Doppelganger
11-29-06, 04:41 AM
I'm going to try something a little bit different here, so bear with me.
This character is actually two characters (and as such, I'll make two posts to be approved separately). The first, Eltrian, is a character like any other; however, there exists a shadow version of Eltrian (more commonly called a doppelganger), who thinks and acts independently.
My plan is to prevent anyone else from being able to tell the two apart, except perhaps by their actions. Their appearance, voice, equipment, and abilities is identical-- so at any given point in time, those I'm questing with won't be sure wether they're questing with the 'good' one or the 'bad' one. There is one thing which differentiates them, but I'm not saying what it is, especially since Eltrian isn't aware of it himself.
At all times, these two will be active in pairs; that is, when I enter one into a thread, the other must also be entered into a thread at the same time. This will allow the actions of one to affect the other in 'real' time (in particular the 'Siphon' ability, see below). So if Eltrian uses the siphon ability, his doppelganger will suddenly grow weak in the corresponding thread, regardless of where he is or what he's doing. The same applies if the doppelganger uses this ability.
It should be noted that since these characters are linked, any time one of them gains a new skill or ability the other gains it as well.
My hope is that the constant uncertainty as to exactly who you're roleplaying with will create some interesting dynamics in the future. Because I have high hopes for these characters and very much want them to succeed, if anyone has any suggestions for ways to improve the dynamic between them please do PM me.
Without further ado, here is the first of the two characters, Eltrian.
Name: Eltrian Cadarius
Race: Human/Doppelganger
Age: 34
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Occupation: Traveler
Appearance: Eltrian is of a muscular build, limbs hardened by years of manual labor and physical training. He usually sports rough stubble along his jaw. His hair is short and thick, angling back across his head from where it begins in a sharp widow’s peak.
Eltrian wears simple traveling clothes, rugged and warm to withstand the elements. His feet are housed in short brown leather boots, and his trousers are dark brown, made of thick wool. His long-sleeved, loose-fitting maroon shirt is made of warm cotton, and over this he wears a jacket colored to match his trousers. Finally, he wraps himself in a worn but serviceable tan traveling cape, which functions as a makeshift blanket at night.
History: Eltrian Cadarius has always been considered a troublemaker. Wherever he goes, bad things seem to happen, and he always seems to be at its cause.
But Eltrian Cadarius isn’t a troublemaker.
He was an obedient child and a law-abiding citizen, constantly blamed for pranks, mischief, and ultimately crimes he did not commit.
Eltrian grew up in Jadet, a coastal town in Corone. He lived with his mother, who served as a housewife, and his father, a low-ranking officer in the Corone Armed Forces. His was a fairly typical childhood in the early years, spending his days playing with other children his age. His best friend was a girl named Maegan, a spirited youth who held her own with the neighborhood boys in most of their competitions.
At age seven, Eltrian’s father began to train him in rudimentary swordplay, making a game of it for his young son. It was around this same time that some unusual things began to occur. First, Eltrian noticed that the palms of his hands sometimes grew extremely hot; while it didn’t burn him, he could burn other things, and black handprints were occasionally found singed into various surfaces around his home. Then, a series of pranks were pulled throughout the area; water buckets rigged to fall from the tops of doorways, neighbors’ animals shaved of their fur, graffiti painted on fences and buildings. These happenings soon escalated to theft, as numerous items were reported missing from the homes around Eltrian’s own. In many cases, witnesses claimed Eltrian himself was the culprit, but the boy vehemently denied any knowledge of or involvement in the crimes. As the tricks continued, however, the townsfolk grew more and more suspicious of him, and most of the neighborhood children were either forbidden to play with him by their parents or chose not to themselves. Soon, Maegan was his only remaining friend, and the only one who believed in his innocence.
Eltrian was routinely punished by his father, for his parents too were convinced that their son was a delinquent. The couple were dumbfounded as to why their child was committing these acts of mischief, especially since his behavior at home didn’t seem to change. One instance happened to give Eltrian a theory about the cause, but it was dismissed quickly.
“Eltrian,” his mother pleaded, “I just want you to be honest with me. The neighbor saw you nailing the outhouse door shut, so don’t deny it.”
