"I am - yet what I am, none cares or knows;
My friends forsake me like a memory lost:
I am the self-consumer of my woes —
They rise and vanish in oblivion's host,
Like shadows in love's frenzied stifled throes
And yet I am, and live — like vapors tost"
Basic Information (Required)
- Full Name: Victor Gaspard Ravenstad.
- Age: Twenty-three.
- Gender: Male.
- Race: Ailor of Alt-Regalian and Leutz-Vixe descent.
- Main Ambition: To acquire a position/gain prestige in order to be respected and accepted by his family and peers.
- As a side goal, Victor wishes to improve his skill in alchemy and possibly learn a musical instrument.
School of Leadership (Discipline of Tactical Command) - Learned
School of Alchemy (Discipline of Alchemical Theory and History) - Learned
Attended the Academia Della Arti Militare in Montania (Leadership)
Taught by a Private Tutor paid for in secret (Alchemy)
Languages
- Common - 10/10
- Leutz-Vixe - 8/10
- Alt-Regalian - 6/10
- Ithanian - 3/10
- Eye Color: Grey-blue.
- Hair Color: Raven black.
- Hair Style: Medium length, and wavy.
- Skin Color: Pale.
- Clothing: Simple, yet formal garb in red and black.
- Height: 5'10
- Body Build: Average.
- Weapon of Choice: Words, or a small, concealed dagger.
Personality and Abilities (Required)
"A quiet boy, with a loud mind."
Upon a first glance, Victor appears pensive and stoic, often taking long pauses before speaking, as to ensure his words do not get twisted or misinterpreted. Many perceive the young Ravenstad as unsettling or odd, due to his occasionally altered state of mind due to his condition. It is not uncommon for him to trail off mid-sentence, or even wander away from a group without another word. While he does restrain himself from doing such in times where etiquette is vital, in a casual setting, he is most certainly more unhinged than an average nobleman. Due to his fear of others' opinions, many see Victor as shy, due to his behaviour in group settings, and tendency to stray away from crowds, and parties. However, when engaged in a one-on-one conversation with him, most find that Victor is far more agreeable and even charming in a certain manner, though he still retains his awkward pausing while speaking. Victor can be confusing to many, which has elicited vastly varying responses from those who interact with this young Ravenstad.
Victor is absolutely terrified of being alone with his own thoughts, and thus, constantly seeks out ways to distract himself from his mental state. Whether it be a simple game of chess or the most dangerous of narcotics, Victor gets disinterested very quickly, causing him constantly be seeking out new thrills. However, his perpetual boredom and incessant need for distractions do not take away from his driving ambition to succeed and prove himself. Being highly critical of himself and others, the Ravenstad feels the driving need to win and is easily swept away in the pettiest of competitions, and arguments. Victor does not take losing easily, not because he feels it is a personal failure, but because he is afraid of how others will perceive his loss. While Victor may appear to be calm and collected on the surface, internally, there are a thousand conversations going on in his mind behind each pause in a conversation, or before each time he approaches a group. While he certainly is not antisocial, nor does he dislike conversation or interaction, he is afraid to open up to others, stemming from the constant bullying as a child, due to his heritage. Standing out as a black sheep among his kin, he is wary of letting others close to him, and truly knowing who Victor Ravenstad is. Thusly, he prefers to keep his relationships with others at arm's length - where others may open up to him, but he cannot open up to them.
There are few notable differences in between Victor's interactions with his friends and family, and mere acquaintances or strangers. This can be attributed to the fact that no matter how close he may be with someone, sharing his intimate thoughts and feelings with someone is no small task, and no one thus far has been "worthy" of Victor's affections, and personal thoughts. However, the main difference in between his behavior with his kin is that he is honest with them and straightforward in his manners of speech. He doesn't feel the same need to monitor every sentence that comes out of his mouth when speaking to his family and is far more straightforward when it comes to his intentions and plans. Above all, Victor is exceedingly loyal to his family. Though, not for the reasons, one might expect. He is very concerned with distancing himself as far away from his mother as possible, both in matters of physical appearance and actions. He feels if he shows undying loyalty and complacency with the House of Ravenstad, he may finally be redeemed in the eyes of his father, and other family members who have, and continue to ridicule him.
Akin to many a diplomatically-minded man, Victor has learned to leave his feelings at the door. While it would be a stretch to consider him sadistic, he has developed a sense of pragmatism that has taken priority over his juvenile, emotionally-driven self. If it means his family or the Empire is able to move forward, Victor sees no problem in putting lives on the line. Despite his odd, morbid fascinations, the young Ravenstad tends to disassociate, and rather perceive war tactics as a game of chess, or other situations where lives may be at stake as a calculated game, in order to keep his focus in a, particularly taxing situation.
Talents
- Strategic: Having spent arduous hours studying the tactics of war, Victor's strategic way of thinking has bled into all aspects of his life. Constantly mapping out how everything should go, and obsessing over the smallest details of his life, Victor's strategic, yet straightforward demeanor is quite effective and is rarely limited to matters of war. Often times, those close to him come to the Ravenstad for aid with a problem, as he is able to aptly analyze and draw up a solution for the issue.
