Tuesday, June 29, 2010

De-skimpifying a character's wardrobe

Only a few people (mostly my role playing cronies) possibly remember my golden-haired changeling/shape-shifter Kiirri Dallig (Morindum). She was my very first character, my most beloved and cherished, and the one many of my rping buds responded best too (with my drui Zion and drow Isto'barra coming in second).

At the time of her creation I was testing the waters; especially with her ensemble. I am ashamed to say that I followed along with the crowd on the skimpy clothing deal. For a while it seemed the skimpier the outfit, the more people paid attention and wanted to react to her.

Guilty.

Couple months back I had decided to give Kiirri's story a make-over, deleting some characters that no longer fit, and inserting new and improve characters to the story-line. The majority of the story got scrapped (believe me, I did right on this; it jumped far too often.)

For some days now I have had a scene playing in my head. Those who have read the miserable first draft may remember this. It was the one many have reacted and responded to on my fictionpress days.

The scene is where Kiirri gets rip, roaring drunk. She is with Fei, at his place (can not remember "why" she was there in the first place) and well, the two have been skirting around their attraction for some time. Alcohol helped Kiirri loosen her inhabitions (*smirks* doesn't it always?).

Kiirri and Fei somehow manage to tumble onto his bed. She's on top.. there's much kissing and clothing removal. Fei asks again if Kiirri is certain she wants this... Poor girl, she nods only to pass out on the drow.

See, Kiirri was never much of a drinker. Her adopted mother, a sylvan elf royal, never seen the benefit of polluting one's body with booze, and so taught her charge that, just as the woman taught her adoptive daughter to see what is within than the outter appearance (as Kiirri proves to do with Fei on seeing him).

That scene, with some tweaks, is remaining in the story. Hey even I like it.

Last night, and then today, while doing dishes (ALWAYS happens this way) I decided to give Kiirri a make-over. No worries, I am NOT changing her coloring. She will still be golden haired, peach n' cream skin tone, and azure-blue eyes.

To give you an idea of her "old" look is here: http://www.elfwood.com/~rachelf/Child-of-Prophecy.3140238.html (the drawing is old and yes I'm aware sucky)

Now, by looking at her, you would never guess/think that she was raised by a sylvan elf. Yeah, most would think "Bimbo". About Kiirri, she is hunted by demons for an essense buried deep into her person, an essence a certain Demon King covets so he can once more reign havoc on the world. This essense gives her an aura of purity and innocence, no matter what she does.

The new look, hair wise. Instead of wearing her hair loose (which would be a pain in the arse for a bounty hunter when they are thick in the fighting aspect) I thought perhaps she could wear it in a series of braids, much how sylvan elf rangers and trackers do. Gonna skip the hair dying part.

Another aspect that I'm toying with. My sylvan elves, especially from Aelin Forest, to show how much pain they can tolerate, especially since their ears are so sensitive, to see how many piercings they can get in each ear. The con to this... earrings have a tendency to snag and get torn out of one's ears. A friend suggested an ear cuff which I like.

And another aspect is tattooing. Where Kiirri's adoptive mother came from (yes Zhimmer came from Aelin Forest) tattoos are seen as a rite of passage, to show one's advancement from childhood to adult hood. The tattoo is anything the wearer wants along with its placement.

Now we get into her wardrobe. Now I was debating on giving her a top much like in this picture (love this artist's work) but a little longer to tease along the belt/pant line. http://nathie.deviantart.com/gallery/?8631161#/d2r86wc .

Or a leather jerkin. This one: https://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/100764.jpg , without the sleeves, more fitted for a female frame, but not as long. The hem would fall like the top, flirting along the belt and pant line but showing just a slither of her trim belly. Trousers/breeches are loose yet not tight, allowing for easy maneverabilty. Her boots will be much like the sylvan's, soleless. The leather bracers and pauldrons I could see came from Zhimmer so they would be decorated accordingly.. All this she hides beneath a drab, dungy colored cape

Any ideas or input one will like to supply would be excellent. Remember this is for fantasy fantasy, elven type world.

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