Post by Eris on Feb 3, 2015 22:09:01 GMT
ERIS
Character Info
REAL NAME: Natalie Arrington
REAL GENDER: Female
GAME GENDER: Female
AGE: 18
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual
FACE-CLAIM: Nami, One Piece
PLAYED BY: Lolly
RACE: Half-Alv
FACTION: Adventurer
Appearance Standing at five feet exactly and weighing in at one hundred and twenty three pounds, Natalie is far from an imposing figure. She is trim and fit, curvy and alluring, but not imposing. This, quite frankly, is exactly how she likes it. Many people are likely to underestimate Natalie based on her height and what they believe to be her build . She is a fairly slender girl, and has worked hard to keep from having visibly developed, rigid muscles in her upper body. With an average bust, a trim waist, and an above average rear, Natalie boasts a hourglass figure - and we do mean boasts. Natalie is a very vain creature, and it shows. From makeup to hair care Natalie maintains a carefully crafted appearance, taming her wild red hair into soft waves that curl around her waist and hips. Her hairstyle changes daily, often more than once - it depends on how many events she attends, as each clearly requires a new one. She's careful to keep practical with her hair choices, though, well aware that certain activities don't take well to her obnoxiously long hair. Natalie's eyes are dark, round, and rimmed with long lashes - they are also one of her most traitorous features. Her eyes give much away about her mood, from her intentions to her true feelings, and it is only with focus that she can control them. She has a large forehead, but tends to hide it with bangs that are swept off to the right hand side of her face. It is not simply her forehead that she hides, though - ringing around the side of her head, roughly in the shape of the Greek uppercase omega (Ω), a rough scar remains from a childhood accident. Her hair is carefully styled to lie over a few sparse and bald spots along the line of her old injury. Aside from her scar, Natalie has kept her appearance in Elder Tale identical to her appearance in real life - from the tattoo between her shoulder blades to the piercing in her bellybutton, Natalie takes great pride in her 'real life' appearance and saw no need to change it overly much for the game. A lifelong dancer of considerable skill and an avid runner and jogger, Natalie's legs are the strongest part of her body. Her thighs and calves are not only toned but also larger than what is perhaps average for the rest of her slender figure. They round out the pear shape of her body, though, matching her ample rear and seeming to balance her figure. Something that Natalie was tentative about including on her character, though, was certainly her freckles. It's a silly thing to feel self conscious about, but Natalie has always hated the freckles that dusted her skin. Everywhere from her face to her toes, her skin is kissed with the brown spots. It was only after much insistence from Wynn and a quick click from her adoptive mother during character creation that they were even included. | Personality A word to describe Natalie would be complicated. Hard to pin down and hard to control, it’s difficult to pinpoint her exact traits; and that’s just how she likes it. Natalie likes being one step ahead of everyone else, likes to keep them guessing. She radiates chaos, radiates ‘trouble’. And she likes it that way. Most of all, Natalie likes to be in control. Not only of herself, but the situations around her; she knows that she has a tendency to create and encourage chaos with her very presence, and so she desires to be in complete control, at…well, almost all times. In her desire to control things, Natalie often attempts (and often succeeds) in controlling people. She is as manipulative as she is petty and vindictive, a mix that bodes ill for most people; particularly, the ones that piss her off. Natalie has always had a skill for getting people into troubling situations and getting away with it scot-free; after all, how can she be blamed, if the culprit themselves chose to do it? How can it be her fault if she wasn’t even there when it happened? She is well practiced in looking and seeming innocent, and it is a fact that most would do well to keep in mind. Most do not get the chance to realize this, though, as Natalie will rarely show herself to them. Sure, she’s social. Sure, she loves attention, and people, and being around large crowds. But that’s an entirely different thing than opening your heart up to someone, and showing them your flaws. She hates to be looked down upon or pitied, and especially hates to be insulted. Very few people will ever see Nat for what she truly is, or who she truly is. She is a very guarded, and oddly private person, all things considered. She has a lot of secrets, and knows how to keep them. Secrets or no secrets, Nat still loves attention. She loves to be spoiled or surrounded by admirers; and therein lies the key words. Natalie’s desire for attention is purely a desire for positive attention, and not the negative kind. She wants people to think well of her, to like her. She wants to know that people want to be around her. You could say, if you want to be cliche, that Natalie wants to be loved. And, corny as it may be, you would be right. Rejected and abandoned by her birth father, ignored and shunned by