Council Seat Auditions

[abri[elle]]

COUNCIL SEAT AUDITIONS ---

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Please read thoroughly, or your application will be disregarded. To qualify for a Council seat, you must meet the following requirements:

CHARACTER. You must have an accepted character application to submit an application.

APPLICATIONS. The application must be filled out fully and correctly to be eligible. Please do not alter the form in any way, or it will be disregarded.

Fill out the following form and post it as a reply to this thread. Eligible applications will be reviewed by staff. Applications will be judged based on quality and value to in character plotting.

If your application is approved you will receive a private message from a staff member. You will be given a four digit code that will serve as a verification of your seat. This code must be added to biographies of the existing character to which the seat applies. This code will be documented by a staff member to ensure that no user is assuming a council seat without rightful acquisition. Failure to use the code provided will result in the retraction of your seat. Remember to follow any and all instruction detailed to you in a private message from a staff member.

[size=1][*justify][blockquote][font=lucida console][b]CHARACTER TO WHICH APPLICABLE.[/b][/font]

[font=lucida console][b]MONARCHY OF CHARACTER.[/b][/font]

[font=lucida console][b]PERSONALITY OVERVIEW.[/b][/font] no more than seventy five words

[font=lucida console][b]ACQUISITION OF RANK.[/b][/font] how would explain, in character, how you attained a council seat; why is it appropriate for your character?

[font=lucida console][b]BRIEF EXAMPLE ROLE PLAY.[/b][/font] this does not have to be a full post, provide an in character paragraph of how the character is to be role played in a Council seat

[font=lucida console][b]HOW CAN YOU USE THIS POSITION TO BENEFIT ROLE PLAY.[/b][/font] what can your character, specifically, do to benefit the plot?
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THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO SEATS OPEN PER MONARCHY.

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[RHAPSIE !]

CHARACTER TO WHICH APPLICABLE. Sterling.

MONARCHY OF CHARACTER. Western.

PERSONALITY OVERVIEW. Sterling is the quiet, serious and contemplative type, and whilst this may make him seem unapproachable, it does make him a good listener. Once you've earned his trust and respect, however, he will reveal his far softer interior. His life experiences have made him harder and brooding over the years, but he does retain some of his youthful traits. Instead of dwelling on his past, he focuses on making the lives of others better.

ACQUISITION OF RANK.

The room could be considered practically empty. In fact, it wasn't even a room at all, it was a den. A little pokey place, in a rather dismal area of the Western Kingdom, something typical of a serf's dwelling. So, if that was the case, what was a Council member doing here? The tom was clearing out his home, gathering any belongings that he wanted to keep so he could relocate them to his new dwelling, something more appropriate for such a high ranking cat. It was early, and most cats weren't even up yet, but Sterling did notice the shadow blocking the entrance to the den. The white tom only turned his head briefly, acknowledging the feline he quickly recognized as his neighbor and friend, Hayden. The tabby tom smiled, before taking a step back, allowing light to filter into the den once more, regarding his new leader with a quirk of the brow and a chuckle. "Congratulations, your highness. I heard about the news last night, and thought I would pop over before you moved out. Should I bow?" Sterling turned his head to look the other tom in the eye, and couldn't help but feel rather sad. The tom that faced him - like so many of the serfs he had associated himself with during his five years of being one himself - looked so scruffy and downtrodden, and although he smiled, he could tell it was fake. He could see jealousy in his expression, but the white tom knew that the other was trying to suppress it so badly, simply because he felt loyalty to the tom he'd known for two years now. The pair got on well, and neither Sterling or Hayden wanted a bit of envy to come between them. The smaller tom looked down at his paws, yet Sterling didn't take his eyes off of his associate, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "You're my friend, Hayden, you should never have to bow to me. I may have got this seat, but I still think there are others that deserve it more than me. Those with more knowledge and more experience. However, I will try, the whole reason I have accepted this rank is because I want to improve things for the serfs of the Kingdom. Far worse than I could've got this seat, my friend, you know that."

