Jariq

Name: Jariq
Gender: Male
Orientation: Doubting.
Birthday: Uncertain. In Engel month(?).
Eyes: Mud brown with yellow sun rings.
Hair: Brown like fallen leaves.

History: The reason behind creating the AlphaProject was, cruelly, nothing but a pride and curiousity of human alcemists who were wonderin how long they could go with controlled alchemic mutilation.
This led to a creation of AlphaProject.
The first mentionable result of the project was higlhy human-looking, but less so acting male, who later on started to call himself 'Jariq'.
He was (and still is) very much confused of his existence, not being sure if he ever was a human before the tests or if he was created all the way with alchemic mutilation.
Being this or that, he decided he didn't want to life the rest of his (unknown lenghted) life as a test specimen, so he escaped by setting the unit on fire, escapind with the aid of panic it arised.
Later, after wandering the world alone for a few years, he encountered kid that proved he hadn't been the only one of the test subjects.


Personality: Restless, carefree looking person who often seems to merge on things head-first, but who actually has long though plan ready for anything.
Likes: Cool wearher, warm clothes, having Miho around, having something to eat, warm and dry place to sleep.
Dislikes: Feeling that he's being avoiding just a shadows, feeling of paranoia, thinking he might be insane.

Associations: Chestnut, lion, grand piano, forest swamp, water slowly dripping down from the cave's ceiling; creating speleothems, King of wands, autumn, western direction.
Balance: Yang
Title: AlphaProject

Miho

Name: Miho
Gender: Male
Orientation: Pending.
Birthday: Uncertain. In Sparrow's month(?).
Eyes: Moss green with yellow sun circles.
Hair: Green-turquoise.

History: As well as AlphaProject, Miho too is result of controlled alchemic mutilation, the only one that survived the Jariq's escape, as he was developed in another unit.
The main reason of creating Miho, as far as he undertands it, was to get someone that could captive AlphaProject, but Miho himself wanted nothing more than meet up with the older, to get away from the industry.

Personality:  Miho is still very much a teen despite of being adult male. His mood swings rapidly between silent musing and spitfire.
He is very uncertain of how the humanity works (being part of entirely different race in his own mind), but relying mostly on Jariq's experience makes him feel uneasy, so he hides it behind snarky remarks.
Likes: Warm place to sleep, food, arriving into a new town, trawelling, fishing.
Dislikes: Hunger, feeling of paranoia, when he thinks Jariq doesn't take him seriously.

Associations: Cloudberry, orange's flower, koto, snow leopard, forest fire, Knight of wands.
Balance: Yin.
Title: Neonheart.

Sound of the rising sun

We should go inside now.
The voice that barely was there reached the ears of the Fair one, who laid in the sunny patch on the open window still, curled in the warmth; the bath of gold around them.
An eye, graveyard blue, cracked open just a little. The eye was not one of the child's anymore, bearing more michevious glint than any child could have (yet, the Dark one saw the Child in those eyes, still. He was a lot older, after all), as the lips, pale like flower petals on snow, melted on the smile.
That was not a smile of a child either; a coy nomore, but perhaps for a show, and there was no one here to play to (or perhaps there was).
The smile that rose to the lips, like the sun raises from behind the horizon every morning (burning, fiery sun that guards the pale moon posessively, like a jealouse lover), was sleepy, yet somehow whimsical; an unnerving smile, perhaps, but the Dark one chuckled at it, as he recognised his influence on that smile.

The hot sun is bad for the skin. Especially for one so fair such this is.
A breath that quite wasn't there ghosted over the Fair one's neck. It held the familiar scent of oranges and burnt cinnamon and nutmeg and hint of... was that ginger?
The Fair one glanced lazily (oh, how they loved to act) to themselves, almost like suprised to see the white skin (so white, colour of death; the smoke from funeral pyres) that was covered only by equally white lace cloth. They traced fingers, long and jewel decorated, over the skin, almost curious, like a child, yet in no child-like manner (too sensual, too sure), pulling the lace up to a soft tight; baring more of luscious skin with a hint of dusty pink (like it was shy to be exposed).

