Xalstad
03-29-06, 02:09 PM
Anyone can escape into sleep, we are all geniuses when we dream, the butcher is the poet's equal there." -E. M. CioranName: Dirk Xalstad, but often goes by his old military nickname, Jackal
Age: 122, though his physical appearance is that of a healthy middle-aged man
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 185 lbs
Hair Color: Black
Hair Style: Long locks placed in a ponytail
Eye Color: Brown
Appearance: Ripe with experience, but young in health and appearance, Jackal’s distinctive trait is his long jet black hair. Jackal wears a neat white tunic and light brown slacks. Other than his day clothes, Jackal also wears a long gray trench coat that nearly touches the ground. Though the coat is large, it rarely inhibits his travel.
Personality: Jackal is a veteran military advisor, but he is rarely considered stern. Instead he is charismatic, and has a knack for making his ideas appeal to even the most skeptical of people. He gives respect without asking any in return, and is rarely seen without housing some sort of light smile. He is bold, but not arrogant. Unlike other military leaders, Jackal prefers to work from the interior, avoiding most sorts of personal conflict. He tends to use his charisma and charm to avoid harm during combat situations.
Weapons: Owns none, but is formidable if he deems it necessary.
Armor: Out of habit, Jackal wears a Delyn chain vest beneath his tunic. The vest is helpful against sharp attacks, but it places additional pressure on his chest if he is attacked by a blunt object or struck by a fist.
Items: Aside from the clothes on his back, Jackal has only one other possession. It is a small scope, with latches that would attach to the top of a large firearm. Jackal rarely lets anyone view his odd trinket and only one knows its relevance. Though it could be used in a conflict as a sight amplification devise, Jackal does not use it as such.
Skills: If Jackal has but one fear, it is the night and the sleep that it brings. Jackal is unaware of the source of his power, but since a very young age he has had control over his dreams. He can make a dream reality and reality a dream. Others have described this skill as dreamwalking. While unconscious, Jackal has the ability to recall all of his previous dreams and travel to them. Then, when he wakes that dream becomes reality. After many years of believing that he was creating new locations based on his dreams, he discovered that he was assimilating the life of another who had similarly dreamed of the place where he was. This proved the existence of many different realms, dimensions and planes in the universe. Jackal can also travel back through dreams in his present realm, essentially turning his reality into a dream. This is the reason why Jackal is 122 but only appears to be 37 years old. He is immortal until his mind decays or he decides to live out the rest of his life. Only once before has Jackal attempted to use his ability on another living being. The result was disastrous. His test subject was lost in the endless sea of dreams across an infinite number of realms.
(I understand that Jackal’s ability is extremely powerful and can be used in a very unfair manner. However, I assure you that my intentions for the character are quite the opposite. To compensate, I have made it so this ability only works while Jackal is unconscious. In addition he has no weapon and only basic armor. To confront the problem about traveling to the past without forcing my RP partners to forget my characters’ presence, you have my word that I will not use that part of the ability outside of a quest where I have every player’s permission.)
History: Born over a century ago, Jackal learned of his ability at a very young age. He would suddenly wake up from a dream to find that his parents didn’t remember what had happened the day before. Many considered him crazy as he grew older. He would recall events that never happened. The breakthrough happened when he was 25, serving as an under officer in an army of a different realm. Jackal was nearly killed in battle and spent many agonizing days in a military hospital. He had overheard his doctor explaining that he would not live throughout the night. Too weak to stay awake, Jackal fell into a sleep where he dreamed he was healthy. To his surprise, he woke up the next day just before the battle when he was injured. Knowing where his attacker came from, Jackal was able to survive the battle. He began to test his new ability, trying to work out its source. Eventually he discovered the connection between dreams. The dream he had the day he nearly died was the same he’d had the night before the battle.
Jackal grew through the ranks of the army, only to be injured once more. But the moment the sword passed through his chest, Jackal was thrust into a world very unlike his own. In picturing heaven as he died, Jackal was transported to what resembled his version of heaven, except that he was alive. He experimented again, this time traveling from dream to dream. He found that he could go anywhere and do anything. By this time he was already 64 years old. It was then that he first attempted to prolong his age. He traveled back to a dream he’d had in the service of his home realm and was instantly transferred back to that time. He had retained the memory of everything that happened but was a healthy 25 year old. Eventually Jackal traveled to a land that was plagued by war. After a young man in that world saved his life, he promised to bring peace to the land. Jackal became a general, and he never lost a battle. Of course, the reason for this was because he was able to travel back to the past and alter his failures. He was given the nickname Jackal because he always managed to slip past defeat.
Eventually Jackal came to a land not unlike Althanas. It was a place where fantasy and technology met. It was there that he came to know a clan of vampires. He advised the clan, and in the process met a gifted young man. Jackal had never told anyone about his power, but he yearned to tell someone. He decided that his new protégé would be the perfect candidate. But the young man was brash and arrogant and was killed before Jackal could share his secrets. Jackal traveled back in his dreams many times to save the young man, but in ever version of reality he was brutally killed. Though Jackal knew he was not caught in an H.G. Wells paradox, he was unable to overpower the man’s fate. Instead, Jackal tried to use his power to take the young man to the heaven he’d discovered in his early adventurers. However, his attempt backfired and the young man was lost into the sea of dreams across what Jackal could only assume was an endless universe.
Following the disaster, Jackal retired from the military and decided to find the young man. He had to explain what had happened. Since that time, Jackal has chosen to travel from realm to realm anonymously, searching in secret to rectify his failure. He even dropped his old name, introducing himself by his old military name. That journey has now landed him on Althanas where he found the one he sought.
