[@Jacobite] Forgive no fancy formatting as I'm fairly new to the site :S please give any feedback on the ideas, i'm open to changes this is just an initial concept i guess? Unless you really like it. I can't find any art befitting of the character, but if anyone else can then throw it my way! :D [hider=Marius Gray - WIP, I want to think out backstory carefully][center] [h1]Marius Gray[/h1] [sup]The silver tongue of the Empire[/sup] [hr][hr][/center] [color=gray]NAME[/color] [indent]Marius Gray, Mr. Gray, Marius[/indent] [color=gray]AGE[/color] [indent]28[/indent] [color=gray]GENDER[/color] [indent]Male[/indent] [color=gray]PLACE OF ORIGIN[/color] [indent]Chaleur[/indent] [color=gray]APPEARANCE[/color] [indent]Marius has blonde hair and a pretty face. Most would regard him as attractive, with a confident and rather bold presence. He has olive skin, and a beauty spot mole above his lip some might find quite charming. He tends not to dress too extravagantly, following norms of uniform or basic clothing for wherever he ends up. [/indent] [color=gray]PERSONALITY[/color] [indent]There is always an easygoing aura of happiness surrounding him. Everything he says appears trustworthy and authentic. He has been known as a gambler, willing to put all his eggs in one basket should things go south. Somewhat of a womanizer, he often resorts to flirtation and flattery to get what he wants with a surprising amount of success. He is loyal, and respects courage. He is compassionate and open minded, which some could see as a rather ignorant innocence. When confronted with danger he often casts aside thought of a resolution and first thinks of a way to turn the situation into an advantage. This can lead to wild and creative ideas. His sense of humour never leaves him, and would probably end up giggling like a child at a crude joke even in the face of death.[/indent] [color=gray]SKILLSET[/color] [indent]● Charisma - well versed in common and Yaugen Marius has made a name for himself as a talker. Diffusing tension, counseling, and reason give him an undeniable natural advantage in debates and negotiations. He can suppress almost any emotion, and whilst seeming trustworthy and authentic it is safe to say that underneath it all almost everything that is seen and heard on the surface is artificial. Those who are very close to him can slowly begin to notice this, however out of the few who do those high up in the Empire respect it, and wish to use it to the Empire's advantage. ● Charm (felt it best to split into two skills for emphasis on his talents) - Aside from the mere act of talking, the demeanor in which Marius operates his daily life is by no means an accident. Years of careful trial and error with people of all personalities and cultural backgrounds have allowed him the kind of adaptability one can marvel at in social interaction. Seduction, emotional manipulation and persuasion whilst questionable by moral standards is an asset that can mean the difference between meeting death by a pirate blockade and reinforcements from them against a common threat. ● (Work in Progress depending on acceptance of other skills) [/indent] [color=gray]WEAKNESS[/color] [indent]While he is no stranger to travel, Marius has limited capability when it comes to sailing. Much of his skills lay with his intelligence and charisma, therefore his skills in fighting and usefulness to the rest of the crew are questionable. Marius also finds himself troubled sometimes with identity crisis, a side effect of having such a controlling grasp on everything he says and the emotions he puts across.[/indent] [color=gray]HISTORY[/color] [indent]Marius was born into one of the poorer households on his island. His father worked with creatures and animals, learning about them and domesticating them for means of all kinds. His mother was a housewife taking care of his siblings. As a young boy his father wanted him to run the streets as a beggar, to help boost what little the family had as a means of survival. During this time Marius began to place himself close to businesses and nobility, seemingly idiotic for a beggar as the upper classes in his town barely noticed his existance. Through people watching and much time of observation he began being able to replicate their behavior, beginning his teenage life as a shady trader and somewhat conman. During his young adulthood he began to blend in with nobility and upper classes, worming his way into conversations and friendships that eventually built up as a second life, completely unknown to those he spoke to. One man close to the Empress however became suspicious of him, beginning a thorough investigation of this charming noble who seemed to come out of nowhere. Upon discovery of his origins he was less angry than fascinated at his ascension, and approached him officially. Making an offer that would secure his family's safety that he certainly couldn't refuse, he began to work for the Empire as a diplomat. With success in his diplomacy work he gained experience as a war adviser and eventually attracted the attention of Madame Le Fèvre herself. A daring and dangerous mission had arisen and an opportunity to truly develop and prove his talents presented itself in the form of being ship's counselor to a potentially historic voyage. It was a big gamble against the secure yet quiet life he currently led, but boy did it seem like fun.[/indent] [color=gray]AMBITIONS[/color] [indent]To go down in history, and not be forgotten. Marius wants to serve the empire and unify the world, end wars and educate. He is a scholar at heart, even if his rational thinking eludes him sometimes. He seeks out true meaningful love, as almost all of his relationships in his life seem artificial to him due to his deliberate tinkering with emotions during conversations.[/indent] [color=gray]INVENTORY[/color] [indent]What does your character always have on them? ● Journal - a collection of notes about current events and situations the ship faces, and random if not messy ideas on possible solutions ● Beauty Stone (please give feedback on this, it's a long shot that you'd accept it imo but it could be interesting for the RP) - a magical device given to him by the Empire for diplomatic situations that has a finite, but unknown amount of uses. This can cause his appearance and physiology to completely and temporarily change. Used mainly as a spy and infiltration tool, it allows for him to become a beautiful woman, or an innocent looking child. The effects last up to a week and can be ended prematurely with the stone. ● Standard issue military sword and knife ● Hard-leather underarmour for immediate protection from unprovoked attack [/indent][/hider]