Post by ryota on Mar 21, 2008 12:14:13 GMT -5
Name: Hok
Age: Fifteen
Gender: Male
Group: Foggy Swamp Residents
Nation: Earth Kingdom, Foggy Swamp
Bender?: Waterbender
Physical Appearance: Hok's height of five feet and six inches leaves him a rather average size, yet, still a teen, he has a few more inches to grow. Built a bit on the stocky side, attaining a general girth rather than added bulk from muscle or fat, he definitely seems to have foregone the awkward lanky stage that some boys experience. Whereas his build will one day develop to softly-defined muscles, a barrel chest, and broad shoulders, his body now seems to be a mere shadow of what will be. His shoulders are currently a bit wide and his chest shows a bit of depth, but baby fat remaining on his figure has contributed to a soft and fleshy aspect to, among other things, his otherwise flat stomach. Only when deep breaths fill his lungs can his ribcage be seen, but it usually stays hidden behind softened skin. At this age, his muscles are fairly pliable yet serviceable, but have hardened a bit due to hormones. Otherwise, he has no intention to work out and strengthen them further. His thighs are fairly thick, contrasting the knobby knees and bony ankles they taper into, but his rear end is somewhat flat. Like his legs, his arms are even-sized but alotted plenty of the same supple musculature that occupies his teenage figure. Comparatively speaking, his hands are large, but his feet are a much more rational size.
Adapted from a thick canopy of trees shielding the majority of sunlight, Hok's skin, like most other swamp natives, is a relatively pale hue compared to their polar kin. Colored a golden beige, it has by no means left him an out-of-place oddball among others in his tribe. Curiously though, he has a large, splotchy port-wine stain birthmark on his left shoulder blade, colored a rich maroon. Also, teenage hormones infrequently grant him a pimple or two, but he has mostly escaped the worst ravages of adolescence. Body hair may sprout at a variety of places in time, but for now it isolates itself to his underarms.
Shaped as a diamond or rhombus, his face widens in the middle at the cheekbones, but stays narrow at his low forehead and blunt chin. Although puberty is in full flight, his face is likely to remain into adulthood at its current length, and not eradicate all traces of baby fat from his full cheeks. Large ears, a considerable depth and spanning a height between his eyes and mouth from a front view, protrude from his head. Though in possession of an altogether forgettable face, his large eyes are somewhat remarkable. The right pupil of these is a rich olive green like early autumn leaves, while the left is a soft, gentle teal like shallow waters of the swamp filled with algae. The duality of his eye colors is a strange sight, but has gradually become a normal feature tothose in his community who know him well. Thin, black eyebrows lay above these and locate around the straight bridge of his nose, which is also short and wide. Small even when opened fully, his narrow mouth claims rather small lips.
Somewhat glossy and black like ink, a shaggy mop of hair measuring a few inches of length covers his head. Since it by nature and because of the climate's humidity tends to piece together at the tips, its appearance is almost like the feathers of a raven. Though the general length is uniform all over his head, one section has never been cut shorter once in his life - his rattail at the very back. It now reaches to his shoulder blades, mostly worn loose but sometimes braided and fastened by tiny beads of bone or wood painted a variety of colors.
Clothing/Armor: Taking heat and humidity into consideration, Hok wears very little clothing. His clothes are really nothing but a loincloth, draped between his legs and tied around the waist with an India green sash, which then allows the remaining lengths to fall roughly to his thighs either in front or back. The tan fabric is mottled and splotched with spots of fallow dye, dots and smudges to give it an interesting texture, as well as an India green border along the bottom fringe. Cloth wraps colored a dingy white cover his shins and forearms.
He accessorizes only with a necklace of faded white string decorated with a few seal brown wooden beads, as well as a simple hat made from a large, heart-shaped forest green leaf, which ties to his head with string.
Weapons: Waterbending would be his only weapon, dwelling on his slightly above-average abilities. He seems to use both hands while bending, believing it to afford more control of his element, while his style in fighting seems to dwell mostly on redirecting and delivering blows to the opponent. In an unrefined manner, he can move plants and vines that are saturated with water, but this skill would be nearly useless in combat at this point.
Personality: Friendly but naïve and lacking the manners of those outside his homeland, Hok's not a far cry from the average swamp teenager. He finds great joy in humor, no matter how lame or sophomoric, and can often be seen cracking jokes even at inappropriate times. However, he has a fear of crowds, which has been realized only a few times in his life. He considers undue attention from people to be disconcerting, making it an instance where he would withdraw his emotions entirely. Despite this phobia, he aims to be polite and well-meaning around anyone. Hok could be seen as somewhat shy, since he often gives strangers only a polite greeting and an examination from head to toe. He also tends to get tongue-tied around cute girls, as he has recently discovered. He would readily point out mistreatment from an acquaintance, not hesitating to call out a bully, but he would do little else to resist unkindness.
