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 Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:03 pm
Rawr
If it helps, Nathaniel is an established character of mine in my brainspace, and I have attempted here to adapt him to the ItNotM setting and then give him a brain tenant.
... So he can see how it feels >C
But yeah, wtb crit to make sure I have everything down so it makes sense to people who are not me =3=
Urimian's input is neither requested nor desired on this quest - Urimian, do not post here for any reason.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:04 pm
Name: Nathaniel Wrenne Nicknames: go with Nathaniel if you want him to be sure you're talking to him; Nathan sometimes works, too, but not always Age: 20 Birthday: June 11 Sign: Gemini Blood Type: B Fav. Food: Indian- and Thai-style curry; his tolerance for spicy is better than most, but he tends to prefer foods more on the milder side so he can actually taste them. Hated Food: Salty things. If there is anyone who can eat one potato chip and one only, it would be Nathan. He is also not the biggest fan of ocean fish, but some days, he will eat a little, if he is in the mood. School: Sovereign Heights Gemstone: Agate Hobbies:Astronomy - Nathaniel's favorite possession is his telescope. Clear nights that are not too cold always find him out on his small balcony with his lens pointed to the stars. He also has a little star-projector light in his room; if people are sharing embarrassing kiddie stories, he might admit that he needed this light on in order to get to sleep until he was ten years old. On a more serious note, though, he does subscribe to magazines and keeps up with the latest news in the field as well. Someday, he hopes to work in an observatory, going through bunches and bunches of pictures and data in search of more information about the universe. Because in the grand scope of things, something like a bad day really doesn't matter, right? His greatest aspiration is to discover something new and have it be named after him. Retrofuturism - The whole steampunk thing has captured Nathaniel's interest, not because it's cool, exactly, but because he likes the idea that the do-it-yourself aspect is trendy. He has his own internet page where he sells things he has made out of gears, along with the occasional modified bit of clothing, but he mostly makes things for himself. Since he has to wear a uniform at school, lately he has been making things other than clothing that he can use while in class; he is proudest of his lunch box, which he modified with an extra front filled with gears and Victorian-style illustrations, and painted over to look like wood. Nathaniel is overall better at the tinkering and painting aspect rather than the sewing, though, but he has at least modified a few vests and such that he picked up at second-hand stores, and wears them outside of class. Even if he had a complete get-up, though, he would avoid going out in it, mostly because he is into steampunk for the making much moreso than showing off. Fortune-telling - Carl Sagan pointed out in his Cosmos TV series that, at the moment of one's birth, the obstetrician has more of an effect gravitationally on him than the planet Mars does, and so it is highly unlikely that the positions of the stars and planets can determine one's fortune in life. Still, Nathaniel finds the idea of horoscopes and fortune-telling interesting, and dabbles in Tarot and numerology. He will do readings or spreads for people he knows, and will follow them up with inquiries as to how events actually played out. It remains a curiosity, though, not an obsession - Nathaniel still adds "in bed" to the end of all his fortune cookie fortunes, and takes his horoscopes and such with a grain of salt. But still, there is the occasional event that makes him wonder just how much is coincidence.... Playing the cello - Nathaniel has been a casual cellist since he was about 13 years old, and is in the orchestra at Sovereign Heights. He hardly aspires to build a career on it, but still finds it relaxing, and actually gets some social interaction playing with others. While not as skilled as the extremely serious members of the cello section, Nathaniel has a good chunk of experience going for him with the instrument, to the point that he has developed a good sense of relative pitch, and has been invited to perform solo once or twice at Sovereign Heights events. ... The aspiring astronomer has turned down all solo offers, though, as he is too shy to appear alone on stage. --- Virtues: Cool as a cucumber - It takes a lot to ruffle Wrenne's feathers. Close deadlines do not stress him (though some may interpret his tendency to disappear for days on end to finish projects or papers to be stress directed at everyone else), and he handles himself calmly in most all confrontations. Even when he does get upset, and he does have his triggers, Nathaniel remains civil and rarely raises his voice in anger. And people and events that do upset him or get him down rarely keep him down for long. He is respectful of those who can stand up for themselves, and for those who do not ... well, he is not about to get worked up over the actions of someone else if it does not directly affect him. Don't sweat the small stuff. It's okay, I got this - Nathaniel tries to be as independent as possible, and has had no trouble at all settling in at Sovereign Heights. His dorm is always clean, he takes care of all his own laundry, all of his homework is done on time, and he is prepared with extra light bulbs and batteries and so forth for when he needs them. He plans carefully and so never needs to ask anyone for rides, would rather die than borrow money from anyone, and definitely would not cheat on homework or tests. And he endeavors to live his whole life that way - never owing anyone a favor or a penny, because he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Focused - Having been home-schooled for half of middle school and all of high school, Nathaniel has gotten used to study without much social interaction. He may not be the most fun person to hang out with, but if he sits down to work on something, he will get work done. He does not exactly have a regimented schedule, but Nathaniel