Post by Lady Whimsy on Dec 23, 2008 0:46:50 GMT -5
Name: Tyden
Official Title: none
Companion: Odin, Stallion of the First Dawn
Age: 27
Tyden may not be a Guardian in title, but with his assumptions of duties one could consider that merely an oversight. He is Odin’s companion, and one of the few people to call Kalidore his natural home. While not particularly magically talented, he is first and foremost a diplomat, and makes a fine ambassador of Kalidore as the Gates open the Isle up to the rest of the world.
More Profile Fun Here: unicornsofkalidore.angelfire.com/Tyden.html
Magical Abilities & Skills:
Tyden is well-schooled with a sword, and his weapon of choice is something light and easily maneuverable. A fight would generally be his least favorable outcome, but if pressed he will not concede. He would fight to defend justice, or protect those who cannot defend themselves; he has a strong sense of honour and would uphold the law - so long as he agrees it was a reasonable law in the first place.
As for magic, he definitely has a natural knack, but those skills remain underdeveloped; Tyden always preferred a more hands-on physical connection with the world. The magic he does use tends to be the kind that suits him practically – a bit of mind-speak here, or nudging a gate open there. His proficiency with the gates can be marked as somewhat unusual, considering his general lack in magical range. He has no real plans to develop these abilities further.
Personality Strengths & Weaknesses:
Easy going and mostly cheerful, Tyden doesn't worry too much about the little things: he believes everything will eventually fall into place, given enough time. Not that this means he is complacent, hardly so - he's brave, quick to act, always enthusiastic, and ready to take off on a new quest at a moment's notice. He is educated and well-spoken, gets along easily with most people and has no particular hang ups. He has very little baggage and is generally upfront about things; if he says something, he means it (or at least was sure he did at the time).
He is tactful, favouring diplomacy to absolute honesty; he is resourceful, caring, and kind. His loyalty is unquestionable and he is fiercely protective of those he cares about. To those who need it he can be nurturing and quite tender, and is not perplexed by showing his more sentimental side. Of course, given the option, he'll keep things light and airy, with as little seriousness to his day as possible. What worries he does have he generally keeps to himself and won't bother others about if it can be helped. Stress and exhaustion can wear down even the most positive attitude and he can get grumpy with the best of them and is not above snapping hotly when he is frustrated or annoyed. True anger is slow build, but very cold and sharply honed; fortunately, it's not something that happens often.
He’s a bit of pest (but all in good fun). He likes reactions (the bigger reaction the better; see previous statement). He's impulsive, a little reckless, and likely to rush into a situation before completely thinking it through, even with the best intentions. Headstrong and occasionally stubborn, he is eager to a fault, and can occasionally be tiring to keep up with. And while he thinks himself pretty observant, he has the tendency to miss the more subtle cues from his companions.
He can keep a secret, but if it's a good one, he might be hounding you to let him let it out of the bag. He can be a tease, but his easy humour and wit generally win over even the toughest crowd. His presence is reassuring, and when he works towards something, he gives it his all. He always has the best intentions at heart.
Plus, he can't help but add his two cent's worth... especially if it's going to get a reaction...
Relationships With Others:
While he is very independent and self-reliant, Tyden enjoys the company of others and adores a good gathering. Since he’s easy to get along with, Tyden makes friends quickly, and hasn’t got anyone he’d consider an enemy (even if they feel somewhat differently about him). There are certainly people he dislikes, but he’ll treat them amicably, so long as they’re not doing anything to directly irk him at the time.
As for the objects of his esteem… pretty girls might turn his head, but he’ll lose interest quickly if she can’t hold up her end of the conversation. And while he’s had his share of casual trysts here and there, there’s never been anything meaningful or lasting. He claims to be practical in all matters, but it wouldn’t be surprising to find he’s got some *ideal* stuck in that head of his, which he mostly tries to ignore. Besides… his current duty to Kalidore leaves him little time worry about women, he maintains, figuring it’s probably for the better, anyway...
