Post by ryota on Sept 15, 2008 15:14:33 GMT -5
Name: Sonal
Age: Twenty-five
Gender: Female
Group: Earth Kingdom Citizens
Nation: Earth Kingdom
Bender?: Earthbender
Physical Appearance: Five foot nine, Sonal is a very tall, trim, and athletic woman who holds herself with a relaxed confidence. Much more than half her height is made up from a pair of slender legs that seem to stretch forever, which end at her thin ankles and almost disproportionately large feet that take to a greater size than any woman she knows. Built for speed, not for power or fertility, an even coat of slight muscular definiton stretched on her long body doesn't slow her down when her agility comes into play. Though wrought with little body fat, a strong frame makes sure her current thinness, with proper diet and plenty of walking to keep her muscles firm, never verges to a shocking level. A large ribcage, belying a rather shallow chest, obscured by light muscle and taut skin, nicely complements a pair of broad shoulders, firm stomach, and lithe, toned arms that possess a fair strength. Long hands, larger than average, branch into thin fingers with large, rather knobby knuckles and short fingernails that suffer from substandard care. Her torso is relatively short, shaped with minimal curves, her waist undefined, hips somewhat narrow, rump a modest swell. Her breasts too are an average size, but unlike her slender torso, they actually suggests that hers is a gawky womanly figure.
Her skin is a rich, deep brown hue like dark chocolate, quite dark by every nation's standard due to her family's tropical origin, yet it stays a lighter shade on her palms and soles. It feels soft and supple everywhere but the callused bottoms of her feet; this, an effect from going barefoot almost her entire life, is wholly understandable. Other than a straight slash mark on the back of her right thigh (from a sharp rock), she has no other major scars beside those flecking her hide at random locales acquired from her travels.
Foremost, a considerable portion of her softly angular face is graced by a slightly large, hooked nose, below which nestles a short philtrum that happens to grant a rather high location for her wide mouth - in other words, there is little distance between her nostrils and upper lip. Her slender lips are ebony rose, blending at the edges with her skin tone, and curl to a warm, friendly grin that bares her pearly white teeth. A smile may also reveal slight creases, 'laugh lines' at her cheeks, but they retreat into her flat, gaunt cheeks when at rest. Beneath the point where a slim jawline forms her blunt, slightly receding chin rests her neck, long and slender like the rest of her. Contrasting the darkness of her skin, her pupils are a clear, pale, and vivid green like two peridot stones set against the white background of her sclerae; Sonal's eyes themselves are an average and proportionate size, set a bit deep, and tilt downward at the outer edges. Probably the most expressive part of her face, a pair of thick black eyebrows knit the bottommost reaches of her low, wide forehead.
Plaited rather loosely and low on her head, tied at the bottom by a strand of twine, Sonal's hair is black like coal and just as shiny - meaning, no sheen at all thanks to its rough, woolen texture. When let loose, her hair forms loose curls that reach to her elbows when pulled taut, but she makes sure to quickly form the usual braid while her hair is still wet and combed straight as the moment lasts. Where airborne humidity is concerned, her matte and almost woolen-textured hair frizzes considerably, to her dismay. There are no actual bangs, but a few shorter hairs will inevitably spring free and hang around her her hairline, tending to wind up curled tightly over time. She cares little for what her raven curls may choose to do while travels dominate her day, but she does often twist, tuck, fold, and pin the braid into a slipshod bun at the base of her skull when it would otherwise get in the way.
Clothing/Armor: A tan chest binding and matching breechcloth precede every other garment, but her garb varies depending on the situation. During travels, she would wear a pair of baggy saffron trousers that tuck and fold at the waistline, providing a makeshift 'sash' to keep them from slipping, and their very slightly dirtied and frayed cuffs end at the tops of her feet. She stays barefoot the vast majority of time, as does most any earthbender. In fact, she doesn't own a single pair of shoes even if they were required.
On top, she wears a sleeveless flaxen-colored tunic that folds shut across the front. Past the foot-wide rust-brown sash wound about her waist, which is somewhat indicative of her peoples' style, the hem continues down to the halfway point of her thighs; front and back sections are seperated by side slits that brush the bottom edge of her sash, which then cause the seperate skirt-like portions to form half-circles in front and back. Along the hem's bottom edges of either side, a crescent-like sliver of sea green trim travels from one end to the other.
Cooler weather necessitates the addition of a teal kufi, or brimless cap, as well as a gamboge-colored sherwani whose sleeves end bit past her wrists, then are wrapped in white gauze. It buttons from the base of its high neck down to her waistline, all while a fold of fabric covers over the wooden buttons from view, and a remaining length trails past a waistline wrapped in the same rusty-colored sash, and down to her mid-thighs with hip-level side slits. From there, the hem narrows to a point that meets her knees-- tracing the bottom edges, small floral vine patterns in a dark rusty brown exist. Since she hardly ever ventures past warmer areas, shes sees this as the heaviest garment she'll have to wear.
