PerniciousIntent

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

It was cold in this place, wherever it was. Dark too, but not quiet. A persistent banging, strident and annoying, sounded a harsh rapport over the sound of violent wind. The sound of wind swelled and thinned from howls to whistles, and the accompanying banging led to a cacophony of riotous music that did nothing to please the ears of the listener. He was comfortable, balled up in his covers the way a burrowing animal would be, and it took Everett a moment to realize he was awake, and the deafening symphony he heard was coming from outside his window. He lurched up crookedly, arms restricted by his bed coverings. As he moved, the blankets fell away from his protruding collar bones, and he shivered. It was not supposed to be this cold in spring, he thought uselessly and tiredly, not fully awake. He realized the cause of his awakening, the raucous clatter of his flower box against his window frame. He shrugged out of his cocoon without much difficulty - a life spent as a violent sleeper left him used to the battle of limbs and sheets - and swung his legs over the side of his bed. The floor was cold against his bare feet.

Everett ran a hand through his tousled hair, it's lavender color accentuated by the dreary light that filtered past his plain blue curtains. As much as he was disturbed by the weather, he reminded himself that they did reside in the valley of a large mountain, and such areas are prone to sudden and violent weather patterns. He didn't think much of it at that moment. He yawned deeply, looking to his clock and seeing the time, decided he might as well get up anyway. He probably wouldn't have much luck falling back asleep. He stood after the decision was made, and groaned as he disentangled himself completely from the sheets and his bare torso was exposed to the cold. He swept up his robe as he strode lazily to the window, pulled it on with another yawn.

At the window, he looked out. The sky was a terrifying shade of dark gray, swirled and intermingled with tendrils or both lighter and darker clouds, giving the sky a truly ominous appearance. The whole town shook in its wake, trembling and rattling in the powerful gusts. His building was no exception; the wooden frame before him convulsed under the pressure. He waited until a particularly harsh gust subsided, and then quickly cracked his window and quickly dashed his slender hands out, bring in the flower box easily. He closed it again, and the action was followed immediately by another forceful gale. His flesh was raised in goose-flesh from the exposure, and he stuffed his hands under his arms and shivered. The air had felt damp, and smelled of salt. He peered into his garden-box, relieved there seemed to be little irreparable damage; it would grow back. He straightened the box against the sill, and stepped back.

He made it to his bed before he heard the crack of thunder. It was easily one of the loudest, most jarring sound he had heard in a long while, if not ever. The resounding echo off the mountain was even still something to be heard over the wind, and he wasn’t surprised, but yet not prepared, for the following lightning strike. Almost his entire apartment, which consisted of just two rooms, a main room with an elevated and screen off bed area and a bathroom, lit up in an ethereal white light, making insidious shadows out of the furniture and Everett himself. He stopped cold, shocked for a brief second, and then slackened. The only thing strange about this lightning was its magnitude; it was nothing he wasn’t used to. Still, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He returned to the window.

As he stood there, gazing at the sky with a look of contemplation, he was most enraptured by the sight of the clouds turning in on themselves. The entire mass circled around a reverse whirlpool. He stood, transfixed, as the entire undulating storm slowly disappeared from sight; collapsing from an all-encompassing sheet, to a large obstruction, to small dark cloud, and then, lastly, nothing.

Everett had never seen something so magnificent in its mystery. An intellectual by nature, this strange events had his mind racing at the possibilities and meanings of the phenomenon he had just witnessed. He blew a long breath out of his nose after he stood in silence, eyes lifted to the sky just outside his thin window. He opened the window, slowly at first, half expected the winds to blow, the sight of the vortex having been an illusion, but the air was calm, and when he repositioned his planter’s box, it sat against his window without protest. He shook his head and closed the window once more.

Looking to his clock, he saw that it was not lit up. He knew it was around five or six in the morning, and sighed. This was an interesting morning, indeed, he thought as he dressed.