The tabby cat nodded in agreement, approaching his friend and butting his head against the other's shoulder to show there was no bad feeling about it. He would much rather his friend get the rank than a complete strangers, who intentions could be very dark and devious indeed... "Very wise words. I hold nothing against you, you know that. You're like a brother to me, so don't forget about me and the other 'little cats' when you're sitting in those council meetings, okay?" The white tom turned away for a second, moving the debree away from the collection he was storing in the corner of his den, ready for sorting, before looking back at the other and smiling slightly, nodding. Deciding to change the subject, the grey and black tabby turned away and exited the den, motioning for the other to follow so they could have a bit more space to sit. Complying, Sterling followed him out of the den and positioned himself in a comfortable seated position on the ground, his friend mirroring the action. "So tell me, Sterling, I can't help but be curious... I know that you have the seat now, but I was never told why you got it in the first place. Was it all a rather recent affair?" The tom's green eyes locked with Sterling's yellow ones, curiosity written all over his face. Acknowledging that it was time to tell the story, the white male nodded and cleared his throat gently, before relaying the whole event to the other cat, the event that changed his social standing and his life.

"I was hunting by the river. You know how I have a taste for voles, after all, and I thought if I collected quite a few I could bring them back and store them for a later date. Maybe even share them with my friends." At this point, Hayden waggled an eyebrow and licked his lips, and Sterling suppressed a hearty chuckle, instead smirking and continuing on. "It was after my second successful hunt that I heard crying. No, not crying, shrieking. A horrible wail, I wasn't even aware that a cat could make it. I was even more surprised when I found out that it was a kitten. The youngster must've fallen into the river, because within seconds, I saw him being carried downstream, right before my eyes. Of course, you know that I'm not fond of swimming, or getting wet in general, but I couldn't just let the poor little mite drown. So I went in after him. I managed to grab him by the scruff and together we got buffeted about by the harsh current, with him crying and flailing and me keeping as tight a grip on him as I could, shielding him every time we got slammed against the rocks that jut out from the riverbed. Soon enough, I was weak and battered enough to just call it a day and go with the current, but I couldn't subject him to such a fate, so I tried with all my might to get close enough to the shore to fling him to safety. Somehow, I managed to get close enough to not only save him, but save myself as well, who knows how I managed that. Despite feeling like I'd been caught up in a tornado, I clawed myself and the kitten onto the bank. He had inhaled some water, but with some gentle shaking he coughed it all up. He was only a youngster, bless him, couldn't of been older than a few months old. Of course, I assumed he was the kitten of a serf, but whatever rank he had been didn't matter to me, a kitten is a kitten. The mother had seen what had happened, and ran up to us, thanking me profusely and crying hysterically. I'm... no good with crying mothers, so I attempted to comfort her as best as I could, showing her that her child was safe, before excusing myself. But she insisted I followed her, that she had a reward for me. Wondering what it was, I followed, simply expecting a meal or something. But no, she led me to where the Barons live. I was.. well, stunned, I can tell you. It turns out that the she-cat was the dear baby sister of one of Council members, and the kitten I had saved was his nephew. He told me that he had been planning to retire, and wanted to make sure that the seat went to someone who deserved it. A courageous, selfless cat. Apparently, I fitted the criteria. So... here I am, a member of the council and one of the two highest ranking cats in the Western Monarchy. Not quite sure how I did it, but I'm more pleased that the mother got her kitten back. I will admit though, I'm pleased that I'm in a position where I can help the Kingdom improve for the better, now. The Councillor that I met was a kind enough tom, but not all of them will be, he said that to me himself."

Feeling that he had said enough, he relaxed, taking a breath to make up for all the ones he'd missed during his tale. Hayden merely sat there, dumbfounded for a second, but a wide smile spread across his face when he came to his senses, his eyes glossy and wide in awe. "Not only a council member but a hero as well, eh? Is there nothing this tom can do!" Sterling just rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "The others are beginning to wake up, Hayden. Don't you have things to do? I need to get this packing done." Hayden pretended to be offended, with a horrified expression before donning a hurt look. "I see how it is. I can take a hint, don't worry." He nudged his friend's shoulder with a smile, before turning away and padding off to his own den, not before calling something to him over his shoulder. "Oh, and good luck, Councilor Sterling." He laughed, before quickening his pace and disappearing out of sight altogether, leaving an amused Sterling in his wake. The white tom stretched, before standing back up and returning to his den, to continue clearing out the den he would probably never see again. He was moving to bigger and better things, and whilst it was sad, it also ensured that the future of the Kingdom would be a better and brighter one, especially now he had a say in it.

BRIEF EXAMPLE ROLE PLAY.

