Towel? Check.

[ruddypup]

 

App @ Gargleblasted

OOC:
Name: Jenn
Are you over 16?: Yes
Personal LJ: izzyotis 
Email: ruddypup at gmail dot com
Timezone: GMT-5
Other contact: ruddypuppie (AIM; rarely on), LJ PM (more reliable)
Characters already in the game: 0
How did you find us?: Friends shared the link

IC:
Character name: Adamina Maska
Fandom: OC - AU Earth
Timeline: The day she left for the Wild North
Age: 19 (human age equivalent). Her people’s first year is spent exclusively in wolf form, so their bodies age as a “normal wolf” does. On their first birthday they are taught to transform, which allows them to take on a human body at approximately the physical age of a 6-8 year old child. The second year is also a quick physical growth year and by 24 months, the wolf’s human body will be between 12-15 years old. By three years old, the wolf’s magic is “set” and they simply age slower. An 8 year old wolf has the human age of 40, but will only appear to be in their late 20’s or early 30’s, depending on how much time was spent in wolf form (more time in wolf form means an older looking human body). Demi-human form, being half way, causes growth at “half rate”; about 4 human years to every 1 wolf year. Even though Ada is almost 3 wolf years old, she’s spent most of that time in demi-form and she only looks 19.
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths: Shape shift, heightened senses and reflexes. Ada’s “abilities” are racial traits; her heightened senses are in constant use like anyone else’s normal senses. Her shape shifting allows her to go between a wolf form (her natural state), a demi-human (most commonly used), and a full human body. Her wolf form is mostly used for hunting, but also comes in handy for causing mischief. The demi-human form can be described as a human body with wolf ears and tail. Her human form is reserved specifically for “formal” scenes or situations where showing her wolf-traits would be dangerous. She loses the majority of her senses and reflexes in this form, causing her to feel vulnerable and more anxious.
How would they use their abilities?: Despite being a brat most days, Ada really just has the best intentions at heart. She's not the type to go causing undue harm to anyone, and will help those who are in need. That doesn't mean she's above picking on a weaker person or causing a bit of mischief, but it's usually all in good fun and she genuinely feels bad if things go too far.

Appearance: Regardless of her form, Adamina has heterochromatic eyes; her right eye is gold and her left eye is brown.
Wolf: 100lbs, 5’4” body length (nose to tail), medium build. Her fur is black with rusty-brown along her back, haunches, legs, face, chest - literally, she looks like she rolled in dirt. White “necklace” marking across her front chest area.
Demi-human: 130lbs, 5’11”, medium brown skin, small chest (B-cup), and round hips. She’s built fairly solid with some definition of muscle. Retains her wolf ears and tail, as well as pointed canine teeth. Her hair is black, cut short, spiky, and sticking out at all random angles.
Human: Body remains the same, but she loses the “feral” aspects of her demi-human form; the ears, tail, and teeth are gone, as well as the muscle definition.
Clothing Style: Lots of worn leather, fur-linings (usually things she’s caught and killed herself), and durable attire. Tries to go barefoot as often as possible, but will wear boots if needed. Tribal and “native” jewelry help signify her place within the pack.

Background/Personality:

Species History: Centuries ago, in a land similar to pre-discovery North American, all animals lived as one would expect normal forest creatures to live; among them, Adamina’s people weren’t different at all from your every day Timber wolf. Though nothing goes unchanged for long, as humans began exploring into this new territory -- killing the food, polluting the water, and just generally destroying the land.

In this time of magic and spirits, all the creatures prayed to their gods for a solution to the problem. They asked for power to drive the humans away and save their world. Rallied by the immense amount of prayers, many spirits came together to try and find an answer for their people. Depending on their element, they talked of using floods, fire, poison, and outright war on these invaders.

Only one seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. Avery, the legendary phoenix god of fire, had seen centuries worth of civilizations be destroyed from misunderstandings. He understood that neither the humans nor the animals of the world were in the wrong. This situation called for strategy and tactics, not bloodshed. His solution was not to rid the land of the humans, but rather give the animals a way to integrate with this new society.

