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N'cal
Location Igen Weyr
Position Arroyo Wingrider
Craft Starcraft (Apprentice, former); Trader (former) - Vandor Caravan
Dragon blue Iolarth
Weyrmate Vashae, rider of blue Jovianth
Firelizards bronze Pelokas, brown Taran, green Myri
Birthplace Fort Hold (outlying cothold, now Skywatch Hold); 11th Interval
Played By Tom Hiddleston
Player KyaLia

Description

This bluerider is a tall man of lanky strength that has been hard-won; he went into Candidacy as a rather gangly young man of barely twenty Turns, and emerged from Weyrlinghood as an agile, lean-muscled rider after much work and determination. Bright, blue-green eyes cornered by subtle crow’s feet are set intently below gently arched brows. Thin, expressive lips are framed by a chiseled chin and jaw of rounded edges, while slight gauntness of cheek gives a pleasant narrowness to his overall features. Wavy, dark blonde hair that’s nearly brown sweeps back from a high forehead, often flopping forward into his face when it gets a little too long. While these things can combine to leave N’cal with a rather serious or severe expression much of the time, he can just as often be seen with a wide, contagious grin or smile upon his slightly weathered, lightly scruffy face.

Though generally outgoing and genial in personality, N’cal is also given to long periods of quiet thoughtfulness that can be…unnerving. As if he’s plotting something. And if someone breaks his trust or deals him a deep insult or wound, he can be downright devious. Those who observe him in his moments of quietude just might have good reason to be unsettled. For all he can be wily, he is more often shrewd, having a keen eye for good business matters (including those on the shady side, if he sees how they’ll benefit the greater good…whatever he’s decided that means for the moment).

He’s well-spoken, pleasant, and dependable, with a knack for finding new ways of doing things and workarounds for well-ingrained issues that just can’t be helped otherwise. Additionally, he's quite charming; he knows how to use that grin of his to an advantage. He's a great appreciator of beauty, and though he enjoys flirting and does like a woman to know what he thinks of her, he won't presume to be too forward in most cases. Trust, after all, is not easily come by - particularly in his background (and currently, in some cases). Even though his flirtatious nature becomes restricted to only the woman he's involved with when a relationship is a factor, he is still complementary.


Dragon

Hunter of the Heavens Blue Iolarth

The purest, clearest blue of autumn skies is painted bold upon a pleasantly gaunt face, streaming undeterred down a strong neck, across a broad chest, over nicely defined shoulders and glowing upon every inch of long, powerful wings. Trailing edges of translucent wingsails fade into wisps of high, silvery cloud, while the sky darkens to twilight upon tail, underbelly, and muscular hindquarters. Pale gold glints upon talon and spar, also brushing moonlit cirrus clouds up across a well-defined ribcage and feathering remotely upon rounded eyeridges and blunted headknobs. A lean, fine one is he, beautiful and ethereal in coloring and efficient in movement, predatory in the air and proud on the ground.


Firelizards

Bronze Pelokas

Classic bronzen hues shine along every line of this slender firelizard…but all is slightly shadowed, as if it wishes to be obscured. Shy and retiring, he is quiet and even timid, erring on the side of caution in every interaction. His movements are deliberate and almost stealthy, the dusky shimmer of his hide blending into the dim illumination of his hiding places when he goes still.

Brown Taran

Royal in carriage and attitude both, this well-proportioned brown holds himself perfectly upright upon whatever perch he claims, his imperious gaze seeming to expect all to defer to him. Dark chocolate hide is highlighted upon wings, tail, eyeridges, and headknobs by deep chestnut, which subtly marbles throughout. Preferring to survey his domain from above as often as possible, this otherwise calm, collected fellow is not the most sociable, deigning to mingle with the common rabble as little as possible. Unless there's food being offered.

Green Myri

Grey? No, green! Or possibly grey-turned-green, iridescence marbling her hide oil-slick - not exactly beautiful, but oddly compelling. Headknobs and forelimbs and the spars of her wings are - gem-encrusted? Or appear so, anyway. It could be eye-catching, were the color less reminiscent of a swamp. Still, a friendly little swamp thing she is, though decidedly passive in most matters.


