[OOC] Darkness and Light

[Cello]

@IcePezz I thought I should create a character that is more likely to be involved in the thick of things. Lucinda and Nyarlathotep are more like overseers, so I wanted Mercury to be someone who I could use to form relationships with other characters.

@Frengo Yeah that's pretty much it. I do consider myself a Demisexual irl to an extent. Although at this point I've seemed to accept that I don't really fit into just one sexuality umbrella term so idrk what to tell people anymore...

I guess this is just a little bit of self projection onto my character.

[Frengo]

@Leslie Hall Having read the whole thing, I have to say I really like Mercury. I can tell you've put a great deal of effort into crafting him, and if I had to guess, I'd wager you rewrote it or modified it a fair few times to reach that level of perfection. It's a great addition, and I think it's just what this RP needs.

A knight in shining armour, with prominent lashes ;)

I like his ability too, that's quite cool, and I imagine it'd be really handy in a fight.

Could he summon a remnant, and have it just stand still? Say if he wanted to lure his opponent into a trap.

[Cello]

@Frengo Thank you, I'm glad you like him... (and his lashes).

At the moment, his remnants can only exist for a very short amount of time. They also appear as spirits, all translucent and wispy, so they can't really be used for deception.

[IcePezz]

@Leslie Hall in the process of typing this, rpg decided to be stupid, so this may seem late and out of place. But I am a huggy person, so please don't scream if I just reach out and hug you :p

This was in response to your post after mine: You are who you are, and you love who you love. Simple as that. Some things you just can't categorize :)

[Frengo]

@Leslie Hall in the process of typing this, rpg decided to be stupid, so this may seem late and out of place. But I am a huggy person, so please don't scream if I just reach out and hug you :p

This was in response to your post after mine: You are who you are, and you love who you love. Simple as that. Some things you just can't categorize :)

@IcePezz

GROUP HUG!!!!

[Cello]

@IcePezz You are absolutely right about that! Labels stopped mattering to me a long time a go. (Aka the day I learnt not to give a f***)

[Cultural Titan]

@Doc Doctor

Maybe we can use him as something hounding the characters searching for the Deiran. The mcguffin of the story. Particularly if I bring the search out of the capital city of Clandstein, but it definitely works better in my brain if the character was more of a normal sentient being and less uncaring, unattached monster.

@Leslie Hall

Off to read your character.

[Cultural Titan]

@Leslie Hall

I like him but two things stick out to me. And neither of them are a big deal. He apparently uses his appearance title for his benefit with the ladies, though given his sexuality this does not make sense to me so much as he would not be attracted to them without an emotional connection. Does he just get emotionally attached easily or often? The other thing is a lack of a talents section, but you've gone so far off the beaten track as far as character sheet every time now I wonder if I can really hold it against you.

[Cello]

@Cultural Titan Oh the talents aren't in there because I haven't finished writing him yet. I will add that in there along with a Bio soon (And anything else).

Also in regards to the sexuality thing, all I can really say is that I don't think his sexuality defines entirely how he acts around people of the opposite gender. While he is mostly a Demisexual and the majority of his sexual desires do stem from this, I don't think it's going too far to say that sometimes he just has normal urges like everyone else.

I could have worded it better, but I just wanted to point out that Mercury is really still a young man. He's in his early 20's his sexuality can't really be defined perfectly yet. Which might beg the question "Why bother putting it in there in the first place?"... _{i like irrelevant details...}

He won't be going around womanizing everything in eyesight, but he's still just like any other guy with regular urges even if he does experience desire in a much different way.

TL:DR - I don't really want to limit him to one sexuality, so I probably shouldn't have mentioned his sexuality in the first place. *cough*

I hope that makes sense and I'm not just rambling.

[Cultural Titan]

@Leslie Hall

its fine so long as there's a reason. Let me know when he's done though.

[Doc Doctor]

@Cultural Titan
It is sentient and caring. It just cares about eating and killing though.

[Cello]

when you leave all your christmas shopping 'till the last minute

[IcePezz]

@Leslie Hall lol I think this was the first year I got everything done with a couple of days to spare lol

[Cello]

@IcePezz I'm just about to head out for food shopping. Hopefully it won't be too busy. It will be...

