application @ demeleier

[tsundeer]

Player Name: Aiden
Player DW: aiden
Contact: aim: mischieving
Character Number: 2 (Aethan Sunstriker, Vincent Valentine)

Character: Aurelius Lightsong
Source: Original Character.
Appearance: Auri is a faun, that is to say, not a satyr. Mythos conflicts over these two terms, but in Auri's Earth, the two are two distinct races, with satyrs appearing with more goatlike features, and fauns their more diminutive, deerlike cousins.

As such, Auri is rather small, standing at just over four feet in height. His upper half is decidedly humanoid, save for deerlike velveteen ears, small horns (antlers during the summer months), and furred forearms (to the elbow). From the waist down however, he is more or less the 'deer' equivalent of a satyr. His pelt is a honey-blond color, dotted with cream colored spots, and his small upturned tail is white on the underside. Auri is a bit slimmer and sleeker than his satyr cousins, with quick, elegant hands and fresh young features. His hair is golden blond, his eyes a warm honey brown-yellow, his skin suntanned, his small nose deerlike. He wears only a loincloth, ornamental leather laces around his throat and arms, and a green ribbon in his hair to keep it back.

I don't have any full body images, but you can check out his icons here for a better idea of his look!

History:

Aurelius hails from a modern day Earth, similar to what we're all familiar with, with one ... slight change! In this Earth, fantastical things exist - elves, merfolk, magic, etc - but these things are hidden away, cloaked. As the human population grew and expanded, magical creatures began to decrease, pushed out by humans, or in many cases, slaughtered. Great wars broke out, fueled by racism and hate, and though magic was more powerful than the sword, the sheer number and tactical prowess of the human race overcame, and won out.

Magic in the world began to diminish. Non-humans were wiped out, destroyed, or pushed into hiding - starting first with more monstrous, less human creatures, but soon even the elves were segregated, pinpointed, threatened. With what magic remained to them pooled, the spurned species of the world pulled together to cloak themselves, to hide themselves away, and disappear from history, become little more than legends, and fairy tales.

But those creatures still exist today, and though the majority of the human race think of satyrs and mermaids as nothing more than fantastical imaginary creatures, there are a few who know.. and even fewer who care. Enslavement of the 'lesser races' was a common, popular practice during the great war, and still is today. Non-humans live always with the fear that they will be discovered, that the slavers in black leather will come for them, for in a world where magic is imaginary, such a creature is beyond price. There exists an underground market for the trade of nonhumans and magical artifacts that persists even in modern day, though the average human knows nothing of it.

And how does Aurelius fit into this? Well, he is quite old, and was born before the wars broke out, before the humans came to hate them, before the fantasy creatures of the world came into hiding, though he was very young. Raised in the forests, he learned magic and healing passed down by his parents, but he was not long in this world before the fighting came, and much of his 'teenagerdom' was spent emblazoned in war. He remembers when the humans turned on them, he remembers his friends and family being slaughtered, his clan being scattered. He remembers going into hiding, existing in constant fear.

His parents were strong and fierce and smart, and though much of his family was dispersed or killed, they remained together, they protected him, taught him to be crafty, and how to survive. Into hiding they went, in the Mediterranean forests, evading the slavers and building a life for themselves beside other woodland species - sylvan elves, satyrs, unicorns.

When he was still very young (the human equivalent of perhaps fifteen or so), they were set upon by slavers - slavers that had their eye specifically on him, for honey-blond is an uncommon pelt color among fauns, and he would fetch a great deal at market. Too young still to defend himself well enough, Auri's parents sacrificed themselves to give him time to escape, using their magic to cloak him; they were taken, and to this day he still does not know if they live. He discovered soon after that it was a group of satyrs (a species notorous for drunken raucousness, and generally not to be trusted), that accepted a bribe to give away their position. He has never forgiven them, and generally profiles the entire race.

Alone now, and distrustful of everyone, Auri packed up and moved himself to a secluded area of the forest, making for himself a cozy home in a small, airy cave, using what magic he knew to cloak its location from all, human and nonhuman alike. Angry, hateful and isolated, Aurelius delved into texts and tomes, teaching himself magical arts and defense, fortifying himself, studying away his anger and pain and loneliness and channelling it into his work instead. The years passed, and Aurelius with them, and he made a friend or two, but generally kept to himself. And to this day he exists still, evading slavers, spurning companionship, and searching, always searching, for a way to free his lost family.

Timeline: 'Post canon', insomuch as that can be. Modern time.

Personality:
Auri is .. prickly, at best, downright aggressive, at worst. He's incredibly distrustful of others, and has developed a strong racial prejudice toward humans and satyrs (he's not hugely fond of elves, either), and often responds violently, or at least very snidely, towards any and all of them.

But even all prejudice aside, Auri isn't really keen on anyone. He distrusts all creatures at face value, and is not quick to warm up to others; having spent nearly all of his long life evading escape he is loathe to extend the olive branch to anyone at all, and everyone is suspect, in his eyes. He's really very bad at being social, and is much more inclined to be a hermit than to ask for help, or seek out others to spend time with. He will approach others if neccessity dictates, but otherwise he is content to keep to himself, his studies, and his magic.