In any audience, especially adults, one would find that he likes to ask questions. In fact, his inquests arise often and in quick succesion. Never to contest facts, his queries are spawned by mere childlike curiousity. A humble sort, Hok would admit any imperfections and try his best to improve. He tends to be gullible, believing most plausible answers given. Lazy in some regards, he finds chores tiresome unless they captivate his interest. If a task fascinates him, he would probably devote himself to it wholeheartedly. It would still be easy to coerce him into anything, even the most boring activities imaginable. He has a habit of worrying, though such anxiety often vanishes shortly afterward. His parents tend to embarrass him a bit, but he loves them regardless.
Background: In a tiny hut perched atop stilts with a thatched roof located in the depths of the Foggy Swamp, the infant Hok was born on the last day of autumn. Fathered by Len, a thatcher, and birthed by Kwa, Hok was firstborn to the man and wife. Hok himself was a vocal baby, not necessarily apt to cry all the time, but prone to vocalizing much of the time. He learned to speak at only four months of age, but took a while learning to walk. Though he took the first steps on his own two weeks before his second birthday, other developments in his childhood were by no means delayed. Kwa was a social woman who exposed Hok to many different villagers at an early age. His common reaction was to hide his face from all the strange people, but this habit rarely seemed to cease no matter how familiar a person became. Len, on the other hand, kept to himself most of the time. He was content to whittle by himself, but he loved his son dearly. He would make time to include little Hok in most any hobby he asked to join in.
His natural curiousity displayed itself early. For a long time period, he would always ask his mother and father about everything. Hok also had a very active imagination, and greatly preferred his invisible friends as playmates over the the other village children. His parents saw no problem with the companions their son dreamed up, allowing him to have regular discussions with his unseen friends during playtime in the living room. As time passed, he gradually replaced these imaginary friends with a new fascination. Any creature that crossed his path, large or small, warranted his full attention. Whether they were tiny cricket-spiders, big hairy bullfrogs, or possum-chickens that wandered from their farm, he often brought them inside to show his mother. She never allowed him to keep them as pets, but never complained about his healthy fixation otherwise.
The age of five was when he learned he could waterbend. In the marketplace with his mother, a running weasel-newt caught his eye, and Hok was soon to follow. He never escaped his mother's sight, but as the creature dove into the water, he put his hands in and tried to grab it from a distance. Acheiving nothing but failure, he started to make pulling motions at the water in supposedly vain attempts. Each stroke of his hand pulled water toward him, surprising the young boy considerably. He never found that weasel-newt, unfortunately, though his newfound ability to bend water quickly consumed his focus. Neither of his parents were waterbenders, so his maternal uncle Bao wound up teaching him to master the basics over the next few years. Learning alongside his cousin Soo, he took to the lessons quickly, but was certain to ask Bao as many questions as possible. Soo was a couple months older than Hok, and the two became good friends despite their differences - Even to the point where Soo became like the sister he never had. It wasn't until his thirteenth year that he learned to bend the water within plants, effectively controlling them.
He became better acquainted with the neighborhood kids as time passed, and some would often join him in examining animals that happened by. He loved games of all sort, no matter how rowdy or quiet they happened to be. Waterbending was an asset in a few games, but he always felt guilty when the kids who were unable to bend were excluded from the fun - But such guilt never deterred him from enjoying childhood games to the fullest. His parents made sure to teach him to have a healthy respect for the environment they called home, as well as other lessons essential to daily life. As soon as he was able, preteen Hok was to help his father with his job on occasion, particularly after heavy storms where roofs needed major repairs. He generally disliked this occupation, and wound up making any excuse imaginable to get out of work. Sensing the dismay his son had, it soon became rare for Len to ask Hok for assistance. Truth be told, Hok wasn't the best assistant Len could find anyway.
In recent times, his life has been nothing out of the ordinary. Hok still lives in the same hut where he was born, with his increasingly embarassing parents. He has started to take a minor interest in girls, and seems to be rather tongue-tied in their presence. He has only a few friends, none of whom are particularly close, but he still acts polite and friendly toward any other villagers. Hok also spends a good deal of time in solitude, exploring the swamp outside the village and testing his limits with waterbending.
