Cailet

[Cailet]

Cailet (Kay-lit) Light is only the absence of darkness Age: 67th of Winter, 489 AV Race: Human Sex: Female Height: 5'7" Weight: 130lbs Appearance: Cailet was of a normal size, taller than most women but shorter than most men. She found this was an advantage, as she matched those she met with direct eye contact and harshly blunt words, her face expressionless. It was much easier to do said things when either looking down upon someone or on level with their own gaze. Her eyes themselves were large and chocolate brown and would be described as expressive if they weren't as cold as ice chips. There would be no romantic, getting-lost-in-her-eyes moments with Cailet. She was extremely well muscled, and her frame carried it well. A slender bone structure but she was built with sturdy proportions, the muscle making up most of her weight. She carried herself with a wraith-like grace, like a knife wrapped in silk, wrapped in in leather. Her legs were the most powerful part of her, with her arms not far behind. She had rather large hands for a woman and they were as useful as any bladed weapon; they were dangerous, yet when otherwise used, oddly gentle. She took very little enjoyment in dressing up, or looking her best. Despite the stern, disapproving look that twisted her features, she was actually a rather attractive woman, her face full of semi-sharp, but slender, lines, her lips full and lush. Her skin was pale and looked delicate, minus the calluses on her hands, the scrapes and scars the peppered various parts of her body- all badges of the hard work she dedicated herself too. As mentioned before, her scowl and her attitude turned those soft lines into harsh ones, accentuated by how she normally wore her wealth of long hair. Black as night and straight as a pin, Cailet's hair had never been cut, and fell down past her waist. She almost never wore it free, unless she was sleeping. Instead, her hair was always drawn back into a tight bun or a ponytail- as was normal for women of the Shinya. Character Concept The Shinya... Cailet was a hard woman, who had lived a hard life and whose years of training to become one of the elite Shinya had been...hard. Her eyes were hard, her muscles were hard, and her tone was hard, usually clipped and rough. Her speech was one of her oddities, since she had an extremely feminine lilt to her speech and an interesting way of forming her words and cadences that didn't match any particular accent. She was honest and sharp witted, unafraid of the consequences of her honesty. She wasn't quiet or shy, but nor was she the life of the party. A happy medium was fine for her. Her duty always came first, before any kind of socialization or any personal fun. Perhaps it was for the better that for Cailet, her job was her fun... at first. It took years, but Cailet eventually realized that she enjoyed leading, not enforcing laws. She believed that hard work was the recipe for success in whatever one decides to strive for. Her days were rigidly planned and meticulously followed. She believed that rules were rules, and that was the end of it. They were to be followed. Those who ignored the rules were just welcoming the consequences, and she was happy to oblige. She took no personal pleasure in such demonstrations of her power and/or physical prowess, having to disciplines wrong doers, but she felt not regret or guilt either. There was no time for Cailet to make friends, though she did soften just a bit around her fellow Shinya, because they were her family. And family is to be respected and protected- at all costs. However, even most of said family was intimidated by the hard, cold woman. Smiles were earned, not given, and even then few people had ever received one. Punishments were handed out accordingly and swiftly. Cailet held no respect for rule breakers, even among her family, and went out of her way to have little to no contact with those individuals. Fear was a natural human emotion, and one she was used to being related with her presence, and she always held a small regret in that. She hated fish, most meat and generally anything that was carved from the side of a carcass. She ate to live, she didn't live to eat. Material extravagances were of little importance, though the only adornment she did make acception for was a tiny pearl necklace she'd had since childhood. Meditation was one of the most important things to Cailet. She reveled in the feeling of having complete control over her mind and body. Being in a position of authority, it was hard for her to ever let go of that control. When off duty, Cailet enjoyed reading anything she could get her hands on, or enjoying the freshness of the outdoors. She would rarely spend her off hours relaxing, instead working her body to it's max hiking, climbing or even just leisurely strolls- just to be outside. She also took fierce pride in her ability to project, practicing constantly to hone her ability as close to perfection as she could. She differed, however, in her religion. Having traveled far and wide during her childhood and was raised mostly by herself, Cailet didn't avidly claim fidelity to a specific god or goddess. In fact, she hardly even knew