(no subject)
Name: Papa Ge
Age: Unimportant.
Orientation: Uninterested.
Species: Loa [or Ge`]
Alignment: Sinner-technically because he's not twirling mustaches or tying girls to train tracks.
Apperance:
-Canonitically Papa Ge` is far less attractive than he is now. At his core he is a vile image to behold, broken and jagged teeth, stained with tobacco and char. His cigar burned to the nub and clenched between the aforementioned teeth. He carries a staff and wears a top hat. (yes- kind of like this D: )
-However, times have changed and he has with them. The staff has turned into a cane, the top-hat into a fedora, though the affinity for bright colors has never dwindled. While fashion is not of his main concern, he does pride himself in that he really has had no need to change his garb for the last ninety years or so. For those who like visual reference- see here.
Magical Abilities:
-Papa Ge` belongs to the class of deities called Loas. The Loa (also Lwa or L'wha) are the spirits of the Voodoo religion practiced in Haiti, and other parts of the world. They are also referred to as Mystères and the Invisibles. They are somewhat akin to saints or angels in Christianity in that they are intermediaries between Bondye (Bon Dieu, or good god)-the Creator, who is distant from the world-and humanity. Unlike saints or angels however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for a distant Bondye. [taken from Wikipedia] -Papa Ge` sits in this circle as well, though he is not considered in his canon to be a full loa, there is evidence present that there are prayers and rituals worked to keep him away. This is much in the same manner as children keeping shoes from under their beds and certain practices used to ward off fairies from stealing the babes and switching them with changelings.
-Loas, by nature cannot inhabit their own bodies and must possess a willing participant in order to walk the earth and interact with the ‘living’ or mortals. This law does not apply to Papa Ge` as while the other deities in his canon are shown wearing the skins of the elders of villages or young girls taken by surprise- Papa Ge` can walk the earth on his own accord in whatever fashion he so chooses. (This implies then, that while he prefers only one image, he can assume others, such as the hotel gardener as depicted in the canon.)
-Papa Ge` is called the “Sly Demon of Death” however this is a very Judeo Christian take on his identity and is perhaps easier to identify to modern audiences, incorrect. A more definite take on it is that he is a corrupter of free will. He is the antithesis to predestination and both of which is choice. This definition gives him the ability (as it is what he is) to ‘see’ and ‘know’ what choices all make. He knows what you did last summer, and he approves. He is not there to judge those who make those choices, only to manipulate the means to the ends to serve his own purpose.
-He cigar, while this isn’t a magic wand by any means- it serves some greater purpose which really only matters to him. Papa Ge` might be seen without his ‘pimp daddy’ attire, or his hat or even his sparking white/yellow/broken and tarred grin, but he will never be seen without his cigar.
Weaknesses:
-He’s not ‘all powerful’ not by a long shot- heck, for all that he wants, he can’t even make it rain. (That’s more Agwe’s territory) nor help sway the emotions of the human heart. (that’s Erzulie’s) All that he is able to do is create vague paths, offer specific choices and suggest that one looks better than the other- but this power of suggestion is no greater than that of your average cult leader.
-He is utterly dependent on the people whom he is made of and for. If one day people forget to believe in choice- if by some Orwellian chance that aspect is taken away, he will fade into nothingness. As he is of his people, it is also so that when they hurt, he hurts- no, not in the “If I cut you I’ll bleed” sense- but he is affected by such events as the French’s takeover of his people’s land, and even such current things as the horrid earthquake on his island.
-With this issue, an interesting side note can be inserted here: He hates the French- and if it was up to him, the entire country would be wasted, however, they are now a part of his people’s past, and his people are (even today) affected by them. So he has a bit of a French/colloquial accent.
