Character Name: Yurik Gloin

Age: 50

Gender: Male

Height: 5'10

Build: Very thin and lanky, a bit underweight.

General Appearance: Yurik's eyes are heavy and highlighted with crow's feet and wrinkles and they are sunken into his skull. His skin is tanned and taut, his hands and feet are stained with soil and covered by callouses.

His beard and hair are untamed and bushy and have become salt and pepper colored over the years. His wild and bushy hair falls to the bottom of his shoulders at its longest and just past his chin at its shortest. His bushy beard tickles his collarbone.

His nose is long and sharp, appearing more as a beak than a nose. His lips are paper thin and chapped and this is not helped by him constantly licking them. Yurik's ears are small and round. His clothing is a simple pair of black slacks that have been browned by his laboring and an old originally white tunic that has been repaired with patches over the years.

Personality: Yurik is a gentle, quiet man. He enjoys peace and solitude, but also likes pleasant company and good conversation. Yurik is very likable, hard working man who wishes to better himself in fortune and spirit. He is quite optimistic and always looks for a brighter outlook on any situation.

History: Yurik was raised by a traveling group of musicians. They were never paid well, they mostly played on street corners for small tips. Yurik inherited a small flute from a former member of his parents' group and he taught himself to play the flute, the lute, the accordion, the fiddle and to sing after observing the many people he has watched play.

After several years, Yurik broke away from the traveling group and took up laboring on farmsteads for a hot meal and shelter. While working in the fields, his infectious optimism and the whistling of songs were caught by the other laborers. Yurik came to find that his singing and whistling greatly improved the amount of work every person accomplished daily.

Feeling his age catching up with him, Yurik took to the road, singing for his supper and enjoying the stories and songs of other travelers. Along his way to nowhere, word of the great city reached him and Yurik's feet pointed in the direction of the city. What better place to perform for loose change and get to hear tales of people's lives and other faraway lands you have yet to travel through? More than anything Yurik looks forward to lifting people's spirits with music and stories and meeting many new people in the city.

---

Harlen tapped his skeleton like fingers on his desk, finger nails picking at the dark stained oak in a bored fashion. Raising one hand to his face, he took a sip from his cup of tea, the only thing currently getting him through the day. "Another immigrant," the middle-aged man's tone was low and a little brittle. Looking towards the clock he finally got up and walked out into the waiting area of the Immigration Centre of Krung Thep. "Yurik Gloin," Harlen spoke the persons name like it were completely alien.

Yurik stood with an enthusiastic smile painting his face. He bowed slightly, "Pleased to meet you, good sir. I'd give you my name but you already know it." He raised from bowing, anxious to migrate into the city and assimilate with a whole new world.

"Oh, well that's quite alright," Harlen stuttered out, not used to such manners. "Please come in." Upon collecting himself he moved to the side and allowed Yurik to enter the office. "Have a seat," as the man entered he closed the door and pointed to the chair facing the desk. Taking his own seat he began to shift through some papers. "Thank you for making this meeting since I know it was on short notice."

Yurik took the seat that was offered to him. He folded his hands in his lap and spoke softly, "You're busy, I understand. Giving timely notice to everybody who wishes to enter the great city cannot be an easy task."

"Indeed." Harlen began to struggle to find the correct forms. "I trust that your journey here was pleasant?" He tried to make casual chat as he hunted for the illusive sheets, when he finally found he brought them out and spread them across the desk like a wave of white.

"It was quite pleasant, thank you," Yurik responded jovially. "All of the faces and places and getting to know everybody's back story where they've been, where they're going and where they want to go..." he trailed off as his eyes fell to the paperwork that was spread out on the desk.

"First off I just need to double check that English is your first language," Harlen spoke from beneath his hair, pushing his glasses back up his nose as he began to scrawl down something. "If not a translation device can be provided." Picking out the correct sheet, he placed the tip of his pen on the page, ready to tick the correct box once his query had been answered.

Yurik nodded in agreement. "It is my first language, indeed." He straightened his posture.

"Then this shouldn't take too long." Harlen ticked the correct box and placed his pen down, giving Yurik his complete attention as he began the mandatory questioning process. "To start off with I need some general details, just so we have them on file." The man pushed a small piece of paper across the desk and then recollected his pen, though his eyes didn't leave the slight man facing him. "You're full name is Yurik Gloin?" Harlen began to scribble away. "50 years of age and born in," he stopped. "I don't seem to have the location of your birth here." Another pause from Harlen. "Or your occupation and marital status, can you please inform me of them?"

