Deviana Helena Blackwood |
Known as: Devi
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Birthday: Season of Spring, Day 36, 492AV
Birthplace: Syliras
Appearance |
I’ve been told that my eyes are my most discernible feature. I have a feeling that’s more to do with how often I’m glaring at people than anything else. I could be wrong though. It has been known to happen from time to time.
Height: 5ft 4in / 157cm
Weight: 120 pounds / 8 ½ stone / 55kg
Physique: Devi has a small frame, delicate and lightly curved. She has a physique well accustomed to daily, fast-paced walking and regular horseback riding but no more than that.
Skin colour: Pale cream, good complexion, a smattering of light freckles across cheeks.
Eyes: Dark green.
Hair: Long, wavy and thick, bright auburn in colour. Often tied in a loose braid when she is working or out of the city but left to flow free just as often.
Clothes: In her day to day Devi is often seen in practical clothing - shirts of varying colours which hug her curved form, dark brown/black/pale grey trousers and knee-high laced or buckled boots in brown or black. When treating patients a Ramie tunic is worn over clothes in order to catch any unpleasant fluids.
Outerwear includes a fine black or pale grey wool coat as well as fine black gloves and scarf, with fur-lined boots in dark brown or black for cold weather. Devi also owns a limited selection of fine occasional wear and silver jewellery - see the possessions section for full details.
Note for Thread PartnersFeel free to assume any combination of the clothing described here/in possessions if I don't specifically mention anything in my introductory post.
Personality |
Words can be dismissed as easily as whispers on the wind. I don’t care if you vow it on your goddess’ holy knickers, it means nothing to me until you do something about it.
A desire to heal runs at the core of Devi’s persona. She is willing to explore every avenue in a bid to heal the body, mind or soul of another. Any knowledge which would assist in that goal is attacked with a passion, at the expense of all else. Devi prides herself on being level-headed and calm under pressure in all but the most trying of circumstances. However her fervour for work often leaves her somewhat isolated. Whilst she is openly friendly and boasts many acquaintances, more intimate social situations are more of a mystery to her. The closest relationship she holds is with her older brother, Ronan.
With their mother already passed and their father’s mind and heath gradually declining, Ronan took care of the both of them throughout Devi’s childhood. He remains to this day the person she trusts most in the world and the one for whom she pushes herself to be better. It is for him that she values honesty and integrity in herself and others, though Devi herself tends to be slightly more cynical and hardened than her sibling. A surface level of trust is easily gained as Devi believes in giving people chances. However a deeper level of trust would be painstakingly earned and very easily broken. She deflects with sarcasm and laughs easily but holds a metaphorical wall around herself for protection.
Likes: Devi likes to laugh and will gravitate towards people who can elicit the reaction in her. The highest priorities in her life are her brother, his family and her passion for doctoring. Her favourite season is summer and her favourite colour is cobalt blue. She likes people with integrity and, much as it might also frustrate her, likes being challenged. She loves to learn, whether it be a new facet of medicine, a person or simply something new. She has a mischievous streak in her core and whilst she is loathe to admit to it, has enjoyed the perks that come with a comfortable lifestyle. Her favourite treat is honey-roasted hazelnuts and she loves getting out of the packed corridors of Syliras to be under an open sky.
Dislikes: Devi has little time for anyone who won't fight a little for what they believe in. Dishonesty or corruption are amongst the worst qualities a person can have. She hates cold and wet weather, cannot cook (at all) and absolutely, point-blank refuses to learn to swim. She detests anyone who causes physical or mental pain just for the pleasure of it. She can't abide laziness and perhaps for that very reason, Devi doesn't especially like cats. She also likes to maintain control and so as a rule, doesn't ingest alcohol or narcotics and is by habit, fastidiously clean.
Ethics |
Oh sure, kill the doctor! I swear the next catastrophic event to decimate the human race will be idiocy.
Devi is essentially good in her core. Her stubborn nature means she’s willing to bend or even break established rules and laws for the right reasons but the cost will always be carefully considered. She would consider it worth the risk to break a law in the pursuit of saving a life, for example. She also has a selfless streak within her but would use her own definitions to question whether the person she is trying to aid is worth her own suffering or should instead be left to their fate.
