Coral

[Apogee]

Player's name: Apogee
Character's name: Coral
Gender: Male
Character's age: 260
Soulname: Lau
Tribe: Seafolk
Tribal Position: Coral Shaper (home items, personal goods, large works, small number of weapons)

Appearance: fair skinned (though how he stays that way is anyone’s guess), with numerous small scars mostly on his hands and arms; when he’s out of the water for any length of time, he develops patches of freckles in a rust shade, mostly on his face and shoulders but if he has to remain out in the sun a lot, he doesn’t tan, he just… gets more and more covered with adorable freckles. Very few people have seen him that way.
Hair is a red-orange color similar to coral, and usually is done up in dredlocks. When untangled or thoroughly combed out, it is quite long and completely wild – why he usually keeps it ‘locked. When on land he will keep it bound up a bit, it usually behaves itself as it is, in water. Usually. … Mostly.
Eyes are a brilliant yellow-orange shade, clear, like amber stones.
His face is long and pointed, with a long narrow nose, high and almond shaped eyes, with lips that are usually tight and are not very full. While he does not necessarily frown all the time, he doesn’t look like he spends a ton of time smiling. In other words, he looks more serious than not. Looks can be deceiving.
Coral’s ears are long and have been permanently shaped to have lobes with webbing, mostly because he likes them that way. Partly because it’s easier to keep his hair under control behind them.
His hands are also similarly webbed, and he does not seem to have any issues using his fingers as the webbing is reasonably flexible and not taut.
Coral’s voice is lower than you’d expect from one shaped like him, not as gritty as a “Clint Eastwood” growl, but somewhat surprising to those who haven’t heard him speak. He can project well, if he has to, but he has hardly ever raised his voice. He would rather send than shout. When he is below the water, he doesn't make much sound; above the water he speaks in words when groups are present.

Body Build: tall, long limbed, very slender but not bony. His feet are webbed as his fingers, and have small webbed extensions on the ankles to help him swim. He has shaped gills near his lungs on the sides of his torso. (… He tried them on his neck, but they kept getting clogged by his hair.) (Seriously, man. Seriously, cut your hair, dude.) He has a strong looking bum, and he doesn’t mind anyone looking at him. He likes getting compliments, and is gracious about returning them.

Usually Seen Wearing: In the water he wears only a modest woven thong in whatever color the weaver/tailor has deemed appropriate.
On land or during any kind of meeting, he has a selection of woven and leather outfits. While he’s not vain about them, he definitely likes to fit in with others when they’re dancing or speaking, so he will adopt a vest and shorts, or a robe, or even just use his thong and a tunic if the situation is right. Generally he does not like longer leggings, and does not wear shoes as they are uncomfortable around his finned feet/ankles.
Most of his clothing is natural in color – from ivory through tan and brown leathers, and whatever the weaver puts on him is fine. He likes playing dress up but wouldn’t make a big deal if he didn’t get to wear fineries.

Weapon preference: Coral tipped fishing spear, coral or bone knife. He is also adept at creating under water traps, though mostly he would make those for others to use, he prefers to hunt with the spear.

Magic: Coral Shaping, strong, slightly obsessive, almost unconsciously uses this power at all times. If there isn’t a piece of coral in his hand he seems to fidget until he finds one. His ability extends to essentially any extrusion of a sea animal – so a coral colony, an anemone’s spines, starfish exoskeleton, etc. Those things which are ‘living’ creatures are very difficult to work with and he prefers them to be dead before he’ll touch them with his power. Coral doesn’t have a ‘heart’, so much as a bunch of little gills, and no brain to speak of, but a starfish is actually somewhat conscious of its surroundings. Coral colonies respond to his whim and grow in whatever direction he indicates rather than at haphazard shapes.
His power can shape a fist-sized batch of coral into an item like a spear head or bowl within half an hour. Bigger items or ones which might require concentration, he will make over the course of many days. Smaller things, a shell picked up from the shore or an anemone shell, will become useful in minutes.
Items which he has shaped bear a kind of magical aura-signature similar in color to his eyes, slightly more orange-tinted but not so red as his hair. It’s impossible to track all of his work, using a magic-feeling sense, because it’s *everywhere*.
Distance Sending is stronger than typical. His mental voice is quiet and somewhat… scratchy. Like the edges of a coral, his mind sounds a bit rough. If his speaking voice isn’t, his sending voice is Clint Eastwood-like.

