[centre][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/f/f6/Hierophant-0.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20160404201947[/img] [hider= Liam Koehl - The Hierophant][hr] [img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LmJhNWUyMS5UR2xoYlNCTGIyVm9iQSwsLjAAAAAAAAA,/the-army-of-god.regular.png[/img] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/0f/a3/e10fa37412039ef057c05cffe9713d8a.png[/img] [hr] [color=f26522][b]Name[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Liam Koehl[/color] [color=f26522][b]Gender[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Male[/color] [color=f26522][b]Age[/b][/color] [color=Silver]20, June 9th[/color] [color=f26522][b]Sexuality[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Heterosexual[/color] [color=f26522][b]Nationality[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Half-German, otherwise English[/color] [hr] [color=f26522][b]Appearance[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Liam is neither what one would call imposing or scrawny, falling somewhere in the middle of the two with a small amount of extra muscle, though it's not particularly well defined among his typically loose fitting clothing. Possessed of a shaggy, though ultimately short mop of blonde hair atop his head and a pair of cerulean coloured eyes that can go from wide and observant to narrow and nigh-piercing at a moments notice, Liam is by no means unattractive. More often then not he's easy as a book to read, wearing his emotions upon his proverbial sleeve and not the sort to try hiding them most of the time. Wardrobe wise, Liam greatly prefers the easily adaptable style of loose jackets and hoodies over simple T-shirts in a variety of colours, mostly veering towards the darker shades of blue and green paired with simple black or white shirts underneath and a set of black sweatpants. This is not to say he is incapable of cleaning his appearance up, as he does own a number of lighter coloured dress shirts and sets of slacks for when formality is required. He simply prefers a more casual appearance for day to day life. Within the [i]World of Fog[/i] the [i]other[/i] him has a much more ostentatious appearance overall. Liam's subconscious desires and repressed traits manifest into a very showy attire comprised of a connected black suit jacket and pants, the former trailing off into a split cape running down to almost touch the ground that is crimson on the underside. Beneath the jacket he wears a simple white button up shirt accompanied by a bright red tie, flanked by the equally red inverted collars of his suit jacket. Atop the figure's head rests a black top hat with a red band running around the brim. Most striking though is the ghostly white mask that typically obscures the shadow's face, bearing a large eerie smile and two crescent shaped slits through which his sickly golden eyes can be seen. Completing the ensemble is a set of white gloves reminiscent of the sort oft worn by magicians, and an ebony cane that bears a similar mask to the one upon the Shadow's face as the headpiece of the staff. [/color] [hider=Click Me In Case of Confusing Description] Pretty much this, but reverse the red and black. [img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/blackbullet2/images/3/35/Kagetane_H.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20131228181926[/img] [/hider] [color=f26522][b]Height[/b][/color] [color=Silver]5'11" (180cm)[/color] [color=f26522][b]Personality[/b][/color] [color=Silver]At first glance, one might mistake Liam as shy, timid, antisocial or some combination thereof. The truth however, is that he is simply not the sort to start conversation for the sake of conversation. When approached he is actually quite friendly, talkative and at times difficult to shut up. Often described as perpetually calm and possessed of a wisdom far beyond what one would expect of someone his age, it is no wonder Liam has earned the unspoken "honor" of being everyone's therapist among his friends and acquaintances alike. A role he sometimes embraces and other times is nearly resentful over, finding the constant seriousness to be an unfading reminder of the sort of person he once was. Perhaps his past experience with the darker elements of life have lead to his heightened wisdom, and a sympathy to those going through hard times. Though not obvious to the casual observer, the perceptive may note that he never seems to say [i]all[/i] that is on his mind. Liam is exceedingly careful with his words, keenly aware of the effects a careless statement can have on a person's psyche. He has in the past, used this insight to get what he wants out of people, and at the time developed a small manipulative streak. Nowadays, Liam much prefers to use his persuasive nature in a positive way, encouraging and advising the few people he can call friends in the best ways that he can manage. Those few he can call friends are precious to Liam, and as such he is unrelentingly protective of them, to the point of taking a slight against them as a personal attack. Recently though, Liam has found himself in a corrosive slump and drained in almost all senses of the word, he feels as if his words and actions are becoming yet more hollow by the day. The once fiery passion he held for helping others seems to be withering away before his very eyes, leaving him empty. His greatest fear of squandering the second chance he was granted comes closer to becoming his reality day by day, and there seems to be nothing he can do about it. Part of him realizes that this is merely a slump, and he simply needs to fight back against it until he somehow breaks through. Yet on the other hand Liam can't help but wonder if