keeps work time and leisure time separate, and follows the mantra of "work hard, party hard" ... even if his flavor of partying is sitting out on the porch with his telescope. If he is working in a group, Nathaniel will mention to others who are not pulling their weight that they should do so, but if they continue to goof off, he can pretty effectively ignore their shenanigans. He could finish a whole project himself if no one stops him, because he wants his own grade, and does not really care either way if the others ride on his work, but will point out in group evaluations that they did little to nothing. This ties in to his independence, and his expectations that others should also work for themselves; he holds little respect for those who ride on the hard work of others, but also figures they are only hurting themselves, and is not about to slack off himself and lose focus because of them. Planning for the long run - Nathaniel has known for sure that he wants to be an astronomer since he was about ten years old. Since then, he has selected all of his classes with that goal in mind. He has his schedule at Sovereign Heights planned out for each year he will be there, and then he has his college programs selected, too, down to estimates of deadlines for when he will need to apply to each one. In all aspects of his life, he prefers having a plan, and a goal in mind. Perhaps this makes him seem dull to some, but it also makes him an extremely stable person. Nathaniel can also adapt his plans, and fully expects to have to do so; if something more interesting or promising comes up, he will change his mind to follow it, but only after making sure it will fit in alright with the big picture. Similarly, if something changes for the worse, he can generally adapt to the new circumstances with relative ease ... he just will not necessarily like it. But Nathaniel will never go chasing after cheap thrills or things that he knows are not going to last - if he dates, he will want it to be for the long-term, he sees no point in getting drunk or high, and just in general likes to keep the big picture in sight. --- Flaws: Science-Related Memetic Disorder - Nathaniel's focus on his career goals and day-to-day school work often come at the expense of social interaction. He is that weird kid who would rather finish his home work now than go out and see a movie and save it for later; invitations are typically refused unless he knows he has spare time. And because he is not terribly outgoing or social to begin with, Nathaniel has been known to make sure he has other things to do as excuses to decline invitations. Large group activities also worry him, as described in his other flaws - if he knows that drinking is likely to go on at a party, he will almost definitely elect to avoid it. Even when he does come out to social functions, he prefers to people-watch, which sometimes causes him to come off as stand-offish, aloof, or slightly creepy. Nathaniel is neither blind to nor ignorant of social cues, he is just very definitely not a people-person. Cold - Though he is cordial to pretty much everyone, Nathaniel is not out to make friends. He makes a decent first impression, generally as the quiet and intelligent young man he is, but acquaintances rarely get to know much more about him in subsequent meetings. He treats pretty much everyone the way he treats strangers ... not that it is necessarily bad, but those expecting warm fuzzy friendly feelings will either have to work rather aggressively to build up a friendly relationship, or find someone else. Additionally, Nathaniel has great difficulty accepting help from others - he refuses politely, but those who continue to insist on trying to help usually end up getting solidly told off. Nathaniel does not want anyone's pity. Prudish - Nathaniel was raised by "helicopter parents" who sheltered him from quite a lot. Whether he likes it or not, he is learning quickly now that he is in high school, but a lot of innuendo still goes straight over his head. Things like drugs, drinking, and sex are ingrained in his mind as 100% bad all of the time, and so he tends to be quick to judge people who partake of these activities. He has opened up a bit since he turned 18 (his parents can no longer insist that he come home by 10, or prevent him from seeing R-rated movies), but Nathaniel is still pretty vanilla. The world against me - Nathaniel suffered his first seizure in class in middle school after a late night studying. His parents reacted with great concern, and not only took care to ensure that their son was properly diagnosed and started on medication to regulate his epilepsy, but also pulled him from the public school system to home school him instead, in order to keep a close eye on him. They knew he would grow up eventually, though, and did all that they felt they needed to do in order to prepare him for taking care of himself ... in spite of their urge at the same time to keep him holed up safe at home all the time. Their parenting took a "Red Asphalt" approach, painting drugs and alcohol and other bad things as extremely bad and exceedingly dangerous. One way of keeping Nathaniel out of trouble, sure, but their instruction on such matters has left him fearful of the world around him. Since he started at Sovereign Heights, he has been determined to face that fear and all on his own, hence Nathaniel's extreme reluctance to accept help. But he still views the world as a hostile place and inherently mistrusts people. This is his weakness, as all his other flaws stem from it. --- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Eyes - Brown and usually at least partly closed in a relaxed sort of way. He wears a pair of oval-shaped glasses, as well. Hair - Green, thin and soft, and about shoulder blade-length, parted in the back into two short "wings" like Gaia's Tomboy style Face - Square-jawed with a somewhat wide-looking mouth; mature but serene. Body - Nathaniel is tall and slender, just bordering on underweight. He is strong for his build, but that is not exactly saying much.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:07 pm
