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Aug. 21st, 2013 06:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shepherdsPlayer Information
Name: Hannah
Personal Journal:feilyn
IM Service: aim: xfeilynx
Plurk Name: hannahcake
Current Characters: Ermillina Curtana!
Character Information
Character Name: Christopher ‘Topher’ Malone
Canon-Point: Three months after he nearly gets murdered by a bunch of Wolves
Age: 22
Appearance:
His PB is Channing Tatum!
Topher is about 6’2”, and while he’s pretty lean, his form is definitely built for use rather than show. He has brown eyes and a buzz cut that kind of emphasises his sticky-outy ears; if he let his hair grow out, it turns out it would also be brown. The right side of his torso is kind of a mess of scars, and he has a tattoo this looks like this φ on his left side.
World Information
Once Upon a Time...
There were people with magic and people without magic. The people without both worshipped and feared the people who did have magic, especially those who used their magic for darker purposes. But the magic in those people began to grow corrupt. It changed the people, made them monstrous and demonic. The other gifted people grew worried of their fellow people, because magic was not meant to be twisted in such ways. And the normal humans continued to fear these beasts. They believed that all magic was inherently evil.
The people who grew monstrous began to desire the ones who were still normal in an attempt to balance their power out, but they soon discovered that they could twist their magic as well, and the children of those unions grew more powerful. Normal magic grew weak, and regular humans saw their chance.
A group rose up, the first Woodsmen, who promised to help the magic users who were attempting to escape from the Wolves. The Woodsmen convinced the gifted that they had to trust their lives to them, but what the Woodsmen really wanted was to cut off their magic permanently. They wanted to keep the world safe from these beasts, and there was only one way to do it. It took many centuries, but eventually the magic became dormant in the Scarlet Robes due to years of unions with regular humans. Every once in a while, a child would be born with magic, and they are usually killed off before the Wolves can take them. They also learned quickly that males were a threat to humanity and to the reappearance of magic. They were killed once they were discovered.
Most humans forgot about the time of magic, letting the stories drift into myths and legends. The Wolves grew weak and the Scarlet Robes weaker while the Woodsmen thrived under the old ways. Watch the Robes, stop the Wolves, end magic.
Topher’s world is set in the modern world, just with this hidden society beneath. Woodsmen are often recruited from either families involved (legacies) or those who have had encounters with Wolves. Most Robes are kept track of, although there are a few who slip outside of the watchful eyes of the Woodsmen.
Wolf packs are led by a single Alpha, a female, who is born true (either a Wolf or a Robe). True Wolves are born as such, and are able to easily handle the magic in their blood. Created Wolves have no such protection from the magic are driven mad from it.
Woodsmen are run by a Council of three usually prestigious and usually legacied Woodsmen. There are different paths a Woodsman can take, including inquisitor, warrior, protector, and teacher.
Scarlet Robes' lives are completely dictated by the Woodsmen, although a rebellion group has long been in place to slowly unravel the grip on their lives. Anna Langley, the mother of Topher’s not-girlfriend, was a ringleader in this, making deals with Wolves and inspiring Woodsmen and Robes alike to overthrow the system.
History:
Christopher Malone was born March 9, 1988 to David and Christina Malone. He was their only child, which suited the Malones just fine. Topher grew up in a military household, his father being a decorated Marine who expected his son to follow in his footsteps. His childhood was strict and oftentimes lonely, especially with how often they moved around the country, but Topher never seemed to have problems making acquaintances wherever he went or picking up a few girlfriends here and there. He never really made any close friends, however.
Despite a few hiccups during his adolescence—which resulted in a few rebellious tendencies that he keeps to this day—Topher enlisted into the Marines on his 18th birthday, according to his father's wishes. What Topher really wanted was to go to college and major in math—numbers are sort of his thing. But he knew he could be patient enough for that time to come.