Tired after repeating his position for the umpteenth time, Eltrian sighed. “It wasn’t me, mom. I don’t know who it was or how it happened, but I was at Maegan’s house, just ask her.”
“Eltrian, we both know Maegan would say anything to keep you out of trouble. Honestly, son, I know it was you, I just want you to admit it! It isn’t as if you have an evil twin!”
“Hey… What if I do? That could explain everything! That’s how all this keeps happening when I’m not around. That must be what it is!”
Crossing her arms over her chest, his mother shot him a warning glare. “Making up stories will not help your situation, young man. I gave birth to you, Eltrian Cadarius, and I know for a fact that you are an only child. Don’t try passing this off on anyone else. Your father will deal with you when he gets home.”
Time passed, but the crimes continued, and grew in number and degree as Eltrian aged. The strange fire in his hands began to manifest itself as deep blue flame, increasing in intensity and range. He gradually learned to command this halo of indigo energy, effectively stopping any accidental burns, though he still had no idea where it came from or how he was able to do it. He was careful to keep the ability a secret from all but Maegan, so as not to cast further suspicion on himself.
At age sixteen, Eltrian’s troubles turned severe. An assault was reported in the middle of the night on an elderly citizen, the victim badly beaten and their belongings stolen. The assailant’s description was by now familiar to the local law enforcement. A well-meaning officer and friend of the Cadarius family asked that Eltrian’s father bring his son into custody the following day, making it clear that they wouldn’t hesitate to send for the Corone Rangers if the boy tried to run. Eltrian’s father confronted him that night, asking once and for all if he was to blame. As always, Eltrian denied any knowledge of the attack. Heaving a sigh, his father agreed to wait until morning, and they would visit the authorities together to try and clear up the event.
That night, Eltrian woke up with a strange sensation. Though he was sitting in his bed, in his mind’s eye it looked as though he was walking down the hall to his parents’ room. The vision was strange and detached like a memory, but he somehow knew it was happening in the present. It became difficult to tell whether he was truly in his bed as he believed, or whether he was actually turning his parents’ doorknob… entering the room… moving to the bedside… watching in horror as his hand raised a knife and plunged it into his sleeping father’s chest, then raising again and sinking the blade into his mother as she began to stir into wakefulness. The eyes Eltrian was seeing through shot momentarily to the mirror, catching a glimpse of a figure very much like his own. He leapt out of bed, frightened and confused; the view in his mind’s eye darted wildly around as though alarmed, and made for the window. Eltrian, meanwhile, ran into the hall and towards his parent’s room, in time to hear the glass shatter as the figure whose eyes he was seeing through dove out and ran into the trees nearby. When he reached the room, he was greeted with the scene of his parents breathing their last breaths, eyes wide in shock and pain.
Eltrian panicked. The vision in his mind faded as he paced rapidly up and down the hall, trying to process what he saw. Torn between love for his parents and the knowledge that no one would believe his innocence, he ran quickly to see the one person he felt he could trust, Maegan. Telling her what happened, she was frightened and suspicious; his story stretched even her faith in him. In the end she agreed to help him, and grabbing some meager belongings they ran off into the woods, hoping to escape Jadet’s borders before the authorities caught up with them.
Miraculously, Eltrian and Maegan made it without capture; perhaps the Rangers weren’t notified, or perhaps they were simply lucky, but they somehow reached Akashima a short distance to the north. Here they hid from the law enforcement of Jadet for many years under assumed names, doing odd-jobs in Akashima’s Yanbo Harbor. The strange happenings that plagued Eltrian all his life did not cease, though they did quiet down for a while and no great offenses occurred. Maegan stayed by his side, and eventually they fell in love and married.
The two lived comfortably; there was never a shortage of work in the harbor, and while the bad luck that followed Eltrian caused occasional problems, it did not return in full until he was thirty years old.
Late one night, a restless Eltrian left his sleeping wife to take a walk in town. As he walked, he once again began to see as though through another’s eyes, despite being aware of his current surroundings. After a moment came the gut-wrenching realization that the visions he was seeing were in his own home. He ran as quickly as he could to reach Maegan, but once again was forced to witness the murder of one of his loved ones before he arrived. This time, however, it was closer; he reached his front door just as the culprit was leaving, and the two froze in the doorway. Within this heartbeat of a moment, Eltrian saw his own face, covered in a dark hood, staring back from the doorway. Confused by this apparition, the shadowy figure pushed past him and ran off, disappearing from view before Eltrian was able to pursue it.
