Snagglepuss89

The Adamant World

(... Double post out of nowhere?)

The Adamant World

Erinn Steiner

_{@OppositionJ@Jinxer}

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Utterly ridiculous.

Of course, it hadn't been the first time in the past day that a similar sentiment had entered Aaron's head. Or, one could say, Erinn, as it felt more appropriate to call the figure staring back at him in the mirror. Him? Her? The latter would have to do for now. The figure staring back at her was both a stranger and somehow familiar. If Aaron had ever grown up with a sister, it might have been how she'd look. Over the past twenty four hours she'd spent locked away in her room at the guild Erinn had mulled over the situation many times, and each time she couldn't help but laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

Though, it became less funny with every laugh.

Still, today was the day she finally had to leave this room and earn a living. It was both an exciting and nerve wracking prospect. She had debated endlessly whether to go out into the guild as her true self, or this new form- courtesy of a small amount of Adamant provided to her by the guild. In the end, like all things, it boiled down to risk and reward, and the former was far too great to get careless. In that sense, the... lackluster primary flare Erinn possessed was a blessing, if an uncomfortable and ridiculous one. The old man of course had found the entire thing hilarious, but she could hardly blame him for that. If their situations were reversed, Erinn would have kept laughing for days after finding out.

Hell, she still couldn't stop laughing at herself.

A final glance in the mirror showed that she would have to spend money from this first job on some new clothes- though the thought made her stomach churn. Aside from being clothed entirely in men's fashion from Nawade- A white doublet, black jerkin, and red hose- they were all clearly in poor condition. Patches covered the joint, the colors were fading, and it was clear in places that new holes were going to rip themselves into the clothing at the next opportunity. It wasn't just a matter of finding clothes that suited Erinn, but Aaron was also desperately in need of a new outfit. Still, that was something that could wait until the first job was done. She could tolerate looking ridiculous if it meant she could walk out in public without fear.

And she could, unlike Aaron.

With that thought lightening her step, Erinn went for the door and stepped outside outside her room for the first time in what felt like a year. The guild was of course impressive, but Erinn had seen it's equal or more over the course of her life, so she spent no time to stand and gawk at the magnificence of her new residence. She'd have danced in her good cheer if she could remember how, instead Erinn began making her way to feasting hall by doing the next best thing- footwork.

It was actually surprising how easy it came to her. The weight of her new body was distributed in an entirely different fashion from her true form, and yet it was as if this had been the one she'd trained with all her life. The movements flowed smoothly, and though she was self aware enough to keep the sword and dagger at her sides sheathed, the urge to draw them and carry on her exercises in full was palpable. Esquive, Lunge, Recovery, it could look like an odd kind of dance to the casual observer, though one that would clearly never catch on. She did worry that the movements might cause her clothing to tear in an unflattering way, but the embarrassment of such was a mole hill compared to the mountain of relief she was feeling at the moment.

On her way, she passed a group of women talking, but didn't slow to chat with them. Instead, she simply gave them a delighted smile, with a greeting of "Morning, ladies!" before carrying on her way. Still practicing, and still uncaring of how it might look to everyone else. She did, however, finally transition into a normal walk by the time she reached the feasting hall. The goal, after all, was to train with her new body, not look ridiculous to everybody she was to meet that day. Although it wasn't as if it mattered, none of these people knew Aaron, let alone Erinn.

Upon entering, she immediately began scanning the room for someone to begin bothering. The urge for Human interaction was gnawing at her with a startling veracity. The old man was well and good, but when you only effectively have one person to talk to for years it tended to breed loneliness. She scanned with her eyes and ears for a couple moments, a bit disappointed at how few people had arrived, before picking out;

"... I guess. I'm Gwen. Are you a newfound member as well?"

"I am!"

The words were out of Erinn's mouth so quickly it was almost reflex, an echoed a bit too loud in the barely filled hall. Where was this sociability in the hallway a few moments ago? The strength of her emotions today was both startling and worrying- she was going to be completely worn out by tomorrow. Still, she'd already cut into the conversation, so it was too late to back off now. It only took a couple steps to reach the two, but by the time she arrived there was already another new arrival.

“Hey there, you two, here for breakfast are you? I can already smell it.”

"Breakfast? I don't think I could eat now if I tried- The name's... Erinn. So you're new too?"

