Axerim -Smithcrafter [Ceramist/ Potter]

:: OOC Information ::
Moniker: JQ
How did you hear about us?:CoFounder



:: Character Information ::
Name:
Axerim

Pronunciation:
[ash-er-im]

Title:
Junior Journeyman

Honourific:
N/A

Age/ Turn of Birth:
27/ 475 AL

Gender:
Male

Place of Birth:
Southern Telgar Hold

Place of Residence:
Telgar River Hold

Craft:
Smithcraft (ceramist and potter)

Occupation/ Role:
Jr. Journeyman Smithcrafter (Ceramist & Potter)

Character Aspirations:
To make life more beautiful for others.



Family:
✣Father: Holder Hirate of Southern Telgar Hold (451 AL)
✣Mother: Lady Holder Eun of Southern Telgar Hold (446 AL)
✣Siblings: Elder brother (467 AL), Elder sister (469  AL), Elder sister (472  AL), Elder brother (473 AL)
✣Children: None
✣Other Significant: Uncle & Lord Holder Matoi  (448 AL), Aunt & Lady Holder Nanao (450 AL), Sister-in-Law Lady Holder Eolyn of Telgar River Hold (Formerly of Igen Hold, Played by Kate), Cousin & Lord Holder / Heir Apparent Rihan of Telgar River Hold, Cousin-in-law & Headwoman Courisse of Telgar River Hold, (and other cousins). Other cousins.


Appearance:



✣Face: Kim Sang Bum
✣Hair: Straight, Near-black to dark coffee brown, showing those highlights in the sun. He keeps it long enough to pull back into a ponytail of varying lengths, and a few sideswept bangs cut that tend to cover most of his forehead. He started growing his hair out a little longer to disguise himself from his father as much as possible, should his father come and try to find him at TRH, but he’s gotten to liking its new length, wearing it usually partly down, just past the shoulders, while the top half is tied back out of his face with a leather string. Keeps sideburns grown out a little, in front of his ears.
✣Eyes: Coffee brown
✣Height: 6’1”
✣Build: Well-muscled medium build; athletic form with notable, masculine “V” to his torso.
✣Other Notable Physical Traits: Prominent cheekbones and bridge of the nose. Possesses a strong, masculine jawline and well defined brows. His expressions frequently involve a quirk of the brow or some other draw of them.

✣Style of Dress:
Usually, his attire consists of comfortably loose pants and a long, long sleeved tunic shirt with a light, short sleeved or sleeveless overcoat that wraps around the torso and closes about the waist with the aid of a belt. The overcoat is long enough to reach below the knees, were pants tuck into black leather boots. A cloth belt of complementary colour encircles the waist, sometimes with a leather belt beneath it, supporting a frog to hold his sword. Usually some metal studwork can be seen adding some detail to the cuffs of his sleeves, his belt and down the breast of his tunic, or perhaps on the hems of the overcoat.

For the most part, he prefers varying shades of blue and red for his attire and the fabric is not of noticeably high grade.

On more formal occasions, the style of his clothing does not change much but in the expense of the fabric and the amount of detail put into it -which all in all, can really change appearances. But he does own suits of varying style depending on just how formal the occasion.

When the weather becomes cooler, especially for more formal situations, he wears a long blue velvet cloak with the red and blue shield of Southern Telgar Hold embroidered over the breast of it. The underlining of the cloak is in red silken fabric.

✣Possessions usually found on persona:
+Standard belt knife with semi-precious stone studded pommel
+Sometimes his sword. It is similarly decorated as the belt knife he wears.



History:
✣ Axerim was born the youngest child of Holder Hirate of South Telgar Hold and his wife Eun. Because he was the youngest, his parents were less strict on his upbringing than on others, so it was fairly well known that he tended to be the most care-free of their children. As he grew older, this also translated into sometimes unfair rumour that spread about his rebelliousness as a youth; while in his mind, they were just misadventures blown out of proportion because not everyone knew the whole tale in truth.

He began receiving a proper education at the age of 8, but with two older brothers and two older sisters to take over the tasks of the Hold, there was much less pressure placed on his shoulders to have to do so. Because of that, when he came to the age of 11, able to take a craft, he decided that he wanted to devote himself to the smithcraft instead of continuing to deeply pursue aspects of hold management. During these turns, though most of his time studying was spent busy as any other crafter’s apprentice, he was made to compromise with his father and mother by fulfilling at least minimal training in some managerial role, even if it was more minor than the tasks overseen by his siblings as they grew up.

