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<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Noble Soother</span></center>
Player Information
Handle : Marisha
Contact : Y'alls know already!
Character Information
Name: Kardin Tekiel ("Sanna Tekiel")
Age: 23
Type: Noble
Gender: Male (please see Appearance section)
Occupation: Socialite
Marital Status: Single
Powers (IF APPLICABLE)
Type of Powers: Allomancy
Metals Used: Brass
Degree of Skill: Advanced
Appearance
Hair: Black, soft, and waist-length, usually elaborately styled
Eyes: Wide and light blue-grey
Height: 5'7''
Weight: 135
Voice: Kardin?s natural voice is a light tenor; however, he modulates his speaking voice to a soft alto, and has a beautiful countertenor singing voice.
Overall Appearance: Kardin has rather light and delicate features; his wide, skittish eyes, softly angled bone structure, and somewhat turned-up nose make him look boyish and younger than his 23 years. He is slight of frame and not very tall, either, and his mannerisms mark him out as nervous and shy.
However, he is not generally seen as Kardin - virtually never, in fact. Instead, he is better known as the young Lady Sanna Tekiel. Sanna is a slim, graceful girl, with the characteristic Tekiel vitality and charm, although she fails to achieve either elegance or dignity. She is always in motion of some kind, hardly ever still for more than a second. She has dark hair reaching to her waist, a pretty, mobile face, nearly always smiling, and brightly dancing eyes. Sanna also has something of a penchant for elaborate pink dresses, lace, and ruffles.
Other
Special Skills: Disguise, communication and empathy, dancing, singing
Strengths: Most of Kardin's strengths come forth in his persona as Sanna; she is confident, quick-witted, and extroverted, with a knack for reading others and putting them at ease. These traits combined with her abilities as a Soother make her an excellent communicator.
Weaknesses: Kardin is only comfortable as Sanna; without cross-dressing, he is painfully insecure and unable to communicate effectively...which means his Soothing also becomes essentially useless. Even as Sanna, he is also very disorganized.
Personality Sanna is above all a bright spirit. She is nearly always vivacious and laughing, although sometimes irreverent with her wit. Sanna is even willing to laugh at herself at times, which is the true test of anyone's sense of humour. She loves to talk and tell stories, both true ones as well as complete nonsense. It is very hard to put down a determined optimist, and even if luck gives her a bad blow, Sanna will bounce right back up with a smile. However, Sanna very much hates being told what to do and what to think. She is independent and decidedly opinionated, and is peppery when her temper is aroused. It is usually over in a flash, though, and she is very quick to forgive, unless someone has really cut her or someone she cares about deeply.
Sanna is both gregarious and generous. She tends to latch onto people and take a deep interest in their affairs, and may refuse to be put off by another's bad attitude. She is friendly, and not only superficially so; once she has taken someone into her heart, which can happen very quickly, she is loyal to a fault. She Soothes those around her almost all the time, without even thinking about it, but her touch is so gentle and well-practiced that it is easy not to realize what she is doing. She is also an incurable flirt.
Sanna is unfortunately very impractical, and even rather lazy. Most of her choices are made on impulse and intuition rather than any rational process. She is dreadful at planning things ahead of time, and regularly procrastinates important tasks if they seem dull to her. If something is extremely difficult, or looks like it will take a long time, she will often give up on it before finishing. She will make mistakes and fail to learn from them, at least if the lesson is one which she does not wish to learn.
Although Sanna is an invention, she is an absolute necessity for Kardin. Without Sanna, Kardin is insecure and vulnerable, unable to function thanks to the anxiety that plagues him. He has almost completely molded himself into the mask he wears; even those who know the truth among his House call him Sanna as often as not, they have become so accustomed to the act. Kardin is surprisingly intelligent, with a highly developed sense of empathy, and all of Sanna's traits have their roots in his own nature, but he is unable to express himself unless he is being Sanna.
