Ainsel Bramel / Centoraurian & Kasumarii / Thief

[Ainsel Bramel]

I've talked with Kali about the drake in my CD, and she has kindly given permission for it.  

Name: Ainsel Bramel

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Race: Human

Tribe:  Centoraurian/Kasumarii

Occupation: Thief

Title: Thrillseeker

Appearance
Height: One and a half peds

Weight: Nine hebs

Hair Colour: Nor’sidian, with a slight tinge of Eophran brown here and there.

Eye Colour: A light korwyn gold.

Physical Appearance:
The first impression that Ainsel gives is of a young child, innocent as a baby. Her flawless face still holds some chubbiness from her childhood, but the little roundness of her cheeks only serves to make her younger than she really is. Her skin is lightly tanned, leaning more towards her father’s side in skin, hair and eye colour. Her features, though, look much like her mother, who died while giving birth to her.

Coal coloured eyes hold a permanent gleam of curiosity, twinkling from above a small button nose. Her expressive orbs are large and have a slight glazed look that conceals her observant nature. Many a time, people misunderstand her dreamy gaze, only turning back to her to find her and their purses gone. Pink lips hold a certain charm, the sweet smile bordering on an arrogant smirk at times. Her white grin reveals straight, pearl coloured teeth, slightly sharper than normal, though that abnormality is barely noticeable.

A little longer than shoulder length, her raven coloured tresses frame her pleasant moon-like face. In bright areas, or anywhere with sufficient light, Ainsel’s glossy locks glow with a tinge of Eophran brown. Ever a vain girl, she combs her hair daily, disliking the tangles that can occur far too often. When she is doing any form of exercise, or physical activity, it will be tied back with a simple piece of string. Normally, they flow free, the silky strands hanging down her back. If she has to style her hair for any reason, she will braid one braid behind her left ear, with ribbons threaded through the braids. The colour of each ribbon varies with her mood and the occasion.

Though she may be small for her age, Ainsel has never thought of her height as a disadvantage; indeed, she has never thought of herself less because of her size. In fact, because of her small stature, she is a rather good thief. Her flexibility from dancing helps loads too. Besides stretching, she can compress herself enough to squeeze into cabinets much smaller than herself. This skill helps plenty when she is hiding from the guards, or when she has limited space to move around in. Her fingers are quick and swift, the digits trained to slip in and out of a pocket easily. They’re strong too; her hands haven’t ached in a long time. Though no muscles are evident, she has a small store of strength that she uses when necessary, such as when to wrench open a door to escape, or to drag crates to block the guards from catching her. These sudden displays of strength tires her though, and depletes her stamina.

Unfortunately, her body is peppered with small scars and is permanently scratched and bruised. They range from small nicks on her palms to sizable gashes on her calf. These are souvenirs of a childhood enjoyed. Each scar that she has gotten has a story behind it, and many of these stories begin with "So I was bored one day and decided to..." The bruises and scratches are much more recent though. They are signs of her nocturnal activities and her acrobatic prowess. If you ever asked her if she minded the blemishes on her body, she'd answer with a resounding no. To her, they are proof of her "adventures", and are to be proudly worn.

Clothing:
Ainsel is a firm believer of neutral colours. Her favourite garments are usually cyhalloain white or ithild, the same colour as Demias. Usually, you can see her in a white blouse with baby blue trimming, and a blue grey skirt that is a couple of nailsbreadths above her knee. She has a couple of alternative outfits besides her standard blouse and skirt, which vary in colour as well. One of these outfits is a white blouse with stitched roses on the front paired with fyrite pink pants. These are casual outfits, and are worn when her normal garb is in the wash. All of her day clothes fit her well, not too loose nor too tight. It helps when she performs on the street. All of her outfits are made from common cotton, though expertly weaved.

Her clothes for her nocturnal activities are much darker in shade, and looser in general, for increased flexibility. She has a long-sleeved shirt that is nor’sidian in colour, and matching boot-cut trousers. The dark colour helps her blend in when she is breaking and entering some noble’s home. On her feet are two leather boots, nor’sidian in shade as well. They are soft and barely make a squeak on the floorboards, which is partly why she bought them. She rarely wears cloaks, disliking the suffocating garment, but if she feels chill, she will simply throw on another thicker shirt over her current one.

For formal occasions and whatnot, Ainsel has a baby blue evening gown, bought at the Clothes for Young Ladies by Ana Maria store in Voldar. It hugs her figure, the fabric settling comfortably around her, yet giving her little restriction in the way of movement. Unfortunately, Ainsel dislikes dressing up all prim and prissy, even for functions and the like. This particular garment is only worn if it is really needed.

Personality:
The first impression that one gets of Ainsel is of a young and innocent girl, sweet and friendly, albeit fragile and prone to daydreaming. In reality, this is the complete opposite of her real self. Behind the apparent dreamy air around her, she is an observant person, one that takes in every single detail and files it away. She’ll notice the way your hand keeps dropping to your purse, and act accordingly after she gauges your danger potential. This is essential to her way of life, and it is deeply ingrained in her upbringing.

Her mind is sharp and she enjoys exercising her grey matter. She thinks of her mind like a young flower - water it with knowledge and it’ll blossom into something beautiful. Ainsel is always on the lookout for interesting tidbits here and there to expand her general knowledge of the world. She especially loves stories. Fairy tales, myths, legends. All these magical things are her one true love. She adores the hope and the mystique in the tales, and it's part of her softer side. The tales are a beacon of hope in a harsh world, and whenever she is down, an optimistic tale or two can easily cheer her up again. It may be an unconscious need for hope and joy, or just the child in her. Regardless, whenever she sits down to listen to a storyteller or when she opens a book, it opens  up worlds that she can escape to, and forget about reality.