Her question was addressed to all three of them. As she stood there she allowed her gaze to follow the two who were originally talking, unsure of whether they admiring the sun, the glass, the stonework, or anything else about the place, so she continued with;

"They certainly seem to have a bit of money. It's promising for us really, washes away a bit of the uneasiness about getting into this line of work."

The Adamant World

Aaron/Erinn Steiner

Age: 22

Sex: Male (Originally)/ Female (Often)

Appearance/Description: Aaron is a fit young man who, if not possessing the most strength out of everyone in the room, clearly leads a very active lifestyle. It's clear by the way he carries himself and speaks that he was raised in a comfortable life, though perhaps not nobility. When outside of his home he always travels in a thick traveler's cloak, regardless of the weather. The reasons for this are, unfortunately, difficult to pry from him. Other than that, his clothes seem reasonably expensive, but clearly worn, with handmade patches covering the occasional hole.

Erinn dresses similarly, for obvious reasons. For the moment, the two are forced to share a wardrobe. The two have identical levels of physical fitness, and come in at the same height (175cm). There are some differences of course. Aaron possesses wider shoulders, Erinn wider hips. Not to mention their clothing has to accommodate a chest that didn't previously exist. His wardrobe works for her, but is clearly not a great fit. Erinn, as a note, forgoes the cloak in public.

Flare: Shape-Changing, or at least that's what Aaron wishes it were. No, it is not something nearly so universally useful as that, or even moderately useful. Aaron can change his shape- into that of a woman. A specific woman whose appearance he can't further alter (Aside from the usual methods available to all women). It certainly isn't an ability that will complete any assignments on its own, but at the same time it takes only a small amount of Adamant to maintain and leaves plenty of room to operate his secondary Flare (Which he can put to exceptionally good use).

History: While tight lipped about his past to most, some things can be gathered about Aaron from cursory observation. His name and light accent place him as originating from the region around Nawade, though the latter also indicates he has been away from home for some time. Those who are experienced in the martial arts can further observe that his hands are marked by the tell-tale calluses of a swordsman, and that the blade he travels with isn't simply for show. Most, of course, have no way to tell that he can change his shape, and these observable traits carry on between both forms.

When asked about why he joined the guild, the usual reply is simply; "For money." before obviously trying to change the subject. Overall, it'd be more productive to spend ones time trying to squeeze water from a stone than answers from Aaron.

Personality: Aaron, in private, has the quiet self-assured confidence of someone who knows the extent of their own abilities- though not quite passing into arrogance. While tight lipped about himself, he's actually surprisingly talkative, willing to keep a conversation going for as long as the other party is willing to put up with it. He has a genuine curiosity when it comes to other people, and has no reservations about asking questions that he himself refuses to answer.

In public though this evaporates. He exhibits a surprising level of nervousness, and almost falls entirely from confident to timid. While he'll listen to others around him, any desire to make conversation himself vanishes, and he tries to almost literally hide away from the world. It's... a noticeable change to say the least, especially for those familiar with him in private.

Erinn seems to possess the former, confident, personality regardless of whether she's in public or private. That doesn't, however, mean she's any less tight lipped about herself. It seems as if the true meaning behind any of it will remain a mystery for the ages.

The Adamant World

Hider

Aaron/Erinn Steiner

Age: 22

Sex: Male (Originally)/ Female (Often)

Appearance/Description: Aaron is a fit young man who, if not possessing the most strength of everyone in the room, clearly leads a very active lifestyle. It's clear by the way he carries himself and speaks that he was raised in a comfortable life, though perhaps not nobility. When outside of his home he always travels in a thick traveler's cloak, regardless of the weather. The reasons for this are, unfortunately, difficult to pry from him. Other than that, his clothes seem reasonably expensive, but clearly worn, with handmade patches covering the occasional hole.

Erinn dresses similarly, for obvious reasons. For the moment, the two are forced to share a wardrobe. The two have identical levels of physical fitness, and come in at the same height (175cm). There are some differences of course. Aaron possesses wider shoulders, Erinn wider hips. Not to mention their clothing has to accommodate a chest that didn't previously exist. His wardrobe works for her, but is clearly not a great fit. Erinn, as a note, also forgoes the cloak in public.

