Post by saxifrage on Oct 21, 2011 0:31:06 GMT -5
Snowpaw is part of tenor's large family ( cometolora.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=p&action=display&thread=2804&page=1 ) who will be participating in the Green Isle plot; he'll be labeled WIP until all the siblings are filled out so I can add those to his relationships.
Name: Lago 'Snowpaw' Galedeep
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Species: Fox (Arctic)
Occupation: Fighter/Medicine Fox
Physical Appearance:
An Arctic fox, Snowpaw is smaller and stockier than a red fox, with a thick, powerful build and smaller ears and snout. His eyes, though angled like most foxes, are also rather rounder than one normally sees, and pale blue; they appear darker when he is in his winter coat and paler in his summer coat, but this is an optical illusion due to the relative color of his fur.
Snowpaw's fur is a hybridization of the Blue Phase and White Phase of Arctic fox. In winter, his fur is very long and dense, normally appearing pure white but with a very faint blue sheen visible in the correct light; even his paws are thickly furred, long hairs obscuring the pads and blurring his tracks, and the thick ruff and overall fluffiness of his coat give him a round, even cuddly look. In summer, he has a shorter, sleeker coat, a moderately dark blue-gray with paler gray ticking that gives it a shimmering look as well as pale blue-gray undersides, white muzzle and tailtip, and black paws and ears; the shorter coat makes him appear leaner and longer-limbed, though of course his physique does not change with the seasons. In spring or fall his coat is in transition, often patched between white and blue; in spring especially he has an unkempt look as he sheds his thick, fluffy undercoat.
In summer, and in spring and autumn when his undercoat is either not fully shed or already growing in, Snowpaw wears as little as he can get away with, often limited to pants and a light cloak to help shade him from the sun; he prefers the natural shades of the materials as a general rule, though like many foxes he is skilled with plants and is known to make dyes to add personal touches. In winter his clothing is more extensive, though lighter than many beasts due to his adaptation to the cold; he will wear a jerkin, adding a thick undershirt if needed, and wear a thicker cloak. In either case, he wears a thick belt weighted down with pouches of medicinal herbs and other plants. Snowpaw's skill with dyes also leads him to mark his fur; most often in winter he paints himself with marking on the cheeks and forehead in a color matching his eyes, while in summer he will paint swirling black patterns around his arms and torso.
Generally speaking, though capable of stealth Snowpaw has an open bearing and a friendly demeanor; if not for the stigma of 'fox', most creatures would find him quite approachable, and his near-relentless friendliness backs this up nicely.
Possessions:
Harpoen: Normally used for fishing, it makes a handy weapon for either throwing or close quarters. Attached to his belt by light, strong rope to be easily retrieved if thrown, though in close fighting he will detach it to avoid tangling himself.
Bolas: Used for non-lethal long-range work.
Medical supplies: A variety of herbs, needles, strong thread, and ointments for treating all ills.
Books: Usually at least one - prized possessions.
Personality:
Cheerful, outgoing, and boisterous, Snowpaw is a sociable and people-oriented creature whose first instinct is always to make friends. Playful and often rambunctious, he loves to tease, instigate, and roughhouse and can sometimes come off as an overgrown child - and in fact, like his adoptive father he simply adores children and is always ready to aid, shelter, play with, and teach them. Even so, he is always exceedingly gentle with his playmates, and his wilder nature is often countered by a surprisingly introspective, even philosophical side, making him as good a shoulder to lean on as he is a playmate.
That same philosophical side is a ready hint into Snowpaw's intellect and deep curiosity - a creature who wants to know everything about everything, he will read any book he can get his paws on. Imbued with a love of knowledge nearly as expansive as his love of people, Snowpaw is equipped with a surprising variety of knowledge that he is happy to share at any time.
While he's so nice about it it's easy to miss, Snowpaw is fairly dominant in personality - few people can order him without repercussions, be it teasing or, if he's in a bad mood or simply not quite lucid, lashing back, and he instinctively attempts to take charge of a situation if one of his designated 'leaders' is not present. Overall, he is well-meaning and friendly and can be counted on to accept you as you are, no strings attached, and will do anything his friends and family ask of him - as long as they ask, not order.
Strengths:
Harpoener - Skilled at both fishing and combat with his harpoen, Snowpaw can get good results whether he throws the weapon or remains close to thrust.
Medicine Fox - A skilled field medic, Snowpaw has extensive knowledge of natural remedies as well as the skills to clean and repair wounds from small cuts to compound fractures.
