Name: C’tyl (formerly Cotyl)
Age: 27 -- 3549.10.04
Sex: Male
Sexual Orientation: Homosexual
Weyr: Western Weyr
Rider Rank: Wingrider
Previous Rank/Craft:
Physical Description: Though C’tyl may be of middling height, he carries himself with an almost regal confidence that makes him seem much larger than he is. He has dark skin and darker eyes, and his wavy black hair is cut short and styled neatly. He keeps his facial hair neatly trimmed, and tends to lean towards clothing that is a bit on the finer side.
Personality: C’tyl will certainly never embarrass his Weyr at any event, so long as he can help it. He is prepared, polished, and extremely aware of his advantageous position in life, first as a Holder’s son, and now as a dragonrider. Eyes will naturally fall on him whether he wants them to or not, and C’tyl has embraced this by becoming an extraordinarily dutiful young man. It matters very little to him whether or not he may be an actual leader one day; he tackles all tasks and problems with the same serious determination. Failure, in his mind, is not an option--but even should it happen, C’tyll will carry himself with the same dignity as always.
This innate dignity, however, does often cross the line into pompousness. Yes, C’tyl has come from a place of privilege, and yes, he does believe it counts. He dresses a little too finely no matter the situation, and though he might not say it, he looks down on others who fail to tend to their appearance or galavant about in thread worn clothes. As he tends to believe himself a quiet, refined person, those who are more loud and boisterous in nature also will be looked at with openly reluctant tolerance--as if it’s only thanks to his good graces that he can stand them at all. On some level, C’tyl generally just believes he’s smarter and better than most people.
Unfortunately, he is not known for his silver tongue. C’tyl can be exceedingly blunt in his speech. He sees no reason to beat around the bush, and his manner of speaking is often mistaken for ‘just being mean’. He’s extremely uncomfortable around highly sensitive people, often feeling like he has to walk on eggshells and not be himself so he doesn’t accidentally upset them. Small talk is his worst nightmare, and often boils down to him offering one word responses… which doesn’t help with the ‘mean’ reputation. His humor leans towards a sharp, biting sort of sarcasm, and it’s oftentimes difficult to understand if he’s serious or not. C’tyl can seem exasperated, making scathing comments when, in fact, he’s attempting to poke fun. He is not a charming man, and his waspish tongue becomes genuine whenever he is frustrated.
These poor socialization skills grew due to C’tyl being a self-sufficient individual. With a sharp mind and a level head, he’s able to navigate his own problems without terrible difficulty. He rarely, if ever needs to ask for assistance, and it shows in the way he communicates with others. If he sees there is a task to be done, he’s going to do it without needing to be told. His arrogance does not extend to thinking that he’s ‘above’ any particular task, even if he may not enjoy it. Despite his sometimes unpleasant nature, C’tyl is a man that can be depended on in any situation. He will never be the sort to run around and spill secrets, and if asked to do something, he will see that it’s done and done well. What few friends C’tyl has will always be able to rely on him, even if he might be a bit of an a**.
Positive Trait List Dignified, Trustworthy, Self-Sufficient
Negative Trait List Pompous, Blunt, Waspish
History: The second son of a Minor Holder in Western, Cotyl had never been even considered as a possible choice of heir, and that bothered him not at all. He was raised with love, given a formal education, and had a comfortable and privileged life. As the Hold (like many near Western Hold) specialized in raising herdbeasts and runners, both brothers learned much about raising and breeding the animals. Toryn, his elder brother, was always the more charismatic of the two and much beloved by the people. Cotyl was much better with logistics and imagining ways to improve the Hold as a whole, not hesitating to speak to his father about his ideas. Though the dreamings of a young boy hardly brought monumental change, this way of thinking would continue as Cotyl grew.
