[ooc] character bio meme
The Character Physically
1. What is the character's stature and build? Is he overweight? Thin? What is his height and weight? Tommy’s about average height, maybe 6’3”? He weighs about 170 lbs, all muscle. His build is compact and solid, but not bulky or cumbersome, he’s no musclehead. His shoulders are broad, his torso narrow and sculpted. Arms, chest, six-pack…unbeknownst to him for most of his life, he has a body designed to function well in a fight.
2. How old is he? He’s 31 as of September 19, 2008.
3. Describe his posture. Is it good? Does he carry himself well? Is he crooked? Straight? He’s shy, so he slouches a little, like he can try to hide from people. His posture was miserable in high school, but he’s gotten much better about it over the years.
4. Is he in good shape or out of condition? Is he muscularly weak or strong? He’s in excellent shape, maybe better than he should be even with his workout regiment. He’s very strong, more so than in his youth since his powers have awakened.
5. How is his health? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? Tommy is in excellent health. A point of irony, given his previous life as Houdini, Tommy had appendicitis as a young man and subsequently an appendectomy.
6. Is he physically active or sedentary? A fast or slow mover? Physically active, mostly due to his previously sedentary profession. Quick mover, but deliberate, he wastes very little action.
7. Is he clumsy, awkward, graceful? Pretty sure on his feet as a rule. Awkward in a crowd, clumsy when he’s nervous or speaking in front of people.
8. Does he move in straight or curved lines? Is he physically tight or fluid? Straight lines, physically fluid. He’s very focused when something has his attention, and he’s generally pretty easygoing. He’s only ever tense or nervous when he’s the center of attention.
9. What are his chief efforts? Not sure about the meaning of this question except that physically, he strives to stay in shape because he works a desk job and was pretty scrawny as a kid. Without some weight-training, he fears looking like a scarecrow.
10. Is the character good-looking, pretty, beautiful, average, plain, ugly, disfigured? He’s better looking than he thinks he is. He’s not perfect, but his Greek heritage gives him an exotic look and he works to stay in shape.
11. Is the character aware of himself physically? His looks? Tommy is very aware of his own body, but not very conscious of his looks anymore. He was a skinny kid and a lanky teen, but being a good athlete saved him from any mockery of a physical sort. Kickboxing and martial arts gave him an awareness of movement and strength, but he’s naturally shy and very insecure about his looks so instead of obsessing he chooses not to think about it too much.
12. Describe his complexion and skin. Dark, light, clear, marked? Not quite olive, but he’s dark and tans easily. Clear, mostly unmarked skin save for a very small mole on his left cheek.
13. Describe his hair, coloring, styling. Is it taken care of? Tommy isn’t obsessed with it? But he takes VERY good care of his hair. It’s jet black, thick, and has a nice wave unless he wears it too long, then the weight makes it almost stick straight. He firmly believes his hair is his best feature, but will never say so. He’s worn it long since he was eight and, in an uncharacteristic fit of temper, refused to get a haircut. It was past his waist until his junior year of college when he cut it to his shoulders, and last year had to cut it short due to a fire mishap. He let it grow back out to his shoulders, however, where it remains to this day. He usually wears it loose or back in a ponytail, sometimes keeps it off his face with a beanie or baseball cap.
14. How is his usual dexterity? Does he have good hands: Can he do things? Is he a worker? Tommy’s a graphics designer and an artist in his spare time. Office work gives him quick hands and nimble fingers, sketching and painting gives him good control. Learning magic has only improved his dexterity. His hands are strong, large in size but with long fingers…he owns a guitar and loves to mess with it though he only knows one song. He keeps his fingernails trimmed and clean for the most part.
15. Is he physically tense or relaxed, nervous, controlled? Relaxed, but pretty controlled. He’s a very deliberate person and an artist: he’s careful about everything. Unless he’s in a big group where he can’t disappear, then he’s nervous as hell.
16. What are his chief tension centers? Shoulders and back, he’s an office worker. More recently, his hands and arms as well. He tends to be always playing with something in the name of dexterity, and hunches in on himself when he’s flustered or feeling especially bashful.
17. What part of his body would you notice first? His eyes and his hair. He takes great care of the first, the latter are simply a point of attraction. He has nice dark eyes and a very intense look.
18. Describe his basic gravity factor. Is there a downward pull or buoyancy? Definite pull, he’s very solidly built.
The Character's Clothes
1. How many clothes does this character have? A lot, but not. His wardrobe’s healthy, but there’s really never been a lot of variety.
2. What items are in his wardrobe? Tommy’s closet is Baileigh’s version of Hell: he owns almost no shoes. In fact? He hates shoes. He has a couple pairs of boots, a pair of flip flops for the beach, and a sturdy pair of sandals he keeps at the office for surprise meetings. Otherwise he’s barefoot, even at work. Other than that, his tastes are very simple but very specific: jeans and t-shirts, most of them interesting things he finds everywhere and gets free at work: band shirts, clothing samples (Affliction became his favorite designer when Black Saber Studios did some print ads for them and the company sent a lot of free stuff along) and the like. He favors a leather jacket in cold weather, and keeps a few dress shirts handy just in case.
3. What is his favorite article of clothing? Probably his Affliction leather jacket, a steal from the samples the company sent along. He was the only one in the office that it fit.
4. What colors are the clothes? Is there a wide range? Bright or dull? What are his favorite colors to wear? His wardrobe is very muted, earthtones and distressed fabrics. Black and red are two favorites, and he looks really good in white. He doesn’t wear it very often, though, simply because white clothes are harder to maintain and he’s very low maintenance.