[boomlover]

might be interested. will need to think about it though.

[Cello]

I finished dah thing

Mercury Valentine, the Spear of Celakor

Mercury Valentine

♐ The Spear of Celakor ♐

"By my oath as a member of the Kingsguard, I shall never allow a fiend to tarnish the great Kingdom of Celakor!"

Character Theme | Marionette

Mercury Valentine, a skilled warrior of the crown, does not possess a very imposing appearance. Just below average height with a lean, slim build, Mercury is not the pinnacle of what the masses expect the mighty Kingsguard to look like. His mostly soft, pale complexion riddled with scars, freckles and a birth mark along the left side of his neck in the shape of a mermaid's tail give him a very young, almost childish appearance. Prominent lashes and piercing blue eyes give him a rather charming, feminine aesthetic. Combining this with an ever stoic expression, Mercury is often desired by young ladies who think him to be some sort of Prince Charming. A mop of messy, unkempt brown hair sits atop his head with the fringe reaching down just over his eyebrows. When not in service, Mercury favors a very standard attire; a long sleeved beige tunic, brown trousers and black leather boots. He always keeps his trusty spear, Coup de Grâce, fastened tightly to his back by pair of leather holsters that wrap themselves across his chest in the shape of a cross. When in combat, he is usually seen wearing his immaculate silver armor with a large, light blue half cape draped across the the right pauldron all the way down to his right hip. The crest of Celakor shining brightly on the left side of his breastplate in beautiful gold.

---

Family Name | Valentine
Given Name(s) | Mercury Bartholomew
Title/Alias | The Spear of Celakor, The One Man Army
Gender | Male
Age | 24
Sexuality | Demisexual

House of Origin | House Valentine
House Motto | None
House Crest | None
Description | House Valentine is a very small, insignificant family in service to the Crown. They own no lands and hold no titles. Just a simple, small family of fishermen that reside on the peninsula just north of Frennstone. Oddly enough though, the family seems to possess a latent magical talent that has surfaced within Mercury for the first time in the families history. It is this power that caught the eye of the Kingsguard and allowed Mercury to rise as far as he has despite his age.

Alignment | Light (Kingsguard)
Race | Human Knight
Likes | Training, Cooking, Music
Dislikes | Being underestimated, Sitting still, Arrogance

Personality | It is of no question that Mercury's age is a disadvantage to his name when compared to the other members of the Kingsguard. He is but a boy who lacks experience of life, let alone a war! Yet despite this, his naive nature and innocent spirit tend to be just what the Kingsguard lacks at times. A fresh opinion from the youth is always worth considering. Mercury is proud, and he intends for his voice to be heard. He may be young, but he is a Kingsguard and has fully accepted the responsibilities that come with that title. Driven by his genuine passion and respect for the Crown, Mercury is the embodiment of the perfect soldier. His loyalties unquestioned, his eagerness to serve and the fire in his eyes that tell anyone who faces him that he would gladly lay down his life for his King.

Even despite all these credits to his name, one must never forget that Mercury is still a young man. He is weak to desire and experiences urges that shame him deeply. He's not above using his appearances and title for his own benefit (particularly with young ladies), even if it does end up with him being scolded by one of the other Kingsguard. He can also be very brash and emotional. It's not hard to push his buttons in a fight to gain the upper hand, but you should be wary not to test him too far or it might just be your end. All in all, Mercury is a talented young lad who feels that he has a lot to prove so he can show the King that he deserves to be a part of his elite Guard.

Primary Weapon | Coup de Grâce is a long, spear expertly fashioned by a renowned weapon smith of the crown. The shaft is ornately crafted from a sturdy willow, with intricate carvings of an old fairy tale sharing the same name as the weapon itself. The spear head is fashioned from steel, with writing engraved into the blade shouting praises to the King. The weapon is light and allows to a multitude of thrusting and sweeping attacks. Additionally, it also allows for excellent mobility by being sturdy enough to use as a vault.
Secondary Weapon | Throwing Spears (4x). These simple, light weight throwing spears are not meant for melee combat. When in the right hands, they can be used to impale foes from a distance. Mercury favors the spears over a bow and arrow for ranged combat, claiming that he feels he is capable of putting more force behind a throwing spear than an arrow. These spears are fastened to his back, with two at easy reach on each shoulder.
Other Equipment | Mercury keeps on him a knapsack of rations, water and medicine when travelling. He also has his armor, which is lightweight in comparison to most other armor. This significantly drops the amount of defense received from the armor, but allows Mercury to be much lighter and evasive in combat.

