Nikolai Lumiere (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
voidedmemory) wrote2017-02-25 11:13 am
voidedmemory) wrote2017-02-25 11:13 am
Entry tags:
APPLICATION
CHARACTER: CANON SECTION
NAME: Count Bleck/Blumiere
AGE: Who even knows at this point. Pretty old? He's definitely an adult.
CANON: Super Paper Mario
NAME: Count Bleck/Blumiere
AGE: Who even knows at this point. Pretty old? He's definitely an adult.
CANON: Super Paper Mario
CANON HISTORY: here
CANON PERSONALITY:
Theatric, charismatic and incredibly self-destructive. Count Bleck was once an entirely understanding and compassionate person - the remnants of that still shine through in the way he treats his closest followers and the way he reflects on his past life - but much of it has been lost in the erosion of years and the weight of what he's seen and done. Despite what has happened, his ability to empathise and see the views of others is still evident; he understands people and their motivations well, and is more than capable of using that knowledge to sway others to his side and introduce them to his point of view in a way they might find easier to swallow. He prefers to use what people love rather than what they hate, promising a better world or a better outcome rather than threatening or intimidating people into agreeing with him.
He covers up much of his emotional damage through the separation of his past with his present self; 'Count Bleck' as a persona refers to himself in third person, engages in theatrical posturing, generates villainous laughter and does quite a bit of acting, setting himself up as the obvious villain of the story to the heroes of the prophecy. Since the future is written out for him as a story, he plays the story to the hilt; it means he doesn't have to think or reflect too heavily on the past and what he's hiding from himself and everyone else around him.
Regret colours his actions and his words - he longs to recapture in some way his past happiness, and he's found some measure of love within himself for his followers - but ultimately, love and regret wasn't enough to overpower his nihilism. His true desire was to destroy himself and the universe along with it - what's a few deaths (or a few dozen, or a few hundred) in the short term considering they'd all cease to exist anyway?
Taking this worldview into account, when he acts on his decisions it usually tends to be merciless. While eliminating people outright isn't his first option, it's far from the last, and once he's made up his mind any persistent 'obstacles' tend to disappear unpleasantly. He might soften or become indecisive on the finer details, but if he has a goal in mind, he'll ultimately throw aside everything to reach it. Anyone who stands in his way will be dealt with swiftly, and without hesitation.
Guilt guides his actions and thoughts; he remembers the terrible things he did in following the Dark Prognosticus' path, and likely believes that as the prophecy's fulfiller what the book foretold was his burden, too. When faced with death, he asked to be killed not only because it was the only way to ensure the universe's survival, but because he'd done too much and changed too much to be allowed to live. When his followers and lover express that they were still willing to love him and support him, he's surprised; he doesn't understand why. He wants to be held responsible and punished for the things he's done and the mistakes he's made; forgiveness and love are things he doesn't feel he deserves.
He possesses a strong feeling of karmic justice, in his own strange way; his initial reaction to losing what he loved most was to lash out first at his father, then the rest of the universe and possibly fate itself, for taking his happiness away from him. When the time comes for the heroes to undo the prophecy, he treats it as a way of repaying the world for what he's done to it; with his death, the world will be saved, and it will be a fitting end to the story regardless.
Due to his aforementioned nihilism and the fact he was emotionally broken by a prophecy book, he's quick to simply to give up and accept what comes if he has no overarching goal. Left alone, he tends to brood on his own failures and guilt, waiting for bad things to happen or for punishment to come. He needs outward action to remind him that there's anything left of him besides wanting to stop existing; at his core, he believes there's truly nothing he can do that would help. Why bother acting if it's too late to do anything? The future is already written; he doesn't understand what the point is of fighting against it. Following the script will ensure an easy transition into oblivion, with minimum pain - which is something that he'd prefer, on the whole. Fighting takes energy, and he just doesn't have any left.
