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 Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:41 pm
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Elders
Elders.
A foreign word, I know, as the term itself has long since been used in the appropriate manner. Elders are our elite Soquili, our leaders, the most mature and wisest of all the herds. They are not categorized by a particular species, for members from each group have the potential of achieving this honor, should they meet the criteria.
Below, you will find the definition of an Elder and the requirements of what it takes to have your Soquili become an Elder. If you feel your Soquili is qualified for Elderhood, you also have the opportunity at this time to enter an application.
If you have any questions, please read all of this thread to see if your question is answered here. If you still have a question after reading these posts, then feel free to shoot a PM to Uta.
[Credit to Skye/Caj for the original application process and Cuter for the second from whence the bulk of these posts are derived from. Credit also to Nisshou, whom helped to set up essentially what I'm copying-pasting after running these for so long.]
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:41 pm
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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 [see the Elders Information thread for images of other Elders], 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 THREE baskets, guaranteed, plus have a chance at getting a whopping FOUR! (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!
In addition to this elders now get 6 breeding slots!
------*These slots may be used with a lifemate or with flings and the stats of the partner don't effect the ability to use a breeding but remember no soquili can ever exceed 6 breedings.
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 basic list of what will be looked at when considering that Soquili for elderfication.
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 be elderfied.
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.
All RPs must have takes place within the Soquili shop boundaries (the IC RP section of the guild or in teepees) and not from other places on Gaia or on other sites. ((Logged IM or PM RPs are still fine so long as they are posted in the IC RP section of the guild or within a teepee.))
So, keeping that in mind…
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:43 pm
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Part 2: Becoming an Elder
As mentioned in the introduction, becoming an elder is a multi-step process. So, in a new and streamlined list format…how to become an elder!
Step 1: Have all six stats at 100%
Step 2: Have trackable, readable rp (although this ought to already exist if your stats are at all 100s, it’s best to make sure)
Step 3: Post the elder application HERE in this thread. The elder application itself can be found in the post below.
Step 4: Wait for it! All applicants will be notified whether or not their Soqs have been approved for elder, so PLEASE BE PATIENT. Once approved for elder status the art will take time as well. Keep that in mind when applying!
*Approval of elders is done via group. Specifically, a panel of individuals will be considering each application and jointly deciding if your nomination is valid. As mentioned above, owners will be notified of the verdict regardless of whether it’s affirmative or not (aka, we'll make an announcement post once everything's decided, so keep checking THIS THREAD, and not PMs!)
***In addition, if your Soquili is rejected for elder once, you are welcome to try again later after working more on your Soquili’s character in rp. However, for reasons of scope a Soquili may only be submitted for Elder status three times before you are put on probation. So if you're rejected thrice, after the third time, you must wait a full physical year from that rejection before you will be permitted to enter for Elder application again. (This is an attempt to show you that this honor is a BIG DEAL, so merely throwing your horse up for the chance of NEW LINES and MOAR BABIES is simply a waste of your time and ours).
****The staff reserves the right to change details as circumstances merit. No changes will be retroactively applied, and all changes will be clearly indicated.
Application
[b]Name of Soquili and Link to Image:[/b]
[b]Link to Teepee:[/b]
[b]Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out?[/b] [Month and year if you do.]
[b]Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:[/b] (20 max)
[b]Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?[/b]
[b]Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?[/b]
Elder Application Status Is Currently: Open until September, 13 @ 1pm Eastern.
Applications will close at this time whether or not we are here to close it. Late applications will not be accepted.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:44 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:45 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 3:52 pm
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Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Taarab
Link to Teepee: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=15175157
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? I can’t remember exactly when: It was Either in 2012 or 2013. According to niss, June of 2013
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder: (20 max)
Foal: The starting point
1. [PRP]Two of the Flock {Nakita & Taarab}: Observing the frustration of Nakita, one of the hooved members of the flock, young Taarab gets an idea: if someone doesn't have claws, why can't you just make them some claws?