For occasions where she feels like being formal, she wears a sari, or traditional dress from the Prasana Highlands. Normally, the golden-colored, forest green-trimmed length of lightweight cotton cloth is wrapped in a plain white bag at the bottom of her traveling sack, but it would measure twenty feet in length and slightly more than three feet in height if it were unfolded fully. Beneath it she would wear a flaxen-hued choli, or blouse, whose sleeves end above her elbows, its hem at her waistline, and the neckline a squared-off shape both in front and back that reached her collarbone; she would also wear a pair of copper-colored leggings that ended at her mid-shin, and remain barefoot. In a rather skillful art, the sari is worn in an array of drapes, pleats and folds that hangs elegantly on Sonal's tall body.
Finally, she carries her large bag strapped to her back, made from a thick, celadon canvas stained on the outside by faded marks of grass or dirt from years of use. Her merchandise, extra clothing, three teapots, and other things are bunched into its large interior. It presents a bit of weight when carried over her back, but her strong shoulders have grown accustomed to it.
Weapons: Bending abilities aside, she uses no weapons of any sort. She can defend herself well in a battle with her earthbending prowess alone, typically reshaping the battlefield to her advantage as a chief tactic. Her skill has advanced to a point where she can use her bending to hold herself to steep rock or dirt cliffs for a short time. However, her earthbending is most often employed as an aid in traversing otherwise impassable terrain in her travels.
Personality:[/u] Sonal lives by the philosophy, 'it's the journey, not the destination,' so naturally, her attitude conforms to such ideals. Her schedule is completely erratic; eating, sleeping, and setting out on the road whenever she pleases, and never viewing anything as urgent. She hates confrontation and would be the first to end an argument, as would be her take on physical violence as well. While not a total pacifist, since she'll defend herself when needed by any means necessary, she would never provoke a fight or keep it going any longer than she needed. Ever the diplomat, Sonal would resort to negotiation (or even deception) to make sure things don't escalate to trouble. If all else fails, she will exit the situation posthaste. Adding to her views of conflict, she mostly tries to stay on everyone's good side even if she strongly disagrees with them - in that case, she would keep her mouth under a proverbial lock and key. However, if she offends someone accidentally, she doesn't bother to apologize any more than needed. Even though she tolerates most anyone, she knows she cannot alter someone's feelings toward her past a certain level.
Easygoing and highly social, Sonal enjoys conversation and never shies away from a good laugh. Gestures aplenty and a lively face always accompany her words, as does a keen sense of humor that seasons her very presence. Sonal is an amusing person to be around, patient and understanding, never growing agitated for any reason whatsoever. She Never does she complain about her lot in life, satisfied with anything that comes her way - the more entertaining, the better. She can also be something of a thrill-seeker, but tends to be fully aware of potential danger. She can be a terrible tease when the mood is high, often misconstrued for flirting, but generally tries not to set her sights on any man - nor does she intend to for a good long time. She honestly thrives when around other people, but does continue mostly solitary on her travels because she truly feels other people bring unwanted baggage to a situation. Pressure makes her feel unnerved and burdened, impossibly stubborn even, whereas a path on her own brings freedom to enjoy the sights as slowly as she wants.
Background: The peaceful Madhur Basin was a lush and equatorial, yet somewhat isolated region fed by plenty of rivers and daily rains, located at the southern tip of the farthest eastern peninsula of the Earth Kingdom. To the north lay the Kumari Plateau and Suraj Island, both of which shared basically the same culture as the Madhur natives that differed greatly from the mainland Earth Kingdom - collectively, they are called the Prasana Highlands, a hilly and green place. Within the basin rested a generous handful of villages nestled in the rainforest or the hillsides farther from sea level, but outside each village, tea plantations flooded the foothills. Since each town cultivated their own varieties of tea, there was ample reason for trade both with other towns inside and outside Madhur.
The largest of these towns, called Madhur since it was the 'original' village therein, was populated at roughly three thousand inhabitants and home to the provincial king. It held a close community with flourishing businesses, most particularly a thriving tea house called The Plum Blossom, which was virtually the only one of its kind in the area - but definitely the best and most popular. Visitors from each village inside the basin or even foreign traders could purchase a cup of tea either from local outlying regions or from exotic, faraway locales in the Earth Kingdom imported from strong trade routes. The man, named Hamid, who owned the place, was able to support his wife and daughter Devi well, even if his business certainly kept him busy.
Born on the hottest day of the summer, Sonal was welcomed enthusiastically by her mother Zilpah and her father Hamid. Perhaps more so by her father, who often shirked his job of owning the tea house he and his wife owned simply to show off his newborn to his friends. Zilpah was cautious, since five years beforehand, her husband had taken to showing off their firstborn, Devi, to his associates in much of the same fashion. Even though it meant Zilpah wouldn't have the hassle of caring for her new infant, her patience was still drawn out considerably when Hamid kept on that way for about six months. For Hamid, it meant missing work and spending all day with his very own baby - a situation favorable in every way. When Zilpah had enough, she decided firmly that he, self-proclaimed owner of The Plum Blossom, took responsibility for his past 'pride and joy' that was their tea house. Regrettably drifting back to dependable stability, Hamid and Zilpah were happy with their completely equalitarian schedule.
