App for Siren's Pull!
Character Information
General
Canon Source: Suikoden V
Canon Format: Game
Character's Name: Dolph
Character's Age: 20
Conditional: If your character is 13 years of age or under, please clarify how they will be played. N/A
What form will your character's NV take? In the world Dolph comes from, runes are implanted directly into the hands and forehead. So, in keeping with this, his NV should be likewise implanted into his right hand. When he presses the symbol for the NV, a transparent screen will pop up which he can then manipulate like a normal NV screen. Magic? Technology? It's all the same!
Abilities
Character's Canon Abilities:
Dolph is technically nothing more than a normal human being. He, like everyone else in his world, has an ability to equip items called "runes" which allow the bearer to cast spells - largely elemental magic. And he, like very, very few people in his world, has intimate knowledge of a great number of drugs and toxins which cause effects that have been mistaken as superhumanly granted (for example, the drug Raging Nostrum, which turns its user into a nearly immortal berserker and of which Dolph himself is a somewhat habitual user). He's a trained assassin with an incredibly keen eye and an unparalleled skill with knives. Yet in spite of all of this, he himself was born nothing more than a normal human being.
Conditional: If your character has no superhuman canon abilities, what dormant ability will you give them?
Dolph, who shows up so often in canon to erode what small advantage the heroes have, will be given the ability of power reversal. Essentially, when he wants it, an individual's power will become the opposite of what it was, or it will be turned back upon them. In some cases, the power will be the perfect inverse of itself: for example, if he were to use his power upon Himawari, then she and everyone around her would have good luck; if he were to use his power upon Rin Asano, then she'd suddenly become extremely obvious to those around her. In other cases, it will be turned around: for example, when someone has the power to order others to bend to their will, they'll suddenly become obedient to whatever others wish.
There are, of course, cases where a power can neither cleanly be turned back upon someone or reversed; in this case, the power will simply cause their power to activate uncontrollably and potentially harmfully. I'll work out with each individual player what they think their character's power would become.
Now, this could get…very, very overpowered. However, it is inherently limited. This power will be activated only when Dolph wants it, as I said above - and Dolph, who's been trained all his life out of his sense of self, does not very often want anything at all. He's obedient to whomever he serves, and if they order him to do something then his power will be easily activated. However, unless his employer tells him to capture so-and-so or kill such-and-such, his power will be inaccessible…unless he gains a very special interest in you. Which he's been known to do.
Weapons: A set of throwing knives long enough and sturdy enough to use in hand-to-hand combat.
History/Personality/Plans/etc.
Character History:
Perhaps no single group is more important in the history of Falena than the Nether Gate assassins. These assassins - ruthless, secretive, and hideously efficient - worked under and had always worked under the queens of Falena, murdering enemies and dissidents and researching ever more efficient ways to kill. They were feared, they were ferocious, and they were often queenmakers: the Sun Palace of the Queendom of Falena was flecked with blood from all the heirs apparent murdered by the assassins sent by their ambitious younger sisters.
Perhaps the bloodiest such conflict was the Succession Conflict in 439. During this civil war, the country split in two, each sided with one of two sisters, Shahrewar or Falzrahm Falenas. And both sisters, each with a claim to the throne, employed the Nether Gate - each against each others' allies, and against the families of their allies, and against the distant friends of their allies, until there was hardly a noble house in the entire nation that wasn't mourning a loved one.
Dolph played a significant role in this conflict. He was the one who was assigned to kill Rosalind Godwin, wife of Marscal Godwin, Shahrewar's primary supporter. He did so efficiently and calmly, a consummate professional, completely without mercy for the unarmed woman - already an experienced and cool-headed murderer at the age of ten.
He was most likely an orphan who'd simply been taken in by the Nether Gate. That was how the group most often operated: they'd find a young, intelligent orphan and brainwash them to kill. Dolph - then known as Michafute - was one of their best: they trained him to lose his mercy, to throw away his compassion, to simply kill on their command. Others were somewhat less successful: his closest friend in the organization, Mismar, maintained her emotionality, while others never became such a capable killer as he was. All, however, were altered by their experiences in the Nether Gate. Dolph was simply one of those who was completely formed by them.
