Intro

Hello Taka and welcome to my hopefully short and sweet (spoiler alert: it's not 🥴) application for Corianath! I apologize in advance for it being so text heavy as I am currently somewhat of a writer before an artist, which is also a poor excuse to cover up the fact that I just don't know how to shut up. Regardless, I hope you enjoy reading what I have to say at least a little bit and find me a good fit to be Cori's new owner. 😊 The nav bar at the top can be used to jump between sections so without further ado, onward ho!

Yujin

Quick Links

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portfolio portal ● about me ● art page ● character hub

About Me

Hi, I am Yujin! A 28 year old from the east coast of the USA. I've been playing Neopets since late 2003 and no matter what, have always found myself coming back to this site. Neopets has been such a large part of my life since I was a child (learning to type, "roleplay" - I say that with a grain of salt because we all know how ridiculous roleplaying as a child on a site like Neopets was back then HAHA - basic HTML/CSS, etc.) and I've made some of the best friends through it. I don't think there will ever be a time when I am not emotionally attached to my Neolife, as fucked up as that sounds lol.

As you know, I am heavily involved in Ether as a council member and being a part of it is the greatest honor and joy! I was in such a huge creative rut before I returned to Neopets and joined Ether - I have this fantastic guild and group of people to thank for revitalizing my creative juices and breathing new life into some of my oldest Neopets. It has been such a rush to once again be creating art and writing alongside friends. My pets have always been the center of my Neolife so as an adult(?) I feel like I can do them a bit more justice than when I was a stupid kid. xD

Off-site, I am your typical nerd who loves to read and play games. I am obsessed with young adult fiction/fantasy novels - the cringier the better LMAO - and could literally sit on the couch reading all day. I love a good RPG now and then although I haven't had time for one in ages (despite playing MapleStory on and off since 2005 lol) so the main video game I play with my friends these days is Overwatch. But I love board games and tabletop RPGs - my husband is really into D&D and other RPGs so I get pulled into things now and then. My favorite board game is actually based on D&D lore, "Lords of Waterdeep." If you like board games I highly recommend it!

Random Facts

Reasons

There are many reasons - obvious or not obvious, big or small, meaningful or petty - why anyone in their right mind would be ecstatic to adopt Cori but I will try to focus on the reasons why she specifically, and not any other Draik, appeals to me. Hopefully it makes sense and is not super rambly but I make no promises... 😅

Beauty is Pixel Deep

Unconverted: It's no secret I love unconverted pets because the art is just so much *chef's kiss* better than converteds. Most of the converted pet art cannot hold a candle to the old art and it's quite sad, but for almost ten years I've had my converted Faerie Draik, Edan. I don't like doubling up on pet species/color combos without having a very good reason because diversity in my characters is important to me, but in this case Cori being a Faerie Draik makes perfect, almost destined, sense. So for many years I never pursued trading for an UC Faerie Draik as gorgeous as they are, because I have Edan and would never UC-ify him (he is a sleazy gambling fuckboy and deserves to be dressed as such). But Cori, being who she is and how she fits into my story, is pretty much the only instance that I would ever want to own an UC Faerie Draik. Even the old-to-new parallel of her being UC and Edan being converted feels like fate. (That should make sense after reading the Story/Character sections oops.)

I am thou, thou art I

Faerie Draik: The previous point flows into this one - Cori is a Faerie Draik! Which seems like an obvious thing to point out but she could have been anything else, even an UC Royal Draik, and I would not have wanted to apply for her. The fact that her color is Faerie helped me to be struck by lightning with inspiration of her character, which admittedly does not happen often lol. Her character does not work for anything but a Faerie Draik, so here I am. xD

Significance in Insignificance

The starting letter of her name: Cori's name begins with C, which means alphabetically (how I order my pets, regardless if TNT gives us free rein over ordering in the future) she will sit in between Bera and Edan on my main account. I am a weirdo who puts a lot of superstition into my pets' naming order, because I like those with certain relationships to be close to each other and derive meaning from it. For example, Kellsoh - Oriean - Rehisa are ordered as such and I will never move a pet onto my account that would mess up this order. They are grouped together because their stories are linked, but I find it hilarious that Ori sits IN BETWEEN Kellsoh and Rehisa, because his character in their story is basically a giant cockblock. 🤣 And for my seasonal pets, Cascadith - Galendrian - Navorn - Razic, their characters represent spring, summer, fall, winter and I worked very hard to find the perfect pets with names who would sit in just the right order. Back to Cori, as you will find out below, her story is heavily intertwined with Bera and Edan, so the fact that she would fall between them makes me love her name inordinately.

