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This is version 2.0 of my Fa'e Quest. Anyone who's just happened upon this place without knowing the Fa'e might be scratching their heads at this point; and to those people, let me say, you don't know what you're missing. The Fa'e are Chaos children, birthed from no mother and not logically supposed to exist, that come into our world of Gaia through mysterious and unusual means. In past lives, they were the things of legends and myth; reborn, they retain the same connection to their past lives, and some of the powers as well. As infants, they are entrusted into the care of a Guardian, to whom their very existence will depend on.

Becoming a Guardian for a Fa'e, however, is no simple task. It means being very active in the Fa'e HQ, making friends and building yourself into the community; participating in every contest that comes up, even if you don't have a chance at winning. It's all about chasing a dream. It's extremely difficult and, at times, downright depressing. You see the people around you, also hoping for a Fa'e; good friends, they can become. You see them lose hope, even when you're battling with it yourself. Your victory would mean their loss; only a very few can ever have a Fa'e, those that remain dedicated through the hardship. Even though that is true, you want the best for your friends; you sometimes even want them to earn their Fa'e even more than you want to earn one yourself. Definately a confusing venture, almost incomparable to the "real" quests around here. Questing for an object on Gaia is, at the very least, attainable; there's a solid goal in sight, and you can track your progress. You know when you're taking a step forward, taking a step back. But questing for a Fa'e... you can't just gather up gold and items to succeed. It's not a material endeavor. You never know when you're getting close, and you never know when you stop having a serious chance. You just have to hope.

It isn't all bad, of course. There's so many things that are fun about questing for a Fa'e... even if it should turn out that I never recieve one, I work hard to make sure that it wasn't a wasted effort. I've met so many people, most that I want to learn more about, all friendly and encouraging. I've gotten to create something that I, at least, consider to be beautiful; and, if the dream never goes anywhere outside of my head, I suppose that's well enough. I've learned a little of this and a little of that, grown a little, and it is very, very rare that I log off of Gaia after a visit to the Fa'e HQ without a smile on my face. The experience is worth it, even if it should fail.

... well, enough rambling from me. This is my Fa'e Quest. This is where I keep track of my dream, and prepare for the chance that I might recieve an opportunity to get a Fa'e. Posting is always open to Fa'e Guardians, Lurkers or Stalkers, friends, and anyone who just wants a place to sit and talk for a while. I encourage everyone to look at the link post in order to see other people's Fa'e Quests as well; all of us need the support to keep trying.

To the other dreamers: Never give up hope, and you'll never have to lose it.



Progress: heart This quest... has... been... completed! heart

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Original Name:

It was not given a name of its own.

Name to be Given Upon Rebirth:

Dustin. Her nickname will be "Dusty".

Meaning of Rebirth Name:

"Dustin" is an Old English name, which means "valiant fighter". It is applicable to either gender, and though it is generally used in modern days as a male name, it seemed extremely fitting for the Fa'e.

Gender:

Female.

General Concept:

The scabbard of the sword, Excalibur.

Previous History (full history):

The entire world was bathed in bronze, tinted by the sunlight as the golden orb made to retire to the horizon and the soft velvet of the night sky. The leaves rattled softly on the bough as the wind twisted its way softly across the lakeshore, skimming across the eerily still surface. Two horses stood in silent vigil beneath the lengthening shadows of a trio of tall birch, one blood and the other flesh in color, as they watched steadfastly the two figures that stood solemnly at the lake's edge.

One of them was a young man, with arrogant posturing and a powerful build. He wore a magnificent set of plate armor beneath a brilliantly colored cloak, the precise hue of a harvest moon. A golden crown rested amidst his tousled blonde hair, demanding that his presence be acknowledged and revered. The other, however, was much the opposite of the flashy, bold man. He was elderly; not to the point of crippled, for his body was strong and full of life, but the long gray beard that hid his face attested to his age. He wore a set of simple gray robes, and carried a gnarled and worn staff that looked to be practically as old as he was. Despite his more drab and somewhat bedraggled appearance, there was a strange sense about the man, that of awe-inspiring power, that confused the eye.

The two held their ground a moment, and their tongues as well, simply gazing out upon the unmoving waters. In the center of the lake rested a mossed protrusion, no greater in length than the distance between one's fingertips and elbow, and no taller than a doorway. At a glance, one might assume it to be a log of some sort, having somehow made its way to the center of the lake to stick straight up into the air. However, peeking out through the carpet of green moss, a glint of steel could be seen, and clasping it a slim, delicate hand that emerged seamlessly from the lake.

"Lo!" said the elder of the two, turning to the other to twinkle his blue eyes in a hidden smile. "Yonder is that sword that I spake of."

Even as the man spoke the words, the younger set a foot forward to the lake, with the clear intention of simply going through the waters to fetch the blade. However, as he peered down at the glasslike surface of the lake, his attention was caught by a curious sight. The water rippled faintly where his gaze fell, leaving an impression of flowing white samite falling fluidly over the soft curves of a maiden's body.

"... What damsel is that?" He inquired incredulously, his movements frozen as his eyes locked on the fleeting form that drifted amongst the waterweed. With a faint chuckle, the other man leaned upon his staff and began to speak once more.

"That is the Lady of the Lake, and within that lake is a rock, and therein is a place as fair as any on earth, and richly beseen; and this damsel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you the sword." During this talk, the youth took a step back from the waters to turn his attention in full to the robed man alongside him, and consider his words. His faith in the other's judgment was all but boundless- if he said that the damsel would come to him, then he would trust that she would. With that, the two waited, as the air darkened and the day continued on, perilously close to death.