5. Are his clothes bright or dull? He takes good care of his clothes, but he wears a lot of stuff to death and favors the comfortable stuff: distressed fabrics, faded and soft t-shirts, etc.
6. Were they bought or home-made, hand-me-downs, expensive? Coming from a large family, he does have a few hand-me-downs or things borrowed from relatives, but mostly his clothes are mid-range to expensive and only because of his job. He also salvages a lot of his wardrobe: being an artist and knowing how to sew (his mother taught him how to mend a ripped seam and patch a tear), he often extends the life of jeans with patches made from tattered shirts with interesting pictures and patterns.
7. What is one of his favorite items to wear? A nice worn-out army jacket he bought at a surplus store in college. It’s so beat up and worn that he can wear it in the cold, or wear it with no shirt in the heat and not suffocate.
8. Do his clothes fit well? Mostly. He likes his t-shirts a little snug and his jeans a little loose in the leg.
9. Is he comfortable in what he wears? Does he "fight" her clothes? Comfort is his chief concern. If it’s not comfortable, he doesn’t wear it, he could care how it looks.
10. Is he confident about the way he dresses, or uneasy? Tommy’s no fashion plate. He wears what he likes, and as a result he’s actually damn confident about the way he dresses.
11. Does he care for his clothes? Keep them up and neat? Is he worried about how they look? Coming from a pretty strict home (translation: his mother’s VERY uptight and anal as hell), Tommy learned early on how to do laundry. That, however, is the extent of his clothing care. Only exception is his designer stuff, his Affliction in particular: he loves to wear it a lot, so he takes special care of it to prolong its life.
12. Does he have to dress a certain way because of his job or position? If so, do his usual clothes fit his real, basic character? Tommy’s office has a pretty lax dress code…after all, he’s an artist working with a bunch of artists. He wears what suits him, but the sandals are really the only thing he’s required to wear: his boss insists he wears shoes around the office. Performance-wise, being that he does a lot of physically demanding stunts he wears what’s situationally appropriate.
13. Does he dress according to a self image of himself? Is that self image conscious or unconscious? At what age was this self image made? Not really. He’s an ordinary guy and an artist. He dresses like one.
14. What kind of underwear does he wear? Boxer-briefs man, all the way.
The Character's Voice
1. Does he speak in a high or low pitch voice? When might he be higher than usual? When lower? Tommy’s voice is low and usually pretty quiet. He’s been known to squeak when he’s nervous, and when he’s angry he gets growly.
2. Is he a loud or soft talker? Very soft-spoken, less so than he was a few years back. He doesn’t get loud unless he really has to.
3. Is there a wide range in the voice in volume, pitch and/or quality, or is the voice pretty consistent and even? Fairly consistent.
4. Is there good resonance to the voice? Is the voice throaty, chesty, heady, nasal? Very chesty. He’s not loud, but his voice has very good tone.
5. Is there tension in the voice? Anxiety? Emotion? Pretty much. He’s emotional but not overt, though when he’s nervous there’s a lot of tension there.
6. Is there an accent? Anything unusual in pronunciation? Emphasis? Phrasing? Nothing special. He has an East Coast accent, being born in Brooklyn, but grew up in Vegas predominantly so it’s very soft around the edges, people often mistake him from being a Long Islander. It gets thicker when he’s tired, and more pronounced when he’s angry.
7. Is it a trained voice, or just natural? Natural.
8. Does the character "try" to speak well or just "how it comes out"? He thinks before he speaks, but doesn’t make a huge effort to put on airs. He talks how he talks, but he’s careful about what he says.
9. Is the speech clear or muddy? Does he mumble? Is he distinct? He speaks very clearly, sometimes to make up for his lack of volume.
10. Is the voice comforting or irritating? Reassuring or disturbing? Comforting, nuanced. It’s nice to listen to him talk.
11. Is he self-conscious when he speaks to others? How large a group could he speak to before he became self-conscious? Not very big. He’s only truly comfortable in front of family, and pretty much friends, too, but Tommy’s very shy. He was PAINFULLY shy as a boy and grew out of some of it, but he’s still not very good at dealing with crowds or new people.
The Character's Mind
1. Is the character smart, dumb, naive? Fairly street smart. He’s no brain trust, but he’s not dumb. He’s a bit sheltered, he believes in the best in people, but not naïve…he’s not too quick to trust.
2. Does he think quickly? Slowly? Is he quick-witted? Dull? Tommy’s a quick thinker, not very quick witted…he’s diligent, which might make him come off as a little slow at times.
3. What kind of education has he had? High school, college grad (UCLA, major in art and a minor in history. Attended on an athletics scholarship.).
4. What subjects does the character have knowledge or expertise in? He’s an artist? He knows Photoshop, PSP, and other graphics programs, plus he knows his way around a computer and the internet. In-depth knowledge of escapology and the life of Harry Houdini.
5. Is the character impulsive or deliberate in reaching conclusions? Is he logical, rational, or emotional? Logical, but emotional. He thinks things through, and he’s not quick to lose his temper.
6. Does he think out things before he speaks or can he "think on his feet" as he is speaking? Definitely thinks things through. He gets too flustered to really think on his feet, unless his power is at work. When hope speaks, it speaks through him.
7. Does he have contemplative times? What does he think about when alone? He can get pretty philosophical and introspective, more so since remembering his past lives. He has a lot of past regrets and thinks a lot about his child, and lately about his girl, Ziyah.
8. Is he an idealist? A pragmatist? A dreamer? An idea man? An action man? Definitely an idea and action man, the latter being a more recent thing.
9. Is his life motivated chiefly by abstract ideals or practical rewards? Ideals. He’s a big believer in virtue.
The Character's Emotions and Personality
1. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert.
