application for thisavrou

[vanta]

OUT OF CHARACTER
Player Name: Will
Are you 16 or older: Y
Contact: beoluve
Current Characters: n/a
Tag: archer forrest


IN CHARACTER
Name: Archea "Archer" Forrest. Don't call her Archea
Canon: Original
Canon Point: Before the Earth Trial.
Age: Eighteen

History:

The main difference between Archer's world and our own is that since the beginning of mankind there's been Heralds. The Heralds are humans with a particularly strong connection to the natural forces of the world, which allows them to wield energy in ways that are impossible for the vast majority of humanity. They're elementals, to put it in the simplest possible terms. Heralds rule over six "Elements", paired by their main characteristics: the "heart" elements of Water and Fire, the "mind" elements of Air and Earth and the "almighty" elements of Light and Darkness. Additionally, by combining these elements other "secondary" ones can be created, such as Lightning (Fire+Air), Ice (Water+Air), Sand (Water +/- Earth) and even more specialized ones such as Glass (Sand + Lightning), although most of these combinations require a particular skill that is rarely found. There is only one Herald of each element alive at any point, a new Herald being born roughly around the same time the current one dies, although there's been exceptions, like occasions where the current Herlad has "chosen" their successor, usually shortly before dying. There is however a large number of people with "potential" for manifesting certain elements; these people tend to find their way to the Herald that matches their element and train under them. They're usually known as Acolytes. There is one simple reason why anyone would want to train and perfect their dominion over an element and that is the fact that continued use prolongs one's life beyond its natural limits; most Heralds usually life to half a millennia, with some cases going beyond that. Still, they're not immortal; a Herald can die the same way a regular human and old age will eventually catch up to them.

The presence of these beings and their abilities has had an impact on the world, but it's far less than one would initially believe. Heralds and the elements they command are largely neutral, their main focus being to secure the natural balance of the world. They have no nationalities or any sort of personal stake in the affairs of the world. There's been several attempts to seize their powers thorough the years, of course, but they've all been easily stopped in their tracks. For the most part the world keeps on moving, although the Heralds have sometimes taken a more active role by pressing humanity at large to steady its hand regarding the damage that's being done to the world; the world of the Heralds is one with far less environmental issues, with more and stronger politics that ensue humanity has a better relationship with the rest of the world.

It's in this world that Archer is born. Born an orphan, Archer was part of a wave of unwanted/unplanned children that for a variety of reasons were left either at the care of the state or to fend by themselves in the streets. The death of the Herald of Light in obscured circumstances had caused unease among the population, with the other Heralds retreating to their Temples (citadel-states each of them oversaw and where their Acolytes trained). The fact a successor wasn't recognized right away only complicated things, as the Herald of Light was seen as the leader of the group and the one that usually had the most popularity among the people. Of course, none of that mattered to Archer. Left at the steps of a church with nothing but a bracelet with her name, she was always a disenchanted child that didn't quite fit with anyone else. Anyone but Max, another orphan of her age that she became close friends with from the get go. A rebellious and independent boy, Max would eventually convince Archer to leave the safety of the orphanage and the promises of finding a family for her for a life "in their own terms". Taking to the streets shortly after turning ten, Max and Archer took to thieving and conning in the streets of Los Angeles, they experienced the harshness of life firsthand, but also learned to make a life for themselves. Max had always idolized the Heralds, but believed they should take a more active role in the world, using their powers to "tell people what was what", while Archer was more of the opinion that everyone should know that by themselves, although she half believed her own words; in a way, she considered that a world were people were too focused on becoming "powerful" was doomed from the get go. Max wanted to be a big hero with crowds of people recognizing his value; Archer wanted to live in a world free of suffering. They agreed and disagreed, but in the end Archer felt they wanted the same thing.