No sooner had the first star sparked into the sky, however, then there was a stirring of water. Strange droplets, sparkling with stored sunlight, twirled about the entire surface of the lake, disturbing the surface at last to break into lapping waves, which rushed the feet of the two visitors for a playful moment before receding once more. The golden waters converged before them, several paces away under the waters, before slowly stretching up to the sky. They emerged at last as the form of the Lady of the Lake, bathed in pale light and swathed in flowing white, which floated softly on the lake's surface until it mixed with the water itself and made the two as one.

She gave a faint salute of one arm, which was, to her delight, returned by the crowned youth. It was he that first spoke, and said, "Damsel, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword." He gestured to the hidden blade, but her gaze did not follow- her eyes, colorless as the blind, remained focused in his direction as a smile worked its way to her lips.

"Sir Arthur, king," she spoke, her voice ethereal and noble, "That sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it." A moment of hesitation, as the youth considered the implications of owing a boon to a creature such as the Lady before him; it was swept away, however, by the promise of the sword that he lusted after.

"By my faith, I will give you what gift ye will ask." He met her gaze determinedly, filled to the brim with every bit of kingly charisma he could gather. She simply laughed lightly, however.

"Well!" With a beaming smile, she clapped her hands once, producing a blast of air that split the water before her down the center. There, beneath the water's surface, rested a silver boat, the stern adorned with a silver harp and two long, elegantly molded oars lashed onto either side of the hull. The water slipped back into place slowly, filling up the space beneath the watercraft- and, impossibly, the boat floated on the surface. The water level beneath it rose until the gap that had been created to reveal the boat was filled once more, leaving the lake still and silent again, save for the visage of the Lady and the boat that bobbed gently at its shore.

"Go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time." One hand touched her lips briefly in a blown kiss and, without any coming response from either man, she sank beneath the surface once more and disappeared.

The two men shared a brief look, before taking themselves into the boat and beginning to row to the waiting sword.

***

As the two rode alongside the pavilion of Sir Pellinore, away from the lake and into the enveloping inkwell of night, Sir Arthur looked fondly upon the sword at his side. Though it was hidden in the gilded black leather scabbard, he could feel the power of the sword stirring through the hilt; this was the sword that truly made him King, the sword that gave him the power to protect his country from the evil that grew within it. Any other sword before now had been a mere children's toy, nothing more than practice to train him for the acquisition of the blade that had been his destiny. This was his fate. This was Excalibur.

The man riding beside him sharply reined his steed to a skittering halt. Alarmed, Arthur did the same. A quick scan of the area revealed no enemy, no danger- there was not even the slightest clue to the other man's intentions in the sudden halt. He turned his gaze to his elder, his eyes demanding that he answer the question that rested so obviously on his mind.

"... Whether liketh you better," the bearded man said, his voice pondering but his eyes serious and worn. "The sword? Or the scabbard?"

"Me liketh better the sword," Arthur answered instantly, as if there were only one solution to be had, and he thought the other man a blind fool for not having already seen that. The other, however simply sighed and shook his head, running a hand through the thinning gray hair of his head and nudging his horse into a slow amble. Perplexed, the youth did the same, bringing his mount alongside the other.

For several minutes, they did ride in this fashion; slowly, uncertainly, with the elder lost in his thoughts and the younger trying to ken the other’s mind. At last, though, the older man turned his attention once more to Arthur.

"Ye are most unwise," reproached he, his voice drifting somewhere between disappointment and scornfulness, "For the scabbard is worth ten of the swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the scabbard always with you."

Arthur's eyes grew wide, as he turned his gaze down again to his precious Excalibur, and the extravagant scabbard that held it. Newfound respect was there in his gaze. The sword was powerful, yes, and demanded more attention; but the scabbard was created for the purpose of containing that power, and that alone should have made Arthur realize that it itself was an item of greatness. But now... the sword was an undefeatable weapon, but the scabbard was an impenetrable armor. Any sword could cut down any foe, with skill and persistence, but there was no set of armor alive that could promise to spare its master from bloodshed.

The sword had made him King... but, perhaps, the scabbard would be the one that would keep him that way.

***

Days, weeks, years passed by. The sword Excalibur saw many battles, drank the blood of countless enemies, and always triumphed over whatever challenge fell before it. The sword became a legend, even as it still existed- and, with that status, became immortal to the human mind, synonymous with the medieval age and the Knights of the Round Table.

Just as hard-pressed to make use of its strength, however, was the scabbard. For every sword that its bearer was too slow to avoid, the scabbard stole away the hurt, mended the wound even as it was made, draining its own power for the sake of the one that wore it at his side. But, unlike Excalibur, the scabbard gained nothing in return. No notoriety, no fame. It was nothing of its own, to the world; it wasn't even considered as useless, as no one even noticed it at all. Overshadowed forever by its counterpart, the scabbard simply existed without acknowledgement.

With time, even the King, who knew of the scabbard's power and owed his life to it a thousand times over, began to neglect the importance of the scabbard. The wizard Merlin, who had first told the young King of the scabbard's importance, was slain by a lady of the lake- but not before telling Arthur to keep close his sword and scabbard, for they would one day be stolen away from him by a woman that he most trusted. However, the King's focus returned to the sword, as he had first been inclined; and the scabbard, though completely ignored now, continued its work as it had been spelled to do.