While in boot camp, something occurred that would change his life forever. A fellow marine, a young woman, was attacked one night while they were out in the field during a training exercise. Hearing her screams of distress, he ran to help her. The sight he was confronted with was nothing like what he expected to find at all. Instead of human attackers, he came face to face with monsters—hideous beasts that seemed part wolf and part human, all cruelty. The woman was on the ground screaming while Topher froze up. He knew he should help her; she was screaming for his help at first. And then she grew more quiet and complacent. It happened all in a matter of seconds before the beasts took their prize and left the marine in training standing there, stunned. When his superior officers eventually found him, he had collapsed to his knees. They questioned him relentlessly, but he stuck to his story, unable to realize that his words made him sound crazy. He was discharged soon after, based on his supposed mental instability.
It was only then that he was approached by a woman who introduced herself as Karen Langley, and she had an offer for him, if he wanted to accept it. She told him that he was not crazy, and the things he had seen were what they called Wolves. It was natural to feel fear and he shouldn't feel guilty for not being able to save the girl who was taken. But he could go on and protect other young women, if he wanted, from other Wolves that wanted to take them. Having no military career now or the money to go to college, Topher accepted the older woman's proposal.
This was when he began to train as a Woodsmen in one of their secret locations. It was almost like being in the military, but their purpose was far more noble in his eyes. He was training to keep the world safe. The things he learned included: the illustrious history of the Woodsmen, starting back with the original Little Red Riding Hood; how to defend one's self from werewolf attacks; how to recognize signs of werewolves in the area; the role of Woodsmen in regards to Scarlet Robes, including the lifelong commitment it generally entails. Topher excelled in this setting. His logical sense of mind made him a favorite.
Two years after accepting Karen Langley's offer, he had “graduated” and was no longer a recruit. However, he still had a dream of getting a degree, and so petitioned the Woodsmen Council—which included Karen—if he would be allowed to go to school for his degree. The Council agreed to fund him if he helped train the younger Woodsmen, to which he agreed.
Another two years passed before he heard from Karen Langley again. Despite his hesitation on what favor she could have wanted from him, he respected the woman greatly and had much to be thankful for because of her. He listened to the story of her late-blooming granddaughter, who happened to be a Scarlet Robe, and of her grandson who wished to become a Woodsman. There were also signs of Wolves in the area of her hometown. He knew what was coming, and after only a bit of hesitation, Topher agreed to leave school and come out to the Langley homestead, where he would become the granddaughter's Woodsman.
It wasn't until Topher actually met Jordan, and saw firsthand what sort of challenge she would present, that he was sold completely on becoming her Woodsman. He told Karen that he would commit to the job. And so he did. It was a rocky start, but after the murder of Jordan's best friend, she finally accepted his presence. When she graduated high school, he took the opportunity to enroll back in school, going with her. They ended up sharing an apartment during this time, about half a year together. She was his first real friend.
It didn't happen all at once, but Topher gradually fell in love with Jordan. It wasn’t really surprising – most Woodsmen ended up with their Robes, but he didn’t really let it change their relationship. They were friends first before anything else, and while there might have been an undercurrent of UST in their interactions, he did his best to not let it affect them.
Wolves were moving into the area, seemingly coinciding with their return. Around this same time, another Scarlet Robe was attacked and miraculously escaped. Olivia arrived at the Langley house not long after that. Topher knew that Jordan didn't get along with her, and he did his best to keep his eye on his own Robe, but she was becoming more difficult to deal with. He followed her into the woods one night, after watching her escape from her room. There he found her alone and freaked out, and he attempted to question her when they heard howls nearby. At this point, he was having a difficult time in keeping a handle on his emotions, especially around her.
With the increased threat, Karen made the decision to move Olivia earlier than expected, to get the heat off of them. They were ambushed by Wolves at the hand-off, and Topher fought to protect Jordan. It wasn't enough, though. He held his own for a bit, but when Owen really let him have it, Topher was nothing more than a ragdoll to the beta Wolf. This was when they discovered the truth of Nate's nature, but all he could think about was protection Jordan. Somehow, the idiot girl managed to survive, and he was relieved enough to kiss her in the hospital.
