CHARACTER SHEET
Bitterblue [spoili]
Name:
Kylara
Age:
20
Gender:
Female
Appearance:
Kylara is a short young woman, about 5"4. Her brunette hair runs just past her shoulders, and is often in a net of tangles due to the wind when flying. Often, when it gets too long, she just hacks it off with her kitchen scissors because it annoys her so. Her body frame is slim, very very skinny. When you see her you'd probably think she's anorexic, but she's not. Its because of the genetic modifications that was done to her.
Kylara has wings. 18 foot wings. Her wings are dark brown, with some white speckles in them. Along with these wings she has grown some new muscles, and even some new bones. She has several muscles and bones in her back, where her wings are attached to support her back when she flies so that it doesn't snap in two. Furthermore, she has grown some new muscles in the front, making her a bit bulky looking. She's not the cutest looking woman, but she doesn't really care. Also, her bones are almost completely hollow to account for body rate. Even more, her heart races at twice the normal heart rate than a human to make sure she gets enough blood when she's flying, and therefore eats up 3 or 4 times the amount of calories. This means she needs lots of food, and no matter what amount she eats, she is still super skinny.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While the picture above doesn't show it, Kylara does have wings. She is able to fly. She can fly at supersonic speed, but not without bursting her eardrums for a time.
Also, I'm going to have her grow into a new power. It's going to start really really small, but if she practices, she could become really powerful. This power is to control electricity. Well, electricity is the best word for it. It's not necessarily electricity. It's more of a pure energy. Not only will she be able to generate electric energy, she would also be able to manipulate the thermal energy. For example, say if she's outside a range of anything electrical, she could still generate it. It lives within her. If/When she gets strong enough, she may even be able to control the lightning. We'll see! :D
Not only will she be able to manipulate electric energy, she would also be able to manipulate the thermal energy. She will be able to control the temperature at certain times.
The problem with this power is, that it will seriously dehydrate Kylara. She needs lots of water to be able to use this power, if she doesn't...well let's not think about that.
Like I said, this power will start out really really small, she won't even realize she has it at first. Slowly, she'll realize she's gained a new power, but she won't be able to control it. It would be spontaneous. Little by little, she would learn to control it, or how to use it would be more accurate.
She was also taught how to defend herself, so she can and will fight if a situation calls for it.
Personality:
Kylara really does have a kind heart, but after all she's been through, she doesn't know how to show it. She doesn't cry very often, it is extremely difficult to get this girl in tears. She speaks her mind, and works hard for what she wants. She doesn't trust as easily as she used to, as she's been manipuated more than once. She has a very soft spot for children.
The rest will be RP'd
Bio:
Kylara spent the first five years of her life as a member of a happy family. Her mother, Regina, and her father, Malik, were both good parents. They raised Kylara, and her brother Alex, the best they could. She had a happy life, looking up to her parents. She went to a normal school, made friends, and just enjoyed life. She had a normal five years of life.
Then it all changed.
Kylara was kidnapped. On her way to school, a black van stopped suddenly and snatched her from the spot she stood. Before Kylara had a chance to struggle, or do anything she was taught to do in a situation like that, her kidnappers jammed a needle in her arm. Kylara struggled, but slowly she fell asleep. They had sedated her.
The men took her to a facility. A facility that she was apparently chosen to be a candidate for. It wasn't government run, but private. Kylara's captors carried her unconscious body into a small room and placed her on the bed. Placing restraints on both her wrists and her ankles, the men left the room, the sound of a lock clicking.
Kylara woke, unsure of where she was, and what had happened. As she opened her eyes, she saw she was in a strange room filled with lots of science stuff. Her eyes widened and she struggled to get up, but the restraints held her down. Screaming, Kylara threw herself against the restraints, using all the strength in her small body. It was then that the scientists entered.
Kylara screamed even more, tears coming down her eyes. "Let me go! I want to go home!" Ignoring Kylara, the scientists proceeded to examine her, saying stuff such as "Subject is compatible for testing. Proceed as planned."
All this terrified Kylara, and she started crying. They took her in a different room, and started to run experiments on her.
For the next several years, Kylara was experimented on without consideration.
They injected a portion of avian DNA into Kylara's bloodstream, just to see what it would do. And they made her do physical tests, mental test, all that stuff.