2. Does he get along well with people? Does he have charm? Are people attracted to him? Does he like people? He loves people, but he’s painfully shy. His bashful nature, however, seems to be an enigmatic one because he does tend to attract others to him.
3. Does he have many friends? Any close friends? He’s got quite a few friends, a few who are particularly close.
4. Is he hot-blooded or cool-headed? Bit hot-blooded. Slow to anger, but his temper burns hot. He’s subdued, but deeply passionate.
5. Does he have a narrow or wide range of emotions? Do they show often? He’s a pretty sensitive guy…open with his emotions, but not overly. He’s very cautious with his feelings.
6. Does he indulge in emotional peaks, outbursts, or valleys? Often? No. Tommy’s a very steady guy. Maybe not stable, but steady. The outbursts are rare, and the peaks and valleys are EPIC when they do occur.
7. Would you say he is basically sensitive or callous? Sensitive, very.
8. Is he suspicious, cautious, trusting, or naive about new people or situations? Cautious and open. He believes in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, but he’s not naïve about it.
9. Is he an aggressive or reactive person? Is he a pusher or a puller? In his own way? Aggressive. He’s shy, but not timid or a doormat. He stands quiet and firm, and he can be VERY charming when he wants to be. A puller, then, he draws you in.
10. Does he take positive or negative action? Positive for the most part.
11. In a danger or emergency situation would he go to it or run away from it? Go to it without much thought.
12. Is the character basically nervous or calm? Middlin’, I’d say. He’s too shy to be overly calm, but he is a pretty even-tempered guy.
13. Does the character have a sense of humor? Does he appreciate jokes? Can he see humor in unfunny situations? Can he laugh at himself? Tommy loves a good joke, and in the right setting can laugh at himself easily. He doesn’t actively look for a funny in bad situations, but he can put a positive spin on things and if that includes a joke, well…
14. Can he tell a funny story or joke? Do others find him amusing? He’s known as a good storyteller, but mostly by very close friends and family and partly because he’s got a nice speaking voice. He likes to think he can be funny, but doesn’t have much self-confidence in that area. The only laughs he trusts come from his baby girl.
15. Is he a practical joker? What is his opinion of tricks or jokes played on other people? Some of Tommy’s closest friends are prank aficionados, so while it’s not his first choice at humor? He can dish it out as well as he can take it.
16. Is his humor ever cruel? Not really, no. Sometimes he can be very much a guy about taking things too far, but he’s pretty sensitive to the boundaries of good taste and sportsmanship.
17. Under what conditions could he be harmful or mean or cruel to another person? Tommy could, would, and has killed for the people he loves. A slight against this loved ones is usually met with the full fury of his Titan nature.
18. Is he a loving person? Is he full of love and giving or rather bound and tight in this area? Is he capable of relation to others in a loving way? Is he capable or relating to one specific person in a romantic way? Being an avatar, love is Tommy’s life’s blood. Literally. He’s never at all shy about showing he cares, and thrives on affection for the most part. His own inhibitions and his low self-esteem make it something of a miracle for him when he finds romantic love. Hearing ‘I love you’ always surprises him.
19. Is he loved by any other people? In what way? Yes, both platonic and romantic.
20. Is he romantically in love now? With whom? Is this a happy, rewarding or frustrating situation for him? Tommy has multiple ‘verses that encompass two S.O.’s, Ziyah Ambrogio and Sassafras Lally with a side note to Channing Vale, who is in possession of the last spiritual vestiges of Bess Houdini. Being that Channing is also my muse, I would never ‘ship these to although to be fair? It would probably be Tommy’s best match because Channing not only knows him through her memories of Bess, but compliments him quite nicely. She’s forceful where he’s shy, strong and sexual where Tommy is more emotionally open. His most stable relationship, however, is his involvement with the mother of his child, Ziyah. She is, frankly, his polar opposite. Theirs is a give and take relationship with deep rewards: he gives her unconditional love and peace of mind while she dares him to be a more outgoing man. Sassy, who is significantly younger than Tommy, is like a mystical perpetual energy source: she’s bright and vivacious and completely fearless. She takes what she wants, and she’s basically staked her claim on Tommy. I like to call her kiddie!Zee, being that she’s less edgy and more just plain vibrant. Interestingly enough, Zee and Sassy are very close friends, regardless of which ‘verse and who’s sleeping with Tommy. There’s love to spare, people. ;)
The Character's Wealth, Power, and Influence
1. Does this person have much money? Does it provide position or respect from others for him? He makes a decent living. He’s not independently wealthy, but he can support himself with relative ease.
2. Is he generous or selfish with her money and possessions? Very generous with everything but the secrets to his magic tricks.
3. Is the character socially prominent? Is he prominent from wealth, position or office, family history, ability or accomplishment? Ability, maybe? Being the reincarnation of Harry Houdini, Tommy’s unique among his kind in that he has not one, but three natural gifts: levitation, escapology, and forecasting (a relatively untapped gift; based on knowledge of the past and the world, he can see impressions of the future.)
4. Does the character rate high in the "pecking order" with his household? Town? Area? Nation? World? Were it up to his Fraternity brethren, Tommy would be leader of the order instead of Martin Mackenroy. As the reincarnation of Houdini, a master magician, and Epimetheus, the father of the children of Pandora, he’s a highly valued, respected, and deeply LOVED member of the Fraternity.
5. Does this person wield much clout? Over whom and by what means? He’s essentially existed, spiritually, since the dawn of time? Other than that, yeah, he’s got nothing.
6. Can he command others to do her bidding, by word or manipulation? He did, once? But he had to hypnotize Zee just to make her go to bed.