After this point, their relationship grew rapidly. There was a lot of teasing and flirting, and for the first time in a long time, Topher realized that he was actually happy. But as the threat of Owen loomed over them more, the more Jordan began to pull away from him as quickly as she had gone to him. The idea that she alone had to protect her brother and Owen was driving her crazy, and in turn, it was driving him crazy. Still, he wasn't going to give up on watching her back or helping her, despite her protests.
When Owen took Nate, Topher didn't hesitate to come along with Jordan to get him back. It was during their walk that he told Jordan that he was in love with her. It didn't matter if she said it back or not; he had to get it off of his chest while he could. When they were surrounded by Wolves, he made the decision to tell Jordan to continue on without him. Still, despite his choice, he couldn't help but feel disgusted by how easily she left him behind to his fate. Luckily enough for him, he had left behind a message for Karen and the other Woodsmen, letting them know where he and Jordan were going. They arrive just in time to distract the Wolves, and Topher takes off after Jordan.
He catches up just as Jordan offered herself up to become a Wolf. Topher attacks Owen, who manages to escape right after that. Topher and Jordan rescue Nate together, but their relationship is fractured, and they both know it.
After Jordan offers to go into exile, Topher accepts taking on Nate as his Scarlet Robe, because it's what Jordan wants from him. Him and Jordan part after that without resolving any of their problems. But he knows there are more important things to focus on than the two of them, like watching the one male Scarlet Robe alive.
Personality:
Topher is the guy who’s confident enough in his own abilities and general personality that he doesn’t feel the need to brag about it. While he felt a powerful need to prove himself to his family (especially his father) when he was younger, his experiences since then have allowed him to become more comfortable with himself and what he believes. The only person Topher has to prove himself to these days is himself. While this does lend itself to an air of quiet confidence, it also means that he’s probably harder on himself than most other people would be. Topher demands quality from himself, and will absolutely work hard to achieve it. It’s a rare occasion when he does fail something he sets his mind to, but when he does, he won’t ever make excuses for himself. He’s the sort of guy who will try over and over to make sure he does it right to his own satisfaction before allowing himself to move on – something that, in small doses is a good trait, but can be taken to extremes.
Which is not to say that Topher is a genius who excels at everything he sets his hand to. His skills come from an early instilled belief in the value of hard work, and the high standards his father demanded of him. He was expected to be physically fit, strong, respectable, and honest, and not to expect anything to be handed to him on a platter. While his interest in math was probably born from the fact that, as a fairly logical sort of kid, numbers just made sense to him, his skill in it is born from his own dogged pursuit of the subject.
His focus of math in school was his own personal kind of rebellion, and kind of characteristic of the way in which Topher acts out. He’s not really a rock the boat kind of guy, preferring to compromise than anything else. He got into music that his dad didn’t approve of, but it’s not like he got into drugs or alcohol or skipping school. He followed a path of his interest that his family didn’t believe had a future for him, but he still enlisted in the Marines when he turned 18. He even acted out and got a tattoo while he was still in highschool, but it’s small and on his side, nowhere that will be seen under ordinary circumstances. This is an aspect of Topher that can be seen as a strength, or a weakness. On the one hand, he’s able to compromise, fulfil (at least partly) his own wishes as well of those of other people. On the other hand, this is not a character who forges his own path against injustices or anything like that. Topher is the second in command, even when it comes to his own life; he’s got the ability to work with others, even lead them, but it’s not his own path that he’d be following.
Topher was raised to be honest, and follow his duty – part of which obviously includes being honest to your superior officers. So even when he sees something that he knows shouldn’t be possible, a girl being attacked by monsters, he ends up telling the truth. Even at his own expense. Even though it ruins his father’s dreams for him; at the time, Topher wouldn’t sacrifice the principles he was raised with to reach the goal he was raised for. It’s another example of his asserting his independence while still following someone else’s path; he rejects one aspect, by following another.
This decision puts a huge strain on his family relationships. His parents obviously think he’s had some kind of mental break, and Topher’s refusal to see anyone about it doesn’t ease the strain at all. Once he makes a decision, however, it’s almost impossible to get Topher to back down from it, not unless you can prove him wrong. For the most part, Topher is honest, dedicated, and maybe even a little bit too proud. He’s unwilling to bend on this issue, and his relationship with his parents has suffered because of it.
