Revision as of 08:54, 15 February 2013

Gidarch Sherana Valos
Red hot mad, blue.
Age	Adult
Species	Dark Elf
Sex	Male
Height	6'10.5 (slouching)
Weight	687 pounds
Background
Series	Final Fantasy 4
Combat Styles	Martial Artist, Geokinetic
Hometown	Magnes Chasm (Not to be confused with the Lodestone Cavern)
Group	Unaffiliated
Occupation/Job	Transient Philosopher
Force:	Wandering Force
Theme Song	"An Englishman in New York" by Sting
Quote
"You are inferior; now swallow your pride and accept the reality in quiet so that I can stop having to swallow your inanity"
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

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.

Acquaintances

Angantyr Vespar: "Yet another excessively exuberant one. You should consider coupling with Miss Redsraven."

Avira: "Whether or not you ever decide to flee from a battle, nobody can call you spineless."

Faruja Senra: "Were you vouching for me, back there? Not a heavy service was done, but even enough that I shall now be forced to accommodate your earlier wishes, to reimburse you for your intervention."

Garland: "So,.... what, someone stole your favorite toy, and you threw a temper tantrum? Are you an over-sized prepubescent underneath that armor? I can not think of many others who have impressed me less."

Hades: "You need to get your act together."

Isaac Hanlon : "Stay away from me."

Morgan Alabaste: (Scene Underway)

Morrighan Alazne: "How ambitious! You stole a large piece of real estate from someone who probably also thieved it from its former owner- the cycle of rifle continues!"

Katyna Redsvaren: "One of these days, I hope you ask me a relevant question."

Rhiannon Zellen: "This, by the by, in no way, shape, or form, puts us on good terms, personally; if you make good on your promise, I will revere you as reliable as far as contracts are concerned, but you shall receive no deference beyond that."

Sarafina Carenze: "The severely mentally disabled are not supposed to wander around alone, I hope your chaperone finds you...."

Will Sherman: "You showed distaste towards those who have judged you by appearance; if one were to evaluate you based on your level of self-discipline, then immaturity is still intrinsic to your manner, ergo, what difference does it make if they patronize you?"

Zia: "This one is quite impressive in her open mindedness towards alternate outlooks.... If she actually understands them is still an unknown."

OOC Notes

I don't see myself as unapproachable, so if you're looking for some RP, I'll make an effort to accommodate. I don't like to pile up too many paused scenes, so sometimes I'll decline on account of that, but then I'll offer a raincheck as compensation. My RP style is a narrative one, and my pose size is a bit lengthy by most people's standards, or so I've been told; if you find this acceptable, then we may be compatible to RP with one another. Combat-wise, I'm still green, so I'll need patience from you if our characters are to do battle.... however, combat is not central to my concept, so it's doubtful Gidarch will get into a scrap just to 'prove' himself. If all of this sounds good, and pride doesn't get the better of you, I hope you'll be willing to go out on a limb and page me so we can RP together.... the odds are, I'll be flattered/grateful that you took initiative by taking the time to show interest in an interaction with my concept!

(To be specific, I tend to only allow myself 3-4 scenelocks at a time)

Logs

Cutscenes