(scorched) application.
note Shirley's app does not contain a complete rundown of her abilities (her abilities post does) and, also, contains canon misinformation. In chapter one, Serdio is in a civil war; I missed this because I am a moron.
Out of Character Information
player name: Lisa
player livejournal: fruitsgrow
playing here: sandrocker
where did you find us? idk. I was checking Quatre's friendlist, and this "Scorched" comm thing was there...
are you 16 years of age or older?: y.
In Character Information
character name: Shirley
fandom: Legend of Dragoon
timeline: chapter one/disc one: before she is 'awakened'
character's age: over 10,000 (seriously)
powers, skills, pets and equipment:
powers • To begin, she knows, and she knows a lot that includes intimate information of others' lives. Unfortunately, it's not really made clear how because it wouldn't have been convenient to the plot, so without diving headfirst into circular speculation, the safest assumption is death grants you cool powers. Shirley seems to have the ability to gain omnipresent knowledge but doesn't demonstrate to be all-knowing or use her abilities fully; though, she could very well be Obfuscating Stupidity, as other older characters does this and often. Especially given she is even implied to know the future. So she is, essentially, an ancient telepath and precognitive.
Secondly, Shirley is probably best classified as an incredibly strong magic user. As a human (spirit), she can transform herself to appear corporeally but only as other people. In Anatole, she will be given what she calls an "entity," which is essentially a body but one she can transform into. She can, also, "anchor" souls to a specific area. As a Dragoon warrior (another transformation), she can heal any injury, revive others from death (unless we are in an instance of plot-induced stupidity), and summon the White Silver Dragon; she is, also, capable of other light-based spells that are both offensive and defensive. ...and, obviously, flight.
skills • Combat skills with more "basic" weapons, including lances, archery, and probably swordplay. She may not be a martial artist, but she can probably throw plenty of weight in a melee fight with only her fists. Her specialty is archery, though, and I would be unsurprised if her archery was considered unrivaled by any. (Can you rival a dead woman, anyway?)
...also, if being a callous bitch and trolling count as a skill. In which case, Shirley is a goddamn expert.
pets & equipment • She possesses a small, white stone that contains the White Silver Dragon's spirit known as the...wait for it: White Silver Dragoon Spirit. (A two in one!) This probably is the only thing she will ever have in her possession because she is a ghost; she doesn't need anything! ...but she would appreciate her shrine. If, you know, someone would be so kind.
canon history:
❛ The Legend was born 10,000 years ago...and began with the Divine Tree. Nothing could compare to its mystical powers. It is said that this massive yet graceful entity gave birth to all living things. One after another, races of plants, animals, and unique beings fell from its branches, and life spilled forth over the land.
The 105th race born of the Tree was the powerful Dragons. These towering winged destroyers would strike terror into anyone who beheld them. In time, their Dragon Spirit would be revered and worshiped. The 106th race was the Humans. These peaceful beings lived a quiet, agrarian existence in harmony with the world. The 107th race was the formidable Winglies. These flying conquerors set out to build great floating cities and gain dominion over all living things.
The spirit of the Divine Tree coursed through all its offspring. The races took their place on Earth, filling the desolation with lushness and activity - but the beauty of the Tree could not hide an ugly blemish in the land of the floating cities.
The Winglies reigned supreme, and the Humans were enslaved. Divided by hatred, a battle for freedom would ensue. Both thought their very survival depended on victory over the other. According to legend, the Humans enlisted the help of the Dragons. Drawing on magical forces, the Humans became Dragoon Warriors, harnessing the savage power and soul of the Dragons. Dragoons were supernatural warriors who attacked with fierce combat skills and deadly magic. They overpowered the Winglies in a bloody confrontation and prevailed. ❜
United under Emperor Diaz, seven Dragoons fought for freedom in what is known as the Dragon Campaign; Shirley was among them and the first White Silver Dragoon in this war. It's not quite clear how long the campaign lasted and any exact events, except the final battle. Which is (surprise, surprise) only shown briefly and disjointedly. What we do know of the battle is: it took place in the capital city of Kadessa; the Red Eye Dragoon died in this battle, defeating the Wingly leader; the Violet Dragoon died; and the Golden Dragoon died as well, saving Shirley's life. Shirley is seen saving a fellow Dragoon herself afterward, but it is not clear if she died in the battle later. But this is the extent of her past as a warrior. Most of her history is illustrated through her relationships with others (notably, the Golden Dragoon, who is in love with her; it isn't known if she returned his feelings).