Still, despite his heavy burdens and his past, he's shockingly compassionate still - at least, to those close to him. He speaks gently to his followers and has opened up to some of them about his doubts and his past, and despite calling them minions treats them more like family than anything else. It's debatable whether his lies about his true motivations are to save them from fear or simply because he didn't want to deal with their emotions, but the former seems more likely than the latter.
SKILLS/ABILITIES:
For non-magical abilities, Count Bleck has great skill in persuading other people to see and align to his point of view, even if they're initially hostile. He's well spoken and charismatic enough that he tends to leave a good impression on people. He seems well-read and well educated, and has a great deal of experience in traveling in environments that might contain people who aren't very happy to see him, or are just hazardous to traverse.
- Floating: Has the ability to float in midair (and generally just ignore gravity).
- Teleportation: Able to teleport short distances.
- Shadow magic: Can summon a void that acts like a vacuum, drawing things in from a short distance away. Able to use magic projectiles that pierce normal shields.
- Slowing and speeding up: Has the ability to slow down other people and hinder their movement. Can give himself a speed boost for a short time.
CANON PERSONALITY:
Theatric, charismatic and incredibly self-destructive. Count Bleck was once an entirely understanding and compassionate person - the remnants of that still shine through in the way he treats his closest followers and the way he reflects on his past life - but much of it has been lost in the erosion of years and the weight of what he's seen and done. Despite what has happened, his ability to empathise and see the views of others is still evident; he understands people and their motivations well, and is more than capable of using that knowledge to sway others to his side and introduce them to his point of view in a way they might find easier to swallow. He prefers to use what people love rather than what they hate, promising a better world or a better outcome rather than threatening or intimidating people into agreeing with him.
He covers up much of his emotional damage through the separation of his past with his present self; 'Count Bleck' as a persona refers to himself in third person, engages in theatrical posturing, generates villainous laughter and does quite a bit of acting, setting himself up as the obvious villain of the story to the heroes of the prophecy. Since the future is written out for him as a story, he plays the story to the hilt; it means he doesn't have to think or reflect too heavily on the past and what he's hiding from himself and everyone else around him.
Regret colours his actions and his words - he longs to recapture in some way his past happiness, and he's found some measure of love within himself for his followers - but ultimately, love and regret wasn't enough to overpower his nihilism. His true desire was to destroy himself and the universe along with it - what's a few deaths (or a few dozen, or a few hundred) in the short term considering they'd all cease to exist anyway?
Taking this worldview into account, when he acts on his decisions it usually tends to be merciless. While eliminating people outright isn't his first option, it's far from the last, and once he's made up his mind any persistent 'obstacles' tend to disappear unpleasantly. He might soften or become indecisive on the finer details, but if he has a goal in mind, he'll ultimately throw aside everything to reach it. Anyone who stands in his way will be dealt with swiftly, and without hesitation.
Guilt guides his actions and thoughts; he remembers the terrible things he did in following the Dark Prognosticus' path, and likely believes that as the prophecy's fulfiller what the book foretold was his burden, too. When faced with death, he asked to be killed not only because it was the only way to ensure the universe's survival, but because he'd done too much and changed too much to be allowed to live. When his followers and lover express that they were still willing to love him and support him, he's surprised; he doesn't understand why. He wants to be held responsible and punished for the things he's done and the mistakes he's made; forgiveness and love are things he doesn't feel he deserves.
He possesses a strong feeling of karmic justice, in his own strange way; his initial reaction to losing what he loved most was to lash out first at his father, then the rest of the universe and possibly fate itself, for taking his happiness away from him. When the time comes for the heroes to undo the prophecy, he treats it as a way of repaying the world for what he's done to it; with his death, the world will be saved, and it will be a fitting end to the story regardless.