her birth mother, Natalie yearns for some sort of familial comfort, some sort of recognition. Her adoptive parents are attentive and loving, but also absent fairly often. So, if that has to come from strangers, then so be it. Natalie has deep seated familial issues, but only one aspect of it has developed into an obvious symptom. Her daddy issues have taken an…interesting turn, some would say. Others would say disturbing, but Nat would say nothing. She ignores the obvious, and prefers not to speak of it, getting angry or upset if anyone points it out. Natalie sees recognition in more than one way, and from specific types of people. Older men, father figures, people who can protect and care for her; Natalie is drawn to them, emotionally, and sexually. She has had multiple relationships with older men, and although this is far from healthy, she doesn’t seem to care. She ignores her issues, and doesn’t seek help or a ‘cure’ for them. Natalie is a very stubborn, headstrong person. Once she gets an idea into her head, it is nearly impossible to deter her from it, even if it’s a terrible idea. She operates on impulse, too, thinking with her emotions more than with her head. This is a terrible combination on it’s own, and never mind when it’s combined with her vindictive, petty, temperamental personality. It often results in situations that are less than brilliant, but that Natalie got herself into. She often has no one to blame but herself, and hates when this happens. She hates to be told she’s wrong, and hates to lose. She hates admitting that these things happened even more, though, and when they do happen, she simply sniffs and looks the other way. Natalie also has a slight issue with controlling her mouth. She speaks before she thinks and this often gets her into trouble, but she doesn’t think that it’s anything that she can’t handle. Natalie is a very proud person. She does not stand for insults, and gets very angry when she is insulted. Taunted when she was younger for being a slut, ‘just like her mother’, Natalie reacts badly when any similar thing is said, whether it is to her face or behind her back. Violence is her first choice in situations like these, followed by painful public humiliation as a second choice for vengeance. Vengeance is nothing foreign to Natalie, though - a protective and fiery personality, she is vicious when it comes to not only herself but other people as well. In regards to people she considers family, whether they are simply friends or perhaps more than that, Natalie will stop at nothing to keep them safe. Emotionally, as well as physically, Natalie is perhaps overly protective and tends to, perhaps, over react. Impulsive as she is, Natalie is also passionate. She throws herself whole heartedly into everything she chooses to do, and a few things she doesn’t choose to do. She doesn’t do anything by halves, and hates to do shoddy work. She also hates being alone. Or, to be more specific; Natalie hates to be left by people. She fears abandonment more than anything else in the world; except, perhaps, bugs. She’s not sure which one wins out in that fight. The fear of abandonment has been with her far longer, though; she doesn’t want to have any more people spit in her face and tell her to leave. She doesn’t want to feel like nothing, anymore. Something that always made Nat feel the attention she so desired was dancing. She’d always been good at it, extraordinarily so. Up on stage, with a room full of people watching her, the music guiding her, Natalie thrived. All eyes were on her, and at the end she received the recognition she craved; applause, and lots of it. She felt special, and good about herself. Dancing is the one thing that nobody will ever be able to take away from Nat. Aside from dancing, Nat loves to read. She has always found comfort behind the covers of a book, and was always able to shut everything out by losing herself between the pages. It’s a comfortable and familiar retreat for her. She can and will read anything she can get her hands on, from car manuals to encyclopedias, to Charles Dickens, to Stephanie Meyer. Some of it she doesn’t exactly enjoy, but she’s too stubborn to stop halfway through. This stubbornness bleeds through to many things in Natalie's life, and not just reading. She is loathe to give something up once she's started it, even if it is a particularly bad or impulsive idea. Impulsive as she is, Natalie is also passionate. She throws herself whole heartedly into everything she chooses to do, and a few things she doesn’t choose to do. She doesn’t do anything by halves, and hates to do shoddy work. |
Extra
Birthday: October 27th
Known Languages: Natalie's primary language is English, however she is also able to understand Canadian French, Spanish, and Latin.
Hobbies: Dancing, jogging, flirting, reading, travelling, parties
Habits: Nat bites her lips when she’s thinking or nervous, and plays with her hair a lot. She rubs her temples when she’s annoyed or frustrated.
Fears: Butterflies, other bugs or insects, thunderstorms, abandonment
Likes: Sour flavours, cats, the colour purple
Dislikes: Slut-shaming, public transit, disrespect
Meyers-Briggs: ENTJ
Temperament: Choleric
Alignment: Lawful-Evil
Kinsey Scale: One
Known Languages: Natalie's primary language is English, however she is also able to understand Canadian French, Spanish, and Latin.
