Appearance

Physical Description

Yula is small, even for a Kenku, standing at only 3'7 tall. While she borders on a somewhat scrawny physique, her dense feathers present the appearance of a decently heavier individual.

Body Features

Yula displays many of the common traits shared by Kenku; a large sharp beak made for tearing and ripping apart food, glossy feathers that cover all but her lower limbs, sharp taloned hands and feet, a short tail and an upright standing although somewhat awkward posture.
 
Yula's feathers are predominantly black with white dappling and markings along the nape of her neck, chest and tail. Her limbs are a slightly lighter, dark to medium gray.

Facial Features

Yula's beak is the same dark to medium gray as her limbs with two sharp 'scars' gouged along it's left side. Just above her beak is a small tuft of soft, hair-like feathers that stick up from her face. Her eyes are black with slightly darker pupils. They are almost always wide open, making them appear larger than they are and often gleam with a slight look of madness.

Identifying Characteristics

Yula's most identifiable features are the many bright, colourful and shiny beads, ribbons, strings and trinkets that she ties into her feathers around her head, neck and chest. The ways they are tied into her feathers are haphazard and cause tufts to stick up and out at odd angles, giving her feathers an almost matted, tangled and perhaps even disgruntling appearance.

Physical quirks

Yula has an Enslavement Sigil beneath her feathers on her neck, placed there by her Sister.

Apparel & Accessories

Yula wears an old, brown and time worn cloak; beneath which Hilduk keeps hidden. It is loose fitting and somewhat baggy, with a large hood and many messily stitched, patchwork pockets added to the inside, within which Yula and Hilduk stash things away. Yula very rarely wears the hood up over her head.
 
Yula also wears an amulet around her neck which she never takes off. It has a strange etching of a squid-like creature at it's center with two glowing red gems in place of its eyes.
 
Tied into the feathers on her chest is a simple looking string; it is in stark contrast to the other shiny things she has tied into her feathers. It is the string that Belanor often used to play and fidget with.

Mentality

Personal history

Bird knew little more than dark streets, damp caves and cold camps. Raised by goblins, she was not seen as an individual, but as a tool; a means to procure food and goods, scout out or lure away potential threats and serve the collective of the goblin horde. It’s uncertain how she ended up with them in the first place, she certainly didn’t remember, and the goblins didn’t care to tell her. Bird was at the bottom of the pecking order, Hilduk; her only friend, being just above her in rank which meant they were both treated poorly; often bullied, beaten or lashed out at by the other goblins in the tribe. For this reason, Bird was very jumpy around them; scurrying about, keeping out of their way and often hiding behind things until a command was shouted her way.
While Bird mimicked the goblins by nature, Hilduk often had the tendency to mimic her in return. Hilduk had been with Bird ever since she was first brought into the tribe, the two of them forming a close relationship over time. Hilduk would often share food and treasures with her, such as his collection of shiny rocks which she admired. He was the only goblin that Bird did not fear and the only being she felt any form of comfort around.
 
Bird grew up small for her age and race, having been rather malnourished in her early years. The goblins were very aggressive when it came to food, fighting one another for the best or biggest pieces, the act of eating often becoming a full on brawl because of this. Bird learned early on not to get close to food until the goblins had eaten their fill, she would hide and wait until they had finished eating and then creep in and pick at whatever had been left as well as eating what scraps Hilduk hid and shared with her. Eating in this manner stunted her growth, leaving her a mere 3’7 by the time she had fully grown; just barely taller than the goblins around her. Hilduk was no better off, growing to be quite small and scrawny as well.
 
Bird often found herself commanded to sneak around and steal for the benefit of the horde and would often be sent into towns at night, or caves or anywhere else there might be food or something worthwhile to the goblins. If she was able to find and bring something back to their liking, they seemed happy enough but if she was unable to, they would lash out at her, leaving her somewhat nervous of failure for fear of repercussions.
 
During one particular raid on a small human camp, Bird found a map on the body of a man she had been made to kill. The map clearly showed the location of something, but she wasn’t sure what. Before she could fully examine the map, it had been snatched from her taloned hands by Olut, the goblin party's leader; a goblin that Hilduk and Bird both rightly feared. Within a few hours, Bird found herself taking point within a cave at the command of Olut, who told her it was ‘an honour’, since she had found the map. She knew the truth though; the first to enter left bloody, if they left at all. But ever compelled to follow the order she’d been given, she forged onward into the cave. A ways into the cave, Hilduk stopped her from stepping over a sheer cliff; a drop that surely would have killed her and that she had not seen as she’d been looking around. Olut, being ever cruel, told Bird and Hilduk to look over the edge, to see how far down it went. As they did, Olut kicked Hilduk over the edge, Bird able to do nothing more than watch as her one and only friend plummeted into the darkness without a sound. Her heart sank, but she was given the command to carry on, and so she did.
 