The Avian DNA injected in her bloodstream took a few years to show effect. Kylara's body began to change slightly. She was forming new muscle, and even knew bones. This process took about a year to finish, and then something unthinkable happened. She grew a pair of wings. A full sized set of wings that would be able to carrie her body weight. Thus explaining the new muscle and bones in her spine.
Both Kylara and the scientists were amazed. They quickly made her run tests, to see if she could actually fly. It took some time, but with lots of practice, Kylara had finally learned how to master the art of flying.
While Kylara hated these scientists, this place, it was all she could remember. She didn't remember her parents, her brother, or anything of her old life. This, as much as she hated it, was her home. But one day, she got sick of it. She was about 13 when she decided that she wanted to escape. But once she had made this decision, she was approached by one of the scientists. This particular scientist, named Mark, was one who had been kind to Kylara. He was the only one he provided her with her physical needs, such as food and water. When he asked if she wanted to leave, Kylara eagerly said yes. With a smile, Mark snuck her out of the Facility and took her in as his own daughter and took her home.
He taught her how to defend herself, how to fight, and how to survive. Kylara looked up to him as her own father. However, it wasn't going to be a forever deal. When Mark deemed her ready for the world, he told her he loved her, and left. Kylara was on her own, and has been ever since.[/spoili]
Sketchris Inkpun [Spoili]
Name: Ziiklarapandi Orai'isis Rakutak Zephemillikan Apokrophys Parkelle [We call her Ziiklara. Also her initials are ZORZAP and i did not even intend this. Not particularly important, but pretty darn cool so I felt like adding that.]
Age: She's lost count herself. She woke 317 years ago and hasn't aged since. You know, considering she's not really a carbon-based lifeform at all but instead takes the form of an animate bird statue.
Gender: Female. Strictly speaking; androgynous. She has no reproduction organs or anatomical indicators of sex [the same goes for other members of her race, simply because they do not reproduce]. She has acquired feminine aspects over the years though [will elaborate more on this in species description]
Race/Species: Shiftlock - literally a shape-shifter locked into a single form. To understand Shiftlocks, you have to understand the universe from which they hail.
Galethī [gal*EH*thigh] is the term used to collectively describe the lands of a foreign dimension in which my story takes place. Galethī is not a planet, nor is it on one; it is a collective span of flat-topped "Islands" all invisibly connected by a series of intergalactic teleportational bridges. Each Island functions like a regular country and is composed of its very own environment and dominating species. The Islands are ever-moving, so the bridge won't stay aligned with another one for long. The patterns of movement also tend to be rather unpredictable. This makes navigation through Galethī very difficult. Travel-roulette. That's a good term to describe it.
The Islands host a variety of creatures, and each island varies greatly from each other. The native sentient humanoid species of each Island are regarded as the dominating creature and are known as the "guardians" of their respective Islands. While each Island is great and vast, each seems to hold its own separate climate from the others with only slight variances throughout. Each island is born at different times, starting with a small population and developing at its own pace until it has founded a stable civilization. Until an Island has reached the state of independence, individualism, civilization and culture, its six bridges remain dormant and it is not possible to travel to and from said island. The day that an island's first bridge becomes dormant begins a brand new age [i.e. year count resets] and is celebrated on a world-renowned holiday called "Zeroth" [derives from "zero"]. Each Zeroth is unique to its Island both in date and in method of celebration. And some say, that each Shiftlock is born on the Zeroth of their island.
Shiftlocks - simply, a shape-shifter trapped in a single form for periods of time. They are semi-supernatural beings that represent their own individual Island of Galethi. Each take up a form that is unique to their Island's elemental components and culture.
Some say Shiftlocks are the spirits of the Islands themselves. The truth is just the opposite; the Island's spirit lies within the people it hosts. Shiftlocks are the result of the Island's resources and cultural development.
Because of this, the Shiftlocks are the ones affected by the status of their island as opposed to the vice versa. Shiftlocks can cease to exist and their island will live on, but if the Island "dies" [i.e. all inhabitants wiped out], then the shiftlock will perish as well. Similarly, a shiftlock can be mortally injured and the Island will be fine, but if an Island is at war or has a rapid decrease in population or power, the Shiftlock too will be affected physically, mentally, and/or emotionally.
