Post by T-Bone on Aug 30, 2011 22:22:01 GMT -5
Okay, quick disclaimer.
First, I didn't see anything in the rules about posting two characters in one profile, but on the likely chance that I missed such a rule, I just want to point out that I'm plenty willing to separate these two if necessary. I only wrote them together because it more clearly shows contrast and conveys the idea that the two characters are a close team.
Second, I know the whole bloodwrath thing has been done plenty of times before, and I did put it as one of my characters' strengths, but my main focus isn't so much the bloodwrath as the weakness that goes with it. So, for what it's worth, I won't be using the bloodwrath advantage much at all.
And lastly, I made these characters up before I even considered joining LoRA, and I thought I had a pretty original idea...And then I saw Prankster's characters...Oh my giddy aunt.
Name: Tobias and Jaroah
Gender: Male
Age: 20 and 22, respectively
Species: Mouse
Occupation: Tobias is the illusionist and Jaroah the grifter. Both are thieves.
Physical Appearance:
Possessions:
Personality:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
History:
Relationships:
First, I didn't see anything in the rules about posting two characters in one profile, but on the likely chance that I missed such a rule, I just want to point out that I'm plenty willing to separate these two if necessary. I only wrote them together because it more clearly shows contrast and conveys the idea that the two characters are a close team.
Second, I know the whole bloodwrath thing has been done plenty of times before, and I did put it as one of my characters' strengths, but my main focus isn't so much the bloodwrath as the weakness that goes with it. So, for what it's worth, I won't be using the bloodwrath advantage much at all.
And lastly, I made these characters up before I even considered joining LoRA, and I thought I had a pretty original idea...And then I saw Prankster's characters...Oh my giddy aunt.
Name: Tobias and Jaroah
Gender: Male
Age: 20 and 22, respectively
Species: Mouse
Occupation: Tobias is the illusionist and Jaroah the grifter. Both are thieves.
Physical Appearance:
Though brothers, these two are highly dissimilar in appearance. Jaroah is the larger of the two, sporting a light brown fur and a roguish smile, and Tobias the smaller, sporting darker brown fur and an expression that implies he knows something you don't. He probably does. Jaroah is a brawny fellow, with a handsome face to boot. And boots. He has those too. Tobias possesses an average build and an equally yet uniquely handsome face. Jaroah's jaw is solid whilst Tobias' jaw is more angled. Jaroah's paws are particularly large and his eyes particularly blue. Tobias' paws are somewhat small and his eyes somewhat grey. Well, really, they're entirely grey, but then, there is a hint of blue. Just a hint. Jaroah likes to wear clothing; a shirt or tunic, some trousers, and a belt. Tobias too prefers not to go around nude; he wears the same articles as Jaroah, but his clothing is often darker, and he wears shoes. The two are actually quite fit, as they have done a good measure of running in their time. Better cowardly and alive than brave and dead.
Jaroah's weapons consist of his right paw, his left paw, his feet, and a handy dandynotebook!knife he keeps tucked in his belt. Tobias' weapons comprise whatever is available in the immediate vicinity, be it a tree branch, a rock, an unfortunate piece of furniture, or a more unfortunate hedgehog happening to walk by at precisely the wrong moment.
Possessions:
The brothers own only what is vital in their trade. Mostly. Tobias keeps various powders, fabrics, and such, all of which contribute to his performances. He also wears a hat that he is fairly certain belonged to his father. Jaroah lugs around all the supplies, but for himself he keeps a little wax candle. The object would mean little to anybeast but Jaroah, to whom it clearly means enough that he never parts with it.
Personality:
Tobias is the showmouse, and Jaroah the friendly one. At a glance, Jaroah seems a helpful mouse with good intentions and a big heart, whilst Tobias seems an excellent performer who cares far more about his act than his brother. It's ingenious, really. Nobeast suspects that the two would be working together as theives. Jaroah seems so nice, and Tobias seems so wrapped up in his show. . . Certainly neither of them mean to steal from anyone?
