#aeloren

“Are these my only two choices?” Lori asked, glancing at the questioner. “Cause, I’d definitely prefer cats if it’s just these two, but if I gotta have a cat, it’s going to be a BIG cat. I like raptors, too, but haven’t been able to raise one yet myself, though it’s on the list of things to do when I get off this hell-world.” She gestured grumpily down at Argus, from a window set in the Vindicaar’s underbelly. 

Bold all that apply. Italicize leaning or former.

[ WEALTH ] $ Financial : wealthy / moderate / poor / in poverty ✚ Medical : fit / moderate / sickly / disabled / disadvantaged ✪ Class or Caste : upper / middle / working / transient / slave / unsure ✔ Education : qualified / unqualified / studying / other ✖ Criminal Record : yes, for major crimes / yes, for minor crimes / no / has committed crimes, but not convicted

[ FAMILY ] ◒ Children : had a child or children / has no children / wants children ◑ Relationship with Family : close with sibling(s) / not close with sibling(s) / has no siblings / sibling(s) is deceased ◔ Affiliation : orphaned / adopted / disowned / raised by birth parent(s) / not applicable  

[ TRAITS + TENDENCIES ] ♦ extroverted / introverted / in between ♦ dis-organised / organised / in between ♦ closed-minded / open-minded  / in between   ♦ calm / anxious / in between ♦ disagreeable / agreeable / in between ♦ cautious / reckless / in between ♦ patient / impatient / in between ♦ outspoken / reserved / in between ♦ leader / follower / in between ♦ empathetic / unempathetic / in between ♦ optimistic / pessimistic / in between ♦ traditional / modern / in between ♦ hard-working / lazy / in between ♦ cultured / uncultured / in between ♦ loyal / disloyal / unknown ♦ faithful / unfaithful / unknown

[ BELIEFS ] ★ Faith : monotheist / polytheist / atheist / agnostic ☆ Belief in Ghosts or Spirits : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ✮ Belief in an Afterlife : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ✯ Belief in Reincarnation : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ❃ Belief in Aliens : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ✧ Religious : orthodox / liberal / in between / not religious ❀ Philosophical : yes / no

[ SEXUALITY & ROMANTIC INCLINATION ] ❤ Sexuality : heterosexual / homosexual / bisexual / asexual / pansexual ❥ Sex : sex repulsed / sex neutral / sex favourable / naive and clueless ♥ Romance : romance repulsed / romance neutral / romance favourable / naive and/or inexperienced ❣ Sexually : adventurous / experienced / naive / inexperienced / curious ⚧ Potential Sexual Partners : male / female / agender / other / none / all ⚧ Potential Romantic Partners : male / female / agender / other / none / all

[ ABILITIES ] ☠ Combat Skills : excellent (physical) / good / moderate / poor / none   ≡ Literacy Skills : excellent / good / moderate / poor / none ✍ Artistic Skills : excellent / good / moderate / poor / none ✂ Technical Skills : excellent (leatherworking) / good / moderate (mechanical/other) / poor / none

A woman who had wielded a blade since her teenage years, and who had participated in her first campaign against the Amani Trolls at age twenty-two, she had lived the life of a soldier and a guard for more than one-hundred and thirty years. 

This time, something had been different.

Perhaps it was being trapped on the inhospitable land of Draenor for months, or perhaps it was being separated from the regiment she had once served, written off as dead or missing. She wasn’t sure which, nor did she care. Maybe it was the brutality of this campaign, which had provided such horrors as hulking Orcs steeped in vile blood magics, mind-controlling plants that took over one’s mind, the only cure for which was killing your own comrades, or even the realisation that her comrades, the Orcs of Azeroth, had not needed demon blood in order to carry out brutal genocide upon innocent races, and even upon their own people. 

Whatever respect Lori had gained for most Orcs was all but gone, and she suspected that she would forever view any but the honourable Frostwolves with suspicion and derision. No longer did she trust them to lead the Horde, much less their own people. 

The usual cocksure grin and sparkle were gone from the Warrior’s face and eyes. When Lori looked into the mirror as she prepared to get into her bath, it seemed almost as if a stranger peered back at her.