Lore

In the beginning, there was nothing.

Just swirling threads of formless energy but with limitless potential.

As entropy grows and like calls to like, the threads weave together in an intricate and complex pattern.

This is the fabric of reality.

This is the tapestry of life.

Welcome to Neopia

In my version of Neopia that all my Neopets exist in, the world is derived from the Tree of Life myth. At the center of the planet is the titular Tree of Life from which all living things comes from. Over the hundreds of thousands of years it took to form Neopia, all the magic to do so came from the Tree. The first and most basic things that were formed were the six core elements: light, dark, water, earth, fire, air. These six elements, a mixture of magic and nature, gained sentience and became the first Eternals, later referred to as the Primes. The Primes could live for thousands of years in one body if they chose, but their spirit would always remain the same. Rebirth for them meant adopting a new body but retaining their memories and soul. Deeply connected to the will of the Tree, they formed the planet into a lush and thriving environment ready for all sorts of lifeforms. Once Neopia was fit for habitation, the different species of Neopia were born.

At first, the Primes worked closely with the Neopians to build their communities and taught them how to live off the land. These precious creatures were cared for like their own children, and as their numbers grew and societies flourished, those who were especially beloved were raised up. Each Prime selected those to follow in their footsteps as lesser Eternals: Dark for Shadows and Nightmares, Fire for Volcanoes and Thunder, Water for Oceans and Storms, etc. Unlike the Primes, however, when one died after hundreds of years in service their reincarnation would be in a new life albeit with the same powers and directive. A lesser could mark an heir to receive their blessing, training them to one day take up the mantle. But if a lesser perishes with no successor, somewhere in the world a new one would be born.

As the world grew larger and more colorful, the Tree created new Eternals that were not derivatives of the Primes and therefore not quite as powerful: Love, Hate, Justice, Discord, Art, Wealth, Peace, War, and Luck. These Eternals also follow the lesser cycle of reincarnation and brought a new element of chaos to the planet. Some quickly aligned themselves with the Primes they were most attuned with, while others maintained neutrality and independence. But as the generations grew farther apart, many of the Primes stepped back from being too deeply involved with their successors and retreated into their respective temples in the realm of the Eternals, Eternia. Reachable only through the Tree of Life, their realm exists a layer above Neopia and allows the Eternals to observe the world below and maintain balance.

The War of Darkness and Flames

For most of the planet's history, the Eternals were a fixed presence and kept in communication with the people who for all intents and purposes, worshipped them. They traveled freely between Eternia and the mortal realm and made frequent appearances as needed. However, the natural order of things were about to be overthrown. As with any power that is misunderstood and shunned, the Prime of Darkness, overshadowed by his more positive and well received siblings, decided to make a bid for power by imprisoning and killing other Eternals. Fire, an equally destructive and megalomanic force, joined in and the carnage began. Eternals of all kinds turned on each other, slaying any and all believed to be with the enemy. Mortal followers of Dark and Fire even took up the crusade, attacking innocents and increasing the bloodshed. It was no longer safe for Eternals and lesser Eternals to walk the mortal realm, but Eternia was a battlefield as well. Earth was the first Prime to be held captive by Dark and Fire, unkillable but restrained nonetheless. It took countless lives and great sacrifice for the war to come to a close, but by that point irreversible damage had been wrought.

