[hider=The Chariot - Barney Rynsburger] [h3]Human[/h3] [indent] [b]Name:[/b] Barney Rynsburger [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Arcana:[/b] the Chariot [b]Appearance:[/b] At 6’2” and 240 lbs, Barney’s a broad-shouldered, stocky man particularly notable for a head of trimmed dark russet curls and a decently well-kept ducktail beard that’s a lot redder than his hair. All this plus the intentful cast of his brow and the slight hook of his broad nose would make him look formidable and maybe even intimidating if not for a pair of big, watery dark brown whose roundness suggest a permanent state of slight surprise. He doesn’t stoop or slouch, but he still seems to take up less space than his frame would imply. On any given day this time of year, he can be found in a two-toned harrington tartan jacket, with white sleeves and trim on a red coat with that characteristic plaid pattern on the inside. Beneath that he wears a comfortable cotton crewneck sweater, white, with a pair of rectangular reading glasses hanging from the neck. A pair of dark brown, low wale corduroys plus black sneakers complete the outfit. He doesn’t really accessorize, other than a small metal cross necklace from his mother, but sometimes wears a tartan beanie. [b]Personality:[/b] Its easy, and not necessarily wrong, to look at Barney Rynsburger and see a pretty ordinary guy. He’s pleasant with a quietly cheery outlook, considerate, and good at casual conversation even if not the most outgoing. Although he avoids conflict and is not very assertive he isn’t lacking in self-esteem, instead giving off the impression of someone who’s got himself together, a pal who can be counted on to lend a hand when needed. Most notable is his sense of duty. Barney is a principled fellow, possessed of a potent personal and work ethic, who does his best to be seen as strong and dependable. Although never one to boast, he’s secretly happy that people sometimes call him ‘responsible’ or ‘selfless’. Not a man of half-measures, he holds himself to a high standard and takes his commitments and responsibilities seriously. He’s stubborn, both in a way that allows him to persevere through hardship and in a way that sometimes makes it hard to deal with changes. He’s not an impulsive decision-maker and prefers time to think things through and choose the path that’s best for everyone, which is partly why its tough to convince him to change tact once he’s gotten started. His sense of duty extends to the bigger picture, too. He puts too much of himself into his work, his choices, and the level of help he provides to others, making him sensitive to criticism and easily crestfallen. Neither a genius nor naturally talented, he’s gotten where he is through hard work, which sometimes leads him to quietly looks down on those who put no effort into their lives, or to get frustrated by people who get results easily. Since he sees himself as a considerate and logical thinker, he can get defensive if questioned, but rather than get into confrontations he prefers to withdraw and mind his own business. Of course, he’s mostly aware of his own shortcomings, and doesn’t actually hold himself in that high regard. In fact, most of his sense of worth comes from what he can do for others. He’s certainly not one to give vent to his pains and conflicts, believing that people might see him as weak and unreliable. As such, the image of an earnest, modest hard worker holds firm, even if he’s seemed much more tired, anxious, and sunken for a long time now. [b]Bio:[/b] The son of the Dutchman Rutger Rynzburger and Mexican mother Fernanda Suárez in Barclay, Barney learned two things from a tender age. One was that his family was poor, not disastrously so, but enough that things were always shaky and in question. The other was the value of hard work. His parents had tough lives of their own, and after doing their best for a long time they wanted to make sure that their children would have better lives than they. It was a challenging, unkind world, but the good life their faith promised ( and all the comfort, wealth, and companionship it entailed) could be earned through one’s blood, sweat, and tears--that was what Cassie, Leanne, and Barney came to believe. They were taught to put others’ needs first, be responsible and capable, and to do what they were told. Even if hardship weighed down upon them, the pressure would forge them into diamonds in the rough, and one day everything they desired would be theirs. That meant going to college, but by the time the siblings got out of high school at the age of eighteen, there wasn’t anywhere near enough money to put the three of them through school. To make matters worse, their struggling parents were in contention; eighteen had been the agreed-on age at which they’d turn their children loose, but while Barney’s dad saw the state of things and wanted to keep trying to help their children, however hard that might be, his mom had been dying to be relieved of the burden and told him they couldn’t. In the end the two split up, with the divorce turning messy, and suddenly it was everyone for themselves. The siblings entered the workforce to gain experience and money, and quickly found out just how heavy the weight of the world could be. Finding work was hard enough, but when one entry-level job proved itself insufficient, and all three were forced to seek extra employment just to figure out living situations. They kept in contact as they struggled for two years to make ends meet, without a lot of time for socialization or recreation. Eventually, Cassie found a way out in the form of a well-to-do young man looking for love, and after angrily pushing away her siblings for their disapproval, she quickly got with him. Another year of working and saving passed before Leanne abruptly seemed to drop off the face of the earth, after which Barney got calls from his parents within the span of a week. His mom was in debt and badly needed his help, which Barney could scarcely decline. His