Name: Ella Schuur

Age: 22

Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Hair Color: Blue-black

Eye Color: Hazel

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Skin Tone: Pale

Pubic Hair: Shaved

Distinguishing features: Scars on her wrists, usually covered by gloves, or long sleeves.

Height: 5' 5"

Weight: 110 lbs.

Bust: 34C

Waist: 22

Hips: 32

Background: Ella was born to Rita and Frank Schuur, in a suburb of New Orleans. Her mother died shortly after childbirth due to complications, leaving her in her father's care. Frank, a ship welder in the downtown dockyards, did the best he could by his daughter, leaving her in the care of neighbors, primarily elderly folks more than happy to watch her while he worked.

As she grew older, and began learning to speak, Frank was happily bemused to hear his daughter singing old songs she'd heard at her babysitters, primarily old, smooth jazz. No longer needing a watcher, yet still spending more time with the older neighbors than anyone her age, Ella turned out to be a rather odd duck among her schoolmates. While her peers were listening to rap and rock, she was crooning along to the songs of Etta James, Carmen McCrae, and her idol, Anita O'day.

In fact, the only real friend she made in her own age bracket was Thomas, a rather shy boy in the school band. One day during her junior year of high school, she found herself waiting long into the afternoon for her father to get off of work, with nothing to do but lounge around the school in the mean time, she wandered. Strangely, she could hear faint piano music drifting down an otherwise silent hallway. Curious she followed the sounds, to the choir room, and peeked around the door frame. She'd seen the boy before, but never spoken to him, but she couldn't stop a smile from crossing her face as she recognized the tune, and started softly singing along. Of course this startled the boy, but as such things tend to happen, the awkward meeting gave way to something special.

After graduating, Ella and Thomas, with her father's consent, moved into a small apartment uptown, and worked part time jobs while trying to get their jazz act into clubs. Slowly, but surely, they made a modest name for themselves, building a local following in the city, quite an achievement considering the sheer number of musicians in the Big Easy. Sadly, things were not meant to be so happy for the pair.

The third year after they moved in together, the couple were assaulted in their apartment, by a drug addict looking for cash. Thomas was shot during the robbery and bled to death while the robber fled the scene. Traumatized by the loss of her partner in both music, and in love, Ella fell into a deep depression, eventually attempting suicide. Her father, distraught, but unable to do anything for her, suggested she use the money he'd squirreled away towards her marriage to go to school, as she'd pushed further education aside in favor of her music. Lacking any other direction in her life, Ella agreed, choosing the farthest away school, hopefully to start over fresh. Sadly, the farthest school away happened to be a certain all girls university...

These Walls Keep Talking

Psychological Profile: Overall, a happy-go-lucky girl, lately tarnished by the loss of Thomas. The core is still intact, and given time she'll likely be her old saucy, cheerful self. Has a bit of an issue with the scars from her suicide attempt, and tries to keep them hidden when possible. She's deeply ashamed that she tried, and wouldn't consider it again.

Personality: Attempts to emulate her idols, with a soft, sultry air to her words, and a relaxed almost lazy way of carrying herself. She loves a good time, and usually doesn't let the little problems in life even phase her.

Virgin? No.

Piercing or Tattoos: A piercing in each ear, nowhere else. A small tattoo of a tabby cat on her lower back, just above her tail bone.

Language: English.

Likes: Jazz, wine, and spicy food. Enjoys just lounging in the shade, reading a trashy romance novel.

Activities: Swimming, occasionally jogging. Has been teaching herself to play the piano, but isn't very good yet. She nearly constantly is singing or humming to herself. Otherwise, likes to read, and cook.

Magic? None.

Pictures In order. 1. Ella in her performance dress. 2. Ella in a casual dress. 3. Ella in her bathrobe.

Welcome to the Campus, I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances for that lovely voice to be heard.

A jazz singer? How cool Welcome aboard!

Nightbringer::> Thank you for the welcome. I just hope she doesn't go hoarse from screaming.

PiaM::> Glad you like her! And thank you.


And a general question. What's a good way to start here?

Huh, that's one interesting character, actually.

And... I believe most make their first foray into Shokushu a, er, rapetastic experience. But there's really no general way to go about it. Feel free to PM any of the members here for a RP or even make an Open thread, I'm quite sure someone would be glad to hop in and have fun.

We have a lot of hoppers, you see... Welcome to the campus, by the way! I certainly hope your stay here will be memorable!

Thank you Obsidian.

I've got one thread started now, going to see how it goes, but I think I can handle another, if someone wants to start one? I'm not quite confident enough to ask a specific person yet. ::shy::

That's adorable.

Thanks.

Prof. Mags loves that music. That's a very good character you've got there...

Thank you, and he's not the only one. ::raises her hand::

She's heavily based on myself, as I'm not terribly imaginative.

Hell, I've learned that some pretty awesome characters are made because the author draws on himself or herself.

Here's hoping this is one of those cases. ::crosses fingers::

Well, at least you've a good start. I thought she'd have gotten raped by that guy, Thomas, or abused by her father. It's a good touch, those characters.

I wanted her to be fairly normal before arriving, and I figured her partner/lover being murdered in front of her was more than enough trauma to get on with.

I don't really know why, but I like playing a "normal" character in a bizarre situation. Sure, I could make her a witch, or a heavily abused basket case, but then where does she go from there? I wouldn't know how to proceed. I'm kind of cheating, I suppose. Now, I can just have her react approximately like I could see myself reacting.

Well, the trend for students, is that some people who want to RP as them make them as fantastic (witches, rich girls, ninjas, etc.) as possible. They're thrown into all these fantastic situations before they get here. In a way, It's a way of shaping the reactions of their characters or maybe living vicariously.

But because Ella's grounded in reality... Well, she's among the most 'normal' students on the island...