Between these, Taarab’s brother is swept away by a flash flood in a mostly dry creek bed.
2. What are you making? : Taarab and Galla talk about art, as he tries to fight back the pain of his brothers 'death' and the reduced time with his parents by focusing on something he can control: his art.
Between these rps, Taarab’s been continuing to hone his work obsessively, and taking classes with his father on increasing intervals.
3. Hand Crafting a Better Life: In his third year of foalhood, just a year from being considered a full adult, Taarab gets back from his discussion with the Queen: The artisan guild concept has been giving the okay! (Early development of RP)
4. On ancestral grounds: After the guild has been set up for a while Taarab was handpicked by the queen and escorted to see the Oracle Aylin in the homelands of the Flock, far away from the new territories.
5. A bit of spring cleaning: Continued from Ancestral Grounds, Taarab is working with the Oracle to help set things up to try and rebuild from the ashes of the cataclysm, Taarab shows he's not just a pretty face with nimble talons, but a sharp mind and good source of information.
After this, Aylin (in an rp unrelated to any Taarab is actually involved in) informs his mother of her intention of making him her protected pet due to the feeling she has of him having value to the flock that needs to be carefully monitored.
6. Delicate workings: Vanya requests Taarab's help with a project (but has an ulterior motive as well). Here you get to see some of the advancement of the Artisan guild he has created first hand, and the amount of respect he has started to gain from others in the Flock.
7. Boarders of Fear: His daughters in danger, Taarab risks his life to fight off a skinwalker despite not being a fighter.
8. Fault of differing opinions: After the fight, Taarab comforts Vanwyn with the authority not usually given to most flock stallions, and vows to himself to learn to fight so not fail his people.
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? While he wouldn’t personally expect to ever be chosen by the spirits to be transformed into an Elder, He’s sort of fallen into the role of an advisor, teacher, and leader, despite being a male born into the Flock. He’s actively turned his childhood hobby into a more fulfilling life for the males of the Flock, and has unknowingly been changing the direction his entire cultures evolution in this new territory. In a culture where males hold no rank and are considered ‘weaker’ and easier to corrupt, He has become respected by not only his peers, but by those that, culturally, would be seen as his superiors, his advice not only listened to, but requested by even some of the highest ranking mares in the Flock.
So why would he choose the path of the elder? He wouldn’t actively choose it, it chose him.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?Out of a lot of my soquili, he’s honestly one of the very few who I think are even REMOTELY close to being ‘eldership material’. I’m choosing him out of those who I feel fit is because he’s one of two who have reached maxed stats, and out of those two he’s had the most Rp that actually shows some of the stuff.
The reason I’m currently entering isn’t necessarily because I feel he’s finished his story. Not In the slightest. But I’ve come to realize he’s developed a lot over time and If I waited until I felt completely satisfied, he’d never be entered, since even if he became an elder before I expected it, it wouldn’t change the fact I plan on continuing to rp and develop him. If he becomes an elder, he becomes and Elder. If he doesn’t I can find out how close he is from “The Great Mother Spirit” of the Flock is from choosing him for her gift.
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Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:18 pm
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Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Jezabelle
Link to Teepee: Teepee
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? March 2013
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
Link to her teepee page
Under Lock and Key
(Jezabelle x Jessamine)
Jezabelle emerges from her basket to a shocked Jessamine, who had not yet found an adoptive parent to give her away to. Jessamine realizes for the first time, how strong the bond is between mother and child and decided to hide Jezabelle away from the world to protect her innocence and to shield her from a world that could not accept her.
Childrens games
Belle x Gideon
An unfinished rp, I included it because the first post goes into the relationship that develops between Belle and Jessamine. Jessamine, who is nocturnal hunter, leaves for extended periods of time when her violent fits overcome her, she doesn't want to accidentally harm her daughter. Belle is left in the reluctant care of Jess's owl familiar, but as Cleaver is also nocturnal, Belle is able to sneak out during the daytime to experience life outside of her den, and to try her hand at hunting for herself. Jessamine has cultivated Belle's fear of the outside world, assuring her that it is filled with monsters that will attack her if given the chance, thus Belle always arms herself with a stout stick to defend herself with when outside the safety of her home. It scares her to be out and about, but staying cooped up in the den with Cleaver and her mother is an intolerable alternative.
