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Ref: Shale

Published: Jul 29, 2016

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contest myo oc originalspecies os species browbird

Description

His info here is outdated! Please see his TH profile here for current info: toyhou.se/643889.-browbird-sha…

Basic Info and Physical Traits

Name: Shale Ob'siddia

Gender: Male (he/him/his)

Species: Browbird

Age: equivalent of a 40-45 year old human

Height: 6'2" (189 cm)

Magical Aspects: Perception (common) and Shadow (rare)

Traits:

- Single-colored, Tear crest (common/uncommon)
- Boar horns (uncommon)
- Long Spade tail (uncommon)
- Reversed Slit eyes (common)
- Variation of Standard ears (common)
- Neck and Leg fluff (common/uncommon)
- Striped markings (common)
- Horn Carvings (uncommon)

Body Type:

- Tall and rather lean
- Thickest/most muscular in the arms and thighs
- Keeps his nails long and his fur well-groomed
- Leg fluff is thickest around the thighs and becomes thinner further down the legs. His thigh fluff is too thick for him to be able to wear pants without getting his fur cut. Though sometimes jealous of those who can wear nice pants, he would rather keep his long fur intact.
- Prominent cheekbones and thin lips
- Fur feels downy and plush to the touch

Personality

Personality Traits:

- Difficult to fool; Not very gullible
- Not particularly masculine, despite his appearance
- Quite literal, which can cause occasional misunderstandings
- A bit stern in speech, but always means well
- Extremely attentive and loves to eavesdrop
- Has a bad habit of second-guessing himself too much
- As a result of his past mercenary work, he can be self-deprecating due to the shame he feels
- Is very good at lying, but feels strong remorse afterwards; He usually only lies to hide his past
- Can become "hyperfocused" on some tasks, which can cause him to forget important things
- As much as he likes listening to local banter, he isn't much of a talker himself
- Very observant and detail-oriented
- Focused, but is prone to tunnel vision if too determined
- Strong-willed and doesn't seem to ever give up, despite how much trauma he's experienced
- Generally distrusting, though this is justified by past experiences of betrayal
- Extremely loyal and quite affectionate toward those he calls friends

Quirks:

- Seems to have a resting "grumpy" face; This is because he furrows his brows when in deep thought, which is often.
- When bored, he likes to tap his nails on things; This bugs people and is usually told to stop.
- He sleeps in various positions; One moment he might be sleeping curled up, and the next sleeping with his head at the foot of the bed.
- While reading, he has a habit of licking his finger before flipping pages.. even with books he doesn't actually own.
- Moves his hands very delicately; When holding things, it almost seems like he could drop them at any moment.

Likes:

- Sunshine/sunrise/sunny days
- Pretty much anything that glows
- Light colors
- Hardback books
- His reading glasses; He thinks they make him look smarter
- Relaxed-fit clothing
- His horn carvings; He is proud of his accomplishments
- Very dark, lightly sugared tea

Dislikes:

- Anyone like the sociopaths he used to work with as a mercenary
- His father, who was abusive and forced him into his line of work (crime)
- Dark colors (he doesn't like his dark fur that much; He thinks they make him look too intimidating)
- The ocean; There's too much sand for him
- Overly-crowded places
- Invasive questions
- Haircuts
- Browbabies, though he doesn't mind older children

Magic Spells

Perception: Appears as translucent, fuchsia wisps that shimmer a bit in light.

- Magnify || This spell allows one to "zoom in" on something far away. Shale uses this spell to see distant things better than he would otherwise.

- Intuition || This spell allows one to almost perfectly predict events occurring a few seconds into the future. Shale finds this spell useful for moving with the flow of combat.

- Omniscient || This spell allows one to perfectly pinpoint the locations of nearby life forms. Shale uses this spell to find his way around unfamiliar places since he isn't the best with direction.

Shadow: Appears as dark, shadowed tendrils with flecks of fuchsia to match Shale's crest color.

