Shyamali Das

[Shyamali Das]

The Basics

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Name: Shyamali Das
Nicknames: Mali, Mal
Age: 31
Orientation: Heterosexual
Desired Rank/Job: Local- Lawyer
Powers: Power Mimicry
Play By: Bipasha Basu

The Details

Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Any Piercings? Just her ears
Any Tattoos? None
Any Scars? 3 small (one inch) scars on her lower abdomen from an appendectomy.
General Appearance: When she isn't working, Shyamali can usually be seen in jeans and elegant tops, though she will occasionally opt for the more comfortable t-shirts. A new fan of sweatpants, Shyamali has only recently discovered just how comfortable they can be. Very rarely will she be seen in skirts (unless they're for work) and those shameless low-cut tops that all teenage girls seem to be infatuated with. Despite her physical appearance, Shyamali isn't exactly on good terms with miniskirts and tight clothing; a woman shouldn't have to worry about anything ripping when she picks a pencil off the floor. Make-up is always minimal: lipstick and eyeshadow, along with eyeliner on some days. The same goes for jewellery, especially since Shyamali always fears she'll lose something.

Pencil skirts and blouses are what she wears to the office, court, and to meet clients. A firm believer in that occupations should not police what woman wear, Shyamali must ditch this ideology when stepping into the workplace. It's either plain colours, flats (and if you feel a bit daring, the occasional closed-toe heels), and minimal jewellery (which, in all honesty, she's thankful for) or be fired. Of course, this isn't always the case. Like in New York. Not that Shyamali plans on moving anytime soon.

As her name implies, Shyamali has a dusky skin tone. As a child, she was considered "unattractive" because of this, but as time went on, this apparent unattractiveness became evident beauty. Her hair colour, which is naturally a dark brown, is currently a lighter shade of the colour, almost matching that of her eyes. Shyamali's eyes are also her most distinctive feature, apart from her deep sultry voice, and she attributes this to her Bengali heritage. Shyamali stands at a somewhat impressive height of 5'9" and weighs 132 pounds. Originally only 115 pounds, she has recently developed an interest in fitness and exercising (her parents assume it's a coping method for her infertility) and this has lead to her becoming extremely physically fit along with gaining some extra pounds, all of it being pure muscle.
Personality: Behind the beautiful appearance is a short temper. A very short temper. Shyamali is quick to anger and can find even the smallest of things to be extremely irritating. As a child, she would express her distaste for everyone and everything without any hesitations--she once told a man to quietly chew his gum or she'd strangle him with it--but has started, or at least attempted, to become more patient now that she's an adult. Living with her seventeen year old nephew, however, tends to challenge this new change and Shyamali has started to find herself becoming irritated for no reason at all. He's just so...irritating. And immature. And disobedient. But she still loves him, which is why she finds him so annoying. When approached, Shyamali won't immediately tell you what she doesn't like about someone. At least, not anymore. Now, the woman bites her tongue before saying anything that would come off as "impolite" or "bitchy." Sometimes it works, other times it only makes things worse.

When you go past Shyamali's short temper, you'll find a caring, compassionate, and extremely maternal woman. It's as if she was created just to be a mother. Ironically, it turned out she's infertile--this is also why she's starting to become more and more irritable--and while she can't have children of her own, she plans on adopting soon. If, that is, none of the treatments work. Along with her maternal nature is her compassion, which knows no bounds. You may be one of those people who sets off her temper, but if you're ever upset or worried or anything of the sort, she'll come running to your aid with a box of tissues and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. When comforting someone, it's as if her anger just disappears. To the person she's helping, that is. If an outsider were to walk in and do anything that Shyamali doesn't like, she'll give them a death stare until they leave. And with her Bengali eyes, the death stare is all that more effective.

After running away from her own wedding, Shyamali has become what some would call romantically "dead." The woman has simple given up on love; is there really any point to it? Even harmless flirting seems like a chore and she'll avoid it at all costs. Once someone initiates it, Shyamali will either attempt to change the topic or discreetly leave the situation. The latter is usually the most effective, though it's also cost her some potential friendships. She's even stopped watching any and all romantic movies, choosing to now go with the horror genre. At least it shows things like they are: happy endings are very, very rare. Sure, you may have escaped the chainsaw-wielding maniac for now, but he'll come back for you. And he'll get you this time, too.

