Post by Twi on May 7, 2010 5:21:54 GMT -5
Name: Hilram Baker
Age: Very, very old.
Gender: Male
Role: Seeker, affectionately called General by the others since he is undoubtedly the leader of the Seekers.
Powers: He doesn't die. That's it. He doesn't heal quickly, he just never looses his ability to heal from things. Even when he's been beheaded or burned alive he still doesn't die. He stays alive through the whole thing.
Appearance:
Personality: Calm and serene no matter the situation his head remains cool and is able to think rationally. And why not? Even if his heart is ripped out of his chest he will still live. The healing and youth which are his powers have given him life eternal and he decided long ago to use that to protect much more fleeting beings. A decision which makes him rather perfect for the Seekers, especially their leader since he has more experience than the others could ever obtain if they were trained from a birth.
Hilram is the type to shove all that's painful to him away and not think about it, instead focus on accomplishing the task at hand even if it means some sacrifice as much as he hates the idea. He obeys orders from the Headmaster flawlessly even if he thinks personally there is error in the order. Instead he works within his orders to try and do what he thinks is right. You may think he has a strong sense of justice, which is true, but he fears this part of himself. He worries that with his life span and position of power he will break away from what keeps him human and humane and feel he has the right to judge whether someone is wrong or right and then maybe if they deserve to live or die. So he sticks to orders and rules and does not try to take up more political power or implement his own ideas since he knows fully well that he has no right to do that.
That's all very serious but usually he's a kind and gentle man easy to smile and make light talk, joke around, and just be a good guy. It is why all the Seekers respect him so much, he never gets mad, judges unfairly, he listens to both sides, doesn't act haughty. He will admonish you, whether your grip on the sword is incorrect or your actions were wrong, but he also is able to admit when he is wrong. Mature is what you could call him, not letting things get to him and continuing to try and do better with a smile on his face.
History: He came to the island with Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, supervised the construction of the Castle, set up the order of the the Seekers, watched as the people around him became arrogant, saw the dreams he and his friends come here with become corrupted and cruel, watched as his own charges broke away only to return with murder on their hearts. He has lived through it all.
Originally he was a peasant. Due to wars between nobles his village was attacked and everyone killed, including him. That was the first time he 'died'. He found himself still alive after a terrible wound which ripped most of his innards out to his surprise and horror, he assumed he was an demon of some kind and so fled to the wilderness. There he was found by a young woman, called by some as the Lady of the Lake. She immediately understood what was truly going on and lead him to her adoptive brother, a powerful gifted named Merlin. Merlin was an idealistic young man then, seeking to make a place where he and others like him could be safe and free. Hilram was pulled in by his dream and joined them as a bodyguard since there were many who sought Merlin's downfall, not always the Church and others thinking him a force of evil. The times were turbulent for all as nobles fought for power and some had realized the power of the gifted could be used as a powerful weapon. They did not want the gifted to become independent, no longer forced to do their dirty work in return for protection from witch hunters and the like. So they often sent out assassins to destroy Merlin and his talk of a life free of fear. Hilram would have killed all those who were sent but Merlin often stopped him and asked instead that he be allowed to speak with the assassins since many were gifted sent since as a gifted himself Merlin couldn't be taken down by normal means. Some switched sides, some Merlin let go despite the protests of Hilram who didn't feel like they could trust them, those that switched or those that left. Merlin would just smile and tell him: "The first step to making my dream a reality is to start to trust and to believe."
Eventually though such beliefs weren't enough and an army of soldiers of the Church, Knights Templar, came to vanquish Merlin. They and their supporters were forced to flee. Merlin was hurt, not physically but in spirit. He had worked hard but still they could do nothing. It was finally the Lady of the Lake who suggested that if they could not change the world why not create a new world for the gifted. It was her who found the strange island and lead their small group there and it was this that revived Merlin's spirit.
As construction continued Hilram's mission became largely going out and rescuing gifted and bringing them to the isle which Merlin had called Avalon. The pair worked hard, Hilram off the island and Merlin on it trying to set up a whole lifestyle. As numbers prospered Merlin got to be called Headmaster while Hilram got the title of General and now had others working for him to go out giving him more time to spend in peace at their new home. It also gave him time, without worry of attack or anything, to try and pursue his love, the Lady of the Lake. Ever since the beginning he had seen her as his saving angel and loved her though he was too shy and too busy to try and approach her in such a way. She was also different from any kind of woman he'd ever met and had felt unsure how to talk with her often. He planned to now gather his courage and try but then Merlin, best friend, practically his brother, confessed he loved the Lady. At first he'd only seen her like a sister but after she helped him recover his beliefs his love had changed. Hilram blurted out his feelings in his shock and they realized they were rivals and opponents for the first time. It almost tore apart their friendship but events took a turn for the worse.