Despite seeing death and pain quite frequently in her line of work, Devi has never intentionally killed and would not do so without substantial motivation. However she does admit the possibility to herself that she is capable of such an act - this being one of the primary reasons she has never sought the healing mark of Rak'keli upon her skin.
Languages |
I come across quite a number of languages in my line of work. For the most part it’s just cursewords but even so, it keeps my day interesting.
Fluent Language: Common
Basic Language: Tukant (Akalak)
Poor Language: None
Skills |
I didn’t think we were supposed to arrange medical corpses into poses either but that didn’t stop it from being funny.
Skills Table :
Note:
Poison skill specialisms (novice skill) - aquatic.
Lores |
The human body is an endless source of fascination for me. It elicits one complex puzzle after another. Less fascinating is the overwhelming pressure to learn all there is to know about childbirth in this city. Apparently though, I’m the only female doctor in all of Syliras who finds children inescapably annoying.
People
Autumn: Patient who plays the gea'tar
A curious falcon
Aren: Fetched me when Sayana went into labour
Baelin: Crazy for swimming in winter
Chaktawe: Black eyes and from the desert
Elann: Benshira weaver from Yaheba
Elann: Story of arriving in Syliras
Florinne & Marcus: Niece & Newphew
Garland: In Need of Help for a Sick Friend
Garland: In Love with a Crazy Woman?
Garland: Squire who is good with children
Garland: Grew up in the orphanage
Garland: screams like a girl
Kalvina: Pregnant Lady
Kelvic: Watching a Kelvic shift
Lorden Ladis: A Knightly Knight
Marianne: Sister-in-Law
Marianne: Pregnant with a baby due early Fall 515AV
Orin Fenix: The cook with the head injury
Orin: Doesn’t drink because it killed his father
Orin: Many Faces, One Man.
Rhavu the Nightwalker
Rhavu: Not the Wild Beast they say he is
Rhov: Chaktawe bounty hunter
Ronan: The smart mouthed brother
Ronan's advice: Using writing and sketching as therapy
Saraphina: Kelvic patient with old shoulder injury
Sayana: Dancer and Garland's Dear Friend
Sayana: Eypharian Who Works at the Rearing Stallion
Sayana: Something Infectious
Sayana: Prescribing Sayana Rugberry Tea and Mandrake
Sayana: She makes some crazy parties.
Sayana: The Tale of Aren and Sayana
Sayana: Can beat any odds
Sayana: Beyond happy
Sylvette: Orin's Bondmate
Versin: The oil of the Bunwol plant, used as an antidote
Wynara: Mother of eight children
A curious falcon
Aren: Fetched me when Sayana went into labour
Baelin: Crazy for swimming in winter
Chaktawe: Black eyes and from the desert
Elann: Benshira weaver from Yaheba
Elann: Story of arriving in Syliras
Florinne & Marcus: Niece & Newphew
Garland: In Need of Help for a Sick Friend
Garland: In Love with a Crazy Woman?
Garland: Squire who is good with children
Garland: Grew up in the orphanage
Garland: screams like a girl
Kalvina: Pregnant Lady
Kelvic: Watching a Kelvic shift
Lorden Ladis: A Knightly Knight
Marianne: Sister-in-Law
Marianne: Pregnant with a baby due early Fall 515AV
Orin Fenix: The cook with the head injury
Orin: Doesn’t drink because it killed his father
Orin: Many Faces, One Man.
Rhavu the Nightwalker
Rhavu: Not the Wild Beast they say he is
Rhov: Chaktawe bounty hunter
Ronan: The smart mouthed brother
Ronan's advice: Using writing and sketching as therapy
Saraphina: Kelvic patient with old shoulder injury
Sayana: Dancer and Garland's Dear Friend
Sayana: Eypharian Who Works at the Rearing Stallion
Sayana: Something Infectious
Sayana: Prescribing Sayana Rugberry Tea and Mandrake
Sayana: She makes some crazy parties.