Flare: Shape-Changing, or at least that's what Aaron wishes it were. No, it is not something nearly so universally useful as that, or even moderately useful. Aaron can change his shape- into that of a woman. A specific woman whose appearance he can't further alter (Aside from the usual methods available to all women). It certainly isn't an ability that will complete any assignments on its own, but at the same time it takes only a small amount of Adamant to maintain and leaves plenty of room to operate his secondary Flare (Which he can put to exceptionally good use).

History: While tight lipped about his past to most, some things can be gathered about Aaron from cursory observation. His name and light accent place him as originating from the region around Nawade, though the latter also indicates he has been away from home for some time. Those who are experienced in the martial arts can further observe that his hands are marked by the tell-tale calluses of a swordsman, and that the blade he travels with isn't simply for show. Most, of course, have no way to tell that he can change his shape, and these observable traits carry on between both forms.

When asked about why he joined the guild, the usual reply is simply; "For money." before obviously trying to change the subject. Overall, it'd be more productive to spend ones time trying to squeeze water from a stone than answers from Aaron.

Personality: Aaron, in private, has the quiet self assured confidence of someone who knows the extent of their own abilities- though not quite passing into arrogance. While tight lipped about himself, he's actually surprisingly talkative, willing to keep a conversation going for as long as the other party is willing to put up with it. He has a genuine curiosity when it comes to other people, and has no reservations about asking questions that he himself refuses to answer.

In public though this evaporates. He exhibits a surprising level of nervousness, and almost falls entirely from confident to timid. While he'll listen to others around him, any desire to make conversation himself vanishes, and he tries to almost literally hide away from the world. It's... a noticeable change to say the least, especially for those familiar with him in private.

Erinn seems to possess the former, confident, personality regardless of whether she's in public or private. That doesn't, however, mean she's any less tight lipped about herself. It seems as if the true meaning behind any of it will remain a mystery for the ages.

Actual details will be DM'd shortly.

Lochpine Preserve

Oh? Well that changes things slightly.

Although I think between a literal bloodhound and a shapechanger they'd both be aware of his arrival when it happens. Just have to change the timing.

Lochpine Preserve

Ignoring the double post, first post is up. Made on the assumption that @ShwiggityShwah Has only been on the preserve a short amount of time. If that's not actually the case then it can be changed.

Lochpine Preserve

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Aanand & Leah

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Leah was curious.

No-one had actually told her there was due to be a new arrival for what were probably obvious reasons, but that didn't mean it had escaped her notice. She tended to pay attention to the activities of the humans; not that she'd ever do anything to harm them, necessarily, but keeping track of possible prey was an instinct she didn't care enough to try and silence. Besides, it let her know almost immediately when things changed.

For instance, she couldn't keep herself from noticing as a new scent entered the air. An outsider, and a human one, seemingly entering the preserve.

Of course, she was well aware that she would hardly be trusted around any new humans, at least not without Rick or her faerie lapdog around. There was only so much faith you could have in a bloodsucker's self-restraint, she supposed, but that didn't keep her from taking it a little personally. It wasn't as if she'd murdered anyone - not for a long time, anyway - and having enough control to leave her victims alive seemed to her a good enough illustration of her trustworthiness.

Though it didn't help her case that most of them thought she was just a satyr with serious mental issues.

So after some consideration she'd decided it was far easier to ask forgiveness than permission, and gone sneaking through the woods towards the scent as quietly as she possibly could.

“Stopping by to say ‘Hello’? Planning to greet the new guy with a kiss? On the neck perhaps?”

Aanand had been following the woman with a growing sense of amusement for some time now, stalking her with a much greater degree of stealth than she was capable of. While she wasn’t quite as noisy as a bumbling Human, she was still lacking the proper… anatomy for what she was attempting. Goats, after all, weren’t exactly known for their ability to sneak through the woods unheard. Still, the lack of noise Aanand was presently making wouldn’t have been enough to sneak up on her if he hadn’t been aware of what she was. A Satyr? Unlike most of the creatures living on the preserve he was British, and was well aware of the legends that surrounded the creature in front of him.

She could smell blood.

He could shapeshift the blood in his body away.

There was a clear winner in this contest that only one participant was aware was even going on, and Aanand gave himself the pleasure of creeping up right next to her ear before making his presence known. A feat of stealth he was sure would not be appreciated.

