Ryslig Application

[faeshim]

OOC INFORMATION
Name: mi
Contact: legions or PM
Age: 21+
Other Characters: n/a

CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Daeshim (of the Ruinwood)
Age: 400ish (but appears to be in his early 20's)
World Information:
Daeshim comes from a modern-day world that's much like the one that we know. However, monsters have and do still exist, even if their numbers are much smaller than they once were, and the general human population no longer believes in them. Some have adapted well enough to live alongside humans, while most non-human creatures stick to the shadows and wild places - like the Ruinwood. This is the world that Daeshim comes from and knows, an old forest that shares its border with a young human city.

Character Information:
(warnings: includes child death and kidnapping)

Daeshim is the progeny of a Seelie and an Unseelie, and therein lies many of his problems. The blood between the two is very different, and while Dae feels the pull of both, it's never been strong enough for him to fit in at either Court. Plain and wingless with a penchant for roughspun clothing, he was looked down upon by his mother's side. He was also deemed too gentle and cowardly to survive with his Unseelie kith and kin.

Daeshim remembers almost none of this. His first clear memory is being a Fae child, sitting with the mushrooms. And that's where Daeshim raised himself, in a small area of woods within a much larger forest. Growing up, his only company was the creatures you would imagine in such a place - deer, rabbits, and the occasional crow. It's the later who brought Daeshim news of the human city nearby, along with a little bit of its trash to trade with him.

Years turned into decades, and decades into a century or two, when Daeshim finally ventured close enough to see it for himself. The human world was strange, and so were the humans who lived it in. But it was then that Daeshim's curiosity was truly sparked for the first time. He wanted to know more about the many things that he didn't know after being sheltered in the woods for as long as he had been. But Fae can be fickle creatures, and this might've been a fleeting interest if he hadn't noticed that there were humans who stood out from the rest.

Daeshim calls them "shiny", because they shine like stars or tinfoil in the sunlight. It means anyone who's either passionate or gifted in something, whether it's art or math or human magic that sets them apart from the crowd. Daeshim started watching one "shiny" human in particular, a young girl who lived in a big house with cruel parents. Daeshim had never been given a premonition before, but somehow he knew that something tragic would happen if she stayed there.

In an impulsive decision, Daeshim stole her away to his woods, where an unlikely friendship began between them. Other Fae came to voice their disapproval when they found out, and even tried to take her too. Both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts were known to steal mortals for their own reasons, but to protect and befriend wasn't among them. But Daeshim was stubborn, and set a magical boundary around his woods that none could cross.

Or so he thought. The humans soon came into the woods in search of the girl, and destroyed much of it as they did. Frightened and told that her parents would be her doom, the girl ran away, and Daeshim hurried to find her. But someone (or something) else had found her first, and the green forest floor was soaked in red by the time he was able to catch up.

Daeshim blamed himself for her death. He believed that by bringing her to the woods, he actually became the one who'd sealed her fate. This was the day the Ruinwood gained its name and its reputation, because that's exactly what it became - a place dark and ruined, with tales of a lone, twisted creature that lived within them. The animals fled, the water turned stagnant, and flowers stopped blooming. He became even more of an outcast with his own kind.

Things remained this way for a very long time, long enough for humans to be born, grow old, and die. But his curiosity (and his loneliness) eventually called him back to the very edge of his forest. The city had changed so much, full of lights and sounds that it didn't have before. The people had changed too - many were dull and oblivious to what was really going on around them. But those who still shined really shined.

Eventually, he started to spirit them away again, one or sometimes two at a time. Some left and remembered nothing of the Ruinwood once they were back in their own world. But others chose to stay, breathing life back into both Daeshim and the Ruinwood.

Personality:

Daeshim is a bit of an odd duck for his kind...or for any kind, really. Maybe it was always in his nature to be different from other fae, different from the blood of either of his parents. Or maybe it was the lack of their influence in his life that made Daeshim his own being. An argument could be made for either side, but what is clear is that his unique upbringing (or lack thereof) played a huge role in his future relationships with humans. Daeshim's head wasn't filled with prejudices or cruelties - stealing humans, whether for fun or food, is an accepted norm amongst them. Even for Daeshim, they started out as a source of curiosity. Humans who lived in a world that deviated greatly from his own over time. He couldn't stop thinking about them.

But once he realized just how special and how fragile they can be, he found himself being protective (and a bit covetous) of them as well. He even went so far as to bring them to his woods to keep them safe from being "extinguished" from the dangers of their world. As well-meaning as he was, there is a slight problem with this...

They didn't ask him to.

Because despite the fondness that he can have for humans, Daeshim is decidedly not one. He often reminds others of this fact. He can be hard to understand, just as he also sometimes struggles to understand. He naturally has a resting b face - b as in "blank". This along with a tendency to stare makes him a little bit creepy to some people. There are also some human boundaries that still confuse him. Telling him that he "can't" do something is likely to be met with a response of how he actually can - kidnapping humans, for example. Explaining to him why he shouldn't might be a little more successful, but not always. It's hard to tell if Daeshim can't understand some of these principles, or simply doesn't want to.

Many of the fae in his world possess a morality that's gray at best, but things that aren't a concern with Daeshim include violence of any kind. This one hates it, and even the sight of blood makes him panic. He's also honest, willing to compromise ("make deals", as he might call it) and will never break his word. His kind actually can't lie, though they are very good at playing around with words so that things always work out in their favor. Daeshim's been known to do this too from time to time, but he'll be straightforward more often than not, especially with those he knows and cares about.

Despite being "old" by human standards, Daeshim could still be considered a young adult for a fae. This is part of the reason why he can sometimes be stubborn and immature. His mood can change quickly, and he often avoids conflict or any discussion that he doesn't want to have by literally running away from it. Daeshim is also stingy and suspicious when it comes to his found treasures, be it acorns or a shiny cigarette lighter, but that's nothing when compared to how he is over people that he's fond of. He thinks of these people as "his", and sometimes has a jealous streak when other people get close to them. He hasn't forgotten what it feels like to be lonely and abandoned, so these people are his real "treasures". Daeshim can also be incredibly affectionate towards these same people, and for that same reason. Seeing as how he really had no emotional guidance during his earliest years, it's really to his credit that he's as well-behaved as he is.

All of this may make him seem inhuman, but many of his own kind find him slightly repulsive too. He doesn't have the ethereal beauty of the Seelie Court, no fine clothes or gossamer wings. He also doesn't subscribe to their cruel, shallow ways. The Unseelie Court would see him as small, weak, and useless, but Daeshim doesn't have their taste for blood either. He is ultimately just himself, and while he might struggle with words of gratitude or apology, and deny being kind or helpful to his last breath, he can still be quietly counted on for these things and more.

5-10 Key Character Traits:
(+) Curious
(+) Honest
(-) Temperamental
(+) Affectionate
(+) Protective
(-) Childish
(-) Jealous
(+/-) Enigmatic
(-) Squeamish
(-) Stubborn

Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, EITHER, or opt for 100% RANDOMIZATION? Fits, please.
Opt-Outs: arachne, troll, goblin, simulacrum, slime

Roleplay Sample: test drive tl and additional thread