He suggested using the great power of the earth to grant a species an ability to transform into human shape. This would allow them to pose as humans and speak as they spoke, creating a more peaceful and healthy environment. It wouldn’t prevent all arguments, but as is with all change there was no true way in stopping the progress of the world forever.

While no one was on Avery’s side from the start, it was finally decided upon to go with this plan, after all, he was right. Natural disasters and war would be temporary solutions that in the end would cause more harm than good. However, the new argument became who was worthy enough to be gifted this power? Again, the gods fought, and again Avery was the one with the right answer that no one wanted to listen to. The wolves, with their societies and hierarchy, were the animals most closely living to the way humans existed.

Most other animals didn’t live in groups the same way the wolves did. The few animals that actually had societies, like the geese or rodents, were neither brave nor strong enough to deal with the intricate dealings of humans. No, the wolves were the best choice and Avery wasn’t budging from that decision.

All this decision making takes time, and for gods time means nothing. While they argued, the animals and earth suffered. Many gave up hope, saying that the spirits had abandoned them and these human invaders were the final step to the destruction of the world. Legend has it that a dove was the final messenger, traveling to the bird god’s arms and dying in his hands, that finally stopped the argument and called for action. The wolves were chosen, but since Avery was the one who praised them so much, he would be the one to lead the mission.

There was a pack that had worshiped the fire god for centuries, and due to their close ties with Avery, it was the alpha of this pack that was picked to deliver the message from the gods. Avery appeared to the alpha in a dream, explaining that he was to gather wolves from all the surrounding packs. The mission was going to be long and a test of faith, but in the end the order of the world would be restored.

There is no written record of what the wolves went through on their journey because no two of them have told it the same way twice. Some have said it was a great journey or strength and survival, battling horrible monsters. Others say it was trekking through forest, desert and rain, never stopping, never eating, only moving forward. All that is known about the journey is that at the end of it, they were in a place of warmth and paradise. The earth spoke to them without speaking, they were welcomed and blessed. They returned to their tribes in human form.

Their reception didn’t go over as smoothly as was hoped. Many of their pack members were offended that the solution offered after such hardship was to attempt to fit in with their enemies. Avery, in his infinite wisdom, was able to explain the situation in this way:

“Becoming as that which you despise is certainly no easy task, but there is a tremendous benefit to you. You will walk amongst them, learn of their way and in the same breath, teach them yours. They are the youngest of creation, and thusly are naive to the way of the world. Teach them. You will set up trade, create boundaries not yet available to you in your current forms. The journey your alphas have suffered was only the first of many, but trust in this, trust in me. In the end, all will be well.”

Again, time played deeply into the factors and some wolves revolted against the choice of the gods. These clans are only remembered in stories and song. Those who agreed with the gods, rationalized the choice - or swallowed their pride and went with it anyway -lived on to learn to transform.

Trial and error over the years helped the wolves learn how to deal with the humans, and like Avery had said, it was hard. There were still battles of land, resources, and customs, but there was also peace. The wolves, in their human forms, taught these new arrivals what it was like to care for the land. Over time, many of the human customs (clothing, society, and some celebrations, among other things) were adopted by the wolves in order to a) survive in their new shapes, and b) better fit in with the humans.

Today, the humans and the wolves live in relative peace. There is still a great deal of trading that goes on between them and disputes over territory are not uncommon, but for the most part they leave each other alone. Very few wolves had taken residence in human lands, remaining exclusively in their human states and the idea of a human coming to live in the wolves’ territory is almost forbidden. The demi-form is considered taboo in human lands, but they assume it is merely custom decoration worn by the “Outsiders” for ceremonial reasons. There are some humans that know the truth, but these are the rarest of all; those who find out without permission are usually killed on site for fear of what will happen if the news became widespread.

Ada’s interactions with the humans have been extremely limited. Her pack lives farther north, closer to the mountains than to any human settlement, so human visitors are rare. She knows her species's history with them, understands not to trust them with her human form...and that's about all she cares about. There is one human who lives in the pack’s territory, but he’s a special case (an outcast even by human standards), and barely leaves his cabin.

