The Fae
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Gil sat on the beach, perched atop the crest of where the coastline swelled up as the tide met the island; the ocean lapped at the sand a handful of feet below him, and he wriggled his feet deeper into the shore, enjoying the warmth of the sand covering his toes, and the heat of the sun on his back through the unbuttoned white-linen shirt he wore to ward off sunburn. He watched students eat, drink, run up and down the coast, swim, shriek from the cold; many smiled or waved, some blushed - he gave them all the same friendly smile, a short wave back, a quick peace-sign thrown up when he noticed someone holding their phone up for a photo. His team, and his other academic peers entering their final year, were well-used to his presence, and the mystique and allure of his silver-screen history had worn off for them. Not so for the flock of new students that came with the start of the new semester - Gil's enrollment at P.R.C.U. was a well-promoted piece of trivia, both by W.H.A.T. and the university itself, and Gil was sure that the ferry over contained more than a few low whispers of the campus' own resident Hyperhuman movie star. This all suited Gil; he liked the attention, he liked the occasional 'special consideration' afforded to him by the academy, he liked most girls coming pre-wooed, he liked that he had go-to small talk that was simple for him and exciting for his conversational partner. He liked that it helped distract him from the text messages from Elle he'd had that morning. The phone was clutched in his hand and while it was locked, face ID would quickly re-open it to the same message exchange that hadn't left the screen since it had ended. He'd had the usual from his parents and Arthur; good news from Arthur even, the feeling of which was quickly forgotten in the face of knowing he'd fucked up with Elle yet again. He knew when he sent it that mentioning LA was stupid, but so was mentioning Ann Arbour. The bit about filming wasn't even supposed to be trite or deflecting, but Elle's response was clear. Gil might be dumb, but he wasn't stupid. Elle had no love for Hollywood, had taken considerable steps to remove herself from the city and the lifestyle, and Gil's suggestion was 'maybe I'll fly us out for a weekend together in the city you hate that's the very symbol of why we split in the first place'? Gil wasn't stupid, but he was dumb. | ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ |
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y Gilbert 'Gil' Emory Galahad _________________________________________________________ June 13th, 2003 | 25 | Caucasian _________________________________________________________ Single | Male | Heterosexual _________________________________________________________ Bristol | Bristol | United Kingdom _________________________________________________________ Lynx | Team 21 - Blackjack C H A R A C T E R S T A T S _________________________________________________________C H A R A C T E R S T A T S ◼ B U I L D || Athletic ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Brunette ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Steel Blue ◼ H E I G H T || 5'10" ◼ W E I G H T || 150lbs ◼ S C A R S || None ◼ T A T T O O S || None ◼ P I E R C I N G S || None ◼ O T H E R || N/A | C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T Born in Bristol, England, Gil Galahad was raised an only child in a well-to-do household with loving parents who undeniably doted on him a little too much. As the first and only to his extended family, he was lavished attention by his mother, father, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and eagerly soaked up every drop; he became performative at an early age, theatrical, engineering a steady flow of praise and adoration. His parents encouraged this behaviour, pushing him into child dramatics programmes and extra-curricular classes, fostering a latent talent for acting in hopes it would crystallise into success. Ultimately, adolescent narcissism paid off, and after a series of castings in small parts, a young teenaged Gil landed the titular co-lead role in the breakaway hit Romeo & Juliet & Zombies – the surprise of the summer, a throwaway zom-rom-com turned box-office smash hit – and was propelled into Hollywood gliterrati completely. Bristol was left behind for the sparkling hills of LA, his parents seeking to capitalise on his silver-screen triumph and flip their beloved son into Hollywood’s hottest commodity. Success in this endeavour was mixed; the film was beloved and represented a significant payday for the Galahads, but performances in follow-up castings as Gil inevitably transitioned from adolescent heart-throb to adult acting were received with more mixed reviews, and slowly but surely the roles tapered off, and then the worst thing possible happened; Gil discovered he was Hyperhuman. His agent, of a more pragmatic mind than his parents, rapidly changed tact; he knew Hollywood would throw Gil to the gutter, and was determined to get ahead of it. He sourced pro-Hype activist movements and progressive independent channels, pushing Gil’s emergence as a pseudo-‘coming out’ PR puff-piece – and it paid off, landing Gil a central role on the independently-produced Hyperhuman-focused soap opera, Crestwood Hollow. His character’s introduction was well-received by fans of the show, and his storyline – utilizing his powers to portray both sides of a classic (if melodramatic) ‘evil twin’ arc – saw hot-and-cold reactions, but brought his name some recognition again; Gil Galahad was a hot topic in Hyperhuman circles, and he loved being talked about. When the storyline tapered off, and Gil’s character Put On A Bus, he segued into Pro-Hype activism, becoming the face of a new campaign with "Working for Hyperhuman Artists & Thespians", or W.H.A.T., a progressive actor's union fighting for Hyperhuman actors, artists, and performers in general to be accepted into mainstream Hollywood. All of this ultimately lead to PRCU as the pinnacle of PR moves; as a ‘notable’ Hyperhuman for PRCU to tout in their enrolment brochures, and a clear path for Gil to boost his legitimacy, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Gil began his academic career in September 2027, enrolling in an Acting Major – emphasis in Stage & Screen – and a minor in Sociology, to keep the ‘activist’ image alive. For the most part, Gil’s enjoyed his time at the academy, and he’s welcomed the adoration from devoted fans and co-activists; but for the most part, he’s just ready to get back to Hollywood and break ranks into the A-List once again. |
A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y || Q U A N T U M R E P L I C A T I O N __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION || ESOTERIC __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION || EXPULSIVE __POWER SCALE || 02 __THREAT CLASSIFICATION || Σ Gil is able to store the atomic quantum-entangled ‘memory’ of any object he’s come into physical contact with, and is then able to manipulate matter and HZEs in his immediate vicinity to instantly reproduce a perfect replica of the object, as it was as the point of being ‘stored’. Gil’s most common use of this ability is storing himself, utilising the quantum nature of his power to copy not only his body, but his very consciousness, and produce a sentient, independent clone. L I M I T A T I O N S || Gil’s replications are dependent on available matter, HZEs, and his own energy levels to produce copies, and the size and complexity of the object impacts his ability to replicate; too many copies of too complex an item in quick succession saps Gil’s own strength until he can’t manifest anymore without fatiguing just as fast. Static material objects are easier, but at max current potential he can manage 2 full clones – Gil2 and Gil3 – but feels slightly woozy afterwards; any more just knocks him out. Additionally, Gil can only store a single object at a time, can only store objects he’s made physical contact with, and while he can store and replicate himself at any time, doing so ‘overwrites’ any currently-stored item. Gil’s clones are also bereft of powers themselves, unable to manipulate HZEs in the same way, so they can’t create their own clones – no recursive replication loops. Gil’s clones are able to self-sustain indefinitely, but they require sufficient nourishment to do so – roughly 1.5x the average caloric intake and healthy rest that a standard man of Gil’s size and stature would need. Without any sustenance or sleep, a clone can last 12-16 hours before crumbling, but grows exponentially weaker as time drags on. Finally, Gil can store and copy other people, but due to the complexities of the human psyche, is unable to replicate their consciousnesses like he can his own – so he only produces unsettling, brain-dead versions of their bodies, which understandably upsets everybody and is best avoided. W E A K N E S S E S || Gil’s copies aren’t enhanced in any way, and are only as effective or powerful as the original object is. Gil’s clones are independent copies of his consciousness, and while they’re aware they’re clones, they’re not necessarily automatically subservient to the original Gil. All of Gil’s copies are essentially half-HZE constructs, so anti-hype tech and weaponry that disrupts HZE ions is not only effective at inhibiting Gil’s powers, but also acts like spreading salt on ice against anything he's replicated. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) Gil’s not super invested in PRCU as an academic institution and an opportunity for self-improvement as much as just using it to line him up for some stunt-casted roles in the growing pro-Hyperhuman movement within Hollywood, ultimately seeing the university as the best political move to claw back his waning fame and land in LA’s good graces again. He’s grateful for the place offered to him by the academy, but has taken it somewhat for granted and seen it as an easy ride thus far. Gil’s aware of the Hyperion incident and the controversies surrounding it, and Alexandria’s move to purchase PRCU, but is ultimately of a ‘doesn’t affect me personally so I don’t care’ mentality. Sure, he’s pro-Hype, but his plan is to graduate, break big back into movies again, and never look back. He’s pro-Hype and (carefully) vocal of his activism while it serves a purpose, but he’s also aware that he can pass as ‘normal’ if he needs to drift away from this latest cultivated image. Gil likes the university; he’s pleased to have the chance to graduate with an honest-to-god degree; he’s happy to support a progressive agenda, especially while the agenda favours him; but for Gil, it’s less about scholastic ambition, and more about making the smartest move to get rich and famous again. Will that attitude continue through the completion of his graduating year, or will he ‘go native’ and actually fall in with those he