Sayana: The Tale of Aren and Sayana
Sayana: Can beat any odds
Sayana: Beyond happy
Sylvette: Orin's Bondmate
Versin: The oil of the Bunwol plant, used as an antidote
Wynara: Mother of eight children
Skills
Medicine: Medicine: Knowledge of human anatomy
Medicine: Knowledge of herbs/plants common to Sylira
Medicine: Clean body, clean soul
Medicine: Syliras is the prefect breeding ground for Disease
Medicine: The usefulness of an assistant
Medicine: Sleep is not a thing for doctors
Medicine: Wooden splint: Secures broken bones
Medicine: Diagnosing the aches of an old injury
Medicine: Exercises to rehabilitate an arm after injury
Medicine: To be known as a good doctor
Medicine: Treating children
Medicine: Signs of head injury and concussion.
Medicine: You never know when you'll need to treat serious injury!
Medicine: Head injury: Stemming further damage.
Medicine: Head injuries are tricky
Medicine: Chamayo Tonic, helps people remember things after a concussion
Medicine: Concussion Symptoms - Look out for nausea, dizziness and check the pupils if case of head injury
Medicine: Stitching a wound
Medicine: Alcohol to cleanse a wound
Medicine: How to treat frostbite
Medicine: Hypothermia
Medicine: Life over limb
Medicine: Moisturizing an old burn
Medicine: It's different when you're treating a friend
Medicine: Stethoscope to hear a baby's heart
Medicine: Checking an unborn baby's heartbeat
Herbalism: Rugberry tea: Warms body, reduces fever chills
Herbalism: Iskyny tea: Helps patient sleep soundly
Herbalism: Krolar paste: Helps heal cuts
Herbalism: Fauxsil
Herbalism: Vyfox
Herbalism: Tolm
Herbalism: Vyfox wards against infection for wounds
Herbalism: Preparing and applying a Vyfox poultice
Herbalism: Midwife Miracle - Properties and Uses
Herbalism: Delaviv - Speeds Childbirth
Herbalism: Identifying Delaviv
Herbalism: Useful for curing mild poison
Herbalism: Brinetooth Berries
Herbalism: Belltor
Herbalism: Belltor - Identification
Herbalism: Belltor - Good for colds and coughs, reduces scarring
Herbalism: Vyfox Identification
Herbalism: Jile Berries Identification and Medicinal Properties
Herbalism: Jile Berries - Fast-acting antidote but too much can be hazardous
Herbalism: Rhinedale Ash properties
Herbalism: Aloe vera for soothing
Herbalism: Centella
Poison: Phantom's Shell - Identification in patients
Poison: Phantom's Shell - Poison that causes pain, made from seaweed ashes
Poison: Hemlock - Strong dose can cause lungs to fail
Poison: Hemlock - Identification, looks similar to Vyfox
Poison: The wrong antidote can be just as bad as the poison itself
Poison: Moonseed - A poisonous berry with crescent moon shaped seeds
Poison/Herbalism: Acson - Good for animal poisons and snakebites, induces vomiting
Poison/Herbalism: Acson - Identification, looks similar to Belltor
---
Acting: Faking a smile
Archery: Proper Stance
Archery: Breathing techniques
Archery: Proper elbow placement
Archery: Don’t overthink it
Archery: On horseback
Archery: Be mindful of the wind
Drawing: Practice makes perfect
Flirting: A gentle tease
Foraging: Don't deplete a source you plan to come back to
Horsemanship: Rewarding good behaviour
Horsemanship: Nightwalker Horses
Horsemanship: Bribing Your Ride
Intimidation: Quieting unruly patients
Intimidation: Under no circumstances was I flirting with you
Investigation: When a wound doesn't match the given cause
Investigation: Noticing unusual reactions
Investigation: Determining cause of a wound
Investigation: Signs of poison consumption
Leadership: Taking charge in a medical emergency
Massage: Using lavendar scented cream to soothe
Music: Keeping a beat
Persuasion: Using an authoritative tone of voice
Planning: coordinating schedules
Philosophy: When to keep quiet about a crime
Philtering: Mixing powered Vyfox and Belltor into Krolar paste
Philtering: Tolm Infusion
Rhetoric: making a wedding speech
Riding: How to confuse your horse
Riding: Mounting Your Horse
Riding: Handling the Reigns
Riding: Using Your Legs
Riding: Voice Commands
Socialisation: Socialisation with Another Person Can be Nice
Socialisation: Forcing a smile
Socialisation: Reassuring a nervous patient
Teaching: Explaining concepts to non-native speakers
Writing: Keeping a medical journal
Medicine: Knowledge of herbs/plants common to Sylira
Medicine: Clean body, clean soul
Medicine: Syliras is the prefect breeding ground for Disease
Medicine: The usefulness of an assistant
Medicine: Sleep is not a thing for doctors
Medicine: Wooden splint: Secures broken bones
Medicine: Diagnosing the aches of an old injury
Medicine: Exercises to rehabilitate an arm after injury
Medicine: To be known as a good doctor
Medicine: Treating children
Medicine: Signs of head injury and concussion.
