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Name: Allie
Journal: nemecide
Contact: AIM - pissoir harbor || Plurk - carbunkl
Character Name: Hope Estheim
Series: Final Fantasy XIII
Gender: Male
Age & Canon Point: 14, canon point is the very beginning of Chapter 12.
Requested Sponsor: Amber or Opal would fit him best, I think.
Entry position (Cadet, SeeD, Instructor, other): Cadet.
History: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Hope_Estheim
Garden History: N/A
Abilities & Physical Abnormalities: He'll still have his l'Cie brand, and an array of different types of magic - both offensive and defensive as well as healing/curative magic.
L'Cie are capable of six different roles in battle, which are called Paradigms and can be shifted at any time, with no limit to how many times this is executed. Hope is primarily a magic user, so his main Paradigms are the following:
Ravager - Offensive magic. He uses magic of all the elements found in the game: Electricity (Thunder/Thundara/Thundaga), Fire (Fire/Fira/Firaga), Ice (Blizzard/Blizzara/Blizzaga), Water (Water/Watera/Waterga), and Wind (Aero/Aerora/Aeroga). Anything ending with -ra or -ga are "area-of-effect" attacks, with the -ga suffix dealing damage in the widest range. He also has a special move called Last Resort which deals non-elemental magic damage (similar to the Holy attacks found throughout the series) in a broad area.
Synergist - Support magic. These are spells that augment others' abilities. Hope can cast spells to raise others' resistances to the different elements. He can also raise his allies' physical and magic power (Bravery/Faith), protect them against physical and magic damage (Protect/Shell), and speed up their reaction time (Haste).
Medic - Healing magic. In this Paradigm, Hope can heal his allies (either one at a time or in a certain area range) as well as restore them if they've been knocked unconscious.
The other three roles are called Commando, Saboteur, and Sentinel. In Commando, he can deal physical damage using his boomerang, which can also hit multiple targets. However, this is rarely used because physical combat is not his area of expertise. Saboteur utilizes magic to weaken enemies, and Sentinel can be used in a pinch to protect himself.
Regardless of what Paradigm he's shifted into, Hope can also utilize a few techniques: Libra to find out information about his enemies, Renew which massively heals everyone around him and revitalizes those who might be unconscious, Quake which (obviously) creates a small earthquake to deal damage to enemies, and of course the summoning of his Eidolon: Alexander.
Alexander has the appearance of a gigantic mechanical titan, and he also has the ability to go into Gestalt Mode, where he turns into a fortress-like structure. Yes, a fortress. Wee little Hope definitely got the better end of the deal there. |D He can be used to protect as well as deal physical and non-elemental types of damage over a broad range.
More information on all of these abilities can be found in the link I've provided for the History section!
Personality: Hope is a boy who has been through a lot in a short amount of time. In a matter of days simply because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he's witnessed countless deaths, lost his mother, and had a horrific curse put upon him that would completely alter his existence entirely-including its Fate. In the beginning and throughout his story of being devastated over his mother suddenly being killed right before his eyes, he is shown as a fragile, vulnerable young boy in a great deal of shock and pain. Having been thrust into these circumstances after living a plain and comfortable life in his hometown, he has a difficult time adjusting at first. Very quickly, however, does he cast aside the veil and come out of his shell.
Despite his rocky beginning, Hope is a rather strong-willed person, as shown in his hardened determination to press onward and confront his Fate head-on with the rest of the group. Overall, he is a gentle, sensitive youth who has been shaped by the perils of bereavement and a struggle for survival. He tends to be rather serious most of the time, with a realistic approach to things that may, at times, appear to border on cynicism. He's also somewhat shy and has difficulty approaching people; preferring to gauge someone's character and reactions at arm's length, he remains reserved when getting to know someone. Once he has an accurate picture, however, he tends to warm up rather quickly. Hope is a strongly loyal and honest friend to have on one's side, and will rarely turn his back on someone once they've found themselves in his good graces.
Being as he is a teenager, Hope does get rather moody at times. Frustration and disappointment are not things he handles with ease. Broken promises are an extremely sore point with him; he also does not like seeing someone make light of or take for granted the more grave situations in life: for example, the death of someone else. He also has a strong code of ethics, particularly when it comes to seeing innocent people come to harm-this was a bit of an inner struggle for him when he had to endure the burden of being a l'Cie, for he was hated and feared by the majority of the human race yet he still did not want to strike out against the civilians who scorned him.
When he gets annoyed or upset, he tends to become sullen and withdrawn, rebuffing anyone who tries to reach out to him-including physically pushing away any attempts at affection. He's also prone to outbursts of anger if he really feels slighted or hurt, and on very rare occasions, even tears. On the flipside, his temper does tend to be diffused rather quickly, and with few exceptions he is quick to forgive. Any harsh words uttered are purely driven from emotion; he generally does not go out of his way to hurt or manipulate someone. If you've hurt or ticked him off somehow, believe me, you'll hear about it. Even in all his shyness, he'll speak up if the situation calls for it.
Unfortunately, Hope has been capable of holding grudges. This was evident in his relationship with his father, and the blame he held for Snow over the death of his mother. In time, though, both of these relationships have been mended and strengthened-which shows that even the ones he seems to hold in contempt do not last that way for good. Ultimately, he is a compassionate human being, even if the period of transition that comes with his early-adolescent age obscures that a little.
