Character Information (Siren's Pull Application)
General
Canon Source: The Venture Bros.
Canon Format: Animated television series
Character's Name: Dr. Byron Orpheus
Character's Age: Unknown - looks like he's 40-50.
What form will your character's NV take? His NV will take the form of his answering machine, seen here.
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities: Dr. Orpheus calls himself a necromancer by trade, although his canon abilities fall into a more amorphous realm of "magic". Dr. Orpheus can zap people and objects with a blue light produced from his hands. No incantations are necessary, although he does use them at times. He can also levitate objects with hand motions and incantations. He has the ability to put people to sleep and manipulate their memories. Astral projection is another of his skills. He is knowledgeable of a wide range of dark arts, including spirits from different cultures.
Weapons: Dr. Orpheus has no weapons, as he relies entirely on his magical powers.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History: Dr. Orpheus Wikipedia article
Dr. Orpheus lives in a world where costumed villains fight heroes, superscientists and magic users. However, thanks to The Guild of Calamitous Intent, it's a world of costumed villains bound by rules and constructs. Thrust into a new setting, Orpheus may be shocked by unbidden malice and kidnappers who capture their prey without regard for Subsection 12, Paragraph B of the Guild's Bylaws.
Point in Canon: Current canon point. Dr. Orpheus has just gone through another perilous adventure that ended up with him nearly trapped in Hell and sent his daughter to live with her mother to train to be a sorceress.
Character Personality:
Despite his dark calling, Dr. Orpheus is a good man. He tries to use his powers to fight villainy and keep order. His opinion of science ranges from skeptical to outright horrified, depending on the particular abomination Dr. Venture has cooked up at the moment.
Dr. Orpheus is a loving single father, calling his teenage daughter Pumpkin and looking out for her well-being. His wife left him because he was a workaholic, and a recent episode showed that he's still bitter about the fact. However, it hasn't stopped him from devoting what time he isn't doting on his daughter in pursuit of dark forces.
Dr. Orpheus is frequently overdramatic, turning everyday statements into great pronouncements. ("Do not be too hasty entering that room. I had TACO BELL FOR LUNCH!") If you've never seen The Venture Bros., this collection of Dr. Orpheus clips tells you pretty much everything you might want to know about his mannerisms.
Dr. Orpheus fears that he's not using his abilities to their fullest, living out a quiet family life. He seems to want more excitement in his life, such as when he sought out an archenemy from the Guild of Calamitous Intent.
Although Dr. Orpheus generally uses his magical abilities to maintain the balance between good and evil in the cosmos and other such noble pursuits, he's not above using them for revenge or mere convenience. For instance, he once placed the souls of two rednecks harassing him in a diner inside a Homies figurine. Rather than explaining to his daughter that there's a portal to the Necropolis in her bedroom closet, he just erases her memories when she finds out. He also sometimes uses his abilities for mundane activities like preparing dinner while he talks on the phone or levitating purchases at a yard sale to put them in a bag.
Character Plans: I see Dr. Orpheus trying to escape from the City in order to return to his daughter. However, he will also be in his element when it comes to fighting dark creatures; it may provide just the kind of excitement he's been looking for. My current plans are to play him as neutral because he wouldn't approve of the shady dealings of the "entertainment" district and he has espoused a dislike for the abominations of science in canon. I think Dr. Orpheus has the potential to be a Greeter (combining his ability to fight the Darkness with his desire to stay neutral).
Appearance/PB: Current icons
Writing Samples
First Person Sample
[Voice Recording]
My Dearest Pumpkin,
I don't know if this message will reach you. I have found myself in a strange city. It is likely the work of the Guild, or Mr. Venture may have been tinkering with the fabric of time and space again. No matter. I will return to my Pumpkin as soon as possible!
I trust that you are doing well at your mother's. I expect a full report on your progress when I return.
Do you truly want to follow in your parents' footsteps? Are you sure that you would not rather pursue other studies? I hear that cosmetology is an exciting career for a young girl such as yourself. Especially since you like colorful hair so much. I will SEND YOU A BROCHURE!
With love,
Daddy
Third Person Sample
Although the communications device looked like his answering machine at home, it was more like one of those damnable cell phones, with their tiny buttons and impossible menus. Dr. Orpheus had spent the better part of the morning attempting to send a message to Triana. He had managed to dictate a short letter, but no matter what he tried, he could not get it to send. It was bad enough that he was stuck in this odd place; was there no way to send word to those he had left behind?
Luckily, Dr. Orpheus had other means of communication beyond a hunk of plastic and electronics. He could call on a more powerful mistress than Ma Bell! He closed his eyes and muttered an incantation under his breath, focusing on the image of his daughter.
It didn't work. Not only could he not locate Triana, the effort made him physically ill.
He was going to have a talk with Mr. Venture if he ever made it back. That man never would learn to keep his science out of places it did not belong. This was the little orphan boy all over again!