Age: 26
Nameday: 3550.08.14
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Picky heterosexual
Weyr: Western Weyr
Rider Rank: Wingrider
Previous Rank/Craft: Journeyman Weaver, specialising in fashion design and tailoring
Physical Description:
A willowy, lean young woman who stands at 5’6, Senara takes great pride in her appearance and will endeavour to be immaculately presented at all times. Creamy tan skin is unmarred- and she treats it liberally with oils and lotions at her leisure. Her figure is not especially curvaceous, and there is little suggestion of womanly charms beneath the beautiful dresses she dons. She is not naturally muscular or strong in any sense, and becoming a fully-fledged rider presented challenges in itself.
Thick waves of bark brown hair, when left loose, reach her shoulder blades; for the most part she has her hair pinned up in soft and dainty curls, sometimes threaded with flowers for a more stylish effect. A long, prominent nose and soft, rosebud lips give her an almost Terran-Grecian look, though deep, sapphire blue eyes break the ancestral Mediterranean mould. She is skilled in the use of makeup, but prefers a light, natural look for herself.
Her dress sense is sophisticated and sensible for most occasions, though she does like to dress up for Gathers and other events. As a designer, she sees the people of the world first through the clothes that they wear, and has an eye for accessories that would be impractical in most careers and life paths. She herself prefers flowers, draping sashes, ribbons and lace. Her preferred colours are tones of blue and accents of white, but she’ll make do with earthy hues as well.
Personality:
A picture of serenity and grace, Senara puts a great deal of effort into looking like a lady, even if she is not of noble birth. She believes that first impressions are extremely important, and strives for perfection in all of her interactions. Her manners are beyond reproach, her opinions and discontent kept very much locked away for none than her diary to witness, and her tone and register are borrowed from folk far above her own station. Senara’s veins might run with commoner’s blood, but she has all the trappings of an Terran queen of legend: regal, eloquent, and aloof.
Beneath this facade of polite civility lies the heart and soul of a driven perfectionist, and a brilliant, creative mind to fuel such an inner critic. Senara has always loved a world filled with vibrant colour, and though she suppressed childish glee and silliness in favour of a mature and respectable demeanour, the sight of her poring over her work, sketching or pinning fabric, her frenzied inspiration grabbing her even in the middle of the night… well, it unveils a deeper, less stiff side of the woman. She prefers to work alone, unseen, and without fear of being judged by others, for it is when she is alone that she allows her guard to be lowered, and for her creativity to flow unhindered.
A very focused individual, Sen has an amazing ability to prioritise and achieve, driving herself to reach greater and greater heights with every accomplishment. She is extremely harsh on herself, but silently judges others as well. She values people who demonstrate strong work ethics, like her own, but will also inwardly criticise the care they show for their appearance. Well-dressed and well-groomed are likely to better impress her, and she is the type to take mental notes on those who put in effort. Grudges run deep and last long with her.
A polite conversationalist, Senara holds only a passing interest in people until they have proven themselves worthy of her friendship and trust, at which point she will offer them her loyalty in non-verbal ways. She values actions and gifts over words, and those who call her a friend will find themselves cared for and nurtured during their worst times, and encouraged during their best. She'll make trinkets for them, with a thoughtfulness belied by her originally aloof ways. Truly, Sen can be precious and dear, but her friendship is a hard-won thing.
Say nothing of her affection and love! She's very much a traditionalist in that respect, enjoying the ritual of courting and the thrill of the tease. Senara is the type of person to keep her feelings under lock and key, uncomfortable with letting her guard down except around those nearest and dearest. She can be stiff, but she has a passionate heart, and dreams (or dreamt) of starting a loving and warm family. One day, someday… Ah, how it would be grand.
Neat as a pin, rigorous, methodical and disciplined, Senara leaves nothing up to chance or fate: she is mindful of the choices that lay before her, and the actions she can take, and considers them all with great care. This reflects in her work, which is polished to a shine before being unveiled to the world. Alas, it does cause her to be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud, having lost her sense of joie-de-vivre in her hasty rush to maturity.