"Is that so." the Fair one mused, and their voice was not of a child's anymore, either. They no more spoke with the voice of their kin, but with a one in which the Dark one's calm-fanged inflections have begun to take root in; the gold of his eyes tinging in the words.

The dark, golden, grey, shadowy skin was hot, so hot it almost burned and the Fair one wanted to melt, as the touch that almost wasn't there raked over the fair skin, but from the inside (for the Dark one is bound), leaving burning traces in their wake, the crimson nails tracing the boundaries of the prison (willing, pleasant prison).

We don't want you to get hurt, do we? The Dark one murmured, a ghost of a painted lips moving over their cheecks, smug and amused (posessive, jealouse).
You're not allowed to. the golden voice said, as though speaking to a child, obsidian and amber eyes narrowed, lips curved until he looked condescending.
Chuckle left his painted lips, as carmine nails raked over the fair skin, tracing the lines of their face, over their lips, down their nose.

A flickering breath left the full lips of the Fair one, as they almost choked on the power radiating from the Dark one (like the warmth radiates from ember), and they turned their head away from the lips that hover over their cheecks, and for a moment they were ashamed of their weakness.

Now, lets go inside.
The keen eyes (eyes of obsidian and amber) saw the shiver and he strokeed their hair (whisps of smoke and cotton and snowflakes; colour of nothingness), smiling in a superior way.
And the Fair one rose on their feet and gathered their lace cloth (for they were beaten), as they stepped in the gentle shadows of the house, away from the burning sun.

A pleasant creature indeed.
And then he is gone, leaving only a ghost of the kiss on their brow and a sharp laughter in the still air.

Dog

Name:  Xiao
Gender: Male
Orientation: Obsessed.
Birthday: February 10th / 23rd of Wolf's month
Eyes: Dark brown seal eyes.
Hair: Black.


History: Xiao, called as "Dog" many times by his master, rarely talks to anyone save said master.
Long time ago, he was sentanced to death by the community he lived in, accused from thievery, murders and heresy.
As the sentance was about to be carried upon, he however kicked an old stone down from the cliff. As it happened, the stone was an altar for his faith, and so, unknown to the people of his community, he unleashed the fury of old gods.
Huge waves brought distruction over the willage that laid on the reefy islands, leaving none; children, women, old or young alive. They were all gone, exept for Xiao.
And as the man, now a murderer of multiply people, cazed in the unveiled eyes of the Ocean lord, he was bound for forever to his service, losing the remains of his sanity, they say.

Personality: Sly, cunning mind that hides behind coy smile. Submissive personality if handled right.
Likes: Sounds of the ocean, playing flute, morning light, being useful to his master.
Dislikes: Feeling of hunger, disappointing his master, being pressed to talk.

Associations: Elements of wood and water, southeast direction, spring, pearls, tiger lilies, Dizi-flute, Knight of Cups.
Balance: Yang
Title: Dog of the sea

Hodei

Name: Hodei
Gender: Male
Orientation: Could be doubted.
Birthday: January 3rd / 22nd of Sparrow's month
Eyes: Pale grey.
Hair: Coal black.

History: In the bright light Hodei is man who was taken in by lady Africa as a young teen. He runs her errands, and helps with business, running small repair shop for illegal guns and somewhat whatches over the lady's son, Jaan (how he qualifies to the job with his restless persona, that is a mystery to many).
In the shadows he is hitman to the Mother, "taking care" of the problems and intimidating troublesome people.

Hodei is somewhat broken inside for what the Mother has done to him, trying to ease the dullness he feels inside by pain. That is the main reason he takes part to the illegal street fights and does not really care if he wins or loses as long as he feels something.
He is very mistrusting of people, even though he doesn't show it clearly, feeling better when Jaan is beside him.

