Approved Warder Bio for Coraman - CC'd by WT

[Taymist]

NOTE: Revised to correctly reflect age and WS. Also removed references to Aes Sedai and the WT, shortened the bio somewhat. (By Seia)

 

Description

Eye Color: Sky blue

Hair Color: Black with a streak of white

Height: 5'7

Weight: 128

Age: 18

Place of Origin: Tar Valon

 

 

Stats

Rank: Tower Guard

WeaponScore: 7

Philosophy: Not yet chosen

Primary Weapon: Not yet chosen

Secondary Weapon: Not yet chosen

Tertiary Weapon: Not yet chosen

 

 

Appearance: Cora is of average height and thin before she began training; her physique more suitable to speed and subterfuge. Her midnight black hair is unusually streaked with white strands. Her steel blue eyes are often smothered in anger and distrust. Her appearance makes some underestimate her as she is unremarkable.

 

Personality: Distrustful of strangers and wary of those who seek to be close to her - she will be very reserved. For those that she is growing to be comfortable with, she has quite the mouth on her - but she will rarely reveal how she truly feels. However, she has the sense to know when she needs to be silent. With strangers, she is unobtrusive. She won't do something that will bring unwanted attention to herself.

 

 

History

 

Born in the city of the White Tower in 980 NE, the only life she had known was on the street. An old toothless hag cared for the little street urchin, if you could call it that. She didn't have a name so she was called "rat". She spent her days begging for food and her nights being beaten by the hag. Whatever food she could scrounge, the old woman ate it all but the crumbs, proclaiming that a child's stomach was much smaller and that the crumbs were all a little street rat needed. If no food could be found, the woman lashed out with her makeshift cane, not stopping until Rat was crouched on the floor covered with bruises and every once in a while, the beatings continued until her ribs broke.

 

Over the years, she learned the ways of fist fighting, it was the only way she could defend herself and whatever prize she had just acquired. It was by the age of 10 that she had found a dull and rusty dagger lying by a sleeping drunken sailor. It only worked against those who were the same size as her - or smaller. She found that those who were bigger easily overpowered her. By the time she was 13, she despised men and physical contact.

 

More often as she got older, she would get errands from a servant of a politician that would give her food for her accomplishments. Sometimes she received a coin. Her tasks - spy on others. Most of the time, it was to eavesdrop or to report a daily schedule - but every once in a while, she was sent to sneak into a room to acquire papers. It was during these times, she learned how to be stealthy and quick in her tasks. She'd acquire the materials that were sought after - and pocket a few small treasures for herself. Every once in a while, someone would return to the rooms while she was there and she would find a hiding spot - whether it be under the bed, or ßin the closet.

 

Nearing 15 years old – Rat had killed the old hag. "You are worthless - just like your whore of a mother and bastard of a father." The dull dagger found its way in the woman's neck, "Don't say that about mum and pa." Granted, she never knew them but in her mind and heart, they had a good reason for abandoning her. They would be back. She knew it.

 

One day while she was creeping in an alley, a voice startled her out of her wits. "What have we here?" She jumped and fell to the ground, scrambling to her feet to escape. When something clasped her ragged and filthy shirt and pulled her a couple feet off from the ground. She looked up and her first sight was a woman with a patch over an eye and scars. “Let me go!!" She threw out a fist but for some reason, it didn’t collide with anything but air. “I bet you're hungry." A snarl graced her lips, "What's it to you?" The woman's face softened a bit, "More than you know. I'm Seiaman. Come, you like chicken?"

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Mere weeks passed when the news of Seiaman's looming departure came to her attention. She was distraught over the news and proceeded to pummel the woman with her fists. "You CAN'T leave me!! You promised!!" Tears streamed down her cheeks - oddly in the short amount of time, Seiaman was the only woman who she looked to as her foster-mother. The older woman gently grabbed her wrists and knelt down so they could meet eye to eye. "I have to."

 

"Take me with you." A tear fell to the ground. "I can't." Anger welled up and she scowled at the woman, "That's all you do! Get people to love you then you ABANDON them!" Coraman pushed the woman back, freeing her wrists from Seia’s grasp and ran up the stairs to her room.

