Just A Stray...
| Val'in |
|
|
| Portrayed By |
Daniel Johns of Silverchair |
| Gender |
Male |
| Aliases |
Valkin, Val, Valkie, Valky |
| Place of Birth |
Windy River minorHold |
| Current Location |
Ista Weyr |
| Occupation |
Weyrling |
| Key Characters For Val's Development |
Veski, Ashiira, Euripedea |
| Status |
Rider of Green Aurath |
| First Appearance |
Weyr Sale |
Description
A scruffy mass of dirty blond hair is generally a cause for amusement as it fails to settle even when combed. It's completely unmanageable which goes hand in hand with the age of the lad. To that, he has lightly tanned face with a pleasant curvature to the structure and promises of a pronounced cheekbone and strong chin when he matures. For now, his eyes seem rather doe-like in the way that they stand out amongst his boyish features: a watery blue so vivid that someone just might have to take a second look to see if they are natural. Atop these eyes of his, his brows are already thick but are on the lighter shade of blond that they do in fact appear slender. In the center of his features is a delectable nose that has been set above thinly drawn fair rose lips.
His stature is more characteristic to a sprouting young man. He's reached to a height just above average for his age and has taken on dealing with the awkwardness of lanky limbs. Currently, his garb displays a status perhaps of that belonging to a young apprentice or young holder, though there is no knot to go along with that assumption (knot perhaps misplaced). He wears a nice set of dark green trousers with a crease that starts at the bottoms of each knee toward the hem of the pants. A shirt with lacey frills for cuffs is covered by a leather vest jerkin, making his form slender while sleeves of the shirt seem a bit more billowy. On his feet are leather made ropers (or pern equivalent) which at least keep his feet covered, but are nothing special.
History
The path that this young man has been on already has been adventurous and dangerous. Not only did he run away from the prospects of being a holder's son, with a guaranteed future, but he wound up in the grasps of some very vile people. Still, out of it all, he was able to make friends and end up in Ista, where he slowly comes to realize that /he/ has the power over his own destiny - that it's no longer in the hands of those who would think to use him for their own benefits. To read a detailed history, click on the links below.
Valkin comes from a large family. His family's history begins with two settler parents who took on the daunting challenge of venturing farther west and south than most holders would even dare. This happened during the prime Turns when more land came up for distribution as per the decision of the Conclave of Holders. Of the names drawn to test out the lands, Vennard with his wife Ilisa and their daughter Vanessa and Vivanna, were given the opportunity with several other families to claim land for their own.
It was the chance the pair were waiting for and so they took their young children to the untested lands down South to begin a new settlement in which they one day hoped to prove as a hold. Settling on a river shore, they named it Windy River Hold. From that point on, Vennard kept Ilisa busy baring children while he worked the land, ensuring that even if in their lifetime the land wasn't proven, one of his sons or daughters would surely continue.
In this time Valkin and the rest of the ten siblings of Vennard and Ilisa were often kept busy with keeping each other fed, cleaned, and cared for, as well as contributing to the growth of the hold around them. Unfortunately, the one downside breaking a land for human habitation was the constant unknowns in which the families had to deal with, on top of the lack of consistent communication of the outside world (other than the other families that went down to claim land). The children didn't even realize the expanse of the outside world, briefly learning about it in their spare time, which was hard to come by when everyone had duties to attend too. Often, free time would mean a chance to visit the other holders, thus, none were anxious to know more about the outside world, content with what they had and what they knew - much to the delight of Vennard. What man wouldn't be delighted to know all his children would stay and expand his Holdings?
As for Valkin, he usually stuck close to Vannae and was otherwise forgotten as the middle child when it came to catching his parents eye. Yet he had caught his older brothers attention more than once when they would rather be chasing skirts instead of working, being dumped on with their work or used as the escape goat. Although they would make it up to him by trying to educate him on how to fish, hunt, and swim, among other manly tasks. Altogether, he had a fairly decent childhood, with plenty of hard work involved which came with its vast rewards.