Yurik sat forward, crossing his right leg over his left. "I was raised as a musical performer, I have worked as a farmhand and I perform every now and again for some spare change." Yurik began stroking a hole in the leg of his trousers as he tried to articulate his thoughts. "I am single. And I was raised on the road, since my parents were traveling performers."

Harlen wrote down what Yurik said and then continued his questioning. "Do you have any children? Travelling with you or living apart from you I mean." He clucked his tongue in displeasure as the pen he wrote with suddenly ran out of ink. "Oh dear," the man grumbled to himself before flicking it in bin and beginning the hunt for a fresh one.

"I do not have children." Yurik replied. His eyes began to wander around the room when he realized that there was in fact a chance that he wouldn't be admitted into the city. He bit his lip nervously, curious if he occupation or marital status could possibly be points against him.

Harlen's office was as empty and lacking in charisma as he was himself. There was the desk they were both currently stationed at, the chairs they occupied, cabinets lining the back wall, a bookcase by the door, and then nothing but stacks of files. No personal items littered the area, nothing remarkable at all. "No, children," the guy muttered under his breath as he wrote it down, having finally found a living pen. "Any family in the city?"

Yurik answered sincerely, "I don't know of any family in the city. I do help to build a life there, and find people I can call my family." He smiled as his own thought warmed his heart.

"I only ask because we need to be certain that you have housing within the city." Having noted the mans anxiety earlier, Harlen aimed to try and ease him a little. Yurik was seemingly genuine and a far cry from his usual 'guests', thus he found himself a little warmed by his presence. "Do you, erm, have a place to stay within the city?" He paused before continuing. "Because if not we can provide you one for the time being."

Yurik frowned. "I don't have any prior arrangements for housing." He hadn't even considered the need for a residence having been so used to traveling around.

"Well there are many Government properties you can stay in, in fact I do have a booklet here, somewhere," Harlen's sentence faded out towards the end as he rolled backwards on his chair and began to go through the draw of the cabinet behind him. "Ah, here we go," he held out the small booklet for Yurik to take. "I would recommend you take a look at it quickly, it's nothing grand but it'll keep you safe till you find a job."

"That would be most appreciated,"Yurik said gratefully as he accepted the booklet. He opened it and began thumbing through it, stopping on pages that appealed to him. The places that were available were quaint and cozy and they all had a warming aura. "I like how homey they are," he remarked as he flipped a page.

"I suppose they are," Harlen didn't really make a habit of visiting the places so just agreed. "Once you have signed up here I can fill out an application form for you, then all you need to do is drop it off at reception and she will allocate you to a building area." He went back to tapping his pen. "Once you have been allocated such you can visit the place and be given your room, there shouldn't be any issue but if there are you can contact me on this number," Harlen quickly wrote down his office line and slide it across the desk towards Yurik. "You'll get straight through to me."

"It'll be fun! Amazing!" Yurik's eyes twinkled with glee. "I do hope I can call this my new home," he said enthusiastically.

"Erh," Harlen raised an eyebrow at the mans over zealous behavior. "Well anyway, moving on." His eyes quickly flit down to the sheets below and then back up to Yurik's. "Please tell me, in as much detail as possible of course, why you decided to move here?" He wondered what Yurik's intent was, the man was polite and respectful but didn't seem like the type of person to move into a big city, he appeared more of a traveler.

Yurik looked thoughtful for a moment. He began stroking his chin as he searched his mind for the best way to articulate his desires and hopes that involved the great city. "Well, I enjoy meeting new people and going to new places. There are so many places to hear of from others who have immigrated to the city from places far and wide. I hope to hear of these wonderful places and to learn the stories of everybody around me." He smiled, dropping his hands back into his lap and folding them. "Staying in one place is a new adventure to me. As is trying to brighten the days of others with a simple tune or a tale of things I have seen and done." With a hopeful sigh he dropped his gaze to the floor. "I hope to meet people that I can assimilate into my family as well, as my parents once did." Yurik tried to recall everything he had said. He hoped he had done himself some justice with his explanation.