Shadows of the Past
Jezabelle x Ignis
Having reached adulthood, Jezabelle made the painful but necessary decision to escape from her mother in order to pave her own way in life. By now, she has figured out that she is an outcast. A soquili that appears normal, but has an appetite more suited for a Kalona, just like her mother. She also can no longer venture out into the sunlit world as the light hurts her eyes. Trying to live life to the fullest and be true to herself, she was honest about who she was and what she ate with those she met and tried to befriend, but was continuously met with rejection, fear, and disgust. Other soquili hated and feared her in the same way they feared the Kalona, more so even, because she could pass among them without raising an alarm. The Kalona would not accept her because she did not bear any Kalona characteristics and those she had met scorned her. Trapped in between, and lonely, Belle begins to wonder why she and her mother are the way they are. Mulling over this, she is walking through the forest she has been forced to take refuge in when an Angeni named Ignis crashes through the trees near her. Unable to move the unconscious and gravely injured stallion to safety, she instead stands guard over him until he can wake and move himself. When he finally does awake, he calls her 'Jessamine.' She corrects him. Ignis is the adoptive father of Jezabelle's two elder half siblings, although she does not know this, so he feels protective of her as 'kin of his kin.' Belle is curious about how he knows her mother, but overwhelming that is her relief to meet someone who was showing her some kindness and respect. To her horror, her bloodlust, denied for so long, rears its ugly head when she is overwhelmed by the scent of Ignis' blood. She tries to send him away from her, but he refuses to abandon her when he can tell she is distressed. Her control splintering, she attacks him as he tries to convince her to tell him what is wrong but despite his grave injures, Ignis is more than a match for her. He quells her attack almost as quickly as it was launched. Belle thinks he is about to kill her, but, understanding her cravings more than she did, he instead offers her a taste of his blood willingly to help her regain control and promises to explain how he knows her family once he has gotten treatment. She decides to lead him to the edge of the forest and help him find a healer.
(They do end up becoming separated before she ever finds anything out)
Blood Calls to Blood
Belle x Sangria
Belle encounters one of her siblings for the first time, her sister Sangria. From her, she learns the identity of their father and that she has more family out there. This is an important turning point for Belle, who has thought up until now that she and her mother were alone in the world. She learns that both her father and her sister are like her, and she years to reunite her family and be surrounded by those who she can relate to. She feels an unbridled yearning for the family she has never met, hoping against hope that she won't have to spend the rest of her life alone. Sangria decided to take Belle to meet their father and they vow that they will find out what happened to their brother, even if that means tracking down Jessamine again.
Darkness Within
Jezabelle x Douglas Grifon
Jezabelle is alone for a time while Sangria seeks out their father and has turned down a path towards becoming as bloodthirsty and violent as her mother in her bitterness over how she has been treated for something she cannot help. She thinks, perhaps she was meant to be a monster and prey on others. When she denies her bloodlust to try to be 'normal,' it builds up and bursts out of her in violent episodes that leave her with little to no control over her behavior. Ignis taught her that if she gives into it when it rises, she can maintain her control and sanity at all times, so she has really given into it. Belle is tracking an animal she managed to wound (Belle wasn't trained to hunt effectively at this point and was clumsy about her kills). Unbeknownst to her an unstable stallion named Douglas Grifon has also picked up the blood trail, he comes upon her when she has just found the kill and startles her. Elegant and viscious, Jezabelle is not amused by his odd behaviors, thinking, not inaccurately, that he would very much like to steal her kill. Douglas accuses her of trespassing in Mahapadma territory and challenges her to a fight. Belle knows she cannot win, she is smaller, weaker, and less experienced at fighting, but her sister Sangria taught her to coat her weapons in a paralyzing venom, and she figures if she can get enough of it into his bloodstream, she can escape. The roleplay was never finished but I believe it is important because it shows one of the mentalities she went through as she was learning to deal with her differences from others and trying to find the balance within her alignment.
