- "The hardest ones to love are the ones that need it the most."
- ―Atyiru's Creed
- "You need never apologize to me, my friend."
- ―Atyiru to Nath Voth during the battle for Rhelg
Atyiru Araave cannot see. She has no eyes. She has never experienced color, nor seen a joyous, irate, or sorrowful face. But she is far from blind. What she cannot see physically, she perceives mentally, emotionally, and morally. She is empathetic, patient, and understanding because of the sense of responsibility and compassion granted her through her perception. For one so young, she is wise, and where physically weak, she is strong in mind.
Atyiru is cheerful, benevolent, and passionate. When working, she is like a mountain, steadfast and calm; and though slow to anger she is vicious once stirred.
Her purpose is to help, to heal, and to protect, and when she is prevented from reaching these objectives, she will rebel without concern for herself. She cares for all people, and prays for those the wicked would think cruel. Her worry for others often outweighs her worry for herself. However, she remains loyal and respectful of her friends and comrades, and though she may willingly help an enemy, she would never harm one of her allies of her own volition. Atyiru desires only to meet her goals of helping others, and this means increasing her knowledge and her skill. To that end, she is ambitious, greedy, and voracious in her consumption of knowledge, and chases her studies and the wisdom of others with relentless curiosity.
Atyiru Araave is currently a Dark Jedi Knight of House Galeres of Clan Arcona, and Second in Command of the Battleteam Dark Forge.
- To bypass this and find basic, in-depth character information (such as for Run On purposes) see the Out of Character section at the bottom of the page.
Character History
Quiet Beginnings
- "Father, what do the stars look like?"
- "I don't know, Yiru. Everyone views them differently. You're going to have to decide for yourself what you see. "
- ―Atyiru and her father
Atyiru was born on Alpheridies in 11 ABY. She had no siblings, but doting parents. While her father was employed as a farmer on the agricultural planet, her mother was a biochemical engineer, working in laboratories on developing fertilizers, pesticides, and other such compounds.
Atyiru was a little adventurer, intrigued by everything from microorganisms in a culture sample, to climbing the planet's waterfalls and scouring the fields, to simply helping a neighbor with her laundry. Her parents liked to comment that she got her mother's brains and her father's penchant for people and activity.
Atyiru was something of a prodigy child intellectually. She loved to learn and grasped new subjects and material with great ease. Her primary interests were in medicine and aiding others; and so she studied independently until she could be placed in one of the planet's few medical universities at the age of fifteen. She studied there for three and a half years, completing her curriculum, including learning Basic, and going on to spend the next two and a half years working and studying further at a local hospital. Here, she completed her residency and became a practicing general physician at age twenty.
However, Atty found that there was little room for advancement on Alpheridies. Few Miraluka were physicians as it was, and none knew of a Miraluka surgeon, as she aspired to be. Dissatisfied, Atty quickly grew restless, and ultimately decided to leave her homeworld in search of further education, experience, and improvement. Shortly before her twenty-first birthday, she bid her parents goodbye and bought passage on one of the few industrial vessels exporting goods off-planet.
Seeking Something More
- "When I first left home, one of the crewmen aboard the ship called me a silly girl and told me that the galaxy was going to be different than I expected it to be; and I didn't believe him."
- ―Atyiru
Wanderer
Soon after leaving home, Atyiru quickly realized just how sheltered her life had really been. She had witnessed horrendous injury, death, and grief in the hospital, but she had never experienced the cruelty and indifference other people could possess.
On Alpheridies, everyone called each other brother and sister. The people were docile and amicable. There wasn't even a formal military, merely militiamen banding together when the need for a policing force arose; such was not the case in the rest of the galaxy.
Atyiru was made to disembark at her ship's first stop along the Corellian Run, Zham Hlar. There, she was left to her own devices, eventually bartering passage off-world again on another trading vessel in exchange for basic medical services. In this manner, she made her way along the Corellian Run towards Mid Rim and Inner Rim space, hoping ships and doing miscellaneous work.
- "It usually wasn’t hard to gain passage: either mercs wanted someone with basic first aid skills, or merchants wanted someone to stand at their stalls and look pretty in their wares; or, there was this one time when they just wanted the entertainment. Nothing dubious, really, just wanted to watch me dodge things they threw. The no eyes tidbit seemed to amuse."
- ―Atyiru to Nath on her travels
Jack of All Trades
Constantly moving around and interacting with different species and people in this way, Atyiru learned quite a few new things, and absorbed it all like a sponge. Mercenaries taught her how to defend herself; merchants taught her to barter and speak; accountants taught her to write without seeing the letters; politicians taught her how to influence people and walk like she could conquer the world; prostitutes taught her to never underestimate the use of her body; performers taught her to express through her movements and gestures what she couldn't without eyes; and a peculiar ex-military tattoo artist taught her that "illegal" had a loose definition.
Atty's travels were difficult but productive. She stepped out of the realm of scholars and community and spent a year immersed in the various facets of the life the galaxy had to offer. Still, she was a wanderer, and didn't find a solid direction again until she came aboard a smuggling vessel and met a certain Zeltron.
Meeting the Renegade
In 32 ABY, Atyiru boarded a ship named the Paramour. The Paramour was crewed by a motley group of smugglers and pirates calling themselves the Red Ladies, and at their head was a Zeltron woman named Arraas. Arraas, though far from lazy, embodied many of her species' stereotypes: she was promiscuous, uninhibited, saw everything as a challenge, and lived for the thrill. She won the admiration of her crew through her vigorous spirit, unusual dedication, and numerous successes. At the time, the Red Ladies were in search of a doctor to treat one of their sick crew; and when Arraas made her offer, Atty was happy to accept.
Toxicity
- "I love you too, even if I’m selfish. You know that, don’t you Atty? I can’t give you what you give me, and I’m sorry for that...but I do love you."
- ―Arraas to Atyiru
Pirate Queen
The Red Ladies were an eccentric bunch. They could be as vulgar and dangerous as mercenaries but as carefree, spirited, and outright quirky as a circus troop. They were pirates, attacking and robbing other starships, and smugglers, carrying and selling illegal goods and ferrying discrete clients across star systems, all for the right price. They brawled, laughed, danced, drank, and still managed to effectively run a ship, all under their captain's mischievous eye.
Atyiru was distinctly out of place. Hired as a professional and expecting as much, she had little idea what to make of the crew. Even with her many and varied experiences thus far, none had been quite so...loose, not even with the unruliest of mercenary bands. Despite the fact that she was supposed to be treating a patient, crewmembers often tried to pull her away for a game of Pazaak or a round of whiskey. Their captain in particular began to see getting Atty to "live a little" as a game, and pursued the course tenaciously.