No longer was her face full and healthy-looking, but rather sculpted, with distinct cheekbones and a hollowness around her eyes that had not been there before. It was unclear whether this was truly a change in the flesh, however, or simply due to the dark circles that blotted the pallid skin, once cream with a little bit of peaches in complexion, now almost sallow and papery.

Firalaine had trimmed the dead, split ends from Lori’s straw-gold hair, which looked slightly healthier after heavy conditioning. The luster was still dull, however, to match the skin beneath.

Lori wondered, as she stared at the near-stranger looking back at her, if she would ever feel normal again.

She often felt that way after a long campaign, she told herself. There was always a period of re-acclimation to Silvermoon society and customs, and to sleeping in a real bed and having real food and real baths.

“You finally lost the rest of your baby fat,” Lori told her reflection, but the joking smile that tugged at her lips did not reach her eyes, and she let the false expression drop almost immediately. Her lips no longer cracked and bled when she grinned or grimaced, but the expression still felt as though it somehow no longer belonged upon the face which had once held almost nothing but a grin, or at least a smirk, when speaking to another person.

Lori turned away from the mirror. 

The bruising from the last battle hadn’t yet faded, and the woman’s skin was marbled with blue, purple, and fading green and yellow in many places. Many...too many to count with just one glance.

With a sigh of something resembling contentment, she lowered herself into the hot water, peridot eyes focusing briefly on the wisps of steam curling up into the air before her gaze unfocused and she began staring blankly up at the ceiling.

Even now, a week after her return to Silvermoon, she still half expected to see not a ceiling, but the grey skies of Frostfire whenever she turned her gaze upward.

Never again, she thought to herself. Never again will I step foot outside of Quel’thalas unless it’s for a vacation. Even then...

Not for the first time, Lori wondered if her time as a soldier was coming to its end.

But what else could she do?

What use did Sin’dorei society have for a woman whose magical capabilities were limited to imbuing blades with Holy fire and unleashing brief, blinding flashes of Light?

Anyone could do that.

What use would she be?

The Warrior’s windburned cheeks and nose barely even hurt anymore, and so too did she ignore the ache of her calves and arms from the seemingly endless weight of the plate armor and heavy weapons she bore day after day after day after day.

The next morning, it would be time to return home again, perhaps for good.

After months on the Draenor front, shuttled between Frostfire cleanup duty and active duty in Tanaan, Lori was ready to go back to Silvermoon. She didn’t know what would await her there, aside from a warm bed and a meal consisting of something other than roasted boar and the occasional bunch of berries brought back from Tanaan, but the appeal of home was greater than ever before.

She hurt all the time. The ache of her metal-reinforced ankle was nearly constant in the chill of Frostfire’s eternal winter, and the ache of battle-weary muscles never left her these last few weeks. Cracked and dry skin bled sometimes, and Lori’s lips bore the worst of the damage, splits and bits of dead skin belying the havoc wreaked upon her body by the constant strain coupled with a worrisome lack of certain nutrients in her diet.

The time spent with a diet of nearly all protein and the constant weight of plate armor had wrought a change in Lori’s physique. Once a little pudgy and too soft-looking to possibly be as strong as she was, Lori now had taut, stringy, sinewy muscle. Her abs actually had definition, her arms too, and the strong thighs she’d always boasted were now cut and thicker than ever.

Her hair had also grown out. The pixie cut she’d born for so many years had grown well past her shoulders, and it was in desperate need of a trim and a deep-conditioning treatment, the pale straw-gold strands split ended and brittle from the constant dry cold.

As she shucked her armor and prepared to bathe in a hot spring ahead of her return to Silvermoon, Lori winced as her raw, chapped knuckles scraped against the leather straps holding the thick fur cloak around her body.

She would sleep when she got home, she thought. Sleep, and eat real food, and pamper herself a little.

Lori briefly wondered if anyone had missed her. 

Naivaria entered the design studio, looking about automatically when she entered for other people.  It was not unusual for her to walk in on Lady Devonshire showing someone around or someone cleaning or stocking, but today the place was empty.  Ah, good.  This would give her some peace while she worked.

1. What is your name?

"Aeloren Lasthanel, but I usually like to be called Lori."

2. What is your real name?

"Just told you that."

