Intro Post
Yeah, I know I'm kinda late with this. Sorry! The last few days of the semester were insanely crazy. Or maybe I was insanely crazy. Or both...
Look, the important thing was that there was crazy, right?
Anyway, on to the introductions.
Karla is a character in Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series. She comes from the Territory of Glacia, in the Realm of Kaeleer.
Karla's friends call her 'feisty' and 'spirited.' She doesn't have many of those. Her detractors, on the other hand, call her rude, impulsive, and temperamental. Even her beloved adopted uncle once referred to her as an 'ice-harpy.' Normally being strong and stubborn is not a bad trait in a member of the Blood, especially a female, except Glacia's currently going through some...administrative changes because her legal guardian, Hobart, is a scheming, manipulative, murdering, usurping bastard. She doesn’t trust males in power-and with an uncle hers, it makes sense-and so creates a wall of rudeness to act as a shield. This way, they can’t get close enough to her to hurt her, and, depending on how they react to her attitude, she can get a better sense of their characters. She can choose not to be rude or cold or brash, but again, "choose" is the operative term. She is quite proud, and will answer attitude with attitude. However, shown respect and common courtesy, she will (generally) display the same. Male teachers will probably have the most difficulty with her, at least those who assume more than a cursory level of authority. She expects a certain level of Protocol, but since its a Protocol unique to the Blood, trying to get used to interacting without it will be...interesting. And of course I don't mean it like the curse "May you live in interesting times." Promise
She is too smart for her own good, and has no compunctions about using that intelligence to get her own way. She is, however, loyal almost to a fault, and when she gives her trust to someone, she will not doubt them. She can be bitingly honest and is also very pragmatic. The easiest way to explain her is that she does nothing by halves: she can be as frosty as her Territory’s name suggests, but has a temper as hot and quick as fire.
Her favorite phrase is "kiss kiss" which she uses as a greeting and in various other ways including, "I win and there's nothing you can do about it."
Something very important: During the first three days of her period, Karla will be especially shrewish and suspicious. Witches can't do more than basic Craft during those three days, and are vulnerable. That makes everyone a little edgy: because of the social upheaval that's currently taking place, this is usually when strong females are ambushed and broken. For the first few months, she'll probably hide out during those days, invite a trusted male to 'keep her company' (need protection? not her!), or put up a brash and arrogant front to keep anyone from noticing how vulnerable she is.
About powers: She wears a Birthright Sapphire Jewel, which means she's very powerful now, magically speaking, and will only get moreso after she makes the Offering to the Darkness (no earlier than graduation, though even that is very early.)
She can speak mind-to-mind with people and intelligent animals (called Kindred in the series), and she is a Queen, Healer and a Black Widow. Since she's a Queen, she will need to spend lots of time outside in nature, as Queens are bonded to the land. These three titles are natural, inborn castes: a Queen can be born to an average Blood family just as easily as a family that has birthed Queens for generations. Queens rule the Blood in their territory (which can be a town, a province, or an actual Territory-think town, district, and state); they are the heart of the land and the Blood’s moral center, and, as such, the focal point of their society, though not all Queens rule. Healers, of course, heal physical wounds and illnesses, either by direct application of magic or by brewing teas, tinctures, and potions. Black Widows, another caste, are witches who heal the mind, they weave “tangled webs” of dreams, illusions, prophecies, and visions. They’re also poisonous; Black Widows have a special “tooth” under one nail that can be unsheathed and used to hurt (or, more generally, kill) with little more than a scratch. She would only use her serpent's tooth if she genuinely feared for her life.
She’ll never abuse anyone under her protection, and will not use her powers without grave cause. She's fully in control of them, so no one need worry about her accidentally doing something. Her previous tutors were very strict. The only thing that she might not have complete control over is her creation of tangled webs--if she's trying to sense something or figure something out, she may spin one accidentally. But it won't be the kind that could entrap someone or send them into the Twisted Kingdom (madness).
Some canon examples of Blood powers: Calling items (teleporting certain items to them across any distance), walking through physical objects, creating illusions, fireballs and offensive magics, walking on air, etc. There doesn't really seem to be a limit with what Jewels can do, other than limits imposed by the strength and depth of the Jewel.
Well, long-winded is one! Though, I admit I cheated and copy-pasted a lot of stuff from my application. What do you mean you could tell?!?
Anyway my name is Nuance (yes, it's my real name, no I did not change it), I live in Massachusetts with my husband and my cats. I'm currently getting my MA in English because I enjoy being over-educated and unemployable, and I'm far too fond of parenthetical asides, M-dashes, semi-colons, and run-on sentences. I also love sarcasm and snark; they're the closest thing I have to a religion. And, if you haven't noticed yet, I can make a three-hour tale out of a limerick.
I've been gaming for err...13 or so years now (I'll fess up, I'm 27). I do table-top RPGs a lot, LARPS (but not the kind with foam weapons), and text-based RPGs like this one, though I am new to Fandom High. So, ummm...hi y'all! I like musicals and fanfiction and books. Love books, actually. I have more than 1400 now, and that doesn't count my husband's collection. (That's one thing we don't share. Money, yeah sure, whatever. Chores, okay. Books? Whoa. Crazy-talk!) I'm shadowravyn, and I have AIM, but I'm never on it unless there's a solid reason. If you want to talk to me on AIM, drop m an email and I'll pass along my handle. I'm crazy-obsessive about email and LJ, though.
I am terrified of zombies. Like, legit terrified. I am planning for the Zombocalypse now, so that when it comes, I will be prepared. I wish I were kidding. So I'm REALLY glad I missed the outbreak.