A patient person, Ainsel is smart enough to know that good things come to those who wait. So long as there is something to gain from the act, she is prepared to wait as long as it takes for results. This allows her to be a good listener as well, as she is able to sit still and empathise with people when they are troubled. But sometimes, she’s just too good a listener. You see, it’s a habit of hers to tune in to every conversation she hears, just for a while. She hardly hears anything worth knowing though, and it's a waste of her time. However, if she hears anything that interests her, she will stop everything that she's doing and listen in, sometimes making it painfully obvious that she's eavesdropping. Ainsel is often disregarded though, and it is not much of a problem if she is noticed. She will just flee.

Ainsel loves having fun. As in, really loves having fun. Generally, she doesn’t mind playing a trick or two on someone she knows, nor does she mind a trick being played on her; indeed, she’d be the first to laugh at herself. However, there’s always a limit to fun, but Ainsel can’t ever see it. No, she’s not the irritating types who don’t know when to stop playing tricks, it’s that she doesn’t know the fine line between fun and danger. When pertaining to dares and the like, she simply has absolutely no danger sense at all. On the other hand, she’s excellent at determining how risky it is to steal something. This, though, isn’t something to be glad about. Her need for that rush of adrenaline often pushes her to attempt the robbery anyway. After all, the whole reason she got into thievery was the risk factor.

In fact, one of the reasons she’s still in the pickpocketing business is because she has an absolutely skewed sense of ethics and morals. She wouldn’t give a second thought to stealing from anyone. No remorse, no prick of her conscience. It helps that she was isolated when she was younger, and was not exposed to anything resembling society. This nurtured a sense of “I do what I want”. In her head, the end justifies the means. So if she wanted to conduct an experiment with chickens, for example, she would think nothing about stealing a couple of chicks from a farm and doing her experiment, and giving them randomly to someone, or just leaving them in the wild. If she wants that pretty necklace in the window, she’ll steal it. It won’t matter to her if the owner needs the necklace to pay his rent. To her, he’s not real. The only time when people stop being “the owner” or “the official” is when she gets to know them.

Course, all this twisted things about her had a reason. Her father. Sure, her dad was her idol, her teacher, her protector. And yet, he was pretty wrong in the head himself. When his wife died, it broke his heart. He never really learnt to get over and move past the hurt, and he was prone to bouts of sadness. She learnt to hold her tongue and not speak of things that bothered her, instead adopting a motto: “It'll go away in a while.” Though this made times smooth-sailing, it taught her to keep her mouth shut, lest she make someone unhappy. The feelings pooled over the years; a collection of everything that she should have handled, like sadness or anger. And yet, instead of letting it go, she keeps all the emotions in, close to her. It's the only way she knows how to deal.

Generally a pleasant girl, she sails through life, taking what she wants when she can. Though she has been in sticky situations before, her quick thinking helps her get out of it easily. It’s this tendency to get into trouble that gets her friends of the more unsavoury types, and she’s completely fine with that. However, she just as easily makes friends with the more law abiding people, so long as they show an interest in befriending her. Despite her emotional baggage, she nevertheless does what she can with what she has.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:
Snow Drake – Demias is her friend, protector and transport all in one. Considering that she grew up with him in the icy lands of the Kar’ii, their bond is incredibly strong. As he can fly with her on his back, this cuts down travelling time from place to place, and he is the one who deters would be bandits. He also hunts food for her when they are spending the night out in the woods. All in all, he’s a fantastic friend, and pretty much her only loved one that’s alive right now.

Speed – She is quick and can run like the wind. Her sprint is very fast, and her stamina isn’t bad as well. This helps when she needs to run away from the ever present guards after a theft.

Thievery – She knows the basic skills of a common thief – pickpocketing and lockpicking. This comes in the way of extra cash, and more importantly, a source of entertainment for her.

Acrobatics – Ever since her father told her about her mother being an acrobat, Ainsel had a fondness for doing complicated movements, such as cartwheels or handstands. This made her very flexible and she can do most things that other people can only gape at. It helps when she needs to climb nimbly over a fence so as to escape from the guards, and it provides a small income if she performs on the streets.

Blowpipe – Although she never uses the blowpipe as a real weapon, she is skilled in its use nonetheless. Her aim is excellent – her average range is fifteen peds, but she can hit an extra five on a good day. She uses it to incapacitate guards chasing after her, or to drug owners of homes she wishes to rob.

Alchelmy – Ainsel knows how to make a sleeping drug that knocks out an average sized male for a short period of time. Her father taught the craft to her when he taught her how to drug animals. This is the only concoction that she knows how to make, and knows nothing else about alchemy that is of any use in any other situation.

Literacy – Ainsel can read and write in Tharian. Both were taught by her father, and both help her when she takes down notes. It also serves her well when she double checks something in the books in the library, or when she’s reading a story.

Weaknesses:
Recklessness – Her father had always taught her that no matter what, your gut knows the answer. It's why I knew that there were drakes up here, he'd say to her all the time. All through her childhood, she was encouraged to do what felt right. However, her father failed to teach her the fine line between instinct and recklessness. Ainsel is the type to act on instinct more than thinking things through, and to trust her feelings more than her head. She is less inclined to act and prefers to react, and it had hurled her into trouble many times.

Arrogance – As one who seemingly knows more than others of her age, Ainsel has been complimented many times for her quick thinking and apparent knowledge. Too much compliments are never good for anyone, and she is no exception. The lass’ head is sometimes too big for her shoulders, and her delusion that she can do anything better than everyone else has got her in over her head more than once.

Snow Drake – No matter how intelligent Ainsel thinks that Demias is, he is a drake. A completely unpredictable drake. Many times, towns have two reactions to him: awe, or fear. She has been refused entry to many towns because of him, and sometimes a few of the more paranoid towns have set their dogs and archers on the two. Should he injure someone unintentionally, the girl’s going to be in a lot of trouble. In addition, as Ainsel has no knowledge of offensive combat, she relies soley on Demias as her only form of defence. Although some bandits shield away from a drake like him, others want his pelt. There have been a few near death experiences when the duo was cornered by a large group of outlaws, all intent on ganging up on the two and killing them both. On top of that, Demias has a humongous appetite. Both know that if he kills too many livestock for food, they'll drawn undue attention to themselves. This forces them to keep moving and they cannot stay at one place for too long, and there's always the threat of dragonslayers after their blood hanging over their head.

