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 Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:45 pm
Once upon a time...
Common Name: Vasos (Greek, Regal)
Tianxia Name: Lóng Tengfei (Dragon soaring high)
House: East
Rank: Teacher (Will be aiming for Philosopher in the future)
Personality: Regal and refined, Vasos's large, heavy frame betrays his gentle, passive demeanor.
The Story: Inspired by Tiger Son.
They said there was a monster, in those mountains.
Some considered the tales to be mere folly; dreamt up nightmares to ensure that cubs stayed within sight. The elders would insist. Those wise enough to believe would warn the naïve not to stray from the pride's borders as the shadows grew into nightfall. But still, simple warning was never enough. It wasn't until there were disappearances. Until trails of blood led from the pridal lands. Until there were screams in the night. Then? Then everyone was afraid.
It was a foul creature, they said. Those who had survived the monster of the peaks. A gnashing maw with countless teeth and a stench that would make the dead quiver. Some said it had multiple heads and a stomach for flesh that was never satiated. Claws and talons strong enough to shatters skulls. A roar that made the mountain quake and the stars darken with fear.
Myrrh seemed to be the only one silent through all the frightened chatter; even her husband, enraged at the loss of their only children, fumed. He would take up the charge, Eos insisted. He always had a way to fire up his brothers in arms. But the lioness, she seemed resigned. Her children had been lost; only a single corpse had been found in the woods. Ruined and rotting, they said it had her eyes. What was to be gained from this endeavor? Nothing could be returned, and how could more spilt blood heal these wounds?
And so when they returned, Eos's corpse in tow, she couldn't help but think that the celebration of their victory was a bit underwhelming. Though the other warriors would give their somber condolences, they were far from heartfelt. Only her brother-in-law seemed to share her mourning. It was merely a lion, he said. Unnaturally monstrous and bloodthirsty, yes, but only a lion. But what exactly the creature was mattered little, now; it was dead and the lands were safe.
There was only the matter of the cub.
They didn't know how exactly had gotten there, hidden away in the depths of the monster's cavern. Its next meal, they speculated. A miracle that it had survived. The warriors had taken him with them, of course. It would be cruel to leave such a helpless thing alone. The pride members said Myrrh should take him under her paw. The creature had taken so much for her; it was only fair that she get something to fill the gaps.
He was named Vasos. She would wonder, thinking back on those early moments. Would she have taken the cub in, knowing all that was to follow?
Vasos grew at an incredible speed. The cubs that he was the same size as he was upon his arrival were dwarfed in mere months. He was not a cruel child, but his juvenile roughhousing was more dangerous with his unnatural size. And when his appetite grew beyond management, the truth became clear. This cub hadn't been a captive. No, this was the creature's spawn. A lecherous remnant of those nightmare days, brooding and growing among them.
The pride was outraged. They called for blood.
"He is my son." Myrrh had grown old, but there was still strength in her words. She stood tall with the regality that she tried to pass on to her adopted son. "You all have known him, now, for many moons. Has he caused any more harm than any of the other children? He is a child, not a monster."
"But what of when he is no longer a child? How do you know he will not grow into a creature like his parent?" The village elder spoke that last word like she was seething.
"I do not," Myrrh said simply, her jaw set. "But I have faith in my son. I have taken him as my responsibility, and if any damage is done, it is my own issue to resolve." She paused, her eyes lowering and her voice fading. "Everything has been taken from me, already. To take any more would be an act of cruelty equal to anything that creature had done."
And so the elder conceded with sympathetic eyes. Myrrh could keep her child, with the knowledge that any death it could cause would be placed squarely on her shoulders. But Vasos didn't seem to have the soul of a monster. He grew to be a quiet, gentle lion. As scholarly and wise as he was large and grizzled. But, as he grew, he was still looked upon with glaring eyes and cold shoulders. It seemed the pride could never be fully convinced. Lions veered out of his path. Cubs were scolded for getting too close.
Vasos seemed to take it with stride, though. Being an outcast wasn't so difficult. He still held himself with the poise that his mother wished of him. If the only conditions of living in the pride were the harsh inhabitants, he could stay without any issue. The lion could see it, though. How even his mother was treated with a cruelty that she was evidently unused to. How it seemed to tear at her, day by day.
