❧ Application
OOC:
Name: Aiden.
Are you over 16?: Yup!
Personal LJ: aidenesque
Email: aidenesque@gmail.com
Timezone: EST.
Other contact: aim @ fangfangdesu
Characters already in the game: None!
How did you find us?: Referred here by another. 8)
IC:
Character name: Prince Reyson of Serenes
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance / Radiant Dawn
Timeline: Post Path of Radiance / pre Radiant Dawn, before the formation of the Laguz Alliance and while Reyson and his sister reside in Gallia.
Age: Unknown. The laguz possess incredible longevity however ( herons and dragons especially ), so it's difficult to say for certain - Reyson appears to be in his mid-twenties, but in all likeliness he closer to 70-80 years in age.
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
Reyson is what is referred to as a 'laguz' ( creatures with superhuman powers and animalistic features ), and more specifically a 'heron'. He is a member of the bird tribes, and as such he possesses wings and flight, as well as the ability to transform back and forth between a large white heron and a winged humanoid. Herons are also immensely empathetic, and they are greatly affected by the energies of chaos. As creatures of balance, they cannot easily tolerate violent or chaotic environments without feeling unwell, or even sick. Also, under the right conditions ( calm, peaceful environments ), herons are able to read the thoughts of others if they choose, and see into the hearts of those around them.
Of the three bird tribes in Tellius, the herons' possess unique powers, including the ability to use Seid magic. They are able to sing hymns and chants ( Galdrar ) in the ancient tongue of Tellius; these songs grant their listeners various abilities. Rather than fight, herons act as support units, imbuing their comrades with strength and speed. Reyson learns several Galdrar, all of which grant specific effects:
❧ Vigor: The Galdr of Vigor reenergizes allies, granting them greater speed to 'do the work of two men'. In other words, units are allowed an additional move on the battlefield.
❧ Bliss: This Galdr raises the listener's biorhythm ( a status which affects the character's performance on the battlefield ). Those units affected by Bliss will fight with renewed spirit and energy.
❧ Sorrow: The Galdr of Sorrow is the only Galdr that is used on an enemy unit. It performs conversely to Bliss, lowering the biorhythm of an enemy and negatively influencing their performance on the field.
❧ Valor: Valor is a Galdr exclusive to laguz, filling an ally's transformation gauge and allowing them to transform into their beast/bird form immediately.
❧ Recovery: This Galdr is one of the most handy, as it fully heals its target and heals any and all status ailments.
❧ Rebirth: This is a powerful Galdr that can be used to restore the warped or broken souls of any listener. It is used on humans and laguz alike, and is even sung to revitalize a dead forest. Unlike the others, this is a two-man Galdr, and requires two herons singing to grant its full effects
❧ Release/Slumber: These two Galdr go hand in hand, and only seem to have real purpose within the parameters of the game. The Galdr of Release is used to release the sleeping God of Chaos within the Fire Emblem - adversely, the Galdr of Slumber is used to lull the god back to sleep. It is unclear whether or not these Galdr can be used to any other effect, but it's possible that they could become useful under other circumstances.
When Reyson is in his humanoid form, he is only able to sing one Galdr at a time; however when transformed, he refreshes all four surrounding units. Also, herons randomly affect those around them in mysterious ways. They will sometimes spontaneously heal any surrounding units without using a turn or a Galdr, and being around herons often stirs emotions in others.
How would they use their abilities?:
Reyson's abilities are used mainly for support, both and in and out of battle. The Galdrar come in handy in all sorts of ways - from healing the sick, to invigorating allies, to even putting enemies at a disadvantage. Reyson would support his allies to near exhaustion, but he is also brave ( and reckless ) enough to dive into enemy territory if need be - if only to lend more support to his comrades, or to sing ruin to their enemies. If the need arises, however, Reyson would use his Galdrar to assist off the battlefield as well, as they can be rather useful at unexpected moments.
Appearance: Reyson is tall and slender, fair and pristine. Like other heron royals - his sister, Leanne, and his elder brother, Rafiel - Reyson's skin, hair and feathers are all a pale white and gold. His bones are hollow and frail, his complexion nearly translucent in its lightness, and his facial features are finely formed, strong, smooth and soft. The herons are the most fair of all laguz in appearance. His blonde hair is very long, smooth and straight like spun gold, and his fine white wings are large and gracefully curved, his eyes green like forest leaves. Reyson's clothing begets his station as Prince - he wears thick, white fabrics ( a long tunic with flaring sleeves, and white pants ) with fine pale green leather boots and gauntlets, all beautifully embroidered and decorated. On his head he wears a sleek silver circlet.
When Reyson transforms, he becomes a very large heron - white, with a long, graceful neck, a curved black beak and slim legs, and a tall, proud blonde crest. His wings are narrow and very long, and his tail is wide, long and decorative.