7. How does he get her wishes daily? Asking nice? Or hypnosis, that works, too. Though lately, he’s discovered that flirting gets him far. He was shameless with the nurses at the hospital when it came to spending more time with the baby.
8. To whom is he subservient? Is this submission willing or unavoidable? Mankind. Tommy takes his duty as an avatar very seriously, and genuinely wishes to serve the needs of humanity.
The Character's Activities
1. How does the character spend his time? Reads some, watches movies…sketches. Paints. Listens to music a lot, loves magic, and…well, he’s blushing in my head, but sex with either of his girlfriends. As much as he can get.
2. What does his daily routine consist of? Wake up, brush teeth, shower, go to work, go to the gym, go train with his friends (magic, use of his powers, etc.), hang out with his friends and girl, go home to girl and cats/kid, make dinner, have sex, go to sleep…possibly get woken up by baby/cats/horny girlfriend during the night, sleep more.
3. What is his profession or work? Formerly? Graphics designer at Black Saber Studios. He quit and moved to Las Vegas after Ziyah’s death, where he WILL be getting a job working as an art consultant on Channing Vale’s show at The Mirage.
4. What things does he really like to do? Really? Tommy’s favorite thing in the world is to curl up at home with the baby/his cats/his girl and watch a movie or work on his laptop. Loves magic, too, and music.
5. What things does he hate to do? Besides wearing shoes? Probably doing dishes.
6. What are his leisure time activities? Pastimes? Recreation? Magic is a hobby as well as his profession, he also enjoys drawing more than any other art form, and really has a deep love of music.
7. Does he play games? What kind? He likes card games…he grew up in Vegas, sue him. He also smokes on guitar in ROCK BAND on Xbox.
8. Does he like to eat or drink? How important to her are food and drink? Tommy’s Greek, food’s a way of life for him. He loves to cook, and loves to eat. He makes wonderful food if it’s something he’s familiar with making, otherwise he’s mediocre…he’s not very good at following recipes.
9. How important is sex to him? What sexual activities does he partake in? Anything unusual? Tommy’s never been uptight about sex? But he does place a lot of importance on the emotional aspects of it. He doesn’t do casual sex or one night stands, but he’s not celibate between relationships. He needs a meaningful connection or else it just doesn’t work for him. Being with Zee, Tommy’s discovered he really enjoys different aspects of sex…biting, rough sex, even a little light bondage (cuffing, mostly).
10. Is his exactitude about sex healthy or disturbing to him? Is sex a rewarding, enriching part of this person's life or is it frightening, anxious, or frustrating? Is sex a positive or negative factor in his life? Tommy sees sexual chemistry as a very important part of a relationship, and sex overall as a healthy and positive thing. It has obvious physical advantages, but most important to him is the way it brings people closer together. It’s also a very private thing for him, so talking about sex usually leads to a lot of blushing and stammering.
The Character's Favorite Things
1. Colors? Black and red.
2. Food? Stuffed grape leaves and his mother’s Greek chicken.
3. Drinks? Sam Adams and Jack Daniels.
4. Smells? Fresh scents like mint and early morning air, and heavier or floral ones like incense and patchouli.
5. Time of day? Early morning, before sunrise.
6. Season of the year? Winter.
7. Books? STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert Henlein, HOUDINI ON MAGIC.
8. Kinds of literature? He’s a huge fan of the classics. He also likes biographies.
9. Authors? Houdini, Robert Houdin.
10. Places to visit? New York, Vegas before he decided to move back.
11. Kinds of music? Heavy metal and hard rock. He also likes a lot of doo wop and standards…his tastes are very eclectic.
12. Musical Instruments? Electric guitar. He loves Hendrix and Townshend.
13. Composers? Gershwin, Duke Ellington, he likes jazz more than classical.
14. Metals? Sterling silver.
15. Building materials? Depends on what he’s breaking out of and when. ;D
16. Fabrics? Leather, denim, flannel.
17. Pieces of furniture? Couch. He sleeps on it more than his own bed.
18. Plants? Ferns.
19. Flowers? The gold roses his friend Dog bred for him to give to Zee.
20. Trees? Apple trees.
21. Birds? Doves.
22. Animals? Cats.
23. Miscellaneous? Handcuffs?
24. Modern Fairytale? Not much for fairytales.
Character's Religion
1. What are his specific religious beliefs? Does he belong to a specific sect or creed? Does he advocate that group's beliefs? He was raised Roman Catholic, buuuuuut he was also raised Jewish, is a Titan god, and has two friends that are deities. He’s become something of a relaxed theist: he knows the gods are real, but doesn’t feel compelled to worship any except when moved to do so.
2. How important is religion to him? Organized religion doesn’t have much of a place in his life anymore.
3. Is he pious, devout? Pious as he can be. He lives more by choice than religious doctrine.
4. In what religious activities does he engage? What percentage of his time is devoted to it? He prays to Elpis, the god of hope, and Hekate, goddess of magick, and makes offerings as he sees fit.
5. How does religion motivate his actions or affect them? Not much if at all.
Character's Fears
1. What things frighten him? The idea of losing his parents, enclosed spaces (ironic with his BURIED ALIVE escape, ;p)
2. Is he motivated by fear? Yes, but not as an impetus. Tommy lives to conquer fear and master his own weaknesses.
3. To what extent is he motivated; never, occasionally, usually, constantly? Daily.
4. What would this character think were the three most terrible things that could happen to him?
1) Losing his parents.
2) Losing his girlfriend (which he has.)
3) Failing a charge in the line of duty.
5. What would he think were the three most wonderful things that could happen to him?
1) His daughter (which he has.)
2) Securing his own full-scale show.
3) Dying in the line of duty.
6. What is the one thing he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? That he knows why people in Las Vegas started dying just after Ziyah was murdered.