Shiftlocks have minimal shapeshifting abilities. They often take form of a culturally-accepted creature or figure. They can take the form of fabled gods, spirits, material beings, anything that the island may be familiar with. Additionally, their "flesh" comprises of the most renown elements found on the island itself. Shiftlocks are internally hollow except for other elemental layers.
They cannot directly change their form at will. The shapeshifting process is somewhat involuntary and slow, and only takes place in a shiftlock's "sleep."
A Shiftlock's "sleep" is what we might know as death, only theirs is temporary. The sleep lasts as long as is needed for their fatal injuries to "heal" [ At the shortest, 10 years.] The shapeshifting process is started by The Dreamkeeper. She seeds their lifeless bodies with healing agents, allowing damaged or lost parts of the body to be replaced or refurbished. The updates in appearance will reflect both the subconscious desires of the shiftlock, and the modern culture of the Island itself.
Shiftlocks in their most basic state are agender, androgynous, asexual, and aromantic. They can, however, gain certain aspects [romance, gender identity] through empathetic experiences. Romance is unnecessary among shiftlocks, so obtaining a romantic side is entirely up to the individual's own personal desires and influences. Sexual drives [and much less the organs themselves] however, are seldom gained regardless of environment.
In place of a sexual drive, shiftlocks are born with a natural curiosity and hunger for exploration. These traits apply in different quantities depending on the individual. Some might say travel is the drive of their existence.
Shiftlock reproduction is almost non-existent. No shiftlock is "related" to another, none can physically procreate, and reproduction is an entirely neutral and platonic process. Their reproduction, in fact, is not a reproduction of shiftlocks at all, but of Islands. Once two shiftlocks make first physical contact, they have established a connection between their two native Islands and have, often inadvertently, seeded the life of a brand new island to be welcomed into the Galethian Chain. Shiftlocks are born once one of the six of the young Island's bridges become dormant and the Island becomes open to the world [a globally common holiday called "Zeroth," unique to each Island].
Their innermost element is known as their "vital essence." It is more commonly referred to as the "mist;" the "substance of the soul." It floats in their hollow body as a thin vapor until exposed to the outside, where it liquefies into a pearly elixir. The Mist may be excreted as tears or "blood". Mist is one of the only elements of theirs known to regenerate on its own. When a shiftlock is minorly wounded, the mist will liquify to fill in the cracks, then solidify as a temporary healing agent if a shiftlock's earth element is also applied to the wound. This can almost completely heal the injury itself in time. Shiftlocks who have learned this often carry vials of earth from their home island.
Every shiftlock has their own unique supernatural capabilities often relating to their own individual islands. However, using their powers drains their vital essence, and if a shiftlock drains too much of their vital essence, they could potentially die a permanent death. In response to this dilemma, it is custom for a shiftlock to bind their essence to a totem. A totem can essentially be any material object, but mostly it has to be something they can carry around with ease, and something that is not too fragile. Binding themselves to it is taking a sample of their core [the purest part of the vital essence] and imbuing it upon said object.
Once they have bound themselves to a totem, it measures their life energy and how much they use per each supernatural ability. Not only this, but along with being given extra vital essence as a source of power, it helps regenerate essence quicker than one might without a totem. The increase in energy can also awaken new powers within them. Binding a totem also has its drawbacks; if the totem is destroyed, then the shiftlock too will perish for good.
Appearance: [see top] When she was found, she had long head feathers that stood up on end in accordance to her mood. When she was adopted into the library, her head feathers were styled into what you see there, with beads weighing bigger strands down. When she is scared, her smaller feathers will still poof up and she is often embarrassed by this.
Personality:
INFP - According to Myers-Briggs, INFPs focus much of their energy on an inner world dominated by intense feeling and deeply held ethics. They seek an external life that is in keeping with these values. Loyal to the people and causes important to them, INFPs can quickly spot opportunities to implement their ideals. They are curious to understand those around them, and so are accepting and flexible unless their values are threatened.