It was surprisingly easier for two runts to find a place to call their own. There were just enough abandoned locations to keep them hidden from prying adult eyes and more than enough deviants that could relate with no issue to give them a hand. Life wasn't easy, but just by thinking on the alternative (the typically horrible experience that was the foster care system) was all they needed to be dissuaded. Learning the lay of the land and making the right contacts proved priceless in the long run. Max and Archer carried on their lives like this for six years, until the fateful day when Max tried and failed to pickpocket a man that turned out to be an Acolyte of Fire. The only reason he didn't end behind bars or worse was because at the moment of being cornered by the acolyte he started manifesting Light, something no person had done ever since the Herald of Light's death. Archer wasn't so lucky though; she had to spend two nights locked away as the police and social workers tried and failed to contact any responsible adult related to her. She would've been sent into the system if Max hadn't stormed the police station where she was being held, followed by a small army of very distressed acolytes. He was loud and clear about his intent of not going anywhere without her, and therefore the acolytes (previous conference with a Herald) decided to bring her along as well.

The destination was the Water Temple, an underwater, movable citadel that was protected by several layers of traitorous currents. There was were Max would be "measured" by the Heralds to see his Potential, although gossip already ran high among the acolytes (and the rest of the world) regarding what could be the belated resurgence of the Herald of Light. Finding herself completely out of place, Archer was left to play the role of emotional support, specially since Max's bravado quickly crumbled down to reveal all the insecurities any boy his age would have when faced with everything that was coming his way. Ultimately it was Camille, the Herald of Water who took an interest to Archer, calling her to her chambers where she quickly assessed the fact that Archer had some potential after all. Camille took Archer under her wing, teaching her the very basics of Water, but Archer was so behind the rest of the Acolytes she simply took what she could as some half baked justification for her to be there. Even Max showed some skill with Water, a common trait among Heralds. Still, Camille encouraged Archer to explore other elements and to trust herself more. The woman was only 23, being the youngest Herald by nearly a century, so she knew a thing or two about feeling inferior.

Max and Archer discovered that his Measuring Ceremony would be in some months still, as they Heralds wished to see him grow in power and confidence before pressing him to prove himself. The next several months were spent by travelling around the other three Temples; the Fire temple, the only stationary one, situated on a volcanic isle made by the first Herald of Fire, the Earth Temple, hidden away under a large and unexplored circuit of caves that ran under most of the mountains of Eurasia and the Wind temple, a literal flying fortress, so high it shouldn't be possible to even live there if it wasn't by the designs of Heralds past. They learned about their different ideologies and techniques, as well as tried their hand at them, Max always showing more natural talent. It wouldn't be until their return to the Water Temple where Archer learned about the secondary disciplines; while they were usually seen as minor practices too complicated to give any real dedication, the girl showed an astonishing level of skill where most failed. This earned her the praise of many, the odd looks of almost everyone and the untold envy of Max, who up to that point had been shown to be the most skilled of the pair. He didn't need to say anything though, because Archer knew him well enough to feel the heat of his glare and feel bad about it.

The following month saw their relationship strain slowly as Max both pushed her away and clung to her whenever his self-doubting got too strong. It was a particularly late night that found them both embraced in the darkness of Archer's room. Max's Measuring Ceremony was due in a week. Both of them were seventeen now and the world had became much bigger than they had ever dreamed. On a fit of desperation, Max kissed her, something Archer had never thought could happen. Thorough their years together, Max had been a rock, a brother, even a mentor. A part of her tried to fight him, but another part, a larger one, felt that he deserved it, that his efforts and sufferings would be nothing compared to her own. Her lips were numb, but he didn't seem to mind. With hurried movements he undid her clothes, and helped her help him undo his own. He touched and kissed, pushing her against her bed, taking no heed of the stiffness that had overtaken Archer. It was only when one of his hands skid between her legs to help himself into her that she seemed to wake up, a scream escaping her lips as she kneed him on the crotch and pushed Max out of her bed. What ensued then were the most mortifying ten minutes of Archer's life; Max started spewing insults about how he had "done so much for nothing" and how he had been "wasting his time with her", not to mention how he knew the way Camille had been looking at Archer from day one, berating Archer for keeping "her inclinations" to herself. He kept on going, claiming to be doing a favor to her and accusing her of being a crazy bitch when Archer started throwing anything in her reach at him, telling him to leave amidst tears.