Family: Mother – Yellowfin, a fisher (npc pending); Father – Eelstrike, possibly a water-animal controller, deceased; no other siblings. Coral is a product of Recognition that drove his parents together in a lasting relationship, until Eelstrike was killed by a shark attack some 125 turns ago.
Yellowfin is reasonably distraught, but will go through her daily routine of fishing and helping to prepare food. She and Tern's surviving parent, Waverider, through surviving the attack, have become very close, supporting one another and clearly suited to keeping their eye on each other in times of sadness.

Coral is open to Recognition, and while he seems to understand that it is necessary, he might balk at the ‘wrong’ mate – who that might be is difficult to say. He doesn’t necessarily believe ill of anyone among the Sea folk, though he is more hesitant and wonders about those Wolf-blooded ones. He’s happily immortal, and reasonably oblivious in that regard – but he does know that the wolf-elves age and die eventually. After seeing his mother’s distress at losing his father, he has to wonder whether having a mate that is only going to die anyway, will be healthy. If he does Recognize to a wolf-blooded elf, he will make the effort to enjoy it and not think about things like that, but given how much time he spends alone shaping and thinking, avoiding that worry might be difficult. He does not necessarily want to “settle down and raise a family”, any more or less than anyone normally would. Having a family is a blessing, but not a goal, for Coral.
Pending: Coral’s closest friend will likely be the tailor or someone who utilizes his finely made items frequently. When those little tiny needles break there are thousands more where they came from!

Personality: Coral is a bit of an enigma, in that he definitely prefers his ‘alone time’, but thoroughly enjoys socialization. However, in that regard, he is more interested in watching how people respond to certain things, seemingly cataloging their reactions and tucking away information. If anyone asks him about another elf, he’s likely to have an opinion on them but won’t just blurt out secrets or gossip. While he’s extremely generous in as much as he gives almost everything he creates to others, he hardly picks and chooses – he considers the tribe to be his ‘school’, and he is merely one fish among many. He’s not that easy to call ‘friend’, because he doesn’t seem to express his own preferences enough for someone to know what he likes and wants out of a relationship.
He’s intelligent, but so focused on his shaping at times that he seems to be a bit of a ditz. If he applies his intellect to a problem, it’s likely he’d help discover solutions that might utilize the information he has gathered regarding other people. With the amount of socialization he does do, and the things he’s observed, he might help chieftains organize if needed by pointing out “so and such can do this thing well, maybe they should go here, and those two always work well together so they should not be split up” and the like. But he generally will not offer that information spontaneously, rather it would take seeing an important occurrence needing his boost, to get it out of him.
He is not openly caustic to anyone, unless they somehow manage to offend him (which is highly unlikely). Turning down gifts, snubbing his skill, or insulting his parents (dead or alive) will be the only likely cause to put him on guard. Even then, he understands that among a tribe or any group there are tensions and he accepts that not everyone likes everyone else.

Likes: He likes to work alone under the sea, and will do so for hours if not days on end. His distance-sending is pretty strong, for this reason, since sometimes he chooses to lurk under the waves in a deeper part of the reef and people still need to communicate with him. Enjoys raw fish, but also has taken a bit of a shine to those fruits or exotic meats brought to gatherings by the Wolf-folk. While he enjoys the quiet company of someone doing any grooming or shaping on his form, he seems to prefer sending over speaking, so time spent with him is usually time for someone else to do the talking.
Dislikes: Big sharks for the obvious reason that one of them killed and presumably ate his father; lightning storms, it’s too dangerous to remain in the water during these, and that means he gets less work done; being interrupted, he’s not fond of frivolous interruptions to his work, and will be a bit snippy if he has to come out of the water ‘for no reason’.
Not so much a dislike but closer to a fear: of the biggest of the Wolves in their pack – they’re just like sharks in ways, only furry. He knows they’re reasonably intelligent, and they are bonded magically to their riders, but he is intimidated by them and won’t approach them unless their bond-rider is near or he’s in a large group of elves.

Skills: Swimming – he is tremendously adept at ocean-born swimming, and moves in a sinuous manner like his father was known to before he died. Though he looks fragile, he uses currents and unseen drafting behind other water creatures, to keep himself speedy.

