Count Valos

Gidarch Sherana Valos
Red hot mad, blue.
Age	Adult
Species	Dark Elf
Sex	Male
Height	6'10.5 (slouching)
Weight	683 pounds
Background
Series	Final Fantasy 4
Combat Styles	Martial Artist, Magnetism Manipulator
Hometown	Magnes Chasm (Not to be confused with the Lodestone Cavern)
Group	Unaffiliated
Occupation/Job	Philosopher / Surfer / Nobleman
Force:	Wandering Force
Theme Song	"An Englishman in New York" by Sting
Quote
"The truth is that for as long as anything exists, there remains a possibility of the reverse becoming a reality, ergo, aspiring towards impunity is born out of ignorance."
Recent Events
On an exodus towards Mullonde, and instead finding mud.

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

Terran Manipulation- 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 exert some influence over rocks and soil; this doesn't apply to all of nature such as plants and organic matter, it mainly applies to minerals and metals. 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 is subject to consent, and on an OOC level, if someone loses a weapon, they'll merely be asked to use abilities of their's not dependent upon their lost tools until the armaments in question are reclaimed.

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, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

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.

Acquaintances

Faruja Senra: "I have a sinking feeling that my faith will be my undoing; that is to say, my faith in the idea that reading the book based on your faith has any merit, is probably foolhardy."

Morrighan Alazne: "Your enticing visage of elegance unbalanced me, and my professionalism wavered mildly towards vehemence; despite our contract, I must attempt to avoid your presence, henceforth."

Morgan Albaste: (Scene Underway)

Katyna Redsvaren: "Seemingly, the caliber of your mouth's velocity far surpasses that of your cognitive mechanizations, but I have yet to stand testament to the speed of your sword-arm...."

Zia: (Scene Underway)

Logs

Seeking the Truth	April 6th, 2013	Count Valos has indicated that a man named Father Bouhr is responsible for sending the letter that warned the heretic Ramza Beoulve of his impending capture. Ophelia sets about to discover the truth of this with a little old fashioned interrogation.
First Blood Is The Loser	March 30th, 2013	Faruja interrogates Gidarch Valos in Mullonde's maximum security prison. The Burmecian draws blood first, yet, the dark one is he who controls the flow of the fight up until the very end.
The Right Answer To The Wrong Question	March 22nd, 2013	Gidarch Valos and Cressida deliver supplies to Morrighan's estate. Scheming to have himself deliberately booted from her home, a moment of weakness causes Valos' plans to require improvisation. In spite of this, Morrighan is absolved of any misconduct when Gidarch confesses to his consummation of sabotage, and Cressida chaperones him to the Glabados officials for justice; all the while, neither Cressida or Morrighan can ascertain the method to his madness.
A Benign Proposition	March 20th, 2013	Count Valos makes a benign offer to Ramza Beoulve.
Lust Goes To The Tallest Bidder	March 8th, 2013	Gidarch Valos is instructed to accompany Morrighan to the marketplace to procure supplies she needs, but he acts avoidant during the entire excursion. Upon returning to her manor, she discovers he was fighting an internal conflict that she aggravates all the more, when she offers him something he can just barely manage to refuse.
What Would You Say, If You A Mousie On A Chain?	March 4th, 2013	Faruja invites Morrighan to negotiate terms for her induction into Glabados. Because of the rodent's penchant for mouthing off, Gidarch Valos, technically beneath Faruja in rank, is charged with the task of keeping the Burmecian on a leash; albeit, he must do it in a suggestive, humble manner, since Faruja supersedes his authority.
Summoning of The Fiend: Earth	February 14th, 2013	Morrighan, acting under her own machinations, sets about creating a network of magic draining glyphs, all leading to the Iifa Tree. With a little help from a magic artifact, she performs a ritual to summon a dark force to her side. Needless to say, many take issue with this notion.
Rock And Ruby	February 4th, 2013	Priel sits on a crate atop of some prime real estate, and Valos wants a 'piece' of the action.... action that is unbeknownst to Priel, even to -be- in existence, in the first place!
Hades Cup: Qualifying Event - TOURNAMENT OF STRENGTH	January 25th, 2013	A contest of strength!
How To Get Blood From A Stone	January 12th, 2013	Rhiannon strikes a deal with Valos after having subjected him to a game of Twenty Questions.
Of Mice and Drow-Men	January 5th, 2013	Faruja and Count Valos discuss philosophy. Heresy is bordered on.
Hobo and the Dark Elf	December 21st, 2012	Will attempts to get help from the people of Mullonde about his current situation...and runs into Count Valos.
Turning to Stone	December 20th, 2012	On a visit to Mullonde, Count Valos encounters a real gargoyle amongst the statues, and a conversation about the prospect of turning to living stone commences.
The Quicksand And The Almost Dead	December 10th, 2012	Gidarch Valos is besieged by the sounds of the natural world, while in a jungle, and topples into a quagmire. Without the aid of his metallic armor with which to magnetize, he must rely on Morrighan Alazne's benevolent nature to emancipate him from his otherwise dire destiny.

Cutscenes

Bombs Away.... To Another District

March 20th, 2013

A Glabados official conspires to set a chain of events in motion.