Can be drawn freely, ask before writing! | Free to depict with others, as long as you maintain his nature | Leniently open as creator!
,;Origin Prompts;.
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Granted after a strange trip through the woods, Hayes has a kind ability to control wisps dubbed as 'Wisps of Strange Places,' which is a rather accurate name in his opinion. It developed soon after his trek through the woods that brought him to an old tomb, seemingly long abandoned and well visited with its odd collection of magical trinkets, and it was soon after visiting this place he was granted this gift. The enchantment itself takes the form of will-o-wisps, and it has a strange perchance to guide others towards either paths Hayes himself lays or oddities hidden within the world. It acts like a compass of sorts, or a metal detector: gets brighter and hums when you get closer to the thing it wants you to find. It's led him to a good handful of odd places - strange buildings, old statues, hidden treasures and trinkets. It's a kind enchantment. Reminds him of his old life a little.
A collection of things he's garnered over the years.
Three wooden birds gifted by Lux and now transformed into something other, something energetic, forever making a home kindly within his branches. They seem anchored permanently to him.
A single glass windchime hanging from his back most branch on his haunches, born from a home in the village that had such things decorating its porch. It's made of a collection of tubes and plates, all thin glass and soft details, though it seems to be not anywhere near as fragile as its non-phantom counterparts.
Three wooden birds gifted by Lux and now transformed into something other, something energetic, forever making a home kindly within his branches. They seem anchored permanently to him.
A single glass windchime hanging from his back most branch on his haunches, born from a home in the village that had such things decorating its porch. It's made of a collection of tubes and plates, all thin glass and soft details, though it seems to be not anywhere near as fragile as its non-phantom counterparts.
Pinned within the fur on his neck, Hayes proudly adorns a blue morpho butterfly wing he earned via a gifted transformation mixed and intermingling with his climbing marigold petals.
Background
Burdened | Protective | Short Tempered
In his past life, Hayes took residence in a village not unlike the one he lives in now. He was a sighthound dog in the past, raised by a fairly renowned hunter and his family from the area, but he was not trained for actual killing unlike many of his littermates. Instead Hayes was trained for the herding of fawns and their mothers away from heavily trafficked areas during the rush of hunting season. He took the job seriously, only rarely needing to stretch outside his parameters and actually be a hunting dog, but he was always a gentle sort.
The herding behavior spread even into his personal life with his old owners. A father hunter, a kind wife and a soft daughter - it wasn't exactly uncommon for Hayes to practice herding them around much like he did the fawns. If he wasn't with the father, he was typically following the young girl around wherever she went, and considering the period of the village it wasn't exactly uncommon to see him posted outside or sometimes even within her school house. He loved his family dearly and always did his best to take care of them, whether that meant being posted on the porch and getting handfed dried venison or going deep into the woods to herd away the fawns, he didn't care. He has no idea what became of these people after he went missing. He wishes them well, wishes and hopes that they lived on long enough and maybe one day he'll see them again. But Hayes knows better than to joyously accept the idea of them being anything other than dead.
As a spirit, Hayes is what one could call resentful, and they wouldn't exactly be wrong. He's not particularly aggressive, especially to those who he meets only in passing, but he isn't inherently kind to them either. He looks at his new life with a heavy sense of fear and resentment, but it isn't for the fact that he has this second chance, but instead the immortality aspect. He knows full well he will outlive near any and everyone he meets and adores and cares for, everyone he did ever care for in the past, and because of that he can't help but live with fear heavy on his shoulders.
It is strange, to fear something so complex when you once had no proper sentience. Hayes doesn't quite know how to process things anymore, not with this newfound ability to think for more than a single sentence. This strange thing is also partially why he acts how he does - approaching situations with a cold demeanor and apprehension at near every turn, often coming off as intimidating and brutish when he doesn't bother correcting anyone on such a thing. It isn't even an incorrect assessment on his attitude. Hayes is incredibly cold towards strangers out of necessity; he doesn't let them get close and he doesn't let them see any deeper than the façade he shows at face value. He's incredibly honest and blunt, which often makes others consider him cruel with how he refuses to withhold anything no matter how close he is to you or not, and he's quick to turn to threats and anger as opposed to polite listening.