Restlessness – She's an active girl. No one can doubt that. Even as she was growing up, she could never stay still. This restlessness makes her seem very impatient, and it might offend those around her. This need for action also drives her to do things. What? Well, she doesn't know. It could be acrobatics. It could be a jog. It could be lifting purses. So long as she has a task to do, she'd be happy.

Daredevil - Eat worms? No problem. Scream obscenities at the guards? Piece of cake. Bait the bull in the nasty farmer's field? Absolutely. Growing up around drakes and a father that encouraged acts like these, Ainsel has an underdeveloped sense of danger and an unhealthy thirst for adrenaline. Presented with an opportunity to do something “courageous” (read: dangerous), she wouldn’t give a second thought to her safety or the consequences of her actions. This brash tendency causes her to place herself in harm’s way, and often, she doesn’t realise it either.

Unsolved issues – The thing about her and her feelings is that she isn't used to dealing with them. At all. Her father was never very talkative, nor was he ever the touchy feely type that let out how he felt. This behaviour influenced his little girl, and she is not used to talking things out with anyone. She's more prone to just... well, doing as she deems fit. It could be an insult or even violence, but the girl just doesn't know how to express herself properly. As anyone knows, bottling things up isn't the best way to deal with issues, but it's the only way she knows how.

Heat – Ainsel lived her whole life in the cold plains of the Kar’ii. She’s used to degrees lower than freezing point, and this hasn’t changed. She can handle mild weather, but she cannot stand the temperature and the humidity in the spring or summer seasons. The temperature then is tens of degrees above what she's normally used to. In those months, she is never comfortable out in the daytime and tries her best to travel when the sun is low in the sky. When she does travel in the daytime, she becomes lethargic, dizzy and her reflexes are much slower than they normally are. Things become worse when the humidity increases. Her old injuries start to ache, making every movement hurt.

Aches -  Being both active and horribly prone to danger, Ainsel has acquired many sprains and fractures over the years. Though most of them have healed fine, the aches come back all the time, especially during winter. When her old injuries start acting up, she's less quick, less agile and more fragile than normal. So far, she refuses to acknowledge that the pains may hinder her, and instead prefers to ignore her old wounds. She never stops doing anything because of the aches, which in turn aggravates the pain.


History:
“Hey, Ainsel, tell me a story.”

“Hm? Why? Bored?”

“Yeah. And it’s common knowledge that you have the best stories. Please? If you do, I’ll get my mother to let you sleep in the inn tonight for free.”

“Oh? And she’ll listen to you?”

“Hey, I’m adorable.”

“You’re egoistical, that’s what you are. But fine. How can I resist a bed for the night?”

“This is a story of love, happiness, dreams, and the shattering of them all. Yes. Dramatic. I know. Ready? Good.

“Long ago, there was a Kar’ii woman. She lived in the cold, harsh plains of the Guldor, with her family. She was never a fighter, but she was forever a romantic. She always dreamed that a dashing young man would sweep her off her feet, and whisk her away to a far off land, where the sun shone warmly, and where the chill never touched.

“This woman, she was an acrobat. Curious choice for a Kar’ii, because we all know that they’re assassins, deadly as the night. Not this one, however. This one, she was an artist. The movements she could do in the air, the flips and the cartwheels, they amazed everyone that saw her… if they weren’t charmed by her gentle demeanour first.

“There were many men who wanted her heart, but she held it close for quite a time. Until one cold night, when a stranger arrived in town, quiet and calm. When he caught her eye, he saw the most beautiful lady he had ever met, and she, the handsome man that she saw in her dreams. After her performance, he tried to talk to her, and they spent an enjoyable hour in the moonlight, just talking. Thus, romance blossomed. When he told her that he was really a mage from Ximax, wanting to study the Ivorine Drakes that were said to live in the frozen tundra, the lass, her head filled with romantic notions of adventure and love, immediately offered to follow him into the wild. Silly girl, in my opinion. But what can I say? She’s the mother of the heroine of my story, and everyone knows that the mothers are always the silliest ones.

“So they ventured into the far north, and spent many years chasing shadows. After five years out there, she became pregnant with a child. Later, her father would call her a lucky star, because it was at that year when the scholar found his first snow drake. He named it Ivory, because of its beautiful skin. It wasn’t a pet, but a friend, and the man learnt many things from it.

“Unfortunately, every star has two sides. Yes, the kid did bring the drake to her father, but it was also because of her that her mother died. Her mother had a labourous childbirth, and passed while bringing her into the world. Her father was devastated at his love’s death, but he heeded her dying wish, and that was to properly care for their child.

“And take care of her he did. He changed her diapers, fed her, rocked her, gave her the best care he ever could in their situation. When she was old enough, he filled her head with stories that he learnt during his time. He taught her many things, “skills for use in the world” he called it. He drummed in her the importance of an open mind, the need for questions, and the rewarding act of finding out answers. Throughout her childhood, he gave her those things, and more.

“I need to say here that he became a slightly twisted man when his wife died. Something in him broke, and never healed. He taught her too many things. After hearing a story about her mother being a dance, she wanted to learn how to do acrobatics. He only knew the basics, but taught her the best that he could, leaving her to do the more complicated ones herself. She learnt from a book that her mother left, one that caused her many sprains and broken limbs. Another was him teaching her how to use his old blowpipe and teaching her a drug to “make wild animals sleep”. It took her whole childhood for her to be good at those, but I suppose it was to his credit that he never told her that she could never make it, only that she could.