Common Knowledge

  • He's often seen with a certain other Arroyo bluerider on his arm - even more so lately. N'cal and Vashae have finally weyrmated after being a couple for several Turns.
  • His smile is rather disarming. It’s usually the thing that most people remember him by.
  • N’cal kept a low profile upon his initial arrival at Igen, content as a wingrider on the chromatic-heavy Arroyo wing. He served as wingsecond to Trek along with K'vvan (for a time), but after a scoring - and some unfortunate fallout afterward - placed Trek and Kanyith back in Mirage, he took up the reins as wingleader.
  • He ceded his temporary wingleadershp to Zeyta. While a baffling change to some, he most certainly had a definite motive in mind…though the nature of that motive is something he's remained tight-lipped about.
  • Even though he's a Nowtimer, he's got some rather progressive views about chromatic riders and women on fighting dragons. He's vocal with them, as well.
  • His dragon is beautiful. In other words, Iolarth seems to fit in pretty well with the other blues at Igen, in that respect.

Uncommon Knowledge

  • N'cal has a tendency to be overcautious in relationships he values deeply, which seems rather at odds with the confident manner in which he otherwise comports himself. Only a few people (Vashae especially) are actually aware of it so far.
  • During his trader days, N’cal fell in love with a girl named Brigea. She disappeared from a Gather at Nerat Hold, where the caravan had stopped for a sevenday. She was never found, and the Hold Guards, Harpers, and Istan riders brought in to investigate surmised that she had been kidnapped. He spent months believing it had been his fault and that she would return, but he eventually let it go, the tradeoff being that he became extremely guarded against any further serious relationships for several Turns. This event likely served as the foundation for his propensity to be protective of women (for all he's aware they can handle themselves, when they wish).
  • He was partially responsible for the blackmail of the Weyrleader that led to Trek's initial rise to Arroyo wingleader and the restructuring of the wing as chromatic-led.

Relationships

  • Vashae: Of all the female riders he's met in his efforts to grow Arroyo, it's safe to say that none of them have grabbed his attention quite like Vashae has. There are elements to her that he is familiar with: mystery, subtlety, curiosity, caution…perhaps a touch of mischief? The fact that he finds her lovely aside, she intrigues him…well, honestly, it's a good deal more than that. "Besotted" might be an apt word to describe him where Vashae is concerned! She is the first serious relationship he's allowed himself in many Turns - and aside from his Impression of Iolarth, he was never happier than the day she agreed to become his weyrmate. Of course, that day may have competition now that Vashae has just revealed they're to have a child!
  • Erissa: Upon first coming to know the Whirlwind bluerider, N'cal decided that she was pleasant enough, pretty (and aware of the fact enough to use it to her advantage)…and slightly touched, particularly where their once-Weyrsecond Cha'el was concerned. However, he became determined to strike up a friendship with her, intent on showing her that not every relationship with men she had needed to center around the same motivations. When she succumbed to withdrawals due to a drug she'd inadvertently become dependent on, N'cal found Erissa and brought her back to her weyr, then worked with Cha'el, G'tan, and Kyara to help bring the man who had wronged her to justice. N'cal and G'tan were also largely responsible for watching over her as she recovered. He cares about Erissa, his concern for her something of a brotherly nature, if he were to put a label on it.
  • Trek: His former wingleader and partner in crime (so to speak). N'cal was pleased to discover that a gut feeling about Trek seemingly proved correct; she's sharp, eager, and like-minded in her desire to see chromatic riders regarded more equally and given the chance to lead. They worked quite well together, and he supported her in every way he possibly could. While he understands - more or less - what placed Trek in Mirage, he struggles with the feeling that he is responsible for a good deal of her current state of mind.
  • Shea: And here is yet another blueriding woman N'cal sought to recruit - a more difficult case, seeing as Shea has been riding with Whirlwind. Iolarth and Shea's Cervilaevarth get on quite well, both being so much about the intricacies of flight. In Shea herself, N'cal sees an incredibly competent rider with a great head on her shoulders and a very likeable personality.
  • Sienna: N'cal greatly respects the greenriding Assistant Weyrlingmaster, and when they've had the chance to talk, it's been pleasant. He also owes her for helping him get past a bout of…shopping nerves. Iolarth is rather taken with Kehemath, seeing a kindred hunter in the quiet green. He's intrigued by her mindscape, appreciative of her skill…and determined to get her to speak more. But even if she doesn't, the odds of him losing interest don't seem very great.
  • Zeyta: Arroyo's current wingleader, the brownrider is the woman N'cal ceded wingleadership to after temporarily taking the mantle on himself. They have a good working relationship, but lately he isn't certain his decision to allow her to have the wing was correct. Following the earthquakes at Igen, she used wing PT time to clear the collapsed Abandoned Caverns, in which she had stored much of her hoard of somewhat opulent belongings. Her decision not to go to Mirage as soon as her pregnancy made her more retiring and less capable of normal duties did not help his doubts one bit.
Family
  • Acalhan - Father (deceased), cotholder
  • Nearys - Mother, widowed lady of Skywatch Hold
  • Rylan - Younger brother, holder of Skywatch Hold
  • Lheana - Younger sister, Journeyman Vintner at Vintnercraft Hall in Benden