There was a piece missing, even in all of that. Something of a desire left in Valkin that he'd spend his waking moments at night trying to assess. He had dreams that his other siblings had not realized. Often Valkin was captivated by the stories of harpers and healers, of boats, of Weyrs, of craft halls and gathers, leading him to such fancies of meeting them. Life at the Hold was mundane for a lad who let his imagination soar ahead of him. He knew he wasn't going to be happy being betrothed and married like his elder brothers would be. Life had to be more exciting, more adventurous - life had to be as exciting as it was in the tales of Harper Master Robinton. He had become lulled into a sense of wanting that unknown. Day dreaming of it.
Vannae was the only one keeping him grounded to his roots, reminding him of the reality of the world. He was only eleven. At fifteen he would have to take a wife and take a portion of the settlement and create a cothold. Everyone was counting on him. Vennard had already mapped out where his cothold would be and had already begun planning the marriage ceremony. She told Valkin that Vennard was already counting on how many grandchildren he would get, ensuring that the woman in whom Valkin would be with was ready to bare children. He was Vennard's last born son afterall, the last son to be taken care of and placed. Vannae was excited for Valkin and tried to make him share that excitement. It was at such times that Valkin knew Vannae didn't understand his ambitions to see what was beyond the Hold. He had to leave before the the obligation to his little sister overpowered his own wants, or worse yet, before he was driven to accept the life his father planned for him. Afterall, Vennard knew how much of a softy his last son was, how easy it would be to steer Valkin where he was needed.
Valkin had to leave. Time was running out, the noose of his father was tightening. It seemed so simple to leave and at first, it was. The only thing that kept him going when it seemed so hard - when he was days away from the Hold, when he heard his family calling for him - was the fear of returning to stand before his father. So he ran.
It had to have been sheer luck that he didn't die from starvation, dehydration, or from the elements during his time alone. The south was a harsh place and as he found out, his father's hold was very isolated. For seven days, there was nothing but wilderness in front of him. On the brink of being defeated by the elements, he came across a wagon trail that looked to be seldom used. Exhausted, he collapsed there on the trail, debating getting up and continuing. Mistress luck must have been on his side because that very night a merchant woman came upon him and saved his life.
The devious appearance of the woman didn't seem to phase Valkin, the boy delirious from his trek and just thankful to have found someone. The woman was shocked that a young boy would have made such a journey and to have survived it as well. She questioned the boy but he refused to say where he was from. The merchant woman, Helga, made sure he had not escaped from the renegades. Insistent that he knew nothing about the renegades, the merchant woman saw an opportunity.
Merchant Helga decided to strike a contract with the vulnerable boy in exchange for food and shelter. It was not an agreement to the boy's favour. Instead, the contract ensured he would be in her debt for a long time to come. Near starving and dehydrated, Valkin didn't question what he was agreeing too and thus fell for the trap.
It was a Turn later, while he was still in the service of the merchant woman, that she attended a market. Unlike the other few places they did see, this market was not for the faint of heart. It was the underground black market. Gathered in secret, several caravans set up their goods in anticipation of selling to the renegades, who at times, paid more handsomely than Holders.
Helga dealt in exotic animals and items from all over Pern, obtaining each with as devious methods as she obtained Valkin. Now at this market, it was not an animal or item that caught the attention of one renegade, it was her 'apprentice' which ensnared the eye of Veski. Through a vicious bargain, Veski dumped more marks for the boy to the merchant woman than Valkin had ever seen. The boy's life was systematically traded to the rengades; not at all the place the young dreamer would have imagined himself to wind up at.