Positive Trait List: Conscientious, Eloquent, Creative
Negative Trait List: Perfectionist, Judgemental, No-nonsense
History:
Senara was born to two loving crafters based in Southern Boll: her father was a journeyman vintner, and her mother was a journeyman healer. They met through circumstances touching on his enjoyment of red wine and dancing, and their love has blossomed ever since. The eldest of four, Senara also has three sisters and a great sense of responsibility towards them.
She was old even when she was young, showing tendencies to want to micromanage her siblings to keep them out of danger. Whilst they played in the sun and had fun, she felt the lure to join them, but the inner voice of worry and coddling kept telling her to watch out, to be careful- and those were the words that escaped her mouth. She was the 'unfun' sister, the boring, rule-following one. She tried to not let it bother her, but Sen felt a disconnection from her sisters that all the familial affection could not seem to fix.
She did have a passion though- and talent, her mother had noticed. The young girl was drawn to the colours and fabrics of the Crafthall, spending spare time watching the weavers at their work. She encouraged her daughter to pursue it as a Craft when she came of age to apprentice; Sen was a smart girl, and had done well in lessons. She took to the Weavercraft with surprisingly overt gusto, spending candlemarks hidden away in her room after lessons working on her own skills and projects. Dedicated and tireless, she drew the eye of her peers.
At around fifteen Turns, her father grew very sick with a rare illness. Her mother spent a great deal of time caring for him, researching treatments and symptoms for this mysterious ailment. It took him close to a Turn, but the man recovered enough to become mobile once more. He has since given up drinking. The scare brought the family closer together, and Senara threw herself into designing dresses for her sisters in her spare time. They each admired and adored her work, giving Sen a great deal of pride and sense of accomplishment that would feed her inner critic and spur her to greater heights.
She was promoted to journeyman at 18, showing excellent skill and knowledge, as well as a desire to refine her skills in tailoring and designing. She stayed on at Southern Boll Crafthall until 22, four Turns ago, when she received a posting for Western Hold. Though inwardly loathe to leave her family, Sen took the leap in the hopes of one day being able to establish her own business and have her name renowned across the western continent.
Thread fell, seemingly out of the blue, sewing chaos and devastation across Pern. Senara was safe, and sent a message to Southern Boll to ascertain her family's safety too: all had survived, though her mother and her youngest sister, who had become a healer as well, had their work cut out for them. Relieved, Senara did what she could within the capacity of her skill to help, though she never gave up on her dream.
At 25, she had finally earnt enough to acquire a small working studio of her own out of which to operate her business and take on clientele. Her fashion was popular both at Western and Rivercrest Holds, and she was certain it would only be a matter of time before every noble, minor or major, would clamour for one of 'Senara's dresses' in their wardrobe. The thought made her shiver with the most suppressed, gleeful anticipation.
It was one of these nobles who changed her life forever. The young Lady had been invited to attend a hatching at Western Weyr, and requested that Senara come along to attend her and her new fancy dress. There was no guaranteeing when the eggs would hatch, but Sen agreed. When a courtesy rider came for her after sunset, at the Lady's request, Sen rushed to dress herself immaculately. Of course, eggs waited on no one’s schedule.
Like any studied child, she knew about hatchings. She watched with growing fascination as the eggs revealed stunning, poise-ready babies. Some stalked their chosen from shadows, whilst others exploded in a shower of eggshell and glamour. Some were angered, some were upset… The swirl of emotion emanating from the sand brought a hitch to her throat, and she found her head light from a lack of deep breaths.
And there… one creature, perhaps more sunny, more beautiful than any other… watched her. It simply sat and watched her, its green head ever so slightly tilted to one side.