As Dark's counterpoint, Light eventually managed to seal both of them away within the Tree, never to be seen or heard from again. Fire was restrained and punished by the other Primes, but for immortal beings, the rift was mended after enough time for contemplation and remorse. With the loss of two Primes, the four that remained needed to work even harder to heal the damage caused by the war. From then on all tiers of Eternals were commanded to hide themselves away from the mortals, conducting their work from the shadows or in disguise. Eventually the Eternals became nothing more than myth or legend, tall tales told to children as they nodded off to sleep. The world is still fighting to regain its previous beauty, but once more united, the people are undergoing a journey of rebirth together.

The Age of Rebirth { present day }

Despite an overall unification and positive energy to move forward from the Dark War, the road was not impeccably smooth. Villains rose and fell as did heroes and floating cities. However, for the most part the mortals have fought hard to maintain peace without the direct intervention of the Eternals. Magic has long since worked its way into the bloodstreams of mortals and the world continues to advance. There are more good days than bad, and for that the people are thankful. But eventually a threat from beyond the scope of their universe will arrive, and the Eternals may be needed once more.

Biography

What does it take to win a war?

Intelligence? Weapons? Numbers?

No matter how much you prepare, if the odds are stacked against you the one thing you want on your side is...

Luck.

When you have the power to affect how the coin lands - and in this particular case the coin is a metaphor for a war that is literally tearing the world apart - your life and those close to you are suddenly in freefall. During the Dark War, Cori is the current Eternal of Luck and Fortune. Using her power, she can change the statistics of certain events occurring. The larger the potential ripple effect of an event, the more power it takes to sway the odds toward a particular outcome. On a deeper level, she can essentially manipulate fate to a certain extent. And like all of her predecessors, her magic is finite. But even knowing the constraints of her abilities, that didn't stop either side from aggressively pursuing her for their own cause. At the inception of the War Cori was living her life peacefully in the mortal realm, unaware of the growing tensions back in Eternia. Once the fighting breaks out and her partner is killed in the crossfire, she resolves to take a side and help end things for the sake of a peaceful future.

the beginning

Corianath was not an intended heir. The previous Eternal of Luck passed unexpectedly, and a small Draik was quietly born into the world one autumn night to commoner parents in the slums on the outskirts of Meridell. Poor and sickly, her mother passed shortly after giving birth leaving her to be raised by only her father - you could say it was pure luck that she survived infancy at all. Despite the shithole she grew up in (literally, it's a medieval city so you know the latrines were dug off the side of the road) Cori had an indominable spirit and could find joy in the smallest things. She obviously didn't have a lot growing up, so she learned to be thankful for what she did have and working to create her own happiness.

Around the age of five, on a subconscious level she realized sometimes when she really wanted something to happen, it usually did. Nothing big or life changing, but if she wanted to go play with her friends and the morning was wet and rainy, by afternoon it would clear up and the sun would be shining. She always chalked it up to coincidence and didn't give it a second thought. Eventually, her entire world would be turned upside down when their main water supply was corrupted, resulting in a plague sweeping through the slums. Her father eventually succumbed to the illness and for the first time in her life, Cori felt truly lost and alone without any hope. But Fate had not abandoned her.

The town was buzzing with excitement - an Eternal had come to save them! Not just any Eternal either, a Prime. Cori gathered with the other children, watching in amazement as the head of their district escorted a cloaked figure to the crumbling well everyone drew water from. It was a strange sight, for whomever this so-called all powerful "Prime" was, they were barely taller than herself. Cori was positive it was another child, but their face was covered by an odd looking mask so she couldn't tell for sure. Regardless, their abilities did all the talking: the Prime held out their hands over the well, a glowing light dripping downward into the depths. The liquid light grew brighter and brighter, almost to a painful point, before dissipating in a burst of glowing particles. The Prime motioned for the bucket to draw water and everyone could see how it came up crystal clear. The adults were crying and falling over themselves to thank the Prime, but the mysterious figure merely shook their head and made to leave. Cori's eyes trailed after them, widening in surprise when she was suddenly singled out. Even though the other was wearing a mask, Cori could feel their eyes locked across the crowd.

Later that evening as she sat out in a patchy field watching the sun set - prolonging the inevitable of returning to a cold and empty home that would most likely have to be sold to ensure someone would look after her - she felt a sudden shift of something beside her, only to find that she was not alone.