“All through that time, he was also constantly studying the drakes. When the child was three, Ivory appeared with a smaller drake. Her father was astonished. At first, he didn't know what it was. He thought it might be a friend, or a lover. However, as he observed the two interact, he realised that it was Ivory's child. He was ecstatic. Now he could study their habits with their own kind, and he was glad. Still, he needed an excuse for his proximity to both drakes. He pondered and pondered, before the answer struck him. An answer so glorious in its simplicity, it was a crime for him to not have thought of it sooner. The father introduced his daughter to the young’un, and so it came that they grew up together. They were good friends, and she bonded with him closely, even so far as for them to learn how to fly together. Course, it helped that she had Centoraurian blood in her, from her father’s side. You know what masters they are on horses; I suppose it translated to drakes as well.

“It was when she was eleven when her father was killed. He had gone for a trek in the wild, and he never came back. When she went to look for him, she found him and her drake’s mother buried under an avalanche, his body frozen stiff. It was devastating for her and her friend. He nearly went crazy when he saw the body. She and her drake mourned, the two friends burying their parents together in their backyard.

“In a fit of desperation – the place held too many memories for her – she gathered her things and the small fortune of coins her father never used and with her drake, they flew to the Kar’ii city, where her father's friend, Jak, lived. Her parents weren't completely hermits, you know. They did have communication with the nearest city. When she arrived, she was shocked at their response. Though she had been there before, it was never with her drake, and thankfully, the Karíi were awed by her drake, not scared and fearful. They welcomed her as a friend and fawned over her companion. Thankful for their warm welcome, she stayed there with her Uncle Jak, who took her in as his own daughter.

“Thus passed a few peaceful, though restless, months. Uncle Jak took pity on the little girl, and started to teach her some skills to get her mind off her father. It worked, in a way. You see, Jak was one of the more notorious thieves in the vicinity. Of course, he had an air-tight alter ego; no one could ever suspect a respectable citizen like Jak to be the one stealing their jewellery and precious stones. Under his tutelage, the child threw herself into learning how to pick locks and pockets in a valiant effort to ignore the grief that gnawed at her insides constantly. However, after a couple of months, the lass grew curious about the world, and decided to start travelling. Her Uncle Jak didn't like it, but he was reluctant to stop her. In his head, she was merely following the impulsiveness that her father passed down to her.

“It was only when she hit her third town then she started to put her amateur thief skills to the test. It was really an accident. She spotted a street urchin picking the lock on a rather big chest and decided that if he could do it, why not her? Of course, she had no idea what she was getting into. Her first time went perfectly well, the girl doing a minor theft of a couple of gold coins. In all frankness, the gold was small to her. It was the rush of excitement that intoxicated her. The feeling of pure exhilaration when she was doing the job, the constant danger of being found out, the feeling of relief mixed with adrenaline afterwards… she wanted more. It became an addiction. She kept doing it, over and over again, even when she didn’t need the cash any more.

“So she travelled, all the way until Sarvonia. It was a pretty hard task for her to get there. Not many people wanted a drake on board. It was a stroke of pure luck that a mage recognised what it was, and allowed her onto his ship in exchange for a chance to study him. He wanted her to go to Ximax, where he could be further researched. The girl, however, knew better. She could see the greed in his eyes, and feared what he would do to her and her drake. The night they hit shore, she fled. She hopped on her drake and flew south, going where the wind took her.”

“… Woah. That’s a real nice story, Ainsel.”

“Thanks.”

“Where’s she now?”

“Her? Well, they say that she’s on her way to Xaramon, where her father was from. ‘cept she hasn’t gotten there yet.”

“Wow.”

“Anyway. I’m off for a little while. Keep that room for me, yeah?”

The raven haired girl hopped off the fence she was sitting on, and headed out towards the surrounding forests. Zach looked after her thoughtfully. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied something white on the place where Ainsel once sat. Bending down, the lad picked it up ever so carefully. The pearl white feather in his hand reminded him of the pure snow that came during winter. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, something clicked. Wait a moment… Zach stared at the feather to the place where Ainsel disappeared to. After a moment’s pondering, he shrugged, tossing the feather away. It couldn’t be. Not in a million years.    

Weapons:
She has a blowpipe which she uses to sneak in to various houses. Her darts are dipped in a sleeping poison that forces the victim to fall into a deep sleep. The drug and darts are rather easy to make, and she has utilised this method of drugging people to gain access to the bedrooms of nobles without the risk of them waking up. The only other weapon she has is a knife, but she never uses it for fighting. She merely uses it to cut off flesh from the carcasses that Demias drags back, and to carve extra darts for her own use.

Belongings:
She has two bags, one which is slung over Demias and one she carries. Demias’s bag holds her clothing, hers and her father’s notes, quill and paper and spare money, whereas her bag has more essential things she needs in the city, such as her lockpicks and her blowpipe. Her knife is kept in its sheath inside her bag.

Familiar:

Name: Demias

Gender: Male

Age: 150 years old (Ainsel doesn't know this.)

Race: Lesser Drake

Type: Ivorine Drake (Snow Drake)

Height: Three peds

Length: Eight peds

Wingspan: Twenty peds

Appearance:
Demias towers over the girl, around a ped taller than her. Being a snow drake, he’s generally different from other kinds of drakes. Instead of scales as hard as metal, he is covered with cyhalloian hued fur, one layer before his feathers, which are also blindingly white. His eyes are a stark contrast to his colouring, both presenting themselves as nor’sidian pools ringed with Korwyn gold, a startling change from his snowy hide. They are the only part of his body that can vaguely show what the drake is thinking. A gleam of deviousness, a look of tenderness; all his feelings can be shown through his eyes. Only those close to him, those who are familiar with the subtle shits in his gaze can decipher the thoughts within. Others see an impossibly blank slate and an even blanker mind.

He has no horns or spikes to mar his smooth body. Everything about this drake seems delicate, especially the small ears on his large head. Even his wings seem fragile, though they are strong enough to carry him in flight. He rarely spreads his wings on the ground unless he wishes to intimidate someone. However, in the sky, it's another story. The pure white feathers help him blend in perfectly with the clouds in the heavens. To a casual observer, he is merely an odd looking cloud.