Medicine: You never know when you'll need to treat serious injury!
Medicine: Head injury: Stemming further damage.
Medicine: Head injuries are tricky
Medicine: Chamayo Tonic, helps people remember things after a concussion
Medicine: Concussion Symptoms - Look out for nausea, dizziness and check the pupils if case of head injury
Medicine: Stitching a wound
Medicine: Alcohol to cleanse a wound
Medicine: How to treat frostbite
Medicine: Hypothermia
Medicine: Life over limb
Medicine: Moisturizing an old burn
Medicine: It's different when you're treating a friend
Medicine: Stethoscope to hear a baby's heart
Medicine: Checking an unborn baby's heartbeat
Herbalism: Rugberry tea: Warms body, reduces fever chills
Herbalism: Iskyny tea: Helps patient sleep soundly
Herbalism: Krolar paste: Helps heal cuts
Herbalism: Fauxsil
Herbalism: Vyfox
Herbalism: Tolm
Herbalism: Vyfox wards against infection for wounds
Herbalism: Preparing and applying a Vyfox poultice
Herbalism: Midwife Miracle - Properties and Uses
Herbalism: Delaviv - Speeds Childbirth
Herbalism: Identifying Delaviv
Herbalism: Useful for curing mild poison
Herbalism: Brinetooth Berries
Herbalism: Belltor
Herbalism: Belltor - Identification
Herbalism: Belltor - Good for colds and coughs, reduces scarring
Herbalism: Vyfox Identification
Herbalism: Jile Berries Identification and Medicinal Properties
Herbalism: Jile Berries - Fast-acting antidote but too much can be hazardous
Herbalism: Rhinedale Ash properties
Herbalism: Aloe vera for soothing
Herbalism: Centella
Poison: Phantom's Shell - Identification in patients
Poison: Phantom's Shell - Poison that causes pain, made from seaweed ashes
Poison: Hemlock - Strong dose can cause lungs to fail
Poison: Hemlock - Identification, looks similar to Vyfox
Poison: The wrong antidote can be just as bad as the poison itself
Poison: Moonseed - A poisonous berry with crescent moon shaped seeds
Poison/Herbalism: Acson - Good for animal poisons and snakebites, induces vomiting
Poison/Herbalism: Acson - Identification, looks similar to Belltor
---
Acting: Faking a smile
Archery: Proper Stance
Archery: Breathing techniques
Archery: Proper elbow placement
Archery: Don’t overthink it
Archery: On horseback
Archery: Be mindful of the wind
Drawing: Practice makes perfect
Flirting: A gentle tease
Foraging: Don't deplete a source you plan to come back to
Horsemanship: Rewarding good behaviour
Horsemanship: Nightwalker Horses
Horsemanship: Bribing Your Ride
Intimidation: Quieting unruly patients
Intimidation: Under no circumstances was I flirting with you
Investigation: When a wound doesn't match the given cause
Investigation: Noticing unusual reactions
Investigation: Determining cause of a wound
Investigation: Signs of poison consumption
Leadership: Taking charge in a medical emergency
Massage: Using lavendar scented cream to soothe
Music: Keeping a beat
Persuasion: Using an authoritative tone of voice
Planning: coordinating schedules
Philosophy: When to keep quiet about a crime
Philtering: Mixing powered Vyfox and Belltor into Krolar paste
Philtering: Tolm Infusion
Rhetoric: making a wedding speech
Riding: How to confuse your horse
Riding: Mounting Your Horse
Riding: Handling the Reigns
Riding: Using Your Legs
Riding: Voice Commands
Socialisation: Socialisation with Another Person Can be Nice
Socialisation: Forcing a smile
Socialisation: Reassuring a nervous patient
Teaching: Explaining concepts to non-native speakers
Writing: Keeping a medical journal
Language
Tukant is a difficult language
How to ask for a cat in Tukant
