[OOC] Game of Tails

[DarkFey]

--- Character Bio ---

Name: Seraphine (sera-fEEn)
Nickname: Sera (She only lets one person call her that)
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Race: Dog-Human

Appearance:

Seraphine

Just imagine her with dog years and a tail with fur the same colour as her hair.

Height: 5'6
Weight: 138lbs
Hair colour: Silver
Eye colour: Silver
Skin tone: Light

Personality: Sera is, for the most part, a serious young woman. Loyalty is very important to her and she would rather die than break that bond. She is mistrustful of strangers, but those who earn her trust have it for life.
- Likes: Honourable combat, fine food, sunny days, music.
- Dislikes: Those who don't take fights seriously, disrespectful people, stormy days.

Background: Seraphine grew up a nameless orphan, struggling to scrounge up a living on the streets. One day, during a grand parade through the city, Sera tried to steal a piece of fruit from a stall while the seller was distracted. Unfortunately she was seen by a passing guardsman who demanded she halt. Fearing punishment, she ran and the guardsman gave chase. She ducked through alleys and weaved around buildings but was unable to shake her pursuer. Eventually she found herself in a crowd and hoped she would be able to lose him there. She pushed her way through the crowd, but went too far and stumbled out of the crowd and into the road, right into the middle of the Royal Procession. A moment later she was seized by the scruff of her neck by the guardsman.

Sera had just given up hope when suddenly the parade stopped and a voice rang out. "Hold up there." The masculine voice called, in a kind but commanding tone. "What's going on here?" The King himself had stopped his carriage right next to them and was curious as to what was happening. The guardsman leapt to attention but did not release her. "I've just apprehended this thief, Your Majesty!" He said, respectfully. The king then turned his eyes on her and Sera held her breath. He questioned her, asking if she had indeed stolen the fruit and, after briefly considering denying the charges, Sera admitted to it. She didn't make any excuses, but just held her head high and waited for her punishment.

The king must've seen something he liked in her, her honesty or maybe the proud way she held herself, for he ordered the Guardsman to release her and took her into his carriage. The Royal family took Sera in as their ward and raised her. She was given a name, an education and trained in the use of weapons. And when the Princess was born, Sera was asked to be her protector. Sera loved the Royal Family for all they and done for her and accepted this monumental responsibility. She spent the last of her child years and her whole adolescence watching over the little Princess, always going where she went. She loved the little girl like a sister, despite all the grief the little girl's wandering caused. Sera felt the loss of the King and Queen just as hard as the Princess did, but was equally hurt when she called for a new war-game so that she could summon her heroes. On one hand Sera knew that they would need help to keep the kingdom together, but on the other hand she was saddened that the princess did not turn to her. She decided to enter the War-game personally with the intention of proving to the Princess, and to herself, that she could be relied on.

--- Powers and Abilities ---

Position: Royal Bodyguard
Affinity: Wind
Physical Fitness: Good
Magic Potential: Low
Weapon Specialization: Pole-arms and swords

--- Special Attack(s) ---

Name: Wind Arts - Gale Scythe
Type: Medium ranged projectile
Desc: Sera holds up two fingers and slashes them across in front of her creating a crescent moon shaped blast of air that has enough force to inflict wounds. The effect becomes weaker at greater distances as the wind dissipates.

(Possibly more specials coming)

[PlatinumSkink]

Awwwwwwwwwwww. Poor Sera. I'm sorry, I probably completely failed to consider your feelings on that matter... *pets her head in apology*

... So, you're simply a Royal Guard, not the Captain of the Royal Guard? *snicker* I'm not entirely sure what the difference is, but wouldn't that mean there'd be some superior to you you'd have to follow the orders of in order to protect me, now? *snicker* I'll leave that detail to you and Xalt.

Another small deeeeeeeeeeeeeetail. Seeing how nobody has said it, I suppose it falls to me. You can't be human. This RP is based on a world where everyone is some kind of animal-person, meaning the only humans can be the ones summoned from another world, the heroes. The heroes have already been picked, so unless you have a really... ... Nameless orphan, you say? One with no mention of her birth? ... What? Do you have some really complicated backstory reason that you omitted to keep as a plot-twist to finally reveal how you could possibly be human? ... I'll leave that to you and Xalt. *snicker* If whatever you thought up is denied, you can still use the image, we'll just imagine her with ears and a tail of some sort~

Otherwise, she looks good and cute~ Note that I am only saying that as a player and the GM has the final word~

[DarkFey]

Sera isn't actually a royal guard. She's not part of any rank structure. Her closest official title would be Royal Ward or adopted daughter of the royal family. She's the Princess' bodyguard and "surrogate older sister" I guess? If that makes any sense...