Background/Personality:
Reyson's personality is somewhat complicated; he's not at all what he appears to be. For all intents and purposes, he appears outwardly feminine, soft-spoken and innocent, but in reality he is anything but. Reyson is a 'heron', a member of a race of bird-type people ( all of the bird, dragon and cat-type people in Fire Emblem 9/10 are collectively known as 'laguz' ); herons are known to be gentle and kind, to be always soft and sweet and eloquent. Due to a very tragic event in his past, Reyson's home and clan were wiped out, and he was forced to flee to the lands of the Hawk laguz. The hawks were good, strong folk, but their rugged toughness no-doubt influenced Reyson's personality. He still speaks very smoothly ( a royal influence, no doubt ), but he's very stubborn and extremely willful, and he's not at all afraid to lash out, be it with tongue or fist.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Reyson was born in Serenes forest, the home of the heron clan, on the continent of Tellius, where two races - beorc ( human ) and laguz - coexist in unsteady peace. He was taught the ways of balance, given a Prince's pampered life, and raised beside several sisters and brothers. His life was full of love and peace; he and his family knew no pain or torment. The herons were close with the raven clan of Kilvas, and Reyson was a close childhood friend of Naesala - a raven prince, who later became king of Kilvas. Knowing no sorrow or hardship, Reyson lived a charmed life.
However, all this changed with the Serenes massacre. Their forest home bordered the great and powerful Theocracy of Begnion, whose people ( beorc ) were ruled by the beloved Apostle - an influential female figure who spoke with the Goddess to guide her people. When the Apostle was suddenly, violently assassinated, the people of Begnion were blinded with rage and consumed by despair. A rumor began circulating that the herons were responsible for the assassination of their most beloved empress. Anyone who knew anything at all about herons would know that this was not at all possible - the herons were a calm, pacifistic clan, devoted only to piety and peace, and physically incapable of violence. However, the people of Begnion despaired and screamed for retribution, and the herons, 'sub-human' as they were, were the easiest targets. Framed for the death of the Apostle, the herons were martyred by the mobs of Begnion, massacred in the dead of night, slaughtered like livestock while their forest burned.
As the only survivors, and with their forest home burned and dead, Reyson and his father Loraziah are forced to give up their country and accept assistance from the hawks of Phoenicis. Their king, Tibarn, is enraged by the massacre of their laguz brothers, and is more than happy to care for the two herons, the last ragged remnants of House Serenes. So, of course, it was from these people - the rough-edged, toughly built hawks - that Reyson inherited several of his more .. difficult character traits. His temper is quick, he is fiercely protective of those he cares for, and there is no shattering his iron will.
Herons, however, are very delicately built. Their bones are fragile, and although Reyson possesses a fiery temper, he isn't often able to physically harm others. When he was captured as a slave, during the events of Path of Radiance, he becomes enraged enough to punch his captor in the face. The simple strike was enough to shatter several bones in his hand, but the pain is clearly nothing in the face of his fury and disgust.
During the events of Path of Radiance, Reyson changes a great deal. The slaughter of his family and countrymen had instilled in Reyson a fierce, almost unnatural hate for all beorc; his desire for vengeance is almost all-consuming, and even after twenty years recovery time, his blood still boils at any mention of a human. He does not associate with them at all, and is disgusted by those who do. It is this bias - and a few other things - that drives a wedge between Reyson and his once close-friend Naesala. When the raven prince ascended the throne to King, he had to do everything in his power to keep Kilvas together, and as Kilvas was ( and still is ) in near abject poverty, his work was cut out for him. Naesala changes, all of his priorities set to raising up Kilvas and earning money to nurture his country - he chooses to engage in commerce with humans to better the royal treasury. Repulsed by this, Reyson grows apart from his old friend.
However, Naesala's betrayal sparks a chain of events. Twenty years prior to the game, many laguz were enslaved to beorcs; reviled and disgusting, they were referred to as sub-human and forced to work for humans - be it through hard labor or entertainment. Beautiful as the herons are ( and terribly rare, since the massacre ), many of Begnion's nobles and senators would pay extravagant amounts of money to acquire a heron slave. Though the slave trade was outlawed by Apostle Misaha two decades before, it still persists in many noble houses. When Oliver, Duke Tanas ( one of Naesala's employers ), catches a glimpse of Reyson during a visit to Kilvas, he becomes obsessed, and adamantly requests Naesala's help. Betraying their friendship, Naesala lures Reyson to Tanas's villa, and sells him for an obscene fee.