How to ask for a cat in Tukant
Events-Locations
Event: Sayana's New Year's Party
Event: Sayana and Aren's Wedding
Event: Sayana and Aren's Wedding Reception
Location: The Bronze Woods
Location: Kalvina's Apartment
Location: The path from Syliras to Mithryn
Location: Windmount Stables
Maid of Honor to Sayana
Soothing Waters: Full of well-paid, pretentious idiots
Syliras: The Snowstorm of 514
Syliras: The Welcome Home Orphanage
Syliras: Is very cold in winter
Event: Sayana and Aren's Wedding
Event: Sayana and Aren's Wedding Reception
Location: The Bronze Woods
Location: Kalvina's Apartment
Location: The path from Syliras to Mithryn
Location: Windmount Stables
Maid of Honor to Sayana
Soothing Waters: Full of well-paid, pretentious idiots
Syliras: The Snowstorm of 514
Syliras: The Welcome Home Orphanage
Syliras: Is very cold in winter
Miscellaneous
Coping with a stillborn close to home
Hazelnuts and honey, the best distraction
Kriital: Giant vulture-like bird
Regaining confidence as a doctor after a stillborn
Sharing mother's death with someone
Syliras Knighthood - Green Company: Knights adorned in Earthy colours.
Syliras Knighthood - Nightwalkers are the Breed of Choice for the Mage-Knights
Trusting your Gut
Wearing a Dress
Winter: Not a good time to swim
Hazelnuts and honey, the best distraction
Kriital: Giant vulture-like bird
Regaining confidence as a doctor after a stillborn
Sharing mother's death with someone
Syliras Knighthood - Green Company: Knights adorned in Earthy colours.
Syliras Knighthood - Nightwalkers are the Breed of Choice for the Mage-Knights
Trusting your Gut
Wearing a Dress
Winter: Not a good time to swim
Possessions |
The pages of my mother’s journal tell me far more about her than about the work that she undertook. Still, each time she learnt about a new plant she sketched it in great detail, with all the annotations one could wish for (even if some of those were simply how beautiful she thought they were). Every venture beyond the city walls was a dangerous undertaking – she willingly risked herself to help ease the pain of other people. All that and it was childbirth that killed her. Ironic really.
Heirloom
Elysse’s Journal (Family Heirloom) - A large, soft-leather bound book. Half is already filled in with journal entries and annotated sketches of herbs and plants local to Sylira, particularly those common in the area surrounding Syliras. The other half is blank, ready to be filled.
Clothing
Everyday:
Shirts:
6 white, fitted, cotton shirts
6 dyed, fitted, cotton shirts in forest green, pale grey, cobalt blue, sky blue, dark red and black
Trousers/Pants:
3 pairs of sturdy cotton, fitted trousers in black, pale grey and dark brown
Shoes:
Simple blue shoes
Brown leather, laced high boots
Black leather, laced high boots
Other:
Medical Over-Tunic, made of Ramie
Simple blue cotton dress
2 leather belts with simple buckles in dark brown and black
Outer/Cold Weather Wear:
2 fitted llama-wool, 3/4 length coats in black and pale grey
Llama wool scarf and gloves in black.
2 pairs of buckled (simple), fur-lined (unusual), leather boots in black and dark brown
Occasional-Wear:
2 silk dresses in forest green and cobalt blue
2 pairs of fine silk shoes in pale gold and black
Long black velvet gloves, lined with pale gold satin and embroidered in the same colour (think celtic-style, from the trim leading down to the middle finger)
Full length black, hooded, velvet cloak lined with pale gold satin and embroidered in the same colour (think celtic-style, around the trim and hood). Fastened with a fine gold catch.