The whole incident was heard by many on the Acolyte dorms, which was where Archer had been staying, but nobody seemed to glean the exact details, something neither Archer now Max were eager to divulge, one out of shame and the other out of wounded pride. Archer didn't sleep half of the next week and she was only able to rest when Camille all but forced her to stay with her. The woman she had once looked up to felt somehow alienated by Max's words, which made Archer start doubting her own sense of self and how she had been looking at the way she related to others. Still, she couldn't tell Camille anything, not without destroying whatever they had manage to build there. She was basically the only person that valued her too now, which made Archer all the less eager to speak. It was clear that Camille didn't believe the whole "lovers' spat" most people had accepted almost immediately.

The Measuring Ceremony day finally came and Archer learned through Camille that the four Heralds would test Max's control over Light, but also his strength of character, because power alone didn't make a Herald. Only a consensus would grant him the station of such. Initially uninterested about assisting, Archer decided to go watch for the sake of seeing Camille in what she had called "Herald Mode", which turned the agreeable and mild-mannered young woman into a stern-looking, older than she looked woman of authority. The Heralds were to meet on the main plaza of the Temple; by the time Archer arrived, Ephraim (Earth), Clara (Fire) and Ignus (Wind) were already there, with Camille arriving almost with her, right in time to exchange smiles (and for Archer to try not to think about it too much). Max was also there, pointedly ignoring her, which suited Archer just fine. The ceremony involved both forcing Max to fend off attacks by the four Heralds with Light, something the young man excelled at, but also having a verbal spar with them while doing so, touching a large variety of themes that ranged from his personal reasons to be there to his past and decisions taken to defending his right to become a Herald. Where Max stood out in physical activity he was lackluster in explaining himself, anger making him clumsier and more violent than necessary. It didn't take much prodding to make Max admit out loud that all he cared for was power to make others see and do things his way (all while glaring directly at Archer for the first time in days) and that he wouldn't be treated like garbage anymore.

Archer was the first to notice the edge on his voice, but by the time she stood up to yell at the Heralds to stop it was too late. Max's raw power had been underestimated; he blasted the four Heralds away, deciding their judgment meant nothing to him, and quickly attacked the Acolytes that came to their aid, beams of light cutting down most before they knew what was happening. With the crowd in disarray and murder (and insanity) in Max's eyes, Archer did the only thing she could think of then. She jumped down to the plaza and faced him. Looking back Archer would agree that the only reason she didn't die was because Max underestimated her to the point he couldn't do much beyond looking in disbelief at her as she tried to talk sense into him. He attacked her, easily bypassing Archer's defenses, deciding to toy with her for a while to "teach her to know better next time", although Archer wasn't sure if he was talking about that very same moment of what had happened a week before. It was in the moment he dropped his guard to physically strike her that Archer saw the chance to hit him with lightning, but she realized that even then she couldn't bring herself to actually hurt him. Still, the shock was more than enough to send him away, but also to anger him; discarding any semblance of humanity, Max channeled light in such a way that literally vaporized everything around and behind Archer, leaving only smoldering surfaces perfectly cut by a beam big enough to swallow most of the girl.

It didn't touch Archer though. All around her, darkness had gathered, woking as a shield of sorts that that repelled and/or absorbed Max's attack. Going entirely by instinct, Archer called forth a sphere of darkness that quickly started to suck in light, as well as Max's energy and apparently even his life. In a desperate bid for escaping, Max surrounded himself in light, vanishing moments later. Archer then passed out.

She woke up a week later, much to Camille's teary happiness. The events that transpired afterwards were relied to her quickly and curtly. Max had somehow managed to become light and escape the Water Temple, his whereabouts unknown. Archer's actions had saved the lives of many, the Heralds included, but most of the Acolytes were downright terrified of her now, as there hadn't been a single Darkness user in over a thousand years. Whispers about her becoming the new Herald of Darkness and what it might mean for the world had been quickly silenced, and the Water Temple was in shutdown in order to keep any word of it from the outside world. If the coming of the Herald of Light had caused disarray, that of the Herald of Darkness might send the most sensationalist into a frenzy. And really, as Camille told her repeatedly, she was in no obligation to take such hated mantle. The other three Heralds were less convinced though. Archer had proved to be quite an enigma for them and they all regretted not having paid more attention to her, all of it poured on Max. So much attention on his legacy that they overlooked his own mental state.