1. What is the character's stature and build? Is he overweight? Thin? What is his height and weight? Tommy’s about average height, maybe 6’3”? He weighs about 170 lbs, all muscle. His build is compact and solid, but not bulky or cumbersome, he’s no musclehead. His shoulders are broad, his torso narrow and sculpted. Arms, chest, six-pack…unbeknownst to him for most of his life, he has a body designed to function well in a fight.
2. How old is he? He’s 31 as of September 19, 2008.
3. Describe his posture. Is it good? Does he carry himself well? Is he crooked? Straight? He’s shy, so he slouches a little, like he can try to hide from people. His posture was miserable in high school, but he’s gotten much better about it over the years.
4. Is he in good shape or out of condition? Is he muscularly weak or strong? He’s in excellent shape, maybe better than he should be even with his workout regiment. He’s very strong, more so than in his youth since his powers have awakened.
5. How is his health? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? Tommy is in excellent health. A point of irony, given his previous life as Houdini, Tommy had appendicitis as a young man and subsequently an appendectomy.
6. Is he physically active or sedentary? A fast or slow mover? Physically active, mostly due to his previously sedentary profession. Quick mover, but deliberate, he wastes very little action.
7. Is he clumsy, awkward, graceful? Pretty sure on his feet as a rule. Awkward in a crowd, clumsy when he’s nervous or speaking in front of people.
8. Does he move in straight or curved lines? Is he physically tight or fluid? Straight lines, physically fluid. He’s very focused when something has his attention, and he’s generally pretty easygoing. He’s only ever tense or nervous when he’s the center of attention.
9. What are his chief efforts? Not sure about the meaning of this question except that physically, he strives to stay in shape because he works a desk job and was pretty scrawny as a kid. Without some weight-training, he fears looking like a scarecrow.
10. Is the character good-looking, pretty, beautiful, average, plain, ugly, disfigured? He’s better looking than he thinks he is. He’s not perfect, but his Greek heritage gives him an exotic look and he works to stay in shape.
11. Is the character aware of himself physically? His looks? Tommy is very aware of his own body, but not very conscious of his looks anymore. He was a skinny kid and a lanky teen, but being a good athlete saved him from any mockery of a physical sort. Kickboxing and martial arts gave him an awareness of movement and strength, but he’s naturally shy and very insecure about his looks so instead of obsessing he chooses not to think about it too much.
12. Describe his complexion and skin. Dark, light, clear, marked? Not quite olive, but he’s dark and tans easily. Clear, mostly unmarked skin save for a very small mole on his left cheek.
13. Describe his hair, coloring, styling. Is it taken care of? Tommy isn’t obsessed with it? But he takes VERY good care of his hair. It’s jet black, thick, and has a nice wave unless he wears it too long, then the weight makes it almost stick straight. He firmly believes his hair is his best feature, but will never say so. He’s worn it long since he was eight and, in an uncharacteristic fit of temper, refused to get a haircut. It was past his waist until his junior year of college when he cut it to his shoulders, and last year had to cut it short due to a fire mishap. He let it grow back out to his shoulders, however, where it remains to this day. He usually wears it loose or back in a ponytail, sometimes keeps it off his face with a beanie or baseball cap.
14. How is his usual dexterity? Does he have good hands: Can he do things? Is he a worker? Tommy’s a graphics designer and an artist in his spare time. Office work gives him quick hands and nimble fingers, sketching and painting gives him good control. Learning magic has only improved his dexterity. His hands are strong, large in size but with long fingers…he owns a guitar and loves to mess with it though he only knows one song. He keeps his fingernails trimmed and clean for the most part.
15. Is he physically tense or relaxed, nervous, controlled? Relaxed, but pretty controlled. He’s a very deliberate person and an artist: he’s careful about everything. Unless he’s in a big group where he can’t disappear, then he’s nervous as hell.
16. What are his chief tension centers? Shoulders and back, he’s an office worker. More recently, his hands and arms as well. He tends to be always playing with something in the name of dexterity, and hunches in on himself when he’s flustered or feeling especially bashful.
17. What part of his body would you notice first? His eyes and his hair. He takes great care of the first, the latter are simply a point of attraction. He has nice dark eyes and a very intense look.
18. Describe his basic gravity factor. Is there a downward pull or buoyancy? Definite pull, he’s very solidly built.
The Character's Clothes
1. How many clothes does this character have? A lot, but not. His wardrobe’s healthy, but there’s really never been a lot of variety.
2. What items are in his wardrobe? Tommy’s closet is Baileigh’s version of Hell: he owns almost no shoes. In fact? He hates shoes. He has a couple pairs of boots, a pair of flip flops for the beach, and a sturdy pair of sandals he keeps at the office for surprise meetings. Otherwise he’s barefoot, even at work. Other than that, his tastes are very simple but very specific: jeans and t-shirts, most of them interesting things he finds everywhere and gets free at work: band shirts, clothing samples (Affliction became his favorite designer when Black Saber Studios did some print ads for them and the company sent a lot of free stuff along) and the like. He favors a leather jacket in cold weather, and keeps a few dress shirts handy just in case.
3. What is his favorite article of clothing? Probably his Affliction leather jacket, a steal from the samples the company sent along. He was the only one in the office that it fit.
4. What colors are the clothes? Is there a wide range? Bright or dull? What are his favorite colors to wear? His wardrobe is very muted, earthtones and distressed fabrics. Black and red are two favorites, and he looks really good in white. He doesn’t wear it very often, though, simply because white clothes are harder to maintain and he’s very low maintenance.
5. Are his clothes bright or dull? He takes good care of his clothes, but he wears a lot of stuff to death and favors the comfortable stuff: distressed fabrics, faded and soft t-shirts, etc.
