SKAARSGARD, YEW NOVOTNY

[yew]

* yew n. skaarsgard ,

* start with basics ,
[ I'M SWIMMING IN THE SMOKE OF BRIDGES I HAVE BURNED ]

FULL NAME

YEW NOVOTNY SKAARSGARD

NICKNAMES

novo, skaars, yewy, hey you, christopher mccandless, alexander supertramp (based off of the real life person from ¡°Into the Wild.¡±)

DATE OF BIRTH

november fifteenth

AGE

seventeen

GRADE/YEAR

twelfth

ELEMENT

earth

SEXUALITY

heterosexual

MARITAL STATUS

in a relationship with a girl back home

* into the mirror ,
[ AGAINST MY WILL I STAND BESIDE MY OWN REFLECTION ]

CELEBRITY CLAIM

ash stymest

EYE COLOUR

brown

HAIR COLOUR

dark brown

HEIGHT & WEIGHT

5¡¯12, one hundred twenty nineteen pounds.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Yew¡¯s ears are pierced, he dons a few tattoos (mostly hidden), and has a distinct angular face with high-set cheekbones. Also described as a stick, he has a lanky and thin frame.

CLOTHING STYLE

Very retro and vintage, reminiscent of old English underground punk style. Yew, a lover of art, is also a partisan of trendy almost hipster clothing. He wears tight-fitting attire, along with dark colors and earthy tones. Typical Bohemian wear with an edgy modern twist.

* deeper than skin ,
[ TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE INSIDE & THROW IT ALL AWAY ]

POSITIVE TRAITS

• earnest || Yew is passionate and incredibly honest, never dodging the truth or muddying up a situation. Dependable and sincere with his words, he is not one for manipulation or petty mind games, preferring straight-forward candidness. He is also serious about his principles, scrupulous and disciplined, he follows the laws he sets forth for himself, no matter how dire they may be.
  
  
• quiet || While many prefer the company of crowds, Yew is perfectly fine with a small group of tight-knit companions. He likes quiet, likes sitting outside, and likes reading by himself. He is rarely the center of attention, and when he is, he shies away from it. Though a charming and quiet magnetism exists about Yew that attracts people to him, to his humble chagrin. Quiet, but he is still extremely personable and approachable. People find it easy to be in his company, as he is a balanced and charming.
  
  
• pensive || Thoughtful, almost brooding at times, Yew is a contemplative thinker. He reflects often on a day¡¯s events, and this explains his passion with journals and art books. Tiny observations that escape others never flee from his eye, and he often finds himself humorously meditating or marinating about random things in the middle of a crowd, dinner, or shower. Mind a constant roar, Yew nearly overthinks and this contributes to his type A obsessive compulsively analytical habits.
  
  
• courteous || An extremely polite and considerate person, Yew does not hesitate to put others before himself, and he will not point out his own chivalry. He is naturally kind-hearted and tolerant, welcoming people of any kind. Girls are ineffably drawn to his quiet temperament and generous nature. Although his somewhat overly-altruistic has been a source of manipulation for others¡ªalthough Yew understands it. He goes along with whatever. Even though he is naturally courteous, there is a harsher judgmental side to him for people who¡¯ve made bad impressions on his mind. He holds a high rod of moral verdict¡ªand no one escapes this very unforgiving expectations.
  
  
• intellectual || Never caught without a philosophical argument brewing in his head, or an Indie film to discuss, Yew is incredibly smart and well-versed in a variety of art related fields. Weak in math and science, he prefers the company of the liberal arts, and maintains strong marks in his classes. Yew is somewhat of a snob, though he does not mean to be, and is often seen as ¡°above¡± the rest of his peers.
  
  
• balanced || Though he sounds like a withdrawn and snobbish intellectual, Yew enjoys socializing, drinking, and recreational drugs. He is very affable and charismatic in social settings yet he is also withdrawn and reserved in intellectual matters of the mind. The balance between one and the other explains why he can be observed smoking on a rooftop while also cradling a copy of Lolita.
  
  
• likeable || Popular, well-liked, and well-respected, Yew has a pretty clean and average image¡ªnot too dark and not too goody-two-shoes. He fits in well with any group, though he avoids the extremes. Girls are especially drawn to his good-looks and pleasant nature, though they seldom understand the real inner brewings of this uneasy artist.
  