In order to fulfill his son’s desires as well as fulfill hold needs, Axerim’s father decided that once he’d attained a certain level of skill, he would appoint his son to oversee all of the goods brought into the Hold from the Smithcraft trade -seeing as that was the trade he’d chosen to specialize in. He could learn all he wanted about the various branches of the craft and ensure that only the most suitable items were put to use in their hold’s magnificent halls.


✣Near mid 491, after the Chorong Rebels had already become a large organized force of their own, men from various other crafts were compelled to join in the fight to defend against them. Crafts also became more difficult to practice, as resources became more scarce in that time. People had started hoarding what goods they could get their hands on and the Chorong’s followers had been able to block off some roads for trade, isolating certain parts of the territory for duration of their stand there. Thus many crafters found it hard to carry on about what would have been business as usual, seeing as materials for their work as well as the number of people willing to make purchases were in decline. The price of goods thereby, was quite inflated though the Hold had put a cap on what certain things could be valued at, in order that there was not complete disorder in the gather markets.

Though Axerim’s life may have been slightly more protected in some regards than others, the anger of many people was directed at any corruption of the Holders at that time, and so life became difficult for them as well. Southern Telgar Hold, more than most of the other major or minor holds, was deeply split in the perspectives of its people, though the majority of them still seemed to hold some faith in the honesty of their leaders. It was necessary then, for Axerim and his brothers to practice under the Guard for a while to learn to protect themselves in case the worst should happen. The world around them in the southern reaches of Telgar was spiralling into chaos, and they would all have to put forth their greatest efforts to see the hardship through to the end.

So, in that turn where men were encouraged to lend their aid to the Hold Guard, Axerim and his brothers all took part in it -though one of his brothers, being cowardly, found a way to injure himself and be excused from it. For nearly four turns afterward then, Axerim spent his time helping as an honorary Officer Cadet, and for a very temporary time afterward, a Captain, when there was a need for additional leadership. Since he had a highly respectable position in the Hold as one of Southern Telgar Hold’s prospective heirs, should his brothers neither one be able to take his father’s place, Axerim and his eldest brother were kept away from the front lines as much as possible, allowing them to make take up more officious duties where possible. To show their dedication to the Hold and maintaining honest intentions to convince the people that his family had not been corrupted into doing wrong against the people in the area, Axerim and his brother made it a point to actively take part in regular soldier duties too, never shying from danger should they have to face it. It was a time when they had to prove their worth in order to regain the trust of their people.

Of course, as often as he could find the time, Axerim visited the Master Smithcrafter he’d been training under during his apprenticeship, and tried to get away from other worldly worries. Continuing what little practice he could of his craft in that time, was his escape from all the chaos.


✣In turn 495, Axerim was able to resume full time training in his Smithcraft once more. When he passed into the Journeyman stage, shortly after, Axerim wanted to get away from the Hold of his birth in order to see more of the world -and one that wasn’t struggling to rebuild after all of the conflict, even if the Hold had come out victorious.

So, in turn 498, after attending the Smithcraft Hall to walk the tables into JR. Journeyman Smithcrafter rank, Axerim transferred to Telgar River Hold which was in need of artisans to assist in its construction. There was some competition because many crafeters looked forward to going there to fill the ranks necessary to provide for a fully functioning hold, but after his cousin Rihan found out he was willing to practice at the new hold, Axerim was quickly added to the list of crafters for transfer.

Just before arrangements were finalized though, not yet having told his father about his plans to spend his Journeymanship in the Northern reaches of Telgar, Axerim’s brother was married into the house of a young girl who had become the heiress of the estate of a highborn family. Because it was a beneficial coupling and there was more need then for Axerim to remain at Southern Telgar Hold to fill in for his brother’s absence, their father insisted that he remain at the Hold instead of traveling to continue his training. Unable to accept his father’s demands, seeing no reason he should stay locally if it only took a dragon’s breath Between to get him home again in a time of desperation. So, without further notice, Axerim left home, and only after a nearly a month of being absent, wrote to them to tell them where he was training at.


