<div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: courier;">Satin in a Coffin</span></span></strong></div><div align="center">(http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l640/doteli/stories/satin%20coffin/satin_coffin.png)</div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: courier;">IC: Story Thread (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=145011.0)</span></span></div><br/><div align="center"><strong>The Story</strong></div><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">New Arklow, founded and settled in the early 1800’s by Irish immigrants, is a prosperous economic, military, and cultural center of the United States. It is a coastal city and has an oceanic climate – winters are cool and summers are warm. It experiences rain fall throughout the year and sometimes gets snow, but New Arklow has a warm water port and so it remains in use year round. While humans are the predominant inhabitants of New Arklow, the city is also home to a disunited vampiric community. The city has humble roots, initially established as a commercial fishing and logging center before the discovery of gold led to a population boom. But it wasn’t just New Arklow’s abundant natural resources that fostered its rise as a global city. The city has had a protector since the very beginning. <strong>Frederick O’Shea</strong> is the city’s watcher and has been involved with New Arklow since the first piece of wood was chopped to build the city’s first house. Frederick is a vampire, but he is not a typical vampire. As a watcher feeds not on the blood of humans, but on the blood of other vampires, and has an inherent instinct to control the local vampire population. A watcher ensures the ratio of vampires to humans is kept even so all are safe, and that the curtain cast over vampires existence is kept closed.<br/><br/>Frederick is not alone in his watcher duties. Five years ago he took a vampire hunter, <strong>Min Yu Park</strong>, and made the young man his fledgling. The pair have a vitriolic relationship with one another as a result of their respective personalities and the circumstances surrounding Min Yu’s embrace. Min Yu cycles through rapid stages of purring in his sire’s lap and trying to claw Frederick’s eyes out. During their first three years together Frederick had been able to temper Min Yu’s outbursts and exert dominance over his fledgling; though within the past year Min Yu has become boldly independent.<br/><br/>While ordinary vampires find their full strength within seven or so years after turning and stay close with their sires, watchers are a different breed. They are solitary and very territorial. A watcher fledgling takes much longer to come into their own strength and abilities, and in healthy circumstances watcher fledglings may stay with their sires for more than a century. But when watchers have fully matured they leave their sires and clam territory of their own. But what should be taking Min Yu decades to achieve he has done in just five. It’s an unsettling anomaly for both Frederick and the rest of New Arklow’s vampire population. Min Yu is in the middle of his last stage as a fledgling and growing restless to have his own territory. As a young watcher he continues to hunt vampires with such vigor that is disturbing – he has made many enemies and stirred unrest among the various vampire families of New Arklow.<br/><br/>Frederick and Min Yu’s relationship has come to a crossroads. The sire can permit Min Yu to leave New Arklow, thus forfeiting Frederick’s guardianship, but for all of Min Yu’s strength and cleverness it would be dangerous. Min Yu is ill prepared in claiming, let alone monitoring, his own territory. Yet if Min Yu stays in New Arklow it’s only a matter of time until both watcher’s instincts spark a bloody territory feud between sire and progeny. Luckily, there is a third option. In an attempt to avoid the inevitable and establish some semblance of authority over Min Yu, Frederick proposes that they bond as mates. But Min Yu has spurns Frederick’s numerous suggestions to bond.<br/><br/>Min Yu understands that time is running out for him. He knows he won’t be able to keep declining the offer forever, and as much as Min Yu wants to up and leave New Arklow even his arrogance is not so thick as not to realize that he’s vulnerable and not yet capable of completely fending for himself. But Min Yu isn’t ready to just roll over and accept Frederick’s offer just yet. <br/><br/>With a bit of brilliance and a stroke of luck he comes up with a risky plan to solve the dilemma. Min Yu orchestrates a massacre between a prominent group of vampires and humans. In the calm of the aftermath he picks out a survivor and offers him a second chance at life. Min Yu creates his own fledgling, <strong>Caleb Sawyer</strong>, an innocent passerby who walked onto the scene at an importune moment. With this act Min Yu introduces a third into the game being played being himself and Frederick. While Min Yu thinks the cards have been reshuffled into his favor, he may have just crafted an even more troubling dilemma.