"I'm leaving." As Vasos spoke, he couldn't meet his mother's eye; his heart was still unsteady with this decision. The look of her gentle eyes would be enough to keep him here. The lion felt somewhere in the pit of himself that his home was here, at Myrrh's side, but he couldn't bear to destroy her. And so he turned from the den. He'd find another home out there.
"No." She replied simply, with a bit of that old fire that seemed reluctant to fade with the lioness' age. Vasos blinked, turning emerald eyes over his shoulder. Myrrh's eyes were stern on him, that same look she'd give when scolding him as a child.
"Mother, but I-"
"Damn them," she said, with candor that Vasos's step falter. "This is home, Vasos. You are home. Regardless of what cruel, naïve lions may think. You are my son, and less of a monster than the rest of them."
And so he stayed. The pride never became kinder, but the resolve of his mother was enough strength for them both.
But Myrrh was old, and aging by the day. It wasn't long until, under the ebbing light of a moon bright enough to cast shadows, she passed away. Vasos had little choice but to swallow his tears and forge a path from the pride, hollow with indignation and memories of bloodshed held too close to the heart.
Moons passed while he wandered. He couldn't place the exact moment, but a time came when the weight of his life seemed to slide from his shoulders. The lion shed the title of "monster," and the animosity that came along with it. He remembered the sun was rising. It was a start of a new day. A new life.
So the lion pressed forward. And into the lands of the Tianxia.
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:00 pm
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:32 pm
I'm looking for a job!
Common Name: Laakari
Tianxia Name: Shijian Zhu
House: East
Rank: Doctor
Reason: He came to the pride from far, far away. Too far for anyone to have ever heard of his home pride. Out of honor for them, he took his personal Tianxia name to reflect his lost pride, which he described as having been destroyed in a war with a cruel, unfeeling enemy. It wasn't unheard of by any means, and he was welcomed into the pride.
His quirky ways earned him many looks askance, but he applied himself whole-heartedly to his studies. His background seemed to lend itself towards looking after the health and well-being of other lions, so it was no surprise that he took to the studies of medicine rather swiftly. He had an odd way of chattering randomly as he worked, which generally made his patients zone out a little, which was to everyone's benefit. His various bits of knowledge, experience, tales of other places, and random ramblings would come tumbling out in a pleasant stream, equally effective on males and females alike!
He became especially interested in the inner workings of creatures, and tended to be very casual about dissecting carcasses that he found on his adventures beyond the halls of learning. He became quite good at listening to the chest and belly of a lion and diagnosing what troubled him or her. He didn't bother growing his own herbs, saying he didn't have time for such nonsense. Instead, he always had a companion with him, who could gather the herbs, organize them for him, and be there when exciting things happened. It was to noone's surprise when he gained the esteemed rank of Doctor.
(Ten points if you get some of the hints... I was sorta silly on this, but was totally enchanted with the idea and ran with it! Should, by some miracle, I get him, you can expect to see a plot search for a companion in the form of a student, any area of study, preferably female!)
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:59 am
Once upon a time... Common Name: Akeakamai ( Hawaiian | Seeker/lover of wisdom ) Tianxia Name: Youyù de Xuéshù ( Melancholy Scholar ) House: East Rank: Teacher ( Will eventually become a Philosopher ) Personality: Introverted, studious, and somber. The Story: The Face Amongst The Peach BlossomsMany suns and moons ago, in a land of rolling hills, there lived a young lion of noble blood. He was strong in body and mind, black as the shadows but still bearing light upon his mane. This young noble was renowned above all, for his scholarly persuits. As it happened, one particular year came upon the living, that Youyù would travel to the central hub of life for his Pride. His goal was to pass a very serious and thoroughly important examination. However, the end result of this was a terrible disappointment to the youth : Youyù had failed to pass it. This left him in a deep pit of depression. He had been so sure of his talents, only for this to occur. Youyù tried to alleviate this emotion, as well as impending listless boredom, and dragged his body to the outlying borderlands. In these outskirts, there was a festival being held. It was early spring, and countryside was booming with life and colour. Everything was beautiful, but Youyù could not appreciate what was around him. The young lion simply could not put himself into the mood to enjoy anything. Instead he simply followed his nose, letting himself wander about. Hours later, Youyù found himself confronted with some aged ruins. He figured that he must be in the front yard, and if any resided within. Investigation would've been done, but the gate was closed and that impeded him. Nearby, there were peach trees in full bloom, and their flowers stood out against the leftover white colouring upon the walls. Youyù was tired and thirst struck him, and having no means to open the gate, he bellowed a roar conjured from the depths of his gut. To the lions' surprise, his call had been heard, and a young lioness had opened the gate with the use of a thick rope. She was plain of pelt but