Shade
From FiranMUX
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Contents |
Overview
Her smile is a dreamy one, rendered distant by the loose, windspun curls which surround it. Her face is so delicate as to appear elfin, with slightly pointed ears, high-set cheeks and long, pale lashes, contrasting her black eyes as moonlight does shadow. Although statuesque, she does not lack for curves, legs long and shapely and figure a stately hourglass. Her voice, when she speaks, reminds of winter, as does her gaze -- cold and pure -- and yet there's such innocence about her; it betrays naivete.
Shade is a dreamer, and terribly naive. The world she belongs to is an imaginative and beautiful one, where everything is, if not always happy, at least poetic. She's easily tempted and falls for most lies, eager to believe in all the colorful things she's been told, and when she's alone with an idea, she often turns it into a story. Despite her gullibility, she's a distant sort and very shy. She's insecure as well, embarrassed by her personality and appearance and all the choices she's ever made. Sometimes she likes to pretend she's not herself, but one of the characters in her stories, and then, she too is special. She too can go on adventures and do wonderful things -- until, that is, she remembers her name is Shade, and she inevitably sinks into a gloom.
Family Life
Siblings
Shade's younger sister, Althea, looks and acts like her father, and never wants to listen to anything Shade says. Whenever Shade opens her mouth, Althea does too, and out comes a neverending stream of babble about swords and ale -- even though, to Shade's knowledge, the girl doesn't drink. Only a year younger than Shade, Althea had her Ceremony of Souls on the same day and chose to be a bodyguard. (Actually, her first choice was 'a drunk'. That didn't go over well.)
Shade doesn't know much about her sister Triane, except that she spends most of her time in the forest -- or, when she's not in the forest, at the public stables. She's heard her sister is planning on joining a temple when she grows up, but isn't sure which one; she can only ever seem to hear every other word Triane says.
- Ferid
Shade's youngest and only brother, Ferid is a very pretty boy and seems to know it. Their mother indulges him to no end, and Shade couldn't care less; the more attention she pays him, the more she ignores Shade. That's just fine by her.
Parents
- Ella
Shade's mother is a strong and unashamed woman -- proud of her gender and beauty, and each and every one of her children, Shade among them. Although her mother's always been very loving, Shade has made every effort to distance herself from the woman and what she considers to be an awkward relationship. No one embarrasses Shade quite like her mother! Of course, now that she lives in Anarinuell and her mother in Luragadin, Shade does not often worry about her mother's teasing. But then, Ella could show up anywhere. Anywhere. It is a constant concern.
- Jiri
Shade thinks her father is conservative, boring and entirely without imagination, but when she still lived in Luragadin, he sheltered and protected her, and she loved him. He's a mercenary by trade and Shade doesn't know half of what he does for a living; mostly she only knows him as her supportive, dull dad, who never tells her any stories. Now that she's older, Shade has begun to realize that perhaps her father was not so dull after all -- her sisters seem to know more about him than she does. In the end, Shade cannot fault him for it.
Spouse
Shade met Asalan when she was at her most desperate. After wandering Anarinuell, barefoot and lost, for days, she stumbled upon the Old City and the Barnacle Inn, not entirely by choice -- but where was a shoeless girl to go? She sat down, and if there was one thing she needed, it was a cup of tea; what she got was Asalan instead, and after an awkward conversation, and a bit of fear on her part, she ended up tripping, hitting her head, and falling unconscious. She woke up in his apartment, and while most women might take the opportunity to scream, she was somehow very all right with this, and was also very all right with cleaning for him, and doing boring household chores. Their relationship developed as the years passed, into one of love and reciprocal protection -- Asalan protects Shade how he can, and she dotes on him how she can. Shade is a reverent and devoted wife, and is infinitely forgiving of all-things-Asalan. He is, after all, the one person in her life she has chosen to be her hero, and she knows, from stories, that every girl needs a hero.
Children
- Evadne
Born late on May 1, 40 A.U., Evadne made her appearance in the Temple of Soli, quite against Shade's wishes. She cherishes her daughter nonetheless, and loves the girl as only a mother could ... especially given how angry, and generally unpleasant, she's so far proving to be. Maybe she'll grow out of it.
- Vance
Born on August 1, 41 A.U., Vance, like his sister, made his appearance in the Temple of Soli, early in the morning when the stars were still out. Shade positively adores her son, and thanks the gods that he lacks Evadne's temper. As far as Shade is concerned, Vance is a little, healthy bundle of loving wonderfulness, and he will never be any trouble at all. (Unlikely.)
- Deneve
Shade's third child, and second daughter, was born early in the morning on August 30, 42 A.U. She is a quiet girl, but very healthy too, and though Shade initially forecasted trouble for this child, she is willing to believe that now, finally, she has had her sweet little baby girl who will be just like her and enjoy tea and picking flowers. Or, as suspected, this will be The Evil Child. Shade will do everything she can to keep the Old City away from this one, lest she turn out to be evil after all. Wouldn't want to encourage it.
Accomplishments
- Teas in the Old City
That's right. You heard her. The Old City may be known for its rough-and-tumble gangs and violence, but Shade Valerian has made quite sure that there is enough time set aside for tea. And cakes. And tarts! There's no reason a little corner of the world can't be civilised. Now is there?
- Halting the Red Bloom!
Shade was the one who found the cure for the disease from the Bonduin lands, Red Bloom. She spent hoooooours researching in the library, pouring over scrolls and theories and eventually she discovered the offending plant, developed a garlic press, and managed to halt the further spread. She quietly accepted the minor applause of the Republic and then continued her baking.
- Inventor
Tasty? yes. Shade was one of the developers of a small smackeral of cheesecake -- a little sensation that swept the city when it came out. She was also a developer of the much-desired platinum earrings. Fancy!
- Priestess of Uf
Shade is a priestess of Uf! A very active one.
Scandals
Don't be ridiculous.
Well. Running away from home may have been a little scandalous... but her sisters seem to handle more than their share of the trouble-making, so Shade readily leaves it to them.
Miscellany
Dislikes
- Whores
... That big White Dove place? Oh, no, that's just a building. There's nothing there.
- Dirt
Ew. Put those outside. Dirt. And yet, Shade lives in the dirtiest part of the city. It's an uphill battle.
- Bad Logic
A to B is a straight line, nimrod.
Likes
- Baking!
Tarts, pies, cakes, whatever! And don't expect to see Shade and get away without food!
- Homemaking in General
YAY.
- Uf
As a priestess of Uf, this goes without saying.
- Flowers
Because they are lovely, smell lovely, and make things lovely. Not to mention, dumping 10,000 flowers on someone is pretty funny.