Eltrian was forced to flee once more, making his way back into Jadet and across the great bridge to Scara Brae. But he now knew something of the root of his problem; it was some kind of evil twin, and knowing this would allow him to discover the cause and, possibly, the solution. Over the course of the next four years, he researched possible explanations for this shadow’s existence, and gradually learned that it was a doppelganger. These “shadow-selves” rarely manifested themselves at all, but somehow Eltrian’s was able to be permanently whole and act independently of him. He also learned of the link between a person and their doppelganger, which explained how he was able to see through is double’s eyes, and how he could access powers that the doppelganger possessed. This also meant, however, that the doppelganger could do anything Eltrian could do, and likely knew everything Eltrian knew.
Some sources warned that to destroy a doppelganger was to destroy oneself, but Eltrian resolved to find a way to rid the world of his shadow self, even if he had to die as well. Currently, he is seeking more information on how to catch and eradicate his doppelganger, as well as what created it in the first place.
Personality: Eltrian is a conflicted individual. He is inherently good-natured, but a lifetime of hardship and grief has made it difficult to see. He wants to trust people and be trusted in return, but he fears what will happen (to others and to himself) if they meet his doppelganger, and therefore tries to keep others at a distance. Expect snide comments and bouts of anger followed quickly by sincere apologies when interacting with Eltrian, as he tends to say things he doesn’t mean.
Weapons:
--Schiavona: Eltrian’s primary weapon, a skillfully tempered steel sword called a schiavona. The blade of this basket-hilted sword is well suited to both cutting and thrusting attacks. He wears his schiavona in a black hardwood scabbared hanging from a sturdy leather baldric across his chest.
((For a detailed description of schiavona, see HERE. (http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_spot_schia.html) For the record, Eltrian's schiavona is a "type 2 a."))
Armor:
--Vambraces: Sturdy leather armguards, the backs of which are covered in steel plate for extra protection.
Skills/Abilities:
--Swordplay: Eltrian is adept with a sword, and is confident of his ability to hold his own in a fight. While his technique needs refining and he tends to make mistakes when facing too much distraction, his overall skill level is average.
--Indigo Flame: Some time after Eltrian realized a doppelganger was at the root of his life’s problems, he also realized that the heat he could generate from his hands was an ability he somehow gained from the doppelganger. On command, he can wreathe his hands in a halo of deep blue fire, which will cause moderate burns to whatever it comes into contact with. This energy also serves to protect his hands, and allows him to catch blows from all but the sharpest weapons without injury. He cannot use this ability for long periods of time (usually 2-3 posts) or many times in succession (twice per thread, unless it’s a very long thread. I’ll try to be reasonable). This may vary slightly due to the relative length of the individual posts.
--Indigo Transfer: After having summoned his Indigo Fire, Eltrian can transfer this energy to an object he is holding, usually a sword. This gives the item the same properties his hands have, increasing its strength and allowing it to cause greater damage. However, this has negative aftereffects, as it stresses the object and will eventually cause it to deteriorate and break. For this reason, he avoids using the skill on his own sword unless he has to.
--Siphon: The knowledge of his shadow-self’s existence allowed Eltrian a new ability. Realizing that he gained the power of the Indigo Flame through a connection with his doppelganger, he learned to draw energy from his doppelganger as well. In doing this, he drains his shadow’s powers to feed his own, which in effect doubles the potency of his own abilities (i.e., at lv. 1 it gives him the power of a lv. 2 character, at lv. 2 it gives him the power of a lv. 4 character, etc.). During this time, his shadow self is weakened to the point of being immobilized. The drawback is that at any time, his doppelganger can choose to do the same thing; at any given moment, Eltrian may suddenly be weakened as his doppelganger siphons off his energy.
This ability lasts only during the post in which it is activated, and is absolutely limited to one use per thread. It is very difficult to maintain such a direct link between the ‘twins,’ and leaves both parties at half their original strength afterwards. Basically, if Eltrian drains the energy from his doppelganger and uses it up, then his normal energy must afterwards be split evenly between both counterparts. The actual effect this will have is for Eltrian to tire more easily, lose focus, and to greatly limit the use of his Indigo Flame.
