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Part 1: What is an Elder?

If you’re reading this, you are either A) an involved person who believes in reading updates (in which case, good for you!) or B) owner of a potential elder. So I’m sure that you’d like to know what that potential is all about!

Basically, Elder is the highest stage a Soquili can attain. It’s purely optional, and only attainable through rp. Buying a life cycle Soq doesn’t mean you’ll get an elder if all you do is stick that pet in your sig, so don’t get bent out of shape that yours never makes it that far. Becoming an Elder is an RP PERK.

So, you have your pet and you rped it and now have all 100% stats. Why would you want to go elder? What are the benefits?

For starters, you get a new stage of your Soquili. A stage that only a few others have achieved so far. There is male and female elder art, and elders will be upgraded to this beyond-adult stage that they might look as regal and dignified as they now are in their new in-character state.

Secondly, elders, being bigger and tougher than regular adults, are also capable of bearing more children! In any breeding where a parent (be it one or both) is an elder, that breeding will yield FOUR baskets, guaranteed, plus have a chance at getting a whopping FIVE! (And for comparison, normal adult Soquili can have two baskets, three if they’re lucky, so this goes to show the breeding perk!)
------*However, owners are still only allowed to keep one basket each; this just means more to give away!

Now, by this point, you’re probably thinking, “GREAT!” Who doesn’t love art and baskets? Why, I want EVERY SINGLE SOQ I OWN TO BE AN ELDER AS SOON AS THEY HIT 100%

Wrong answer. Sure, the perks are nice. But beyond the perks, there are a few basic elder truisms that need to be remembered.

Most importantly, the very name elder implies something about this stage. An Elder is often a leader; be it religious, or spiritual, political, or merely formal, Elder implies that the person (or in our case, Soquili) is an individual worthy and fit to have this role. Elders are leaders among the Soquili, individuals who can be looked up to by others and exhibit the necessary traits for the important role of elder. Just because they may be a kalona does not restrict them from becoming an Elder; if they fit the role within their breed, then they too are eligible. Roleplay development of these Soquili are key to a good Elder. And Elder cannot be customed or born at that rank, they achieve the status after hard work and development to obtain such a high standard of status.

Basically, elders are leaders/leadership material. Keeping this in mind, not all Soquilis are meant to be Elders. We hope that owners will be using their best judgment in putting Soquili candidates for elderfication forward, and to help you all decide whether or not to go elder, we’ve put together a few things to keep in mind when you're preparing a soquili for an elder application.



Remember:

Responsibility and leadership. Obviously the elders need to be able to handle themselves and situations that come up; they are the ones to which other Soquilis will look in times of trouble, so they need to be up to the challenge. The definition of responsibility and of a good leader varies from breed to breed, and this will essentially be looked at on a case by case basis. What makes a Kalona responsible might be different from a Regular, and so on and so forth.

RP development. Elders are supposed to have grown and matured to the elder stage through rp (see, it all links back to roleplay). Consequently, the roleplay of the Soquilis in question will be checked to determine whether or not the Soq in question has grown into a character worthy of being an elder. If all you have is mate-finding RP chances are you won't make elder. Additionally, just because you make a plot thread with a checklist of certain achievements does not guarantee eldership. Often, those sorts of things force a character into a role or come off pre-canned.
All RPs should be started before the Elder Applications open in order to be counted for that seasons applications. RPs started before the opening date may still be completed during the elder applications.

Community development. An Elder is a role model and leader in the community, not just in the family. Have your Soquili get out more and RP with others! Show that they are respectable examples of their breed or mission with people that have no relation to them! Just like mate-finding RPs are not substantial enough to yield an elder neither is only having family or mate driven RPs. This doesn't mean they are required to interact with others outside the herd. If your soquili is a part of a large community herd, great! If not, great! It's all dependent on what story your soquili is telling along their journey to get to this point of becoming an elder.

Grow into the role. We should be able to watch your Soquili grow naturally into the role of being a leader. One lesson should flow into the next with ease. Each Soquili's trials will be different and they should respond accordingly and take what they learned from each trial into the next stage of their lives.