Friends & Family:
Although the Daiga raised him and his relationship with her remains open and supportive, Tyden would consider Odin his confidant and base, looking to the silver stallion for both guidance and backing. Not that he’d admit to just anyone that he needs it, and Odin, like most Companions, simply has a way of showing up when he does.
Rhaine has been his friend since childhood, and thus it’s a relationship that’s probably taken slightly for granted, because it’s always been there. He’s simply always looked out for her, and she him. And at the very least, Rhaine can be relied upon to laugh at his jokes – no matter how lame – or bandage him up again without scolding (much) after another run-in with Lilaini’s pocket griffon...
And, even though he and Lilaini seem to be always at odds, there’s a great deal of mutual respect held for the other. He admires her conviction and drive, and would consider her a worthy sparring partner any day. Though he does like to tease her, mostly, because the reactions are always… impressive.
Last but not least there’s Xanthe, Muse’s precocious young daughter, who insists on being where the action is, and since that seems to be wherever the he and the guardians are, she’s declared herself his unofficial sidekick. Luckily Tyden is rather fond of the Kore, within whom he sees a lot of his younger self. Because of that he finds himself standing up on her behalf, and taking her under wing. Besides, the world is usually more interesting with Xanthe around, anyways!
History/Back Story:
He was a swaddling babe when the Daiga took him in, so Tyden has no recollection of his real parents, except maybe that his mother's eyes were blue, like his. The Daiga was loving and kind, and while life in the little mountain hut was simple, he lacked for nothing. Of his birth parents, he gave little thought, much contented with his place and home on Kalidore.
Tyden was a happy child and grew like a weed, running all over the mountains like a wild goat and delighting in each new discovery made or friend met. Of the gryphons, he knew them all by name; of the wollen mammoth herds who transverse the valley in summer months, the boy could often be found snoozing on the back of the dominant cow. He was independent, also stubborn, but kind, though occasionally he did drive his patient caretaker to ends... For instance, around the age of seven he decided there was no need for clothing, since the unicorns didn't wear them, and the gryphons didn't wear them, and neither did the goats. He also had little interest in learning about the rest of the world, content to stay all day with his wild-born friends, often sleeping with them under stars. Sometimes this worried the Daiga, who feared the boy needed guidance, socialization, and at the very least, clothes... It was then she turned to Odin to take the boy under his wing. To this the great stallion obliged willingly, and through Odin's gentle persuasion the boy grew. As Companion, Odin worked to ground the boy's more mercurial nature, offering a steady figurehead that Tyden drew strength from and looked up to. He had always admired the great stallion, and the two were not unlike at heart. Odin also convinced him to wear clothes, too. The Daiga was relived; not that she had anything against the lack of them, simply, it did make it easier to take the boy out!
And out they did go - the Daiga in those days traveled widely through the gates to other places and times, and when she did, she took Tyden with her. As he matured, he developed a keen interest worldly matters, listening in to Aristotle lecture on philosophy, or the Budha's teachings, or sat enthralled as a particularity frazzled-hair scientist spoke about something called nuclear physics. More often then not, it was humanity in general that interested Tyden most of all - the way societies were made, thrived, and crumbled, they way how the same belief could cause a civilization to grandeur and other to fall, and ways people across the globe and time were so different, and yet the same.
While expanding his mind, it was pointed out by an old friend of the Daiga's that suggested it would be good for the boy to be trained in mind and body both; thus she agreed when he came of age he would go and study with Sir Geraint, an knight of the old order, and live for a time in his household. To this, young Tyden looked forward eagerly; he liked Sir Geraint and had even made a friend in a young servant's boy, Adrik. That was Tyden for you - always eager to start the next new adventure, whatever it might be, with no other goal then to see where it might lead.