I think I rambled enough now. I'm very much looking forward to meeting and gaming with all of you!
Look, the important thing was that there was crazy, right?
Anyway, on to the introductions.
Karla is a character in Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series. She comes from the Territory of Glacia, in the Realm of Kaeleer.
Karla's friends call her 'feisty' and 'spirited.' She doesn't have many of those. Her detractors, on the other hand, call her rude, impulsive, and temperamental. Even her beloved adopted uncle once referred to her as an 'ice-harpy.' Normally being strong and stubborn is not a bad trait in a member of the Blood, especially a female, except Glacia's currently going through some...administrative changes because her legal guardian, Hobart, is a scheming, manipulative, murdering, usurping bastard. She doesn’t trust males in power-and with an uncle hers, it makes sense-and so creates a wall of rudeness to act as a shield. This way, they can’t get close enough to her to hurt her, and, depending on how they react to her attitude, she can get a better sense of their characters. She can choose not to be rude or cold or brash, but again, "choose" is the operative term. She is quite proud, and will answer attitude with attitude. However, shown respect and common courtesy, she will (generally) display the same. Male teachers will probably have the most difficulty with her, at least those who assume more than a cursory level of authority. She expects a certain level of Protocol, but since its a Protocol unique to the Blood, trying to get used to interacting without it will be...interesting. And of course I don't mean it like the curse "May you live in interesting times." Promise
She is too smart for her own good, and has no compunctions about using that intelligence to get her own way. She is, however, loyal almost to a fault, and when she gives her trust to someone, she will not doubt them. She can be bitingly honest and is also very pragmatic. The easiest way to explain her is that she does nothing by halves: she can be as frosty as her Territory’s name suggests, but has a temper as hot and quick as fire.
Her favorite phrase is "kiss kiss" which she uses as a greeting and in various other ways including, "I win and there's nothing you can do about it."
Something very important: During the first three days of her period, Karla will be especially shrewish and suspicious. Witches can't do more than basic Craft during those three days, and are vulnerable. That makes everyone a little edgy: because of the social upheaval that's currently taking place, this is usually when strong females are ambushed and broken. For the first few months, she'll probably hide out during those days, invite a trusted male to 'keep her company' (need protection? not her!), or put up a brash and arrogant front to keep anyone from noticing how vulnerable she is.
About powers: She wears a Birthright Sapphire Jewel, which means she's very powerful now, magically speaking, and will only get moreso after she makes the Offering to the Darkness (no earlier than graduation, though even that is very early.)
She can speak mind-to-mind with people and intelligent animals (called Kindred in the series), and she is a Queen, Healer and a Black Widow. Since she's a Queen, she will need to spend lots of time outside in nature, as Queens are bonded to the land. These three titles are natural, inborn castes: a Queen can be born to an average Blood family just as easily as a family that has birthed Queens for generations. Queens rule the Blood in their territory (which can be a town, a province, or an actual Territory-think town, district, and state); they are the heart of the land and the Blood’s moral center, and, as such, the focal point of their society, though not all Queens rule. Healers, of course, heal physical wounds and illnesses, either by direct application of magic or by brewing teas, tinctures, and potions. Black Widows, another caste, are witches who heal the mind, they weave “tangled webs” of dreams, illusions, prophecies, and visions. They’re also poisonous; Black Widows have a special “tooth” under one nail that can be unsheathed and used to hurt (or, more generally, kill) with little more than a scratch. She would only use her serpent's tooth if she genuinely feared for her life.
She’ll never abuse anyone under her protection, and will not use her powers without grave cause. She's fully in control of them, so no one need worry about her accidentally doing something. Her previous tutors were very strict. The only thing that she might not have complete control over is her creation of tangled webs--if she's trying to sense something or figure something out, she may spin one accidentally. But it won't be the kind that could entrap someone or send them into the Twisted Kingdom (madness).
Some canon examples of Blood powers: Calling items (teleporting certain items to them across any distance), walking through physical objects, creating illusions, fireballs and offensive magics, walking on air, etc. There doesn't really seem to be a limit with what Jewels can do, other than limits imposed by the strength and depth of the Jewel.
Well, long-winded is one! Though, I admit I cheated and copy-pasted a lot of stuff from my application. What do you mean you could tell?!?
Anyway my name is Nuance (yes, it's my real name, no I did not change it), I live in Massachusetts with my husband and my cats. I'm currently getting my MA in English because I enjoy being over-educated and unemployable, and I'm far too fond of parenthetical asides, M-dashes, semi-colons, and run-on sentences. I also love sarcasm and snark; they're the closest thing I have to a religion. And, if you haven't noticed yet, I can make a three-hour tale out of a limerick.
I've been gaming for err...13 or so years now (I'll fess up, I'm 27). I do table-top RPGs a lot, LARPS (but not the kind with foam weapons), and text-based RPGs like this one, though I am new to Fandom High. So, ummm...hi y'all! I like musicals and fanfiction and books. Love books, actually. I have more than 1400 now, and that doesn't count my husband's collection. (That's one thing we don't share. Money, yeah sure, whatever. Chores, okay. Books? Whoa. Crazy-talk!) I'm shadowravyn, and I have AIM, but I'm never on it unless there's a solid reason. If you want to talk to me on AIM, drop m an email and I'll pass along my handle. I'm crazy-obsessive about email and LJ, though.
I am terrified of zombies. Like, legit terrified. I am planning for the Zombocalypse now, so that when it comes, I will be prepared. I wish I were kidding. So I'm REALLY glad I missed the outbreak.
I think I rambled enough now. I'm very much looking forward to meeting and gaming with all of you!