|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:08 am
This is Eri's quest for Life Dusts with the essences of Melancholy/Tragedy.
Navigation:
.1. Introduction
.2. The Past
.3. Melancholy
.4. Tragedy
.5. The Dusts
.6. Cordelia
.7. Joris
.8. The Human
.9. Wherefore
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:09 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:10 am
Melancholy is sadness, a deep sorrow characterized by low levels of enthusiasm and eagerness for activity. It's a part of human life, dating back centuries, back when it was attributed to an excess amount of black bile in the body. It has been linked to many disorders ranging from the common depression to schizophrenia, and at the same time, it was claimed to have come from too much focus on sin, damnation and the possibility of salvation. It is embedded in human history, and without it, humanity wouldn't be the same.
Without sorrow, how would we know joy?
As such, it was essential for Aevah to preserve that melancholy that made humans shine brighter, the darkness of the soul that makes it yearn for light. After all, some are so much more beautiful when afflicted with sadness.
Morgan is drawn to melancholy because he knows the spirit of melancholy well, courted her once, and was cast away for being too sure of himself, so she could not challenge him. He remembers her, and seeks not her hand, but to protect her, guard her from herself because she is her own worst enemy. It is his task to watch over her, reunite her with her other half. (See "The Human" for more details)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:10 am
Traditionally, tragedy follows a great person who experiences a reversal of fortune (Peripeteia) because of his hamartia (a mistake, a tragic flaw. It translates badly, perhaps best to read the article). This great person does something wrong, even if he believes it to be the right course of action, and falls to a terrible fate. Tragedy is what taught humans about themselves, warned them of what might happen if they weren't careful to watch themselves and their actions. The truest tragedy is the tragedy of two conflicting rights, where there is no correct way to move, just as in life, there are often times when no choice will make the situation better.
The greatest lessons are those learned too late, where there is no right.
As such, it was essential for Aevah to preserve that tragedy that taught humans of their natures, the lessons that are learned through trials and tribulations that serve to create a better world. After all, without tragedy, there would be no order.
Morgan is drawn to tragedy because he adores the spirit of melancholy, taunts him and challenges him to better himself and everyone around him. He forces tragedy to reexamine himself to ensure that the right is being done, forces the world views to shift and warp with questions. It is his task to ensure tragedy survives and is reunited with his other half, albeit with some necessary bumps along the way. (See "The Human" for more details)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:11 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:12 am
Name: Cordelia
Meaning: Heart, warm-hearted, jewel of the sea
Nicknames: Delia, Dee
Dust/Essence: Melancholy
Gender: Female
Guardian: Morgan Lancer
Hobbies: Crafts, baking, cooking, reading, writing, music, staring out the window at the world outside.
Likes: Mysteries and puzzles, books and games, people who are "hers," mythology and theology.
Dislikes: Simplicity and the obvious, television, not-thinking people, feeling ignored or unappreciated.
Deepest Fear: That nothing she does matters, which means she doesn't matter.
Favorite Animal: Fishing Cats.
Favorite Color: Violet, silver, blue, green.
Favorite Foods: Peppermint. Without a doubt.
Favorite Possession: An opal pendant given to her by Morgan, small and shaped like a diamond. It isn't particularly fancy or shining or bright, but Cordelia isn't any of those things either, and thus they seem to fit together quite well.
Image Song: Long Way to Happy - P!nk
Myers-Briggs Personality Type: INFJ
Personality: Sweet, quiet, and filled with an unspoken longing, Cordelia's usually a gentle girl who tends to end up in bad situations by trying too hard to please everyone. She always wants to be helpful, and she'd rather put her energy into trying to do something for everyone around her. She can get resentful and angry when she feels she's unappreciated (while she won't admit it, she wants praise for her actions), but she doesn't like explaining herself. Cordelia tries to be incredibly pragmatic, and so she never does anything without a reason. Thus, if she isn't receiving any sort of appreciation for what she does, she feels it's useless, which makes her useless.
She's incredibly loyal, and while she doesn't enjoy conflict, she'll fight hard against anyone who threatens those she deems "hers." Once she's friends with someone, she's friends with them until (almost) forever, and even if they move alway from her, she'll still hold onto them in her heart. However, being Cordelia's friend is truly a mixed gift, as she tends to 'test' her friends to see if she's cared about or respected. These 'tests' range from going out together often to calling her up/sending her letters to remembering her birthday, etc. In that respect she can be quite a brat, and she knows it.
