Post by Corvis on Feb 1, 2010 21:08:36 GMT -5
Canon Character Application
My name is Corvis and I am 14 years old. I want to join this site because I adore alternate-universe role-play’s and it was a chance to be a new character (since my normal ones aside from Switzerland were taken). Role-playing helps me improve my writing abilities and it is my method of relaxing.. I have been role-playing for 2 years this June and I normally post between the 200-1,000 wpp (words per post, right?) mark, depending on who and what. Here is my application:
Character name: Rune Ødegård || Norway
Age: 19
Appearance: Rune is not of a particularly intimidating frame, however he is not particularly short either, standing at 5”6’ he has a slighter frame than most men have but is by no means weak. Lean, he is still rather fit, muscle underneath pale, porcelain skin rarely exposed to the harsh rays of the sun. His eyes are piercing, cold blue, bordering an amethyst colour that seemingly always shine dully in disapproval and disinterest, long blonde eyelashes lowered so only a portion of his eyes gleam through.
Sleek, short pale hair somewhere a cross between golden blonde and glistening silver, his long bangs pouring into his face, obscuring his eyes, sometimes, for the better. The tresses on the left side of his head are held by a hairpin in the shape of a cross, a gift from Scandinavia, his grandfather [headcanon]. Floating independently by the tips of his hair, you can usually find a hair curl on the left side.
Every filament of his being hints at his distant personality, his stance giving off an air of cold distance. He prefers dark colours, donning himself in a variety of blacks, grey’s, navies, crimson’s and other colours when he must make a variety, preferring collared, long-sleeved shirts with vests and ties paired with normal pants.
If he must have a constant companion, a troll that only he can see goes by the name of Terje is it, the troll often assists him in his duties and sometimes pranks or trickery.
Personality: Rune appears, stoic, aloof and unmoving. He is a difficult person, it is not an easy task to learn to understand him and it is harder to please him. It is difficult to tell what he is thinking or feeling, his cold blue eyes unmoved by, seemingly, everything. Not appearing as a person to be interested in the world or taking action, he has strength. Not of the same brawn as others, but he is not a weakling. He is a complex person. His mind works in ways that others can barely guess, however, he takes an enjoyment in the simple joys of life, like relaxing at a lake or reading a book. He definitely enjoys a good story, especially ones cluttered with bizarre twists and gore. He has a good imagination, but that he keeps to himself for fear of frightening the people that do keep him company, his mind is quite the scary place sometimes.
His body never betrays his thoughts or emotions very often. Some have called him stupid; others dull, because he is a silent type who does not do much. He is a fan of irony and sarcasm. Not many have cracked his composure and it is not wise to attempt to. However, he can be rather moody, sensitive in a sense, very touchy and easily annoyed; he may often moodily lash out at someone, a brooding person. He has a sharp mind and some might even say a sadistic mind. He finds a secret amusement in toying with the thoughts of others, manipulative, tricky and sly; he is not one you really want to mess with. Truly, he is smart, he has a sharp mind for figuring out puzzles and tricks and even a sharper mind for playing tricks on others. Meticulous, he pays careful attention to the details. However, he has a tendency to over analyze things a bit too much, making for slight paranoia.
Rune is not one to trust people, he is very reluctant since he often found himself being dragged about and bullied by a certain Dane, now longing to avoid a similar situation at all costs, and he enjoys his freedom. A recluse, he does not enjoy the company of others very much, preferring to venture off on his own, finding that people are not to his tastes. They are too easy to understand, predictable creatures who he does not find are worth wasting his time over. Preferring the magical creatures he can see and his closer friends. However, if he considers someone a friend and trusts them, he will aid them well, getting involved in their problems, though not so far into matters that his presence is obvious. His relationships are constantly plagued with a shaky undercurrent that, while unpleasant, usually does not escalate, because he is smart enough to know better.
