Alyss | |
---|---|
![]() I can see everything | |
Occupation |
Artist, soothsayer |
Nicknames |
The Girl in Blue, The Blind Girl, Sunshine (Tammy's nickname)), Poor Alyss |
Played By |
Anna Nalick |
Age |
20 |
Gender |
Female |
Weapons |
Her mind |
Location | |
Journal |
Basic Information
Edit
She seems to greet everyone the same way. "What's the color of the sky right now?" She remembers people by the color they answer, even if she can no longer see if they are telling the truth or making it up.
Her eyes were bright, sky blue once. Perhaps that's why she wears blue all the time. A bit of mourning for her lost sight? Or something else entirely.
Alyss's eyes are covered by a dark, crimson stained blue eye-bandage. Her left arm is a badly made prosthetic. She's looking at getting that fixed.
Mutations
Edit
Alyss was born with the ability to see the future, a genetic mutation passed from what she guesses was her mother's side. However, she never could "see" particularly well.
Burning, then Bleeding At first, there never was a problem with her ability. At least, not a noticeable one. But as the visions became clearer (but not necessarily more correct...), Alyss started to pay the consequences. Her eyes burned with each vision, until one day she just didn't have eyes anymore. Now, her eyes just bleed, almost like she's crying blood.
That's how one can gauge if she's really using her sight. Her eyes will be bleeding.
The power is stronger if she has the blood of the person for whom the future is desired. Stronger, more painful, but not always correct...
"It seemed a fitting trade to me. My eyes for the future..."
Alyss's other skill is the ability to read minds. However, the only way she can unlock this ability is if she has the blood of the person who's mind she is attempting to read on her hands. Every time she uses this power, although it's rarely tapped, she faces a crippling migraine. The stronger the reading, the more crippling the migraine. If it gets bad enough, her power will cut and she will pass out.
Blind Kitten Syndrome: Abbreviated BKS, this "mutation" makes it so Alyss draws out the paternal/maternal/protective side of anyone she meets.It is it's own blessing and curse. People are immeditaly inclined to help her, which is something Alyss would prefer not to happen. The best example being that Alyss does not mind Ward feeling like a father to her but wishes for Chemy to leave her alone. She really just wants to be left alone and to her own devices, but this sort of mutation makes it very hard.
Relationships
Edit
"Ward of" Tammy and housemate of Ivan
Her younger sister (don't judge by appearance) is Mimosa.
She tends to be a bit of a loner, but finds the idea of a relationship with someone amazing, interesting, and highly unlikely. (She also never knows when someone is flirting with her.)
And regardless of what Ben Better says, she doesn't have an army of suitors (well, there's Haunt but Alyss couldn't tell you if he's a suitor or just a very good friend)
As the result of "Blind Kitten Syndrome":
- Hero stops by sometimes to check on her, and if he knows it or not, she thinks of him as an "older something." Something, because she doesn't think he'd like if she called him an older brother, but she has yet to ask. Also, fatherly feelings (see Ward as well)
- She's pulled out the fatherly side of Ward, multiple times.
- Brisance would like to make her a series of weapons that could possibly protect her against The People.
She cannot tell you what her relationship with Marcelo or Merrick is, only that she's pretty sure she screwed it up.
Inside her Mind: The Colors and the People (Here lists the colors Alyss associates with the people she's met)
- Anna Shepard is sea green.
- Ward is gray, the color of a cold winter's day.
- Ben Better is Navy and Cambridge Blue.
- Brisance is grey, like the color of smoke.
- Marcelo is blue. The first blue you think of when you hear the word blue. That blue.
- Merrick was also the same blue as Marcelo, but is now a deep crimson. Blood red, as it were.
- Ivan
- Devlin has no color, not yet.
- Elie is colorless, at the moment.
- Tammy
- Hero is red-orange, or the color of fire.
- Dr. Arkalian medical white.
- Elizabeth Burkett is silver grey.
- Mimosa is bright, warm orange.
History
Edit
She's sure she had a mom and a dad once. She doesn't know. Doesn't look back to find out, because looking back hurts worse than looking forward.
For as long as she can remember, and that's back to the time she had sight, she was on the streets. Running, from what the others (although she doesn't remember the others) called "The people." She never met "the people" but she was always running away from them.
She found her "gift" while helping the others run away. The first day her eyes bled was the last day she had friends. Even in this twisted world, a girl with burning, bleeding eyes was a scary thing.
One day she crossed another set of orphans. She thought they weren't supposed to be there, but that was the day she learned two very important things: her sight wasn't always right and blood caused her to read minds.
When she woke up she didn't have an arm. It was the weirdest thing.
She would have died if Tammy hadn't found her.
(Note: the people she was running from were never real. They were false visions she was sure were real, as no one was around to tell her otherwise.)