Devi was happy too. She loved her little sister, but treated her more like a doll, a mere plaything, than a flesh-and-blood infant. Clothes, necklaces, and pretty curly black hair to comb excessively and deck with ribbons, Sonal was Devi's favorite 'toy' in the world. Their widowed paternal grandfather, Shahrokh, was often their babysitter for much of their childhood, considering how busy their parents often were. Living two houses away, he was an easy choice for the young parents. When Sonal's baby brother was born (when Sonal was two), Shahrokh didn't mind adding the little tyke to his workload. He was a retired tailor, the only earthbender in the family, and loved spending his excess of time telling the kids plenty of folklore tales about the region where they lived. Colorful stories evoked fear, bliss, and wonderment in the young children, but they enjoyed every minute of his exaggerated stories.
Hakan was a different story though. Hamid, predictably, was more excited than ever when he found his newest child was a boy. His first (and only) son, heir to his name, someone to imitate him flatteringly...he hoped. Either way, he showed him off way too much, shrugged off his work, and spend an undue amount of time with the infant, leaving Zilpah to, of course, manage The Plum Blossom all by herself. Shahrokh also felt snubbed, but basically understood. The two little girls he had to watch were perfect angels, in his opinion.
As she aged, Sonal was torn between time spent with Devi or Hakan. Devi was incredibly feminine from a traditional standpoint, and generally disliked Sonal's tomboyish streak. The two girls would still play together and were fairly close, but Sonal was much more fond of the games Hakan and she would play. Imitating Sharokh's impressive earthbending feats, the brother and sister would engage in imaginary earthbending duels in imitation. Oddly, this was how Sonal discovered that she too could earthbend. One evening, when she and Hakan were standing not ten feet from each other, she stomped on the ground and slid her foot, unwittingly sending a tremor that toppled the boy flat on his butt. Hakan was surprised to the point of tears, and ran crying to his mother. He was mad at Sonal, but her parents were surprised. They didn't expect any of their children to be able to earthbend, but figured Shahrokh could teach her the basics anyway. Grandfather was more than happy to oblige.
When time came for her to attend the town's public school, the girl was quick to make friends and do well as a student. After class got out each day sometime around noon, she would hurry to Grandpa's house alongside her siblings, eager to absorb each lesson he taught her. He was a flexible teacher who, after giving her a base understanding of the art, allowed her to test her limits as often as she wished. During the handful of hours from when she got home, from when her mother returned from the tea house when the sun set below the bell tower's roof, Sonal spent it learning to earthbend. Devi couldn't care less about her sister's earthbending, but Hakan was quite jealous, harboring a certain 'bender envy', and became something of a bitter child.
Grandpa Shahrokh passed away peacefully of old age when Sonal was about eleven, but after a period of mourning, Sonal's parents decided it was best that Sonal and Hakan join their older sister by working at The Plum Blossom. Their tasks were simple, cleaning tables and washing dishes, nothing too strenuous for the children of eleven and nine years. Devi had already graduated to taking orders, which suited her gregarious nature well. Sonal, however, thought a certain aspect of the job was quite captivating. Tea. She was fascinated by all the different kinds of tea, as was much of her peoples' culture, and would read spend a good amount of time reading the handful of scrolls and books on the subject her parents owned. Each kind had its own properties (by lore or proven fact), and every illustration of each tea plant was, in her opinion, so pretty. For the next few years, she read those books dozens, if not hundreds of time. Of course, she kept on with earthbending lessons under a local master earthbender, but never quite rose to the top in the class of other young boys and girls.
When she was about thirteen, things started to happen; she took interest in some boys at school and grew like a weed. Yet, despite growing to an awkwardly tall stature, she managed to develop a poised grace that made up for her lanky body. Boys noticed, but she would simply settle for leading them on instead of pursuing a relationship. As time went by, she did have a brief fling with two boys, though either relationship happened to overlap through no fault of Sonal - or so she'd like to think. Unfortunately, the boys both found out and hurt each other in a jealous fistfight, which scared fifteen-year-old Sonal half to death, making her swear off relationships for a while. Temptation still persisted, but she had enough willpower to resist.
Schooling and formal earthbending training came to a close when she was about fifteen, after which she worked much longer at the tea house with the other personnel. Devi and Hakan were off chasing boys and girls (respectively...), leaving Sonal virtually the only child to help her parents work at the place. She may have grown closer to her parents than her siblings as a result, but it wasn't long before she let the job become her life. For years did she toil, day in, day out, attaining a feeling of accomplishment through hard work, increasing more so in her workload. Her parents could take off as much time as they wanted, and often did so as long as Sonal offered to work. In fact, oftentimes it was the case where Sonal actually insisted they take time off - she liked being in control. In the end, spent very little time doing anything else. Needless to say, it took its toll.
