• General Description:

• Build, Size, and Forms:

Optime Hair

Eyes

Nose/Pawpads, Claws, Scars

• Speech:
  • Loud (no indoor voice), average feminine pitch, enthusiastic cadence
  • Inherited her parents' drawl, muddying some words, and has a propensity for dropping the subject of sentences (e.g., "reckon I en't fishin' tonight").
  • Fluent in sign language, which includes natural Luperci body language and pantomime, but also incorporates specific signs learned from (or developed with) Storm and Toklo. Often signs "along" with her speech; her signs are as "loud" (read: big) as her speaking voice.
• Scent: Rivers and lakes, fish, caribou, cattails and sedge, silt; Cormier, Athras, New Caledonia (rock, seasalt, spruce, dog-hybrids)
• Physical Expression and Quirks:
  • Unashamed of her height and build, Willow is self-confident and friendly in her posture, though never vain. She generally looks alert and interested (pricked ears, slow tail wagging, direct glances), but is equally fast to show submissive or appeasing body language (aside glances, lowered ears).
  • Almost always smiling; genuine and warm about it. Extremely expressive in eyes, brows, mouth. She likes to look at others, manifested in direct (but respectfully brief) gazes to the eyes.
  • Frequently toys with her hair when self-conscious or thoughtful. Prone to fidgeting with objects if her hands aren't busy signing; clasps them together to keep them still.

Willow is earthy and usually wears little-to-nothing, especially so her few clothes doesn't get ruined. She commonly "decorates" with natural accessories, such as braiding feathers into her hair, or sticking reeds and fishbones in her topknot.

• Accessories:
  • Exotic cone shell necklace (gifted by O'Brien)
  • Dyed beads carved from bone (from Iqaluit)
  • Various twine bracelets, hair-ties; sometimes decorated with beads
  • Feathers (duck, heron, crow); fishbones; reeds, cattails, twigs; seasonal and wetland flowers
• Garments:
  • White crochet shawl of middling-poor quality
  • Loose, long felt skirt
  • Filches from Athras' closet for nice occasions ;)
• Gear:
  • Small leather satchel, worn over shoulder or around hips

2.1  Summary

Willow is warm and enthusiastic, curious about the world and the people in it. Friendly and outgoing, she is genuinely interested in people and loves getting to know them. Gifted with a natural intuition and a deep well of empathy, she finds ways to relate to and think the best of others (though this isn't to say that she's foolish or overly trusting). She is observant like her father, which helps her deal with people. She is kind and affirming to loved ones and acquaintances alike, with a soft spot for children and animals.

While others may be charmed by her upbeat energy and affection, some find her too smothering or too idealistic. Willow has an extreme dislike of conflict and a tendency to hold grudges against herself for past incidents. Motivated by a desire for others to like her, she may choose to ignore warning signs. She also tends to put others before herself and measure her worth by their opinions. Due to her avoidance of conflict, she tends to suppress negative emotions.

2.2  Traits

• Outlook: Optimistic
• Sociability: Extroverted, friendly, warm
• Expression: Submissive
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivations: Caring for her family, uplifting others, preserving tradition and memory, her goddess' tenets
• Fears: Loved ones being forgotten, judgment and criticism, stampedes
• Tropes: No Indoor Voice, Plucky Girl, Stepford Smiler, Guilt Complex, In Harmony With Nature, Desperately Craves Affection, The Heart

2.3  Details

• Likes: Rivers and lakes, swimming/diving, fishing, nature and animals (caribou, cats, birds), religion, culture and stories, meeting/learning about people, adventure and exploration
• Dislikes: Conflict of any kind, cruelty, disrespect toward nature or waste of its resources, closed-minded or uptight people

Pansexual, Willow appreciates a wide variety of people and genders, her interest piqued by personalities as much as (or more than) physical traits. She is openly flirty with those she likes, albeit trepidatious making the first "real" move. Compassionate, if sometimes smothering, she cares deeply for her partners and derives happiness from uplifting them. Unfortunately, her need for affirmation and dislike of conflict often leads to Willow glossing over her own doubts and issues, or stubbornly refusing to admit "defeat" in a relationship not built to last.

Willow is a playful, affectionate lover eager to learn new tricks to share. She views sensuality as just another way to connect with people and express affection, though her libido is higher with those she already knows and trusts intimately. Though respectful of boundaries and content with monogamy if desired by her partner, she appreciates arrangements that allow her to explore her feelings for other people -- whether short- or long-term.

Willow was raised with animistic beliefs and stories of Krokar's river goddess; she later learned about Iqalummiut deities and absorbed some of their shamanistic practices. When she learned of Caledonia's Old Gods, she found that their tenets fell in line with her preexisting values and adopted them (specifically Nín) as her own.

Her spirituality is strongly tied to nature, specifically the waters and how they represent life's balance. She seeks Nín's favor, praying to her for luck in fishing and for mercy and protection when she dives, and gives back to the river with naturalistic offerings.

To Willow, literal belief in specific deities is far less important than general faith and respect for the world. A god's name or specific rituals matter little as long as their tenets and stories uplift people and guide their lives in positive ways. In this way, Willow is closer to a pantheist.