Elders are not collectors items. Most characters will never become an Elder. Some will have to have A LOT of change to make them eligible. Getting max stats and RPing a lot doesn't guarantee anything, because the character has to truly grow and change and evolve. Just being an Alpha or Protector in a herd or doing an epic event once in their life doesn't prove anything. To some soquili, that is just an everyday walk in the park. . . Elders must go above and beyond, and it has to show in RP.

Rules

• Read the above. If you don't, we won't read your entry.
  
• This is a free service, Elders cost nothing.
  
• There is no pre-determined amount of Elders we accept each time.
  
• Custom edits always appear on Elders. You can request Trading Post items to be re-added freely, to match the previous adult stage or altered.
  
• If your Soquili doesn't get picked, take it like an adult. We don't reject for petty reasons like "OMG THAT PERSON TOTALLY RIPPED ME OFF IN THE EXCHANGE" (though if you are that person, I will be contacting you shortly), but we reject based on required criteria missing from your entry. If you would like to discuss what you can do to improve for next Elder opening, we would be happy to give pointers/advice if you PM this account.
  
• The colorists currently doing Elder upgrades *vary* - you do not get to choose who does your upgrade. When possible the original artist will have first choice of doing the Elder.
  
• You may only apply once per opening. That means one soquili per owner per opening.
  
• Keep your applications to 20 RPs MAX. Any applications with 21 or more RPs will be disregarded.
  
  If you have any questions, please PM Nayci.

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Vevina
Link to Teepee:Here
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? Like Probably in 2006 or into 2007
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
Foalhood
The Begining - Back When the Teepee's Used to be used for Arpee
A friendly Meeting
Meeting Mother's Friends
More Foal Fun
Two Friends and a new face
Adulthood
Meeting the Lovebird
A Friendly Greeting
Metting another herdmate
A mid Day Miracle
A New Best friend - was actually done in Rei's Teepee
Meeting A Kalona
Acajou meets Vevina's Fam
A sort Respite
Between Mother and Daughter
Don't be So Unsure - Vevina giving another mare advice
Lonely Souls

Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? She is a bit wiser now than she was when she was younger. She also wants to follow in her mother's hoofprints. Her mother was the first elder in Soquili. Vevina wants to live up to her mother's Legacy now that her mother is no longer around. Vevina's been through a lot, she's lost two mates, and most of her children. Vevina's daughter Zillah still holds some disdain for her mother and doesn't visit. Everyone Vevina has ever know drifted away from her, even those in Etikaiele Tsidanulu. Vevina and her mother along with Wild Rose were apart of the herd. Vevina is still holding onto the knowledge her family gave her she'd love to share it with the younger Soquili that exist now. She remains with her human in the herd lands so that perhaps one day all her lost friends have a place to return to.

Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? I got Vevina when I was 15, I was beyond happy to get her as a gift from Faolan I'd been stalking the shop since it opened My RP wasn't that great when I was younger but Vevina is more than a decade old she's matured quite a bit when I was a lot more active. Vevina also has a legacy to live up to she's the only one of Ayita's family and or lineage that's still around. She's so old I don't even have an uncert for her since at the time I received her they weren't commonplace. I want do do my old friends proud by getting the last of their legacy brought up to elderhood. Vevina is extremely special to me and her family was also extremely important to the shop.

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Galahad
Link to Teepee: xXx
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? No idea but it was years ago!
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
Bound for Greatness This solo RP shows Galahad as a young stallion--eager to leave home and follow the Angeni of Redemption. He wants to change the world, and is eager to prove himself.

The Tension and the Terror (Kaiya, Galahad, Chandar, Beatrix This RP has Galahad making a cameo in it with Kaiya. He helps heal a broken down regular who had an encounter with a skinwalker. This RP showcases that he's still a healer through and through--even when the patient, or patient's friend, is less than hospitable.

Wish Upon a Star (Galahad x Ink) A small, unfinished RP--but it shows Galahad isn't afraid to reach out to others. He's always happy to tell a tale or two, or give sage advice to those who need it.

Of Excellence and Blonde (Pascale x Galahad) Kaiya has left Galahad for personal business. This leaves the stallion on his own. While traveling, he bumps into the half-kalona Pascale, who is as different in personality as she is in breed! She is fun and outgoing, while Galahad is more serious-minded. This RP shows he was rather without purpose after Kaiya left.