Arraas' original tactics centered largely on persuasion and seduction, being so charismatic and, well, a Zeltron. This only seemed to amuse Atyiru, who often gave cool, dismissive retorts and a raised eyebrow in response. Figuring the Miraluka was just the uptight type that would snap if bothered, Arraas began trying to annoy her into submission. However, this too proved futile. Atty seemed unfazed, keeping her peace even when Arraas went as far as to dye her hair green while she slept one night. Eventually, the Zeltron decided to analyze the situation as a battle, observing Atty carefully.
This turned out to be fruitful. Arraas soon noticed that although Atyiru would not abandon her duties to eat regularly, or get some rest, she would tend to other tasks if the crew asked something of her. Deducting that the physician viewed her offers of relaxation as a more selfish respite, she approached Atyiru and asked her to drink with her so that Arraas wouldn't be lonely. To the Zeltron's triumphant delight, it worked, and the two shared a drink and chatted hours away, trading barbs.
- "All this work, just to let me buy you a drink...The sex had better be worth it."
- "Please, Arry dearest. You're going to have to do a lot better than ale to get any of this."
- "Oh, give me a hint at least, you cruel thing."
- "I like Vasarian brandy."
- "Ruthlessly expensive! A woman after my own heart..."
- ―Arraas and Atyiru
To her surprise, Arraas found that she actually enjoyed Atty's company, having previously thought of the Miraluka as a somewhat pretentious buzz-kill. They began to socialize more, becoming good friends, and Atyiru soon integrated into the crew. They treated her much like another sister, and nicknamed her Silver and No-Eyes.
Contrary to their partying attitude were the crew's business deals. They traveled along main trade lines and raided other ships, stealing their cargo or otherwise extorting their money. Oftentimes, the Ladies would stop at various cities and Shadowports to sell and trade wares, conduct deals, or pick up contracts. Atty usually stayed aboard the Paramour, tending any injuries as her crewmates returned.
On one particular trip, however, one of these exploits went sour, and Arraas was badly wounded in the ensuing brawl. Her crew managed to get her back to the ship, where Atyiru in turn managed to save her. However, the Miraluka was terrified by close call. She insisted that she go with Arraas on the rest of her extortions, so that the Zeltron had a physician with her in the field. Arraas agreed, with the stipulation that Atty learn to fight and defend herself.
Although Atyiru already practiced Hapan boxing, Arraas immediately degraded the style as too honest and too soft. She and the crew began teaching Atty a motley mix of Dulon and every other dirty trick and underhanded move they could think of. Noting Atyiru's low physical strength but good hands and good senses, Arraas also endeavored to teach her to shoot. Atty had never considered learning, accounting for her physical blindness, but Arraas insisted that she could navigate a room and pinpoint someone in a crowd better than anyone. The pair spent long hours practicing, and quickly found Atty indeed had a penchant for blasters, particularly for sniping. The crew soon revised her nickname to Sharpshooter.
As her combat skills expanded, Atyiru began running jobs with the rest of her crew. Soon, she was present on nearly every outing, always covering Arraas' back. Atty was only excluded from a few select contracts Arraas occasionally received that she wouldn't speak of; otherwise, the pair was inseparable. Atyiru's adventures as a pirate continued in this manner until the Red Ladies raided another smuggling ship and discovered they were hauling spice.
Glittering Eyes
- "I had two gods...and the spice replaced them both."
- ―Atyiru
Although many of the Paramour's crew used one drug or another, few ingested spice, simply because it was more difficult to come by and usually involved stepping on bigger toes; however, Arraas allowed them to seize the cargo this time, as the product was glitterstim and much rarer to get ahold of. Although Atty was apprehensive, having dealt with spice's detrimental effects in patients, she was encouraged by Arraas' enthusiasm, and decided to try the drug.
- "It's....beautiful. Everything. All of it. So beautiful."
- "I know."
- ―Atyiru and Arraas, the first time Atyiru took glitterstim
Atyiru and Arraas as well as several other crewmembers began to smoke, inject, or otherwise take spice regularly. The majority of the Red Ladies soon expressed a desire to take more spice-centered contracts, and Arraas, who had formerly worked in spice smuggling for the Exchange, called in some of her old contacts. Instead of simply taking whatever operations came their way, the crew entered the spice trade once again.
This decision set the tone for the Red Ladies for the next two years. They operated as a rogue group, taking smaller or otherwise more dangerous jobs and generally trying to avoid either the Exchange or the Hutt Cartel. In the midst of their work, Atyiru and Arraas started a relationship, and continued to use spice. Perhaps inevitably, Atyiru became addicted to the drug, particularly glitterstim, and also began trying other types of drugs. For months, they lived in an aesthetic high, falling in love and embracing their euphoric lifestyle.
Perhaps inevitably, their choices would ultimately demand an equal cost.
Waking Up
- "I can’t Nath. It’s too risky. I was a damned glit-biter, hun, a real bad glitterstim addict. I tried all kinds of spice: Andris, Crash n’ Burn, Neutron Pixie, pyrep, yarrock. Even tried giggledust, once. And besides all that, there were the stimulants and anesthetics too. It took quite the wake up to get me off in the first place. I’m not putting any meds in my body.
- "One painkiller won't make you an addict, Atyiru."
- "Try to understand, my friend. Listen to me for a moment. Close your eyes. Imagine your world. Everything you care about. Picture all the things you like to do, your favorite books, your favorite training session, your favorite food, perhaps. Picture your achievements, your proudest moment in the Clan, your greast accomplishments, all the degrees and medals you just feel good displaying. Picture the people you care about, your friends, your brothers and sisters, the face of your lover, your parents. Picture your gods, if you've any, your connection to the Force, your sense of life. Imagine all of it...and now replace it with the pill in your hand right now. That pill is worth more than all of it. That's what addiction is. And it doesn't go away. It sits right there on your shoulder, right there for the rest of your life. Every day it tells you you've been good, and it's okay to do it again, just one time, and then you'll stop. It's always there, whispering, telling me to take what you're offering me. And it's so hard not to."
- ―Atyiru to Nath Voth on taking pain medication for her wounds
It was in 35 ABY, during Atyiru’s third year as part of the Red Ladies, when the consequences of their actions finally caught up with them. The Ladies had cultivated enough business in the spice smuggling industry to be considered an annoyance to the Exchange. When the group’s information brokers brought back word of who the Paramour's captain was, the situation only worsened. Arraas had left on bad terms, stealing thousands in cargo and hijacking one of their starships after she was caught embezzling credits from the gang. Determined on ending her operation and punishing her appropriately, the Exchange sent one of their many bounty hunters after Arraas.
The crew of the Paramour was relaxing at one of their favorite hubs, Port Haven, when the bounty hunter tracked them down. Paid to inflict as much pain as possible before killing Arraas, he began observing the crew and made note of her and Atyiru's relationship. A few days later, shortly before the Red Ladies were to leave the Shadowport, Atyiru was abducted while restocking on medical supplies.