</span><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Character Profiles</strong></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Min Yu Park</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatleft">(http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l640/doteli/stories/satin%20coffin/satin_min_yu.png)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>Writer</strong>: Dotley (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=15310)<br/><strong>Name</strong>: Min Yu Park<br/><strong>Actual Age</strong>: 25<br/><strong>Appearance Age</strong>: 19<br/><strong>Height</strong>: 5’6”<br/><strong>Weight</strong>: 128lbs<br/><strong>Hair</strong>: Dark Brown<br/><strong>Eyes</strong>: Brown<br/><strong>Physique</strong>: Thin<br/><strong>Sexual Orientation</strong>: Gay <br/><strong>Sexual Nature</strong>: Switch<br/><br/><strong>Interests</strong>: Board games, cell phones, crowd watching, gambling, head games, online shopping, and photography.<br/><br/><strong>Personality</strong>: As a human Min Yu’s attitude and mindset was typical of an adolescent hunter and he was fairly well-adjusted despite his unusual line of work. Min Yu was self-confident and considered vampire slaying a righteous act. He relied on his ingenuity and head over his brawn during hunts. While Min Yu kept the tragedies he experienced close to his heart and never forgave the ones who caused them, he tried to channel his sorrow into helping others. He wanted to help others avoid the losses that he carried. Min Yu had been the sort of golden boy that rightfully earned the praise and gratitude he received, but was also deserving of eyerolls because of his bottomless optimism. Min Yu had been earnest and cheerful in his personal life, though his dedication in hunting down vampires had been on the extreme side. But he had truly believed he was doing the right thing the best way he knew how.</span><br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">However, Min Yu has undergone a flip in personality following his change into a watcher. His confidence has tipped over into arrogance and he’s vainglorious in his cleverness. Min Yu’s dedication to hunting vampires remains, the skill and ease with which he does it magnified with the abilities of a watcher, but he reasoning for it is warped. He no longer hunts vampires to protect humans or even out of a necessity to feed. He seems to hurt and kill vampires solely for his own amusement. But despite what he may say or how he may act, Min Yu despises vampires and hunts them out of a sense of misplaced vengeance. If allowed, Min Yu will use his intelligence to manipulate everyone around him for his own gain and usually their ruin. He is a skilled actor, having carefully observed Frederick over the past few years and learned how his sire manages to be so charming. Min Yu is an incredible mimic with emotions and is a skilled liar. He is able to bluff or talk his way out of most situations, confusing both humans and other vampires on where his true feelings are aligned. He will play any role if it further his own interests, and often his playacting is so convincing it can be difficult for even Min Yu to figure out when it has started or stopped. As a human Min Yu let his sense of justice lead his actions, but as a watcher he is ruled by his impulses and directed by his ambitions.<br/><br/><strong>Background</strong>: Born as a third generation Korean-American, Min Yu’s family were vampire hunters. He grew up in the lifestyle and learned lessons in violence and mourning early on, losing his mother as a child. Min Yu was hunting and fully involved in the ‘family business’ by the time he was a young teacher, working alongside his father and two older siblings. While Min Yu’s upbringing was unconventional it was very loving. He had a good relationship with his father and a very close relationship with his older brother and sister. They were his best friends. But hunting is full of risks, and by the time Min Yu graduated high school he was the only member of his family left. Min Yu remained loyal to his family’s legacy and continued hunting down vampires. He traversed from town to town along the coast, cleaning out vampire nests wherever he found them. It didn’t take long for Min Yu to become infamous among the vampire community of North America. When he arrived in New Arklow the city’s watcher, Frederick, already knew his name and was aware of his exploits. Min Yu didn’t want the watcher’s attention, but he got it. When Frederick offered to turn him Min Yu fervently spurned the watcher’s advances. Min Yu swore to himself that he would never become what he hunted.<br/><br/>But one winter night while hunting through New Arklow’s dark alleys a vampire managed to get the best of Min Yu. As he bled out in the snow Frederick arrived at his side and offered again to turn him. Desperate and dying, Min Yu accepted and was embrace, breaking his promise to himself and becoming a watcher. Min Yu has had a difficult relationship with Frederick since the beginning. He ran sweet and bitter or hot and cold with his sire, never quite finding a middle ground in his feelings for Frederick. Min Yu had been a fussy fledging, but at least he had turned obedient when his sire expressed his temper. However, all that had changed within the past two years. Min Yu has become highly combative and troublesome. He’s a prodigal watcher, having gained his strength and honed his instincts far too early. Min Yu is eager to break from Frederick’s hold over him and set out on his own, even though he isn’t ready for it yet. Min Yu no longer fears his sire’s anger. In fact, Min Yu delights in goading Frederick into losing his calm and happily subverts the older watcher’s authority.