It wasn't.

Taken entirely off guard by the sudden voice, Leah just about jumped out of her skin, an involuntary and embarrassing noise that sounded very much like a frightened bleat escaping her as she stumbled forward several steps. Whirling around, there was more fear than fury in her expression, at least until she recognised the figure stood there. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke shortly.

"That wasn't funny." A pause. "And no. Well, maybe, but I won't do the man any harm."

Oh, wasn’t it?

While he didn’t openly voice that retort, the smile on his face said it clearly enough. The type of grin that both defiant, and openly asking to be met with a punch. A sight more common on his female counterpart, but equally fitting for his male self. Changing his feet back from a jaguar’s into a Human’s, he began putting the shoes he had been holding back onto his feet before replying;

“I think losing his lifeblood pretty much fits the exact definition of harm. Or will someone be uninjured if I were to cut them open?”

Leah was starting to find the shapeshifter's expression profoundly irritating. Something about the smugness of it felt designed to rub her the wrong way, though she was well aware there wasn't much she could actually do about it. So instead she settled for a sigh, whatever frustration she was feeling towards him remaining unsaid.

"Not permanent harm, then. I'm a careful woman, he'd get better soon enough." She shook her head, frowning uncertainly as she thought the whole thing over. "Getting caught would be inconvenient, I suppose - they barely trust me as is. Can't exactly help needing to eat, though, and he'd barely even remember it happened."

“Unless Angie’s been neglecting her duties horribly I think you’d be found out pretty quickly, even if he didn’t remember. Blood draining isn’t exactly a traceless act.”

Angie was the name that the Rakshasa always used for Rick, whether the woman liked it or not. It wasn’t exactly that there was any special reason behind it; He had simply lived alongside Humans for long enough that he too had become somewhat of a creature of habit, and he wasn’t going to reverse decades of calling the Ranger by one name just because he was asked to.

“Besides, I’m sure he’d leave the preserve pretty quickly if he knew there was a vampire stalking about- though ‘stalking’ is a generous term considering your display just now.”

"I'm not a damned vampire-- and you try being quiet around here with hooves! It's hardly an easy task." Pouting, she kicked at the dirt, snapping a twig underfoot. He had a point, though she was able to keep away from most creatures purely through smell. The ones that weren't annoying shapeshifters, anyway. Grimacing, she finally made an effort to meet his eyes, speaking sincerely.

"If you must know, I really wasn't planning on biting him. I'd rather not upset the ranger, but I'm allowed to be curious about a new arrival, aren't I? Bloodsucker or not."

As often was the case with his male self the change in mood came swiftly. Perhaps it was driven by the Glaistig’s own shift in tone, or perhaps he had just grown tired of the otherwise playful atmosphere. Regardless of the reason, all mirth and playfulness abandoned him and his hand went to rest on an object- perhaps a sword, or a gun- that was not actually at his side.

“Rest assured, if I thought that was your intent I would have stopped you with something much more tangible than words.”

Claws casually protruded from his fingers as he spoke- although not in a threatening manner, moreso as a demonstration.

“I know your needs but I do also trust you to have as much self-control as I do. After all- by my estimates you’re the older one between the two of us, my lady.”

"It's rude to ask a lady her age, you know." A hint of cold crept into her own tone at that, a sharp-toothed smile shot towards the man before she forced herself to relax. It was hardly a fight she'd win, in any case. "But yes, I suppose I am. Rest assured that my self-control is nothing you need to worry about. Though I suppose the concern is appreciated; it wouldn't do me much good to be thrown off the preserve."

“Good, then let’s get going shall we? I haven’t gotten the chance to greet the new arrival properly yet either, and you may as well have an escort of you’re going to be making that much noise trying to get a peek.”

With that he began to walk past the woman, making no effort at stealth this time, and yet naturally gliding across the forest floor as if it were second nature to him. Not that Human feet in Human shoes were naturally suited for the job, but it was as if the sound of every footstep came from the forest itself, blending into the background.

Of course, he didn’t double check to see if she was following. Sure, he was doing her a courtesy, but it didn’t particularly matter to Aanand if she took him up on it. He was going to size up this new shopkeep and make sure he was no danger to the preserve or Angie. Not that he didn’t trust the Ranger to be able to take care of herself- but it never hurt to be too careful either.

