spot they had their eye on was a little north of the main Hold, and were well on their way to getting their own little cothold set up, already having sourced a lot of the materials they would need.
By the time Taja was two turns old, they were almost ready to move in and settle down. But the move was postponed when Marjory came down with what at first seemed to be the flu. Nothing major, they’d just have to wait till she was fitter again before they went anywhere. Didn’t matter too much, after all the cothold would wait. But Marjory didn’t get better. Instead, her condition rapidly began to deteriorate and she started showing more and more signs of the cloudlung disease. It wasn’t long before she died, along with the unborn child she was carrying. Fabian was of course distraught and is still sorrowed by the loss even to this day, but Taja isn’t that bothered. She was too young at the time to fully understand, and even now her mother isn’t a sore subject to talk about. She barely remembers her.
In the late spring of the year of Marjory’s death, Fabian took his daughter and moved into the cothold to continue with the plans he and his wife had set out. The house he decorated with the weavings and hangings Marjory had created previously for it, believing that’s what she would have wanted. Taja was of course doted on, being his and Marjory’s only child. But he didn’t spoil her to a point where she’d become a brat. She was never allowed to become a selfish, self centred brat that was for sure. So Taja grew up, relatively secluded from others her age and learned the way of the runners instead.
By the time she was 10, Fabian had met Cadacia. And instantly Taja didn’t like the woman. Not only was she breaking into the close relationship that she had with her father, she was a total bitran towards her when Fabian wasn’t around. Certainly in her opinion. It was really quite simple: Cadacie didn’t like Taja, and Taja despised Cadacia. But Taja refused to cave and give the woman the satisfaction of seeing that she didn’t like her. Looking back now she wishes she’d said something, and then maybe Cadacia wouldn’t have become Fabian’s wife, but hindsight is a blessing isn’t it? As it was, she just kept quiet and studiously ignored Cadacia when she couldn’t avoid her. Cadacia it turned out was barren, so Taja never had to put up with anything more than just her. She shudders at the thought that if she could’ve been related to the woman. If Cadacia had had any children, the likelihood is that Taja would’ve packed her bags and walked off.
Come of the age of 13, Fabian began to push her to take interest in another craft – something other than runners. Eventually he managed to convince her to take up tanning and leather craft (To which she now specialises in making tack and harnesses). It took slightly less convincing to make her leave for the complex, as Taja realised it meant she could get away from Cadacia. That was the good thing about this apprenticeship. Whilst she’d originally aimed to take after her father and eventually become a runner master, if tanning meant she could not see Cadacia for however many turns she was game.
Little of interest happened to her as she began her apprenticeship, other than a few mocking fools who taunted her for being one of the few girls to have taken on Tannery. All their teasing did though was cause her to be even more determined to best them and walk the tables before them: Which she did, much to her great, smug delight and their fuming irritation. She’d just turned 18 when she did finally walk the tables. Not long after she’d walked she decided to go back and visit her father. No doubt he’d have her making harnesses and the such but that didn’t really bother her much, At least she wasn’t going to run out of opportunities t practise her craft. After all, she’d had little contact with him over the past few turns and felt the need for a little reunion. If Cadacia had died from cloudlung then that suited her fine and made the reunion even better (She really doesn’t like the woman).
However, before she actually got back home, she overheard people talking. It wasn’t like she was eavesdropping, and it was hardly a private conversation. They were talking about the whers in general, and Taja was struck with a niggling little idea, that she eventually acted upon. She signed up to become a wherhandler at Nova Weyr that very year. And even if she wasn’t chosen, she’d remain there anyway and continue her craft at the Weyr instead.
As it turned out, she was chosen and did Bonded to the brown coloured wher Task when she was 19. She pretty soon settled into life as a wherling, continuing with her craft whenever she had time and using Task on occasion to practise out new strap designs or harness and the likes. Again, nothing special much there, and the pair were soon out and about as full handlers. Taja most certainly lives up to the grouchy and antisocial stereotype of the Wherhandlers, and if she’s honest, rather enjoys it.