This is all to say Hayes fears closeness. He has a deep rooted fear of loss, change, and things out of his basic control. He believes that if he can control what others view him to be, and that if that image is something cruel and unkind, then he never has to fear losing them. But Hayes, at his core, is anything but a cruel figure. He's snippy and short, yes, but he but he's incredibly considerate towards those that have broken down his walls and managed to wiggle their way into his heart. He loves wholly and without much limitation, and he's incredibly protective over those he cares about to the point he will yell and threaten anyone who causes them trouble. He's soft beneath the hard edges, gentle under the harsh words, and he is an easy devotee to rely on should you earn his trust.
Altogether, Hayes is a complicated soul. A spirit that's easily able to be crossed off as unkind and malicious, but to those who know him he's often said to be an irreplaceable part of the ragtag family. Underneath the fears and taunts and the resentfulness is a genuine and considerate soul who, at the end of the day, does want another family to love and herd and care for just like he had before. Be not fooled by his gangly form and ill temperament - he's an oversized puppy dog should he get to know you.
In his past life, Hayes took residence in a village not unlike the one he lives in now. He was a sighthound dog in the past, raised by a fairly renowned hunter and his family from the area, but he was not trained for actual killing unlike many of his littermates. Instead Hayes was trained for the herding of fawns and their mothers away from heavily trafficked areas during the rush of hunting season. He took the job seriously, only rarely needing to stretch outside his parameters and actually be a hunting dog, but he was always a gentle sort.
The herding behavior spread even into his personal life with his old owners. A father hunter, a kind wife and a soft daughter - it wasn't exactly uncommon for Hayes to practice herding them around much like he did the fawns. If he wasn't with the father, he was typically following the young girl around wherever she went, and considering the period of the village it wasn't exactly uncommon to see him posted outside or sometimes even within her school house. He loved his family dearly and always did his best to take care of them, whether that meant being posted on the porch and getting handfed dried venison or going deep into the woods to herd away the fawns, he didn't care. He has no idea what became of these people after he went missing. He wishes them well, wishes and hopes that they lived on long enough and maybe one day he'll see them again. But Hayes knows better than to joyously accept the idea of them being anything other than dead.
As a spirit, Hayes is what one could call resentful, and they wouldn't exactly be wrong. He's not particularly aggressive, especially to those who he meets only in passing, but he isn't inherently kind to them either. He looks at his new life with a heavy sense of fear and resentment, but it isn't for the fact that he has this second chance, but instead the immortality aspect. He knows full well he will outlive near any and everyone he meets and adores and cares for, everyone he did ever care for in the past, and because of that he can't help but live with fear heavy on his shoulders.
It is strange, to fear something so complex when you once had no proper sentience. Hayes doesn't quite know how to process things anymore, not with this newfound ability to think for more than a single sentence. This strange thing is also partially why he acts how he does - approaching situations with a cold demeanor and apprehension at near every turn, often coming off as intimidating and brutish when he doesn't bother correcting anyone on such a thing. It isn't even an incorrect assessment on his attitude. Hayes is incredibly cold towards strangers out of necessity; he doesn't let them get close and he doesn't let them see any deeper than the façade he shows at face value. He's incredibly honest and blunt, which often makes others consider him cruel with how he refuses to withhold anything no matter how close he is to you or not, and he's quick to turn to threats and anger as opposed to polite listening.
This is all to say Hayes fears closeness. He has a deep rooted fear of loss, change, and things out of his basic control. He believes that if he can control what others view him to be, and that if that image is something cruel and unkind, then he never has to fear losing them. But Hayes, at his core, is anything but a cruel figure. He's snippy and short, yes, but he but he's incredibly considerate towards those that have broken down his walls and managed to wiggle their way into his heart. He loves wholly and without much limitation, and he's incredibly protective over those he cares about to the point he will yell and threaten anyone who causes them trouble. He's soft beneath the hard edges, gentle under the harsh words, and he is an easy devotee to rely on should you earn his trust.
Altogether, Hayes is a complicated soul. A spirit that's easily able to be crossed off as unkind and malicious, but to those who know him he's often said to be an irreplaceable part of the ragtag family. Underneath the fears and taunts and the resentfulness is a genuine and considerate soul who, at the end of the day, does want another family to love and herd and care for just like he had before. Be not fooled by his gangly form and ill temperament - he's an oversized puppy dog should he get to know you.