Due to his aforementioned nihilism and the fact he was emotionally broken by a prophecy book, he's quick to simply to give up and accept what comes if he has no overarching goal. Left alone, he tends to brood on his own failures and guilt, waiting for bad things to happen or for punishment to come. He needs outward action to remind him that there's anything left of him besides wanting to stop existing; at his core, he believes there's truly nothing he can do that would help. Why bother acting if it's too late to do anything? The future is already written; he doesn't understand what the point is of fighting against it. Following the script will ensure an easy transition into oblivion, with minimum pain - which is something that he'd prefer, on the whole. Fighting takes energy, and he just doesn't have any left.
Still, despite his heavy burdens and his past, he's shockingly compassionate still - at least, to those close to him. He speaks gently to his followers and has opened up to some of them about his doubts and his past, and despite calling them minions treats them more like family than anything else. It's debatable whether his lies about his true motivations are to save them from fear or simply because he didn't want to deal with their emotions, but the former seems more likely than the latter.
SKILLS/ABILITIES:
For non-magical abilities, Count Bleck has great skill in persuading other people to see and align to his point of view, even if they're initially hostile. He's well spoken and charismatic enough that he tends to leave a good impression on people. He seems well-read and well educated, and has a great deal of experience in traveling in environments that might contain people who aren't very happy to see him, or are just hazardous to traverse.
- Floating: Has the ability to float in midair (and generally just ignore gravity).
- Teleportation: Able to teleport short distances.
- Shadow magic: Can summon a void that acts like a vacuum, drawing things in from a short distance away. Able to use magic projectiles that pierce normal shields.
- Slowing and speeding up: Has the ability to slow down other people and hinder their movement. Can give himself a speed boost for a short time.
CHARACTER: AU SECTION
AU NAME: Nikolai Lumiere
AU AGE: 37
PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES: Has an actual human body, though he's slightly wobbly on his feet as though he's not used to walking and uses a cane to keep himself steady. It's passed off as some kind of psychosomatic effect from past incidents.
AU NAME: Nikolai Lumiere
AU AGE: 37
PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES: Has an actual human body, though he's slightly wobbly on his feet as though he's not used to walking and uses a cane to keep himself steady. It's passed off as some kind of psychosomatic effect from past incidents.
AU HISTORY:
- Nikolai Lumiere was born in France, and inherited the heavy burden of a noble lineage and a future of doing what was expected of him by his family. The Lumiere family is old money, and they struck out into investments early, even branching into politics; however, in the present day the main family branch that ruled the roost is now gone. All that's left are a few side branches who moved in to take up what remained of the business, with Nikolai and a distant uncle the only survivors of the 'main' branch.
- Nikolai was the eldest son of the main family and was never allowed to get close to the two siblings he had in an attempt to make him less sensitive and sentimental; his aptitude for learning and study, his developing oratory skills, and his knack for diplomacy made him a good candidate to take over the business when he was of age, but his temperament was something his father decisively attempted to stamp out.
- Nikolai got even more sensitive as a result.
- The older he got, the more curious he got about traveling the world and getting to know the city outside the castle he was raised in; his father forbade him from going outside and had him privately tutored rather than going to a high-class school, in yet another attempt to stop his daydreaming eldest son from getting any more wild ideas and straying even further from being the ideal heir.
- As a result of this, Nikolai rebelled quietly by sneaking out at night to explore the city himself. When he was caught, his father punished him by confiscating his books, denying him lessons, and locking Nikolai in his room without meals.
- Nikolai continued to sneak out regardless, and eventually his father's bad treatment of him made him run away entirely at 18. He tried to live by himself, but it would have ended badly if he hadn't met a girl who was willing to help him learn the finer points of actually living like someone who didn't grow up almost entirely isolated.
- He settled into his new life well, and grew closer with the girl who had basically ended up saving his life, eventually planning to marry her when their financial situations improved enough. He connected well with people and accumulated friends, and began to build a life that was entirely his own.
- His father didn't like any of this and decided that if Nikolai wouldn't come back on his own, he'd just have to ensure he wouldn't have anything else to go back to, and would have no choice but to come crawling home and be a good son.