Jackal met Max Dirks in Radasanth. He revealed his ambitions, only to be murdered. However, unlike before Jackal was not able to wake up from his dream. Since then he has existed in the dreams of Althanians, pondering why he is unable to wake up.
Age: 122, though his physical appearance is that of a healthy middle-aged man
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 185 lbs
Hair Color: Black
Hair Style: Long locks placed in a ponytail
Eye Color: Brown
Appearance: Ripe with experience, but young in health and appearance, Jackal’s distinctive trait is his long jet black hair. Jackal wears a neat white tunic and light brown slacks. Other than his day clothes, Jackal also wears a long gray trench coat that nearly touches the ground. Though the coat is large, it rarely inhibits his travel.
Personality: Jackal is a veteran military advisor, but he is rarely considered stern. Instead he is charismatic, and has a knack for making his ideas appeal to even the most skeptical of people. He gives respect without asking any in return, and is rarely seen without housing some sort of light smile. He is bold, but not arrogant. Unlike other military leaders, Jackal prefers to work from the interior, avoiding most sorts of personal conflict. He tends to use his charisma and charm to avoid harm during combat situations.
Weapons: Owns none, but is formidable if he deems it necessary.
Armor: Out of habit, Jackal wears a Delyn chain vest beneath his tunic. The vest is helpful against sharp attacks, but it places additional pressure on his chest if he is attacked by a blunt object or struck by a fist.
Items: Aside from the clothes on his back, Jackal has only one other possession. It is a small scope, with latches that would attach to the top of a large firearm. Jackal rarely lets anyone view his odd trinket and only one knows its relevance. Though it could be used in a conflict as a sight amplification devise, Jackal does not use it as such.
Skills: If Jackal has but one fear, it is the night and the sleep that it brings. Jackal is unaware of the source of his power, but since a very young age he has had control over his dreams. He can make a dream reality and reality a dream. Others have described this skill as dreamwalking. While unconscious, Jackal has the ability to recall all of his previous dreams and travel to them. Then, when he wakes that dream becomes reality. After many years of believing that he was creating new locations based on his dreams, he discovered that he was assimilating the life of another who had similarly dreamed of the place where he was. This proved the existence of many different realms, dimensions and planes in the universe. Jackal can also travel back through dreams in his present realm, essentially turning his reality into a dream. This is the reason why Jackal is 122 but only appears to be 37 years old. He is immortal until his mind decays or he decides to live out the rest of his life. Only once before has Jackal attempted to use his ability on another living being. The result was disastrous. His test subject was lost in the endless sea of dreams across an infinite number of realms.
(I understand that Jackal’s ability is extremely powerful and can be used in a very unfair manner. However, I assure you that my intentions for the character are quite the opposite. To compensate, I have made it so this ability only works while Jackal is unconscious. In addition he has no weapon and only basic armor. To confront the problem about traveling to the past without forcing my RP partners to forget my characters’ presence, you have my word that I will not use that part of the ability outside of a quest where I have every player’s permission.)
History: Born over a century ago, Jackal learned of his ability at a very young age. He would suddenly wake up from a dream to find that his parents didn’t remember what had happened the day before. Many considered him crazy as he grew older. He would recall events that never happened. The breakthrough happened when he was 25, serving as an under officer in an army of a different realm. Jackal was nearly killed in battle and spent many agonizing days in a military hospital. He had overheard his doctor explaining that he would not live throughout the night. Too weak to stay awake, Jackal fell into a sleep where he dreamed he was healthy. To his surprise, he woke up the next day just before the battle when he was injured. Knowing where his attacker came from, Jackal was able to survive the battle. He began to test his new ability, trying to work out its source. Eventually he discovered the connection between dreams. The dream he had the day he nearly died was the same he’d had the night before the battle.
Jackal grew through the ranks of the army, only to be injured once more. But the moment the sword passed through his chest, Jackal was thrust into a world very unlike his own. In picturing heaven as he died, Jackal was transported to what resembled his version of heaven, except that he was alive. He experimented again, this time traveling from dream to dream. He found that he could go anywhere and do anything. By this time he was already 64 years old. It was then that he first attempted to prolong his age. He traveled back to a dream he’d had in the service of his home realm and was instantly transferred back to that time. He had retained the memory of everything that happened but was a healthy 25 year old. Eventually Jackal traveled to a land that was plagued by war. After a young man in that world saved his life, he promised to bring peace to the land. Jackal became a general, and he never lost a battle. Of course, the reason for this was because he was able to travel back to the past and alter his failures. He was given the nickname Jackal because he always managed to slip past defeat.
Eventually Jackal came to a land not unlike Althanas. It was a place where fantasy and technology met. It was there that he came to know a clan of vampires. He advised the clan, and in the process met a gifted young man. Jackal had never told anyone about his power, but he yearned to tell someone. He decided that his new protégé would be the perfect candidate. But the young man was brash and arrogant and was killed before Jackal could share his secrets. Jackal traveled back in his dreams many times to save the young man, but in ever version of reality he was brutally killed. Though Jackal knew he was not caught in an H.G. Wells paradox, he was unable to overpower the man’s fate. Instead, Jackal tried to use his power to take the young man to the heaven he’d discovered in his early adventurers. However, his attempt backfired and the young man was lost into the sea of dreams across what Jackal could only assume was an endless universe.
Following the disaster, Jackal retired from the military and decided to find the young man. He had to explain what had happened. Since that time, Jackal has chosen to travel from realm to realm anonymously, searching in secret to rectify his failure. He even dropped his old name, introducing himself by his old military name. That journey has now landed him on Althanas where he found the one he sought.
Jackal met Max Dirks in Radasanth. He revealed his ambitions, only to be murdered. However, unlike before Jackal was not able to wake up from his dream. Since then he has existed in the dreams of Althanians, pondering why he is unable to wake up.