Personality: Hot head, has anger management problems, proud, greedy, sarcastic. Hodei rarely feels strong emotions beyond hate, pain and lust, which has made him very nihilistic.
Likes: Causing pain, being hurt, fighting, cheap alcohol, sunsets, street fights, mechanics, Jaan.
Dislikes: Feeling dull, people who don't fight back, killing, being hit on, feeling uncertain.

Associations: Elements of metal and earth, northwest direction, autumn, grapefruit, cactus flower, thick fog.
Balance: Yin
Title: Gasoline.

Jaan

Name: Jaan Hobb
Age: Around twenties.
Gender: Male.
Orientation: Anything that moves on two legs.
Birthday: April 2nd / 34th of Daimon month
Eyes: Broken jade green.
Hair: Flame red.


History: In the shadows Jaan is Hodei's partner in crime, professional sniper who backs up the Mother's forces in bad situations as well as "takes care" of problematic people who stand in the Mother's way.

On the bright light, he is son of lady Africa, the owner of the bar "Africa's", who has no real job and just runs some errands or takes care of the business, if he's not too drunk. He gains no profit from being the son of the lady Africa, but instead they both seem to be untouched, if not repulsed by their blood bond.

He is short, only 165cm (5.4ft) and while he is not really protective of that, he scorns the people who don't take him seriously becouse of it. This has led to few broken arms, jaws and noses.

Jaan is very ambitious and plans taking the business over from his mother one day. For now, however, he keeps his plans quiet, waiting for his time, hiding behind the mask of lasyness.
Becouse of what the Mother has done to him, he is slightly paranoid and does not trust anyone exept Hodei.

Personality: Bold, rude, sardonic, he hides wounded, uncertain child under the expression of arrogancy.
Likes: Silent afternoons, drinking, smell of the drug smoke (tho he doesn't use it), fighting, rough sex, humiliating people.
Dislikes: Arrogant people, being ordered around, bartender of the bar, his mother(?), the Mother, people who don't take him seriously becouse he is short.

Associations: Elements of fire and wood, southwest direction, summer, red grapefruit, autumn storm, the Chariot.
Balance: Yang
Title: Mary's lover

Ragdoll

Name: Ragdoll, Doll
Age: Around twenties.
Gender: Male.
Orientation: Uncertain.
Birthday: Oct 9th / 36th of Cat's month.
Eyes: Sunset gold.
Hair: Cinnabar red.

History: Despite of being clear descendant of Kiresian blood, Doll has been raised up somewhat separated of the said culture, as a foster child of the Ïl Fairchild, the White hermit.
It is unclear even for the Doll himself how he end up in their care and his earliest memories are of himself playing under the table of the shop while the Fairchild was speaking with customers.
He was raised up in that shop where he learnt to handle, not only reptiles and snakes, but also his dificult, snarky caretaker.
As he grew up he started to spend less time in the shady shop and more with his friend Russell in the Kiresian parts of Nowhere.
He is the go-to-person when people on the block wish to ask favour from the Fairchild.

Personality: Loud, carefree, strong willed, joker. He hides all the troubles behind a mask of smile.
Likes: Strong tea, coffee, reptiles, Kawalski (his iguana totem), Russell (his friend), knives, goggles, tattoos, piercings.
Dislikes: Ïl's quirks, sweet food, Medame (albino boa), being watched over by Ïl.

Associations: Spring, southeast direction, elements of wood and fire, Knight of wands, bush fire, rambutan fruit, spider lily, parlour palm.
Balance: Yang
Title:

Shui Huang Yujian

Name:  Shui Huang Yujian (Water Emperor JadeChild)
Age: Younger than the Blind Lord of Burnt Paper.
Gender: Male.
Orientation: Wavering.
Birthday: Unknown.
Eyes: Dark green all around. No black, no white.
Hair: Black like the lightless sea.

