Reilly Ardín

Admin Posts : 112 Join date : 2010-09-24

”Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery,
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn,
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm,
Mislead night-wanders, laughing at their harm?
Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck.
Are you not he?”
--William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act II, scene i

Name: Reilly Ardín
Aliases: Puck (used jokingly or as a term of endearment by close friends)
Age: Unknown, appears mid to late 20’s.
Date of Birth: November 1st unknown
Place of Birth: Ireland
Nationality: Irish
Occupation: Freelance, jack-of-all-trades.

Height: 5’7”
Weight: Proportionate
Hair colour: Black, short.
Eye colour: Green
Build: Lean and athletic
Complexion: Fair

Race: Pooka (Phouka, Púca)

One of the most feared fae in Irish mythology. A deft shape-shifter and trickster capable of assuming a variety of forms, all of which are usually terrifying. Common shapes include that of a rabbit, goat, goblin, dog and giant eagle. It’s favoured appearance however is that of a black horse with fiery eyes and long mane. All shapes tend to have black or dark fur. Though the creature’s true form is unknown (forgotten even to itself) it will often adopt a satyr-like or other animalistic form in the presence of other fae.
The Pooka is both feared and revered with habits ranging from terrifying those that are out after dark to enticing villagers to a ride on its back, trampling their fields if refused. It is also known to be benevolent at times offering prophesies and warnings but must be constantly placated or else it wreaks havoc on property, crops and/or livestock. This fae is an avid prankster with some tricks often leading to the death of the tricked whilst others are ‘mostly’ harmless, not necessarily because it intends harm but rather because it is oblivious or uncaring of the consequences.
It is said that the pooka can only be trusted to be civil on November day.

(http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/preview2.htm)

”Such an uptight bunch, these mortals. It’s all balance the cheque-book, climb the ladder, double brick, neuter your pets. Diet and exercise, fidelity and air-conditioning. Even their breed of fun is half-hearted or tinged with shame: a six-pack and a joint in front of the wrestling or fumble-fingered gropings with the secretary on the photocopier, praying the wife won’t find out. They spend more time worrying about the consequences than living life. Such a waste when most of them don’t even make it through a century.
I just wanna help them lighten up. It’s a public service really.”

Clan: Neutral

Strengths:
Physical transformation, illusions, creating objects from nothing (does not last long), invisibility and insubstantiality (planeshifting), creativity and wit, adaptability and limited divinatory capabilities along with the usual supernatural strength, dexterity, agility and speed that are common to all Fae.

Weaknesses:
Common fae weaknesses (Cold iron, ringing of church bells, hallowed/holy ground)
# Older fae, shackled to tradition.
# Upsets domestic animals such as livestock.
# Disinclined toward daytime hours
# Difficulty moving past salt circles.
# Can be bound by mortal if true name is found.
# Inability to resist an opportunity to baffle or befuddle

Family: Parents both Pooka’s and living currently in Ireland.

"'I am that merry wanderer of the night'? I am that giggling-dangerous-totally-bloody-psychotic-menance-to-life and limb, more like it." -- Neil Gaiman, Sandman #19

Brief History:

Born during the Viking era in Ireland she has lived there for most her life.
A farmer once refused to leave her a share of the crop after a harsh season. Angered she went to his fermstead late at night and called for him to take a ride upon her back for if refused she would trample his crops and scatter his livestock. Frightened the man agreed but set to her a challenge. If at the end of the ride he was still on her back, she would reveal to him her true name and if not then he would give her his full harvest the next season.

Thinking the challenge to be laughably easy she agreed readily and galloped off with the man on her back. The man was however no fool and had brought with him a knife, with it he cut the hair from her tail and twisted it together, dropping it over her head and using it as a bridle. Unable to shake the man from her back for he had used her own magic against her, she was forced to yield and reveal her true name. With it the man bound her to a promise, to forever look out for the safety of his family. The bond would hold strong as long as the family knew her true name. The farmer bound some of the hair as well as her true name within a locket and it became a family heirloom.

In 1870 the family moved to America, and still bound to her promise she was forced to follow, leaving Ireland behind. There she stayed for a few generations until eventually her name became lost to them and she was free once more. With her newfound freedom she was amazed to find that the America’s had become a melting-pot of fae races gathering from all over the world. Intrigued and inspired she decided to visit other countries before returning home, to see many of these races’ original homes. She visited Egypt in 1938 then went to Turkey, staying for 6 years before moving on to Morocco in 1962. There she met a Djin and stayed for 30 years before finally deciding to visit South America where she spent 11 years, eventually ending up in Jamaica in 2003 where she had stayed until recently when the strange call of the bond had come again, driving her back to America and to the great city of Boston itself.