Even-tempered - Snowpaw makes a point of never letting anger overwhelm him - a second or so it all he usually needs before letting something more positive override it. This makes him very difficult to rile; even when someone needs to be 'dealt with', it's done as calmly as anyone could expect.
Open-hearted - Friendly and good-natured, Snowpaw can readily put most creatures at ease once they get past the species - he's affable and able to accept most beasts as they are, showing a warm, forgiving, and inclusive nature
Woodcraft/Wilderness Survival - Skilled at foraging and living off the land, including navigating, plant identification, and building and concealing camps as well as being highly capable of general stealth and camouflage.
Weaknesses:
Brain-to-Mouth Filter - It's not that he doesn't have one, it's that it doesn't function quite like most civilized people's. While Snowpaw will keep your secrets and go out of his way to keep anything genuinely hurtful from getting out into Gossipland, he simply doesn't quite register that some things are embarrassing and has a habit of saying the first thing to come to mind.
Honest - This may not seem like a weakness - but Snowpaw will ALWAYS tell the truth if directly asked. He believes white lies 'to spare feelings' will cause more hurt in the long run... so he doesn't do it. If you don't want a perfectly honest answer, don't ask Snowpaw; the jury is still out on whether he CAN lie.
Reluctant fighter - for all his roughhousing, Snowpaw is often hesitant to enter a real fight. While he will gladly defend any of his friends and family, Snowpaw will never initiate a real fight unless he intends to kill - in his mind, a real fight is simply too serious to initiate lightly.
Contrarian - Snowpaw's dominant nature is such that he has trouble taking any orders from anyone he hasn't subconsciously flagged as authority... even when it would be in his best interest. Even medical advice phrased as an order can make him instinctively rebel; though in emergency situations he will try to play nice and listen to orders, this is extremely difficult for him to do. At present, only Eli is able to directly order him; anyone else is asking for rebellion, whether it be simple teasing or actually pushing back.
Poor Swimmer - While he knows how to swim - he was raised by an otter, after all - and loves being in the water, Snowpaw is by no means a strong swimmer and has a distinct tendency to sink like a stone.
Claustrophobic - Uncomfortable in anything smaller than bedroom, and finds it increasingly hard to function the smaller the space grows. He also deeply dislikes being underground, and will refuse unless directly ordered by his father... at which point he has to be prodded to do much of anything.
History:
A north-bred fox of a type rarely seen in warmer countries, Lago Galedeep knows almost nothing of his biological family, and is content with that state of affairs. What IS known is that several of the coat-changing vulpines crossed into Rogue Crew territory to plague the otters of the north coast; in short order, those stalwart otters formed a party to fight off the foxes, track them to their den, and wipe them out for good.
With them was a southern cousin, the sea otter Eli Galedeep.
Allowed to accompany the Crew to the foxes' den, Eli took part in the sweep through for any remaining foxes; rather than hiding vermin, he ran across a young kit. Fearing that the Rogue Crew's well-known zero tolerance policy would apply to the babe, Eli hid the child in his belongings to smuggle him away from the north coast. Though the chief of the Crew knew of the hidden kit, he allowed this without comment - he knew that Eli would take the kit far away to protect him, and was content to let the Galedeep learn his own lessons rather than cause a rift between otters.
Contrary to the Rogue Crew's expectations, Lago Galedeep - nicknamed Snowpaw - grew into as cheerful and good-natured a beast as his otter 'father'. Traveling the southern lands with Eli, Snowpaw took on his father's habit of aiding and sheltering any beast, though he learned from an early age that his own species could be a bar to goodwill; in particular, an adolescent run-in with shrews who did not take his overtures at face value and instead attacked to drive off a 'cunning foe' made him a bit more cautious about approaching without his father or one of his 'goodbeast' siblings. Cautious - though not precisely afraid - of shrews ever since, this also gave him his one bit of reserve - never trying to force his presence on creatures who don't know him.
Now into his twenties, Snowpaw has followed his father to that famed stronghold of otters, Green Isle, where he hopes to find kinship among the Galedeeps there. Instead, the family has walked into the powerplay of the tyrant Kale; eager to help, the children of Eli Galedeep are now ready to lend their paws to restore the rightful rulers of the island.
Relationships:
Eli Galedeep: Snowpaw's adoptive father is the most important, respected, and beloved person in his life, an otter he would do absolutely anything for.
Muddy Claws: Closest to him of his siblings, Snowpaw is extremely protective of the water vole - who is, unfortunately, one of his favorite targets in roughhousing as a result of that bond.