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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. BACKSTORY .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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Sélarin Valéxz was born beneath a warped cedar floorboard, inside an abandoned homestead nestled deep in the woods—too far from any main road to hear cars, too forgotten for mailboxes to still stand. The house, overgrown with ivy and stooped with age, had become their sanctuary. Long ago, it belonged to a human family, but now only birdsong, wind, and the slow creak of settling wood kept Sélarin company.
They are what is known among the few who still such things as a rual borrower: a member of a dwindling and near-mythical subculture of borrowers who dwell in homes isolated in the countryside or hidden among the forest’s edge. Unlike the urban borrowers, who once thrived in the hidden hollows of city walls and under the shadows of human bustle, rual borrowers live quiet, solitary lives—if they live at all. The isolation of rural homes makes travel between safe dwellings nearly impossible, and the dangers of open land—owls, snakes, coyotes, floods, and even the shifting seasons—have claimed more borrowers than time can count.
Sélarin was raised on cautionary tales and whispered family legends—stories of ancestors who vanished while trying to cross the fields, or who were caught in the talons of hawks. They were taught to move only by moonlight, to listen before acting, and to never, ever let themselves be seen. Yet, from a young age, Sélarin had a spark of restlessness that didn’t quite fit the usual mold. They asked questions others didn’t dare to voice. What lay beyond the barn? Could there be other borrowers still out there, tucked away in distant ruins? What would it be like to meet a human—not run, but talk?
Their curiosity grew with them. As they explored every corner of the human house they called home, they transformed the space with care and ingenuity. A thimble became a washbasin; beetle wings were pressed into windows; clothespins served as makeshift ladders. Sélarin's tunic was sewn from a thick, waxy forest leaf, veined with natural light and reinforced with thread teased from human stitching and spider silk. Their boots, painted with curling designs of moss and bark, were built for silent travel and long nights.
Despite the risks, Sélarin would venture beyond the house into the ruins of the garden shed, the hollow of a fallen oak, and even the whispering shadows of the greenhouse where the glass panes were cracked but still warm from the sun. They’ve spent seasons catag safe paths, mapping tunnels of vole runs and bird nests, creating a personal network of hidden trails. In their heart, they hope these paths might someday connect them to someone else—to another borrower like them. Maybe even to a small community they could help rebuild.
But all that changed three weeks ago, when the silence was broken.
A new human arrived. Young, alone, and ambitious. With them came tools, noise, and disruption—an assault on the quiet balance Sélarin had cultivated for years. The old boards now echoed with the bang of hammers, the shriek of sanders, and the low thrum of electric saws. Paint cans appeared where Sélarin once gathered dew. The attic stairway—their main escape route—was sealed. Their hidden pantry was discovered, mistaken for a mouse’s stash, and cleaned out. Worse, the human set traps, not realizing what truly lived beneath their floors.
Sélarin now lives in a state of constant vigilance. Every step must be measured, every breath quieted. Their once-stable refuge is now a battlefield of noise and threat. They've taken to hiding in the crevices between walls and ceiling beams, unsure how much longer their secret can last. The human’s curiosity grows with every small oddity they find. A missing bolt. A broken ribbon. A too-clean corner.
The sense of isolation that once comforted Sélarin now feels like a prison. There's no nearby borrower community to run to, no safe zone to flee toward. Every inch of ground between this house and the next speck of civilization is death to someone their size.
And yet, part of them wonders… is this an ending, or a beginning?
Something must be done. They can flee, risking open wilds and predators for a chance at a new home—or they can stay, adapt, and outsmart the human. Maybe even... find a way to communicate. A borrowed life has always meant surviving in the cracks, but Sélarin has never been content with just surviving.
Something is coming. They can feel it in the tension of the floorboards and the hush before the hammer drops. And Sélarin Valéxz is ready.
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡. There Talents .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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1. Stealth and Silent Movement
Master of moving without making a sound, even across creaky floorboards or dry leaves. They can slip through a room unnoticed even while a human is inside.
2. Miniature Engineering
Skilled at repurposing human scraps into usable tools, furniture, and even defense systems. From spool-lifts to trapdoor buttons made of snaps and screws—they can build it all.
