Aeras Lavellan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
virbanalras) wrote2015-10-14 12:13 am
virbanalras) wrote2015-10-14 12:13 am
character survey
"O Falon'Din
Lethanavir—Friend to the Dead
Guide my feet, calm my soul,
Lead me to my rest."
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? A very lithe figure and on the short side. He's built for sneaking around.
2. How old is he? 26 (29 for post-Trespasser)
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? Loose overall, but not slouchy in a lazy way: more like a predator waiting to pounce.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? He's healthy overall and although not a healer by nature, he still knows the general Dalish secrets about what bark to chew to feel better and other natural remedies. (If taken from post-Trespasser, he has a crossbow in place of his left arm below the elbow. (Thanks, Solas. :|) )
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? A lot of swift tension, he's very much a quick striker, the sort that suddenly appears from out of nowhere in the shadows.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He's good-looking and aware of that, but he doesn't really boast or even spend a whole lot of time on his appearance. Just a plain outfit and his favorite coat are enough, thanks.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? Light complexion, with scars. On the left side of his face below his eye on his cheek is a long vertical, somewhat bent/crooked scar, which he got during a hunting accident when he was very young. On the right of his face are seven scars. There are two scars along his chin and jaw, which he got during a smuggling job gone wrong, alongside other injuries which had him going back to the Dalish (he also has a lot of scars on his body along his right side from this incident). Three are on his right cheek: a small one to the right of his nose, one large lower half-circle to the right of his lips, a small one below and to the right of his eye on his cheek bone. The three on his cheek were received during the battle where his mentor was killed. Two smaller scars include a small vertical one on his eyebrow, and a tiny one high up on his nose, which were just from bar fights (though the story of the eye one always gets weirdly exaggerated and he never tells the truth of it).
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. He keeps his dark brown hair on the shortish side (though lets it get a bit of length usually, so it's not close-cropped at all). It's a light, soft texture overall.
9. What color are his eyes? Pale green which turns into a purplish color on the outer circle of the iris.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? His Vallaslin, the facial tattoo worn by all Dalish when they come of age. His is done in a medium blue color and depicts the symbol for Falon'Din, the God of Death.
11. What are his chief tension centers? Middle of his back, sometimes his left leg gets a little tense from an old injury.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit? Aeras loves dramatic long coats and won't be seen without one for the most part. Although not a mage at all, he's got a lot of fondness for the mage hoods (all the better to keep his face less readily seen). For the most part, this style of dress is done to both conceal himself and also to not be too restrictive. He likes dragonling scales especially, having used that deep red color for his favorite Sturdy Hunter Coat. Otherwise, the rest of his clothing tends to be the black color of darkened samite. The coat has become something of a trademark for him, so he's rarely seen without it. He also tends to prefer going barefoot, because shoes are usually way too restrictive. His feet are rather calloused and more used to rough surfaces than most as a result. (Though there may be rare times he wears hunter style boots).
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? Yes, they're very comfortable, and loose enough to move around in comfortably in any conditions. He hates any too-restrictive clothing.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? He always dresses the same, much to some of his advisers' frustration. He has little patience for "dressing up" so in general he's always wearing his preferred clothes. He loves his coat especially and has an attachment to it. The main time when he changes his clothes would be if a mission calls for him to conceal his identity.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Commando. FREEDOM SWEET FREEDOM.
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? Distinct Dalish accent, rather deep overall.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? An even, easy tone. He's the sort who might never say a word for a long time, but when he does speak up there's a lot that he can say. Usually he's guiding the conversation to get something out of it.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? Distinct Dalish accent along with the typical quirks of pronunciation that go with that.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? He speaks the elven language fluently in addition to the common tongue. He has a smattering of other languages from nearby countries (like Antivan), mostly practical/daily, seductive and threatening words.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? He might switch to the Elven tongue to curse. Otherwise, he'd normally switch for conversation only with another elf who understands it.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He's overall very skilled at thinking on his feet in general, so he could get by with the impromptu thing.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? Somewhere in the middle. He's really not into speaking his mind a whole lot, but can work up to being very expressive and articulate when needed.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? Overall very intelligent, much more street smart than book smart.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? Thinks on his feet for the most part. Sometimes this makes it hard to follow where he's going or why he does something, because he's the sort to literally drop everything on a whim because something else caught his attention.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Prone to only half-finishing thoughts (or even tasks)... and likely to blurt something out which seems totally random (because it made sense in his head and he jumped ahead without explaining himself fully). He can be an idealist when it comes to the wanderlust. He's got a pretty good balance of logic and intuition, a slight leaning toward going with his instincts.