It can be said Cordelia's self-obsessed. She is. However, while she works to keep her narcissism in check by supporting and doing good deeds for others, she tends to forget that she's only human. She's well aware of her flaws, and she strives to change herself to be the best she can be-- but she's mortal, and therefore fallible.
Dust: Blacks and greens decorate the body of the bottle, weaving in and out of each other in a knot-like fashion, trying to overcome itself. It's a web, a maze, a giant, indecipherable knot within the bottle-- the essence of melancholy, that which cannot be escaped.
Skin: Cordelia's almost sickly-pale, much like the royalty of old, pale to the point her blue veins show through her skin where it's too thin. She seldom goes out into the sun without being viciously burned, so her cheeks are usually flushed with sunburn. Generally, though, she manages to keep everything else from not being burnt through sunscreen and clothing.
Build: Cordelia is thin. Strike that, she's so slender that some think she's anorexic-- which she'll fervently deny. She's small though, reaching her full height of 5' when she's a teenager. While she's thin, it's not to the point where every bone on her body is showing, just enough that her waist is tiny, she has little to no hips to speak of and only tiny breasts.
Eyes: Cordelia has pale blue eyes, almost washed-out. While her eyes have the same "infinite, vacant eyes" as all Life Dusts, they tend to be so pale she almost looks blind.
Hair: A little blonde, Cordelia's hair is possibly the most vibrant part of her physical frame. The brilliant gold of her shoulder-length hair is so bright, it almost washes her further than she physically is, given the contrast. Her bangs frame her face, layered and slightly wavy.
Markings: Along her wrists, she has twin scars, much like a suicide attempt-- but cut the wrong way, across rather than along the vein. Along her head, where a crown would fall, she has tiny scars all around her head, another reason why she has bangs.
Clothing Style: She can usually be found in long sleeves, long pants, fabric covering her body. She tends towards lighter colors, though never white, greys, blues, and her favorite, pale violet. She wears gloves to protect her sensitive hands, and she tends to wear rings over the gloves, usually wearing eight or nine rings at a time. She prefers silver to gold (honor over love) and small stones of various colors. She likes wearing headbands and other light fabrics that don't clash.
Traits: Emote - Can project either deep, paralyzing despair [presence of melancholy] or profound, overwhelming joy [absence of melancholy] in her target, distracting them. However, she faces the opposite of the action (to a lesser degree) when she uses it, meaning that she will either be caught in joy or despair as well, albeit a lesser form. In order to use this, she must be within ten feet of her target. [Lasts about fifteen minutes, Distracted status in battle]
Learns at a very quick rate, mainly due to a phonographic (sound, rather than the words/visual) memory. Anything she hears she remembers, and she can recite back. As a result, she's an extremely good listener, and she tends to appear to be paying close attention to others, even when she's not. This also distracts her though, as sometimes she feels she remembers too much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:13 am
Name: Joris
Meaning: Earthworker
Nicknames: Jory, Jor
Dust/Essence: Tragedy
Gender: Male
Guardian: Morgan Lancer
Hobbies: Hiking, training, swimming, running, listening to music.
Likes: People, simplicity, hard work, the good in people, hope.
Dislikes: Complexities, problem-seekers, pessimists, that-which-makes-his-brain-hurt.
Deepest Fear: Dying for no reason, living for no reason.
Favorite Animal: Hunting dogs.
Favorite Color: Green and gold.
Favorite Foods: Chocolate.
Favorite Possession: His swordbreaker. It's simple, not overly jeweled or anything, but it makes him feel like he can do anything.
Image Song: ...coming soon...
Myers-Briggs Personality Type: ESFP
Personality: Laid back and calm for the most part, Joris really doesn't care about most of the pressing issues Delia thinks on all the time. He believes the world works as it does, and there's no real need to question it. Maybe it's a fault of his, but he doesn't enjoy taking an active role in the earthshaking matters. However, if he's called on, he'll do his duty. He just doesn't want to, so he might moan and groan about it a little.
He follows orders to a tee-- perhaps one of his other flaws. He's much like a soldier, he'll follow orders, even if he doesn't always agree. However, he'll only follow orders if he accepts the person giving the orders as his leader. Morgan will count, as will Delia, since she's his sister, but others will have to prove themselves, even if they're other dusts. It's just a matter of adjusting his perceptions to allow someone else to be recognized as a leader.