But let's fastforward some thousands of years later: the world is, well, still the same. A complete medieval stasis. The only real difference is Winglies and Dragons have all but vanished from the world, assumed extinct; countries and continents have possibly changed, and the kingdom of Serdio is divided on the verge of civil war. It wouldn't be completely far fetched that politics have shifted, but sadly, we'll never know.
Never the less, Legend of Dragoon follows the journey of a young man named Dart and his childhood friend, Shana. In the beginning of chapter one, their party includes a Serdian knight, Lavitz and a mysterious woman named Rose. For most of chapter one, they run around Serdio, saving the day and uncovering a 10,000 year old legend. At one point, Shana is poisoned by a dragon, and her only hope for a cure is the Dragoni Plant, which is located in a ruined shrine dedicated to some unknown person.
The ghost residing there is, actually, Shirley. She was probably considered a war hero after the campaign, and the shrine was erected in her honor: Dragons decorate what is left of the shrine, and she is the only Dragoon to reside there. Unfortunately for the entire party, ten thousand years of death have made Shirley a cranky bitch. Despite the blunted affect of her emotions, she is, clearly, none too pleased to be disturbed; and her response to the fact Shana could die? Is to test Dart and the others. If they can overcome her, they may have the cure; if not, Shana is to die. It's that simple.
And if Shirley did not know Rose, Shana would have probably been shit out of luck.
Naturally, Dart and the party win after they prove their intentions and are, gently, nudged toward the right paths. While she has no Dragoni Plant, Shirley bestows the party with the White Silver Dragoon Spirit; it thrives on healing magic and is better than any elusive plant. There is a condition, of course, but it is to simply save a bandit's life, Drake. The shrine has been guarded by him for years now, and he is very loyal to Shirley.
Shirley, then, disappears in a white light, and Rose explains she has gone "where she belongs." We assume we will never see her after this point.
Blatant lies.
In chapter three, she appears again, this time in Vellweb. She has a "favor" to ask of Rose: free the tormented spirits in the Dragoon Towers. They are the Dragoons from the legendary campaign, do not know they are dead, and need help to pass on. While it is a sidequest, Shirley appears every time you pass the towers and, story-wise, is very insistent the player free the Dragoons' souls.
That is the last time Shirley is seen in the present timeline, and it is unknown if she still haunts the world or has joined her comrades in the afterlife.
personality:
So a long time ago, Shirley was (probably) a lovely person: passionate, revolutionary, protective, righteous... A maternal figure, perhaps! Not that it really matters anymore because that was a long time ago. A long, long time ago. Ten thousand fucking years long time ago.
Since then, she has had enough time to become emotionally numb. Nothing can ruffle this woman's feathers, but nothing makes her happy anymore, either. (Or maybe like Rose, she has simply forgotten how to be.) Objectively, Shirley is more than capable of recognizing accepted emotional responses and the way she would have previously described particular situations (seeing an old friend? Pleasing, happy. Someone dying? Sorrowful. And so on) - but her capacity to be moved has been greatly reduced. She cares and is capable of compassion in many ways, though; if she weren't, she would have simply let Shana and Drake die and left her comrades to haunt Vallweb.
In fact, she acts like a guiding light for Dart and his comrades when she first appears. She reminds Dart and Lavitz to keep their loved ones in mind; that revenge will lead Dart nowhere; that Lavitz must not follow those he does love blindly; and that Rose's life (all life, probably) is more than sacrifice. So Shirley is something a Spirit Advisor now and is still as morally upstanding as she was when she was living.