Shocking Revelations
Belle x Sangria x Relic
Sangria has found Relic at last! Belle meets her father for the first time and begs him to help him find their brother. She explains what her childhood was like and how she has been treated as a monstrous outcast since leaving home. She worries that their brother is alone and experiencing the same things. Belle asks Relic to continue her training with poisons and toxins that Sangria had begun, and the trio set out to find Jessamine and hopefully reunite their family with the shadow of a plan to form a herd of soquili like them for their own protection and sanity.
Moonlight and Madness
Belle x Laertes
Jezabelle meets Laertes, the stallion who would become her first lifemate. The stallion comes across her as she is cleaning up after a kill and confronts her about the morality of killing living creatures for her own gain. Older now, stronger, and more confident in her identity for having a relationship with her father and sister, she does not fold beneath his scrutiny and defends her right to exist exactly as she is for the first time.
The rp isn't finished but plotwise, Laertes is so attracted and fascinated by Belle that they see each other quite a few more times and end up lifemating. They love each other very much, but their relationship has many ups and downs because Laertes still cannot reconcile his beliefs about right and wrong with the way that Belle lives her life and he keeps trying to convince her to give up drinking blood.
Knives and Cleavers
Belle x Risti
Back in the forest where she had met Ignis, Belle runs into the mare Risti while out for a stroll. Feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the mare, Belle offers to show her where she can find water. The two mares ended up talking about their families as they walked, surprised by the many similarities, Belle realizes that Risti is her brother's granddaughter and therefore, her own great niece. Belle is excited to learn of another branch of her family and fills Risti in on the details of all the family Belle is aware of that Risti hasn't met. For the first time, Belle finds herself in a position where she is being looked up to by someone who values her opinion. She doesn't give it much thought but she uses this opportunity to tell Risti that there is nothing wrong with being different, as Risti has mutations that cast her even farther apart from regular soquili. Belle tells her that her differences are part of what makes the world such a wondrous place. She explains that while their family was full of darkness, they were also full of light, and ends by revealing that she is pregnant and she takes Risti under her wing to bring her in to meet the rest of their relatives.
The Bonds of Blood
Belle x Sangria x Risti
A very pregnant Jezabelle sets out in search of the experienced mother, her sister Sangria, to get some advice on her upcoming delivery. Laertes and Belle lifemated when she realized she was pregnant, but she left him to come find her sister as she knew he did not really approve of her. Unbeknownst to her, Risti, who had been staying with Belle and Laertes woke up as Belle was sneaking off and followed her. As Risti reveals herself, a fight seems imminent between Sangria and Risti, but at that moment ,Belle goes into labor. Risti goes off to find baskets to hold to foals while Sangria stays with Belle to help her with the delivery. The three are brought closer from the shared experience, and Belle vows that her children will not experience the same suffering that she did growing up.
To Feel Again...
Belle x Wisp
This rp takes place a long time after the previous rp. Belle and Laertes' lifemating was broken before the baskets popped and he left with their daughter, Desdemona. Belle was left with Saxon and Claudette to care for, Risti stayed with her to help care for the foals. By this time, Belle has been brought into the Sinclair herd led by her grandfather, Vincento. She raises her children within her herd, but away from her mother, as she still does not fully trust Jessamine. This rp takes place after her foals have grown up and left home and Belle is suddenly left with an empty nest and nothing to distract her from the gaping emotional pain left by Laertes' rejection and their broken lifemating. She begins to venture out in the world searching for some distraction and meets a stallion named Wisp, who has also recently experienced the same type of loss. The two bond over their shared experience and become friends. Belle reveals her deepest secret and Wisp takes it in stride, by this time, Belle has learned to paralyze her prey and drink their blood without needing to kill them. Wisp and Belle vow to meet again in a few days' time, both experiencing an attraction to the other that was impossible to deny.