It seemed that the more meetings there were between the councilors, the more clashing there was. Arguments ran rife, and an occasion didn't go by where there were no insults flung across the table. Not being a big fan of shouting and cursing, Sterling often just sat back and let it happen, sometimes trying to interject with helpful suggestions and attempts to alleviate the general bad feeling from the meeting, but it often either rebounded or he got scorned for it. Perhaps it was because he was a newer member, and the older and wiser - and seemingly more bad tempered - councilors felt that they had more of a say in matters than he did. It was frustrating at times, but he supposed it wasn't so bad, because there were times when he was listened to, and on a couple of occasions he was even praised for his intelligence and ability to speak for the people. Most of the time, however, there was conflict. It was to be expected, the white tom supposed, when cats from opposing sides of the Kingdom came together, but he wished for a day when the others found some common ground and agreed on things. It would benefit the entire Kingdom far more than if they simply threw words back and forth at each other. Nothing was being taken in, absorbed. Well, Sterling was learning a lot, but it seemed to him that the rest of them were just plain angry. "Come now, must we really go over this again? Agora simply said that she thought it was unf-" Sterling was cut off by the angry hiss of one of the Eastern councilors, Yusek. "Yes, I heard what she said, boy, but she doesn't seem to understand that it's not possible. Nothing can be done on that matter, so can we just move on?" Out of the corner of his eye, Sterling could see his fellow Western councilor, Agora, bristle, and he himself was seething from how rude Yusef had been, but holding his tongue, he merely furrowed his brow and sat back, listening to the rambling that poured from the older and rather bigoted tom. One day things would change, they would have to.

HOW CAN YOU USE THIS POSITION TO BENEFIT ROLE PLAY. He is a good listener, and isn't above approaching the serfs - as he is from a humbled serf upbringing himself - and talking to them, asking them if they need anything or if there are any issues that the nobles and barons aren't telling the council. He will probably end up being 'the voice of the people', and whilst some councilors may be more interested in helping themselves, or at least those with rank to their name, the whole reason Sterling wanted this seat in the first place is so he could help those that need help. Not the ones with the title, the ones that can provide for themselves and their family, but the ones that need food in their stomach and shelter over their heads. He hates the idea of nobles using their rank over the serfs to their advantage, rubbing it in their faces and oppressing and controlling them, because he's seen it himself, first hand. Whilst he wants to improve the quality of living for serfs, he isn't biased, and if there is a 'case' between a serf and a noble, he will listen to both sides of the story and take everything that is said into consideration, because whilst some nobles abuse serfs because they feel like they can get away with it, some bitter and resentful serfs may try to take the law into their own paws, and fight back physically, something that will not be tolerated by the council. He is willing to act for the better of the Kingdom, and he is also willing to listen to the councilors of the Eastern Monarchy as well. Perhaps his want to help the serfs would conflict with the councilors who look down on the serfs and don't really want to help them, those that want to keep the system how it is? That would certainly make for an interesting development in the plot.

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[THEA!]

CHARACTER TO WHICH APPLICABLE. Noelle

MONARCHY OF CHARACTER. Eastern

PERSONALITY OVERVIEW. Noelle is the type of cat who will do anything she has to in order to get what she wants. She’s basically a spoiled brat – the only difference is that she knows how to threaten and blackmail and get what she wants. She has one cat that she loves in the world: Allegra. Every other cat was made to be used or seduced. She has something to get from everyone, and she will get it.

ACQUISITION OF RANK.

It was perfect; everything was laid out. The plan was foolproof – not that any fools were in on the ingenious plan of hers. It was a night with no moon and no soft silver glow strained through the tangle of tree branches to reach the frosted ground. Additionally, the night was quiet with only the muted noise of naked tree branches rustling against each other audible when the wind blew. It was the kind of night Noelle loved, not only because it was the best setting for doing any of her dirty work, but because the soft chill of the wind was the perfect temperature. Summer was too hot, fall too windy, and spring was the season of kits. Winter was the best time of year, and the time of year when Noelle could do whatever she wanted. And what she wanted was big. She wanted a change. Not a poky, peaceful kind of change that the rest of the serfs wanted, but a real change. A change that would result in her being Queen. It was time for a shift in power – time for her to tell the rest of the Eastern serfs who was boss. They seemed to think that the council members would be able to hold her back. It was almost as if they didn’t even know her. Nothing could hold her back.