the names of a handful thanks to her lack of proper schooling. While most Shinya worshiped Zintala, Cailet found herself floundering for some kind of direction. The Woman... There isn't much to say about Cailet as a woman. Suppressed for the majority of her childhood, Cailet's social skills were severely stunted. Growing up, she had trouble making friends or finding relationships. She didn't know how to dress herself like the women did, nor did she realize the difference between things little girls did, like play with dolls, and things boys did. As a young girl, a teenager and eventually a woman, this was very hard for her to deal with. She watched the other women around her succeed at what she could not: relationships, be they sexual or friendly. Long story short, Cailet had no one. Hurt, confused, and utterly lost at how to fix the problem, Cailet instead withdrew and focused on her passion as a Shinya, becoming the hard woman described above. There is still that little girl, hoping for love and simple companionship inside, it will just take a special person to bring her back out. History Cailet wasn't born in Lhavit. Her mother simply human while the identity of her father unknown to her. None of his heritage apparent in her features, leaving her no clues or any hope in figuring it out. As a child, Cailet doesn't remember having a life consisting of anything more than the back of a horse or the bed of a cart. Her mother, Florena, didn't stay in one place for long. Either unsatisfied by a domesticated life, or unable to find what she was looking for, Cailet would never know. Her mother never spoke to her,and could always be found in the arms of the multitudes of men that rode with them. She did not allow her suitors to to speak to Cailet either. It was a lonely life and a hard one. She was provided with food and a place to sleep, though usually the furthest from the fire or with the horses. Cailet was a mistake in her mothers eyes, and she was treated with as much care as a rock in ones shoe. She knew no other life, and was woefully inept at dealing with people. Shy, confined, she was on the verge of being a mute. However, her mother didn't lock her away or keep her from human company completely. Listening taught Cailet what she needed to know. In cities, she would talk to the shop keepers when her mother wasn't paying attention to her- not a problem, since she never was paying attention-, always questioned for her childish vocabulary and odd speaking cadences, even as she grew older. Cailet was around ten years of age when she, her mother and whatever man she lugged along with them found themselves at the gates of Lhavit (It wasn't as easy as it sounds, but thats another story). The small girl was enthralled, a city like she had never seen before, never even imagined. The temples and the crowds pleased her, the beauty of it...well, "leaving her speechless" is a tactless phrase, but it took her breath away. Enthralled as she was by the city it's self, it was the Shinya that caught her attention. They stayed in Lhavit for a bit. The longer they stayed, the more Cailet branched out; talking to everyone she could meet and slowly becoming obsessed with the stoic guards of the city. She found out what she could about them, once or twice mustering the courage to talk to one of the Shinya directly. What she learned reeled her in hook, line, and sinker. However, this was merely the first occurrence in a string of obsessions that would consume her waking (and sleeping) hours. The Shinya order was like a family. Up until that point, Cailet only had random brushes with strangers for companionship, and the odd little voice in the back of her head she called Amanda. How Amand had become to occupy the space in the back of her mind, Cailet wouldn't say. But it was the voice that kept the child together in those precarious years. She never mentioned Amanda to her mother, or anyone, afraid that if she was found out, that would be taken from her, too. It was a jealously guarded secret. (To be continued...)

[Cailet]

Amanda Gustovera We all hear voices…the difference is mine are real Born:489 AV Died: 496 AV Age: 7 Sex: Female Race: Human Skills: Projection- 10 Materialization- 10 Soulmist Projection- 10 "She never mentioned her to anyone..It was a jealously guarded secret." Who... She was a small, slender, boyish looking girl when she was alive. She had beautiful wavy brown hair. Sadly, it was really her only beautiful feature. Her skin was very pale, and it stood out even more so with her dark mane of hair, despite the fact that she lived on a farm and was almost always outside. With her sharp, bony features and pale watery eyes, the girl's appearance almost shouted of inbred heritage. She was about 4'9" when she passed away, and she was skinny, just on the verge of being underfed. This is how she appeared in as a ghost, though not quite as pathetic as she was in real life. Amanda had a mental image of herself that was a tad bit more complementary; her ghostly presence took on the form of a rather beautiful little girl with the same wavy brown hair she had in life. Why... The oldest of five children, Amanda was from a typical farmers background. Living