Damien Arrowing

About You

Name: just call me Draco
Age: 15
How did you find us: I was looking for a good Narnia rp site
Rules Password: [Password Accepted ~Cara]

Character Basics

Name: Damien Arrowing
Alias(es)/Nickname(s): none
Gender: male
Age: 110 (if gryphons have a 400 year lifespan, this is the equivalent of 27-28 for a human)
Race: Gryphon
Status/Title: warrior
Affiliation: Narnia!

Character Appearance

Damien is an average-sized gryphon. He weighs about 400 pounds (being lightly built for flight). Damien has powerful limbs (wings and legs), but he is rather scrawny from traveling and lack of prey (and hunting skills). Damien is a lean, fairly powerful gryphon, and his muscles are strong from being constantly worked and exercised. He has large and powerful wings. Damien has built up his wing muscle from flying through storms: wet sea-storms on the island, and choking sandstorms in Archenland. His wings also taper into fine points on the end, making them shaped like a falcon's or seagull's wings. This means that he is a very strong flyer, and pretty fast as well.

His feathers/fur are odd colors for a gryphon, though. He is colored as if he were the gryphon version of an American Kestrel. His lion half is covered in mainly rust-colored fur. His tail feathers are rust-red tipped with black, though the undersides are a pale red with black strips on each feather. Damien?s wings are mainly iron-blue to an almost sky-blue, though his wing shoulders are rust-red. The wings are speckled in black. The undersides of his wings are just like the tops, though the iron-blue and rust-red are extremely pale. The feathers still have many black spots. The tip of each long wing is also black. Damien?s back is the same rust color as his wing-shoulder, with many of the feathers there tipped in black. His feathered stomach and legs are pale reddish-white, also speckled in black. His face is quite beautiful; the top of his head is iron-blue. His cheeks are mainly white, but there are two stripes of jet black on each cheek: one going from the corner of his eye and beak to his throat, and another at the back edge of his cheek, under his ear, which marks the boundary between the white cheek and rust-colored back. His throat is also snow-white, and his ears are iron-blue tipped with black.

Damien?s legs are long and powerful, ending in sharp, gleaming black talons on his forelegs and white claws on his hind legs. His beak is yellow tipped with black, and curves nicely. Damien's beak and talons are very sharp, though his beak is not especially strong. Damien prefers to use his talons and hind claws. They are both long and powerful, good for ripping flesh. Damien also has a strong tail, from all of his practice making sharp turns. His tail can be useful in combat as well, if he were to be caught on the ground. Damien is, overall, a well-muscled gryphon, though his poor hunting skills and absentmindedness when it comes to hunting make him somewhat lanky-looking as well. He has very little fat as a result of not eating a lot, though his constant exercise keep his muscles strong.

Eyes: Damien?s eyes are a striking yellow color.
Distinguishing marks: Damien?s coloration is somewhat striking for a gryphon.
Portrayal: none

Character Personality

Likes:
~learning
~flying
~hot, dry, windy places
~the ocean
~fighting with his claws
~exploring
~protecting his friends
~the sun

Dislikes:
~wet or cold places (other than the ocean)
~laziness
~conformity
~ignorance
~small, enclosed places
~cruelty, and cruel beings
~selfishness
~snow

Strengths:
~intelligent, with clear thoughts
~swift, strong flyer
~strong legs, good climber
~brave
~loyal and compassionate
~better performance in warm, windy weather with not much moisture
~observant, has good memory

Weaknesses:
~overly curious
~low body strength
~reckless
~overly trusting
~low performance in cold or very wet weather
~can be careless in certain situations
~not the best hunter, and coupled with his high metabolism can result in his looking somewhat skinny

General Personality:
Damien Arrowwing was always trying to get away from his parents, and was always the independent sort. When he does make friends, though, it?s for life, though he can be overly trusting of the friends he makes. He is a loyal gryphon, and will fight to the death for what he believes in. This, coupled with his rather reckless behavior and tendency to act as bravely as he can, can put his life into great jeopardy. He had gotten into a large amount of perilous situations, and has a few scars under his feathers to prove it. Damien is a good fighter though, especially in the air and with his claws. He trains as often as possible in order to be a better warrior, and his brave heart can be very beneficial to those he is aiding.

Damien, though he is reckless, is an intelligent gryphon. Though he is young in gryphon terms, he knows a lot, for he loves to learn, and has since his hatching. Damien is good with strategy as well, which helps him to be a better fighter. He has very strong problem-solving skills. He also has very clear thoughts and makes most decisions quickly. This means that he is very strong-willed, and his mental resilience is astonishing, even if his physical strength and endurance aren?t up to scratch. He always tries to do what?s right, even if it means putting himself in danger. Damien can be overly curious, and he can?t resist investigating something that draws his interest.

