Barrett

For Queen and Country

@Silent Observer
'Creepy' is an interesting reaction. I feel you might be focussing on the uncle (actually more common in France) and sweets thing to set up the paedo bear joke but if you remove those parts, do you still think he's creepy? Other characters are supposed to see him as, at worst, nosey (ha, puns for everyone) and interfering but not creepy, exactly, unless they somehow know everything someone with OOC knowledge would know. I mean, most of the characters are creepy when viewed from an OOC perspective; drinks blood, turns into wolf, powered by sex, older than time, etc. But in character, that's either hidden or accepted by the people that know them.

As for 3/7 Archangels in one place, it feels to like all three have gone some way off of what were originally their mission guidelines so I'd say it's less god saying "All of you, go there" than fate or destiny or something equally convenient. Did you ever read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett? If not, go do that. If so, I think Edgetoun is kind of like Tadfield; the apocalypse happpens everywhere eventually but it has to start somewhere.

For Queen and Country

Everyone's been complaining about there being so few characters that I thought I better make another one.

For Queen and Country

Ramiel

Basic Information

| Name |

"Ramiel but you must call me Uncle Rammie, mon chéri."

Ramiel or Uncle Rammie, as he insists people call him.

| Date of Birth |

"Ah, too old for you my darling."

Who knows? Around the Boulangerie there are pictures of him from long, long ago that he doesn't talk about.

| Gender |

"Does it matter? I am who I am."

His true form is essentially a genderless spirit though his mortal body would traditionally be considered male.

| Sexuality |

"Why, are you looking for tips? Then you came to the right place!"

Asexual panromantic, not that you'd know it from his bawdy jokes, knowledgeable tips and general air of sexual confidence.

| Occupation |

"Working hard or hardly working, non?"

Owns and manages a boulangerie in Edgetoun called Heavenly Treats.

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| In-Depth Appearance |

"Uncle Rammie keeps himself healthy, even amidst all this sugar, I'm sure you've noticed."

Clean cut features that settle easily into a grin or laugh suit Ramiel well, he's very pleased with his earthly form. So pleased that he makes sure to keep it fit and healthy though not always clean shaven. He's experimented with a pencil moustache and a roughish five o'clock shadow but always gravitates back to a smooth jaw line within a week or two. There's something about the honest appearance of being well shaved that appeals to Ramiel, he thinks it makes him look more approachable. For the same reason, he likes to wear glasses when reading, despite having extremely good eyesight, because it humanises him. He prefers to dress in clothes that are comfortable, well fitting and slightly revealing. Shirts with the top three buttons undone and well cut v-neck jumpers are two of his favourites. For colour, Ramiel likes starched light whites offset by blacks or pastel paint colours like chalky reds and cloudy blues. Cheerful colours that make you think of boating on the Thames in the sunshine on a summer afternoon.

Perhaps Ramiel's best tool for putting people at their ease is his voice. It's like syrup to the ear, sweet and soothing. His accent is almost aggressively French, h's disappearing and r's going on forever. Though he's technically not French, he's spent enough time in France and speaks the language fluently enough to not really see it as lying to pose as a Frenchman. To be fair, he doesn't actually tell people he's French, they just hear his accent, notice the French words he uses in regular conversation and see that he runs a boulangerie and make their own assumptions.

Who Am I?

| Personality |

♦ Caring ♦ Friendly ♦ Bawdy ♦ Nosey ♦

"I'm just a man, just a baker. Here, have a croissant."

If you come into Heavenly treats, the first thing that hits you is the delicious smell of baked goods. The second things is the riot of pastel colours, from the marigold floor to the rainbow hued pastries shelf. The third thing will be the boisterous, heavily accented voice calling "Bonjour! Welcome to Heavenly Treats! Are you here for sweet food or some naughty gossip because, darling, I have plenty of both!" And you have entered the world of Ramiel. He'll leave one of the young employees to work the till, sit you down, pour you some of his delicious coffee, put an eclair in front of you and draw out your deepest, darkest secrets with a knowing smile and a cheeky wink. And you'll tell him, because the longer you sit there and talk, the more you feel a warmth in your chest and a smile on your lips. So you'll throw your secrets into the deep well of Uncle Rammie's twinkling eyes and leave the boulangerie feeling like you're walking on clouds. He'll welcome the next person into the shop, do the same thing again and never tell the secrets entrusted to his care. Instead, he deals in gossip that doesn't matter to anyone (what Sharon is naming her new child, what Damien's new tattoo will say, whether Lucy will enter the talent show), trading silly jokes with leather wearing bikers and woollen clad grannies alike.