In reality, Tobias is an arrogant perfectionist who rather thinks himself smarter than all other beasts. He doesn't much care to listen to anybeast's opinions and would much rather spend time alone than talk all night about this and that. He has no sympathy for anybeast who makes mistakes. Such brainless creatures deserve what they get. It's not that Tobias is a misanthropist; he would like to like beasts. He is more than willing to make friends with somebeast trustworthy. But, vermin or no, beasts have proven themselves just as selfish and deceitful as any thief. Besides, Tobias is tired of relationships. They never end well for anybeast, and it's a wonder Jaroah bothers trying to be nice.
Jaroah is an insecure con artist who can't help but paint himself as somebest else. Anybeast but himself. He does not much like himself and hates his constant deceptions, but this leads only to more lying. He simply must lie, lest other beasts see him for who he is. Jaroah genuinely cares about other beasts, and he loves having fun as much as the next mouse. He tries to be polite and courteous as best he knows, and he is willing to help a complete stranger just for the sake of being good. But he simply cannot let them see his true face. In the end, Jaroah is a masquerader, and he always will be.
Tobias possesses a cold analytical mind, and prefers to stand in the background, unseen, whilst others attempt solving problems Jaroah's way. Jaroah's way involves trying the same tactic repeatedly but with increasingly physical involvement -- it works eventually, because, as it turns out, violence sometimes is the answer. To put it more simply, Jaroah is a paws-on kind of mouse whereas Tobias observes and calculates from a safe distance. When they both work together, each using his own method, they solve problems much faster.
It can hereby be inferred that Jaroah has the shorter fuse of the two. And typically, this is the case. But once every blue moon, Tobias will be the first to lose his temper, particularly if his brain doesn't particularly feel like cooperating, or if his emotions are dragged into the fore. And once Tobias loses his temper, he has trouble finding it again. Jaroah, on the other paw, snaps back to reality almost instantaneously. That is, once he has thoroughly laid waste to the nearest village.
Strengths:
Both Tobias and Jaroah are decent fighters, Jaroah due to his size, Tobias due to his ingenuity, and both due to their shared history.
Tobias is an illusionist, a magician of sorts. His profession involves deception and extensively meticulous premeditation. He puts on a show for beasts in exchange for sustenance and a bed.
Jaroah is a grifter, a thief of sorts. His profession too involves deception and extensively meticulous premeditation. He steals from beasts who are unwilling to provide sustenance and a bed.
Neither profession often requires force, but occasionally, fate frowns upon the brothers a bit too much, and decisions must be made.
Tobias has the strange ability to solve problems in his sleep. By repeating to himself particular words or phrases and imagining a particular image, he focuses his mind on a particular problem just before passing into slumber. His subconscious mind then works to solve the puzzle until morning. Though Tobias occasionally forgets a dream, his method is generally successful. This way, Tobias always has time to think.
Jaroah has a condition known to Mossflower and Salamandastron as “Bloodwrath.” Jaroah seldom lapses into this state, but when he does, he loses all control. Red mist obscures his eyes, adrenaline surges through his body, and Jaroah becomes a fighting machine.
In other words: It's go time.
Jaroah also has a real knack for imitating the speech patterns of other beasts, mainly due to his profession, which requires he be able to essentially “become” someone else. You see, Jaroah is no run-o'-the-mill thief; he prefers to keep the violence at a minimum. Therefore, he relies heavily upon his skill as an actor.
Summary--
Tobias:
-Decent fighter
-Good illusionist
-Genius/Literally solves problems in his sleep
Jaroah:
-Decent fighter
-Good grifter (i.e., con artist)
-Bloodwrath
-Good at imitating accents and dialects
Weaknesses:
Tobias and Jaroah share a common weakness – they are deceitful. Neither trusts anybeast, save the other. Therefore, each finds it a steep task to establish a healthy relationship with another beast. Tobias has simply resigned to his fate and opts to wrap himself in solitude. Jaroah, on the other paw, is making an effort to overcome the side effects of a life of thievery by attempting to make friends with the beasts he will ultimately betray. He even left an apology letter after the last con. Still, both Tobias and Jaroah have found that trickery now permeates every part of their minds. Tobias suffers from an arrogance that once was healthy confidence, and Jaroah finds himself unnecessarily lying to beasts who aren't even marks in the con. It has become a habit, a costly one. Simply put, neither can successfully get along with other beasts.