Hobbies: Dancing, jogging, flirting, reading, travelling, parties
Habits: Nat bites her lips when she’s thinking or nervous, and plays with her hair a lot. She rubs her temples when she’s annoyed or frustrated.
Fears: Butterflies, other bugs or insects, thunderstorms, abandonment
Likes: Sour flavours, cats, the colour purple
Dislikes: Slut-shaming, public transit, disrespect
Meyers-Briggs: ENTJ
Temperament: Choleric
Alignment: Lawful-Evil
Kinsey Scale: One
Biography
When most parents hear that they are going to have a child, they are elated. Excited. Overjoyed.
Such was not the case with Natalie’s parents.
Erik Kovak and Laura Maharr were a young couple who were having a great deal of troubles with their relationship, and looking to end it. Erik had not quite found a way to express these feelings, but they both knew that it was basically over; Laura was sleeping with other people, and lots of them, and Erik was…well, Erik was less than happy about it. But, he didn’t want to yell at her, or freak out. That aside, it was the only reaction his volatile temper would supply him as an option, so he avoided Laura for quite some time.
It took about a week for Laura to approach Erik again, informing him that she was pregnant, and it had to be his. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure how, all things considered, but he went along with it. They could always get a paternity test once the child was born, after all. So, once again, he fell into it with Laura, and over the course of nine months, he began to remember why he loved her. She was colourful and exciting, bright, and inventive. And, being pregnant, she couldn’t run off and remind him why he hated her.
The child was born, and Laura named her Natalie. They lived together happily for a few years; until Nat was about two, actually. Then, things began to go south.
Erik had to take a job at the local factory, working long hours and missing out on much at home. Laura didn’t like the lack of attention, and the overwhelming addition of responsibility that came from having a child. She resented Natalie, and in the back of her mind, always believed that the child did not really belong to her - it was Erik's baby, Erik's child, Erik's responsibility. She didn’t want her, and quite frankly never had. She cared for the girl out of obligation, and nothing more.
As Natalie grew old enough to walk, and talk, and entertain herself, Laura slowly began to claw back some of her freedom. Quietly, and without telling Erik. She would often bring Natalie out with her, to many different places. Hotels, houses, restaurants. Always with a form of self-entertainment, a sweet smile, and a promise that they would get ice cream later. Nat saw these as special trips; her mother would be busy for the beginning of them, but afterwards, she lavished the young girl with attention. Natalie, largely neglected, sought this attention, and this contact with her mother. So, when Laura said that Erik would make the outings stop if he found out…well, Natalie didn’t hesitate to keep them a secret.
As she grew older, she began to notice things that she didn’t quite understand. There were always men at the beginning of the outings, men who looked at her mother funny and who went off with Laura behind closed doors. Some men who complained about Natalie being there, then went into a room with Laura to, as far as Nat could tell, complain some more. She assumed the noises coming from the rooms was her mother either beating them up, or having a very weird conversation with them.
She learned to ignore it.
Even as she grew older and began to feel as if something very wrong was happening, Natalie ignored it.
As a child, Natalie adored her father. When he was home, he was a doting dad, trying his best to give his child everything she needed. When he wasn’t, she missed him terribly, and waited excitedly for him to return. Moments spent with her father were special, and not to be taken for granted. Natalie knew this, and she never did.
She never took any time with her parents for granted; especially after her mother stopped taking her out, quite so much. As Natalie grew older, her mother began leaving her at the house with a box of crackers and instructions on how to get food out of the fridge for herself. Natalie was told not to use the stove, how to use the microwave and the TV, and left on her own. The days that she had school weren’t so bad, as she had other children to entertain her. Weekends, however…well, weekends sucked.
None of the other children’s parents wanted their kids going to that house. Natalie lived in a fairly rough area of town, and they knew of her mother’s activities. They knew that Laura left Natalie alone, and they didn’t want to entrust their children to her. When she wasn’t at school, and her parents were both gone?
Natalie was very much alone.
One Friday, Natalie heard some of her friends from school talking about going to the park. A precocious six year old with very little sense, Natalie quickly decided that it must have been the only park she knew about, a new one that had been built a few blocks from her house. Saturday came, and with her stuffed doll in hand, a lunch in her backpack, and her favourite shoes tied haphazardly to her feet, Natalie set off to the park.