Damien loves the sun and warm, dry weather. Though he has a low tolerance to cold, he loves the wind. His love of flying stems from this love of wind, and he loves to feel the wind ruffle his feathers and fur. He also loves to climb; mainly cliffs as his old homeland didn?t have many trees for him to practice in.

Damien is a compassionate gryphon, and he always tries to help others when he can. He also tries his best to be a noble warrior, though less noble opponents can use this as an advantage against him. Damien, though he is pretty independent, would love to make new friends. He can be sensitive and loving when he wants to be, though he?d never admit it. He is also quite friendly when he grows to trust another, and is generally pretty easy to talk to, though he usually has little to say.

Character History

Parents: Telac Arrowwing, father, and Raquel Arrowwing, mother (both alive)
Siblings: older brother, Cirrick (alive), twin younger sisters, Tayla and Mira (alive)

General History:
Damien?s distant family left Narnia with the invasion of the Telmarines. They were part of a larger flock of gryphons who sought to preserve the species and continue their bloodlines by leaving Narnia, which was now a place of danger and death. The flock fled to an uninhabited island off the coast of Archenland, far to the southeast of Terabinthia. The island was mainly covered in savanna plains and huge plateaus, and it was a mixture of hot, dry, and windy. Damien?s father, Telac Arrowwing, was descended from this ancient flock. Damien?s mother, previously Raquel Firetalon, was from Archenland. She and her family (the Firetalons) lived in their ancestral homeland in a region of Archenland that was mostly dry savanna, which led to the Firetalon?s and Raquel?s love of heat and dryness. Damien inherited this love from his mother. Damien?s parents met when Raquel was out adventuring off the coast of Archenland and met up with Telac. The two fell in love and eventually had one egg together; Damien?s brother Cirrick. Damien?s egg was laid ten years later, when Cirrick became independent.

Damien was always trying to be like his older brother when he was a chick. Cirrick was strong and brave, everything Damien wanted to be. Damien and Cirrick often explored the island together, and participated in many of the battles to defend the island from dangerous creatures (such as harpies or sea monsters). However, as the two grew older a rift was set between them. Their differences became apparent when Damien was in his late thirties. Cirrick was more practical and down-to-earth, and was somewhat pessimistic compared to his younger brother, despite being courageous in battle. Damien also began to understand that Cirrick?s bravery was more of a show than he let on. Damien?s courage was always genuine, and he and Cirrick began to have frequent arguments. They grew more and more estranged as the years passed, and Damien became relatively friendless and withdrawn. He spent most of his forties and fifties on his own. He grew to love learning and flying as substitutes for his brother, and became a very intelligent and knowledgeable young gryphon with very strong wings.

Not long into Damien?s sixties, he heard that old Narnians still existed in the now Telmar-controlled country. He longed to help them, but knew that he was not ready for battle. From then on, he dedicated himself to practicing his fighting skills and techniques. His legs had always been strong from his days of exploring the island (in many places where flight was not possible), and he had always found himself using his talons more than any other weapon in battles. This lead to him practicing battle moves that used either his wings or claws. Damien spent years perfecting his fighting style, and in his very early seventies he decided he was ready for combat.

Damien realized that he still had much to learn about the world. He decided to travel to Archenland, his mother?s homeland, and do some exploring there. The rest of the flock was not very happy to see him go. They expected a gryphon to mate and contribute to the flock when old enough, but Damien was breaking with tradition. Cirrick was especially angry to see him go. He accused him of shirking responsibility and abandoning his family. Cirrick also now had a mate and chicks of his own. (Cirrick had long grown out of his show-off ways, but now had a sense of duty to his flock that Damien did not share.) The two parted ways on even worse terms than they had been on. Raquel and Telac secretly approved of their son?s decision, but feared for his safety. Damien convinced them to let him leave, though. Tayla and Mira, his younger sisters, did not care that much, as Damien had always been their ?strange? brother.

Damien set off on his journey to Archenland. He spent many years exploring it. He then explored the northern parts of Calormen and the southern parts of Narnia. He stayed in southern Narnia until King Miraz took control, and even greater persecution of the old Narnians began. Damien returned to his island in the hope that more of the gryphons would join him to help the Narnian resistance. Damien had a plan to prevent Miraz from taking over the thrown by assassinating him, but needed help to do so.