Peering through the thin twigs to the branches below, Noelle spied a single movement from her peripheral vision. Her eyes fastened on the silhouette of a cat below. Jasper, she thought, recognizing the gray and white blotched pelt. This mission was the result of many months of research. After choosing a specific council member, she had to know what he looked like. She then had to blackmail his mate for several useful pieces of information. All of it had led up to this, the moment that would result in her being a council member. But that was just a stepstool to becoming Queen. Of course, she wasn’t stupid – she knew there was no Queen in the system that the monarchy had now. But Noelle always had what she wanted – of course, she didn’t know exactly what she wanted yet, only that she had her sights set on revamping the government of the Eastern Monarchy and she was going to be Queen, even if it meant destroying the other council member. In fact, she didn’t really like the other council member – at first, she had tried blackmailing his mate but she never went out in the open. Some cats were just too paranoid.

The black and white shape drew closer and she began to be able to make out some of the features of his face. Bright amber eyes, a rather small frame, and a triangular face. He was two meters from the little hole in the branches from which she would drop soundlessly. One...Two…Three…

It wasn’t a long way down, and the darkness spiraled around Noelle as she fell. The breath was knocked from her for an instance as she fell with a huff onto the frosty ground – but her claws closed on flesh. The black tail-tip of the council member, Jasper.

So she had miscalculated a bit. But that didn’t mean that the mission was lost. Jasper turned slowly, and Noelle leapt, hissing. He didn’t stand a chance, and it took just a moment for her to flip his tiny frame over and pin him to the ground. He really was a struggler, but he calmed down after a few moments. “Listen carefully,” Noelle hissed, “You’ll retire and step down from your council position. And then you’ll name me, Noelle, your successor. If you turn me in…” Her claws dug into Jasper’s shoulder, raising little pinpricks of blood.

“Okay!” Jasper squeaked. What a coward, Noelle thought, but she let him go. Jasper sat up, carefully backing away from her.

”Remember!” she called, faking a lunge toward him. The tiny little council member squeaked and ran back up the path.

BRIEF EXAMPLE ROLE PLAY.

”I have an idea!” Noelle announced to her fellow council member, Ellery. He was an old tom, and one Noelle didn’t like very much – for one, he wanted to give the serfs more rights. But Noelle had a compromise. ”Let’s do this: the serfs will get better sleeping quarters and more food, as you wanted, but nobles will have to be harsher if they see anything against the monarchy.” Perhaps her companion would think that he got the upper hand from this compromise, but Noelle knew that she could have any nobles overseeing serfs she hated wrapped around her paw within a few days. And anyway, Ellery knew he had to agree with her. He wouldn’t forget yesterday night for quite a while. Those bruises wouldn’t be going away any time soon.

HOW CAN YOU USE THIS POSITION TO BENEFIT ROLE PLAY. Well, let’s see. She’s a crazy power-hungry girl who knows how to get what she wants and who wants to revise the government so she can be Queen of the monarchy. What isn’t there to plot? She could become the Queen and there could be a fight within the monarchies. Or she could make some enemies that kill her and there’s a big scandal. Or she could murder someone important for something and they find out it was her and exile her, and she finds a way to get back at the monarchies. But yeah. She could do anything. The possibilities are endless!

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[ryo]

CHARACTER TO WHICH APPLICABLE. Aishisu

MONARCHY OF CHARACTER. Eastern

PERSONALITY OVERVIEW. A private cat concerned predominately with practicality, Aishisu has the mindset that every cat is in it for herself. However, she’s slow to call for reform or dissent when she’s displeased; rather, she throws herself in the single-minded pursuit to please and eventually overcome her enemies in turn. Though she believes the monarchial system to be corrupt, she wishes to advance in it anyway. She loathes “constructive” criticism and is known to hold bitter grudges.

ACQUISITION OF RANK.

In. Out. In. Out. Aishisu took deep breaths, struggling to check her shallow breathing. Her mind was a maelstrom of worry and anticipation; she didn’t dare admit what she had done, even to herself. She had taken action as soon as a short recess between council meetings had been announced; she knew that many council members stopped for a rest with their families, and the security would be low. After that, it had been easy: distracting the nobles preparing to bring food to the council, stuffing yew berries into the plumpest mouse, sneaking out. Aishisu closed her eyes and told herself that this was necessary. It was no secret that the oldest council member, Rafael, had been on the decline; nobody would suspect anything if he collapsed. Or retired.

When the idea had first popped into her mind, Aishisu had thought it the most logical course of action. Rafael was already dying; she was just… quickening the process and protecting the vacant council seat from the candidates Rafael would have naively chosen. The senile old fool had such a convoluted sense of character. Now all she had to do was wait. Easier said than done, she thought dryly, glancing up at the council building frequently. What if they find out what I've done? What if they chooses someone else? With time came uncertainty. Although she knew Valon, the other member of the council, was much more reasonable than Rafael, he would still be swayed by bribes and treachery. I'm acting just like them, she thought. What the hell am I doing, poisoning to win the seat?