- Meticulous: Cautious with everything from putting a jacket on to mixing potentially toxic substances, Victor looks at everything in an extremely precise and cautious manner. In fact, servants and family members alike tend to notice Victor's odd preference for washing his clothes, and cleaning his room himself, due to his need for perfection, and a certain routine, and balance in his life which allows the young Ravenstad to be more level-headed, and calm.
- Paranoid Schizophrenia: Though often referred to as madness, this affliction has plagued Victor's mind ever since he was young, due to a mix of genetic and psychological factors. Constantly wailing about the voices, or visions that he would see, the only way to quell his constant state of agony was with Opium, which soon became his only comfort. However, his affliction is not kept completely at bay by his use of opium and other narcotics. If placed in a particularly stressful situation, Victor can be prone to fits of fear and anger, lashing out irrationally in place of thinking. It is because of past fits that Victor actively removes himself from situations where he might have a fit, wanting to keep his condition as quiet as possible, as there is no cure to date, nor even a proper diagnosis of his condition.
- Addictive Personality: Due to his aforementioned condition, and other personality traits, Victor is prone to developing addictions, and can easily become addicted to material and immaterial things within days. To date, Victor is especially dependent on opium and alcohol, going through painful withdrawals if he is unable to get his fix. Often failing to acknowledge that he has any problems at all, or that he may be endangering his health, Victor lives for the moment of euphoria where he is able to indulge himself and to forget the pains of the day, the week, or even the year.
Likes
- Games of Strategy (Chess, backgammon, etc.)
- Strawberries.
- Routine.
- Opium.
- Poetry.
Dislikes
- Fish.
- Eggs.
- Physical contact.
- Loud noises.
- Failure.
Relationships (Optional)
Anton Ravenstad - Estranged Father: tba
Charlotte Moselberg - Deranged Mother: tba
Richarr Ravenstad - Taunting Half-brother: tba
Percival Kade - Seemingly Benevolent Patriarch: tba
Albaer Ravenstad - Kind Uncle-Figure: tba
Life Story (Required)
"From childhood's hour I have not been. As others were, I have not seen. As others saw, I could not awaken. My heart to joy at the same tone. And all I loved, I loved alone."
(Birth - 7 years of age)
- Victor Gaspard Ravenstad is born to Anton Ravenstad and his consort (at the time) Charlotte Moselberg. Being the second, and most certainly unwanted son of the past Patriarch, Victor's early life was not easy.
- As a child, Victor was the target of incessant teasing in his youth due to his appearance, and schizophrenia, which plagued him from as young as seven. To quell his odd, and rather aggravating behavior, the young Ravenstad was given opiates to soothe his mind, despite words of warning from physicians, it was the only cure apparent that didn't involve harsh surgery on the poor child, nor did his father, and caretakers seem all too concerned with his wellbeing as a screaming, delusional child. However, this eventually would lead to an addiction spanning years.
- Due to his usually distracted brain, Victor was not a bright student. He had trouble learning new concepts and was certainly not a prodigy in any sense of the word. However, this only made Victor strive to work harder, and thus spent hours pouring over books, and other studies to hone his mind.
- After many failed attempts to impress his father, and older brother, Victor gave up on trying to prove himself in his early teens, and began to sneak out, and explore the city around the Ravenstad Estate in Hinterlandia.
- It was in the slums of a Hinterlandish City, where Victor came upon what seemed to be a … mutant? With four, sorrowful eyes, she tended to a small booth selling alchemical wears. The young Victor, fascinated with the new study, and the woman herself eventually struck up a conversation. He managed to convince the woman to tutor him in alchemy.
- Despite his home life, and difficult mental condition, Victor found an odd joy in his life which had not been experienced before. The woman, a proclaimed Villatatei by the name of Yvea of Kilburg. He soon grew infatuated with the woman, and her craft, leaving the Estate for one hour, then two, then three, then a full day. Yvea told Victor her story, and he listened intently.
- However, when Victor returned the next day, after a particularly grueling lecture from his father, Yvea was nowhere to be found. He scavenged around in the filth of the slums, but the Villatatei was nowhere to be found, even though her booth remained.
- Due to his past disobedience and frequency of the slums, Victor was forced into a tactical education. Receiving a particularly sharp-tongued teacher in matters of tactical command, he was prepared for an exam to enter the Academia Della Arti Militare in Montania.
- Finally taking the exam once he had reached the age of seventeen, Victor managed to pass and was admitted to the academy, against his own personal wishes.
- His first four years at the Academy started out unpleasant. Due to his odd demeanor, Victor relied on Opium to keep himself sane. He had trouble with his studies and was usually thought to be the slacker, due to his difficulty in grasping new concepts and putting them into effect.
- However, as time passed, Victor began to enjoy his study, as he spent more of his time playing strategy games with the few friends he acquired, such as chess.
- As all things he picks up, Victor grew tired of the school, and dropped out after his mandatory first four years, at the age of twenty-one.
(21 - 23 years of age)
- Victor did not completely abandon his studies as a tactician, however. He continued his education from the comfort of the Hinterlandish Estate, practicing Alchemy on the side in secret.
- As many of his family members departed for the famed Holy City, Victor's curiosity was piqued and set off to follow his predecessors in hopes of learning more about, well. Everything.
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