6. Were they bought or home-made, hand-me-downs, expensive? Coming from a large family, he does have a few hand-me-downs or things borrowed from relatives, but mostly his clothes are mid-range to expensive and only because of his job. He also salvages a lot of his wardrobe: being an artist and knowing how to sew (his mother taught him how to mend a ripped seam and patch a tear), he often extends the life of jeans with patches made from tattered shirts with interesting pictures and patterns.
7. What is one of his favorite items to wear? A nice worn-out army jacket he bought at a surplus store in college. It’s so beat up and worn that he can wear it in the cold, or wear it with no shirt in the heat and not suffocate.
8. Do his clothes fit well? Mostly. He likes his t-shirts a little snug and his jeans a little loose in the leg.
9. Is he comfortable in what he wears? Does he "fight" her clothes? Comfort is his chief concern. If it’s not comfortable, he doesn’t wear it, he could care how it looks.
10. Is he confident about the way he dresses, or uneasy? Tommy’s no fashion plate. He wears what he likes, and as a result he’s actually damn confident about the way he dresses.
11. Does he care for his clothes? Keep them up and neat? Is he worried about how they look? Coming from a pretty strict home (translation: his mother’s VERY uptight and anal as hell), Tommy learned early on how to do laundry. That, however, is the extent of his clothing care. Only exception is his designer stuff, his Affliction in particular: he loves to wear it a lot, so he takes special care of it to prolong its life.
12. Does he have to dress a certain way because of his job or position? If so, do his usual clothes fit his real, basic character? Tommy’s office has a pretty lax dress code…after all, he’s an artist working with a bunch of artists. He wears what suits him, but the sandals are really the only thing he’s required to wear: his boss insists he wears shoes around the office. Performance-wise, being that he does a lot of physically demanding stunts he wears what’s situationally appropriate.
13. Does he dress according to a self image of himself? Is that self image conscious or unconscious? At what age was this self image made? Not really. He’s an ordinary guy and an artist. He dresses like one.
14. What kind of underwear does he wear? Boxer-briefs man, all the way.
The Character's Voice
1. Does he speak in a high or low pitch voice? When might he be higher than usual? When lower? Tommy’s voice is low and usually pretty quiet. He’s been known to squeak when he’s nervous, and when he’s angry he gets growly.
2. Is he a loud or soft talker? Very soft-spoken, less so than he was a few years back. He doesn’t get loud unless he really has to.
3. Is there a wide range in the voice in volume, pitch and/or quality, or is the voice pretty consistent and even? Fairly consistent.
4. Is there good resonance to the voice? Is the voice throaty, chesty, heady, nasal? Very chesty. He’s not loud, but his voice has very good tone.
5. Is there tension in the voice? Anxiety? Emotion? Pretty much. He’s emotional but not overt, though when he’s nervous there’s a lot of tension there.
6. Is there an accent? Anything unusual in pronunciation? Emphasis? Phrasing? Nothing special. He has an East Coast accent, being born in Brooklyn, but grew up in Vegas predominantly so it’s very soft around the edges, people often mistake him from being a Long Islander. It gets thicker when he’s tired, and more pronounced when he’s angry.
7. Is it a trained voice, or just natural? Natural.
8. Does the character "try" to speak well or just "how it comes out"? He thinks before he speaks, but doesn’t make a huge effort to put on airs. He talks how he talks, but he’s careful about what he says.
9. Is the speech clear or muddy? Does he mumble? Is he distinct? He speaks very clearly, sometimes to make up for his lack of volume.
10. Is the voice comforting or irritating? Reassuring or disturbing? Comforting, nuanced. It’s nice to listen to him talk.
11. Is he self-conscious when he speaks to others? How large a group could he speak to before he became self-conscious? Not very big. He’s only truly comfortable in front of family, and pretty much friends, too, but Tommy’s very shy. He was PAINFULLY shy as a boy and grew out of some of it, but he’s still not very good at dealing with crowds or new people.
The Character's Mind
1. Is the character smart, dumb, naive? Fairly street smart. He’s no brain trust, but he’s not dumb. He’s a bit sheltered, he believes in the best in people, but not naïve…he’s not too quick to trust.
2. Does he think quickly? Slowly? Is he quick-witted? Dull? Tommy’s a quick thinker, not very quick witted…he’s diligent, which might make him come off as a little slow at times.
3. What kind of education has he had? High school, college grad (UCLA, major in art and a minor in history. Attended on an athletics scholarship.).
4. What subjects does the character have knowledge or expertise in? He’s an artist? He knows Photoshop, PSP, and other graphics programs, plus he knows his way around a computer and the internet. In-depth knowledge of escapology and the life of Harry Houdini.
5. Is the character impulsive or deliberate in reaching conclusions? Is he logical, rational, or emotional? Logical, but emotional. He thinks things through, and he’s not quick to lose his temper.
6. Does he think out things before he speaks or can he "think on his feet" as he is speaking? Definitely thinks things through. He gets too flustered to really think on his feet, unless his power is at work. When hope speaks, it speaks through him.
7. Does he have contemplative times? What does he think about when alone? He can get pretty philosophical and introspective, more so since remembering his past lives. He has a lot of past regrets and thinks a lot about his child, and lately about his girl, Ziyah.
8. Is he an idealist? A pragmatist? A dreamer? An idea man? An action man? Definitely an idea and action man, the latter being a more recent thing.
9. Is his life motivated chiefly by abstract ideals or practical rewards? Ideals. He’s a big believer in virtue.
The Character's Emotions and Personality
1. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert.