The only other part of his physique that is any other shade besides cyhalloian are his claws. The sharp weapons are the exact nor’sidian as his eyes are, one on each of his large paws. Their paws are curious, having five digits each, looking eerily like a human’s hand. When his wings are spread out, and his paws reared up as if to attack, he is an intimidating sight indeed.

Personality:
At his best, Demias is a calm, mellow creature. Gentle with animals and humans alike, his best behaviour rarely fails to charm people. As a drake, Demias has a rudimentary intelligence, and can understand Ainsel's words to a certain degree. Having spent time with humans, he can also read their body language rather accurately as well. When he is in a good mood, the drake will follow Ainsel's requests with little opposition. However, a constant supply of food is required to keep Demias in such a mood, and often times, the drake is much more on edge.

When Demias is hungry, or when he isn't as comfortable as he wants to be, he's generally more disobedient, and much more irritable. He will be prone to literally snapping at anything that annoys him, and can injure Ainsel unintentionally. At such times, Ainsel has to try harder to placate him, or risk him anger. Savage and vicious by instinct, Demias' anger is destructive to both Ainsel and his surroundings. Should he ever be angered to the point of a murderous rampage, such as when Ainsel is being threatened, it will be nigh impossible to stop him without fatally injuring him.

Despite all of his flaws, Demias truly does care for Ainsel. He and Ainsel has a close bond, and though they have been together for a short time (by his standards), he has grown fond of the girl that he travels with. After all, he saw her grow up from a toddler to the girl she is now. Now that her father is gone, Demias looks at himself as sort of a guardian. No matter his mood, he is rarely angry at her, and often times even indulges her in whatever she wants, like flying on his back. In turn, she showers him with affection, him being the only one left of her family.

[Valan Nonesuch]

Name: Ainsel Bramel

Gender: Female

Age: 15

Race: Human

Tribe:  Korwnynite/Kasumarii This is going to be addressed in the history. Briefly, I have issues with it

Occupation: Thief, Amateur Scientist Science isn't really a word we like to use. Scientist, I would imagine is liked even less. Alchemy is really the only vaguely scientific thing that exists, but it's far from a hard science. I recommend dropping that.

Title: Reckless Daredevil

Appearance
Height: One and a half peds

Weight: Nine hebs You're a little under five-foot and weigh 90 pounds. This seems just a little on the light side perhaps.

Eye Colour: An extremely dark nor’sidian.Black eyes are not possible within nature. Plain fact. Please pick again.

Clothing: You consistently fail to mention any traits beyond colour and the item itself. What cut are the pants/skirt/blouse. What are they made of? Are they loose fitting?

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:
Snow Drake – Demias is her friend, protector and travelling agent all in one. Considering that she grew up with him in the icy lands of the Kar’ii, their bond is incredibly strong. As he can fly with her on his back, this cuts down travelling time from place to place, and he is the one who deters would be bandits. He also hunts food for her when they are spending the night out in the woods. All in all, he’s a fantastic friend, and pretty much her only loved one that’s alive right now.

Speed – She is quick and can run like the wind. Her sprint is very fast, and her stamina isn’t bad as well. This helps when she needs to run away from the ever present guards after a theft.

Thievery – She has all the skills of a thief, and has no problem using said skills at all. This comes in the way of extra cash, and more importantly, a source of entertainment for her.Vague. Thievery is a rather broad skill set, in and of itself. A fraudster is a thief, as is a Con Artist. Be more specific.

Acrobatics – Ever since her father told her about her mother being an acrobat, Ainsel had a fondness for doing complicated movements, such as cartwheels or handstands. This made her very flexible and she can do most things that other people can only gape at. It helps when she needs to climb nimbly over a fence so as to escape from the guards, and it provides a small income if she performs on the streets.

Blowpipe – Although she never uses the blowpipe as a real weapon, she is skilled in its use nonetheless. Her aim is excellent – her average range is fifteen peds, but she can hit an extra five on a good day. She uses it to incapacitate guards chasing after her, or to drug owners of homes she wishes to rob. You would also have to have a cursory knowledge of herb lore in order to manufacture the "drug" you later describe. This is an additional strength.

Literacy – Ainsel can read and write. Both were taught by her father, and both help her when she takes down notes. It also serves her well when she double checks something in the books in the library, or when she’s reading a story.

Weaknesses:
Recklessness – Her father had always taught her that no matter what, your gut knows the answer. It's why I knew that there were drakes up here, he'd say to her all the time. All through her childhood, she was encouraged to do what felt right. However, her father failed to teach her the fine line between instinct and recklessness. Ainsel is the type to act on instinct more than thinking things through, and to trust her feelings more than her head. She is less inclined to act and prefers to react, and it had hurled her into trouble many times.

Arrogance – As one who seemingly knows more than others of her age, Ainsel has been complimented many times for her quick thinking and apparent knowledge. Too much compliments are never good for anyone, and she is no exception. The lass’ head is sometimes too big for her shoulders, and her delusion that she can do anything better than everyone else has got her in over her head more than once.

Snow Drake – No matter how intelligent Ainsel thinks that Demias is, he is a drake. A completely unpredictable drake. Many times, towns have two reactions to him: awe, or fear. She has been refused entry to many towns because of him, and sometimes a few of the more paranoid towns have set their dogs and archers on the two. Should he injure someone unintentionally, the girl’s going to be in a lot of trouble. In addition, as Ainsel cannot wield a weapon,The blowpipe, regardless of your intended use, is a weapon. Demias is her only form of defence. Although some bandits shield away from a drake like him, others want his pelt. There have been a few near death experiences when the duo was cornered by a large group of outlaws, all intent on ganging up on the two and killing them both.

Restlessness – She's an active girl. No one can doubt that. Even as she was growing up, she could never stay still. This restlessness makes her seem very impatient, and it might offend those around her. This need for action also drives her to do things. What? Well, she doesn't know. It could be acrobatics. It could be a jog. It could be lifting purses. So long as she has a task to do, she'd be happy.