NEGATIVE TRAITS

• withdrawn || He is affable and personable when he wants to be, but he is capable of completely shutting himself off when annoyed. In that case, he¡¯ll slither off away to some hidden sanctuary and quietly judge the world from afar. Yew also has a habit of avoiding or shutting away his friends when he is in one of his moods, claiming hastily that people can¡¯t understand what he is thinking. When withdrawn, he is a bit more snobbish and haughty in nature.
  
  
• secretive || Emotionally guarded though outwardly open, Yew does not disclose his life¡¯s details readily. Though he lives an average existence, he doesn¡¯t like talking about himself, perhaps hence adding to the mystery of this cool and handsome young man. He also clams up, bottles things up, and rarely confides in even his closest friends. The only person who has gotten him to let go is his longtime girlfriend, Sofia Frantz, from home.
  
  
• easily agitated || Naturally generous, Yew is not unsusceptible to foul moods. When people disappoint him or fail to measure up on his strict moral code, he can clam up and be agitated easily, despite his calm exterior. When non-intellectuals enter his bubble, he grows discomforted as well. All in all, though habitually humble and altruistic, there is a tense and unwavering expectation of perfection about his peers.
  
  
• righteous || It¡¯s a wonder Yew is disappointed easily and moody as a result, he takes social injustices personally, and is morally righteous in alleviating the suffering of the world. Also known for sticking up to bullies, Yew has a bit of a reckless I-don¡¯t-care-what-you-do-to-me kind of attitude that gets him hurt quite often. He also holds his own views and beliefs in high regard, judging everyone else as below him and needing to measure up. This sort of twisted view of humanity causes Yew a lot of strife as a youth of society.
  
  
• rash || Usually logical, when driven by emotion, Yew can dive head-first into any situation. He protects the ones he loves, but he is often irrationally careless. The over-analytical part of him drives him to misread or over-digest certain things, even those with the slightest implications of his calculations. This is a major annoyance about Yew.
  
  
• overly idyllic || When his thoughts are set on a certain image of a situation, he rarely lets go. Yew sees the best in people, but he also pictures the best in the world. This almost childlike naivet¨¦ often ends up in disappointment.
  
  
• disillusioned || Due to his idealistic personality that pictures often impossible things, Yew is easily let down and disillusioned by what he believed to be perfect or ideal. Thus he is also constantly being disheartened by others as well, for when he idealizes someone and they either fail to live up to his expectations or does something he doesn¡¯t agree on, the result is that Yew is left with the negative impression forever.
  
  
• moody || All dark intellectuals are easily swayed from one spectrum of liveliness to the other.
  
  

LIKES

• moderation
  
• nature
  
• black coffee
  
• oceans and rivers
  
• art/literature/classical opera
  
• taking walks
  
• quiet
  
• jazz
  
• winter
  
• tattoos
  
• foreigners
  

DISLIKES

• loud people
  
• parties
  
• injustice
  
• rock and rap music
  
• overuse of drugs (he prefers moderation)
  
• industrialization
  
• math and science classes
  
• conservatism
  
• politics
  
• sitting around
  

STRENGTHS

• there¡¯s a magnetism to him even if he does not realize; people are drawn to his quiet demeanor and thoughtful, intellectual nature. most see him as the perfect bohemian gentleman, very unique and fresh in his ideas, but wholesome nonetheless.
  
  
• he has extraordinary luck, though this may not always be a good thing. his ¡°extraordinary luck¡± ranges from one extreme to the other.
  
  
• very skilled in indie music and classic literature, he studies up on these areas because he holds a great passion for fine art. he¡¯s also an avant-garde artist himself.
  
  
• able to entertain himself without the company of others, i.e taking walks, painting, watching clouds.
  
  

WEAKNESSES

• judgmental, he is unable to get over initial impressions. a very principled person, he often measures other¡¯s character based on a strict moral code. those who can¡¯t measure up to his expectations are viewed with distaste (though he may veil this disdain with kindness still.)
  
  
• doesn¡¯t like being pushed out of his comfort zone, thus never open to wild experiences like partying and hardcore drugs. he avoids this kind of scene and finds solace instead with small quiet groups.
  
  
• yew is kind, and a pushover, so he is easily pushed around/manipulated. but because he is a gentleman, he doesn¡¯t resist much. he is not without a backbone though, so while he¡¯ll complain and be dignified in his actions, he¡¯s still courteous in his treatment of others even in annoying situations.
  
  
• he is a bit high-maintenance and needs his daily coffee, tea, and reading time in quiet. another word for boring, really.
  
