"Do not believe madness to be a curse! It's not an illness. Just...another state of mind.": Evelio Laugier
Age: 41
Hair colour: Dark auburn
Eye colour: Cobalt Blue
Distinguishing features: The very first thing one would notice about this eccentric man - if they caught him at the right time - would be the dark grey-and-white
peregrine falcon perched on his right shoulder. it doesn't usually stick around for long periods of time, preferring to fly until it is exhausted, then use Evelio like a resting place.
A leanly muscled man standing at the height of 181cm weighing 76.6kg, Evelio looks to be in his late-thirties despite his rugged face. Weathered tanned skin, strong jawline, slightly crooked nose, firm lips, straight shoulder-length dark auburn hair with streaks of grey and neatly-trimmed beard give him an overall image of a refined gentleman, if one ignores the brown leather eyepatch covering his right eye and the nasty scarring surrounding it. Several angry looking vertical scars travels past the covering of the eyepatch and ends just above his cheekbone. His lone eye is a dark cobalt blue, hard and piercing despite the obvious crows-feet at the corner of the eye.
He favours light tunic and breeches, with a heavy leather coat and vest over it. On his hands, he wears thick gloves and boots on his feet. His outfit rarely changes despite changes in season, but he hardly cares as he has gotten use to wearing this much even during summer. This is because the cold makes his scars ache. If he takes off the glove on his left hand, a small brand of a
five point star can be seen on his wrist, and a circle branded around his ring finger. Evelio always has his
falchion clipped to his belt at his left side.
Who are their friends, family, comrades?: It has been around two decades since he last contacted a member of his family. As far as he knows, however, his parents are still alive, his younger brother doing a better job than Evelio ever could in running the family estate and the family business was flourishing. His younger sister was engaged last he heard.
Comrades? Now that's a touchy subject. Granted, he didn't look back when he left - got booted out, more like - the Order all those years ago. Most of the brother-in-arms probably heaved a sigh of relief when the doors closed behind his back. The select few that acknowledged him when they happen to cross paths do hold a special little place in his heart, though.
As for friends, Evelio supposed he could count those within the Order that didn't shun him as friends, but friends keep in touch, right? So...that's makes them more of acquaintances than friends. And the various strangers that came into his life and left are only short-term friends or companions.
So I guess the closest he has to a friend for the past decade is his falcon companion. He can talk to it, share his woes and thoughts and it wouldn't judge him for it. And it has always returned to his side for the last five years.
Where were they born? Where do they call home?: Evelio Laugier was born in the Laugier Estate, in the town of Machiva to wealthy merchant Bernard Laugier and his wife, Daniee. The stone-and-wood mansion was located near the eastern edge of Machiva, built on top of a hill and surrounded by fertile land for plantation. This place was his childhood home, filled with happier memories of playing with his siblings and escaping those tedious arithmetic tutors.
When he turned twelve and decided that being a merchant wasn't the path best suited for him, he enlisted with the Order of Astra, the group of knights serving the Goddess of Stars. Aster was the dominant religious figure in Machiva as well as their neighbouring towns, but Evelio wasn't a religious person. He didn't believe in Aster, but being a Knight of the Order was better than being a simple soldier of the kingdom. The pay was better, and he didn't think he would witness much fighting. From the age of fifteen to twenty-nine, the main barracks of the Order of Astra in the city of Grimsole served as his second home.
Unfortunately, for Evelio who thought he would spend the prime of his youth as a glorified priest-in-armour for a religious Order and little else, his dream was shattered in his late-twenties. All the training and mock-battles he was forced to undergo wasn't just to keep up appearance. Ignorant of that little fact, Evelio was blindsided by the sudden skirmishes the Order of Astra had against another Religious Order, the Order of Taigi, Knights serving the God of the Moon, Taini. Tension had been growing between these two Churches, and poor Evelio was caught up in the middle of it all. These skirmishes turned into small-scale battles, and by the time both sides retreated and an unofficial truce was formed, his fragile psyche broke a little. So it was at the age of thirty-one, the former Knight of the Order of Astra was unceremoniously kicked out the doors of his second home on the grounds of being punished by the Goddess Aster and subjected to random bouts of insanity.
For the next decade, he wandered the lands as a nomad, doing odd jobs here and there. From the age of thirty-two, he sees the lands itself as his home. After all, nature itself provides him with food and shelter wherever he went.
Where do they go when they're angry?: Go? He doesn't go anywhere to vent his anger. If he is angry at you, a fist to the face is what you're gonna get. Of course, he doesn't make it a habit to hit women or children. His ma raised him better.