When, at the age of twenty, Sonal came to the edge of a breakdown, her parents drew the line. She may have been an adult and therefore in charge of her own life (even though she still lived at home), but to see her almost pass out at the end of each day was far too disconcerting. Something had to be done, but after Sonal resisted too strongly, her parents forced her to take a break. After she snapped back, rather out of character it seemed, and nearly fell out of her unstable, shaky, and frazzled stance onto the floor, Sonal complied. She realized she was wrong, and agreed to at least a month off work.
On the second day (the first spent sleeping sweetly), Sonal dug up a few of those scrolls she used to read. The interest was rekindled, but it struck her as a marvelous coincidence how a very rare tea was supposed to grow far out past the foothills, on a peak laying on the Kumari Plateau's outer reaches. Intrigued, she headed out of town with a trade caravan between two villages and branched off from there. No one in her family knew any different, assuming she had 'gone camping' like she claimed, but she happened to trek across those mountains for a considerable length of time. When she finally stumbled upon that very tea plant on a ledge, clung to the wall via earthbending, she was too happy for words. Even though she had to explain the whole story, no one seemed to mind. Sonal, however, was struck with a big idea during her adventure. She could do it for a living.
So, after that, with a good word put in by her father to a 'family friend', a wealthy tradesman who made deals with the mainland across the strait, Sonal was soon off on her way to the merchantry business. Again she left the town, this time with a group of traders, but stayed with them in their caravan. She never before realized her effective negotiation skills, yet still regretting the fact that her real dream would never reach fruition as long as she was tied down. One day at dawn, she packed up all her things, left behind a note, and was on her way. Whether anyone liked it or not, the woman of twenty years would become a wandering tea merchant like she really wanted.
Her first sale came after that, and the rest was history. To this day has she been living her dream, searching for rare teas that may not even exist, but selling her wares for fine profit. Most recently though, Sonal came to a rather shocking site during her second visit to a particular Earth Kingdom city. It had changed, but not for the better. Flying red banners, a metal walkway spanning the cavernous chasm, the very stronghold of Omashu, who had once claimed to be untouchable, had been taken by the Fire Nation. Somehow, news of Omashu's fall had never reached her ears, but it would affect her all the same. Never before had she thought a city so fortified could fall to the enemy, but that only made her feel more vulnerable. She'd known a few smaller towns to have been taken, but to see a great city like Omashu fall victim certainly opened her eyes. Growing concerned about the fate of her family back east, Sonal turned right back on that path and kept on walking. She would still keep solitary on her travels, but caution was in order. It made her realize how the world was changing, and that the Fire Nation was dangerous.
Sample RP: "The deal of a lifetime," the woman repeated, hand perched against her hip, eyebrow arched almost like a taunt. The opposite hand held out a simple wooden canister, cylindrical, smooth and polished, cap sealed tightly. Inside was the source of her claim. This man before her wondered just what to believe. Sonal just smirked.
Standoffish, her client, owner of the tea shop, crossed his arms. "How can you claim that? Malarkey."
"Would I lie?" came her rather hackneyed statement. Pale green eyes gazing straight at him, Sonal shrugged her shoulders, smirking. "You said you wanted a rare tea. When each needle has been painstakingly plucked from the only silver pine atop a mountain, you can't get much 'rarer' than this." In her normal vein, appropriate gestures followed each word, ending with a sharp rattle of the canister in her palm. Each movement was fluid where needed, fierce when her opinion was to be bolstered. Her tale was honest to the very core; the tea was a fantastic bargain off a trade caravan nearby the mountain in question, but whoever said Sonal did all the work anyway?
"I'm not gonna argue," said the man behind the counter, arms crossed, attempting to stare her down even though their eyes met at roughly the same level.
Again she smirked, nonchalantly raising the black 'caterpillars' that were her eyebrows, a rich laugh booming in her throat. "So don't. Maybe in a hundred years, you'll hear of another silver needle tea carried by another merchant. Who knows?" In a graceful pivot, Sonal turned and headed toward the door.
The man groaned, patience tested, but his impatient chuckle soon came to the fore. After a brief glance and a quick transfer of about three gold pieces inside, the shopkeeper cinched the drawstring of a burlap pouch full of gold coins, and set it down before him. It clattered and jingled on impact. "All right, you win."
Footfalls of her large, bare feet pattered on the wooden floor, approaching the woody counter, scooping the small satchel and bouncing it a bit to gauge the weight. Grinning, she was content how the transaction was sealed. It would, she was keen to say, fund her travels for a fine long time. Tossing the wooden parcel into the air toward, where only a fool couldn't reach, Sonal turned her back to the man and headed out the door.