When she got there, she realized that her friends were not there, and she didn’t know when they would get there. She was a patient enough child, though not one to sit still, so she decided she would play and wait for them. It wasn’t as if she’d never been to the park on her own, before. Staying at home all day was boring, and Natalie had always been impulsive. She had made the journey many times before, so sitting on the grass and having a tea party with her stuffed toys was not unusual for her. What was unusual, however, was the two strange men who approached her.
Truth be told, Natalie doesn’t remember much about the incident. She knows that she was approached by two men in the park, and that they'd asked her to play with them. Bored, alone, and eager for the attention, she'd joined them on the jungle gym happily, and had even agreed to play hide and seek with them. This, according to her broken memories and scattered reports, is where things went wrong.
The would-be kidnappers didn't expect Natalie's fiesty nature, nor did they expect a jogger to come upon them attempting to drag her out of the tree she'd clambered into to escape them as they began to scare her. The woman who caught them earned a stab wound for her efforts, and Natalie a knife to her throat as they freed her from her leafy refuge. The wound was not enough to incapacitate the woman completely, though, and a phone call to the police did more than enough to bring the men to justice.
Natalie didn't get away unscathed, though - in the chaos that followed, despite her escape, the young girl received a life threatening head injury. Doctors managed to save her, but her time in the hospital was not the end of their family's troubles. No - all of that was simply the beginning.
Erik was not the only one with questions as to why his daughter had been at the park, alone, at such a young age. Child protective services also wanted to know, and after a little digging, they unearthed the truth. Erik, though loving, was not home enough to be a fit parent, and as Laura was hardly a capable substitute, Natalie was taken away.
With no relatives who could take her in, Natalie went into the system, struggling to find a foster family who could cope with not only her emotional needs but also her medical and rehabilitation needs as well. Her head injury left lasting memory problems, and required frequent visits to doctors and various therapists. Eventually, though, the young girl was settled into the laps of Zakaria and Iona Arrington.
A wealthy socialite and an accomplished doctor, Zak and Iona had not only the money but also the time and love necessary to care for Natalie. They worked closely with her during her rehabilitation, keeping her in contact with familiar areas and people, like her father, Erik. Erik wanted his daughter back with a fierce passion, and Zak and Iona did not fault him for this. They did know, however, that Natalie needed more than Erik could provide at that point in time.
So, as her foster parents, they raised her. They enrolled her in school in their neighbourhood and helped her to catch up for the time she'd lost while in the hospital, nurturing her natural curiosity and encouraging a love of learning that already existed within her. When she showed an aptitude and interest in dance, Iona enrolled her in classes at a local studio. For three and a half years Natalie lived under their attentive and loving care, until finally, her father was approved to regain custody of his daughter.
Natalie had mixed feelings about her return to her father, though not because of any ill feelings toward him. No, she had missed her father more than his visitations had been able to help, and was excited to return home once more. She knew that she would also miss Zak and Iona, though, when she was gone, and the life they had given her. They weren't quite her parents, but after so much time, they had grown to be something very close to that. So, when Natalie returned to Erik, they kept in touch via email, phone, lunch dates - however they could manage, as long as Erik allowed it. They also continued to pay for Natalie's dance lessons, well aware that Erik could not afford to support his daughter's passions. It was something that they knew she loved, and all three of them agreed that it was something they wanted her to keep.
Erik was not the only one who had improved his behaviour - perhaps due to the court mandated therapy sessions, perhaps thanks to a reality check, whatever the reason, Laura seemed to have cleaned up her act. For a year, the Kovak family was your average low income family. Then, slowly, the cycle began to repeat itself.
As before, it was slow at first. A little argument here and there, tiny white lies on occasion. Then, as before, things escalated. Rumours soon circled the neighbourhood, reaching the ears of a daughter no longer too young to understand. She struggled to keep herself distracted, to stay out of it, but things became hard to ignore when they bled into her life.
Suddenly, lunches with Zak became more than the innocent meetings that they were - instead they were fodder for the rumour mill, which was already well fueled by not only Laura's escapades around town but the fantasies of hormone charged teenagers as well. Gossiping mothers made accusations of character that bled down to their children, and little ears have big mouths. Natalie's life became a rumour filled hell, and she didn't waste any time in blaming Laura for it.
She wasn't the only one suffering, though. Struggling more than ever before with money problems, marriage problems, and suddenly rumours he did not want to be hearing about his daughter, Erik had turned to the bottle for support. He'd always been a bit of a drinker, but things began to get out of hand, and they spiralled in that direction quickly. A drink after work became two, one with supper, and another before bed to make the numbness last. His performance at his job suffered, and whatever patience Laura had left for him snapped.