Then the green moved quicker than she thought possible for a newborn, scampering past siblings and candidates alike to push through the throngs of people in the Stands. She didn’t seem to care if claw or wingtip scratched, although when the lovely thing tripped over herself, Sen leaned forwards, heart giving a heavy, sickly thud in her chest…
I’m okay, SenaraMine! Just gotta know though- why are you up there? Is this a game? Are we playing? Do I get a prize? The barrage of questions- joyous and quizzical all at once, poured into her mind like a tidal wave.
Senara leaned back in her seat, gasping as the creature scrambled up to her row, laying heavily upon her.
I gotcha! Lunamichith did!
Oh… oh shards.
She was a dragonrider now, wasn’t she?
Other:
I left details about the noble she accompanied vague, in case that part of the story needed hashing out. I figured it would be okay for her to attend the hatching if she was the invited guest of an invited and/or important guest, and am more than happy to adjust this part of her background should she win and it is necessary.
Her three sisters are available for adoption!
GREEN LUNAMICHITH
Name: Lunamichith
Origin of Name:
Achamichi is one of the names for the Andean Mountain Cat, used in the Atacameño areas.
One study has shown that Andean Mountain Cats tend to hunt on moonless nights, or nights with a full moon- similar to Pampas Cats.
Inspiration: Andean Mountain Cat
The Andean Mountain Cat is one of the most endangered cat species in the world. It is native to the high Andes, along with the Pampas and the Puma. In some societies, it is a sacred creature, associated with fertility and prosperity, and thought of as the spirit of the mountain.
Its habitat ranges across four different countries, despite its small numbers. It has a prolonged mating season, presumably for easier access to an increasing food supply, and its litters have one or two kittens. Sightings of this cat are rare, and great efforts are being taken to help the conservation of this elusive species.
Colour: Green
Name: Lunamichith
Origin of Name:
Achamichi is one of the names for the Andean Mountain Cat, used in the Atacameño areas.
One study has shown that Andean Mountain Cats tend to hunt on moonless nights, or nights with a full moon- similar to Pampas Cats.
Inspiration: Andean Mountain Cat
The Andean Mountain Cat is one of the most endangered cat species in the world. It is native to the high Andes, along with the Pampas and the Puma. In some societies, it is a sacred creature, associated with fertility and prosperity, and thought of as the spirit of the mountain.
Its habitat ranges across four different countries, despite its small numbers. It has a prolonged mating season, presumably for easier access to an increasing food supply, and its litters have one or two kittens. Sightings of this cat are rare, and great efforts are being taken to help the conservation of this elusive species.
Colour: Green
Personality:
Lunamichith is full of mischief and mayhem, like a kitten that never grew up. Oh sure, she knows she's supposed to be dutiful and cunning and crafty and bla bla bla… But it's just so boring! What happened to all the fun? Did playfulness just abandon the Weyr because Thread showed its ugly face? Pfffffff. Scaredy-cats. Lunamichith will show you! Lunamichith will show you all how to face things and still love every second of life!
An unstoppable force, Lunamichith needs a very tight leash to properly perform her duties. It's not that she's a bad listener, per se… She just gets distracted by the next exciting thing and- BLAMMO. Dipping in and out of formation to go catch errant Thread, or to help a dragon who may or may not be their wingmate… or, maybe go fetch a bag of firestone for the Wingleader. Lunamichith's heart is in the right place, but good intentions may very well pave the way to torment.
Affectionate and bubbly, Lunamichith has very little concept of personal space. She's a very physical dragon, manifesting her adoration for others through headbumps, tail-curling and even the occasional pouncing-hug. Her unbridled energy and enthusiasm for life leaks into every nook and cranny: from Threadfighting to love, to social exchanges and adventures, she is very much an unstoppable, boundless force.
Unfortunately, this does come with consequences. Left unchecked, her explorations turn into shenanigans: oh, nothing consciously malicious of course. It is simply a matter of going too far, of stomping on boundaries and being a bit… well… much. On top of this, her attention wavers at crucial moments, and she requires a steady hand to remain focused on the task. Often Lunamichith will need to be reminded of the impact of her actions, and made to think about the feelings of others. This doesn’t occur naturally to the creature, who is both independent and strong-willed.