Tobias suffers severe migraines. The headaches can keep him down for days; he has had to rely on Jaroah to force him to eat, during the worst times. Perhaps it is the result of his refusal to rest his mind, perhaps it is a curse for all his wrongdoings. Whatever the case, Tobias bears a heavy burden.
Jaroah never has headaches of any sort; a different ghost haunts him. He knows of his bloodwrath, having experienced it once or twice before. He knows how deadly he can be when he lapses into this state, and honestly, it frightens him. Jaroah is stalked by nightmares of the bloodwrath, frightened that he might, in a rage, accidentally kill his own brother, or an innocent beast, or a babe. . . The thoughts occasionally crop up during the day, forcing him to find someplace hidden, where he can sort out his fears and remind himself that he is not a killer. Jaroah must disappear now and again to recompose, and the disappearances are becoming more frequent.
May it also be mentioned that Jaroah has recently developed a strong (perhaps too strong) attachment to alcohol. Although he isn't a drunkard, he drinks enough that his liver certainly isn't grateful to him.
Summary--
Tobias:
-Can't get along with others
-Severe migraines
Jaroah:
-Can't get along with others
-Constant fear of bloodwrath
-Alcoholic
History:
They always stuck together. It was the only way either could survive. Their lives began in a small, remote, unfriendly part of Southsward. Neither remembers his parents, and neither ever learned what became of them. For all the two brothers know, their parents never existed. Jaroah was the elder brother, and his earliest memory was of an abandoned house – nobeast save him and Tobias. Tobias has had a black fedora-like hat for as long as Jaroah can remember, and he presumes it was once his father's.
During their earlier seasons, the brothers left the empty house and wandered the streets of a small town of sorts. For reasons yet unknown, nobeast kindly took them in or even offered them food for the first year and a half. Fortunately, Jaroah and Tobias learned to steal food quickly; it came rather naturally to them. But they were eventually found and adopted by a kindly mousewife with a husband kinder still. The couple had four sons around Jaroah and Tobias' ages when the two brothers arrived, and a fifth was born shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, the sons did not inherit their parents' good nature. They were, in short, wicked, conniving, deceitful, horrible little beasts. Though the parents were very kind and could easily resolve conflicts between the young mice, they were seldom around to keep order; both had apparently busy lives outside of the home. Jaroah and Tobias had to adapt to the environment. This was achieved mainly through teamwork. Jaroah was the elder and therefore the bigger brother, which put on him a responsibility to take care of Tobias. He stepped in whenever physical retaliation was required, and when a fight went poorly for him, he found a way to exact revenge on the victor – often by lying about him to the parents or to the other brothers. Tobias was particularly talented at disappearing, as well as making certain brothers disappear, when necessary. He had a knack for deceiving the eyes of his opponents in confrontations, and he sometimes used this knack as an offensive tactic. He knew how to not play by the rules quite effectively.
Jaroah and Tobias once left the house to play in the woods. This was a common event with them, as the time alone provided a good few hours of painless fun. But that was not the case this particular day. A vermin band had camped just outside the town, right where the brothers' play spot was. Jaroah approached the vermin to ask who they were and if he could have his spot back. The response he got was entirely uncalled for.
The following morning, Tobias awakened. On his head was a lump, and in it was a migraine. This was the first of many. Jaroah awakened with bloodstained paws and a similar lump on his head. He couldn't quite remember what had happened earlier until he saw the guard.
The brothers were bound to a rock on the bank of a river. There was a campfire on the other side, and a guard had been placed nearby to watch the two captives. A large, bloody gash ran across the guard's leg and one of his eyes was blackened. Jaroah remembered. He had done that. He didn't know why. He didn't know how. But it had happened, and this frightened him.
They were ultimately brought to a small vermin fort well outside the range of Castle Floret's sword. There, they were kept and treated as slaves, among several other poor beasts. They were the youngest of the captives, and, as such, they were the most troublesome to the vermin.
Seasons came and went, and the brothers grew in size and strength. Jaroah did as much of Tobias' manual labor as he could so that he could grow stronger and so Tobias would have time to think. Tobias was a good thinker. Given time, he could find ways to steal extra food, bribe a guard, or, in the grand scheme, escape. Ever the protective one, Jaroah took whatever blame he could for Tobias, whose migraines would keep him suffering long after any physical punishment. Once or twice, Jaroah actually fought with a captor; this never ended well for him, but he almost always won the immediate fight.
