(no subject)
User Name/Nick: Rycca
User LJ:
AIM/IM: moxispilot
E-mail: moxispilot [at] gmail [dot] com
Other Characters: Severus Snape, Sarah Harding
Character Name: Rodolphus Lestrange
Series: Harry Potter
Age: Approximately 50.
From When?: Rodolphus is coming in from the Battle of Hogwarts; he was killed before Bellatrix, in spite of the RP sample.
Inmate/Warden: Inmate - Rodolphus is murderous and prejudiced to an almost pathological degree. He has no qualms about torture, and believes in wizarding supremacy.
Abilities/Powers: Have a wiki link!
Rodolphus is pretty well average, as wizards go, though he does have a proficiency in the Dark Arts (which are defined as any spells used to harm others). Any spells used to torture are fair game to him.
Otherwise, he's particularly good at Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
He'll be stripped of his abilities entirely when he comes in, and my intention is to have him work the same way Snape did - that is, his wand should be restored to him, but he should be unable to cast harmful spells.
Eventually, he'll need to have his full powers restored to him, just to show he's capable of self-control.
Personality:
While Rodolphus does have the physical appearance of someone who might be better attuned to literally swinging his weight around (that is, rather large and stupid-looking), he’s quite intelligent. That isn’t to say he’s a genius - he certainly isn’t the greatest wit in the world - but he is clever. He has had the benefit of an expensive education, including private tutors and, of course, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, because he isn’t as intelligent as others of his kind (Snape and Malfoy, for example), he does have something of an inferiority complex, which results in a rather contentious relationship with the aforementioned, amongst others. He does try to keep things civil, but there is nearly always an undercurrent of back-handed compliments, condescension, and snide remarks. The exception to this is Bellatrix; he holds her in such high esteem that it doesn’t matter to him if he’s less intelligent.
Under ideal circumstances, he puts forward a very amiable façade. He’ll talk to anyone, and will remain completely pleasant until they upset him: then the gloves come off. He does have some trouble with his temper, and it takes visible effort for him to wrest himself back under control. When he loses it entirely, he tends to lash out with Unforgivable Curses - the Cruciatus is a particular favorite of his, and he has helped torture people into insanity with it. He has no qualms about murder - all for the greater good, of course. Anything for the Dark Lord - and, by proxy, Bellatrix.
He has very little personal integrity. Rodolphus will lie, cheat, steal, and otherwise stoop to underhanded tactics to achieve his ends if he believes they will further the cause. He can be stubborn, impulsive by nature, and will look for any opportunity to sow discord amongst others. He has no personal religious views save those which extend amongst the rest of the wizarding world (that is, that there is some sort of afterlife, as evidenced by the ghosts), and his morality is extremely flexible. Because of his steadfast belief in the ideals of the Dark Lord, he is extremely intolerant of any idea which goes against his own - and while, in some cases, he is willing to argue the point and proselytize ad infinitum, in many situations he will simply view the person arguing as an inferior who isn’t allowed to have an opinion on the matter.
He has a relaxed attitude about his wealth. While Malfoy seems to be the poster child for the nouveau riche and flaunts his wealth (those absurd peacocks, for example), Rodolphus has a bit of class about it. He has money (if not title - a good reason for his marriage to Bellatrix Black), but it’s as natural to him as breathing, and he doesn’t use it to make others feel inferior or uncomfortable. Unless, of course, he thinks it’s necessary. He does have one flaw directly related to his wealth, in that he, like his wife and sister-in-law, will underestimate creatures such as house elves: he has (or had) the unshakeable belief that a servant will be devoted just for the benefit of being a servant.
When speaking to someone he dislikes, Rodolphus will go straight for the jugular, and doesn't hold back; despite all of his 'good breeding' and attempts at charm, if confronted with someone who annoys him, he'll say things that would make a sailor blush. He isn't one for pretense, he's as subtle as a hot pink elephant, and will make no bones about his distaste.
His marriage to Bellatrix was one of necessity, in order to preserve his family’s name and pure bloodline (an effort which was interrupted by his incarceration in Azkaban prison). While, under other circumstances, their relationship might have developed into one of love and sexual compatibility, the Dark Lord comes first, and Rodolphus acknowledges that he is an also-ran to Voldemort in Bellatrix’s eyes. He seeks his comfort elsewhere, with the full knowledge of his wife. However, in spite of his extramarital affairs, he is unfailingly devoted and loyal to Bellatrix. If any woman were to ask him to turn away from her, he would wash his hands of the affair and never give it a second thought. He fights at her side in battles, relies upon her, gives his support in all her exploits, and trusts her implicitly. No one comes between Bellatrix and Rodolphus save the Dark Lord himself: she is his ally, his friend, and his companion. She simply isn’t his lover.