Eventually, though, Arthur's negligence would prove to be his downfall, come one disastrous night. For, though the King always took the precaution to sleep with his sword at his hand, he had not thought to give his scabbard such protection.

So was the case when, as he slept in an abbey far from his home, his sister, grieving over the loss of Accolon, came upon his bedside with the hopes of stealing the blade. When she found that she could not take Excalibur without waking her brother, she instead settled herself to steal away his scabbard. She took to her horse, and fled.

When Arthur awoke to find his scabbard disappeared, he was brimming with rage. When he discovered that his sister had been there, he fetched one of his knights, Sir Ontzlake, and rode off in pursuit of her. When at last they managed to catch up with her, however, she stood by a lake. "Whatsoever come of me, my brother shall not have this scabbard" she declared, then hurled the scabbard into the deepest waters of the lake.

Without Merlin to assist him, the King had no choice but to abandon the scabbard to the lake waters, to erode slowly. He fought many more battles, armed with Excalibur; he met his end, however, at the hands of Sir Mordred, his own son. Though near death as he was, he saw to one final task- that his sword be thrown back to a lake, where it was caught by a hand, and disappeared into the waters once more.

***

"And that's where the tale ends. A bit of fancy lettering, and the conclusion of one of the greatest legends of all time, with everyone killed off in such a glorious fashion. Is it just me, or is that a load of complete bull?" Her voice pitched to demand agreement, she turned her gaze to the man sitting across from her.

"Mm? Oh, verily. 'Tis such an ignoble end, unfitting." He took a sip at his coffee cup. The blue silk scarf around his unseeing eyes might have spared him from the outraged look on the other's face, but there was no mistaking the snarl in her voice as she turned to reproach him.

"That's not what I'm talking about!" All but hissing now, she took a moment to close her eyes, and calm down, before continuing in a low, dangerous voice. "The entire damn hype whines about 'OMG, EXCALIBUR IS THE RAWK!', or 'Arthur is such a true and noble king, heart heart heart.', when the entire damn time, the most influential item in the story is shunted to the backseat." She opened her eyes again to glare across at the man, an eerie orange-red stare that made even the blind man squirm in discomfort. "Arthur was an arrogant idiot who put too much of his focus on slashy-slashy, and I honestly don't see what differentiates Excalibur so much from any other sword, other than a fancy name. That scabbard, however. Do you realize, there are twenty-one books in the series, and the scabbard disappears in the seventh one? Considering that Merlin died before the scabbard disappeared, you have to wonder exactly how the hell it is that they figured that brat Arthur to survive so long!"

"'Tis just a story, m'lady Arrien," the man said soothingly, motioning with one hand to try and placate the lavender-haired woman. She was having none of it, though- after taking a moment to straighten the bunny ear headband that she considered her trademark, she started bitching anew.

"That's another thing! Where the hell do you get off, calling something like that 'just a story', O great Bard? There's no proof of it being real, sure, but there's no proof of it not being real! Isn't it your 'calling' or whatever, to bring that sort of thing as close to life as you can make it seem?"

"Mine calling," he said gently, "is simply to serve where I may, without gaining profit for mine self. That doth not require me to entertain the concept of a fairy tale, nor to argue its validity with thee. 'Sides, 'tis not as if there be no more extravagant tales from whence I come; though I credit thine story for originating from a mundane universe, I gift it no more praise than that."

"... feh." She seemed rather reluctant to concede the point- but that had been Bard's subtle way of telling her to shut up, she was fairly certain, and she didn't feel like pushing the subject on an unwilling victim any further. The two sat in silence a moment, sipping at their various caffeine-filled drinks and thinking.

"By the way, m'lady- how goes the job hunt?"

"... Job hunt?"

"... thou didst say, when last we spoke, that thou wast seeking to find employment, and move out of thine hotel room?"

"... oh... right...."

And thus was it that, once again, a perfectly good conversation on the hypothetical was slaughtered by a sense of realism and the pressures of reality. Damn, but the world could be an annoying place, sometimes... with a faint sigh, Arrien shook away her thoughts of the egotistical King Arthur and his glory-hogging sword, to focus on making an excuse for her latest batch of laziness.

Previous History (shortened version):

The entire world was bathed in bronze, tinted by the sunlight as the golden orb made to retire to the soft velvet of the night sky. The leaves rattled softly on the bough as the wind twisted its way softly across the lakeshore, skimming across the eerily still surface. Two horses stood beneath the shadows of tall birch, watching steadfastly the figures that stood at lake's edge.

In the center of the lake rested a mossed protrusion, which at a glance, one might assume to be a log of some sort, having made its way to the center of the lake to stick straight up into the air. But, peeking out through the carpet of green, a glint of steel could be seen, and clasping it, a delicate hand emerged seamlessly from the lake.

"Lo!" said the elder of the two men, "Yonder is that sword that I spake of."

As the younger peered down at the glasslike waters, his attention was caught by a curious sight. The surface was rippling, leaving an impression of flowing white samite falling fluidly over the curves of a maiden's body. "... What damsel is that?" He inquired incredulously.

"That is the Lady of the Lake, and within that lake is a rock, and therein is a place as fair as any on earth, and richly beseen; and this damsel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you the sword." The youth took pause to consider these words. His faith in the other was boundless- if the elder said that the damsel would come to him, then she would. So the two waited, the air darkening as the day dragged to an end.

