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Charis, KAR-is


Geekus bibliphibian salsus; generically known as the 'bookish type moody girl'.

The Charis, when found in the wild, is a shy and elusive creature, known for its habit of lurking nervously near walls when it senses danger, or imminent social contact. However, when in groups of its own kind (any member of the genus geekus will do, although the Charis is most responsive in the company of fellow geekus bibliophibians) the Charis has been known to become lively and even daring.

The Charis can be lured into the open alone if the proper bait is used. Tidbits of geekery are most effective, including pieces of British television, slivers of fantasy or speculative fiction, chopped bits of pop culture, crumbled fairy tales, choice selections of costume design, or useless information are all recommended, but the serious Charis-watcher should take care--the wrong variety of bait will cause the Charis to turn up its nose and possibly incite a display of disdain (while impressive, the disdain of the Charis has been well documented elsewhere, and the inexperienced may find such a display detrimental to physical and mental well-being). Seasoned Charis-watchers have had success with such offerings as Doctor Who, comic books, Supernatural, folklore, Arthurian legends, pop-up books, Firefly, Batman, metaphysical poetry, period clothing, black and white films, classical music, young adult fantasy, moleskine notebooks, and folk music. More recently the Charis has shown a great deal of interest in offerings of yarns, knitting needles, and other craft items, which have been most effective when brightly colored. And there is, of course, the most basic of all Charis lures: the shiny object.

Once in the open, the Charis must be kept interested in order to prevent a hasty retreat back into either its flock of bibliophians or the relative safety of the nearest flowered wall. Engaging the Charis with interesting discussion is the best way to gain time for close study, but use caution--stupidity, intolerance, cheap debate tactics, and rudeness are all pitfalls that may lead to sudden injury or death if the Charis becomes enraged, and at best the Charis will retreat and refuse further contact until it has been sufficiently placated.

In captivity, the Charis will seek to create beauty in its environment. Without sufficient room for these creative outburts, the Charis will pine and wither. A limited amount of structure will help the Charis flourish, but the ideal handling of this rare creature calls for flexibility. Displays of craftiness should be met with a delicate mixture of admiration and criticism--too much of either will blunt the Charis's motivation--and a certain amount of inspiring stimuli should be introduced for best results. The Charis will thrive on a diet of chocolate bon bons and gummi bears, requires a fainting couch, and must be groomed regularly.

The Charis is not a sufficient source of beauty, fiber, artistic talent, or jelly babies. The Charis may contain unhealthy levels of sarcasm, repressed emotion, righteous fury, and unfulfilled ambition. Do not take the Charis while drinking, driving, or using heavy machinery, including forklifts, the Hubble telescope, hair dryers, and staplers. The Charis should be mixed with one part opinion, two parts honey tea, one half part ice cream, to one grain of salt. The writer of this article is not responsible for damages to goods or persons sustained while reading this article, following its advice, or bathing with a toaster. The writer of this article takes no responsibility for the accuracy or coherency of this article, and in fact takes no responsibility for her own actions.



According to aohdwyn's Fantasy Tropes meme, Charis is: the bit of random debris or puzzling artifact that proves when the protagonist wakes up post-adventure that it wasn't All Just A Dream.

dareva: you're like Captain Picard
dareva: except with hair
dareva: and boobs
dareva: but just as much of the sexy