"Good deal..."
Age: Twenty-five
Gender: Female
Group: Earth Kingdom Citizens
Nation: Earth Kingdom
Bender?: Earthbender
Physical Appearance: Five foot nine, Sonal is a very tall, trim, and athletic woman who holds herself with a relaxed confidence. Much more than half her height is made up from a pair of slender legs that seem to stretch forever, which end at her thin ankles and almost disproportionately large feet that take to a greater size than any woman she knows. Built for speed, not for power or fertility, an even coat of slight muscular definiton stretched on her long body doesn't slow her down when her agility comes into play. Though wrought with little body fat, a strong frame makes sure her current thinness, with proper diet and plenty of walking to keep her muscles firm, never verges to a shocking level. A large ribcage, belying a rather shallow chest, obscured by light muscle and taut skin, nicely complements a pair of broad shoulders, firm stomach, and lithe, toned arms that possess a fair strength. Long hands, larger than average, branch into thin fingers with large, rather knobby knuckles and short fingernails that suffer from substandard care. Her torso is relatively short, shaped with minimal curves, her waist undefined, hips somewhat narrow, rump a modest swell. Her breasts too are an average size, but unlike her slender torso, they actually suggests that hers is a gawky womanly figure.
Her skin is a rich, deep brown hue like dark chocolate, quite dark by every nation's standard due to her family's tropical origin, yet it stays a lighter shade on her palms and soles. It feels soft and supple everywhere but the callused bottoms of her feet; this, an effect from going barefoot almost her entire life, is wholly understandable. Other than a straight slash mark on the back of her right thigh (from a sharp rock), she has no other major scars beside those flecking her hide at random locales acquired from her travels.
Foremost, a considerable portion of her softly angular face is graced by a slightly large, hooked nose, below which nestles a short philtrum that happens to grant a rather high location for her wide mouth - in other words, there is little distance between her nostrils and upper lip. Her slender lips are ebony rose, blending at the edges with her skin tone, and curl to a warm, friendly grin that bares her pearly white teeth. A smile may also reveal slight creases, 'laugh lines' at her cheeks, but they retreat into her flat, gaunt cheeks when at rest. Beneath the point where a slim jawline forms her blunt, slightly receding chin rests her neck, long and slender like the rest of her. Contrasting the darkness of her skin, her pupils are a clear, pale, and vivid green like two peridot stones set against the white background of her sclerae; Sonal's eyes themselves are an average and proportionate size, set a bit deep, and tilt downward at the outer edges. Probably the most expressive part of her face, a pair of thick black eyebrows knit the bottommost reaches of her low, wide forehead.
Plaited rather loosely and low on her head, tied at the bottom by a strand of twine, Sonal's hair is black like coal and just as shiny - meaning, no sheen at all thanks to its rough, woolen texture. When let loose, her hair forms loose curls that reach to her elbows when pulled taut, but she makes sure to quickly form the usual braid while her hair is still wet and combed straight as the moment lasts. Where airborne humidity is concerned, her matte and almost woolen-textured hair frizzes considerably, to her dismay. There are no actual bangs, but a few shorter hairs will inevitably spring free and hang around her her hairline, tending to wind up curled tightly over time. She cares little for what her raven curls may choose to do while travels dominate her day, but she does often twist, tuck, fold, and pin the braid into a slipshod bun at the base of her skull when it would otherwise get in the way.
Clothing/Armor: A tan chest binding and matching breechcloth precede every other garment, but her garb varies depending on the situation. During travels, she would wear a pair of baggy saffron trousers that tuck and fold at the waistline, providing a makeshift 'sash' to keep them from slipping, and their very slightly dirtied and frayed cuffs end at the tops of her feet. She stays barefoot the vast majority of time, as does most any earthbender. In fact, she doesn't own a single pair of shoes even if they were required.
On top, she wears a sleeveless flaxen-colored tunic that folds shut across the front. Past the foot-wide rust-brown sash wound about her waist, which is somewhat indicative of her peoples' style, the hem continues down to the halfway point of her thighs; front and back sections are seperated by side slits that brush the bottom edge of her sash, which then cause the seperate skirt-like portions to form half-circles in front and back. Along the hem's bottom edges of either side, a crescent-like sliver of sea green trim travels from one end to the other.
Cooler weather necessitates the addition of a teal kufi, or brimless cap, as well as a gamboge-colored sherwani whose sleeves end bit past her wrists, then are wrapped in white gauze. It buttons from the base of its high neck down to her waistline, all while a fold of fabric covers over the wooden buttons from view, and a remaining length trails past a waistline wrapped in the same rusty-colored sash, and down to her mid-thighs with hip-level side slits. From there, the hem narrows to a point that meets her knees-- tracing the bottom edges, small floral vine patterns in a dark rusty brown exist. Since she hardly ever ventures past warmer areas, shes sees this as the heaviest garment she'll have to wear.