supposedly represents? Separately, I'm seeking to engage in a romantic sub-arc with Gil, finding that special someone that connects with the actual person beneath the LA-bred schmooze and superficial charm, forcing Gil to realise that true fulfilment and interpersonal connection runs deeper than reading a 4-star review from rogerebert.com, or fan-mail off tumblr. Ultimately, he needs someone to save him from both LA and himself, and only then can he grow and develop into a fully-rounded person. | S K I L L S & T A L E N T S S K I L L S & T A L E N T S S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ CHARISMA, EMOTIONAL CONTROL || Gil's long been a handsome, charismatic young man, able to charm nearly any audience, winning friends and successfully networking among many crowds. At the same time, he's been able to keep a firm line on himself and his emotions, tailoring his emotive responses to the situation at hand to engineer the best results. It doesn't work for everyone - he's been accused of being 'fake' on more than one occasion - but for the most part, he's well-liked and easily sociable. T A L E N T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ ACTING, VENTRILOQUISM || Performing from a young age, as well as taking classes, extra-curricular electives, and coaching, have helped groom a knack for acting into an honest-to-god skill. He's not oscar-winning, but he's good enough to have been casted and seen some critical success. A side-talent, and one he doesn't upkeep with anywhere near the same kind of concerted effort, is ventriloquism, an old hobby that he started as a lonely only-child, and kept up when he realised he liked the sound of his own voice. C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L A T T I R E ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ S M A R T C A S U A L || Ever-ready for a pop-up interview, outside of PRCU uniform Gil likes to maintain a well-groomed wardrobe of suit jackets, stylish shirts, and a mix of slacks and jeans. I T E M ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ T H E E S S E N T I A L S || Given the nature of his powers, Gil likes to take advantage by keeping a couple of small essentials on his person for day-to-day use: cigarettes, matches, a business card, and a cash clip. Everything you might need to chat, flirt, or bribe your way out of a tricky situation. T O O L ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ B A C K - U P S || With no guarantee that useful items will be readily available when a potentially dangerous situation arises, Gil keeps a couple pragmatic back-up objects on his person in case he needs emergency access to something to copy, specifically for when schmoozing fails and he needs to defend himself - a self-defence folding knife, and a Glock G19 pistol (licensed, of course). Having practiced with both weapons, both in and out of PRCU, they're handy emergency items in a last-resort circumstance. A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G |
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Gil sat on the beach, perched atop the crest of where the coastline swelled up as the tide met the island; the ocean lapped at the sand a handful of feet below him, and he wriggled his feet deeper into the shore, enjoying the warmth of the sand covering his toes, and the heat of the sun on his back through the unbuttoned white-linen shirt he wore to ward off sunburn. He watched students eat, drink, run up and down the coast, swim, shriek from the cold; many smiled or waved, some blushed - he gave them all the same friendly smile, a short wave back, a quick peace-sign thrown up when he noticed someone holding their phone up for a photo. His team, and his other academic peers entering their final year, were well-used to his presence, and the mystique and allure of his silver-screen history had worn off for them. Not so for the flock of new students that came with the start of the new semester - Gil's enrollment at P.R.C.U. was a well-promoted piece of trivia, both by W.H.A.T. and the university itself, and Gil was sure that the ferry over contained more than a few low whispers of the campus' own resident Hyperhuman movie star. This all suited Gil; he liked the attention, he liked the occasional 'special consideration' afforded to him by the academy, he liked most girls coming pre-wooed, he liked that he had go-to small talk that was simple for him and exciting for his conversational partner. He liked that it helped distract him from the text messages from Elle he'd had that morning. The phone was clutched in his hand and while it was locked, face ID would quickly re-open it to the same message exchange that hadn't left the screen since it had ended. He'd had the usual from his parents and Arthur; good news from Arthur even, the feeling of which was quickly forgotten in the face of knowing he'd fucked up with Elle yet again. He knew when he sent it that mentioning LA was stupid, but so was mentioning Ann Arbour. The bit about filming wasn't even supposed to be trite or deflecting, but Elle's response was clear. Gil might be dumb, but he wasn't stupid. Elle had no love for Hollywood, had taken considerable steps to remove herself from the city and the lifestyle, and Gil's suggestion was 'maybe I'll fly us out for a weekend together in the city you hate that's the very symbol of why we split in the first place'? Gil wasn't stupid, but he was dumb. | ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ |