"I want to run through the jungle
The wind in my hair and the sand at my feet"
BASICS
NAME: Lomena, goes by Lome
GENDER: non-binary/gender fluid (most often female presenting)
PRONOUNS: they/them/she/her
ORIENTATION: Demisexual (Aromantic)
BIRTHDATE: Late Winter
AGE: 24 (Mid-Summer 2050)
LOCATION: Semaca
OCCUPATION: Skinner
WING: n/a
APPEARANCE
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Dark Brown
HEIGHT AND BUILD: 5’5
PLAY-BY: Aubrey Plaza
EXPY SOURCE:
FULL APPEARANCE:
While Lome has a petite build, the moment they pull back the drawstring of a bow the muscles in their arm flex and show up, ready to be put to use. They like to keep their dark hair long, as it’s easier to tie back and she doesn’t have to worry about it growing into her eyes. Even though she feels at most home in leathers and in the dirt, or elbow deep in sinew, Lome is not afraid to dress much nicer. One of her siblings allllways makes a comment about how nice they clean up.
Black does seem to be her dominant color palette of choice when it comes to clothing, as she seems to be more focused on practicality. Don’t let that fool anyone, Lome doesn’t have a disinterest in more fashionable pieces, from sharp angles to softer sleeves with patterns on them. She does prefer hunting leathers if given a choice in most situations, but won’t show up to a Gather feast in them. Lome’s wardrobe is surprisingly varied, from tunics to dresses. They buy what they want, not for other people. They’ll wear dark rimmed eyes and a bright lip if that’s how they wake up for the day, or maybe they’re tracking a beast and need to cover themselves in mud.
Lome is not someone who slouches, or ever felt the need to make herself smaller. Square shoulders, high chin, strong posture. If someone where to say that they were intimidated by her, they might get a slight crinkle of amusement showing up near their eye.
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY:
Lome is not rude, per say, but she's not exactly friendly either. Chilly is an apt description for their daily attitude, but not mean, they just don't seem to be the biggest fan of other people. Other people are loud and messy and busy and far too curious for their own good. Lomena takes things perhaps a bit too seriously at times, and rarely laughs or smiles. She'll carry on a conversation, but don't expect her to regale someone with personal anecdotes. Independent, if not simply down-right stubborn to a bothersome degree, Lome seems rather set in their ways..
One of her biggest weaknesses is animals of any kind. Growing up in a Hold away from Semaca, it seemed like stray canines and felines flocked to them, and while Lome would say it was because they smelled the blood of the animal dressing, it was also because she would keep treats for them and knew how to give good scritches. She's willing to give any animal a try, even if it seems stupid to other people, and while Lome considers themselves a Hunter, they don't do so without the need. The lowest people in her mind are those that kill animals for fun or sport. The few times they've been caught smiling has been around animals. Their parents were relieved she had the ability to when she saw her first firelizard.
Some might believe that Lome is rather judgmental of other people, and while she doesn't seem to like them and can't keep disappointment or annoyance off her face, it's usually just for the moment. She doesn't believe in holding grudges, and thinks that people can learn from their mistakes - but it is incredibly annoying when someone seems to not heed any advice or instruction given. If someone wants to learn how to do something she can, she'll teach them with all the patience in the world. Once.
Those closest to Lome will find that they actually have a sense of humor, it may be (unsurprisingly) dry, but it's there. Those who don't know her may overhear and just think she's a jerk though.
HISTORY
FAMILY:
Father - Lorino of Blue Lorinsk, Hunter
Mother - Halki, Skinner
Sister (25) - Paruchi, Butcher
Brother (18) - Tarlo, wants to be a wher handler
Sister (17) - Halrin, undecided
SIGNIFICANT OTHER: n/a
BIRTHPLACE: Hold near Telgar
HISTORY:
Lomena was born to a hunting family near Telgar. For generations as far back as anyone could remember, their family had been either hunters, wher handlers or dragon riders (transferring to a Weyr when Searched), and when Semaca Weyr was founded they were very quick to move there. The idea of unexplored jungle was too tantalizing for the whole family to pass up. They ended up moving there when Halrin, the youngest of siblings, was about 10 Turns (Lome was 17).
There is a very strong gene of stoicism that runs through her mother's bloodline, and one of frustrating stubbornness in their fathers. Lomena seemed to inherit both. Even as a baby she didn't do much crying or happy gurgling, but rather just looked around the world with a strange expression on her face, as if still trying to decide if they actually wanted to continue their beginning journey on this planet or start over someplace else. When she finally saw her first firelizard, it was like color finally came in to the tykes life. The different animals made this planet okay in her infant mind. Growing up, there was always a firelizard flitting about, a pack of canines either sleeping or running around, and a couple of felines indifferent to it all.
Lome took to hunting like she took to walking, there were a few occasions where Lorino made some very unsafe decisions with his very young children, even with the protection of Lorinsk nearby. At home vigilance was constantly pressed upon them. There were dangers in the wild and it was a hunter’s responsibility to be aware and respect that danger while also working with it. While their sister was alright at it, she preferred staying home with Halki and preparing the animal, eventually she’d find herself being in the kitchen wing more often than not. Lome though, loved the idea of being on the hunt, being outside, the long wait, the careful choices, the silence with only the calls and movement of creatures being the only thing that invaded the serenity.