Of Knight and Ladies (Meena x Galahad) Galahad is still adrift without Kaiya. Here he meets a mare, Meena, and proves to be a perfect gentleman. No task is too great, or too small--and if entertainment is what is requested, then Galahad will do what he must! He discusses some of his travels and adventures with her.

If Wishes Were Fireflies (Galahad x Amarinne) Galahad finally returns home and reunites with his mother. He talks about his adventures--but is also grateful to be able to share an intimidate moment with family. He discusses how he's grown, and that his future is unknown--especially as he awaits Kaiya's return.

An Unexpected Meeting (Nita x Galahad) Galahad has finally returned back to Islagiatt and the Elderwillow Camp where he'd left his family long ago. He is reunited with an old companion, but also discusses that loneliness had brought him home, and looks to some old memories of their past--and has hopes to forge new ones.

A Journey (Nita x Galahad) Nita has leftt--much like Galahad did when he was younger. She asks him to accompany her on her own journey, and his worldly experience is now starting to come in handy! He agrees, and once again, is ready to explore again.

With Light Comes Shadow (Nita, Galahad, Kieran) - Nita and Galahad's journey leads them into a kalona--who is not at all happy to see them! A battle ensues, and Galahad is able to help protect Nita--even as she proves to be a force all her own. Post-attack, Galahad considers where the spirits might be guiding him. Once again, he puts Nita before himself, and proves to be the pinnacle of a good knight.

The Eye of the Storm (Amarinne x Galahad) This is an RP that never quite got going, but it shows Galahad using his healing abilities. Skinwalkers attacked part of the Elderwillow Camp, and he isn't afraid to jump in and help those who are hurt and dying.

Make Me a Knight (Mikaru x Galahad) Galahad stumbles upon a stallion who is in need of aid. Not physically, but in terms of guidance, and perhaps a bit of emotional support. Galahad offers to become Mikaru's mentor and teacher--and to hopefully help mold him into a better stallion. Just as Kaiya took him under her wing, he will now take Mikaru under his--figuratively speaking.

The World As It Is (Kaiya x Galahad) Galahad reunites with his old mentor, the Angeni of Redemption after many years of being apart. They discuss a bit about the past, and a little about the future--and what that might mean. Things finally come full-circle for the stallion.

Might For Right (Galahad x Adel) - An RP-in-Progress, Galahad has taken another under his figurative wing--this time a young mini! While Adel might be frustrated and close to giving up, Galahad is nothing but encouragement. I

Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Galahad isn't choosing to be an Elder and wouldn't be the sort to seek it out. Everything he does is because he simply believes it to be the right thing to do. He's always wanted to save the world, and do good deeds, as that was his inherant heroic and fearless nature. But such a task is large for a single being, and the road to greatness wasn't always easy. Saving others was more than defeating a villain, or rescuing a damsel. Sometimes it was simply being an ear to listen to another woes; sometimes it meant healing those who never would thank you; sometimes. At the end of the day, though, Galahad always was a stallion meant to serve. He could heal with his horn, defend with his hooves, or guide others with his experience. He began as a young, eager youth, but has grown in many different ways over time. He's a reliable being and will always be there to serve others--Elder or not..

Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Galahad has had a surprising amount of development. He's come a long way from simply being an accessory to my Angeni of Redemption. He is always looking for ways he can help others, and is a selfless and caring soquili. . Not only has he shown that he's ready and willing to heal those in need--but he's a protector through and through. He's happy to use his father, Crousader's, training to help anyone out of a jam--and is also well rounded on a spiritual level, thanks to his time with Kaiya. Additionally, he's more than happy to share his experience, talents, and wisdom with those that need it most. He's become more patient than he was to start, and though he spent some time in his life unsure of where or what to do next, he carried on and inevitably found his way. He might have returned to his homelands, but he is not inactive, nor is he inaccessible. He can change the world little-by-little, by guiding those he comes across, and protecting those under his care. Be it family or stranger, Galahad will have your back. He's grown up, and instead of seeing the world in black and white, or feeling he has to be as great as his old Angeni companion--he has made peace with his life journey, and shares his experiences willingly. He might not lead an army, but I think he stands out as an exemplary stallion based on his breed. He has the heart of a unicorn as both warrior and guardian; healer and defender. Life hasn't always gone his way, but he's always made the best of his situation, and has, what I feel, traits that would make him a fine Elder.