The Morbid Medic
Belle x Risk
Tragedy has struck. Belle had returned to her herd lands after meeting Wisp to discover that her daughter, Claudette, had gone missing. Belle immediately sets out to search for her. She finds evidence that Claudette has been attacked and is gravely injured before being attacked by the bearwalker Howl (plotted, not yet rp'd). In this RP, Belle is attempting to return home to her herd to tell them what has happened so they can go save Claudette but she is bleeding out and nearing death. As she finally lays down to rest, forced to accept that she will likely not reach help in time, a strange and creepy stallion named Risk comes upon her and offers to patch her up so she won't bleed to death.
An Open Heart
Belle x Wisp
Belle still has no idea what has befallen her daughter, but is quite sure she must be dead by now, she blames herself for this as she didn't reach home in time to bring back help. In all of the trauma of the attack and loss, she forgot to meet up with Wisp. Still healing from her injuries, Belle is out hunting when Wisp finds her again.
some of this is fleshed out in flashbacks from the point of view of some of Belle's family members, I can provide these if anyone is interested in reading them.
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?
ICly, Belle would not actively seek to become an elder, but because of the huge role she has played in bringing her family members together and acting as a liason between them, she has unintentionally placed her in a position of respect and leadership within the herd. She has an enormous strength of character that has been challenged time and again. Rather than making her bitter, the pain and rejection she faced in her youth has created within her an empathy to that pain in others and she goes out of her way to try to support those she encounters going through rough times, and to inspire others to learn to love themselves. She was a large part of the driving force that eventually brought her side of the family under Vincento's leadership and protection. Belle genuinely cares about and is cared for by many of the herd members and has unintentionally cultivated a lot of respect and loyalty. Her opinion holds a lot of sway within her direct family so Vincent often seeks her input when making decisions. She is viewed as a respected advisor who can be looked to for guidance and strength. She is the one that many seek out in times of trouble when they need advice or a shoulder to lean on. She did not seek this elevated position, and is perhaps not as aware of her power over the family as Vincento is, but her resilience in the face of every trouble has influenced those around her and taught many by example how to live their lives to the fullest and to embrace what makes them unique.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?
I have chosen Belle to be an elder because out of all of my soquili, she is one that I see as someone that should be looked up to. Her character is very near and dear to my heart, and speaks for itself when I roleplay her. She has grown and matured so much since when I first got her and she has very naturally evolved to become a leader in the eyes of her family and herd. I'm sure she will continue to develop and evolve through more time and experience but when I look back on how far she has come, the trials she has accepted on behalf of her family, and how many obstacles she has gracefully overcome, it seems like the next step to enter her to become an elder.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:20 am
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Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Aquitaine
Link to Teepee: Teepee
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? September 2012
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
A Chance Meeting - Aquitaine's family has taken a trip away from their beachside home. During this trip Aquitaine wanders away from her parents and encounters another foal, Agave. Up until now Aquitaine has lived a fairly sheltered life and doesn't have a full understanding of the world. What the foal tells her truly opens her eyes and makes her realize that the world isn't perfect after all.
Dangerous Encounter - While out looking for some herbs Aquitaine and her goat familiar, Gaul, are attacked by a skinwalker. While the skinwalker eventually leaves Aquitaine is badly injured and is scarred both mentally and physically from this ordeal.
You Don't Belong Here - Traveling away from her home Aquitaine finds herself in the area where she first met Agave, and when she seems him again their reunion is far from perfect. However, she can't help but offer him help before he runs her off.
Beachside Horrors - Aquitaine meets a stallion who attended a festival on the beach and they speak of various things including her odd appearance and she shares with him some things about what its like to be strange looking and to be judged by appearances alone.