No sooner had the first star sparked then there was movement. Strange droplets, glittering with retained sunlight, danced beneath the lake water before converging and stretching heavenwards. The form of the Lady of the Lake emerged from this, swathed in flowing white and pale glow.

She gave a salute of one arm, and was answered by the crowned youth. "Damsel, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword."

"Sir Arthur, king," she spoke, her voice ethereal and noble, "That sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it." The youth met her gaze determinedly, filled to the brim with kingly charisma.

“By my faith, I will give you what gift ye will ask."

"Well!" With a beaming smile, she clapped her hands once, splitting the water before her. There, beneath the water's surface, rested a silver boat with two elegantly molded oars lashed onto the sides. The water slipped back into place slowly- and, impossibly, the boat floated. The gap that had been created filled once more, leaving the lake whole.

"Go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time." One hand touched her lips in a blown kiss, and she sank beneath the surface.

The two men shared a brief look, before taking themselves into the boat and beginning to row to the waiting sword.

***

As the two rode away from the lake and into the enveloping inkwell of night, Sir Arthur looked fondly upon the sword at his side. Hidden in the gilded golden scabbard, its power could be felt stirring through the hilt; truly, this sword made him King. Any other sword before now had been nothing more than a toy to train him for the acquisition of the blade that had been his destiny. This was his fate. This was Excalibur.

The man riding beside him drew his steed to a skittering halt. Alarmed, Arthur did the same. A quick scan of the area revealed no danger- he turned to the elder, his eyes demanding explanation.

"... Whether liketh you better," the bearded man said, his voice pondering but his eyes serious, "The sword? Or the scabbard?"

"Me liketh better the sword," Arthur answered instantly, as if there were only one solution to be had. The other sighed and shook his head, nudging his horse into an amble. Perplexed, the youth did likewise.

For several minutes, they did ride in this fashion; uncertainly, with the elder lost in his thoughts and the younger trying to ken the other's mind. At last, the older man turned his attention once more to Arthur.

"Ye are most unwise," reproached he, disappointed and scornful, "For the scabbard is worth ten of the swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the scabbard always with you."

Arthur's eyes fell down again to his precious Excalibur and the scabbard that held it. The sword was powerful, yes; but the scabbard was created for the purpose of containing that power, and that alone should have made Arthur realize that it possessed greatness. The sword was an undefeatable weapon… the scabbard was an impenetrable armor. Any sword could cut down any foe, with skill and persistence, but no set of armor existed that could promise to spare the blood of its master.

The sword made him King... but perhaps the scabbard would be the one that would keep him that way.

***

Days, weeks, years passed by. The sword Excalibur drank the blood of countless enemies, and always triumphed over whatever challenge fell before it. The sword became a legend, even as it still existed- and, with that status, became immortal to the human mind, synonymous with the medieval age and the Knights of the Round Table.

Just as hard-pressed to make use of its strength, however, was the scabbard. For every cut that its bearer was too slow to avoid, the scabbard stole away the hurt and mended the wound. But, unlike Excalibur, the scabbard gained nothing in return. No notoriety, no fame. It was nothing of its own; it wasn't even considered as useless, as no one even noticed it at all. Overshadowed, the scabbard existed without acknowledgement. Even the King, who knew of the scabbard's power and owed his life to it a thousand times over, began to neglect the item's importance. The wizard Merlin, who had spoken of the scabbard's importance, was slain by a lady of the lake- but not before warning Arthur to keep close his sword and scabbard, or they would one day be stolen away from him by one that he most trusted. Despite this, the King's focus returned to the sword; and the scabbard's significance was forgotten.

Eventually, though, Arthur's negligence would be his downfall. Though the King always slept with his sword at his hand, he did not give his scabbard such protection. So it was, as he slept in an abbey far from his home, that his sister snuck to his bedside with the intent of stealing Excalibur. When she found that she could not take the blade without waking her brother, she instead seized the scabbard and fled.

Arthur woke to find his scabbard gone. Quickly, he fetched one of his knights and rode off in pursuit of the thief. When at last they managed to catch up with her, she stood by a lake. "Whatsoever come of me, my brother shall not have this scabbard!" she declared, and hurled the scabbard into the deepest waters.

The King had no choice but to abandon the scabbard. Armed with Excalibur, he fought many more battles, but inevitably met his end. Though near death, he saw to one final task- that his sword be thrown back to a lake, where it was caught by a hand and drawn into the waters once more. With that, both sword and scabbard faded from our world.

Personality:

Predictions: Dustin will tend to be extremely protective of those that she likes- almost smotheringly so, at times. However, this nature will be restricted *only* to those that she knows well and trusts; she will be otherwise suspicious of those she hasn't yet met, and can be rather hard for some people to get close to. If there will be a secret to earning her friendship, it will be left as a mystery; the criteria she will seem to use to pick her friends will be such things as gut instinct and whim, though her truest friends are always going to be the ones she's known since youth, who have proven their loyalty.

Dusty will end up something of a domineering type. She has to be the boss of anything that she gets involved in- absolutely HAS to. It doesn't matter if there's someone better for the job, she'll insist that she does it, anyway. A bit of a glory-hog, she will like to see her name attached to anything that she does, and practically demands recognition and respect. Though she will not actively try to stifle others in their pursuits, she will have that effect on those who cannot (or will not) stand up to her and tell her "enough".

In addition to all that, Dusty will develop something of a gender complex. She will quickly grow to detest the fact that females seem to be naturally so much weaker than males, and will work to mold her life into an exception of that rule. Dustin will have a tendency to pose as "one of the guys" from time to time, and certainly won't hesitate to display exactly how pissed she is if someone gives her away; and anyone who pisses her off could tell you, she sure as hell doesn't punch like a girl.

Likes/Dislikes

Favorite...
... colors: Gold, black, emerald, and sapphire.
... foods: Hearty meals, stew and the like.
... clothing styles: Extremely practical, loose clothing.
... animals: Has a soft spot for horses.

Least Favorite...
... colors: Pink, yellow, and most other bright shades.
... foods: Sour foods, unless accompanied by something sweeter.
... clothing styles: Feminine clothing, especially skirts and dresses.
... animals: There aren't any animals that she specifically dislikes, but she does tend to view most creatures as game, not pets.

Predicted Personality Stages - Baby through Teen

Baby -- As a baby, Dustin will seem positively angelic, at least when compared to others of her age. Even as an infant, she doesn't cry or fuss, rather determinedly so. Constantly trying to discover the world around her, Dustin is the sort of baby that somehow discovers how to crawl in those five precious seconds where her Guardian is not looking, and proceeds to use her newfound ability to explore the nice hiding place where no one will ever find her. None too surprisingly, this leads to her occasionally falling into rather dangerous situations (Oh, look! I wonder what's at the bottom of these stairs!). Her Guardian will have to remain on their toes, just to make sure that she doesn't get hurt.

Toddler -- As a toddler, her curiosity will have become all but awe-inspiring. Dustin's favorite word - "Why?". Repeat that about twenty times, and you have a conversation with little Dusty. Worse, though, is the fact that if she doesn't get a satisfactory answer, you can bet that she's going to try and find a better one all on her own. Even at this age, she will be clearly uncomfortable in feminine clothing, getting grouchy when forced to wear skirts and dresses and the like. Any dolls that she gets will generally lose their hair, if not their heads, within a few days of coming within reach. She seems much more interested in playing with other children now, but is much more physical than most others her age would like, and often manages to hurt her playmates.

Child -- As a child, Dustin will become extremely focused on being the boss of things. She wants to be friends with the guys around her, finding that most girls are just too, well, girly for her liking. Popularity is somewhat important to her, and reputation as well; she wants everyone to know that she's a tough kid, and she's willing to go to extreme lengths to prove it. She will begin to pick up a severe distaste for any kind of authority that hasn't found some way to get her respect, and has absolutely no respect for her elders. Especially in her later childhood, she will pick up a love for curse words, and stop at nothing to share her knowledge of trash talk with other children.

Teen -- When she starts maturing, I expect that she will have one hell of a case of sexuality confusion. Especially when all the guys are getting matched up with other girls, and she starts getting left on her own while everyone else is busy going on dates and whatnot. Between trying to hide her physical maturities, dealing with whatever her Fa'e-ness will throw at her, and feeling left out, things promise to become very confusing for her.

Appearance:

In trying to figure out exactly what Excalibur's scabbard had looked like, I stumbled upon this excerpt from the original texts. This comes from Chapter XIV, the chapter in which Morgan le Fey stole King Arthur's scabbard (being unable to take Excalibur itself). Just as the King and one of his knights caught up with her, she declared that Arthur would never have the scabbard-

"And then she let throw the scabbard in the deepest of the water so it sank, for it was heavy of gold and precious stones."

Of course, whether or not the appearence of the original scabbard would have any effect on how Dustin herself would appear shouldn't really be my choice. It's just there for reference.

Powers:

Initially, there will only be a very few powers that Dusty possesses.

-- She will heal at a rapid rate; a small cut would be completely vanished within a few minutes of its acquisition, for example. This is an instinctive ability, and will manifest from her arrival as a Fa'e.
-- She will also possess unusual strength, though nothing of Superman levels. Just enough to keep surprising people, by being able to heft objects that seemed to be beyond her abilities.

Other than these two traits, however, she will not appear to have any abilities at all, much to her frustration. As time progresses, however, these powers will strengthen, and others will come. Most of her powers will focus on the healing and defensive arts, warding spells and the like.

Plot Foreshadowing:

It was by different hands that the sword Excalibur was forged and its scabbard cobbled, but by the same hand they were magicked. By the enchanter's lips were they both named, and by the enchanter's spells were they given power that binds the two closer than even human blood. It is an inescapable fact, that the sword was created to protect the scabbard from those who would abuse its power, and the scabbard was created to protect the sword and contain its magic. Seperated, they are incomplete. Like it or not, Dusty's destiny is intertwined with the sword that she will come to despise, for stealing away her identity in a past life, so long ago....

Reference Links:

1. http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~zaccone/Excalibur-manual/node48.html
2. http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/excalibur.html
3. http://www.mysticrealms.org.uk/malory/book04.htm#CHAPTER%20XIV

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Uber-quick-crappy-Dusty by Arrien
Dustin by evermore_crystal
Dustin by Nimaina Sekan

(note: These are all just concept drawings. ^^ I encourage people to use their imaginations and try their hand at drawing a possible appearence for Dusty! By all means, don't use my template. I want to see what people can come up with. :3)

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Frankly, after losing my entire quest to forum changes, I realized that I am in dire need of some good luck. So I'm going to start surfing minishops in search of little charms, to help this quest along. I mean... I'm not superstitous or anything... ninja I just need a bit of damn luck, here.