Life on Kalidore might have been placid in comparison to the worlds beyond the Gate, but he always felt at home. He loved the Unicorns and the Daiga, and with the wilds at his door he never felt he lacked friends. One day, when he eleven, he stumbled across a friend of entirely different species - a human girl. Her name was Rhaine.
From the beginning, Tyden felt a responsibility to the wee visitor, for that was just his nature. In time he learned she was quite able to fend for herself, but still remained protective - just in case. They became fast friends, for she was generally cheerful and willing to join in any game, and to try and best him; occasionally he even let her win. Occasionally, she won fair and square herself. She could climb trees with the best of them and didn't balk at exploring the dark reaches of skyland caves. And, once and while, he even submitted to participating in her "plays", which were just silly fairy tales acted out and presented before the unicorns. When they went traveling with the Daiga, Tyden was eager to introduce her to all his friends, and Rhaine was obliging. For the most part, they were inseparable.
When Rhaine's family died, and she came to live on Kalidore, Tyden did his best to help her feel better, but it was going to take some time. And time moves quickly; soon drew the day when he would leave for Ardenburough to study with Sir Geraint, and there was nothing to be done about that. He regretted leaving his little friend, but at the same time could not help but be eager for what lay ahead. And so Tyden left Kalidore for medieval England, to be raised in a small northern hold.
Tyden trained with the old Knight through his teens, learning not only swordplay and defense, but about strategy, the ability to read one's opponent, and most importantly, how to avoid the swordplay in the first place. He studied philosophy, learned of the old codes, of chivalry, of a Knight's place in the world. As one, he was to uphold honour, promote justice, protect the innocent, defend truth; these Tyden took easily to heart. And Sir Geraint a good teacher, strict but fair and generous, and had a great fondness for the aspiring boy. Tyden saw in him the same sort of father figure that Odin had provided so well in his youth; much of what Tyden drew from his formative years, he credited to the old knight. Under Geraint's careful training he grew – tall, handsome, and well-built, skilled in body and sharp of mind.
Of course, the most rigorous of training could not undo the boy's innate sense of mischief and fun, and if there was something run amok in Ardunbourough, it was a likely that Tyden and Adrik could be found at the bottom of it!
During this time, Tyden returned with some regularity to Kalidore. Each time he delighted in visiting Odin, the Daiga, and Rhaine. Lilaini's arrival on Kalidore happened on one of these visits, though Tyden got to know her better through consecutive trips home. The two, both stubborn and being set in their ways, fell into a brisk routine of much head-butting and occasional name-calling. Rhaine was ever at hand to mediate or tend wounds (which were generally superficial). Over all, Tyden did admire Lilaini greatly, both as a trusted adviser and worthy sparing partner; the two do have a great deal of respect for each other, despite the rockiness of their relationship.
When the old Knight finally declared there was nothing more he could teach him, the moment for Tyden was bittersweet. It was excruciatingly hard to leave the old man, even though he knew his future lay elsewhere, and Adrik had been entrusted to care for the couple into old age. For the first time Tyden felt torn between two places, and while Adrik encouraged him to visit, he knew it would never be the same. And so he returned to Kalidore, wanting to find his purpose there, a reason for him to stay.
While the girls were in training under the Daiga, Tyden, uninspired by the teachings of magic felt restless, and took on using the Gate to explore more of the world on his own. When he was home, his time was spent between catching up with Rhaine and Lilaini, and the solitude of Odin's skylands, which while tranquil, didn't seem to fill him they way they did when he was a child. Odin suggested gently that if it was meaning he was looking for in his life, then that was something he would have to make for himself: life was what you made of it, and no end of searching would uncover something you weren't willing to see within yourself.
Heeding the stallion's wise words, Tyden did just that. When the Diaga declared Lilaini and Rhaine to be her successors, Tyden decided he owed it to Kalidore, the girls, and to himself, to see that they achieved their goal and the transition completed. So he would be... guardian of the guardians, perhaps; a duty both compelling, and suited to his nature.