- So he paid someone to burn Nikolai's apartment and the entire block down with it. Nikolai came home to find nothing but a burning building and with none of his friends among those who had fled before it turned into a raging inferno. Dreading the worst, he spent several days fruitlessly searching the city for any trace of the people he'd grown close to; it was the only thing that ended up saving his life.
- The Lumiere family - his father especially - had made quite a few enemies in their time. One particular family held a severe grudge; they'd feuded viciously for years, escalating from petty deeds to outright threats, fights and property damage, and the feud finally came to a head two nights after Nikolai's apartment burned down.
- It was a total bloodbath where a lot of people died or were killed in the crossfire, including Nikolai's siblings, his parents, and many family members on both sides. It made headlines internationally, and is the reason Nikolai never uses his last name for anything unless absolutely required.
- Nikolai moved to Recollé soon after, feeling shaken by the events and unable to start over in France. Shattered from the loss of everything that had made him feel anchored and safe, he buried the ache of his problems in his newfound work as an English lecturer at Recollé University, and tried his best to heal.
-At this point, he's settled in for a few years, and still hasn't gotten very close to many people. He does know what he's talking about, though, and he's an effective teacher, despite being kind of morose.
AU PERSONALITY:
- Nikolai is much less nihilistic, less harsh about emotions, and more openly kindhearted than his canon self - he's still got trauma of his own to deal with, but he doesn't have the revelation that his happiness was futile and he's responsible for the end of the world hanging over him, so he hasn't rejected his feelings quite as hard. Along the same lines, he's more sad than his canon self's 'totally bleak and empty and believing there's no future for anything anymore'. He has a bigger emotional range on display than 'perfectly held together' and 'utterly broken'.
- Not nearly as ruthless as his canon self; he'll certainly speak up, but he doesn't have any desire to see his 'enemies' destroyed. When he takes action, it's through reprimands and standing his ground rather than just sweeping people aside. He cares more about the impact of his actions on people, and doesn't have the disconnect that his canon self holds from the rest of the universe.
- On the flipside of that coin, though, he's actively isolated himself from people on a personal level. His avoidance and trauma have combined to give him a significantly hampered sense of understanding others; he doesn't want to get too close, considering what happened last time he got close to people. As a result, he's not nearly as good at pretending he's holding it together or finding the right words to talk to others as he is in canon. It's obvious how sad he is if you spend long enough with him, even if he doesn't want to show that part of himself; he can't seem to help it. He wants help, but he doesn't feel like he can face what plagues him yet.
- He's more motivated - again, mostly because he has none of the specific triggers that led to him throwing up his hands and following instructions because life wasn't worth living anymore. He more easily enjoys things and the company of people, and he's able to find actual happiness in small things. He's less depressed, basically. He doesn't want to die quite as much as his canon self does.
- Much less guilt-ridden because he hasn't done much to be guilt-ridden about. He suffers survivor's guilt from being one of the only members of his family left alive, which is heavy enough, but it doesn't have the same weight of his canon self's deeds.
- Nikolai Lumiere was born in France, and inherited the heavy burden of a noble lineage and a future of doing what was expected of him by his family. The Lumiere family is old money, and they struck out into investments early, even branching into politics; however, in the present day the main family branch that ruled the roost is now gone. All that's left are a few side branches who moved in to take up what remained of the business, with Nikolai and a distant uncle the only survivors of the 'main' branch.
- Nikolai was the eldest son of the main family and was never allowed to get close to the two siblings he had in an attempt to make him less sensitive and sentimental; his aptitude for learning and study, his developing oratory skills, and his knack for diplomacy made him a good candidate to take over the business when he was of age, but his temperament was something his father decisively attempted to stamp out.
- Nikolai got even more sensitive as a result.
- The older he got, the more curious he got about traveling the world and getting to know the city outside the castle he was raised in; his father forbade him from going outside and had him privately tutored rather than going to a high-class school, in yet another attempt to stop his daydreaming eldest son from getting any more wild ideas and straying even further from being the ideal heir.