None yet.

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Name: Arrien Evaness.
Gender: Female.
Age: Young Adult.
Race: Gaia Persona, human.
Job/Class: Jack-of-all-Trades. (aka, unemployed).

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Appearence: Arrien has looks that complement her personality quite well; unusual, loud, playful, and intense. Her lavender hair is short and choppy, usually messy (despite half-hearted attempts to brush it). Her eyes, adorned and accented by a stylish set of glasses, are an eerie orange-red in color, well-suited for piercing glares and warm, friendly looks. Her skin is a healthy hue; not deeply tanned, but not blindingly pale, either. She has a tested-and-true style that she rarely deviates from, consisting of a purple tube top, baggy jeans, sneakers, and a silver pocketwatch. The most important detail, however, is the bunny ear headband that she wears wherever she goes. She claims that she mugged a Playboy Bunny to get them, and the validity of this has yet to be disproved.

Background: Arrien came to Gaia very early one April; just late enough to escape the Plague of Black Faces, much to her good fortune. She came with two companions; the android that she so despises, Cheerleader-Android Jika, and the blind musician that she is so proud to call a friend, the Bard. She and Bard split their paths early on, though they are known to meet twice a week in order to catch up and drink coffee. C-A Jika, however, has been Arrien's roommate, whether she likes it or not.

Arrien first came into the Fa'e HQ in the middle of winter, when snow was covering the streets and wearing a tube top was NOT such a good idea for preventing frostbite. Though she initally had only come in for the sake of having a warm place to go when heading back to the hotel after an afternoon at a local cafe with Bard, she took up an interest in the place and the Fa'e. She took to studying them casually, making notes and observations about them in a little black book. It is important to note, however, that she makes a point to view them (and treat them) as people, not "specimens" or anything of the like. She isn't precisely a scientest... just a Jack-of-all-Trades, after all.

Recently, Arrien and C-A Jika have taken up residence in a small building, usually used as a party house. Her time has been taken up with renovating the place into something remotely habitable for day-to-day living. Much to her chagrin, Arrien lost her black book in the move. She blames C-A, of course.

When questioned about where it was that she came from before she arrived at Gaia, Arrien gets elusive and vague. Questions about her family, parents and the like, are answered with like results. She is willing to reveal that she has four sisters, all of approximately the same age; three of them she names with contempts, the "holier-than-thou b***h" Melon, the "prissy prep" Mira, and the "perpetual torment" Anya. There is one, however, that she seems to remember fondly- her "kind (but shy)" sister, Miranda. As for other people from wherever she lived prior... well, she hasn't specifically mentioned anyone that comes from there, but she *does* know one other on Gaia that shares her home before this one....

Residence: (inhabitants: Arrien and C-A Jika)

Entryway/Entertainment room: What had originally been a dance floor, has been more or less reconstructed into an entertainment room. Shoji screens have been set up to seperate this room from the kitchen/dining area to the west. There is a staircase leading into the basement in the northeast corner of the room. Several chairs are slung about the room, as well as an overstuffed loveseat; there is a decent-sized television on the east wall, towards which all of the furniture is aimed but one. On the north wall, nestled in spot where wall meets with the line of shoji screens, a green couch is push firmly against the wall, all of the pillows on it askew. A faint thrumming sound can be heard from that spot, late at night when all is silent....

Kitchen/dining room: This room is cut off from the others by shoji screens. There is a door in the north wall leading out to the playground, the entryway/entertainment room to the east, and the study to the south. There is also a door to the west which leads into a storage closet, which is also considered to be C-A Jika's bedroom. The bar has been rather crudely transformed into a workable kitchen; a fridge, a stove, a microwave, the works. It still has a very "bar"-ish feel about the place... but it's the content that matters, so far as Arrien is concerned, not the appearence.

Study: A computer at one wall, a mess of bookshelves on the other, and a couple bean bag chairs thrown wherever some color is needed. A small houseplant rests on the computer desk, looking a bit sad and neglected. The kitchen/dining room is to the north, the two bathrooms are to the south.

Bathrooms: Almost completely identical, the only thing that has been changed about these rooms is to include a shower in one, and a bathtub in the other. Otherwise, nothing - not even the male/female signs outside of them - has been changed.

Playground: This is the one feature that Arrien can't figure out how to twist into something useful for her. The small playground features rubber "wood" chips, a swing set, and a sandbox, and is surrounded by some hardy and fragrant flowers.

Basement: This has been transformed into Arrien's room. It's not exactly liveable yet, though... it's freezing cold, and, despite the best efforts of Arrien, C-A Jika, and Bard combined, it still looks like the makeshift arena that it had before. There's a long list of rennovations yet to be completed before this room is usable. (Tasks completed so far: carpeting. Still needed: lighting, wallpaper or painting, furnishing. Arrien's been working on these, bit by bit, but she can always use help with the work... *hinthint@roleplayers*)

Pond: The water feature rests towards the back of the property, next to the playground. The water is rather shallow in some places, enough for small children to wade in, but gets pretty deep towards the center; perhaps ten or twelve feet at its deepest. A few koi have died in recent days, while Arrien figured out how to take care of them. Sad, but inevitable. Otherwise, same as before.

Guest Room: To the east of the main building, a smaller building stands. Being unable to decide what to do with this, Arrien decided to make it into a guest bedroom. She is currently sleeping in there until the basement is completed.

