Jalen

[Jalen]

J A L E N (Ha-len) Always Searching, never Home. "Why does it feel like I'm still in the wilderness?" "What, you think I have time for mirrors? I wish." 001. Appearance Date of Birth: Spring 40, 493 Race: Chaktawe Gender: Male Profession: Slave Fluent: Common Basic: Tawna Poor: N/A Other 1: blah Other 2: blah Other 3: blah Jalen stands at average height for a Chaktawe at six feet. Years as a slave have left him strong, broad-shouldered and toned from head to toe. His eyes are black, as befits his race. His skin is naturally reddish in tone, though work in the sun often leaves him burned bronze. Usually his black hair is left wild and untamed, and his chin is covered in rugged stubble. Occasionally he would shave and trim his hair or pull into a tight tail when working within the household. He also bears a tattoo of a crocodile on the right side of his face, a remnant from his time spent as a slave in Kenash. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine!" 002. Personality Likes: Trees, water, birds, dancing, firelight, friends, Chaktawe, freedom, Spring, nature, art, music, strength, the color red. Dislikes: Slavers, cold, thirst, being alone, failure, dishonor, Kenash, strict laws, granidiles. Ethics: Everyone has the right to be free and to fight for their survival. Jalen's life was forever altered when he left his homeland. His natural pride was broken by his failed searching and years of servitude. At the same time he's grown to understand that his people's natural distrust of other races is often unfounded. The diverse population of slaves and slavers alike taught him that good or bad people can come from anywhere. Now, though he's humbled, there is a spark of resistance still within him. He loves all things creative, anything that reminds him of his home or his people. Whatever joy he can find in life he chases after eagerly. His fellow slaves are like an extended family, reminiscent of the tribe of his childhood. He couldn't be described as jolly, but his peers always found him ready to laugh at a joke or search for the good side of a situation. It was never optimism though. Just hope. "The shadows of dancers would fly across the trunks of the trees, their laughter rising to the scarlet canopy... it was a paradise." 003. History Whatever has been lost can be regained. Right? Jalen's childhood was spent like any youth of the Tatsuwaat tribe. Days were spent learning to track and survive with his father and brothers, nights were spent around the campfire, listening carefully as the Abaylas wove the tales of their people. And in the Spring, a season of peace and laughter beneath the red-leaved Keerdash trees. He remembers those days especially fondly, dancing in the flickering light among friends and family, feasting on the roots of the trees that sheltered them, resting from the year's hardships. It was not always an easy life, but the Keerdash grove afforded his tribe a respite that the other tribes lacked. Within the safety and relative abundance of the trees, Jalen grew to respect not just the skills that let his people survive, but those that let them thrive During the rest of the year he worked with the coming Spring in mind, striving to meet his father's expectations and learn what he needed in order to help his tribe and complete his searching when he came of age. When the day came that he turned fifteen, he underwent his tribes ritual and his searching began. Left alone in the wilderness, he walked through the desert and prayed to Eywaat for guidance. When the weeks marched by and he still had not receive an answer he began to panic. Continuing to travel, he walked north until he reached the edge of the desert. There, lost and starving, he began to lose faith. Had he done something wrong? He had never heard of any searching taking so long, nor sending anyone so far. Fear gripped him, and eventually it dawned on him that he must have failed. Somehow, some way, Eywaat had not found him worthy. Ashamed, he fled the desert for civilized lands. His people would not accept him with his searching incomplete. Without his guardian he was not a man--no, he wasn't even Chaktawe. Wandering aimlessly, he passed through settlements of Eyktol, ignoring stares and stopping just long enough to drink his fill. It was in this way that he was captured by slavers while passing into Cyphrus. Sold to a plantation in Kenash, Jalen spent years working in the sun and swamps under the watchful eyes of the overseers. Despite prayers to the gods and multiple escape attempts, he remained there until he was twenty-one. Over the years his temperament mellowed, and he accepted his situation. Finding no solace in life but unable to let himself die, he threw himself into the work he was given. His exemplary service even earned him time as a household slave, waiting on his masters' every whim. His new position made him wonder if escape might be possible after all. Fate presented him his chance when one of the members of his dynasty took a trip south near the border between Cyphrus and Eyktol. Some slaves were taken to do the work, including Jalen. Seizing the opportunity, he waited until the opportunity presented itself and made a run for it, stealing some supplies and a hefty sum of mizas. Payment for the last six years of his life.