History: Long time ago, for a mortals at least, the Ocean of Johanna was ruled over by the previous Shui Huang, the farther of the Yujian. His wife, Yujian's mother, was a fiery, bird-like lady, as the traditon demanded. The Yujian, Jadechild, was first of their descendants to gain knowledge of self and so a name.
As he was young, he thirsted for the power; of mind as well as the body, and so he got absorbed in his studies and training, devoting himself for the thirst, becoming stronger as the seasons changed.
His parents, however, were afraid the powers of their son and the thirst he felt for it, for they were afraid he'd take after the one who had been before him.
But before they could act on their fear, they were murdered and the murdered was never caught.
It is rumored, though, that Yujian would have ended the lives of his parents with his own hand.
Were these dreadfull stories true or not, Yujian rose to the throne of the Joanna's ocean and rules his waters with firm, yet righteous hand.
Still, they say that the young Shui Huang has been punished too, like some of the Old Kin.
And that his punishment was to lose his heart.

Personality: Calm, collected, obsessed with power but hates everyone he thinks might be threat. As water-born being, he is absolutely enchanted by beautifull music.
Likes: Having power over someone, music, green tea, persimons, the ocean, dusk and dawn, tides.
Dislikes: Everyone with more power than he has, weakness shown in his presence, human kin.

Associations: Elements of metal and water, Eastern direction, peach tree, waterlilies, The Emperor, gusheng, waves of ocean hitting the shore.
Balance: Yang
Title: The Ocean Lord.

The Time

The Year:
1st month; The Dog's month (Oct. 10th-Nov.5th) 27 days total.
2nd month; The Engel month (Nov.6th-Dec.12th) 37 days total.
3rd month; The Sparrow's month (Dec.13th-Jan.18th) 37 days total.
4th month; The Wolf's month (Jan.19th-Feb.27th) 40 days total.
5th month; The Daimon month (Feb.28th-Apr.6th) 38 or 39 days total.
6th month; The Dragon month (Apr.7th-May.14th) 38 days total.
7th month; The Snake month (May.15th-Jun.21st) 38 days total.
8th month; The Hawk's month (Jun.22nd-Jul.28th) 37 days total.
9th month; The Tiger's month (Jul.29th-Sept.3rd) 37 days total.
10th month; The Cat's month (Sept.4th-Oct.9th) 36 days total.

The Hours:
-Hours of the Day;
1st hour; The Crown of the dawn (6.am)
2nd hour; The hour of the Rooster (7.am)
3rd hour; The hour of the Snake (8.am)
4th hour; The hour of the Horse (9.am)
5th hour; The hour of the Boar (10.am)
6th hour; The hour of the Mule (11.am)
7th hour; The Demiday (12.m)
8th hour; The hour of the Hawk (1.pm)
9th hour; The hour of the Tiger (2.pm)
10th hour; The hour of the Lizard (3.pm)
11th hour; The hour of the Thrush (4.pm)
12th hour; The hour of the Monkey (5pm.)

- Hours of the Night;
1st hour; The hour of the Blackbird (6.pm)
2nd hour; The hour of the Cat (7.pm)
3rd hour; The Crown of the Dusk (8.pm)
4th hour; The hour of the Dog (9.pm)
5th hour; The hour of the Bat (10.pm)
6th hour; The hour of the Owl (11.pm)
7th hour; The Midnight (12.am)
8th hour; The hour of the Wolf (1.am)
9th hour; The hour of the Rat (2.am)
10th hour; The hour of the Hare (3.am)
11th hour; The hour of the Fox (4.am)
12th hour; The hour of the Dragon (who eats it's own tail) (5.am)

The Guardian

Name: The Guardian
Age: Unknown.
Gender: Male.
Orientation: Irrelevant.
Birthday: August 19th / 22nd of Tiger's month.
Eyes: Mismatched; left dark like root beer, right golden like clear honey.
Hair: Marble syryp brown, wavy, shoulder lenght.


