The Rider
Name: Sh'ao
Age: 28
Nameday: 3549.08.22
Sex: Trans male
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Weyr: High Reaches Weyr
Rider Rank: Wingrider
Previous Rank/Craft: Apprentice Healer
Physical Description:
Sh'ao is every bit as lean as his dragon, but he didn't get the height to match--as a result, he's a rather compact individual, and the physical exertion of being a rider has only succeeded in making him more wiry than anything. He's no more than 5'5" at best, and his presence comes from being a rider instead of his stature. He's a bit lacking in sharp edges overall, with a heart-shaped face and just enough padding on his frame to keep him from being bony. Sh'ao's skin is a deep walnut brown, covered with a smattering of freckles that are only barely visible. His features are vaguely elfin, with arched eyebrows over keen gray eyes that give him something of a permanent look of gentle surprise--personally, he'd prefer if it was interpreted as interest instead. He has a strong nose, and presents an altogether regal enough profile if you can catch him idle for long enough to spot it.
Sh'ao keeps his dusty blonde hair short, usually combed up into a sort of fauxhawk, and he takes great pains to keep it neat. He's a bit concerned with maintaining his appearance, and is rather fastidious with the upkeep of his clothes in particular--well and truly, he wants to look as respectable as possible, and much time has been spent in the process of making his wardrobe both flattering and functional. Despite his somewhat expensive tastes, he wears little in the way of jewelry, favoring more utilitarian accessories like scarves and gloves when needed. The only adornment he has is a single stud in his left ear, featuring a stone carefully chosen to match Kinzigtalth's hide as closely as he could manage.
Personality:
Sh'ao can easily be overwhelming at first meeting, sweeping up whatever's caught his attention with all the care it's due--and if you ask him, everything deserves his full focus. He always seems to have energy for just about everything, and he does his best to remain completely ready to act at a moment's notice. It's not hard at all to get his participation, provided it's all respectable and proper, of course, and Sh'ao genuinely enjoys being around people. He pays close attention to others, doing his best to pick up on little cues and tells that he can use to help gauge how someone's feeling--he's skilled at picking up on changes in mood, and his concern is far from forced. He won't hesitate to offer a friendly ear or a shoulder to cry on should it be needed, and even if he can get thrown off if he's informed of anything even a little untoward, he's quick to recover and do whatever he can to help make things right.
Much of his self-confidence and personal sense of worth centers around what he can do for others, and he's determined to provide his weyr-encompassing family with the fullest extent of his service. Sh'ao places a lot of importance on maintaining morale, and does what he can to foster interpersonal connections among people where he's able--he's a bit of a matchmaker, although in a completely platonic sense. Sh'ao understands the importance of having people there for you, and he's not about to allow any comrades of his to live so secluded if he can do something about it. He at least has the benefit of knowing when to give people space, however, and he tries to avoid being suffocating or overly familiar.
For all of Sh'ao's enthusiasm and eagerness, he still manages not to come off as hyperactive, maintaining as measured of a pace as his unfortunately limited patience will allow. He has all the time in the world for people who are still learning or that he can tell are genuinely trying, but he's more critical by far of himself and those that he thinks should know better. Unsurprisingly, Sh'ao finds little problem in directly addressing the problem head-on--with that in mind, he's rather lucky in that Impressing to Kinzigtalth has helped him become more genial. He approaches these things with a gentler touch these days, although he's still not above being just as sharp as he feels is necessary if the circumstances are truly egregious enough.
While he truly hates having to slow himself down much for anything, if at all, he hates the idea of making a fool of himself by working himself to total exhaustion. He'll wholly agree that he needs to be well aware of his own limitations, having both a healer's experience and a rider's training to guide him--this would do an excellent job at herding him toward moderation were it not for his tendency to push himself as hard as possible regardless.