History Kardin was the second of two children born to Jasthom and Cordelia Tekiel, and their first and only son; Cordelia did not survive his birth. Since Jasthom was the brother to the head of House, Hector Tekiel, and Hector was childless at the time, Kardin stood to inherit behind Jasthom. There were high expectations for the boy from the start, and even after his cousin Aldwin was born three years later, Jasthom had not completely given up his hopes. There was still a chance that Kardin might be named the Tekiel heir, after all...if Aldwin and Hector were out of the way.
Kardin was raised strictly, kept to a rigid schedule. He had difficulty keeping up with the education that was given to him, however; he had a short attention span and tended to be distracted. Jasthom tried to discipline the boy into behaving more as he thought befitting a potential heir. Frequent and harsh punishment drove Kardin to be quieter, and perhaps what some would consider well-behaved - at least he was subdued. The only person who could bring Kardin out of his shell was his older sister, Tharalie. Tharalie was a warm-hearted girl, only two years older than Kardin, and she looked after her little brother like a mother hen. She was always there to pick him up when he fell, and she became his comfort and his refuge when things went badly. As long as Tharalie was around, Kardin could deal with most of the stress he was put under.
The two siblings were encouraged to spend time with their younger cousin, of course. Jasthom had no intentions of letting anyone guess his hopes for either himself or his son, and so he allowed a friendship to develop between Tharalie, Kardin, and Aldwin. The three quickly became inseparable. Aldwin followed Kardin everywhere, who followed Tharalie everywhere. None of them really had any idea of the politics going on around them. It was a great deal simpler for them. Kardin forgot as often as not that Aldwin was his cousin, and thought of him more as a brother.
The trio would not last, however. Tharalie was twelve years old, and Kardin ten, when the time came for her Snapping. He was not supposed to see the beating, but he had been caught by accident in the same room where the Snapping was to take place. Kardin had snuck away from his lessons, and so when he heard the voices approaching the room, he quickly hid. From his concealment, he watched as Tharalie was beaten violently by his father?s men, until she lay bleeding and senseless on the floor. He was too frightened to make a sound, or to move to help her; too terrified that the same thing would happen to him, he simply stayed hidden.
He wanted them to stop more than anything, and without knowing what it was that he did, he reached out to something inside of him and pushed. The men were angry at Tharalie, or at least that was all that Kardin could understand; he wanted them to stop being angry, and so he stopped them. He was only able to do it for a moment, but they paused when he did.. and then his father ordered them not to go on. Kardin did not know how Jasthom knew where he was, but his father came directly to him and pulled him out of his hiding-place. Strangely, Jasthom did not seem furious.
Kardin soon learned what it was that he had done. He was an Allomancer, one that could burn brass and Soothe the emotions of others. His father was a Seeker, and he had sensed Kardin's Allomancy. Although Tharalie was not an Allomancer, Kardin was. For the first time that Kardin could remember, Jasthom was proud of him. But he did not care whether or not he finally had his father?s approval, because Tharalie did not wake up. The family surgeon was called and Tharalie was taken away, and Kardin was not allowed to see her.
Two days later he was told that she had died. As Jasthom put it, the boy was 'good for nothing after that for days; about all he did was cry and stare blankly.' For once, however, his father gave Kardin a little distance, and the time to grieve for Tharalie. It was Aldwin who helped him come through the process. Although Aldwin was only seven years old, he instinctually knew what Kardin needed more than anything else, and stayed at his cousin's side almost continually, even when Kardin refused to talk to him or listen to him, and even when Kardin tried to push him away and isolate himself.
Aldwin's loyalty and kindness eventually broke through to Kardin. Although he was not over Tharalie's loss, he began to cope with it better, and even to return a little more to his normal self at times ? at least when he was alone with Aldwin. He and Aldwin remained close friends as they grew older. For a long time Aldwin was his only friend, in fact; Kardin was too shy to talk to other children his age.
Things were easier for Kardin after that from one perspective; Jasthom began to focus more on his Allomantic training than his formal education. But even in this, Kardin continually fell short of expectations. He was beginning not to care, and in a passive way almost deliberately defying his father...he was a bright child, much more observant and understanding than others gave him credit for, and he knew who had ordered Tharalie's Snapping to be as brutal as it was.