- Shadow Step || This spell allows one to move silently and use the surrounding shadows to turn invisible. Shale uses this ability to more easily eavesdrop as well as trick foes in combat.

- Lights Out || This spell allows one to snuff out any non-magical light sources with the motion of a hand. Shale uses this spell to quickly blow out his lanterns' flames.

- Shadow Walk || This spell allows one to pass into dark shadows and use them to teleport short distances. Shale uses this ability to travel quicker, so long as there are shadows around.

Synergies:

- Night Eye || This spell allows one to see perfectly in both normal darkness and magical darkness. Despite the powerful potential of this spell, Shale usually just uses it to read books in the dark.

- Pinpoint || This spell allows one to teleport directly to a nearby individual life form via shadows. Shale uses this spell to more quickly meet up with others, so long as there are shadows around.

Misc. Information

Occupation:

- Currently works as a combat/self-defense instructor and a part-time librarian (since he loves books).

- In knowing how cruel the world can be, he strives to guide young Browbirds in the right direction and how to best protect themselves. He also helps improve young Shadow birds' self-esteem who might be ashamed of their powers.

- Formerly worked as a (criminal) mercenary in the past who aided in underground heists. He loathes mercenaries as a whole and is ashamed of what he used to be. Fortunately, he never had to kill anyone, though he still had to manipulate and hurt people other ways just so he could buy dinner that day.

Hobbies:

- Creates paper lamps he decorates his home with and gives as gifts
- Reads many books relating to psychology and history, though he enjoys occasional fiction as well
- Likes to cook for himself, but wishes he had a companion to cook with
- Taking morning walks through the nearby nature where he likes to watch the sunrise

Gear:

Family Knife

- The knife Shale carries at his waist is a family heirloom, given to him by his mother before she left.

- He is able to draw magic energy from the gem that's embedded into its handle; He uses the knife more as a power source than as a weapon. He isn't, however, afraid to use the knife as a weapon for self-defense.

- Its true origin is unknown, and he is unable to read the ancient runes that appear on its blade. He also lost its original sheath, so he created a makeshift one out of scraps that seems to work just as well.

Mother's Heart Pin

- Carved from a fuchsia-colored stone, this pin once belonged to Shale's mother before she left him. Shale wears it in remembrance of her, reminding him to never hold a grudge against her.

- Wearing this pin is his public expression of the love he has for his mother, and the hope he has that she will return one day.

Drawstring Sack

- Shale uses this sack to carry small belongings such as, but not limited to: money, food, a compass, and bandages.

- It opens and closes via drawstring and is tied through his shoulder strap on one side.

Water Gourd

- Though a bit outdated, Shale still uses water gourds as a form of canteen. He believes it makes the water healthier, however untrue this is.

Magic Potions

- Shale carries a maximum of two potion vials at a time. He uses them to replenish his magic reserves in the event he depletes too much of it. Since the contents match his crest's color, they refresh him more effectively than potions of different colors.

- The contents are an enchanted, rather fizzy mixture of fruits, so they taste quite sweet, granted a bit tart. They are kept from spilling due to the "corks" that are screwed into the top of the vials.

Current Home:

- image n/a

- A single-story, duplex-like home located on the outskirts of the main Browbird city. It is decorated with wall rugs, various knick-knacks, paper lanterns, and a large collection of books. Where Shale sleeps is a floor mattress surrounded by pillows and covered by thick blankets.

Trivia:

- Contrary to his dark complexion, he has an affinity for any sort of lights as well as light colors
- Values his long fur and HATES haircuts
- His favorite time of the day is the morning
- His favorite type of weather is warm, sunny, and breezy
- He does not tolerate heat very well, so he fairs best in cooler weather
- The undersides of his feet are ticklish, but don't tickle him! He'll probably kick you.
- He's a bit directionally challenged and isn't good at reading maps.