(If you want to see the way that the residence originally appeared, you can find it here.)

(More description WILL come... once I stop being lazy.)

Friends and Family:

(Note: This only applies, for the moment, to characters that I personally run. This is here partially to keep track of my thoughts, and also to explain some of the inside jokes that those interacting with Arrien might run into. x3; )

Melon: One of Arrien's sisters. An adventurer at heart, Melon seems to be the main contact between Arrien and whereever her home is. Unfortunately, Arrien seems to detest Melon, and the two getting along is a rarity. Normally a bright and cheerful sort (if a bit bossy), Melon has dedicated her life to the eradication of evil in all of its forms- and has become somewhat blinded by this ambition. She has been known to stereotype undeserving people as enemies, and she has been known to envision many undeserving enemies as servants of evil. She's a decent enough person, though, who just wants to do the right thing- she just tends to jump ahead of herself while attempting to do so.

Anya: One of Arrien's sisters. You know that one smile? That smirk, that all-knowing grin that sinks deep into your heart and tells you, "you are wrong"? That's Anya. Her life resolves around making others miserable, telling them what they are doing wrong and what their faults are, and never losing her cool in the face of the anger and hurt that answers this. With time, people can learn to tolerate her; a precious few can even learn to take her criticism gracefully, using it to reflect upon themselves and how they can better improve their character. As a matter of fact, when all's said and done, that actually seems to be Anya's ultimate goal; to help other with self-improvement in the most direct (albeit harsh) manner possible. Almost needless to say, however, Arrien is not the sort of people to take criticism well when delievered in this manner; Anya and Arrien get along extremely poorly.

Mira: One of Arrien's sisters. If you ever see a beautiful, luscious young woman with shiny blue hair, cloudy gray eyes, and fashionable clothing, take my advice - run. Run fast, run far, and don't stop running until you're at least 5 miles away from the nearest mall; because if you don't, she WILL find you. And you WILL spend the next six hours of your life, carrying twice your weight in shopping bags and listening with glazed eyes as Mira questions whether pink is too "black" for the season, or if [insert current crush here] would just die if she got him these hot new boots. Arrien loathes Mira, but Mira hardly even seems to remember that Arrien exists.

Miranda: One of Arrien's sisters. Miranda is quiet, reserved, and more than a little insecure. She tries to be understanding to everyone, and helps out whenever she can. For this reason, however, Arrien hardly ever gets a chance to see her favorite sibling. Mira and Melon are always sticking chores on Miranda, who doesn't even think to complain, but simply does the work without any expectation of reward. It's one of Arrien's greatest disappointments, that her "good" sister hasn't even gotten a chance to visit her in her new home yet.

Bard: Arrien's truest friend, to her mind. Bard came to Gaia at the same time as she; in fact, the entire reason that she moved to Gaia was in order to help Bard establish himself in a new world, away from the troubles of his old. The man dates from a medieval age, and has yet to conform himself to the new age. He wears tunics, sashs and breeches; he speaks with an archaic vocabulary; and, most importantly, he plays the four instruments that he brought to Gaia with him. The white wooden lute called Rose, the tarished silver lapharp called Eternity, the plain wooden flute called Hope, and the worn old fiddle called Dream. It is through these instruments that he can wield his magicks, and it is rare to see him without his lute in hand.

Cheerleader-Andriod (C-A) Jika: Arrien's... robot? Scarcely had Arrien been at Gaia for a week, when Melon arrived and dumped C-A off on her, telling Arrien that she needed for her to watch it for "just a little while". Just a little while has topped over a year now, and Arrien has become resigned to having to watching after C-A. Most of the time, Arrien just tries to keep C-A deactivated; she finds the buggy android annoying beyond belief, and wants nothing more than to pack her into a box somewhere and forget about her. That not being an option, however (the android's program causes her to automatically reactivate after a random number of hours), Arrien does what she can to tolerate C-A's presence, usually by finding some way to put her to work.

People:

Likes-
Bard
Miranda*
Symphonie
Pales
Rayne
Cerena
Lethe
Aylee
Solo
Kimi the Great
Everand

Neutral-
Gohma
Karma

Dislikes-
Melon*
Mira*
Anya*
C-A Jika

((Lost the full list of who she's met and what she thought of them, so I've redone it to only include the people that actually stick in her mind. An "*" signifies that the character listed is not a regularly in the Gaia world, though they might make appearences.))

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I've been on Gaia for well over a year, now, and it was just shortly after I joined that I had come upon the gorgeously drawn picture of Astaroth. This was long before I had even really heard of a Fa'e, or any other sort of signature baby, mind - I hadn't the faintest what I was getting myself into, when I clicked the signature to go to Roth's diary. That was back when he was still a kid... so cute~. After skimming over the text there (and getting both confused and intrigued), I saw the link to Fa'e HQ in his diary, and went to check it out. Looking over the HQ, I instantly fell in love with the place. Never really left, even if there were some times it seemed like I didn't stay.

The first thing that I love about the Fa'e, of course, is the concept of them. There's way too much fun to be had, given the nature of the Fa'e. I've always been a fan of old myths and legends, mythical creatures... an opportunity to see them rise again, through writing and roleplay, is irresistable to me. Other than that... they were the first breedable/changeable that I found on Gaia, and I've yet to find one that I like more. For some reason, thought I've spent so long dreaming of having a Fa'e, until the last writing contest, I hadn't even begun to think of what sort of Fa'e I might want. It was the Fa'e themselves I fell in love with, not a specific idea or concept. If it was the latter, I could have always gone to another thread with a similar basis to fulfill my desires... but I'm starting to become fairly certain that any other shop I might go to would pale in comparison to what I have come to love in the Fa'e. The artwork, absolutely stunning, and - above all - I love the roleplaying activity level amongst Fa'e owners. Roleplaying the Fa'e that you raise, through whatever challenges (mundane or magical) that await them - that appeals to the author in me.

