Originator of character: Dale Beaver/Ree Moorhead Pruehs
NAME: Treetall
SOUL NAME: Nees
ORIGIN: Deathwater Falls Holt
GENDER: Male.
AGE/GEN: 460+ Dies in the Hostage Crisis.
HEIGHT: 4' 8"
BUILD: Strongly tall, a rangy sort of build. Long stride.
HAIR: Rich butter blond, thin and fine, parted in the middle and bound
at the nape of his neck with a thong. Tail reaches to mid-back in length.
EYES: Soft, soulful blue-green; the kind of eyes that can see through
masks.
MARKS / SCARS: No.
SKIN TONE: Light (forest holt tone).
TALENT(S): A skilled treeshaper (He is not the most powerful, but he
knows his talent, and can do much more than expected).
SKILL(S): A proficient herbalist and skilled gardener. Very skillful
archer. A very good carver and woodworker. Lesser skills include tracking,
gathering and swimming.
CLOTHING: The boots, breeches, and vest type. Not one to go in for
fancy outfits. Prefers earth tones. Carries a belt with a largish bag to
one side for his herbs.
JEWELRY: None of his own. After his arrival at New Hope takes to wearing
a ruby ring (which Doleera hid in the pack she left with him) on a thong
around his neck.
SPECIAL POSSESSION(S): Silver and amber hair clasps, silver and amber
necklace, both owned by his dead lifemate.
WEAPON(S): Longbow. A metal hunting knife.
BONDBEAST: None.
FAMILY: Sweetberry, sister. Tailshadow, niece.
MATE(S): Ambereyes, lifemate (D, chosen, not Recognized); Doleera,
Recognized.
CHILDREN: <>, OOR daughter by Ambereyes. Starling, daughter by Doleera
PERSONALITY:
Treetall is one of the elders of Deathwater Falls. He is
known for being dependable and stalwart, a "solid citizen," a faithful
and generous friend with a great capacity for affection. He takes his responsibilities
to the tribe, as he does many things, very seriously. Essentially, what
you see of him is what is there; he is not devious and despises dishonesty.
He himself does not lie, even in speech. Even-tempered, good-natured and
gentle, he is modest and slow to anger, disliking quarrels and avoiding
ill-feeling. His unusual height is a combination of his age
and genetic variation. He
feels more than a little awkward around the BCD elves and any Tower
elves near or above his height.
All things being equal, prefers civil conversation; usually does not find reason to raise his voice or to use crude language at inappropriate times. If provoked, however, can explode into violent outbursts of ferocious anger in which he seems to lose all self-control. (Guaranteed ways to make him fly off the handle are to embarrass him -- or arbitrarily order him around.) What most people find equally unexpected are his occasional sallies into humor and exhibitions of fun.
"The friend you'll always be able to count on" -- will lend an
ear to anyone's problems, get friends out of a jam, do uncounted favors...
It may take some time, but he'll always come through! Industrious,
a good crafter, not afraid of getting his hands dirty. Reliable,
practical, methodical and ambitious; at his best in routine positions of
trust and responsibility, where there is little need of urgency and even
less risk of change. Courageous; will never back down when
there's trouble, and will do his best to keep trouble from the people closest
to him. Typically takes everything in stride. Almost never worries, not
typically nervous, usually very predictable in his behavior; persistent,
determined and inflexible. Once he makes his mind up about something
it stays made up; there is no stopping him from doing exactly what he's
set out to do, and doing it HIS way! Rarely cruel -- but will let anyone
know where he stands, either by
shutting up or blowing up.
Needs to feel like he's in charge of the situation and of himself. Solid and practical, with extreme determination and strength of will. Resists being pushed, but will willingly and loyally follow a leader he trusts. Will do everything in his power to maintain the security of the status quo. Dislikes and is usually hostile to change. More than anything else, loves to stay at home, in familiar surroundings. Keen-witted and practical more often than intellectual, but apt to become fixed in his opinions through their preference for following accepted and reliable patterns of experience. Generally dependable, steadfast, prudent, just, firm and unshaken in the face of difficulties.
His vices arise from his virtues going to extremes. At his worst he can be obstinately and exasperatingly self-righteous; an unoriginal, rigid, ultraconservative, argumentative, querulous bore stuck in a self-centered rut, broodingly resentful over a series of perceived injuries. Can be a determined enemy, though magnanimous in forgiveness if the opponent makes an effort to meet him halfway.
To really thrive, needs to be part of a loving, committed "partnership." Treetall is by nature a constant, faithful, home loving spouse and thoughtful, kindly parent. Though more than averagely amorous toward his chosen partner, he is sexually straightforward and not given to experiment. Can be jealous and possessive if provoked.