Snarky and sometimes arrogant, he finds it difficult to bite back an insult when he is annoyed or bothered, even if, in the end, he does not mean to do so. The truth is that his unmoved mask is what he hides behind from the people he considers so pathetic, afraid of letting them in, because they cannot be trusted. In the end, after all, all you have is yourself to rely on. Used to being on his own, he has developed some peculiar habits such as mumbling to himself and playing with his hair. He sometimes makes weird hand motions when imagining things as well. Seemingly resolute, however, behind the curtains, things start to get complicated between the bustling and revising, whether it is for personal gain or what, he always makes his decisions carefully. He can be ambivalent, but he finds it a difficult task.
Naturally awkward around people, while he finds them easy to understand, he is as perplexed by others as anything, unable to comprehend the irrational behaviour and such. Regardless, sometimes someone may pass by who understands him, and whom he understands in turn. Iceland seems to get him, though that could be because they are in harmony. Perhaps secretly he actually wants to get along with others; however, he has made this virtually impossible. Unorthodox, quick-tempered and cold, people oft tend to shy away from him, making for a somewhat lonely life. Truly, he is a bit bitter about it, but it does not often show and, regardless, he is a good person.
Occupation: Freelancer. Unwilling to stay in one place, being limited to just a particular job, instead he wants to be able to take advantage of his freedom and do as he pleases. Travelling from place to place, seeking out new and old technology, treasures, magic and secrets, he is known for black magic. He is practically incapable of white magic unless injury is small and simple, like a paper cut. Proficient with a sword, he is also good at throwing daggers.
Strengths: Quick on his toes and elegant, Rune is very agile and light, his travelling has built up his speed and stamina. His sharp eyesight can pick out minute details from a distance, allowing him to better analyze a situation from afar and prepare himself. The ability to keep his composure no matter what is happening around him (practically), no one can guess what he is thinking or what his next move is going to be. He is unbelievably stubborn, believing that to give up is a terrible trait, he never does so himself, even if that means he is in for a beating (but usually he has the brains enough to avoid that). The ability to think quickly and respond accordingly and his tongue could be considered strength in its own way, it has hurt some feelings before.
Weaknesses: Physically, he is not a very big threat at all. He cannot keep up with brawny fighters in a hand-to-hand battle when it comes down to it, often leaving his only choices to run or figure out a way to make it work. He tends to over analyze many things, far too fussy and critical about everything, making for a very bad paranoia (but it keeps him on his toes). The Norwegian’s tongue has gotten him into a lot of trouble, too, as well as his stubbornness, because he will take a beating so long as his pride is intact. His quick-temper often gets to others as well as his coldness, both taken the wrong way but people just looking for a good excuse to fight. In addition, because he tends to avoid people, he is not always kept up-to-date in his travels, mostly relying on newspapers that he rarely gets his hands on.
Backstory: Norway’s memories go back very far, however, the earliest and amongst the best time, that he remembers is of the Viking Age. During this time, Norway travelled abroad on longships, raiding, exploring, settling and trading at any shore they so happened to dock upon, mainly Britain and Ireland to the East. Norway colonized Shetland, Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, from which Greenland was colonized and they voyaged as far as North America, leaving behind their trace in Newfoundland. Over time, he built up the Norwegian Kingdom.
When the Black Death came, Norway suffered as if plagued by the disease, its status increasingly dropping. With the Royal line dying out and the country entered two unions: the Kalmar Union and the Danish Period/Union with Denmark. This period was called "the 400-year-night" as Norwegian national awareness was rediscovered.
When Norway’s King suddenly died, his daughter, married to a Swedish prince, inherited both Kingdoms. Eventually, the queen mother (the eldest daughter of the King of Denmark) united Norway and Denmark with Sweden in the Kalmar Union, which ended when Sweden seceded. The Black Death plagued Norway in this time, losing a large part of the population.
In a time of weakness, Norway was unable to resist pressure from the Danes, thus creating a union with Denmark. The “Danish period” had four important periods: Reformation, during which Norway’s power waned and Norway became a tributary to Denmark. The Northern Wars, a series of wars including the Kalmar War, the Thirty Years’ War, the Northern War, etc. A period of peace and economic growth during which Norway enjoyed prosperity and held an important role in the United Kingdom. In addition, a national reawakening and preparation for independence period, during which a strong independence was inspired in Norway via the knowledge of the American and French revolutions.
