Damned application
Name/Handle: Charlie
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Timezone: GMT +1
Personal LJ: enticements
E-Mail: thephoenixwright@gmail.com
AIM/other: AIM: fluentindetail
Is English your primary language?: Yes
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Series: BBC's Sherlock
Series' Medium: It's a TV series, but it's based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book series, Sherlock Holmes.
Character: Sherlock Holmes
Age: 33. The actual age is never mentioned in the show, but I'm going off of the actor's age. It would make sense for him to be this age.
Sex/Gender: Male
Canon Role: Protagonist
"Real" Name: James Smith
How long have you roleplayed your character, if at all?:
I've played Sherlock ever since the new series came out a month or two ago. I also play a Sherlock Holmes from the original book canon, but this Sherlock Holmes and that Sherlock Holmes are quite different from one another, even though they share some obvious similarities.
Where have you roleplayed in general and/or with this specific character?:
In general, I've roleplayed for several, several years. At least since I was 15, and even then, I think I roleplayed long before that (I was just terrible at it, and thus have likely blocked it from my mind).
I haven't played this version of Sherlock in any games, though I have played him with friends in museboxes and personal story lines. I've played my original canon Sherlock Holmes at Anteceeded and still play him today at Amatomnes.
Are you personally familiar with your character's canon?:
I've watched this series more than once, all in all. I can't quite recall the number, but I can say without any doubts that it's more than three times for each one episode. Perhaps four for 'The Great Game'. I've also watched the unaired pilot.
Not only have I watched the series, I've read a few of the original stories and I've seen a number of adaptations, such as: Sherlock Holmes (the 2009 movie), the Granada series with Jeremy Brett and things that are based on the Sherlock Holmes canon like House M.D (and Basil the Great Mouse Detective. Which bears mentioning because... well, Sherlock is a mouse.)
There's also Sherlock's website, The Science of Deduction, which structures on a sort of Twitter-based system that I have, shamelessly, stalked since the show's ending.
Please give us a personal history of your character's life and explain to us in detail how they grow and develop over the course of their canon:
The series starts through John's perspective. Whilst we have a few snapshots into the things that Sherlock's doing (somehow texting the word 'wrong' to everyone in a certain room at a certain time, and there are conversations about him had by Lestrade and his co-worker), we don't know that it's Sherlock until John meets him.
Sherlock's life before John was mostly the same. He solved cases, chased criminals, got shot at a whole lot, considered his brother an enemy and used too many nicotine patches for his own good. It's not hard to imagine that his life was just as insane as it is now, what with being given hints about previous off-screen cases (the text Sherlock sent using John's phone, Mrs Hudson recalling how Sherlock helped condemn her husband to being jailed, a restaurant owner reliving how Sherlock had him put away too but for a less serious crime). This all suggests that whilst Sherlock was partnerless, he was still very much in the business of solving crimes. It's also assumed that Sherlock needs a partner to allow him to bounce ideas around and to consider the situation from every angle. He complains, at some point, about not having someone to help him with his work during a 'Study in Pink'.
The first time we actually see Sherlock Holmes, is when he's beating a corpse with a riding crop in a hospital morgue. No, really. This, obviously, tells us that Sherlock is... well, a strange young man. He states that he needs someone to monitor the body at all times for any signs of bruising, and should they occur, to call him immediately. The next time he's in view is when he's using scientific equipment (microscopes and then he's shown using a pipette) in the labs upstairs. He's disturbed by two men, Stamford (a man that worked under John in the army) and someone unknown to Sherlock (who turned out to be John Hamish Watson).
Sherlock and John meet through this mutual acquaintance. They both share one the same problem: they need an inexpensive house, preferably in the London borough of Camden. Living in London is horrendously expensive, and with John living on a very basic salary offered by the Royal Army and Sherlock taking cases every other month, the luxury of living alone was quickly wearing thin. So during their initial meeting, Sherlock both wowed and confused John by his intimate knowledge of his life and his issues; one eye flicker told Sherlock that John had just returned from a stint in Afghanistan (or Iraq), that he had a therapist and that his limp was psychosomatic. He also knew that John needed a flat without being prompted, thanks to Stamford's presence. Sherlock leaves in a rush (something about leaving his riding crop in the morgue), but he makes a point to introduce himself dramatically and tell John the address of their new flat, as though he already knows John's going to trundle along and meet him for a second time.