Arraas was alerted to her capture, and then Atyiru was taken to Exchange-controlled Nar Shaddaa, orbiting Nal Hutta. During the trip from the Outer Rim to the Mid Rim, Atyiru was tortured with multiple whippings to her back. Weak from the abuse and withdrawal symptoms, her health quickly deteriorated. Arraas was periodically sent holos of Atyiru's capture in order to bait her to Nar Shaddaa and torment her psychologically.
In the end, it wasn't Arraas or her crew that rescued Atyiru, but the respective efforts of Nath Voth and a particularly benevolent Jedi.
At the time of Atyiru's imprisonment on Nar Shaddaa, Nath Voth was also on the moon, then working as a mercenary. She was hired to recover Atty by the Red Ladies and posed as one of Atyiru's guards. Force-sensitive herself, the Zabrak could sense Atyiru strongly, and was moved to aid her despite the questionable nature of the job. She killed the bounty hunter holding Atyiru captive, and broke Atyiru free during her own guard shift. Afterwards, she began treatment of Atyiru's wounds; and she is likely the only reason the Miraluka survived.
Meanwhile, a Jedi woman returning to Coruscant with several Force-sensitive children noted the presence of two indivudals strong in the Force on Nar Shaddaa. Furthermore, she sensed Atyiru's Force weakening, and went to recover her. She briefly confronted Nath before the Iridonian left the scene to attend to a more pressing and profitable matter. After being found, Atyiru was taken to Coruscant for further medical treatment. The Jedi also contacted Arraas after accessing the bounty hunter's communication logs, and the Zeltron hurried to Coruscant after them.
Atyiru awoke in a hospital on Coruscant, with Arraas at her side. The Zeltron informed her of what had happened and explained that the wounds on her back had been too severe to be treated completely, even with Force healing. Upon inspection, Atyiru found her back and arms covered in welts of scar tissue. Arraas seemed horrified and guilt-ridden by the events, apologizing profusely to Atty and telling her she would never see her again; however Atyiru wouldn't hear of it, and the two argued for hours on the topic.
- "I’ll always love you, Arraas. I don’t care about these wounds, or the scars. I don’t care what it costs me to stand by your side. Anything. Anything to live and love with you."
- "Even your life? Atyiru, you beautiful, karking selfless idiot! You always say you'd do anything for me. Do this now: get away from me. Please. Do whatever you want! Go explore, or open up a clinic, or stay here and become a Jedi! I know you could. The woman that saved you said you were strong enough. Just get away from me, Atyiru. I love you, and I can't watch you die because of me. I can't have that on me."
- ―Atyiru and Arraas fight over continuing their relationship
In the end, Arraas' pleas won out. The couple agreed to separate, although promising to remain friends and send messages occasionally. Atyiru bid her and the rest of her pirate family goodbye, deciding to stay on Conruscant and attempt to enter the Jedi Order. With a head clearer than it had been in years, a heavy heart, and a new phobia of whips to match her scars, Atyiru began her brief tenure among the Jedi, rallying around the goal of becoming a healer.
The Jedi Order
- "I'd memorized the Code and inscribed it into a small part of my soul before everything with the Order had fallen to pieces. Many of the Jedi ideals, I’d agreed with; but many I had not. That Code was ugly. It was inexorable and ruthless, unwilling to adapt or see reason. They asked me to sacrifice myself, my life, my companionship, and my happiness; and I had, willingly. But then they asked me for my heart. For my caring and my passion. They condemned my spirit and devotion to others even as they asked me for it. Too much, they’d said. Too much. And all I could think was, 'How dare they?'"
- ―Atyiru on the Jedi Code and her time with the Order
Ambition
Despite her age, Atyiru was inducted into the Order as an Initiate, on the good word of the Jedi woman who'd saved her. Her rank was more of a formality, while her superiors found a Master that would take her. In the interim, Atyiru threw herself into her studies, amazed by the wealth of knowledge the Order possessed in its halls. She was fascinated by the Jedi healing techniques and wanted to become a Jedi healer. Atyiru became employed at one of Coruscant's medcenters while she waited, observing procedures, treating non-Jedi patients, and completing an accelerated surgical rotation. She and Arraas communicated regularly, sharing stories of their achievements and generally calling upon one another when a friend was needed.
For awhile, Atyiru was happy, and flourished within the Order as her knowledge and skill expanded. She was free to grow and learn as she pleased, until a Master was found for her. Atty was put through her Initiate Trials and made a Padawan under the tutelage of her new Master, Jedi Knight Scopian Teticth.
Disillusion
Atyiru's Master was an older Human, insipid and not keen on teaching. He found her eagerness rash, and spent most of his time trying to reign Atyiru in as the Miraluka chased her ambitions. Atyiru began to feel disillusioned, worried her goals would never come to fruition and angry that her efforts thus far might have been for nothing.
Growing restless with this stunted learning, Atyiru went back to teaching herself when she wasn't attending to the duties her Master assigned her. She observed other Padawans training, stole texts from the library, and generally spent as much time evading her Master as she did learning from others.
As she began putting skills into practice he hadn't taught her, Scopian became unhappy and dismissed Atyiru as his Apprentice. He gave her two options: either beg for another Master in the Order, or leave. When Atyiru approached the the Council on the matter, they urged her to consider if she was suited to the Knight's Order and to consider a more administrative position.
Desertion
The Council's suggestions infuriated Atyiru. She left the Council Chamber in an outrage and went back to her quarters, where she called Arraas. By the next day, Atyiru was at Coruscant's ports, boarding the Paramour once more and fleeing the Order.
Crucible
- "I let her go. She begged me to let her go, and I loved her enough to do it. I let her go..."
- ―Atyiru to Arraas' mother on her daughter's fate
Regression
Coming back to the Paramour was both a pitfall and a homecoming for Atyiru. The Red Ladies welcomed her back with open arms, and Atyiru was happier than she'd been in months. However, it was a tainted sort of happiness. Arraas held herself apart from Atyiru, seemingly afraid to do more than speak with her. Worse, the Ladies still ran their spice smuggling operations, although they had toned it down quite a bit since the bounty hunter incident.
Every moment aboard the ship was an internal battle for Atyiru. She sequested herself away in her cabin more often than not simply to avoid her drug of choice. Even her medical services weren't required, as the crew had found themselves another doctor while she was away. Atyiru remained largely distant from the going-ons, and the crew began to view her with an air of aloofness, thinking that they weren't good enough for her anymore now that she'd been to the Order. Atty became estranged from her old friends, growing lonely and despondent.