As soon as Aan started moving, Leah found herself acutely aware of just how much louder her footsteps were than his. At least he hadn't stopped her completely, though the implication that she at all needed an escort certainly rubbed her up the wrong way. Still, she supposed it was better than nothing, and he wasn't exactly waiting for her to stop sulking about it.

Huffing indignantly, she followed at a slight trot.

Lochpine Preserve

[Ignore the double post]

Lochpine Preserve

Aanandaprakash

Name: Aanandaprakash (Aanand or Aan, but really doesn’t care how people shorten it)

Age: ??? Varies in form and presentation, but judging by the rare times he’s talked about his personal life, one can judge that he is quite old.

Sex: Both Male and Female (Or perhaps neither)

Race: Rakshasa

Biome: Varies, but heavily forested areas or jungle is preferred. (Cities preferred over both, but not exactly an option on the preserve).

Sexuality: Bisexual

Relationship Status: ???

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Height: 6'4" (or) 5’8”

Weight: 190lb (Weight does not change based on outer appearance).

Hair: Varies, but usually brown or blonde

Eyes: Varies, but usually green

Skin Tone: Varies, but usually fair skinned

Appearance:


Whether his mood changes based on his appearance, or his appearance changes based on his mood is hard to tell, although there is a clear difference between how Aanand presents himself and how he acts. The male form he (usually) takes is fairly reserved, although with a biting wit and bitter attitude. That isn’t to say he’s always in a bad mood when presenting as male, but casual conversation can quickly turn dark or serious without warning. There’s a rare few residents of the reserve who prefer this form, although it seems to be the one he’s seen in most often.

His male appearance is also one of the hints about his age. There’s a certain… antiquity about it. The lack of beard, the full mustache, and clothes a gentleman from a bygone era would wear. There’s a level of neatness and professionalism reminiscent of military service, and even his accent sounds more reminiscent of one you’d see a newscaster on the BBC use as opposed to finding on the streets of London. Tall and well built, he certainly cuts an impressive figure (For a ‘Human’ at any rate) though as a shapeshifter this isn’t much of a feat. Attire wise, he’s almost always wearing an overcoat and vest no matter the weather, and usually sticks to plain brown clothing. Presented well, but boring.

Aan’s feminine appearance still preserves some of these qualities, although they’re much less likely to surface unless she’s otherwise angered or in a bad mood. Still, that isn’t to say that this form is a straight up improvement for those that have to deal with her. Bitterness is replaced with impishness, and she’s much more likely to cause mischief for the fun of it- and her definition of fun typically involves invoking the ire of others. Still, she is much more light conversationally than her male counterpart, and provided she’s not up to bad business, it can be quite enjoyable to catch her for a quick chat.

Unlike her male appearance Aan’s clothing varies wildly from day-to-day, although a lot of her choices have the same sense of age as her male counterpart’s attire. Very few of her outfits could be considered immodest, even those that are much more modern in style. Still, some trends have clearly caught on with her, like a shorter hair length and the occasional pair of trousers in her wardrobe. Her accent is notably different than her male counterpart, though harder to place. Reminiscent of Welsh, for those that can tell the difference.

Skills:

Shapeshifter - More of an ‘ability’ than a skill, Rakshasa are master shapeshifters, to the point where they’re said to have no true form. For those who are skilled at seeing through illusions, they simply appear in the form that is most familiar to the viewer. Many choose to live their lives as animals rather than humans, though for Aanand this is clearly not the case.

Smoothtalker - Though casual conversation would suggest otherwise, when Aanand wants something he suddenly seems to develop a silver tongue. Though a minor annoyance for those familiar with him, it’s shown incredible results for strangers- who don’t tend to forgive him after falling for it the first time.

Soldier - Though nobody on the reserve has seen it firsthand, it would be obvious to any observer who had to chance to see that Aanand is well practiced in the use of several human weapons (Swordsmanship in particular, though also notably with handguns and rifles). And has excellent horsemanship.