on the coast in Denval, Amanda and her brothers and sisters split their time between helping their mother farm and their father fish. It was a tough life, with very little reward, as the Gustovera family was not very high up on the social ladder. All in all, it was a very sad life to live. But they made due, and Amanda rarely ever complained. She knew no other life, and hardly interacted with anyone outside of her family because of the heavy workload she was forced to endure. Cailet came into her life when her mother and the troupe was traveling from Wind Reach by boat. Cailet had never been on a boat before this, and when they came ashore, Halina happened to be manning the families fishing boat and equipment alone. After watching the scrawny child work for a while, Cailet mustered up the courage to go over and talk. She asked about the many different things Halina was doing, and the girl hesitantly began to explain the in's and out's of a fishers life. Before long, Cailet was enthusiastically wanting to try her hand to help. Reluctantly, Amanda amitted she could use the help carrying the gear, as she had to take the boat out to fish in deeper waters. Her father told her never to do this alone (since she was only a child of seven) and as he was preoccupied, little Amanda thought she could have a nice surprise for her father by accepting free help, and getting the job done without her. Amanda, though she had seen much of the world by her own young age, didn't think this put either of them of them in any danger, and the two girls set off with enthusiasm. Out past the small break waves, the two girls settled into a routine: Amanda asked for things or murmured instructions and Cailet responded. This was, however, until something under the surface of the water completely caught Cailets attention, or scared her out of her wits. Either way, the inexperienced girl charged to one side of the boat, tipping it dangerously. Yelling out a sharp exclamation, Amanda tried to get Cailet back into the middle of the boat so the balance could be restored, but she ended up just chasing Cailet as she dashed from side to side, panicked. Quite obviously, the result was the boat completely capsizing, Cailet panicking even further and doing her best doggy paddle towards shore, gripping one of the floating oars (First time in deep water, didn't know how to swim well). It wasn't until Cailet was on shore that she realized Amanda was not with her. She never found out what happened to the girl, but ran away from the scene instead.

[Cailet]

The Encounter People are afraid of the dark because they cannot see in it... I am not afraid, because I live in it. Timestamp: 507, AV Place: Shinyama Pavilion Dip, swing, dip, strike, twirl, strike….Clatter “Damn.” Came the soft mutter. Since the room was only occupied by a lone figure, the falling staff echoed in the emptiness. Cailet stooped to pick up her training staff, massaging where she had struck her knee with the butt of her weapon during a sloppy arcing move she was practicing. The swear was a slip in her usually stoic manner; due to the pain that radiated down her leg as well as the lack of sleep. Since giving up was a sign of weakness, Cailet readjusted her grip on the staff, spreading her hands apart for a more secure hold for offensive attacks. Whack, whack, strike, strike, strike, strike. Relentlessly, Cai drove her invisible attacker backwards with rapid slashes from the top of her staff. From the left, right, top and bottom, the staff was a dark blur as she put all of her muscles behind each swing. There was a loud Crack, but this time it was because Cai had advanced enough to shatter the head of her staff against the wall. It was a good cue that practice was over. Dripping sweat, Cai grabbed a towel as she left the practice room. Stepping out into the relatively busy corridor, the towel was brought to her face to mop away the sheen of sweat as she looked left and then right. Where was the stairway again? New to the Shinya order, Cailet hadn’t spent much time prior to her initiation in the Pavilion and quite frequently found herself wandering many of the quieter hallways alone. Not that she minded, because she always had company. Deciding to take a left, Cai strode off down the corridor as if she knew exactly where she was going. Most of the faces around her might as well have all been blank, for Cai was not a social creature and hardly knew any of her brothers and sisters. A few faces stuck out, and she nodded solemnly to them. Her purposeful walk never failed to part the crowed, allowing her to leave the more occupied sections of the Pavilion behind. Turning onto a vacant hallway, Cai tried the first door on her left. She paused halfway through the door, her hand still on the handle. From the mirror on the wall, Cailet could see one bare human form twined around another equally naked form. Really? The woman thought with a snort, whirling on her heal and closing the door with a snap. There was a hurried rustling and a thud behind the closed door, and to that Cailet gave a rare smile. “Who was that?” The voice came from a spot along the hallway, a few strides from where Cai had stopped at the