Generally, Jory's pretty easy-going, and he genuinely likes people. He likes spending time around others, and he's not particularly judging of them. He figures everyone's their own person, and he's no one special so who's he to judge what they do? As a result, he's friends with a lot of people, though he's close with very few. It's hard to get to know who he really is beneath his laid back, happy exterior. While he's not nearly as intellectual as Delia, he's certainly smart, and he can be extremely logical when he chooses to be, though his optimism overrules that.
Dust: The mask of tragedy lies broken inside the bottle, all greys and blacks.
Skin: A brilliant gold to Delia's pale, Jory's tan never seems to go away, even in the middle of winter. He has no right to look like he's fresh from the beach, practically glowing with warmth, but he always gives that impression.
Build: Yoi wouldn't be far off if you said Joris is all wiry muscle. He's built like a swordsman, lean and fit, no fat but not so much muscle that he can't move.
Eyes: Jory's bright green eyes always sparkle with excitement, even though he doesn't care about most things enough to be rightfully excited. He's just enthused about people, and that love is what's reflected in the blank space of his eyes.
Hair: Jory's hair is, frankly, a mess. It always is, no matter how much he tries to keep it tidy. It's just long enough to be in his eyes, teasing his neck, tangling. Morgan likes Joris' hair that way because he thinks it's amusing next to Cordelia's perfect gold.
Markings: Joris' forearms are gauntlets, essentially. He doesn't have them on, they're part of him, embedded in his skin. No one's quite sure why, but they cause him pain on occasion when he pulls them or they bang against something. Still, they're useful, he supposes.
Clothing Style: Joris likes comfortable clothes, nothing fancy. He likes soft leather and cotton and other natural fibers in their natural colors. He's usually wearing capri-style pants and a plain, loose, white shirt that's usually gotten dirty by the time anyone sees him. Every once in a while, Cordelia will wrestle him into some fancier clothes, and then he'll be wearing dark brown slacks and a green shirt that matches his eyes and makes him look stunning because underneath his lack of fashion sense and messiness, he's actually quite pretty in an odd way.
Traits: Tragic Hero - For a short while [3 turns], Joris gains godlike strength [Berserk status, doubling his damage]. However, like all heroes in tragedies, at the end of this time, Joris will be weakened [Stunned for one turn].
Joris is excellent with swords and all manner of sharp-pointy-objects. On the training grounds or in battle, he's a graceful figure, all fluidity. He takes to swordplay like a fish to water, and he's most comfortable on the training grounds. Once he's back inside, he tends to be a little clumsy in his movements, a mystery no one's been able to solve.
Joris is destined to fail terribly at some point because of his hamartia, his tragic flaw. That of course, begs the question, what is Joris' tragic flaw? That flaw is that he obeys, that he listens to others once he trusts them, doesn't think for himself, just goes along with it. Likely, this will be him obeying Morgan in doing something that will get him/Cordelia/someone else close to them badly hurt/killed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:14 am
Full Name: Morgan Lancer (At least, that's what he's going by in this life.
Meaning: Circling sea, great brightness
Nickname: Morgue, Rat b*****d, Sir
Race: Angel in human clothing
Gender: Male
Hobbies: He'll do anything once. Maybe twice. When you've been around for this many incarnations, you kind of have to be flexible in your hobbies.
Likes: Humans, surprisingly enough, revolution, the fall of empires, the way people seem to think they know everything when they're clueless.
Dislikes: His purpose, religious zealots (though they're amusing sometimes), stupidity, people telling him he's wrong when he's right.
Deepest Fear: That he'll have to face how much he actually cares about Cordelia and Joris.
Favorite Animal: Humans.
Favorite Color: Iridescence.
Favorite Foods: Steak. He loves steak. Dead cow, ftw.
Favorite Possession: His mind and all its memories. It's the only thing he keeps from life to life.
Image song: London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines - Panic! At The Disco
Myers-Briggs Personality Type: ISFJ masquerading as an ENFP
Personality: The first impression most people have of Morgan is that he's firstly an actor, secondly an academic, thirdly a flaming homosexual and fourthly trying far too hard. The first is debatably true, the second is not true whatsoever, the third is only half true, he swings both ways, and the fourth is not true at all. Morgan wants you to believe all of that though. It's important that he keep up his image, and if that means being a flamboyantly gay scholarly failed actor, he's all for it.