2. Does he get along well with people? Does he have charm? Are people attracted to him? Does he like people? He loves people, but he’s painfully shy. His bashful nature, however, seems to be an enigmatic one because he does tend to attract others to him.
3. Does he have many friends? Any close friends? He’s got quite a few friends, a few who are particularly close.
4. Is he hot-blooded or cool-headed? Bit hot-blooded. Slow to anger, but his temper burns hot. He’s subdued, but deeply passionate.
5. Does he have a narrow or wide range of emotions? Do they show often? He’s a pretty sensitive guy…open with his emotions, but not overly. He’s very cautious with his feelings.
6. Does he indulge in emotional peaks, outbursts, or valleys? Often? No. Tommy’s a very steady guy. Maybe not stable, but steady. The outbursts are rare, and the peaks and valleys are EPIC when they do occur.
7. Would you say he is basically sensitive or callous? Sensitive, very.
8. Is he suspicious, cautious, trusting, or naive about new people or situations? Cautious and open. He believes in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, but he’s not naïve about it.
9. Is he an aggressive or reactive person? Is he a pusher or a puller? In his own way? Aggressive. He’s shy, but not timid or a doormat. He stands quiet and firm, and he can be VERY charming when he wants to be. A puller, then, he draws you in.
10. Does he take positive or negative action? Positive for the most part.
11. In a danger or emergency situation would he go to it or run away from it? Go to it without much thought.
12. Is the character basically nervous or calm? Middlin’, I’d say. He’s too shy to be overly calm, but he is a pretty even-tempered guy.
13. Does the character have a sense of humor? Does he appreciate jokes? Can he see humor in unfunny situations? Can he laugh at himself? Tommy loves a good joke, and in the right setting can laugh at himself easily. He doesn’t actively look for a funny in bad situations, but he can put a positive spin on things and if that includes a joke, well…
14. Can he tell a funny story or joke? Do others find him amusing? He’s known as a good storyteller, but mostly by very close friends and family and partly because he’s got a nice speaking voice. He likes to think he can be funny, but doesn’t have much self-confidence in that area. The only laughs he trusts come from his baby girl.
15. Is he a practical joker? What is his opinion of tricks or jokes played on other people? Some of Tommy’s closest friends are prank aficionados, so while it’s not his first choice at humor? He can dish it out as well as he can take it.
16. Is his humor ever cruel? Not really, no. Sometimes he can be very much a guy about taking things too far, but he’s pretty sensitive to the boundaries of good taste and sportsmanship.
17. Under what conditions could he be harmful or mean or cruel to another person? Tommy could, would, and has killed for the people he loves. A slight against this loved ones is usually met with the full fury of his Titan nature.
18. Is he a loving person? Is he full of love and giving or rather bound and tight in this area? Is he capable of relation to others in a loving way? Is he capable or relating to one specific person in a romantic way? Being an avatar, love is Tommy’s life’s blood. Literally. He’s never at all shy about showing he cares, and thrives on affection for the most part. His own inhibitions and his low self-esteem make it something of a miracle for him when he finds romantic love. Hearing ‘I love you’ always surprises him.
19. Is he loved by any other people? In what way? Yes, both platonic and romantic.
20. Is he romantically in love now? With whom? Is this a happy, rewarding or frustrating situation for him? Tommy has multiple ‘verses that encompass two S.O.’s, Ziyah Ambrogio and Sassafras Lally with a side note to Channing Vale, who is in possession of the last spiritual vestiges of Bess Houdini. Being that Channing is also my muse, I would never ‘ship these to although to be fair? It would probably be Tommy’s best match because Channing not only knows him through her memories of Bess, but compliments him quite nicely. She’s forceful where he’s shy, strong and sexual where Tommy is more emotionally open. His most stable relationship, however, is his involvement with the mother of his child, Ziyah. She is, frankly, his polar opposite. Theirs is a give and take relationship with deep rewards: he gives her unconditional love and peace of mind while she dares him to be a more outgoing man. Sassy, who is significantly younger than Tommy, is like a mystical perpetual energy source: she’s bright and vivacious and completely fearless. She takes what she wants, and she’s basically staked her claim on Tommy. I like to call her kiddie!Zee, being that she’s less edgy and more just plain vibrant. Interestingly enough, Zee and Sassy are very close friends, regardless of which ‘verse and who’s sleeping with Tommy. There’s love to spare, people. ;)
The Character's Wealth, Power, and Influence
1. Does this person have much money? Does it provide position or respect from others for him? He makes a decent living. He’s not independently wealthy, but he can support himself with relative ease.
2. Is he generous or selfish with her money and possessions? Very generous with everything but the secrets to his magic tricks.
3. Is the character socially prominent? Is he prominent from wealth, position or office, family history, ability or accomplishment? Ability, maybe? Being the reincarnation of Harry Houdini, Tommy’s unique among his kind in that he has not one, but three natural gifts: levitation, escapology, and forecasting (a relatively untapped gift; based on knowledge of the past and the world, he can see impressions of the future.)
4. Does the character rate high in the "pecking order" with his household? Town? Area? Nation? World? Were it up to his Fraternity brethren, Tommy would be leader of the order instead of Martin Mackenroy. As the reincarnation of Houdini, a master magician, and Epimetheus, the father of the children of Pandora, he’s a highly valued, respected, and deeply LOVED member of the Fraternity.
5. Does this person wield much clout? Over whom and by what means? He’s essentially existed, spiritually, since the dawn of time? Other than that, yeah, he’s got nothing.
6. Can he command others to do her bidding, by word or manipulation? He did, once? But he had to hypnotize Zee just to make her go to bed.
7. How does he get her wishes daily? Asking nice? Or hypnosis, that works, too. Though lately, he’s discovered that flirting gets him far. He was shameless with the nurses at the hospital when it came to spending more time with the baby.
