He was the son of Itachi Lykoi and China Rose Lykoi, who died in childbirth. Siv Helsi raised him as her own, and Loki quickly chose to idolize his witch-mother over others. Fed on the ideals of secrecy and lies, he was shaped into a loyal member of the Thistle Kingdom at a young age, unquestioning in his faith, though conflicted in his morals.
A trickster and yet benevolent, unique among the thorns of his pack, Loki quickly became a prominent member of Salsola. He identified as dual-gendered following a vision that led him to become a witch. In seeking to further find his place near the top of the hierarchy, he accepted his best friend Artemisia Eternity's proposition of mateship and sired Quicksilver Lykoi and Hel Eternity. However, the pair grew distant and became the first mates in Salsola to divorce. Despite this fall from grace, Loki was the first to occupy a Faction rank: Bard.
Following his "mother" Siv's death after the red star fell, Loki changed his surname to connect himself more strongly to his magic. After a grieving period, he began to seek a new path, guided by his spirituality and his mothers' memories. The summer after Siv's death, at her funeral rites, Loki donned the Crone's cloak in a symbolic and daring proclamation. His ascent was formally announced at the Last Supper, at which he blessed his sister's union.
Loki was a popular enough choice for the Crone, especially among Salsola's youth, but his duties were complicated by his romantic feelings for Stjarna Fylgja and his dangerous attraction to student Calla Valentine. However, all of Salsola fell into danger when mysterious wolves attacked -- and Artemisia died protecting Loki. In the ensuing Boreas Conflict, Loki fought past his limits and ruthlessly enslaved one of Arte's killers, Silas Kasper, but continued to blame himself for his ex-mate's death. He found some respite with his marriage to Stjarna after the war, until the plague hit. Stjarna miscarried their first litter (something which Loki blamed his sins for), but in late summer they had their firstborns: Ask Fylgja and Embla Soul.
That autumn, Loki lost his son and his faith as a result of the Inferni-Salsola War. After Ask's kidnapping by the very soldier Loki enslaved, Stjarna fell into a deep depression and went missing on a search for the boy. Despondent and lonesome, Loki continued to raise his remaining daughter alone, going through ritualistic motions as Crone and supporting the new generation of leaders. However, he later received a tip that his son was alive, and during a blood moon ventured from the safety of Salsolan lands hoping to speak with his gods and glean information about Ask's whereabouts.
Loki was burned alive that night on a pyre of his own making.
Salsola members may assume and reference the following without discussion/asking:
General conversations (e.g., greetings, chats about interests).
Seeing Loki around Salsola: patrolling the borders, tending to his traps, practicing magic tricks, being friendly and flamboyant, etc. Basically, anything that's "usual" for him to be doing, it's cool.
PM to discuss:
Specific conversations, especially conversations which may later affect RP (e.g., arguments, revelations).
Species: Loki appears predominately wolf in his body, with a balanced build, sloping back, and long legs. His paws are large as per his arctic wolf blood. His coyote heritage is obvious at a closer look, especially in his face and size.
Fur: His fur is thick but short.
Optime Hair: Thick, very slightly wavy and feathered; falls to shoulder blades. Often braided.
Facial Features: His features are coyote-like, with oversized ears and a long, tapering muzzle. He looks youthful and sharp-edged, more fiendish than handsome.
Build and Size: Loki's size is the true mark of his hybrid blood. While he's much larger than most coyotes, he is smaller than any purebred wolves. He is narrow and slender, but strong and robust -- no hulking brute, but a more refined hunter: balanced. He is lithe and has more endurance than his build suggests.
Humanization: High -- Loki always adorns himself with various accessories and carries himself in an upright, refined manner.
Palette
Abbey (#595B60)
Santas Grey(#A1A2A6)
Iron (#D6D8DD)
Straw (#D3CB7E)
Wistful (#A1ACD8)
1.2 Miscellaneous
Adornments
Loki very much likes to accessorize; one can generally assume he's wearing at least one trinket if he doesn't anticipate getting dirty.
Infrequent use. Loki is narrow, strong, and wolfish with only hints of coyote heritage. He uses this form for hunting and long trips.
Secui
180 lbs (74 kg) — 37 in (95 cm)
Rare use. His Secui form is thick-formed and inelegant. He appears completely wolf, with smaller ears and longer teeth.
Optime
205 lbs (93 kg) — 6ft 4in (75 in) (189 cm)
Frequent use. He is of average height, slender and refined. His features are a little more coyote but remain well-blended.