Daredevil - Eat worms? No problem. Scream obscenities at the guards? Piece of cake. Bait the bull in the nasty farmer's field? Absolutely. Growing up around drakes and a father that encouraged acts like these, Ainsel has an underdeveloped sense of danger and an unhealthy thirst for adrenaline. Presented with an opportunity to do something “courageous” (read: dangerous), she wouldn’t give a second thought to her safety or the consequences of her actions. This brash tendency causes her to place herself in harm’s way, and often, she doesn’t realise it either.

Unsolved issues – The thing about her and her feelings is that she isn't used to dealing with them. At all. Her father was never very talkative, nor was he ever the touchy feely type that let out how he felt. This behaviour influenced his little girl, and she is not used to talking things out with anyone. She's more prone to just... well, doing as she deems fit. It could be an insult or even violence, but the girl just doesn't know how to express herself properly. As anyone knows, bottling things up isn't the best way to deal with issues, but it's the only way she knows how.

Heat – Ainsel lived her whole life in the cold plains of the Kar’ii. She’s used to degrees lower than freezing point, and this hasn’t changed. She can definitely handle warm weather, but if the temperature gets high enough, she’s prone to dizziness and lethargy from the heat, possibly a heat stroke if the weather’s hot enough.Everyone is prone to heat stroke (which is the elevation of the body temperature to roughly 107 F). The fact that you wear light coloured clothing should actually improve your odds of avoiding heat stroke.

Aches -  Being both active and horribly prone to danger, Ainsel has acquired many sprains and fractures over the years. Though most of them have healed fine, the aches come back all the time, especially during winter. When her old injuries start acting up, she's less quick, less agile and more fragile than normal. So far, she refuses to acknowledge that the pains may hinder her, and instead prefers to ignore her old wounds. She never stops doing anything because of the aches, which in turn aggravates the pain.

I would hesitate to call this balanced Ainsel. I can't quite put my finger on it at the moment, but there's something off about this section. I'll come back when I figure out just what it is.

History:
“Hey, Ainsel, tell me a story.”

“Hm? Why? Bored?”

“Yeah. And it’s common knowledge that you have the best stories. Please? If you do, I’ll get my mother to let you sleep in the inn tonight for free.”

“Oh? And she’ll listen to you?”

“Hey, I’m adorable.”

“You’re egoistical, that’s what you are. But fine. How can I resist a bed for the night?”

“This is a story of love, happiness, dreams, and the shattering of them all. Yes. Dramatic. I know. Ready? Good.

“Long ago, there was a Kar’ii woman. She lived in the cold, harsh plains of the Guldor, with her family. She was never a fighter, but she was forever a romantic. She always dreamed that a dashing young man would sweep her off her feet, and whisk her away to a far off land, where the sun shone warmly, and where the chill never touched.

“This woman, she was an acrobat. Curious choice for a Kar’ii, because we all know that they’re assassins, deadly as the night. Not this one, however. This one, she was an artist. The movements she could do in the air, the flips and the cartwheels, they amazed everyone that saw her… if they weren’t charmed by her gentle demeanour first.

“There were many men who wanted her heart, but she held it close for quite a time. Until one cold night, when a stranger arrived in town, quiet and calm. When he caught her eye, he saw the most beautiful lady he had ever met, and she, the handsome man that she saw in her dreams. After her performance, he tried to talk to her, and they spent an enjoyable hour in the moonlight, just talking. Thus, romance blossomed. When he told her that he was really a scholar, wanting to study the Ivorine Drakes that wereThis doesn't fly with me. The Korwynites are from eastern Nybelmar. The Kari'ii are from Cyllahoi. How a Korwynite would have heard of Cyllahoi is strangeness enough. The drakes? Double strange. It's almost as though you're trying to cover up the fact that the odds of your parentage occurring are practically nil. Sorry, please try again. said to live in the frozen tundra, the lass, her head filled with romantic notions of adventure and love, immediately offered to follow him into the wild. Silly girl, in my opinion. But what can I say? She’s the mother of the heroine of my story, and everyone knows that the mothers are always the silliest ones.

“So they ventured into the far north, and spent many years chasing shadows. After five years out there, she got pregnant with a child. Later, her father would call her a lucky star, because it was at that year when the scholar found his first snow drake. He named it Ivory, because of its beautiful skin. It wasn’t a pet, but a friend, and the man learnt many things from it.

“Unfortunately, every star has two sides. Yes, the kid did bring the drake to her father, but it was also because of her that her mother died. Her mother had a labourous childbirth, and passed while bringing her into the world. Her father was devastated at his love’s death, but he heeded her dying wish, and that was to properly care for their child.

“And take care of her he did. He changed her diapers, fed her, rocked her, gave her the best care he ever could in their situation. When she was old enough, he filled her head with stories that he learnt during his time. He taught her many things, “skills for use in the world” he called it. He drummed in her the importance of an open mind, the need for questions, and the rewarding act of finding out answers. Throughout her childhood, he gave her those things, and more.

“I need to say here that he became a slightly twisted man when his wife died. Something in him broke, and never healed. He taught her too many things. After hearing a story about her mother being a dance, she wanted to learn how to do acrobatics. He only knew the basics, but taught her the best that he could, leaving her to do the more complicated ones herself. She learnt from a book that her mother left, one that caused her many sprains and broken limbs. Another was him carving darts and a blowpipe and teaching her a drug to “make wild animals sleep”. It took her whole childhood for her to be good at those, but I suppose it was to his credit that he never told her that she could never make it, only that she could. Some of the things he taught her were decidedly twisted. One of those was to pick locks. He was an absent-minded fella, and if he misplaced a key, he'd just pick it. Monkey see, monkey do. His kid learnt quick. Where is a Nybelmarian scholar going to learn all of these things anyways. Lock picking isn't a skill you just pick up. Neither is the manufacture of darts (which can't be carved) or blowpipes (which wouldn't work in Cyllahoi. The wood there isn't right.) Your explanation is lapse here.