Signed on to train under the master to be stationed there at Telgar River Hold, Axerim took on similar roles as he had previously, working with the resident crafters and the Holder -his cousin Rihan- to help oversee the production and quality of Smithcraft goods prepared for the new Hold.

Since his going to Telgar River Hold, Axerim has made himself home there, and done well in his continued study of the Smithcraft. His father gradually became more accepting of his spending his time there, given that he hadn’t completely abandoned more managerial tasks, even though they were focused on his particular craft. Though his father did visit the hold two or three times to try to convince him to return to Southern Telgar Hold, Axerim has yet to return there.



Personality:
✣Easy going, agreeable manner. Most people find him easy to talk to, and he is a very good listener.
✣A generally gentle, tolerant sort, unless one were to tempt him to anger; though he’s much more in control of his frustrations than he was when he was younger.
✣Has a certain weak spot for his friends, being protective of their interests, even at his own risk.
✣Though he does not seem to have the overly refined manner of someone of greater societal stature, though he does possess a chivalrous nature.
✣Patient, knowing how to bide his time, but does not hesitate to be a person of action when the time calls for it.
✣Artistic with an eye for beauty and creativity. He has a great appreciation for these things.
✣Prefers honesty and constructive effort over any other policy. Though admittedly, he’s been known to tell white lies to finagle situations to his benefit -but it’s been for harmless things, or to forestall the gross ambitions of others -which falls into the necessary evil category as mentioned below in his Holder section of the bio.
✣Not conceited like some of highborn status. He is humble but expects proper respects from others, knowing that respect goes both ways. He can’t ask respect if he doesn’t give it, also.
✣Trustworthy and generally steady personality regardless of how wayward the rumours make him out to be since he left the hold to pursue other dreams.
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Shortcomings:
✣ Maybe a little too care-free when it comes to pursuing his dreams instead of necessarily thinking about how his decisions may affect his family. Though his siblings don’t necessarily scorn him for it, it is known that he is the ‘rebellious’ one of them, even if he does not do things inappropriate most of the time. He simply is the youngest, and therefore can get away with the most. His parents were much more lax with his upbringing than the rest of his siblings. He is used to having a little more free-reign.
✣ Can be quick to anger because he still has a heart that burns with the passion of youth and thus, sometimes those passions gain the upper hand. As he’s gotten older, he tends to have a better handle on any anger he may develop, able to keep himself in good control.


Mannerisms/ Habits:
✣ Likes to be outside, so though he has a complete enclosed workshop he can usually be found sitting beside the fired-up kilns on a stool, talking with the kiln master and other laborers, enjoying a brisk evening air where stars are visible.
✣ He also enjoys treks out into the mountains to retrieve fresh clay. It is his habit to accompany the menial workers on at least semi-regular digging ventures.
✣ When his sisters or a girl he likes is being silly, he’ll take a knuckle and conk it gently on her head in affectionate reprimand.


Skills/ Likes:
✣[Eye for Artistry]: Combined with other skills, this will make him a good practicing Sr. Journeyman Smithcrafter when he reaches that point. He’ll be able to craft beautiful pieces of art in various forms, without flaw. At least, that is his goal. He is becoming more and more skilled at shaping his ceramic work, making beautiful, color-rich glazes and ornate hand-paintings. It is a labor of love for him. He also enjoys viewing the artistic creations of other ceramists and potters during gather weekends, especially liking when there are imports of such items from other territories to admire.
✣[Working with clay]: It fulfills him to work with his hands in the mud all day, one could say. It is an artistic pursuit that adds a little beauty to the lives of others and at the same time, allows him to feel as though he’s put his hard physical and emotional labors into a craft worthy of praise.
✣[Good with his hands/ Dextrous]: Interpret that as you like. He’s very hands on, and has deft, steady and strong hands. He is resourceful with his tools and efficient in his labour, good with a bow and a knife and has learned to hold his own with a sword.
✣[Merciful and kind hearted]: This makes him a warm person, and someone who is generally easy to approach and talk to, as well as make friends with. He’s fairly open with his heart, and merciful and benevolent toward others, trying to see the good in everyone, though he isn’t naive enough to think that that is always possible. He does believe that some people are simply rotten inside, and won’t try to make excuses for them beyond a certain extent.


