Maple
Description
Maple, in the twilight of her teens, is a study in contrasts, as ethereal in her presence as she is grounded in her aspirations. Her eyes, orbs of a deep, entrancing ruby red, shimmer with the innocence of youth and a naivety that belies the complexities of the world around her. These glimmering windows to her soul offer a glimpse of a spirit untarnished by cynicism, full of hope and wonder.
Her hair, a cascade of alabaster, falls in an unrestrained flow, a striking counterpoint to her delicate, porcelain-like skin. This snowy veil, often slightly disheveled, lends her an air of otherworldly charm, as though she is a creature not entirely bound by the mundane rules of order and structure.
In stature, Maple is delicately petite, a slender silhouette that moves with a gentleness that is almost as if afraid to disturb the world around her. Her expressions, replete with a shy sweetness, and her demeanor, exuding a demure grace, are occasionally marred by a momentary look of perplexity, as though she’s momentarily misplaced a thought or forgotten a task in the midst of her earnest endeavors.
Away from the sanctity of her priestess duties, where her robes hang in an unassuming disarray, Maple is found in the simpler attire of a tavern server. These clothes, practical yet often adorned with the small, charming chaos of a hastily tied apron or unevenly rolled-up sleeves, speak of her unassuming role within her father’s humble establishment.
Maple's world is one where the intent to bring joy and comfort to others often leads to a delightful disorganization in her own life. She moves through her days in a dance of scattered grace, where her desire to make everyone happy sometimes leaves her own plans in a gentle disarray. This endearing disorganization is evident in the way she might misplace serving utensils, forget a regular customer's favorite order, or lose herself in a daydream at the slightest provocation.
Personality
Background
In the heart of Prontera, where the city's vibrant pulse echoed through cobbled streets and bustling marketplaces, there lived a young woman named Maple. Her story was one etched not in the grand annals of nobility, despite her lineage, but in the modest pages of a life lived with humble earnestness.
Maple was born to a family that held a mere whisper of noble status, a lineage that could have charted her life amidst the opulence and pageantry of the aristocracy. Yet, her father, a man who found greater nobility in the honesty of labor than in the heraldry of birth, chose a different path. He turned his back on the trappings of their minor nobility, embracing instead the life of a tavern keeper in the heart of Prontera. It was in the warm, lively confines of this tavern that Maple's story truly began.
But her tale was not without shadows. When Maple was but a tender age of three, tragedy struck like a silent bolt. Her mother, a figure of love and warmth in her nascent memories, was cruelly taken from this world, her life claimed by an unknown assailant. This loss cast a long shadow over the family, one that Maple, in her youthful innocence, could scarcely grasp. Her brother, Alistair, just seven at the time, was deeply marked by this tragedy, the echoes of which would steer him onto a path of chivalry and protection.
Amidst the echoes of laughter and clinking glasses in her father's tavern, Maple grew, her world one of simple joys and unspoken sorrows. A unique aspect of her being became apparent as she blossomed into childhood – Maple was mute, her voice a silent enigma that never found its way to the air of Prontera. Yet, this silence was not an absence. It was a presence, a space where her expressiveness, her creativity, and her very essence found other ways to shine – through the softness of her gaze, the gentle touch of her hands, and the eloquent strokes of her drawings.
At the age of twelve, perhaps seeking a voice in the spiritual realm where words were unnecessary, Maple began her training as an acolyte in the Church of Odin. This path of devotion was her way of reaching for something greater, a journey into the depths of faith where her silence was not a barrier but a bridge to deeper understanding. In the hallowed halls of the church, amid chants and prayers, Maple found a semblance of peace, a sense of belonging.
Yet, life was not without its complexities. In the church, she encountered Holly, a fellow member, whose exterior of charm and vivacity hid a more manipulative nature. Holly often bullied Maple, yet Maple, with the boundless capacity for forgiveness inherent in her, saw Holly as a friend, a testament to her enduring kindness.