Dishes were thrown, names were called, and it all culminated in explosions of rage.
Since school and home were both nightmares, Natalie sought refuge elsewhere. She stayed at friend’s houses as much as she could, and got a job at the local library as a page. She returned home sporadically, and one night when she went to get clothing, she was pushed out of the way by Laura. A plate followed her mother out the door, followed by cusses and swears from her father.
It was the last time she ever saw her.
Unable to leave her father like her mother had, Natalie made an attempt to return home. But, the damage was already done. Her father's drinking became more than a problem, and Natalie knew that she didn’t want to be home if he happened to have a fit. Enough furniture had been destroyed for her to be frightened, and she didn’t want to be the only thing left standing when the last chair was thrown against the wall. She was sure that her father wouldn’t hurt her; not sober, at least. Drunk? She really didn’t know.
She was not wrong to be worried. With Laura gone and the bottle more his crutch than ever before, Erik was neither healthy nor stable. His temper often sought out a new target, and Natalie was it. Things stayed verbal until she came home too late for his liking one night, though, which was when they turned dark. He attacked her and threw her out onto the lawn, shouting at her to get out of his house. A chair followed her out, and that was enough to snap Natalie out of the daze that had surrounded her. She panicked and ran, slowing down in the park and realizing that she had nothing on her. Her phone had fallen out in the struggle, her father had taken the money she had, and she was not dressed for an evening outside. She managed to collect herself to walk across town, though, arriving at her best friend's house in the early hours of the morning.
She stayed there for three days before she found herself once more in the system, spending a miserable week in a strange home before Zak and Iona took her once more into theirs. Contact with Erik was cut off, and Natalie did her best to move on with her life.
It wasn't easy, by any means, but she did manage after much therapy and help from both professionals as well as the man and woman who were more parent to her than her own birth parents had ever really been. She entered highschool with her past lingering in her shadow, but a much brighter future ahead.
Two years into their foster care of Natalie, Iona and Zak approached her with an idea they'd been considering - they wanted to adopt her, if the authorities would allow them to do so. She was ecstatic at the thought of finally having a happy family, a normal family, and supported the idea thoroughly. There were some bumps in the road, admittedly, but before tenth grade was over, Natalie was able to proudly call herself an Arrington.
Life with her new family was amazing, she had to admit. They traveled often for Zak's business, were far higher up on the social scale than her previous family had been, and lavished her with love and attention. There were downsides, though. In joining a new life, Natalie had to leave behind pieces of her old one - such as her best friend, Wynn.
They kept in touch as best they could, using Skype and text messages in every spare minute. They had little actual interaction, though, and Natalie missed spending time with Wynn more than she could say. It was hard to find things that could help them to truly connect when she was often so far away, and it wasn't until the UK server of Wynn's favourite game hit the news that Natalie had a thought. Wynn enjoyed playing the game, and she enjoyed spending time with Wynn - why not try both, together? Maybe it wasn't the same as sitting in the same room, eating pop corn and watching movies, but it was at least something that they could both try to enjoy.
So, she bought the game, made a character, and dove in. Then, of course, as good fortune has little place in Natalie's world, the Catastrophe happened.
Such was not the case with Natalie’s parents.
Erik Kovak and Laura Maharr were a young couple who were having a great deal of troubles with their relationship, and looking to end it. Erik had not quite found a way to express these feelings, but they both knew that it was basically over; Laura was sleeping with other people, and lots of them, and Erik was…well, Erik was less than happy about it. But, he didn’t want to yell at her, or freak out. That aside, it was the only reaction his volatile temper would supply him as an option, so he avoided Laura for quite some time.
It took about a week for Laura to approach Erik again, informing him that she was pregnant, and it had to be his. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure how, all things considered, but he went along with it. They could always get a paternity test once the child was born, after all. So, once again, he fell into it with Laura, and over the course of nine months, he began to remember why he loved her. She was colourful and exciting, bright, and inventive. And, being pregnant, she couldn’t run off and remind him why he hated her.
The child was born, and Laura named her Natalie. They lived together happily for a few years; until Nat was about two, actually. Then, things began to go south.