That doesn't change the fact she can be callous, though. Shana does only live on a condition, and maybe Shirley knew the immediate future that she wasn't worried - or maybe Shana's fate was only made clear to her after the party defeats her. But she is rather cavalier about Shana's possible death and only offers her help after Dart and the others prove their worth. Her favor from Rose is, imho, the worse: despite being completely logical, it is a really cruel thing to ask of her, given that these people were Rose's comrades. On one hand, it is possibly meant to remind Rose of her previous life and "reawaken" her emotions; on the other hand, this is a cruel way to do so when it is not age but required murdering (this is another long story, but take my word for it: Rose is not evil) that has affectedly flattened Rose's psychology. So no matter her reasons, Shirley, basically, gives Rose an emotional sucker punch and is in no way apologetic about it.
Honestly, this reads as subtle trolling to me. Sure, the story wouldn't foreshadow without Shirley, but why does Dart need to prove anything when she could have still recognized Rose, only made vague precognitive comments, and then, given the Dragoon Spirit to them? Besides the fact she is a bitch. I mean, ten thousand years is a lot of time to do...nothing. You can't blame her if she does it for the lulz to some extent. Or well, what lulz she can feel.
why do you feel this character would be appropriate to the setting? Shirley is completely suited to helping others that are disturbed by the Mist and who need guidance. ...when she is not trolling those people. Also, she is combative and can fight at any point in time. Always good around these parts.
Writing Samples
Network Post Sample:
[video]
[the screen displays at an angle. clearly from some surface like a table but no one is in the room. at least no one that can be seen.]
Who is disturbing my rest? What do you want?
[then, it goes quiet, and the silence drags. a woman, finally, drifts into the vision of the screen. drifts because she is floating. that's a little hard to tell, but you might notice she isn't corporeal, either. (really, it's quite hard to miss.)]
...Drake.
[she drifts around the entire room in a circular path before she returns to her place near the Forge.]
What is this world? It isn't Endiness... It's too quiet. The magic - [she shudders.] Corrupted. [then, she looks at the Forge. oh, she knows that is actually there and on. sup.]
Tell me: where am I? ...does this device truly work?
Third Person Sample:
[ word count: 410 ]
Shirley stands on a submerged step of Anatole's ruins; the water reaches her ankles and wets the tattered edges of her dress. Reaches and wets - those are physical words, of touching solid beings. It has been thousand of years since Shirley has truly experienced anything, much less something that includes feeling. Sometimes, rarely, she becomes others, but it isn't the same when you aren't in your own body.
The sensation of cool water and stone steps... It's strange, foreign, because it has been so long since she truly felt something. She had forgotten what it was like, really. Shirley wiggles her toes and smiles, slightly, in an amused sort of way; the water is pleasing. After a moment's hesitation, she steps onto a lower step; the water level is at her shins. She closes her eyes, concentrating on the sensation more.
Then, she steps down until the water rises to her thighs and her dress clings to her legs. The fabric is thick and heavy from the water saturation, and that is pleasing, too. Shirley remembers a time when she would have been annoyed by this and fought the tangling billows of her dress, probably when Damia would insist Shirley join her. It's a fond memory but one that doesn't bring a smile anymore (it's been too long).
For all that, though, Shirley isn't bitter, doesn't think she took those small moments for granted in the slightest. She lived her life to the fullest and as completely as she could; and she knew a restlessness, a void ending, was waiting for her. After one of her first battles, when she had first nearly died, the decision had been made: she would not pass on to Mayfil. She refused to be chained in a Wingly city, a city of people she was fighting her freedom for.
She hadn't expected it to be so lonely, though. (Not that she really notices anymore.)
The last years, with Drake's loyalty, haven't been so empty. But now... Will he live? The answer escapes her, and the possibility he could die without her guidance causes more than a flicker of sadness. It passes, though: if he is to die, that is his fate, and they will cross paths once again. (Perhaps in Mayfil, perhaps as restless spirits.) That much she knows; and it's enough.
Shirley opens her eyes, then, surveying the ruins. This isn't her shrine, and Drake is missing, but it will do for now.