“All through that time, he was also constantly studying the drakes. When the child was three, Ivory appeared with a smaller drake. Her father was astonished. At first, he didn't know what it was. He thought it might be a friend, or a lover. However, as he observed the two interact, he realised that it was Ivory's child. He was ecstatic. Now he could study their habits with their own kind, and he was glad. Still, he needed an excuse for his proximity to both drakes. He pondered and pondered, before the answer struck him. An answer so glorious in its simplicity, it was a crime for him to not have thought of it sooner. The father introduced his daughter to the young’un, and so it came that they grew up together. They were good friends, and she bonded with him closely, even so far as for them to learn how to fly together.

“It was when she was eleven when her father was killed. He had gone for a trek in the wild, and he never came back. When she went to look for him, she found him and her drake’s mother buried under an avalanche, his body frozen stiff. It was devastating for her and her friend. He nearly went crazy when he saw the body. She and her drake mourned for a long time, the two friends burying their parents together in their backyard.
You're eleven years old. How do you know how to survive out in the middle of nowhere? That's another strength.
“After a few months of moping around, she got curious about the world outside. In a fit of desperation – the place held too many memories for her – she gathered her things and the small fortune of coins her father never used and with her drake, they flew to the Kar’ii city. When she arrived, she was shocked at their response. Though she had been there before, it was never with her drake. The Kar’ii welcomed her, albeit warily, the tribe fawning over her companion. Thankful for their warm welcome, she stayed there for a while before moving on to the next town.

“It was only when she hit her third town then she started to put her amateur thief skills to the test. It was really an accident. She spotted a street urchin picking the lock on a rather big chest and decided that if he could do it, why not her? Of course, she had no idea what she was getting into. Her first time went perfectly well, the girl doing a minor theft of a couple of gold coins. In all frankness, the gold was small to her. It was the rush of excitement that intoxicated her. The feeling of pure exhilaration when she was doing the job, the constant danger of being found out, the feeling of relief mixed with adrenaline afterwards… she wanted more. It became an addiction. She kept doing it, over and over again, even when she didn’t need the cash any more.

“So she travelled, all the way until Sarvonia. It was a pretty hard task for her to get there. Not many people wanted a drake on board. It was a stroke of pure luck that a mage recognised what it was, and allowed her onto his ship in exchange for a chance to study him. He wanted her to go to Ximax, where he could be further researched. The girl, however, knew better. She could see the greed in his eyes, and feared what he would do to her and her drake. The night they hit shore, she fled. She hopped on her drake and flew south, going where the wind took her.”

“… Woah. That’s a real nice story, Ainsel.”

“Thanks.”

“Where’s she now?”

“Her? Well, they say that she’s on her way to Nyblmar, where her father was from. ‘cept she hasn’t gotten there yet.”

“Wow.”

“Anyway. I’m off for a little while. Keep that room for me, yeah?”

The raven haired girl hopped off the fence she was sitting on, and headed out towards the surrounding forests. Zach looked after her thoughtfully. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied something white on the place where Ainsel once sat. Bending down, the lad picked it up ever so carefully. The pearl white feather in his hand reminded him of the pure snow that came during winter. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, something clicked. Wait a moment… Zach stared at the feather to the place where Ainsel disappeared to. After a moment’s pondering, he shrugged, tossing the feather away. It couldn’t be. Not in a million years.    

Weapons:
She has a blowpipe which she uses to sneak in to various houses. Her darts are dipped in a sleeping poison that forces the victim to fall into a deep sleep. The drug and darts are rather easy to make, and she has utilised this method of drugging people to gain access to the bedrooms of nobles without the risk of them waking up. The only other weapon she has is a knife, but she never uses it for fighting. She merely uses it to cut off flesh from the carcasses that Demias drags back, and to carve extra darts for her own use.

Belongings:
She has two bags, one which is slung over Demias and one she carries. Demias’s bag holds her clothing, hers and her father’s notes, quill and paper and spare money, whereas her bag has more essential things she needs in the city, such as her lockpicks and her blowpipe. Her knife is kept in its sheath inside her bag.

Familiar:

Name: Demias

Gender: Male

Age: 150 years old (Ainsel doesn't know this.)

Race: Lesser Drake

Type: Ivorine Drake (Snow Drake)

Height: Three peds

Length: Eight peds

Wingspan: Twenty peds

Appearance:
Demias towers over the girl, around a ped taller than her. Being a snow drake, he’s generally different from other kinds of drakes. Instead of scales as hard as metal, he is covered with cyhalloian hued fur, one layer before his feathers, which are also blindingly white. His eyes are a stark contrast to his colouring, both presenting themselves as nor’sidian pools ringed with Korwyn gold, a startling change from his snowy hide. They are the only part of his body that can vaguely show what the drake is thinking. A gleam of deviousness, a look of tenderness; all his feelings can be shown through his eyes. Only those close to him, those who are familiar with the subtle shits in his gaze can decipher the thoughts within. Others see an impossibly blank slate and an even blanker mind.

He has no horns or spikes to mar his smooth body. Everything about this drake seems delicate, especially the small ears on his large head. Even his wings seem fragile, though they are strong enough to carry him in flight. He rarely spreads his wings on the ground unless he wishes to intimidate someone. However, in the sky, it's another story. The pure white feathers help him blend in perfectly with the clouds in the heavens. To a casual observer, he is merely an odd looking cloud.

The only other part of his physique that is any other shade besides cyhalloian are his claws. The sharp weapons are the exact nor’sidian as his eyes are, one on each of his large paws. Their paws are curious, having five digits each, looking eerily like a human’s hand. When his wings are spread out, and his paws reared up as if to attack, he is an intimidating sight indeed.