Craft Information:
Craft: Tanning
Rank: Jr. Journeywoman
Speciality: Harnesses and tack
Can you:
Read? Yes
Write? Yes
Figure? Yes
Pets:
Name(s): Task
Species: Wher
Age(s): 2 turns
Description: Task has the well known, bulky muscular build of the whers, being barrel chested and short limbed. His wings are the usual stubby things and his entire body ripples with copious amounts of muscle. He cuts a rather imposing figure. His hide is a rich red brown shade, which if ever seen in any light could be mistaken for the colour of blood, meaning that he is most certainly scary for those who don’t know whers; what with his ‘blood covered hide’ and particularly chunky build. But his hide isn’t all one colour. His headknobs are a very dark brown, generally perceived as black as are all of his feet up until roughly his ankle.
Task in a way rounds Taja out as a person. For those who know him, they are fully aware that he’s not as nasty as he appears to be. In fact, he’s really quite a good natured fellow. He’s the opposite of Taja in many ways, being patient, understanding and relatively easy going. He’s more social than she is (Most things are) and doesn’t mind meeting new people, but he doesn’t go out looking for company. But at least if he meets some he will as a general rule be pleasant towards them, though he can sometimes be a little quiet.
((Well I hope that's all alright. It's highly likely I'll have slipped up somewhere so just tell me please and I shall fix!))
Name: Dragon Song (DS)
e-mail: c.johnson_13_1993@hotmail.co.uk
Age: 16
About the character:
Name: Taja
Pronunciation: Tar-juh (Soft j sound)
Age: 21
Rank: Jr. Journeywoman Tanner, Wherhandler
Gender: Female
Orientation: Heterosexual
Family:
Mother: Marjory (died of cloudlung)
Father: Fabian, 46, Runner master, (Somewhere, DS shall figure out soon)
Sibling(s): None.
Weyrmate/lover: Ha. No.
Children: None.
Other: Step mother Cadacia, 44, Same place as her Dad
Physical description:
There’s nothing immensely striking about Taja overall. She’s average height, relatively slim. Not that curvy and fairly flat-chested though, not that she’s bothered about this. In fact, she’s rather happy that she’s not about to go drawing attention to herself. Attention has a nasty habit of drawing company along with it. Annoying company. Hence, she dresses in the darker shades as well, generally shades of brown and dark reds. Coupled with the fact that she prefers the slightly baggy, loose and very much casual working type of clothes, that are sturdy and will last, she doesn’t stand out that much in a crowd.
Her chestnut coloured hair is hardly doted upon. It’s scruffy, can hardly be considered pristine in cut and is most commonly bundled back into a runner’s tail just to keep it out the way. If she actually put any effort into keeping it… not neglected entirely, it would likely be quite nice. As it is, its care regime is a quick comb run through it in the mornings. And rough scrubbings with sweetsand. Her dark brown eyes have a hardened, glaring look to them and are commonly accompanied with a scowl, or a raised eyebrow. They very rarely light up in laughter, though they will spark a bit when she’s amused. The rest of her face is pretty much in proportion, with the tanned complexion that most pernese have. Her mouth is quite commonly a line, rarely turning up into a smile though an amused smirk will tug at one corner on occasion. You may not agree with what she finds amusing though, she has a slightly dry sense of humour. Some call it twisted.
With her determination to do everything for herself Taja doesn’t lack muscle. She’s got a fair bit of strength, seeing as she’s carrying everything herself nearly all the time. Not a lot of good being all weak and feeble if you want things done now is it? Her fingers are stained various shades of brown and black by the dyes for the leathers, and there’s quite often the odd splash on dye on the palm of her hand or on the underside of her arm – where she’s put her arm down on the table that’s had dye on it. So quite often her clothes have spatterings of dye on them too. It’s individuality you know?
Personality:
First thing to note about Taja would be her rather antisocial attitude. All right, correction, her very antisocial attitude. She’s not one for company that’s for sure. As in, if she decides she doesn’t want to talk to you, you may as well go and have a conversation with the wall. You’ll get more of a response. Honestly. If it’s absolutely, totally and utterly mandatory that she speaks to you then she’ll do so but it’ll be minimal wording. Why waste your breath speaking to someone you don’t want to be speaking to after all? Besides, if you ignore someone for long enough they’ll get bored and leave you alone. Unless they’re one of those really irritating chattery happy types that go on and on and on and on and… etc. etc. Those types of people get glares. And if looks could kill they’d have been long dead. As it is they can’t. Good thing too. Taja has yet to reach a point where she’s actually turned round done anything more than growled at someone to go away. It would happen though. She’d resort to physical violence if you really didn’t get the message. Luckily most people do.