Sample RP: It felt so strange, almost slimy under his bare feet. His arms outspread, attaining a careful balance on the log, Hok was fully aware of the slippery sea green moss that covered the fallen tree. Close behind the swamp-dwelling youth was a girl about the same age, who went by the name of Soo. She too held out her arms, trying to stabilize herself while walking across the makeshift bridge. Below them lay a clear body of water, probably deep enough where neither of them could touch the ground with their feet. By the looks of it, the teenagers were apt to avoid falling in. No dangerous critters seemed to lurk below the glassy surface, but one could never be too sure. Hok's heterochromatic eyes seemed to twinkle with a bright intrigue as he traversed the log, his cousin close behind. Today, they were looking for the boy's favorite creature of them all.
"Hok, ah don't think they're 'round here anywhere," grumbled Soo, her loose black hair laying completely still in the stagnant air.
Wiggling back and forth to maintain his composure, Hok was soon to reply. "But we kin still look, y'know!"
Letting out a sigh, Soo soon found herself stopping at the middle of the log bridge. "Hok, yer just bein' stupid. There ain't no manatees! Yew even said yourself they eat water lettuce! Do yew see any water lettuce? Ah sure don't!"
Hok found the girl's ranting tiresome, and soon began to mold his fingers into what seemed like a jabbering mouth, the motions of his own lips mirroring Soo's in silent mockery. He thought his gesture was hilarious, but Soo was not amused. Still, in a feeble attempt to change the conversation, Hok tried keeping things civil. "Maybe the manatees ate it all."
He knew Soo would be furious, even though his back was turned. But he was still within earshot. "Hok, ah'm gonna kill yew! Don't make fun of me like tha-eeek!"
Nothing more than a loud splash was what he heard. Turning quickly and nearly fumbling his way off the mossy tree trunk, Hok burst into laughter at his cousin's misfortune. The cranky girl got what she deserved, at least in his mind. Looking at her doused head, ebony strands falling all over her features as she paddled herself afloat, Hok was hysterical. As angry as a taunted catgator, Soo snapped back; "Yew just shut up..."
Growing a wide smile, baring all his teeth, Hok let out one final chuckle. "Nah, think ah'll just join ya!"
Soon plummeting into the water, Soo found her head soaked again, with the nearby teenage boy grinning like a fool. Hok supposed it was what one earned by being a grump.
Age: Fifteen
Gender: Male
Group: Foggy Swamp Residents
Nation: Earth Kingdom, Foggy Swamp
Bender?: Waterbender
Physical Appearance: Hok's height of five feet and six inches leaves him a rather average size, yet, still a teen, he has a few more inches to grow. Built a bit on the stocky side, attaining a general girth rather than added bulk from muscle or fat, he definitely seems to have foregone the awkward lanky stage that some boys experience. Whereas his build will one day develop to softly-defined muscles, a barrel chest, and broad shoulders, his body now seems to be a mere shadow of what will be. His shoulders are currently a bit wide and his chest shows a bit of depth, but baby fat remaining on his figure has contributed to a soft and fleshy aspect to, among other things, his otherwise flat stomach. Only when deep breaths fill his lungs can his ribcage be seen, but it usually stays hidden behind softened skin. At this age, his muscles are fairly pliable yet serviceable, but have hardened a bit due to hormones. Otherwise, he has no intention to work out and strengthen them further. His thighs are fairly thick, contrasting the knobby knees and bony ankles they taper into, but his rear end is somewhat flat. Like his legs, his arms are even-sized but alotted plenty of the same supple musculature that occupies his teenage figure. Comparatively speaking, his hands are large, but his feet are a much more rational size.
Adapted from a thick canopy of trees shielding the majority of sunlight, Hok's skin, like most other swamp natives, is a relatively pale hue compared to their polar kin. Colored a golden beige, it has by no means left him an out-of-place oddball among others in his tribe. Curiously though, he has a large, splotchy port-wine stain birthmark on his left shoulder blade, colored a rich maroon. Also, teenage hormones infrequently grant him a pimple or two, but he has mostly escaped the worst ravages of adolescence. Body hair may sprout at a variety of places in time, but for now it isolates itself to his underarms.