He doesn’t expect that kind of standard from everyone though, only himself. He doesn’t really expect much from anyone else; the thing about being discharged from the military for having a mental break is that it makes you kind of a pariah when anyone you’ve known for more than a few months at a time is involved with the military sometime. Even after Topher learns that he isn’t actually crazy, he doesn’t really make any overtures to get close to people. He’s a kind person, always willing to lend a hand; he’ll have a beer with some fellow Woodsmen, and he doesn’t have any issues with going out on a few dates with a girl, but he doesn’t invite people to get close. He’s the sort of person who gets along with others by focussing on them rather than speaking about himself at all, and he’s comfortable that way – prefers it. This isn’t just as a result of the incident with the Wolves – he’s a military kid, always travelling, never really setting down roots. It means you learn how to fit in if you want to keep your lunch money at school, but it also means that you learn not to get too close to people.
While he doesn’t like to chatter a whole lot, Topher isn’t exactly the stoic, silent type either. He’s got a dry, understated sort of humour – not the sort of person to crack jokes or make mean spirited comments either, but he can appreciate a laugh, and enjoys teasing those people he does get close to. The only time he really has trouble with keeping his temper is when someone puts another person in danger, or if he thinks they’re doing something fucking stupid. Even then, he tends to get all jaw-clenchy and snarky comments about the situation, rather than actually yell about it.
The exception to pretty much all of this is Jordan Langley. Jordan is the first person he’s forced to spend more than a couple of months at a time with since his parents, and she just has a talent for getting under his skin. She doesn’t listen to him, charges off and does stupid things that endanger herself and others, she lies, and she asks him to lie for her.
And Topher does it. He doesn’t like it, doesn’t want to, but he lies for her anyway, because he thinks she’s the most wonderful, awful person in the world, and he can’t have one without the other. Jordan is everything Topher isn’t – she’s wild, passionate, loyal to her family beyond reason, and a firestarter. Everything in him is simultaneously attracted and rebuffed by that, and if that was all she was, maybe it would have stayed that way. But there’s also a vulnerability to Jordan, a part of her that needs him. And Topher responds to that. It’s the time they’re required to spend together that has her growing on him – if it had just been up to him, he probably would have moved on after a few weeks. But he doesn’t have the opportunity to do that, and eventually he stops wanting to.
Jordan is an inextricable part of Topher. She has made him into an arguably worse person; someone who will lie for her sake when it could put others in danger, someone who is willing to break the rules and risk everything for her sake. And there’s an ugly part that blames her for that rather than takes ownership of it, because Topher has a sort of mental disconnect about how he let this girl totally twist part of his identity. But on the other hand, by falling in with Jordan and her cause, Topher is now working for something greater. Rather than holding duty and truth as his ideals, he’s beginning to question them in a way he never has before. Before Jordan, Topher turned a blind eye to some of the unusual aspects of the Woodsmen, because they were the ones who gave him back his future, who seemed to understand his pursuit of truth and duty even if it’s uncomfortable or dangerous. Jordan has sort of forcibly opened his eyes to the reality of this new world he’s found himself in, and while he definitely resents that in a way, he also can’t say she was wrong for doing it.
Topher wants to think that he’s his own person, and can make his own decisions about who he is and what he wants to do with his life. But at the end of the day, he’s just hitching his wagon to different stars. The only difference with Jordan is that she needs him just as much as he needs her; they hold each other up as much as they drag each other down.
Abilities/Powers: Topher doesn’t have any magical abilities to speak of, but he is an extremely skilled and resourceful fighter. He’s best with an axe, although he’s also a highly skilled marksman, and could punch a bitch out too.
Items:
- Modern clothes – jeans, a shirt with some band on it and a jacket
- Wallet with ids and various other cards, some cash
- Keys on a keychain with a solar powered calculator attached
- A motherfucking axe
Samples
One! Two! Three!
