Tolly

[Charm]

TOLLY
Candidate, TORVAL WEYR

"I'm not a kid, I'm just young and short."

THE BASICS

CHARACTER NAME: Tolly
NICKNAMES: Tol
AGE: 15
GENDER: male
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual
OCCUPATION: Candidate & Apprentice Beastcrafter
DRAGON: none
DRAGON AGE: n/a

THE APPEARANCE

EYES: muddy brown
HAIR: black
HEIGHT & WEIGHT:
BODY TYPE: fit, mildly muscled
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Shock of curly black hair and tiny stature
OVERALL APPEARANCE: Tolly is fifteen, but he could pass for younger. Much younger. He's only 5'4, dwarfed by his peers, older and younger . Worst of all, dwarfed by most of his female peers as well. But don't worry. He's convinced that he'll have an amazing growth spurt any day now. And for now, he'll use his height to his advantage. He's always had naturally tanned skin, but, oddly, it's easy to burn. Sounds odd, right? It is. Mostly it's the ones with pale skin who burn, but not with Tolly. Therefore, it's not unusual to find this boy nicely tanned - but sporting major sunburn on various parts of his body from being out too long. He never does learn, either. Under his unusual skin he sports some muscle earned from the physical labor that he enjoys. Nothing beefy on any account, but enough so that it shows.

His face still retains the roundness of youth, though it's started to thin out, becoming more angled. And thank the First Rider for that, in his opinion - he doesn't need to look more like a kid than he already does. He may not mind using what he's got to his advantage when possible, but looking like a twelve-Turn-old can be really annoying. Especially when it comes to getting girls. Moving on. His still somewhat childish face sports dark brown eyes that could easily seem flat were it not for the spark that can usually be found in them. Semi-thick black eyebrows live above, and quite active ones at that. His eyebrows are of a black hue that matches his unruly hair. Tolly's face is framed by curly black hair that often refuses to lie flat. This hair goes down no farther than his neck, about an inch below his chin. And he could tell you how annoying that hair is on hot days.

Tolly is often a blur of sound and color; it's hard for this teenager to stay in one place very long. Whether it's as small as snapping his fingers while leaning against a wall, or large as running around for no particular reason (he's been known to do that), some part of him always seems to be in motion. He's a fast runner and uses that to his advantage; he often prefers to run rather than walk. Tolly has something of an arrogant manner about him; the sometimes too-casual way he seems to take everything, the easy confidence he possesses - or maybe cocky is a better word for it. He's oft to lean casually on whatever vertical surface is available.

TYPICAL ATTIRE: Tolly and clothes? Tough one. Most of the time he really doesn't care much about what he wears, as long as it's comfortable. But when it comes to girls - well, he tries to dress nicely for the ladies! Which means that he's started to pay attention to the clothes he wears. He likes to stick to dark and light blues, and maybe some dark reds and greens too.
FACE CLAIM: Jake Austin

THE PERSONALITY

PERSONALITY STRENGTHS: list at least three, with descriptions.

INTELLIGENT - If there's something Tolly isn't, it's simple-minded, no matter what some people say. Although sometimes only Faranth can see how, he's got a large brain in that small body, enough to work his way out of most problems. (Now, if only he'd use it the way his instructors want him to, instead of planning pranks all the time....)
HARD-WORKING - While the boy turns his nose up at menial tasks, he thrives on hard labor. He enjoys working hard outdoors, and ones quickly learns to give the outdoor tasks to him. Once he's started some sort of manual-labor project he doesn't like stopping till it's finished.
LOYAL - Whatever he seems, Tolly is loyal to his friends and people weaker than him. If he doesn't like you you may find yourself pranked harshly, but if you are considered his friend then you have a loyal ally at your side. He isn't above fighting for his friends either, orally or physically.
FRIENDLY - The boy's a social butterfly. He isn't afraid to get out there and meet people, and makes friends as easily as he makes enemies (which is pretty easily). Plenty of people are put off by his cocky, class-clown-ish attitude, but those who aren't find themselves in his good books, and can expect a genial wave when he walks by.