Your Vices

Likes:

• Children
  
• Baking
  
• Her hair (when you see and feel it, you'll know why)
  
• Helping others
  
• Coffee (she's an addict and she admits it)
  
• Working (it's a great distraction from reality)
  
• Exercising
  
• Morning jogs
  
• Being healthy (the better you feel, the better things may seem)
  
• Naresh (her nephew)
  

Dislikes:

• Romantic movies
  
• Junk food
  
• Slugs (even the name makes you want to vomit)
  
• People who do anything that irritates her (the list is quite long)
  
• Short and tight clothing
  
• Being called "ma'am" (she's only 31, not 50)
  
• Procrastinators
  
• Infertility clinics (they only remind her of the truth)
  
• Careless mothers
  
• Keeping Up With The Kardashians (it's stupid and useless and makes her want to scream forever)
  

Strengths:

• Baking
  
• Trilingual (English, Bengali, and Hindi)
  
• Compassionate/maternal
  
• Excellent with children
  
• Working
  

Weaknesses:

• Flirting
  
• Connecting with Naresh
  
• Chocolate (it's her guilty pleasure)
  
• Coffee (she can't live without it)
  
• Workaholic
  
• Slugs (anything that sounds as disgusting as it looks, really)
  

Fears:

• Ending up alone (she may not believe in love, but she doesn't like being lonely)
  
• Failing to connect and bond with Naresh
  
• Remaining infertile
  
• Gray hair
  

Secret: Shyamali is infertile. She also ran from her own wedding.

Family Ties

Father: Kaushik Das, 61
Mother: Paromita Das, 59
Siblings: Anima Das, 35 (sister)
Jaydev Das, 33 (brother)
Any Other Important People: Vijay Das, 87 (paternal grandfather; deceased)
Naresh Das, 17 (nephew)

History

The youngest child of Kaushik and Paromita Das, Shyamali was born in the city of Durgapur to a middle-class family. Her father was an engineer while her mother was a journalist, although she quit her job when the Das children reached their teenage years. With Anima being as careless as she was and Jaydev always going out with his friends, someone had to take care of the children. And it certainly couldn't be the youngest child, so Paromita sacrificed her career. As a child, Shyamali was the most responsible of the three children, though she was also the most temperamental. The arguments between her and her siblings, especially Anima, were countless. They didn't last long and everything would return to normal, although Anima began to resent Shyamali for her short temper as she aged.

When Shyamali was ten, the Das family moved to Calcutta and everything suddenly changed. There were more people, more traffic, and more everything. But the one thing that didn't change was the Durga Puja. An annual festival that celebrated worship of the goddess Durga, it was something Shyamali loved dearly. It was as if the entire city became one big family, with everyone smiling and laughing. In fact, it was the only thing Shyamali looked forward to every year. At the age of twelve, after a routinely blood test, it was revealed that Shyamali was a meta. The Das family wasn't sure how to react; Kaushik and Paromita were surprised, Jaydev couldn't hold in his excitement, and Anima could care less about it. Soon, representatives from Padhaii Guni, a school for metas, visited the Das household and told the family everything they needed to know. Once they were done, Shyamali's parents only had one question: were there other schools? All they wanted for their children were good educations, and if the opportunity ever came up where they could attend the best schools, they would take it. And so they did. After the representatives disclosed that there were many schools in different countries, Paromita and Kaushik agreed that it was best if Shyamali went to school in Vermont, the Hammel Institute. She could attend Harvard or Stanford or even Princeton. Shyamali was shocked; why was this happening? Why was she being forced to leave her family. What about the Durga Puja? And Jaydev and Anima? But her parents would have none of it. Shyamali was going to Vermont. Within the next few hours, she was on a plane, leaving everything behind.

Upon arrival, Shyamali was told the exact details of her power: through the use of it, she could effectively mimic the powers of other metas. She didn't find that to be of any interest, partly because she missed her family and home and partly because she didn't plan on interacting with the other students and teachers. Her accent was the reason. It wasn't that her accent was thick, but that it was simple there. She had an accent and it made her feel very self-conscious. Back in Calcutta, Shyamali spoke English frequently and didn't have any trouble with it. But here, in Vermont, she was dealing with people whose first language was English, which meant they would probably correct her when she made mistakes. It made her feel ashamed; what if they laughed? So for the first few months, Shyamali remained silent. Then came one student who decided she wanted to speak with the new girl. As it turned out, her English wasn't so bad after all. No one corrected her or even commented on the accent. Shyamali became more sociable and soon forgot how depressed she had once been. She enjoyed the next few years immensely, although there were some surprises. Like when she called her mother and discovered that Anima had become pregnant at the age of seventeen and planned on moving to England with her boyfriend. And when she came back a year later, a baby in her arms and her boyfriend nowhere to be seen. Then there was Jaydev, who planned on joining the Indian military after graduating from high school, which he eventually did. But Shyamali didn't let this bother her. She graduated from Hammel and then attended Harvard on a scholarship. After graduating with a degree in law, she planned on joining a large law firm, although fate had different plans for her. A few days after graduation, she received a call from her father: her grandfather was dead.

Shyamali and her grandfather had been very close and the news of his death shocked her. She immediately booked a flight to India and attended the funeral, all the while comforting her family. It was here that she also met her nephew, Naresh. Like his mother, he was extremely careless, though he also had a resentment towards everyone around him that was both frightening and irritating. And then, when Shyamali planned on returning to her new home, Kaushik Das fell ill. Very ill. Jaydev was overseas and Anima couldn't be trusted, so Shyamali stayed back. Their mother no longer had a job and the same went for Anima, which meant only Shyamali could pay for his treatment. So she joined a much smaller law firm and worked constantly in order pay all the bills. Then came Abhijit. He swept Shyamali off her feet and they began dating. Then engaged. And before anyone knew it, she had become engaged. By now, Kaushik had become healthy once again, and he was pleased with the marriage proposal. Shyamali was thirty-one; it was about time she settled down. The only problem was Abhijit's parents. Overall, they were lovely people, but they were also traditionalists and expected Shyamali to quit her job and take care of the house. She, on the other hand, planned to work even on her deathbed. So she chose to ignore this warning. Until the wedding day, that is.