Name: Hannah
Personal Journal:
feilynIM Service: aim: xfeilynx
Plurk Name: hannahcake
Current Characters: Ermillina Curtana!
Character Information
Character Name: Christopher ‘Topher’ Malone
Canon-Point: Three months after he nearly gets murdered by a bunch of Wolves
Age: 22
Appearance:
His PB is Channing Tatum!
Topher is about 6’2”, and while he’s pretty lean, his form is definitely built for use rather than show. He has brown eyes and a buzz cut that kind of emphasises his sticky-outy ears; if he let his hair grow out, it turns out it would also be brown. The right side of his torso is kind of a mess of scars, and he has a tattoo this looks like this φ on his left side.
World Information
Once Upon a Time...
There were people with magic and people without magic. The people without both worshipped and feared the people who did have magic, especially those who used their magic for darker purposes. But the magic in those people began to grow corrupt. It changed the people, made them monstrous and demonic. The other gifted people grew worried of their fellow people, because magic was not meant to be twisted in such ways. And the normal humans continued to fear these beasts. They believed that all magic was inherently evil.
The people who grew monstrous began to desire the ones who were still normal in an attempt to balance their power out, but they soon discovered that they could twist their magic as well, and the children of those unions grew more powerful. Normal magic grew weak, and regular humans saw their chance.
A group rose up, the first Woodsmen, who promised to help the magic users who were attempting to escape from the Wolves. The Woodsmen convinced the gifted that they had to trust their lives to them, but what the Woodsmen really wanted was to cut off their magic permanently. They wanted to keep the world safe from these beasts, and there was only one way to do it. It took many centuries, but eventually the magic became dormant in the Scarlet Robes due to years of unions with regular humans. Every once in a while, a child would be born with magic, and they are usually killed off before the Wolves can take them. They also learned quickly that males were a threat to humanity and to the reappearance of magic. They were killed once they were discovered.
Most humans forgot about the time of magic, letting the stories drift into myths and legends. The Wolves grew weak and the Scarlet Robes weaker while the Woodsmen thrived under the old ways. Watch the Robes, stop the Wolves, end magic.
Topher’s world is set in the modern world, just with this hidden society beneath. Woodsmen are often recruited from either families involved (legacies) or those who have had encounters with Wolves. Most Robes are kept track of, although there are a few who slip outside of the watchful eyes of the Woodsmen.
Wolf packs are led by a single Alpha, a female, who is born true (either a Wolf or a Robe). True Wolves are born as such, and are able to easily handle the magic in their blood. Created Wolves have no such protection from the magic are driven mad from it.
Woodsmen are run by a Council of three usually prestigious and usually legacied Woodsmen. There are different paths a Woodsman can take, including inquisitor, warrior, protector, and teacher.
Scarlet Robes' lives are completely dictated by the Woodsmen, although a rebellion group has long been in place to slowly unravel the grip on their lives. Anna Langley, the mother of Topher’s not-girlfriend, was a ringleader in this, making deals with Wolves and inspiring Woodsmen and Robes alike to overthrow the system.
History:
Christopher Malone was born March 9, 1988 to David and Christina Malone. He was their only child, which suited the Malones just fine. Topher grew up in a military household, his father being a decorated Marine who expected his son to follow in his footsteps. His childhood was strict and oftentimes lonely, especially with how often they moved around the country, but Topher never seemed to have problems making acquaintances wherever he went or picking up a few girlfriends here and there. He never really made any close friends, however.
Despite a few hiccups during his adolescence—which resulted in a few rebellious tendencies that he keeps to this day—Topher enlisted into the Marines on his 18th birthday, according to his father's wishes. What Topher really wanted was to go to college and major in math—numbers are sort of his thing. But he knew he could be patient enough for that time to come.