<br/><br/>While Min Yu loves New Arklow, his budding instincts as a watcher are getting the best of him. He either wants the city all for himself or he wants to leave for good and carve out an area that is wholly his. And Min Yu’s ready to do almost anything to get it.</span></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Frederick O'Shea</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatright">(http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/spacer.gif)(http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/Frederick/frederick_01.png) (http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/Frederick/frederick_02.png)<br/>(http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/spacer.gif)(http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/Frederick/frederick_03.png) (http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/reia-elliquiy/Character%20Profiles/Frederick/frederick_04.png)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>Writer</strong>: Reia (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=24197)<br/><strong>Name:</strong> Frederick O'Shea<br/><strong>Actual Age</strong>: 937<br/><strong>Appearance Age:</strong> 43<br/><strong>Height:</strong> 6'0"<br/><strong>Weight:</strong> 160lbs<br/><strong>Hair:</strong> Light brown<br/><strong>Eyes:</strong> Blue<br/><strong>Physique:</strong> Fit, muscular (light)<br/><strong>Sexual Orientation:</strong> Bi-sexual<br/><strong>Sexual Nature:</strong> Dominant<br/><br/><strong>Interests:</strong> Art, business and finance, reading, studying culture and languages.<br/><br/><strong>Personality:</strong> Frederick is a gentleman, through and through; he's of the kind no longer found in the modern world - opening doors for women, tipping his hat when he wears it, etc. There's a tendancy towards being quiet, something born of having lived for so long, that leads most to think he's unaware of what goes on around him. The opposite is true, however, as he's a true watcher, always cataloguing everything in the world - namely his city. He does likes to keep to himself, actively avoiding extended contact with humans. After almost a millenia of living, he feels he's seen more than enough. One thing that surprises most who meet him is that he's quick to anger, his temper something that he still hasn't managed to gain control over. While he does try to rein himself in, it doesn't take much to set him off, something that his fledling seems to like taking advantage of.<br/><br/>Another thing that Frederick has developed over time is a strong sense of self. He's very sure of who and what he is and he carries this knowledge with pride. There's an air of nobility around him that makes those who meet him want to do their best to please him. He wasn't of noble birth, but he lived for almost three centuries within the royal families of France and Spain, learning proper ettiquite and comportment.  His aristocratic bearing make him irresistable to human and vampire alike, making the act of finding someone to feed off of rather easy.<br/><br/>When he speaks, Frederick has an odd accent. There's a slight lilt to it, with the occasional oddly pronounced word. Although he's able to talk with a more believable American accent, he prefers to speak with his true voice, no longer worried about someone recognizing where he's originally from. His speech is cultured, a strong vocabulary and command of the English language giving him credence as an educated man.<br/><br/><strong>Background:</strong> Frederick is from an old family in Ireland, simple merchants and farmers from almost a millenia ago. He had been out hunting with his son when they were attacked by vampires, wild beings that didn't care about being discovered. He thought himself dead when another man came and offered him a chance at life. Not fully understanding what was being offered, he accepted. When Frederick came to days later, he learned that he'd been turned. And that his son was dead, the watcher that'd turned him not having reached him in time.<br/><br/>It took Frederick a long time to learn to cope with this knowledge, and with the knowledge that he would not longer be allowed to go back to his family. For the first century and a half of his life as a watcher he was severely dependent on his Sire, rarely leaving their shared residence unless to feed. It took fanatical vampire hunters burning their modest dwelling down for Frederick to no longer cling so desperately to his Sire. Another few centuries passed as both he and his Sire continued to live together and watch over their village before he found passage on a ship heading to the new land. His Sire warned him about moving so far from where a regular supply of vampires lived and to solve this problem Frederick found two recently turned vampires to take with him.<br/><br/>Once the three reached the new land and ventured as far as they could, they set up a peaceful living arrangement. Frederick would help them gain the trust of humans so they could feed and they in turn would allow him to feed off of them. This worked well for a while, until one of them accidently turned a couple of humans and chaos started in their town. With fears of witches and evil running rampant, Frederick was forced to kill some of the newly turned. This created friction between him and the vampires, a grudge that they hold against him to this day.