Arraas, noticing how miserable Atyiru seemed, decided to stop fooling around and just reconnect with the Miraluka. It went unspoken between them that they still loved each other, and the two decided to resume their relationship, if tentatively. Atyiru attempted to integrate back into the crew, with mild success; and whenever she felt the urge to take spice, she touched the scars on her back, and went off to meditate instead.
For a time, there was a very precarious balance.
The End
In a classically tragic show of karmic justice, the Red Ladies met their demise at the hands of another group of pirates and slavers. The Paramour was attacked along the Corellian Run, and found themselves outgunned and outmaneuvered. A raiding party boarded the ship, ransacking the cargo and seizing all their spice, killing most of the crew, and abducting the survivors to be sold as slaves.
The captain of the Red Ladies wasn't one to surrender easily, however. Arraas fought her captors every step of the way, until she was beaten bloody and thrown in with the rest of her imprisoned crew. Atyiru, accostumed to thinking in crisis situations, remained calm and treated Arraas' wounds as best she could while formulating a plan with her crewmates.
Atyiru used her limited Telekinesis abilities to knock their guard unconscious with his own blaster, stealing the keys to their bindings off his body. Securing Arraas, Atty and the rest of the crew made their way to the cargo hold where they recovered their belongings and weapons; then, they attempted to seize control of the ship. In the ensuing chaos, Atyiru periodically "blacked out". When she awoke a final time, she found the last of pirate crew and her own crewmates dead around her.
Making her way carefully to the bridge, Atty found only a pilot, a navigator, and a handful of deckhands alive. She ordered them to plot a course to Coruscant and went back to the hold in search of Arraas.
The Zeltron was in terrible shape when Atyiru found her. In pain from her wounds and delirious from her withdrawal symptoms, Arraas was nearly out of her mind. The Zeltron was a much worse spice addict than Atyiru had been, and her body was shutting down without the drug. Arraas was so afflicted that once she realized Atyiru was with her, she begged the Miraluka to kill her.
- "Please, Atty. Please, I’m begging you, please, make it stop. Make it stop. Do it, please!"
- ―Arraas pleading with Atyiru
Atyiru was appalled and refused vehemently, knowing Arraas was delirious and in shock. She abhorred the idea of letting someone you loved go, if you truly loved them. To Atyiru, ltting go was senseless, weak, and stupid. Letting go was giving up. It wasn’t mercy or compassion. It was submission instead of fighting for what was and would always be worth fighting for.
- "You need never apologize to me, dear. I would do anything for you. Whatever you need. Whatever you need."
- ―Atyiru to Arraas, at an earlier date
But Arraas kept pleading. She reminded Atyiru of all the promises she'd ever made her, and demanded action. Promises and responsibility. Anguish beyond words. Depthless love and dedication. Atyiru cared. She’d always cared. Always and forever she’d care. And caring meant mercy. It shouldn’t. It should be idiotic and desperate, not noble. An arm of hatred, not love. But Atyiru cared, and loved, and so she would show mercy.
Atyiru had recovered Arraas' favorite blaster from their stolen cargo, and used it then to execute her. Afterwards, she gathered up all her crewmates corpses and those of the pirates, and had the ship stop at an unnamed moon. There, she cremated all the bodies and spaced the spice and the rest of the dangerous cargo before continuing on to Coruscant.
Letting Go
When they reached Coruscant, Atyiru allowed the remaining pirates to go free. She went to the Temple and formally resigned from the Jedi Order. Then, she left again.
Her next stop was Zeltros. There, she located Arraas' sole surviving family member, her mother, and informed her of her daughter's death and the circumstances surrounding it. Atyiru and Arraas' mother parted on good terms of mutual grief, and Atty moved on.
Atyiru went back to wandering for a time. She ran a few stints with mercs, worked in a few clinics, and even considered going back home to see her parents, and settle down. But she was restless, and so she continued aimlessly through the galaxy without purpose.
Moving On
- "...perhaps so, but you did not leave me to the void. My life is yours. Thanks for this is irrefutable, beyond the turmoil of your doubt. Words are unneeded in the void. You bring light, Bright Sister."
- ―Atyiru addressing Nath Voth, delirious from pain at the time
In the end, it was a face from the past that provided Atyiru with a new future. Atty and Nath Voth encountered each other once again by chance.
Nath was on her first shore leave since joining he Brotherhood, shortly after the Krayiss II campaign. At the time, Atyiru was transitioning between jobs aboard a spaceport. Sensing Nath's presence and recognizing her as the "Bright Sister" that had saved her two years prior, she went to investigate.
Although Nath was a bit paranoid at first, she remembered Atyiru, and the two had a long talk. Recounting what had happened to her after Nath left, Atty revealed her failed attempt as a Jedi. Nath, in turn, suggested a new solution to chase her ambitions: become a Dark Jedi. Join the Brotherhood. Although her offer was hesitant, Atyiru was intrigued, and accepted. When Nath returned to the Brotherhood thereafter, she brought Atyiru with her to begin her training.
Brotherhood Activity
Lights in the Void
- "It was all very arbitrary, to be honest, because I didn’t care much where I ended up. I was wandering. Only the slightest reason was needed. But I'm glad I'm here. I'll forever be glad for coming here."
- ―Atyiru on joining the Brotherhood
Into the Midst of Chaos
- "Use that pain. Meditate on it, harness it, and use it against your enemies. We have a high turnover. Death is a part of what we do. Don’t let it eat you away."
- "It's not death. It's loss. So much loss. And I don't know how to stand it."
- ―Nath Voth and Atyiru discuss their wartime duties
The Brotherhood was a new chance and a new home for Atyiru. After so much drifting, she'd finally found somewhere to settle again. Although the power-hungry, self-centered, and sometimes harsh environment of the Brotherhood was an odd place for someone of Atyiru's character, she was still glad to be there. She threw herself into her studies at the Shadow Academy and began training her Force abilities as much as possible.
Very quickly, she graduated, and took her first steps into the Brotherhood as a Apprentice. She joined House Galeres of Clan Arcona, and soon found a place on Nath Voth's Battleteam, Dark Forge. Atyiru and Nath began training together, assisting each other where they lacked in respective combat skills and becoming friends by virtue of Atty's patience.
It was soon after this, however, that the Dark Crusade resumed its fervor, and the Battle for Rhelg began. Shortly after Atyiru became a Novice, her Clan entered into the conflict over the contested planet. The Crusade had all of the Brotherhood in upheavel, and although she was of a lowly rank, her Battleteam was deployed planet-side to fight, and Atyiru was quickly swept into the madness.
Despite having seen many deaths and experienced much professional and personal loss throughout her life, Atyiru had never been involved in war. She was not prepared for the carnage.