Cavalier: Glaucus, Cavalier of the Landmark Challenge: "I can see your defeat from miles away!" Weapon: Pharos - a pappenheimer, with its hilt's twin metal plates decorated with ancient lighthouses; the perforations as in a traditional walloon sword hand-guard trace out the designs. When Glaucus is plugged in with his Black Moon senshi, Pharos leaves brightly-glowing trails in whatever it cuts. He can mark people in this manner, causing wounds that heal no more slowly than regular blade wounds, but that can glow for hours after they have stopped bleeding. Objects can be similarly marked. The light from Pharos is yellow like that of a flame, but unflickering, and lasts for up to 6 hours after Glaucus made the cuts. Pharos's marks fade over the 6-hour duration, and various healing or disenchanting spells may remove the light sooner. Willing to defer to the mods for this power, though, if they have another that works better! :> Uniform: I was thinking of something off-white with stonework designs in places, like limestone blocks, but will happily defer to whatever Shaz thinks looks good~ --- Name: Evander/Euandros - Glaucus was a big guy from the start, and a difficult birth, so his parents hoped something good would come of his struggle to enter the world. Hobbies: Boating - Before he was named Cavalier Glaucus, Euandros was a humble son of a fisherman, and grew up helping his father on the family boat. It is still something he enjoys now, as it is hard work that he finds relaxing and mind-clearing. Sailing in particular gives Glaucus the sort of hands-on adventure he loves. Sit him down on a boat and he will fidget and try not to look bored, but give him the tiller and he will love every second of it. He knows all manner of sailor knots and how to care for craft; as well as how to sail best in various winds; and, of course, when not to sail at all. In his past life, he also got to liking rowing alone, too, for the workout, but Glaucus prefers having a sail to carry him where he wishes. Trail-blazing - Sort of going along with the above, Glaucus enjoys venturing out into new places. Unexplored? Potentially dangerous? Even better. Not that he is reckless or careless - he just loves going out and checking out a place so that he can tell others where to go and how to get there later. He would be the willing scout for the Parallel Cavaliers; not quite the stealthy spy crawling through the ventilation ducts, but certainly the one to find the goat-trail shortcut through the mountains. He can also make very good maps of places he has been, up to a few weeks after he has visited them, though he is not the greatest artist. Dancing - In order to keep his body nimble for swordsmanship, Glaucus took up ballroom dancing. Memorizing physical movements comes naturally to him, and the music makes it easier and also more fun - especially with a partner. He was known as being able to teach anyone to dance, as well; while he hardly possesses the charismatic presence of his prince, Glaucus was still able to catch the attentions of ladies in his past life through dance. It is entirely possible that he personally instructed his Sailor Ares in dance, as well, once upon a time. Astrology - Glaucus likes to be prepared, and has decided that one of the ways to try to get a heads-up on the crazy world is to read the future in the stars and planets. He knows a fair amount about taking readings from the stars, and has dabbled a bit in palm-reading as well. He takes horoscopes and the like quite seriously, and will not begin new things on inauspicious days. If his work as a Cavalier requires him to anyway, he will warn his comrades of the misalignment of the heavenly bodies, but ultimately go along if his help is required ... just definitely with one of his good luck charms. He will have to be careful making his predictions and such in the White Moon world, however - a mirror image is a reversed one, for words and stars and Tarot cards.... --- Virtues:Quick kinesthetic learner - Glaucus is extremely good at learning by doing. Take him somewhere once, and he will always be able to find his way back. Direct him through swordsmanship footwork and he will commit the movements to muscle memory. He picks things up best if you grab his hands and move them to where they are supposed to be on the weapon or what have you, and Glaucus, not wanting to have anyone show him anything twice, will remember. His skill with a sword stems from his sometimes almost uncanny ability to pick things up kinesthetically. Meticulous - If you need it done well and by this time tomorrow, Glaucus is your man. He would hope that anyone doing him a favor would carry it out promptly and well, and so he does his very best to carry out tasks to the best of his ability. This may come across as an unquestioning loyalty to his prince and to his captain, but Glaucus will speak up if he feels that there is a better, faster way to do something, or if he feels that the outcome of a particular task is not worth the required effort. He likes things streamlined and smooth-running. If someone needs their face bashed in, Glaucus will do the bashing. And if that face needs to be brought back intact for whatever reason, the Cavalier of the Landmark will ensure that no undue harm comes to the prisoner. All things in moderation - There is a time for going apeshit berserk, and a time for stepping back and relaxing. Glaucus generally relies upon Hector to tell him when the first time is, but keeps his battle fervor limited to the battlefield. He is a deadly soldier when he needs to be, but is generally easygoing when no one needs stabbing. Additionally, Glaucus is not known to overeat, drink to excess, or oversleep, making him a trustworthy nightwatch when necessary. He holds himself to very high standards, perhaps unreasonable ones to expect of one's self, but will not allow himself to slip, even if he feels no one is watching. Pragmatic - Glaucus is generally unquestioning when it comes to orders, but when he does ask a question, it is "Can we do this better?" He may not be the most book-smart of the Black Earth Cavaliers, but he is likely the one all the others would pick to be lost in a forest with; he knows his survival skills, and is good at working with his hands. And, related to the above, he knows when it is time to stop flying off the handle and slow down for a