Alyss's Problems
Edit
Well, she (like most people in the City) has many, but two of the biggest problems she has is her paranoia and her dysmorphia.
Paranoia: As was mentioned before, Alyss fears a set of beings known to her as "The People." Although these beings are not real, Alyss is completely positive they are, and therefore bases a majority of her actions on avoiding them. She lost her eyes due to the constant attempt to use her visions to hide from them, remains unregistered despite the fact that it is illegal so she can be more invisible to them, hides in the Library because she is sure they can't get her there, and so on. The haunt her every nightmare, follow her every thought...
She fears nothing more than The People.
Dysmorphia: Alyss cannot remember what she looked like, back from those days that she had eyes. This has led her to drastically distort her mental image of herself, and she's gone about basing her appearance solely on the reactions of people to her bleeding eyes or missing limb. She is so very sure that she is horrifying. No one can change these thoughts. So even though many of the characters have thought or told Alyss that she is pretty or beatiful, she does not believe them.
This is also a reason why she will not draw herself (The other is, of course, because if she puts her image somewhere permanent, The People could find her).
Over the years, this dysmoprhia has led Alyss to lose all confidence in herself. She is often caught apologizing for begin worthless, or a burden, or for all together being a waste of time or space.
Extras
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Her favorite color (when it mattered) was blue. She isn't a big fan of sweets. She's shy.
She has slight separation anxiety and doesn't do well with large crowds, but nothing enough to make a phobia.
Despite her lack of sight, she can paint physical objects wonderfully. She loves to paint portraits.
Story Points and Convos
Edit
January 2012
Edit
- Trying this out Alyss quite literally runs into Marcelo, and they work out a deal.
- A Knight, a Squire, and an Artist walk into a Library This takes place a week after "Trying this out." Alyss meets with Marcelo and his squire Merrick. A gift for the Squire, and an exchange for the artist. A seemingly normal meetinging until a slip of hand spirals everyting out of control.
~~
- Braving the Crowds Alyss runs into Anna Shepard in the Market, and in exchange for a knit hat, preforms a fortune telling. Her power activates automatically and she shares some unsettling news: perhaps Anna Shepard's husband isn't dead. Anna Shepard is shocked by the news, and the two part quickly. Alyss mistakenly leaves behind her "The Hermit" card.
~~
- See Something? Alyss is having an Art Sale. Only she doesn't seem to sell much...
- The Hero and the Painter Hero stops by Alyss's little art stand, worrying about (what else?) her health.
- I've heard you before, haven't I? Alyss's first true encounter with Ben Better. She seems to have endeared herself to him. Also, she can't barter very well. It's no wonder she's thin.
- Who should you call? Alyss meets up with Ben Better the next day and he repairs her arm and makes her a necklace in exchange for her painting. An offer for for Alyss to work in the shop is extended. Is this the start of a potential business relationship?
- The Blind Assistant/A Wild Devlin Appears! Alyss's first day on the job, nothing too bad can happen, right? But Alyss can never have a normal day, after all. The appearance of Devlin causes some reaction, and the result is a broken mug, a disgusted girl, and Alyss's haunting vision of a man with a top hat...Doesn't Ben Better wear a top hat? Maybe everyone should start calling her "Poor Alyss."
- Who should you call? Alyss meets up with Ben Better the next day and he repairs her arm and makes her a necklace in exchange for her painting. An offer for for Alyss to work in the shop is extended. Is this the start of a potential business relationship?
- Helpful Little Cat Ivan helps Alyss keep watch, and gives his fellow Library-mate some compliments.
- Father Ward/The Missing Hermit Ward and Alyss meet for the first time, and she gives him a reading in exchange for her first "crystal ball." Aparentaly he's looking for something....or Alyss is just spewing hot air again. She writes the fortune off as a failure, because the Hermit card is missing.
~~
- This is awkward, but... Alyss and her new friend Ward go walking together, because awkward ol' Alyss has questions for people at the...brothel? Ward's fatherly side shows again as he takes the role of Alyss's protector.
- The Raven's Nest Madame Nacht begrudgingly agrees to talk to Alyss.
~~
- Luminous/What are YOU up to? Brisance scares the living daylights out of Alyss, then offers her protection from "The People."
~~
- The Doctor is In/Can We Stem the Bleeding? After the disaster that was her first day of work, Alyss decides that, despite the fact that she never wants to go outside again, she needs to see a doctor. Only how to you convince someone of the medical profession such as Dr. Arkalian that eyes such as her's are normal?
~~
- If We the Shadows have Offended Anna Shepard stops by to check on Alyss. She's worried because the girl has been hiding.
- Outside the Fortress of Books Alyss takes a page from Anna Shepard's book and tries not to be a closet hermit.