The Battle for Rhelg
The icy, alpine tundra of Rhelg would be a proving ground for Atyiru. The mass death and bloodshed of war around her was horrible, yet she had little time to focus on her deteriorating mentality. There was always another skirmish to fight, an area to scout, or an artifact to recover; and like everything else she involved herself in, Atyiru went to the task with dedication and ambition higher than many expected. She made the service of her Clan her beacon, what she strived to in order to survive the war and get out whole and sound.
Throughout it all, she never allowed herself the detachment from death or desensitization to killing that many soldiers developed in order to cope. She made a point of remembering those she killed, those that died around her, and those she couldn't save. On the battlefield, she treated enemies as well as allies for their injuries, although their later fate was questionable. Rather than harm her, this approach actually preserved her, both physically and psychologically.
- "When you've had to kill someone you care for, you will understand why many of us are as cold as we are..."
- "I have killed someone I cared for. She asked me to put a gun to her head, and I did, because it was mercy to her, no matter what it was to me. But I won't allow myself that detachment. I'm going to keep caring. I couldn't bear it otherwise."
- ―Nath and Atyiru discuss the act of killing
Atty, a sorrowful killer
Recognition and Scarring
- "...death is emotional agony to all Miraluka. Every life extinguished is a literal part of our world swallowed into darkness; like the ground falling out from under your feet. Mass tragedies, wars, and genocide are always felt by our people; and if you witness it around you, you could be rendered catatonic from the mental trauma. It's...awful."
- ―Atyiru to Nath, describing her people's weaknesses
Atyiru's earnest and extensive service on Rhelg impressed many of her superiors. As the battle grew to an end and the planet was claimed by Arcona, Atty was given a double field promotion from Acolyte to Guardian. By the time she left Rhelg behind, Atyiru was more experienced, stronger, wiser, and more scarred.
While her wounds healed, Atty had to determine whether or not she could continue to serve. The mass amounts of violence and loss were hard on her; yet she had a purpose within the Brotherhood. And moreover, she had developed friendships and relationships, finding a new family among her Clan. Atyiru's desire to stay by the side of the people she loved was once more paramount over her misgivings, and with that in mind, she went about her duties, fervently preparing for the next stage of the war.
Soldier
- "To those lost, but never gone; and to fine company."
- ―Atyiru toasting a glass of Tihaar with Nath Voth after the Rhelg campaign
Presently, Atyiru is one face among many soldiers, fighting for her loved ones, her Clan, and for the overall betterment of the Brotherhood. She continues to remember the fallen, celebrate the victories achieved, and cherish the quiet, happy moments amidst it all. She also continues to advance in skill and rank, her thirst for knowledge never sated and her sights set on becoming a true asset to her brethren.
Personality
- "People are my stars. They're all the meaning I know."
- ―Atyiru
Personality
Atyiru is a very calm, steadfast, honest person. She tends to be stubborn but logical and contemplative. She possesses a quick wit and loves humor, and is very respectful and friendly towards others. Atyiru is compassionate, empathetic, highly intuitive. She takes responsibilities very seriously and is a hardworking person. It would be prudent to compare her to a mist-shrouded mountain: cool, supportive, enduring, yet also cheerful and full of life.
However, she isn't a saint. Again like a mountain, she can be slow to anger, but erupts violently when pressed. She utterly despises personal failure, or feeling helpless. If it is out of her ability to do something, she will accept the loss and move on; but if she is somehow prevented from acting when she could have, she will become frustrated.
Atyiru's approach to nearly all situations largely involves active listening and diplomacy. She does not like violence or brutality, and would not retaliate against an attacker unless her life or that of another's was in danger. Should she be driven to combat, she will fight ruthlessly and with surgical precision and lethality; however, she will spare an opponent should they surrender.
Her purpose in life is to heal, and to gain knowledge. She is passionate about helping others and learning. She wants to expand on all her knowledge and skills, both in medicine, the Force, combat, and educational topics. The single most important thing to her are her loved ones. She will sacrifice anything of herself that she needs to for them.
If Atyiru were to be summed up in one word, it would be: halcyon.
For more, detailed information on Atyiru's character, see the Out of Character section below.
Understanding Herself...
Atyiru has a very strong internal locus of control. She believes that she and she alone is responsible for her actions and their consequences. To that end, perhaps her greatest ambition is to achieve a complete understanding of herself, and from there, progress to understand other people as best she can.
Like many of her people, Atyiru also believes in philosophy of The Greater Force and worships the two gods Ashla and Bogan that represent the two, balancing aspects of the Force. That is, the Light and Dark Side respectively. She does not view the world as black and white or good and evil, but as a mix of both. In her mind, the galaxy is gray.
...and Others
To that extent, she also believes that the only individual she can ever completely understand is herself. She can attempt to empathize, but never fully will. This is a contributing factor to what makes her so open-minded: the philosophy that she cannot judge others, only herself. Any decisions another person makes are theirs, and she respects them.
Skills/Training/Fighting Style
- "'If I must kill, I will kill. I believe, however, that life is more precious than anything. I would give my own to preserve it."
- ―Atyiru discussing her skills with Nath Voth
Combat
Atyiru's primary combat skills are defensive and supportive, revolving around being able to pick off enemies, dodge, take a hit, and if necessary, shield a victim in a combat zone. She uses mainly blasters, but specializes in longblaster shooting. When dealing with living targets, particularly Force-users, her aim is impeccable; but when shooting for inorganic or non-living targets, she finds the task much more difficult. This is because she sees with Force-sight, and non-living objects appear transparent in her "vision", while living things radiate Force in varying levels that she can perceive.
- Atyiru was taught to shoot by Arraas, but naturally has an affinity for it with her steady hands and "vision". During her time with the Red Ladies, her friends called her Sharpshooter.
Atyiru practices Hapan-style boxing as well as Dulon and the dirtiest forms of street fighting, also courtesy of her pirate days. Besides her skills with a blaster, Atyiru can also wield a vibroshiv. Her usage of such stems primarily from her surgical and anatomical expertise, and while her knowledge is lethal, she rarely uses a dagger in combat. Once in the Brotherhood, she began to learn Knifist, Jeswandi and Shadow Fist as well.
Although Nath has been trying to teach her swordplay and improve her offensive physical combat skills, they are still lacking.
BlasTech A280 Rifle
Atyiru is very flexible and has excellent fine motor control. She's good at dodging and generally weaving around her enemies, and has some oddball acrobatic moves in her repertoire honed from her days exploring her home world. She also has unusually high pain tolerance, and can roll with quite a few punches, although she's by no means a brick wall.
Atty's preferred weaponry includes her blasters, a SoroSuub ELG-3A and a DL-18, for short-range use, and her BlasTech A280 longblaster for sniping. She usually keeps a single Punch-Dagger on her person for explicit emergencies, though it doesn't see much use.