Obviously enough, Auri is rather quick to judge, and he places a lot of trust in his keen instincts, generally following his gut over his heart and his mind, in most cases. He is very edgy, quick to alarm with a guard kept up almost constantly, though this 'prey drive' has made him incredibly perceptive of both people, and his surroundings. His senses of sight, smell, and hearing are very acute, and it does not take much to send up his red flags, and though he does not consider himself cowardly he is more like to fly than fight if need be, and he sees no shame in doing what it takes to survive, even if that includes running, or hiding. He puts great stock in his natural impulses and intuition.

Not to say that Auri isn't quite fierce when push comes to shove; he has very sharp hooves, and he is not at all disinclined to introducing them to your face if need be. And aside from that, he's adept with a bow, and most especially with magic, and he will sink to lows that others might consider immoral if he must, if it guarantees his survival. This savage outlook has imbued in him a vengeful streak, and Aurelius can be ruthless when confronting an enemy, or even downright sadistic, if he feels that they deserve to suffer. Unsurprisingly enough, he is quick to rile, slow to cool, and even slower to forgive. And he never forgets.

There is, however, beneath all the spiny brutality and viciousness, a warm center, though it's hidden so deep that even he often forgets it is there. Auri is lonely, painfully lonely, though he makes a concerted effort to push others away, and keep them there because he cannot bring himself to trust. He has risked a few.. close acquaintances, though it is the most he has allowed himself, and he finds himself sticking his neck out for others far more than he would ever care to admit. But it's totally not because he cares, or anything.

And thusly, overall, Aurelius is a distrustful, cranky hermit. He's ornery and aggressive and just as like to toss you out on your ass to starve in the cold than he is to extend the helping hand, especially if there is nothing in it for him. He is a sea of angry racism, dotted with occasional, isolated islands of warmth, a hermit that prefers the company of tomes and pipes over that of sentient living creatures.

Abilities:

Auri has quite a few abilities! He's decent enough at hand to hand combat when he must be, but he's not terribly strong, and he truly excels when ranged. He's fast, good with a bow, and has a vast arsenal of nature-based spells. He can call upon the wind, water and the earth, and has a certain ability to weave fire as well, though it's more difficult, and he requires more concentration. He's also well learned in the art of musical magic, and can perform several spells via the use of his pan-pipes - most of these inflict status effects rather than directly damage. He is able to put his enemies to sleep, or even hypnotize and control their minds through the use of his music.

Combative qualities aside, Auri is also a skilled healer, and though he only knows a few healing spells, he has a vast knowledge of plants, poultices, antidotes and remedies. He's very interested in alchemy and herbs, though he's just as like to whip up a poison as he is an ointment.

Inventory:
- x1 set of panpipes
- several healing herbs, salves, and pastes
- x3 tomes of magic
- x1 smoking pipe, and a good deal of pipeweed


Prose Sample:

Warm summer sunlight filters through the thick canopy of the forest, bathing the trees and and grass in a soft, yellowy-green color, dappling smooth stones in white peppered light. It's idyllic. It's perfect. It's everything that Aurelius loves about the world, and all that he wants to be involved with. Trees do not talk, boulders do not betray, the sky pays him no mind; Auri appreciates that. He appreciates the quiet serenity of nature, he appreciates the savage storms, the fierce winds, the call of insects. He appreciates the lack of people.

And Auri knows the forest well enough to sense an intruder, to know when someone is drawing near. And surely there are always others in the wood, he shares this place with not only animals but elves, with satyrs, with centaurs and riverfolk and faeries, but this is his space. This little glad has been abandoned for centuries, which is why he chose it in the first place; there are no common footpaths nearby, no settlements - the only time people pass through here is when they lose their way, or when they are attempting to hide, or run from something.

His furred ears prick and swivel, and he stands still, still as a statue, listens. The footstep is not that of a hoof, it is a boot, and the only creatures to go booted in these woods are elves, and humans, and the fair folk are far too light footed to ever be heard at this distance.

Humans.

His expression tightens, and Auri crouches low, silently, there is no time to run for home, the distance is too far and so he waits, camouflaged by the brush, hardly daring to breathe. His bow is in his hand already, smooth and light, and Auri nocks, pulls back, holds a breath. The human comes into view and he hesitates, waits, but they are alone. Why is he here? Is he lost? A hunter? A slaver? Auri does not care, does not need to know. The string twangs, the bow sings, and the human turns but it is too late; the arrow catches him through the throat, silencing him save for a wet gagging sound as his own blood drowns him, his hands scrambling at his throat. The human is dying but Auri watches coldly, pitilessly, and only when it falls and no further allies arrive, does he move in to clean up the evidence.


Journal Sample:

[ a mirror, is it? communication magic - it's not too different from what he's accustomed to, but this does not bring him comfort. auri isn't particularly happy to be here.

understandably so. ]

This place stinks of faery magic.

[ a face comes into view, a youthful face that might be sweet looking were it not for the cold scowl that twists over it, the fierce glint in honey brown eyes. auri's velveteen ears lie back against his head. ]

Where am I?

[ well, at least he's to the point. ]