@Blue Demon Alright, I've got a second draft for you. The history still feels slim to me, but I'll fill it out and try to expand on the details more later. Let me know what you think.
Name: Bernard Alexander
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Race: Therianthrope (Werebear)
Physical Description: Bernard is an even six feet tall and his muscular form weighs in around 180lbs. His hair is dark brown and thick and his eyes are the color of dark honey. For the most part, he usually wears simple, cheap, and comfortable clothing. Dark colored t-shirts and neutral sweats are common, as are flip-flops and other sandals. The kinds of things that can easily be replaced after one turns into a 750 pound grizzly bear.
Personality: A lot of people think Bernard is fairly slow, but generally that is because he rarely has something to say and when he does he takes his time to think about it. Almost everything he does is carefully considered and every situation is met with patience and intelligence. Most of the time he just ignores people and hopes they return the favor. It takes a lot to irritate or anger him, but once he's pissed he has a hard time keeping a lid on it. People know by now to steer clear of him when he's having a bad day.
History: Growing up is never easy, especially for a shapeshifter. Bernard's family was forced to move several times, but most notably after his first transformation. Four people ended up badly injured when he came to the defense of a young girl they had been bullying. Only thirteen at the time, Bernard was left confused and distraught by the event. His mother explained the facts of life to him then, and he understood more of why his family always seemed so removed from the others around them.
As the years passed, Bernard's father began to resent the fact that his family could not settle down and prosper in the way he had had envisioned. He took this anger out on his wife and child in little ways, but it was noticeable and eventually drove a wedge between all three of them.
Bernard only moved to and started attending classes in Eagle Rock somewhat recently. His parents' marriage had begun to fall apart, and with a divorce on the way he left the family home and all the drama far behind. Having a scholarship independent of the school he was previously going to made it easy to transfer over and meant he really only had to work to support himself. To that end, he has taken a job at a local book store.
Skills: Besides being smarter than he generally seems, Bernard is good at reading situations and people. He also knows a great deal about surviving on one's own, though he has an advantage in that particular area.
Powers: Bernard can transform into a huge bear and back, but that's about it. Compared to the average human, he has a high metabolism, body temperature, and pain tolerance. His ability to shift forms was inherited from his mother, though he does use a talisman to facilitate it. While the fifteen seconds or so that it takes to shift aren't quite painful, it does put stress on his mind and body. He is only capable of minor partial shifts, and has very little control over these. Usually when he is angry or upset, his eyes will darken, his teeth and fingernails will elongate to resemble fangs and claws, and his voice will become rough and slightly inhuman.
Other: A necklace made from glass beads and bear claws. It serves as a talisman for Bernard, allowing him to better control his transformations and drawing away some of the stress of the act itself.
Name: Bernard Alexander
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Race: Therianthrope (Werebear)
Physical Description: Bernard is an even six feet tall and his muscular form weighs in around 180lbs. His hair is dark brown and thick and his eyes are the color of dark honey. For the most part, he usually wears simple, cheap, and comfortable clothing. Dark colored t-shirts and neutral sweats are common, as are flip-flops and other sandals. The kinds of things that can easily be replaced after one turns into a 750 pound grizzly bear.
Personality: A lot of people think Bernard is fairly slow, but generally that is because he rarely has something to say and when he does he takes his time to think about it. Almost everything he does is carefully considered and every situation is met with patience and intelligence. Most of the time he just ignores people and hopes they return the favor. It takes a lot to irritate or anger him, but once he's pissed he has a hard time keeping a lid on it. People know by now to steer clear of him when he's having a bad day.
History: Growing up is never easy, especially for a shapeshifter. Bernard's family was forced to move several times, but most notably after his first transformation. Four people ended up badly injured when he came to the defense of a young girl they had been bullying. Only thirteen at the time, Bernard was left confused and distraught by the event. His mother explained the facts of life to him then, and he understood more of why his family always seemed so removed from the others around them.
As the years passed, Bernard's father began to resent the fact that his family could not settle down and prosper in the way he had had envisioned. He took this anger out on his wife and child in little ways, but it was noticeable and eventually drove a wedge between all three of them.
Bernard only moved to and started attending classes in Eagle Rock somewhat recently. His parents' marriage had begun to fall apart, and with a divorce on the way he left the family home and all the drama far behind. Having a scholarship independent of the school he was previously going to made it easy to transfer over and meant he really only had to work to support himself. To that end, he has taken a job at a local book store.
Skills: Besides being smarter than he generally seems, Bernard is good at reading situations and people. He also knows a great deal about surviving on one's own, though he has an advantage in that particular area.
Powers: Bernard can transform into a huge bear and back, but that's about it. Compared to the average human, he has a high metabolism, body temperature, and pain tolerance. His ability to shift forms was inherited from his mother, though he does use a talisman to facilitate it. While the fifteen seconds or so that it takes to shift aren't quite painful, it does put stress on his mind and body. He is only capable of minor partial shifts, and has very little control over these. Usually when he is angry or upset, his eyes will darken, his teeth and fingernails will elongate to resemble fangs and claws, and his voice will become rough and slightly inhuman.
Other: A necklace made from glass beads and bear claws. It serves as a talisman for Bernard, allowing him to better control his transformations and drawing away some of the stress of the act itself.