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 Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:08 pm
WELCOME
This is my quest for a cello plague, named Renee, and her Grimm.
This was my first idea for Plague Doctor,
and after a bit of deviation for the sake of novelty (which was mostly driven by aethetics, not soul),
I've decided to return to it.
The cello is very near and dear to my heart, even if I don't and have never played it,
simply because of the emotions it can evoke in me.
It's one of few instruments that can tear at my heart and also put it back together again,
in a matter of seconds.
I hope that you enjoy reading about and come to like my concept,
and please feel free to critique or comment on it to your heart's content!
As long as I'm accepting those at the moment, that is!
Special Thanks
I'd like to thank everyone that helped me out with this concept,
most recently ex o ex Snoof!
There are so many more, since this was up at a previous time,
and I don't remember who all helped me.
It's terrible, I know, but if you helped me out in any way, I want to thank you profusely!
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:26 pm
THE GRIMMCharacter Name
Barclay Adkins.
Gender
Male.
Age
Thirty-seven.
Region
Born, raised, and still living in southern Helios.
Appearance
Height
Around 5' 11".
Weight
172 lbs, average.
Hair
Reference
A very, very dark brown (think extra-dark chocolate), cut in voluminous layers to frame his square jaw and high cheekbones. It's parted down the center, and falls to the front before curling back toward his ears.
Eyes
An ashen, silvery gray, possibly with a slight hint of blue in the right light.
Skin Tone
European white, but not excessively pale.
Build
Barclay is nothing extraordinary to look at. He's got a nice face, sure, but he's rather average in terms of body type. He definitely looks like a man, with broad shoulders and straight hips, but he's not particularly muscular. That's not to say he's scrawny, because he's not. He'd probably best be described as healthy.
Distinguishing Marks
There's a near-perfectly round, flat birthmark on his neck, just under his left ear.
Clothing
Given that Barclay's family is neither rich nor poor, his wardrobe reflects this middle ground. He chooses mainly everyday Panymese clothing, with lots of little loops thrown in for aesthetics and semi-muted colors. If he's got a bit of extra cash lying around, he might splurge for something nice, but he's not overly concerned with looking extremely put together. The only exception to this is when he does get invited to a party, or when he must make an appearance at one that his father is hosting, in which case he'll dress in his finest clothes and really try. He'll also try a little harder when meeting with other Fellowship members.
Accessories
Barclay isn't much of a fan of adornments that do not serve a purpose. He'll wear a ring that his mother gave him occasionally (usually just to parties), but the only thing he wears on a regular basis is his pair of silver-rimmed spectacles, used for reading. Other than that, accessories are rarely seen on his person.
Intended Faction
Fellowship of Mages.
Personality
Barclay has never been the sweetest of people. He probably won't outright tell you that he doesn't like you in those words, but you should be able to tell. If he does pay attention to someone he dislikes, he will be cold and his voice will probably be tinged with annoyance. Heck, he might even outright ridicule or harass you! Barclay does not usually like many people, but, akin to many men, will be attracted to those who are similar to him, both in mannerisms and hobbies. Certain things will get him to lighten up, but he is a resentful person in general. When he loses his temper - which is much more often than he would like - he will probably go into a rage and begin to rant, but not necessarily curse. These episodes can be fueled by any number of things, but the most common triggers are frustration due to his work, and annoyance in general.
However, should you be able to get close to Barclay, you'll find a loyal friend. He may not be the warmest of people, nor will he likely tell you how much he appreciates you, but you should be able to pick it up. He is absolutely full of snark most of the time, but it is certainly toned down around friends and family, both of which he greatly treasures - well, most of them.
Like any human, Barclay goes through periods of self doubt. He will often be in a "blue period", and will begin to doubt himself and his work, as well as his achievements. It is relatively easy to get him out of these downward spirals: merely boost his ego. After all, Barclay is, if nothing else, a man.
Barclay is a very studious, logical mind. He has been analytical since birth, often weighing things before acting, and generally looks at things from all angles. He will rarely act rashly, unless he is currently experiencing one of his many rage fits, so don't expect him to be very spontaneous.
While he was in Uque studying the Chooli tribe of southwestern Uque, Barclay unfortunately discovered a rather negative facet of his personality (well, more negative than him being grumpy all the time). Being raised in Panymium all his life, he had never been exposed to other cultures before, and was taught that the Panymese way was the only way. So, when he arrived in Uque, he found himself looking down on the tribe's "backward" ways of doing things. He wasn't doing it intentionally, and would even scold himself when he caught it, and discovered that he actually had very little control of it. Now that he knows this, however, he will often give himself a miniature pep-talk before encountering planned situations that will be outside of his normal realm. He'll try to n** his prejudice in the bud to avoid making a fool of himself, both inwardly and outwardly.
In his free time (what little he has, that is), Barclay enjoys reading a good book. Not anything research related, or even history related; his favorites include fantastic novels and short stories, really anything he can get his hands on that isn't related to his research in some way, shape, or form. Another of his hobbies is painting, but he is admittedly terrible at it. Probably most influential aspect of this failure is the fact that he simply does not have a lot of time to just sit down, read a few books, and actually learn to paint. A lot of his work is largely driven by emotion, and mostly looks like multicolored splashes and lines. He will not readily share these with people, so you should probably consider yourself lucky if he does.
As a whole, Barclay is a scholar, plain and simple. His brain works like a scholar's, not an artist's; his hobbies are mostly solitary, as he is not a very social animal; and he is not very friendly. Due to the sheer amount of time he devotes to work (both intentionally and involuntarily), he has not had the opportunity to forge many friendships or develop adequate social skills. You should probably not take his insults and snark personally, either.
When confronted with something that he does not like, or even fears, he will revert even further into his "jackass" mentality, and no doubt become very hostile. He doesn't fear much, but he has a bit of a (rather crippling) fear of the dark. He will insist that it is the unknown things hidden in darkness that he fears, which suggests another fear: the unknown. Barclay, being the eternal student that he is, is often intrigued by things he doesn't know much about, but if they have an ominous feel to them, he will often rebel and push them away.
In a similar situation, pressure or stress will cause him to become hostile, as well. If you're putting him in a time crunch (which happens rather often, actually), be prepared for quite a few venomous remarks and shouted insults. He actually works remarkably well under pressure, but that certainly does not mean that he enjoys it. He may even have a hard time sleeping if he's stressed, so that only adds to the fire of hostility burning inside of him.
---
History
Barclay's family, or at least his father's side, has an extremely long history in Panymium. The three that live in Barclay's home, himself included, may not be excessively wealthy themselves, but it's been said that generations past were among the most privileged families in Helios. The Adkins manor is very old, having been passed down through these generations and renovated only when absolutely necessary. When asked, Barclay might say yes to the question "Are you proud of your family name?", but he probably won't be extremely enthusiastic about it.
Richard and Rosalie Adkins fell in love easily, their mild personalities drawn to each other. They had many similar mannerisms and interests, including interest in having a child. It took quite a bit of trying, for unknown reasons, but eventually little Barclay was born. He grew up in an average Panymese household, with an Obscuvian father and slightly less-devoted mother. He was reasonably close to both of them, but his mother slightly more so. She was a professional cellist, playing regularly at parties and gatherings, and also in the streets it the weather was nice. She didn't necessarily want to do it for money; she simply loved to play. It was one of the things about her that Barclay always wished he'd inherited. He was and still is not musically inclined, but he does appreciate good music and always loved to listen to his mother play.
His father, one of the more mild followers of Obscuvianism, was a tall man with a social demeanor, which Barclay certainly did not inherit. While he wasn't the most outgoing person, Richard regularly held small gatherings of fellow Obscuvians to discuss current events, and Barclay certainly had a bit of exposure to the faith. His father brought the boy and his mother to church every so often, which was an interesting learning experience for Barclay, but he never had the draw to the religion that his father expected or wanted. Richard would occasionally grill the teenager about his lack of faith, which drove just the slightest of wedges between the two males. But Barclay still loved his father, and respected him, so he went along with most of his church-related endeavors.
It was only when Barclay began to really come into his own that he made the decisive cut away from Obscuvianism. Barclay joined the Fellowship of Mages, after meeting with a scout and expressing his considerable interest in the field of alchemy. While he was not necessarily fabulous with magic, his scientific mind was perfect for the most scientific of the Fellowship's subcategories. He loved the idea that certain elements, when manipulated in the correct way, could make something completely different. He was nowhere near the magical ability that some mages had that allowed them to bend metals like clay, but rather focused on the research and application of alchemy instead. He would try his hand at manipulation every so often, but would make little progress and return to the things that he was best at instead.
When he was in his late twenties, Barclay had the opportunity to travel to southwestern Uque and study the Chooli tribe's interactions with
IN PROGRESS!
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. Plots/Plans
ⅵ. Reserved
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:35 pm
THE PLAGUEPlague Name
Renee.
Gender
Female.
Item
Cello.
Item History
Though this cello was not with Rosalie when she was little, it had certainly been with her through most of her adult life. A gift given to her by her parents when she married Richard, she cherished it and loved it as if it were her child. Her career as a cellist-for-hire began nicely, and she made a respectable living by it. But her one true duty was mother, or at least it became her life's work once Abel was born. She worshiped the ground that child walked on, and made it a point to play her cello for him whenever she could. It soon became the material glue between them, the thing they shared a passion for (though they may not have needed it, given their already strong relationship).
Throughout the years that Rosalie was healthy, she and Abel shared the cello until he could get one of his own. But he soon outgrew it and was too busy to continue playing at concerts with her, so his mother's cello became their only remaining musical link. This dependence only grew stronger when Rosalie became sick; it was played every day, usually at least twice, by Abel as he sat with her and tried to make her feel better if only for a little while.
But that one day, when Abel was too busy to play for her, Rosalie wanted it most of all. She could feel herself drifting, falling away, and she wanted to experience it one last time. With all her willpower and strength, she hauled herself out of bed and went to the chair that Abel always sat in when he played for her. She nearly fell on her way there, and somehow managed to lift the large instrument up and play a few strangled notes. But it was too much. Her vision swimming, breathing ragged, and her limbs going limp, Rosalie collapsed to the floor with the cello. Because Richard was away at a House party, she lay there for about an hour before Abel got home. She was unconscious when he arrived, and though he managed to get her back into bed, the deed had been done. She died the within a few days, and the cello sat in the corner between those events. But something was different about it. During her fit of passion over it, Rosalie had nearly coughed up a lung onto the beautiful, polished wood. Because Abel was too busy taking care of his mother, the cello went uncleaned for a considerable number of days. The essence of the Black Death seated itself deeply within the instrument, and it soon began to rot from the inside out. A sickly smell began to emanate from it, an acrid black fog curling from the f-holes every so often. But Abel could not bring himself to part with it, given that it was one of few lasting connections he had to his departed mother. So now it sits in his bedroom in his small wing of the house, stinking up the air but bringing him fond memories of the soul that had left him.
Personality
Renee is the epitome of an old-fashioned woman, or at least of how a woman was expected to act in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Quiet, unassuming, and ridiculously polite, she rarely speaks out of turn and almost never raises her voice. She carries herself with a considerable amount of poise, always standing up straight and smiling peacefully, shoulders back and hands folded in front of her. She regularly serves Abel as if she were a maid or servant, but this is simply because she is unyielding in her devotion to him. Because he took such painstaking care of her while she was still a putesco, polishing her every day even if it did no good and still attempting to play her every so often, she feels obligated to repay his kindness in turn. She would do anything for him, anything. But it's not a romantic love that she feels for her Grimm, certainly not. Her view of him could be likened to a child idolizing its father, believing that he could do no wrong.
But this devotion is not wholly exclusive to Abel. Renee's continuum of devotion is very sensitive to change, and anyone who is nice to her in any way, shape, or form will receive nothing but kindness in return. This adoration of hers will likely only increase the better she gets to know someone, but it will take more than simple kindness to get her to become completely devoted. If someone were to save her, or be entirely selfless for her benefit, she would very quickly be completely devoted to them. But it would not be the same type of devotion as she feels for Abel; no, it would be more like someone wanting to do anything to make a loved one happy.
However, while Renee is incredibly receptive to those who are kind to her, she is not good at deciphering motives. If someone is being nice to her in order to get something from her, she will not realize it. If someone is being nice to her because they are flirting or trying to impress her, she will simply see it as them being courteous. Renee's brain does not easily detect the different between plain kindness and flirting, manipulation, or anything else with an ulterior motive. She is also a near-eternal optimist, always seeing the brighter side of things. If someone is unkind to her, she will make excuses for them (such as "Oh, they were just having a bad day," or even "No, it was my fault!"). She is an incredibly self-sacrificing creature.