 

The next fateful morning, Coraman walked down the stairs and walked out the door to make her way to the Warders Yard.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

For the next one and a half year, Coraman spent her every waking moment training in the Warders Yard. She rose through her ranks quickly and she dreamed of becoming a Grand Master. She never saw Seiaman again but she heard that the woman tried to come back. What happened of that attempt, no one knew.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Kathleen

[Quibby]

Relabeling for White Tower CC.  Names and events dealing with WT PCs.

 

Concerned about the idea of Tar Valon being full of beggars and street urchins.  My impression from the books is that the Aes Sedai work hard to take care of those who live in Tar Valon, but that could just be my interpretation.

[seiakera]

The only WT PC reference is Sirayn Sedai and that was during an argument with Seiaman, who was formerly a Warder but not sure what event is listed as dealing with the WT?

 

The books never really indicated or referenced any sort of poverty in Tar Valon. The Aes Sedai council and city administrators oversaw the city's business and the like and probably poverty would be looked at in order to alleviate suffering but it can't be eradicated completely. Just my two cents.

[Quibby]

We've been working to hammer out the PSW timeline, and I don't know how the timing with Sirayn lines up as well as the WT RGL does.

[seiakera]

Ah, that's a good point. I can tweak it if the WT RGL deems necessary but I'd have to do the same with Seiaman as well. Just let me know, thanks!

[seiakera]

Requesting for someone to please CC this bio. WT/Aes Sedai references has been removed so any RPG can CC this. The bio has been updated to reflect age, physical growth, and WS.  Thanks!

[Kathleen]

Sorry this took me so long to get to. I've been busy and was having trouble sorting out my thoughts on the bio. I thought I had replied to the pm but it seems I missed it. 

 

Honestly, I still have some troubles with this. I've not sure about the street urchant in Tar Valon business, not saying it can't happen to one kid or even a small number, but TV is known to be really well off and not really have such cultures. I know this was discussed and the other thing is about the politician. I'm not really sure of how the nitty gritty of the city gets run so I'm not sure what 'politians' would exist. 

 

Its my own personal lack of detailed knowledge of the running of each country that has held me back in this. I'm honestly thinking I may need to have the admins or another RGL do this one as I've got far too many uncertainties.

 

I'm sorry to keep you waiting more, but I'm just not completely comfortable in this one.

[Kathleen]

Just so we're aware, I brought this to the attention of the Admins and they are discussing it between themselves at this point.

[Taymist]

Quote from TBWB:

 

"The city of Tar Valon is governed by a council of Aes Sedai chosen by the Hall of the Tower. This council oversees a staff of non-Aes Sedai clerks and bureaucrats that actually handles the day-to-day administration of the city. This job is complicated by the fact that Tar Valon and its White Tower attract people of all countries and all ranks." etc

 

a) It's quite reasonable that an uneducated street urchin would view a clerk or bureaucrat as a politician. In fact their role is probably very similar and no doubt there was much jostling to be chosen for such a position by the Aes Sedai in charge.

 

b) Tar Valon, no matter how well run, is no different to any other large city with people arriving from all around the world. There may be fewer incidences of it but I'm sure it had its share of homeless/orphans/beggars/thieves/murderers too. As was mentioned, we have people playing such characters already. Added to which, we're in a Portal Stone World, so even if we were mentioning something unheard of in the Books, it's allowable here. I don't think Seia is suggesting this is a hugely widespread problem, she's writing from Cora's point of view about the girl's personal experience. This is the city as she knows it. And finally, with the upheaval caused by the Dragon being Reborn, the widespread wars, the subsequent refugees and the Seanchan etc etc etc... it's probably more common a problem now than it would have been previously. The AS are a little taken up with other concerns.

 

c) I took a unilateral decision to allow Cora to have a higher weapon strength due to lack of activity currently at the Warders. She's a returning character not a completely new one. The bio was more a resubmission than an update which is why it doesn't reflect the WS. That decision was taken after the bio was written and I'd expect Seia to RP Cora a bit to fill in the "in between" period to account for the WS increase.

 

 

Thanks for taking the care to double check Kath. I have no problems with this Bio, can someone CC it now please.

[Kathleen]

Will do. Thanks for looking into it Tay.