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Scarlet
Link to Teepee: Teepee
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? I'm sorry, I don't. It was forever ago.
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder: The Sensitive Jerk -- Syipher -- Finished
Please don't eat me! -- Syipher, Aderes -- Finished
Noteable In Thread RP 1 -- Flower, Admon, Syipher -- Finished
Odd Sized Son -- Azzan, Syipher -- Finished
This is your home, my son -- Azzan -- Finished
Noteable In Thread RP 2 -- Admon, Frilly Skull, Noir, Azzan -- Finished
Noteable In Thread RP 3 -- Azzan, Sweetpea, Syipher, Ranulf -- Finished

Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? I am a mother by nature, but I can feel my cycles changing. I'm moving from mother into something older. Something... wiser. I've grown so much, from a child in love into a wounded maiden, and from there to a mare watching her foals grow into adults. Everything that I do is based in love, but I can feel that love changing. It's... stronger now, but calmer. More grounded. I know a shift is happening within me, and I'm ready to embrace it.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Scarlet is my first baby and she's gone through so much. Kalona attacked her family when she was still a foal and she was the sole survivor (until recently when her mother appeared). She fell in love with a stallion, and through her own childish foolishness, she lost him. She lost her son by him as well and watched as their adopted child turned dark and twisted. And it killed her. She shut down for so long, but she came out of it. And as she did, whatever childishness she had from before was left behind, and he became calmer, more collected. Now as she enters her crone years, she can feel herself changing yet again, into something deeper, more in tune with her own flows and ebbs, and how those currents correspond to nature around her.

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Alienore
Link to Teepee: X
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? November 2020
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
New Family eh?
With a Wound and a Tale
Wounds to Be Healed
Neva's Children
God Blessed the Broken Road
And Now My Watch Begins
A Way Forward?
Nightmares' End
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Alienore wouldn't choose to be an elder of her own volition, in large part because she wouldn't expect herself to be the sort of person others relied upon like that; in smaller part because she's been so focused on being there for those around her that she hasn't realized she might possibly be capable of being an elder. Growing stronger began after her mate Blake left her for the childhood friend that (though they did not realize it at the time) had been the kidnapper of their eldest, an act the friend had pulled in a sort of jealous spite. Blake had told "Sparkles" that she wasn't emotionally strong enough, that she seemed too fragile, too prone to tears, and a fearless kalona was more his speed.

Finding a way to become stronger has led her back to finding the strength she always had, the strength that Blake had always told her was suicidal foolishness: Kindness, mercy, acceptance, and a willingness to find the best in the world around her. What's changed at the other end of this journey is a realization that she's not always going to win her battles, people won't always respond well to what she's trying to accomplish, but what she does, she does because she truly cares for and believes in others, and failure doesn't cripple her as much as it did before.

Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Honestly, this never crossed my mind until quite a time after Blake had left Ali. I'd gotten a few offers, none of them panned out, and Ali just wanted on some level to be closer to the kind of person Blake had always preferred. On some level, the entire plot by purest accident partly mirrored an incident that had occurred early in my childhood, which, while Ali had gotten off much better than I had, was still painful, as I found my first solo-owned Soq resembling my mental state a little too close for comfort.

What I wanted to do, if I couldn't just get a romance to get her out of her emotional slump, was at least build her up stronger, give her the courage I still did not wholly have at the time that compassion could truly be a gift to those around me. On some level, we shouldered our mirrored pains together, the pixel pony and the flesh-and-blood person, and have gone looking for a place where not only can we see the stars on the darkest of moonless nights, but where we can try to take others to see the same light in the seemingly endless void.

Compassion is a strength and a courage, not the kind you expect to kill the dragon, but the kind that marches up to the dragon, even though they're trembling in terror, and says, "Hey, ummm, I noticed you seem to be having a problem that's making you terrorize the world around you, do you want help dealing with that problem, so you feel better, and everybody else feels better, too?" I'd like to think Ali has grown into a confidence in that kind of courage and compassion, and I know that, whatever comes next, she will use whatever resources she can to continue to walk up to Soquili's greatest monsters and say, "Hey, would you like a chance to try living a different life, a life where you may be more in control of your own self and future?"

