[IF] Ghost pNPC Voting!

IF pNPC Contest: Ghost Vote!

We have three lovely ghost pNPC ideas, but only one slot for a specter in our pack! Inferni, vote for your favorite spirit! Voting will end on April 15th, when the winner will be revealed! The Ghosts 1. Trout A young kid in search of the family he lost in the Great Fire. Click to read more! Basics: Trout, died at 4 months, high-content coydog Skill: None officially, but is good at finding things...other than his family! He claims to have a good "sniffer," but has grown increasingly agitated that he has no longer been able to smell things "since the Great Fire" (because he's dead). Observant when "awake," knows a lot of random, useful things, however, like any child, may not deem it important to impart with the information unless directly asked. Ex. Infernians are having trouble with someone pillaging their stores. Trout has seen raccoons steal multiple times, but, didn't think it important because nobody asked him. Personality: Very much a pup, and very much a boy. Likes to play (occasionally), laugh/make jokes/have fun, thinks girls have cooties, adults are weird, etc. He thinks simply, and often does not understand complex topics or theories. He is very innocent and naive, which only further solidifies his simple thinking. He's stubborn, and can be opinionated, if not a bit too blunt with his words. Lastly, Trout often appears to be concerned with reuniting with his family. He vehemently denies being dead, and he is in complete denial that he was killed by the fire or that it's been years since his death. He believes his family is still alive. When pressured to believe otherwise or he has a meltdown because he hasn't found anything on their whereabouts, Trout may raise his voice, become physically agitated, and even build up to "attacking" his "aggressor" via projecting flashes/memories of his final hours alive, be it intentionally or unintentionally. After such episodes, Trout will disappear (having spent up all of his "power"), and will not recall the event when he finally manifests again. This may cause things to be awkward or for the living to fear him, as Trout will, honestly, not recall the episode even happening. History: Trout was born to a small, Loner family consisting of his coyote father, coydog mother, and a brother and sister. Home was the little spec of forest the mated pair had come to frequent and in which the pups had been born during the winter months. Trout, being the oldest of his litter and the largest pup, held pride in the thought of becoming the family's protector like his father, and strove to become a good hunter and fighter because of this. On a dark night in April, while his parents were out trying to hunt for a larger meal for their growing pups, Trout was roused from his slumber by the smell of smoke. He and his siblings were alarmed to see other forests animals fleeing at a rapid pace from a particular area of the wood. Sensing danger, Trout tried to urge his siblings to leave the den in an effort to find their parents. However, his sister was too afraid--and stubborn--to leave it, rationalizing that their parents would return soon enough and that they shouldn't run off. Unable to convince their sister, the boys took off in search of their parents. However, it wasn't long before they realized it was fire that the other forests animals had been running from. As the flames gained speed, the more they found panicked animals fleeing from it. Trout ended up separated from his brother when the siblings had to scatter as a group of deer nearly trampled them. Try as he might to relocate his brother though, Trout could not find him, and his own fear began to set in. After giving up on calling and searching for his brother, Trout decided to try to go back to the den where his sister should have been. Only, the way was blocked by the endless flame. Though he didn't want to abandon his siblings, Trout had little choice as instinct forced him to flee the area. His quest to find his family was quickly replaced with the need to simply survive. Run and run as he tried though, his world soon became surrounded in fire everywhere he turned. Eventually, smoke inhalation slowed him down and lulled him to take a "rest," where he fell unconscious, and was eventually consumed by the fire. When he awoke, he was disoriented and confused, and did not recognize the blackened, skeletal remains of the forest that he had once called home, nor could he make sense of what had happened, who he was, nothing. It took months of going back and forth between states of "consciousness" for him to remember just his name, and years for him to recall his final moments alive, and what his "purpose" had been that eventually ended up tying his soul to the land. To this day, he believes he hit his head somehow, and he searches for his family and what may have become of them, stubbornly denying that they (and he) died in what he refers to as the "Great Fire." Trout understands that he is in a time after the Great Fire, however, he does not realize that it has been years since the land was scorched. To him, it has only been a few days, maybe weeks, a few months at most since his spirit is only drawn out when other non-Luperci/Luperci are near. He can only recall bits and pieces of his life before the night of the fire, and it often hurts his head to try to force any memories beyond his final hours alive. He cannot recall his family's names, and can only blearily picture their faces. Even so, he knows he was last meant to find them, and he hopes that his memories will return to him once they have been located. Appearance: Young and still carrying much of his puppy fat. He looks like a true hyrbid, a true mix between a coyote and a dog with his long ears, bi-hued eyes, and markings. Trout appears mostly liver in color due to his age and his adult agouti coloring not coming in quite yet. Darker markings can be observed around his mouth and face, along his spine, as well as cutting in around his shoulder blades. Cream