Interaction / Other
Speech: Loki has a natural tenor voice that changes constantly in vocal mannerisms, vocabulary, and expression -- a true liar's tongue. His tone is usually bright and his words flowery. His voice is most "honest" when he's laughing.
Scent: Salsola, marshland, pine forest; leather, herbs, smoke. Ambiguous in sex, male with overtones of female (Violeta's scent).
Disguised: Pine, meadowsweet, pennyroyal.
Quirks, Gestures, Etc.: Loki has very feminine mannerisms, his motions often elegant and exaggerated. He talks with his hands and touches others to deflect attention and endear himself to them. He has a tendency to fidget, too, especially when nervous, with small grooming gestures or rotating his jewelry.
General Posture and Body Language: Loki has fluid posture that ranges from feminine, elegant mannerisms to quick, graceful, movements. He often looks relaxed and comfortable in the presence of others, but demonstrates subtle dominance cues, such as the set of his ears and other movements, when in the company of lower-ranked Salsolans.
Scars: Claw marks on right forearm, stab wound in left hip,
Whereas the archetypal Salsolan is aloof, dark, and cold, Loki shines like a light -- outgoing and apologetically friendly. He is the life of the party, a shoulder to cry on, gift-giver and flatterer. He greets everyone like an old friend and is a constant, cheerful presence in the pack.
An entertainer by nature, he aims to stand out with his exuberant, flashy behavior. He uses magic tricks and jests to put others at ease, as well as to push boundaries and challenge his dour pack mates.
Though his friendliness is strategic (as it means more allies), Loki also honestly cares about his pack mates and enjoys having friends. He is kind-hearted and helpful; he will do favors and offer support without an ulterior motive.
Mischievous, Clever, Deceptive
Loki is a trickster and a trouble-maker. He pushes buttons and upsets the status quo of his pack by making light of dire situations and grim-faced comrades. His pranks are rarely mean but intended to knock others down a peg and showcase his cleverness.
Intelligent and crafty, Loki makes an excellent trapper and enjoys a good mental puzzle. He views his schemes like "traps." He is clever and quick-thinking, able to weasel his way out of most situations.
He is a liar and a storyteller. He uses deception to control -- his presentation, others' behavior, etc. He crafts personas for himself on the fly to ensure he is underestimated by his pack mates and feared or trusted by outsiders.
Devoted, Loyal
Loki is devoted to his loved ones, a trait that is most evident with his daughters. He would give his life for them, and fights to make sure that they have all the wealth and opportunities in the world. His devotion and love gives those he cares about a solid support, though he may overlook their worst qualities.
From a young age Loki has been conditioned to be unquestioningly loyal to Salsola. The word of its leaders is law, and while he might mistrust individuals, he accepts the whole -- problems and all. He rationalizes concepts which might conflict with his own views, such as slavery, and to outsiders he is just as bad as his peers in the pack.
His love and loyalty are slow to wane; Loki has demonstrated affection and conflicted emotions with those who have betrayed him.
Hidden Depths: Good and Evil, Sorrow and Ambition
Loki is an oddity in thorny Salsola, kind-hearted and forgiving even to outsiders. His kindness might be seen as "weakness" by his pack mates, and Loki fights to hide any connection with outsiders, lest his motives be misunderstood. While he often pretends to be frightening and cruel, he is never malicious to those who don't deserve it. He has strong, good morals and sometimes fights to reconcile them with his pack's ideals.
Despite his friendly demeanor, he struggles with trust and loneliness. He feels that he has few true friends in Salsola, a place where ulterior motives hide behind every smile. Pretending makes him weary, and he is prone to letting his guard slip for want of someone to love him.
A quiet ambition drives Loki. He places importance on his rank and standing in Salsola, and many of his conflicts and dark moods come from perceived threats to this. He believes that, as (mostly) a man, he especially needs to prove himself. While he has grown out of much of his moodiness and vanity from his adolescence, he very much sees many others (especially men) as beneath him.
Loki also might be hiding a frightening ruthlessness...
2.1 Ideals
Traits
Outlook: Faithful
Sociability: Extroverted
Expression: Dominant, but submissive in context.
Alignment: ???
To an outsider, Loki would seem Chaotic in his trickster nature -- but Loki's devotion to his family and Salsola is absolute. He follows its laws and acts for its greater good. The few times he's broken Salsola's mores have left him devastated.
Loki is generally good and gentle at heart, but he rationalizes the evil of Salsola and had his own dark moments.