So... antisocial can pretty much sum her up. And from that antisocial-ness stems her grumpy seeming exterior. Like an oldtimer in a young body. Fun no? But a lot of the antisocial attitude and irritated, seemingly short tempered Taja originates from her distinct need to be independent. She can do it herself oh thank you very much. Go help someone who needs it. And Taja can most undoubtedly assure you, that someone’s not her. She’s point blank refuses to let someone come in and take over her task, no matter how frustrating she may be finding it. It’s her task so she’ll do it. She is capable of doing it herself, else she wouldn’t have taken it on in the first place. She doesn’t often ask for help, and if she does she’s gotten to a point where she’s at her wits end, or has realised that it would be more worthwhile to ‘work with someone’. Why won’t she ask for help? Too much pride, that’s why. At the start of the task maybe she’ll be able to ask without too much difficulty - cause she’s not started it yet. But once she’s started it, and especially if she’d told you to back off previously, getting her to swallow her pride and actually admit she can’t do it is quite a feat. Her independence is also what means she refuses to find herself a partner or boyfriend. She doesn’t need one, and you can guarantee that she’ll simply glare at the girls who swoon over the latest ‘dream boy’. Taja has absolutely no desire to become devoted and dependant on a man. She doesn’t need one so why get one?
Not helping with the refusal to swallow her pride is Taja’s deep set sense of stubbornness. When she says no she means no. Absolutely not. Not ever. Whining, whingeing, complaining, bawling or any other such action has no effect, other than to irritate her. Hence she doesn’t get on massively well with children. But, in her stubborn hard headed ways she’s fair. She’s not the type to say No just because she doesn’t want you to have something, or because she wants it or the likes. And if you can present a good case and a good argument as to why she should change her views she will. But until then her answer is final. End of.
One thing that can be considered slightly surprising about Taja though, is her loyalty, as well as her sense of gratitude. Her almost constant scowls mean she doesn’t have many people she can consider ‘friends’. Acquaintances yes. Work partners yes. Peoples she knows, yes. Friends… maybe not. But not matter who you are, if you’re not in her bad books she’s not about to let you down. If Taja says she’ll do something she’ll do it. And she’ll fight your cause to the bitter end for you if you ask her nicely enough. And if she agrees with said cause. It may be hard to believe too, but if you do do something for her then she’ll always be immensely grateful. She may not show it, but she is. She doesn’t take things for granted as a general rule. So while she may not be the most social of people, nor the most approachable, she’s a good person underneath. If you ignore the cynical raised eyebrows (She’s a natural cynic) and the common scowls.
History: Taja was never planned to be an only child, but fate had different ideas it seemed. From the day she was born she was adored by both her parents – the journeyman runner breeder Fabian and his wife, journeywoman weaver Marjory. They lived in a large enough house on the outskirts of Nova hold, but had ambitions to set up where there was more space for Fabian to keep his runners. The spot they had their eye on was a little north of the main Hold, and were well on their way to getting their own little cothold set up, already having sourced a lot of the materials they would need.
By the time Taja was two turns old, they were almost ready to move in and settle down. But the move was postponed when Marjory came down with what at first seemed to be the flu. Nothing major, they’d just have to wait till she was fitter again before they went anywhere. Didn’t matter too much, after all the cothold would wait. But Marjory didn’t get better. Instead, her condition rapidly began to deteriorate and she started showing more and more signs of the cloudlung disease. It wasn’t long before she died, along with the unborn child she was carrying. Fabian was of course distraught and is still sorrowed by the loss even to this day, but Taja isn’t that bothered. She was too young at the time to fully understand, and even now her mother isn’t a sore subject to talk about. She barely remembers her.
In the late spring of the year of Marjory’s death, Fabian took his daughter and moved into the cothold to continue with the plans he and his wife had set out. The house he decorated with the weavings and hangings Marjory had created previously for it, believing that’s what she would have wanted. Taja was of course doted on, being his and Marjory’s only child. But he didn’t spoil her to a point where she’d become a brat. She was never allowed to become a selfish, self centred brat that was for sure. So Taja grew up, relatively secluded from others her age and learned the way of the runners instead.