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

I just posted mine - I hope I got everyone. If not, call me out ^.^
To the IC-eeee!

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley Character Sheets

Appearance

Name: Everett Michaels
Age: 24
Gender: M
Birthday: Fall 13
Role: Doctor
Likes:

Open minds

Animals, especially cats

Soup! Any kind. Except tomato -.-

Fresh produce. Loves fresh produce because he's a health nut.

Puzzles and card games

Dislikes:

Jerks, and other overly-prideful people

Excess junkfood

Extended periods of exercise

Things staying the same for too long. He gets restless.

Personality:
Everett is a smart man, but not in an arrogant manner. He is a kind soul and tries his best to use his education for the betterment of the community. His face is more often lifted into a smile than not, and many a resident have know him to say that laughter is the best medicine. He's a simple person, but a deep one, and can be quite poetic. He's a bit shy, especially outside of the clinic, and can get flustered easily. It is rare to see him in a bad manner as he has a slow temper and calming disposition. In the clinic, he is all business, and efficient. Even though he loves the serenity of the country, his time in the city gave him a taste of adventure that he still carries. He dislikes stagnation, and takes great pleasure in the many events that happen around the Valley. If something is going on, he will be there.

Background:
Everett was born and raised in Lily of the Valley. As a child, his parents were minor ranchers that lived on the edge of the White River. He had a happy childhood, although he spent more time with his nose in a book than out with other children. As he grew older, it became clear that he would not be content with the simple life of a rancher, his intelligence urged him on to something more. When he was 16, he graduated school thanks to his vigorous studying, and he left the island, to go to medical school on the mainland.

He spent a few years away in the city studying both general and trauma medicine. The course was rigid, and difficult, but he was more than up for the challenge. Despite his love for his studies, throughout his stay he missed home. That was the most difficult part for him. He honestly missed not just his family and friends, but the island itself. It's his home. It's more than his home. As soon as he got his degree, he moved back to the island.

Unbeknownst to him, something horrible had happened in his absence. With the lack of technology in the Valley, he had little contact with his parents. They wrote letters, but post-by-boat is a little unreliable. Around three years before he came home, the letters stopped completely. Looking back, Everett blames himself for being to enthralled in school to take notice, but he knows rationally even if he had gone back to check it wouldn't have changed a thing.

With the luck of the island fading, there had been many tragic occurrences. Five years ago, in the spring, the river had swelled past its normal banks. Being right on the edge, a fair portion of the Michaels' Ranch small property had gone underwater. His parent's would have been fine, if not for his mother's soft heart. One of their young fowls had been caught in the current and swept away. His mother had went after it, even though there was really nothing she could do, and his father followed. They both drowned in the churning current. The death of his parents devastated Everett, and for a few months he didn't even try to practice medicine. He had wanted to buy his parents land, but it had been already been done. He still holds a feeling of responsibility for it, even though he was miles away.

For most of the past two years he's been home, he has worked as the primary physician of the Lily Town Medical Center. He lives in a small apartment above the clinic, partly so he can be reached easily in desperate times, and also because he has no need for a larger abode.

Skills:
He is great in his field, and many look at him as a very smart man. His mind is in general quick. He's a good cook, and tends a small window-box garden. He is great at calming other people and making anyone around him feel at ease; it makes his job easier and less stressful to those involved.

Relationships:

Elizabeth 'Eli' Stern: One of the few people of Lily of the Valley Everett does not know (to a certain degree of friendly familiarity), Eli is a curiosity to him. His more compassionate side, that which drove his education, makes him want to check her over whenever he sees the solitary young girl, although he would never impose it on her. Despite having heard, rather than experienced, that she was actually quite the spitfire, Everett has no bad feelings towards her, for he does not really know her to any extent.

