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 Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Name Meldellevo Gender Male Age Unknown; appears 30-35 Species Mostly human Occupation Circo nelle Stelle; Illusionist Appearance Tall, dark-haired, and with sharp features, Meldellevo seems to command respect and wariness wherever he goes. His skin is alabaster, his eyes a piercing elfish blue, and his hair a long jet-black river of silk. He has the long, thin fingers of a magician familiar with sleights of hand, and the secretive, alluring smirk of the illusionist that has conducted countless acts of misdirection. Even when not on stage, Meldellevo remains sharply and elaborately dressed. His wardrobe consists of lavish suits with elaborate designs, elegant cravats with beautiful embroidery upon them, silk ties and bowties of every colour, fine boots polished to a sparkling finish, and, of course, top hats galore. However dandyish he may usually be, his stage outfit is still, by far, his most bedazzling set. For his stage look, his hair is tied into a low ponytail, and his face is painted to look like a night sky: inky black near his hairline bleeding into a royal blue design around his right eye and cheek, with small dabs of white to represent stars. Made of feather-light materials, not only does his clothing help keep him cool in the hot stage lights, but they also seem to float about him in a cloud, lending more mystique to his aura onstage. His stage suit is made up of a pair of black pants tucked into black boots with white trim and a black dress shirt, and around his waist is a navy blue sash lined with silver threads that shimmer in the stage lights. In addition, Meldellevo wears a snowy-white cravat with dark blue flecks on the edges. Over all this, he wears a long flowing coat, black in colour, with embroidery using every shade of blue thread imaginable to embellish the hems in flourishing designs that remind one of heavenly constellations. In this coat he has many pockets, as befitting of a magician, where he keeps his trusty handkerchief. Finally, to complete his set, he dons his black top hat with white sequins and a single blue rose. He has a scar on his palm. Picture Personality During his show, Meldellevo draws in the audience with his charisma. He is a wizard with words as well as with illusion, and has never failed in his attempts to charm a lady or beguile a gentleman into assisting him in his acts or supplying him with phone numbers. Offstage, however, he is civil at best and haughty at worst. He doesn’t enjoy speaking to many people, and fans that try to come and see him when he’s not onstage are often disappointed by his unexpectedly cool nature. Taciturn and reclusive, he doesn’t want or have many friends, and he seems satisfied with only the animals that he keeps in his room for his magic acts. Towards his fellow circus employees, he is a little less icy and is willing to at least talk with them. But should the topic of conversation turn towards more personal matters, Meldellevo is adept at steering the chatter away from himself. Here in Gaia, Circo nelle Stelle is a new phenomenon, but in the world where they originate, Meldellevo was known as the best magician in the entire world. Even before joining Circo nelle Stelle, he was already a well-known illusionist, and being in the circus has only boosted his fame. As a result, he is used to being treated well, and thus can be proud, short-tempered, and impatient. He feels himself to be worthy of nothing less than five-star treatment, and wastes no time in expressing so. He’s not very popular with the maintenance staff. However, he does respect authority, recognizes his seniors, and is fiercely loyal to whomever he serves. Although he may not be the most pleasant person to work with, his master can rest assured that Meldellevo can be trusted with secrets and tasks. Abilities First and foremost, magic, of course. While Meldellevo does rely on veiled mechanics and sleights of hand for some of his acts, there is often the employment of real transmogrification and conjuring in his acts. He uses his magic in all physical encounters, keeping his enemy at bay for as long as they amuse him, and then lets them go when they are tired. By this time, the enemy usually flees from him, but on the occasions where his attacker doesn’t run away… well, Meldellevo has no qualms with eliminating dangers, although he doesn't condone senseless killing. Although he has vast magical prowess, he is not a true wizard, as some illusionists are, but was born a mere human. Neither did he train for his abilities. No, his magical powers were granted to him… and even he does not know their true extent. Weaknesses His all-encompassing pride. His fame and his abilities with magic often lead him to let down his guard and underestimate other people. In addition, he is often stricken down with extreme fatigue for long stretches, sometimes incapacitating him of even the simplest tasks. In these times, he can go to the washroom and drink water by himself, but that’s about it. Backstory Meldellevo was born and raised in a city called Santo Paolo, a quaint city built on the water (the equivalent of Earth's Venice). He was the only child of Elena and Giacomo. He had a happy childhood, as childhoods go, and was a sweet and adventurous child. His family was not rich, but they lived comfortably, and were rarely in want. When Meldellevo was 10-years-old, his mother sent him to fetch a top hat that his father had ordered to replace his Sunday hat. When Meldellevo got there, he was met, not by the hatter of Santo Paolo, but his new diabolical apprentice, Luciano. Luciano persuaded Meldellevo into making a blood contract with him, giving him magical powers in return - in short, Meldellevo was coerced into a pact with the devil. He returned home with a hat for his father, but his family noticed that he began to become more reclusive and taciturn. They marked it off as teenage angst beginning to set in, and kept only a loose eye on him. During this time, Meldellevo secretly trained and honed his magical abilities with Luciano, who takes the form of animals - doves, cats, rabbits - to conceal himself from Meldellevo's family. Soon, Meldellevo was at the age to move out on his own (his parents were slightly distressed to see that he didn't seem to have grown much physically, but the doctor found nothing wrong - and it was understandable that he couldn't figure it out, as "the devil's influence" usually isn't a standard diagnosis), and he began to earn a reputation as a street magician. Soon, Santo Paolo was hit by an earthquake, and sank beneath the waters, destroying the city. Meldellevo fled the city, and began travelling as a nomad, putting on magic shows and entertaining at the cities he passed through, and building his fame and fortune as a rising illusionist. Soon, his fame was spread across the land, and he was in great demand for shows all over the globe. At this time, he was contacted by Circo nelle Stelle. The circus was lacking a magician, and was wondering if he would be interested in filling the position. Luciano insisted that it would be a good idea, so Meldellevo agreed, and he has been with the circus ever since then. Facts His favourite food are tomatoes and figs. His bouts of fatigue are caused by his magic - every time he does magic, he unknowingly lets Luciano take over a little more of himself. Every so often, Meldellevo overexerts himself, and his entire body goes into shock as a result of his soul being devoured. Although he is respectful of his ringmaster and is loyal to Circo nelle Stelle, his ultimate loyalty lies with his true master, Luciano. Luciano is gay. Character back-story inspired by An Act of Misdirection.