As she was being dressed, Shyamali's parents walked into the room and revealed that they were worried for her. She had worked so hard for her degree and now it was all going down the drain. But she wasn't worried at all. Abhijit had promised they would live separate from his parents, which meant she could keep her job. That was when Kaushik told her of the conversation they had had with his parents. They knew nothing of this and would make sure of it that both of them lived at home. Their home. That was when it hit Shyamali.

She was getting married.

She was going to live in India once again. For her entire life.

And her in-laws were traditionalists.

Shyamali began to have a nervous breakdown. This was it. This was the end of her career and her dreams. Kaushik and Paromita attempted to comfort their daughter. Perhaps they could convince Abhijit to talk to his parents, or even ask him to hold off on the wedding for now. But Shyamali had other ideas. She was going to make a break for it. Leave India and return back to America. Back to Pilot Ridge. Her parents were initially surprised and did everything they could to change her mind, but they were all futile attempts. So they reluctantly agreed and promised Shyamali they would speak with Abhijit and his parents. She quickly changed into something more comfortable and packed her bags. Just as she was about to leave, Naresh approached his aunt and asked if he could join her. He, too, was a meta and wanted to transfer to the Hammel Institute. All he wanted to do was leave India and start a new life. An independent life. Anima didn't give a damn about what he did, so Shyamali told him to pack his bags. She was sick and tired of her sister ignoring her son and acting as if he was a burden instead of her child. Soon, they were both on a plane to Vermont.

After landing in Pilot Ridge, Naresh planned on staying at the Hammel Institute. Shyamali, however, had different plans; he was now her responsibility and she planned on making sure he didn't end up like his mother. So she bought a house near the Institute and then joined another, larger law firm. Everything seemed to be working out--sure, she didn't exactly believe in love anymore, but at least she had her career--and Shyamali was enjoying life once again. Until an exam by her gynacologist revealed they she was, in fact, infertile.

Shyamali has now been in Pilot Ridge for the past few months. Aside from the failed wedding, Naresh's hatred of her, and the infertility secret, everything's fine. It really is. Sort of.

Roleplay Example

"Father?"

The word itself was odd, but saying it was even stranger. She had never had a father- at least not one that she knew of. Azar had mentioned something about how a powerful demon was responsible for bringing Raven into this world. The mystic had not explained how he had done this or even why he had done this. Why would anyone, especially a demon, want to bring her into this world? Granted, there were rumors going around about her potential for greatness, but Raven had simply dismissed them. After all, her mother was a human. Didn't that neutralize any potential for greatness that she had?

"Yes, child. Your father. He is coming. I can feel the dimensions being torn apart as he nears Azarath."

Azar and Raven had been meditating when the older woman apparently sensed a powerful and dark presence. She had immediately brought herself back to reality and had told Raven to do the same. Having been raised to control her emotions, the girl had merely opened her eyes and had given Azar a blank look. What did that mean? Was it of great importance? Raven didn't know. Even if she knew who her father really was- what he was capable of- her expression would have been the same. An unemotional empath. How ironic.

"We must be prepared, child. Go forth and call the Monks of Azarath. They shall inform you of what necessary actions you must take."

Raven paused for a moment, the blank look still on her face. Was she supposed to be worried? Frightened? Angry? How was she supposed to react? Raven wanted to search for the right emotions, but all she could find was a void. She slowly turned around and began to slowly walk towards the temple when a strange sound filled the air. It was as if someone was sucking all the air out of the atmosphere. Raven once again turned around and watched as a portal of swirling purple energy appeared. From this portal came a being that was anything but human. Red skin, black eyes, and frightening horns. It was a demon, but Raven was unsure of why Azar was so shocked. It was just a demon.

"Where is she, mystic? Where is my offspring?"

So this was her father. He was not what Raven had expected him to be, though she did feel something strange pulsate through her body. She had never felt something like this before and was unsure of what it was. It made her want to break an object or speak very loudly. What was that called again? Yelling? Raven couldn't recall. She looked up at the demon, the same unemotional and blank look plastered on her face.

"Father? What is...a father?"

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What About You?

Name: Vi
Age: 19
Experience: A few years now.
How Did You Find Us? Recommended by Jita (former member)
Ready To Play? Yes. No. Maybe so. (I can rhyme!!!)

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[Shyamali Das]

Feeeeeneeeeeshed!!

[Admin!]

Accepted!

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Welcome to the Hammel Institute! Go do your CLAIMS and then check out the open threads (they're located on the sidebar, under the group chat) and then have fun!
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