3. Natural Material Crafting
Can fashion clothing, shelter, and gear from forest materials like leaves, bark, thorns, and fibers. Their leafy tunic is waterproof and reinforced with silken threads.
4. Camouflage and Hiding
Incredibly adept at blending into their surroundings using foliage, debris, or household clutter. They can freeze like a shadow in the corner of a dusty shelf.
5. Foraging and Tracking
Knows how to find safe food sources, water, and natural remedies both indoors and in the surrounding forest. Can track small creatures or follow the trail of other borrowers (if any exist).
6. Climbing and Acrobatics
Agile and fearless when it comes to vertical spaces—Sélarin can climb chair legs, swing from cords, and leap gaps between rafters with grace.
7. Eavesdropping and Sound Mapping
Their large ears aren’t just for show—they can distinguish footsteps, voices, and subtle mechanical shifts in the house, allowing them to track human activity and stay safe.
8. Tool and Weapon Improvisation
Proficient in creating and using small tools for defense and exploration—pushpins become spears, needles become swords, and jar lids serve as shields or sleds.
9. Survival Navigation
Has memorized complex, hidden routes both inside the house and into the surrounding forest. Can navigate through animal tunnels, old plumbing, and attic beams with ease.
10. Botanical Knowledge
Deep understanding of local flora—uses specific leaves for shelter, knows which flowers attract predators, and which plants can hide their scent.
11. Trap and Obstacle Avoidance
Exceptionally good at detecting and disarming mouse traps, sticky surfaces, or other hazards left unknowingly by humans.
12. Tactical Planning and Escape Strategy
Always thinking three steps ahead. They can assess a situation quickly and find a way out, even when it seems like all exits are closed.
13. Observation and Intuition
Has a keen instinct for reading human body language, patterns, and routines. They know when someone’s about to enter a room long before the doorknob turns.
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚ Morals and Motivations.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚
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Sélarin Valéxz – Morals
1. “Take only what you need, and leave no harm.”
Sélarin believes in respectful borrowing—never stealing out of greed, and never damaging what they take. Everything used should be repurposed without disturbing the humans or the natural world.
2. “All life matters, no matter how small.”
Whether it’s a field mouse, a nesting bird, or even an overlooked insect, Sélarin respects other small lives. They avoid killing unless absolutely necessary and will often go out of their way to help a trapped creature.
3. “Secrecy is safety.”
A deeply ingrained value from generations of borrowers. Exposure equals danger. While their curiosity tempts them, they are careful never to leave clear traces or put others at risk.
4. “Knowledge is meant to be shared.”
Sélarin records paths, foraging tips, and construction techniques not just for themselves, but in hopes that other borrowers might one day find their notes. They believe knowledge can preserve what’s left of their kind.
5. “If you find safety, protect it—but don’t hoard it.”
Though fiercely protective of their home, Sélarin would offer shelter or food to another borrower—or even a small animal—in need. They do not believe in survival at the expense of others.
6. “Never strike first—but strike smart if you must.”
They avoid violence but aren’t naive. If threatened, they will defend themselves with traps, tactics, and misdirection. They’d rather outwit than harm.
Sélarin Valéxz – Motivations
1. Survival and Safety
At the core of everything they do is the instinct to survive in a world not built for them. Every plan, tool, and habit is about staying alive and hidden.
2. Discovery of Others
One of their deepest hopes is to find another borrower—proof they’re not the last. Whether it’s through finding old trail signs, shared marks, or distant shelters, this drives them.
3. Preserving Borrower Culture
With so few borrowers left, Sélarin is devoted to preserving knowledge, traditions, and stories. They keep journals, sketches, and even mimic the crafts of their ancestors.
4. Curiosity About Humans
Despite the risk, they are fascinated by humans—especially the new one. They’re motivated by a cautious desire to understand them, even if they can never truly be known.
5. Rebuilding Community
Sélarin dreams of a hidden haven for borrowers in the wilds, a secret village where others like them can live safely together. Even if it’s only a dream, it fuels their every action.
6. Adaptation and Innovation
They want to prove that borrowers can survive even now—by adapting, blending old ways with new tactics. Every clever solution they invent is a step toward future survival.
7. A Legacy Worth Leaving
Deep down, they want their life to mean something. If they can’t find others, they hope someone—someday—will find their trail, their journals, their home, and know they weren’t alone.