  

FEARS

• injustice
  
• change
  
• pain in others
  
• not knowing; not understanding
  

BEST MEMORY

that first kiss beneath the cherry blossom tree in winter, with branches bear. yet the swirling snowflakes resemble flower petals. he knew then that he would want to be with sofia forever.

WORST MEMORY

his youngest sister slipping through the ice of the pond in the backyard. thankfully quick thinking saved her, but the event still haunts yew as a ¡°what could have been.¡±

LONG-TERM GOAL

yew searches for his version of enlightenment¡ªhis view of justice unto the world. he also asks the age-long question posed in one of his favorite books read in young teen years: how does one escape from the labyrinth of suffering?

* past reflections ,
[ SOMETIMES I REMEMBER THE DARKNESS OF MY PAST ]

MOTHER

Anne Charlotte Skaarsgard (47), Homemaker.

FATHER

Norman Sigard Skaarsgard (50), Farmer/Mechanic.

SIBLINGS

Keren Liesel Novoselic (25), Married, Teacher.
Adam Norman Skaarsgard (22), Freelancer (Unemployed).
Olive Avery Skaarsgard (16), Student.
Eden Sabine Skaarsgard (14), Student.
Pan Skaarsgard (12), Student.
Gretchen ¡°Getty¡± Liza Skaarsgard (10), Student (Elemental/Undiscovered).

OTHER

n/a

HISTORY

Not much can be said about Yew¡¯s history, except that it is a standard one, mostly filled with the average annoyances of the older middle child and miffed scholar of the family.

It starts off the Skaarsgards not being able to explain where their heritage lies. They immigrated generations ago into North America from either Poland, Norway, or Sweden. Norman can¡¯t exactly place a finger on it, because his clan has done a ghastly job keeping track. Perhaps they came from all three, because they certainly borrow enough to be assimilated.

Yew is the older middle child, which is a bit of the worst position one could take in the family. Not exactly the oldest to be hefting out orders, or the youngest to not have to listen, he is not even smack in the middle, where it¡¯d be easier to bumble between classes. The family lived in an old farmhouse manor, off in the countryside of the Yukon in Canada. The farm, which had been in the family for generations, housed child after child that young Anne and Norman Skaarsgard gave birth to. They were a poor family, but perhaps richer in values and personality than any of their distant neighbors. Norman came to the Yukon noble and hearty, full of inventions and energy. His eyes were very blue, and when he was tired one of them wandered outward a bit. He was a big man but delicate in his own way, and in the dusty business of farming he seemed always immaculate. His hands were clever; a good carpenter and mechanic, and he could improvise anything with some screws and wood. Norman was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole life had any talent for making money. Other men who had that talent gave away Norman¡¯s tricks and grew rich, but Norman only succeeded in keeping a humble and practically wage-less life. He met, wooed, and married his wife Anne at a young age. She was a different breed of character altogether¡ªHer head was small and round and it held very practical convictions. She had a hard little set-back gripping jaw that was always closed in soft-spoken nature, though she ruled her house with an iron fist. She was a good plain cook and her house was brushed and pummeled and washed without exception. The children came along as regularly as the years.

Keren came first, and she was sweet and plain and average, and had a good sense of duty and dependability much like her mother. Adam came next and seemed to make up for all the subtleties of his older sister with unabashed extremes. He was a giant in joy and enthusiasms and lived in fury and lightning. He didn¡¯t discover the world and its people, he created them. Adam was as inventive as his father, but he was bolder. Perhaps it was his unquenchable drive for adventure that made him remain a bachelor. It was a very moral family he was born into. It might be that his dreams and his longing, and his outlets for that matter, made him feel unworthy, drove him sometimes whining into the hills. The boy was a nice mixture of savagery and gentleness. He worked inhumanly, only to lose in effort his crushing impulses. Some people think big and some think little. Norman and his son Adam thought big and Anne and Keren thought little. Yew was born next¡ªa kind of mooning boy, loved but misunderstood by the whole family. It was kind of joked that Adam was such a handful that it took a hearty four years for the next son to be born¡ªas if the first had sucked all the energy and personality from the next. We will explore Yew¡ªin all his nuances¡ªlater on.