4. What kind of education has the character had? He was educated like all Dalish within his clan... mostly through oral ways, through the lore of his people. He knows a great deal about the natural world and of course most of what he was taught came through a very specific perspective.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? His expertise would be his assassin skills, an area he always wants to know more about. Efficiently killing people, sneaking around, and so on are his thing. He's also got a love for travel and loves learning about new places and cultures.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Kind of an in-between ambivert, tbh. He's quiet and not prone to sharing a lot to strangers, but opens up a lot in the right company. He's always up for a game of Wicked Grace or prank-times with Sera. He enjoys learning about new people and doing fun things with them but in the end he's not going to stick around for the long term. He definitely values alone time as well, and needs to go be out in nature somewhere to recharge. The Inquisition was the longest he's stayed in one location.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? Even-tempered, keeps his cool in most situations. Very laid-back to the point where he'll drop official business for something that he feels like doing more. Has a hard time finishing anything because he always gets distracted by something new. But his actual moods stay around a long time despite that, for good or bad. Though he doesn't have huge mood swings, he acts on feelings above all else: so if he's not feeling something, he won't bother with it. Along these lines, he holds onto anger for a long, long time... seeks revenge whenever wronged (he tries to make the vengeance fit the crime though). Can be wistful and nostalgic at times. Not really cheerful in an exuberant way, but still tends to be content for the most part.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? He loves new things and new situations, though he's generally cautious and careful around new people. Despite that caution, he comes off as very relaxed.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? Act, even if it's not the expected action at all.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? Fight. Though sometimes it looks like flight, but usually because he's retreating to cook up some longterm revenge plan.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? Quirky and weird humor, definitely of the gallows sort. Loves pranks, and very much got along with Sera on this regard.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? Sort of flighty and flakey, the best way to put it is something similar to ADHD (though I wouldn't go so far as to diagnose him as such). He often has to refocus himself, remind himself of the task at hand.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? Smuggling and its consequences, becoming a full hunter and getting his Vallaslin, losing his hunting instructor, rededicating himself to the Ways of the Hunter, becoming an assassin, becoming Inquisitor, the loss of his clan.
14. What does he fear? Confinement, boredom, structure, tedium.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? He aspires to be a great assassin and to see the world.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? Some of the mistakes he's made in the past. He also usually keeps the full extent of his skills under wraps... not out of shame or anything, though, just because secrecy is all part of the job as a rogue/assassin, after all. Though the number one thing he doesn't usually like people to know? That he's the Inquisitor. He likes venturing to middle of nowhere places where no one would know him.
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. They stayed close and in touch even though he doesn't see them as much as he used to... the loss of his clan was devastating and he still doesn't know if they survived at all...
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? Yes, all sisters (two older, Bellaris and Serrath, and one younger, Ashalle).
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? Of course! He has plenty of family within the clan, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins... He gets along well with them now (though definitely came into conflict with them in the past).
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? Aeras' entire clan is also considered his family, to him. He got along well with the Keeper, Istimaethoriel Lavellan, and Danae, the clan's First... he also had an old hunting mentor who taught him all he knows. The devastation that happened to them was a tremendous loss. Also, his companions share a similar role and he considers them his "new clan":
- Cassandra: A main love interest. She might seem completely opposite of him with her opposing religion and views overall and they started off a very negative footing... but over time they really grew on each other. He would flirt with her, not expecting anything serious out of it at first, but eventually it grew into something much deeper than that. She keeps him in line, helps him focus and remember what he's supposed to do. Plus, it amuses him when she gets all flustered over love matters.
- Iron Bull: Another potential love, Bull is just one of those people who he got along with super easily. Loves his attitude and drinking with him.
- Leliana: Someone who shares his views about secrecy and spying, he feels like they're often on the same page. He chose her way the most when it came to missions.
- Sera: His prank buddy! Sera helps him remember his fun side and he was very into joining her on the pranking. He was also very into Red Jenny missions. Oddly got along with her overall despite occasional quarrels about Dalish vs. her views. In many ways those arguments were good for him, he thought it made him appreciate his roots even more.