"Hi," a slightly muffled and quiet voice said.

"Hi." Cori tried to smile but it came out a bit strained.

The Prime sat down next to her, their hood still drawn up and mask on.

"Uhm-"

"Can you please take your mask off?" she interrupted. "It's a bit scary."

"O-oh, sorry." With the hood pulled back and mask removed, the face of a large-eyed Lutari with skin that rippled like the surface of water was finally exposed. He seemed uncomfortable and nervous, unsure of where to look.

"That's much better, isn't it?" Cori smiled genuinely, observing the other with interest. "You're just a child too," she said bluntly, tilting her head.

"A-actually," he stammered, trying to sit up taller and straighter, "I'm technically several thousand years old. But right now, yeah. I'm just a kid."

"Well, thank you for helping us. That was very nice of you."

The Lutari shrugged, kicking a loose rock free from the hard dirt. "It's my job." He looked up with a serious expression that was undermined by a shock of dark hair flopping across his face. "Which brings me to my point... are you aware of what you are?"

Cori blinked owlishly at him and shook her head vigorously, light curls flying back and forth over her shoulder.

"Well I don't know exactly either, although the Tree will clear everything up," he said, mumbling the last part mainly to himself. "But I can feel it with certainty. You are a newborn Eternal and should be among our kind to learn our ways."

Cori stared at him, her mouth hanging open in shock. Everyone knew the stories of the Eternals and their power to shape the world, how they were revered and praised - and she was supposed to be one of them? It didn't make sense. She threw her head back and laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "I'm sorry, but you definitely have the wrong person."

"I know it's hard to believe, but you have to trust me on this," the Prime said petulantly. "I don't have any reason to lie to you. Or is there something here holding you back?"

Cori bit her lip, turning away to look at the bloody sun until her eyes stung. "No," she answered eventually with a sigh.

"Then come with me. At least let me prove I'm right and then you can decide what to do from there." He held out his hand and looked at her expectantly.

Cori stayed silent for several moments, eyes jumping between the Prime's strangely guileless face - that was also almost on the verge of tears - and extended hand. "Father told me I'm not supposed to go with strangers," she said finally, raising one eyebrow in question.

"Oh!" the Lutari exclaimed sheepishly. "I'm Bera. What's your name?"

"Corianath, but you can call me Cori." She grinned brightly and took his hand.

Like Calls to Like

Under normal circumstances, an Eternal's heir is predetermined and raised knowing their destiny. But when the chain is unexpectedly broken, cases like Cori's occur. A majority of the time a newborn Eternal can be identified immediately - it's not hard when reports of a child being able to sprout mushrooms wherever they walk are circulated. However, in these edge cases there are of course the rarest scenarios where it is not apparent. And to get to the truth of the matter, the Tree of Life provides the answer.

When Bera brings Cori before the massive and ancient Tree, he explains how the branches map out the many lifetimes of the Eternals. Cori is instructed to fly around the Tree until she feels something call to her - Bera is kind of a shit teacher with his currently child-sized brain and can't describe it better than that. Cori thinks the whole exercise is ridiculous and silly but she does as he says, taking time to flit past the many branches, trying to feel something completely abstract.

But to her great surprise, one branch in particular does invoke a strange tugging in her chest. When she flies over to the branch with a look of trepidation and wonder on her face, at the end there's a bundle of fresh leaves that almost seems to be glowing. When she brushes her fingertips against the soft leaves, the strangest feeling of warmth and belonging nuzzles back. Bera floats over (how he is able to, Cori has no idea) and points out the ancient runes carved into the base of the branch. With a smile he reads it aloud: Luck and Fortune.

A Life Worth Living

Having accepted her identity, Cori is full of endless excitement over the prospects of her new life. She is curiosity, laughter, and mischief. There are few precedents for Eternals ascending as children without their predecessor's guidance and it is clear she can't live on her own in Eternia. But through mental gymnastics only a headstrong child is capable of performing, she basically decides that as her self-proclaimed new best friend, Bera should open his home - an extravagant mansion-temple hybrid befitting a Prime - to her. And being a shy, seven year-old doormat who is secretly over the moon to have acquired a best friend, not a follower or sycophant, Bera agrees.