This character is actually two characters (and as such, I'll make two posts to be approved separately). The first, Eltrian, is a character like any other; however, there exists a shadow version of Eltrian (more commonly called a doppelganger), who thinks and acts independently.
My plan is to prevent anyone else from being able to tell the two apart, except perhaps by their actions. Their appearance, voice, equipment, and abilities is identical-- so at any given point in time, those I'm questing with won't be sure wether they're questing with the 'good' one or the 'bad' one. There is one thing which differentiates them, but I'm not saying what it is, especially since Eltrian isn't aware of it himself.
At all times, these two will be active in pairs; that is, when I enter one into a thread, the other must also be entered into a thread at the same time. This will allow the actions of one to affect the other in 'real' time (in particular the 'Siphon' ability, see below). So if Eltrian uses the siphon ability, his doppelganger will suddenly grow weak in the corresponding thread, regardless of where he is or what he's doing. The same applies if the doppelganger uses this ability.
It should be noted that since these characters are linked, any time one of them gains a new skill or ability the other gains it as well.
My hope is that the constant uncertainty as to exactly who you're roleplaying with will create some interesting dynamics in the future. Because I have high hopes for these characters and very much want them to succeed, if anyone has any suggestions for ways to improve the dynamic between them please do PM me.
Without further ado, here is the first of the two characters, Eltrian.
Name: Eltrian Cadarius
Race: Human/Doppelganger
Age: 34
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Occupation: Traveler
Appearance: Eltrian is of a muscular build, limbs hardened by years of manual labor and physical training. He usually sports rough stubble along his jaw. His hair is short and thick, angling back across his head from where it begins in a sharp widow’s peak.
Eltrian wears simple traveling clothes, rugged and warm to withstand the elements. His feet are housed in short brown leather boots, and his trousers are dark brown, made of thick wool. His long-sleeved, loose-fitting maroon shirt is made of warm cotton, and over this he wears a jacket colored to match his trousers. Finally, he wraps himself in a worn but serviceable tan traveling cape, which functions as a makeshift blanket at night.
History: Eltrian Cadarius has always been considered a troublemaker. Wherever he goes, bad things seem to happen, and he always seems to be at its cause.
But Eltrian Cadarius isn’t a troublemaker.
He was an obedient child and a law-abiding citizen, constantly blamed for pranks, mischief, and ultimately crimes he did not commit.
Eltrian grew up in Jadet, a coastal town in Corone. He lived with his mother, who served as a housewife, and his father, a low-ranking officer in the Corone Armed Forces. His was a fairly typical childhood in the early years, spending his days playing with other children his age. His best friend was a girl named Maegan, a spirited youth who held her own with the neighborhood boys in most of their competitions.
At age seven, Eltrian’s father began to train him in rudimentary swordplay, making a game of it for his young son. It was around this same time that some unusual things began to occur. First, Eltrian noticed that the palms of his hands sometimes grew extremely hot; while it didn’t burn him, he could burn other things, and black handprints were occasionally found singed into various surfaces around his home. Then, a series of pranks were pulled throughout the area; water buckets rigged to fall from the tops of doorways, neighbors’ animals shaved of their fur, graffiti painted on fences and buildings. These happenings soon escalated to theft, as numerous items were reported missing from the homes around Eltrian’s own. In many cases, witnesses claimed Eltrian himself was the culprit, but the boy vehemently denied any knowledge of or involvement in the crimes. As the tricks continued, however, the townsfolk grew more and more suspicious of him, and most of the neighborhood children were either forbidden to play with him by their parents or chose not to themselves. Soon, Maegan was his only remaining friend, and the only one who believed in his innocence.
Eltrian was routinely punished by his father, for his parents too were convinced that their son was a delinquent. The couple were dumbfounded as to why their child was committing these acts of mischief, especially since his behavior at home didn’t seem to change. One instance happened to give Eltrian a theory about the cause, but it was dismissed quickly.
“Eltrian,” his mother pleaded, “I just want you to be honest with me. The neighbor saw you nailing the outhouse door shut, so don’t deny it.”
Tired after repeating his position for the umpteenth time, Eltrian sighed. “It wasn’t me, mom. I don’t know who it was or how it happened, but I was at Maegan’s house, just ask her.”