BoundaryHayes' home has been made up of this abandoned village for an incredibly long time. He wasn't around for the main bulk of everyone leaving, but he has been around to watch as wooden homes have rotted away, as gardens had grown lush and died and left old things beneath themselves, as remaining people have died and some have returned. He's lived through a lot of it, thanks to his new immortality, and he can't say he enjoys it exactly.
The village itself is placed in, quite literally, the middle of nowhere. Rolling hills and plains to one side of it, with farms spreading outwards and lakes and rivers kindly engraved and even mountains far enough into the distance. On the other side, a forest. Deep and old and creaking, thin at the edges and deeper the further you go in. Water runs through it, Hayes knows of this, but the Esk who've been here longer than him - or were here before - have long since told him not to go into the woods. "It's a maze," they'd tell him. And considering he grew lost in its depths, he's inclined to agree. Despite the sorry state of the village, and the fact that Hayes himself doesn't really feel he belongs here, he can admit to liking the place. It's filled to the brim with memories, visual and aura based, and he feels almost a weird mixture between strange and grateful at getting told them. He hears laughter in the old school, songs in the church, rants in the inn, even more rants in that weird hotel - it's nice. Loud, sometimes mean, but he does his best to care for it. His haunt is an old house he's found. Hidden away from the rest of the neighbors and practically falling apart, the place has been his home for the longest time. A tree grows through the wall and leaves it gaping, roots and grasses and flowers have reclaimed the porch, ivy and moss hold the windows together, an old garden rotting in the back. It's a mess. It's in awful condition and he'd be viable to catch a cold if he weren't a spirit staying there. But it's home, and he finds a strange comfort in it, even if he almost can't fit inside the damn place. |
His Creator
Hayes and Aeolus have a,,, strenuous relationship. Tense, filled with things left unsaid and things spat without too much thought given. In a way, you could say Hayes views Aeolus as the cause of all his problems. The bitter beginning that lead him to where he is today. But he knows that isn't true - he knows that on some part he's to blame, he knows it was chance, that Aeolus was simply doing what he believed to be right and good in the moment. Hayes doesn't fault him on that, even if he's angry he has to now live a life as,,, this. He does his best to show his thankfulness towards Aeo best he can, always checking in on him and helping 'spread his influence' within the station, but he recognizes that they'll likely never be as close as they could've been had Hayes been reborn accepting of his life.
It doesn't help either that Aeolus is lying to him. Hayes was once a hunting dog for a reason - he was taught to recognize patterns and predict behaviors and enact on those. He knows Aeolus is lying to him, he knows Aeolus isn't well, he can smell it. Like a cancer, or a rotting, he can smell the horrible things that encircle his creator. He worries for him. He worries for what he might do. He just,,, has no idea what to do to help.
Hayes and Aeolus have a,,, strenuous relationship. Tense, filled with things left unsaid and things spat without too much thought given. In a way, you could say Hayes views Aeolus as the cause of all his problems. The bitter beginning that lead him to where he is today. But he knows that isn't true - he knows that on some part he's to blame, he knows it was chance, that Aeolus was simply doing what he believed to be right and good in the moment. Hayes doesn't fault him on that, even if he's angry he has to now live a life as,,, this. He does his best to show his thankfulness towards Aeo best he can, always checking in on him and helping 'spread his influence' within the station, but he recognizes that they'll likely never be as close as they could've been had Hayes been reborn accepting of his life.
It doesn't help either that Aeolus is lying to him. Hayes was once a hunting dog for a reason - he was taught to recognize patterns and predict behaviors and enact on those. He knows Aeolus is lying to him, he knows Aeolus isn't well, he can smell it. Like a cancer, or a rotting, he can smell the horrible things that encircle his creator. He worries for him. He worries for what he might do. He just,,, has no idea what to do to help.
A Begrudging Sister
Lux had been created a good handful of years after Hayes was, and to say she is in fact a handful is rather correct. She's latched onto Hayes and Aeolus and all those they meet, not a mean bone in her body as she brings them gifts and steals from them in the same breath. He finds her annoying at times, thinks she's too naïve and childish and should know better than to trust so willingly, and he's the first to admit he's yelled at her one too many times without proper apology to not feel bad about it, but he adores her nonetheless. She's like a little sister of sorts to him, a tiny runt he has to be careful with or she might get crushes under his feet. He's snapped at plenty of people for being mean to her without much concern, and he'll likely keep doing it until she can defend herself. So, probably forever.