Some history:
When Treetall's chosen lifemate, Ambereyes, was killed a couple
centuries past, with her passing went his interest in joining. His intimacy
came to be the tribe, and looking out for his sister, Sweetberry. He was
one of the first of the Deathwater elves to begin doubting that Beliel
and Co. were actually the High Ones that they claimed. Balancing that,
though, was the magnificent home grove in the Hidden Valley that they showed
Redmane, and the elders. He could see the safety that would be the tribe's
and supported the move.
Things began to seem less than ideal after he found out about the stratification of the various societies that were gathered. There was something disturbing about having humans doing work that would support elves, although he liked the idea of having food reserves not dependant on hunting and gathering. He looked on the mental and physical changes in Redmane with worry; the times he tried to talk with him were fruitless, and he stopped pushing, to prevent the chief from getting the idea that he was going to challenge him.
Then came that cold winter day that he was requested to appear
before the leader of the Stormriders. Doleera's reputation had already
been spread through the holt by the various males and females she had romped
with already, so he had a fair idea what she wanted. He was right. She
spent time talking of conditions at the grove and dropping subtle (and
not so subtle) hints that she wanted to get into his breeches. It had been
turns since he had dealt with importuning; the tribe had long ago accepted
that he was uninterested in anyone but his dead lifemate. His irritation
prodded
hers, and IT happened.
In one heartbeat he knew all the lies that had been told his folk, and just what Doleera was. Battling the anger and revulsion was the compulsion of Recognition, and her deepest, secret self. He knew what she was, but also what she might have been, and what could possibly be, and was unable to do anything...run, touch her, whatever. And the look in her eyes was akin to utter terror.
And quite without meaning to, he was certain; she spoke his soulname
aloud, and knew what it was, and who he was. That was the last word
spoken for three days, all their communicating taking place with touch
and sending. Treetall was shocked at his own wanton behavior; he was almost
insatiable, and surprised at the reactions he got
from her. He was long out of practice, but his touch sent her into
shudders of ecstasy. He learned about the dual edged nature of his Recognized's
outlook on life. She shared with him, during their joinings, images she
had of others, most notably a couple that looked even more like High
Ones, named Eylar and Vayree. Doleera had obviously spied on their joinings
many times, not only for the voyeuristic thrill of it, but because she
was jealous. The intensity of feeling they were sharing was almost beyond
her belief, and she could only assume it was his doing. And she wanted
that so
badly...
They spent an eightday together, without interruption; the snowstorm had turned blizzard, keeping everyone indoors. He made inroads into understanding how her mind worked, a little bit, and she lost a bit of her defensive armor. The ninth day Lord Beliel and Adiana appeared, highly amused, and informed them both that they had thoroughly enjoyed the performances, and that Treetall was not to be allowed to return to the home grove, lest he spill the beans. Doleera immediately acquiesced, and darted off to see how her riders and the hawks had fared. Treetall did =not= acquiesce to his imprisonment quite this calmly, and bent his will, skills and intelligence to escaping from the High City as often as possible.
After that, she either avoids him, or pounces on him. He knows she can't deal with his knowledge of her weaknesses, and her learned behavior prevents her from intellectually trusting him, despite what her heart tells her. This comes to an end about half a turn later, when an old arch collapsed on him, nearly killing him. Doleera sees it, turns white as a sheet, and risks her own life to pull him from the trap. The last thing he saw in the Hidden Valley were two huge tears roll down Doleera's pale face.
He wakes up on the plateau above New Hope, his belongings in a
neat pack beside him. It doesn't take him long to figure out that she knocked
him out and dropped him there. At first he sees it simply as betrayal,
a way to get
a hindrance out of the way. After he learns more about Beliel at New
Hope, and has several long talks with Peysol and others, he sees that she
was doing all she could to save his life. Crystel becomes a source of information
on how Doleera was raised in the Tower. He realizes that he is strong willed
enough to resist most of her ways (He is all too aware that he could easily
become physically addicted to her, though).
He is delighted when his daughter comes to visit and learn, and
at turns proud and appalled at just how much like Doleera Starling can
be. Things do not go very smooth at first, obviously; they are strangers,
and both have heard tales. A father-daughter bond does grow, though. He
tries to correct her attitudes about slaves and servants and other disposables
with little success. He finds her mild narcissism more amusing than worrisome;
he thinks she's gorgeous, too. If she were bragging about her looks to
hurt others he would be concerned. The one vindication he gets is that
his
daughter loves her mother deeply, and she seems bright enough not to
give so much to someone that had not earned that love.
Treetall goes to the Hidden Valley during the Hostage Crisis to try to talk Doleera out of her plans. He fails, and she refuses to let him leave the Valley. He turns to devising a revenge: crossing strangelweed with a fast-growing kudzu-like vine. He turns his creation loose upon the Valley immediately after the hostages escape, and is killed by an unidentified Hidden Valley resident shortly thereafter.