This is where we find Tyden now, and our story begins...
Official Title: none
Companion: Odin, Stallion of the First Dawn
Age: 27
Tyden may not be a Guardian in title, but with his assumptions of duties one could consider that merely an oversight. He is Odin’s companion, and one of the few people to call Kalidore his natural home. While not particularly magically talented, he is first and foremost a diplomat, and makes a fine ambassador of Kalidore as the Gates open the Isle up to the rest of the world.
More Profile Fun Here: unicornsofkalidore.angelfire.com/Tyden.html
Magical Abilities & Skills:
Tyden is well-schooled with a sword, and his weapon of choice is something light and easily maneuverable. A fight would generally be his least favorable outcome, but if pressed he will not concede. He would fight to defend justice, or protect those who cannot defend themselves; he has a strong sense of honour and would uphold the law - so long as he agrees it was a reasonable law in the first place.
As for magic, he definitely has a natural knack, but those skills remain underdeveloped; Tyden always preferred a more hands-on physical connection with the world. The magic he does use tends to be the kind that suits him practically – a bit of mind-speak here, or nudging a gate open there. His proficiency with the gates can be marked as somewhat unusual, considering his general lack in magical range. He has no real plans to develop these abilities further.
Personality Strengths & Weaknesses:
Easy going and mostly cheerful, Tyden doesn't worry too much about the little things: he believes everything will eventually fall into place, given enough time. Not that this means he is complacent, hardly so - he's brave, quick to act, always enthusiastic, and ready to take off on a new quest at a moment's notice. He is educated and well-spoken, gets along easily with most people and has no particular hang ups. He has very little baggage and is generally upfront about things; if he says something, he means it (or at least was sure he did at the time).
He is tactful, favouring diplomacy to absolute honesty; he is resourceful, caring, and kind. His loyalty is unquestionable and he is fiercely protective of those he cares about. To those who need it he can be nurturing and quite tender, and is not perplexed by showing his more sentimental side. Of course, given the option, he'll keep things light and airy, with as little seriousness to his day as possible. What worries he does have he generally keeps to himself and won't bother others about if it can be helped. Stress and exhaustion can wear down even the most positive attitude and he can get grumpy with the best of them and is not above snapping hotly when he is frustrated or annoyed. True anger is slow build, but very cold and sharply honed; fortunately, it's not something that happens often.
He’s a bit of pest (but all in good fun). He likes reactions (the bigger reaction the better; see previous statement). He's impulsive, a little reckless, and likely to rush into a situation before completely thinking it through, even with the best intentions. Headstrong and occasionally stubborn, he is eager to a fault, and can occasionally be tiring to keep up with. And while he thinks himself pretty observant, he has the tendency to miss the more subtle cues from his companions.
He can keep a secret, but if it's a good one, he might be hounding you to let him let it out of the bag. He can be a tease, but his easy humour and wit generally win over even the toughest crowd. His presence is reassuring, and when he works towards something, he gives it his all. He always has the best intentions at heart.
Plus, he can't help but add his two cent's worth... especially if it's going to get a reaction...
Relationships With Others:
While he is very independent and self-reliant, Tyden enjoys the company of others and adores a good gathering. Since he’s easy to get along with, Tyden makes friends quickly, and hasn’t got anyone he’d consider an enemy (even if they feel somewhat differently about him). There are certainly people he dislikes, but he’ll treat them amicably, so long as they’re not doing anything to directly irk him at the time.
As for the objects of his esteem… pretty girls might turn his head, but he’ll lose interest quickly if she can’t hold up her end of the conversation. And while he’s had his share of casual trysts here and there, there’s never been anything meaningful or lasting. He claims to be practical in all matters, but it wouldn’t be surprising to find he’s got some *ideal* stuck in that head of his, which he mostly tries to ignore. Besides… his current duty to Kalidore leaves him little time worry about women, he maintains, figuring it’s probably for the better, anyway...