• Substances: Partakes in alcohol socially and likes warm, sweet drinks. Inexperienced with other substances, though not biased against them.
• Biases: Open-minded (sometimes to a fault), but occasionally prone to insensitive assumptions due to her inexperience with some minority populations.

3.1  Family

• Mother: Eliza Cormier
• Father: Storm Cormier; Milos Parhelion (stepfather)
• Half-Siblings: Logan Cormier, Bramble Parhelion; Daisy Parhelion, Percival Parhelion, Cora Cormier; Thistle Cormier

• Aunts and Uncles: August Cormier, Tybalt Cormier, Finlay Cormier, Lucille
• Cousins: Norah Morelli, Nellie Cormier, Remy Cormier, Oscar Morelli; Fionnlagh Cormier, Elle Cormier
• Extended: Cormier

• Willow inherited much of her spunky, loudmouth personality from her mother, Eliza Cormier. The two are enough alike to cause friction, though their mutual love repaired all hurt feelings. Their roles shifted after Willow's walkabout; she doted on Eliza during the sad, uncertain duration of Milos' disappearance.
• Storm Cormier, Willow's father, taught her much of what she knows. She inherited his love of diving and became fluent in his sign language; they understood each other more than most others could.
• Willow loves her stepfather, Milos Parhelion, as if he were blood. At her lowest, she didn't feel like she deserved his unconditional kindness and acceptance, which humble her. She strives to be a good person like him.

• Percival, Daisy, and Cora are her middle siblings. Though she missed their childhood, they joined her in New Caledonia, so she is able to enjoy their company and be reminded of better times. She is proud of Percy for climbing so high in the pack, though sometimes she feels like they're in different worlds. She dotes on her sisters, patiently encouraging them in endeavors great and small.
• Willow was young and eager to be a big sister when her brothers Bramble and Logan were born -- perhaps too eager. An accident shattered the boys' trust in her when Logan was hurt, and Willow never quite knew how to repair the damage.
• Thistle is the baby of the Parhelion-Cormier family. She helped take care of him when he was little, but she hasn't had the opportunity to see who he's grown to become.

3.2  Other Relations

• Athras Eryn captured Willow's attention from the beginning. Their friendly, playful, sensual relationship eschews labels, which is fine by Willow; she enjoys the man's company often and in all forms. Though many others have contentious opinions of the man, Willow chooses to embrace his positive traits and the ideals that they do share, while acknowledging and lightly challenging his flaws. Athras is fun, but she hasn't fallen for all his charms -- so she thinks.
• While in Iqaluit, Willow took Toklo Ikiaq under her wing as something of a surrogate little brother. She enabled him to adventure like he'd dreamed. Although he has since matured into a fine, independent man, they still frequently spend time together -- usually goofing off.

• O'Brien and Willow's friendship had simple beginnings that steadily and predictably built to a deep level of comfort, trust, and affection through their frequent visits. Although they love each other, due to their priorities and fixations (O'Brien's toward The Troupe and arguably Willow's feelings for the more-available Athras) the sustainability of their relationship has become a question mark that Willow fiercely ignores.

• Willow respects and trusts King Iomair for his kind, approachable demeanor. She cares a lot for his consort Vodeva as well, lending her assistance to the woman while absorbing all she has to say about Nín.
• Aerin Galenas, Athras' ward, is unusually cool toward Willow. The feeling is not mutual; Willow wants to get to know Aerin better!

• Inara Ailurus was adopted into the Cormier family when Willow was away, but while they didn't develop as close a relationship, Willow has sisterly feelings for the girl -- and is very curious about her and Percival's relationship, finding it mirrors the story of her own parents.

• Myrkr Stormbringer was Willow's first good friend when she was young; she acted like a clingy, pestering little sister to him, and he begrudgingly looked after her in turn. Because of Myrkr's anxiety disorder, she never quite recognized his depths and assumed that he needed her. She would later realize her mistake when Myrkr departed from Krokar without a word.

• Nalluk was a hunter in Iqaluit and the first person to capture Willow's romantic interest. They had a sweet but brief dalliance.
• Kenojuak Prior was an umialit, or whaling captain, Willow knew in Iqaluit, the older sister of Toklo. Willow greatly admired the woman for her strength of character. Keno taught her much about life in the north.

Key: Dabbler --> Apprentice --> Journeyman --> Master

4.2  Residence

Willow and Toklo share a home: a tipi-like tent residing in the River Valley. It is simplistic and small, with just enough space for two sleeping Luperci and some of their belongings, and no decoration but for an impermanent altar to Nín. Animal hides stretched over branch frames provide the walls, but they aren't perfect shelter; they are only loosely stitched together and of varying quality, if frequently replaced. Its occupants generally sleep outside except in cases of inclement weather or a need for privacy.

4.3  Trade

Willow is a fair, sometimes lenient trader; she's easygoing as long as both parties get something they want. She has an eye for quality fishing-related goods only; other wares are less scrutinized.

• Offering: Fish (raw, dried, pickled) and unrefined fish products (bones, fat, oil), scavenged natural materials (feathers, reeds, pebbles), middle-grade hooks and nets
• Accepting: Quality fishing gear, decorative accessories and baubles