He's long ago decided that if he wanted to live up to his dream of being someone that High Reaches could depend upon, he'd have to work himself to the bone to earn it, and Sh'ao has already come to terms with the inevitable fatigue the effort will bring. Although he's fully aware that it's hypocritical of him to excuse any overexertion, it doesn't exactly stop him from making the same mistakes anyway, and he's quick to go on the defensive if confronted about any similar behaviors; 'do as I say, not as I do' remains a rather familiar phrase in his lexicon. He has no illusions about leading by example, and instead leaves that to people who are more qualified.
Now that he's graduated, Sh'ao finds himself in a little bit of an awkward transitory period as he settles in to the life of a dragonrider. He can't quite seem to make up his mind on whether or not he's done enough to prove himself to the weyr at large, and continues to take himself quite seriously as a result even in practically inconsequential matters. Sh'ao rarely lets himself off the hook for missteps and errors without Kinzigtalth's intervention, and will focus especially hard on areas he's had trouble in recently to ensure it won't happen again. Although this means he's completely unafraid of tedious or detail-oriented work, the downside is that Sh'ao tends to bog himself down in self-inspection, and often needs to be reminded that he can sometimes let the little things go. He's still got plenty of room to grow, but he's at least confident enough in his progress to continue without much hesitation.
Positive Trait List: Enthusiastic, focused, attentive, helpful.
Negative Trait List: Impatient, hypocritical, uptight, defensive.
History:
Shiraon came from the creche of High Reaches Weyr, and as far as he'd always been concerned, there was nowhere else he'd like to be. Despite the cold, the dangers of newly-returned Thread, and all the other roadblocks that came with being a non-rider in the weyr, he'd never dreamed of leaving--his parents had been riders, and even if he'd never been especially close to them, he was determined to try and follow in their footsteps. Like the rest of High Reaches, he'd been suitably prepared (at least, as much as anyone had been able to be) for the return of Thread, and seeing the old Enemy back in the sky was yet more fuel on the fire for him. Shiraon knew that he had to do something, and he wanted nothing more than to fight with the Weyr--his family. They'd been protecting him since he was born, and he wanted to return the favor.
The main problem? Clutch after clutch, Hatching after Hatching, Shiraon was left standing. For thirteen turns, he found himself at every Feast congratulating others before returning to the grind the next day, pushing himself through the disappointment onto the next task.
As the turns began to add up, however, Shiraon didn't sit idly by. He redirected his frustrations and worries about being good enough into something productive instead, focusing his energy on picking up whatever he could from the healers in his spare time--he'd already become something of a known face on the Sands simply by virtue of being a Candidate for so long, and he'd seen plenty of blood spilled in the process. Learning what to do when things got bad was the natural progression of things in his mind, and Shiraon quickly showed a knack for helping to stitch people back together. Still, the idea of becoming a Healer properly didn't enter his mind. Shiraon knew what he was here to do, and the notion of his place being on dragonback was far too entrenched to shake, especially not so easily.
And then he aged out before he knew it.
Although he'd been dreading the countdown to his final days in the Candidate barracks, he found it difficult to move on. The end of the line crept up on him faster than he'd expected, and suddenly, it was...over, just like that. Not with a bang, but with--nothing at all. Merely the passing of days amounting to his exit, followed by soft condolences and surrendering his knots with as much dignity as he was able to scrape together. He was met with empathy, of course, but the first seeds of doubt had been planted nonetheless.
Shiraon was heartbroken at having to give up his dream, but couldn't bear the notion of leaving the weyr for an entirely new start on top of leaving Candidacy. After struggling to give himself proper direction for a month or so, he eventually circled back to his Healer training--in due time, he convinced himself that he could still help his weyr, even from the ground. He threw himself into his studies, pushing back at the feelings of inadequacy and frustration that had begun to set in months ago as the reality of his situation had truly dawned on him. He'd have to accept that he would never be a dragonrider, but--maybe he could still be something else. Something that was enough to help, to make a difference--
Through managing to apprentice under a healer at the weyr, Shiraon was able to stay at High Reaches in order to begin his studies properly. His place was still at Hatchings, but now on the sidelines--rather than being a face bobbing in the sea of white fabric, he'd be watching and waiting beside them, ready to step in should he be needed. Shiraon eventually grew to be almost content with his role as he began filling it more and more, but something still felt like it was missing despite his best efforts at convincing himself otherwise. He would have plenty to do during threadfall, and Shiraon would do everything in his power to push that nagging feeling out of his mind in favor of focusing on his job. Attending Zenobiath and Aresoth's clutch was simply business as usual, although not without a little extra heartache at the prospect of watching all these Impressions roll by yet again. He'd only expected to patch people up, to offer a comforting shoulder to cry on should anyone need it on the way back to the barracks--and then he heard that gangly Blue for the first time, calling his name as he struggled not to trip over his own feet mid-lope. He could hardly believe it was real, but there was no doubt about it. There were rainbows in the hatchling's eyes that Sh'ao would never forget, and once he'd finally found his place in his arms, he knew his lifemate's name.