- Varric: Wicked Grace buddy! Varric is someone he always got along with well and could easily talk to and open up with.
- Dorian: After getting to know him as they went through a very dark experience (the alternate future), Aeras immediately took a liking to Dorian. A smooth, witty guy which makes him easy to get along with. Easy on the eyes, too.
- Cole: Aeras encouraged his humanity strongly. He overall finds Cole to be really interesting, because his thought process is even weirder and more confusing than his own. Totally on board with the odd things he does.
- Blackwall: Had no issue with his past and the deception, sometimes you gotta just do things. Not super close with him, but he respects the way he's dealing with things. Used underworld connections to help free him.
- Cullen: Though he doesn't see eye to eye with him a whole lot (Aeras never understood/liked the idea of the Circles and Templars and that restriction), he has his respect.
- Josephine: Another who is just from a world he doesn't fully understand. Still she's trustworthy and he got to see that her political game could be valuable (and has similarities to the underworld type game he prefers). He also flirted with her despite all of that, and danced with her.
- Vivienne: Really butted heads with her over their respective views on the Circles.
- Solas: At first, he seemed ok, although again, Aeras had to defend his Dalish self a lot. Later on, he just makes elves look bad, and he wants no part of that.
6. Does he have other close friends? Heir, who taught him to be an assassin (and reminded him of his old mentor), and his helpful scout, Lace Harding, and the Chargers.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? Gets along well with people initially, very pleasant and easygoing by nature... though he can come across as disinterested or flaky sometimes. Never try to make plans, he won't keep them, and never expect him to be on time. Ever.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? All of the above. He doesn't separate these out.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Generally single and promiscuous, but can and will settle in a steady ship when it works out. Never married, and he's not sure if he wants to.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? Yep! Depending on things, usually Cassandra, or Iron Bull. He hasn't even considered marriage, the whole committed thing was a big enough step.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? His earliest crush was Danae (clan's First), who he frequently flirted with (but they never had anything completely serious). Another significant crush and fling was a human girl when he was into smuggling, during his teens. Latest is either Cassandra or Iron Bull (but let's face it, he pretty much has flirted with and crushed on most if not all the companions and advisers).
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? Someone exciting and interesting, and he tends to be highly attracted to opposites/people who are nothing like him (see Cassandra). Probably should like travel as much as him and be as open to new experiences.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? Nope. He would like them though he's torn on how he'd raise them (especially if he married a non-Dalish).
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Solas turned out to be this. :|
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? A solid 3, and he's not picky about race either.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? It's fun so why not? He explores sex as freely as he does everything else. He's super flirtatious toward pretty much anyone, too. For the most part, it usually starts out as light teasing, testing the waters, but he does watch carefully for signs he's gotten someone's interest. He doesn't see why people place as big of a deal on it as they do though... so he's probably a lot more casual than most people about it. He's not interested in paying for sex, preferring to work for it, that's more satisfying to him. (But trading for it is ok by him, got to throw a Dalish twist in there somehow). Though funny enough when he really loves someone, he will back off a little and not want to hop into bed as fast: he almost puts them on a pedestal of sorts.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? Very turned on by trying new things and turned off by stagnation and always doing the same old thing in the bedroom. He's open to exploring with other races and definitely welcomes it. He can sometimes go for Iron Bull, so... enough said there. Also he will tell every one that they've never lived until they've had sex outside under an open sky... so that's a thing that will happen in a relationship with him. He;s always up for something exciting, having done it in some weird places, such as in a chapel.
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? If it were a thing, he'd be Sagittarius due to all the wandering/rambling/etc.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? Complicated. He's not religious in the sense of thinking he needs to bow down to a god. Respect them yes, but he isn't into prayer typically. He comes very close to revering the god of death Falon'Din, though, whose symbol is on his face. He also does abide by the Vir Tanadhal, the code of Andruil... and the Vir Banal'ras, but he does them for his own self rather than out of any need to please the gods as such. He tries to abide by them as much as possible.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? The Vir Tanadhal, the code of Andruil, goddess of the hunt... and the Vir Banal'ras, the philosophy of his people's assassins. The latter means he can be very vengeful if he ever feels he's been wronged. But he's not strict about adhering to these rules, and has run astray in the past when he thought he would get something better out of not following them. He tends to have a disregard for most rules and laws, so really leans more Chaotic Neutral despite favoring this one code.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Has a natural curiosity about other cultures and beliefs. He'd be eager to learn all he can about them.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? For a Dalish, he's pretty open-minded to other cultures and races. He did get a lot more prideful about his people when he left them, to an extent that surprised him.