PERSONALITY WEAKNESSES: list the same number as the list above, with descriptions

RECKLESS - Having not yet learned to value the fragile ball that is life, Tolly likes to take risks. Challenge him something and he'll do it, and gladly. He doesn't always think of consequences - or when he does, he decides they're worth it. Someday his recklessness is going to put him in a bad situation.
COCKY - Arrogant and cocky, Tolly can be frustratingly annoying when he wants to be. He's far too confident for his own good, and even a year of rules and respect being pounded into him hasn't done enough good for him to be better than scraping past.
SNEAKY - Though he doesn't think of himself as 'sneaky', plenty of others do. The boy learned early on that if he couldn't get by physically (and as most people tower over him, he usually can't), he's got to do it mentally. He's got to know things. So he's gotten into a habit of getting into where he shouldn't and listening to conversations he shouldn't be hearing. Sneaky indeed - he uses his childlike appearance for the better, wheedling his way into places, and when he can't, he sneaks around the obstacles - or sprints away, if that be the case.
OBTRUSIVE - The boy can't seem to keep his nose out of things. Anything he hears or witnesses he'll want to know about - he's been known to interrupt arguments to ask where the steam came from, or sneak up to people conspiring secretively and join the conversation despite dirty looks he gets from it.

OVERALL PERSONALITY: Tolly is, well...a typical teenage boy. He loves life; he loves who he is, where he is, what he's doing. Life is one big party to him, and he's going to have all the fun he can with it. And, being a teenager, he hasn't yet gotten to the point where one realizes that life is a fragile thing, not to be toyed with. Nope. He's still oblivious, living life recklessly and loving it. But can you really blame him? He's had tough times in the past, but now it seems like he's found somewhere where he can really enjoy - he's at a Weyr, just waiting for his own dragon, working with animals like he loves do to, what's the downside? So, as far as he sees it, where he is is a good place And he's taking advantage of it. By being reckless. Maybe a bit too reckless. Tolly wouldn't go out and do something he might regret just on his own - not because the idea wouldn't occur to him; more that he knows it's wrong and would keep himself from doing it. However, if someone else was doing it to - that's a bit of a different manner. You could say he's easily taken in by pressure, though he doesn't think about it that way. In other words, if you asked him to do something reckless with you, he'd probably do it. For instance: girls. He'd never 'get carried away', as it were, but if some pretty girl happened to suggest it first - well, who is he to say no? It's a fault that will probably just get him into trouble, and soon.

So, Tolly's reckless; we've got that. But once he learns his lesson - there's really no doubt that he will; all he needs to do is take one step too far - he'll most likely really be able to take a step back and learn from it. Tolly is smart, he really is; and once he's shown how what he might do could explode in his face, he wouldn't do it again. He really is an intelligent boy; though some might say too intelligent for his own good. Because it means that if he wants to do something adventurous...well, not only does he have the guts, he has the brains to pull it off, too. The good thing is that most of his energy and recklessness is devoted more to boyish pranks than anything more sinister; if he didn't divert it into innocent pranks, then he'd probably be in a worse situation right now. But as it were, mostly the reckless things he does has to do with getting someone back for something or other in the form of pranking...and maybe snitching a fwe bubbly pies from the kitchens now and then. So yes, Tolly is a prankster.

You might have guessed it already, but if you haven't...Tolly is arrogant. He just is. Cocky in whatever he does, annoyingly so, and not exactly one to listen to authority figures. That's not to say that he won't take orders; he has no problem doing what people tell him to do - or at least, doing any sort of chore or physical task that is set to him. Those are fine. The thing he is less likely to listen to is someone telling him he can't do something, or another such order. In fact, at his age, he's likely to do it just to be difficult. It's all in good fun to him. He has learned to watch himself though, being an apprentice and all. But the point is that he's not exactly humble. He's far too cocky and an easy bragger, and kind of big-headed.

However, arrogant he may be, but that doesn't mean disliked, or a bad friend, or anything of the sort. Tolly is a fun-loving person; that's what he likes most. To have fun. He loves to be with friends, and makes them easily. He loves to laugh, loves to hang around with people. He is a huge people person, and, despite his arrogant nature, is fun and easy to be around. He's quite agreeable, really not picky, and up for just about anything that means fun and a few laughs. On that note: you might be surprised, but Tolly really never gets angry. He's an easy-going person, and, despite his love of taking risks, isn't violent. He hardly ever gets angry in most situations, instead brushing whatever is the problem off with a witty and often sarcastic comment that has most people in the vicinity laughing. He tries to avoid situations where people are violent, and if he ends up in such a situation, again, he'll try and calm people down by making them laugh. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to understand that this will probably just irritate angry people more.