Tobias sat up one morning, eyes wide open. Jaroah was still asleep, but not for long. The guards came in at their usual time. Tobias and Jaroah left to work with the other slaves as usual. And, as it usually was, they got stuck constructing an essentially pointless wall. But they were near a side gate that was kept by only one stoat. That stoat carried a set of keys, and in that set likely existed a key to remove the shackles on their footpaws (which were attached during the workday to prevent escape.). A scuffle began among the slaves. Jaroah and a burly hedgehog had apparently stepped on one another's toes one time too many, and they'd got into a fight. The usual guards did not arrive before the gatekeeper, who'd seen the first shove. In trying to break up the fight, the stoat was knocked flat on his back. Tobias helped him to his feet.
Precisely one hour later, Tobias slipped by a particularly lazy guard and opened the gates, which were held closed by no more than a heavy wooden bar. Before the vermin in the fort could react, every slave working on the pointless wall surged toward the door, leaving their fetters behind. The stronger beasts brought up the rear, deflecting and detaining any guard who attempted to stop the escapees. To everybeast's surprise, the escape was a complete success. Not a single slave was caught.
Later that evening, Tobias relinquished a set of keys to the burly hedgehog. He'd obtained them shortly after the gatekeeper had been knocked down, the gatekeeper whom he had then helped up. Typically, a lift was a job for Jaroah, but the elder brother was needed for the scuffle. And Tobias, being the smaller, was harder to notice as he had made his way to the gate. By that time, the keys had passed through the paws of every slave working on the pointless wall. But none of them dared so much as cast a glance at the gates until the escape route was clear.
The hedgehog thanked the brothers, and the two were free to go back to what they might as well consider home. (May it be mentioned here that three weeks after the first escape, the entirety of the vermin fort collapsed under the paws of some very vengeful and very free woodlanders. All thanks to a set of keys and the boost in morale caused by the first successful escape attempt.)
Jaroah was the first to set foot in the old town. Desolate as always. Ten years, and virtually no change. At all. The neighbors, the townsfolk, their friends (...well, if they'd had friends), none seemed to much care that Jaroah and Tobias, the long-lost mouse brothers, had returned. Not at all. In fact, some appeared a touch irked at this. It occurred to Jaroah that he and Tobias had not been the most pleasant young ones about. They were thieves. Scoundrels. Fiends. And other such delightful words. But there was one change. Their adoptive parents had passed away. Murdered, as it happened, though by whom, nobeast discovered. Of course. And apparently, it had happened shortly after Tobias and Jaroah's disappearance.
Jaroah and Tobias found themselves in a precarious situation, particularly because they had learned of this through their disgruntled brothers, who were presently glaring collectively at them both as they all sat at a broken down kitchen table in the middle of the house from which there was an apparent lack of escape routes. Jaroah tried to provide their alibi for the past seven years, but evidently, the truth sounded stranger than fiction would have. Fortunately, Tobias escaped without a scratch, and Jaroah sustained only bruises, a few cuts, and a bloody nose.
They left town. It was no longer safe there. In fact, it felt unwise to remain in the area, so long as beasts whispered of murder. So, in order to effectively become invisible, Tobias and Jaroah began their own rumors. In a matter of months, the town was convinced that the two had died in a bizarre encounter with a half-ferret, half-weasel.
This precaution in place, Jaroah and Tobias roamed Southsward, doing what they did best. Lying and stealing. Soon enough, Tobias became a masterful illusionist, performing for beasts in return for food and a place to stay the night. Jaroah acted as the failsafe; whenever Tobias found himself performing for an uncooperative audience, Jaroah would con the mark into providing what the brothers needed (and sometimes a little extra). Their audience seldom left a show with as many possessions as they'd had on their arrival.
It wasn't until a week ago that Jaroah suggested they move their business northward.
Relationships:
They have five adoptive brothers, but they tend to avoid them now. Both of their adoptive parents are deceased, and the identities of their biological parents remain unknown.
As a rule, Tobias and Jaroah do not form relationships with anybeast involved in a con.
Jaroah did meet one particularly pretty mousemaid during a con, but he assumes she hates him now (and rightly so).