That's Ramiel, Archangel of hope. To him, there's nothing more important than listening to you talk yourself into a better mood and nothing more enjoyable than trading in trivial gossip. Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves, he says as he puts another delectable baking masterpiece in front of you. One might think he's given up on the great fight between good and evil but in fact he's decided to... creatively reinterpret his own role in the battle. He's seen the hope of millions crash and burn, the dreams of the people crush them and the heroes of the past become the twisted villains of history. So now he works on changing the little things and spreading hope on a personal level. Happy people make a happy world and lovely cakes make happy people, though he'll help with more than cakes and a shoulder to cry on. Ramiel has more than a few contacts, old friends who owe him a favour or two, who are happy to offer a job to anyone recommended by Ramiel. So if you need help not thinking dark thoughts or paying your rent, come and talk to Ramiel, knowing that the only price is that you do the same for someone else when he asks you to.

He doesn't just deal in your anxiety and woe, though. Did you forget your fiancé's birthday? Don't worry, Ramiel is waiting for you in the shop with their favourite cake in their favourite colour with a personal message from you to them in icing. He knows you'll do better next time and that the two of you will be very happy together. Did your class run late, your bus get delayed, your lunch not quite happen and you're late for your night job? Don't sweat it, he's got your favourite sandwich in a bag and refuses payment until you're back on your feet. He doesn't forget your birthday or wedding anniversary, he remembers your favourite food and drink, what days you tend to run late and forget to eat. He'll do his best to smooth over the crinkles in your life and shake it off with a grin and a wink.

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| Likes & Dislikes |

"I like what any cultured person likes and dislike what every sensible world citizen dislikes."

✔ Good food, fine drink and lovely company.
✔ Gossip, the more trivial the better.
✔ Making people feel happy.
✔ Romantic comedies, the cheesier the better.
✔ Karaoke, though his singing voice is awful.
✔ Making people blush with his jokes.
✔ Anyone who can have a laugh.
✔ Puns, the more awful and corny the better.
✔ Cigarettes, for full the image of the French Man.

✘ Cheap, mass produced fast food.
✘ Action films, too loud and too boring.
✘ People who can't keep a secret.
✘ Angels that judge other angels.
✘ Humans that judge other humans.
✘ People that takes themselves too seriously.
✘ Cigars, eugh!

| History |

"I've been here and there, done this and that. Now enough about me, let's talk about you. How are you feeling?"

What is the history of any Archangel? Ramiel was put on the earth, along with his six siblings, to champion the cause of his virtue in the lives of mortals. Hope was Ramiel's cause, the light in the hearts of all men and women that helps them walk when tired, fight when weary and laugh when all is lost. And, in the name of the divine, Ramiel was the light of hope for many, many years. Hero, champion, leader, healer, Ramiel trained many of them to bring hope to the people and did his duty as he saw it for a long, long time. For the most part, he played the role of mentor and teacher, occasionally stepping into the limelight to play a small but pivotal role.

But things didn't seem to change. Heroes became villains, dreams became burdens and hope never seemed to prevail. History paints a sad picture of hope being the crutch of the desperate and the fantasies of the delusional and one day it got to Ramiel. The inherent hopelessness of his task bore down upon him and he teetered on the brink of falling. Some might consider that he did. To Ramiel, however, he merely choose a new approach to the mission. Rather than work at an international level where the consequences of failure are dire for millions, he chose to work at a personal level, bringing hope to one person at a time and sending them out into the world to spread it.