Personality:
-Papa Ge` is evil- and yes, we all have heard the term get thrown around enough to the point where it doesn’t mean much anymore, but that was all in a comparison to those whom care about people, about life, even just existence. Papa Ge` does not. He does not care for the life, for the child or the mother. He has no interest in the hope that exist in the future, in tomorrow’s sunrise. His world, his interest rest in the simplicity of the choice, and how to get there. If he must allow five million to die- for the one choice to be made, he will allow such- and even encourage this without a second thought. In order to win a bet with Love- his love Erzulie, not only did he encourage Agwe (the loa of water) to cause a terrible storm- destroying the coastline, killing countless lives, but he then tricked a girl- barely thirteen to give her life over. To risk everything- to lose everything and then when she fails- when she has nothing left but the very breath in her lungs- he takes that even too, bitter from the lost. And that? Is canon.
- In canon however, they say that he was gentle, they say that as that breath was stolen away he rested a calming palm to her cheek. Closing her eyes as the rain fell upon her starved and crumpled figure and he allowed Asaka (earth) to accept her. He has this side, this moment in his existence- but what caused it is yet unknown and more than likely to never be seen again.
-When meeting Papa Ge` it’s undeniable that he can be charming- he can smile and woo and make a nun forget all her vows of chastity and a child forget every fear they ever held of the dark. He can take your hand and calm your heart and allow you to open all your desires to one who can help you find them. In the same hand however, he can be terrifying. His teeth can appear broken and black, the stench of overripe fruit can overpower any sense of French Cologne that is powdered on his vest. His cigar- both new and hand rolled is always lit- he uses it as a prop and forgets that it is even a part of him. He is your last breath, the turn at the end of the road, and not all die in peace. He is both the child’s final sigh, and the old woman’s death rattle, there is no difference to him.
History:
-Papa Ge` claims to have been as long as the islands and as old as choice- this can be debated but when he has all of time and you do not? Best not waste your breath. As for the rest of it all- he is of the island that makes up the Dominican Republic and Haiti (yes that Haiti) and the surrounding islands. His history mimics their own, their victories are his gain, and their losses are his fault. The people pray against him for a reason after all. A few big events in their histories are as followed:
-Early (Pre Hispanic) History: The native people- or the Taínos inhabited the island. Praying to their gods and to the Kiskeya (called Asaka in canon) or mother of the earth. (Yes, all the earth- she’s a busy deity) And Papa Ge` is pretty much chill for now. Not that anyone was his biggest fan- but his main concerns were tricks and trials placed within his small circle of loas.
-1492 And Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue- They come over, claim that all of the island’s beliefs are demons and the devil and that they should believe in the ‘One True God’ and the ‘Virgin’ Mary. - That is of course, after killing most of the population and giving everyone STDs- Papa Ge` is not amused. Remember that possessive bit? Spanish Killing Everyone=/=Him Killing Everyone.
-1795: The French come to own the island, which is where we see much of Papa Ge` reacting from now. He might hate the Spanish- but he loathes the French. They’re just a whole new level of low. First they (the natives) have to deal with idiots in Spanish- then in 1802 that midget Napoleon decides to claim the whole ordeal. By now Papa Ge- and most of the other loas (excluding Agwe/water) are pretty kosher with the Father Son and Holy Ghost business, but really? In French? What?
-His canon. This is a few generations after Napoleon, and during this time he is shown as he would be during a ‘typical’ era. Mostly ignoring the fears of the people, and going about their (he and the other loas) business. He kills a few babies, looses a bet- that sort of thing. [More can be seen here]
-That’s really the big important dates, Christianity, French, Canon. After that things mellow out, the French eventually leave, the two nations split into what is now known as Haiti and Dominican Republic, and as the modern world took more and more center stage, the traditional beliefs took more and more of a back ground. That isn’t to say he is forgotten, and in fact thanks to the population influx over the last few hundred years- just as many people pray to them as ever before. This, and thanks to globalization Papa Ge` has been given the opportunity to travel for wherever someone prays against him, or believes in him, he is there. This means that he can be just about anywhere he wants; perhaps not North Korea but really, who wants to go there anyway?