Anything else? SOB, I hope the personality section is long enough without getting too interpretative. Also, I will be using (ginger) Bryce Dallas Howard as Shirley's PB.
Out of Character Information
player name: Lisa
player livejournal: fruitsgrow
playing here: sandrocker
where did you find us? idk. I was checking Quatre's friendlist, and this "Scorched" comm thing was there...
are you 16 years of age or older?: y.
In Character Information
character name: Shirley
fandom: Legend of Dragoon
timeline: chapter one/disc one: before she is 'awakened'
character's age: over 10,000 (seriously)
powers, skills, pets and equipment:
powers • To begin, she knows, and she knows a lot that includes intimate information of others' lives. Unfortunately, it's not really made clear how because it wouldn't have been convenient to the plot, so without diving headfirst into circular speculation, the safest assumption is death grants you cool powers. Shirley seems to have the ability to gain omnipresent knowledge but doesn't demonstrate to be all-knowing or use her abilities fully; though, she could very well be Obfuscating Stupidity, as other older characters does this and often. Especially given she is even implied to know the future. So she is, essentially, an ancient telepath and precognitive.
Secondly, Shirley is probably best classified as an incredibly strong magic user. As a human (spirit), she can transform herself to appear corporeally but only as other people. In Anatole, she will be given what she calls an "entity," which is essentially a body but one she can transform into. She can, also, "anchor" souls to a specific area. As a Dragoon warrior (another transformation), she can heal any injury, revive others from death (unless we are in an instance of plot-induced stupidity), and summon the White Silver Dragon; she is, also, capable of other light-based spells that are both offensive and defensive. ...and, obviously, flight.
skills • Combat skills with more "basic" weapons, including lances, archery, and probably swordplay. She may not be a martial artist, but she can probably throw plenty of weight in a melee fight with only her fists. Her specialty is archery, though, and I would be unsurprised if her archery was considered unrivaled by any. (Can you rival a dead woman, anyway?)
...also, if being a callous bitch and trolling count as a skill. In which case, Shirley is a goddamn expert.
pets & equipment • She possesses a small, white stone that contains the White Silver Dragon's spirit known as the...wait for it: White Silver Dragoon Spirit. (A two in one!) This probably is the only thing she will ever have in her possession because she is a ghost; she doesn't need anything! ...but she would appreciate her shrine. If, you know, someone would be so kind.
canon history:
❛ The Legend was born 10,000 years ago...and began with the Divine Tree. Nothing could compare to its mystical powers. It is said that this massive yet graceful entity gave birth to all living things. One after another, races of plants, animals, and unique beings fell from its branches, and life spilled forth over the land.
The 105th race born of the Tree was the powerful Dragons. These towering winged destroyers would strike terror into anyone who beheld them. In time, their Dragon Spirit would be revered and worshiped. The 106th race was the Humans. These peaceful beings lived a quiet, agrarian existence in harmony with the world. The 107th race was the formidable Winglies. These flying conquerors set out to build great floating cities and gain dominion over all living things.
The spirit of the Divine Tree coursed through all its offspring. The races took their place on Earth, filling the desolation with lushness and activity - but the beauty of the Tree could not hide an ugly blemish in the land of the floating cities.
The Winglies reigned supreme, and the Humans were enslaved. Divided by hatred, a battle for freedom would ensue. Both thought their very survival depended on victory over the other. According to legend, the Humans enlisted the help of the Dragons. Drawing on magical forces, the Humans became Dragoon Warriors, harnessing the savage power and soul of the Dragons. Dragoons were supernatural warriors who attacked with fierce combat skills and deadly magic. They overpowered the Winglies in a bloody confrontation and prevailed. ❜
United under Emperor Diaz, seven Dragoons fought for freedom in what is known as the Dragon Campaign; Shirley was among them and the first White Silver Dragoon in this war. It's not quite clear how long the campaign lasted and any exact events, except the final battle. Which is (surprise, surprise) only shown briefly and disjointedly. What we do know of the battle is: it took place in the capital city of Kadessa; the Red Eye Dragoon died in this battle, defeating the Wingly leader; the Violet Dragoon died; and the Golden Dragoon died as well, saving Shirley's life. Shirley is seen saving a fellow Dragoon herself afterward, but it is not clear if she died in the battle later. But this is the extent of her past as a warrior. Most of her history is illustrated through her relationships with others (notably, the Golden Dragoon, who is in love with her; it isn't known if she returned his feelings).