Truthfully though, Morgan likes humans. He thinks they're nifty creatures, the sort he wouldn't mind taking home and keeping as pets. They make good pets. They tend to do things all wrong when left to their own devices though, so Morgan can't help but meddle in other people's affairs in an attempt to set things right. If you catch him rearranging your closet or pantry, it means he cares. It really does.
However, Morgan has no loyalty to anyone except himself, Cordelia, and Joris. As much as he might like a person, he'd strike them down in a heartbeat if he thought it was necessary, though he doesn't let it on. He's actually quite the calculating b*****d when he feels it's important, and he'll do anything, even if it pains him. He's amazingly two-faced, occasionally three-faced, though he doesn't really let it show to anyone out of habit. Then again, if you'd lived dozens of lives and remembered them all, plus remembered your life in heaven, you'd be a little nuts too.
Skin: Not sickly-pale like Cordelia, but not ruggedly tan like Joris, Morgan has a lazy tan, meaning that while he doesn't seek out sunlight like Joris, he doesn't avoid it either, so he's lightly tanned.
Build: Lightly muscled, Morgan's not badly built, but he's certainly not Joris. He's light and fast, built for speed, not strength.
Eyes: When he's out and about, Morgan's eyes are a creamy caramel brown, not particularly anything to stare at. However, when he's home or tapping into his powers, they turn violet, a mark of his otherworldliness, and also of the way he's losing control of his powers.
Hair: Morgan keeps his black hair cropped short so it doesn't get messy and in the way like Jory's. He likes looking neat, even if he likes Jory a little messed up (in more ways than one).
Markings: Nuh uh. Morgan doesn't have anything that stands out on him if he can help it, though on Gaia, that's almost a dead giveaway.
Clothing Style: Morgan wears clothes which contribute to his image-- he's always impeccably dressed, generally in something newly stylish. As such, he goes shopping quite often. Everything he wears always matches and makes him look more homosexual (or at least metrosexual) due to tight fitting t-shirts and perfectly ironed pants. He's a bit of a brand whore as well.
Other Notes: Coming soon...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:15 am
I chose the essences of melancholy and tragedy because I grew up on tragedies and melancholy is an essential part of life (and one that devours me quite often). Morgan's reasons are up above in the Melancholy/Tragedy sections.
As you might have noticed, there are some strange things going on with these three. I thought some people might be curious (and if not, at least it's out there).
So. A little backstory out of character.
Morgan, Joris, and Cordelia are all OCs of mine. They have been Gaia-fied, of course, but they essentially remain the same, Morgan most of all. So let's start with Joris and Cordelia.
Angels are perfect beings, and as they are perfect, they are above petty emotions, and they are certainly not the sort to follow humans into their weaknesses. However, every so often, there are angels who are willing to take the chance, to take on the human weakness of love and Fall to earth, to become humans, soulmates.
However, these soulmates are destined to always be ripped apart because their love is a forbidden one. Without each other though, they're eternally lost, part of themselves missing. They are unbalanced, and they always have the niggling knowledge in the back of their mind that they are incomplete.
Joris and Cordelia (who have had many names over their incarnations in which they've been torn apart) are two such souls, soulmates who are an integral part of one another, two who cannot rest without each other, but cannot stay with each other.
As such, on Gaia, they are twins. They cannot possibly enter into a relationship, even given how close they feel because of the boundaries of family. They are doomed from the start, but at least this time they can be near each other-- for now.
Morgan is an angel, thus the title 'The Human' is not entirely accurate. In fact, Morgan is not human at all, though he takes on a human form. He was sent to earth to watch over Joris and Cordelia (all soulmates have an angel watching them, ensuring they cannot stay together, that they'll always be ripped apart because it's forbidden and wrong for them to be together), and he's been with them through dozens of incarnations. He's instigated both their deaths at different times, and he's really come to hate his job.
He cares deeply for both Cordelia and Joris, and he'd like to see them happy just once, even if it means punishment for himself. However, it's also in his nature to cause trouble, so even if he wants to help them, he may end up starting a revolution and getting them all killed again.
I'm not sure how this all translates to Gaia just yet. I'm working on it. ^_^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