“Eltrian, we both know Maegan would say anything to keep you out of trouble. Honestly, son, I know it was you, I just want you to admit it! It isn’t as if you have an evil twin!”
“Hey… What if I do? That could explain everything! That’s how all this keeps happening when I’m not around. That must be what it is!”
Crossing her arms over her chest, his mother shot him a warning glare. “Making up stories will not help your situation, young man. I gave birth to you, Eltrian Cadarius, and I know for a fact that you are an only child. Don’t try passing this off on anyone else. Your father will deal with you when he gets home.”
Time passed, but the crimes continued, and grew in number and degree as Eltrian aged. The strange fire in his hands began to manifest itself as deep blue flame, increasing in intensity and range. He gradually learned to command this halo of indigo energy, effectively stopping any accidental burns, though he still had no idea where it came from or how he was able to do it. He was careful to keep the ability a secret from all but Maegan, so as not to cast further suspicion on himself.
At age sixteen, Eltrian’s troubles turned severe. An assault was reported in the middle of the night on an elderly citizen, the victim badly beaten and their belongings stolen. The assailant’s description was by now familiar to the local law enforcement. A well-meaning officer and friend of the Cadarius family asked that Eltrian’s father bring his son into custody the following day, making it clear that they wouldn’t hesitate to send for the Corone Rangers if the boy tried to run. Eltrian’s father confronted him that night, asking once and for all if he was to blame. As always, Eltrian denied any knowledge of the attack. Heaving a sigh, his father agreed to wait until morning, and they would visit the authorities together to try and clear up the event.
That night, Eltrian woke up with a strange sensation. Though he was sitting in his bed, in his mind’s eye it looked as though he was walking down the hall to his parents’ room. The vision was strange and detached like a memory, but he somehow knew it was happening in the present. It became difficult to tell whether he was truly in his bed as he believed, or whether he was actually turning his parents’ doorknob… entering the room… moving to the bedside… watching in horror as his hand raised a knife and plunged it into his sleeping father’s chest, then raising again and sinking the blade into his mother as she began to stir into wakefulness. The eyes Eltrian was seeing through shot momentarily to the mirror, catching a glimpse of a figure very much like his own. He leapt out of bed, frightened and confused; the view in his mind’s eye darted wildly around as though alarmed, and made for the window. Eltrian, meanwhile, ran into the hall and towards his parent’s room, in time to hear the glass shatter as the figure whose eyes he was seeing through dove out and ran into the trees nearby. When he reached the room, he was greeted with the scene of his parents breathing their last breaths, eyes wide in shock and pain.
Eltrian panicked. The vision in his mind faded as he paced rapidly up and down the hall, trying to process what he saw. Torn between love for his parents and the knowledge that no one would believe his innocence, he ran quickly to see the one person he felt he could trust, Maegan. Telling her what happened, she was frightened and suspicious; his story stretched even her faith in him. In the end she agreed to help him, and grabbing some meager belongings they ran off into the woods, hoping to escape Jadet’s borders before the authorities caught up with them.
Miraculously, Eltrian and Maegan made it without capture; perhaps the Rangers weren’t notified, or perhaps they were simply lucky, but they somehow reached Akashima a short distance to the north. Here they hid from the law enforcement of Jadet for many years under assumed names, doing odd-jobs in Akashima’s Yanbo Harbor. The strange happenings that plagued Eltrian all his life did not cease, though they did quiet down for a while and no great offenses occurred. Maegan stayed by his side, and eventually they fell in love and married.
The two lived comfortably; there was never a shortage of work in the harbor, and while the bad luck that followed Eltrian caused occasional problems, it did not return in full until he was thirty years old.
Late one night, a restless Eltrian left his sleeping wife to take a walk in town. As he walked, he once again began to see as though through another’s eyes, despite being aware of his current surroundings. After a moment came the gut-wrenching realization that the visions he was seeing were in his own home. He ran as quickly as he could to reach Maegan, but once again was forced to witness the murder of one of his loved ones before he arrived. This time, however, it was closer; he reached his front door just as the culprit was leaving, and the two froze in the doorway. Within this heartbeat of a moment, Eltrian saw his own face, covered in a dark hood, staring back from the doorway. Confused by this apparition, the shadowy figure pushed past him and ran off, disappearing from view before Eltrian was able to pursue it.