Personal History: In order to know Adamina, you have to know where she came from; her family’s story is a big part of how her life was shaped. That story starts when her mother, Skyler, felt restless in her clan and in need of change. She knew that something or someone was calling to her, so she set out on a journey to find The Voice in the forests to the north. Basically a spirit walk, this quest led her to meeting a lone wolf named Kaze, and bearing a child (Kit) with him while away from home.

Kit was still young when Skyler and Kaze returned from the north, eventually becoming mates and alphas to Skyler‘s pack. Aside from Kit being born “out of wedlock,” his personality was too meek and mild to ever really serve as an effective leader. By pack law Skyler and Kaze needed to conceive another litter and name a true heir. Skyler would get pregnant the spring after her and Kaze's return to the clan.

Avery, the same phoenix from the pack’s long history, had always remained close by to watch over the land, offer guidance, and serve as something of a wise man to the tribe. Being a phoenix, his life is based off of a strict sequence of death and rebirth, and he is far from being immortal. When he was accidentally killed before the proper stage in his life's cycle, the world of Skyler and her family was plunged into chaos.

With the help of the pack’s medicine woman,  the alphas learned that in order to save Avery and the world, a pure sacrifice must be made on a grand scale. After all, it takes a lot of energy to rebirth a phoenix, and Avery's own magic was lost upon his death. Knowing that they had to do what was good for their pack and their lands, Skyler and Kaze offered their unborn litter in order to bring back their sacred guardian. The ceremony was long and extremely painful, but Avery was reborn.

Once recovering and restoring order, Avery renewed his vow to forever watch over Skyler and her offspring, owing her family his very life. However, there was nothing he could do to bring back the lost pups, and the pack still needed an heir; once again the alphas set out to have a proper litter. The winter after the accident, Skyler became pregnant again, carrying her litter to full term. She gave birth on a beautiful, warm day in May.

Adamina is the oldest pup from that second official litter. She showed promise from day one, being the most rough and tumble pup in the bunch. Really, as a child she was nothing more than a bully, but that’s the sort of mentality you need when you’re going to be alpha of a large pack of wolves. As she grew, she was the hardest to keep track of and took every opportunity to push around all the pups in the pack, especially her older brother, Kit. However, she was very devoted to her parents and their roles as alphas. Skyler knew that this puppy was going to surprise them all. She knew that some day, Adamina and her mate would take her and Kaze’s place.

In Ada's clan, the newborn pups weren’t given formal names at birth, but rather earned pet names based on personality and actions. The idea was that since the mortality rates of litters were high within the first year, it was disrespectful to name someone who may not be around by the end of the season. Instead, on the litter’s first birthday, a ceremony was held to both celebrate those who were strong enough to survive as well as give them their true names. This was also when they are allowed to transform into their demi-human forms for the first time.

Avery was present at the naming ceremony for Adamina’s litter, feeling the need to be there because of Skyler and Kaze’s great sacrifice for him two years before. While the clan felt blessed to have him present, he insisted it was his honor to be able to celebrate such a special litter’s birthday. When it came time for the pups’ first try at transformation he gathered around the litter, along with the alphas and other pack officials to observe.

Adamina, clumsy as ever, was the most unstable after her first transformation, as she stumbled around trying to find her balance on two legs. Not realizing where she was falling, she ended up landing on Avery’s beautiful tail. At first everyone was horrified - she’d broken one of his feathers! - and the pack fell silent until Avery chuckled and removed what was left of the quill. He picked up the feather and gave it to Ada, telling her to keep it safe. It could come in useful some day.

Ada wasted no time in running off and hiding the feather in her secret place, where she kept everything shiny or important from her many adventures out in the world. It wouldn’t be until almost another year later that Adamina understood the meaning of Avery’s premontion.

A great evil began attacking the land; a soulless entity that sucked the earth dry and left waste and devastation in its wake. Skyler and Kaze, along with their best warriors and the alphas and warriors of many other packs, set out to destroy this plague on their land. A battle ensued, leaving many dead and even more wounded. Although the demon was defeated, Skyler and Kaze returned to their home in sadness and pain.