Lunamichith might not have a bad bone in her body, or much of a temper, but there is certainly a lot here that may frustrate and alienate those around her.
Positive Trait List: Energetic, Affable, Affectionate
Negative Trait List: Mischievous, Easily side-tracked, Thoughtless
Size: 48' / 24
Physical Attributes: Lean, fast and slender, Lunamichith is very long in the body. Her tail is also extraordinary in proportions, able to be wrapped around all of her paws with ease when sat. She has overlong headknobs that never seem to quite fit on her head, giving her an awkward, teenage look.
Additional Notes:
An eager and enthusiastic flier, chaser and mate, Lunamichith will have her hearts broken over and over again until she finds that special someone who treasures her for who she is (and tolerates her nonsense). As an ebullient and warm dragon, she will not become so disheartened- bouncing back from rejection with affable ease. That enduring affection may win her a weyrmate or two some time in the future, when Lunamichith has perhaps settled down? Luna believes in the power of love, and will gladly welcome multiple partners.
She flames with passion, but her flame doesn’t last long. She will push herself beyond her physical limits, and will need to be reminded to go and rest.
Why Me:
Lunamichith- sunny affection incarnate- brings unbridled warmth and joy to the stuffy, aloof Senara. The human half is withdrawn, exhibiting practiced poise with the grace of aplomb of someone born far above her rank. Luna, on the other hand, brings that facade crumbling down: all of her lack of boundaries, and her absolute certainty that the world is her oyster, might just be the ticket to enabling Sen to relax a little.
But it is not all one-sided: Lunamichith may not realise it, but Senara’s focus, her rigidity and her propriety is exactly what she needs to stop herself from going too far. In fact, if it wasn’t for Sen’s ‘normality measure’, Luna might very well be a greatly problematic dragon in terms of Threadfighting and general behaviour. Lunamichith will learn discipline and the value of setting standards for herself from her rider, and as the pair mature they will balance each other out and complement one another’s virtues and flaws.
- - - -
How did your character behave during Weyrling Training?
Senara was not a candidate, and suffered a great deal of culture shock as she adjusted to Weyrlife. She needed remedial lessons, especially in physical exercise, although proved herself a willing and diligent student (when she wasn’t chasing after Lunamichith).
Luna's many misadventures, especially initially, brought the pair under the merciless scrutiny of the weyrlingteam. They earned themselves a poor reputation to begin with, but Senara’s social graces and desire to fit in proved to be a benefit in making friends and receiving help during her training.
What did your character think of so many twin dragons? What did your character think of having not one, but two, gold sister?
Senara thought it was a good omen to have so many dragons- especially twin golds. Lunamichith loves all of her siblings (especially Pantanath)- and makes no distinction between those who do and don’t like her. They all deserve her affection and love.
How did your characters do during flying lessons and Between training? Were they naturals or did they struggle?
It was hard to keep Lunamichith focused, but once Senara drilled home the seriousness of the lesson (and tempered her dragon’s excitement somewhat), it became easier to guide the creature. Rocky starts gave way to a drive for perfection, and the pair found themselves soaring with ease and enthusiasm.
How has your character been handling being graduated and a real dragon rider?
It’s both exciting and scary! Becoming a rider has opened a totally new world to Senara, who hardly thinks of the life she left behind at Western Hold. In her spare time, she’ll still attempt to design fashion, although she hardly has a moment to herself when Lunamichith is still off getting into Faranth knows what.
Now that the discipline of weyrlinghood has given way to the drills of Wingrider-life, Lunamichith has sort of… grown bigger in her sense of self. All of her passion and enthusiasm is now lavished upon her wingmates, who may find the creature insufferable for her unending optimism and joy.