sound. “Who was what?” Came the slow response. There was something just a little bit odd about the way the lithe woman formed her words. As she always did when she spoke, Cai lifted a hand to her hair, smoothing it down as she waited for a response. And waited. And waited. Deciding that she’d given the snooper enough time to respond to a simple question, Cailet resumed her ground eating stride. Her stomach had started to grumble, and she still didn’t really know how to get down to the next floor. “We need to find the stairway” She muttered softly to herself, hand going to swipe at the silky black locks tied up in a tight bun on the top of her head. “We need to eat soon.” “Who is we?” Came the same soft voice. It drifted from around the corner. Cailet stopped, not having realized she was talking aloud. Normally present in her dreams, Amanda had become Cailet's closest friend, though she never questioned where or why she was always there. Plagued for years, even in her waking hours, by a little girl she called Amanda, the woman hardly realized when she addressed something she was doing alone in the plural. The Shinya had even taken to talking to the invisible girl, which had thrown off her brothers and sisters in the Order until they learned to ignore it. “Who are you” Came the somewhat irritated reply as Cailet lengthened her strides, banking the corner at a quick walk. Obviously whoever that voice belonged too was a stranger, if they were questioning her otherwise overlooked odd behavior. Stopping short, and once again not receiving and answer, Cailet was starting to get irritated now. There was nothing at the end of the hallway but a plant half shrouded by shadows. “Nonsense.” Came the mutter as Cailet resolutely turned her back on the talking hallway and walked the opposite direction. Finally happening upon stairs, Cai scurried down them and exited out onto the floor in which she had been searching. With only a few wrong turned, she managed to stumble into the cafeteria-type area and got herself some food. “Long day, long day. Tomorrow should be better for us. Must get new staff, the end is destroyed. Don’t need the steely tipped ones yet.” Cailet was on her bed, removing the wraps from her feet, seemingly talking to herself. It was strange that in the presence of others, the woman hardly said a word, staying hard faced, tight lipped, and straight backed. It was when no strangers were around that she was most comfortable. Her strange lilting way of speech almost seemed sing-songy when she wasn’t trying to hide it. “Tomorrow will be better.” Came the repeated statement, as if she had to convince Amanda as well as herself. There was a knock at her door. Frowning, Cailet stripped the rest of the linens that she used to protect her feet and moved to open the door. “Why didn’t you try and find me?” The accusation sounded almost petulant. For a moment or two, Cailet couldn’t even see the speaker, who by the sound of her voice, was a woman. “Because I don’t care. I was not playing a game.” Ah, there she was. A bit of the confusion left her face when she spotted the speaker. She was strange though, hooded and hanging back in the shadows. “Can I help you?” “Who were you talking too? I see no one else there.” “I see not how you can see, since I am blocking the way.” “Don’t you wonder how I can see, then?” “No, not really.” “Why does Amanda talk to you?” “Who told you about…Amanda?” This was the first question Cailet had asked, shrugging everything off with an air of indifference. But now, at the mention of Amanda, there was a visible change in the Shinya. Her arms were a little too stiff in the way she held them. Her knuckles were white where she gripped the doorway. “Why do you ask of her?” “Don’t you want to know who she is?” “It doesn’t matter.” “Or why no one else can see her?” “Stop.” “Or why she speaks only to you, and follows you into your dreams?” “STOP! SHE’S NOT REAL!” A hand clapped over her mouth as the shout reverberated along the hallway, shocked that she had yelled so. “Oh dear, of course she is real.” “I don’t care.” “Of course you care.” “I do not.” This sounded a little petulant. “Why don’t you care?” “Why do you care?” “Do you know what I am?” “Annoying.” And with that Cailet shut the door on the stranger, rushing back to her bed and throwing the covers over her head. This didn’t last for long. The night was Cailet’s favorite time. Before she went to bed, she was completely alone…well, minus Amanda… to do whatever she pleased. The night was when Cailet normally explored the pages of all the books she had stacked around her room. The Shinya had somewhat dampened Cailets curiosity, but didn’t stifle it completely. She still hungered for more… much more, though she tried to hide it. She owed a lot to the Shinya. She didn’t want her brothers and sisters to know how she felt, what she felt, and who shared the space in her head. So, in the same respect, the night wasn’t any more her favorite than the morning or the afternoon. They all had their purposes. She just found some of them more enjoyable at times than others. “Cailet, that was rude. I gave you the chance to have this discussion nicely, but I do not take well to being