was as beautiful as any flower. Youyù was at a loss for words from her beauty. However, the males' show did not go unnoticed, as the girl smiled and asked how she could be of service. It was easily noticed fact that Youyù dearly wanted to talk with the lioness, but despite his eloquence, the male was utterly nervous. The only thing the poor boy could do was muster out feebly that he wished to drink some water. The lioness smiled and gracefully went off to retrieve water for her company, utilizing a carved bowl with vines readily attached for easy carrying. She returned soon enough from the courtyard with the bowl filled with water. Once the bowl was placed infront of him, Youyù gulped down the water immediately, to quench his thirst and soothe his throat. He could not bring himself to leave the presence of the lioness, and requested another bowl of water. Which, of course, was at once drunk. Unfortunately, Youyù could not bring out the words to speak with the lioness, and again feebily asked for a third bowl of water to drink. With this third large bowl of water consumed, the black pelted male was full to the brim. He had no more room for water, even if he wanted more. With still no way to put out the words to converse, Youyù could no longer stay. A breeze passed through the peach trees, playing with the flowers and making them dance. A petal gently fell and landed upon his shoulder, as if to remind the lion that it was time to leave this place. As he was walking towards the gate, and away from the small pride that made residence inside these ruins, the scholar could not help but feel..something. Youyù could not help but feel as though something would be lost to him, should he leave this tranquil place. Emerald eyes looked over his shoulder, and saw that lioness. She was standing there, underneath a peach tree, with the empty bowl in her mouth. It took all of his strength, but Youyù left. He was soon back home, and began preparing for the next royal examination. The male thought that he could easily forget the girl, just as he did with anyone else that he met upon happenstance. There was nothing special about her. However, Youyù found that he could not forget the lovely lioness, no matter how much he tried. He became quite lovesick over the girl he'd met by pure chance. It took some time and much deliberation, Youyù told his parents them his story, and his plans for returning to the small village. He would return and ask her to be his mate, to be bonded for as long as their bodies could last and beyond. The older leonine parents could not do much, as they saw how much their son was pining for this lioness. They could do nothing more, but give their blessing and watch as the young black lion headed off. Youyù was flustered and nervous upon returning to the community. It had been a whole year since he had been here, but the peach trees was still in bloom. Just as before, the pink flowers fluttered around on the branches as a light breeze passed through. He bellowed as many times as he could, and each time, his calls went unanswered as he stood at the gate. He didn't understand why this was happening. He kept calling out as long as he could, and at his final raspy roar, the gate had opened. To his dismay, the one that opened the gate was not the one that his eyes and heart were hoping for. It was a stranger, a middle aged lion. He told Youyù that the girl he was looking for, no longer lived here. She had been married off to another, so she and her family moved. The other lion could see the painful realization wash over his younger fellow, and left him with his thoughts. Youyù stood there frozen. He could his heart sink in his chest and disappear in the darkness of despair. He felt that he should cry, but no such bliss graced him. He stood there impassively under the peach trees for untold hours, until a flower petal floated down onto his face. At once, Youyù carved a poem on the yard wall and left this place forever, the feeling of immeasurable loneliness to follow him for as long as he walked. His poem read : Today of last year, I met you at this gate Your face was charming against the flowers' beauty Now you are no longer at this gate Only the peach flowers smiling in the gentle breeze.
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 5:20 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:30 pm
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:17 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:32 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:47 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:29 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:59 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:52 pm
Starting tomorrow I won't be able to update the ads list until sunday, but I'll check the time stamps and I've everyone their tickets when I get back on sunday. <33
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:30 pm
wooga Paes Starting tomorrow I won't be able to update the ads list until sunday, but I'll check the time stamps and I've everyone their tickets when I get back on sunday. <33 I could make a list post at the end of each day for you, Wu
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:08 am
PhiferWolf wooga Paes Starting tomorrow I won't be able to update the ads list until sunday, but I'll check the time stamps and I've everyone their tickets when I get back on sunday. <33 I could make a list post at the end of each day for you, Wu I don't think there will be too much of a volume, but if you want to, that'd be great! <3 thanks so much for offering : DD
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:53 am
I have raised my banners for Tianxia today!
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