As for her race, It's really just an oversight on my part. Lets all just pretend that picture I posted has ears and a tail.

[DarkFey]

She's not a soldier or guard, she's just a girl that the King and Queen took in, taught and raised and entrusted with the responsibility of looking after their daughter.

[Xaltwind]

Hm, hm... Let's see...

1) <Given her age, Sera would've had to been younger than 7 yhears old when the Royal Family picked her up, as you stated she was educated, trained and cared for for a time prior to the princess being born, and Sera is only 7 years older than Solia. This is not an issue in and of itself, I just found it ... strange?

2) If the Royal Family entrusted Sera with the duty of protecting the Princess, she would have had to join the Royal Guard and become an official member of it. If she was to remain as just an 'adopted daughte of the Royal Family', she would technically be a Princess - but seeing as she has no blood-ties to the family, and no claim to the throne - or anything else for that matter - that isn't really a viable option. Hence, she would have to have a title and official post in order to be allowed to carry out her duty.

3) I said this earlier in the OOC, but weapon specialization means SPECIALIZATION. Pole-arms and swords is too broad, for you don't use a bardiche the same way you use a spear, and you don't use a short sword the same way you use a zweihander. Please specify what weapons, exactly, she is trained with.

4) Not sure how familiar you are with Dog Days, but remember that War-games are non-lethal - just saying this since you specifically mentioned that your Special Attack causes wounds, which it would only be able to do in low/no-Frala zones. Again, this is not something that needs editing or changing, just mentioning this for safety reasons.

Aside from these tidbits, it looks just fine. Fix the tiny smidgeons and we'll get Sera ready to jump into the IC as well. :)

[Skyswimsky]

Talking about Swords, I can still change my Jian, right? Right.

[DarkFey]

Xaltwind said
Hm, hm... Let's see...1) <Given her age, Sera would've had to been younger than 7 yhears old when the Royal Family picked her up, as you stated she was educated, trained and cared for for a time prior to the princess being born, and Sera is only 7 years older than Solia. This is not an issue in and of itself, I just found it ... strange?2) If the Royal Family entrusted Sera with the duty of protecting the Princess, she would have had to join the Royal Guard and become an official member of it. If she was to remain as just an 'adopted daughte of the Royal Family', she would technically be a Princess - but seeing as she has no blood-ties to the family, and no claim to the throne - or anything else for that matter - that isn't really a viable option. Hence, she would have to have a title and official post in order to be allowed to carry out her duty.3) I said this earlier in the OOC, but weapon specialization means SPECIALIZATION. Pole-arms and swords is too broad, for you don't use a bardiche the same way you use a spear, and you don't use a short sword the same way you use a zweihander. Please specify what weapons, exactly, she is trained with.4) Not sure how familiar you are with Dog Days, but remember that War-games are non-lethal - just saying this since you specifically mentioned that your Special Attack causes wounds, which it would only be able to do in low/no-Frala zones. Again, this is not something that needs editing or changing, just mentioning this for safety reasons.Aside from these tidbits, it looks just fine. Fix the tiny smidgeons and we'll get Sera ready to jump into the IC as well. :)

Ok for the first point that was probably poor wording on my part, but Sera was a little girl when she was taken in by the royal family, Chronologically, she was being raised by their kindness while the princess was a baby. She might have been taken in by them like a year, or even less, before the princess was born. I didn't want to make my background too long so I didn't go into that much detail, but she would have been given the unofficial role of watching over Solia when she was a teenager, but even before that they were raised together.

As for the second point, Sera has no claim on the throne because she was never actually adopted by the King and Queen, they just took her in. This is why, aside from being something akin to a childhood playmate/confidant/unofficial protector, Sera's closest official rank would be Royal Ward. A Ward being a child raised and educated by the crown's good graces. So her Bodyguard position isn't an official title, but rather a duty shes taken on after being asked to by the King.

The third and forth points are simple matters to fix up.

[Xaltwind]

Yes, sky, you cam still change your Jian to something else. :p

@Fey:

Again, the age-thing wasn't really an issue, it was just me being nitpicky and confused.

The problem with the position still remains though. Even if she was a Ward of the Royal Family, that does neither entitle her, nor authorize her, to become the protector of the Princess, especially when there are others - noble families included - who have to go through the process of joining the Royal Guard in order to do the same thing. If, by some means, Sera managed to become an unofficial guard of Solia, she would likely be subject to extreme resentment from the 'official' royal guard -- behind Solia's back, of course. IF you're fine with that though, go ahead. :p

Good, good!

[DarkFey]

Sera don't care what nobody thinks, mmhmm.

Except for Solia, I suppose.