Sea Creature / Feature knowledge – Coral spends most of his time beneath the waves, and thus he knows what kind of fish swim where and eat which things, this extends to mammals, crustaceans, whatever is out there. It also strongly extends to the lay of the land below the surface: he knows every nook of the reef, though not necessarily all the locations which don’t feature corals in quantity. (Thus if there’s a portion of the cove and coast line which is rocky, or volcanic, or just bare sand with drop offs, he will not be very well versed with those spots.)

Patience and Posing – because the tailor (Pending whoever has one) occasionally needs assistance (and it’s likely that Coral has made most of their tools out of shaped coral pieces) he’s used to being dressed up and appraised. He knows that the appraisal is more for the color or drape of the items, but he still gets a kick out of doing this.

Coral Artistry/Creation – because coral as it lives is under his control, he can make intricate works of underwater art out of them. He may even work on undersea shelters for those who need to be truly isolated or want their own space away from the Cliff. His skill in moving living coral around, though, pales in comparison to that which he uses on its dead husks, as it “can’t shape back” after he’s worked it. His shaped items are strong but not unbreakable by any stretch. After all, if he made things so well they never broke, what would he do all day? He has never, and would never, intentionally create something that was too weak or would be faulty in its users hands. However he does warn anyone who gets weapons or hunting gear from him, that when the coral items do break they have very sharp edges, and must be handled with care.

History:
In the deepest part of the cove, Yellowfin Recognized Eelstrike, and their bond was accepted by both. When he was born, Coral was given the tribe name of Gold Eyes. However it became clear early on in his youth that he would be able to use the exotic coral-shaping magic that has become his focus in life. He took the name Coral when he was three Hands old, and obviously no one challenged him on it.

His life was never that exciting. He made friends somewhat slowly, and anyone who would call him a friend would also indicate that he’s still a bit distant. Some might call him shy, but no, he’s actually just sort of aware that the thick of things isn’t for him as much.

He has never had a lifemate but has taken lovemates of both genders and enjoys himself immensely as long as his partner seems to be enjoying themselves too. Coral thrives on good emotions, even though he doesn’t seem to show much. So when there are gathers and meetings, dances or celebrations, he’s going to be 'there’ and enjoy it, and not choose to be off sulking under the waves. Anyone not well acquainted with him will think he’s a bit dour, but he still manages to be in groups with ease. He doesn’t joke much, but he will happily participate in story telling or contribute to someone’s prank if they need something of him. As long as it doesn’t get anyone hurt, he’s fine with it.

After more than a century of learning and shaping, his father Eelstrike was in deeper waters with his lifemate and several others (Tern's parents, possibly more?) and they were surprised by a massive blue-stripe shark. Though Yellowfin attempted to save her mate, it was clear that she would be eaten as well and managed to escape with her life – but not necessarily her sanity – intact. Coral’s father’s death had devastated Yellowfin, and though Coral was not tremendously close with either of them after his youth, his father’s death made him get considerably closer to his mother. He worried that she would wander off and let herself be killed. The concern he shows for her is far stronger than he’s ever displayed for other people, even those who can be counted among his friends. That said, if something happens ‘on his watch’, if someone is in danger and he can sense them with his keen magical mind, he will attempt to help in any way he can.

Because Spearshaft, Tern's father, was lost in the same horrifying attack, Tern and Coral have always had a connection, if a dark one. Like their surviving parents, they too can turn to one another for consolation - and the occasional competition, after all they aren't friends just because of that. But they share a sad bond, either way.

As time has gone on, Coral is content, in a word, to be a shaper and maker. When someone comes to him asking about any specific item, he is more than happy to try and produce it to their closest imagination – as they can share thoughts, he can come quite close to whatever someone really desires.

It seems that at times, when gathers are happening and he’s alternately dancing around the fire pit or listening to stories being told, he will still be shaping things. A keen eye would notice that whatever he’s working on to be delivered to an unsuspecting recipient, will match what their personality seems to warrant. He’s not going to give a practical hunter something that will catch on a tree or get tangled in kelp; he’s going to make sure that a child has something to keep them occupied and educated.