Gaku Yamamoto: The seemingly darker young man is another specific character in Everett's mind. He wouldn't classify them as close, but to speak for Dr. Micheals would be to say that two had a sort of understanding. Everett was as honest as his courtesy allowed him to be, and Gaku, at least to Everett's eyes, appreciated it. They didn't seek each other out, but pleasantries are exchanged in passings.

Alex Garnet: The lively bartender, who Everett often sees after a longer day, or on a spontaneous Friday night, always brings a smile to his face. She is good at her job, and Everett recognizes that one has to have a great memory to be able to recall ingredients to so many drinks. He talks to her specifically whenever he is at the bar, and always tries his best to ease the lines of tension on her face when the bar is full.

Henry Manteel: They can't be called close friends, but Everett often talks to Henry about his farm with interest, and doesn't refrain from asking question related to his own small garden.

Isabelle 'Izzie' McKenzie: Everett is fond of Izzie. She a larger help around the clinic than she often realizes, especially when she maneuvers a particularly heavy box or other more physical tasks (despite her being a female and him a male, he's more than okay with the fact she's stronger then him: physical strength is a skill borne of practice). She's more than welcomed in his presence. He worries about her grandfather, and does the best he can for him (not that he doesn't do his best with all his patients). He tries to help their situation in any way he can.

Isis Thorne: Everett considers Isis a lovely woman, and can hold a pleasant conversation with her without an issue. She is another person he connects with through his minuscule garden: as much as he did it to grow produce, the aromatic smell of his favorite flower, hyacinths, was too much for him to ignore: he more than often buys seeds of the flower, or the flower itself from her. The two have similar 'people-pleasing' attitudes that make the connection even easier.

Rosemary Bates: Everett knows her face and story, it is a small town after all, but doesn't know the girl. He seen her from time to time, but their conflicting interests usually prevents in depth conversation. He doesn't dislike her sarcasm as much as he doesn't appreciate it. THey have a casual relationship because of the clinic's needs.

Alice Rems: Dr. Michaels is actually fond of Alice, but he looks at her as a young girl. He views her absent-mindedness as a lack of maturity, although as someone who normally reserves judgements he doesn't see it as a bad thing. He doesn't know her very well.

Brent Roless Oh, my... Brent Roless is a welcome frustration of Everett's. Although they aren't particularly close, the sheer amount of times Everett sees this man in a season astounds the doctor. Not only that, but he gets frustrated when a lot of the times the wanderer comes in with something Everett had already treated him for, which almost irks him. Not that he gets angry, its more of a concern for the other that drives the frustration. Everett worries after he's gone for too long without see Brent, thoughts of dangerous accidents or predators getting the best of Brent's free spirit.

Other:
Being so thin, he isn't good at physical labor. He does exercise, and he can be seen swimming or running from time to time, but he gets tired easily.

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

Sorry about that! I've been out all day, and haven't had a chance to do the relationship chart. I'll do that and work on a post. No promises, but I should have a post up by the end of the night.

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

The relationship charts we did were just kept as part of the individual character sheets.

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

Gaku being blunt probably wouldn't put Everett off, just more make him speak to him in a similar fashion. He would be factual with him, in hopes Gaku would appreciate it and be less ... unwelcoming, I suppose is a good word for it.
Everett probably wouldn't know Eli very well, as she is new, but would have seen her around and has undoubtly worried about the girl's health, but that would be beacuse he'd never would have seen her in his care.
He would know Alex, and would be on good terms with her because she's kind and he can sympathize with her lack of social skills.
Henry would be a familiar face, not only from the clinic but also from childhood. They would speak comfortably.

I was in a roleplay on another site and part of the CS was a relationship chart. Should we do something like that?

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

Cool. ^.^

Harvest Moon: Lily of the Valley

I'd go with the second one, she seems a bit... mysterious, I suppose. I dunno if that's what youre going for.

Just to say, I kinda took a liberty with his background, so if I need to change it just say.