Biography

Past: Shale grew up in a volatile home with his mother and obsessive father. Since it's uncommon for bird children to stay with their parents, his family resided in cramped home in a generally unknown town, so as to avoid being mocked for their life choices. During his early teens, Shale realized his love of psychology and history and would visit the local library to read up on those subjects. He decided he wanted to study those subjects further at a university and thus confided in his parents about this choice. Though this mother was supportive, his father certainly wasn't. He believed Shale should follow in his own footsteps and not follow his "emotional fever dreams".

His father was a mercenary, mainly due to the fact Shale's family was quite poor at the time, desperate for any job that paid well. He was often hired to assist with underground heists a few towns away, so he was essentially a criminal. This severely disgusted Shale's mother as she believed there was more to life than what money could buy. She also didn't believe her husband's desperation to earn money was a good enough excuse to become a criminal. This disagreement between Shale's parents caused them to fight quite frequently, affecting his ability to confide in either of them. The young bird's home life began to rapidly deteriorate all through his late teens.

There came one night when Shale's mother visited him in his sleep... to say goodbye. It was that night she gifted Shale her gemstone pin, something she told him to always remember her by. That was the last time Shale ever saw his mother. Though he held a grudge for a while, he completely understood her reason for leaving: she had had it with his father. And to be perfectly honest, he had had enough too.

As much as he wanted to run away, his father guilted him into supporting his family, even though his mother had left. By this time, his father became desensitized to crime and only cared for riches. Not wanting to disappoint his father, he too became a mercenary. The next few years until true adulthood were agonizing as he was pressured further and further into a life of crime. As much as he wanted food on the table, he cared more for his sanity rather than money. He was regularly picked on by his coworkers for refusing to commit anything that wasn't just theft. The other mercenaries seemed to have no problem slaughtering or otherwise harming others, whether they were innocent or not. Unfortunately for Shale, jobs that required one to kill happened to pay more. Being in this environment for three years straight broke him down... he couldn't wait till he had earned enough to make a new life for himself. As much as his father claimed to care about his well-being, Shale knew he was only using him to become more wealthy... especially after he developed his Shadow abilities.

The day Shale left his life as a mercenary also happened to be the same day his father retired. Just like his mother, he escaped into the night, taking the prized family knife and his mother's pin with him. As overwhelmed as he was, he felt hope for the first time in years and was relieved that he managed to stay true to himself, without ever devolving into the piles of scum the other mercenaries had become. After spending the night in multiple other towns, he eventually stumbled upon the main Browbird city, the most magnificent place he had ever seen. Though he couldn't afford to own a proper home near the center of the city, he could at least in a smaller home on the outskirts of it, which was more than enough for him.

Present:

Career-wise, Shale had originally thought he would become a historian or psychologist in order to completely reject his past. He wanted to forget everything he had learned as a mercenary.. but he realized this would be a rejection of himself. His past was what ultimately shaped him after all. He remembered his mother and her fighting spirit, something he deeply admired. After much contemplation, he realized he wanted to mentor younger birds, to teach them they never have to settle for less. With the remainder of his money he earned from his mercenary days, he bought out a small, abandoned dojo and began his career as a combat and self-defense instructor. Using his knowledge in psychology and history, he would educate young Browbirds and train them to be successful, confident individuals... something he wished he was when he was younger.

Shale now leads a more confident, successful life meeting new birds and helping youngsters awaken their fighting spirits. Since his mercenary training, he's become more skilled than ever before and has now embraced his Shadow aspect, a part of himself he once rejected. Each night, he looks to the stars, hoping one day he might hear from his mother again; and each day, he guides young birds toward light rather than the darkness he had been exposed to. He never wants anyone else to go through what he had to. He still struggles with how the past affects him and his self-esteem, but at the end of the day, he realizes life can be beautiful, and that hope really does exist for the lost.

art and design (c) me
Browbird species (c) AgentCorrina

Image size

4186x2440px 5.15 MB

Comments28

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WhiteBabyFox

Feb 27, 2017

i am sooo in love