About ten years ago, he opened the Heavenly Treats boulangerie in Edgetoun's centre and has done a brisk trade in pastries, cakes, bread, gossip and hope since then. It has a high staff turnover as Ramiel deliberately employs ne'er do wells who have no job or prospects, taking them under his wing, training them up and then sending them on to higher paying positions in more central bakeries and restaurants. Is his method the most efficient way of pursuing his mission? Perhaps not but those people whose lives have been touched by his words can attest to its effectiveness.

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| Family |

"Ah, you are are all my family, darlings! Everyone that comes in, for cake or for chatter, you are all part of my clan!"

Ramiel has six siblings, created at the same time as him and given their own missions. Two live in Edgetoun, a Police Commissioner and a record store owner. Apart from them, Ramiel has no children or significant others. As he says, he considers almost everyone he talks to a family member and genuinely tries to help each and every one of them.

| Strengths |

"As long as I've a cigarette in one hand, a glass of wine in the other and Cherry by my side, I'm as strong as I need to be!"

• Charming, empathic and good at making you feel good.
• Kind, likes nothing more than lightening another's load in whatever way he can.
• World class chef, baker and listener.

| Weaknesses |

"I can resist anything. Except temptation!"

• Apathetic about large scale, world changing events.
• Doesn't really listen to people saying "No, I'm fine" or "I want to handle things myself".
• Doesn't know how to deal with negative emotions, prefers to ignore them.
• Finds it hard to accept thanks or payment.

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The Other

| Theme Song |

Memories – Waldeck
_{”All those souvenirs in my memories
got me going down in strike
all those souvenirs in my memories
got me ruining my soul.”}

| House Number |

"Are you going to come and visit me? Should I lock my doors and windows or leave them wide open?"

Probably somewhere in Faircourt.

| Extra Information |

"No, no, no! I'm the only one that gets to know all the juicy secrets! You've got this the wrong way round!"

• Has excellent hearing and vision, good at picking up small details and things said under one's breath.
• Loves a good French wine but will settle for an inferior nation's wine in a pinch.

Ramiel's Relationships

Blake Preston
"Her blogging and youtubeing are very nice, I sometimes watch a video now and then. She's a little angry though, maybe she's frustrated? I will have to talk to her about it and see how she feels, maybe she needs a partner."

Hmmmm... Why not her roommate Eve? Yes, yes, she's a demon, I know, but she seems like a nice girl and she is French. I will talk to Blake and then maybe put a word in Eve's ear.

Daniel Belson
"Daniel and Ehtan, poor boys. Have they resolved their ‘confusion’ about the girl yet?”

Ethan helps Daniel, I believe, and the both of them help Aila.

Alistair Queen
"Ah, Alistair. He works hard and plays hard and who is to judge? The little girl, she has been a good influence on him, I think, and I imagine that another constant in his life might not go amiss either."

But who? Well, he seems fond of Loki but I'm not sure that he is a positive influence. If I am not mistaken and I rarely am, he and Nikita have done the deed once or twice but feel no particular fondness for each other. One to think about.

Mariska Costas
"Mariska seems to follow my own heart, the heart of hopeless romantic. Perhaps she would get on well with Elsie? Hmmm... I will talk them both."

Nymphs, what beautiful creatures! I remember other times when their songs were not such rarities. But that was yesteryear, we must concern ourselves with the now.

Nikita Yankovsky
”Apathy can be a sexy quality, ask all those mopey teenage pop-stars. It is not a healthy though and leads nowhere pleasant.“

I have no doubt she could be made to feel rather more content with her existence than she currently is but she would need to want it.

Mordred Hame
”I haven’t seen him around here recently, his loss.“

If he wants Uncle Rammie’s help, he’ll need to show his face now and then.

John Taylor
”Ah, John. A tragedy in motion, like a car hurtling towards a wall. I can help many people in many ways but I do not think I can help him, not yet.”

In fact, I think there’s only one way that anyone will be able to help him.