Archer was given two weeks to recover before starting a more intense training regime, this time overlooked by the four Heralds. They could only guess what would Max do or wouldn't do, but they felt that if anyone could talk some sense into him it would Archer. She only needed to be able to survive him for long enough first, something that was easier said that done. She would be tested in each temple in whatever areas the Herald in charge considered convenient. The first one was the Fire Temple, where Archer trained to hone her fighting skills for two months she doesn't remember much beyond "sweating her weight on a daily basis" and "a smell that was most likely her hair being constantly burnt". The Fire Trial was a fight, of course, the winning condition to strike Clara at least once. It took Archer three hours, only managing it after skillfully using lightning to cut the woman off, something that worked only because she had been kicked the same way at least ten times already. All in all Clara would later confide in Archer that she had broken the record; the last person to go through the Trial was her star pupil, who had needed a day and a half to strike her; by then they were both so tired Clara wasn't quite sure if it had actually happened of they had both dreamed about it.

The Air Trial was next a month later, to be taken on the eve of Archer's eighteenth birthday. Only after she was taken to the edge of the floating fortress did Ignus revealed the trial would be a race across the skies. Archer didn't need to win as much as to survive to pass the trial, which was no relief as the "race" itself was a free falling contest. Archer wasn't afraid of heights, but considering she could see the curvature of the world from up there it really didn't matter. Even when Ignus assured her they would be protected from the otherwise lethal conditions by him she didn't feel much better about the whole thing; Ignus was skilled with wind to the point he could practically fly, something Archer had never been even close to attain. In the end, creativity and abject terror got her the win; by creating ice and manipulating the atmosphere by radically changing the temperature/burning it with lightning and fire Archer managed to do down faster than Ignus, who couldn't gone even faster, but knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself before becoming a stain on the ground. Archer's idea to stop involved a long and convoluted "slide" made of ice in order to redirect all the energy she had built up on the way down. Fortunately for her, Camille had been overseeing the trial and was quick to encase her on a water blubble. In the end, only her pride was hurt.

Two down, two to go. Next was the Earth Trial.

(After a short commercial break).

Personality:

Three good things about Archer: she's loyal, compassionate and level-headed. Three bad things about Archer: she has chronic crippling lack of self-confidence, doesn't exteriorize her feelings and thinks that suffering for the sake of others is acceptable treatment.

Quiet and shy, Archer approaches most people with caution, the product of a lifetime in which she had to learn to fend by herself early on. She's slow to trust, but even in her cautiousness she can't help but to look for the best in people, as well as offer a helping hand whenever is needed. Her help is truly disinterested; Archer never looks to earn something in return and is more often than not confused when people expect her to demand something in return for her aid. A kind person by nature, Archer is quick to put other people's happiness before her own, something she has just started to change recently. Still, most of the times she'll go and put herself in any number of situations for the sake of others, usually expecting little to nothing in retribution.

Control is a very important thing for Archer. As long as she can control the conditions in which she interacts with others, Archer appears as someone fairly normal, cheerful and engaging, if still a bit reserved. This usually happens when she starts the conversation, or when she's already focused on being engaged in any way. The problem comes when this control is yanked away from her. When she's unexpectedly engaged or forced to interact with others, when her personal boundaries are ignored and when she's forced to deal with people and situations that are highly stressing and emotionally demanding... there she can and will sometimes crumble. She is also getting better at handling these sorts of situations, but for the most part Archer actively tries to avoid them, although it's not always possible. Her interest on helping others help her face these situations with better predisposition than she used to, but she's still very adamant about getting herself in arguments or worse without a clear goal, and even then.

Talking about boundaries, past experiences have left Archer all sorts of wary about intimacy. Any kind of intimacy, really. She never liked to be touched and that has been amplified several times after her "experience" with Max. To let someone else touch her in any way demands a lot of trust from her, not to mention some clear and loud forewarnings. It's not that she will hyperventilate and puke all over whoever hugs her by surprise, but she won't be happy about it. Being touched after actually stating she doesn't want to will be very triggering for her, to the point she will most likely react violently.