The physical wounds were easily healed, but something about Skyler was just not right. As the days passed, she grew thinner and struggled to have the energy to do anything. Kaze sought Avery for help, meeting with the guardian in his sacred glade. Unknown to her father, Adamina had followed and was present to hear Avery admit that there was nothing he could do to save Skyler‘s life. However, it was not her life that he feared for, but her soul. As if speaking to Adamina herself, he explained to Kaze that Skyler needed a special magic to be saved, and only the pup could help her now.

In an instant, Adamina remembered the feather given to her by the phoenix so long ago. Without a word, she was off to retrieve the sacred gift, bringing it back to the tribe. With some direction from Avery, they were able to make a drink that cleansed Skyler’s spirit, but still her body refused to get better. Her last day on their world was spent surrounded by her beloved mate and her darling children. She sent them out to allow her to nap for the afternoon and when Kaze checked in on her, her spirit had passed.

The whole pack was devastated by the loss of their alpha female, but no one was hit as hard as Ada. She spent months mourning, incapacitated by her grief, and when finally pushed to reenter the world by her father, she wasn’t the same pup that she’d been before. Most of her playful behavior was replaced with the steadfast intent to learn. Before her death, Skyler had constantly been on Ada to focus on her role as heir, and now she attacked her lessons with purpose.

She had to be a good alpha; she had to. What kind of honor would she bring to her mother’s memory by rolling around in dirt all day and chasing gophers through the fields? However, there was a lot of lost time she had to make up, and at first she stumbled through even the most basic ceremonies and rituals. Her anger and sadness fueled her to push on, and as the seasons passed Ada was shaping up to be quite a respectable leader.

However, a growing issue was the matter of a mate to lead by Ada’s side. Kaze had done well to govern the pack until the day Adamina would be made official alpha, but that day wouldn’t happen until she had a mate of her own. The “suitable males” from Ada’s clan, as well as several other clans in the area, showed up daily to try to prove their worth.

Not one matched up. Ada couldn’t put her finger on it, but it just didn’t feel right. These young men, parading in front of her…not only was she not interested, the idea of mating with any of them revolted her. Though his daughter didn’t understand, Kaze watched her suffer through the formalities with an inkling of an idea as to what was wrong. Long ago, before Adamina had been officially named, Skyler had made a comment about their pup: “She won’t find what she wants in these lands.” Adamina, like her mother, would need to take a spirit walk.

For the first time since her mother’s death, Adamina felt like her old self again. It made so much sense; no wonder these males weren’t doing anything for her; her mate was out there, beyond the packs' lands! Like her mother had gone searching for her father, Adamina would go and find her perfect match.

The day that Adamina set off for the north was the day her world exploded and she ended up on the ship, burned and bruised.

Had the story gone on as scripted, winter would have set in hard around Ada’s ears. She’d find shelter in a cave, but it wouldn’t be easy going and she had to fight for every meal. During a break in the storms, she’d stumble upon a female wolf like herself, injured and afraid. It’d take Adamina days to gain the wolf’s trust and be allowed to bring her back to the cave in order to heal. Her name was Miakoda, and it would have been with this lone female that Adamina would come to realize the reason no male would ever be good enough to be her mate. She’d also be the one to help Ada regain her fun-loving, mischievous nature and help her fully come to terms with her mother’s death.

When the spring thaw came along, Adamina had to face the hard fact that she was returning to her pack with a mate who could not help her produce an heir. While Kaze wasn't about to judge his daughter (after all, Skyler had warned him about this,) the surrounding clans weren't so accepting of the lesbian couple. Many alphas - some who had been great allies during the Demon War - tried to force Ada from her position as leader, but with Mia and Kaze by her side, she persevered.

Most of the neighboring clans came to accept that Ada was indeed her mother's daughter...but they could not let the impossible situation of an heir go. It was land law that alphas had to produce a child to take their place, otherwise the leadership of the pack was up for grabs. It was Avery who ended the madness of those first tentative months. He still felt a debt needed to be paid to Ada's family, and offered to finally settle the score. The Fire God was known to do wonderful things, and with his ancient magic Avery was able to help the new alphas consummate their marriage with an official litter of pups.