Cori spends years learning about the Eternals and their history, their ancient runic language, and of course, her powers. Bera's libraries are vast and contain the answers to just about every question she can think of asking. She is a lively and turbulent child who basically treats one of the most powerful entities in the world as her sidekick, going off on stupid (and mildly dangerous) adventures which never fail to send his retainers to an early grave. Fun and spontaneity seem to be her main directives, with a heavy dose of thrill-seeking antics.

It's not until she is mentally in her late teens that she is ready (and somewhat mature enough) to return to the mortal realm and put her power to use. Although at their core Eternals have a lawful neutral alignment, there is a general expectation to uphold the balance for goodness and peace. She connects with the two lesser Eternals under her jurisdiction (Prosperity and Misfortune, each only capable of inflicting one or the other) for advice and takes inspiration from the personal writings of some of her predecessors. Cori eventually decides she will be the personification of the popular phrase Karma is a bitch.

Deeply enchanted by the world she saw so little of as a child, she spends a few centuries floating from place to place, setting up shallow roots before skipping town for her next adventure. (Many of which she strongarms Bera into joining her in, the poor guy can never say no to her.) Cori focuses on bestowing bad luck upon those she witnesses harming others and good luck to the unsung, ordinary heroes of every day. And in between it all, she embraces life. Unlike the other more iconic Eternals, Cori chooses a life of anonymity. She makes friends with the locals and learns their way of life - giving and taking luck as she sees fit. Every day for her is a pleasant surprise and she tries to make it the better than the last in some small way.

And as fate would have it, sometime in her seventh century, Cori falls in love with a mortal named Gabriel. While spending some time in Neopia Central, she meets a devilishly handsome Draik with the most charming smile and they get on like a housefire. Fun-loving, adventurous, witty, and kind-hearted, Gabriel is the perfect match for Cori and she's never been happier. His family owns a flower shop and Cori becomes enamored with all the different blooms (especially lilies) and their meanings. They spend five glorious but criminally short years together before the world falls to pieces around them. Unbeknownst to Cori who has sequestered herself in the mortal realm for centuries, the Dark War finally breaks out in Eternia and the violence trickles down like rivers of blood.

Gabriel is shocked to say the least, when he finds out the love of his life is an Eternal (and all but faints when her quiet and dorky best friend is a fucking Prime), but is steadfast and supportive, providing as much comfort and stability as he can offer. Bera is constantly fighting on the frontlines and passes on an alarming message that Cori is being desperately hunted by Dark so that they can harness her power. As the war begins to affect the mortal realm and Eternals are hunted down indiscriminately, the couple has no choice but to go into hiding. And in a bittersweet twist of fate, Cori finds out she is pregnant.

The war stops for no one and rages on, the body count climbing and both sides suffering heavy losses. In a rare, quiet moment marked only by unfettered joy, Cori gives birth to a son. He is a tiny thing that likes to be rocked to sleep and is a bright light during dark days. Cori and Gabriel decide to name him Edan and Bera can't stop crying when they ask him to be his godfather. Three days later, their safehouse is attacked. Caught off guard, Gabriel struggles to bar the door, giving Cori enough time to manage to escape with Edan in her arms. She sneaks back into Eternia and returns to her childhood home, the Palace of Water. Bera returns to the remains of the safe house to confirm what Cori already felt in the depths of her broken heart: Gabriel is dead.

At first Cori is consumed by grief, inconsolable and lifeless. But eventually her pain turns to rage, which blossoms into righteous fury. She is angry at herself for running away when what she should have done from the start was stand and fight. Her resolve is set and she finally steps up to join the war against Dark, as much as Bera is against it. Cori ends up agreeing to aid Light - the only Prime who can go toe to toe against Dark - in a sacrificial attempt to seal them both away within the Tree. Bera is distraught because he knows Cori will drain all her power to support Light, but she will not be dissuaded. If her life is the price to pay to end the war and ensure a safe and peaceful world for her son to grow up in, she will gladly pay it.