But do not think that Renee is all sunshine and rainbows and smiles. She is just as prone to bouts of depression as any human, and her episodes are often triggered by being ignored, left alone, or by having been wronged on multiple occasions. She's also very prone to blaming herself for things that go wrong, and of course feeling terrible when someone is upset with her. But she does not wallow in her sorrow for long; she will soon enough begin to repent, doing whatever the person wants whenever they want in order to gain their favor again. One could easily say that Renee will do anything to keep people happy in any sense.
As far as quirks go, Renee has a few. Due to her original form being an instrument, something to be played by hands and physical contact, Renee is a very tactile being. She is very physically-oriented, often touching people and things in order to feel closer to them or to communicate her feelings. She'll often reach out a tiny hand and touch Abel's finger if he is feeling poorly, or even crawl into the crook of his neck and bury her face in his skin. She often judges the feelings of others by how they physically interact with her; if their touches are soft, occur often, and in the right places, she'll believe they're happy with her. If they rarely touch her, or touch her roughly, she'll believe that something is wrong in the relationship. Another result of her being an instrument is the tendency for her to make musical noises when experiencing intense emotion. If she's happy or excited, you could expect a high-pitched trill to come from her little throat; if she's in pain or feeling especially distraught, a low, painful wail will come out instead. There's a vast range, and she'll often "sing" to herself as well, and Abel has been known to request a "song" from her on quite a few occasions.
Preferred Alignment
Order (Servos/Locos).
Putesco Ideas
I'd love it if the cello could be flawlessly clean at first glance, but possibly with tainted strings and black smoke curling out of the two f-holes. As far as patterning goes, I'd prefer if it was a perfectly normal cello, smooth wood all around with only traditional purfling around the edges of the front and back plates. If you want to give a slight pattern of wood grain, that would be perfectly fine!
Amazing Reference
Inspiration
Songs here!
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. Plots/Plans
ⅵ. Reserved
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:36 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:37 pm
PLOTS / PLANS
Here are a few ideas I have that I would like to work on, should Renee become real!
Sudden Wealth - All
I'd love for Abel's father to suddenly inherit a very, very large estate from a distant relative (most likely a grandparent or great-aunt/uncle).
Not only would this be a huge change, but I would love to explore how Abel and his father (and Renee) adjust to their new-found opulence and titles (Lord? Young Lord?).
I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast how they all adapt.
Change Yourself - Renee
Because Renee is so soft-spoken and submissive, she is not a very strong social presence. Abel sees this, and wants her to branch out and voice her opinions more, so that she does not simply sit in the background. He does not want others to walk all over her.
I'm not entirely sure how this would play out, but it's full of delicious drama and angst.
Renee is rather unsure of herself socially, and she would probably try it out a few times, only to feel ridiculous and stupid (and consequently be disappointed that she had "failed.")
I'm thinking that she would eventually decide that being a socialite is simply for her, but only after many different scenarios and "failures."
Family Conflict - All
Abel's family is long-entrenched in the House of Obscuvos, especially his father. Given that Abel connects much more with his mother than his father, he will eventually begin to explore his untapped magical skills. He is aware of the venomous rivalry between the Fellowship and the House, and will likely hide his membership and intentions from his father. This will not only create drama, but also many possibilities of awkward situations!
Eventually, I'd like to have Abel reveal his faction choice to his father. what will happen and how, I'm not sure; but I know for certain that it will be dramatic and heartbreaking!
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. Plots/Plans
ⅵ. Reserved
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:22 pm
RESERVED
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. Plots/Plans
ⅵ. Reserved
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:24 pm
RESERVED
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. Plots/Plans
ⅵ. Reserved
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 6:00 pm
OPEN
This thread is now open!
I welcome any critique that you are willing to give,
and I thank you all in advance!
You may post your crit here in the thread,
send it to me via PM,
or even hit me up on AIM (chickadeegaia).
Thank you so much!
---
ⅰ. Introduction
ⅱ. The Grimm
ⅲ. The Plague
ⅳ. Possessions
ⅴ. The Tribe
ⅵ. Prompt Response
ⅶ. Reserved
ⅷ. Opening
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:52 pm
Alright, I'm opening this up for critique again!
I've overhauled it and returned to my original quest for a cello,
but the construction is sort of still in progress.
The plots/plans section will be updated when possible.
Thank you guys!
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