Any Other Information: If there is a location closest to the water, or perhaps easiest to be dived into the cove, Coral will probably live there. While he can and certainly does shape items for use in other people’s caves, his own is simply brimming with things he’s either finished or is working on. He keeps a basket of shaped arrow or spear tips near the entrance, fishing hooks and the like in another. Since any of these items is effectively a “one use” tool, he doesn’t feel the need to wait for someone to request them. But for specific items for a bigger tool, or a head garment, a shield or something more used by only one type of skill (needles or binding clips, etc) he will take orders. He doesn’t often “reshape” things, once he’s declared something ‘done’, that’s normally it. He can repair items, but prefers to just start fresh unless the person needing it requires it right away.

Though Coral seems a bit afraid of the wolves in their pack, he does not display any kind of hatred or even discomfort around the Wolf-folk. They need his work as much as anyone, and he’s more than happy to provide them with what they need. He does think it’s a bit of a shame that they can’t truly visit his coral reef below the waves.


Bonded Animal: none, though he does occasionally enjoy playing with the local octopus creatures when they are nearby.

[Tidemist]

wooooow....long profile. XD alright, a couple things to fix. just be careful with his personality, because Ember has made a character named Serpent Fang who is very silent and usually only sends, just so you are aware. also, most of the SeaFolk are born with the webbed hands,feet and ridged ears. however, if he has a particular style or size you want, his ears could still be shaped.

also, it is unlikely that animal controlling(i'm assuming like Teir?) will be available in this holt. but it is entirely fine if his father were an animal tamer/trainer.

while i appreciate you stating his availability for recognition, please do post that as well in the Recognitions thread, just so there is a record there of what it is you want. and yes, the WolfFolk will eventually die if they live long enough.

also, please realize that not all of their tools and weapons consist of coral. there is also obsidian(Blackglass stone) and metal weapons from the WolfFolk tribe. though they will surely still have coral decorations and some coral tools and weapons. just not all of them. also possibly he could be the one who shapes coral steps that lead from the water and beach up into the Cove.

also, any of the SeaFolk who live with the tribe will live in caves inside the Cove. since you said he likes being close to the water, he would probably live in the caves closest to the Cove entrance. i think that's everything...

[WolfCandy]

Seeing this makes me feel less unsure about what I thought was really detailed. Had I known everyone would be making male SeaFolk I probably would've made my guy character a WolfFolk but *shrugs*. Tern's father died when he was younger, and it completely devastated his mother. I feel like our chars parents would be good friends because Tern's mother would try to helo Yellowfin through her mate's death.

[Tidemist]

Wolf, you can always make a second character who is WolfFolk. just be sure that you post the one you want to be added to as a group! the first profile will decide if you go in the WolfFolk or SeaFolk group, which changes your name color.

[Apogee]

Yeah I noticed the similarities too - if you like there's always the chance that perhaps they could have lost their parents at the same time / in the same incident, an event which may have shaped them both into who they are. I'd be willing to change things around, including losing his mother instead, background characters hooooo

re: weapons
And certainly, I'm well aware that he wouldn't be the ONLY weaponsmith, though he'd certainly still prefer to be making things that people use regularly.  Even if that means he's more making functional home items and larger scale things. He's not gonna just ... not make stuff. If he's chastised into 'doing something other than that shaping all day' he'd be willing to find out what does need to be made and stick with that.

One of my own world's holts has a similar cove arrangement, and they have shapers that have made the bay itself into a slightly safer or less turbulent spot. It's something he could certainly be asked to do if he hadn't already thought of it - but wouldn't start on it unless he's actually given permission by others. He could also concentrate more on the trapping element than providing arrowheads/etc.

re: recognition - I wanted to wait until it was firmly okay'd before posting in that thread

[Tidemist]

well considering Serpent is about 300 years older, i'm not sure how likely that is that they lose their parents are the same time...^^0 perhaps at least clarify he is willing to speak, which should be a big enough difference from Serpent, who seems to be rather Strongbow.

just wanted to be sure you were aware...but then yes, he probably shapes smoothed coral steps to lead up to the cove entrance.

and any decisions you have about your character recognizing is entirely up to you. if someone does not want their character to recognize or wants them to only recognize a particular person, who am i to say otherwise?

[Apogee]

Oh he definitely speaks, as I state there he's got a much deeper scratchier voice than you'd expect, but that's not because it's not used. It's because he's ridiculous that way!

Ages can always be changed on my part, I had originally thought of him around 600, he could go as young as maybe 100ish either way.

A holt time line might be good to have as a modified-by-character-background thing, so that folks can consult it to see when someone was born/died, etc (in addition to the history section's overview I mean).

[Tidemist]

i'll consider working on that...it would be rather nice.

[WolfCandy]

That would be cool if we had their parents dying at the same time. Tern's father died during a hunt so we could make it that sharks were hunting the same game as the elves and were what killed them. Tying in both shark attack and hunt? I would change it to being his mother that died, but Tern grew to be a skilled hunter like Spearshaft (his father), and I wonder if it would have been different had his mother been the one to die. Maybe he followed more in his father's steps to fill the absence of his father's presence. I don't think it matters whether Coral's mother or father died. I for sure think their parents should be friends though! And possibly grown affections for each other and even play at lovemates (but maybe the old friend type of TreestumpXClearbrook lovemates?) Whether they're both girls or a boy and a girl wouldn't matter to me if we did that. Although, it might be nice to have an active same gender lovemating in the holt (even if it's just in the background). Tern likes to craft weapons with his hands (and maybe it will evolve to more than just weapons).. this and especially losing both their parents could be a good foundation for friendship

[Apogee]

I like that a lot. So what age do you think Coral would likely be, and/or when would the attack occur?

Heck if Tern is putting the weapons together that's a fine way to keep Coral's power busy. And of course, the occasional reminder that not everything needs to be stabbed.



Overall also: updated with image.

[Tidemist]

where is the picture....O.o?

AND WHAAAAT?!!!! A SAME SEX LOVEMATING IN MY HOLT?!!!!

....sweet.^^ i can't wait to see that in the story.<3 hehehehe

[Apogee]

lol! I was editing while you posted!

[Tidemist]

nice picture! let me know when you guys decide fully on this! i'd like all the details worked out before i go ahead and approve your profile, okay?

i like all the little details you added.^^ you did very well at seperating him from Serpent!

[Apogee]

That's why I do long-ass CIS work like this. Honestly the moment it was okay to make a coral shaper, this guy came pretty much as-is out of my head.

[WolfCandy]

I have Tern's father dying when he's late young adult and that's kind of what hurled him into more mature adulthood. So maybe Coral was adolescent-young adult? Somewhere in there? I'll probably make Tern a little younger too so they have a closer age.

What's the status of their parents? Friends? Lovemates? Both girls? Girl and guy?

[Tidemist]

man, i totally thought you guys were talking about your characters being lovemates...</3

[Apogee]

I would certainly love to see the mothers supporting one another, so let's keep them as they are gender wise, and I certainly wouldn't be adverse to any romance once they're no longer shaken up and in mourning. (which may very well be long before the current year, and I can change up small bits of info.)

[Apogee]

man, i totally thought you guys were talking about your characters being lovemates...</3

lol well there's time for that to develop if it will. heheh!

[Tidemist]

well i am going to approve this profile for now so you can play in the storyline, but please let me or Kaimeta know whenever you make changes...ya know, bump this thread and tell us what you changed.

[Kaimeta]

this way you can start play and still figuring out what you guys want to do with the histories.

[Apogee]

Cool thank you! Mainly might be age and timing on things, otherwise I'm glad to see he's approved.

[WolfCandy]

Knocked his age down to 323. Should I go lower?

And depending on where the story grows and how he grows, that might happen. As of now though I'm not sure it would fit with his personality

[Apogee]

I can also bring Coral's up a little perhaps to 280ish, more importantly though is 'how long before now' did the shark attack happen?

[WolfCandy]

150 years maybe? 125? Or is that too soon or too far?

[Apogee]

Well, if it's still fresh in the mates' minds, it seems a bit far off - but that doesn't mean that they have to be still fresh. The boys (lol) would both be adults and mostly (more or less) know what they would be doing with their lives in most ways and then *bam* tragedy strikes. I think 125 is good and the parents left might still go into fits of sobbing now and again but it's in the past.

I think I'll keep Coral's age where it is, and adjust the timing on his father's death accordingly to 125 turns before. *nods*


Edit: Adjusted some things, those which still need info are bounded by *** marks.

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