- He Came Back? Ben Better finds Alyss in the Library and takes her for a walk to make up for the meeting between her and Devlin.
- Warm by the Fire/You're the person we need! Ben Better takes Alyss to Elie's forge, to get her arm fixed.
- Haven't I Damaged you enough? Merrick? What could he possibly want? He really shouldn't be so nice to her.
- Not the Seer I Pictured. Haunt and Alyss meet for the first time, and our lovely girl in blue finds herself being useful. It seems to be, regardless, the start of a long relationship.
- He Came Back? Ben Better finds Alyss in the Library and takes her for a walk to make up for the meeting between her and Devlin.
February 2012
Edit
- To Do List: Let's take over the world! Ward was looking for Alyss but she finds him instead. He offers to get her her some wax to use for writing and he's followed through. They arrange to meet again so he can show her how it works.
- Once more with Feeling: Little Girl in the Library Alyss and ward spend some father daughter time (just kidding!) together.
~~
- Open for Business: Don't mind the Girl in Blue Alyss gets lost and finds her way to the Transfiguration shop... oops. Chemy, it's alright. Don't be so concerned.
- Have You Seen this Girl? Unbeknownst to Alyss, Chemy is REALLY worried about her...Luckily Haunt convinces him he's being a tad bit creepy.
~~
- What the Blue Pixie Says After this, Haunt comes back for a second vision. And Alyss, are you flirting or just really REALLY naive?
- It's nice to be needed After Haunt's run in with suppressing the Wraith, he wakes up in Alyss's studio. More shameless flirting and Alyss naivety ensue. The Tower is drawn, and Alyss is now worried.
- Sleep Over...? He takes up her offer of staying over one more night, but Mimosa may have a problem with him.
- I brought you something! Alyss visits Haunt.
- Sleep Over...? He takes up her offer of staying over one more night, but Mimosa may have a problem with him.
- It's nice to be needed After Haunt's run in with suppressing the Wraith, he wakes up in Alyss's studio. More shameless flirting and Alyss naivety ensue. The Tower is drawn, and Alyss is now worried.
- Help my Mutation is Seducing People! All these talks with Haunt make Alyss wonder if there is more to her mutation than she expected. She goes to Anna Shepard for help.
~~
- Foxes and Junk: Can't I be Helpful? Alyss and her "mother" Tammy create foxes.
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- Protect our Poultry: Alyss the Klutz Alyss trips on a chicken but Alewishes Montgomery Braeburn doesn't seem to mind.
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- Venturing out: Brave for Once Elizabeth Burkett is out in the Market and Alyss is selling paintings to support the Clinic. Little known to Alyss, she's talking to a member of the Keep.
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- Hard Night for a Knight: I ran into a fish! After Brisance's mishap in the street, Alyss goes searching for Merrick and Marcelo. She runs into something on the way there.
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- In the Stacks Mimosa has hopes and dreams and Alyss is the good older sister who will help her realize them.
- Antisocial: What Luck! Dr. Arkalian may not want to be outside but he sure is helping Alyss out.
- What do you see in THIS guy? Dr. Arkalian meets Mimosa. This may or may not turn out well...
- Antisocial: What Luck! Dr. Arkalian may not want to be outside but he sure is helping Alyss out.
March 2012
Edit
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- All Alone/I Know You Alyss has the misfortune of running into a Souless. Surprisingly, it knows how to activate her power. How could it? And who is screaming?
- Knight in Any Armor After meeting the Souless, Alyss runs for help. Hopefully Merrick and Marcelo know what to do.
~~
- Let Me Alyss takes Haunt to the Library in an attempt to help him. They decide to go to Anna's after he sleeps. After leaving Anna's, she learns that Haunt has been seeing two other people at the same time as her. Thinking herself to be at fault, Alyss breaks up with Haunt and runs home.
~~
- Open Air/I'm Invisible, You? Alyss and [Aoi] meet for the first time.
Journals and Fictions
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Musings of a Mad Girl
- Dear Mr. Book Alyss's first post on the state of things.
- About Love In which Alyss attempts to justify why she's going to visit a brothel.
- The Image of Myself Alyss doesn't know the word for dysmorphia, but that is what she has.
- What's the Word? Alyss is a stalker and no one seems to care.
- Not so Simple Reflecting on her time with [Haunt], Alyss wonders why Goodbye hurts so much.
The Tarot Project (Drawings of the cards Alyss draws will be placed here, Tarot Project, as drawn by Jenny)
- Replacing the Hermit After losing her Hermit card to her reading with Anna Shepard, Alyss realizes she needs to replace it so her deck is complete, especially before Marcelo comes to get his half of the deal. She only intended to replace the Hermit. Instead, she did something else entirely.
Fictions "The People" The stuff of Alyss's nightmares.