Friends & Family:
Although the Daiga raised him and his relationship with her remains open and supportive, Tyden would consider Odin his confidant and base, looking to the silver stallion for both guidance and backing. Not that he’d admit to just anyone that he needs it, and Odin, like most Companions, simply has a way of showing up when he does.
Rhaine has been his friend since childhood, and thus it’s a relationship that’s probably taken slightly for granted, because it’s always been there. He’s simply always looked out for her, and she him. And at the very least, Rhaine can be relied upon to laugh at his jokes – no matter how lame – or bandage him up again without scolding (much) after another run-in with Lilaini’s pocket griffon...
And, even though he and Lilaini seem to be always at odds, there’s a great deal of mutual respect held for the other. He admires her conviction and drive, and would consider her a worthy sparring partner any day. Though he does like to tease her, mostly, because the reactions are always… impressive.
Last but not least there’s Xanthe, Muse’s precocious young daughter, who insists on being where the action is, and since that seems to be wherever the he and the guardians are, she’s declared herself his unofficial sidekick. Luckily Tyden is rather fond of the Kore, within whom he sees a lot of his younger self. Because of that he finds himself standing up on her behalf, and taking her under wing. Besides, the world is usually more interesting with Xanthe around, anyways!
History/Back Story:
He was a swaddling babe when the Daiga took him in, so Tyden has no recollection of his real parents, except maybe that his mother's eyes were blue, like his. The Daiga was loving and kind, and while life in the little mountain hut was simple, he lacked for nothing. Of his birth parents, he gave little thought, much contented with his place and home on Kalidore.
Tyden was a happy child and grew like a weed, running all over the mountains like a wild goat and delighting in each new discovery made or friend met. Of the gryphons, he knew them all by name; of the wollen mammoth herds who transverse the valley in summer months, the boy could often be found snoozing on the back of the dominant cow. He was independent, also stubborn, but kind, though occasionally he did drive his patient caretaker to ends... For instance, around the age of seven he decided there was no need for clothing, since the unicorns didn't wear them, and the gryphons didn't wear them, and neither did the goats. He also had little interest in learning about the rest of the world, content to stay all day with his wild-born friends, often sleeping with them under stars. Sometimes this worried the Daiga, who feared the boy needed guidance, socialization, and at the very least, clothes... It was then she turned to Odin to take the boy under his wing. To this the great stallion obliged willingly, and through Odin's gentle persuasion the boy grew. As Companion, Odin worked to ground the boy's more mercurial nature, offering a steady figurehead that Tyden drew strength from and looked up to. He had always admired the great stallion, and the two were not unlike at heart. Odin also convinced him to wear clothes, too. The Daiga was relived; not that she had anything against the lack of them, simply, it did make it easier to take the boy out!
And out they did go - the Daiga in those days traveled widely through the gates to other places and times, and when she did, she took Tyden with her. As he matured, he developed a keen interest worldly matters, listening in to Aristotle lecture on philosophy, or the Budha's teachings, or sat enthralled as a particularity frazzled-hair scientist spoke about something called nuclear physics. More often then not, it was humanity in general that interested Tyden most of all - the way societies were made, thrived, and crumbled, they way how the same belief could cause a civilization to grandeur and other to fall, and ways people across the globe and time were so different, and yet the same.
While expanding his mind, it was pointed out by an old friend of the Daiga's that suggested it would be good for the boy to be trained in mind and body both; thus she agreed when he came of age he would go and study with Sir Geraint, an knight of the old order, and live for a time in his household. To this, young Tyden looked forward eagerly; he liked Sir Geraint and had even made a friend in a young servant's boy, Adrik. That was Tyden for you - always eager to start the next new adventure, whatever it might be, with no other goal then to see where it might lead.