By the time she was 10, Fabian had met Cadacia. And instantly Taja didn’t like the woman. Not only was she breaking into the close relationship that she had with her father, she was a total bitran towards her when Fabian wasn’t around. Certainly in her opinion. It was really quite simple: Cadacie didn’t like Taja, and Taja despised Cadacia. But Taja refused to cave and give the woman the satisfaction of seeing that she didn’t like her. Looking back now she wishes she’d said something, and then maybe Cadacia wouldn’t have become Fabian’s wife, but hindsight is a blessing isn’t it? As it was, she just kept quiet and studiously ignored Cadacia when she couldn’t avoid her. Cadacia it turned out was barren, so Taja never had to put up with anything more than just her. She shudders at the thought that if she could’ve been related to the woman. If Cadacia had had any children, the likelihood is that Taja would’ve packed her bags and walked off.
Come of the age of 13, Fabian began to push her to take interest in another craft – something other than runners. Eventually he managed to convince her to take up tanning and leather craft (To which she now specialises in making tack and harnesses). It took slightly less convincing to make her leave for the complex, as Taja realised it meant she could get away from Cadacia. That was the good thing about this apprenticeship. Whilst she’d originally aimed to take after her father and eventually become a runner master, if tanning meant she could not see Cadacia for however many turns she was game.
Little of interest happened to her as she began her apprenticeship, other than a few mocking fools who taunted her for being one of the few girls to have taken on Tannery. All their teasing did though was cause her to be even more determined to best them and walk the tables before them: Which she did, much to her great, smug delight and their fuming irritation. She’d just turned 18 when she did finally walk the tables. Not long after she’d walked she decided to go back and visit her father. No doubt he’d have her making harnesses and the such but that didn’t really bother her much, At least she wasn’t going to run out of opportunities t practise her craft. After all, she’d had little contact with him over the past few turns and felt the need for a little reunion. If Cadacia had died from cloudlung then that suited her fine and made the reunion even better (She really doesn’t like the woman).
However, before she actually got back home, she overheard people talking. It wasn’t like she was eavesdropping, and it was hardly a private conversation. They were talking about the whers in general, and Taja was struck with a niggling little idea, that she eventually acted upon. She signed up to become a wherhandler at Nova Weyr that very year. And even if she wasn’t chosen, she’d remain there anyway and continue her craft at the Weyr instead.
As it turned out, she was chosen and did Bonded to the brown coloured wher Task when she was 19. She pretty soon settled into life as a wherling, continuing with her craft whenever she had time and using Task on occasion to practise out new strap designs or harness and the likes. Again, nothing special much there, and the pair were soon out and about as full handlers. Taja most certainly lives up to the grouchy and antisocial stereotype of the Wherhandlers, and if she’s honest, rather enjoys it.
Craft Information:
Craft: Tanning
Rank: Jr. Journeywoman
Speciality: Harnesses and tack
Can you:
Read? Yes
Write? Yes
Figure? Yes
Pets:
Name(s): Task
Species: Wher
Age(s): 2 turns
Description: Task has the well known, bulky muscular build of the whers, being barrel chested and short limbed. His wings are the usual stubby things and his entire body ripples with copious amounts of muscle. He cuts a rather imposing figure. His hide is a rich red brown shade, which if ever seen in any light could be mistaken for the colour of blood, meaning that he is most certainly scary for those who don’t know whers; what with his ‘blood covered hide’ and particularly chunky build. But his hide isn’t all one colour. His headknobs are a very dark brown, generally perceived as black as are all of his feet up until roughly his ankle.
Task in a way rounds Taja out as a person. For those who know him, they are fully aware that he’s not as nasty as he appears to be. In fact, he’s really quite a good natured fellow. He’s the opposite of Taja in many ways, being patient, understanding and relatively easy going. He’s more social than she is (Most things are) and doesn’t mind meeting new people, but he doesn’t go out looking for company. But at least if he meets some he will as a general rule be pleasant towards them, though he can sometimes be a little quiet.
((Well I hope that's all alright. It's highly likely I'll have slipped up somewhere so just tell me please and I shall fix!))