The issue of children settled, Adamina and Miakoda were basically left alone for the rest of their reign. Their time as alphas was one of relative peace and prosperity for the land.

Ada’s Personality: Describing Ada is like trying to give a name to every star in the sky; just when you think you’ve gotten them all, a new one shows up. At her core, Ada is a scared little girl who just wants to be loved and take care of her people. She misses her mother, wants her father to be proud of her, and desperately tries to connect with her older brother, but hasn’t figured out that hitting him is not a good way to say “You’re awesome.”

On the outside, she is a typical teenager who is spiraling out of emotional control. She is loud, rash, hot-headed, and immature, but somehow at the same time playful and loyal and caring. She’s easy to anger, but just as quick to forgive and forget. She gets into trouble, a lot, but it’s always in good fun and she never means anything by it.

Why should that character be in this game: At the point in her story where she ends up on the ship, Adamina still has a lot of growing to do. After Skyler‘s death, her personality is somewhat stunted and she’s never really gotten over the loss of her mother. Being on the ship forces her to not only stop relying on her father for support, but to also learn to accept death.
Why do you want to continue their history here: N/A

Have you read up on how the game works?: Several times, actually. :3 The software is FlamingFerret and you can make money by taking missions, doing chores for friends and shipmates, or being sneaky and stealing it.

1st person sample: [When the video starts, Ada’s mismatched eyes glare intensely at the screen before she eases a proper distance away. She's in the demi-form; her whole body is dusty with ash, and most of her clothes have holes burned into the leather or are otherwise singed in some way. Her right arm has a large bandage around the bicep, protecting the skin that had been injured when her world went boom.]

[Her head tilts left, then right; her ears are forward, both alert and interested, but not at ease. Ada's whole body seems to tremble minutely, her muscles tense as if she's ready to tackle the guide that sat on her lap. She looks like she's been through a war, and is just waiting for the next attack.]

So, it’s working. Finally.[She snuffs a heavy breath through her nose, scratching the back of her head as she looks around the room. Her tail flicks abruptly behind her, bristled and annoyed.] I don't get this. Any of this. No one's really given me any answers besides that my world is gone and I'm lucky to be alive.

[She winces when she absently scratches the damaged shoulder, forgetting about the bandage for a moment. Another snuff before she growls quietly.] How can they be...gone? [ She looks back at the guide with another angry glare.]

How can I be the only known survivor? [Her voice rose with each sentence.]

HOW DOES THAT MAKE ME THE LUCKY ONE?? [Her fangs flash as she finally snarls at the camera, before slamming the guide shut with a clawed hand.]

3rd person sample: Adamina furiously rubbed the back of her arm against her face, not stopping until her eyes stung and the tears stopped. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat and stood in a rush, sending the guide toppling from her lap as she flopped down on her bed. She grabbed a pillow and buried her face into the white cover, trying hard to muffle her sobs.

They were gone. It wasn’t just Momma anymore, everyone was gone: Poppa and Avery and the pack. Her brother and sister, and Kit. Oh gods, Kit was dead, too. She’d never get to tease him, or bully him, just generally annoy him ever, ever again. The thought brought on a new wave sadness…and anger. Out of all of them, and besides Momma (who she was already grieving for) she was going to miss Kit the most? That weakling, that spineless wimp, the sniveling omega of the pack.

Her big brother, and her only true friend. The only one who never scolded her for crying. He had understood her anger and her pain, and he'd cried with her too. Just like the rest of them; just like Momma, Kit was gone.

She growled deeply, tail bristling in the small flair of rage that accompanied the sound, before she threw her pillow across the room. The growl grew into a snarl, and then just as quickly as it had come it died into a whimper. Crying, she curled herself into a ball, covering her nose with her tail and attempting to fall asleep...trying to get away from this new strange world around her.

Questions?: Yes, two. #1: Why is a raven like a writing desk? #2: How often do you see that one in applications? xD
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Imma good apper.