History: When ever there is story about the Healer, there is story about the Guardian too.
Many times he plays just a minor part on the story, maybe only referred as "Healer's Shadow", but he is there. Sometimes he plays bigger part, described as protector and right hand of the Healer, a "friend closest to his heart, his companion for life".
The oldest of the stories imply that the souls of the Healer and the Guardian would have been one in the dawn of times, later separated for unknown reasons.
In these old poems and songs the Guardian is usually referred as "The one bound to Earth" while the Healer is "He who strives for the Wind".

Personality: He is always described calm man, very often not talking to anyone but the Healer, "quiet like the breath of the wind".
He also seems not to have any priorities or morals except those of the Healer.
Likes: Silence, nature, green tea, the Healer.
Dislikes: Rudeness or disrespect shown for the Healer.

Associations: Elements of earth and metal, The Hanged man, western direction, autumn, rowanberries, valley lilies, marble tree, breeze moving the fallen leaves.
Balance: Yang
Title: The Guardian

The Healer

Name: The Healer
Age: Unknown
Gender: Male-ish
Orientation: Irrelevant
Birthday: June 1st / 18th of Snake month
Eyes: Salt crystal-blue
Hair: Satin black, long.

History: The Healer is mentioned in many stories of Eastern Talais and the lands where Eastern immigrants have stablished their own culture. The stories span over many times, making it impossibe to the Healerto be real, living person, as the stories mostly imply, but he is mentioned in the everyday conversations often like he really would be alive.
Some people say he was (or is) the last dragon lord, who is reborn over and over again.
In stories and theatre, his symbols are long, light blue jacket and blossoming branch of apple tree, which are nowadays symbold oh healer guild almost world-widely.
The relationship between the Healer and his Shadow is universal symbol to loyalty and friendship that conquers everything else.
In old songs and poems he is referred as "He who strives for the Wind", while his Shadow is called "The one bound to the Earth".

Personality: In stories, the Healer is described in very different ways dependin of the story. He can be gentle, caring and righteous, or mischievous, sly, even cruel depending on the settings of the story.
It seems he has very unhuman reasoning and inducements.
Likes: Herbal tea, nature, honey, his shadow.
Dislikes: Crude people, being touched, being ordered.

Associations: The World, elements of water and metal, northeast direction, rosehips, apple flowers, wild apple tree, slowly falling snow.
Balance: Yin
Title: The Healer

Ami

Name: Ami B
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Orientation: open
Birthday: April 9th / 3rd of Dragon month
Eyes: Ocean green
Hair: Poppy red

History: Ami's family moved in to the Nowhere when he was only three years old. Before this, they had lived "Somewhere southwest" as he puts it. They moved becouse their homeland was at bad economical state after the war.
Ami's "Mama" was spicy, a tad bit eccentric woman who influence her only son with her bohemian, happy attitude, much to dismay of her husband who was conservative man and would rather had seen Ami growing up by old traditions to take over the family business than embracing this "foreign nonsence" as he referred everything Nowherean did day by day.

As Ami grew, his relationshi with his "Papa" became more strained and his mama had to make more and more work to keep the house even in relative peace.

Ami's mama got ill when the boy was fourteen ears old and past away in lack of medication in just little over two months. After this, the boy's father fell in to a deep depression and barely managed to take care of himself, let alone the boy.
During this time, Ami started to earn money from game table and by having a rich lovers and admirers. His actions finally caught an attention of Lady Carmen who took the boy, sixteen at time, under her wings.

Finlly, three years after his wife, Ami's father finally passed away from his poor health and he moved permanently out from the house he hadn't been living in years.
He soon found small apartment he shares with troublesome room mate.
It seems either of them still does not know if they are friends or nemesis.