Motivations
Salsola: serving it, upholding its culture and laws
Providing his daughters with wealth and opportunity
Proving himself worthy (of rank, of his Helsi bonds) despite his gender and flaws
Maintaining rank and standing in the pack
Befriending others, supporting his friends, finding support for himself
Disappointing his family, especially his daughters
Loneliness, friendlessness
Disfigurement
Lack of control
Interests
Likes: Deception, seduction, tricks and games, control, friendliness, magic, new frontiers, Norse culture, women, trapping, clothing and jewelry, aesthetics
Dislikes: Grim and dour folk, violence, masculine men, loneliness, dirtiness and dishevelment
Biases
Packs: Salsola is superior; all other packs are flawed in some way. He has been conditioned from childhood to believe this.
Gender: Women are the superior sex -- cunning mothers, magical witches. Loki distrusts men and sees himself, partially of the female gender, as above them. He believes that gender falls along a spectrum.
Non-Luperci: Inferior canines who are foolish for refusing an obvious advantage.
Sexuality: Supportive of lesbian couples, viewing them as a union of the strong to the strong. Loki disdains exclusive homosexuality in men and believes every man should seek the company of a woman.
He appreciates the aesthetic of both sexes, and the line of sexual attraction is blurred for him. He is an equal-opportunity flirt and presents as bisexual and flamboyant, though he does not acknowledge his attraction to men to himself.
He finds pleasure in seduction and emotional or mental control during sex, even if he takes a "submissive" role. (Ironically, he is really easy to seduce.)
Loki is romantically attracted to women only. He is far less experienced in romance than seduction, and he makes an uncertain and vulnerable romantic partner. He has been a victim of unrequited love before and would likely deny his romantic attraction to others.
Substances
Loki uses mushrooms and other psychedelic drugs to commune with the gods; he also sneaks them to others to control them.
He abstains from alcohol, as it completely incapacitates him and has made a fool of him in social situations before.
He has little experience or desire to try other substances, such as cannabis or tobacco.
Spirituality
Polytheistic with a Norse flavor
Loki was raised on stories about the Hearg Njorth gods and spirits. He believes in some individual gods, like the Hearg's fertility trio and his namesake, but generally he invokes a pantheon of nameless gods when he prays, accepting others into the fold.
He believes in magic as an ambiguous mix of deception and true magic, such as visions. Under the influence of drugs, he believes he can commune with the gods -- and he uses them to influence others. He owes his lack of "real" magical ability to his gender, but he feels that he has the right to be a witch because he is female-gendered, too.
Thanks in part to Pierrat (and drugs), Loki has grown more sensitive to ghosts and spirits and often invokes them in his prayers.
Extended: Loki has an insanely large extended family, with a ton of cousins from his Lykoi heritage on both sides of the family, and additionally the Soul family through his father's line. The Kimaris and Sadira families also play a part in his heritage due to their links to the larger families. Additionally, as the adoptive son of Siv, Loki considers himself an honorary member of the Helsis and changed his surname to show this bond.
3.2 Relations
Key Relations
Salsola: Loki is loyal and unquestioning to his pack, and his role in it defines his life. He follows its laws and mores even where they conflict with his own personal ideals.
Artemisia Eternity: Artemisia was once Loki's best friend. He fathered puppies on her as a favor and became her mate for reasons of rank, but their relationship became strained because Loki harbored real feelings for her. They dissolved their mateship, becoming the first Salsolans to do so. Their friendship likely will never recover, but Loki still cares about Arte despite himself.
Hel Eternity: His stoic daughter. Loki believes that she can rise far in Salsola, and sees echoes of other powerful women he knows in her. Despite their differences, they are devoted to one another, and Loki acts as the beacon of light and affection that her mother wasn't.
Quicksilver Lykoi: His other daughter. When Quicksilver came out as transgender, Loki accepted her warmly. Loki has a tendency to coddle her and her apparent sweet nature, as she reminds him of his sister and even himself.
Siv Helsi: His adoptive mother. Siv raised him and conditioned him to be loyal to her, her ideals, and Salsola. Despite her teachings, Siv accepted him as a male witch and gave him more freedoms than she did his sister or niece -- and in turn, Loki overlooks some of her actions.
Salvia Eternity: The Boss and Queen whom Loki fears as much as he respects. He believes she took mercy on him with his nearly-failed Cueponi ritual and other mistakes, and acts accordingly like he is in her debt.
Pierrat Benoît: Loki "captured" Pierrat as a slave to teach him about magic and trickery -- but proceeded to give him a lot of leeway and eventually freed him. Loki bosses Piers around and occasionally takes his anger out on him, but Piers' tolerance for him is high, and he has helped care for Loki and his daughters.