For occasions where she feels like being formal, she wears a sari, or traditional dress from the Prasana Highlands. Normally, the golden-colored, forest green-trimmed length of lightweight cotton cloth is wrapped in a plain white bag at the bottom of her traveling sack, but it would measure twenty feet in length and slightly more than three feet in height if it were unfolded fully. Beneath it she would wear a flaxen-hued choli, or blouse, whose sleeves end above her elbows, its hem at her waistline, and the neckline a squared-off shape both in front and back that reached her collarbone; she would also wear a pair of copper-colored leggings that ended at her mid-shin, and remain barefoot. In a rather skillful art, the sari is worn in an array of drapes, pleats and folds that hangs elegantly on Sonal's tall body.
Finally, she carries her large bag strapped to her back, made from a thick, celadon canvas stained on the outside by faded marks of grass or dirt from years of use. Her merchandise, extra clothing, three teapots, and other things are bunched into its large interior. It presents a bit of weight when carried over her back, but her strong shoulders have grown accustomed to it.
Weapons: Bending abilities aside, she uses no weapons of any sort. She can defend herself well in a battle with her earthbending prowess alone, typically reshaping the battlefield to her advantage as a chief tactic. Her skill has advanced to a point where she can use her bending to hold herself to steep rock or dirt cliffs for a short time. However, her earthbending is most often employed as an aid in traversing otherwise impassable terrain in her travels.
Personality:[/u] Sonal lives by the philosophy, 'it's the journey, not the destination,' so naturally, her attitude conforms to such ideals. Her schedule is completely erratic; eating, sleeping, and setting out on the road whenever she pleases, and never viewing anything as urgent. She hates confrontation and would be the first to end an argument, as would be her take on physical violence as well. While not a total pacifist, since she'll defend herself when needed by any means necessary, she would never provoke a fight or keep it going any longer than she needed. Ever the diplomat, Sonal would resort to negotiation (or even deception) to make sure things don't escalate to trouble. If all else fails, she will exit the situation posthaste. Adding to her views of conflict, she mostly tries to stay on everyone's good side even if she strongly disagrees with them - in that case, she would keep her mouth under a proverbial lock and key. However, if she offends someone accidentally, she doesn't bother to apologize any more than needed. Even though she tolerates most anyone, she knows she cannot alter someone's feelings toward her past a certain level.
Easygoing and highly social, Sonal enjoys conversation and never shies away from a good laugh. Gestures aplenty and a lively face always accompany her words, as does a keen sense of humor that seasons her very presence. Sonal is an amusing person to be around, patient and understanding, never growing agitated for any reason whatsoever. She Never does she complain about her lot in life, satisfied with anything that comes her way - the more entertaining, the better. She can also be something of a thrill-seeker, but tends to be fully aware of potential danger. She can be a terrible tease when the mood is high, often misconstrued for flirting, but generally tries not to set her sights on any man - nor does she intend to for a good long time. She honestly thrives when around other people, but does continue mostly solitary on her travels because she truly feels other people bring unwanted baggage to a situation. Pressure makes her feel unnerved and burdened, impossibly stubborn even, whereas a path on her own brings freedom to enjoy the sights as slowly as she wants.
Background: The peaceful Madhur Basin was a lush and equatorial, yet somewhat isolated region fed by plenty of rivers and daily rains, located at the southern tip of the farthest eastern peninsula of the Earth Kingdom. To the north lay the Kumari Plateau and Suraj Island, both of which shared basically the same culture as the Madhur natives that differed greatly from the mainland Earth Kingdom - collectively, they are called the Prasana Highlands, a hilly and green place. Within the basin rested a generous handful of villages nestled in the rainforest or the hillsides farther from sea level, but outside each village, tea plantations flooded the foothills. Since each town cultivated their own varieties of tea, there was ample reason for trade both with other towns inside and outside Madhur.
The largest of these towns, called Madhur since it was the 'original' village therein, was populated at roughly three thousand inhabitants and home to the provincial king. It held a close community with flourishing businesses, most particularly a thriving tea house called The Plum Blossom, which was virtually the only one of its kind in the area - but definitely the best and most popular. Visitors from each village inside the basin or even foreign traders could purchase a cup of tea either from local outlying regions or from exotic, faraway locales in the Earth Kingdom imported from strong trade routes. The man, named Hamid, who owned the place, was able to support his wife and daughter Devi well, even if his business certainly kept him busy.
Born on the hottest day of the summer, Sonal was welcomed enthusiastically by her mother Zilpah and her father Hamid. Perhaps more so by her father, who often shirked his job of owning the tea house he and his wife owned simply to show off his newborn to his friends. Zilpah was cautious, since five years beforehand, her husband had taken to showing off their firstborn, Devi, to his associates in much of the same fashion. Even though it meant Zilpah wouldn't have the hassle of caring for her new infant, her patience was still drawn out considerably when Hamid kept on that way for about six months. For Hamid, it meant missing work and spending all day with his very own baby - a situation favorable in every way. When Zilpah had enough, she decided firmly that he, self-proclaimed owner of The Plum Blossom, took responsibility for his past 'pride and joy' that was their tea house. Regrettably drifting back to dependable stability, Hamid and Zilpah were happy with their completely equalitarian schedule.
