Originator of Character: Margaret R. Dean
Name: Piet (aka Halfwise)
Soul Name: n/a
Race: Elf
Gender: Male
Birthdate/Approximate Age: b. TWR 610 / NH -570
Origins: Born in the Hidden Valley
Household: Trailingstar (Household Elder)
Hair Length/Color/Style: Sandy brown, straight and silky, worn at about jaw-length
Eyes: Warm brown
Skin: Lightly tanned
Height: 4' 3"
Build: Slim
Voice Quality & Speech Mannerisms: Mellow tenor/baritone. Speech is normally simple and direct, sometimes casual but rarely colloquial.
Other Physical Attributes: Absolutely devastating smile, complete with dimple on right cheek
Parents: Lady Periel and Lord Meiron of the Hidden Valley (both D)
Siblings: Mikail, half-brother (and soulbrother)
Other Relatives: Lord Tyaar of Tower Mountain, uncle (D); Chenir, Sunhawk, first cousins; Mischa, nephew; Mistkit, grandson (b. NH 232)
Current Mate: Rahirah (lovemate)
Recognized?: Not yet, but due to Recognize Alethian at some future date
Previous Mates: Shadowbourne (lovemate, concurrent with Rahirah)
Children: Snowflower, biological daughter by Dove; no others so far (will sire Alethian's child, of course)
Closest Friends: Longshanks, Bugdance, Heartseeker (soulbrothers); also half of New Hope and working on the other half. Has a preserver companion named Flitterleaf.
Special Talents: Very wide range of sensory powers, including strong magic sense, healer's, treeshaper's, rockshaper's senses, various more exotic forms -- anything the author feels she can get away with. (The Coneheads called someone with this cluster of powers a "Scanner" and used them to acquire information about prospective planetfalls.) Some residents of New Hope believe Piet to be prescient but this is not so; any predictions he makes of future happenings are simply logical extrapolations, conscious or unconsci ous, of current conditions. Strong sending, including the ability to touch the minds of particularly recep tive humans and of animals; most of the dependent powers to sending, including astral projection but not including hypnosis/mind-stun.
Skills: Plant lore, herbalism, gardening. Can pick up any musical instrument and have pleasant sounds coming out of it within five minutes. Good swimmer, decent sailor. (The fact that he "just knows" where the rocks are helps.)
Hobbies: Music; woodcarving.
Weapons Used: None. Virtually incapable of killing anything on purpose.
Bondbeast: None, but gets along well with animals in general.
Jewelry Worn: Elaborate gold torc in the form of a feathered serpent entwined with leafy vines and flowers, shaped around his neck (the work of his father, Meiron).
Clothing: Usually simple tunic, breeches, and boots or slippers. Likes bright colors and patterns.
Other Special Possessions: Shaped wooden flute, originally belonging to Xylene, given him by Mikail
Personal Info: In a very real sense, Piet is the heart and soul of New Hope. It was the Mraal's perception of his loving and joyous nature, during his first visit to Tower Mountain, that spawned the cult of the Lovebringer and finally resulted in the formation of New Hope. Though he is no longer regarded as a god by the humans, they and everyone else at New Hope tend to consider Piet their resident guru and good example.
Piet indeed has a seemingly infinite capacity for love in all its forms, and an unusual perception of oneness with the world around him (the latter perhaps due to his heightened awareness of that world). Emotions such as anger, hatred, or jealousy seem completely foreign to his nature. Gentle and sensitive, he feels others' physical and mental pain as his own and will always do whatever he can to lessen it. Normally, though, he takes the greatest possible joy in life and is capable of imparting that joy to others, as well as tending to inspire the same sort of love he gives.
Nevertheless Piet is not a leader. He can advise, but not command. In most situations he tends to be passive, responding rather than acting first. Due to his almost complete nonviolence it's highly unlikely he would survive long on his own in this harsh and primitive world. Not that he would mind particularly; since his astral journey to the Palace some time before the founding of New Hope, physical death holds little terror for him. He is, however, concerned about the fate of mortal (i.e., non-elfin) souls after death and curious about human spiritual life and gifts in general. He is a willing participant in the shamanic "research institute" begun by Vonya Sunwing on Gull Island.
Piet is always willing to extend friendship and trust to anyone, regardless of race. He is aware enough of the common enmities of the World of Two Moons to be a little shy around strange humans and trolls, however, especially the latter, until they have shown themselves to be friends. He adores preservers and the feeling seems to be mutual; he finds it fairly easy to communicate with them.