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Rather comfortable, for the most part his people traded for things they ever needed. He also made and makes money through his underworld connections to smugglers. His clan never really had much in the way of gold (and they still don't), which was what turned him to smuggling in the first place, thinking it would help them.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? He went from a Dalish hunter to the Inquisitor, so yep, a drastic change. Sometimes, he dislikes it and the restrictions he feels from being Inquisitor. It does afford him the means and excuse to travel around though.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others? He has quarters in the castle at Skyhold, though he barely lives there and just crashes when he needs to be around. He much prefers a tent - or even better, open air- to stone walls. He keeps few possessions, and stores those away usually, so the place is overall very neat. Prefers to travel around and so keeps his baggage light.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Booze and lovers. He'll always splurge for a fun date! He also spends his money just traveling around, exploring.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else? If he could just roam the countryside doing odd jobs and helping/killing people for money, he'd choose that. He sometimes gets homesick for his clan too, but he's always sort of known he would someday spread his wings and even leave that behind too. He just... never thought it would be this way. He hated being called Herald, hated everyone claiming he was beholden to some human god. He's not really 100% on being Inquisitor even now but the friendships make it worthwhile, and the ability to travel around.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? Exploring aimlessly. He likes to wander until he gets lost (which can be sort of a pain to companions and others trying to find him). He can tell a location just based on how it feels to bare feet, that gives him a good sense for where he is even when he's wandered far and aimlessly. He loves unstructured time overall and same goes for romances. (Whoever he pairs with is basically his first steady, long-term thing).
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? He prefers more "natural" food, stuff that he catches and gathers himself and sticks over a fire himself. He actually loves to cook, in the traditional Dalish manner and knows what's yummy/barely edible/poisonous. He knows how to get creative and can make something delicious out of practically nothing. He's into trying new things though, so won't pass up something unusual from places he visits. Loves a good drink, any hard liquor mixes especially as well as brandy.
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Black and red
2. Smell? Scents of the forest, the smell of a bunch of halla
3. Time of day? Dusk
4. Season? Summer, the warmth and freedom of it
5. Book? Of Granting Death: Blades and Other Means... aside from that, he has a strong preference for the oral legends and stories of his people.
6. Music? Loves and has an appreciation for all music (he is a Patron of the Arts). Favorites include The Bull's Chargers' Song, Take Back the Sky: A Tavern Cheer, The Girl in Red Crossing, The Silver Knight... and of course, the Song to Falon'Din. Basically he loves the rousing pub songs and bawdy tunes about ladies, but he also enjoys those that are abut the elves.
7. Place? The Western Approach, he loves the sweeping expanse of the desert, it makes him feel that the travel is limitless. Also the Exalted Plains for all of the Dalish things out there, and the Emerald Graves for similar reasons of feeling like home and the Dalish history. Overall, he is a big fan of Orlesian regions.
8. Substance? Blood, liquor
9. Plant? Black lotus, blood lotus, royal elfroot
10. Animal? Halla. They're essential to his clan and thanks to his parents' occupations, he's got experience tending to them. Also the owl, sacred animal to his favored elven god of death, Falon'Din. Its nocturnal, predatory nature suits him well. Ravens as well.
11. Food/Drink? Favorite drinks include: West Hill Brandy,Golden Scythe 4:90 Black, Flames of Our Lady, and of course, Carnal, 8:69 Blessed. Favorite foods are: anything he can hunt and gather, prefers food cooked out in the open, anything that reminds him of home.
12. Pets? A halla, named Nadir. His mount is a Hunter Shade Dracolisk, named Umbra.
13. Weapons? Dual blades, two daggers: Walking Death in the right hand, and Wicked Grace in the left.
14. Items? Deck of Wicked Grace cards, glass halla statue, ivory halla figurine, raven totem, vulture feather charm
15. Myers-Briggs type? ISFP
16. Element? Fire and Wind
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