Though his parents would have happily supported him if he had decided to pursue a craft, Cotyl was firmly set on remaining at the Hold. Though he often acted exasperated and irritated with his older brother, Cotyl cared for him deeply and wanted to help support him as best he could when Toryn became Holder one day. He had no lofty ambitions, no grand desires, no wild dreams. True, he had more in life than some could ever hope for, but he knew the Hold and knew it well. Why stray from that?
When Thread returned, it only seemed to reaffirm that he needed to stay exactly where he was. The damage to the Hold and its inhabitants was staggering, but if it had not been for the dragonriders, everything may have been lost. Though Cotyl had never been a stranger to hard labor, he all but threw himself at assisting with repairs and animal husbandry--anything he could do to help out around his home. He may not have been specialized in any particular field, but he was certainly able to take instruction and pitch in. For the past five Turns, he and his family worked tirelessly to help repair the damage. Though never easy, their hard work has paid off, and the Hold was back in reasonable shape. Thanks to the Weyr’s assistance, Cotyl’s father now made certain to send healthy, strong herdbeasts for the tithes, knowing he could never fully repay them for the lives they had saved. Life would go on, especially now with dragons in the skies once more to defend them all from the threat of the silvery menace.
At Western Weyr, Gold Kilakeeth had sired a handsome clutch, and the eggs were due to hatch any day now. Cotyl’s father received an invitation for him and his family to attend the Hatching. Honored, the entire family attended… and life changed in a way that none of them could ever expect.
The Hatching was breathtaking, heartbreaking, and soul-shaking all at once. Cotyl had never seen anything like it. Twin dragons (twin Queens!), fighting, even the death of a Candidate… It was heartrending, but the Impressions between young dragons and their chosen riders was an experience he would never be able to describe.
One dragon hatched without fuss, and after fastidiously grooming itself, sat at attention and observed the going-ons with a careful eye. She seemed in no rush to find her] rider, but eventually, she turned her head to gaze up at the Stands. Cotyl almost swore she was looking right at him. Preposterous.
Is it? The voice sounded almost annoyed. Almost. What’s preposterous is that you are still sitting all the way up there, while your Shillouroth is down here. You have better sense than this.
And from that moment, Cotyl’s heart was stolen.
Other: For my personal notes, his mother is named Corryna and his father is named Tarinal! He likely has younger siblings.
DRAGON
Name: Shillouroth
Origin of Name: In Cyprus, an African wildcat was found in a burial site near but not part of a human tomb in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B settlement Shillourokambos. The graves are estimated to have been established by Neolithic farmers about 9,500 years ago, but the cat skeleton and grave were not dated. If verified, it could be the earliest known evidence for a close association between a human and a cat.
Inspiration: African Wild Cat
Color: Green
- - - - > Would you be willing to change the dragons color/sex to fit a different NPC slot? N/A, but yes!
Personality Shillouroth is a calm and composed creature who rarely allows her emotions to get the better of them… or so it seems. First impressions are absolutely critical to Shillouroth: she wishes to be seen as the capable, talented dragon that she is! She is definitely a proud creature, and though she can seem aloof or even cold, such a thing could not be further than the truth. She is a private dragon at heart, and only with those she is closest to would she even consider opening up to to share her feelings and concerns. And oh, does she have concerns.
Shillouroth is a dragon that likes things to be neat, orderly, and under control. She is extremely detail oriented, able to keep track of just where everything and everyone are--and where they should be! Her keen memory lends itself well to drills and other tasks, and she will be quick to help keep others in formation. When things aren’t so neat and orderly, Shillouroth begins to stress. Because she is so good at keeping her] emotions under wraps, it may be hard to outwardly tell, but Shillouroth will be distracted and prone to making mistakes. With every missed cue and slip-up, she will only grow more anxious, and there will be a very real risk of this dragon falling entirely apart! Shillouroth is very concerned with how she is perceived, and any social gaffe will be enough to have her moping in shame for weeks. How can she ever show her] face again?