Overdue Reunion - Agave arrives at the beach injured but free from his mother. Aquitaine is overjoyed to see her friend but is also concerned by his wounds.
Making Adjustments - Aquitaine works with Agave to attempt to help his transition into his new life. This is the first chance she has had to bring an individual away from their old life and to become socially accepted. It is not easy but Aquitaine is determined to see it through.
Second Life Lost? - Aquitaine starts to develop feelings for Agave, and Agave starts to fall for Aquitaine. But will his past break them apart?
Conquering Fear & Moving Forward - After battling nightmares and crippling fear brought on by the skinwalker attack Aquitaine is ready to put it all behind her. So she takes her familiar, Gaul, who had been with her when the skinwalker came, back to where it all happened to face her fears. Along the way she tells him about her goals in helping others, especially those who are mutants.
Big Decisions - The time has come for Aquitaine to begin the next phase of her life, one that will set her on the path of finding those in need and helping them with their issues. But first she must tell Agave and get his blessings.
Children of The Tunnel - Aquitaine meets another offspring from the twisted tunnel and shares some of her knowledge with the mare. The conversation leads them both to wanting to learn more about this strange device and how it affects others. Perhaps if she can find out how it affects Soquili she can better help them.
A Little Advice - During one of her journeys away from home Aquitaine encounters a young colt who is having some issues dealing with being different from his father and sister. Aquitaine offers her own experiences of being different in an attempt to help the colt out.
Keep Believing - While going out in search of those who may need her help Aquitaine finds a young mare named Alarion. Striking up a conversation with the mare Aquitaine soon finds out they have a lot of common, including their beliefs about not judging someone based upon looks, but Alarion is having some doubts about that. Aquitaine helps to reinforce those beliefs and also offers some advice on other issues that Alarion is dealing with.
Broken Hope - While out with her daughter, Ipswich, Aquitaine finds tracks that lead the pair to a stallion at the bottom of a ravine. Knowing she had to help Aquitaine leads her daughter down a dangerous and narrow path in order to give aide to the stallion below - who at first is hesitant of her presence and then accepts their help.
Renewed Hope - Having spent days healing Prism, it's time for them to bring him home to continue with his recovery. After he tells them his secret, the trio must then learn the fate of his basket. Once that knowledge is gained, they continue on, with hope for the future, to Aquitaine's home so that she can see through the rest of his recovery and get him reach for the next stage of his life.
Consequences - Helping another doesn't always end in success, that is something Aquitaine has come to learn. Yet even she wasn't expecting the ramifications to her good deed trip for her mate Agave. It will take everything she has learned to see herself through this experience safely.
Changing Perspectives - It has been no easy task, but Aquitaine has slowly begun to change the opinions of her captors. Now comes the greatest test of all, having them truly accept that not just herself, but her family as well, poses them or anyone else no harm and that perhaps they can work together for the greater good.