All that said: he does love her - passionately, in fact. He views her as strong, intelligent, and ambitious, and worships the ground she walks on. Privately. He has some jealousy towards the Malfoys and their relationship, as well as the son they have together. It's the sort of life he wanted for himself and Bellatrix, and though it was a contractual marriage, he was hopeful in the beginning that she would love him. If he is ever asked (out of earshot of Bellatrix) why it is he was so accepting of her love for Voldemort, his response would be that he knew nothing would ever come of it, because the Dark Lord would never love her in return. He wouldn't lose her. If, however, she ever gave her attention to another man, it would crush him.
Bellatrix is definitely the alpha dog in their relationship, and he obeys her in most things. If he needs to be controlled, she is the one who can do it. She follows Voldemort; Rodolphus follows her.
Of course, Rodolphus is a devout believer in the ideology of ‘Magic is Might’. The preservation and purity of bloodlines is everything to him, because he has been raised to believe in the superiority of wizards. He thinks Muggles should be kept separate from the Wizarding World, and wizards should reign supreme over them instead of hiding behind protective enchantments and archaic laws. No Muggle should benefit from the same education as wizards, or receive training in magic. Muggleborns as well as non-humanoid creatures (including werewolves and vampires) possessing sentience and magic are to be viewed as second-class citizens. Anyone who opposes these views is to be stamped out immediately. He is a Death Eater through and through.
His time in Azkaban left him somewhat haunted - as can be observed in Sirius Black, Rodolphus can be described as having spent a lot of time alone, outside of the company of sane human beings. He's been very lonely for a very long time. To an outsider's perspective, when he is calm and functioning, he may seem to have a slightly creepy set of mannerisms, as though he's trying to interact with people without really knowing how social interaction is supposed to work, or as though he doesn't realize how threatening or sinister he comes across.
Psychologically, Rodolphus experiences the full fallout of fourteen years not only of imprisonment, but of solitary confinement and emotional torture: post-traumatic stress, anxiety, sudden occurrences of unchecked rage, claustrophobia, and problems with impulse control. When triggered, he will act with disproportionate aggression. He has an impaired ability to concentrate, and if placed in level zero for too long, he will suffer hallucinations or semi-catatonia. In addition to all of the above, he also displays the sort of behaviour one expects from a long-term inmate: hypervigilance, interpersonal distrust, suspicion, dependence on institutional structure, emotional over-control, social withdrawal, a diminished sense of self-worth, and bouts of depression.
To add insult to injury, his time in Azkaban also left him disillusioned about his equals - the Malfoys, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Snape, etc. He and his were willing to show loyalty by sitting in prison for more than a decade. Why weren't they?
So far, he hasn't dealt with any of it. He was only free from Azkaban for a grand total of two years (which was interrupted with another year of incarceration), and in that time, he was distracted by the very cause which landed him there in the first place. He does tend to disassociate from what he suffered in Azkaban in order to function, and he does hold on to the idea that his time served was a noble sacrifice. Eventually, he'll have to not only come to terms with his incarceration and the psychological impacts thereof, but also with the notion that he did it for nothing. The latter knowledge may cause him to backslide from any progress he'll have made on the Barge.
While not an alcoholic, Rodolphus will occasionally turn to drink when he feels too overwhelmed by his mental and emotional state. He can be a mean drunk.
His reaction to being an inmate will be similar to his reaction during his trial: for a while, he'll exist in a state of stony silence and blank staring. He might be completely unmanageable for the first few months, until it gets through to him that killing people on the Barge is about as effectual as trying to shoot spitballs at the moon. Every incident, every flood, every port, every botched attempt at control will probably result in a very long diatribe about how muggles are inept and should be subjugated, and shouldn't be allowed to have any power whatsoever.
Path to Redemption:
Rodolphus will be extremely difficult to break of his ideology that wizards are superior and all other classes should be subjugated. It will take a ridiculously long time for him to come to terms with this, and he may view his incarceration as another show of loyalty to Voldemort, as was his time in Azkaban. Suggested path:
- Get him to start listening to the opinions of others on the subject of his ideals. This is probably the first step, as he won't be willing to back down on his views unless he hears and accepts that there might be other opinions on the matter.