Jewellery:
Various silver including:
3 x pairs of earrings
Bracelet
2 x necklaces
2 x rings
Circlet
Shirts:
6 white, fitted, cotton shirts
6 dyed, fitted, cotton shirts in forest green, pale grey, cobalt blue, sky blue, dark red and black
Trousers/Pants:
3 pairs of sturdy cotton, fitted trousers in black, pale grey and dark brown
Shoes:
Simple blue shoes
Brown leather, laced high boots
Black leather, laced high boots
Other:
Medical Over-Tunic, made of Ramie
Simple blue cotton dress
2 leather belts with simple buckles in dark brown and black
Outer/Cold Weather Wear:
2 fitted llama-wool, 3/4 length coats in black and pale grey
Llama wool scarf and gloves in black.
2 pairs of buckled (simple), fur-lined (unusual), leather boots in black and dark brown
Occasional-Wear:
2 silk dresses in forest green and cobalt blue
2 pairs of fine silk shoes in pale gold and black
Long black velvet gloves, lined with pale gold satin and embroidered in the same colour (think celtic-style, from the trim leading down to the middle finger)
Full length black, hooded, velvet cloak lined with pale gold satin and embroidered in the same colour (think celtic-style, around the trim and hood). Fastened with a fine gold catch.
Jewellery:
Various silver including:
3 x pairs of earrings
Bracelet
2 x necklaces
2 x rings
Circlet
Medical Items
Healer's Kit (full of herbs, salves, bandages and other useful materials)
Surgeon's Kit (Consisting of a scalpel, scissors, small mirror and other tools, the surgeon’s kit is useful for inspecting a corpse, dissecting a creature or otherwise performing minute examinations of a living or dead creature.)
Leather-bound journal - Patient Record & Medical Journal
Leather-bound journal - Philtering Journal (Devi's personal record of techniques/recipes, known medicines, known poisons/antidotes)
Leather bound journal - Record of Illnesses & Conditions (Devi's notations on any illnesses/diseases she comes across as well as particular wounds and symptoms)
From Foraging:
Vyfox: 3 oz
Jile berries: 5oz
Surgeon's Kit (Consisting of a scalpel, scissors, small mirror and other tools, the surgeon’s kit is useful for inspecting a corpse, dissecting a creature or otherwise performing minute examinations of a living or dead creature.)
Leather-bound journal - Patient Record & Medical Journal
Leather-bound journal - Philtering Journal (Devi's personal record of techniques/recipes, known medicines, known poisons/antidotes)
Leather bound journal - Record of Illnesses & Conditions (Devi's notations on any illnesses/diseases she comes across as well as particular wounds and symptoms)
From Foraging:
Vyfox: 3 oz
Jile berries: 5oz
Weapons-Armour
Composite Longbow
Bow Case
Leather Quiver
19x Longbow Arrows
Archer's Glove
Leather Arm Guard
Bow Case
Leather Quiver
19x Longbow Arrows
Archer's Glove
Leather Arm Guard
Miscellaneous
1 Waterskin
1 Backpack which contains:
-Comb (Wood)
-Brush (Wood)
-Soap
-Razor
-Balanced Rations (1 Week's worth)
-1 eating knife
-Flint & Steel
1 bottle of Moonshine (from Moonshine and Moonseeds thread)
Charcoal (20 sticks)
Ink Sticks (10 sticks)
Nightwalker Mount - Rhavu
Riding Saddle
Saddle Pad
Bit & Bridle
Large Saddlebags
Medium Size Blanket & Hood
1 Backpack which contains:
-Comb (Wood)
-Brush (Wood)
-Soap
-Razor
-Balanced Rations (1 Week's worth)
-1 eating knife
-Flint & Steel
1 bottle of Moonshine (from Moonshine and Moonseeds thread)
Charcoal (20 sticks)
Ink Sticks (10 sticks)
Nightwalker Mount - Rhavu
Riding Saddle
Saddle Pad
Bit & Bridle
Large Saddlebags
Medium Size Blanket & Hood
Housing |
Home sweet, closely-packed, home...