It had been turns in the making, but he'd finally Impressed. Kinzigtalth--his Kinzigtalth--had found him, and together, they'd make High Reaches proud.
They were both eager to pass into weyrlinghood, and they would quickly fall into line with little complaint. Graduation couldn't come soon enough for either of them, and although they both sustained a few injuries during their Blooding, the pair was able to make it through to becoming fully-fledged threadfighters.
Other: Sh'ao has a mild fear of tunnelsnakes, and isn't exactly fond of spiders, either. He keeps his weyr painstakingly clean to prevent any small critters and their ilk from getting any ideas about moving into his space, and has developed rather good aim from throwing boots and sandals at bugs from a distance to sort them out.
He's very partial to his small collection of...unusual ceramic mugs for his daily klah, and loves the less professional pieces he's able to find in markets. The tackier they are, the better.
The Dragon
Name: Kinzigtalth
Origin of Name: From the Kinzigtal area of the Black Forest, responsible for producing much of the breed.
Inspiration: Black Forest Horse
Originally bred for farming and forestry work, the Black Forest Horse is a light draft horse hailing from the Black Forest region of Germany, as the name implies. This breed has been documented back to the early fifteenth century, and its main breeding area covers from the Kinzigtal to the north and the northernmost region of the Hotzenwald to the south. Previously, this horse was kept in high concentrations around the monasteries of St. Margen and St. Peter, earning an alternate name for the breed: the St. Margener Fuchs.
Following WWII, technological advances in both transport and agriculture eliminated much demand for working horses like the Black Forest Horse. The number of registered mares dropped from over 1200 to below 160 by 1977, and the breed has been listed as endangered since 2007.
Personality:
Kinzigtalth wants nothing more than to be the warm blanket of comfort for his family--someone they can all rely on, who they can bring their troubles to and have them all washed away. He looks up to Aresoth especially as a protector and guardian, and has a strong desire to live up to his legacy as a proud dragon of High Reaches. Genuinely, this accounts for the majority of his drive; he wants to be worthy of his rather storied pedigree, and every bit a pillar of the weyr that his ancestors were as well, even if he's not quite as sure how to go about doing it as he'd like for you to believe.
On the outside, Kinzigtalth is great at making it seem like he knows what he's doing, but their doubts about himself are a little harder to ignore than he'd ever be willing to admit. He hasn't bought much into the traditionalist views of High Reaches, instead centering his worth on what he can do rather than their hide alone--he judges others on the same scale as well, although to a somewhat more lenient degree. Needing to prove his own worth to himself has made it a little difficult for him to properly mesh with others on the deeper personal level he'd truly like to reach, although he's far from a hermit in spite of this. He pushes himself to be sociable at the very least regardless of what's going on, and strives to maintain a public presence that anyone can count on should they need assistance.
While he doesn't tend to come off as a talkative sort, Kinzigtalth is warmer than their initial impression may suggest. He operates with a grave, almost solemn sense of gravitas that gives him an air of the utmost seriousness, a fact that's only compounded by his slow and steady approach to...well, everything. Kinzigtalth is nothing if not patient, and will not rush into anything at all if he can help it; he treats every task he's given with the same level of focus and attention, no matter if it's something inconsequential. To him, every duty is of the highest importance, and Kinzigtalth would never dream of shirking his work. He holds his own contributions to a ridiculously high standard, and can be far too harsh on himself if he's allowed to steep in his own thoughts about it for too long. In this manner, he's exactly like His--he tends to think too much, often to his own detriment. It's only when something pulls him out of his echo chamber that he can see his bad habits for what they are, and he always tries to be a little kinder to himself after these moments of self-awareness. They may not always last especially long, but Kinzigtalth is getting better about them bit by bit.
