Nicodemus Varilde

[Nicodemus]

Name: Nicodemus L'Ouest Doux Troisieme Varilde (Nik-o-dee-mus Lwest Do Twah-zem)
Nicknames/Aliases: He usually goes by Nic or Nico, but his endearing/'baby' nicknames are either Troi (Troy) or L'Ou (Loo); he hates both of these.
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Species: Hare
Occupation: He wants to be a smith

Physical Appearance:

General--
Nic is tall, like all of the Varildes, and he has the standard blue eyes of the Varildes. His fur is dark like his father's, but with a lighter brown undercoat. He has no trace of his mother's sandy fur except on the tips of his ears and on his paws; Nicodemus has 'socks'. He is of a stockier build than his galloper siblings, and is not built so well for running. Instead, he is more muscular, and better suited for a weapon. His face is long, and his eyes are always bright and curious. Nic's eyes are less of a haunting blue, and are more of a tender blue. Quite an attractive hare, Nic has high cheekbones and a strong jaw line.

Attire--
Nic can be found in his regimental tunic, as all Salamandastron hares can, and has a saber that he can use rather well. However, he does not carry it around with him very much, being a gentler beast than some.

Possessions:

Nic carries a simple saber at his waist- it really has no distinguishing features about it, and there's not a lot else that he carries with him.

Personality:

When Nicodemus was growing up, he had three choices: become dark and depressed because of the loss of his parents and younger sister, or make the best of it, or develop a sunny, irrepressibly good outlook on the world.

He chose the third option. Nicodemus is a sweet hare; he is very sensitive to other hares' feelings and tries to take care not to tread on any toes. Growing up with his brothers and sister, Nicodemus always felt that the mood was darker than he wanted it to be. However, Nic is far from a bold creature- preferring to be behind-the-scenes- so he had to find little ways to make up for that. He would never try to tell a joke, nor try to turn a somersault to make others laugh. He would rather cook dinner, or do some small thing for them that would not be so noticed. Nic is innocent and meek, with a heavily checked tongue. He rarely speaks his mind on many matters, but does chatter away whenever he gets the chance. Nicodemus does, often, make innocent remarks that spark amusement; he has a gentle, assuming nature that is sure to warm the hearts of many a beast.

Nic is also in love with weapons. He doesn't know why, but there's something romantic about a blade that he just loves. Well, he loves practically everything, and what he doesn't love he forces himself to make do with for his brothers' and sister's sake. If one of them had to go without a meal, Nic would be the one to volunteer. With both of his parents dead and a sister lost, Nicodemus knows that he has to try to mend their broken family any way he can. One way is by firmly believing that Crystin is still alive. Deep in his heart, he knows that she is probably dead, but his philosophy is that 'There can be no life without hope, and there can be no hope without a dream'. So he dreams up fancy things and creatures, and he dreams up what his parents and his sister would be like if they were standing right next to him, and he dreams. Sometimes he gets in trouble for daydreaming, but not often. He puts his nose to the grindstone, ignoring his own needs, to try and take care of his family and live out of the name of the 'Poor Varildes'. He is caught between a rock and a hard place: his twin brothers are perilous fighters and have left a reputation for Nico to live up to; his family name inspires a sympathy that mild-mannered Nicodemus cannot stand.

Therein lies Nico's fatal flaw: he cannot stand for any sympathy to be directed towards him, his brothers, or his sister. He works to mend his family, and every time someone is sympathetic to them, it reopens old wounds that are best left unopened. His life, from the time his father died on, has been totally dedicated to his brothers and sister. The only time that soft-spoken, mild-mannered, sweet little Nicodemus gets angry is when he or one of his family is treated differently because of their history. Then he flares up like a pile of dry twigs covered in kerosene, and would happily show the offending beast what-for. Nic is talented with a blade, and loves forges and all sorts of weapons. That plus he is of a heavier, muscular build than his brothers and sister would be a viscous combination. He wouldn't kill someone, but give them a black eye and a warning, yes.

Strengths:

Nicodemus is very muscular, and he is skilled with a blade. He has a profound interest in forges and in weapons, and he has a good balance. Also, Nic is tough, and bounces back no matter what. He is very good at judging emotions and reactions, and is a decent cook.

Weaknesses:

Nico is extremely protective of his family, even though he is the youngest brother. He is naive, meek, and far from bold. Nicodemus hates to have a fuss made about him, and won't take no for an answer when he's 'doing good' for his family. Also, he is very sensitive about how his brothers and sister are being treated, and flares up immediately if someone starts treating them differently because of their history.

History/Background:

Nicodemus was born as the third son to Amber and Barr Varilde. His older brothers, Southpaw and Eastpaw were four years older than he was, and twins. They lived at Salamandastron for a while, however, his mother was killed by Rapscallions when Nico was six. Missing a mother, Nic started to grow up faster and try to fill the gap a bit with whatever services he could provide- a hug, now and then, for his father; a kiss on his baby sisters' cheeks; a 'special' rock for Eastpaw and one for Southpaw, too. It wasn't much, and probably did nothing at all, but it made Nico feel all right after his mother's death.

Nic healed quickly- he forced himself to- and started smiling again as soon as he possibly could force the expression. His father started taking the family to visit a friend of his, starting when Nicodemus was nine, and the young hare enjoyed the break. However, on the way back from their third visit to his father's friend, there was a huge storm. Nico was fifteen at the time, and so remembered the incident quite well afterwards. He remembers that Crystin was out on deck; that Eastpaw wanted to get her; that Eastpaw was told to stay back and that his father and a few others went to get Crystin. He remembers shouts and tears from Eastpaw, and loud noises from on deck.

What Nicodemus remembers most of all, and what sticks out clearly in his mind is that, while Eastpaw fought and and cried, he did nothing. He knew he could do nothing, but what he doesn't forget is that Eastpaw tried and wanted to go try and save his sister. Nicodemus, for all of his little gifts and 'good deeds', did not shed a tear. Instead, he remembers red, and he remembers the taste of blood in his mouth as he bit down on his lip to keep from crying out to the storm. He remembers shaking violently, shivering like he was possessed with a fever, and he remembers lying on his bed, holding the bedclothes tight and shaking. When the storm passed, Nic remembers the shaken and scared looks of his siblings and the expressions on their faces. Since that night, Nic has woken up several times from a deep sleep shaking and with a sore jaw, as if he was keeping his jaw shut tight to once again keep himself silent as his family was torn in two once more.

Relationships:

• Southpaw and Eastpaw- Older Twin Brothers
  
• Leilani - Younger sister - Tar/Crystin‘s twin
  
• Tar/Crystin - Youngest sister - Leilani‘s twin- Missing
  
• Captain ‘Wild’ Amber Varilde - Mother - Dead
  
• Major William ‘Wontap‘ Barr Varilde - Father - Dead
  

Other

Nic has the Bloodwrath, like Eastpaw, but it comes neither easily nor often to him.

[Grath]

Accepted! Poor nico -pats-