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:09 am
The sample ended up being so long I decided to post it as a separate post. I hope that's all right!
Sample
”Be home before supper, Mel,” said his smiling mother as she placed a soft kiss on the dark mass of hair on her little son’s head. ”And be careful, the guards will enforce the curfew very severely.”
”Yes, mama,” said Meldellevo, the dimples on his still-chubby 10-year-old face showing as he smiled and hugged her. ”I love you!”
With that, Meldellevo turned on his heel and dashed out the doorway and into the cobbled streets. He made his way between the winding streets of Santo Paolo. The familiar buildings of his neighbourhood flew by the little boy as he skipped past them, finally arriving at the gondola docks. It was a pity that his neighbourhood did not have a hatter, but his papa needed one for Sunday Mass, as his current one was fraying, and Mama Elena had sent her little boy to fetch a hat she had ordered.
Meldellevo climbed into the nearest gondola and paid his fare to be taken to the other side of town, where Santo Paolo’s one hatter, Old Giuseppe, lived and worked. Mel was excited; he had heard through the adults saying that Giuseppe had taken on an apprentice that was about Mel’s own age, and he couldn’t wait to meet the boy.
Finally, the gondola arrived at the street of the hatter, and Meldellevo clambered out of the boat, almost tripping and dropping all his florins in his haste. He held tightly onto the monogrammed handkerchief that contained the money for the hat, thanked the gondolier profusely before speeding down the street.
1674 via Buia… 1675… 1676! Mel skidded to a stop before the tall, ornate entrance of the hatter’s shop. He paused a moment to catch his breath, clutched the handkerchief to his chest, and reached up to turn the handle. The door sprang open at his lightest touch, and Mel recoiled from the dark shop doorway, alarmed. He looked up and down the street. Via Buia, or Dark Street, was named appropriately – at this time of day, it stood in the tall shadow of the tall cathedral, and the entire alley was thrown into a velvety darkness. Mel began to feel panic rising in his chest, and his muscles tightened, ready to bolt –
”Hello there, Meldellevo.”
Mel screamed and fell backwards at the sudden sound, dropped the handkerchief. The florins in it spilled across the street, clattering on the stones, and down the street, several women looked up from their chatting and began to rise and see what was wrong. From the doorway came a silvery laugh, and out bounded a boy just a little bigger than Meldellevo himself. At this, the women down the street settled back down, seeing that the situation was under control.
The boy took Meldellevo’s hand and pulled the dark-haired boy to his feet. The boy from the shop was fair-skinned, with golden hair, steel-grey eyes, and a Cheshire Cat grin surrounded by soft pink lips. ”I’m Luciano,” he explained, ”the hatter’s apprentice.” He bent down and began gathering the dropped florins. ”Sorry for scaring you,” he said cheerfully. ”I thought you could see me. I should have turned on a few lamps since Old Man Giuseppe is out. He keeps it awful dark in there, see.”
He turned to go into the shop with the florins and handkerchief, and Meldellevo followed him in, closing the door behind him. Instantly, they were plunged into complete darkness. Meldellevo froze, unsure what to do, and he started when he heard a creaking sound, and the shop was suddenly illuminated. Luciano had moved to the opposite side of the shop and had pulled open a trapdoor, and it was from here that the light was emanating.