Erik had to take a job at the local factory, working long hours and missing out on much at home. Laura didn’t like the lack of attention, and the overwhelming addition of responsibility that came from having a child. She resented Natalie, and in the back of her mind, always believed that the child did not really belong to her - it was Erik's baby, Erik's child, Erik's responsibility. She didn’t want her, and quite frankly never had. She cared for the girl out of obligation, and nothing more.
As Natalie grew old enough to walk, and talk, and entertain herself, Laura slowly began to claw back some of her freedom. Quietly, and without telling Erik. She would often bring Natalie out with her, to many different places. Hotels, houses, restaurants. Always with a form of self-entertainment, a sweet smile, and a promise that they would get ice cream later. Nat saw these as special trips; her mother would be busy for the beginning of them, but afterwards, she lavished the young girl with attention. Natalie, largely neglected, sought this attention, and this contact with her mother. So, when Laura said that Erik would make the outings stop if he found out…well, Natalie didn’t hesitate to keep them a secret.
As she grew older, she began to notice things that she didn’t quite understand. There were always men at the beginning of the outings, men who looked at her mother funny and who went off with Laura behind closed doors. Some men who complained about Natalie being there, then went into a room with Laura to, as far as Nat could tell, complain some more. She assumed the noises coming from the rooms was her mother either beating them up, or having a very weird conversation with them.
She learned to ignore it.
Even as she grew older and began to feel as if something very wrong was happening, Natalie ignored it.
As a child, Natalie adored her father. When he was home, he was a doting dad, trying his best to give his child everything she needed. When he wasn’t, she missed him terribly, and waited excitedly for him to return. Moments spent with her father were special, and not to be taken for granted. Natalie knew this, and she never did.
She never took any time with her parents for granted; especially after her mother stopped taking her out, quite so much. As Natalie grew older, her mother began leaving her at the house with a box of crackers and instructions on how to get food out of the fridge for herself. Natalie was told not to use the stove, how to use the microwave and the TV, and left on her own. The days that she had school weren’t so bad, as she had other children to entertain her. Weekends, however…well, weekends sucked.
None of the other children’s parents wanted their kids going to that house. Natalie lived in a fairly rough area of town, and they knew of her mother’s activities. They knew that Laura left Natalie alone, and they didn’t want to entrust their children to her. When she wasn’t at school, and her parents were both gone?
Natalie was very much alone.
One Friday, Natalie heard some of her friends from school talking about going to the park. A precocious six year old with very little sense, Natalie quickly decided that it must have been the only park she knew about, a new one that had been built a few blocks from her house. Saturday came, and with her stuffed doll in hand, a lunch in her backpack, and her favourite shoes tied haphazardly to her feet, Natalie set off to the park.
When she got there, she realized that her friends were not there, and she didn’t know when they would get there. She was a patient enough child, though not one to sit still, so she decided she would play and wait for them. It wasn’t as if she’d never been to the park on her own, before. Staying at home all day was boring, and Natalie had always been impulsive. She had made the journey many times before, so sitting on the grass and having a tea party with her stuffed toys was not unusual for her. What was unusual, however, was the two strange men who approached her.
Truth be told, Natalie doesn’t remember much about the incident. She knows that she was approached by two men in the park, and that they'd asked her to play with them. Bored, alone, and eager for the attention, she'd joined them on the jungle gym happily, and had even agreed to play hide and seek with them. This, according to her broken memories and scattered reports, is where things went wrong.
The would-be kidnappers didn't expect Natalie's fiesty nature, nor did they expect a jogger to come upon them attempting to drag her out of the tree she'd clambered into to escape them as they began to scare her. The woman who caught them earned a stab wound for her efforts, and Natalie a knife to her throat as they freed her from her leafy refuge. The wound was not enough to incapacitate the woman completely, though, and a phone call to the police did more than enough to bring the men to justice.
Natalie didn't get away unscathed, though - in the chaos that followed, despite her escape, the young girl received a life threatening head injury. Doctors managed to save her, but her time in the hospital was not the end of their family's troubles. No - all of that was simply the beginning.
Erik was not the only one with questions as to why his daughter had been at the park, alone, at such a young age. Child protective services also wanted to know, and after a little digging, they unearthed the truth. Erik, though loving, was not home enough to be a fit parent, and as Laura was hardly a capable substitute, Natalie was taken away.
With no relatives who could take her in, Natalie went into the system, struggling to find a foster family who could cope with not only her emotional needs but also her medical and rehabilitation needs as well. Her head injury left lasting memory problems, and required frequent visits to doctors and various therapists. Eventually, though, the young girl was settled into the laps of Zakaria and Iona Arrington.