dad, meanwhile, had started up a new business that was sure hit, and asked him for a little investment. Hesitant but knowing the right thing to do to save his family, Barney shelved his plans of finally going to college for now and helped out as much as he could. Some time later, Barney learned through his mom something that happened to Cassie. She’d been hospitalized, supposedly by falling down some stairs, although everyone involved had their own ideas about what happened. Her oddly nonchalant boyfriend said that he couldn’t foot the medical bills, and with nobody else able to pick up the slack, Barney lent his aid. At this point he was twenty-four, and though things weren’t pretty he realized he would probably never have a chance at college if he didn’t go now. In fact, he reasoned that it might help him out, serving as a sort of escape from his previous situation that might encourage the others to try and get money elsewhere. Going into debt was a desperate move, and it didn’t pay off. When the school year began, the twenty-four-year-old freshman realized all too soon that nothing had changed. He still needed to work, he still needed to send his relatives money, and now he had even more on his plate. He had no time. He wasn’t getting anywhere near enough sleep. Thanksgiving break was the first time he felt as if he could even breathe, but those scant few days passed quickly, and as he’s poised to return to school the lungful of air he received makes the sense of impending doom that much worse. [b]Scars:[/b] Barney is being crushed under the weight of responsibility as he struggles to earn the money so many people need from him, but at the end of the day, they’re still family. It would be a death blow to his moral code and reputation to turn his back on them--he would be heartless, selfish, alone and unacceptable. Scum. Time is running down with his principles and wellbeing on the line, begging the question which, if either, will give first. [/indent] [h3]Shadow[/h3] [indent] [b]Appearance:[/b] Barney’s Shadow is the spitting image of a grand saint, in big white robes trimmed with silver. A crown is inlaid in the klobuk he wears on his head, and the split ends of his majestic cape curl upward behind him. A prison collar of solid silver is clasped around its neck along with the cuffs on his wrists, with the glittering chains wound all around him, worn and displayed proudly. [b]Personality:[/b] The distortion both of the Metaverse and deep within Barney’s own heart have brought forth a Shadow with an egomaniacal savior complex. He sees himself not just as a saint for all the generosity, kindness, and effort he’s given others, but a martyr for being so excessively, self-effacingly benevolent. He glorifies pain and captivity, his own in particular, believing that’s what makes someone a good person--and of course, makes him the best of all, leagues above anyone else. As such he looks down upon others with suffocating condescension while expecting their ceaseless thanks and praise. [b]Territory:[/b] As one travels through the cognitive world called the Metaverse, that shadow-blanketed battlefield of the mind, one might find the desolate, scarred streets and ruins of the warzone giving way to mazelike walls and walkways of white stone and wrought iron, immaculate and fanciful, standing before a skyline blotted not by decrepit skyscrapers but gleaming towers and spires. Proceeding inward across these hallowed grounds, past innumerable little shrines, fountains, spotless silver torture devices, and statues all done up with silks and waxy candles, would bring an inquisitive visitor to the doorstop of the grand Baroque cathedral that stands above it all. There, Shadows gather in supplication, not to an altar, but to a throne, where a locus of distortion has edified himself as their object of worship. [url=https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48887784053_a7c6bdb83d_b.jpg]Visual aide[/url][/indent] [h3]Metaverse[/h3] [indent] [b]Persona Identity:[/b] Gregor Samsa [b]Persona Appearance:[/b] Unlike many Personas Samsa is not humanoid--far from it. He is an arthropoidal aberration, a wretched cross of centipede and lobster. His segmented rosy-brown carapace, interspersed by protruding spikes here and there, protects stretched, purple flesh beneath. Six bone-tipped legs extend from its abdomen, accompanied by a pair of sickle arms far more ghoulishly spiked than any earthly mantis. Six sapphire-blue eyes gleam above a mouth of needle-like teeth and a pair of spiked pedipalps. Truly, [url=https://i.imgur.com/oZ1dd0C.png]Gregor Samsa[/url] is a monstrous vermin. [b]Specialty:[/b] Physical (Terror, Memory) [b]Element:[/b] Nuclear [b]Weakness:[/b] Curse [b]Callsign:[/b] Creature [b]Metaverse Appearance:[/b] Despite his callsign and the hideous appearance of his Persona, Creature is clothed in the Metaverse with crisp, flowing attire darkly clerical in appearance. A loose dark blue cassock with iron buttons down the front lies over a collared shirt, heavy-duty work pants, and boots. On top is a dark blue greca complete with shoulder cape, along with a matching wide-brimmed hat. The outfit is functional rather than fanciful and lacks ornamentation of any kind save the dog tag around his neck, visible for all to see. [url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/002/185/470/large/antje-vdh-church-doctor.jpg?1458389919]Here’s a rough example[/url] [b]Melee Weapon:[/b] A [url=https://i.imgur.com/7vu4LgA.png]wagon wheel[/url], primarily wood but with metal banding. It’s heavy and bulky, but the extra handles attached to it allow one with enough strength to swing it around or punch with it as a brutal melee weapon. In a pinch it also doubles as a shield against anything big enough to not pass through the spokes [b]Ranged Weapon:[/b] A Flamethrower that funnels a spread of vivid blue Nuclear-aspected ‘fire’. His default is a [url=https://i.imgur.com/ORlezkV.png]ramshackle model[/url] of twisted steel pipes [/indent] [/hider]