Damien was less than welcomed upon his arrival. His flock resented him and he had become a very unpopular name among them. Cirrick, however, who had grown more mature, had secretly missed his brother. Damien tried to convince others to help him, but none of the other gryphons would join him in fear that their secret stronghold would be discovered. Damien left the island angrily, and Cirrick, concerned for his brother?s safety, secretly followed. Cirrick had watched in silence as the other gryphons insulted and verbally attacked his brother, and he knew that Damien?s plan was extraordinarily dangerous.

Damien arrived in Narnia to execute his plan. However, the plan went horribly wrong, (predictably) and Damien was gravely wounded. Cirrick rescued his brother and brought him to a deserted part of a forest (of which neither knew or cared what the name was). Damien remained close to death for many days, but somehow managed to pull through, most likely due to his strong will and help from his brother. Cirrick remained by his side except to get bandages, healing herbs, and food and water.

Upon awakening, Damien made up with Cirrick and the two regained their old status as friends. They eventually returned to the island when Damien grew strong enough to fly, and were welcomed with open wings. Damien was forgiven by his flock, who were impressed by his show of bravery in trying to help Narnia. Cirrick was also commended as a hero for rescuing his brother. Damien remained on the island long after his recovery, and during that time things went back to the way they were when the brothers were young, almost. Damien still wanted to help Narnia, but was putting it off in order to spend more time with his brother and family. Eventually, at the age of 110, Damien decided that he could put off his departure no longer. Cirrick was sad to see his brother go, but Damien understood that he had to remain to protect his own family and the flock. Cirrick was also in line to be the next flock leader.

Damien returned to Narnia and is about to join the resistance.

Other/Notes: none

Sample
RP Sample:

Damien flew frantically through the numerous towers and turrets, trying desperately to find a means of escape. No, no, no! It?s all going wrong! Everything! he thought, scanning the nearby walls.

Arrows flew past the young gryphon, and several went through his wings and tail, knocking some of the black-tipped, reddish feathers out. Damien cried out in pain as one scraped his shoulder, leaving a long, bloody gash. He set his beak and continued flying, all the while listening to the angry and sometimes triumphant shouts of the Telmarines below. Another arrow barely missed the gryphon?s face, and he reeled in fear. The humans had trapped him down in their city. If he flew up, he would be met with a hail of arrows even worse than the ones that were barraging him now. No no no no no! Don?t kill me, don?t kill me! Damien thought, panicking. His mind was racing in fear, turning numb. He was running off of pure instinct and adrenaline now.

I must fly up, I must! Damien thought, finally making a decision. He dove down, picking up speed, and then suddenly rose, trying to get out of the city. His mind was filled with nothing but one thought: escape! He was, however, met with a massive assault of arrows.

Damien cried out in agony as several of the arrows hit home. He felt them hit one of his wings, his left hip, his right shoulder? then his chest. Damien gasped in shock and pain as the razor-sharp tip sank into his ribs. He lost altitude quickly, and was not aware of falling.

He hit the ground hard, crying out again. He had crashed on top of one of the towers. Damien was in too much pain to move, and his vision kept going in and out of focus, leaving him only flashes of what was happening. He saw a human, creeping closer with a long spear in his hand. The human raised the spear, poised to strike. Then, suddenly, a familiar form dove out of the sky and knocked the human away from Damien, right over the tower?s edge.

?Cirrick? why are you here ?.? Damien choked out in confusion.
?Why wouldn?t I come?! I?m your brother!? Cirrick answered painfully. Damien was confused to see his eyes fill with fear.
?What? what?s wrong?? He asked, his chest aching.
?Nothing, just? just be quiet, Damien. I?ll get you to safety,? Cirrick replied, his voice jerking a little.

Damien felt himself raised carefully from the ground, and his brother groaned as he lifted him from the tower and took flight. Damien knew it all took massive effort from Cirrick, but was in too much pain to thank him.

They eventually landed in a silent corner of a nearby forest, away from the furious soldiers. Damien had fallen unconscious, and awoke to see his brother let go of him and collapse to the ground, panting in exhaustion.
?Cirrick?? Damien said softly. Cirrick instantly was at his side, gazing at him with more worry than Damien had ever seen him have.
?What is it, Damien, what is it?? Cirrick asked comfortingly.
?If? if this is the last time we see each other--?
Cirrick cut him off, ?Damien, don?t say that. You?re going to live, okay? I?m not letting you off by yourself again.? Cirrick forced a pained smile. Damien also smiled faintly at his words, his vision fading away.

The last thing he saw before slipping into darkness were the stars, glittering away in the sky.