Aripegio del Mandolino

Aripegio del Mandolino (a.k.a. Ari of the Red)

One of the Bards of the Red, from the world of Cicili, she follows the teachings of her mentor and mother, traveling the universe in an attempt to experience every facet of life. The good, bad, and everything in between. Nearly every situation has a silver lining to her, and she has a strange way with words that often get her more than she bargained for.
Genuinely good natured and respectful even to those that try to hurt her, but not a naive, defenseless damsel, Ari has a shocking amount of herself properly sorted out, even if her mannerisms seem a little crazy to others.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Standing slightly shorter than your average mare, and about as fit as you'd expect a bard to be. Meaning, not especially, but definitely fit enough to be 'average'. She used to trek across deserts, and go off sailing now and then when she was back home, after all!

Body Features

Being a rather average unicorn mare, nothing about her is too out of the ordinary. Her brownish-reddish fur is soft but relatively short and well conditioned, her mane is painstakingly brushed every morning to keep its curls in check, and her horn isn't especially pointy or dull. Like she'll always say, though, average isn't bad.

Facial Features

While not especially vain, Ari does take pride in the work she puts into staying pretty. Her horn is lovingly polished, the grooves carefully cleaned and given a slight dusting of a darker dye to accentuate them, and she takes care to trim her fur properly.

Identifying Characteristics

Despite her typically unicorn appearance, Ari has one stand out feature. Her mane and its curls give her a striking silhouette, the curve at the back of her head almost resembling the body of some kind of stringed intstrument.

Apparel & Accessories

Since Ari isn't especially tall, and her colors aren't particularly eye catching, she has to make up for it somewhere else, and her outfit absolutely makes up for all of that, and then some. As a Bard of the Red, her color of choice is a vibrant red, of course, but with the pale white detailings and trimmings, the color pops against any environment she's placed in. Her hat really steals the show, though. Wide enough to shelter nearly all of her body beneath its brim, and decorated with oversized plumes, the marvelous headpiece is given one last bit of flair by the way she curls one of its sides up against the cap. If there's anything on Ari that encompasses her entire look, it's this.

Mental characteristics

Sexuality

The idea of sexuality is more of a 'suggestion' than anything else. Add her strange philosophy on top, and you have a mare who's just as likely to dote on a friend and their partner as she is to hit on her own worst enemy. In her own words:
Wild hearts and romance know
the cities in sands of gold
Live free as birds above
dancing from love to love

Keep those close to your heart
that make life a work of art
Passion and conflict both
keep days from turning rote

Education

Born to ponies of the desert, but left with a mentor and mother from the sea at a young age, Ari was raised by one Scarlet Sinfonia, another Bard of the Red. Scarlet taught Ari all she knows, from music to philosophy, from medicine to discipline. Since her mother didn't often stick close to home, as her performing and exploring would call her elsewhere, Ari ended up being dragged across the world from a young age, and pushed into performing as a way to give her life structure, and to teach her what Scarlet believed was the best way to live life.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Back on her home planet, Bards of the Red, especially younger ones, are afforded certain leniencies when it comes to committing harmless crimes and mischief, and as such, Ari's gotten herself into all kinds of messes with friends for fun. Her proudest moment, by far, has to be when she managed to line the inside of the Sand-star prince's crown with glue, resulting in the prince showing up at his next public appearance with a lot less mane than before...
She also claims that her hat is decorated with the feathers of her lovers, but she seems to only have a few...

Morality & Philosophy

Bards of the Red follow the dying words of what they think is the creator of the universe, Alhm: "Sail upon my breath, see all that I am, know all that I was, let your heart and mind weave together with the countless others upon the warm, eternal winds, and you will find fulfillment everlasting."
Bards of the Red take these words, and use them as their guide for exploring the universe. Some remain on Cicili, exploring every nook and cranny of the planet, while others strive to experience every culture they can find, or to understand what makes people of all kinds tick, but all of them are eternally 'searching'.

However, as the words that bid them to adventure and learn say, Bards of the Red strive to see and know all there is, good and bad. A Bard of the Red is just as like to be your best friend as they are to stab you in the back, as each and every one of them are profoundly selfish in their quest to experience all facets of life, and Ari is no different. Mistake not their selfishness for malice, though, as even the Bards of the Red understand that every individual has their own moral compass, as while Ari may be convinced to embrace even the most morally reprehensible murderer, she would be extremely hard pressed to leave those she calls 'friend' behind. Even so, this imperfection in living up to the dying words of Alhm are seen as part of the perfection of being mortal, and Ari embraces it wholly.

Personality Characteristics

Likes & Dislikes

Ari, more than anything else, loves exchanging words. She loves understanding and connecting with others, even those that stand against her.
Looking to the more materialistic side, though, Ari loves flair and fashion, as her outfit suggests, and is extremely weak to the allure of seafood, pastas, and spicy things. She may love traveling, but the taste of home will always be a favorite to her.

Her greatest dislike, on the other hand, has to be when she learns nothing from a situation. When things are resolved outside her view, and when others are cut down, and the course of their life stopped short before she can see the whole of it. At the end of the day, she does prioritize her survival, but these things still bother her all the same.

Vices & Personality flaws

Every virtue Ari has could be considered just as much a vice, as her fervent desire to understand others can often put her in trouble just as much as it puts her on top.

Hygiene

Being a fashionable bard who relies on her outfit to turn heads, Ari isn't a fan of getting dirty. She keeps a little spell handy to keep herself clean at all hours of the day, but even still, dragging her through some mud is an easy way to have her turn her nose up at you for the rest of the day.

Social

Family Ties

Ari's only family member isn't blood related, but she still sees her as her true mother. Scarlet, however, is in parts unknown for now. She left Ari not long ago in order to untether her from Cicili, to give Ari an excuse to finally fly free of her home and see the universe. Perhaps one day she'll see Scarlet again, but if not, Ari is more than satisfied with her memories.

Social Aptitude

Despite her strange worldview, Ari's constant efforts to sharpen her character against all the universe has to offer makes her naturally approachable and kind-hearted. On top of that, she's very smooth with her words, and with her determined attempts to understand others, she's often able to cut to the heart of whatever issue is at hand.

Burning brilliant and bright, Ari expects her candle to only last half as long, but she intends to enjoy every moment to its fullest.

View Character Profile

Age

25

Date of Birth

??

Birthplace

Cicili

Current Residence

Anatum

Gender

Mare

Eyes

grey-green

Hair

Reddish-brown

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Lighter reddish-brown

Height

Slightly below mare height