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Likes: Quiet, Mischief, Music (Jazz), Shopping, Sailing, Lecturing (Especially when unwanted), and Violence

Dislikes: History, Personal Conversations (At least regarding himself), Bossiness, Orders, Explosions, Drinking, and Violence

Brief History: While he’s often tight lipped about his past, somethings can be discerned based on casual conversation: Aanand is old though how old exactly is hard to tell. With a little research it’s easy to tell that the name is Indian, and most people would recognize a British accent when heard. It seems like he enjoyed some level of wealth and status in the past, if his mannerism are anything to go by- but whether or not it’s all a show is hard to say. What is known is that he came to the Preserve over two decades ago, and seemed to be a friend of sorts with Ranger Rick’s parents.

Since then he has come to know a good number of the residents, although if any are actually close to the Rakshasa it’s hard to say.

Your Story: Slowly.

One could ask why Aan was currently inching her way down from the ceiling of a cave above a slumbering minotaur. The simple answer, of course, would be that she knew said minotaur was an arachnophobe, and it otherwise wouldn’t make much sense to be in the form of a giant spider above him if he wasn’t. An equally simple answer would be that she was bored, and knew what was about to happen would liven up her day, if nothing else. However, if one wanted to be slightly more complex, they could assess that the Aan had done him a favor some time ago (A small affair, also having to do with spiders) and this was, in a roundabout way, her method of extracting payment.

Slowly.

There was of course a rather large chance of this going horribly wrong. Minotaurs weren’t exactly known for being the most understanding race in the world, in fact their distinct lack of understanding was one of their most well-known traits. Sure, Aan had known this particular one, Euthymios, for quite some time now, but that in some ways made what was about to happen even worse. She knew he would get over it in time, but until then he would be one sore customer.

And as the sun began to rise on the horizon, she knew it was time to be the alarm clock that Euthymios never asked for. Transforming her vocal chords into that of a human, she extended her eight legs menacingly and shouted:

“Euthymios, LOOK OUT!”

The reaction was almost instant, the minotaur’s eyes shot open and a scream erupted from his mouth that was far more animal than human. He scrambled backwards as quickly as he could, only capable of muttering “Nononononononono...” under his breath, looking for some kind of weapon he could use.

While Aan had intended for the charade to go on longer, it was only a moment before she dissolved into a fit of laughter and fell to the ground, rolling over and holding her sides with all eight legs as she transitioned from spider back into her human form. Fear quickly gave way to confusion for her victim, until a wave of rage began noticeably building inside of him.

“Aan? Aan?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Knowing that she had to compose herself quickly, Aan began to pick herself off the ground, trying to stifle her remaining fits of laughter. She was, of course, naked (Ones clothes didn’t shapeshift with them, and dresses weren’t exactly made for a giant spider to fit into), but neither of the two cared about that at the moment. While she wasn’t exactly worried, the level of anger in the minotaur’s reaction did indicate she had fucked up more than expected.

“Relax Mio, it was just a joke. A bit of… compensation for that favor I did you a couple months ago.”

“Compen…?”

No, Aan had definitely fucked up. As the rising sun caught the minotaur’s eyes it was clear his rage was only building, not diminishing. And as his hand balled into fists he stood to his enormous eight foot height and began stepping towards her- his hooved feet echoing menacingly off the cavern walls. Aan’s hands were held up defensively to try and diffuse the situation further while taking a step back;

“Whoah big guy, I don’t want to fight you. Live and let live, right?”

That, of course, was a lie. Her blood was up too, and every inch of her being was straining against leaping on the half-bull and tearing his throat out. Minotaurs were naturally inclined towards rage, a curse from their bull nature. A Raksasha was similarly cursed with bloodlust. Not simply fighting or killing, but the shedding of blood was ecstasy. However, in polite society that was frowned upon, and she had tried to put those days behind her a century ago.

She was far too old to lose her self-control like a child would.

Euthymios, beyond words at this point, advanced further, clearly intent on causing as much harm as he possibly could to his unwelcome guest. Getting the hint, Aan saluted goodbye before bolting- morphing into a jaguar within two steps and bounding outside of the cave with the minotaur close behind. She knew, however, that he’d never catch her. As she escaped up the nearing tree he let out a scream of rage that could no doubt be heard throughout the entire valley that he lived in- and would be the gossip of the area for next few weeks.