Arrogant but not selfish, Tolly will get angry if anyone he is close to is abused in any way. He might fight for his honor, but besides that, he wouldn't fight for himself. But he would fight for others - if he ever finds out that someone is seriously hurting one of his friends, then woe betide them when he gets to them. He may be small, but he knows how to hold his own in a fight if it comes to that. He is arrogant, and does enjoy attention and praise, but he isn't selfish, not self-absorbed enough to think of himself first. He's loyal, and values his friends' well-being more than his own if push comes to shove. In any difficult situation he'll worry for them before himself. Dependable, you can always count on him to be by your side in hard times. He can keep a secret, too; he likes to collect knowledge and be able to inform others of it, but he can be discreet if asked.

This brings us to another thing. Tolly likes to know things, as much as possible. Knowledge can sometimes be the only thing that keeps a little guy going in a big Weyr, as Tolly well knows. And, if possible, he likes to be able to spill such information at the right time and place; to keep everyone on edge, as he puts it. But just knowing it can be enough. He takes pride in knowing more than most candidates would about the goings-on of the Weyr. Part of the reason for his success is his size - just one way he works it to his advantage. Nobody considers a little kid important enough to take notice of while talking about important matters, right? At the opportune time, he knows how to make himself invisible. Yes, his height comes in advantage that he will gladly use in some ways; eavesdropping (or 'collecting knowledge, as he refers to it as) being one of them. Becoming invisible. Acting young and innocent to suck up to people, for Tolly is ever the suck-up. Hiding, if necessary. But he also finds his height quite annoying. It makes people think of him as a kid when he doesn't want them to. Makes others underestimate him - though that is a blessing and a curse, at the same time. Worst of all, it throws off the girls. Who wants to get friendly with a twelve-Turn-old? Or even anyone who looks like one. Still, he takes the best out of it when he can. He tries to do that in every situation; make it to his advantage.

Don't take that the wrong way; he wouldn't intentionally make others hurt for his benefit, or take advantage of someone who is hurting. Not on purpose, anyhow; he doesn't like that. It's too dishonest. Call him hypocritical, but that's how he feels. Besides, he doesn't think of himself as dishonest, not really - he reasons that if sometimes what he does is a bit...unusual...then at least he makes no attempt to hide anything about himself. If others simply don't see that part of him, it isn't because he hides it. And he really doesn't; if he gets a reputation for anything, and it's true, then you won't catch him denying it. He's honest. Lying isn't something he does. Nor is cheating, the way some would. Being lazy, maybe, but not cheating. Chores, for instance. Sometimes he might put it off, being the lazy teenager he is, but he won't skip it or try to worm out of it or take a shortcut. He wants to do it to the fullest. Besides, he doesn't mind physical labor. He rather likes it, actually. Hence the subtle muscles he possesses.

All in all, Tolly's not a bad kid. He's got his ups and downs, but don't we all? Some he'll grow out of, some he'll have to be taught a lesson about. Some are just how he is and always will be. In any case, here's one dedicated boy that is rearing to go. Bring on the challenge! He thrives upon it.

THE HISTORY

PARENTS: Tarea (mother, weaver, deceased), Lorrel (father; woodworker, deceased); Teriesa (foster mother, painter)
SIBLINGS: Tasser - brother, 17
Lirry - sister, twelve
Sass and Ferren - step-sister and -brother (twins), 13
OTHER FAMILY: none
IMPORTANT FRIENDS: none yet
PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Torval Weyr
OVERALL HISTORY: Tolly was the second son of an errant weaver and an idealistic woodworker. Their relationship was spontaneous and unstable, and not meant to last. Tarea and Lorrel were young and experimenting, and aware that what they had probably wouldn't last.

That notion changed when they had a son together. It wasn't planned, and a shock to both, but it brought them together instead of pushing them apart. Lorrel couldn't bear to leave his child, or the mother of his child, so he stayed with Tarea throughout it. When Tasser was born, they decided not to go their separate ways, and the pair, just shy of twenty Turns old, started to live together. They hadn't meant it to happen, but it had: they were a family.