Eltrian was forced to flee once more, making his way back into Jadet and across the great bridge to Scara Brae. But he now knew something of the root of his problem; it was some kind of evil twin, and knowing this would allow him to discover the cause and, possibly, the solution. Over the course of the next four years, he researched possible explanations for this shadow’s existence, and gradually learned that it was a doppelganger. These “shadow-selves” rarely manifested themselves at all, but somehow Eltrian’s was able to be permanently whole and act independently of him. He also learned of the link between a person and their doppelganger, which explained how he was able to see through is double’s eyes, and how he could access powers that the doppelganger possessed. This also meant, however, that the doppelganger could do anything Eltrian could do, and likely knew everything Eltrian knew.
Some sources warned that to destroy a doppelganger was to destroy oneself, but Eltrian resolved to find a way to rid the world of his shadow self, even if he had to die as well. Currently, he is seeking more information on how to catch and eradicate his doppelganger, as well as what created it in the first place.
Personality: Eltrian is a conflicted individual. He is inherently good-natured, but a lifetime of hardship and grief has made it difficult to see. He wants to trust people and be trusted in return, but he fears what will happen (to others and to himself) if they meet his doppelganger, and therefore tries to keep others at a distance. Expect snide comments and bouts of anger followed quickly by sincere apologies when interacting with Eltrian, as he tends to say things he doesn’t mean.
Weapons:
--Schiavona: Eltrian’s primary weapon, a skillfully tempered steel sword called a schiavona. The blade of this basket-hilted sword is well suited to both cutting and thrusting attacks. He wears his schiavona in a black hardwood scabbared hanging from a sturdy leather baldric across his chest.
((For a detailed description of schiavona, see HERE. (http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_spot_schia.html) For the record, Eltrian's schiavona is a "type 2 a."))
Armor:
--Vambraces: Sturdy leather armguards, the backs of which are covered in steel plate for extra protection.
Skills/Abilities:
--Swordplay: Eltrian is adept with a sword, and is confident of his ability to hold his own in a fight. While his technique needs refining and he tends to make mistakes when facing too much distraction, his overall skill level is average.
--Indigo Flame: Some time after Eltrian realized a doppelganger was at the root of his life’s problems, he also realized that the heat he could generate from his hands was an ability he somehow gained from the doppelganger. On command, he can wreathe his hands in a halo of deep blue fire, which will cause moderate burns to whatever it comes into contact with. This energy also serves to protect his hands, and allows him to catch blows from all but the sharpest weapons without injury. He cannot use this ability for long periods of time (usually 2-3 posts) or many times in succession (twice per thread, unless it’s a very long thread. I’ll try to be reasonable). This may vary slightly due to the relative length of the individual posts.
--Indigo Transfer: After having summoned his Indigo Fire, Eltrian can transfer this energy to an object he is holding, usually a sword. This gives the item the same properties his hands have, increasing its strength and allowing it to cause greater damage. However, this has negative aftereffects, as it stresses the object and will eventually cause it to deteriorate and break. For this reason, he avoids using the skill on his own sword unless he has to.
--Siphon: The knowledge of his shadow-self’s existence allowed Eltrian a new ability. Realizing that he gained the power of the Indigo Flame through a connection with his doppelganger, he learned to draw energy from his doppelganger as well. In doing this, he drains his shadow’s powers to feed his own, which in effect doubles the potency of his own abilities (i.e., at lv. 1 it gives him the power of a lv. 2 character, at lv. 2 it gives him the power of a lv. 4 character, etc.). During this time, his shadow self is weakened to the point of being immobilized. The drawback is that at any time, his doppelganger can choose to do the same thing; at any given moment, Eltrian may suddenly be weakened as his doppelganger siphons off his energy.
This ability lasts only during the post in which it is activated, and is absolutely limited to one use per thread. It is very difficult to maintain such a direct link between the ‘twins,’ and leaves both parties at half their original strength afterwards. Basically, if Eltrian drains the energy from his doppelganger and uses it up, then his normal energy must afterwards be split evenly between both counterparts. The actual effect this will have is for Eltrian to tire more easily, lose focus, and to greatly limit the use of his Indigo Flame.