Most of my Gaian life revolves around roleplaying - after all, that *is* the reason that I moved here in the first place. My IC character (detailed in the post above) goes by my same username, Arrien- though she is a very different person than I am. I love to play a variety of characters, and though I generally prefer to play characters that are either neutral or good in alignment, I've been known to pull out the rare evil character to spice things up. (Usually, though, I'm already playing a good character in a roleplay involving one of my evils). I've been roleplaying... phew... online, I've been roleplaying actively for five years, I think. But my history with roleplaying goes back much further than that (I think the first roleplay I got to participate in was when I was 4 or 5 years old... first real character I remember was a pixie fairy xD), and I've also got a solid writing background behind me.

I've gone through several concepts for what my dream Fa'e would be; starting with Dominique (from a gypsy folktale as a girl who tricked a devil, then died of fright), evolving into Xia (the reincarnation of the female half of the Feng-Huang bird, the Chinese "Phoenix" wink , dabbling with the idea of Sirius (based off of a Hopi prophecy of the coming of the next world). The concept of Dustin came to me late at night. Originally, it was just Excalibur that I was interested in; it wasn't until after I researched the sword that I learned of its scabbard, which, despite being more powerful than the sword itself, was overlooked by popular legend. Being the sort of person who always roots for the underdog, I instantly discarded the idea of basing the Fa'e off of Excalibur, and rounded instead on the scabbard.

I've carried the concept of Dustin around for many months now, and I've never grown tired of planning out her past and personality, or toying with the possibilities that might await her in the future. Unlike the concepts before her, I think that her character has a real connection with me; probably reminds me of that tomboy that sits in the back of my head, jumping onto the football field with the boys without knowing the rules of the game, and getting so annoyed with the tradition of boys chasing girls on the playground that she'd decide to turn the tables on them. Those good ol' days make Dustin's concept come alive for me, and motivate me to focus on her a lot more than the previous concepts had.


Other pets/babies I'm looking at (but not questing for... yet):

Sin`aeis ( ninja )
From the Ashes ( cool )


(You can go through the trouble of figuring out the emoticons' meaning. xd )

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The Autograph Books have been passed on to another quester. ^_^ Who knows, maybe they'll become a tradition? Going from quester to quester, collecting more and more signatures as they go....

Or, more likely, Gaia'll eat them again. XD You know. Whichever.

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Gold/Item Donators:
Lucifer Force - donated a Jan 05 letter! o_o; heart I luff you, Lu!

Thread Regulars:
Pales
Evermore_Crystal
Asahi Kumoru
Symphonie
Lucifer Force

Bumpers/Well Wishers:
Shiaree
TKid
Galazios
Black Duvet
Nikomas Torren
Seeno Evil heart

Story Critics:
Kochikens (made the suggestion that I leave the appearence vague and let Anya decide how Dusty would look. ^^ I actually think that would be more fun than defining her myself, no matter by how few details.)
Asahi Kumoru (advised that I leave the personality more open-ended, as I had been presenting it as if it would be a certain thing. I'm going to redefine that as a projected personality, to cover my bases. Also reaffirmed that I need to write a second version of the history, of a size more appropriate for contests and the like.)
Lucifer Force (gave yet another recommendation to write a smaller history. x3)

Art/Graphic Donators:
Pales (made a neat banner for my last thread)
evermore_crystal (drew a picture of Dusty)

Art/Graphic Commissioned-ers:
Cruel-Eyes (made the signs for the thread)


And thank you to everyone who helped me out that was listed in my last thread! I'm so sorry I can't thank you here as well, but I lost the lists... *sigh*

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Link to Fa`e HQ


Link to old quest thread

Art/Graphics Shops:
_ W A N T E D _

Fa'e Quests:
Kumo Quests
LF`s Quest for the Rebirth of Callix!
Shiaree`s Fa`e Quest
Seeking Vengeance - Stae`s Fa`e Quest
Evermore`s Fa`e Quest v 2.0: The Twice Banished
Quest of the Crow (Fa`e)

(lost a lot of the links I had up here. I love listing people's Fa'e quests, so if you want to be up here, just say so! ^^)

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xD And Lu WINS GAIA for getting the first post on the new thread!

... okay. Maybe not wins Gaia. But... uhm... wins... something....

*thinks back... she'd given a gold paper star to Asahi for being the first to post on her old thread....*

... eh, I'll come up with something properly cheap and shiny.

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*bursts out laughing* Okay... I'll wait to give the explanation until after I post the picture... but this is your prize for being the first person to post on my new quest thread!

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It's a lucky bat! (as compared to a lucky neko). x3 To answer the questions that no doubt have come up by a glance at this... the kanji signifies luck, fortune and the like. The gold coin is traditional for the lucky neko, as is the red belled collar around the bat's neck. And it's pink because that signifies luck in love, which seems to fit Callix snugly.

... and it's cotton candy pink because... uhm... I'm hungry. ninja

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Bumps of LUFF! heart

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