The next four girls¡ªOlive, Eden, Pan, and Getty¡ªwere lambs in their own right. Olive was more outspoken than her older sister but she was also more volatile and flighty in her exploits. Eden was a thoughtful studious, dark girl; Pan¡ªI guess Pan must have been annoyed with her fate amongst her family, for when she was born, they had tellingly forgotten to give her a middle name. She early seemed to find shame in her family and had a capacity for hatred and bitterness unique amongst the Skaarsgards. But still, she was a reliable daughter, and did her chores with minimal humming. Then there was Getty, in all her excess. Where Olive lacked in balance, Eden lacked in stamina, and Pan lacked in compassion, Getty made up for in surplus overindulgence. Her laughter was so constant that everyone close to her was glad to be there because Getty was the darling of the family and beloved by everyone. Being the youngest, she was the most helpless but possibly the smartest of all for she got everything she wanted with minimal effort. Summarily, they were a medley family, but all in all a good firm-grounded clan of characters, permanent, and successfully planted in the Yukon, not poorer than many and not richer than many either. It was a well-to-do family with its conservatives and its radicals, its dreamers and realists. Though Norm was not apt for coming across riches, he was a respectable and favorable man and he did a good job of raising a reputable batch of progeny.

Yew grew up in the farmhouse with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He thought perhaps he was the black sheep of the family, though it¡¯s often impossible to tell because each one of his siblings were born with such dissonant traits that it could very well be any of them. He was more pensive and brooding than Eden, more impulsive than Pan and temperamental than Olive, and was capable of even more gaiety than Getty. He dreamed big, but lived his life inexplicably closed off. Yew was a reliable son though¡ª he helped his father on the ranch and his mother in the kitchen. He had a great love for his sisters and his brother, so he didn¡¯t complain in caring for them. Always the respectful one, Yew was the schoolboy that the neighbors would always drop in a good word for. Early on, it was obvious that he was different. Even while each member of the family had dissident and far-stretching personalities, Yew¡¯s was more different in an inexplicable sort of way where you couldn¡¯t exactly place a finger as to what set him apart. Perhaps it was his dark mercurial eyes, the depths of which betrayed every stray emotion. Or the way he carried himself, high and floating and above the rest of his family¡ªthough not in any discernibly condescending way. Even Pan, who was strung with disdain, was around the rest of the clan enough where people could see how distant Yew was in contrast. He preferred the company of mountains and birds and books, and he forewent the family outings for his own hikes up the Yukon trail. Maybe it had to do with the Elemental side of his family, a peculiar little idiosyncrasy that graced only Yew of the Skaarsgard progeny. That was alright in its own sense because everyone else seemed to have such dissident eccentricities that Yew never felt like an outsider. Like their other heritages, this was not one in which the family gave much thought in either.

Yew¡¯s life was eventful in that he was busy all the time. The escapades never ceased and the days never boring and divided between responsibilities and daydreaming, Yew¡¯s mind would always be in some sort of overdrive. He had few friends in childhood though he was well-liked by his neighbors and quietly studied by female classmates as he got older. A very kind sort of politeness arose from him so that no one could ever live in the Yukon for long without extolling him in some fashion after a first meeting. He met perhaps the most significant person in his life here at school at a young age. Sofia was unlike a lot of other girls in that she was unreadable yet strangely open with fair copper hair and a soft angular face. She was fair and pretty and plain but she struck Yew as different than the normal sleepy folk of the town. They bonded immediately whether due to being different or similar even now neither of them really know. When his powers came to be, it was a part of him that he had to shield from her¡ªin fear of either hurting her or rejection. But Yew had always been a reticent fellow so this secrecy didn¡¯t faze him as having any sort of deeper meaning. He left for boarding school¡ªthe Academy, but did not bid Sofia farewell in meaning that they would stay together until he came back home. Future unwritten as he liked it, mysterious enough to leave him wanting answers.

Perhaps he and Sofia had never really connected on some bizarre and higher level. He doesn¡¯t understand it completely but he finds himself inflicted with a nagging feeling that he can¡¯t place his finger on, much like an itch that one can¡¯t seem to locate.

* puppet on a string ,
[ SOMETHING INSIDE ME THAT PULLS BENEATH THE SURFACE ]

YOUR NAME

THIRTEEN

YOUR AGE

EIGHTEEN

RP EXPERIENCE

BAMF.

HOW'D YOU FIND US?

Forgot.

SECRET WORD

I know da rules by now.

RP SAMPLE

Rawr.

[TAYLOR THE CANADIAN]

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WELCOME___TO THE ACADEMY !

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