But let's fastforward some thousands of years later: the world is, well, still the same. A complete medieval stasis. The only real difference is Winglies and Dragons have all but vanished from the world, assumed extinct; countries and continents have possibly changed, and the kingdom of Serdio is divided on the verge of civil war. It wouldn't be completely far fetched that politics have shifted, but sadly, we'll never know.
Never the less, Legend of Dragoon follows the journey of a young man named Dart and his childhood friend, Shana. In the beginning of chapter one, their party includes a Serdian knight, Lavitz and a mysterious woman named Rose. For most of chapter one, they run around Serdio, saving the day and uncovering a 10,000 year old legend. At one point, Shana is poisoned by a dragon, and her only hope for a cure is the Dragoni Plant, which is located in a ruined shrine dedicated to some unknown person.
The ghost residing there is, actually, Shirley. She was probably considered a war hero after the campaign, and the shrine was erected in her honor: Dragons decorate what is left of the shrine, and she is the only Dragoon to reside there. Unfortunately for the entire party, ten thousand years of death have made Shirley a cranky bitch. Despite the blunted affect of her emotions, she is, clearly, none too pleased to be disturbed; and her response to the fact Shana could die? Is to test Dart and the others. If they can overcome her, they may have the cure; if not, Shana is to die. It's that simple.
And if Shirley did not know Rose, Shana would have probably been shit out of luck.
Naturally, Dart and the party win after they prove their intentions and are, gently, nudged toward the right paths. While she has no Dragoni Plant, Shirley bestows the party with the White Silver Dragoon Spirit; it thrives on healing magic and is better than any elusive plant. There is a condition, of course, but it is to simply save a bandit's life, Drake. The shrine has been guarded by him for years now, and he is very loyal to Shirley.
Shirley, then, disappears in a white light, and Rose explains she has gone "where she belongs." We assume we will never see her after this point.
Blatant lies.
In chapter three, she appears again, this time in Vellweb. She has a "favor" to ask of Rose: free the tormented spirits in the Dragoon Towers. They are the Dragoons from the legendary campaign, do not know they are dead, and need help to pass on. While it is a sidequest, Shirley appears every time you pass the towers and, story-wise, is very insistent the player free the Dragoons' souls.
That is the last time Shirley is seen in the present timeline, and it is unknown if she still haunts the world or has joined her comrades in the afterlife.
personality:
So a long time ago, Shirley was (probably) a lovely person: passionate, revolutionary, protective, righteous... A maternal figure, perhaps! Not that it really matters anymore because that was a long time ago. A long, long time ago. Ten thousand fucking years long time ago.
Since then, she has had enough time to become emotionally numb. Nothing can ruffle this woman's feathers, but nothing makes her happy anymore, either. (Or maybe like Rose, she has simply forgotten how to be.) Objectively, Shirley is more than capable of recognizing accepted emotional responses and the way she would have previously described particular situations (seeing an old friend? Pleasing, happy. Someone dying? Sorrowful. And so on) - but her capacity to be moved has been greatly reduced. She cares and is capable of compassion in many ways, though; if she weren't, she would have simply let Shana and Drake die and left her comrades to haunt Vallweb.
In fact, she acts like a guiding light for Dart and his comrades when she first appears. She reminds Dart and Lavitz to keep their loved ones in mind; that revenge will lead Dart nowhere; that Lavitz must not follow those he does love blindly; and that Rose's life (all life, probably) is more than sacrifice. So Shirley is something a Spirit Advisor now and is still as morally upstanding as she was when she was living.
