( counted_stars app ; arthur pendragon ; bbc's merlin )
Player Information:
Name or Handle: Amber
LJ: bentley
Email: escapism @ gmail
AIM/ MSN / Plurk name: plurk: subjugglator | aim: fistbumps
Any current characters here?: No.
Character Information:
Character Name: Arthur Pendragon
Age: 24
Canon: BBC's Merlin.
Appearance: PB Bradley James. A gent. Dirty blond hair, quite blue eyes, aquiline nose, excellent jawline, pale skin, generally built, tall but not as tall as Merlin. Nothing special apart from a scar here and there and (according to the Internet at large) excessive attractiveness.
Personality: Arthur is a mass of complexities and contradictions. As he is growing into his title and adulthood, he frequently alternates between negative and positive traits, sometimes embodying both at once. While it is obvious he is going to be a great king, he is also his father's son, and most of the time, he comes off as a total douchebag.
Spoiled from a young age, Arthur feels entitled to the luxuries his title affords him, and is not particularly good with the words "please" and "thankyou". He isn't afraid to exert his power over people, by bullying or insulting them, and he demands much of anybody who serves him. However, he demands equally of himself, and dislikes the idea that he might achieve things based on his position as Prince rather than because he deserves them. He trains himself rigorously, and while he is also terrible with vocalising apologies, will be hard on himself if he believes he has done wrong by someone. When his people starve because of him, he too goes without food and drink. Arthur's need to impress his father leads him to do terrible things, such as standing by as people are executed for magic. However, he does have a conscience, and has fought for innocent people in the past, believing himself responsible for all his citizens, especially those he cares about such as Merlin, Gwen and Morgana. Those three are also the ones most likely to sway him to think outside the King's commands and do what is right. He is noble at heart, and believes in fair justice, and this frequently brings him into conflict with Uther.
His need to risk himself is something else he argues with his father about. Arthur was born fighting, and knows he must be strong. As a knight of the realm, he knows he must uphold the code of chivalry and honour, and he tries his best to do so even when he knows the code is wrong, such as when Lancelot (a good fighter, but not noble-born) is knighted illegally. Whatever else can be said about Arthur, he is brave: he leads his knights, hunts whatever terrorizes the kingdom, and will frequently be the first to throw himself into danger. He has a severe competitive streak and his father expects him to win any tournaments he enters. He risks his life often, and the fact that he hasn't lost it is partly to do with his skill and resourcefulness, but the rest he puts down to luck- though is mostly to do with Merlin's constant magical protection, something which Arthur hasn't noticed, though he is vaguely aware that there's something about Merlin he hasn't puzzled out.
Despite coming off as someone who is perhaps more brawn than brain, Arthur is smart, and often introspective. He is good with words only in that he doesn't often use them, preferring subtleties and implications, especially when it comes to talking about his feelings. Though he can give a rousing speech when he needs to. As his duties are more important than his emotions, the idea of Prince Arthur being bigger than the actuality, Arthur often maintains a facade of stoicism or dismisses his personal opinion as irrelevant.
Though he is never exactly jolly, Arthur enjoys a laugh, usually with friends and at someone else's expense. He often smiles to convey many things; scoffing disbelief, sneering superiority, camaraderie, vicious acknowledgement of his own doom, bitterness and even joy. When hurt, Arthur retreats into himself and his persona and can become cruel, even cold, though when truly injured he is irritable, annoyed at his own weakness. Arthur also isn't afraid of yelling and he can cut an intimidating figure when something drives him into a rage. He's never obviously embarrassed, but awkward; glancing away rather than blushing. However Arthur is the type to take out his feelings in combat rather than discussion: like his father, he is a man of action, and expresses himself in the doing.
As the series progresses, Arthur is shown to be growing up. He can take other's opinions on board and has learned to acknowledge when he is afraid but face his fears regardless, and his bullying is more friendly teasing than downright atrociousness. Though he's still prideful, he's aware that it's his weakness. Though he still makes foolishly noble decisions, willing to sacrifice himself for the bigger picture, he has also known betrayal and doubt, particularly from Morgana: the revelation that she is an evil sorceress who has lied to him and stolen his throne shuts him down completely for a week. It's obvious that he is growing rapidly towards not just a good king and ruler, but a legendary one.
Finally: Arthur enjoys cleanliness (as does Uther: Camelot is a strangely clean castle) and while not a "neat freak", is one of those people who dislikes mess and believes things have their proper places. He has no compunctions about killing in combat or self-defence, but will not strike an unarmed man. He is surprisingly good at subterfuge and sneaks out of the castle quite a few times. Though Merlin tends to be the one coming up with ideas, Arthur is good at strategy and plans well then leads others through it. He has an acute awareness of consequences.
Background: wiki link
Canon point: Season 4, Episode 1.
Special Abilities: None canon, but I'd love for him to be Force sensitive and face his own prejudices against magic, if I may? I'd be happy to work with the mods for specificity here.
Sect: Civilian (with intent to change once he's in.)
Job: I can see Arthur in the military or as a Jedi Protector depending on how things play out, or pursuing a career in politics, Coruscant Security, or even racing once he has a better understanding of the world; there are after all vast differences between medieval times and the SW verse! I am most likely to start him off swoop racing and see where things go from there.
Samples:
First Person:
(( set during the current event - hypothetical post-intro period. ))
All right, I don't care if midowhatsits are supposedly "science".
[ hear the air-quotes? he's practically making bunny fingers. after all, to Arthur science is a physical thing, books and potions and medicine and constellations and dissection and fact. he grimaces, sardonic. ]
For all intents and purposes this Force business is magic, and you can speak of balance all you'll like, but you won't convince me that magic isn't bloody disruptive.
[ not to mention illegal back in good old Camelot. but there's no point mentioning that. he's quickly learning that space travel isn't the only difference between his kingdom and his new - quote unquote - home. the law here... well, there's a lot of law here. it all seems just, of course, but: ]
It's completely frustrating. How am I to trust in the laws when some go completely against what I believe?
[ Arthur blinks, the stern lines of his face softening into confusion, rant forgotten. had he just-!? ]
Er, I don't really know much about these ... devices. Yet more magic I'm promised is science. But have anybody else's been acting a bit odd?
Because it's not enough that everything has to be different, there has to be a way to embarrass me for my ignorance to boot- Oh good lord!
[ he throws his datapad across the room. everything goes static. ]
Third Person: log for scorched rpg - arthur has radical differences to his canon self as he's been two years in this game, but I'd hope the essence of the character and my ability to write is carried. I can dig up further samples if required!
Anything Else: Would like to room with Merlin please, if possible!