Summary: Ziiklara - A soft spoken bird-like servant and treasure of the library Apokrophys. She doesn't particularly enjoy the company of the crowd, but she has no choice as it seems none of her thoughts are her own. Such might literally be the case when your masters/caretakers are telepathic, mind-reading giants who see you as a sort of pet rather than a living, independent being. Although her life as a servant takes up all but a few small opportunities to spend reading, she is a magnificent storyteller with many tales up her sleeves. While she has a strong sense of curiosity and ambition, her sense of fear suppresses this. She remains imprisoned in her clouded mind, desperate to find answers without the means or courage to do so. She often feels lost and confused especially concerning her sense of purpose, but keeps a stable front and slowly learns to take on new challenges in small ways. Her eyesight is rather awful without her glasses, she feels uncomfortable in wide open spaces, enjoys learning about plants, and taking long, cold, salt baths.
Genetic enhancement (AKA Superpower): Her totem is a red and gold necklace in the shape of an eye, keeping in mind the above description. Shiftlock powers follow closely with the elements of their island. Ziiklara's is Refaquee; she is sand, heat, light, glass, and ink. Her talons and feather shafts are made of a sturdy glass. Her vital essence takes the form of Light-Mist; a gold-like medium that can form into gas liquid or solid. It is a valuable substance in Refaquee and is used for many metal-works and fancy gilding.
Given how long her Island has been around, the amount of time she has spent alive is very short compared to most shiftlocks in general. Because of this, her powers are pretty weak and she has yet to learn how to regenerate vital essence, as well as control what powers she has.
As for her non-supernatural strengths: As a bird-lady, she has wings and a light body to enable flight. She has three fingers from the joint of her wings that are good for intricate work, but are weak in grip and she can't really pick up anything over 10 pounds [if she needs to pick up anything, she'll mainly do so with her talons. In limited space, this may prove difficult].
She can kind of breathe fire: Well, really, it's the ability to render her light-mist into a ball of flaming gold dust, not unlike the burning sun of Refaquee itself. The blast itself doesn't do much damage but hey, it's on fire. It's gonna do something. [Footnote: the most physically draining power as it uses what little light-mist she has in CONCENTRATE. Reminder that she's not terribly good at regenerating quickly either. Shiftlock powers are skills, not magic poofy fun things they mysteriously obtain through pure luck and storyline.]
Minimal wind-control capabilities. If anything, it can aid her in flight or give opposing vessels a voluminous hairdo, but that's about it as for now.
Sand-manipulation: To an extent. She can melt sand into glass. It is not terribly fragile glass if melted the right way. She is learning to turn her outer layer into a sheet of glass as a temporary protective shell, but she has not yet mastered this. She can, however, do this with her hands, so that might prove useful.
Is Ink A Super Power: She can secrete ink from just about any point in her body. Nothing particularly impressive. She cries it when she feels miserable. It is soaked back into her body most of the time, leaving no traces so it never stains her personally, but it can stain her lil white sun dresses. If she were to spray it at others, it would be from her wing joints/"hands" but this is a terrible waste and probably wouldn't do anything unless it hit their eyes. Maybe they'd have to change their clothes or waste a whole concentrated bottle of family-sized Dawn dish soap for shampoo because let me tell you, that stuff's pretty permanent.
Brief Bio: The beginning of her time started with a new figure arisen from the sand, where an ink geyser had left its mark. She woke with the cries of celebration in the night, took only a few weeks of exploration. Out of fear she hid mostly in presence of others, but did not escape sightings from those clever enough to look. It was one night that two inhabitants had seen her from a distance and recognized her as the one who had been hiding. Assuming her dark silhouette was a demon, it wasn't until a careless arrow pierced her body that they saw her true beauty in the moonlight. In fear and regret, they fled the scene. Assuming their deeds had caused a storm to arise a couple weeks later, they confessed their crimes and were executed by the people after a harrowing search for her broken body. But the windblown sands of Refaquee were ever-moving, and by that time, she was nowhere to be found.
Ziiklara, whom they saw as a mysterious but beautiful creature, was called the Arcane Angel from that time forward and worshipped as a diety, perhaps as a consolation for accidentally murdering her.
For several thousand years, she waited in death's silence with an arrow buried in her chest, rendering her incapable of healing on her own. Her body never saw sunlight until archaeologists had found her deep within the sandbeds. Recognizing her as a broken relic of the past, her pieces were carefully placed back together in a room for refurbishing. Her eager wounds were quick to heal over the course of a single week.