and white colors run along the bottom of his chin, down his throat and belly; seen further on each paw and his tail tip. His ears are a warmer, tawny color. He always appears dirty, as if covered in ash, and his paw pads and ear tips have burn marks on them. Trout is often accompanied with the faint smell of burning wood, fire, and burned flesh (sometimes these smell(s) are stronger if he's projecting images/memories). Other: He tends to manifest more often around the end of March - Early May, around the time the Great Fire happened. Trout often coughs or complains about his throat/eyes burning with pain. My occasionally cry about his paws hurting/burning too. Absolutely terrified of fire and will not manifest near campfires at all. If one lights a fire in any way, Trout will "flee" (disappear) and will not return even if the fire is put out. So, if he's getting out of hand/worked up, this is the best way to chase him off or keep him from manifesting in a certain area! He does not know (or may simply be refusing to believe) that he's dead! And any that try to convince him otherwise will be on the receiving in of a childlike meltdown, his denial, and/or the images/smells/sounds/feelings Trout may unknowingly project of his final moments alive. He cannot smell, nor can he feel one's touch, or taste things, and he blames the Great Fire and him "hitting his head" on the reason why. Trout does not feel thirst or hunger either, and will often not realize this unless the Living point it out to him, to which he appears to be very nonchalant about the matter. He cannot recall names of his former life, only his own name. When danger arises, Trout involuntarily flees. He will not try to defend or help the living (So, you can't use this guy to help you fight off Wolf or defend you from the packmate you pissed off!), and may appear uncaring because of it. In reality, Trout will not recall fleeing, nor the moments leading up to his disappearance back to the spiritual realm. If you hear a lonely, child-like coyote howl-yap in the night, it may be Trout trying to find his family~! 2. Stamford A reserved non-Luperci ghost who haunts the old maple he was strung up by his heels in. Click to read more! Basics: Stamford, 4 years old, male, Northeastern Coyote (ghost), Non-Luperci Skill: Low-speech (corvids) - while useful while scavenging in life, it's less useful now; if anything, it simply draws birds to the old, gnarled and charred remains of a large, decaying maple tree. Personality: Shy, reserved, cautious and stand-offish, and quick to react with anxious-driven aggression - his policy is to snap first, before he can be snapped at; he doesn't intend violence, but doesn't trust easy. Once his hard and bitter exterior is pried into, he is actually open-hearted, delicate and giving. Suspicious of luperci. History: Stamford grew up in a band of non-luperci coyotes who spent times roaming the floodplains before the fires had taken the land; the group adamantly avoided transformation out of fear, and lived low and modest. Through the years, the small band of eight turned to five, through forced transformation or being picked off, when they were finally found by a group of luperci and rounded up; while the others had been run over or otherwise killed before being strung up in the maple by their heels, Stamford was still alive, and died in the days following. He came to after the fires when the tree had burned, his rest having been disturbed, but otherwise spent his time and energies attempting to guide animals to safety in the roots of the maple to rest. Appearance: His once deep grey fur with russet points has matted or fallen out, yielding to charred and blistered skin; his ears are tattered, and eyes are milky white. His hide still smolders and is covered in soot. Other: His appearance is a direct effect of the tree of his grave having burned in the fires; he's a relatively weak spirit, and draws his energy from his grave, but otherwise does not venture far from it, mostly occupying marsh. While not often able to manifest, those especially attuned to the presence of spirits are more likely to see him, but otherwise his presence is noted by cool air, a strong scent of smoke and burning hair, and the texture of his entity's presence on the earth seeming ashen in appearance. 3. Beverly Appleby A drowned trader whose weak spirit haunts the river -- will Inferni help strengthen her? Click to read more! Basics: Beverly Appleby. Coyote or coydog. Died in her middle-age. Skill: In life, Beverly was a tanner and trader. She specifically hunted beavers, and was very knowledgable regarding these. Personality: Curious. Uncertain. Easily spooked. History: A woman who followed her family's trade into adulthood, Beverly traveled throughout the north-eastern half of the east coast. She did fairly well for herself, especially given her specialization. A bad snowstorm saw Beverly lost in the wilderness. Lost and confused, she unfortunately wandered across the mountains and continued east. Beverly stumbled into the river, and though she managed to pull herself free, the shock only hindered her further. Though she found cover, Beverly went to sleep and never woke again...until now. Appearance: Beverly is a ghost that doesn't remember what happened or even who she is. The trauma of her accident has left her tied to the river, where her manifestation (fleeting, not yet strong enough to remain stable) can sometimes be seen. Other: It would be cool if Inferni helped strengthen her over time -- especially since several members are into that sort of thing! Prizes & Reminders Those who have submitted a pNPC idea -- DM Raze on Discord about the character you'd like a chibi of! While the pNPC submissions have ended, you still have until April 15 to participate in our pNPC posting event! Show some love to our existing pNPCs, and win art for doing so! ;O You only need two completed threads to win a free avatar of your very own Inferni character. :> On April 15th, the new pNPCs will be revealed.