Still, she was satisfied. At the very least, this could no longer be called a boring day. She carried on for another mile through the treetops before reaching the site where she had stashed her clothes and redressing. Not having any more plans for the day, she made her home in the nook of a nearby tree and looked back towards where Euthymios’ cave jutted out of the earth. Almost sarcastically, she offered him a final solute before sighing.

“Some people just can’t take a joke.”

Lochpine Preserve

Hider

Name: Aanandaprakash (Aanand or Aan, but really doesn’t care how people shorten it)

Age: ??? Varies in form and presentation, but judging by the rare times he’s talked about his personal life, one can judge that he is quite old.

Sex: Both Male and Female (Or perhaps neither)

Race: Rakshasa

Biome: Varies, but heavily forested areas or jungle is preferred. (Cities preferred over both, but not exactly an option on the preserve).

Sexuality: Bisexual

Relationship Status: ???

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Height: 6'4" (or) 5’8”

Weight: 190lb (Weight does not change based on outer appearance).

Hair: Varies, but usually brown or blonde

Eyes: Varies, but usually green

Skin Tone: Varies, but usually fair skinned

Appearance:


Whether his mood changes based on his appearance, or his appearance changes based on his mood is hard to tell, although there is a clear difference between how Aanand presents himself and how he acts. The male form he (usually) takes is fairly reserved, although with a biting wit and bitter attitude. That isn’t to say he’s always in a bad mood when presenting as male, but casual conversation can quickly turn dark or serious without warning. There’s a rare few residents of the reserve who prefer this form, although it seems to be the one he’s seen in most often.

His male appearance is also one of the hints about his age. There’s a certain… antiquity about it. The lack of beard, the full mustache, and clothes a gentleman from a bygone era would wear. There’s a level of neatness and professionalism reminiscent of military service, and even his accent sounds more reminiscent of one you’d see a newscaster on the BBC use as opposed to finding on the streets of London. Tall and well built, he certainly cuts an impressive figure (For a ‘Human’ at any rate) though as a shapeshifter this isn’t much of a feat. Attire wise, he’s almost always wearing an overcoat and vest no matter the weather, and usually sticks to plain brown clothing. Presented well, but boring.

Aan’s feminine appearance still preserves some of these qualities, although they’re much less likely to surface unless she’s otherwise angered or in a bad mood. Still, that isn’t to say that this form is a straight up improvement for those that have to deal with her. Bitterness is replaced with impishness, and she’s much more likely to cause mischief for the fun of it- and her definition of fun typically involves invoking the ire of others. Still, she is much more light conversationally than her male counterpart, and provided she’s not up to bad business, it can be quite enjoyable to catch her for a quick chat.

Unlike her male appearance Aan’s clothing varies wildly from day-to-day, although a lot of her choices have the same sense of age as her male counterpart’s attire. Very few of her outfits could be considered immodest, even those that are much more modern in style. Still, some trends have clearly caught on with her, like a shorter hair length and the occasional pair of trousers in her wardrobe. Her accent is notably different than her male counterpart, though harder to place. Reminiscent of Welsh, for those that can tell the difference.

Skills:

Shapeshifter - More of an ‘ability’ than a skill, Rakshasa are master shapeshifters, to the point where they’re said to have no true form. For those who are skilled at seeing through illusions, they simply appear in the form that is most familiar to the viewer. Many choose to live their lives as animals rather than humans, though for Aanand this is clearly not the case.

Smoothtalker - Though casual conversation would suggest otherwise, when Aanand wants something he suddenly seems to develop a silver tongue. Though a minor annoyance for those familiar with him, it’s shown incredible results for strangers- who don’t tend to forgive him after falling for it the first time.

Soldier - Though nobody on the reserve has seen it firsthand, it would be obvious to any observer who had to chance to see that Aanand is well practiced in the use of several human weapons (Swordsmanship in particular, though also notably with handguns and rifles). And had excellent horsemanship.

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Likes: Quiet, Mischief, Music (Jazz), Shopping, Sailing, Lecturing (Especially when unwanted), and Violence

Dislikes: History, Personal Conversations (At least regarding himself), Bossiness, Orders, Explosions, Drinking, Violence

Brief History: While he’s often tight lipped about his past, somethings can be discerned based on casual conversation: Aanand is old though how old exactly is hard to tell. With a little research it’s easy to tell that the name is Indian, and most people would recognize a British accent when heard. It seems like he enjoyed some level of wealth and status in the past, if his mannerism are anything to go by- but whether or not it’s all a show is hard to say. What is known is that he came to the Preserve over two decades ago, and seemed to be a friend of sorts with Ranger Rick’s parents.