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Aquitaine has been through a great number of things in her life. She knows what it means to be ostracized due to looking different and yet being well loved by family and those close to her. She knows what fear feels like and knows what peace is. She has struggled and she has helped others as they struggle. It is her understanding nature that has allowed her to cross each hurdle and continue on with new knowledge of things. From her various experiences, especially those tied to being a mutant, she had come to realize her place in this world. What matters to her most is helping others, and though a lot of that help is focused on those with the same affliction as her - offspring of the twisted tunnel, Aquitaine is willing to help any who need it. Her focus now is finding others who are both the product of and have been in the twisted tunnels, offering advice on how to cope for those whose looks have been altered by it, helping parents who are struggling with raising mutant children, letting them know that there is a place in this world for them, they just need time to find it. She is a pillar of understanding and acceptance for the mutant community in the Soquili lands, helping them to become more social, accept who and what they are, and educate others that looks don't always equate to what can be found on the inside. Each Soquili she helps adds to her knowledge and experience, something that will be of value to her with every step she takes in her life and it is something she cherishes deeply. Life is full of new experiences, new things to learn, new individuals to help, obstacles to overcome and Aquitaine is ready to do all of those things.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Initially I had no plans of pursuing Elderhood with Aquitaine. She was incredibly special to me from the moment I got her as a basket and even more so when she emerged but I didn't see her as the Elder type. However once I started to RP her and forming plots for her I realized that she wasn't just special, she had the potential to be an Elder. After a few RPs with her I found a niche for her to work with. Being a mutant of a non-mutant family was something not necessarily unique but something that would take her far. Through both pleasant and unpleasant experiences she learned what it is to be a mutant, that many judge others based upon their looks and won't always give them a chance to show who they truly are. I developed a large number of plots for her to help move her from a quiet sheltered life to an advocate for the mutant population. Though I have given her lots of RP and plots it is really only the beginning for Aquitaine, whether she makes Elder or not, she will continue to grow and move through various plots.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:32 pm
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Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Shiori ~uncert
Link to Teepee: Current Teepee ~ Old Teepee ~ About Shiori
Do you remember when your Soquili first maxed out? Honestly, I can’t remember. Must've been 2009/2010 at the latest.
Links to RP(s) that show how the Soquili has grown over time, proving his or her development into an Elder:
Young and Wild
Meeting Others (Cualtzin)
Shiori, a young and hyperactive mare, gets to know a stallion for the first time. She experiences a short crush on Cualtzin. After all, he is kind and praises her speed and strength. In the end, she realises what she assumed to be a crush was just the feeling of making her first friend. She learns that there is more to life than finding a mate and breeding.
Ooh, who’s this?! (Samus)
After having only friendly encounters, Shiori comes to terms with the fact that not all Soquili are friendly, and that she should be more weary of who she approaches. At first, Shiori is mesmerised by Samus as she has never seen a winged four-legged creature before. She tries to befriend him before she discovers he is a mean and overly confident soquili whom she hopes never to meet again.
A surprise meeting (Eidaeri)
Shiori meets an extremely shy stallion by a river, and helps him conquer his fears and cross the river. She learns how to empathise with others while respecting their boundaries, or as in Eidaeri’s case, their fears. She discovers that she gets immense pleasure and happiness through the simple act of helping others without needing anything in return.
Fly away with me (Arodacahan)
Somewhat older, Shiori is starting to look for a place to belong to and people to call family. She meets a stallion who is a part of a herd (naive at the time, Shiori believes a few close companions to be considered a herd), and after befriending him, asks if she can join them. When he politely declines, she leaves him to ponder where she could possibly belong.
Life as a Mate and a Mother
Butterflies?! Where?! (Verloren)
At the right time in her life, Shiori finds her mate. Even though at first Verloren is afraid of starting a stable relationship due to his past, they grow to trust each other and get along very well. Now they are the best of friends and she feels very passionately of him. Shiori can talk about anything when she is around him and feels very happy when he is by her side. She has learned that love can be unconditional, and has found it!
Another great friend? (Biscuit)
After meeting Verloren, Shiori encounters Biscuit, a stallion who charms and flatters her constantly. But, as she decides that Verloren is her true mate, she matures into understanding that charms aren’t everything, and that with Verloren, she can be her true and playful self.
Its small, but it’s family & Troublesome batch & Misc
FAMILY is the most important thing in the world to Shiori. These RPs are of her eldest children, Kenji, Soki, and the introduction of her familiar Kaze, and how the wolf acts maternally to Shiori’s children. The second time Shiori mates with Verloren, she has three children, Sena, Cadmium and Kahya (Troublesome batch) Further into her adulthood, she also encounters her grandchildren and great-grand-children. As she ages, she realises she is no longer a child, and comes to discover her purpose in life: to be a role model for her offspring and younger generations.
Shiori's family tree, last updated in 2011, who knows how many descendants she has now!