Afterwards, Bird found and made her way onto a narrow ledge leading across the drop, as she did, the stone beneath her feet gave way and she too began to fall into the darkness. Something unseen however, stopped her fall and helped her back onto the ledge. Confused and looking behind her, she saw that the only goblin left was a terrified looking Olut, the others nowhere to be seen as a strange slithering sound echoed from the darkness behind him. He screamed at her ‘Run you damned bird!’, and so she did, running blindly forward further into the caves. ‘Run’ had been the last command she’d been given and so she did not stop. Not as the caves around her seemed to shift and change, nor as the walls around her seemed to light up with millions of twinkling stars. She came to a stop only once she reached a room with an altar standing in the middle. Upon the altar, a mysterious amulet that immediately caught her eye.
 
As Bird picked up the amulet, she felt warmth all over and heard a voice in her mind, telling her ‘Go ahead, put it on’. Without hesitation, Bird did so and immediately felt something deep within her change, as if her soul was on fire. Through the darkness, she heard thousands of whispers, words that she could not comprehend and then a figure began to take shape across from the altar. A tall creature wearing a mask, seven holes with glowing eyes watching her from beneath, wisps of vapor-like, fiery green hair and garbed in robes of such a deep black that they seemed to absorb all light around them.
 
The figure spoke, asking Bird her name. Never having had a real name, Bird replied as such. The figure told Bird that names are important and went on to offer her a name, provided that she could agree to a few small things. Bird was told that she was free now, that their Lord; her father, had saved her, freed her, released her from the shackles of her curse. The figure, who introduced herself as Flek, told Bird that she could consider her and their Lord as her greatest supporters; as her family. They would give her power and every so often, Bird would simply have to do a few small things to help them; like a friend. Flek then mentioned Birds’ friend, and out of the darkness, floated Hilduk, unconscious, but alive.
 
Bird felt an immediate rush of relief and overwhelming joy to see Hilduk still alive, learning that Flek had caught him and saved him from the drop that surely would have been his end. Bird then told Flek that she would agree to do the little things she was asked of and as a result she was given a name; Yula. Flek presented her with another gift, as from the darkness, more figures floated into view; the goblin party, restrained by dark tendrils that seemed to reach from the shadows. Yula was terrified upon seeing them, but was reassured by Flek, who handed her an ornate dagger and along with it, her first task. Salvation and freedom; to remove from the world what had tortured her for so long.
 
Yula barely hesitated before rushing at Olut with the dagger, sinking it into his chest. As she did, all around her, the other goblins were killed by the very tendrils which held them. As they took their final breaths in unison, a soft blue light engulfed Yula’s arms and absorbed into her body.
 
Shortly after, Hilduk woke, looking initially afraid but it was short lived as Flek soon spoke to him; she asked him if he wished to stay with Yula, to help her, protect her and be with her, which he did. When asked if he enjoyed being a goblin, he shook his head, and so he was encased in a shell of darkness and given a new form. The bodies of the dead goblins around them seemed to disappear and beat like hearts as their energy and souls flowed into the shell. When Hilduk finally emerged he had become something new, an entirely different creature, the likes of which neither he nor Yula had ever known. Hilduk was now about the size of a kitten who perched on Yula’s shoulder. His mind connected to Yulas and while she could tell he was different now, she knew he was still there deep inside, her best and only friend.
 
Yula learned from Flek that their Father was trapped; sealed away by those that did not understand him and was asked if she would help him. Yula asked how she could help and where their father was trapped. She was told that for now, she must study, that there are many around the world who can help her learn, but that she is also free to seek adventure and to enjoy life until both They and Yula are ready and that when the time comes, their Father will tell her how to help. Yula agreed to this, and then set out into the world with Hilduk and Flek by her side, full of uncertainty, excitement and curiosity as to what the world now held for her.
 
Yula did not dare head back towards the goblin camp, knowing and fearful of the outlash she would receive for returning empty clawed and without the raid party. To do so would have been a death wish. So instead, with Hilduk and Flek by her side, she took off into the world, seeking adventure and perhaps a teacher. She does hold some fear that any remaining goblins might eventually find her, but for now she keeps that fear hidden deep down inside.

Education

Yula enjoys reading books, specifically the books her Sister has given to her and Spell books. Other information, she typically picks up by eavesdropping on conversations, by observing things around her and by pestering other creatures with questions.
 
Yula previously had no formal education. She has since joined the Hero's Guild, where she has enrolled in a class or two and where she now pesters the professors with whatever questions she cares enough to ask them.

Employment

Yula previously had no formal employment. She has since joined the Hero's Guild and now finds employment with her party; The Red Crest Seven.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Yula considers a few main things to be accomplishments in her life so far.
 
First and most importantly; her freedom from the Black Feather Curse.
 
Other accomplishments she believes she has achieved are killing Olet, learning magic, and getting her claws on an entire keg of Sandroot.

Failures & Embarrassments

At the moment, Yula does not consider anything she has done to be a failure or embarrassment.