Life on Kalidore might have been placid in comparison to the worlds beyond the Gate, but he always felt at home. He loved the Unicorns and the Daiga, and with the wilds at his door he never felt he lacked friends. One day, when he eleven, he stumbled across a friend of entirely different species - a human girl. Her name was Rhaine.
From the beginning, Tyden felt a responsibility to the wee visitor, for that was just his nature. In time he learned she was quite able to fend for herself, but still remained protective - just in case. They became fast friends, for she was generally cheerful and willing to join in any game, and to try and best him; occasionally he even let her win. Occasionally, she won fair and square herself. She could climb trees with the best of them and didn't balk at exploring the dark reaches of skyland caves. And, once and while, he even submitted to participating in her "plays", which were just silly fairy tales acted out and presented before the unicorns. When they went traveling with the Daiga, Tyden was eager to introduce her to all his friends, and Rhaine was obliging. For the most part, they were inseparable.
When Rhaine's family died, and she came to live on Kalidore, Tyden did his best to help her feel better, but it was going to take some time. And time moves quickly; soon drew the day when he would leave for Ardenburough to study with Sir Geraint, and there was nothing to be done about that. He regretted leaving his little friend, but at the same time could not help but be eager for what lay ahead. And so Tyden left Kalidore for medieval England, to be raised in a small northern hold.
Tyden trained with the old Knight through his teens, learning not only swordplay and defense, but about strategy, the ability to read one's opponent, and most importantly, how to avoid the swordplay in the first place. He studied philosophy, learned of the old codes, of chivalry, of a Knight's place in the world. As one, he was to uphold honour, promote justice, protect the innocent, defend truth; these Tyden took easily to heart. And Sir Geraint a good teacher, strict but fair and generous, and had a great fondness for the aspiring boy. Tyden saw in him the same sort of father figure that Odin had provided so well in his youth; much of what Tyden drew from his formative years, he credited to the old knight. Under Geraint's careful training he grew – tall, handsome, and well-built, skilled in body and sharp of mind.
Of course, the most rigorous of training could not undo the boy's innate sense of mischief and fun, and if there was something run amok in Ardunbourough, it was a likely that Tyden and Adrik could be found at the bottom of it!
During this time, Tyden returned with some regularity to Kalidore. Each time he delighted in visiting Odin, the Daiga, and Rhaine. Lilaini's arrival on Kalidore happened on one of these visits, though Tyden got to know her better through consecutive trips home. The two, both stubborn and being set in their ways, fell into a brisk routine of much head-butting and occasional name-calling. Rhaine was ever at hand to mediate or tend wounds (which were generally superficial). Over all, Tyden did admire Lilaini greatly, both as a trusted adviser and worthy sparing partner; the two do have a great deal of respect for each other, despite the rockiness of their relationship.
When the old Knight finally declared there was nothing more he could teach him, the moment for Tyden was bittersweet. It was excruciatingly hard to leave the old man, even though he knew his future lay elsewhere, and Adrik had been entrusted to care for the couple into old age. For the first time Tyden felt torn between two places, and while Adrik encouraged him to visit, he knew it would never be the same. And so he returned to Kalidore, wanting to find his purpose there, a reason for him to stay.
While the girls were in training under the Daiga, Tyden, uninspired by the teachings of magic felt restless, and took on using the Gate to explore more of the world on his own. When he was home, his time was spent between catching up with Rhaine and Lilaini, and the solitude of Odin's skylands, which while tranquil, didn't seem to fill him they way they did when he was a child. Odin suggested gently that if it was meaning he was looking for in his life, then that was something he would have to make for himself: life was what you made of it, and no end of searching would uncover something you weren't willing to see within yourself.
Heeding the stallion's wise words, Tyden did just that. When the Diaga declared Lilaini and Rhaine to be her successors, Tyden decided he owed it to Kalidore, the girls, and to himself, to see that they achieved their goal and the transition completed. So he would be... guardian of the guardians, perhaps; a duty both compelling, and suited to his nature.
This is where we find Tyden now, and our story begins...