The Lady began to act odd and was often weak. She refused to say what was wrong and instead started to distance herself from them. Then one day she just disappeared. Everyone looked but she had truly disappeared. People whispered that knowing she was dying she left to die in privacy since she had always been an odd person who did things differently. For Hilram it was a shock that ran through him, it was the first time one of his close friends had died. He began to wonder what would happen to him as the years passed, he saw Merlin getting older, more subdued and less bright with the Lady's death, and eventually he too passed away. But Hilram looked the same as when they first met. It was then Hilram realized the heavy burden which rested on his shoulders, eternity.
The years went by, at first he tried to hide his fears with work, bringing as many gifted to the island as he could, training other Seekers. But it became too much, one day he just retreated into his rooms at the top of Seeker's tower and did not come out, not needing food or water. Up in that tower he broke down, locking himself away from the world he became a crazed person. Hating and despising himself, trying to kill himself and going into mad fits as each attempt was unsuccessful. People claimed there was an evil spirit at the top of Seekers Tower which howled in rage and pain and caused crashing noises and loud thumps as well as a keening cry which was almost inhuman in how it sounded, so full of pain and despair it was. Years passed and he thought and meditated, eventually calming down and while he may still have that wild insanity still there in him he got better at hiding it and acting normal. Eventually he left his tower, taking back his position with a whole new attitude and personality though his body remained the same. He looked at the newborns who while he secluded away became decrepit, ancient, old men and was able to smile and say they looked well rather than become terrified and retreat from the reality before him.
In his years away though changes had started which grew as time went by. He noticed the attitudes and thoughts of those around him changing though he could do nothing about it. Whenever he spoke people listened respectfully but would blow off his words saying how times had changed, things were different. At one point when he'd gone again to the current Headmaster, a man fearful of Hilram taking his position, the Headmaster yelled at him that his job was only to bring the gifted to the island and protect them nothing more. After that Hilram kept his opinions to himself and accepted that change happened and it was too late to turn things around. The Seekers though he trained to respect everyone and to seek to protect the most important gifted to the least important non-gifted. He began taking non-gifted into the sect to everyone's surprise but no one dared to protest against the immortal General Hilram, friend of Merlin the Founder.
So the years continued to pass and the history of the island unfolded before his eyes. The Forsaken he had predicted, knowing from his past that people who are stepped upon as the mutant beings were would eventually rise up. He was sad though when he had to go to battle with children he'd helped bring to the island, children who he had known their whole lives and all their ancestors' lives. Still he did his duty, bring gifted to the island and protect them. He continues to lead the Seekers to this day, watching over them and rarely going to the outside world which has changed so much and given him so much pain.
Age: Very, very old.
Gender: Male
Role: Seeker, affectionately called General by the others since he is undoubtedly the leader of the Seekers.
Powers: He doesn't die. That's it. He doesn't heal quickly, he just never looses his ability to heal from things. Even when he's been beheaded or burned alive he still doesn't die. He stays alive through the whole thing.
Appearance:
Personality: Calm and serene no matter the situation his head remains cool and is able to think rationally. And why not? Even if his heart is ripped out of his chest he will still live. The healing and youth which are his powers have given him life eternal and he decided long ago to use that to protect much more fleeting beings. A decision which makes him rather perfect for the Seekers, especially their leader since he has more experience than the others could ever obtain if they were trained from a birth.
Hilram is the type to shove all that's painful to him away and not think about it, instead focus on accomplishing the task at hand even if it means some sacrifice as much as he hates the idea. He obeys orders from the Headmaster flawlessly even if he thinks personally there is error in the order. Instead he works within his orders to try and do what he thinks is right. You may think he has a strong sense of justice, which is true, but he fears this part of himself. He worries that with his life span and position of power he will break away from what keeps him human and humane and feel he has the right to judge whether someone is wrong or right and then maybe if they deserve to live or die. So he sticks to orders and rules and does not try to take up more political power or implement his own ideas since he knows fully well that he has no right to do that.
That's all very serious but usually he's a kind and gentle man easy to smile and make light talk, joke around, and just be a good guy. It is why all the Seekers respect him so much, he never gets mad, judges unfairly, he listens to both sides, doesn't act haughty. He will admonish you, whether your grip on the sword is incorrect or your actions were wrong, but he also is able to admit when he is wrong. Mature is what you could call him, not letting things get to him and continuing to try and do better with a smile on his face.
History: He came to the island with Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, supervised the construction of the Castle, set up the order of the the Seekers, watched as the people around him became arrogant, saw the dreams he and his friends come here with become corrupted and cruel, watched as his own charges broke away only to return with murder on their hearts. He has lived through it all.
