Kilera, Sr. Journeywoman Baker WIP | Page 1 | Character Critique | Guild Forums

Katori Kenshin

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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:08 am

So I was originally thinking to make her a healer, but that plus her history seemed a little much for me, and I didn't really like the idea of her living at a Hall and not the Weyr. There are too many healers anyway. What's the most necessary, under-appreciated craft? Mother Chef. :')

Name: Kilera (kih-LEHR-uh)
Age: 38
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Straight, but she's not looking to love again
Craft: Bakercraft
Rank: Sr. Journeyman

Physical Description:
Ridiculously thick hair, jet black and cropped off at the chin. She pulls a good deal of it back in a bobby little half-ponytail, but Kilera still has more than enough. Her eyes are an unremarkable green, though heavily framed by lashes and brows as dark and thick as her hair. Freckles mark the woman's face from ear to ear, though they fade to a normal ratio from her neck down. She has crow's feet already, and the beginnings of very prominent wrinkles on her forehead, the creases of her constantly-furrowed brow always clearly visible. There is a very somber look in all her expressions, though Kilera gives off the vibe of being very... alive. Also, even in Ista's climate, she prefers wearing heavy chest clothing, completely covering the burns down her neck and arm.

Personality:
If ever there was a motherly woman, it's Kilera. She's very no-nonsense and a firm believer of tough love, but she really does care for all the poor Weyrfolk she considers her friends and children. She's the first to call someone out on their folly, and the first to offer to help clean up the mess. She's usually understanding, but if there's anything unkind about her, it's her stinging ability to hold a grudge. She's slow to forgive things one is honestly at fault for, and very good at making people feel awful.
But Kilera's not spiteful, she really isn't. She enjoys the company of people more than anything in the world, constantly craves it. She's not sad, or at least... is sad so constantly that it's faded into just another aspect of her personality. She's rarely able to smile, but would never allow herself to frown. Poor girl isn't in denial; she's dealt with grief this way for Turns and Turns. She'll never move on, but she can keep depression at bay by completely ignoring it, which she does very successfully.
Kilera is one of the mostly factly people on Pern, never dreaming or thinking airy thoughts. She has a vast capability for kindness and concern, but there's no love left in this poor woman's heart. She's a bit of a grey figure- never with strong emotions, never entirely there. She wasn't always, but she is now. It's the best she can manage.

History:
Kilera was a Dragonrider. A weyrbrat raised very happily in the Weyr of her birth, she Impressed far from Ista, at a Telgar Hatching 20 Turns ago. Rayelaghth, a gorgeous Green with a heart of gold... and a good deal more fear than a Dragon ought to have had. Eight Turns later, she was flamed in an awful drill accident. A wingrider's saddle loosened, shaking him free while his frantic Dragon tried to catch the man and still fire in coordination with the wing. Kilera jumped (caught by the windsecond), taking fire only to her left arm, but her Dragon was hit full-on, and the despairing Green went /between/ with pain, leaving her Rider in agony for Turns to come.

Kilera made it out sane, through an inconceivable amount of effort. She surrounded herself with people every second of every day. She didn't sleep for sevendays at a time... Night terrors still often keep her from trying to sleep, though she would never admit it. She gave all the heart she had left to everyone she ever saw, and with their companionship, the woman managed.

As soon as she was again able to think clearly in an empty room, Kilera threw herself upon craftsmanship. Something, anything, to work idle hands raw. Kitchens are a warm, loud, lively place, and she took immediately to Bakercraft and its remarkable ability to soothe. Unable to ever leave the presence of Dragons, and yet unable to bear returning the Weyr her own Dragon had known, Kilera took up a Jr. Journeyman post at Ista... as far from Telgar as she could conceivably be. In the Turns since, she's acquired Seniority in her rank. The responsibilities of Mastership, though, are far from desirable, and Kilera is as content as she'll ever been with her craft. She likes to think of herself a bit more specialized in flavoring the real meals themselves, though recently, it seems like it's taking all her skills just to make food go around.

She bears no ill will towards Dragons or their Riders, and indeed, is much more fond of her beloved Weyrfolk than she ever was of Holders or Craftsmen. She'll never be happy again, she's pointedly decided many times, but Ista is a lovely place, and it's the closest Kilera feels she'll ever come.

Pets: None, though she'd love one.

Other/Talents:
Kilera has a particular fondness for the poorest of ranks: Greenriders, Candidates, and especially drudges. She doesn't keep it any secret that the best food is always for them and there's always a spare meatroll for the poor masses. Whatever the reality, she likes to think she has good standing amongst the unappreciated of the Weyr.

Will this character be a candidate? Haha no

Picture:

Is it green or blue eyes that are rare on Pern...?

Also, if anyone can think of another way for a Dragon to possibly have died...?

Nobody really answered my question about whether or not an ex-Rider was taboo, so I went with it, and it stuck. I love the idea; I'm open to changing anything about her but that. This profile just feels kind of... lacking.
...And like I use too many elipses. :'P

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:06 pm

Looks great to me! I know golds fight when two rise at once so it makes sense that greens might too, though I don't recall seeing it in any of the books. Other possibilities for her death though... a drilling accident? If greens would attack one another in flight though, I think that works fine ^^

TawnyAngel

Predestined Inquisitor

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Katori Kenshin

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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:06 pm

Heh, I've been racking my brains, but it seems like Dragons have about the safest life imaginable... x)

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:42 am

I'm not sure: I think greens can actually fly safely at the same time, it's Golds that get particularly territorial. I'll double check when my Pernese Encyclopedia logs on. (Leiikun.)

Edit: I double checked and I was right. ONLY golds will attack each other if flying in tandem. Greens do not.