3. Do you know why you were called that?

"I suppose because it was a nice name, and it sounded a bit like my mother's name, Ellerian. I was actually supposed to be a boy, and Aeloren's more of a boy's name. They named me that anyway. I tried changing it to Aelorien, but it's just too many syllables for most people to pronounce properly. SO, I go by Lori. Short and sweet."

4. Are you single or taken?

"It's a little complicated, but taken."

5. Have any abilities or powers?

"Not really. I've been told my physical strength is far more than someone my size should have, but I dunno if that counts as a power. Oh yeah, and I can wield the Light now."  6. Stop being a Mary Sue.

“Who's that?”

7. What’s your eye color?

"Light green...but underneath, my irises are actually pale aqua-blue."

8. How about your hair color?

"Natural blonde all the way down.”

9. Have you any family members?

"My little brother, Firalaine. Also the Sunrunner Guard. They're as good as."

10. Oh? What about pets?

"None right now, but I was kinda hoping I might be able to have a tiger someday. Something tells me Aran wouldn't be very happy if I brought one home, though, so we're just gonna wait on that."

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like.

"Overcooked meat. Y'know, some people like their meat well-done, but I think it looks and tastes like shoe leather. Maybe with a hint of charcoal. Ugh, way to ruin a good steak."

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?

"Lots! Weapons training, reading, dancing, music...lately been enjoying learning spellwork. Oh, and cooking. Love cooking. Also making leather items. I make leather pants that can make anyone's ass look great."

13. Ever hurt anyone before?

"I've been a soldier or hired guard for a hundred and thirty-something years. What do you think?"

14. Ever...killed anyone before?

“More than I'd probably care to count.”

15. What kind of animal are you?

"What kind of animal? I'm an Elf. If you mean my spirit animal or whatever the Shaman do with that, I suppose I'd be a cat of some sort."

16. Name your worst habits.

"Lessee. I drink too much sometimes, I swear too much sometimes, and I give too much of myself to others sometimes."

17. Do you look up to anyone at all?

"At my height, I look up to everyone! No, really though, I looked up to my parents a whole lot. These days, I suppose I look up to Lord Aeviry in a way. Not really as a guide or mentor, considering I'm older than he is, but more as a leader. Someone who inspires others to follow and do their best."

18. Gay, straight, or bisexual?

"Bi, I think. I like to look at both, but I think I'd prefer men in bed. Though I'm not entirely sure about that, since all I've done with a woman is kissing."

19. Do you go to school?

"I went to primary and secondary school, and then to the academy."

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day? “Sure do.”

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls? “Dunno why anyone would be my fan. I'm not that interesting.”

22. What are you most afraid of?

"Not being good enough."

23. What do you usually wear?

"These days, my Guard's uniform armor. When I'm out of armor, I like to dress in something stylish but comfortable."

24. Do you love someone?

"Sure do."

25. When was the last time you wet yourself?

"I think I might've peed myself a little in Uldum, when I had to jump off the edge of an elevator shaft with Lord Bladerunner."

26. Well, it’s not over yet!

“What isn't over? This? That's alright.”

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class)

"Upper middle, but trying my best to take the elevator up a level."

28. How many friends do you have?

"Uh...lessee. Sairys, Saphrael, Martellus, Arandael...I hope Lord Aeviry doesn't mind me counting him. Uh. Firalaine."

29. What are your thoughts on pie?

"Fuck yeah!"

30. Favorite drink?

"A good Dwarven whiskey."

31. What’s your favorite place?

"I like green forested places. The Hinterlands is a personal favourite."

32. Are you interested in someone?

"Yep."

33. What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy?

"Uh...about a D? My brother custom tailors 'em for me, so I don't really pay attention to the sizing."

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?

"Both are good, though I don't get to do either nearly as often as I'd like."

35. What’s your type?

"Big, grumpy soldiers. Bit scruffy, tattoos or piercings are fine, though not mandatory. I like men who look like they could snap me in two, or maybe sling me over their shoulders and carry me off. As for women, I like them a little softer than men, but still taller than me."

36. Any fetishes?

"I...don't know, really. I like being pinned down and dominated, but that's not really a fetish."

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive?

"I like to trade places every now and then."

38. Camping or indoors?

"Entirely depends on the surroundings and whether or not there's water available for bathing."

39. Are you wanting the interview to end?

"I don't mind either way."

40. Now it’s over! Tag five people