Eve Lumière
”Another citizen of the republic on this dreary little island? Hourra! True, she is a little bit too quick to make friends but I have never been one to judge too harshly. She is always welcome to my little corner of heaven.”

And she is so prolific in her work! Spreading the joy in her way might not get the divine seal of approval but it gets mine.

Catharine Reid
”She used to come in here all the time but I have not seen her in a while. Perhaps she moved?“

A shame, such a nice girl.

Opallum
”Such fire! A very hot individual, as I am want to point out now and then.“

Some demons try to hide their nature from mortals, especially before we ’others’ were outed but not this Ifrit, he’d prefer everyone see him sit in the cold of winter with not a visible sign of discomfort. At least he seems satisfied with his position, otherwise I might have to step in.

Andrew Mordekai
”Merde, I am sweating! I think we must find him a friend before I succumb to temptation!”

True to tell, it will take something more than a beautiful man to make me ‘fall’ but he is still beautiful. Fire in the heart, fire in the soul. I am sure there are many others who would appreciate such a man.

Suriel White
”Sometimes, I think that I am wasting my time with these delicious delicacies, you know? Mostly I feel that way after talking to Suriel. They work so hard and help so many people. I hope they know the work they do is so ”

“Some angels preach or overreach, but some are kind and humble
Forgive and forget they say, no matter the trip or stumble”

Miles Catrose
”Sometimes little people want to take up the whole world, because it’s that or be overlooked. Miles is a good boy who needs to be a little more sure and a little less insecure.”

Pixies are capricious and arrogant but good hearted. I am sure there’s someone around the place who could calm his temper a little. I should talk to him, I need a haircut…

Yukiko Abe
”What is the song, it goes “Heeey, foxy lady!” It’s funny, non?”

Well, I thought it was funny. Her kind are old and tricksy but not necessarily bad. I am sure she will be careful with her partners.

Mona
”Sad girl, I hope she finds herself. Or at least finds the way forward.”

Ghosts, poor creatures. Humans fear death so much that sometimes they opt out of the natural process, whether they meant to or not. If she comes to the shop, I will see what I can do for her but I’m not sure she will. Some people do not want to move on.

Faron Romane
”Sometimes it’s hard to escape from one’s parent’s shadows, I think. You should meet my parent one day. Or rather, you certainly will, eventually.“

People call him a fool or an idiot and I wonder whether some parts of him believe them. I am glad he has moved out into independence but perhaps he needs someone to build his self confidence.

Nicolas Black
”It is traditional for a Frenchman to object to the police on principle, particularly one with no discretion and a suspicious nose.“

He wishes to do good, I think, and how can I object to that? He has the look of a man with bad things in his past, things that are yet to leave him alone. Unfortunately he’s also one of those people who would rather suffer quietly than find a therapist. I must think on this.

Maggie Spencer-Adyemi
”I had a friend named Fiacre who loved plants very much, a long time ago now. He taught me a few little tips, small things he passed on to me which maybe I should pass on to her.“

Witches are like brandies; some are good, some are bad but they all pack a punch! That said, Maggie seems like she cares about doing the right thing and working hard.

Megumi
”A charming young lady with excellent manners. I find children who shriek and scream for cakes very annoying, none of that from her.”

But then, most children have not been children for as long as her, have they? I am glad she has found Mister Queen, they will be good for each other.

Stefani Roche
”A sweet child but a little moody, non? Ah, teenagers, we all remember those days, non?“

Another young vampire? Sad creatures in many ways, because they age but do not grow, get old but can not mature. I am glad both her and Megumi have found friends and carers though.

Ari Amari
”You know, I don’t like cats very much. They hunt for fun and sleep when they could be working. Why not get a dog? They’re hard workers and don’t kill for enjoyment.“

I did not think there were any Sphinxes left and I can not say I am particularly pleased to be mistaken. Many a stupid traveller was picked from the teeth of a sphinx in the old days. Still, he seems to have turned over a new leaf here. Let us hope it is sincere.

Katharine Haynes
”A charming young lady but I haven’t seen her in my shop recently.“

Does she still live here?