moment. He is a strategist in that he is good at making the best of what he has, as opposed to being the best at directing others: if confronted with, for example, a mountain pass, he may not be able to tell you where to expect enemy ambushes, but he could find you two or three alternative routes through. As for those who might suggest that placing such stock in the positions of the stars and planets, though, Glaucus might suggest that with Mars where it is now, it might not be practical at this time to go questioning the beliefs of others. --- Flaws:Passive-aggressive - Glaucus pays attention to others, trying to pick up what he can from them ... but only because he expects others to do the same for him. So if someone is doing something he does not like, he will behave in a manner meant to point out the other person's transgression, but damned if he will say anything about it. Those who do not shape up in his eyes are then met with a frostily silent and increasingly resentful Glaucus. For those who know him well, the sudden shift in his ordinarily-friendly disposition might be enough to clue them in that they have done something to upset him, but if he is directly questioned about what the problem is, he will most likely answer. With Ares in particular, Glaucus makes a habit of going to her to ask what the problem is when she goes off to sulk - as with much of his other behavior, he will at leastly say that he does this because he expects the same treatment in return when he is sulking. It should be noted that his passive-aggressive behavior is limited primarily to interpersonal problems. Glaucus will not hesitate to speak up about problems with plans, as mentioned in his other virtues, but he seems to have trouble confronting others about issues with them in particular. Inarticulate - Since he learns best by doing and therefore teaches best in the same manner, Glaucus falls a bit short when it comes to explaining things. Or maybe a lot short. Even if he knows exactly what he is talking about, he cannot always communicate it effectively to others and can tend to ramble to try to make up for it. Minced metaphors and malapropisms are common, too, but those who spend enough time with him learn how to interpret his own brand of speech. You know that guy who was there when that thing happened, and he assures you that it was really hilarious, and he tries for like, ten minutes to tell you all about it but it's still kind of not funny anyway because well, really, you kind of had to be there? ... Yeah, that's Glaucus. Most write this off as his trade-off for having such uncanny visual-spacial and kinesthetic intelligences. He is also aware enough that he cannot always convey his ideas properly, but is not shy as a result of it, however, it is still a big part of why he has such difficulty coming out and talking to others about his problems with them. Fatalist - His selection as a Cavalier convinced Glaucus from the beginning that he was destined to serve Prince Alexandros and work to give him victory in all of his endeavors. He continues to cling to astrology as a measure of success in missions and in his everyday life, but also ventures onto the battlefield each time believing that he will do his best, and fate will protect him if he is meant to live another day. Or, if fate wills it, he will die in battle that day. So, while Glaucus can always walk into battle with an easy smile on his face and a fervent fire in his heart, he will also probably humbly attribute all great victories to the whims of the stars. And also all great failures - it was not meant to be that day. In this way, he attempts to dodge blame, at least in his own mind, and may potentially irritate comrades by consistantly downplaying his combat prowess (or theirs, depending upon how much they read into it). Really, he means well, but may come across as just a little too obsessed with FATE AND DESTINY. Afraid of failure - Glaucus is not afraid of taking chances, but he worries constantly of failure. His efficiency does not diminish the quality of the work he does, and he holds himself to ... perhaps higher standards than anyone else would hold him to, and certainly higher than he can really reasonably expect of himself. Concern that he is not as good as the other Cavaliers constantly plagues him, in spite of the fact that he would not have been chosen in the first place if not for his great swordsmanship and repertoire of practical skills. He has become a better worker than he was once upon a time, in part because he has embraced astrology and other fortune-telling to try to assure himself that if he starts under good circumstances, everything will be okay. If something is going to prevent Alexandros from getting what he wants, if one of the Cavaliers is going to let all the others down, Glaucus sure as hell does not want it to be him.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:09 pm
Why Nathaniel?
In searching for someone to take on Glaucus on this side of the mirror, Nathaniel would stand out as a candidate initially because of his interest in astrology - a superficial similarity with the Black Earth Cavalier. Nathaniel would initially be able to instruct Glaucus in the stars of this universe, but his skepticism would also help to temper the Cavalier's fanaticism with regards to fate. This may be a hit to Glaucus initially, but I could see it, over time, improving his confidence in his own abilities. Nathaniel is also highly intelligent and extremely quiet - qualities that would, in some combination, hopefully improve Glaucus's ability to communicate. Glaucus would definitely make Nathaniel more adventurous. I highly doubt Alexandros would intentionally choose an incompatible person for his subordinate Cavalier, since I think an incompatible person would rapidly irritate Glaucus himself, to the detriment of the team, but I would not put it past him to place Glaucus into someone like Nathaniel for curiosity's sake: would a person who can speak well but chooses to remain silent bring his chattery subordinate to grow quieter? Would placing Glaucus into the mind of a reclusive young man bring the human Nathaniel out into the world more? Will each change what fortunes the other sees in the stars and in numbers?