Absolutely infuriated, Reyson is able to escape when Ike( protagonist )'s mercenary band - under the employ of the current apostle - storm Oliver's home in search of evidence to prove Oliver's connection to the slave trade. Cursing Ike and his beorc companions, Reyson flees to the dead forest, where he is soon pursued - both by Oliver's men, and by Ike and his mercenaries, who seek to save and protect him. But Reyson is appalled and murderous. Warped by despair and thinking only of vengeance, Reyson steals away to the altar of Serenes, where he plans to sing a Galdr of destruction to utterly obliterate all beorc. Luckily, Tibarn arrives and intervenes, saving Reyson from making a grave mistake that would have warped his very existence as a heron, a being of peace and balance.
After agreeing to abandon this rather desperate ploy for vengeance, Reyson ( with Tibarn, Janaff and Ulki ), moves deeper into the forest to find Ike's merry band again, where they are busy fighting off Oliver's men. Reyson is shocked to learn that Ike and his companions came across another heron, Reyson's youngest sister Leanne, while they had been searching the forest. Leanne had been placed in a magical slumber since the massacre took place, and Reyson is immensely thankful to have found her again. Somewhat humbled by this, and incredibly appreciative to have his sister returned to him, Reyson reluctantly begins to abandon his prejudice towards beorc. To pay back this debt, he enlists in Ike's company and helps his army to conquer Daein ( the country playing antagonist ) and take back Crimea ( Ike's homeland ). Once Crimea is retaken and the game concludes, Reyson and his sister Leanne retire to Gallia - the land of feline laguz - to live in peace.
More than anything, Reyson wants to be strong. Throughout his twenty year stay with the hawks, he strives to grow stronger, to overcome his frail body and learn to fight. He's swallowed wholly by the despair of losing his entire family and clan, and for a long time, he can think only of vengeance, and more than anything he prays for a strong body, to be able to possess the raw power the hawks wield so that he may bring about the revenge he so strongly desires. Tibarn, the Hawk King, is someone that Reyson looks up to immensely.
By the end of Path of Radiance, however, Reyson realizes his worth, and is able to let go of a great deal of his bitterness and hatred. He is no longer obsessed with growing stronger ( or obliterating humans ), however he continues to display his iron will and quick temper -- two traits which are, by now, ingrained into his personality.
Have you read up on how the game works?: Yessir. Ma'am. The plug-in device is the Flaming Ferret, aaaaand money can be earned on missions, by mooching, opening a business, or .. stealing! :D
1st person sample:
[ Reyson is not at all sure how to work this thing - electronics aren't exactly his forté. In fact, he's never even seen anything quite like this device, let alone worked with one! But he is stubborn, and he perseveres -- soon his fine, scowling face appears on the screen, after a great deal of static. ]
Wh- I th- - ere - m I? Wa--
[ The audio and video cuts in and out, and the screen jarrs - it appears that Reyson has - oh, he's whacked the thing against a wall. There, now it seems to be working properly. He's still very cranky. ]
I am told that this is a beorc communication device - I'm not completely sure how to operate it, but if anyone is able to hear this, I would greatly appreciate an explanation.
A clear explanation, please.
[ >:( ]
3rd person sample:
No sky. No sky and no grass and no trees and no life. This place felt like a prison, like a stifling inorganic cell. The sharp scent of beorc steel and iron was in the air, everything plastic and rubber and acrylic, synthetic fabrics and fibers and materials that Reyson could not even put a name to. The thick windows gave glimpse only to a sea of endless velvety black, even the stars looked lonely and white, pale blinking things giving off a cold, distant light. Where was this place? Even beorc castles and homes, which stank of rust and iron and coal, felt much more natural than this steel capsule. He was alone, utterly alone - without his father, without his beloved sister, without Tibarn and the great king of Lions and all of Gallia! This was maddening.
Their explanations had been brief: Tellius gone, he was a refugee, he was to insert a fish - a fish in his ear, of all things! Reyson wasn't sure whether or not he should have been laughing or crying. They'd been horrible, ugly creatures; their very existence was offensive to the senses, and though he'd pressed them for information ( and Reyson was capable of great feats of persuasion ), they had been most unhelpful. A towel, a book, and an odd set of directions, all given to him with the unfortunate information that Tellius had been completely obliterated. They'd been so flippant with the news that Reyson wasn't entirely certain he believed them - Tellius, destroyed? No, it simply wasn't possible. This had to have been some elaborate trick, or perhaps a hallucination - yes, yes, he must have been dreaming; Reyson made a mental note to commend himself on his creativity once he'd awakened again. But the possibility still held true that this all, perhaps, was very real; in which case, he was utterly lost. Reyson suspected that this may have been the work of crows.
With his wings all but twitching in aggravation behind him, Reyson gripped the odd tome he'd been given - until this moment he'd hardly given it a glance; it was a wonder he hadn't hurled it from his sight completely, ugly metal thing that it was. Thankfully some shred of sense had urged him to keep it - it seemed his only friend in this strange new world. Now, if only he knew how to work the blasted thing ..
Questions?: Nope, I'm good!
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Of course; I'm a good little apper!