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚ Fears and phobias.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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1. Being Eaten Alive
Their deepest and most visceral fear. As a borrower, the thought of being swallowed by a cat, bird, or even accidentally by a human is a waking nightmare. It’s not just a fear of death—it’s the loss of identity, dignity, and control in the most helpless, terrifying way.
2. Getting Trapped
Small spaces are a fact of life, but Sélarin dreads becoming stuck somewhere with no way out—between walls, under floorboards, or in a forgotten vent. The idea of dying alone, unheard and unfound, chills them to the bone.
3. Sudden Exposure
Being seen by a human—especially up close—could mean capture, curiosity, or being treated like a pest. Sélarin fears the moment they’re caught in the open with no cover to duck into.
4. Loud, Sudden Sounds
A dropped pan, a slammed door, or the buzz of a vacuum can trigger panic. Their sensitive ears and survival instincts make loud sounds feel like physical threats.
5. Open, Unprotected Spaces
Open ground like a bare floor, a kitchen countertop, or a garden path with no cover fills them with dread. In such places, they’re utterly exposed to predators, traps, and human eyes.
6. Fire and Heat
Fires are not cozy for someone their size—they’re walls of death. Even something as small as a candle or a stove burner is enough to make Sélarin’s pulse spike.
7. Drowning in Small Water
A spilled cup, a puddle in a sink, even a bowl of soup—any of these could mean drowning. They fear water more than most, always calculating whether they could escape if they slipped in.
8. Being Forgotten
A quieter, more emotional fear: the idea that if they vanish, no one would notice. That all their knowledge, their hopes, their name—would simply disappear without memory or mark.
9. Losing Their Home
Their home is more than shelter—it’s safety, identity, and history. The idea of it being torn apart, renovated, or discovered by the new human brings waves of anxiety.
10. Poisons and Traps
Traps set for rodents, poison powders, glue traps—Sélarin knows these are silent killers. One wrong step could mean death, and they often imagine it happening before sleep.
11. Wild Predators (Owls, Foxes, Snakes, Cats)
They don’t fear animals in a sentimental way. A ing cat is a hunting machine. An owl’s shadow overhead is death waiting to fall. Every natural predator is a nightmare made flesh.
12. Getting Touched by a Human Hand
The idea of being grabbed—fingers closing around their body, pinned with no way to move—fills them with cold terror. Even accidental could crush them.
13. Being the Last Borrower Alive
A creeping existential fear. What if they are truly the last? What if no one will ever answer their calls, find their paths, or know their name?
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. Mental health. .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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Sélarin Valéxz – Mental Health Profile
Living in a world never meant for someone their size, Sélarin bears the silent weight of a life built around secrecy, danger, and solitude. Their mental health is a delicate web—resilient in some ways, fragile in others.
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Chronic Hypervigilance
Sélarin is always listening. Always watching. Every creak, every shift in light, every breeze through the cracks could signal danger. This constant state of alertness has been their survival mechanism since childhood—but it comes at a cost. They rarely sleep deeply. Their dreams are vivid and often unsettling. They tense at the smallest sound, and even moments of calm are laced with the instinct to move, hide, prepare.
Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts
Sélarin often struggles with spiraling thoughts—what if they were seen? What if the human finds their home? What if they’re already watching? These questions loop in their head, especially at night, when every shadow feels sharper. They’ve learned to mask their fear with focus—working on small tasks, sketching new trail maps, fixing gear—but the anxiety always simmers under the surface.
Loneliness and Craving Connection
Despite the fear of discovery, Sélarin longs for companionship. The silence of the cottage, once a source of peace, has started to feel heavy. They talk to themselves sometimes, not just to think aloud but to fill the air. They dream of finding other borrowers or forming a secret communication with the human—something, anything, to prove they’re not alone in the world.
Resilience and Creative Coping
Sélarin is mentally resilient—clever and adaptable. They funnel much of their unease into creation: crafting, building, organizing. These acts give them a sense of control in a world that constantly threatens to take it away. Their journals serve not only as records but as emotional release—a way to process thoughts too overwhelming to carry in silence.