**
Sebastian: You're doing that thing. We were at uni together. This guy here had a trick he used to do.
Sherlock: It's not a trick.
Sebastian: He could look at you and tell your whole life's story.
John: Yes, I've seen him do it.
Sebastian: Put the wind up everybody. We hated him. You'd come down to breakfast in the formal hall, and this freak would know who you'd been shagging the previous night.
- Sebastian, one of Sherlock's old 'friends' from university speaking with John about Sherlock, 'The Blind Banker'.
This event is life-changing for Sherlock. Whilst he's been in close living quarters with others (having shared a dormitory in university), it can be assumed that this is the first time he has ever had to actually live with someone other than his immediate family members in the same personal space as him. Even then, he was awkward with social interaction and he hasn't really changed or broken away from that: he sees emotion, he understands it on a basic level, but he doesn't perceive it like we might, through emotional recognition and a natural response to whatever emotion's been shown. He's always been like that - which is why he's always so observant. It could be seen as a coping mechanism, as all sociopaths are very observant (which is why they have their own brand of stare, where they blink less than those around them just so that they can see more).
It doesn't take long after Sherlock and John have moved in together to see just how odd Sherlock is. He has his own particular sorts of mannerisms, and the things he keeps are strange (chemicals, skulls and the occasional riding crop). Soon after moving in, Sherlock is offered the chance to take a case. Naturally, he seizes it with both hands, and this case, later dubbed 'A Study in Pink', becomes the first case with this electric duo. John offers Sherlock a sense of normal stability, and that's very important considering how unconventional Sherlock is. The two are completely different, with John holding a steady grip on what's considered ordinary, and Sherlock catapulting into anything considered unfathomable.
John: Do you think he's stupid enough to go there?
Sherlock: No, I think he's brilliant enough. And I love the brilliant ones, they're all so desperate to get caught.
John: Why?
Sherlock: Appreciation, applause, at long last, the spotlight. That's the frailty of genius, John, it needs an audience.
- Sherlock talking to John about serial killers and their motives (as well as geniuses) whilst they're walking to the restaurant in 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock actually goes through the first episode using John for ways to get himself ahead, such as bringing him to the crime scene just to hear his opinion and to bounce ideas off of him. When his use has run out, Sherlock leaves him behind to search out something he considers more important. It's near the end, where he realises that John's killed a man without hesitation, that Sherlock actually makes a point of reconsidering his opinion on John. Before, he was just an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD and his horribly normal flatmate. Now he's seen as interesting to Sherlock, and he acknowledges that he underestimated John.
The Blind Banker gives us a momentary glimpse into Sherlock's past, with the mention of university and 'friends'** before he ultimately dropped them in pursuit of something more interesting. Whilst it's not necessarily stated in canon, I personally don't think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that Sherlock dropped out, due to hating the convention of it all and being bored by the standard structure catering to the 'normal'. He likely went to university searching for the thrill he wasn't getting anywhere else, for someone to intrigue him. When he didn't find anything, he left, and set up life in central London. On the subject of speculation and The Blind Banker, it might just be worth mentioning that by reading the conversation had between Sherlock and Sebastian, it can be assumed that there's some sort of history there. Whether they were simply very good friends or lovers is up for interpretation (and I suppose it doesn't make a difference either way), though it should be noted that where Sebastian is concerned, Sherlock is almost uncertain of himself, either being overzealous (making a point to call John a 'friend') or being detachedly rude (the part where he states that he'd been talking to his secretary). It could also be worth mentioning that when Sherlock is trying to get Sebastian to listen during his dinner meeting, he says a sort of panicked "Seb!".
The most notable thing about The Blind Banker is that John gets himself a girlfriend (which irritates Sherlock, largely because the idea of John sharing his time with anyone other than him has him confused), that Sherlock doesn't understand the point of dating and that he sees it all as a hassle. The episode mostly revolves around John and Sarah getting to know one another and eventually being kidnapped, with a side order of Sherlock running around after them both in order to save the day as all heroes and protagonists do. We also meet Moriarty in text form, but he remains largely ominous to both Sherlock and the audience.