Positive Relations
Violeta Rose Soul: Loki adores his gentle littermate. He treats her with easy affection and feels protective of her, seeing her as pure -- something he feels too tainted to ever be. She is the only true link he has to their birth mother. He borrows her scent so he can smell properly androgynous.
Kynda Helsi: Though Kynda isn't his blood sister, they were raised together and were best friends and confidants in youth. Siv chose Kynda for a different path with greater expectations, however, which has made their relationship somewhat more distant -- but Loki visits her and her daughter as often as permitted.
Reykja Helsi: Loki spoils his niece as much as he can, encouraging and affectionate to her. Like her mother, she is under Siv's thumb, but Loki does his best to see her and be involved in her life despite this.
Stjarna Fylgja: A faerie girl from Hearg Njorth who believes Loki is truly his namesake's incarnate. Loki adored her for her playful, unrestrained nature, recruiting her for the pack perhaps against his better judgment. He likes the control that he has over her, as well, and can be somewhat embarrassed by her behavior -- but he feels strong affection for her. She's since withdrawn into herself since being assaulted in neutral territory.
Isabella Heiwa & Lillith Trombetta: Strong woman mates whom Loki respects. Loki looks up to Isabella as one of Salsola's witches, and she has trained him in the art of seduction -- and in turn, he has done them a favor in siring puppies on Lillith. He sees himself as a friend of the family.
Bacchus Revlis: Nephew of the Lord Commander, a seemingly stoic man with hidden depths Loki is eager to explore. Their relationship began as a teasing one, but it's turned into something more ambiguous, and Loki seems willing to teach Bacchus what he wants to know.
Ankh D'Aabt: One of the few men Loki considers a friend, Ankh has been around since their childhood. Loki thinks that Ankh is unambitious for Salsola but is fond of him nonetheless and is happy to do favors for him.
Hope D'Angelo: A newer member to the pack from Khalif. Hope seems to like Loki, and he is friendly to her in turn, acting as a teacher to her though he is not her offical sponsor.
Neutral / Negative
Lokr Revlis: For a long time, a young and vain Loki viewed Lokr as a rival -- an upstart man whose only claim to power was blood. Loki has tried to outsmart and even seduce Lokr to gain power and control over him, as have many of Salsola's other witches. However, Loki's opinion of Lokr has mellowed somewhat -- especially when Lokr promised to keep teaching his daughters after the divorce. He views him with a cool neutrality and some gratitude.
Osrath & Dullahan Eternity: Cautious of nepotism, Loki is uncertain what to think of the attitudes of the Eternity children. He treats all of them with his usual open, flamboyant friendliness -- but has no idea where he stands with Osrath, and is seen negatively by Dullahan, who he in turn thinks is a brute. He is wary of them despite their age and know that, either through their own power or Salvia's, they might be dangerous.
Blair Eternity: If uncertain of her siblings, Loki is downright confused by Blair. He feels judged by her yet is conflicted over her relationship with Reykja -- something his mother discourages but that he views in a positive light. He wants to get to know her better.
Fire D'Angelo: Hope's brute of a brother. Loki thinks Fire is a simpleton and too out of control for Salsola.
4. Assets
4.1 Abilities
Spoken and Written Word
Education and Learning: Loki's talent for talent is largely talent, but he has honed his skills greatly through practice. His betters (namely Siv and Salvia) tutored him in language and reading.
Deception (Master): Loki is a master at feigning emotion and controlling his expression and vocal mannerisms. He is convincing when given a lie to tell, delivering it with a flawless performance. He falls effortlessly into various personas dependent on the situation.
Storyteller (Journeyman): Loki uses his theatrical nature and command over his voice, as well as his good memory, to entertain others with the tales he's learned from his mother.
Runes (Master): Loki can read and write the Elder Futhark alphabet. He knows every letter rune and so can convey messages with this, given a bit of time to read it.
German (Apprentice): Salvia has begun to teach Loki the German tongue. His vocabulary is small, but he understands the basics of how sentences are put together, and his accent -- if slow and too-articulated -- is good.
Hunting
Education and Learning: Loki learned the basics of hunting and trapping from his parents. Reverse-engineering others' traps and fiddling with new mechanisms have helped him with more techniques.
Trapping (Master): Much of Loki's job involves traps. He knows the prime locations for traps and how to set them carefully as well as mask their presence. A clever inventor's mind allows him to come up with new mechanisms for his traps, as well, even if it is simply adapting one trap to fit a different type of prey.