She joined Karloff's crusade to protect others from the ravages and sorrows of Skinwalkers. She now stands as a voice of compassion and mercy for Skinwalkers within that crusade, pushing for a future in which Skinwalkers may find a way to be whoever they want to be, regardless of Oyohusa's curses and plots, and in which the monsters that terrorized many a foal's nightmares may come to be seen as just as "human" as any other critter in the Kawani Lands.



SIDE NOTE: Alienore's hooves changed colors between foal and adult stages. The only time I ever mentioned a hoof color was in a dead RP that the other person never ever responded to. Would it be feasible to request that, should she get chosen for elder, that her hooves return to being the silver they were when she was a foal? If not, I totally understand!

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Ashura
Link to Teepee: Boop!
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? December 2020
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:

1. Prologue | Ashura & Hojo
   Here are some highlights of Ashura's beginnings. For years, Ashura trained under the guidance of the master swordsman, Hojo, who worked to exterminate evil from the world. Hojo believed he could rectify the purewalker through a disciplined lifestyle guided by the art of swordsmanship. Instead, he trained a deadly creature to be even deadlier. Ashura learned how to channel his bloodlust into his blade, and controlled himself just enough to learn all that the master swordsman had to teach him. Ashura surpasses Hojo, killing him. With Hojo defeated, Ashura is finally free to live his life for himself.
   
   
2. Dishonor | Ashura & Dai Chang
   Ashura begins his solo training, believing that other purewalkers are the only opponents against which he could test his skills (in a way, continuing Hojo's work, but for very different reasons). Dai Chang is the first purewalker Ashura encountered since his liberation from Hojo, and he loses. Ashura expected all purewalkers to fight directly and fiercely, instead of resorting to underhanded tactics. Though it appeared Ashura had the upper hand, Dai Chang claims his victory by shoving the kitsune off the cliff.
   
   
3. What's a Skinwalker? | Ashura & Faelan
   Though it was not his intention, Ashura saves Faelan from being the catwalker's next meal as a result of killing his newest purewalker foe. He did not expect Faelan to stay, but the other stallion - comfortable around purewalkers due to having a charmed purewalker mate - tends to Ashura's extensive injuries and asks about his life and the nature of purewalkers so that he could better understand the other purewalker that he loves.
   
   
4. There's Hope For Everyone | Ashura & The Maiden of the Moon Eternal "Mercy"
   Ashura meets another naïve Soquili, again teaching the nature of skinwalkers. Mercy talks of redemption, and Ashura reflects on his past. [Ongoing]
   
   
5. The Devil's Playground | Ashura & Dead Reckoning
   Ashura meets Dead Reckoning, a curious skinwalker, and they engage in a duel; however, she disengages when she realizes Ashura is toying with her, recognizing his killing ability. Knowing his intentions and potential, she redirects their situation to suit a different biological drive.
   
   
6. Legacy | Ashura & Kiyoraka Ashi
   Ashura meets another female purewalker, Kiyoraka Ashi. What begins as a potential duel turns into a discussion about their aspirations. This pivotal encounter causes Ashura to contemplate his endeavors and realizes that he wants to be remembered forever.
   
   
7. The Auspicious Son | Ashura & Genichiro
   A single post illustrating how Ashura begins raising his son, Genichiro, to be his apprentice to suit his desire for a legacy. [Ongoing]
   
   
8. A Flash of White | Ashura & Dai Chang
   Ashura finally kills the pandawalker, Dai Chang. The panda attempts to knock Ashura off the same cliff he fell down during their previous duels; however, since Ashura has seen such a trap before during his time with Kiyoraka Ashi, he is able to respond effectively. He also fulfills the prophecy that plagued Dai Chang's life, and is the "flash of white" that doomed either Dai Chang or his sister, Bai Chang, to death.
   