The Great Game tests Sherlock's logical ability far more than the other two cases did. Mycroft Holmes commissions his brother, Sherlock, to take on a top secret federal case. Sherlock, being the petty child he is, ignores his brother's wishes and goes about the day looking to do anything other than the case his brother wants him to do. Eventually, after taking on a case or two of his own, they link up and Sherlock finds that Mycroft's and his own cases are one and the same. After figuring out several cases (including Mycroft's) pushed towards him, he eventually stages a meeting with Moriarty himself. Unfortunately, Moriarty proves that he's not a force to be reckoned with, and he also shows just how much influence he has by having John walk out, wired up in enough explosives to blow the entire city of Cardiff up in one fell swoop. Sherlock, understandably, has a brief moment of panic before he's overcome by a forced sort of calm. It's quickly turned into a hostage situation, and Sherlock has to think of something to make sure that John doesn't end up exploded. He's never really cared about what happens to the puzzle pieces in his games before. This time he does. John is an important puzzle piece, in both Sherlock's game and in Moriarty's. John Watson is the first normal friend Sherlock has ever had.
James Moriarty: I will burn the heart out of you.
Sherlock Holmes: I have been reliably informed that I don't have one.
James Moriarty: Oh, but we both know that's not quite true.
- Sherlock talking to Moriarty in 'The Great Game'.
This is where Sherlock really sees how important John is to him. It's implied that he's the heart Sherlock's been sorely lacking for all of these years, and it takes a moment like this for him to actually recognise that. Their friendship is odd at the best of times, but it's moments like these that really solidifies their relationship and makes it seem more believable. Were the two left to their own devices, eventually the 'honeymoon phase' would end, and the complete lack of common courtesy Sherlock holds for life and its mundaneness would put further strain on a friendship that's already wearing thin in John's mind (which is more important than what Sherlock thinks - it's never really clear how he sees the friendship with John, other than something of a convenience. I say convenience because the entire reason they met as due to needing a less expensive place to stay, and Sherlock seems to use John for the more mundane things, like going to the shops and sorting out their dinner).
So Moriarty and Sherlock start having a sort of battle of wits. Sherlock finds that Moriarty is just as smart as he is, and he makes for an excellent opponent - though he finds he can't quite enjoy it as much as he'd like to, not with the prospect of John being blown up at the forefront of his mind (it's important to mention that throughout the entirety of this meeting, not once does Sherlock fear for himself). After a few moment's struggle, a short amount of relief and then having the moment tense up again, Sherlock resigns himself to the possibility of dying here. It doesn't phase him as he aims his gun at the abandoned coat, filled with explosives on the floor. With his finger on the trigger, the gun cocked, the series ends here.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's and why?:
I'll be taking him from the end of the episode 'The Great Game', which is the series finale. This has him equipped with canon character relationships, such as his mutually beneficial friendship with John, and he not only knows Moriarty, but he's met him and spoken with him. Moriarty is somewhat of a driving force, now that Sherlock knows he exists, and after being politely told to back off, he'll want nothing more other than to get back onto his trail.
I think this also works with as to why he'd be waking up in a hospital at all, especially during those first few moments, because he'll think that's why he's there. When the disorientation wears off, things will start to get interesting.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality:
'Sherlock' is a modern adaptation of the original canon book series, Sherlock Holmes. As such, Sherlock largely stays true to his original counterpart, the only real difference being that it's all set in the modern day. For instance, Sherlock is well up to date with all things technical, he uses nicotine patches instead of smoking a pipe and he watches 'crap telly' (which he didn't do before John came into his life, might I just add).
Anderson: According to someone, the murderer has the case. And we find it in the hands of our favourite psychopath.
Sherlock: I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.
