Post by Nighty on Jul 17, 2012 16:31:59 GMT -5
Username: Nighty[/font]
Speculated Activity Levels: On daily unless I'm working, then it slows to about every other day.
Speculated Literacy Level: Semi-Lit to literate with an average of 400-600 words per post.
Characters Name: Innoka
Nicknames?: Her "white" name is Clara, but she refuses to go by it.
Age: 24 (born in 1887)
Birth Month: Believed to be late March but her real birthdate is unknown. Her family never really celebrated it as they had other things to worry about.
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Plot Availability:
Profession: Saloon Girl
Rank: Waitress
Race: Native American (Blackfoot)
Physical: A powerful woman, both in mind and body. Her heritage as a Blackfoot rings true in her physical features. Innoka is of average height for the time, standing at about 5’3” with a graceful hourglass-shaped body. Her long black hair flows down past her tawny-colored shoulders and it’s usually left loose to frame her exotic, round face ad delicate features. Her dark eyes often have a wild look about them and even in the happiest times they seem to be fearful and cold.
Attire: Innoka dresses in hand-me-downs and worn dresses gifted to her by clients, things other women can't fit into or simply don't want anymore. They're of various light pastel-colored patterns, though her favorite is a dark blue dress she found in the saloon's attic.
She doesn’t like the shoes offered in shops and instead will usually go barefoot, the owner doesn’t seem to mind as long as she does it when she’s not on the clock. It’s only when she’s working will you see her don a pair of heels, however the ill-fitting boots cause her to move stiffly and awkwardly, as they tend to blister her feet.
Weaponry: Kerr's Patent Revolver (stolen from some old miner)
Skills:
- WEAPONRY SKILL 4/5
- COMBAT SKILL 3/5
- TRACKING/HUNTING SKILL 3/5
- SURVIVAL SKILLS 4/5
- HORSEMANSHIP 2/5
- INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES 3/5
SKILL POINTS USED: 19/20
History: Born in 1887 on a reservation, life was tough from the start. She doesn't remember much from her childhood... only that it was incredibly hard to find food and the buffalo that her tribe depended on had either been killed or moved on long before she was born. Her father was killed shortly after the birth of her little brother in an attempt to feed his family, all she really remembers of him is his failed attempts at teaching her to ride a an emaciated horse.
However there is a memory so ingrained in her mind, so a part of her that she still has nightmares about it. She was 11 when she was taken. In the early light of dawn, officials barged into her house and ripped her from the arms of her mother. She remembers the pained screams of families all around her and the cries of her little brother. They took children from their families to turn them into good little Americans, to erase centuries of culture with violence and abuse.
They traveled miles from the tribe, until everything looked the same. Tall, immaculate buildings soared into the sky instead of trees and cobblestones replaced the soft grasslands of the prairies. Innoka remembers the cramped boarding school, where they received English names and there were constant beatings for use of their traditional names or languages.
Innoka entertained the thought of running away with her brother, but horror stories from the other children managed to keep her confined. It wasn’t something she’d get used to, but her brother managed to adapt quicker than her. He even got to the point where he didn’t mind English class and seemed to enjoy church every Sunday. Sipistoo (now known as “James”) held fast to the mistaken belief that the quicker they abandoned tradition, the quicker they’d see mother. In truth, their mother had died shortly after they were taken…
While Innoka refused to accept white culture, her brother embraced it and gained special treatment for being such a model student. She had no idea that his willingness to accept white culture would lead to his death.
He was in town when it happened, helping out a teacher with errands when a group of men encountered him. They laughed at the thought of a tame savage, which he ignored. Infuriated they started beating him and before the teacher could stop it, her little brother was dead.
Only then did she have enough courage to run away, she had nothing to lose now. Innoka was 15 when she left the school, escaping to Armadillo where she has since stayed.
Family:
Kiaayo : Father. Deceased. Was killed during a raid in an attempt to get food for his family.
Nuna : Mother. Deceased. She died shortly after her children were taken.
Sipistoo/James : Little brother. Deceased. He was beaten to death when he was 12.
Sample Post:
A storm grumbled to itself in the distance. Vicious and terrible it growled like a caged animal, snapping and striking out with claws of white-hot lightning. Billows of dark clouds towered over the prairie as threatening as any monster. It hungrily devoured the sun and cast the dingy schoolhouse below in the eerie glow of an early twilight. Rain pattered against windowpanes webbed with cracks and occasionally managed to find a way in through the numerous holes in the roof.[/blockquote]
A young native girl sat tied to a chair in front of several rows of students. Purple bruises welled up from beneath ropes as she struggled to get loose. She grunted as she was hit again. Blood rolled down from a scrape on her cheek, mixing with the several cuts on her chin and a bloody nose. The bitter, coppery taste filled her mouth as she spat a dark red glob onto the floor, almost hitting the shoe of the male assistant that held her hostage. Her one eye was nearly swollen shut, but she could still faintly see his wiry silhouette. He pushed her sharply against the back of the chair, glowering down at her as if she were nothing more than a ill-behaved dog.
"Your name?"
"Innoka!" The girl snarled.
"Again." The woman's voice rang out. It was sweet and light with the faintest English accent, a voice oddly juxtaposed against the ferocity of the situation. "She must learn that we don't tolerate gibberish here."
Innoka managed to catch a brief glimpse of her classmates before another blow hit her face. Each little girl sat perfectly straight at their desks, each one had the same fearful look of being just an inch out of place. Some of the smaller ones were visibly shaking while others turned away or covered their mouths.
'Cowards.' Innoka thought. She finally allowed her body to slump in the seat, though her dark eyes still glared up at the assistant from under her long bangs. The headmistress glided towards her and gestured for the man to move aside. A ruler tapped in the woman's hands, gently beating in her palm like a dull heartbeat. Innoka could hear her own pulse thud along with the ruler, pounding in her ears and throbbing painfully in her head.
"I just... well I don't understand it really." She said all too sweetly. "We brought you civilization and made you... well, as close to decent as we could." She moved smoothly towards Innoka, her head raised disdainfully at the bloodied girl beneath her.
"The sooner you forget your brutish ways, the better it will be for you."
"No..." Innoka whispered. The headmistress' ruler moved quickly towards her face. In spite of herself, she flinched. When she reopened her eyes, she saw the woman brake out into a delicate smile. The flat piece of wood stopped just short of Innoka's cheek.
"Let this prove a lesson to you Clara." She said as she turned towards the class. Her voice was louder now. "Even the strongest savage can be broken."