The Nether Gate was disbanded by Queen Arshtat Falenas, daughter of Falzrahm, in 441. The former assassins, once the queen's staunchest allies, became enemies of the crown. Some were given amnesty and absorbed into the military; others fled the country; others still were taken in by those seeking power. Dolph was one of the last group. He was taken in, ironically enough, by Marcel Godwin himself, whose wife he'd killed and from whom he'd expected hatred - if, not, indeed, a killing blow of his own. But Marcel instead gave him a home, gave him a new purpose in assassinating his enemies, and so earned Dolph's undying loyalty.
Eight years later occurred a second civil war in Falena. The Godwins made their move in an attempt to seize power, having the Nether Gate assassins they'd gathered kill Queen Arshtat in order to place her daughter Lymsleia - and Lymsleia's new husband Gizel Godwin - on the throne. However, Lymsleia's older brother managed to escape and began, with the help of the more moderate factions of the nobility, to build an army to oppose the Godwins.
Dolph was once again heavily involved in this conflict. Now thoroughly trusted by the Godwins, he was one of the leaders of Arshtat's assassination and was further entrusted with such important tasks as overseeing the cleansing of certain races which the Godwins thought were pollutants in Falena. He served also as a representative to other former assassins, working to recruit more servants to the Godwins' cause. He killed important targets, provided poisons and drugs to manipulate the situation as needed…He was, in short, the Godwins' right hand, and he was enormously grateful for the opportunity. Indeed, he was ready to give his life to save those who'd been loyal to him.
In the end he did indeed give his life, killed by Mismar, once his closest friend, who'd ended up as the prince's bodyguard. He died, however, without regrets.
Point in Canon: Just before the confrontation in the Ashtwal Mountains, where Dolph dies in an attempt to defend Marcel's position.
Conditional: Brief summary of previous RP history: N/A
Character Personality:
Dolph comes across as a polite, well-spoken, thoughtful young man. He's attractive enough, if a bit solemn-looking (having been trained out of his ability to smile long ago), and even if his uninflected voice and unchanging expression seem rather odd he himself doesn't come across as particularly off-putting or unsettling. Until you realize that what you're listening to is someone calmly and even-handedly trying to convince you that genocide is simply the easiest and purest way to improve the country.
Dolph, after all, is completely amoral. Honestly, he's not even evil; he is simply completely without morals. Whatever his master believes, he believes. If his employer thinks that the world can be made a brighter, kinder place? Then so does Dolph. If his employer thinks that the way to do so is through the slaughter of children? Then so does Dolph. He'll never stay his hand unless he's commanded to, whether it's a trained warrior, an innocent child, or an old friend from years ago under his knife. He serves well and unquestioningly and unflinchingly and cold-bloodedly.
That's not to say he isn't human. He certainly is that. Indeed, for all that he is not moral, he does at times have values - or, more precisely, a value: he is unfailingly loyal. He serves only one master at any time, and he serves that master until they cast him off; he does not ever reject them and he does not ever betray them. He is a steadfast, selfless, devoted servant.
And, indeed, though he is not loyal to many, he can be quite devoted to a great number. He has a distinct tendency to become fascinated by certain individuals. At times, this borders on the obsessive. Dolph, quiet and still and odd, is an observer of the idealistic, the clear-eyed, the ferocious, and he who takes so little pleasure in things takes a great degree of pleasure in quietly, calmly provoking them. They who are so devoted to morality and causes, be they evil or good, are fascinating to Dolph, who's breathed every breath since infancy as someone who subordinates his own desires to others'. On a certain level, he wants to know what drives them to such dedication…And, on another, he wants to destroy them, because they make him uneasy.
Ultimately, under his mask of cool expressionless competence, Dolph is restlessly intelligent, quite cruel, impossibly curious, and strangely passionate; God help those, however, who see that side of him. Because you never want to be the butterfly caught by that curious, compassionless little boy.
Conditional: Personality development in previous game: N/A
Character Plans: I'm certainly going to have him work for SERO! He'll see that they're sponsoring the living spaces of the Newcomers and be so impressed by that hospitality that he'll become quite loyal to them. From his position, he'll advocate shamelessly for SERO's programs and altruism - all the while gratefully accepting any targets they send him to kill. I'd also like to get him cooking up poisons…and, if any are willing, starting up some brainwashing. SERO needs more friends, amirite?
Appearance/PB: What a cutie! Just, uh…ignore the dead eyes.