A wealthy socialite and an accomplished doctor, Zak and Iona had not only the money but also the time and love necessary to care for Natalie. They worked closely with her during her rehabilitation, keeping her in contact with familiar areas and people, like her father, Erik. Erik wanted his daughter back with a fierce passion, and Zak and Iona did not fault him for this. They did know, however, that Natalie needed more than Erik could provide at that point in time.
So, as her foster parents, they raised her. They enrolled her in school in their neighbourhood and helped her to catch up for the time she'd lost while in the hospital, nurturing her natural curiosity and encouraging a love of learning that already existed within her. When she showed an aptitude and interest in dance, Iona enrolled her in classes at a local studio. For three and a half years Natalie lived under their attentive and loving care, until finally, her father was approved to regain custody of his daughter.
Natalie had mixed feelings about her return to her father, though not because of any ill feelings toward him. No, she had missed her father more than his visitations had been able to help, and was excited to return home once more. She knew that she would also miss Zak and Iona, though, when she was gone, and the life they had given her. They weren't quite her parents, but after so much time, they had grown to be something very close to that. So, when Natalie returned to Erik, they kept in touch via email, phone, lunch dates - however they could manage, as long as Erik allowed it. They also continued to pay for Natalie's dance lessons, well aware that Erik could not afford to support his daughter's passions. It was something that they knew she loved, and all three of them agreed that it was something they wanted her to keep.
Erik was not the only one who had improved his behaviour - perhaps due to the court mandated therapy sessions, perhaps thanks to a reality check, whatever the reason, Laura seemed to have cleaned up her act. For a year, the Kovak family was your average low income family. Then, slowly, the cycle began to repeat itself.
As before, it was slow at first. A little argument here and there, tiny white lies on occasion. Then, as before, things escalated. Rumours soon circled the neighbourhood, reaching the ears of a daughter no longer too young to understand. She struggled to keep herself distracted, to stay out of it, but things became hard to ignore when they bled into her life.
Suddenly, lunches with Zak became more than the innocent meetings that they were - instead they were fodder for the rumour mill, which was already well fueled by not only Laura's escapades around town but the fantasies of hormone charged teenagers as well. Gossiping mothers made accusations of character that bled down to their children, and little ears have big mouths. Natalie's life became a rumour filled hell, and she didn't waste any time in blaming Laura for it.
She wasn't the only one suffering, though. Struggling more than ever before with money problems, marriage problems, and suddenly rumours he did not want to be hearing about his daughter, Erik had turned to the bottle for support. He'd always been a bit of a drinker, but things began to get out of hand, and they spiralled in that direction quickly. A drink after work became two, one with supper, and another before bed to make the numbness last. His performance at his job suffered, and whatever patience Laura had left for him snapped.
Dishes were thrown, names were called, and it all culminated in explosions of rage.
Since school and home were both nightmares, Natalie sought refuge elsewhere. She stayed at friend’s houses as much as she could, and got a job at the local library as a page. She returned home sporadically, and one night when she went to get clothing, she was pushed out of the way by Laura. A plate followed her mother out the door, followed by cusses and swears from her father.
It was the last time she ever saw her.
Unable to leave her father like her mother had, Natalie made an attempt to return home. But, the damage was already done. Her father's drinking became more than a problem, and Natalie knew that she didn’t want to be home if he happened to have a fit. Enough furniture had been destroyed for her to be frightened, and she didn’t want to be the only thing left standing when the last chair was thrown against the wall. She was sure that her father wouldn’t hurt her; not sober, at least. Drunk? She really didn’t know.
She was not wrong to be worried. With Laura gone and the bottle more his crutch than ever before, Erik was neither healthy nor stable. His temper often sought out a new target, and Natalie was it. Things stayed verbal until she came home too late for his liking one night, though, which was when they turned dark. He attacked her and threw her out onto the lawn, shouting at her to get out of his house. A chair followed her out, and that was enough to snap Natalie out of the daze that had surrounded her. She panicked and ran, slowing down in the park and realizing that she had nothing on her. Her phone had fallen out in the struggle, her father had taken the money she had, and she was not dressed for an evening outside. She managed to collect herself to walk across town, though, arriving at her best friend's house in the early hours of the morning.
She stayed there for three days before she found herself once more in the system, spending a miserable week in a strange home before Zak and Iona took her once more into theirs. Contact with Erik was cut off, and Natalie did her best to move on with her life.