History

Neacal was the oldest son of a rather well-to-do cotholder named Acalhan and his wife, Nearys. Operating under Fort's jurisdiction, Acalhan had ambitions to have their cothold recognized as a minor Hold, with Neacal eventually becoming holder. In spite of this, Cal had no interest in taking up the reins after his father, instead finding his mind given to pondering the heavens. He became apprenticed to the Starcraft, studying primarily under a Senior Journeyman Starsmith posted at Fort Hold while unwillingly learning the duties of a cotholder from his parents. After their increasing efforts to occupy his time with all things unrelated to his Starcraft studies, Neacal left the cothold and his craft in exasperation, venturing eastward with a trader caravan just so that he could get AWAY.

While on the road, he became a rather canny businessman with a knack for devising handy strategies to glean the best deal - even if it meant being underhanded from time to time. Eventually, his travels with the traders brought him back around to Fort Hold - during a Search. Neacal was snapped up by Fort Weyr just a sevenday after reaching his twentieth Turn, and blue Iolarth did indeed turn the fateful gaze of Impression upon the lanky lad.

N’cal did well enough - so well during weyrlinghood, in fact, that he might have been made Weyrling Wingsecond…if he hadn’t been a bluerider. This did not sit well with him, and he was quite vocal about that injustice. He was also vocal about the abilities of chromatic riders in the future (in a more subdued fashion), and never seemed to hold the prejudices about female fighting riders that his contemporaries did. This earned him a place solidly in the wingrider ranks of a middling wing at Fort, never to be promoted or noticed. But he just couldn’t keep quiet, and noticed he was. Thus he was kicked over to Igen Weyr. Let the screw-up Weyr handle the screw-up rider, right? Except that N’cal is far from screw-up material…

As is evidenced by the Wingsecond and Wingleader knots he has borne on his shoulder in the recent past. Using a bit of underhanded methodology from his past, N'cal helped Trek orchestrate a blackmail against the Weyrleader, resulting in Arroyo becoming a chromatic-led wing with Trek at the helm, seconded by himself and greenrider K'vvan. He struggled with the plan, particularly after seeing the effect it had on Trek, but what Arroyo has become as a result is largely worthwhile, in his mind. He led the wing for a while before handing that responsibility over to Zeyta, but is still quite convicted about what is going on with Trek.

Blackmails aside, N'cal has found himself settling in rather nicely at the desert Weyr, though he is frequently homesick for the mountains, trees, and streams near Fort. It's the acceptance (from some quarters) of the more progressive mindset that makes him comfortable. More than that, the he's made some solid friends at Igen - and found someone to become more than that with, which has been the biggest factor in his ability to feel a sense of belonging.


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