mistreated.” It took all of Cai’s willpower to not jump up screaming in fright. That was saying a lot, since the young woman was very hard to startle, or get any kind of emotion out of. “What the..” “That’s right.” The woman, swathed in shadows, was standing at the foot of Cai’s bed. Strange, since she hadn’t heard the door open or close, nor had she sensed any movement. Was her training really that bad? The strange figure moved until she was sitting on the edge of the bed. Cailet froze. “Yes, I know about your friend. I know about a lot of things. I collect things…secrets. Your secret is delicious, but I promise I won’t tell.” The woman’s voice was soft, soothing and gentle. Without realizing it, Cailet began to relax. “But… it’s a shame that you won’t persue your secret… I would…” “Uh…who are you?” There was a little tremble in the young woman’s voice. She was unsure for the first time in a long time. “If you think hard enough, you’ll be able to figure it out. You’re time for questions is over, I gave you plenty of opportunities. It’s my turn now. Why don’t you care?” “I care about what I’m meant to care about.” “Aren’t you taught to broaden your mind, to see your place in the entirety of the world?” Cailet nodded an affirmative “How can you expect to do so if you know so little.” “I traveled far when I was younger-“ “That’s not what I mean. How do you expect to protect your city if you do not know it’s secrets?” “We aren’t meant to know secrets. Otherwise they wouldn’t be secrets.” “Wrong. Secrets are like hidden presents. Once you find them, you are meant to open them. What… if someone gets hurt, in your city, on your watch, because you didn’t know a secret, but knew of the secret?” “I… would be at fault.” “Correct” The shadow shifted, crossing her legs. She sounded pleased. “So secrets are…?” “Bad..?” Cailet was starting to sound unsure. She had never thought this broadly before, sticking strictly to the rules. “When ignored, yes. Good when used properly. Do you want to protect your city, Cailet?” “Yes.” She still wondered at how this mysterious woman knew her name. “Will you do everything in your power to protect your city?” “Yes.” A little surer now, and leaning towards the figure. “Will you use my secrets to protect your city?” “Yes.” Cailet was starting to get the impression that she owned all secrets. She had said she collected them. “Will you need more for what I… use?” “Smart girl! You can’t use up a secret. It stays, just like a present after you open it. But yes, secrets for secrets to keep your city pretty.” A little giggle. “But… I don’t know any secrets.” Cailet sounded a bit yearning. Beneath her shadowy hood, Akajia smiled. “My darling. You will. But first, do tell me about Amanda...” And so Cailet launched into her story without a second thought, drawn in and caught tight by what the goddess offered. Cailet spilled her secrets literally onto the lap of Akajia, who relaxed in her swath of shadows and drank it all in. Had she not been so caught up in the telling of her tales, Cailet would have noticed the shadows around the room seeming to spill closer and closer to her. So long was her story that Akajia returned every night that week, resumed her lounge on the bed as her shadows crept towards Cailet, as if anxious to embrace her. The goddess urged them to wait. She needed the whole secret first. So long was her story that Cailet had to spread it out over the span of a week. Every night, she waited eagerly for her new friend to return and listen, talking to Amanda while she did so. Every night, she talked more than ever before, but still she did not notice the eagerness of the shadows. That had not been bestowed upon her yet. "She only comes at nights, did you notice?" It was as Cailet waited for the shadowy woman to arrive that she confided in her ever-present friend “I enjoy these nights.” Outside the door, Akajia smiled. The shadows rejoiced.

[Cailet]

Training and Skill Points Projection 30/100 (+15 RB, 15 SP) Staves 20/100 (+15 SP)* Meditation 21/100 (+20 SP)* Unarmed 1/100 * Lore Initiation into the Shinya order at a young age A Natural Leader Left Behind Again Getting Mugged and Beat Up Not In Control Faking Projection Losing Everything but Gaining a New Life Sleeping Under Open Skies Being Rained on While Asleep Correctly Erecting a Tent An Unthankful Mother The Only Friend is Whisper Hachia’s Skyglass Hut The Beauty of Lhavit Rising with the Dawn Meditation: Listening to the stories Stretching Before Practice Fighting is like a Dance Languages: Common: Fluent Makath: Fluent Threads: It's an Art There is No Place Like Home Abandoned Step with me into the Shadows Why me? Time and Circumstance Equipment and Possessions: 1 set casual clothes: Simple white tunic and trousers 1 set Uniform Robes, blue with sash displaying rank. 1 set Leather Uniform, light with all necessary adornments. Heirloom: single pearl hung on a delicate silver chain 1 Wooden walking stick (Staff) 1 Staff (Weapon) 1 Waterskin 1 Set of Toiletries (comb, brush, razor, soap) Food for a week 1 eating knife Flint & Steel Ledger 100 gold Mizaa's (Starting Package) 500 gold Miza's (Housing Cash-in) -135 GM (Winter 511 at Atri's Place in Riverfall)