Medical
Atyiru is a licensed general physician, a licensed ER physician, and licensed a trauma surgeon. Though she does not have training from a formal regime, she spent three years as a medic in hostile situations and possesses a combat medic's skills. Her equipment generally includes a standard emergency medical kit, a specialized field medic kit, and miscellaneous other tools or supplies needed for various situations.
- Contrary to popular belief, she can perform all her health care duties despite not having eyes, thank you very much.
Appearance/Attire
- "I smile so much for one reason alone: smiling expresses joy. That bit of kindness...whatever I can give...Well, it makes perfect sense to me."
- ―Atyiru
Appearance
Of an average height for her race and slight, lean frame, Atyiru isn't particularly intimidating in stature. Her body shape is something of a thin hourglass, with her hips and shoulders being about the same width. This makes her waist more well-defined. Her bust is average-sized, but appears more pronounced on her tinier frame. Her arms are somewhat muscled from her work lifting, turning, and carrying patients and performing CPR. She practices some boxing techniques to maintain that arm strength. While it's fairly obvious, however, that physical strength isn't Atyiru's strongest suit, she is by no means diminutive or forgettable. What her physical presence lacks in certain areas is taken up by others: the eyeless sockets and the wraps masking them more than lend to a certain disconcerting aura.
Atyiru's skin is a pale, rosy copper, decorated with bright paints and, over her arms and back, thin lines of scar tissue. Her wild, wavy hair is a shining shade of platinum tumbling down past her waist. She has no eyes, simply sockets that she covers in blithe, festive wraps of cloth. Her fingers are deft and steady, and she puts them to use in managing her hair. She loves to braid it, usually intricately, because the action is very tactile; and she can spend hours doing so.
For casual purposes, she puts it in one long, simple braid down her back. In the field, it is tightly coiled against her scalp. If she is feeling particularly carefree (or lazy) she will leave it free. Similarly to her braiding, she loves to apply paint to her skin. She uses materials that don't stain or irritate her skin but that are also pretty durable. Color doesn't matter here so much as that she paints whatever she feels like painting, wherever. Usually, the designs will reflect her inner state of mind.
Attire
For the most part, Atyiru can be found either wearing a medic's uniform or some assortment of cloth from her wardrobe. She dresses mainly for practicality and comfort and always wears layers so that she can adjust to multiple environments throughout the day, whether she's onboard a station or planet-side. She loves to wears her favorite hooded, turquoise cloak. Most of her clothing is some shade of yellow, blue, or brown, her favorite colors, although her favorite colors aren't so much her favorite colors (being blind and all) so much as her favorite things: the feel of sunlight, water, and earth under her toes. Atyiru gets cold very easily, so she tends towards heavier clothing. However, if in a warm environment, she will run around barefoot in nothing but a shoulder-baring top and shorts. She is very finicky about being comfortable in her clothing, but function will always trump appearance.
Atyiru chooses to be very expressive in her eye coverings, and prefers cloth wraps over more ornate headgear. She uses many boldly colored and patterned wraps, and is always on the hunt for more. Unable to actually see color or design, she simply asks vendors for the boldest and gaudiest cloth they have. Generally, Atyiru only uses one or two strips of cloth as a blindfold; however, she will sometimes wrap her whole head, except for her mouth and nose. The look can be a bit odd, but has its uses in psychological warfare.
Atty's only tattoo. It reads: Bold Beyond Fury, Brave Beyond Pain
Distinguishing Features
Atyiru's back is covered in thin, raised wheals of scar tissue from several whippings. She has one tattoo, a small block of four horizontal bars on the outside of her upper left thigh. It was done by aforementioned ex-military tattoo artist. Having no idea what text to put in the design, she simply told him to do whatever he liked. His response to "tell it likes he sees it". The writing, done in Basic, says:
- Bold Beyond
- Fury
- Brave Beyond
- Pain
All the other colorful patterns on her skin are done in body paint, and generally change day-to-day.
Relationships
- "You're a part of my world now...to me, it's as simple as that."
- ―Atyiru
Nath Voth
- "You need never apologize to me. You will never offend me. Anything you tell me, you tell me in complete confidence; and not a word will go beyond us. My friends are most precious to me. The oath I make to you now supersedes even my morality and my oath as a physician. You can trust me, Nath."
- ―Atyiru to Nath Voth
Nath was not only Atyiru's rescuer during her captivity, but also the person that brought her into the Brotherhood as well as the first person there Atyiru became close to. The Battleteam Leader of Dark Forge at the time of Atty's joining, the two saw quite a bit of each other throughout the Rhelg campaign and aboard the BAC Darkest Night. They built on their shared history and beecame fast friends, and are often found training, meditating, or studying together when not attending to their respective duties.
Nath usually visits Atyiru in the med bay once a day to get some minor injury or another tended to about as often as to chat.
Being highly intuitive, Atyiru tends to notice things about Nath that the reticent Zabrak would rather have left unknown. Despite her knowledge, Atyiru largely keeps silent, respecting Nath's wish for privacy. Even with all the unsaid things between them, the women are like sisters, and would go to any lengths for each other, regardless of concern for themselves or for their duties.
Fet'ai'narun
- "When you learn with me, you learn with me. We learn together. I firmly believe that a student is also there to teach. If you can understand these things and accept them, I think we shall do splendidly."
- ―Fet'ai'narun addressing Atyiru upon their introduction as Master and Apprentice
Fet'ai'narun is Atyiru's Master. Both advocates of equanimity, empathy, and the protection of others, Etain and Atyiru found kindred spirits in one another. Although both of them have led emotionally turbulent lives, they have both grown from their experiences, and have a generally more optimistic outlook than most. Their Master-Apprentice relationship is quite dynamic, both of them acting as teacher and student. Along with this role, they are also good friends. Although Etain tends to be more reticent, Atyiru is very blithe in her affections, and tends to view her Master as something of an older sister. When feeling mischievous, the duo can be quite the pair of diabolical little imps, particularly where Marick is concerned.
Kalon Dane
- "I can't really explain it. Just...follow what your heart tells you, and you'll always be Arconan in my eyes."
- ―Kalon Dane to Atyiru
Atyiru was introduced to Kalon through their mutual friend, Nath. Despite the enormous differences in their personalities, the two formed a cordial friendship. Somewhere between Kalon's frequent stays in the med bay for one disastrous injury or another, and Atyiru's concerned visits to the hangar bay, the pair developed an interest in one another. Currently, they are involved in a romantic relationship.
- "Then I'm yours, for as long as you'll have me. Whatever you need, I'm yours."
- ―Atyiru to Kalon on their relationship
Kalon and Atyiru also ended up as the Commander and Second-in-Command of Dark Forge, respectively. According to Ceth, she balances Kalon's "Mandalorianess" well.
The Big Guys
By some horrible, likely drunken lapse in judgment on their part, Atyiru managed to draw the attention of the upper echelon of her Clan. After her outstanding efforts on Rhelg, she began to communicate more and more with her Consul, Proconsul, and Aedile, and her respect and reverence for them soon took on a more amiable facet.