Hunting (Journeyman): Loki can hunt decently well in his Lupus form. He can chase down smaller animals with an average success rate, and when hunting in a group, he follows orders well and knows how to work with others to play to their strengths.
Net-Casting (Dabbler): Siv taught him a little about how to cast nets from horseback to capture prey. However, he has not sought to improve his net-casting skill after the first lesson and is waiting on an opportunity and the goods needed for it.
Miscellaneous
Education and Learning: Siv has taught him most of what he knows regarding leatherwork and other crafts, as she herself is a master leatherworker. Salvia gave him a good foundation with horses.
Animal Products (Leather, Pelts, Toys) (Journeyman): Loki works with animal skins to create various products. He sews with sinew to create simple items, from leather bags to furry toys. He can fashion simple capes, cloaks, and other accessories from pelts. He dabbles in parchment-making, though his parchment is still rather thick.
Horseback Riding (Journeyman): Loki learned quickly after shifting how to seat a horse, and Salvia has additionally given him experience riding bareback as well as the opportunity to handle stronger mounts. He is not an experienced rider who can sit any horse, but he can adeptly control those within his skill level.
Plants (Apprentice): Loki can identify native plants very well and so can be trusted to find them in a pinch. He knows the properties of a few useful plants, and is learning how to brew teas.
Lute (Dabbler): Weaver has begun teaching Loki how to play the harp; he can play play simple chords.
Loki lives in a tower east of the castle ruins. It's swathed in ivy, half-encircled by a crumbled stone wall that encloses a small yard shaded by a small pine. A tanning rack, bucket, and other tools settle in the yard.
The main room of the tower is the warmest, the cracks in the wall filled with mortar and the hearth blazing when the weather is cold. The room is sparsely decorated; three small chairs provide a place for guests to sit, while the fireplace mantle is decorated with various small trinkets.
A decent-sized room is separated from the main room by a weak door; it's used largely for sleeping, with various pelts spread in the room.
The spiraling staircase leads to a cramped "office" smelling of incense, leather, and parchment. Plans for traps and other notes, as well as candles and bowls of incense, are spread across a dark-wood desk.
Trade
Loki is a haggler with an eye for shiny trinkets; he can't resist a good trade. He embellishes the value of his goods while downplaying the worth of others', but he is a good sport about this and actually a pretty fair trader.
Offering: Leather sheets, pelts (raw or cured), leather bags, fur cloak or cape pieces, fur/leather toys, fresh-caught prey, performances
Accepting: Jewelry, exotic pelts, fabric and clothing, tools for leatherwork or sewing, wire
Lose My Soul Lochlan Stormbringer trespasses and falls into one of Loki's traps. Loki acts nasty to scare Lochlan off, though he desperately doesn't want to hurt the fellow youngster.
[M]The Lovesong of the Buzzard (LASKY) Loki witnesses a loner, Holly, being attacked. He tries to save her, but he cannot prevent her rape -- and she commits suicide once he comes to.
[M]Tooth and the Tongue, the Target and the Gun Loki runs across Grackle, one of Holly's attackers. He learns the trio meant to join Anathema, and so leads him to Salsola territory, where he traps and kills him. He later disguises himself as an Anatheman to dispatch Sam, the old wolf who'd beaten him up, with another trap.
We Carelessly Carry On Loki chastises new member Lucias Sunders for her carelessness with her child, and provides her with other tips about Salsola culture.
Be Very Wary of Dreams Loki seeks out Siv Helsi -- telling her that he wants to learn magic. She offers him a concoction of drugs, which he drinks -- and has a vision, one that tells him of his true nature as a witch.
Lived Here Before the Days of Ice Loki begs Lokr to continue tutoring his children despite the divorce. They speak about Loki going south for information.
No More Skipping Rope, Skipping Heart Beats Loki wanders across a young loner, Saghani Frostfire, who seems quite taken with his kindness. He deems her to have enough potential to be recruited and chats vaguely with her about Salsola, arranging a date for them to meet again.
Unpardonable Trespasser Merlin Knight is caught in one of Loki's traps and discovered by the Crone and Basilaris -- and learns that Loki's mercy comes at a price.
[M]I Could Just Die Laughing on Your Spiral of Shame In the aftermath of sleeping with Calla, Loki is flooded with fear and regret. When Pierrat calls him out, Loki flies into a rage -- and realizes how dangerously out of control he has become. Piers suggests he focus on another woman he cares about.