Since then he has come to know a good number of the residents, although if any are actually close to the Rakshasa it’s hard to say.

Your Story: Slowly.

One could ask why Aan was currently inching her way down from the ceiling of a cave above a slumbering minotaur. The simple answer, of course, would be that she knew said minotaur was an arachnophobe, and it otherwise wouldn’t make much sense to be in the form of a giant spider above him if he wasn’t. An equally simple answer would be that she was bored, and knew what was about to happen would liven up her day, if nothing else. However, if one wanted to be slightly more complex, they could assess that the Aan had done him a favor some time ago (A small affair, also having to do with spiders) and this was, in a roundabout way, her method of extracting payment.

Slowly.

There was of course a rather large chance of this going horribly wrong. Minotaurs weren’t exactly known for being the most understanding race in the world, in fact their distinct lack of understanding was one of their most well-known traits. Sure, Aan had known this particular one, Euthymios, for quite some time now, but that in some ways made what was about to happen even worse. She knew he would get over it in time, but until then he would be one sore customer.

And as the sun began to rise on the horizon, she knew it was time to be the alarm clock that Euthymios never asked for. Transforming her vocal chords into that of a human, she extended her eight legs menacingly and shouted:

“Euthymios, LOOK OUT!”

The reaction was almost instant, the minotaur’s eyes shot open and a scream erupted from his mouth that was far more animal than human. He scrambled backwards as quickly as he could, only capable of muttering “Nononononononono...” under his breath, looking for some kind of weapon he could use.

While Aan had intended for the charade to go on longer, it was only a moment before she dissolved into a fit of laughter and fell to the ground, rolling over and holding her sides with all eight legs as she transitioned from spider back into her human form. Fear quickly gave way to confusion for her victim, until a wave of rage began noticeably building inside of him.

“Aan? Aan?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Knowing that she had to compose herself quickly, Aan began to pick herself off the ground, trying to stifle her remaining fits of laughter. She was, of course, naked (Ones clothes didn’t shapeshift with them, and dresses weren’t exactly made for a giant spider to fit into), but neither of the two cared about that at the moment. While she wasn’t exactly worried, the level of anger in the minotaur’s reaction did indicate she had fucked up more than expected.

“Relax Mio, it was just a joke. A bit of… compensation for that favor I did you a couple months ago.”

“Compen…?”

No, Aan had definitely fucked up. As the rising sun caught the minotaur’s eyes it was clear his rage was only building, not diminishing. And as his hand balled into fists he stood to his enormous eight foot height and began stepping towards her- his hooved feet echoing menacingly off the cavern walls. Aan’s hands were held up defensively to try and diffuse the situation further while taking a step back;

“Whoah big guy, I don’t want to fight you. Live and let live, right?”

That, of course, was a lie. Her blood was up too, and every inch of her being was straining against leaping on the half-bull and tearing his throat out. Minotaurs were naturally inclined towards rage, a curse from their bull nature. A Raksasha was similarly cursed with bloodlust. Not simply fighting or killing, but the shedding of blood was ecstasy. However, in polite society that was frowned upon, and she had tried to put those days behind her a century ago.

She was far too old to lose her self-control like a child would.

Euthymios, beyond words at this point, advanced further, clearly intent on causing as much harm as he possibly could to his unwelcome guest. Getting the hint, Aan saluted goodbye before bolting- morphing into a jaguar within two steps and bounding outside of the cave with the minotaur close behind. She knew, however, that he’d never catch her. As she escaped up the nearing tree he let out a scream of rage that could no doubt be heard throughout the entire valley that he lived in- and would be the gossip of the area for next few weeks.

Still, she was satisfied. At the very least, this could no longer be called a boring day. She carried on for another mile through the treetops before reaching the site where she had stashed her clothes and redressing. Not having any more plans for the day, she made her home in the nook of a nearby tree and looked back towards where Euthymios’ cave jutted out of the earth. Almost sarcastically, she offered him a final solute before sighing.

“Some people just can’t take a joke.”