Wuntila Arconae
- " People often don't appreciate that their authority figures, in whatever volume they may be, need to be ruthless as much as they need to be kind. They're in a position of power and have to accommodate the responsibilities that come with that. Nothing is simple, happy, or clearly defined. Regulating people means time, effort, and hassle. Leaders such as you and Marick deserve respect even if you make detrimental decisions and even when the orders you give are difficult. Respect, if only because you're taking on responsibility for others. Few can without crumbling."
- ―Atyiru to her Consul Wuntila Arconae
Whenever her Consul does something for her, regardless of how insignificant, Atyiru makes a point of hunting him down and thanking him for it. She respects him immensely and is humbled by the interactions they have with one another. She appreciates his brutal and inexorable methods even if she may disagree with such unyielding behavior, and strives to be an asset to Arcona as he is. Aside from her general attitude of courteousy, Atyiru is also friendly, and occasionally teases her Consul.
Marick Arconae
- " I'd tell you to smile more, but I suspect it may actually kill you. So, carry on."
- ―Atyiru teasing her Proconsul Marick Arconae
Atyiru managed to earn the respect of her male chauvinistic Proconsul with her efforts on Rhelg. Her politeness and respect towards the stoic Hapan made for a cordial, if cool camaraderie. However, as with Wuntila, Atyiru eventually became more genial in her interactions with Marick, particularly in her continued efforts to get him to crack a smile. They share a certain extremely dry humor, and get along fairly well as far as Atty's concerned. But despite her impish taunting of the man, Atyiru greatly admires Marick, and aspires to be as beloved by and useful to their fellow Arconans as he is.
Marick has also endeavored to teach Atyiru Soresu, as he is a master of the form. Their sessions can be summed up in the word: dodge.
Cethgus Tiberius Entar Arconae
- "By the Force, his name is a mouthful. But let's add more, anyways. That's a brilliant idea."
- ―Atyiru to Nath on Cethgus' further promotion, after the Rhelg campaign
- "Yes, yes, lurking in the shadows with the glowsticks. I'm terrified. Really."
- ―Atyiru in response to Cethgus' aggravation
Again, much like her views towards Wun and Marick, Cethgus receives a mixed bag of respect and impenitence from Atyiru. Although originally respectful of and even intimdated by his bestial reputation, Atty's smarmy side soon took over. Her typically gracious demeanor dissolves around the cold, proud Zabrak in particular, and she will taunt him constantly. She'll still use his full name and title, aware of how bothered he'd be otherwise, but generally, anything else is fair game.
Outstanding Achievements
- Was awarded a double field promotion, from Acolyte to Guardian, for her service in the battle for Rhelg.
- Kicked from IRC four consecutive times in less than an hour by Sam, Wally, Mark, and Stu for her fond trolling. Is currently shooting for five.
Trivia
- Known as Atyiru, Atty, Abbey, Aberton, and Jailbait on IRC/G+.
- Refers to Marick as Marry, MP, Puppy, and Pup on IRC. Refers to Wun as Sammy, Sammyboo (like Scooby-doo...anyone?), and Two-Socks.
Out of Character
Writing Atyiru
Key Factors
A few basic, crucial points to understanding and possibly writing Atyiru:
- Unconditional love and unconditional positive regard: Regardless of what you are, where you come from, or who you are, Atyiru will be kind to you and focus on your better qualities. You could be anything from an innocent child to a sadistic murder and she will still appreciate you for any decent aspect of your character, be it passion for something, confidence, whatever.
- Mercy: Goes right along with the above. It is a rare thing that Atyiru can be hurt so badly that she can sincerely reject someone. Her life's creed is, "You need never apologize to me". This means that no matter what, she will still treat you well. There is no need to ask for forgiveness: she will see no action against her as a wrong. Her sight is merciful.
- A Physician: Atyiru is a medic. First and foremost, this means three things: holistic care, critical thinking, and professionalism.
- Holistic care
- is defined as providing care for the physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing of a patient. This means that Atyiru views all aspects of an individual whenever she interacts with them, not simply patients Furthermore, her concern is not just about stopping the bleeding; but also about ensuring an individual is stable, happy, and connected, to the best of her ability.
- Critical thinking
- is the ability to reason abstractly, analyze any given situation, adapt to new factors, and chose the best solution to a problem at the time, even when multiple solutions are correct. Atyiru employs this sort of mentality both on the field and in day-to-day life, in every situation she encounters. She is never simply arriving at a single solution, but many that may change in seconds.
- Professionalism
- speaks for itself. Atyiru has invested her life and her career in the care for the wounded, sick, and healthy. She treats her patients with respectful, detached amiability until she can build a rapport with them. On the battlefield, she is efficient, collected, and follows the basic rules of conduct for such situations: form a triage, treat the most severely injured first, and if there is nothing to be done for a patient, move on immediately to the next. She is very familiar with death and dying and accepts loss better than most. This also means that despite how much she may want to help, if someone does not want it, she is obligated to refrain. She will offer assistance, advice, and her opinion, but will allow the individual to determine the course of action from there. If they seem tentative, she will continue to offer encouragement and aid; but if someone outright tells her to desist, she will.
- Sight: Atyiru is physically blind, but she sees as all Miralukas do, through Force-sight. Unlike many of her brethren, though, her connection to the Force is extremely strong. As a result, she can "perceive" people more profoundly than simply "seeing" their Force-aura, to the point that she could be called an Empath is one wished. Although this is not quite accurate, the general idea applies. Atyiru is extremely perceptive and intuitive. She senses even slight shifts in emotion easily and reacts accordingly.
- Passion: Contrary to the the calmer facet of her personality, Atyiru is also passionate. This is perhaps her defining characteristic in its most basic sense: she cares. She cares about people, about her goals, about dreams and ambitions, about the future, about philosophy and knowledge, about everything. And most of all, she cares for her loved ones.
- The people Atyiru loves mean absolutely everything to her. She will sacrifice anything of herself for them, be it her physical wellbeing, her morality, her integrity, her mental and emotional stability, her loyalty to a group, anything that is hers to give. If something or someone threatens the people she cares about, she will defend them no matter what. She will defy her conscious, lie without a thought, throw herself in front of a blaster bolt, anything. Her character is almost paradoxical in that who she is centers around loving these people, but at the same time she will contradict everything she is for them. It's both her most selfish and selfless trait.
The Good
Atyiru is likely one of the kindest people you'll ever meet. It's kinda freaky how nice she is...like disturbing. Not really that creepy smiling neighbor type, just more of people tend to find themselves wondering how she can be so...positive. It's unusual, and depending on how receptive your character is to "niceness" and how accustomed they are to such, they may react differently to Atty.
