Gender: Male
Age: 21
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160 lbs
Appearance
Head: Raphael has a thin, pale face with high cheekbones and striking blue eyes. His black hair is kept short and spiked at the front, with streaks of grey running through it. Is occasionally seen wearing a black bowler hat.
Torso: He has a slim build with a very small amount of body fat, a side effect from his many years of parkour. He usually wears dark, full sleeved and buttoned dress shirts.
Arms: Small but muscular with a tribal tattoo around his right shoulder that extends to his elbow
Legs: Usually wears black dress pants and shiny, black leather loafers with golden buckles
Personality: Raphael is a very amiable person to be around and is distinguished by his characteristic friendliness and willingness to talk to strangers, often wishing a good day to those he passes by. This trait has led to his typecasting as an obstinately upbeat kind of guy which he generally is, although he is not immune to sour moods. He is the very opposite of a solipsist, fascinated by other people and curious to get to know them better. Each person has a wonderful and beautiful story to tell: Raphael wants to hear them all.
History: Born in Paris to two Black Mages, Raphael led an extremely strange and painful childhood. His parents, destitute and without family or friends, were drawn into a Wanderer cult which met under the Notre Dame cathedral. The cult leader, a man by the name of Naplanum, had resurrected the Babylonian religion of old. Claiming himself to be the first ruler of Babylonia reborn, he helped himself to the wives and daughters of his followers whilst teaching the male children and men in the cult to become fearsome and bloodthirsty warriors.
Crime and punishment in their paltry, underground kingdom was particularly draconian. Raphael, starving to the point of delirium, snuck into the King's personal kitchen and stole bread for himself and his parents. Unfortunately for him, he was captured. Surrounded by a crowd of other Wanderers, the 8 year old Raphael launched into a tantrum regarding the cruelty of Naplanum and how he was well-fed while the rest of them starved.
The punishment for his insolence was to have his tongue cut out.
Soon after the incident, Raphael's secondary power of telepathy began to develop and he was able to begin communicating again. His plans for escape, however, were cut short when the French army raided the underground caverns and slaughtered any and all cult members they could find. In the chaos, Raphael managed to hide in a small crevice and stayed there until the army left.
His eventual departure from underground to the surface world led to shock and widespread condemnation. Although anti-wanderer sentiment was high in France, the sight of such a young boy, deprived of his parents and his ability to speak, was too much for some. Those who cared donated to a campaign that would allow Raphael to travel to America and enroll in the Prometheus Academy where he could be with others of his kind.
Although the entry age for students is usually 14, Raphael lived in the Academy for several years before beginning his official tenure as a student. As he had nowhere else to go and would be deported without someone owning up to the responsibility of taking care of him, Professor Alvarez allowed him to stay. This kindness is one of the main reasons that Raphael shows fierce loyalty to the Academy and to Alvarez himself.
He does not like to talk about his past and realises that he doesn't need to. Anyone who is interested in knowing why he doesn't have a tongue can simply search for his name on the internet and find articles detailing the grisly cult and its downfall, leaving him as the lone survivor.
One of the biggest problems his outgoing nature presents is that most Wanderers do not appreciate being communicated to via telepathically without their consent. It is considered intrusive and poses a problem in the form of private thoughts being clanestinely read under the guise of conversation. He has faced a lot of opposition for this but regards the complaint as valid and is willing to explain why he must communicate in this manner.
Powers: Black Magic (Wind/Electricity), Secondary Psion (Telepathy)
Guild: Black Mage
Theme:
Caravan Palace - Dramophone