Abilities

• Spirit Remnant | Mercury can sacrifice a small portion of both his magic and physical stamina to create a translucent remnant of himself that performs one action before disappearing. Remnants are tangible and can be used to attack from a range, block projectiles and overwhelm opponents. Remnants by themselves do not take a lot of effort to create, but over using them can lead to early fatigue in a fight. Spirit Remnant is a unique form of magic that allows Mercury to be much more of a persistent threat in the battlefield than one would first imagine.
• Empty Phantasm | Mercury can create completely realistic copies of himself to serve as decoys. Unlike Spirit Remnants, these copies are intangible but can remain active for a much longer time.
• Divided we Stand | Mercury unleashes the full power of his magic, creating two persistent Spirit Remnants that share his physical strengths and abilities (Including Spells) but are much frailer. The copies will only be able to withstand a few moderate blows, but can easily overwhelm a single opponent when attacking in unison with Mercury. Any damage inflicted to a remnant causes the corresponding pain to Mercury, making this a very high risk, high reward tactic.

Talents

• Above Average Strength | While not a hulking brute by any means, Mercury is still built for fighting and as such he is notably stronger than your average foot soldier. He's not capable of lifting massive boulders or destroying a stone wall, but he has strong legs for jumping and sprinting. He is also able to put quite a lot of force behind his spear; particularly his deadly thrusting attacks.
• Spear/Lance Mastery | Mercury displays great dexterity in the martial arts, particularly those involving the use of a spear. Flourishing his weapon around expertly in combat, he is able to use a variety of attacks skillfully. His specialty with the weapon is using the spear's superior range to parry and disarm opponents before striking.
• Agility | Quick and nimble, Mercury rarely keeps his feet flat on the ground when fighting. Always remaining unpredictable, Mercury uses his size and light weight armor to his advantage through various acrobatic maneuvers with his weapon. Spirit Remnant only helps to add to the seemingly random fighting style of the young Kingsguard.
• Indomitable Will | Mercury possesses a great deal of drive for a young man. His devotion to the crown grants him the strength to stand up time and time again; even in the face of certain defeat.

Biography | The port town of Merigold, located north of Frennstone on the Creed Peninsula, was never a note worthy town to visit. A simple fishing village, anyone who grew up there learnt to swim before they could walk. This was how Mercury was brought up. His father was a proud fishermen who would often boast about the great catches he reeled in during his glory days, and his mother was a talented seamstress deserving much more praise for her work than she was given. Mercury's father taught him how to fish and fend for himself when out at sea. Even from a young age, Mercury believed that only the strong could survive in a place like Merigold. The town was filled to the brink with pirates looking for a cheap drink and fine woman, colorful characters of the black market looking to trade unsightly wares and even the occasional elementalist looking to further enlighten themselves through the power of the sea and storms. Merigold wasn't really a place for a child, so Mercury and the neighborhood kids quickly adapted into strong minded individuals who earned the respect of the adults through their hard hardheadedness and willingness to help their parents haul in the catch of the day.

A young boy, Mercury wasn't allowed to go out to see with his father. Instead he practiced his spear fishing on the shore, gathering food for his family and to sell. Mercury was a surprisingly tough negotiator, and didn't let any of the adults swindle him. Even despite it's flaws, Merigold was a fun place to live in Mercury's eyes. That was until the disappearances started happening. Ordinary people that Mercury had known all his life began vanishing only to have their corpses found floating in the port a few days later. It was claimed to be the work of a witch, deceiving the villagers into her lair and then sacrificing them for her wicked spells. This was when the Merigold Witch Hunts began.