this is simply his lot in life, to be doomed to purposeless mediocrity whilst others succeed and excel around him. Deep down part of him wants to come out of the shadows cast by his peers and take center stage for once... though he has no idea how he'd ever do that. The gradual numbness he feels overwhelming his senses and very outlook on life has made him feel almost calloused to the issues of others in recent times, much to his own internal dismay. Deep within the [i]World of Fog[/i] however, the [i]other[/i] Liam is all the things he'd like to forget and bury amalgamated into a heartless parody of the original. His old manipulative streak comes to the forefront, the reflection a silver-tongued demon who enjoys belittling and tearing apart the mental states of those unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. Toying with the unfortunate guest by using every insecurity, secret, and personal weakness he knows against them until they either dance to his tune or perish, whichever comes first. His deep desire for attention and to take center stage twists into an inflated ego who oft speaks in hyperbole and is overtly showy about all things. The moniker of being "everyone's therapist" blooms into a superiority complex and an arrogant outlook centered on how everyone knows oh so little without him, perceiving others as helpless and lost without his guidance. The problems and woes of others are but petty and pale imitations of that which he has seen and lived through already, and are thus ultimately insignificant in his eyes. [/color] [hr] [color=f26522][b]Persona[/b][/color] [img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LmJhNWUyMS5Wa2xTUjBsTS4wAAAAAAAA/the-army-of-god.regular.png[/img] [hider=Virgil (WARNING: LARGE IMAGE)] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/46/97/8346977512412153ee9d31506596fdc8.jpg[/img] [/hider] [color=Silver] Virgil is a tall if somewhat thin humanoid figure, who wears a gray-green hooded cloak over what seems to be a combination of a leather cuirass and metallic guards covering his forearms, furthermore the persona's face is obscured by what looks to be the visor and helmet of a medieval knight, all of which seems to have sustained heavy fire damage. The cloak is tattered at the edges, and the metallic armor has obviously been scorched many times over, with blackened sooty patches marring the steely surface. At the figure's hip, twin tomes are holstered on each side, one being a dark orange and the other a deep green close to the shade of his cloak. The helmet and gauntlets are most often a dark grey but can range from their cool looking natural state to an almost incandescent glowing orange in combat situations. One other thing to be noted is that Virgil doesn't seem to have a lower body, the persona's figure seemingly melting into a half corporeal state beyond the knee that seems to almost merge into his cloak.[/color] [color=f26522][b]Arcana[/b][/color][color=Silver]: V. The Hierophant.[/color] [color=f26522][b]Skills and Affinities[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Virgil makes use of Electric aspected skills when summoned. Though he is capable of direct offense, Liam oft makes use of these abilities in a more indirect manner, laying shocking traps and creating barriers of arcing electricity to limit enemy movement. In addition, Virgil is capable of supportive skills such as those from the healing category. At first simple healing spells are the only skill of this type available to him, though as time goes on the ability to cleanse detrimental status effects and beyond will be added to his repertoire. Virgil is resistant to Fire and Electric abilities. Conversely, he is weak to both Ice and Psychokinetic abilities [/color] [color=f26522][b]Symbolism[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Just as Virgil once guided Dante through the Nine Circles of the [i]Inferno[/i], with purpose restored Liam will guide those close to him through their own personal trials. Perhaps he isn't the main fixture in the journey, but unlike before, now he is noticed and respected instead of a background figure doomed to die obscure and unknown. Finally he is able to use his insight and persuasive talent once again, and for a greater cause. He has walked through hell and shall help others to do the same with his own wisdom, knowledge and otherwise.[/color] [color=f26522][b]Equipment[/b][/color] [color=Silver]In the [i]World of Fog[/i] Liam wields a [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/25/68/6c/25686c0b1453331e651a5f20a99e0a49.jpg]Zweihänder[/url] as his primary offensive weapon, preferring to stay on the front lines of any given engagement in order to give his more range-inclined allies some much needed breathing room. The blade's large size grants him the advantage of reach, and subsequently allows a great many opportunities to influence and control the flow of battle. However, not all foes are so accommodating as to rush into close combat, for these such occasions Liam also brings a reliable [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dc/8d/9c/dc8d9cae6d86c12ba980e10e7b081108.jpg]Gewehr 43[/url] rifle to harry distant shadows. [/color] [hr] [color=f26522][b]Education[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Psychology, 1st Year.