That said, Archer's not a fan of violence, at all. She will always go for the peaceful resolution, even if she doesn't come on top, because she's acutely aware of her power and how it might be misused. She's not exactly a responsible person, but a cautious one; it's more about the consequences of her actions that worry her and a general fear of her otherness when compared to normal people. Archer never wanted to be "special" and she refuses to be acknowledged as such, but she will often think that way of others, more often than not in a positive way. It's just her that's on the wrong about being different, or so she thinks. Archer deals with something that approximates depression, although it's not quite as strong or as recurrent. It's more of a general sensation of being "cold and alone", as she describes it. It's a sense of hollowness that doesn't quite stop her in her tracks, but paints her perspective in a colder, generally more pessimistic way. Not that she shows it outwardly; Archer might be the best liar you will ever meet, having mastered the art of saying "I'm okay" while being most certainly not okay.

She derives happiness from simple things, as her upbringing has never allowed her to experience much else. Having a place to sleep, food to eat, clothes to wear. She's also very defensive of what she has; even when Camille offered to give her new, fancier clothes Archer objected and decided to stick to her worn out, second hand ones. There's a bit of pride there, but also Archer's need to reaffirm her identity by any means. She's aware of the changes going around and inside of her, but in a way she's the happiest when she can forget about them. Denial is an old friend of Archer, something that she does naturally to keep going. She's likely to not notice she's doing it even when someone else points it out, but time and experience will help her realize what she's doing. That said, Archer is very protective of the things she likes and even more so of the people she likes. She will go to any lengths to protect them and much like her relationship with Max, she can and will take abuse and forgive it when she truly cares. The toxicity of that relationship will taint the way she interacts with others for a while.

Setting: Archer is very much used to weirdness and stress by now. She's by no means happy about it, but she'll do her best to not be in the way and help in any way she can, although it's highly unlikely she'll actively seek any role of leadership or even any sort of renown. For the most part, Archer wants to look at this world as a chance to stop thinking about the horrible things that happened back in her own, maybe finally learn how to make friends and try not to die in the process.

Abilities/Skills:

Archer is among the humans capable of manifesting elements, which is another way to say she can create/control them. The scope of what each element can do is very wide, so I'll detail what it is that she can do with each. Archer is a weird case, as she can basically use every single element, as well as their secondary combinations.

LIGHT: Considered the strongest element, type "almighty". Using light is considered to be "an expression of will". It doesn't respond to emotions of thoughts, but the sheer willpower of the user to make it happen, which makes it both easier and more difficult to use depending on the user's natural skill with it. Archer's ability with Light is very limited. The main property of Light is that it "gives out" which means is adds up, it sums with others. All she can do is used it to enhance the effects of other elements, a technique called reinforcement. It's currently the only thing she can do with it. Archer is current incapable of enhancing the secondary elements.

DARKNESS: The element that comes the easiest to Archer, Light's counterpart and also an "almighty" element. Just as Light, Darkness is also an "expression of will". Archer can do a number of things with Darkness. She can create a space where light is not reflected at all, creating truly absolute darkness, but she can also make several degrees of darkness in between. She can actually blast off darkness, although in her experience is less "throwing darkness" and more "making a void between herself and her target" so in a way she's hitting them by (very forcefully) removing everything between them. The main property of Darkness is that it "takes away". Archer can create walls of Darkness that absorb all sorts of things, attacks included. She can make an orb of darkness that will slowly drain people of their energy; those with powers will see them wane the more they're around the orb(s), as well as feel their health decaying. Because Darkness is a manifestation of Archer's will though, this won't happen all that often, as deliberately hurting others goes against her core beliefs. There's a difference between "being able to do most of anything" and "being willing to do most of anything".

FIRE: Type "heart", Fire is derived from emotions, specially those that are strong/intense. Fire manifests as a force to change the user's environment, sometimes kindly, sometimes forcefully. It's an Element of improvement and progress. Archer can't do much with Fire other than make some minor fireballs and maybe light up a fire to camp. She can enhance it with Light to create White Fire thought, which is a fire that will burn everything, rocks and water included. Since it's very hard to control she won't be doing it anytime soon.