He's an earnest, heartfelt dragon at their core, but he hits a wall when it comes to properly expressing his emotions, and struggles to be especially clear with his own feelings. Communication of anything deeply personal isn't his strongest suit, unfortunately, and while he does try, he can never quite come up with the right words for what he feels. Grief affects him particularly strongly, and he takes each loss personally--with so much of his focus staying on being enough for his weyr and how badly he wants to protect others, Kinzigtalth finds it hard to let go of sorrow. It serves as a reminder of what he's fighting for, to be sure, but he can't easily move past it once he's taken that kind of weight on.
Positive Traits: Earnest, stalwart, supportive.
Negative Traits: Self-critical, melancholic, perfectionist.
NPC Egg: A large egg.
Adult Size: 56'
Physical Attributes:
Kinzigtalth cuts an elegant figure, with long legs and an overall sleek silhouette--he's built for speed and endurance, and his frame shows it. Although he had to grow into his legs and equally long tail, he's done so quite admirably, and has become a proud example of a Blue over time. He isn't a dragon inclined to slouch or droop, and he maintains a stiff, if not outright formal, posture at nearly all times.
Additional Notes:
He has an especially hot flame, although its length leaves something to be desired--while this brings him closer to danger during threadfall, he considers it to be part of his duty.
Kinzigtalth will not chase particularly often, but when the urge strikes, he is especially intense about it. Ultimately, he wants nothing more than to be understood and loved, and gets attached rather quickly if he feels as though there's the stirrings of a connection there--he just has to be careful not to let this tendency open himself up to heartbreak.
Kinzigtalth is the twin of Green Silvaciath of K'ro (Sweet Symmetry). He'd never admit that he has a favorite sibling, but he's certainly a little biased toward his twin.
Impression Effect:
Under Kinzigtalth's influence, Sh'ao's relatively short fuse was tempered down to something more akin to terse impatience, gradually evening out into proper behavior more befitting a rider of High Reaches. He finds it easier to take the high road when he's pressed, and has learned how to pick his battles much more wisely. Most importantly, Sh'ao will never again have to worry about his place in the weyr--he'll always have Kinzigtalth to rely on, although he'll certainly need to support his lifemate in kind. He doesn't mind in the slightest.
Beyond that, Sh'ao developed that sort of curious magnetism that many riders have, a trait that's proven to suit him well. His attention to others feels just that much more personal now, shifting his tone from what was practically that of a hall monitor to a benevolent older brother.
Why Me?
Kinzigtalth knew what his duty was from the first moment he was even aware. He'd find His, and go on to serve their weyr--it was exactly what he wanted, and it wasn't long before he got to start searching through candidates. Each one had made his hearts ache just that much more, and he could never settle on what to do about it when he'd finally be able. He needed someone to help soothe that pain, someone that he could work with to try and make things right--and it wasn't until the Hatching that Kinzigtalth found his match in Sh'ao. His lingering hurt over aging out was one thing that Kinzigtalth could fix, and in doing so, the Blue found the perfect way to let himself connect to someone in the way that mattered most.
Sh'ao is his rock and his advocate, and he relies on his steady support and his drive to be better in order to keep himself from stagnating in his own feelings. Kinzigtalth can see himself in a softer light with Sh'ao's perspective, making accepting things about himself that he cannot change much easier to swallow; Sh'ao will always love him for all of who he is, and there is no one that this Blue would rather follow. Kinzigtalth was quickly drawn to Sh'ao's willingness to be there for others even through his own heartache, and his devotion to duty aligned perfectly with his own. They each push the other toward the finish line, and their combined dedication means that they're sure to bring their weyr along with them.