When Denmark-Norway came crashing down in the Napoleonic Wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden in the Treaty of Kiel. However, dependencies of Norway such as Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands were kept by Denmark. The union with Sweden was dissolved after years of political unease after Sweden recognized Norway’s independence.
When World War I rolled around, although Norway remained neutral, Norwegian ships were sunk during the war at sea and despite their neutrality, he went through great pains to assist the British because of both pressure and a feeling of anti-German. Norwegian merchant fleets delivered essential supplies to Britain, who provided Norway with coal, earning Norway the nickname of “The Neutral Ally”.
Although Norway declared neutrality in World War II, a surprise attack by Germany named “Operation Weserubung” was launched, attacking Oslo and other important Norwegian ports. The Norwegian Army delayed the German invasion, gaining time for his government and other important figures to escape and resist the invasion. Fighting alongside British, French and Polish forces, Norway managed to resist the invasion longer than any other country previous besides the Soviet Union. However, in the end, Norway was forced to surrender.
After the invasion, a resistance movement began, escalating as the war continued on and especially prominent towards its closing, supported by the British SOE. The resistance kept German divisions tied down on occupation duty and contributed to the destruction of numerous warships and installations as well as smuggling people in and out of Norway to Scotland and Sweden. With the help of the SOE, Norway also managed to destroy much of the world’s supply of heavy water and cripple the water plant where Germany was developing an atomic bomb.
At the end of the war, Norway’s vessels were fighting alongside British ships and Norway was counted amongst the victors, becoming a found member of the United Nations, the first UN Secretary General was a Norwegian.
After World War II, Norway became a member of NATO, the discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters boosted Norway’s economic fortune and Norway rejected joining the European Union multiple times.
Sample Post: Running the tips of his fingers over the old covering of the book, his cold, unmoving eyes examined the treasure he’d uncovered with reverence, drinking in the fact that this was real. He was gentle with the old text as he ran his hands over its body, feeling every curve and shape to it, every dent previous and likely now-dead owners had made, as he would have touched a body in its most intimate moments, because, for him, this was a special occasion. Positive that what he had found was something special.
Flipping open the book, he looked at the old, yellowing pages, tears at the edge making him cringe at the sight as if he were looking at the deep gashes in a body. He began to read, the words slipping in low, hushed tones from his frozen blue lips, warm breath creating perspiration in the cold winter air.
Jolting, Rune snapped around when the brush behind his rustled and then settled the fallen and withered leaves on the ground, coated with white snow. Cold bluish eyes bulged slightly out of their sockets darted around what appeared to be the empty remains of a ruin. He had heard it! He was not crazy, and he most certainly was not deaf!
“If someone’s there, show yourself...” he muttered lowly, his hand dipping down to the belt he wore around his waist, fingering the blade of a dagger, a friend when the time arose to protect himself from people or animals. Either way hunting, either him or the treasures he had sought out already. With no response, his fingers digging into the hardcover of the book he had found, he decided to bolt.
Turning as sharply as possible, he began to run across the snow, leaving his footprints in the white death that covered the land and chased away all the creatures he otherwise could have convinced himself had caused the noise. Tightly clutching the ancient text to his text, he slowed only when his lungs could barely go on any longer. Strained by both his running and the chill of the air, he leaned against the bark of a strong willow tree.
His heavy breathing clouded the air in front of him, but his fatigue was unimportant, feeling that he still held the book in his hands, a small smile painted its way across his face, “Worth it...” he muttered to himself and attempted to regain his composure, urging his body to calm down. When he finally stopped panting, he placed the book in a sack and then placed it tightly into his satchel, securing it properly.
“Onwards,” he nodded and looked around to where he was. It did not matter where he was, as long as there was something to do, something to occupy his time. Heading north, he braced himself, well trained to the cold weather and harsh winds. Perhaps he would go and find somewhere to stay, an inn or something or at least somewhere to eat... “Norwegian porridge,” he muttered, already tasting the warm meal against his tongue.
[Well I did mention he talked to himself! My Norway is a bit weird... Anyway, firefox shut down while I was doing my app, so I think I still have some things to add on that I forgot about as I rewrote it.]