WATER: Fire's opposite and another type "heart", Water is derived from peaceful emotions. In contrast, Water is the force that accommodates to its conditions, shaping itself to fit and maximize efficiency. It can quickly overwhelm if roused, though. Water is also a restorative force and it's connected with life. Archer has a somewhat average control of light, being able to draw and create it, throw it as a projectile and using it as a shield, as well as creating bubbles to protect herself underwater. Water can also heal others of wounds and ailments. When added with Light, Water's healing capabilities and enhanced exponentially, making it a powerful salve that can be applied or drank, healing almost everything simply by repairing the body both from the inside and the outside.

EARTH: The first of the "mind" types, Earth is derived from mental structure, routine, order. It's a force that channels the constants of the world, the backbone of creation. It's strict and usually unmovable, but it can sometimes be quick and lethal. Archer's the less skilled with Earth than the other elements, being able to use it to move small rocks and to feel the vibrations as a sonar of sorts, something no other person can do. Still, when you compare it to those that can literally move mountains... When enhanced with Light, Earth creates Memory Crystals, which are exactly what they say they are; crystals in which a person can put a memory/skill/message to be seen and shared by others, sometimes once, sometimes several times depending on the skill involved in making the crystal.

WIND: The counterpart of Earth, Wind is the other "mind" type. It's channeled through creativity, flexibility, unpredictability, the constant adaptation to changes. It works best "on the fly", pun intended. Archer's skill with Wind is similar to Water; she can create strong gusts and even change direction while on freefall, although she can't lift herself in the air. With some concentration she can create a "blade" of wind that can cut through most physical barriers. When enhanced with Light it creates what Archer has dubbed "super air". It's basically an aerial version of water+light, but it works as a tonic of sorts, immediately "boosting" both the natural defenses of those in the area as well as improving their overall health and increasing their raw power in whatever power they already have. It makes common humans reach their top physical and mental potential, while it further empowers those with abilities of any sort.

LIGHTNING: The product of using Air and Fire, Lightning is part of the "Secondary Elements" and the ones Archer is actually fairly skilled with. A fairly straightforward element, Lightning is a powerful and fast striking force that Archer can both exert from her hands or from the atmosphere around her, although she prefers to use her hands. It can be used on a lesser degree to actually charge things up with it.

ICE: The product of using Air and Water. Ice is a very versatile; it can manifest as a soft mist that chills the surroundings or as actual constructs of ice to be used for utility, offense or defense alike. Sturdy, sharp but also inflexible, Ice is a "static" element that works well in a hurry but is slow to adapt, or at least it is at Archer's current level of skill.

SAND: It's basically Earth minus Water. Archer basically "invented" this element on a spur of creativity. It does leave her with water on the side, but this being an element she's somewhat attuned for means she can use it in some way. Sand doesn't really do much else than annoy at the moment and it's a fickle, complicated element to control.

Beyond that, Archer is a skilled pickpocket, an avid climber and overall agile individual. She's spent years perfecting her own version of free running, which allows her to cover complicated terrain easily and has a strong frame that allows her resilience and stamina. She's also a pretty good guitar player and a somewhat decent singer.

Strengths/Weaknesses:

+ Good listener
+ Empathetic
+ Brave
+ Composed
+ Can be truly inspiring at times (without realizing it so)

- Introverted to the point of isolation at times
- Self-deprecating
- A bit of a pushover
- Wears out quickly when being social
- Distrustful

Items:

Literally just the clothes on her back.

SAMPLES
Network Sample:

'Ello.

[ It's just a voice post, but the sounds of nature that overwhelm the audio makes it clear where she is more or less. Not anywhere populated, that is. ]

Names' Archer. Yeah, you heard that right. My mama had a really interesting sense of humor. [ Must be really interesting because she sounds wry and clearly not amused for a moment there. When she next speaks though, the lightness in her voice is back. ]

Lots of things to ask and lots of feelings to vent, but none of you need to deal with yet another hormonal teen feeling like ranting, do you now? So I'm gonna let you off the hook easily if you do me a solid.

[ A pause here, for effect. ]

Say, what are the "must see" places in these planets you've been at so far? Anything worth of trekking to? I've got a tent and a new pair of shoes and nowhere else to be.

Prose/Action Sample: Her tdm top level. Trying to not die at Katsa's hands. Girls with weird names gotta stick together.