Unskilled at/ Dislikes:
✣[Politics]: Though he is quite familiar with proper decorum, how to follow formalities and get by with being politically correct as necessary, politics on the whole is not something he enjoys having to suffer. To him, it is only a necessary evil that he prefers spending as little time meddling with as possible. He has seen how something like politics nearly destroyed his Hold and threatened his family, so he knows how it can be used for corrupted means. He just hopes that so long as he is around, he can learn not to abuse it.
✣[Sense of entitlement]: Axerim does not appreciate when he finds people adhering to some sense of great entitlement without having worked for it; it makes them seem spoiled, as though they take everything that life offers them for granted. It is an attitude that speaks lowly of a person’s character. He himself has been quite careful not to develop that sort of attitude, making sure not to disparage others by his words or actions as best he knows how. After all, a person can lose their status and their worth in goods, and they can also gain it by hard work. Perhaps surprisingly, though he finds nothing wrong with that, and likes to hear of people with good, honest ambitions, he still believes in an almost classist view of the world, even though the ranks of society are not strictly fixed.


Fighting Style/ Weapon of Choice:
Much like what the Hold Guard teaches, he is adept enough to hold his ground with the use of a sword or a knife. Since the rebellion in Telgar brought fighting to his veritable front door, he spent a little more than four turns practicing his use of it and hand to hand fighting. In this time, official training in his usual trade was at a veritable stand still since resources were channeled into winning the battle against the Chorong at the time. Crafters in the region in general, were in a very difficult situation back then to carry on their practices as usual.

:: Crafter Information ::
Craft:
Smithcraft

Turns in Craft:
12

Rank:
Junior Journeyman (needs 2 more turns officially, to be tapped to Sr.)

Location of Journeymanship:
Currently Telgar River Hold

Specialization:
Ceramics and Pottery. He prefers trying his hand at ceramics though; it is a more refined art. Though he does not yet have the skills to be a great ceramist, he can do pottery work and craft basic ceramics as well as paint. Since Telgar is home to weavers who often specialize in batik or silk-screening process, hand-painted artwork comes highly prized in the region. Thus, many decorative jars, plates, pots, space heaters, tiles, etc, come ornately hand-painted. Axerimhas always been more artistically minded than his brothers, and with an eye for detail and beauty, has begun to develop a fine sense of artistic expression through painting his projects.  He can also do intricate etchings of artwork directly into the pottery itself, before glazing and baking it in the kiln, bringing out beautiful patterns and scenery by a whole different means.

Axerim is skilled in recognizing various types of soils that can be used to craft various types of earthen wares. Amoungst other skills for his craft are knowing how to build a proper kiln, finding soils, collecting soils, mixing soils, filtering soils, recognizing the values of soils, choosing the best woods and preparing the wood and coals for the kiln fires, making glazes and knowing what to add to the glaze to bring out the desired colour of pigment, etc.

:: Distinguished Persons' Information ::

Character Views on Thread: Though he is not of the same strict opinions as a hidebound oldtimer as it were, Axerim can take on an imaginative perspective of the world and therefore has no qualms with believing that Thread may very well be real. He doesn’t have such a fantastical view of the world though that he does not maintain a logical perspective as well -he is certainly not naive about the ways of the world. So, tt is also best if he believes in Thread for the sake of the Weyrs and their purpose. Without the belief in Thread it would also be difficult to maintain the order of things the way that they are. If there was no belief in Thread, many things on Pern would be changed. For the sake of order and continuity, it was best to support the theory that it was in existence and would one day return.

Character Views on Hold/ Weyr Relationships: Since his family and hold were deeply embroiled in the conflicts of Telgar’s rebellion, his opinions tend to be much like those of his father and mother who were of course much in favour of the Werys and Holds continuing to maintain good relations as they had been doing for as long as could be remembered. Obviously any steering away from that path led to a much more unpleasant reality. Axerim though, doesn’t believe that he’s one who is good at speaking politics and tends to shy from having to become too vocal in such conversations, even if he has to sit and listen to his father and brothers talk about Weyr-Hold, Hold-Hold or Hold-Crafthall relations for hours.

Experience in Hold Management:
Since Axerim chose to focus on specialty in a craft instead of hold management on the whole, his family still allowed him to take part in a prominent role by learning to oversee the production and quality of smithcraft goods made for the Hold’s use -such as various sets of dishware used everyday as well as on special occasions. At the same time, he trained diligently under the master crafter who was responsible for the majority of the ceramic and pottery wares that entered the hold there.