thuja

Thuja #2266

864.5 GP

she/hers
abnormal
driftwood original form
buoyant | scruffy
~the size of a wild pony, but has size-shift
driftwood (Thuja occidentalis)
tangled fishing line
accessory
tide elemental
controls the tides
enchanted osprey
auspicious aura
three enchanted wilson's plovers
birds of a feather, forager's favor, merry melody
coastal reserve | marine biome
the outerbanks

story & personality

Thuja was transformed from the driftwood of an ancient, primordial tree. She remembers being a tree, standing in a forest of her friends and family, birds nesting in her branches. Thuja remembers little about the details of her transformation, only feeling the years and years and years she spent adrift in the ocean, and suddenly coming into new consciousness at the feet of a grand and powerful esk.

Though her original size and splendor have been bleached by the sun and carved away by the ocean waves, her enthusiasm for life has not. Thuja is very happy-go-lucky, curious, and full of optimistic energy. She can most likely be found combing the beach for interesting shells, cleaning it of garbage, or surfing to shore with the tides. Thuja is happy to travel to other beaches around the world, and always makes friends wherever she roams. Some such friends include Rere, Piqua, Downsweep, and Lad!

She's still getting the hang of speaking. When she does, her voice is a ukulele cheerfully strumming in the late summer afternoon.

accessory, familiars, enchantments, & elemental

tangled fishing line

A thin string of fishing line looped and tied in thuja's driftwood. A single bobber always hangs from it. Thuja is almost always seen with this accessory, though every time she's seen with it, it seems to be tangled in a new way.

osprey (enchanted)

A single osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) is often found soaring around overhead, resting in tall pines, or perching on Thuja's driftwood. It is enchanted with Auspicious Aura, a power that brings luck and safe passage to travelers. This manifests as three pale dots above the osprey's head, arranged like a downwards-pointing triangle. Sometimes it may also simultaneously manifest above Thuja's head or by her eyespots. Her osprey is considered a large enchanted familiar for scoring purposes.

three wilson's plovers (each enchanted)

A trio of individual plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) are often seen skittering down the beach after Thuja, or ahead of her, getting into all sorts of hijinks. Each plover has a distinct personality...or so swears Thuja. Most outsiders would not be able to tell the trio apart, aside from their slight height differences. Each one also likes to manifest a specific enchantment dubbed Birds of a Feather, Forager's Favor, or Merry Melody. Birds of a Feather manifests as a single rose-toned dot of light above one plover's head, and draws more birds towards Thuja to roost. Forager's Favor manifests as a single gold-toned dot of light above one plover's head, and has the power to assist Thuja, esk, other beings, or other scavengers in uncovering treasures. (This is relative to what Thuja perceives as treasure, unfortunately for some.) Merry Melody manifests as a single pale dot of light above one plover's head, and its only effect is that projects a gently jaunty whistling tune. Though each plover favors one enchantment, they all can manifest the same one or any combination of the three at once. The enchantments may also be reflected on Thuja's form by appearing simultaneously by her eyespots. For scoring purposes, each plover is its own small enchanted familiar, not a swarm.

tide elemental

Thuja has the ability to manipulate the tides and control seawater. This ability does not manifest on her form, save for occasional splashes trailing behind her back fins, or water-damp driftwood.

appearances

You are free to incorporate Thuja into your stories: all art, writing, and interactions are welcome. She is a jovial esk whose joy comes from making and keeping friends. Thuja travels around quite often, bobbing from place-to-place via waterways. She is most comfortable in marine, coastal environments, or places oceans once were. Though she is known to wander, her favorite activity is hosting others in her beachside home. She will occasionally visit the Conservatory to meet up with friends.

transformations

Currently Thuja is available to be used for transformations or as a creator esk, story depending. Feel free to contact me on discord (snoodles#2090) or deviantart to ask!