Cornell Shank

Physical Appearance

• Long black hair usually in a ponytail over left shoulder
• Blue eyes
• Tall in height
• Physically fit with a decently muscled build
• Light brown skin, although he usually has a thorough tan
• Piercing in right ear
• Gill slits in neck
• Razor sharp teeth
• Rough patches of skin on arms where fin ridges can grow out of

Clothing Style

Cornell tends to stay within the traditional pirate style, usually dressing in more extravagant or embellished "pirate lord" looking jackets and accessories. His favorite colors for his outfits are reds and blacks with gold and white accents. He has a rather large collection of coats and hats, most of which are over the top like his personality. However he doesn't wear these regularly and saves them for special occasions or for times when he just feels like being a little more ridiculous than usual. His most common outfit (and also his simplest outfit for day to day activities) includes a white shirt with a cross stitched collar and loose, long sleeves that tie off at the wrists; this is worn under a red jacket with a high collar and gold trim. He tends to wear black pants that are looser above the knee where it becomes form fitting around his shins to his ankles. He then wears knee high, black leather boots with gold embellishments. Quite often he wears whatever treasures he's stolen recently and is most proud of, especially any kinds of amulets or necklaces. The only time he doesn't wear something in this pirate style/theme is when he's home relaxing, and then he'll actually wear some more "modern" looking casual wear.

No matter what variation of outfit he may be wearing however, he will always wear a red scarf as a headband that also holds his ponytail in place. He also never takes off the gold medallion his mother gave to him and each of his other siblings, most often keeping it tucked under his shirt.

Personality

Cornell is an cheery and over-the-top pirate captain with all the energy to take on the oceans of Aaquanixie. He has a rather theatrical and over-dramatic personality, and most people who encounter him know him as loud, social, a little childish and a bit touchy-feely sometimes. Cornell is very much an extrovert and prefers to have some kind of contact with most people he's interacting with, either once during a conversation or throughout the whole interaction. Strangers usually get a handshake or something similar, acquaintances might get something more personal like a shoulder or arm touch, but people who are close with Cornell should expect a hug on sight and him being up in your personal bubble most of the time. He's capable of easing back on the personal-space-invasion though, but he might take a while to change his habits. For a pirate, he might seem a bit odd and too goofy, but he's the type that keeps a smile even when he's threatening someone. He acts by only his own whimsy, likes to take whatever he wants, and tends to take almost everything far too casually. He's capable of handling important responsibilities, but in general he can be rather irresponsible and unreliable for more minor matters. He seems to thoroughly enjoy his independence and doing whatever he wants, and anyone who tries to impede him is just a spoilsport or a party pooper. 

Cornell is very confident in himself and doesn't seem to get embarrassed by anything, even his failures or mistakes; for this reason he's very affectionate and childish around his family even in public. He always seems to be rather loud and usually speaks his mind whenever he thinks of something, and he tends to overreact and exaggerate just to make things more interesting. This is obvious since he's a compulsive liar and tends to tell stories about ridiculous escapades that actually did happen but he adds the most unnecessary details to it to make it even more absurd, just because. As a pirate captain, he has a seemingly carefree demeanor but actually runs a pretty tight shift. He always seems to be cheery, but his crew has learned to never take this as him being light-hearted. He doesn't take insubordination and will cheerily shoot people that threaten mutiny in the face without hesitation. Only people that fit to his ship's needs and can work with his peculiar personality and methods will live in his crew. He may be friendly and reasonable sounding, but he and his pirate crew have no qualms about raiding and plundering towns. Most people who know him well also note that he can be rather absentminded and tends to forget things easily, but regardless of this he always puts passion into whatever goal he may be pursuing.

Abilities

• Watyr rifting - rank 1/5
• Skilled with firearms and swords (particularly pistols and cutlasses)
• Underwater breathing and faster movement/mobility while swimming
• Has the expected knowledge and skill set of a competent pirate captain (such as ship care/maintenance/supplying, navigation, giving orders, etc)
• Skilled at singing, whistling, and dancing

Strengths

• Confident, energetic, and optimistic
• Uplifting, easy to talk to, and friendly
• Creative, bold, and seemingly fearless
• Despite his piracy, he can be very generous and compassionate to people who are less well off/struggling

Weaknesses

• Immature, irresponsible, and a little too carefree
• Compulsively steals and lies about the oddest things
• Loud, a bit annoying at times, and sometimes too energetic
• Although he can come through for important tasks, he's generally unreliable with smaller things and a bit forgetful/absentminded

Backstory

Cornell was the first child of the Shanks that gave his parents headaches trying to look after. Always full of energy and curious about everything, Cornell often got himself into trouble in and out of the house. He was fascinated with the vast ocean just outside their coastal home, and he dreamed of becoming a pirate and living a thrilling life of exploration and plundering. No one really took his fantasies seriously except for his older brother, Argent, during their late teen years when Cornell still talked about it as his goal. Most of them would've said that Cornell was too flighty and friendly to handle such a lifestyle, and although very close with his mother, she'd often scold him for his reckless behavior. Cornell was also very injury prone during his childhood (and still is to a degree), and he grew rather close to Cyan and gave her plenty of practice for her medical dreams.

After Argent left home to enlist in the Marshal Guard, Cornell purchased a ship with his saved up allowances from his parents and also some riches he "acquired." He named the vessel the Ragnarok in honor of his deceased father. Over the years, Cornell hired numerous crew members until he finally found a bunch that would put up with his eccentric personality and remain loyal to him. Although he gained a reputation as a notorious pirate captain of Aaquanixie, Cornell never stole from his home region and tended to steal from other pirates and criminals instead to indirectly help out Argent and the Marshal Guard.

Currently Cornell continues to terrorize the distant seas of Aaquanixie, regularly returning to his home region to visit his family and give back to his community through his collected riches. He often visits his younger brother, Shrike, and provides him rides back home when he needs them, and he also regularly encounters Argent on the seas, somehow avoiding getting in trouble with the law.

Trivia:

Associated song and imagined voice, minus the English accent - Kids Again