Devi was happy too. She loved her little sister, but treated her more like a doll, a mere plaything, than a flesh-and-blood infant. Clothes, necklaces, and pretty curly black hair to comb excessively and deck with ribbons, Sonal was Devi's favorite 'toy' in the world. Their widowed paternal grandfather, Shahrokh, was often their babysitter for much of their childhood, considering how busy their parents often were. Living two houses away, he was an easy choice for the young parents. When Sonal's baby brother was born (when Sonal was two), Shahrokh didn't mind adding the little tyke to his workload. He was a retired tailor, the only earthbender in the family, and loved spending his excess of time telling the kids plenty of folklore tales about the region where they lived. Colorful stories evoked fear, bliss, and wonderment in the young children, but they enjoyed every minute of his exaggerated stories.
Hakan was a different story though. Hamid, predictably, was more excited than ever when he found his newest child was a boy. His first (and only) son, heir to his name, someone to imitate him flatteringly...he hoped. Either way, he showed him off way too much, shrugged off his work, and spend an undue amount of time with the infant, leaving Zilpah to, of course, manage The Plum Blossom all by herself. Shahrokh also felt snubbed, but basically understood. The two little girls he had to watch were perfect angels, in his opinion.
As she aged, Sonal was torn between time spent with Devi or Hakan. Devi was incredibly feminine from a traditional standpoint, and generally disliked Sonal's tomboyish streak. The two girls would still play together and were fairly close, but Sonal was much more fond of the games Hakan and she would play. Imitating Sharokh's impressive earthbending feats, the brother and sister would engage in imaginary earthbending duels in imitation. Oddly, this was how Sonal discovered that she too could earthbend. One evening, when she and Hakan were standing not ten feet from each other, she stomped on the ground and slid her foot, unwittingly sending a tremor that toppled the boy flat on his butt. Hakan was surprised to the point of tears, and ran crying to his mother. He was mad at Sonal, but her parents were surprised. They didn't expect any of their children to be able to earthbend, but figured Shahrokh could teach her the basics anyway. Grandfather was more than happy to oblige.
When time came for her to attend the town's public school, the girl was quick to make friends and do well as a student. After class got out each day sometime around noon, she would hurry to Grandpa's house alongside her siblings, eager to absorb each lesson he taught her. He was a flexible teacher who, after giving her a base understanding of the art, allowed her to test her limits as often as she wished. During the handful of hours from when she got home, from when her mother returned from the tea house when the sun set below the bell tower's roof, Sonal spent it learning to earthbend. Devi couldn't care less about her sister's earthbending, but Hakan was quite jealous, harboring a certain 'bender envy', and became something of a bitter child.
Grandpa Shahrokh passed away peacefully of old age when Sonal was about eleven, but after a period of mourning, Sonal's parents decided it was best that Sonal and Hakan join their older sister by working at The Plum Blossom. Their tasks were simple, cleaning tables and washing dishes, nothing too strenuous for the children of eleven and nine years. Devi had already graduated to taking orders, which suited her gregarious nature well. Sonal, however, thought a certain aspect of the job was quite captivating. Tea. She was fascinated by all the different kinds of tea, as was much of her peoples' culture, and would read spend a good amount of time reading the handful of scrolls and books on the subject her parents owned. Each kind had its own properties (by lore or proven fact), and every illustration of each tea plant was, in her opinion, so pretty. For the next few years, she read those books dozens, if not hundreds of time. Of course, she kept on with earthbending lessons under a local master earthbender, but never quite rose to the top in the class of other young boys and girls.
When she was about thirteen, things started to happen; she took interest in some boys at school and grew like a weed. Yet, despite growing to an awkwardly tall stature, she managed to develop a poised grace that made up for her lanky body. Boys noticed, but she would simply settle for leading them on instead of pursuing a relationship. As time went by, she did have a brief fling with two boys, though either relationship happened to overlap through no fault of Sonal - or so she'd like to think. Unfortunately, the boys both found out and hurt each other in a jealous fistfight, which scared fifteen-year-old Sonal half to death, making her swear off relationships for a while. Temptation still persisted, but she had enough willpower to resist.
Schooling and formal earthbending training came to a close when she was about fifteen, after which she worked much longer at the tea house with the other personnel. Devi and Hakan were off chasing boys and girls (respectively...), leaving Sonal virtually the only child to help her parents work at the place. She may have grown closer to her parents than her siblings as a result, but it wasn't long before she let the job become her life. For years did she toil, day in, day out, attaining a feeling of accomplishment through hard work, increasing more so in her workload. Her parents could take off as much time as they wanted, and often did so as long as Sonal offered to work. In fact, oftentimes it was the case where Sonal actually insisted they take time off - she liked being in control. In the end, spent very little time doing anything else. Needless to say, it took its toll.