- Sherlock corrects Anderson, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock defines himself by using medical jargon. He calls himself a high functioning sociopath (a term no longer used, as it's now grouped in with ASPD - Antisocial Personality Disorder - which suggests [under my own speculation] that Sherlock is simply spouting labels to see if anyone catches him out. They didn't), which isn't necessarily a true diagnosis. It would be more accurate to say that he's either suffering from aspergers syndrome (given his acute obsession with puzzles, but not with people, and the way he watches others whilst feeling detached himself), Savant syndrome or even a slew of different definitions all rolling up into one thing to make Sherlock who he is. Suffice to say that it's not so simple as to place him into one category; people are much more complicated than that, and the diagnosis of sociopath is most likely something to throw people off of him, to stop them looking closely at something he doesn't want them to. It also gives him the benefit of being treated differently. If it is something like autism, he might still feel, but he'll be unsure at what his emotions actually mean; either way, he's unsure about his own feelings and is likely more comfortable ignoring them all together, which makes him come across as almost robotic in his actions and his 'emotions'.
Moriarty: If you don't stop prying, I will burn you. I will burn the heart out of you.
Holmes: I have been reliably informed that I don't have one.
Moriarty: Oh, but we both know that's not quite true.
- Sherlock and Moriarty, The Great Game.
It seems that Sherlock has a limited emotional range. He feels excitement, pleasure and adrenaline, but it really takes John being tied up in explosives to see that somewhere in that cold, too-small heart, there's the smallest grasp at something close to companionship. Moriarty rightfully guesses that John is his heart - something Sherlock might not have seen before that moment, or at least, something he hadn't really considered before he'd been presented with the possibility. It's very telling that, as soon as Sherlock can, he strips John of his coat laced with explosives, adamantly asking if John's all right several times over - for someone so repeatedly level-headed in the midst of several crisis to show his nerves physically affecting him is quite a feat (if you watch closely, he starts waving his gun around in a fit of adrenaline, talking warily, and his hands are actually shaking!).
Sherlock: All right? Are you all right?
John: Sherlo- Sherlock, I'm fine.
- Sherlock panicking whilst he pulls John's coat off in 'The Great Game'.
His intelligence has always set him apart from everyone else. For the purpose of speculation, this means that he's always been regarded as 'odd', and it's a part he's literally fallen into. At a very young age, Sherlock learnt that he wasn't like everyone else, and he learnt that he had to make certain allowances to become like them. He learnt to fake smiles, he learnt that crying was an emotional response that lead others to feel sympathy for you, and he learnt that being intelligent wasn't necessarily a good thing. He built himself from the ground up, because that's what he had to do to be considered 'normal', and for a long while, he was content pretending. This is why he's so good at falling into someone else's shoes, faked or otherwise, because he's had a lot of practise pretending to be everyone other than himself. Being a genius certainly has its drawbacks, and to be a genius in the first place means that other things have to balance out the brilliance of the mind. For every excellent quality Sherlock has, he has a flaw to counter it.
Sherlock Holmes is nothing short of amazing. He has an eidetic memory, which is rare in of itself, and as a result of this, he can run through the various and erratic stages of his mind, often coming up with disjointed thoughts that eventually fit the big picture. He's always thinking, always above everyone else, always faster and always following something that seems improbable or even completely random to other people. To himself, his thoughts make perfect, logical sense, and he can't quite understand why people have such trouble keeping up with him. Because his mind is so much faster than the average person, he has to dumb himself down and explain things at every step, which is obviously irritating for him so he often ignores questions and concentrates on his own. It's obvious that he's not used to having a partner, and it does take him a while to get used to the idea of sharing thoughts aloud when he would usually just keep them to himself and start running off somewhere.
Being so intelligent can have some major problems, and Sherlock can't really cope at all when he's not got something to keep his brain working. He literally falls short, content to laze around on the couch wearing nothing other than his pyjamas until a new case falls into his lap. He won't go out searching for one, people have to come to him. He's been known to do a lot of strange things when cases are limited, such as experiment on decapitated heads, hit corpses with riding crops, put eyeballs in the microwave and he's even shot the wall, claiming that '(the wall) had it coming'. Whenever he's in one of his moods, it's usually best to leave him be, as no one can really get through to him. He sometimes goes for days on end without speaking a word, and it's also not a stretch to see him picking up his violin to cure his continuous boredom.
John: Who are you? What do you do?
Sherlock: I'm a consulting detective. The only one in the world - I invented the job.
John: What does that mean?
