ExMiscellanea

A Mage the Ascension play-by-post Game

Soren Russo

Former Sentinel of the Chantry of Thirteen Faiths, Member of Vigilum Nox

"Most species bare their teeth as a threat, as a display of aggression, of leadership. It is a reminder that these clenched jaws can -and will- open your yielding throat. I want you to think of this next time I smile."

Description Template

General Physical Description: Appearance 3 (Wild)
As his name implies, Soren is a young man of Italian heritage that is apparent in his general appearance: he has dark brown, almost black, curly hair that is somewhat shaggy and dark eyes that are rarely soft, but a pale complexion. He is somewhat tall, nearing six feet, and he almost always dresses in dark colors, with sleeves that cover his various tattoos and loose-fitting jeans that could not really be described as baggy.

On the rare occasions he wears a tee-shirt or something without sleeves -or when training and dressed for such- it is readily apparent that the Hollow One is in incredible physical condition, like he has spent a lifetime training and conditioning to be nimble but strong. Because of this, it might be easy to guess that the dark colors may be intentional for their slimming effect.

In June 2016, Soren gained some jagged scars along his torso, lightning-shaped and with a faint black-ish tint to them, but otherwise normal scars that start high along his right ribs and dash down his side at an angle to the front of his right hip. However, when viewed through the use of Entropy, Life, Prime, or Spirit Spheres, these scars show as black fractures across his Pattern, irreparable damage to his Essence.

September 2016 also saw the gain of a brand on the underside of his right forearm. It had been a deep burn, but the lines have healed cleanly since then.

Tattoos: Soren has an array of tattoos that cover his skin, and he seems to have accrued a new one almost every year. Initially, he had a skull tattoo on his chest that is positioned over his heart, as well as a full back design that seeps onto his right arm in the form of a half sleeve. However, on August 9, 2012, the tattoo bled over onto his left upper arm, as well. It spread even further in June 2013, this time over the ribs and down his left side. Yet another tattoo was gained along the back of his right calf in September 2014. His most recent is rarely seen, gained on Halloween 2016 on his right thigh. All of his tattoos share a significant death motif, notably skulls serving as the focal point of the various pieces, but the artistic style seems to vary.

Noticeable Merits/Flaws/Backgrounds: People often give conflicting descriptions of Soren when he is not present or has not made himself the center of attention, and when he tries to be nothing more than an observer he frequently goes unnoticed. People often forget his name, appending nicknames or half-assed descriptions in order to discuss him when he isn't present, and he is mystically next to impossible to trace or find. (Arcane)

Soren used to have a shadow that had a feral look to it and moved independently of him, but no more. Halloween 2016 saw a sudden disappearance of his shadow altogether. (Cast No Shadow)

There is an exaggeration of the predatory, primal touches to his demeanor and mannerisms, which strongly ties 'wolf' to him when people recall him. Paired with the previously-mentioned habit of people to forget or miscall details about him, people more readily latch onto wolf-like traits as descriptors, and the timid or meek are put off by what can only be described as a predatory air that hangs around Soren. To his chagrin, this often results in more 'Big Bad Wolf' comments than he likes. (Primal Marks (Wolf))

This same something about the Predatory Hollow One puts animals ill at ease. They don't want to be near him, or they want to fight him; there is no in between. Maybe it is his predatory movements or it really is his Primal Marks, or maybe he just did something to irk animals as a whole entity. Who knows? On the other hand, when he deliberately attempts to attract attention from people, some find his Predatory air and wolfish mannerisms to be strangely alluring, more of a primal reaction than something conscious. (Offensive to Animals, Animal Magnetism)

As a highly-trained combatant, the Hollow One has a distinct sense of balance that shows itself in a self-confident and surefooted gait, and he has repeatedly shown himself to be astoundingly durable, able to withstand wounds that most would have succumbed to and enduring or sustaining physical trials that seem impossible. Furthermore, he seems to heal at an incredible rate, and it's difficult to tell if it is literally magic, a testament to his training, or simply a mark of his god-like fortitude. (Catlike Balance; Legendary Attribute (Stamina))

Some may even be aware, based on the way he speaks about the subject, that Soren is either incredibly difficult to kill or bounces back from death, and this is in some way connected to his disconnected shadow and his previously cold touch. More information about this particular phenomenon could be best discerned in conversation.

In June 2016, Soren gained unusual scars on his torso, lightning-shaped and tinted somewhat gray/black. When he is viewed through the use of either Entropy, Life, Prime, or Spirit Spheres, these scars are deep, black-colored fractures in his Pattern, illustrating irreparable damage. (Storm-Scarred)

Personality Overview: Charisma 4 (Roguish) || Intimidation 5 (Predatory)
Soren used to be known for an abrasive yet sarcastically playful personality, one that seemed inappropriately familiar with almost anyone despite just meeting and notoriously blunt or prepared with a scathing retort to be delivered dryly. Once one's attention was drawn to him, it was easy to pinpoint him as a troublemaker and a rogue, with an almost tangible 'bad boy' air that attracted and deterred people of varying interests.

But that has drastically changed for the most part.

What was once playful sarcasm briefly became explosive irritability, and his bluntness had carried a sharper edge purely for the sake of spite to create intentional distance between himself and others. But then his temper cooled into near-sociopathic distance. For a short time, there was often a notable delay in his interactions, a detachment that gave the implication of mundane interaction becoming increasingly alien to him.

Where he once carried a formidable ferocity that dared someone to make a move against someone he viewed as 'under his protection', he suddenly showed a disconnect and a significant lack of compassion for or empathy with the majority of people, which started around the beginning of December 2014. Many might have even called him callous or frigid. It was a special occasion to be on the receiving end of a muted imitation of his previous personality.

Since March 2015, however, Soren's personality had shifted to be quiet and somewhat withdrawn. He was still capable of frigidness and temper, but he rarely showed either. His Resonance experienced a shift; where he was once heavily skewed towards Entropy, he now has less Entropic and is balanced with the gain of some Static. Over the remaining course of '15, his demeanor mellowed, but it has begun to ease back into the lighter tones of his initial personality, especially with those closest to him.