When, at the age of twenty, Sonal came to the edge of a breakdown, her parents drew the line. She may have been an adult and therefore in charge of her own life (even though she still lived at home), but to see her almost pass out at the end of each day was far too disconcerting. Something had to be done, but after Sonal resisted too strongly, her parents forced her to take a break. After she snapped back, rather out of character it seemed, and nearly fell out of her unstable, shaky, and frazzled stance onto the floor, Sonal complied. She realized she was wrong, and agreed to at least a month off work.
On the second day (the first spent sleeping sweetly), Sonal dug up a few of those scrolls she used to read. The interest was rekindled, but it struck her as a marvelous coincidence how a very rare tea was supposed to grow far out past the foothills, on a peak laying on the Kumari Plateau's outer reaches. Intrigued, she headed out of town with a trade caravan between two villages and branched off from there. No one in her family knew any different, assuming she had 'gone camping' like she claimed, but she happened to trek across those mountains for a considerable length of time. When she finally stumbled upon that very tea plant on a ledge, clung to the wall via earthbending, she was too happy for words. Even though she had to explain the whole story, no one seemed to mind. Sonal, however, was struck with a big idea during her adventure. She could do it for a living.
So, after that, with a good word put in by her father to a 'family friend', a wealthy tradesman who made deals with the mainland across the strait, Sonal was soon off on her way to the merchantry business. Again she left the town, this time with a group of traders, but stayed with them in their caravan. She never before realized her effective negotiation skills, yet still regretting the fact that her real dream would never reach fruition as long as she was tied down. One day at dawn, she packed up all her things, left behind a note, and was on her way. Whether anyone liked it or not, the woman of twenty years would become a wandering tea merchant like she really wanted.
Her first sale came after that, and the rest was history. To this day has she been living her dream, searching for rare teas that may not even exist, but selling her wares for fine profit. Most recently though, Sonal came to a rather shocking site during her second visit to a particular Earth Kingdom city. It had changed, but not for the better. Flying red banners, a metal walkway spanning the cavernous chasm, the very stronghold of Omashu, who had once claimed to be untouchable, had been taken by the Fire Nation. Somehow, news of Omashu's fall had never reached her ears, but it would affect her all the same. Never before had she thought a city so fortified could fall to the enemy, but that only made her feel more vulnerable. She'd known a few smaller towns to have been taken, but to see a great city like Omashu fall victim certainly opened her eyes. Growing concerned about the fate of her family back east, Sonal turned right back on that path and kept on walking. She would still keep solitary on her travels, but caution was in order. It made her realize how the world was changing, and that the Fire Nation was dangerous.
Sample RP: "The deal of a lifetime," the woman repeated, hand perched against her hip, eyebrow arched almost like a taunt. The opposite hand held out a simple wooden canister, cylindrical, smooth and polished, cap sealed tightly. Inside was the source of her claim. This man before her wondered just what to believe. Sonal just smirked.
Standoffish, her client, owner of the tea shop, crossed his arms. "How can you claim that? Malarkey."
"Would I lie?" came her rather hackneyed statement. Pale green eyes gazing straight at him, Sonal shrugged her shoulders, smirking. "You said you wanted a rare tea. When each needle has been painstakingly plucked from the only silver pine atop a mountain, you can't get much 'rarer' than this." In her normal vein, appropriate gestures followed each word, ending with a sharp rattle of the canister in her palm. Each movement was fluid where needed, fierce when her opinion was to be bolstered. Her tale was honest to the very core; the tea was a fantastic bargain off a trade caravan nearby the mountain in question, but whoever said Sonal did all the work anyway?
"I'm not gonna argue," said the man behind the counter, arms crossed, attempting to stare her down even though their eyes met at roughly the same level.
Again she smirked, nonchalantly raising the black 'caterpillars' that were her eyebrows, a rich laugh booming in her throat. "So don't. Maybe in a hundred years, you'll hear of another silver needle tea carried by another merchant. Who knows?" In a graceful pivot, Sonal turned and headed toward the door.
The man groaned, patience tested, but his impatient chuckle soon came to the fore. After a brief glance and a quick transfer of about three gold pieces inside, the shopkeeper cinched the drawstring of a burlap pouch full of gold coins, and set it down before him. It clattered and jingled on impact. "All right, you win."
Footfalls of her large, bare feet pattered on the wooden floor, approaching the woody counter, scooping the small satchel and bouncing it a bit to gauge the weight. Grinning, she was content how the transaction was sealed. It would, she was keen to say, fund her travels for a fine long time. Tossing the wooden parcel into the air toward, where only a fool couldn't reach, Sonal turned her back to the man and headed out the door.
"Good deal..."