Felix Underwood
”Librarians are important, a society without librarians is just a group of people with no idea where to file things.”

Talking to the dead is… complicated. Some of my fellow angels do not like it, they see it as disturbing those who have earned their rest. And while I see why they might think that, it gives hope to those who can talk to their loved ones. And who am I to stand in the way of that?

Elise Callaghan
”Quiet people, I know I should not resent them but I always feel like they’re ignoring me. Me!”

Sirens, the call on the dark sea that drags you down and down. I had never heard of one that doesn’t sing, until now. One to watch, I believe.

Claire O'Malley
”I don’t know much about her, perhaps she doesn’t know much about herself?“

We’ll see if she drops into the shop at some point.

Barachiel Alexander Eamon
”Working with children is a noble calling. You build tomorrow by crafting the future’s builders.“

Like myself, Barachiel continues to fight the good fight but has put down the flaming sword.

Ethan Cooper
”Ouff! What a beefcake! I wonder if he has a sweet tooth…”

Lives with a demon and a werewolf but knows neither of their natures? He’s either dense or kindly doesn’t pry. Either way, I imagine he is a positive influence on both of them.

Alfie Liau
”My only rival in the field of sweet treats for the people of Edgetoun! I shall have the better of him yet!“

He seems to be a good sort, I hope he continues to enjoy chocolate more than blood.

Astrid Kitchener
”Artists, they work much better when they have little to eat!“

She seems more accepting of ‘others’ than her father, as always seems to be the way. Generations upon generations, each one struggling to try and make the next accept their ideals. She is a hopeful step, however.

Michael Harel
”A handsome man, non? Well be careful what you say about him, he’s my… he’s an old friend.“

Brother, we are more alike now than ever before. I wonder how the one above thinks of us, working down here in the squalor of humanity. I hope he understands why, if he even thinks about us at all.

Aila Atleo
”A lovely girl, she buys her bread from me and laughs at my jokes! And as we all know, that’s all you have to do to make Rammie your friend for ever.“

Her past is fraught and fractured but she seems to be happy here. A job, friends and two almost fathers. Let us hope things stay that way.

Emerson Maddox
”Lawyers, pah! If they are defending you, you’d better hope you paid them more than the prosecution did.“

He seems arrogant and sharp tongued, two qualities I can’t stand. I do hope he comes into the shop one day, so I can find out a little more about him.

Talia Halbrook
”I haven’t seen her around for a while, I wonder how she is.“

Demons, they seem to be everywhere these days.

Loki Van Stenberg
”A handsome man and we all like having those around, do we not? I am not sure he is one half so pretty under the surface.“

In fact, I am certain he is not. Were I forced to guess, I would hazard he lives off others in more ways than drinking blood, probably through theft or other criminal activities. Vampires, too many of them are the monsters from the night to remember those who aren’t.

Freddie Hughes-Jackson
”We all like books but people can give conversation too! I think young Freddie forgets that sometimes.“

A good boy who studies hard and wants nothing more than to be left alone to do his magic, what could be better than that? Of course, I still like making him blush when he comes in for a little treat.

Liam Woodsworth
”Another child with apathy issues, another day.“

Dhampires, yet more victims of the plague of vampirism.

Aiden Phillips
”A pretty boy, he can take my temperature whenever he wants!”

Another vampire, though this one seems a little different to Queen and Stenberg. He has a secret, that much I’m sure of, but I doubt it is a dark one.

Ryan Croft
”Ah, our hard working police commissioner! I’ll stand him a drink of coffee and doughnut whenever he comes this way.”

I think the end may be coming, the reckoning might be on the horizon. And when the rapture comes, I wonder if we will stand together or apart, brother. Justice and vengeance, rarely do they inspire hope.

Eternity Illuria Loveless
”What does she do? Night crawling? I think we are thinking of different things when you say that, mon ami.”

Fae, I cannot say I like them. They are outside of the jurisdiction of Heaven and have no interest in the morality of humanity.

Patrick Kershner
”In every group, there’s the one who’s quiet because they know what happens when they open their mouths, sadly.”