At the age of 7 Lome got her first bow… which she wasn’t allowed to touch for another year. When they got to start practicing, there wasn’t instant success. Lome may have been someone that pined wilds like they should have been an animal born there, but she was still a child, and new to everything. The arrow went about 2 inches. Slowly it was able to go 6 inches, then a foot, then a meter. Then she was aiming at targets, badly at first, then a little better, and finally had the strength and confidence to shoot where she wanted. Around the age of 15, Lome started hunting with small parties, and was decent enough that one of the handlers suggested she consider becoming a wher handler candidate in a few turns. By this time her younger siblings were born, and Loreno wasn’t as silly as he was before. He’d had a nasty tumble with a large feline and had scars across his back to remember it by (well, that, and his life). It was a startling bit of knowledge that none of his children would have survived the swipe and had made him cautious if not overly so.
So to say the bare minimum, the suggestion that Lome become a handler and in turn a 'solo' hunter, was not initially taken well at all, and both of them were left agitated by a fight that followed. Loreno thought Lome was being too risky, Lome thought Loreno was treating her like a baby who couldn’t follow a set of tracks. While still able to hunt, Loreno started becoming overbearing about it, and started ruining the Hunting experience for Lome (such as purposefully being loud, or mysteriously getting hunting party leave dates and times wrong). Instead of getting angry, she took to learning how to dress the animals that were brought home, studied their bodies and anatomy, their bones (and may have kept a few very clean ones around her room). She learned how to make precise slices so that the fur stayed as intact as possible. How to keep everything whole, how to clean the animal, and more. Her father bragged about her skills to anyone, and wore many of the furs she’d prepared to show Lome’s abilities. Halki though, constantly held a glow only a mother whose child was excelling in their field could. She was the one that gave Lome their first set of knives for skinning, she was the one that noticed they had an instinct for it, and encouraged her. Both their parents saw Lome as someone who could become known far and wide for her skills in skinning.
Lome, though, always found an excuse to be in the woods. She wanted to feel the dirt under her knees and fingers, pebbles and twigs leaving imprints on her skin as she waited for hours. Wanted to hear the calls, follow the trails, sink into and become one with the forest. Wanted to track down a beast for hours, to hunt it and thank it, prepare it and return to the Weyr with success. She wasn’t as good at it as skinning, but it didn’t call to her the same way that hunting did. There continued to be some encouragement from her peers to become a candidate for whers, or see if a dragon would Search them to go to a Weyr - but she felt it would be too restrictive on what she wanted to do. For dragons, it was possible impression wouldn’t come for years, and for whers, it restricted her schedule to being night focused. She didn’t quite let the opportunity pass her by, but rather let it go to the back burner, thinking she could always decide to become a candidate.
When Lome was a teen Semaca Weyr was founded, and at 17 her family had managed to get all their affairs in order, pack up, and head there. The family jumped at the chance to move there, and to explore the Jungles that were full of dangerous an unknown mysteries. For Lome, having spent her life forming her independence, and being around areas and creatures she knew with her eyes closed - she couldn't have at all imagined the changes to her life. She was expecting more independence, a sense of freedom. Instead it felt restricting. Suddenly she wasn't allowed to hunt at all, needing to Impress to a wher or a dragon for that even to be a consideration in the Semaca Wilds. The pressure to become a candidate seemed to be everywhere once they moved to the Weyr, not so as people telling her to do so, but just that it seemed so... expected, so normal. More than once after arriving, she heavily considered requesting a transfer back to her Hold. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge she'd be leaving her family.
Around their 18th turn, after moving to Semaca, a lovely girl who showed great appreciation for Lome (definitely a crush), gave them an egg. She’d thought it was a firelizard and that Lome would love to have a little one, the hunter always seemed to be happier around animals like that. It, in fact, did NOT hatch into a firelizard, but rather a very ugly looking, bald bird. Queue Lome’s stubbornness, and experience with animals, as well as actually going to and asking hunters who worked with birds what they needed, Lome was able to raise a loyal Hunterbird named Ernest. Ernest grew into a healthy sized hawk, and started to accompany hunters, becoming a great sight bird for game. Lome wasn't going to deny the bird his instincts even if she couldn't follow into the jungle with him.
Lome has continued to work on their Skinning, but the Jungles call to them. Lately, they’ve been considering the idea of entering candidacy, whether it be a slow warming to the idea, or just giving in to be able to Hunt in the unexplored Jungles... the idea became even more heavily considered when their brother told the family he planned to become a candidate (for whers). Lome truly doesn't know if they want to Impress though, they want to be a Hunter but aren't sure if they wanted the added title of a Handler or a Rider. While they greatly prefer animals over humans as well, they also are unsure of the mental connection. They feel very much stuck at a crossroads in their life
HUNTERBIRD - ERNEST
Information:
Age - 6
Male (resembles a blue-gray Cooper's Hawk)
Ernest is a loyal Hunterbird, and likes to stay around wherever Lomena is. He has a perch in her room, but comes and goes as he pleases. Oddly enough, he seems to understand Hunts, and accompanies hunters in the day, and will work to find prey or flush out wildlife that might be hiding. He loves catching pieces of meat scraps in the air, but will also hunt down his own meals. He spends every night in Lome's room, and if someone where to attack her, they'd find themselves at the other end of some very sharp and skillful talons.