Dragons who care little about how they present themselves honestly baffle Shillouroth. She simply doesn’t understand it. She might drop subtle hints that gradually become not so subtle for said dragons, suggesting that they would be so much better off if they] shaped up and took a bit more notice. In fact, her poor siblings will be coaxed, wheedled at, and scolded to put a bit more effort into their appearances. They are a magnificent clutch, after all, and they need to act accordingly!
The only thing more important to her than her own standing is her home and her family. This normally cordial green is surprisingly fierce in her defense of both. Anyone who thinks to insult either will be met with sharp words and, should they continue to carry on with their offensive behavior, possibly even a well-aimed claw swipe or snap of her teeth! As frigid as Shillouroth can seem, she has an enormous soft spot for her clutchsibs, and would do just about anything for them… even if it might be mortifying.
Size: Itty bitty! 19’ feet.
Physical Attributes: Shillouroth is a small, pudgy green with a long, whippy sort of tail. She has a tendency to put on weight, and her rider will have to monitor her carefully so she doesn’t gain too much and strain her wings. She is adorably soft and round, particularly when she’s sitting or laying down.
Additional Notes: Shillouroth is uninterested in Flights as a whole, unless someone truly special catches her eye. She will be reluctant to settle down with a mate, if only because she guards her hearts so closely. She fears the vulnerability that comes with love, and the last thing she could stomach would be being made a fool of. Her flights often end with her picking the best looking suitor--assuming they performed well, of course!
Why Me: C’tyl’s fine tastes and confidence drew Shillouroth like a moth to a flame. Who could understand Shillouroth’s desire to always put their best foot forward like C’tyl could? The man also offered stability Shillouroth needed, able to ground them even during the worst of her private meltdowns.
In turn, Shillouroth completely understands C’tyl, no matter how socially awkward he is. Both dragon and rider have difficulty being open and expressing themselves, and Shillouroth helps to temper the worst of her rider’s blunt and sarcastic nature--particularly with their fellow weyrlings!
- - - -
How did your character behave during Weyrling Training? Both C’tyl and Shillouroth were honed in on their training and determined to do their best. Though Shillouroth was inclined to fret whenever things didn’t go as smoothly as she wished, C’tyl was able to support her and help redirect her focus. They were hard workers, and though C’tyl may have initially struggled with the other Weyrlings, Shillouroth helped to direct conversation and smooth any rough edges.
What did your character think of so many twin dragons? What did your character think of having not one, but two, gold sister? By all means, their clutch should have been seen as extraordinarily capable and impressive with so many twins--and twin golds, even! Instead, there was drama, and Shillouroth absolutely laments that what should have been a stunning event was sullied.
C’tyl, for his part, was astounded, and still considers himself quite lucky to have witnessed such a thing. Not even a gold can compare to his Shillouroth, of course, but still.
How did your characters do during flying lessons and Between training? Were they naturals or did they struggle? Flying was more difficult than either of them expected. Shillouroth obsessed over how she looked while doing it, which lead to mistakes, anxiety, and poor takeoff and landing attempts. Shillouroth was too embarrassed to want to try again afterwards. It took hard work and patience, but the pair finally got the hang of things, and now flying is a dream.
Shillouroth’s attention to detail and C’tyl’s self sufficient nature made Between training surprisingly easy. The seriousness of it all had been hammered into both of their heads, and C’tyl did not allow himself to become smug or overconfident about their success.
How has your character been handling being graduated and a real dragon rider? C’tyl finds the whole situation to still be a little surreal. He thought he had his entire life planned out--and then Shillouroth changed everything. The man made the switch with surprising grace, however, and now dutifully serves his Weyr with pride.
Shillouroth has mixed emotions about Threadfall. Part of her wants to fight, wants to burn it all from the sky! The other part is extraordinarily uneasy at the thought of all the mess and chaos. Still, she has worked hard on her drills and formations, and chooses to believe that as long as she follows her training, everything will work out for the best.
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