”What… what’s going on?” Meldellevo managed to squeak. Luciano beckoned him with a gesture, and Mel found himself moving towards the trapdoor even as every fibre of his being screamed for him to turn around and run home, and forget the hat, this was dangerous, this was wrong, this was confu-
”Hush,” whispered Luciano, placing a finger on Mel’s lips. His steely grey eyes locked with Meldellevo’s, and that, combined with the touch of his finger, seemed to silence Meldellevo’s mind as well as his mouth, and he stared, wide-eyed, at the taller boy. Luciano pointed to the glowing basement of the shop. ”Go on down, Meldellevo.”
”How do you know my name?” asked Mel, frightened again even as he felt his body disobeying his mind’s commands to run away as it gripped the sides of the opening. It was so bright in there…
”I know many things,” Luciano breathed as he jumped into the opening after Meldellevo. He paused, turning Mel this way and that to examine him. ”Meldellevo… that’s a good name for a magician.”
Mel gulped. In the corner lay Old Man Giuseppe, laid neatly into a bloody box. Slowly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he gaped at the scene in horror. Luciano lifted his chin and waggled his finger at Meldellevo, the Cheshire Cat grin growing larger. ”No no, that’s not for you. Don’t worry.”
”My papa’s hat…” managed Meldellevo.
Luciano laughed and turned, opening a cupboard that Mel could have sworn was not there a moment ago, pulling out a black top hat with white sequins and roses. He turned it over and over in his hands, and suddenly pulled out all the roses but one. He turned back to Meldellevo and showed the hat to him as the cupboard vanished. ”Meldellevo, my sweet, what kind of hat do you think this is?” Without waiting for an answer, he flourished it and placed it upon his head, posing. ”Why, it’s a magician’s hat! A hat fitting of the finest illusionist! Of the most cunning wizard!”
”My papa isn’t a wizard.”
”No, he is not,” admitted Luciano, his steel grey eyes twinkling, taking off the hat and twirling it so that it was brim-side up. ”But…” He shook out the handkerchief that the florins were wrapped in, letting the coins drop to the ground. Meldellevo looked, and they seemed to disappear within seconds.
Luciano laid the handkerchief over the hat, tapped the side, and whipped off the handkerchief, showing the inside of the hat to Meldellevo. To the dark-haired boy’s horror, there lay a silver-handled knife, glimmering in the eerie glow of the basement. Luciano smiled. ”Would you like to be a magician?”
Meldellevo looked up at Luciano’s face. Despite the eeriness, despite the dead body (or was it there anymore? No, it wasn’t, it must have been his imagination…), despite the overall unsettling situation, he felt himself nodding. ”I would like that very much, thank you,” he found himself whispering.
Luciano grinned his widest yet and took the knife with a flourish. He twirled the hat and raised Meldellevo’s arm and sleeve with the back of the knife. Smiling, he made a tiny incision on the soft flesh of Mel’s palm, and Meldellevo was shocked to see that the droplet of blood that escaped his body was not red, as normal, but blue. The droplet rolled down his outstretched hand and quivered on his finger before plopping onto the single remaining rose of the hat. Mel watched as the rose turned from white to a blue on contact from the blood, and looked, scared, at Luciano as the knife dissipated.
The fair boy only laughed and set the hat on Meldellevo’s head, his steel grey eyes crinkling in amusement. He bent down and planted a sweet kiss on Mel’s lips before turning and disappearing, just as the knife and the florins and the cupboard and the body had, leaving only the handkerchief to float down onto the ground. For a moment, Meldellevo thought that the handkerchief would disappear as well, but as it didn’t, he bent over to pick it up and examine it. He turned it over and over, looking for his father’s monogram, but found only a single L emblazoned in the corner.
Suddenly, he heard a cooing from above, and he looked up at the trapdoor opening. A single dove was perched on the edge, looking down at him. The dove was a soft snowy white, and when Meldellevo looked at its eyes, he found that they were a steely grey.
It moved its head, as if beckoning him to follow.
Meldellevo stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket and obeyed.
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:46 pm
╔○═♤════════════════════════════╗
-taps chin- hmhm. I like it but I feel his history
is missing something...like what did he do after that?
Also, while I love your post, you're more than qualified. in the actual roleplay I hope they won't be THAT long.
╚════════════════════════════♣═●╝
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Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:07 pm
Haha, no, they're not going to be that long. I just had lots of explainin' to do in that one.
I haven't figured out the exact specifics yet, but basically what it said under "facts": he continued living in Santo Paolo after his encounter with Luciano, and when the city sank, he wandered as a magician, gaining fame and fortune on his own until he joined Circo nelle Stelle. He's still under the power of Luciano after all these years, and whatever his master tells him to do, he cannot help but obey.
Should I add that in as an addendum? There really isn't much to say about that part of his life - granted, it's long, and it's quasi-important, but it's not all that interesting.
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Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 4:01 pm
 Gooood gracious that's a long sample. XD
Part of me wishes that his history had actually been written out, so that we know more than just this one situation. If you can do that, it'd be great, but other than that-
Accepted
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Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:24 pm
Thanks!
I've got to run right now, but when I get back I'll write out his history 3nodding
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