While in boot camp, something occurred that would change his life forever. A fellow marine, a young woman, was attacked one night while they were out in the field during a training exercise. Hearing her screams of distress, he ran to help her. The sight he was confronted with was nothing like what he expected to find at all. Instead of human attackers, he came face to face with monsters—hideous beasts that seemed part wolf and part human, all cruelty. The woman was on the ground screaming while Topher froze up. He knew he should help her; she was screaming for his help at first. And then she grew more quiet and complacent. It happened all in a matter of seconds before the beasts took their prize and left the marine in training standing there, stunned. When his superior officers eventually found him, he had collapsed to his knees. They questioned him relentlessly, but he stuck to his story, unable to realize that his words made him sound crazy. He was discharged soon after, based on his supposed mental instability.
It was only then that he was approached by a woman who introduced herself as Karen Langley, and she had an offer for him, if he wanted to accept it. She told him that he was not crazy, and the things he had seen were what they called Wolves. It was natural to feel fear and he shouldn't feel guilty for not being able to save the girl who was taken. But he could go on and protect other young women, if he wanted, from other Wolves that wanted to take them. Having no military career now or the money to go to college, Topher accepted the older woman's proposal.
This was when he began to train as a Woodsmen in one of their secret locations. It was almost like being in the military, but their purpose was far more noble in his eyes. He was training to keep the world safe. The things he learned included: the illustrious history of the Woodsmen, starting back with the original Little Red Riding Hood; how to defend one's self from werewolf attacks; how to recognize signs of werewolves in the area; the role of Woodsmen in regards to Scarlet Robes, including the lifelong commitment it generally entails. Topher excelled in this setting. His logical sense of mind made him a favorite.
Two years after accepting Karen Langley's offer, he had “graduated” and was no longer a recruit. However, he still had a dream of getting a degree, and so petitioned the Woodsmen Council—which included Karen—if he would be allowed to go to school for his degree. The Council agreed to fund him if he helped train the younger Woodsmen, to which he agreed.
Another two years passed before he heard from Karen Langley again. Despite his hesitation on what favor she could have wanted from him, he respected the woman greatly and had much to be thankful for because of her. He listened to the story of her late-blooming granddaughter, who happened to be a Scarlet Robe, and of her grandson who wished to become a Woodsman. There were also signs of Wolves in the area of her hometown. He knew what was coming, and after only a bit of hesitation, Topher agreed to leave school and come out to the Langley homestead, where he would become the granddaughter's Woodsman.
It wasn't until Topher actually met Jordan, and saw firsthand what sort of challenge she would present, that he was sold completely on becoming her Woodsman. He told Karen that he would commit to the job. And so he did. It was a rocky start, but after the murder of Jordan's best friend, she finally accepted his presence. When she graduated high school, he took the opportunity to enroll back in school, going with her. They ended up sharing an apartment during this time, about half a year together. She was his first real friend.
It didn't happen all at once, but Topher gradually fell in love with Jordan. It wasn’t really surprising – most Woodsmen ended up with their Robes, but he didn’t really let it change their relationship. They were friends first before anything else, and while there might have been an undercurrent of UST in their interactions, he did his best to not let it affect them.
Wolves were moving into the area, seemingly coinciding with their return. Around this same time, another Scarlet Robe was attacked and miraculously escaped. Olivia arrived at the Langley house not long after that. Topher knew that Jordan didn't get along with her, and he did his best to keep his eye on his own Robe, but she was becoming more difficult to deal with. He followed her into the woods one night, after watching her escape from her room. There he found her alone and freaked out, and he attempted to question her when they heard howls nearby. At this point, he was having a difficult time in keeping a handle on his emotions, especially around her.
With the increased threat, Karen made the decision to move Olivia earlier than expected, to get the heat off of them. They were ambushed by Wolves at the hand-off, and Topher fought to protect Jordan. It wasn't enough, though. He held his own for a bit, but when Owen really let him have it, Topher was nothing more than a ragdoll to the beta Wolf. This was when they discovered the truth of Nate's nature, but all he could think about was protection Jordan. Somehow, the idiot girl managed to survive, and he was relieved enough to kiss her in the hospital.