He is aware, though, that in recent times Lux hasn't been doing well. With everything going on with Aeolus' decline and general worries, they've not had time to play with the little spirit, nor have they even told her anything. Hayes himself has yelled at her one too many times to try and get her to drop the topic. It's one of the only times she actually has looked hurt by anything he says. God, he hopes this mess will smooth over soon enough.
Lux had been created a good handful of years after Hayes was, and to say she is in fact a handful is rather correct. She's latched onto Hayes and Aeolus and all those they meet, not a mean bone in her body as she brings them gifts and steals from them in the same breath. He finds her annoying at times, thinks she's too naïve and childish and should know better than to trust so willingly, and he's the first to admit he's yelled at her one too many times without proper apology to not feel bad about it, but he adores her nonetheless. She's like a little sister of sorts to him, a tiny runt he has to be careful with or she might get crushes under his feet. He's snapped at plenty of people for being mean to her without much concern, and he'll likely keep doing it until she can defend herself. So, probably forever.
He is aware, though, that in recent times Lux hasn't been doing well. With everything going on with Aeolus' decline and general worries, they've not had time to play with the little spirit, nor have they even told her anything. Hayes himself has yelled at her one too many times to try and get her to drop the topic. It's one of the only times she actually has looked hurt by anything he says. God, he hopes this mess will smooth over soon enough.
An Esk he Created
The first Esk he ever created, and considering his tense relationships with the topic, Hayes has surprisingly always thought fairly fondly of Beatrice. They started off semi rough, a bit of tension between the two of them as Hayes had essentially left her to fend for herself, but Beatrice was persistent enough to seek him out and he'll be the first to admit he adores her for it. He still bristles sometimes at her presence, nerves and fears deep seated in ways he can't exactly snap out of quite yet, but he adores her all the same. Funnily enough, considering his initial apprehension, he is actually the one who seeks her out most consistently whether it be for a simple talk or quite company. They are rarely seen without each other these days, Hayes acting as a protector much like how he does for Lux, and Beatrice being his leash to keep him from being too aggressive with others. They're tight knit and kind, and Hayes would likely do anything for her.
That is to say he worries alongside her all the same. He feels bad for her, honestly, with her easy overstimulation and how her uncle has long since begun losing himself. He wants to offer her some assistance, some reprieve, but Aeolus won't even talk to him. For now he'll do his best to keep her out of the brunt of the mess the older spirit causes. Hopefully that's enough.
The first Esk he ever created, and considering his tense relationships with the topic, Hayes has surprisingly always thought fairly fondly of Beatrice. They started off semi rough, a bit of tension between the two of them as Hayes had essentially left her to fend for herself, but Beatrice was persistent enough to seek him out and he'll be the first to admit he adores her for it. He still bristles sometimes at her presence, nerves and fears deep seated in ways he can't exactly snap out of quite yet, but he adores her all the same. Funnily enough, considering his initial apprehension, he is actually the one who seeks her out most consistently whether it be for a simple talk or quite company. They are rarely seen without each other these days, Hayes acting as a protector much like how he does for Lux, and Beatrice being his leash to keep him from being too aggressive with others. They're tight knit and kind, and Hayes would likely do anything for her.
That is to say he worries alongside her all the same. He feels bad for her, honestly, with her easy overstimulation and how her uncle has long since begun losing himself. He wants to offer her some assistance, some reprieve, but Aeolus won't even talk to him. For now he'll do his best to keep her out of the brunt of the mess the older spirit causes. Hopefully that's enough.
A Threat
Mirabella is a threat and almost nothing more to Hayes. He met her during that same chance encounter as Aeolus, but unlike the older spirit he was frightened by what she made him experience. He hates her, hates her enchantment, hates all she stands for - he has no idea how Aeolus could even entertain the thought of seeking her out.
He knows full well that Aeolus was, at one point, seeking her out for her enchantment. Treating her like a fix of sorts. Hayes confronted him head on about it, leading to a rather vicious argument, but Hayes doesn't believe Aeolus took anything he said to heart despite his promises to leave her be. It's concerning. He's almost tempted to go find her himself, to question her, to needle his way into her veins and rip at her for answers. But his fears keep him rooted where he stands, and he frankly doesn't know how to feel about that.