No woman was spared questioning, including Mercury's mother. Ostracized for her foreign appearance and customs, Mercury's mother became the scapegoat of the disappearances and the blame was put upon her. She was to be burnt at the stake for crimes Mercury knew not to be true. The next day Mercury was pleading to the very end for them to let his mother go, but what happened would change his life forever. A beautiful melody, a strange warmth that he'd never felt before, and a sinister glare placed upon the once kind, loving face of his mother. Her skin melted away before his eyes into shimmering, green scales. Her fingers were webbed and had long, sharp claws at their tips. Where her legs were, a large tail took its place. The townsfolk were mesmerized by her voice, their wills faltering. Mercury's mother was a Siren.

Mercury's actual mother was human of coarse, but as the Siren pacified the entire town with her voice she explained how she had come to deceive them all. By murdering another human and taking on their appearance, she grew close to the villagers through Mercury's father. Avoiding suspicion, the Siren patiently waited for the time when she could lay her eggs; using the villagers bodies as incubators. It was why the villagers were disappearing; the time had come for the Siren to birth her offspring. Powerless against her song, the villagers were trapped in cages and slowly killed over the span of a few weeks. The breeding process was slow, and the Siren wanted everything to be perfect. She had eviscerated half of the villages population, including Mercury's father, when the sounds of steel and magic came blazing across the horizon. The Kingsguard had arrived to settle this situation.

The Siren put up a good fight, but in the end she was no match for the elite warriors of the Crown. Rescued by these unnamed saviors, Mercury broke down and let all of his conflicting emotions take over him. The woman who has nurtured him for years was not his real mother. She was a copy cat whose only desire was to murder him and use his body to host her eggs. She killed his father and so many of his friends. She was going to kill him as well if the Kingsguard hadn't saved him. In their debt, Mercury begged for them to take him to the capital so he could offer himself to the King. The Kingsguard, though wary of bringing the boy along, thought that King Sariel would find Mercury intriguing. They took him back to the Capital where he was to train to be another solder in the King's army.

Mercury was already quite strong for his age, using his natural talent in place of skill to get back at first. However as the years passed, he began to gain a liking towards the concept of Knighthood. Valiant heroes helping others just as the Kingsguard had helped him back in Merigold. It seemed like an honorable life to lead, and thus the boys mind was made up. Mercury proved in a few short years that his drive was unmatched and his loyalties unfaltering. In terms of ability he was well above average and quite remarkable for his age. When he was nineteen, Mercury's magic began to surface. Most train to wield magic, but some are born with the gift. Mercury's gift, an unrecognized form of Sorcery, gave him an edge over others in battle that would make him quite a well renowned soldier. He trained with his magic, continuing to expand his mind and body to attain his dream of Knighthood. Little did he know that higher powers were beginning to take an interest in him.

Summoned by the King one evening, Mercury found himself in a meeting room with King Sariel, Queen Lucinda and the Kingsguard. The King had been keeping a close eye on his soldiers in training, and he believed Mercury to be a superb asset to the crown. The King didn't want to see his potential go to waste, and proposed for Mercury to be a member of the Kingsguard. Of coarse, there was outcry from the other members of the Guard. Mercury was but a boy, with no real experience in battle. He'd been getting by on natural talent and determination alone. The King insisted that under the wing of the Kingsguard, Mercury would flourish into a great warrior that would keep peace in Celakor.

Of coarse, Mercury wasn't about to decline the offer, even if it did sadden him that he would never be knighted as a member of the Kingsguard. Yet he knew that the world worked in mysterious ways, and that this was a higher calling for him. He spent the next few years learning the ways of the kingdom under the Guard. He participated in battles, discovered tricks of the trade and began growing quite a following among the common folk. He was dubbed the Spear of Celakor for his choice of weapon, and he continues to serve the crown to this day, to his last.

[Frengo]

Er, hey.

This thing dying a slow death?

[Cubix]

I am just waiting for the action to reach the royalty side XD But, I'm still being updated as to the recent events.

[Cello]

I would expect things to be slow for a week or so. Christmas and whatnot.

[Crimson Raven]

Whos busy with the holidays?

*raises hand*