Physically, I picture Glaucus as a the larger, more muscular type originally, who may have to learn to deal with Nathaniel's slighter frame, but will also most likely help the scrawny academic bulk up a little. Long-term, however, I could see Glaucus settling into more of a strategist role than the logistics guy-bruiser I imagine he was previously - perhaps not stepping up to become the main brains of the order of Black Earth Cavaliers, but certainly another one to consult in determining a course of action.
Another crueler aspect is that frankly, Nathaniel does not have a lot of friends. Traits mentioned above are outwardly obvious, but other than that, he is a closed book ... and what better person to trust with a secret than the one who will not even permit people to help him carry his groceries? If something terrible happens early on due to the blending of minds, then fewer people will miss Nathaniel. And if he begins to reach out more, explore and trailblaze, and make new friends due to his mental tenant, then Nathaniel's life has only improved, right? Additionally, Nathaniel will know at the very least whomever recruits him (knowingly or unknowingly) into becoming the vessel for Glaucus, and since he will be compeletely unwilling to reach out to anyone else with any issues regarding his newfound mental companion, his own nature will drive him towards the other Cavaliers for help. After all, they are the only ones who can understand what he is going through.
As far as Nathaniel's epilepsy goes, I highly doubt Alexandros will know about it when he makes his choice for Glaucus, unless he goes nosing around in medical records, has some ability to sense such a condition, or actually sees Nathaniel experiencing a seizure. I thought that that could be an interesting wrench to throw into the character dynamic between Glaucus and Nathaniel, and something else to explore in solo-writing for two minds for one body. Additionally, through the influence of Glaucus or on his own, I think Nathaniel will worry that his condition makes him less useful to the Parallel Cavaliers (even though he manages it as well as he can), potentially aggravating Glaucus's own fears of failure; neither man is one to allow himself to get mired too deeply in self-doubt, though. Whether through cards or careful planning (likely a combination of the two), the two minds will find a way to work through it or around it in some manner.
Nathaniel will think Glaucus is an utter violation of his mental privacy ... but also possibly a way to sort of live vicariously through himself. The Cavalier also relies a lot on gut instinct more often than logic, which will seem frightening to Nathaniel at first - is he really going to do that just because it "seems" right? He will probably grow to trust Glaucus's generally relaxed nature and resignation to fate, though, which will allow him to venture out and try more new things without worrying so darn much.
Glaucus will think Nathaniel is waaaaaay smarter than he is, if a little boring, and somehow refreshingly (or perhaps disturbingly) comfortable with who he is. He may find Nathaniel's logic slows him down, especially when reading the stars and plotting a course seem like the best ways to start off. Over time his frustration will dwindle and he may find that Nathaniel's mind lends him a more careful perspective on things, which Glaucus may even grow to find more of a comfort than fortune-telling.
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:07 am
Relationships with the other Parallels, based on available personality information - this may change depending upon how actual interactions go, though, in the event I receive Glaucus~
Toward Ares, Glaucus always shared a sort of different bond. They were more like siblings than lovers, and worked well as a team because they seemed to share a certain link that went beyond words. Fortunate, with Glaucus's inability to explain most things clearly to anyone else, and Ares' frequent inability to listen. Maybe to some degree, the Cavalier felt that he did not have to relate or bond in a deep emotional way to the senshi who was always BATTLE MODE: ON (much to his relief), but nonetheless, he has a certain strange affection for her that transcends his sense of duty. So whenever Ares goes into one of her sulks, he was the one to draw her back out of it again. And she, in turn, could yell at him if he took his passive-aggressive behavior too far. Blended with Nathaniel, the Cavalier of the Landmark is inclined to be more articulate and logical, but, well, whether that will actually work on Ares is not a certainty. Ares-Fallon will at least find her counterpart sharper, if quieter, than before, but it is up to her whether she finds this a change for the better.