Appearance

Name: Everett Micheals
Age: 24
Gender: M
Birthday: Fall 13
Role: Doctor
Likes:

Open minds

Animals, especially cats

Soup! Any kind. Except tomato -.-

Fresh produce. Loves fresh produce because he's a health nut.

Puzzles and card games

Dislikes:

Jerks, and other overly-prideful people

Excess junkfood

Extended periods of exercise

Things staying the same for too long. He gets restless.

Personality: Everett is a smart man, but not in an arrogant manner. He is a kind soul and tries his best to use his education for the betterment of the community. His face is more often lifted into a smile than not, and many a resident have know him to say that laughter is the best medicine. He's a simple person, but a deep one, and can be quite poetic. He's a bit shy, especially outside of the clinic, and can get flustered easily. It is rare to see him in a bad manner as he has a slow temper and calming disposition. In the clinic, he is all business, and efficient. Even though he loves the serenity of the country, his time in the city gave him a taste of adventure that he still carries. He dislikes stagnation, and takes great pleasure in the many events that happen around the Valley. If something is going on, he will be there.

Background: Everett was born and raised in Lily of the Valley. As a child, his parents were minor ranchers that lived on the edge of the White River. He had a happy childhood, although he spent more time with his nose in a book than out with other children. As he grew older, it became clear that he would not be content with the simple life of a rancher, his intelligence urged him on to something more. When he was 16, he graduated school thanks to his vigorous studying, and he left the island, to go to medical school on the mainland.

He spent a few years away in the city studying both general and trauma medicine. The course was rigid, and difficult, but he was more than up for the challenge. Despite his love for his studies, throughout his stay he missed home. That was the most difficult part for him. He honestly missed not just his family and friends, but the island itself. It's his home. It's more than his home. As soon as he got his degree, he moved back to the island.

Unbeknownst to him, something horrible had happened in his absence. With the lack of technology in the Valley, he had little contact with his parents. They wrote letters, but post-by-boat is a little unreliable. Around three years before he came home, the letters stopped completely. Looking back, Everett blames himself for being to enthralled in school to take notice, but he knows rationally even if he had gone back to check it wouldn't have changed a thing.

With the luck of the island fading, there had been many tragic occurrences. Five years ago, in the spring, the river had swelled past its normal banks. Being right on the edge, a fair portion of the Micheals' Ranch small property had gone underwater. His parent's would have been fine, if not for his mother's soft heart. One of their young fowls had been caught in the current and swept away. His mother had went after it, even though there was really nothing she could do, and his father followed. They both drowned in the churning current. The death of his parents devastated Everett, and for a few months he didn't even try to practice medicine. He had wanted to buy his parents land, but it had been already been done. He still holds a feeling of responsibility for it, even though he was miles away.

For most of the past two years he's been home, he has worked as the primary physician of the Lily Town Medical Center. He lives in a small apartment above the clinic, partly so he can be reached easily in desperate times, and also because he has no need for a larger abode.

Skills: He is great in his field, and many look at him as a very smart man. His mind is in general quick. He's a good cook, and tends a small window-box garden. He is great at calming other people and making anyone around him feel at ease; it makes his job easier and less stressful to those involved.

Relationships: Being the only doctor in the Valley, Everett knows almost everyone at least by name. He's a bit lonely, though; since he's come back he hasn't spent much time with anyone.

Other: Being so thin, he isn't good at physical labor. He does exercise, and he can be seen swimming or running from time to time, but he gets tired easily.

On average, how many RPs are you in at once?

Interesting responses. :)
I really think one of the deciding factors is how often you're expected to post. Some advanced RPs really last because people only have to post once a week, so the chance of them being unable to is small.
Eh, just an opinion. Thanks for those that answered, it sated my curiousity.

On average, how many RPs are you in at once?

This is a question I've always had. I always stick to less then five, but I know some people who do like 10 at once (which is crazy).
What else effects it? Interest? Level(free, casual, advanced)?
Just like a poll thing, I guess. I've always wondered what others would say to the same question.