Around this time was when Kardin discovered Sanna. He and Aldwin, then aged eleven and eight, had found a storage room in the Keep, full of old clothing, and the two of them paraded about in the old-fashioned clothes, reading lines of dialogue back and forth from a book of plays. And then Kardin tried on one of the dresses.
He had no idea how to explain the change he felt, when he looked in the old mirror and saw a girl he didn't recognize looking back at him. Aldwin thought it was only a prank, and it was his idea to drag Kardin out of the Keep and see if they could fool anyone. As it turned out, they did; nobody recognized Kardin in the dress, although they did earn some odd looks as it was a pattern that had been popular fifty years ago. Kardin himself was completely changed; it seemed as though his fears had vanished, and he was at ease, all the best parts of his nature coming to the fore. He couldn't tell Aldwin what had happened...he couldn't understand it himself... but his cousin immediately saw the difference.
Aldwin thought the whole deception was great fun, but he was also glad to see his cousin's attitude turn around, and the two of them kept their prank going. Later, they 'borrowed' dresses from female relatives that fit Kardin better, and found him a wig...Kardin fortunately had long enough hair to be able to pull off the first trick, but the wig helped make the act that much more convincing...and decided on a name. Sanna and Aldwin were careful not to do their tricks anywhere that the Tekiels might find out and recognize Kardin, and Sanna began to make friends where Kardin had never had them. He also began developing his abilities as a Soother, and with his native gift for reading and understanding others, he soon had a very delicate touch.
Two years later Jasthom died of a stroke of apoplexy. Kardin was not heartbroken over it. Kardin became his uncle Hector's ward, and now he and Aldwin practically were brothers - or brother and sister. They began to get a little bolder with the act...which was no longer really a prank for Kardin. He loved being Sanna, loved the freedom and confidence he felt when he was her; he had become extremely good at pulling off the graces of a woman, and people treated her in a way vastly different from how they had treated Kardin.
Sanna was fifteen when she decided to go to her first ball, and that was when it blew up in Kardin's face. The pretty young girl was noticed, and recognized as a Tekiel by her features. Sanna had kept out of the way of any of the Tekiels except Aldwin, of course, but Lord Hasting caught sight of her and asked Hector who she was, pointing her out. Hector did not recognize her at first - which was highly irregular to him of course; he had thought he knew every member of his House, but here was a girl who was clearly a Tekiel, and yet he had no idea who she was, although he did not admit that to Lord Hasting. He cornered Sanna...and once he had seen her up close, he recognized Kardin. Hector knew better than to make a scandal in public at the ball, and so Sanna was left to her own devices to preserve appearances.
When they reached Keep Tekiel, however, it was another story entirely. Sanna was unmasked in front of the entire House, and Hector intended to utterly humiliate Kardin for the prank.
Aldwin stepped forward at that point. He insisted on speaking to his father, risking interrupting him even in the middle of his explosion of wrath. There was a private conversation between Hector and Aldwin in Hector's study; no one ever knew what was said, but it was a long time before they came out.
The result shocked everyone. Kardin was told that he could go on acting the role of Sanna, with Hector's blessing and the Tekiels providing a solid background story for her. In exchange, she was expected to put her abilities as a Soother to use advancing the interests of House Tekiel. Sanna was treated as any other young Tekiel lady, and made her official debut in society at the next ball ? where the value of the bargain that had been made really became clear. Kardin was more or less useless as a Soother; he was too shy and self-conscious to do what he needed to do. Sanna, however, could charm and Soothe her way through a crowd with ease; she had such a deft touch that others did not realize they were being Soothed, especially if a Tekiel Smoker stayed nearby.
Sanna herself knew that she owed Aldwin a debt that she could never repay. She is completely loyal to him, and the two are inseparable friends and allies.
Roleplay Sample (Note - Aldwin appears with Cami's full knowledge and consent!)