Atty's also honest to a fault. If she tells you something, makes an observation, or otherwise compliments you, she's being completely truthful; or that is to say, informing you of exactly how she sees things. She's aware that her reality isn't going to be the same as yours; but she's sincere about what she's saying. The only time you'll see her lie is to keep a friend safe (see above).
She's a cheery little thing. Kinda goes along with the kind bit. Always trying to encourage people, or get a smile, or make a joke. Laughter is medicine and smiling soothes the soul, in her opinion. Atty is almost always smiling, whether gently, mischievously, or hugely. That isn't to say she doesn't have her serious moments, as when working or discussing grave matters, but she tries to be optimistic even in such situations.
...and the Bad
If it's not obvious, well, here it is: Atyiru's biggest fault is probably her complete lack of self-preservation. It's almost more frustrating that she's not doing it stupidly, either: she's completely and fully aware of the detrimental effect her actions can have on her. And I mean fully. Like, she'll sit down and think about the pros and cons of, say, committing insubordination by defending a traitor from her superiors. And every time, it's going to weigh one of two ways: either she'd definitely do it, even if it would get her killed; OR she'd stay her hand if she felt she couldn't risk her own life because someone else needed it more. That is, if she felt adhering to that compassion would cause someone she loved pain, such as Nath.
That being said, her altruism is not without fault. In that recess of the subconscious that no one likes to look at, she knows that her motives go deeper than compassion and love. She's just as twisted and human (if you will) as everyone else.
- "You would throw your life away for another's at a second's notice, girl. You would die for another and be grateful to them for it; because then you'd have done your good deed and be able to stop. Stop fighting the hate and the anger and spite inside you. Stop fighting through all the ungratefulness, all the arrogant faces turned up at your generosity and the hard hands against your kindness. You could be a good little girl and not have to try any longer. There's no other way for you to rest, not one allowed by your precocious creed. You can't spurn these awful people, you can't leave them because of their darkness, abuse, and indifference. You care too much. You can't desert the few who actually do notice you. You care too much. You want them, you want to be needed. But you're tired, as passion eventually fails you, and you yearn for the respite only a noble death could give."
- ―Atyiru's "alternate self" from her Trial of Spirit
Atyiru at her absolute worst is cold and unfeeling, letting her detachment consumer her. While she aceepts that side of herself, she fears ever falling into such emptiness.
- "You may be right. You may be right about me and how lonely, scared, and pathetic I am; but I am me and my faults don’t detract from that. They add to it I’m me! I’m me and I’m proud, and caring, and passionate! The part of me that wants to be frozen and callous and ruthless like you, that is the wicked part of me. The part of me that wants to just surrender, be selfish, apathetic, and untouchable, that is my weakness. I know it’s there! I know! How could I not know myself? I know and I accept her; but I have overcome those doubts and that leniency! I am more than that! There is more to me! And I will not be silenced."
- ―Atyiru in reply to her "alter" from her Trial of Spirit
Dialogue and Sayings
Being educated as she is, Atyiru tends to speak in a literate and polite manner. However, being a doctor, she's used to fluctuating a lot in her speech patterns. Her vocabulary will change based on who she is speaking to, full of medical terminology around her colleagues but in various layman's terms when speaking to patients. In general, she tends to be very formal when meeting new people, polite with everyone else, and relaxed/cursing like a sailor around her friends. If she is not referring to someone by title, or otherwise hasn't been asked to refer to them in a specific manner, she will call them "friend" or "my friend".
Atty is always very encouraging and calming, and her speech will revolve around such. She's always got a kind word to say or some small compliment to give. She also has a policy of constant acceptance and etc etc that you've seen like three times already or some crap on this page. But here ya go again all the same:
- "You need never apologize to me."
- ―Atyiru
Random quotes that may give you an idea of some of her more "Confucius say"-type way of talking to people:
- "There comes a time when you realize that no matter what you do or how long you live, your current actions cannot better your past wrongs. The scales shall never be even. Balance cannot be achieved. It is that realization that grants you the strength to keep trying; for more than anything, it is our nature to rally against the indomitable and the inevitable, as we fight for every breath of life."
- ―Atyiru
- "...simply because you’ve been hurt does not make you weak, or irreparable. Being broken does not mean being defeated or beyond help. There is not an end. You can be saved, and you are strong. You’ve made it this far, this long, after all. That is strength. Our pain, our scars, our wounds, and our regrets all stay with us. They do not go away, and it does not necessarily grow any easier. But you get stronger. You reach a point where you can walk along with that pain, and acknowledge it as part of you. And if you cannot reach that point alone...then there are always those willing to walk with you. I will gladly, if you’d allow me."
- ―Atyiru
Things to Remember (a.k.a. Common Misconceptions)
- Okay. So. She's a Miraluka. She doesn't have eyes. If the word "eyes" shows up when describing Atty looking at something...yeah, bro, you're doin' it wrong. I think that's really all there is to say on the topic. I sometimes use terms like "see" or "look" to describe how Atty is actually perceiving things, but even though the verb meaning is there, it's not an action being performed with actual eyes.
- She's nonviolent, but she's not an invalid and she's not a bloody pansy. She's a soldier with advanced anatomical expertise. She can fight. Just doesn't like to. She might know how to break someone's fingers very easily, but that doesn't mean she's going to if they've got her in a chokehold. All other options first.
- Being physically blind doesn't mean blind. Without the Force, sure, yes, totally without sight. But with the Force, she's good. No crashing into walls or people unless she's seriously distracted, just like everyone else. Also doesn't mean she's gonna mangle an arm instead of fixing it. She can "see" as well as anyone else. It's just in a different manner.
Just mind these points, really, and you should be fine.
Music
Music is kickass. I can't write without it. I will spend hours hunting down songs that fit a certain moment, mood, character, relationship between characters, and even an entire story. When I can't seem to write a certain scene or character, I listen to the music that would go with what or who I'm trying to write. I suggest giving it a try. If you don't like it, that's fine. But if it does help, well...
In General
I'm no authority on writing other people's characters. In fact, I'm scared of doing it, even if it's a NPC with no more background than "She was a barmaid and dreams of this and that". However, I'll give the same advice I've been given: be bold. Try it! It's the only way I've ever improved in anything, whether writing, drawing, or interacting with people. Since joining the DB, I've been in a position to write others' characters more and more, and even though it can be a little nerve-wracking, I'm working at it. S'what counts, right?
So, all that being said, don't be afraid to ask, "Does this sound right?" or anything along those lines. Writing Atyiru? Want advice? Email me. Poke me on GChat or IRC.
I'll be happy to help. The same goes for any writing help. Want a proof read or edits? Just ask, and I'll give you a hand.
That's my advice: try, practice, and get feedback. Totally the best tool available and best thing about this group.