Hope is rather intelligent and educated for his age: having often provided further explanations or elaborations about the nature of l'Cie and their legends, and making astute observations about the world around him. He's had several deeply introspective moments and has demonstrated the ability to turn inward and work on himself. The most shining example of this was during his turbulent relationship with Snow: for a long while, he blamed the man for his mother's death. He even appointed himself his own mission to avenge her-a task he called "Operation Nora", for her name. Over time, it became less about the act itself and more of a vision that both gave him the drive to fight as well as becoming an ideal for finally erasing his grief. Refusing to give up until he had done her spirit justice, Hope carried his revenge out to the end, and very well could have taken Snow's life if it weren't for the blast that sent them both plummeting. However, he finally came to the realization that hating Snow wouldn't change things, and that he'd known for quite some time that it wasn't really Snow's fault yet he couldn't truly come to grips with it. This turning point really flourished after Snow saved his life despite the way Hope had treated him, showing that he was in fact a good person. It enabled Hope to finally forgive Snow and heal considerably from the traumatizing ordeal, which cemented their friendship.
Another example of Hope's willingness to change and grow is the reparation of his relationship with his father. Up until the point where they arrive at Hope's doorstep in Palumpolum, Hope always spoke of his father with disdain. However, when they arrived to deliver the news of Nora's passing, Hope's rather adolescent-boyish dislike of his father softened when he saw the man come undone over his wife's death. In spite of the danger at hand-a group of l'Cie, the world's most feared and hunted of all beings, right in his very home-Hope's father Bartholomew insisted that they would always have a place there, that Hope was his son no matter what. When they parted ways, Hope and his father reconciled at last before he left with the others, not wanting Bartholomew to get caught up in their turmoil.
Vanille and Lightning are two other extremely important people in Hope's life. Vanille he has known since the Purge (a fancy word for prejudice-driven genocide, essentially) rocked the foundation of Bodhum: the town they both happened to be in at the time. Though it took some time to warm up to Vanille initially, he tends to let his more playful and humorous "boyish" side show with her, perhaps in part because of the fact that she is the one in their little throng that is closest to his age. Lightning, on the other hand, is the person he looks up to the most: he initially followed her and stuck close because he wanted to become stronger and learn how to face his fears. She was initially frustrated with his presence, telling him that he was just slowing her down-but as they worked together to "toughen [him] up", he was able to get past her rough exterior and find a place in her heart. His nickname for her is "Light", and she is something of a big-sister figure to him.
The biggest driving factor in his evolution as a person has been the sudden and tragic death of his mother, as mentioned previously. Before her passing, he tended to be a bit sheltered, relying on her for support and comfort. The stark reality of her demise was the point where he really began to discover his own identity. Even after coming to terms with her passing and his own Fate, Hope continues to carry that inner strength onward-right up to the very end. The support network he found in his comrades, whom he's come to regard as family, has transformed him from that weak little boy into a brave, optimistic young man. He still doesn't like unnecessary violence or causing harm to others, but he will fight for the survival of himself and his loved ones.
What are your plans for the character in-game? He'll work hard toward becoming a SeeD and gaining as much knowledge about the world around him as possible. I'm not entirely sure what his specialization will be yet, but I'm thinking it'll probably be geared more toward something magic-oriented since that's his strong point when it comes to battle.
Anything else? Can't think of anything!
Complete TWO out of the FOUR options.
iii) Bracket/Commentspam RP sample (can be general or a response to the post's prompt).[Willing his heart to stay where it belongs-that's in his chest and not leaping out of his palate, the way it's been threatening-Hope leans forward a little to study the glowing panels of the directory that's resting in the center of the lobby. A single sheet of paper dangles from a fist; after proceeding through the entrance interview and making it to his dorm in a sort of surrealistic daze, he spent a long while on his bed studying all the classes and the corresponding roster of instructors.
Four names on there were ones he'd recognized, and that was startling enough, but what really threw him off was the name printed beside two courses in particular. A name that he wouldn't have known even hours ago if it weren't for smoke and mirrors. If she kept that part of herself so carefully guarded, why would it be written out like that for everyone to see?
That was when Hope finally decided to leave his dorm, but not without first changing into his issued student uniform. He simply cannot take his chances, not when he's used to humanity running in terror whenever they lay their eyes on him and his comrades. Better to blend in than to stand out and draw unwanted attention to himself.
Now he's here. The next term won't be starting for a little while, he was told, so he's entirely free until then. Therefore, his first order of business? Finding the others, and since half of his team is already written here before his eyes - it's just a matter of finding the right classrooms.
A few precarious footsteps carry him away from that big white panel and toward where he might find one of these very places. He only gets halfway up the stairs before pausing again, lifting up the wrinkled sheet in his hands and staring down at all the names, course numbers, and corresponding rooms. It's starting to all blur together, and that coupled with the eerie cleanliness, the stark openness of this strange huge building-one that can only remind him of another place, one he'd rather not think on at all if he can help it-it's all making his head spin. Hope squeezes his eyes shut with a frustrated sigh, then practically leaps up the rest of the stairs leading to the elevator.
It's entirely hit-or-miss for him, but he'll be hitting up the Farron, Villiers and Katzroy courses first thing. Other cadets might see him weaving his way through random little crowds of fellow students, probably getting smacked into due to his tiny (and therefore near-invisible) height and knocked around a few times; or he'll be nervously waiting outside one of the classrooms, attempting to find a way to peer inside. He can't summon up the courage to just barge on in there, as much as he'd like to.]
iv) Thread link
Thread from Luceti.