It wasn't easy, by any means, but she did manage after much therapy and help from both professionals as well as the man and woman who were more parent to her than her own birth parents had ever really been. She entered highschool with her past lingering in her shadow, but a much brighter future ahead.
Two years into their foster care of Natalie, Iona and Zak approached her with an idea they'd been considering - they wanted to adopt her, if the authorities would allow them to do so. She was ecstatic at the thought of finally having a happy family, a normal family, and supported the idea thoroughly. There were some bumps in the road, admittedly, but before tenth grade was over, Natalie was able to proudly call herself an Arrington.
Life with her new family was amazing, she had to admit. They traveled often for Zak's business, were far higher up on the social scale than her previous family had been, and lavished her with love and attention. There were downsides, though. In joining a new life, Natalie had to leave behind pieces of her old one - such as her best friend, Wynn.
They kept in touch as best they could, using Skype and text messages in every spare minute. They had little actual interaction, though, and Natalie missed spending time with Wynn more than she could say. It was hard to find things that could help them to truly connect when she was often so far away, and it wasn't until the UK server of Wynn's favourite game hit the news that Natalie had a thought. Wynn enjoyed playing the game, and she enjoyed spending time with Wynn - why not try both, together? Maybe it wasn't the same as sitting in the same room, eating pop corn and watching movies, but it was at least something that they could both try to enjoy.
So, she bought the game, made a character, and dove in. Then, of course, as good fortune has little place in Natalie's world, the Catastrophe happened.
Inventory
(If your character's subclasses allow another item, such as arrows/bolts/puppets, place them here. Otherwise leave blank.)
EQUIPMENT
Left Arm | Armor | Right Arm Starter Crystal Ball: A crystal ball crudely made from glass. It appears to be fairly old and unpolished, but still possesses magical power. A wielder of the Crystal Ball is able to make it float in the air, able to bludgeon foes up to 1 meter away with the ball. |
Accessory #1 Leave blank | Accessory #2 Leave blank | Accessory #3 Leave blank |
Accessory #4 Leave blank | ||
Vanity #1 Leave blank | Vanity #2 Leave blank | Vanity #3 Leave blank |
CLASS SKILLS
Main Class: Sorcerer
Blink: A short range teleportation technique often employed by the Sorcerer for emergency escape. The Sorcerer jumps in a direction and teleports about 1-5 meters away in the desired position. The only downside is that the teleportation distance is very haphazard and might actually not move you very far. Still, it's a useful means of misdirection especially when you're up against only one enemy. This skill has a casting time of 1.5 seconds and a cooldown of 5 seconds.
Spell Walk: A toggle skill that allows a character to cast a spell without forcing them to remain immobile during the spell's casting duration. It is an excellent skill to take for those who prefer an on-the-go strategy or at least a less vulnerable position. When the character moves while casting a spell, their movement speed is halved. This speed penalty decreases to 40% at Level 30, 25% at Level 60, and 10% at Level 90.
Orb of Lava: A ranged Fire-element magic that hurls a fist-sized orb of lava onto enemies. This lava ball bounces across enemy targets, dealing damage on impact. Since this skill is Fire-based, this is very effective against enemies weak against fire. One well-known trait of this skill is that it does not affect allies during combat, making it a popular skill among players. This skill has a casting time of 2 seconds and a cooldown of 20 seconds.
Level 4 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 4.
Level 7 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 7.
Level 10 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 10.
Level 13 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 13.
Level 16 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 16.
Level 19 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 19.
Level 22 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 22.
Level 25 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 25.
Level 28 Tier I Skill: A Tier I skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. Unlocked at Level 28.
Level 31 Tier II Skill: A skill slot that can be occupied with either an Adventurer or Main Class skill. The skill may be either a Tier I or II skill. Unlocked at Level 31.
Roleplay Class: Dancer
Pacifying Dance: A skill that allows the dancer to perform beautiful dances to momentarily captivate those who see it. For the next 30 seconds, monsters within 25 meters have their nature changed. Aggressive and Predatory monsters become Wary. Wary, Aloof, and Cowardly monsters become Docile. Docile monsters become Friendly. This effect does not work against monsters that are already engaged in battle when this skill was used.
Crafting Class: Tailor
Needlework: Due to the dexterity from which they perform their tasks, tailors are able to make up for any compromises in their ability. Any dexterity debuffs to a tailor can be recovered from twice as quickly.
Change Log
MM/DD/YYYY -- Info
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