Sanna fixed Aldwin with a level stare. Her cousin had turned up in the sun parlour, carrying a very large box in his arms, which he plopped down on the side-table, looking at her expectantly. It wasn't too difficult to figure out what had to be inside; the tailor's mark was on the side of the box, after all, and the size was another clue. There wasn't any occasion for it, either... typical of Aldwin, who never thought before he did anything, and just did everything on impulse. It was typical of Sanna, too, but she wasn't interested in being fair just now. "I'm the older one! Spoiling is my prerogative, coz," she said the instant he opened his mouth, before he could get a word out.
"Kardin is. Sanna, however, was 'born' afterwards. Besides. I'm taller. That makes me the big brother." Aldwin winked, but then his line of argument changed along with his attitude. "Really, Sanna. Is my brotherly affection so burdensome?" Giving a mournful sigh, he picked the box back up, his shoulders slumped with exaggerated injury. "I guess I had better return this then..."
Sanna had begun by saying, "I object, Sanna was never born at all, so the point is not valid - " but when he picked up the box, she paused and then changed tack in a moment. Certainly he had no business giving her a gift for no reason at all, particularly not something that was obviously expensive, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to accept it, or not even find out what was inside. "No!" She darted around to catch hold of the box and prevent him from taking it away, hanging on grimly. "What do you have in there?"
"It's terribly burdensome," she added a moment later, to cover all her bases, "but out of my greatness of spirit I'll put up with it."
Aldwin made a noise in his throat that sounded suspiciously like a snigger. Sanna ignored that with supreme dignity. "Are you sure? If it's too much to bear..."
"It's my lot in life, to bear up under adversity," Sanna answered in a martyred tone, pressing the palms of her hands together in front of her and putting on a soulful look. "I do endeavour to do so with grace."
Giving a solemn nod to her, Aldwin handed her the box, which she set back down on the side-table. "As you wish. The burden is yours to do with as you will."
She had been about to tear it open, then paused for reflection. That wouldn't really do. Too much enthusiasm would ruin the sacrificial act. Instead, she untied the ribbon on the box slowly and regretfully, heaving a long sigh before pulling the lid open all the way. A deep wine-coloured silk moire caught the light in ripples, cut with the slightly-higher necklines that Sanna preferred, and trimmed with a delicate gold-touched lace. It looked as if he had to have paid a small fortune for the gown. Sanna completely forgot to be suffering graciously, and lifted out the dress, holding it up against herself with a laugh of delight. It had just the right amount of weight, the skirt light enough to move with her, and heavy enough to give her just a little gravity that she would need to pull off wine-red. "Aldwin! How did you know? It's perfect!"
His grin was back, seeing her reaction. "Well, now. I certainly can't have my favourite cousin re-wearing any old gown to an important ball can I?"
Now this argument fell short on two points, which Sanna promptly pointed out. "First of all, I?m your only cousin - first cousin, at any rate. Secondly, this coming from the man who's probably going to wear his green suit again?" She shook her head at him. Aldwin was known to wear the same suit several days in a row; at least he sniffed it before he put it on, and he would send it to the laundry after a while, but that was not much of a concession!
He protested the accusation, of course, though he did not really have a leg to stand on in Sanna?s opinion. "Sanna, my dear, one never re-wears a suit of a strange colour without waiting at least two days. Though perhaps the red one...Never fear, cousin, I will be wearing a freshly laundered suit to the ball. Though I will have my work cut out for me; I think the servants have started adding more starch to my laundry," he finished with a thoughtful frown.
Without a hint of repentance or guilt, Sanna answered, "Oh, I told them to; your collars are disgraceful, after all!" They were, too; his outfits were always rumpled. There were those who thought it was debonair, but in Sanna's opinion, Aldwin took things a little too far.
"Sannaaaaa! Do you know how hard it is to wrinkle a suit so that it's comfortable enough?" He gave her another injured look. It did not succeed in rousing Sanna to remorse.
"I can't really imagine it's too difficult! What do you do, sleep in them?"
"Hey, now there's an idea!"
Sanna slapped her forehead with her palm. "Aldwin!"
Edited by KChan, 13 September 2013 - 05:31 PM.