Originally he was a peasant. Due to wars between nobles his village was attacked and everyone killed, including him. That was the first time he 'died'. He found himself still alive after a terrible wound which ripped most of his innards out to his surprise and horror, he assumed he was an demon of some kind and so fled to the wilderness. There he was found by a young woman, called by some as the Lady of the Lake. She immediately understood what was truly going on and lead him to her adoptive brother, a powerful gifted named Merlin. Merlin was an idealistic young man then, seeking to make a place where he and others like him could be safe and free. Hilram was pulled in by his dream and joined them as a bodyguard since there were many who sought Merlin's downfall, not always the Church and others thinking him a force of evil. The times were turbulent for all as nobles fought for power and some had realized the power of the gifted could be used as a powerful weapon. They did not want the gifted to become independent, no longer forced to do their dirty work in return for protection from witch hunters and the like. So they often sent out assassins to destroy Merlin and his talk of a life free of fear. Hilram would have killed all those who were sent but Merlin often stopped him and asked instead that he be allowed to speak with the assassins since many were gifted sent since as a gifted himself Merlin couldn't be taken down by normal means. Some switched sides, some Merlin let go despite the protests of Hilram who didn't feel like they could trust them, those that switched or those that left. Merlin would just smile and tell him: "The first step to making my dream a reality is to start to trust and to believe."
Eventually though such beliefs weren't enough and an army of soldiers of the Church, Knights Templar, came to vanquish Merlin. They and their supporters were forced to flee. Merlin was hurt, not physically but in spirit. He had worked hard but still they could do nothing. It was finally the Lady of the Lake who suggested that if they could not change the world why not create a new world for the gifted. It was her who found the strange island and lead their small group there and it was this that revived Merlin's spirit.
As construction continued Hilram's mission became largely going out and rescuing gifted and bringing them to the isle which Merlin had called Avalon. The pair worked hard, Hilram off the island and Merlin on it trying to set up a whole lifestyle. As numbers prospered Merlin got to be called Headmaster while Hilram got the title of General and now had others working for him to go out giving him more time to spend in peace at their new home. It also gave him time, without worry of attack or anything, to try and pursue his love, the Lady of the Lake. Ever since the beginning he had seen her as his saving angel and loved her though he was too shy and too busy to try and approach her in such a way. She was also different from any kind of woman he'd ever met and had felt unsure how to talk with her often. He planned to now gather his courage and try but then Merlin, best friend, practically his brother, confessed he loved the Lady. At first he'd only seen her like a sister but after she helped him recover his beliefs his love had changed. Hilram blurted out his feelings in his shock and they realized they were rivals and opponents for the first time. It almost tore apart their friendship but events took a turn for the worse.
The Lady began to act odd and was often weak. She refused to say what was wrong and instead started to distance herself from them. Then one day she just disappeared. Everyone looked but she had truly disappeared. People whispered that knowing she was dying she left to die in privacy since she had always been an odd person who did things differently. For Hilram it was a shock that ran through him, it was the first time one of his close friends had died. He began to wonder what would happen to him as the years passed, he saw Merlin getting older, more subdued and less bright with the Lady's death, and eventually he too passed away. But Hilram looked the same as when they first met. It was then Hilram realized the heavy burden which rested on his shoulders, eternity.
The years went by, at first he tried to hide his fears with work, bringing as many gifted to the island as he could, training other Seekers. But it became too much, one day he just retreated into his rooms at the top of Seeker's tower and did not come out, not needing food or water. Up in that tower he broke down, locking himself away from the world he became a crazed person. Hating and despising himself, trying to kill himself and going into mad fits as each attempt was unsuccessful. People claimed there was an evil spirit at the top of Seekers Tower which howled in rage and pain and caused crashing noises and loud thumps as well as a keening cry which was almost inhuman in how it sounded, so full of pain and despair it was. Years passed and he thought and meditated, eventually calming down and while he may still have that wild insanity still there in him he got better at hiding it and acting normal. Eventually he left his tower, taking back his position with a whole new attitude and personality though his body remained the same. He looked at the newborns who while he secluded away became decrepit, ancient, old men and was able to smile and say they looked well rather than become terrified and retreat from the reality before him.
In his years away though changes had started which grew as time went by. He noticed the attitudes and thoughts of those around him changing though he could do nothing about it. Whenever he spoke people listened respectfully but would blow off his words saying how times had changed, things were different. At one point when he'd gone again to the current Headmaster, a man fearful of Hilram taking his position, the Headmaster yelled at him that his job was only to bring the gifted to the island and protect them nothing more. After that Hilram kept his opinions to himself and accepted that change happened and it was too late to turn things around. The Seekers though he trained to respect everyone and to seek to protect the most important gifted to the least important non-gifted. He began taking non-gifted into the sect to everyone's surprise but no one dared to protest against the immortal General Hilram, friend of Merlin the Founder.
So the years continued to pass and the history of the island unfolded before his eyes. The Forsaken he had predicted, knowing from his past that people who are stepped upon as the mutant beings were would eventually rise up. He was sad though when he had to go to battle with children he'd helped bring to the island, children who he had known their whole lives and all their ancestors' lives. Still he did his duty, bring gifted to the island and protect them. He continues to lead the Seekers to this day, watching over them and rarely going to the outside world which has changed so much and given him so much pain.