Her eyes flickered from the sun to the building, calculating how much time she had left. A slight noise escaped her, a cross between a sob and a laugh. She still had time. Drawing in a breath, Aishisu strode forward; eating up the distance with the swiftness fear gave you. Her pace quickened and quickened until she was running, desperate to undo what she had done in time. She skidded to a stop with a loud curse when she saw a noble blocking the entrance. “Get out of my way,” she growled, before shouldering past him violently. Startled by the unexpected noise, Rafael looked up with rheumy eyes, first in shock and then anger. Only one guard was protecting him, she noticed. All the rest were enjoying the recess. “What are you doing here?” he demanded as he pawed the piece of prey that had been set before him. He waved his tail dismissively at Aishisu. “Get her out of here.”

Aishisu didn’t focus on Rafael’s words; instead, she found her gaze straying to the mouse that she recognized. With a screech, the serf pushed past the guard, startling Rafael. “Don’t eat that!” she cried urgently. With a grunt of annoyance, Rafael ignored her, leaning down to take a bite. Aishisu batted his muzzle away, snarling, and crushed the mouse under her paw. Berry juice trickled out, staining her paw and the floor. She backed away unsteadily, stumbling across the ground. “I- I heard the other s-serfs plotting,” she stuttered, ignoring Rafael’s shocked glare. “Yew berries – they put yew berries in that mouse.” She stumbled backward, her eyes burning and her body shaking with misery. What a way to make an impression.

Rafael glanced at his guard, then at Aishisu. “You saved my life,” he growled out at last. “I have no reason to thank you; I was planning to retire anyway.” Aishisu let out a miserable cry, which he ignored. “I don’t like you, but you prevented Valon from picking some incompetent fool to replace me after I died.” He stared hard at Aishisu, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Which means that you are worthy of the council seat. I’ve decided to give it to you.” He paused, contemplating something for a moment. “In fact, stay here. I’ll be announcing it right now.” He sat back, treating Aishisu’s incredulity with distaste as she remained standing.

Berry juice still dripped from her paw.

BRIEF EXAMPLE ROLE PLAY.

Aishisu sat on the fringe of the council, fidgeting impatiently as the other councilors argued. I have no time for this. Arguing about vagrants? I can't have that. “Look,” she snapped out, interrupting a heated debate between Alistair and Honda, the two most argumentative toms in the kingdom (at least from what she had seen), “why are we even discussing vagrants when we have a more important matter at hand? Narcomancers. There are rumors of a new one near the woods. Why aren’t we there already?” Alistair stopped squabbling just to shoot Aishisu an acid glare. “The vagrants are a formidable force. We can’t just push them to the side; we need to eradicate them! Your bleeding heart just won’t allow that because we’d be striking too close to home, eh?” Aishisu suppressed a wince; his theory hit too close to the target. “No, I just think that an organized monarchy that might gain a narcomancer is more dangerous than a bunch of ragtag groups of vagrants that can’t even call a treaty to band together,” she snapped back, smirking with self-satisfaction as Honda shifted uncomfortably. “You’d be a fool to let the chance of a powerful ally slip from your paws because you’re too busy worrying about a threat that isn’t there. The Western Monarchy isn’t exactly on excellent terms with us, or have you forgotten?” Honda was grudgingly nodding his head in agreement, and Alistair backed down, hissing. “Fine,” he conceded. “Have it your way, Aishisu.” Aishisu nodded stiffly, though her insides were churning. Another disaster averted.

HOW CAN YOU USE THIS POSITION TO BENEFIT ROLE PLAY. Aishisu is a selfish cat who’s stuck in a vicious cycle: she wants to help others but can’t help thinking of herself first. Although she might arise to the challenge of being a part of the council with noble intentions, she’d put her own personal matters ahead of the kingdom’s – unintentionally, of course. She’s also more traditional, who didn’t rise to the top just to make the ascent easier for everyone. She’d keep the system of mistreating serfs, which could prompt accusations of hypocrisy from any of her opponents. Aishisu loathes Noelle, and wants her eradicated from existence, or at least banished to a land far, far away. If both ascend to be councilors, a violent split between Noelle’s supporters and Aishisu’s supporters could happen. In addition, Aishisu is trusting of most strangers; it isn’t very hard to imagine her being swayed by newcomers who might want to take power in their own way.

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