Age: Unimportant.
Orientation: Uninterested.
Species: Loa [or Ge`]
Alignment: Sinner-technically because he's not twirling mustaches or tying girls to train tracks.
Apperance:
-Canonitically Papa Ge` is far less attractive than he is now. At his core he is a vile image to behold, broken and jagged teeth, stained with tobacco and char. His cigar burned to the nub and clenched between the aforementioned teeth. He carries a staff and wears a top hat. (yes- kind of like this D: )
-However, times have changed and he has with them. The staff has turned into a cane, the top-hat into a fedora, though the affinity for bright colors has never dwindled. While fashion is not of his main concern, he does pride himself in that he really has had no need to change his garb for the last ninety years or so. For those who like visual reference- see here.
Magical Abilities:
-Papa Ge` belongs to the class of deities called Loas. The Loa (also Lwa or L'wha) are the spirits of the Voodoo religion practiced in Haiti, and other parts of the world. They are also referred to as Mystères and the Invisibles. They are somewhat akin to saints or angels in Christianity in that they are intermediaries between Bondye (Bon Dieu, or good god)-the Creator, who is distant from the world-and humanity. Unlike saints or angels however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for a distant Bondye. [taken from Wikipedia] -Papa Ge` sits in this circle as well, though he is not considered in his canon to be a full loa, there is evidence present that there are prayers and rituals worked to keep him away. This is much in the same manner as children keeping shoes from under their beds and certain practices used to ward off fairies from stealing the babes and switching them with changelings.
-Loas, by nature cannot inhabit their own bodies and must possess a willing participant in order to walk the earth and interact with the ‘living’ or mortals. This law does not apply to Papa Ge` as while the other deities in his canon are shown wearing the skins of the elders of villages or young girls taken by surprise- Papa Ge` can walk the earth on his own accord in whatever fashion he so chooses. (This implies then, that while he prefers only one image, he can assume others, such as the hotel gardener as depicted in the canon.)
-Papa Ge` is called the “Sly Demon of Death” however this is a very Judeo Christian take on his identity and is perhaps easier to identify to modern audiences, incorrect. A more definite take on it is that he is a corrupter of free will. He is the antithesis to predestination and both of which is choice. This definition gives him the ability (as it is what he is) to ‘see’ and ‘know’ what choices all make. He knows what you did last summer, and he approves. He is not there to judge those who make those choices, only to manipulate the means to the ends to serve his own purpose.
-He cigar, while this isn’t a magic wand by any means- it serves some greater purpose which really only matters to him. Papa Ge` might be seen without his ‘pimp daddy’ attire, or his hat or even his sparking white/yellow/broken and tarred grin, but he will never be seen without his cigar.
Weaknesses:
-He’s not ‘all powerful’ not by a long shot- heck, for all that he wants, he can’t even make it rain. (That’s more Agwe’s territory) nor help sway the emotions of the human heart. (that’s Erzulie’s) All that he is able to do is create vague paths, offer specific choices and suggest that one looks better than the other- but this power of suggestion is no greater than that of your average cult leader.
-He is utterly dependent on the people whom he is made of and for. If one day people forget to believe in choice- if by some Orwellian chance that aspect is taken away, he will fade into nothingness. As he is of his people, it is also so that when they hurt, he hurts- no, not in the “If I cut you I’ll bleed” sense- but he is affected by such events as the French’s takeover of his people’s land, and even such current things as the horrid earthquake on his island.
-With this issue, an interesting side note can be inserted here: He hates the French- and if it was up to him, the entire country would be wasted, however, they are now a part of his people’s past, and his people are (even today) affected by them. So he has a bit of a French/colloquial accent.