Toward Alexandros, Glaucus definitely originally felt like the kid going to Harvard for the sports as far as brains are concerned in the Parallel Cavaliers. More than willing to leave the strategy up to his Prince, Glaucus would nonetheless be ready to share his logistical skill to planning because he felt like it was the best thing he had to offer. Also, his readings of the cards and stars - Alexandros's plans must not be cursed by ill omens! Nathaniel will likely want to step up to be a strategist of the Parallel Cavaliers, but find himself not necessarily outdone by Prince Alexandros and others from the original group, but rather placed in Glaucus's position instead as someone more like a mediator. The Prince has a vision! Captain Hector has a plan! Glaucus is the one who figures out how best to get these on the ground and running, and how the stars are likely to affect the outcome. Nathaniel will help make him sharper, more articulate, and more logical in how his contributions are presented - he may be wary at first, particularly of the general all-out modus operandi of the Parallel Cavaliers, but he does possess a deep-set desire to belong to something, and when he and Glaucus realize that they have that in common, count on him to be eager to contribute just as when Glaucus was first selected as a Cavalier.
Toward Hector, Glaucus probably felt more than a little intimidated by his strong feelings, but at the same time also found his enthusiasm invigorating in battle. Guy needed to give himself more credit, as he was a decent swordfighter on his own, and with his fatalist attitude, attributing everything to the spread of the cards, he likely made his own decent blend of apeshit, too. Blended with Nathaniel, he will want to scrutinize his actions more, but Glaucus's devotion could never be overshadowed by the student astronomer's reason. He will also be reluctant to bring anything up, at least at first, because Hector frankly scares Nathaniel a little. Glaucus will continue to do his best to ensure that his Captain's plans are grounded in reality, though possibly with a bit more success once he is better able to put his thoughts into words. In spite of neither Nathaniel nore Glaucus being massively outgoing and social, he will likely function as something like a sticky between Hector and the more rational members of the group, though he may irritate members of both circles since he sort of has a foot in both worlds himself.
Toward Laocoon, in the past, Glaucus definitely considered him the smarter, but Nathaniel's intellectual personality may bend Glaucus into more of a rivalry with him. With any luck, Laocoon's sense of humor will help keep it more or less a friendly one, but it is likely Glaucus could get a bit prickly from time to time. For the interest of team function, he will at least try to get along, and Nathaniel would have the wisdom to let things to slide for the sake of a mission. The potshots and occasional potentially passive-aggressive remarks will probably fly in every other waking moment, though, but Glaucus will still retain enough of an admiration of the other Cavalier's sharp mind to get too overly offensive. But if he takes the bait and wants to bicker....
Toward Nelehenia, Glaucus is likely even less articulate than usual, though hardly because he is in love with her or anything inappropriate of that nature! His mind is still a little blown that he is able to serve her, and considers his Queen high above him in every way. She is beyond adoration and love (especially because she is involved with his Prince!) and therefore completely untouchable. Nathaniel may bring Glaucus to be critical of her as well, but nonetheless, the Cavalier's devotion to the Black Moon Court's cause will make sure that he stays in his place. I imagine Glaucus to have come from a lower background in the world beyond the mirror before he was selected for his skill at the sword; so honored was he by the assignment that it all but secured his loyalty.
Toward Aphrodite, Glaucus probably did not care for her too much, mostly because he felt like there was a great gulf of understanding between them. She may have been the one on the receiving end of his passive-aggression most often - if she wanted to debate and argue with him, even in a friendly manner, he likely would have interpreted this as making fun of his inability to properly articulate his own opinions, and would be extremely reluctant to deal with her after that, feeling that she was always "baiting" him. Still, though, he cannot completely hate her since justice is a mighty fine cause, and she does seem to take good care of Ares, but more often than not, Glaucus would just avoid talking to her at all costs. Nathaniel, on the other hand, also does not mind a good debate for fun, and would be much more willing to engage Aphrodite. Depending on how she responds to this, he may begin to deliberately antagonize her in a friendly capacity as he may also do to Laocoon, but Glaucus's lingering apprehension will make him back off a good distance if she does not take well to him.
Toward Gaia, Glaucus was always avoidant. Well-intentioned, but he strongly tended to disagree with her methods. He tried to respect her, but always from a distance - he never felt like they had anything in common. Nathaniel would likely regard her in the same manner, since she seems like That Girl His Parents Warned Him About. Her lack of subtlety would frustrate Nathaniel perhaps more than it ever did Glaucus, though, especially if he went through such painstaking trouble to find a decent route for a sneak-attack in the first place. The influence of the others (particularly from Hector, since he and Gaia are close now) could convince him to bury the hatchet, but while Nathaniel-Glaucus is willing to work with her for the sake of the Queen and her Prince, it will likely remain a prickly relationship.
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:30 am
Overhauled Glaucus and I am happier with him now. Any fresh sets of eyes to look this over would be most welcome~
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:02 am
*threadpoke*
Got Nathaniel better written down, as well, now 3nodding
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:36 pm
Hey Kumo! Gawd, sorry it’s taken me so long to do your crit! D: I was like…dying of illness for the better half of last week and my brain hasn’t decided it’s been capable of higher thought until right about now. But! I shall do my best to give you a crit that’s been worth the wait! <3
Okay, so we’ll start with Nathan’s virtues, because they’re their first, and that makes sense. But before we get there, I’m sure you’re aware, but Lith’s new civ is Nathan, so I’m not sure if that counts as far as the ‘no two same names’? Maybe you should just check somewhere?