That doesn't change the fact she can be callous, though. Shana does only live on a condition, and maybe Shirley knew the immediate future that she wasn't worried - or maybe Shana's fate was only made clear to her after the party defeats her. But she is rather cavalier about Shana's possible death and only offers her help after Dart and the others prove their worth. Her favor from Rose is, imho, the worse: despite being completely logical, it is a really cruel thing to ask of her, given that these people were Rose's comrades. On one hand, it is possibly meant to remind Rose of her previous life and "reawaken" her emotions; on the other hand, this is a cruel way to do so when it is not age but required murdering (this is another long story, but take my word for it: Rose is not evil) that has affectedly flattened Rose's psychology. So no matter her reasons, Shirley, basically, gives Rose an emotional sucker punch and is in no way apologetic about it.
Honestly, this reads as subtle trolling to me. Sure, the story wouldn't foreshadow without Shirley, but why does Dart need to prove anything when she could have still recognized Rose, only made vague precognitive comments, and then, given the Dragoon Spirit to them? Besides the fact she is a bitch. I mean, ten thousand years is a lot of time to do...nothing. You can't blame her if she does it for the lulz to some extent. Or well, what lulz she can feel.
why do you feel this character would be appropriate to the setting? Shirley is completely suited to helping others that are disturbed by the Mist and who need guidance. ...when she is not trolling those people. Also, she is combative and can fight at any point in time. Always good around these parts.
Writing Samples
Network Post Sample:
[video]
[the screen displays at an angle. clearly from some surface like a table but no one is in the room. at least no one that can be seen.]
Who is disturbing my rest? What do you want?
[then, it goes quiet, and the silence drags. a woman, finally, drifts into the vision of the screen. drifts because she is floating. that's a little hard to tell, but you might notice she isn't corporeal, either. (really, it's quite hard to miss.)]
...Drake.
[she drifts around the entire room in a circular path before she returns to her place near the Forge.]
What is this world? It isn't Endiness... It's too quiet. The magic - [she shudders.] Corrupted. [then, she looks at the Forge. oh, she knows that is actually there and on. sup.]
Tell me: where am I? ...does this device truly work?
Third Person Sample:
[ word count: 410 ]
Shirley stands on a submerged step of Anatole's ruins; the water reaches her ankles and wets the tattered edges of her dress. Reaches and wets - those are physical words, of touching solid beings. It has been thousand of years since Shirley has truly experienced anything, much less something that includes feeling. Sometimes, rarely, she becomes others, but it isn't the same when you aren't in your own body.
The sensation of cool water and stone steps... It's strange, foreign, because it has been so long since she truly felt something. She had forgotten what it was like, really. Shirley wiggles her toes and smiles, slightly, in an amused sort of way; the water is pleasing. After a moment's hesitation, she steps onto a lower step; the water level is at her shins. She closes her eyes, concentrating on the sensation more.
Then, she steps down until the water rises to her thighs and her dress clings to her legs. The fabric is thick and heavy from the water saturation, and that is pleasing, too. Shirley remembers a time when she would have been annoyed by this and fought the tangling billows of her dress, probably when Damia would insist Shirley join her. It's a fond memory but one that doesn't bring a smile anymore (it's been too long).
For all that, though, Shirley isn't bitter, doesn't think she took those small moments for granted in the slightest. She lived her life to the fullest and as completely as she could; and she knew a restlessness, a void ending, was waiting for her. After one of her first battles, when she had first nearly died, the decision had been made: she would not pass on to Mayfil. She refused to be chained in a Wingly city, a city of people she was fighting her freedom for.
She hadn't expected it to be so lonely, though. (Not that she really notices anymore.)
The last years, with Drake's loyalty, haven't been so empty. But now... Will he live? The answer escapes her, and the possibility he could die without her guidance causes more than a flicker of sadness. It passes, though: if he is to die, that is his fate, and they will cross paths once again. (Perhaps in Mayfil, perhaps as restless spirits.) That much she knows; and it's enough.
Shirley opens her eyes, then, surveying the ruins. This isn't her shrine, and Drake is missing, but it will do for now.
Anything else? SOB, I hope the personality section is long enough without getting too interpretative. Also, I will be using (ginger) Bryce Dallas Howard as Shirley's PB.