Shaped as a diamond or rhombus, his face widens in the middle at the cheekbones, but stays narrow at his low forehead and blunt chin. Although puberty is in full flight, his face is likely to remain into adulthood at its current length, and not eradicate all traces of baby fat from his full cheeks. Large ears, a considerable depth and spanning a height between his eyes and mouth from a front view, protrude from his head. Though in possession of an altogether forgettable face, his large eyes are somewhat remarkable. The right pupil of these is a rich olive green like early autumn leaves, while the left is a soft, gentle teal like shallow waters of the swamp filled with algae. The duality of his eye colors is a strange sight, but has gradually become a normal feature tothose in his community who know him well. Thin, black eyebrows lay above these and locate around the straight bridge of his nose, which is also short and wide. Small even when opened fully, his narrow mouth claims rather small lips.
Somewhat glossy and black like ink, a shaggy mop of hair measuring a few inches of length covers his head. Since it by nature and because of the climate's humidity tends to piece together at the tips, its appearance is almost like the feathers of a raven. Though the general length is uniform all over his head, one section has never been cut shorter once in his life - his rattail at the very back. It now reaches to his shoulder blades, mostly worn loose but sometimes braided and fastened by tiny beads of bone or wood painted a variety of colors.
Clothing/Armor: Taking heat and humidity into consideration, Hok wears very little clothing. His clothes are really nothing but a loincloth, draped between his legs and tied around the waist with an India green sash, which then allows the remaining lengths to fall roughly to his thighs either in front or back. The tan fabric is mottled and splotched with spots of fallow dye, dots and smudges to give it an interesting texture, as well as an India green border along the bottom fringe. Cloth wraps colored a dingy white cover his shins and forearms.
He accessorizes only with a necklace of faded white string decorated with a few seal brown wooden beads, as well as a simple hat made from a large, heart-shaped forest green leaf, which ties to his head with string.
Weapons: Waterbending would be his only weapon, dwelling on his slightly above-average abilities. He seems to use both hands while bending, believing it to afford more control of his element, while his style in fighting seems to dwell mostly on redirecting and delivering blows to the opponent. In an unrefined manner, he can move plants and vines that are saturated with water, but this skill would be nearly useless in combat at this point.
Personality: Friendly but naïve and lacking the manners of those outside his homeland, Hok's not a far cry from the average swamp teenager. He finds great joy in humor, no matter how lame or sophomoric, and can often be seen cracking jokes even at inappropriate times. However, he has a fear of crowds, which has been realized only a few times in his life. He considers undue attention from people to be disconcerting, making it an instance where he would withdraw his emotions entirely. Despite this phobia, he aims to be polite and well-meaning around anyone. Hok could be seen as somewhat shy, since he often gives strangers only a polite greeting and an examination from head to toe. He also tends to get tongue-tied around cute girls, as he has recently discovered. He would readily point out mistreatment from an acquaintance, not hesitating to call out a bully, but he would do little else to resist unkindness.
In any audience, especially adults, one would find that he likes to ask questions. In fact, his inquests arise often and in quick succesion. Never to contest facts, his queries are spawned by mere childlike curiousity. A humble sort, Hok would admit any imperfections and try his best to improve. He tends to be gullible, believing most plausible answers given. Lazy in some regards, he finds chores tiresome unless they captivate his interest. If a task fascinates him, he would probably devote himself to it wholeheartedly. It would still be easy to coerce him into anything, even the most boring activities imaginable. He has a habit of worrying, though such anxiety often vanishes shortly afterward. His parents tend to embarrass him a bit, but he loves them regardless.
Background: In a tiny hut perched atop stilts with a thatched roof located in the depths of the Foggy Swamp, the infant Hok was born on the last day of autumn. Fathered by Len, a thatcher, and birthed by Kwa, Hok was firstborn to the man and wife. Hok himself was a vocal baby, not necessarily apt to cry all the time, but prone to vocalizing much of the time. He learned to speak at only four months of age, but took a while learning to walk. Though he took the first steps on his own two weeks before his second birthday, other developments in his childhood were by no means delayed. Kwa was a social woman who exposed Hok to many different villagers at an early age. His common reaction was to hide his face from all the strange people, but this habit rarely seemed to cease no matter how familiar a person became. Len, on the other hand, kept to himself most of the time. He was content to whittle by himself, but he loved his son dearly. He would make time to include little Hok in most any hobby he asked to join in.
His natural curiousity displayed itself early. For a long time period, he would always ask his mother and father about everything. Hok also had a very active imagination, and greatly preferred his invisible friends as playmates over the the other village children. His parents saw no problem with the companions their son dreamed up, allowing him to have regular discussions with his unseen friends during playtime in the living room. As time passed, he gradually replaced these imaginary friends with a new fascination. Any creature that crossed his path, large or small, warranted his full attention. Whether they were tiny cricket-spiders, big hairy bullfrogs, or possum-chickens that wandered from their farm, he often brought them inside to show his mother. She never allowed him to keep them as pets, but never complained about his healthy fixation otherwise.