Okay, as far as cool as a cucumber goes, I appreciate how you address what he does when something gets under his skin instead of saying nothing bothers him, ever.
Nate (sorry Nathaniel, I’m probably going to call you Nate because it’s much easier for me to type, hehe) and his independence confused me, just a little. I understand how this can be a virtue, but I think it might be the way you’ve worded it. It strikes me as though he’s completely isolated, and that he can totally take care of himself, but still. What about in the event he absolutely needs something from someone? I know it’s nitpicking a little, but maybe if you just changed the wording a little?
Mhhm, I like focused as well. I’m curious, when did he start working in groups? Was it when he entered Sovereign Heights? I’m only curious because he was home-schooled, you know? If that’s the case how did he handle it? I imagine it’s quite the change, suddenly being expected to be a team player. I almost wish you put a little more about his ‘play hard’, because I get the feeling he rarely plays at all. (Unless that’s the idea you wanted me to get, in which case, good job. XD )
Okay, and finally, planning for the long run. I find this to be an interesting virtue, because I think the majority of characters don’t have that long-term sort of ability. I’m glad you added that bit about his adaptability in, I think that’s very important. I’m wondering under what sort of circumstances he will compromise his long term goals, though. Or does he? (I get small things messing up the big picture, a full class, a change in the school program, what have you, haha.) I don’t even need to ask you what would happen if a peer ridiculed him, because I feel like cool as a cucumber has already covered that.
Alright, and now we plod along to flaws. Look! I’m getting somewhere!
I’m not going to lie, the title Science-Related Memetic Disorder made me giggle, hehe. But overall, I like the flaw. I could already see this one coming from his virtues, and I’m glad you included it. I also like how he makes excuses just to avoid company and the fact he isn’t blind/ignorant of social cues, he really isn’t a people person. I like this flaw a lot, and I don’t think I have any irritating questions to ask at all!
The flaw cold fits his personality, but I’m struggling to see how its detrimental to his character, or to others, really. He’s aloof, but you’ve stated he’s never rude or cruel, just distant, so that’s not really inflicting harm onto others. (Unless they seem to have a real interest in him and have the spine of a sponge, but then we have a different sort of problem going on there all together, I’d reckon.) The fact that he has trouble asking for assistance would normally be detrimental, but you make such a point to tell us just how independent he is above, I’m not really buying this can be a flaw well independent can be a virtue, you know? If he’s that independent, then I think he can get by without help normal, and if not, then that virtue needs a little bit of editing. The pair is just coming into conflict a little. I like when flaws and virtues play as the same side of a coin, I think that’s awesome, but this flaw just needs a little strength. It’s a little weak right now, if that makes sense.
Bumbling along to prudish, I love the fact you’ve mentioned ‘helicopter parents’. I’d forgotten what a wonderful term that was. As a small note, I thought he was enrolled at Sovereign Heights, not high school? But that aside, I think this flaw is almost more of a lifestyle than a flaw. How is missing an innuendo detrimental for him, shy of being a little embarrassing? How is avoiding sex, drugs and alcohol bad for him? XD I think I understand where you’re trying to go with this, but I feel like we just haven’t reaching the final destination yet. Now, if he were to like, call the police/rat out the other kids doing all the aforementioned Bad Things, that would be a whole nother ball game, you know what I’m saying? But as it stands, I can’t really see how this flaw harms him or others.
The world against me, I find this flaw interesting. I think it’s mostly the choice of the word fearful, because up until this point, he hasn’t struck me as fearful at all. I almost feel like he’s an intelligent version of the ‘stick it to the man’ kinda kid. The thing is, I can still see how this makes sense, the fear and how you’ve described him to me. The only thing I wonder is why he decided to face this fear? Why wasn’t he happy in his safety bubble? What about starting school at Sovereign Heights made Nathaniel go ‘you know what, it’s time for a change’? I think that bit of information would be very helpful to help us understand. :]
As a side note, I love your carmeldansen sketch. That’s so badass. XDDDDD
Okay, I always do hobbies after personality, to see how they match up with traits listed.
I’m glad astronomy is first, since you’ve mentioned it a few times throughout his profile. I love when I get a little taste of his hopes and dreams through personality, it’s great. I love how you give him a goal, as well as a dream. I think that’s fantastic.
As far as the other three go, I don’t really see a problem with any. They’re all solo hobbies, which makes perfect sense, and I think you’ve justified all three logical. There wasn’t anything that boggled me, even though you’ve given him some pretty unique hobbies. I really love fortune telling and his steam punk hobby, especially the fact that Nathaniel still adds ‘in bed’ to the end of his fortune cookies, haha. My only one tiny little concern is the fact he seems to be quite good at all four of his hobbies. Is he really that good at everything he does? Does he only like things he’s good at? Or does he have a hobby that isn’t quite so successful?