Mental Trauma

Due to her upbringing and the cruelty of the golbins who 'raised' her, she is absolutely terrified of goblins, even the mention of them can at times be enough to send her walking in the complete opposite direction.

Morality & Philosophy

When it comes to Yula, morality is not so much a matter of 'right or wrong', but simply a matter of what Yula wants and decides to do.
 
Her philosophy is very simply put, 'Yula does what she wants'.
 
Yula holds grudges. She will hold onto a grudge against someone until she feels or decides that it has been righted.

person.gender_identity

"Yula is Yula."

Known Languages

Common, Auran

Personality

Motivation

Yula has two main points of motivation, both of which are rather tightly knit to one another in her mind.
 
She strives to help free all other Kenku of the Black Feather Curse as well as to help free her Father, from wherever he is imprisoned. In order to do that, she must grow stronger and learn as much as she can.
 
She is sure that if she can free her Father, he will help her to free her kind.

Quotes & Catchphrases

'Yula wants you to die!'
 
'Yula is Yula.'

Likes & Dislikes

Yula loves shiny things; so much so, that she is easily distracted by shiny or sparkly things. If she sees something shiny she will likely veer off of her path in order to get it with hardly a second thought. Her love of shiny things can also be used against her, as she is much more easily bribed when promised something shiny; considering that and her lack of clearly defined morals, she may be more easily bribed to do things that others consider illegal or immoral.
 
Yula has a love-hate relationship when it comes to water. She enjoys it, but she does not at all like being submerged in it. When her feathers are soaked through, they become heavy, uncomfortable and terribly cold.

Vices & Personality flaws

Yula has a few flaws. With a somewhat bad sense of direction she can occasionally find herself turned around rather easily, especially in places with complex paths or too many turns, such as caves or large cities.
 
Her 'I'll get them before they get me' mentality can often cause rather than prevent fights and danger, as she is much more likely to attack a person or creature that she deems an immediate and/or potential threat to Hilduk or herself, especially if she feels cornered or unable to get away from the person or creature in question.
 
Over the past few months, Yula has developed a bit of a vice for stealing. She likes stealing little shiny trinkets and miscellaneous things. Whether it be from a shop, a stranger or a companion, she cares not. If it's shiny and she wants it, she will most likely try to nab it.

Personality Quirks

Yula tends to clack her beak together when she feels irritated or uncomfortable.
 
During times of rest she likes to sit with Hilduk and arrange/organize their collections of shiny rocks and trinkets they've found or stolen. She'll arrange them in little groups or lines on the ground and admire them for some time before stashing everything back into her pockets.

Hygiene

Yula values keeping her feathers clean, despite how messy all the trinkets tied into them make her look to others. During most nights she will spend a few hours in a semi-conscious state, meticulously preening her feathers while she rests.

Social

Birthplace

Unknown

Current Residence

Yula goes where Yula wants.

Contacts & Relations

Yula hasn't formed many close relations as of yet. So far her Sister(Flek) and Hilduk are those she has formed the closest bonds to; they are currently the only two individuals that she wholly trusts.
 
Calen is a newly formed bond; a friend through agreement with her Sister. She has yet to form a close enough bond with him to trust him in the manner that she does her Sister or Hilduk, but she has agreed not to stab him.. well, she agreed to try at least.
 
Yula is a member of the Red Crest Seven, and had very loose/uncertain bonds with the other members of the group as of yet;
 
Belanor; Yula does not think he preens often enough, but she does enjoy listening to and mimicking him when he sings.
 
Fafnir;
 
Dracunculus; Yula very much likes all the small creatures that follow him around... it means there is often a little snack skittering around nearby when she or Hilduk get peckish.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Yula of the Red Crest Seven.

Wealth & Financial state

Yula does not have an abundance of wealth in the terms of monetary value. She does believe that she is wealthy, however, thinking her shinies and trinkets to be of great value.
 
When she does come across coins, she tends to stash them away with her trinkets and shinies. She does not like using her coins to pay for things, seeing that coins themselves are also shiny, like her treasures; it can be quite difficult to convince her to give up coins for something, especially if what she's paying for is not shiny.

Family Ties

Yula does not know of any blood relatives. She considers Flek Hilduk and their Father to be her family.

Social Aptitude

When it comes to social skills, Yula is most definitely lacking. For example, she has little to no empathy, her idea of conflict resolution almost always results in her stabbing or trying to stab someone, she is awful when it comes to sharing (especially food, with the exception of Hilduk, who she shares everything with), and she interrupts people, to name a few.

Mannerisms

Yula speaks about herself in the third person.
 
She also has a few bird-like mannerisms, such as tilting her head from side to side while looking at something, chirping or cooing when she is pleased about something and puffing up her feathers when she feels threatened to make herself look bigger.

Speech

Yula can speak in many voices as well as languages through her mimicry of what she's heard before. However, while she can mimic and repeat anything she hears regardless of the language it is spoken in, she currently only understands the Common and Auran tongue fluently.