Over the next Turn they grew closer than they had thought possible, and both were grateful to their son for being the unwitting cause of this. When Tarea conceived again, they were happy. This curly-haired child they christened Tolly, and tried to give their two sons the best possible life they could have. Tarea worked as a weaver, selling her tapestries, and Lorrel worked with wood - he fixed the furniture of those who could afford the luxury of strong wood, and made more. It was a living, and it was a good one for the boys.

Tolly was happy growing up. He and Tasser were fast friends and good brothers, mostly because Tasser was tolerant of Tolly's mischievous nature; he too enjoyed tussling and messing around, and if he didn't particularly enjoy the pranks played on him by his brother, he wasn't angry about them. Besides, Tolly never did anything bad to Tasser, just playful little pranks. They had fun growing up, and the family was happy.

When Tolly was three and Tasser five, another member of the family joined them. They had a sister now, dubbed Lirrigan, but always called Lirry. She was the doted-on darling of the family, but Tolly didn't mind. It was okay that he wasn't getting as much attention now. Tasser, however, was resentful of being ignored. As the Turns passed, he grew restless and rebellious, even at his young age. By nine Turns old he refused to spend time with his sister, and seven-Turn-old Tolly was worried, but he didn't know how to repair such things, especially when her brothers' prejudice wasn't something four-Turn-old Lirry could understand or help. Relationships, Tolly was realizing, were easy to break but hard to restore.

Then the unthinkable happened. Their parents left for a day to visit Tolly's aunt, who lived just outside the Hold, and never came back. A family friend had been the kids' nanny for the day, and they ended up staying with her and her five children for several days, scared and lost, not knowing where their parents were. Finally word came: There had been a fire, instigated by the dry weather, and it had killed them all.

For a while Tasser, Tolly, and Lirry were shunted back and forth as people tried to figure out where to put the orphans. The horrible thing was that they eventually all ended up with different people: Lirrigan to a young couple, Tasser to a man and woman who couldn't have kids of their own, and Tolly to a woman he knew vaguely as a friend of their parents, named Teriesa, who had twins two Turns younger than Tolly: Sass and Ferren.

Teriesa tried to be as accommodating as possible, but Tolly was plagued by his new brother and sister. They were, in his opinion, a terrible replacement for Tasser and Lirry, and, what's more, they loathed him. He was an unwelcome intruder in the twins' eyes, though Sass seemed more vehement than Ferren; sometimes Tolly thought he and the boy both disliked their sister's harshness, and after a while he began to suspect that Ferren was only so nasty because he'd rather be on his twins' side than against her. Still, for whatever reason, they made him feel unwanted and unloved.

But Tolly wasn't one to take such scorn, and soon the twins found themselves plagued with an unusual amount of misfortunes. Tuber juice in their klah, wrigglers in their beds, things going missing for sevendays on end; often pairs, like shoes, and usually it was only one that came back. Neither of them could ever prove it was Tolly, but all of them knew it.

For four Turns Teriesa attempted to turn a blind eye to the behavior that went on in her home, treating ass, Ferren, and Tolly with the same regard, but eventually it grew to be too much for her. The nastiness and tricks never ceased, and she couldn't ignore it anymore. There had to be somewhere she could send Tolly where he would be happy and away from the twins! Obviously they could never get along, and there would never be peace in the household with all three in the same place. So one of them had to leave, and that one was Tolly.

She sent him to the Beastcrafthall. The boy had always held a fondness for animals, and had developed quite a knack for understanding the runners and beasts around: when they were upset and why, what they wanted. So he was sent there, and the Crafthall found him fit to enter an apprenticeship, which he did.

Tolly was very glad of it. Losing his parents and being separated from his siblings had been horribly traumatic, and he'd been depressed, living in a place that could never be home with two people who would never want him there. Going to the Hall was like a whole new start, another chance, and being apprenticed there made him feel incredibly light and happy. His heart still ached for his family, but now he could look ahead and not be trapped in limbo with nowhere to go.

For three Turns he trained, from twelve to fifteen, and just after his fifteenth Turnday he was assigned to accompany one of the Journeyman, a young man by the name of Cessil, to assist him in Torval Hold. However, hardly a sevenday passed in the Hold before Tolly found himself face-to-face with a blue dragon - and not only that, but a dragon that asked him to come to the Weyr as a candidate! Becoming a dragonrider had always been a secret ambition for Tolly, but one he'd never voiced aloud. How could he possibly say no? So the boy's come to the Weyr, and is awaiting the hatching that came from the deceased queen.

[Iskiea]