Personality: Mischievious, sly and proud of his Kiresian blood, Ami does not hesitate to try and get anything he wants. He is bad with his mouth and seems to incabable to shut up even when he should which leads him into a many unnecessary troubles.
Likes: Attention, rich customers, expensive gifts, clothes, jogging, tequila, club music, fine dining, good conversations, sunrises.
Dislikes: Being ignored, nosy people, stingy people (i.e they don't spend their money on him), Kim's "episodes", his boss telling him to work harder, cheap clubs, places without the glamour.

Associations: Sunflowers, pomegranates, The Fool, northern lights, elements of wood and fire, Southern direction.
Balance: Yang
Title: Tequila sunrise

Kim

Name: Hyun "Kim" Valko
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Orientation: Unsure
Birthday: November 3rd / 11th of Dog's month


Eyes: Winter grey.
Hair: Ink black, messy.

History: About fife years ago, Kim woke up in the small clinic held by illegal street-healers.
He was told that someone had found him from the river, drounded, before the healers could bring back his breath.
Kim had been dead about fife minutes, or little more.
As the days went by, he realized he had no memoried beyond his name and age and the healers explained the amnesia as post-traumatic result of almost dying.
Eventually he was forced to leave, for he had no money to pay for the healers and they had no place to keep him.
Nowadays Kim lives in small apartment that he shares with Ami.
He works as a bouncer in the bar called "Africa's", where he's known from his biting remarks and kind of unpleasant attitude.
Kim believes he can see somekind of ghosts or spirits and that scares him above everything else.
Most people just say he's nuts.

Personality: Vain, proud, paranoid tendencies. Sarcasm makes his day.
Likes: Rain, silence, music, Ami (not that it'd show), vodka, cigarettes, guns, all kind of mechanical thingamajig.
Dislikes: Eating, his medication, stupid people, waking up, getting up, darkness, being alone in dark, feeling cold, big amounts of water in one place.

Associations: Rain, vodka, strong sweet tea, Death, elements of metal and water, blue lotus, autumn, northwest direction, drizzle, nightmares.
Balance: Yin
Title: Vodka shot

The Darkest hours of my mind

He listened the soft breaths emitted behind him, the air slightly puffing against his shoulder blades.
He felt bad for the kid; this wasn't fitting life for anyone, let alone growing teen. The kid would have needed good, balanced diet, or at least full stomach in regular basis, not few bites of food here and there. Surely he didn't need running around in paranoid fear of being caught.

At least the research institute had been warm, if his memory of the place served right. Kid was already sleeping fully clothed; shivering between heat emitting from the back of the older male and hot water ducks running behind the thin wall that warmed the small waste space left between building floors. And the winter was yet to come.

Sure, male himself had hated lab with all his heart and soul, and sure the kid had run away just like he had; on his own regard after they had stumbled upon each other, but he had been adult male, and this kid…
Well, kid was in middle of growing, and for what he remembered of his own maturation it was going to be fast.

Kid would need good food and warm place.
What would they do if kid got sick? They couldn't just march in any medicare without papers. Or money at that.

He pushed his head deeper into the pillow.
He had never before encountered any other of his kind. Of course it wasn't any real wonder; they have been created in bizarre genetic mutilation after all. Yet his basic instincts told him that taking care of the younger was his responsibility as the same instincts had told both of them that they were of the same. And that he was leader, not only justified by his size and strength, but also by his superior experience.

He turned restlessly again, rubbing his rough chin into the pillow.
The kid held his head against the back of the older male's shoulder, and he could feel kid's hands resting against his back between their bodies.

He should send the kid back to institute.

Sure he himself had hated of being locked inside, but during the dark night hours he was painfully afraid that maybe he was just looking for an excuse to keep the kid with him, ignoring the benefits the institute had to offer.

For he knew very well how it'd go; at every morning he'd watch the slender form of the kid and wonder how long he'd stay even remotely healthy weighted. And he would look at those green eyes that bore the same golden-yellow ring just around the pupil that older himself had.
And he wouldn't let the kid go back, even when his subconscious told him that he should.
Because if the kid would go…
If the kid would go, he'd be all alone again.