[/color] [color=f26522][b]Biography[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Liam Koehl was born in London to a pair of parents with a somewhat unstable relationship. He never really knew his father, as he was long gone before the boy had even started attending school for reasons that are still unknown to Liam. Naturally, this placed the sole responsibility for raising the young boy on his mother, one Emilia Koehl. A hardworking soul with near unflinching determination who'd emigrated from her native Germany some five years prior to Liam's birth in order to get away from the demands and pressure of a family that ultimately cared little for her. She'd be damned if she would simply give up on her own son because his father decided to walk out on them, so Emilia grit her teeth, dug her heels in and resolved to raise the child on her own. His mother's job as a professor at a nearby college allowed her to provide a relatively nice, if ordinary life for their family of two. Sure she was often busy, but for the times she couldn't be at home to watch her son, family friends were more than willing to fill in the gaps for Emilia. From an early age Liam had a strong work ethic and sense of perseverance instilled within him, largely in part to his mother's infectious "never give up" attitude. Throughout his early school life Liam became known as a pleasant, relatively quiet student who was a touch too serious at the best of times. His circle of friends wasn't large by any means, but they all got along well and stuck by each other, which was what counted in Liam's mind. For a time things went well, with Liam excelling in school and the two being a genuinely happy family, in spite of the hand originally dealt to them. But of course, Fate seldom lets good things lie the way they are. Near the end of Liam's final year in primary school, tragedy reared its ugly visage. His mother had collapsed whilst giving a lecture and despite the best of efforts from paramedics and other medical professionals, succumbed to cardiac arrest. Though the exact cause of the incident seemed to be cruel and simple fate, some did speculate the possibility of her over-exhaustion having contributed to the ultimately fatal episode. Liam was temporarily taken in and later officially adopted by a friend and former colleague of his late mother. To say this series of events had a profound effect on the young boy would be the penultimate understatement, for he had just lost his only known family and the resultant shockwave from that loss would be felt in all aspects of his life. Firstly, his quiet and serious nature had seemingly amplified itself to staggering levels, as Liam would withdraw from the world around him and fall out with many of his previous friends. His grades plummeted for the first time in his academic career, and his budding interests in the sciences faltered. Kids seeking a feeling of power as bullies found him exceedingly easy prey, with plenty of material for insults and being an oft isolated target. For a time he simply felt... hollow, as if all that made him who he was had died and been buried alongside the mother who always did her best for him. How fortunate then, that the one whose care he found himself in knew just how to right these internal wrongs. Ava Hallum, Liam's guardian and eventual adoptive mother held a number of degrees in psychology. As such, she was able to guide the boy through the emotional upheaval he was living through and start getting him back on the right path. Grief is no easy beast to tame, though slowly and surely Liam overcame it, holding tightly to the mantra his mother had ingrained upon him. "Never give up." Before the year's end his grades had returned to their previously high levels, though many of the friendships he had before were fractured beyond reparation, for nobody wanted to be friends with the quiet and weird kid who was at this point the schoolyard punching bag of a few bullies. People would talk as if he wasn't even there half of the time, though this did have the side effect of having Liam learn many a rumor from the careless students surrounding him. Although things were far from perfect or ideal they were far better than they could've gotten for him at this point. It was during this transition to and during his first two years of Secondary school that Liam really developed a connection with his adoptive family, and realized what they had truly done for him. From the edge of a self destructive spiral that could've descended infinitely further they pulled him, and gave him a second chance as if they were his own flesh and blood. To say he was grateful for their intervention would be nearly insulting, he didn't want to even imagine where that spiral would end and so he swore to never let someone or something else make him think that little of himself ever again. So when those selfsame bullies who'd harried him all the way back in primary school decided to make their return visits to him, he'd give them nothing in return. He'd do their work and be their metaphorical punching bag no longer. At least, that held true until the normal clique of degenerates turned the focus of their scorn and insults from him specifically to the few who stood by him, namely his very few friends and his family in an attempt to get under the boy's skin once again. An attempt that would prove [i]very[/i] successful, the anger and indignant rage he felt as he watched his friends suffer because of him was nigh-all consuming. The desire to strike back so very strong within him, yet if he did he'd not only be outnumbered and beaten by the gang of miscreants but also be likely labeled as the aggressor by the school's authorities and thus have to face suspension or expulsion. There had to be something, [i]anything[/i] he could do to make this end! So when the pack of predators decided to descend upon Liam and his best friend between classes and started letting loose with their usual stream of mental torment, Liam tried something that was a long-shot at best out of pure desperation. He let loose every secret and rumor he'd learned about his assailants from keeping