- As a result of this, Nikolai rebelled quietly by sneaking out at night to explore the city himself. When he was caught, his father punished him by confiscating his books, denying him lessons, and locking Nikolai in his room without meals.
- Nikolai continued to sneak out regardless, and eventually his father's bad treatment of him made him run away entirely at 18. He tried to live by himself, but it would have ended badly if he hadn't met a girl who was willing to help him learn the finer points of actually living like someone who didn't grow up almost entirely isolated.
- He settled into his new life well, and grew closer with the girl who had basically ended up saving his life, eventually planning to marry her when their financial situations improved enough. He connected well with people and accumulated friends, and began to build a life that was entirely his own.
- His father didn't like any of this and decided that if Nikolai wouldn't come back on his own, he'd just have to ensure he wouldn't have anything else to go back to, and would have no choice but to come crawling home and be a good son.
- So he paid someone to burn Nikolai's apartment and the entire block down with it. Nikolai came home to find nothing but a burning building and with none of his friends among those who had fled before it turned into a raging inferno. Dreading the worst, he spent several days fruitlessly searching the city for any trace of the people he'd grown close to; it was the only thing that ended up saving his life.
- The Lumiere family - his father especially - had made quite a few enemies in their time. One particular family held a severe grudge; they'd feuded viciously for years, escalating from petty deeds to outright threats, fights and property damage, and the feud finally came to a head two nights after Nikolai's apartment burned down.
- It was a total bloodbath where a lot of people died or were killed in the crossfire, including Nikolai's siblings, his parents, and many family members on both sides. It made headlines internationally, and is the reason Nikolai never uses his last name for anything unless absolutely required.
- Nikolai moved to Recollé soon after, feeling shaken by the events and unable to start over in France. Shattered from the loss of everything that had made him feel anchored and safe, he buried the ache of his problems in his newfound work as an English lecturer at Recollé University, and tried his best to heal.
-At this point, he's settled in for a few years, and still hasn't gotten very close to many people. He does know what he's talking about, though, and he's an effective teacher, despite being kind of morose.
AU PERSONALITY:
- Nikolai is much less nihilistic, less harsh about emotions, and more openly kindhearted than his canon self - he's still got trauma of his own to deal with, but he doesn't have the revelation that his happiness was futile and he's responsible for the end of the world hanging over him, so he hasn't rejected his feelings quite as hard. Along the same lines, he's more sad than his canon self's 'totally bleak and empty and believing there's no future for anything anymore'. He has a bigger emotional range on display than 'perfectly held together' and 'utterly broken'.
- Not nearly as ruthless as his canon self; he'll certainly speak up, but he doesn't have any desire to see his 'enemies' destroyed. When he takes action, it's through reprimands and standing his ground rather than just sweeping people aside. He cares more about the impact of his actions on people, and doesn't have the disconnect that his canon self holds from the rest of the universe.
- On the flipside of that coin, though, he's actively isolated himself from people on a personal level. His avoidance and trauma have combined to give him a significantly hampered sense of understanding others; he doesn't want to get too close, considering what happened last time he got close to people. As a result, he's not nearly as good at pretending he's holding it together or finding the right words to talk to others as he is in canon. It's obvious how sad he is if you spend long enough with him, even if he doesn't want to show that part of himself; he can't seem to help it. He wants help, but he doesn't feel like he can face what plagues him yet.
- He's more motivated - again, mostly because he has none of the specific triggers that led to him throwing up his hands and following instructions because life wasn't worth living anymore. He more easily enjoys things and the company of people, and he's able to find actual happiness in small things. He's less depressed, basically. He doesn't want to die quite as much as his canon self does.
- Much less guilt-ridden because he hasn't done much to be guilt-ridden about. He suffers survivor's guilt from being one of the only members of his family left alive, which is heavy enough, but it doesn't have the same weight of his canon self's deeds.