Wow, I’ve made it halfway through! Boy, I am going slow as molasses going up hill on a January day in Boston. But let’s move on to Glaucus! And you know what comes first! Virtues! (I totally almost just wrote flaws, because apparently I like to make an idiot out of myself.)
Ah, quick kinesthetic learner, I can totally see how this would be helpful as a cavalier. I like how you give us examples of this trait as well.
Laaaawl, the example for meticulous totally made me happy. I love that, haha. I’m curious, does his loyalty only extend to his prince and captain, or does he also do favors for the other cavaliers? Would he ever step in front of another cavalier if he felt they weren’t performing their given task effectively? (Also, on another note entirely, I’m not sure if meticulous is the best name? When I think of meticulous, I think of nit-picking, paying attention to details. This virtue strikes me more as efficiency or effectiveness.)
Again with the examples! I like All in moderation, except I have to wonder where all this self control comes from. This is the second time you’ve mentioned it, so I’m hoping there’s some sort of explanation why he feels so much is necessary, or some such, just because I’m curious how one of Hector’s cavaliers ends up with so much discipline.
To be honest, I don’t really understand pragmatic as a virtue. After re-reading it a few times, I feel like you’re just reiterating all his other virtues as opposed to introducing something new. The only new idea I get is something about survival skills, which was sort of buried between his hands on and the idea that Glaucus is as effective as possible. I have no idea what you were trying to impart, unfortunately. ):
And now, let’s move on to Glaucus’ flaws!
Mhhm, I like Passive-aggressive, I think that’s a very strong flaw. I like the way you’ve explained it and given us an example. I also like the way you’ve wound his view of ‘do to me as I do to you’ throughout his entire personality. I do wonder, however, does he behave like this even with the Captain and Prince? (Oh, wouldn’t that be interesting!) What if someone knows his game/is incredibly unobservant and never gives in? Will he burn the bridge before he tells someone how they’re bothering him?
Ahh, I love how inarticulate incorporates his virtues as well as explains ‘passive-aggressive’ a little bit more. Kudos! I think this is a brilliant flaw!
Aww, I think fatalist is cute. I think that would be really interesting to see in play. I’m curious, if he believes it’s all do to fate, does he practice less? Does it ever lead him to be lazy, especially if he uses fate and destiny as his scapegoat when things don’t pan out? Does it ever lead him to giving up on things, if it just wasn’t meant to be? Does Glaucus consult the stars before he does anything/everything? XD
I get Afraid of failure in theory, but I can’t really see it in the manner you’ve described it. It almost sounds more like a virtue to me. By holding himself to such high standards, Glaucus has improved some of his skills and it makes him work very, very hard. By using astrology to calm his fears…I guess I just can’t see how this effects him negatively? I mean, I understand the theory, but practically, it honestly sounds like it’s done good for his character.
And now, because sou has weird habits, let’s investigate Glaucus’ hobbies!
We start with boating and I say yaaay for giving us a little taste of personal history! I love that. XD I also like how it incorporates his preferred style. The same goes for trail blazing, and I find it interesting that he can draw maps. I think it goes with his sphere well, that’s very clever.
I think dancing is very unique, but I’m curious. What made him think ‘ballroom dancing’ when he thought ‘I need to stay nimble’? I’m not sure if that’s a typical train of thought, hehe, especially not for one of Hector’s cavaliers. I suspect he’d catch a lot of flak for such a hobby. How would he feel about that?
Finally, I just love astrology. I love how that shows up in his traits and how much of a roll it plays in Glaucus’ life. I think that’s a fantastic element of his character, and I think you’ve really given yourself a lot of open doors with that, as far as RP and the like goes. And, I think it’s pretty unique, too! Kudos, man, this is one of my favorite hobbies I’ve ever come across!
Overall, it seems like you’ve put a lot of work into both the boys. I can totally visualize both Nathaniel and Glaucus as real people, I think you’ve done a good job meshing their flaw and virtue sets. I also think you’ve given them hobbies very suitable to their personalities, which is great. I like how you’ve rationalized Nathaniel being picked despite his epilepsy, and you raise a very good point. I think they might have a tough time meshing initially, just because Glaucus is an outgoing person and Nathaniel definitely isn’t, but if they can compromise there, I can see how it might work out. My only concern is, with Nathaniel so fiercely independent, is their any chance he’d try to force Glaucus out, especially since he considers this an invasion of his mental privacy? Is there some sort of saving grace that would keep Glaucus from this sort of fate?
I really like this quest! I hope this crit helps you out, and I apologize again for it taking so long. If anything I’ve said seems odd or doesn’t make sense, please feel free to ask me to clarify! Good luck, Kumo! X3 This quest was a great read!
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