<br/><br/>A few years ago a young hunter caught his attention, his exploits infamous among the vampires Frederick watched over. When Min Yu arrived in town, Frederick approached him, intent on turning him. At first he was rejected, something that still bothers him now - even though he'd never admit it. Once Min Yu allowed himself to be turned, Frederick believed he'd finally found his ideal fledgling, something he'd been holding back from doing. What he never expected was for the new watcher to have such an abrupt personality change and for him to be ready to separate after only a few years, something that Frederick can't understand when he himself was so dependent on his own Sire.<br/><br/>With Minyu wanting to pull away, Frederick suggested that they bond. Min Yu rejected him, for the second time, and has set up his own scheme. Frederick has lived in New Arklow since its establishment and feels a strong attachment to the people; he won't be letting Min Yu go quite so easily.</span></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Caleb Sawyer</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatleft">(http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l640/doteli/stories/satin%20coffin/satin_caleb.png)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;"><br/><strong>Writer</strong>: AShatteredSymphony67 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=32594)<br/><strong>Name</strong>: Caleb Sawyer<br/><strong>Actual Age</strong>: 21<br/><strong>Appearance Age</strong>: 22<br/><strong>Height</strong>: 5'9"<br/><strong>Weight</strong>: 140lbs<br/><strong>Hair</strong>: Styled Blonde<br/><strong>Eyes</strong>: Blue/Green<br/><strong>Physique</strong>: Athletic<br/><strong>Sexual Orientation</strong>: Gay<br/><strong>Sexual Nature</strong>: Switch (prefers submissive)<br/><br/><strong>Interests</strong>: Reading, Tennis, Running, Writing, Designer Clothes and Journalism<br/><br/><strong>Personality</strong>: Caleb used to be an extrovert, making friends on the play ground at school and having a grand time acting like a superhero and all of those other quirky things kids did. It was around the time that he entered middle school that all changed and he became completely introverted, scared to even speak up in class or look people in the eyes. He kept his head down while he was walking and tried not to talk to anyone unless spoken to. Caleb didn't make friends very well and didn't keep them even if he did have them. Not that he minded, he got used to being completely alone. Which was the way he wanted it. Caleb did have a great relationship with his parents though. He would go out with them and have a great time. Those were the only two people in his life that he could trust, especially since all of the name calling and being bullied in middle and high school pretty much ruined his faith and trust in others. <br/><br/>It was when Caleb went to the University of Michigan on a full ride pre-med scholarship that he finally started to open up again, making friends and really starting to be happy. He didn't walk with his head down anymore and he wasn't afraid to speak up. In high school he was made fun of for being the 'smart gay kid' but in college he was highly respected for being so smart and so open with his sexuality which helped him branch out and become Caleb, not just a shell of what he used to be. <br/><br/><strong>Background</strong>: Born and raised in New Arklow, Caleb Sawyer always wanted to leave the city that he grew up in. He hated it there. His emotional scars still haunted him from middle and high school when he thought about New Arklow. All of the bullying he had endured for six years still coming back to bite him in the ass because he wasn't strong enough to defend himself and not outspoken enough to ask someone for help. Everything was made easier once he got his acceptance letter to the University of Michigan and he left New Arklow for good. Well, at least for his first four years of college.<br/><br/>After graduating college, Caleb started making plans for med school. He always wanted to become a surgeon. Before he could mail in his application, his cell phone rang. It was his mother calling to tell him that his father's condition had worsened and that he wasn't going to last much longer. Reluctantly, Caleb packed up everything he owned and left Michigan, heading back to New Arklow so that he could help take care of his mother after the death of his father. His father succumbed to prostate cancer before he even got off the airplane and his funeral was held several days later. <br/><br/>Caleb's mother, Shauna Sawyer, was distraught and begged Caleb not to leave her, to apply to a med school somewhere closer. Caleb did as his mother asked, getting accepted into the closest med school he could find and stayed there, helping his mother keep up with the popular bookstore his parents owned. One night Caleb stayed later to close up the shop so his mother could go home and get some rest. The young man got caught up in a book and left somewhere around midnight. It was the wrong place at the wrong time and soon he was laying on his back, blood filling his lungs as he looked up at the star-filled night sky, wishing that he had never come back to New Arklow.<br/><br/>That's when Caleb was given a second chance by one of the men involved in the fight. Someone he didn't remember from before he left to college. Afraid of dying, Caleb accepted, then realized that he soon regretted it.</span></div></div><br/><hr/>