Sherlock: It means when the police are out of their depth - which is always - they consult me.
- Their first proper conversation in the back of a taxi, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock is arrogant. There's no denying it, he has a definite sense of self, and he knows that he's smarter than most everyone around him. He doesn't necessarily go out of his way to prove just how intelligent he is, but he does, when the moment calls for it, berate and belittle those who fail to grasp his line of reasoning. He's different from everyone else in an obvious way; he sees things others don't pick up on, he can make conclusions about people he's never even met from the size of their shoes and he can assume elaborate stories from looking at a simple mobile phone. Because of all of these abilities, he knows that he's unique and that he's brilliant - the police haven't got a single hope in hell of solving the crimes Sherlock solves, and especially not at the rate he's been able to solve them. Sherlock is more than aware of how much the police need him, and that only adds to his excessive ego. Because he sees and regards himself so highly, he can and often will come across as cold. Sherlock is, by default, a cold and is often likened to a machine in the way that he pushes people out of his equations and concentrates, instead, on the puzzle at the heart of it all. He doesn't care for the people involved, only the problem and how it might be solved, and he does this without feeling any empathy for whoever's caught up within the middle of his games. As a result of all of this, he can appear to be stand-offish and unemotional at things that would move even the hardened of criminals; Sherlock is interesting because he understands emotions on a clinical, text-book level, but he doesn't quite grasp their meaning or what they are. He understands that love is a powerful and dangerous emotion, plagued by dopamine and other endorphins released in the brain, and it often leads to some of the most heinous crimes he's ever had the pleasure of solving. He also understands that hatred, whilst considered a powerful emotion, usually lays dormant until something more motivational, such as love, becomes involved. People, to Sherlock, are complicated creatures, so he feels the need to de-construct them down into strong emotions, which are easier to understand than meddling with the ones in between.
John: So why is he doing this then? Playing this game with you? Do you think he wants to be caught?
Sherlock: I think he wants to be distracted.
John: Well, I hope you'll be very happy together.
Sherlock: ...sorry, what?
John: There are lives at stake, Sherlock! Actual human lives! Just so I know, do you care about that at all?
Sherlock: Would caring about them help to save them?
John: No.
Sherlock: Then I'll continue not to make that mistake.
John: And you find that easy, do you?
Sherlock: Yes, very. Is that news to you?
John: No... no.
Sherlock: ... I've disappointed you.
John: It's good. It's a good deduction, yes.
Sherlock: Don't make people into heroes, John: heroes don't exist, and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
- One of John and Sherlock's first real arguments from 'The Great Game'.
On a personal level, Sherlock is difficult. He's difficult to get to know, he's difficult to talk to, he's difficult to read and he's most definitely difficult to understand. He has no sense of depravity, he believes that everything in the flat is his to use as he pleases (including John's things, such as his laptop and his phone) and he hasn't quite grasped the concept of sharing. He doesn't go out of his way for anyone other than himself, he has no qualms with finishing off the milk and then letting John find out that morning that it's gone, he has no problems with making John go to the local supermarket to get their shopping. He's also not adverse to lying back and letting John bring said shopping up the stairs, through the flat, and then stack it into the kitchen all on his own either. He is, as Mycroft puts it, hellish to live with; he has no real sleeping pattern to speak of, he eats very rarely, he's been known to pick his violin up at three in the morning and scrape against the strings in annoyance, and most importantly, he's been known to do drugs.
Lestrade: And I didn't break into your flat.
Sherlock: Well, what do you call this, then?!
Lestrade: It's a drugs bust!
John: Seriously? This guy? A junkie? Have you met him?
Sherlock: John.
John: I'm pretty sure you could search this flat all day, and you wouldn't find anything you could call recreational.
Sherlock: John, you probably want to shut up. Now.
John: Yeah, but come on. [Eyes Sherlock] No.
Sherlock: What?
John: You?
Sherlock: Shut up! [Turns to Lestrade] I'm not your sniffer dog.
Lestrade: No, Anderson's my sniffer dog.
Sherlock: Wh- And-? Anderson, what are you doing here on a drugs bust?!
Anderson: Oh, I volunteered.