And in every pack, there’s a runt. At least he is now part of two packs, the wolves and the police. And the latter seem a little more ardent in protecting their members.

Nicodem Kaminski
”What a face, what a voice! I’ve clearly got a challenger for Edgetoun’s most attractively exotic older man.”

A vampire that files down his fangs and is accepted by Raguel is more than a curiosity, he is a minor miracle. One to watch indeed.

Anastasia Psomas
”She looks like she certainly needs a good night’s sleep and a healthy meal.”

Phoenixes, tragic beings. They burn on and on, no end in sight and no respite on the horizon.

James Bright
”He doesn’t come over to the shop anymore. A shame, I was considering employing him.”

I hope he finds his killer and his peace, he deserves it.

Naomi Ishiguro
”A little strange, non? You don’t feel quite safe near her? There’s a reason for that.”

Were I a younger being, still full of wrath and righteous fury, I would fall upon her with Heaven’s own might. Now… I only hope to steer her prey away from her.

”Kei”
”Happiness is good, whatever the source. It’s net gain for the world, I think.”

Happy fae are not always happy because something good has happened, however.

Zoey Alston
”How many bartenders can Edgetoun possibly need?”

And how many witches? I hope there’s not some sort of occult or alcoholic conspiracy going.

For Queen and Country

@Write
No worries, I only joke about people needing to finish them. They're a lot of fun to read and I want to see every character have one but obviously they're optional and of course you don't need them to be finished in order to consider your character done.

Unless you're me.

In other news, I'm working on an Archangel character!

For Queen and Country

@Write

I thought about that but their faces are so beautiful I can't deny others the chance to make characters with them.

Or can I?

By the by, how are the relationship sheets coming? I'm really looking forward to more Aila.

For Queen and Country

@Write
BUT WHAT IF SOMEONE USES THEIR FACES BEFORE I CAN?

For Queen and Country

@Write
Adopt, steal, whatever works.

On another note, I have three characters that I want to make but I can't decide which one to do first...

For Queen and Country

@Write
Going down? I was thinking of bringing everything down with us. If everything goes down, you practically gone up, haven't you?

Exactly! We need a new Stefani or Megumi, stat!

For Queen and Country

@Ghost Queen
Yeah, I think that's part of how I would find it hard to play a dragon in this setting. If a dragon is around in a setting, I like them to be the horrifying end boss level antagonist. But that's my version, not anyone else's. Like I said, I really look forward to seeing your take on dragon.

_{Pls live in faraday heights, all the cool kids do}

@Write
Also, nice post. I'm probably not going to be able to respond until later today or even tomorrow but it's nice that Ryan is giving Nicodem a walk away opportunity.

I mean, Nicodem is never in a million years going to take it but it's nice that it's there.

Also they need to adopt a child ASAP.

For Queen and Country

@Ghost Queen
If the soul is monstrous, wouldn't something along the lines of Grendel or another legendary monster be more appropriate?

To my mind, the distinguishing feature of a dragon is that it's the god damned king. The king of the mythical kingdom, the biggest, scariest thing out there and it knows it. Dragons should be mind blowingly arrogant but actually have the power to back it up, sort of like King Geoffrey in Game of Thrones except that the dragon would actually be able to raze cities and burn armies alone. One of the few bits of The Hobbit Trilogy that I liked was Smaug, because he was such a good dragon; powerful, greedy, vain and saw everyone else as fundamentally of lesser importance than himself but was also genuinely cunning and smarter than the dwarves. So a dragon's soul, if seen through soul vision spectacles, should look terrifyingly majestic and fantastically regal. Better than the viewer in every way, so much better than them that they can hardly be blamed for treating the viewer like dirt.

After all, that's what they are.

Or that's what you feel when you first see them. With time maybe you can look past their power and see that really, they're cold and cruel and not better than other people, just better at making people think they are.

_{pls don't hate me jumping in with muh opinions, it's just that dragons are forever my favourite and I have many thoughts on them.
I don't think I'd be able to do them justice in this setting tho so I look forward to yours
feel free to ignore me.}