Mirabella is a threat and almost nothing more to Hayes. He met her during that same chance encounter as Aeolus, but unlike the older spirit he was frightened by what she made him experience. He hates her, hates her enchantment, hates all she stands for - he has no idea how Aeolus could even entertain the thought of seeking her out.
He knows full well that Aeolus was, at one point, seeking her out for her enchantment. Treating her like a fix of sorts. Hayes confronted him head on about it, leading to a rather vicious argument, but Hayes doesn't believe Aeolus took anything he said to heart despite his promises to leave her be. It's concerning. He's almost tempted to go find her himself, to question her, to needle his way into her veins and rip at her for answers. But his fears keep him rooted where he stands, and he frankly doesn't know how to feel about that.
An Esk he Created
The second Esk Hayes made, Nyogtha is a strange visage to interact with. He feels, in a strange sense, responsible for her. He doesn't know her very well, not like he knows Lux or Bea, but he knows her well enough to understand. He resonates with her anger, her bitterness, her fear and her confusion, and he feels a heady sense of regret for being one of the larger causes of such emotions. He worries for her, worries for how she is and what she may do if kept away, but he adores her still in an odd sense.
Sometimes his emotions are clouded by regret when interacting with her. He looks at her and sees his mistakes, his naivety, his errors in the process that was supposed to help her, and he can't help but wonder what would've happened if he left her be. Or better yet, if he did better. There are times where he looks at her and sees himself, and there are times he looks and sees a stranger. It's,,, messy. But they aren't unkind, surprisingly enough. He doesn't quite know how to handle that, if he's being honest.
The second Esk Hayes made, Nyogtha is a strange visage to interact with. He feels, in a strange sense, responsible for her. He doesn't know her very well, not like he knows Lux or Bea, but he knows her well enough to understand. He resonates with her anger, her bitterness, her fear and her confusion, and he feels a heady sense of regret for being one of the larger causes of such emotions. He worries for her, worries for how she is and what she may do if kept away, but he adores her still in an odd sense.
Sometimes his emotions are clouded by regret when interacting with her. He looks at her and sees his mistakes, his naivety, his errors in the process that was supposed to help her, and he can't help but wonder what would've happened if he left her be. Or better yet, if he did better. There are times where he looks at her and sees himself, and there are times he looks and sees a stranger. It's,,, messy. But they aren't unkind, surprisingly enough. He doesn't quite know how to handle that, if he's being honest.
Character Details and Notes
- Hayes' vibration or voice is quite soft and rumbly, almost like an aged dog attempting to purr or as if he were speaking through a constant growl. His way of speech is strange to hear at times - borrowed phrases from others and strange layouts of what he's attempting to say, and it often can lead to others being discomforted. His voice isn't intimidating exactly with prolonged exposure, but at first it's easy to believe he's snarling at you. After a while though, the low droning sound has been shown to actually comfort folk due to the consistent sound and the soft tone he always tends to have. The deepness itself is a tell of his mood, considering if he reaches a higher pitch and a nastier, throaty snarl he's typically distressed.
- Size wise, Hayes is on the larger side, especially when compared to his companions. Not including his branches, from the shoulders down he's roughly 9 foot tall, around the size of an upright bear. He does however tend to keep his head lowered as a means to come off as approachable to those he knows.
- When depicting his branches, you don't need to get the shapes 100% accurate in shape! Just do your best<3
- Hayes doesn't visit the Conservatory often, at least no on his own terms. Typically any visitations are accompanied by Aeolus, Lux, or Beatrice so as to keep them safe and ensure they don't get lost in the esoteric phantasmal greenhouse. He does have his own personal wing: a small and hidden clearing with strange visages of fawns and bucks and doe. They don't look quite right, not a perfect mimicry of his memory and a too ethereal glimmer to their form, but they are recognizable. If he's spotted in the Conservatory, feel free to approach him! He's likely waiting for his companions.
- As a creator, Hayes is a tad reclusive. He doesn't transform others easily, usually only offering it as a last resort type of situation or if he feels a particular connection to the thing or person being reborn anew. He's more likely to run off at first than offer any proper guidance, depending on the state of the Esk after the transformation, but he is open as a mentor to those who remain persistent with their searching.
.;Badges;.
credits ; photos from pexels