"While your intentions are admirable, Yurik," Harlen felt the need to make a small point. "I would suggest you enter the city with a little more caution, an open mind can let in all sorts of troubles, and it pains me to say that Krung Thep is home to a large variety of people," he paused. "And not all of them are as nice as you." He found it hard to imagine this man dealing with some of the criminals, but then that wasn't Yurik's job and he seemed wise enough to stay away from those kinds. "But there are also good times to be found and I am sure you will enjoy yourself." Harlen smiled lightly at the man but then coughed quickly to disguise it. "You also seem to know a few people in the city already, is that correct?"

Yurik nodded briefly. "I believe so. I have at least heard of some familiar faces trying to enter the city. I have not received word of if any of my old friends have made it, however."

"Well there are to be celebrations and parties within the city, that might be a good place to start, if you're friends are the celebrating sort." Harlen took off his glasses and began to whip them clean with the sleeve of his shirt. "If not I would recommend visiting the council and seeing if they can locate your friends for you," his voice began more of a whisper as he was lost in thought. "I'm not really into these celebrations and holidays but I hear they are good if you enjoy that sort of company." Harlen got out a few flyers and handed them to Yurik. "You'll see these scattered around, just show up and enjoy yourself."

Yurik liked the idea. He hadn't imagined that there would be an easy way to locate his friends that may now be living in the city. "Parties sound amazing," his eyes twinkled as he flashed back to playing music for an enthusiastic crowd.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Harlen snapped his fingers as he spoke. He began to rummage around, yet again, among the papers strewn across his desk. "You need to fill out this health form and sign on with any Government health plans, should you need too." He tapped his pen down on the table and began to fill it out. "Do you have any health problems, Mr.Gloin?" Harlen was trying to tactfully skirt around the mans age and seemingly frail body. Yurik was underweight and his body looked rather strained, as if he'd worked too many days in his past.

Yurik stroked his chin. "Other than a lack of a body..." Yurik patted his belly. "And what comes with getting older..." he paused. He couldn't think of any sort of health problem that he had ever experienced. Other than the usual ailments anybody could get in passing he had never been sick. His thoughts raced. He sat straight up, fixing his posture. "No, sir," he said honestly, shaking his head. "Not that I can think of..."

"Well, you should still register with a Doctor just in case," Harlen smiled and filled out the rest of the sheet. "Do you have any questions?" It seemed they had quickly gone through all the mandatory questions so Harlen was eager for a few more notes to write down, even if they were a bit random and seemingly pointless things to talk about.

Yurik searched his mind for something curious involving the city that he had boxed away. "Well," he paused, "does it live up to the legends?" he asked. He leaned forward subconsciously, eager to hear the answer.

"Depends upon which legends you mean." Harlen was a little taken back by the question, usually people just asked about the emergency services or what benefits they could claim, though occasionally someone would ask about the wildlife. He gave Yurik a vexed look and crossed his arms, now not entirely sure he could answer the questions the strange man hand thrown is way.

"There are legends of different people, cultures, machines that most had never set their eyes on before," Yurik clarified, childlike wonder still lighting his aged eyes.

"Machines?" Harlen thought the word over for a second. "Do you mean Constructs?" They weren't technically machines, or so the aristocratic societies and bourgeois would have you think, but they had mechanical parts. He didn't know what else Yurik could be referring to, and as for the legends of different people - had this man spent his entire life under a rock to consider the other races so 'unbelievable'?

"I think they were called constructs. "Machine people" is what most call them. So they do exist? I've only ever seen people like you and me so a machine person sounds interesting!" he said enthusiastically.

"They most certainly do, as do other things you might find curious, but i'll let you discover then for yourself." Harlen chuckled lightly at Yurik, he found his company almost enjoyable. "Well, if that is all the questions you have then you are free to enter the city." He waited to see if the man had any more queries before he stamped the documents and let him enter Krung Thep.

Yurik swept a deep bow. "Thank you, sir. I will just need pointed in the right direction," he assured the man with an elated grin.

Harlen took that as a 'I have no more questions' sort of answer and quickly scooped the man's papers together into a nice pile and stapled them down. Reaching into his left draw, he took out a stamp and then stamped a large 'APPROVED' onto the front page, he then smiled and handed the complete file to Yurik. "Please give this to the Receptionist on your way out and she will provide you with an escort to take you into the city, also take this," Harlen handed Yurik a map. "It's a map of the city, very helpful if you're not used to such crowded places, I think you'll find it's very easy to be swept away."

"Thank you," he muttered as he accepted the map. "I look forward to many adventures here," Yurik left the room, hugging the papers with a smile on his face.