Family
| Name |
Relation |
Location |
Position |
Age |
Adoptable? |
| Vennard |
Father |
Windy River Hold |
Yet to be confirmed by conclave: MinorLord Holder |
45 |
Yes |
| Ilisa |
Mother |
Windy River Hold |
Yet to be confirmed by conclave: MinorLady Holder |
32 |
Yes |
| Vanessa |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+10 yrs |
Yes |
| Vivanna |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+8 yrs |
Yes |
| Von |
Brother |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+7 yrs |
Yes |
| Verna |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+6 yrs |
Yes |
| Viktor |
Brother |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+3 yrs |
Yes |
| Venton |
Brother |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+3 yrs |
Yes |
| Vernnon |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
+2 yrs |
Yes |
| Valkin |
Player Character |
Ista Weyr |
Apprentice Harper |
+/- yrs |
NO |
| Vannae |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
-1 yrs |
Yes |
| Vyonna |
Sister |
Windy River Hold |
Holder |
-3 yrs |
Yes |
Reflections Of The Character
Below is a playlist of songs that has become associated with Valkin's character, personality, and emotions. Through these songs his player is empowered to Rp him.
Rusted From the Rain - Billy Talent.
Listen Now
"You hung me like a picture, now I'm just a frame
I used to be your lap dog, now I'm just a stray
Shackled in the graveyard left here to decay
Left here to decay, left here to decay
I'm rusted from the rain."
War - Lukas Rossi
Listen Now
" But nobody knows
The places that we've been
It's time to let you go
I can't go on like this
So say your goodbyes, just say your goodbyes
I know how hard it is to put away that gun
but I wanna watch you die…
I wanna watch you die…"
Monster - Stars Down
Listen Now
"Don't leave this up to me
If you want to know the truth
I'm no good company
Everything I touch just falls apart
It's unbelievable
I'll leave this up to you
But I'm dangerous
I'm tired of being a monster
I'm tired of being a cancer
I'm tired of being the crosshairs of her life
I may not be the answer
I'm just feeling under pressure
I'm tired of being all messed up inside."
Firelizards
Calcifer
This bronze firelizard appears wreathed in dancing flames. Depending on the angle viewed, parts of him shift through the hues of Fire: A rich crimson, a vivid neon orange, a pale saffron, and in places a light viridian and faint, rarely seen cerulean. The predominant shades, naturally, hover between yellow and orange in the form of fire-kissed bronze. The form of this firelizard itself seems to waver as if seen through a heat mirage. His wings are the crowning glory, bursting forth in a riot of oranges, reds, and yellows in a fantastic display of simulated heat and light, although the very edges transition rather quickly to a burt coal black, as if burned in truth.
Yakul
The hide of this firelizard is alternately dark and drab, mingled with black and grey in such a way as to make his true colour almost indiscernible. There are, however, clues. Firstly, his size betrays him, as he is far too small to be a gold, yet outside of the brown size-range. Secondly, there is an unmistakable bronze tint to his hide in certain lights, most notably natural sunlight. Physically, he's just as difficult to figure out. He has a long serpentine neck, topped with a small round head and an excessively pointed muzzle, and spindly twigs for legs, but the body of a particularly squat wherry, with wings that barely look capable of flight.
Dragon
Green Aurath
This stocky little green has been split into two dominate colors, which clash with one another. A picture of an epic battle, the two colors create threshold where the territories have been claimed and secured. On the topside where the largest boarders have been held is a hunter green, which slides down her broad back, stains her wing spars, and dives down half way on the front portion of her spindly legs. What's more apparent is the hunter green holds to the top half of her long oddly curled tail. All of this hunter holds back the lime green below which envelops the front side of her neck, her underbelly, and the backsides of her legs, as well as the under length of her curled tail.
The greatest battle however, takes place on her elongated muzzle, where the vivid lime has managed to swathe her narrow features, save for at the very tip of her nose. Looped over her nostrils, an island patch has been conquered by the darkness. Back near the top side of her face, a 'm' shaped mask of hunter surges downward, with the center 'v' narrowing to a strip that stops at the bridge of her muzzle, while the outsides curve downward towards her jaw, with the upper most points brushing the tops of her eye ridges. Behind her, her head knobs have been bound to an agreement, a trade off as the front sides of her head knobs are bold lime with the backs marked in dark inky green.
Character Ref Pictures