Personality:
Demias is a mellow creature, calm and hardly ever ruffled. Indeed, passiveness is one of Demias's major traits. He is the type of drake to sit back, relax, and watch everything go down. Rarely does he actively do anything to interfere in the affairs of humans, unless Ainsel is threatened. Even then, he knows that her instincts are well honed, and trusts that she can escape easily. However, he is fond of his little companion, and despite his reluctance to get involved, he will react unfavourably to any serious harm or threat to Ainsel. So far, there has only been one time when Ainsel can remember him being visibly angry, and that was when the duo discovered the avalanche.

His kind is patient, and Demias is no exception. He is capable of waiting eons for results, and this has made him a very deliberate drake. When he doesn't want to be rushed, he simply will not be. It's a trait that borders on stubbornness, but in reality, he just prefers to think things through, unlike his impulsive friend.  He would much rather look at things from every angle and choose the best option. And in the end, his analysis of the situation is almost always right. Unfortunately, he has no means of communicating his thoughts; indeed, he'd much rather watch the tale unfold of its own accord.

He and Ainsel has a close bond, and though they have been together for a short time (by his standards), he has grown fond of the girl that he travels with. After all, he saw her grow up from a toddler to the girl she is now. Now that her father is gone, Demias looks at himself as sort of a guardian, and her as a little kid that needs his protection. He indulges her in most things, like allowing her to fly with him and letting her decide their next destination. Rarely is he ever angry at her; instead, he is constantly amused by her antics. In turn, she showers him with affection, him being the only one left of her family. Both care deeply for each other, and are the best of friends.

A drake of this size has to eat a lot. My greatest problem is how you would manage to keep it fed. Killing livestock usually leads to dragonslayers, and thievery is not always the most profitable industry.

It's gimmicky. The drake, the parentage, the whole deal seems implausible. The lack of explanation in some places and the way you've chosen to recount the history section has not helped this. You've got work to do. Plain and simple. Remember that permission does not imply or include approval.

[Deklitch Hardin]

Returned your icon to the pencil so you can address Valan's comments in relative peace, Ainsel

[Ainsel Bramel]

I believe I've addressed all of Valan's comments. Feel free to prove me wrong though.

~Bump~

[Valan Nonesuch]

Methinks I will.

You say in the history that your father was a mage from Ximax (or at least that's how it seemed to have played out). Yet he's still a Korwynite. What in the name of all that is good and shiny is a Korwynite doing in Ximax, studying magic? From what I can judge, Nybelmarians have their own schools of learning, Korwynites can study magic back home in Eastern Nybelmar.

The "Heat" weakness. You've continued with the mention of heat stroke. Let's break down what heat stroke is, shall we? When the human body's internal temperature reaches 107 degrees Fahrenheit, heat stroke occurs. It's a rather severe medical condition with it's own set of complications, and usually goes along with dehydration. So, in order to contract heat stroke, two things have to happen. 1. Your body must fail to shed heat faster than it can accumulate. This would suggest that someone who contracts heat stroke is either very foolish, unprepared, unlucky or some combination of those three. 2. You have to fail to recognize that you are slowly dying of dehydration or to recognize this and fail to do anything about it.

Heat stroke occurs in a person regardless of background. Some people can tolerate the elevated temperature for longer periods of time, and they might know better how to avoid the condition of heat stroke, but they will acquire it just the same as any other normal human being. Central Sarvonia is a temperate zone. The northern regions experience the seasons just the way you would expect a temperate zone to, depending on their specific geography. Snow exists there. It is not a desert. I imagine they complain just as much about the heat during the summer as anyone would. The very tip of southern Sarvonia (Brendolan and Truban provinces respectively) is hot. Possibly not enough to equate it with murderous temperatures, but heat stroke is a very real possibility and the people there would be aware of it, and some of them sell their services as guides helping people to cross the desert there.

So, my suggestions run thusly: Since you are from what should be appropriately be called a cold desert, you'd probably be unused to too much humidity as well as major increases in heat. This means that you wouldn't come out on top during the day. You might be lethargic (like a reptile that hasn't had the chance to sun itself yet) and your overall physical stamina might drain faster. In central sarvonia (Enthronia, Manthria, Nermeran, Sanguia, Vardynn, and Xaramon provinces to be precise) this means that you'll probably want to avoid traveling during the middle of the day and you might find the spring and fall rather unpleasant because of the rains.

You seem to be going after the Korwynite heritage to offset the generally pale colouring that the Kar'ii have. This is just an observation, I could very well be wrong.
If this is the case however, I might suggest that you change your parentage to a Centoraurian. They do live in Ximax so that particular item would not need to change, and they are masters at riding. I would not put it past one to see if they couldn't tame an Ivorine drake for riding. That should work out fine since they are known to have dark hair as well as blue eyes, but would maintain the pallor of skin the Kar'ii have (they're none to dark of skin themselves).


Hopefully this helps.

[Ainsel Bramel]

Okay. I've tweaked the heat weakness and changed the parentage. Thanks for your help, Valan.

Anything else?

[Valan Nonesuch]

Adjust the topic of the title.

[Ainsel Bramel]

Oooh, can't believe I forgot about that.

Fixed!

[Valan Nonesuch]

Alright then, with that I am pleased to give you a FIRST APPROVAL. One final note before you don't have to deal with my commentary any more: You haven't mentioned which language she can read and write. Tharian is the equivalent to english here and so long as you don't leave the continent, odds are its the lingua franca.

[Ainsel Bramel]

Right. I'll fix that too. Thanks so much for your help, Valan!

[Valan Nonesuch]

You are quite welcome. Having now passed my gauntlet, you may have a bunny. 

[Ainsel Bramel]

Bunneh!

Thanks, Valan. Anyone else has any comments?

[Azhira Styralias]

I am going to stop here and request that no approvals be given for this CD yet. I have brought up a discussion with the Admins about having a drake as a familiar. I would prefer to have my issues addressed with them before approving this CD. Thanks.

[Kalína Dalá'isyrás]

Hey Seh!

I am going to send you a PM after I get off work to discuss this a bit.

I think I have some reservations with the drake, with my current path of categorization and the like.

[Ainsel Bramel]

Decided to try and get this CD approved. Bump!

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