   
9. Fallen Gods Remember the Heavens | Ashura & Almuten
   Ashura meets a charmed purewalker, Almuten. He asks him about his charm, believing he could use it on his son, Genichiro, to make him a more suitable apprentice. Instead, he comes to believe that charms dilute purewalker killing ability, and makes them weak. He pities the other purewalker, and spares him, as allowing him to live life with the charm seems more cruel than putting him out of his misery. [Ongoing]
   
   
10. Failure | Ashura & Genichiro
    After their hunt for a charmed purewalker, Ryusei, Ashura realizes that, instead of killing the purewalker as instructed, Genichiro had children with her instead. Furious, Ashura forsakes his apprentice. They duel, and Ashura emerges victorious -- though Genichiro manages to cling to life.
    
    
11. Swallow Your Pride | Ashura & Kaiya
    Ashura meets the Elder Angeni, Kaiya. He duels her, and loses. He experiences firsthand the potential of Angeni, and learns a hard lesson that purewalkers are not the greatest opponents in the world. Another pivotal encounter forces Ashura to reconsider his life and his goals. He does not want to be the best killer of skinwalkers alone; he wants to be the best killer this world has ever seen. He starts seeing others as worthy opponents, skinwalker or not.
    
    
12. A New Weapon | Ashura & Tsukikage
    Ashura meets Tsukikage, another kitsune purewalker. He takes her as his apprentice, again set to mentor another skinwalker for the sake of his enduring legacy, so that his legend never dies.
    
    
13. Mission Time | Ashura & Tsukikage
    Ashura takes Tsukikage on their first hunt together. Their partnership is not to last, and this roleplay marks that shift. [Ongoing]

Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?

Ashura's path as a swordsman has run alongside the path to Elderhood. In his quest for mastery, he has become an incredibly refined, efficient killer. He wields skinwalker evil and bloodlust, channeling it into an obsession for dueling and killing. He exemplifies this facet of a skinwalker: the ultimate killer.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed, as he is recognized as an extraordinary skinwalker by Soquili in the land, skinwalkers and otherwise. Furthermore, his journey has tangled him in the lives of others. Whether he wanted it or not, he has had a profound influence on the lives he has touched. His apprentices, even if they fail, live up to his desires, as they want to kill him and work towards that goal. (I have imagined Ashura and his apprentice, whomever that is, following something similar to the Sith Rule of Two, where there can only be one master and one apprentice, and the apprentice becomes the master when he kills his master. Ashura killed Hojo, and slowly became a master killer, and took an apprentice. Should one of his apprentices manage to kill him, they would take on that role and may have their own apprentice. That has not happened - and likely will not in the timeline of Soquili - but it is the goal.)

He growth has not been linear. He is familiar with the sting of defeat, and presses forward, both resilient and tenacious. In addition to failure, he has had to evaluate what it means to be a master and the reasons for his dedicating his life to this venture. Though his motivations have changed over the course of his life, the result has always driven him further into his art. His development shows that skinwalkers, though evil, are just as capable of learning and self-evaluation as any other.

Though the path of a swordman/martial artist is a journey of a lifetime and the goal of mastery is ultimately unattainable, the sum of his experiences, the changes he has endured through his life, and his incessant training have made him the skinwalker that he is: a master in his own right.

Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?

Ashura's journey parallels my own journey as a martial artist. I have been practicing martial arts since 2003, and playing Ashura has been an interesting and challenging task. In order to adapt my knowledge of martial arts to a purely evil character, I have had to reflect on my own motivations for my continued endeavors in martial arts, what it means to be a master, and why someone with such incredibly malicious intentions would endure the toils of martial arts. It has also forced me to think about how I train, how I train others in my school - I am a teacher as well, and I have been helping train lower ranks since 2008 - and how martial artists develop.

It has been a welcomed intellectual exercise, and it became clear to me very early on in writing Ashura that I wanted to take him as far he could go as a character. Although our journeys share similar characteristics and underlying themes, his development has been a wonderful treat. It has been like watching one of my students grow, except I'm writing Ashura instead of working with him physically. Not only has his physical prowess and technique improved through his training, but he has also evolved from a skinwalker who solely wanted to kill to one that wanted his legend to live forever in the lands. His reasons for what he does may have begun in order to sate biological drives or exact revenge, but have changed as he matured.

He has endured failure, he has ended lives and changed others, and he will continue doing so. The path of a martial artist is a lifelong endeavor, and, just as I will never conclude my training, Ashura will continue forward as well.

Note: Ashura is co-owned; however, I have been his sole roleplayer.