The age of five was when he learned he could waterbend. In the marketplace with his mother, a running weasel-newt caught his eye, and Hok was soon to follow. He never escaped his mother's sight, but as the creature dove into the water, he put his hands in and tried to grab it from a distance. Acheiving nothing but failure, he started to make pulling motions at the water in supposedly vain attempts. Each stroke of his hand pulled water toward him, surprising the young boy considerably. He never found that weasel-newt, unfortunately, though his newfound ability to bend water quickly consumed his focus. Neither of his parents were waterbenders, so his maternal uncle Bao wound up teaching him to master the basics over the next few years. Learning alongside his cousin Soo, he took to the lessons quickly, but was certain to ask Bao as many questions as possible. Soo was a couple months older than Hok, and the two became good friends despite their differences - Even to the point where Soo became like the sister he never had. It wasn't until his thirteenth year that he learned to bend the water within plants, effectively controlling them.
He became better acquainted with the neighborhood kids as time passed, and some would often join him in examining animals that happened by. He loved games of all sort, no matter how rowdy or quiet they happened to be. Waterbending was an asset in a few games, but he always felt guilty when the kids who were unable to bend were excluded from the fun - But such guilt never deterred him from enjoying childhood games to the fullest. His parents made sure to teach him to have a healthy respect for the environment they called home, as well as other lessons essential to daily life. As soon as he was able, preteen Hok was to help his father with his job on occasion, particularly after heavy storms where roofs needed major repairs. He generally disliked this occupation, and wound up making any excuse imaginable to get out of work. Sensing the dismay his son had, it soon became rare for Len to ask Hok for assistance. Truth be told, Hok wasn't the best assistant Len could find anyway.
In recent times, his life has been nothing out of the ordinary. Hok still lives in the same hut where he was born, with his increasingly embarassing parents. He has started to take a minor interest in girls, and seems to be rather tongue-tied in their presence. He has only a few friends, none of whom are particularly close, but he still acts polite and friendly toward any other villagers. Hok also spends a good deal of time in solitude, exploring the swamp outside the village and testing his limits with waterbending.
Sample RP: It felt so strange, almost slimy under his bare feet. His arms outspread, attaining a careful balance on the log, Hok was fully aware of the slippery sea green moss that covered the fallen tree. Close behind the swamp-dwelling youth was a girl about the same age, who went by the name of Soo. She too held out her arms, trying to stabilize herself while walking across the makeshift bridge. Below them lay a clear body of water, probably deep enough where neither of them could touch the ground with their feet. By the looks of it, the teenagers were apt to avoid falling in. No dangerous critters seemed to lurk below the glassy surface, but one could never be too sure. Hok's heterochromatic eyes seemed to twinkle with a bright intrigue as he traversed the log, his cousin close behind. Today, they were looking for the boy's favorite creature of them all.
"Hok, ah don't think they're 'round here anywhere," grumbled Soo, her loose black hair laying completely still in the stagnant air.
Wiggling back and forth to maintain his composure, Hok was soon to reply. "But we kin still look, y'know!"
Letting out a sigh, Soo soon found herself stopping at the middle of the log bridge. "Hok, yer just bein' stupid. There ain't no manatees! Yew even said yourself they eat water lettuce! Do yew see any water lettuce? Ah sure don't!"
Hok found the girl's ranting tiresome, and soon began to mold his fingers into what seemed like a jabbering mouth, the motions of his own lips mirroring Soo's in silent mockery. He thought his gesture was hilarious, but Soo was not amused. Still, in a feeble attempt to change the conversation, Hok tried keeping things civil. "Maybe the manatees ate it all."
He knew Soo would be furious, even though his back was turned. But he was still within earshot. "Hok, ah'm gonna kill yew! Don't make fun of me like tha-eeek!"
Nothing more than a loud splash was what he heard. Turning quickly and nearly fumbling his way off the mossy tree trunk, Hok burst into laughter at his cousin's misfortune. The cranky girl got what she deserved, at least in his mind. Looking at her doused head, ebony strands falling all over her features as she paddled herself afloat, Hok was hysterical. As angry as a taunted catgator, Soo snapped back; "Yew just shut up..."
Growing a wide smile, baring all his teeth, Hok let out one final chuckle. "Nah, think ah'll just join ya!"
Soon plummeting into the water, Soo found her head soaked again, with the nearby teenage boy grinning like a fool. Hok supposed it was what one earned by being a grump.