Before the final battle, she performs the ritual to declare Edan as her heir. However, she asks Bera to raise him in secret, with his status hidden from the world. Cori does not want him to ever get caught up in the politics of the Eternals and used for someone else's purposes. Keeping her loved ones in her heart, Cori meets up with Light and they enact their plan to trap Dark while Bera and Air overpower Fire. Bera feels a profound pain when his best friend is no more, but the war has been won. He laughs through salty tears, because he knows she would want everyone to smile.

Corianath



Introverted ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✦ Extroverted
Friendly ✦ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ Hostile
Curious ✦ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ Cautious
Organized ✧ ✧ ✧ ✦ ✧ Messy
Nervous ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✦ Confident
Passive ✧ ✧ ✧ ✦ ✧ Aggressive
Verbal ✧ ✧ ✧ ✦ ✧ Physical
Idealist ✧ ✦ ✧ ✧ ✧ Realist
Intuitive ✧ ✦ ✧ ✧ ✧ Logical

Corianath is simply put, a force to be reckoned with. She has a headstrong personality and laughs as deeply as she loves. As a child, she was always getting into trouble, either by sneaking into places she shouldn't be or playing pranks on others. She treats every day as if it is a special gift and loves to try new things. Cori is outspoken and extroverted, and has a bit of a short fuse. She can be hotheaded and her temper flares easily, but cools off just as quickly. She met Gabriel in his family's flower shop, where she later ends up working alongside with him, so flowers are extra meaningful to her. Lilies and good food are the fastest way to her heart, but she also has a major soft spot for baby animals.

Yujin's Thoughts

For me, Cori is an indulgent character that despite having a tragic ending, embodies happiness and joy. She is a study in living life to the fullest and carpe diem-ing the shit out of everything, and at her core has an exuberance that I envy greatly. I don't have a lot of overly positive or bright characters so this is kind of outside my wheelhouse (I am usually angst for days whoops) but I think important for me to explore. As a writer/artist, and as a human being as well. I've kind of fallen into the pit that is millennial self-deprecation and defeatist syndrome (also because I am simply ✨That Bitch✨) and sometimes you just need to buck up and be your own positive force for once. Cori represents a finding joy in small things and protecting what you love.

Plans

After writing a shit ton during 2020, I spent 2021 primarily drawing and reading as opposed to writing for myself. In 2022 I definitely want to write more, including about my Neopets (and all of my real life friends can fuck off if they make fun of me LOL). Since coming back to Neopets and of course joining Ether, I have revitalized my characters and organized where they fit into my overarching story line. As explained above, Cori and Bera primarily exist in the previous generation's timeline, which I want to explore more of through them as well as through the other Primes/Eternals. (Hooray for pet slots! 🥳) And of course, because I'm a sap, Cori's relationship with Gabriel. 🥺 Not just through writing, but art as well. 2022 👏 will 👏 be 👏 creative 👏!

I will say this upfront, however, that there is a 99.99% chance I will not BC Cori. Personally, I think it is a sham of a contest because it pretty much always devolves to spam advertisement and honestly? Fuck that. 🤷 I would much rather spend my time writing/drawing for myself than a week of camping out on the NeoBoards and stressing about getting votes. Anyways, Cori of course would go straight to my main account and stay there forever, right in between Bera and Edan. 💙 Also I absolutely will NOT separate Cori and her Bluna, because nothing pains me more than seeing aged petpets torn away from their pet after being together for over a decade. 😭 That is just not on! So instead I will probably opt to repaint her Bluna Faerie (rip my np lol) so that they are matching. 🤗️

Outro

And that's it! Thank you Taka for taking the time to read through my messy thoughts; I know it was probably fucking painful but I really appreciate you giving all of us the opportunity to adopt one of your babies and continue to shower them with love even after you've moved on. As someone who has permanent pets out the eyeballs - some of which I am coming up to almost twelve years of owning - I completely understand wanting the best for them and respect that you have the heart to believe that the answer could be with someone else. I wish you only the best in your future endeavors and look forward to still seeing you around Ether and Rainbow Pool when you have time. (= 💕