8. To whom is he subservient? Is this submission willing or unavoidable? Mankind. Tommy takes his duty as an avatar very seriously, and genuinely wishes to serve the needs of humanity.
The Character's Activities
1. How does the character spend his time? Reads some, watches movies…sketches. Paints. Listens to music a lot, loves magic, and…well, he’s blushing in my head, but sex with either of his girlfriends. As much as he can get.
2. What does his daily routine consist of? Wake up, brush teeth, shower, go to work, go to the gym, go train with his friends (magic, use of his powers, etc.), hang out with his friends and girl, go home to girl and cats/kid, make dinner, have sex, go to sleep…possibly get woken up by baby/cats/horny girlfriend during the night, sleep more.
3. What is his profession or work? Formerly? Graphics designer at Black Saber Studios. He quit and moved to Las Vegas after Ziyah’s death, where he WILL be getting a job working as an art consultant on Channing Vale’s show at The Mirage.
4. What things does he really like to do? Really? Tommy’s favorite thing in the world is to curl up at home with the baby/his cats/his girl and watch a movie or work on his laptop. Loves magic, too, and music.
5. What things does he hate to do? Besides wearing shoes? Probably doing dishes.
6. What are his leisure time activities? Pastimes? Recreation? Magic is a hobby as well as his profession, he also enjoys drawing more than any other art form, and really has a deep love of music.
7. Does he play games? What kind? He likes card games…he grew up in Vegas, sue him. He also smokes on guitar in ROCK BAND on Xbox.
8. Does he like to eat or drink? How important to her are food and drink? Tommy’s Greek, food’s a way of life for him. He loves to cook, and loves to eat. He makes wonderful food if it’s something he’s familiar with making, otherwise he’s mediocre…he’s not very good at following recipes.
9. How important is sex to him? What sexual activities does he partake in? Anything unusual? Tommy’s never been uptight about sex? But he does place a lot of importance on the emotional aspects of it. He doesn’t do casual sex or one night stands, but he’s not celibate between relationships. He needs a meaningful connection or else it just doesn’t work for him. Being with Zee, Tommy’s discovered he really enjoys different aspects of sex…biting, rough sex, even a little light bondage (cuffing, mostly).
10. Is his exactitude about sex healthy or disturbing to him? Is sex a rewarding, enriching part of this person's life or is it frightening, anxious, or frustrating? Is sex a positive or negative factor in his life? Tommy sees sexual chemistry as a very important part of a relationship, and sex overall as a healthy and positive thing. It has obvious physical advantages, but most important to him is the way it brings people closer together. It’s also a very private thing for him, so talking about sex usually leads to a lot of blushing and stammering.
The Character's Favorite Things
1. Colors? Black and red.
2. Food? Stuffed grape leaves and his mother’s Greek chicken.
3. Drinks? Sam Adams and Jack Daniels.
4. Smells? Fresh scents like mint and early morning air, and heavier or floral ones like incense and patchouli.
5. Time of day? Early morning, before sunrise.
6. Season of the year? Winter.
7. Books? STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert Henlein, HOUDINI ON MAGIC.
8. Kinds of literature? He’s a huge fan of the classics. He also likes biographies.
9. Authors? Houdini, Robert Houdin.
10. Places to visit? New York, Vegas before he decided to move back.
11. Kinds of music? Heavy metal and hard rock. He also likes a lot of doo wop and standards…his tastes are very eclectic.
12. Musical Instruments? Electric guitar. He loves Hendrix and Townshend.
13. Composers? Gershwin, Duke Ellington, he likes jazz more than classical.
14. Metals? Sterling silver.
15. Building materials? Depends on what he’s breaking out of and when. ;D
16. Fabrics? Leather, denim, flannel.
17. Pieces of furniture? Couch. He sleeps on it more than his own bed.
18. Plants? Ferns.
19. Flowers? The gold roses his friend Dog bred for him to give to Zee.
20. Trees? Apple trees.
21. Birds? Doves.
22. Animals? Cats.
23. Miscellaneous? Handcuffs?
24. Modern Fairytale? Not much for fairytales.
Character's Religion
1. What are his specific religious beliefs? Does he belong to a specific sect or creed? Does he advocate that group's beliefs? He was raised Roman Catholic, buuuuuut he was also raised Jewish, is a Titan god, and has two friends that are deities. He’s become something of a relaxed theist: he knows the gods are real, but doesn’t feel compelled to worship any except when moved to do so.
2. How important is religion to him? Organized religion doesn’t have much of a place in his life anymore.
3. Is he pious, devout? Pious as he can be. He lives more by choice than religious doctrine.
4. In what religious activities does he engage? What percentage of his time is devoted to it? He prays to Elpis, the god of hope, and Hekate, goddess of magick, and makes offerings as he sees fit.
5. How does religion motivate his actions or affect them? Not much if at all.
Character's Fears
1. What things frighten him? The idea of losing his parents, enclosed spaces (ironic with his BURIED ALIVE escape, ;p)
2. Is he motivated by fear? Yes, but not as an impetus. Tommy lives to conquer fear and master his own weaknesses.
3. To what extent is he motivated; never, occasionally, usually, constantly? Daily.
4. What would this character think were the three most terrible things that could happen to him?
1) Losing his parents.
2) Losing his girlfriend (which he has.)
3) Failing a charge in the line of duty.
5. What would he think were the three most wonderful things that could happen to him?
1) His daughter (which he has.)
2) Securing his own full-scale show.
3) Dying in the line of duty.
6. What is the one thing he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? That he knows why people in Las Vegas started dying just after Ziyah was murdered.