Personality:
-Papa Ge` is evil- and yes, we all have heard the term get thrown around enough to the point where it doesn’t mean much anymore, but that was all in a comparison to those whom care about people, about life, even just existence. Papa Ge` does not. He does not care for the life, for the child or the mother. He has no interest in the hope that exist in the future, in tomorrow’s sunrise. His world, his interest rest in the simplicity of the choice, and how to get there. If he must allow five million to die- for the one choice to be made, he will allow such- and even encourage this without a second thought. In order to win a bet with Love- his love Erzulie, not only did he encourage Agwe (the loa of water) to cause a terrible storm- destroying the coastline, killing countless lives, but he then tricked a girl- barely thirteen to give her life over. To risk everything- to lose everything and then when she fails- when she has nothing left but the very breath in her lungs- he takes that even too, bitter from the lost. And that? Is canon.
- In canon however, they say that he was gentle, they say that as that breath was stolen away he rested a calming palm to her cheek. Closing her eyes as the rain fell upon her starved and crumpled figure and he allowed Asaka (earth) to accept her. He has this side, this moment in his existence- but what caused it is yet unknown and more than likely to never be seen again.
-When meeting Papa Ge` it’s undeniable that he can be charming- he can smile and woo and make a nun forget all her vows of chastity and a child forget every fear they ever held of the dark. He can take your hand and calm your heart and allow you to open all your desires to one who can help you find them. In the same hand however, he can be terrifying. His teeth can appear broken and black, the stench of overripe fruit can overpower any sense of French Cologne that is powdered on his vest. His cigar- both new and hand rolled is always lit- he uses it as a prop and forgets that it is even a part of him. He is your last breath, the turn at the end of the road, and not all die in peace. He is both the child’s final sigh, and the old woman’s death rattle, there is no difference to him.
History:
-Papa Ge` claims to have been as long as the islands and as old as choice- this can be debated but when he has all of time and you do not? Best not waste your breath. As for the rest of it all- he is of the island that makes up the Dominican Republic and Haiti (yes that Haiti) and the surrounding islands. His history mimics their own, their victories are his gain, and their losses are his fault. The people pray against him for a reason after all. A few big events in their histories are as followed:
-Early (Pre Hispanic) History: The native people- or the Taínos inhabited the island. Praying to their gods and to the Kiskeya (called Asaka in canon) or mother of the earth. (Yes, all the earth- she’s a busy deity) And Papa Ge` is pretty much chill for now. Not that anyone was his biggest fan- but his main concerns were tricks and trials placed within his small circle of loas.
-1492 And Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue- They come over, claim that all of the island’s beliefs are demons and the devil and that they should believe in the ‘One True God’ and the ‘Virgin’ Mary. - That is of course, after killing most of the population and giving everyone STDs- Papa Ge` is not amused. Remember that possessive bit? Spanish Killing Everyone=/=Him Killing Everyone.
-1795: The French come to own the island, which is where we see much of Papa Ge` reacting from now. He might hate the Spanish- but he loathes the French. They’re just a whole new level of low. First they (the natives) have to deal with idiots in Spanish- then in 1802 that midget Napoleon decides to claim the whole ordeal. By now Papa Ge- and most of the other loas (excluding Agwe/water) are pretty kosher with the Father Son and Holy Ghost business, but really? In French? What?
-His canon. This is a few generations after Napoleon, and during this time he is shown as he would be during a ‘typical’ era. Mostly ignoring the fears of the people, and going about their (he and the other loas) business. He kills a few babies, looses a bet- that sort of thing. [More can be seen here]
-That’s really the big important dates, Christianity, French, Canon. After that things mellow out, the French eventually leave, the two nations split into what is now known as Haiti and Dominican Republic, and as the modern world took more and more center stage, the traditional beliefs took more and more of a back ground. That isn’t to say he is forgotten, and in fact thanks to the population influx over the last few hundred years- just as many people pray to them as ever before. This, and thanks to globalization Papa Ge` has been given the opportunity to travel for wherever someone prays against him, or believes in him, he is there. This means that he can be just about anywhere he wants; perhaps not North Korea but really, who wants to go there anyway?