Late Adulthood
The right path (Mahavir)
Roaming away from her family, Shiori finds a stallion with a terrible sense of direction. Lost in a jungle, Shiori helps Mahavir find his way home. Like she time she helped Eidaeri across the river, Shiori finds happiness in helping others.
Meet with a younger mare (Melanie)
While off on her own for a peaceful breaks from her young ones, Shiori meets Melanie. As she talks incessantly about her family, Shiori finds herself reflecting on how her values have changed over time. She comes to realise that in the past, she loved traveling to new lands, meeting all kinds of nomads and following adventurous paths. Now, she spends all her time with her family, and while explaining all the day-to-days of family-life and motherhood to Melanie, realises that it’s okay that she’s changed. She’s found her calling; to raise, to nurture, and to guide her children.
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?
Shiori has experienced the ups and downs of a long and safe life. When she was young, she was constantly searching for a place to belong to, but never found a fit. She wanted to be with winged Soquili, or hang out with meaner Soquili, even if they were nothing like her. But as she came to know herself, she matured, and she grew from a young filly with no close relationships and a will to explore, to a strong-willed yet kind mare.
Most importantly, she feels a profound sense of happiness in helping others, and as an elder, would be able to reach more lost (both figuratively and literally!) individuals, and be given a chance to help them on their own journeys. She would offer anecdotes from her own experiences, and give advice based on the many different kinds of Soquili she’s met and come to know over her long life.
In her enormous family, being an elder would most certainly bring her closer to the younger generations of the Shiori/Verloren clan. She has many troubled descendants, like her daughter Kahya, who has had many children herself and how suffers from a lack of purpose, or her grand-daughter Macchi, who is much too wild to the extent it is becoming dangerous to her and those close to her. She also wants to reconnect with her eldest son Kenji, who has mated with two different mares, and help him come to terms with the disappearance of his first love.
All in all, Shiori has what it takes to be a role model. She is kind and gentle, and is able to empathise with others effortlessly. She overcomes disagreements gracefully, and learns profoundly from all her experiences. She has strong qualities to be a selfless leader to many and guide many younger generations. As an elder, her first duty would be to unite her own extended family, who have drifted apart over time.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Shiori was my very first Soquili. She is unbelievably precious to me, and I was extremely lucky to get her in 2007 through Lilwere's customs when I was new to Gaia and had been stalking Soquili for months and months and saving up in case I would ever be lucky enough to join Soquili's amazing community. I was so in love with Shiori that when she was finished, I printed out a picture of her and glued her to the front of my binder. I can't believe that was 8 years ago! biggrin I was only 13 at the time, so I practically grew up with Gaia, Soquili, and especially Shiori. She was the first character I EVER role-played with, and is very dear to me because she brings back such fond memories of times when I was new to roleplaying, and when Gaia and the B/C forums were my one stable and safe place to go to after having a tough day at school and all the teenage drama that entailed. Elder status for my first and most precious mare would be the most perfect gift. |
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:14 pm
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Well, it's that time!
The spirits have read through the applications, done some discussing, and have come to their conclusion. For any of you who have not made it, please don't get discouraged! Elderhood is not easy to obtain. Do not think of this as rejection, but an opportunity for additional development. Some of you were very, very close, but still require a little more polishing before it's time to shine. Keep it up, and you'll be there in no time!
That being said, please congratulate She-Ra of Etheria and her Aquitaine! The spirits believe this mare has worked hard and is ready for a new role. She's gained strength, wisdom, and maturity through her trials and tribulations; she's been a friend to many, and has helped get others out of bad situations. She has not let her differences define her, but instead has become a mare with a mission and purpose.
Good job, Aquitaine -- we look forward to your new role as an elder.
She-Ra, the colorists who are able to elderfy your mare are as follows:
ATh e a r t
Uta
Deejaye
Mindsend
One Over Three
If you want to pick a colorist for Aquitaine, please let us know, so we can talk to them and make sure they think they can do Aquitaine justice. Otherwise, we'll assign you one and have them contact you for details.
Congratulations!
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:32 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:13 pm
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