Location: Syliras - Maiden District
(Updated Fall 10th 515AV) Most of the furniture listed in the plan is made of good quality wood with fabrics and decorations scattered here and there in shades of blue and green. The bed stands out as the most extravagant item, covered in cream and teal pillows and bedspread (a veritable mountain of comfy) and fine cream fabric hangs to form curtains around the four posts.
Decorative, polished stone carvings and little knick-knacks are scattered on the shelves and desk, as well as a large red, glass vase on the dining table and a smaller blue vase on the bookshelf. A few leather-bound books are stacked on the shelves, leaving room for more, and jars/containers of medicinal substances are dotted around the bookshelf and the desk. A few tapestries adorn the walls, all depicting some kind of landscape involving green forests and bright blue rivers.
Note that the lock on the front door of the apartment has been upgraded to Good quality, meaning it would take expert level Larceny skill to pick.
Ledger |
Don’t look so surprised. Last I checked I am female. It follows that I should have the spending habits of one.
Employment: Local Doctor, 24GM/day (8GM base - expert level medicine)
514 Ledger :
515 Ledger :
516 Ledger :
Character History |
I became apprentice to the doctor who lived in our neighbourhood, Versin. He had about as much bedside manner as a teaspoon but to my younger self he seemed to know everything.
I’ll start where everyone always seems to start. My mother died giving birth to me and after 13 long years of grieving my father killed himself. My brother, Ronan, and I needed to grow up quickly. We became accustomed to the stigma of a suicide hanging over our family. In a city where everyone is productive and nothing is wasted, the thought of ending one’s own life is practically abhorrent. Still, my childhood wasn’t as terrible as everyone seems to assume. Ronan helped me do more than just survive. He took care of me, chasing away bad dreams and telling wild stories of the lands beyond the city wall.
Before he passed I saw echoes of the man than Taran used to be, echoes of a loving father and an honourable man. He came alive when he spoke about my mother. She was an herbalist, travelling outside the city whenever she could find an escort, to gather from the forest and add new entries to her journal. She used everything she could find to help people. It’s how she met my father and, so he told me, how they fell in love.
Still, the older I got the more I came to realise that I must have her look about me. After his brief foray into his memories my father would look at me and the happiness would just seep out of him. His world became bleak and grey, his body simply performing the actions required of it and no more. I would run away each time this happened into a new hiding spot but Ronan would always find me. He used to say that it just went to prove what a wonderful mother we must have had, for our father to miss her so.
Ronan has always known the right thing to say. He doesn’t need to shout or flourish, people just naturally warm to him, trust him. I never had his way with words but I always admired how he strengthened the people around him. I suppose my learning medicine was my way of imitating him, strengthening people in a way that I found natural.
I became apprentice to the doctor who lived in our neighbourhood, Versin. He had about as much bedside manner as a teaspoon but to my younger self he seemed to know everything. I soaked up all the knowledge he had to offer and questioned him at every turn. I became fascinated by anatomy and in turn I think he was relieved to finally have an apprentice not disgusted by the gory sides of healing and who didn’t become skittish around non-Syliran or even non-human patients.
I learnt all I could about diagnosing illnesses and treating wounds, always jumping at the chance to treat someone out of the ordinary or to assist Versin with his more challenging patients. He even taught me a little about diagnosing the dead, explaining all we could learn from patients that had died and how dangerous it could sometimes be to do so.
Of course, to neighbourhood gossips my fascination was naturally the result of my ‘unbalanced character’ and ‘traumatic childhood’. Thus was born my winning sense of humour. I found that with I could slice as deeply with words as with a scalpel. It’s funny how much one learns tending to the day to day ills of a community however. I’m not sure if people grew accustomed to me, learnt to trust me or learnt not to get on my bad side but eventually I had a small piece of what I’d been seeking.
My only problem now is that I want more. I want to do more, to learn more, to accomplish more than I have to date. As always in this city though, everything comes down to money.