After this point, their relationship grew rapidly. There was a lot of teasing and flirting, and for the first time in a long time, Topher realized that he was actually happy. But as the threat of Owen loomed over them more, the more Jordan began to pull away from him as quickly as she had gone to him. The idea that she alone had to protect her brother and Owen was driving her crazy, and in turn, it was driving him crazy. Still, he wasn't going to give up on watching her back or helping her, despite her protests.
When Owen took Nate, Topher didn't hesitate to come along with Jordan to get him back. It was during their walk that he told Jordan that he was in love with her. It didn't matter if she said it back or not; he had to get it off of his chest while he could. When they were surrounded by Wolves, he made the decision to tell Jordan to continue on without him. Still, despite his choice, he couldn't help but feel disgusted by how easily she left him behind to his fate. Luckily enough for him, he had left behind a message for Karen and the other Woodsmen, letting them know where he and Jordan were going. They arrive just in time to distract the Wolves, and Topher takes off after Jordan.
He catches up just as Jordan offered herself up to become a Wolf. Topher attacks Owen, who manages to escape right after that. Topher and Jordan rescue Nate together, but their relationship is fractured, and they both know it.
After Jordan offers to go into exile, Topher accepts taking on Nate as his Scarlet Robe, because it's what Jordan wants from him. Him and Jordan part after that without resolving any of their problems. But he knows there are more important things to focus on than the two of them, like watching the one male Scarlet Robe alive.
Personality:
Topher is the guy who’s confident enough in his own abilities and general personality that he doesn’t feel the need to brag about it. While he felt a powerful need to prove himself to his family (especially his father) when he was younger, his experiences since then have allowed him to become more comfortable with himself and what he believes. The only person Topher has to prove himself to these days is himself. While this does lend itself to an air of quiet confidence, it also means that he’s probably harder on himself than most other people would be. Topher demands quality from himself, and will absolutely work hard to achieve it. It’s a rare occasion when he does fail something he sets his mind to, but when he does, he won’t ever make excuses for himself. He’s the sort of guy who will try over and over to make sure he does it right to his own satisfaction before allowing himself to move on – something that, in small doses is a good trait, but can be taken to extremes.
Which is not to say that Topher is a genius who excels at everything he sets his hand to. His skills come from an early instilled belief in the value of hard work, and the high standards his father demanded of him. He was expected to be physically fit, strong, respectable, and honest, and not to expect anything to be handed to him on a platter. While his interest in math was probably born from the fact that, as a fairly logical sort of kid, numbers just made sense to him, his skill in it is born from his own dogged pursuit of the subject.
His focus of math in school was his own personal kind of rebellion, and kind of characteristic of the way in which Topher acts out. He’s not really a rock the boat kind of guy, preferring to compromise than anything else. He got into music that his dad didn’t approve of, but it’s not like he got into drugs or alcohol or skipping school. He followed a path of his interest that his family didn’t believe had a future for him, but he still enlisted in the Marines when he turned 18. He even acted out and got a tattoo while he was still in highschool, but it’s small and on his side, nowhere that will be seen under ordinary circumstances. This is an aspect of Topher that can be seen as a strength, or a weakness. On the one hand, he’s able to compromise, fulfil (at least partly) his own wishes as well of those of other people. On the other hand, this is not a character who forges his own path against injustices or anything like that. Topher is the second in command, even when it comes to his own life; he’s got the ability to work with others, even lead them, but it’s not his own path that he’d be following.
Topher was raised to be honest, and follow his duty – part of which obviously includes being honest to your superior officers. So even when he sees something that he knows shouldn’t be possible, a girl being attacked by monsters, he ends up telling the truth. Even at his own expense. Even though it ruins his father’s dreams for him; at the time, Topher wouldn’t sacrifice the principles he was raised with to reach the goal he was raised for. It’s another example of his asserting his independence while still following someone else’s path; he rejects one aspect, by following another.
This decision puts a huge strain on his family relationships. His parents obviously think he’s had some kind of mental break, and Topher’s refusal to see anyone about it doesn’t ease the strain at all. Once he makes a decision, however, it’s almost impossible to get Topher to back down from it, not unless you can prove him wrong. For the most part, Topher is honest, dedicated, and maybe even a little bit too proud. He’s unwilling to bend on this issue, and his relationship with his parents has suffered because of it.
