(The following is a description of a character that I originally used for roleplay, then for personal writing projects. I wrote this description circa 2010. Picture is by Sumire Iro, who seems to have disappeared from the internet altogether.)

Khora (no last name, though he is a descendent of the Stelleri tribe) is a teenaged anthropomorphic Steller's Jay. Khora is 5'9" and slightly stocky, with taloned feet and modified wings that function as arms and hands. His eyes are bright blue and usually covered with thick-rimmed glasses to remedy his poor eyesight. He has a penchant for striped hoodies (his green and yellow one being his favorite by far) worn over band t-shirts. Or ironic t-shirts. Or ironic band t-shirts. In an attempt to be trendy, he dyes the bangs of his shaggy black hair a vivid blue.

Personality and Hobbies

Khora is outgoing and generally amicable, though he has a difficult time acknowledging and respecting opinions that differ from his own. He has developed quite a few close friendships and is well-liked, but can be unreliable and flaky, especially when faced with a situation requiring him to put in effort. Dodging responsibility like it's a job has left him without a real one, though he gets by on money loaned from his parents and profits reaped from shady "transactions" as well as donations and advertisement dividends from his surprisingly popular music blog.

Though he may not seem too bright sometimes, Khora is actually quite intelligent. Besides sitting high in his class ranking, he also shows remarkable intuition for social dynamics and natural processes. Frequently "forgetting" due homework and test dates means his grades are a poor reflection of his natural insight. Additionally, he often acts without much foresight, finding himself in a tight spot with some frequency. His boundless optimism and energy as well as the support of his friends and family always pulls him through, however.

Khora learned to love music from an early age. His father's passion for classic rock made an impression on the young bird, and spinning records were a common sight in his childhood house. As he grew, Khora's eclectic nature and voracious appetite for new music led him to develop a refined taste, which he will not hesitate to foist upon friends, enemies, and passerby, willing or not. He's never seen without his headphones dangling around his neck and the distinctive rectangular bulge of a high-capacity iPod in his pocket.

Khora is open and unabashed about his frequent drug use. He uses marijuana frequently, often with friends, though sometimes alone. Wisely, he supports his habit by buying in bulk and selling off the excess at profit, generally breaking even on the deal. He's also no stranger to psychedelics, quantities of which he brings home from music festivals and trips into the city for shows. He is conscientious about his hobby, though, remaining in a safe environment on a safe dosage and avoiding the temptation to try "harder" or experimental drugs.

A few other hobbies have recently captured Khora's interest. Among them: 35mm photography, FPS video games (though he's unskilled), and vegetarian cooking.

History and Personal Life

Khora was born on the West Coast, somewhere in northern California. When he was four years old, his family moved across the country to settle in Pandora so that his father, Fides, could pursue a law practice. When Khora was six, his brother Ictus, nine at the time, was struck by a car and subsequently lost the use of his legs. His mother, Dulcis, suspended her career as a school counselor to care for her son. His father's long hours and frequent court dates coupled with his mother's focus on his handicapped brother led Khora to develop a fierce independence and a craving for attention at a young age.

The following year, Khora met his soon-to-be best friend Noelle Van Ulrich (Red Panda) in elementary school. Her quirky nature and disregard for proper "girly" etiquette intrigued him, and the two became fast, lasting friends. Fast forward to middle school, when the pair fell in with two other like-minded friends. Anthony Celliano (North American River Otter), a laid-back fledgling baseball star and Peter Amos (Komodo Dragon), a silent, but occasionally insightful artist both bonded immediately with Khora and Noelle. The posse of four have been inseparable since.

As previously mentioned, Khora is a descendant of the Stelleri tribe, a sort of "extended family" of Steller's Jay avians all assumed to be linked to a common ancestor. The official dogma of the tribe discourages interbreeding with other bloodlines or avian species, and expressly forbids interbreeding outside the avian branch. Currently, Khora's grandmother (lacking a name pronounceable by those untrained in traditional avian speech) heads the Stelleri tribe. A staunch conservative, she leads traditionally and inflexibly, at odds with Khora's progressive parents as well as Khora himself, who holds the ideal of personal liberty in high regard. She has recently come back into contact with the family in an attempt to urge Khora to marry within the tribe, much to his chagrin.