- Get him to gradually admit maybe not all muggles are inferior. To graduate, he needs to be broken entirely of his belief in wizard superiority.
- He needs to stop using Unforgivable Curses, so his magic will have to be restored to him at some point so he can prove himself.
- Murderous behaviour needs to cease entirely.
- He needs to admit he was wrong to follow Voldemort, which may be the hardest step because of his time spent in Azkaban in an effort to show loyalty to the Dark Lord. When he does realize that his time served was essentially for nothing, he will have a massive backslide.
In the event that Bellatrix is aboard, he may need to be broken of his loyalty to her, because he will otherwise feed off of her crazy. They'll essentially egg each other on until someone can manage to come between them. He sat in Azkaban for more than a decade with her. He'd be willing to do it on the Barge, too. That is not to say he DOES need to be broken of his loyalty to her. Only that he may need it. Following the themes of the Harry Potter series, wherein love makes the characters more culpable, as well as more worthy of forgiveness, how he feels for Bellatrix may also be an in-road to his rehabilitation.
He would not work well with a warden who comes in swinging at both his ideals and his loyalty to his wife. Like most people maniacally attached to their beliefs, he'll only become more obstinate in the face of what he'll view as a test of the courage of his convictions.
Putting him in level zero should be a last resort, and never for the full week. Because of his time in Azkaban, this can have a severe psychological impact on him, so a warden who's quick to put him in solitary confinement will not be good for him at all.
History:
A handy-dandy wiki page!
Sample Journal Entry:
[Audio]
[Rodolphus has a deep, almost gravelly voice. His manner of speaking suggests he’s educated, but there’s a tough, unforgiving quality to it - as though he’s someone who’s used to being cannon fodder. Or hurting people, and smiling grotesquely while he does it. At the moment, he sounds amused.]
For a prison, the quarters here are almost hedonistic. I’ve got a feeling if I were to have a look around, I’d find out all of the inmates are being indulged. I would have expected cold stone floors and straw mattresses - but it looks to me as though I never left home. Nothing like the familiar trappings of our lives to keep the rabble pacified.
Hm.
Luxury accommodations for ‘criminals’. Interesting.
[He pauses here for a moment, as though contemplating his accommodations, then continues in a low, musing tone:]
The journey’s preferable to the destination, apparently. That’s where the fun is. Pub, library, gymnasium, good food, soft beds, the freedom to go where you please, when you please - I’d certainly be inclined to try and enjoy the ride. When you’re on a ship with damned men, there’s only one stop I’d be worried about: the final one.
Sample RP:
He didn't see his wife fall to Molly Weasley. If he knew, he would have broken under the crushing weight of the knowledge. He saw her survive so much - years and years in Azkaban, duels and hardships - that falling to the wand of a dumpy little blood traitor would have been nothing short of inglorious. Shameful. An unworthy death for such a worthy woman.
But he didn't see.
What he did see was that his spells weren't landing, no matter where he aimed. It was as though perception had been altered, reality shifted under his feet. Rodolphus flung curse after curse, snarling and seething, his heart pounding faster and harder with indignation. But then a silence fell over the battle, a strange hush, and all eyes were turned toward the Dark Lord and his enemy. Rodolphus faltered, his gaze darting from here to there, searching for someone to engage in a fight, but no one was interested in him.
Finally, his attention was caught by the spectacle in the center of the Great Hall. The words shouted by the Chosen One made little sense: talk of loyalty and devotion, of Snape and Lily Potter, and of regret. Stupid, just stupid, to talk such nonsense in the midst of a battle. But something was wrong. Before Rodolphus had time to register what it was, to pinpoint exactly why the Dark Lord’s demeanor bothered him so, it was over.
He didn't believe it at first, and lucky for him, he didn't have to. Before he could rush to the side of his fallen leader, before he could shout for his wife, before he could run, he was hit with a stunner. The world went black.
Goofing around on Six Word Stories.
Special Notes:
With regards to Snape: Rodolphus knows he was a spy for Dumbledore, and that Snape can probably cause trouble for him by telling everyone he's a Death Eater. Snape will, of course, want to protect his own from harm (Martha and Mozenrath). They'll want to avoid one another.
In short, playercesting may happen, but I'll try to avoid it when and where I can.