Revision as of 15:14, 23 March 2013

Gidarch Sherana Valos
Red hot mad, blue.
Age	Adult
Species	Dark Elf
Sex	Male
Height	6'10.5 (slouching)
Weight	689 pounds
Background
Series	Final Fantasy 4
Combat Styles	Martial Artist, Geokinetic
Hometown	Magnes Chasm (Not to be confused with the Lodestone Cavern)
Group	Church Of Glabados
Occupation/Job	Philosopher
Force:	Wandering Force
Theme Song	"Indifference" by Pearl Jam
Quote
"One resists if desiring an outcome contrary to what, barring intervention, seems imminent; bring me any entity that has even one single desire, and I shall show you an entity fraught with fear- this is not conjecture, but simple, incontrovertible logic."
Recent Events
Currently involved in a conspiracy.

Personality

Slight case of narcissistic personality disorder crossed with a much higher degree of nihilism, cynicism and stoicism, simply put. Count Gidarch Valos takes some pride in his intellectual competence, to the point that he'll sometimes goad others into an argument if he sees a minor flaw in their speech that he can capitalize upon as a means to humble, or lecture them; this is often for the sake of polishing his own wit, but also to emphasize his supremacy in the realm of philosophy. Unobtrusive until interrupted, he doesn't venture into others' lives until he's been affected first, at which point he'll try to spread the influence of his belief system in the name of establishing balance the world over. Generally, Gidarch sees violence as barbaric and uncivilized, the tool of the ignorant to impose their will when their cognitively generated rationale has proven itself insufficient to convince or convert others. Overall, he perceives himself as one who has transcended to having more evolved sensibilities, despite the fact that compassion is not part of his standard protocol- simultaneously, anger is shelved for the same reason.... they both obscure vision from objectivity.

Background

Count Gidarch aspired towards greatness, and fell from grace when he experimented in petrification spells, wherein he was permanently transformed into a man whose composition was primarily one of stone. To teach him a lesson, he was cast into the sea repeatedly, forced to adopt a 'sink or swim' methodology, and his outlook changed from one of pretentiousness to being slightly more modest in nature, yet still with an underlying thirst for superiority. Eventually, though, he came to conclude that aggression was the instrument of those who had no intellectual recourse, and abandoned the ways of his people in favor of a more neutral outlook that tied in to a more balanced approach towards existence. As he lived by the seaside, he learned to subsist primarily off of vegetation over protein, so as to minimize the damage he would inevitably inflict. With fewer entitlements beyond merely existing, Count Valos was able to become liberated from the imprisoning cravings that dominated other beings who succumbed to their instincts. It was not long after he imposed upon himself a state of exile that the darkness consumed the world, and he would then spend his days educating himself as to the nature of the world in which he thrived.

Abilities/Weaknesses

Geokinesis- As a member of the nobility of the dark elven Gon Clan, and as an inheritor of the skills of those who are versed in the ways of the Earth Crystal, Gidarch can manipulate terran matter; this doesn't apply to all of nature, it mainly applies to minerals and metals; though, just as he had petrified himself, he can use pyritization on some organisms, even if success is never guaranteed. He has an especially strong persuasion over magnetism, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. The Count can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this stunt is subject to consent, and on an OOC level, if someone loses a weapon, they'll merely be asked to negate abilities that are dependent on their stolen tools, until said items are reclaimed. With adequate time, he can also mold objects of metal and mineral, but this isn't combat applicable, because of the amount of concentration is needed to exert such intense persuasive power over such elements.

Flight/Levitation- Gidarch has a suit of silver armor that when worn, can be targeted by his magnetic powers in order to help him move freely through the air.

Auditory Prowess- Count Valos doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a (real world) human technique called Flash-Sonar which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, this power will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like. His ability to distinguish the pitch and decibel level of sounds that reverberate off of an object of person can clue him in to the identity of said entity, but as is the case with dark elves' hearing sensitivity, the presence of loud background sound can disrupt Gidarch's ability to detect aspects of his environment accurately- this may be yet another reason he avoids massive warzones, or concerts alike.

Aquatic Expert- Gidarch knows all about dowsing, and has a profound knowledge of marine plants, as well as water-based animals. This includes information pertaining to what kinds of nutrients certain plants need, and what behaviors animals tend to exhibit. The Count can also use his control over the earthen element to bring water forth from within the ground, as needed.

Auto-Stone- The Count can turn himself into stone upon being knocked out, and can stay that way for some time, unless a curative is used. When changed completely into stone at will, he can prevent reverting to normal even if curatives are used on him; as a petrified statue, though, Gidarch can't effect others, nor can he be effected in turn. This takes a turn to use when employed consciously, so Gidarch can't skip over an enemy's turn and give himself a second one consecutively. To note, his defense and magic-defense are on the substantial side because of his perpetual state of semi-petrification, so even when not in his completely mineralized condition, he takes much less damage than most others. By the same token, he tends to be a little on the slow side unless he exerts himself, because of his abundance in density and weight.

Mental Resilience- Gidarch's psychological/emotional state can't be influenced easily by magics, or by unnatural methods, through the medium of verbal assault notwitstanding. Mind-control and the like will have a fairly questionable success rate. Additionally, using his power of refocusing his mind, he can resist pain to an obscene degree.

Martial Arts- As a monk, Gidarch is knowledgable in accessing pressure points to maximize damage/pain and even paralyze his opponents. Full-body paralysis is an OOC ability that can only be accessed with the consent of the intended victim. As weapons go, rather than making use of the Red Eagle Spear, the Hook Sword, or other traditional Shaolin-esque tools, Count Valos has incorporated the great axe into his technique.

Melodic Menace- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Gidarch's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

Greased Lithium- Like any good living suit of armor, with the most proverbial example being the Tin Man, who hails from literature from the world of earth, Valos needs regular maintenance. Technically, he could be called a 'stone drow' because he's composed heavily of mineralized matter; as such, he needs to 'oil' himself. Typical disposable items such as Gold Needles aren't sufficient, since Gidarch is petrified on a permanent basis, and can therefore not be restored to a wholly flesh status, but he does use magical artifacts enchanted by his soulmate, in order to help him retain mobility. Obviously, regents are needed to endow softening properties, so Gidarch either buys them from oddball vendors dealing in unusual wares, or he sends his loyal servant to fetch them. Much to the displeasure of Valos (but helpful on an OOC level for his player to get him more involved), this means that he must interact with others in order to procure the necessary goods to stay in optimal condition.

Relationships

Faruja Senra - "Someday, the church you feed will gnash your paw, you blindly devout fool!"

Katyna Redsraven - "How easily the slightest breeze bends you; I suspected your roots didn't dig deep, but it appears your stalk grows tall enough that there is plenty a spectacle to be made, albeit lacking substantiality inherent."

Morrighan Alazne - ".....My resolve is waning. You may be right; it may only be a matter of time, but for now, I will give without taking, if I can manage it."

Ramza Beoulve - "I suspect you judge others, even those who promote suffering, because you may believe yourself to be acting morally- if so, you are ignorant; I judge others knowing full well that doing so is wrong, because I'm too weak to resist the temptation of endorsing the idea that I anyone, including me, has inalienable rights."

????(NPC) - "As long as I don't have to lie, I'll go along with your scheme. Inwardly, I had a sneaking suspicion that the church wasn't as noble as Mister Senra made it out to seem to be."

Logs

Cutscenes