What is their biggest fear? Who have they told about it? Who would they never tell?: His nightmares give his fear form. Corpses littering the ground, the feel of warm, sticky -
fresh - blood on his skin, the pleading eyes of his brothers-in-arms boring right into his soul. And then comes the hands - bony, rotting hands pulling at his legs and clawing at his body, the dry rasp of "help me help me I don't want to die help me why don't you die too --"...
He told his Order's Grandmaster about it when he first began experiencing night terrors, but the older man wasn't much help, citing them as survivor's guilt and telling him it will pass given time. When Evelio coped with it through other means - filling his mind with nonsensical thoughts so the nightmares don't come - he was dismissed as insane. Needless to say, he will never tell anyone again.
Do they have a secret?: Nothing major enough to be worth talking about. Although...he does secretly wish he was a little
more insane, mad to the point he doesn't remember anything. That would be a blessing, eh?
What makes them laugh out loud?: Everything. Anything. Nothing specific. He could suddenly find a worm squirming in the mud funny. His sense of humour ranges from nonsensical to morbid and everything in between.
Have they ever been in love?: Unfortunately, no. Being labelled a loose cannon during his time in the Order didn't give him many romantic prospects, and after that, he just didn't feel like pursuing romance.
Describe the things that would be hard for them to part with.: His freedom: A decade of not being tied down to anything and anyone, of having no expectations on how to act and not giving a damn about what people thought of him has been riveting. He never wants to lose this sense of freedom, ever.
Materialistically, his coat. It's his favourite and he personally crafted it himself. There's his falchion, too. Well, it didn't start off his, but his best friend wouldn't really be needing it in the grave now, would he?
Describe the smells and sounds of their childhood kitchen.: Evelio's mother usually frowns upon her children venturing into the kitchen and interfering with the cook's work. But the few trips he took to the kitchen without his mother knowing, the first thing that greets him is the smell of freshly baked bread. Beneath that strong aroma is the ever-present charcoal and roasted meat from the night before. If he sneaks in at night for a midnight snack, then it would smell of crushed berries and honey they had for dessert.
Describe one strong memory from childhood.: The book's spine smacked soundly on the palms of his hands. Flinching from the initial sting, watery cobalt blue eyes glared disdainfully up at the bearded old man holding that offending tool. With a harrumph, the frail tutor turned away from the desk and Evelio's gaze dropped sulkily back to the half-filled paper sitting on his desk. Cursing the demonic tutor in his mind, the boy grudgingly picked up the quill and started writing once more, the flesh of his palm throbbing as it curled around the slim writing tool.
"Eh hem...you're making the same mistake again, Young Master Lio."
Evelio jerked, startled by the old man's voice suddenly coming from over his shoulder, the action sending a drop of ink to stain his answer. Growling from irritation and annoyance, he slammed the quill on the table, heedless of the mess it made on his desk.
"Stop hovering over me, you old coot!" He snapped. "I'm not the only one Father paid you to teach."
The tutor sniffed, looking down his nose at the scowling child. "Young Master Will is doing admirably on his assignment. He has already completed this set of questions."
Evelio's teeth clenched, forcing down another retort with difficulty as his eyes involuntarily drifted over to his younger brother working quietly in the other corner of the room. Willbur's gaze rose to meet his for a second, a quiet plea and apology swirling in those big, expressive eyes. Just like that, his anger drained away. With a quiet sigh, he dipped the quill in the ink again and continued working, trying his best to ignore the man hovering behind. He knew his younger brother was smarter than him, better at academics no matter how much Evelio tried. He wasn't jealous. Far from it. He was proud of Will, but he just wished his father saw what Evelio already knew deep down. The eldest Laugier child was not suited to be a merchant.
What do they want most of all?: Acceptance. To not be turned away because of his queer mental state. Perhaps that's why he refuses to stay in one place with the same people for too long. A funny stranger would garner a few looks but no one would truly mind as said person's just passing through. But once that same person hands around and becomes a common sight, general tolerance might drop. He doesn't want to experience being kicked out the doors again.
What is their interest in the motes?: Obscure records show these motes to grant the strangest of things to the world around it. Mayhaps, if he is lucky, the mote can either make him forget everything or restore his mind. He's not holding his breath, but better a sliver of hope than completely giving up, right?
Give a (non-spoilery) synopsis of a small adventure-plot that would be personally meaningful for your character.: Two decades since he stepped into this town. While the streets are hazily familiar, almost everything has changed. No one recognised him, which is understandable, given he hasn't been around since his early adolescent years. Not to mention his appearance has changed significantly from the fresh-faced boy so long ago. But the biggest change has to be the silent, empty manor sitting forlornly on the hilltop, surrounded by weeds, uncared for. What had he expected, really? That they would still be here after all those years, waiting for him? Something sharp dug into the soles of his boots, making him look down. It was a small silver star pendant, half hidden in the dirt. On it, the words '
Marigold Laugier' were engraved in a cursive script.