[Jalen]

J A L E N (Ha-len) Always searching, never home. "Why does it feel like I'm still in the wilderness?" "I'm not without my uses." 004. Skills Knowing how to survive is important. Knowing how to live, even more so.   Physical Skill Experience Total Level Running +10SP 10 Novice Dancing +5SP 5 Novice Weapon: Shortbow, Composite +5SP 5 Novice Weapon: Dagger +5SP 5 Novice Weapon: Handaxe +5SP 5 Novice Endurance +4 4 Novice Riding +2 2 Novice   Mental Skill Experience Total Level Wilderness Survival: Desert +10RB, +5SP, +1 16 Novice Tracking +10SP 10 Novice Observation +3, +1 4 Novice Land Navigation +1 1 Novice   Social Skill Experience Total Level Socialization +1 1 Novice Cosmetology +1 1 Novice # - - -   Trade Skill Experience Total Level Construction +5SP 5 Novice Medicine +2 2 Novice # - - -   Arcane Skill Experience Total Level # - - - # - - - # - - - "Sometimes I want to forget. It might be easier." 005. Lore What is there to say? Knowledge is power? Cliche, but true.   Social Drykas: the horse-clans of Cyphrus Pavi: involves gestures as well as words Three Four   Location General Geography of The Burning Lands Cyphrus fauna: glassbeaks Endrykas location: the River Flower Four   Event One Two Three Four   History Chaktawe Oral History Two Three Four   People Akasjia: a pretty girl of the Suli Shahar Dawnwhisper: a Drykas of few words Three Four   Skills Cosmetology: painting Suli marks Endurance: fixating on a goal to keep going Medicine: pressure to stop bleeding Navigation: orienting on the sun Riding: staying on a yvas behind another Survival: paying attention to one's surroundings

[Jalen]

J A L E N (Ha-len) Always searching, never home. "Why does it feel like I'm still in the wilderness?" "A slave doesn't need possessions. And that makes them important." 006. Possessions Everything you need to know, wrapped up in a little nutshell   Clothing Old shirt, patched Pair of trousers, torn beneath the knees Undergarments Long coat, spattered with dry mud   Equipment Pack Waterskin Set of Toiletries Eating Knife Flint and Steel 4-person Tent Bedroll Blanket Lantern, Hooded 2x Torches Fishing Kit Compass Large Tarp 100 Feet of Rope   Miscellaneous One Two Three Four   Heirloom A small leather pouch, stained red with dye made from the scarlet leaves of the keerdash trees. The drawstring is adorned with beads and a crow's feather. Inside is a mix of desert herbs and the crushed roots of a keerdash tree. It smells like home.   Ledger Name Credit Debit Total Starting Package +100 GM - 100 GM Cash in Housing +500 GM - 600 GM 4-person Tent - -10 GM 590 GM Large Tarp - -5 GM 585 GM 100 ft. of rope - -2 GM 583 GM Lantern, Hooded - -7 GM 576 GM Fishing Kit - -10 GM 566 GM Compass - -200 GM 366 GM Bedroll - -1 SM 365 GM, 9 SM Blanket, Winter - -5 SM 365 GM, 4 SM 2x Torches - -4 CM 365 GM, 3 SM, 6 CM Winter Expenses, Poor - -45 GM 320 GM, 3 SM, 6 CM "My home is far away from here. I'll be back there one day. I know it." 007. Housing Location: Sea of Grass/Endrykas (Soon) Everything you need to know, wrapped up in a little nutshell After escaping the Kenashian Dynasty, Jalen was captured by Shahar and is now serving and living in his pavilion.

[Jalen]

J A L E N (Ha-len) Always searching, never home. "Why does it feel like I'm still in the wilderness?" "I can't forget where I've been. I can't forget where I'm going." 008. Threads Yeah, threads and stuff.   Winter 514 Date Title Progress Experience Awarded 40th of Winter, 514 AV Adrift Graded Animal Husbandry +2, Intimidation +1, Negotiation +1, Riding +2, Socialization +1, Tracking +2 41st of Winter, 514 AV The Welcome Party Ongoing - # - - -   Spring 515 Date Title Progress Experience Awarded # - - - # - - - # - - -   Flashback Date Title Progress Experience Awarded 11th of Fall, 507 AV Autumn's Gathering Graded Cosmetology +1, Observation +1, Socialization +1 11th of Fall, 507 AV Bonfires and Starlight Ongoing - 73rd of Summer, 508 AV Ink Branding Awaiting Grade - 32nd of Summer, 512 AV True Guardians of the Lynint Ongoing -