She fell onto the broken glass from the display case, welcomed by the moon's reflection on the scattered pieces. She couldn't find the strength to move once the alarm had sounded. She could not run when she found herself surrounded by obscured faces, all inspired by awe and fear. She barely struggled when they retrained her with unnecessary force.
For several years, she was conformed to the walls of a pale lab. Once her hideous tests were sufficient enough to conclude that they probably could never quite understand her existence, they decided to raise her to the Refaqueean culture. She was quick to learn from the books of language presented to her by the old scientist she knew as her first friend.
After he passed on from old age, she found herself on the market without a friend or trusted soul. She was sold to Jaysulaquinnirah [Jaysula]; a wealthy librarian, and was made a display piece as well as a servant for the rapidly growing library Apokrophys. Her present attracted many tourists and thus increased Jaysula's wealth. From this point forward, not much happened changed besides meeting Speo 67 years after her awakening, and the birth of Jaysula's daughter; Rachellikonne. She sided with Ziiklara's freedom and rightful treatment from the beginning and remained loyal to her throughout her life, despite her mother's selfish demands.
Speo was the one she ultimately connected with, given that he too had similar experiences. Together, they discovered their true natures and found that they were the same species although so very diverse. The time they met marked the dawn of a legendary friendship between bird statue and robot wizard.
The rest is history!
Other:
* She is the Shiftlock of Refaquee; "The Rainless Lands of Sand and Ink, The Deadened Soil Scapes of Antique Wealth. Called Home to the Kesaeches." Basically, a desert renowned for its golden brown sand, strange wildlife, and lands bursting with relics of history and treasure. Also Ink-geysers are a thing there.
* Said cold salt baths are the some of the only times she has alone. She has her own personal bath; one of the few luxuries she was given as a servant due to how easily she overheats. Stepping into the water allows small sizzling bubbles to steam from her sandy feathers.
* Her love for plants extends to a passionate hobby. She hoards a few botany books and studies them meticulously every night before returning them to their places the next morning. One of her given chores is to water the many individual plants around the library. Although tedious work, she finds great enjoyment in being in charge of their care.
* Along with plants, she adores the theatric arts. Once you get past her figurative shell, she is a fairly adept actress. She and Speo would rehearse small two-person plays in their earlier years of friendship. They both share this knack and have great fun being THEATRE-BUDDIES.
* Speaking of Speo, she learned of him from his books of travel and recognized his name being spoken when he visited the library one day. Their friendship extends by decades. She looks up to him and awakens what little confidence she has.
* She has many title-names including: The Arcane Angel; Jewel of Refaquee; The Living Statue; Lady Apokrophys [formal]; Sand-Feather [used more as a term of endearment].
* When she "awoke" from her statue-like death, her feathers sprang into the more 3D complex and realistic form you see above. It is difficult to tell she is made of ink-stained sand unless up close.
* As a shiftlock, her form is based off the commonly known Arcane Angel, hence her title name; the Arcane Angel was an ancient worshipped bringer-of-fortune, taking the form of half-bird, half humanoid. Refaqueeans are very seriouos about preserving their past and ancient traditions, so naturally Ziiklara was accepted as a valued icon.
* She loves wearing small white sun dresses and tucks her totem necklace into the top section.
* She tried wearing pants once but quickly shred them up with her talons upon attempting to try them on.
* She has a slight british-like accent, which is what the Refaqueeans have. One of her speech oddities is that when saying Speo's name, she pronounces the long E as a short E [Speh-oh as opposed Spee-oh]. Her R's are stretched when at the beginning of a word, but weakened if at the end. When she speaks, she tends to be very wishy-washy, which contrasts with her smooth verbal performance in theatrics when not in social situations.
* Long ago, Speo went to get her some glasses when she reported her terrible eyesight. He returned with the biggest spectacles anyone had ever seen. Speo never really told her why he bought her such huge glasses and simply chuckled when she remarked on their abnormal size. She thought it was just some sort of joke on his part until Ziiklara learned on her own that the Kesaeches have a harder time reading her thoughts if her eyes are obscured. Speo of course, knew this long before she did.
[/spoili]