Fear of Obsolescence
A deep, quiet ache runs through their sense of identity: What if borrowers are truly extinct? What if I’m just a relic, a story that’s already ended? This fear isn’t always present, but when it surfaces, it shakes them to the core. Sometimes it motivates them to document everything—to prove they existed. Other times, it leaves them paralyzed with a sense of futility.
Hope as Survival
Hope is not a luxury for Sélarin—it’s a necessity. Even if it’s small and flickering, they nurture it like a fire in winter. The hope that they’ll find another borrower. The hope that they’ll adapt to the human’s renovations. The hope that they’ll leave something behind that matters.
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Coping Strategies
Journaling as a means of processing fear and tracking safety patterns
Mindful rituals like checking hidden paths, brushing their leaf-cloak, and arranging their tools just so
Quiet humming to calm themselves, often repeating rhythms from old borrower folk songs
Tiny totems or charms made from seeds or beads as symbolic protection
Avoidance of triggers, such as freshly cleaned human surfaces, high-traffic areas, or open windows at night
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Sélarin Valéxz – Quirky Habits
1. Talks to Inanimate Objects
They narrate what they’re doing to their tools, thank their thimble cup after drinking, and scold loose floorboards for creaking too loudly. It helps them feel less alone.
2. Collects Buttons Like Trophies
Not just for practical use—Sélarin has a “display shelf” of the most unusual or beautiful buttons they’ve ever found. Each one has a story and a name.
3. Wears a Lucky Feather in Their Belt
A small, slightly bent blue jay feather they found during a dangerous forage trip. They believe it keeps them safe, and they won’t leave their home without it.
4. Imitates Human Phrases Poorly
Having overheard humans speak, they occasionally mumble garbled versions of phrases under their breath—especially when stressed. “Don’t mind me, just... live long and coffee…”
5. Hums to Plants
When tending to or hiding beneath indoor plants, Sélarin softly hums to them, believing it keeps them calm and helps them grow stronger.
6. Obsessively Straightens Their Nest
Every night before sleeping, they go through a ten-minute routine of smoothing bedding leaves, checking the alignment of acorn bowls, and retying their curtain knots—even if nothing is out of place.
7. Keeps “Secret Emergency Snacks” Hidden Everywhere
Little crumbs, seeds, or dried berries tucked into nooks all over the house and forest, even in spots they barely . “Just in case I can’t make it home.”
8. Befriends Dust Motes
When it gets really quiet and lonely, Sélarin will watch specks of dust drifting in the sun and give them names and imaginary stories.
9. Taps Rhythms When Nervous
They tap out little musical patterns with their fingers, feet, or tools—especially in hiding spots. It calms them down and helps the time.
10. Gives Names to Human Items
The loud kitchen clock is “Old Tick.” The leaky pipe in the wall is “Whistler.” A dusty, crooked floorboard near their home is “Sir Wobbleton.”
11. Builds Tiny Furniture for Fun
Not for practical use—just because they enjoy it. A tiny rocking chair. A bookshelf made of matchsticks. It gives them a creative outlet.
12. Salutes the Moon
Every full moon, Sélarin pauses whatever they’re doing, looks out a small gap in the wall, and gives a solemn little bow. No one taught them to do this—they just always have.
13. Talks Back to Creaks and Knocks
When the house makes noises, they’ll mutter things like “No, you hush,” or “Yes, I heard you the first time.”
14. Pretends to Host Tea Parties
Occasionally sets out acorn tops and leaf napkins for guests that don’t exist. They say it’s for practicing etiquette. Really, it’s for the company.
15. Carries a “Monster Repeller”
A stick dipped in mint oil and wrapped in thread, kept on them at all times. They wave it in dark places and whisper, “No monsters, please.”
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. Personality .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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Sélarin Valéxz is a soft-spoken survivor, clever and resourceful, with a soul stitched together by scraps of solitude, old stories, and flickers of hope. They are deeply thoughtful, almost meditative in how they move through the world—watching, listening, observing far more than they speak. Everything they do is deliberate. Careful. Quiet. But beneath that cautious exterior lives a curious, warm-hearted spirit that still dares to dream, even in a life lived mostly in the walls.
Cautious and Calculated
Sélarin doesn't take risks lightly. Every action is weighed with the experience of someone who knows that one wrong move could mean discovery or death. They double-check trap triggers, memorize human routines, and carry backup plans inside backup plans. This caution can border on anxiety, but it's kept them alive, and they trust it more than they trust hope.