[DarkFey]

I gotta go but i'll make whatever changes I have to first thing tomorrow.

[PlatinumSkink]

If she hadn't gained any official rank but gone through all the training which the backstory appears to imply, Solia would not hesitate to give her a position with the right to protect her on the spot should it be brought to question. The reasons being the undying loyalty and great dedication she has shown as well as having proven over the years to be more than just highly capable for the position. That and afterwards flashing a happy smile in the direction of Sera.

Maybe it never happened because Solia never heard of it (the princess will not be happy with any resentment taking place behind her back...), but that would be her immediate reaction.

[Komamisa]

A possible and probable course to take would that she was assigned as a squire to a Captain or Veteran of the Royal Guard. Thus, while a ward of the Royal Family, she is also made the responsibility of the aforementioned Captain (or previous captain)/Veteran to train, educate and discipline, effectively raising her. This isn't altogether too uncommon of a situation in these sorts of quasi-Medieval-Renaissance settings.

More simply put: She was not officially adopted by the King, but taken under his custody before giving her an official House and Title by having her become a squire to a person of note in a favorable position for her. Essentially, she'd be the adopted person of her guardian/master. This would be similar to (but not exactly the same as) how in some legends, King Arthur is an "adopted" son of Sir Ector, even as King Uther was still alive.

---

Skyswimsky said
Talking about Swords, I can still change my Jian, right? Right.

Oh, if I might make a suggestion: You might want to replace the Foil with something meant for actual battle, like a Smallsword or a Rapier. The Jian could be replaced with a Broadsword/Basket-hilted Sword as the fighting style would be similar to a Jian, but it'd keep with a Western Renaissance sort of theme.

[PlatinumSkink]

I posted. Simply for the fact about that front probably should be moving on as swiftly as possible, so I post quickly.

I was intending on making a short post, but it turned really long, anyway... Tell me if there's any problems or if you'd act before I manage to do all which I wrote I did. If so is the case, I will shorten it to there and let you act as you want. Alrighto?

[Zombehs]

I'm fine with the post as it is. Alam will still be wondering what's going in while she's introducing herself.

[Skyswimsky]

Komamisa said Oh, if I might make a suggestion: You might want to replace the Foil with something meant for actual battle, like a Smallsword or a Rapier. The Jian could be replaced with a as the fighting style would be similar to a Jian, but it'd keep with a Western Renaissance sort of theme.

I like the Jian but Xalt said with her being so about Japan it might have been better to pick a, well, japanese weapon. Also u can't use ze Foil for actual battle :C? All my experience comes from Blade Symphony, durr.

[Komamisa]

!!! Look forward to my post sometime in the next 24 hours !!! Sorry for taking so long; Between a morning job, evening classes, homework, trying to balance a sleeping schedule and still getting time to myself to stay in contact with friends, it's been tough to get any words on paper.

Skyswimsky said
I like the Jian but Xalt said with her being so about Japan it might have been better to pick a, well, japanese weapon. Also u can't use ze Foil for actual battle :C? All my experience comes from Blade Symphony, durr.

Hmm... there aren't really any Japanese equivalents to the Jian since they preferred slashing over stabbing. The only thing I can imagine would be a Ninjato/Ninja Sword, but that in itself is pretty inaccurate as well. Anyway, yes... Foils are pretty much modern weapons meant for non-lethal fencing. The best you can do is poke someone's eye out with one. An Epee might work.

[PlatinumSkink]

It is entirely possible to use a foil in battle. They were mostly duelist weapons and other items would probably be used in real combat, buuuuuuuuuut... I'd like to remind that Yui here is a hero who will be using a ring to get whatever weapon she desires, regardless of history or anything. If she happens to think a foil is the best weapon for her, then damn right the ring will make one for her! XD So from that point of view, historical accuracy and such things really matter nil. After all, the hero gets what she wants. If she has played this game which gave her the impression foils are awesome combat weapons or chooses one because she has fenced with one before... Then so it will be~!

I just felt I should mention.

[Xaltwind]

Is Solia prone to hyper-ventilating? xD

Also Skink, I believe I've told you this, but armor in Fralanthe works differently from armor in Dog Days. Armor is not just destroyed by being touched, you actually have to pierce or break it in order for it to disappear. This means that, something like Cinque's staff in Dog Days, would be more or less useless on its own, and only by using Crest Cannons would he have been able to defeat enemies - if he was in this setting.

Or to put it basically; Weapons that aren't weapons meant for battle/war aren't of much use here.

[Nekomancer]

Are you implying a bo staff isn't a weapon?

[Zombehs]

Nekomancer said
Are you implying a bo staff isn't a weapon?

Never mind. I have no idea what I'm talking about.