his head down the past two years in front of everyone present. For a moment there was silence, and then chaos as the tormentors turned on one another for letting each-others secrets slip through the cracks. The temporary turmoil allowed the two boys to slip away from the clique, currently busy tearing into one another. The damage was done, and Liam found himself aware of the power secrets and rumors held. After that ordeal, he noticed the clique wasn't often seen together again, much less did they try to pick on him. People looked at him differently, the kid who was the school punching bag was suddenly possessed of a backbone and lashed out (albeit verbally) at the top dogs. That fleeting power he held was exhilarating, and he wanted more of it, growing very interested in the workings of the human mind and just what made people tick. He could use these rumors and pieces of information to finally stop being the bottom of the food chain in school! So for a short time he did just that, anyone who gave Liam Koehl or his friends trouble would swiftly find themselves on the unfavourable end of newly leaked rumors and secrets. Alternatively, those who gave him what he wanted would find their social lives considerably less endangered. In quite a short order, the abused had become the abuser. It was fun to watch the usually untouchable kids squirm and dance to his tune, and it's not like he went out of his way to ruin the undeserving's reputation. People flocked to his new false-strength, and with them yet more secrets and woes were added to his arsenal. Though as time went on, he started to wonder. Was any of what he was doing right? What made him any different to those who once pushed him around? Is this how he wanted to spend that oh so precious second chance he was given? Why did he feel the need to be this way? Those questions ate away at his resolve until slowly but surely his power trip came to an end, and along with it his time as a respected personage by his peers, though he had made some genuine friends who stuck by him during this time. He didn't want to be the villain in all this any more, instead electing to use what persuasive talent he held to help those close to him, rather than harming those against him. As it turns out, he was quite good at helping others, swiftly becoming the smart, dependable friend among his remaining peers and it made him feel... like he was doing something befitting of the second chance he was given for once. He'd determined that he'd follow in the footsteps of the same person who helped him at his lowest point, get a degree in psychology and help people with the talent he had been given. A far-fetched, childish dream some would say yet the more he dwelled on it, the more convinced Liam felt that this was the course he should follow. Near the end of his mandatory academic career, doubt began to creep back in. All around him his friends passed their respective final tests and exams with flying colours, each and every one of them possessed of this incredible confidence Liam just couldn't seem to grasp. Needless to say, he felt like an observer, simply watching as those around him rocketed to prominence, whilst he is left behind in their collective shadow. His goals seemed so much more abstract and difficult to follow when compared to theirs. Could one man even hope to make a mark against an endless sea of human troubles? Did he perhaps waste the second chance he was given long ago? Is he even here of his own will? Why is he doing this in the first place? As the new year at Thames' Edge begins, Liam's remaining convictions and resolve will be tested in many and more ways than he could've ever foreseen.... [/color] [color=f26522][b]Affiliations[/b][/color] [color=Silver] Emilia Koehl - Liam's Birth mother and an otherwise hardworking tough as nails woman who died of a heart attack when Liam was 10. Had nigh unmatched tenacity and instilled the values of working hard and not giving up unto her son at a young age. Previously worked as an Anthropology professor at a college in London. Constantly worked herself to the bone in order to raise her son alone, ultimately costing her life. The two shared a tight bond, and as such her loss devastated her son. Ava Hallum - Liam's adoptive mother and a close friend/colleague of Emilia, who looked after her son shortly after her passing. A therapist by trade, she pulled the young Liam out of his self destructive, grief-fueled spiral before it was too late. Whether consciously or not, she's become a massive influence on her adopted son, who wants to now follow in her footsteps and help others as she did for him. Megan Hallum - Liam's adoptive sister and the biological daughter of Ava Hallum. A couple of years older than Liam, and as such was the sibling Liam didn't have in his earlier years. While he's more of the perpetually calm sort, she's prone to outbursts of emotion and has a fiery passion for any and everything that catches her eye. Currently she's studying Medicine at Oxford, and though it is limited, communication is still open between the two. Daniel "Dan" Barrett - Liam's best friend since Primary School, who stuck with him throughout his mother's death and his later power trip. Dan and Liam have a friendship outsiders would describe as nearly unbreakable. Dan was the one who taught Liam to loosen up a little bit, and stop taking things so seriously, for which Liam is incredibly grateful. Currently studying Engineering abroad. [/color] [color=f26522][b]Relationships[/b][/color] [color=Silver]To be updated/revealed as the story progresses[/color] [color=f26522][b]Character Theme[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Still searching....[/color] [/hider] [/centre]