Quietly Brave
Though fear is a daily companion, Sélarin is far from cowardly. They’ll crawl across the ceiling beams of a room where a human stands below, trembling but determined, if it means retrieving something vital. Their courage doesn’t roar—it flickers, flickers, but never goes out.
Inventive and Inquisitive
Their mind is always turning. Sélarin sees the potential in everything—a paperclip becomes a grappling hook, a teabag becomes a cloak lining. This creative vision comes from necessity, but also from a deep love of building and problem-solving. They’re at their calmest with tools in hand, humming as they piece together something new from broken things.
Gentle and Empathetic
Sélarin has a soft spot for the small and voiceless. They’ll go out of their way to free a moth stuck in a web or reroute an ant trail around their home instead of harming it. Even in solitude, they extend kindness—tending to plants, leaving crumbs for ing mice, whispering comfort to creaking old boards. There's a gentleness in them that feels sacred.
Imaginative and Sentimental
They assign meaning to objects—a bottle cap isn’t just a lid, it’s a memory. A piece of string might remind them of a story ed down by their parents. Sélarin holds onto symbols, to traditions, to little rituals that make their hidden life feel fuller, more real. Their imagination is a survival mechanism but also a companion—it paints color over the loneliness.
Yearning Yet Guarded
They ache for companionship. For someone else to talk to, to share plans with, to laugh beside. But the fear of being discovered, used, or betrayed keeps that yearning locked behind thick emotional walls. They want connection—but only if it’s safe. Only if it’s real.
Mildly Eccentric
Long days alone have carved some odd edges into Sélarin’s personality. They hum to the floorboards. Name the dust. Hold mock tea parties with leaf napkins and button guests. But it’s not just to the time—it’s how they stay human in a life that often doesn’t feel like one. These quirks are the flowers that grow from the cracks.
Loyal and Protective
Once someone earns their trust (a slow and sacred process), Sélarin is fiercely loyal. Whether it’s another borrower, a small creature, or even a human who’s unknowingly earned their quiet respect, Sélarin will watch over them from the shadows—repairing things, redirecting danger, even risking exposure to keep them safe.
Philosophical and Poetic
Alone so long, Sélarin often thinks in metaphors. They see meaning in the way rain gathers on windows or how moonlight falls on their floor. Their journals read like half-invented myths and diary entries tangled with metaphor. They believe their life is a story, and they’re trying to write it with dignity—even if no one reads it.
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.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡ Basic Information .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.
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Name: Sélarin Valéxz
Age: 22
Sex: Intersex
Height: 6 inches
Weight: 7.25 ounces (about a barbie)
Pronouns: They/Them
Gender: Nonbinary
Sexuality: Demisexual, Bi
Likes:
Exploring hidden spaces: Sélarin enjoys finding secret nooks and crannies in houses, whether it’s behind furniture or in forgotten attics. They find comfort in the quiet corners where no one else notices.
Collecting small treasures: As a Borrower, Sélarin has a fondness for collecting little things humans overlook—buttons, pins, shiny coins, or bits of fabric.
Natural elements: They love the outdoors, especially the lush, quiet areas of the forest where they feel more at home. The wind, the rustling of leaves, and the smell of damp earth are comforting.
Crafting small items: With their small hands, they enjoy crafting items from things they find. Tiny furniture, jewelry, and tools are often made by their hands.
Quiet moments: Sélarin values stillness, especially when they can curl up in a safe space to read or daydream.
Dislikes:
Loud noises: Due to their small size and heightened senses, loud noises are overwhelming. Thunderstorms, clattering dishes, or shouting can send them into a panic.
Being trapped: The idea of being trapped in a room or space without escape is a major fear. Sélarin craves freedom and the ability to move unseen.
Aggressive humans: They distrust humans who are aggressive or overtly curious about them. Humans who might try to trap them or exploit their size are particularly disliked.
Harsh weather: Extreme weather, like heavy rain or snow, makes it harder for them to navigate the world and find food or shelter.
Overly bright lights: Being small means Sélarin is sensitive to strong light sources. Bright lamps or sunlight can make them feel exposed and vulnerable.
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