He doesn’t expect that kind of standard from everyone though, only himself. He doesn’t really expect much from anyone else; the thing about being discharged from the military for having a mental break is that it makes you kind of a pariah when anyone you’ve known for more than a few months at a time is involved with the military sometime. Even after Topher learns that he isn’t actually crazy, he doesn’t really make any overtures to get close to people. He’s a kind person, always willing to lend a hand; he’ll have a beer with some fellow Woodsmen, and he doesn’t have any issues with going out on a few dates with a girl, but he doesn’t invite people to get close. He’s the sort of person who gets along with others by focussing on them rather than speaking about himself at all, and he’s comfortable that way – prefers it. This isn’t just as a result of the incident with the Wolves – he’s a military kid, always travelling, never really setting down roots. It means you learn how to fit in if you want to keep your lunch money at school, but it also means that you learn not to get too close to people.
While he doesn’t like to chatter a whole lot, Topher isn’t exactly the stoic, silent type either. He’s got a dry, understated sort of humour – not the sort of person to crack jokes or make mean spirited comments either, but he can appreciate a laugh, and enjoys teasing those people he does get close to. The only time he really has trouble with keeping his temper is when someone puts another person in danger, or if he thinks they’re doing something fucking stupid. Even then, he tends to get all jaw-clenchy and snarky comments about the situation, rather than actually yell about it.
The exception to pretty much all of this is Jordan Langley. Jordan is the first person he’s forced to spend more than a couple of months at a time with since his parents, and she just has a talent for getting under his skin. She doesn’t listen to him, charges off and does stupid things that endanger herself and others, she lies, and she asks him to lie for her.
And Topher does it. He doesn’t like it, doesn’t want to, but he lies for her anyway, because he thinks she’s the most wonderful, awful person in the world, and he can’t have one without the other. Jordan is everything Topher isn’t – she’s wild, passionate, loyal to her family beyond reason, and a firestarter. Everything in him is simultaneously attracted and rebuffed by that, and if that was all she was, maybe it would have stayed that way. But there’s also a vulnerability to Jordan, a part of her that needs him. And Topher responds to that. It’s the time they’re required to spend together that has her growing on him – if it had just been up to him, he probably would have moved on after a few weeks. But he doesn’t have the opportunity to do that, and eventually he stops wanting to.
Jordan is an inextricable part of Topher. She has made him into an arguably worse person; someone who will lie for her sake when it could put others in danger, someone who is willing to break the rules and risk everything for her sake. And there’s an ugly part that blames her for that rather than takes ownership of it, because Topher has a sort of mental disconnect about how he let this girl totally twist part of his identity. But on the other hand, by falling in with Jordan and her cause, Topher is now working for something greater. Rather than holding duty and truth as his ideals, he’s beginning to question them in a way he never has before. Before Jordan, Topher turned a blind eye to some of the unusual aspects of the Woodsmen, because they were the ones who gave him back his future, who seemed to understand his pursuit of truth and duty even if it’s uncomfortable or dangerous. Jordan has sort of forcibly opened his eyes to the reality of this new world he’s found himself in, and while he definitely resents that in a way, he also can’t say she was wrong for doing it.
Topher wants to think that he’s his own person, and can make his own decisions about who he is and what he wants to do with his life. But at the end of the day, he’s just hitching his wagon to different stars. The only difference with Jordan is that she needs him just as much as he needs her; they hold each other up as much as they drag each other down.
Abilities/Powers: Topher doesn’t have any magical abilities to speak of, but he is an extremely skilled and resourceful fighter. He’s best with an axe, although he’s also a highly skilled marksman, and could punch a bitch out too.
Items:
- Modern clothes – jeans, a shirt with some band on it and a jacket
- Wallet with ids and various other cards, some cash
- Keys on a keychain with a solar powered calculator attached
- A motherfucking axe
Samples
One! Two! Three!