Lestrade: They all did. They're not, strictly speaking, on the drugs squad, but they're very keen.
- Sherlock, John and Lestrade talking about Sherlock's habits, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock: Oh, so, what, you set up a pretend drugs bust to bully me?
Lestrade: It stops being pretend if they find anything.
Sherlock: I am clean.
Lestrade: Is your flat? All of it?
Sherlock: I don't even smoke.
- Sherlock and Lestrade continued, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock has had past experience with the use of narcotics. Going by the original canon, Sherlock likely injected cocaine. Whilst cocaine isn't really injected much at all in this day and age, have we ever really known Sherlock to go by the norm of society? It largely depends on the type of high he's searching for, and injected cocaine gives him everything he wants (the high, the adrenaline - though instead of making him rush around, it gears his brain up so that he can think as he does on a case. It's been stated that he feels as though his mind rots when it's left to think on nothing, so cocaine is a way to alleviate that symptom). It also correlates to his thrill-seeking behaviour; those that have been addicted to cocaine show more signs of seeking out pleasure (like we see with Sherlock quite often), and one is never really rid of the effects of cocaine. Because of the high it gave the brain, it remembers and it wants that high back - this is why, after withdrawing from cocaine, people often go back to the drug, and why Lestrade doesn't necessarily believe that Sherlock's clean. It should also be noted that when Sherlock steers the conversation from his flat being cleaned, he shows obvious signs of avoidance - he refuses to answer the question, and instead, pushes it into another direction entirely.
Sherlock Holmes, in conclusion is a man that few would like to deal with. He's irritating, he's unusual, he's rude, he's arrogant and he's self-obsessed. But he's also brilliant, and when pushed, he can be shockingly loyal - especially to John, which is odd given Sherlock's general outlook on people. Their friendship is unlikely, insane, nonsensical and completely out of this world. And that's why it suits them both down to the ground.
Please give us a physical description of your character:
The first thing you notice about Sherlock Holmes are his eyes. They're a gorgeous bright blue with flecks of green - but there's no warmth behind them. He stares with a cold and calculating gaze, the sociopathic side of him giving no emotion away whatsoever (largely because he has none to speak of). Just like all sociopaths, Sherlock has the famous sociopathic stare; he blinks less than most other people, because he's constantly watching for any emotional clues that might be given away via facial expression or body language. He doesn't understand the emotion in peoples voice, nor does he understand the emotional cues people give off when waiting for sympathy. He has to rely on those quick and clever eyes of his, and he relies on them very heavily.
He has black, messy hair and his face isn't exactly the conventional 'handsome'. He is, actually, odd-looking by anyone's standards, and yet, he grows on you the more you see him. He wears overly fashionable clothes, making a point to look his best with long swish coats and expensive suits. To Sherlock, image is everything. He needs to look professional when meeting new people, and he needs to look ordinary enough to blend in and be able to hide in plain sight.
At Landel's, Sherlock will look as he always does - which means that whatever he's wearing is directly affected by his mood. If he feels lethargic and depressed, he'll wander around rather zombified in nothing but his pyjamas and perhaps a lovely pair of bunny slippers, but if his mood is neutral, then he'll dress as smartly as he can.
What kinds of otherwordly abilities does your character have, if any?:
None.
If present, how do you plan to tweak these powers to make your character appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?:
N/A.
Does your character have any non-otherworldly abilities/training that surpass the norm?:
The first thing to note about Sherlock Holmes is his intelligence. There's a reason he's known as the best literary figure throughout history; his logical mind is nothing to scoff at. He has the power to recall images without a single fault, he can recall words and how they're pronounced whilst simultaneously running through a dictionary in several different languages and he can link up logical facts from obvious clues scattered around the crime scene, and this is all within the confines of his own mind. Furthermore, he has the ability to observe things with an obsessive amount of detail; for instance, he's able to see and understand whether someone's left handed by taking a quick sweeping glance through their apartment, he can determine whether someone is lying by a series of mental cues he's trained himself to take notice of, and he can catch people out by listening to the phrases they've chosen to use.
Sherlock holds the ability to slip into people's personalities as though they were a new wardrobe. He can change his mannerisms completely, the name Sherlock Holmes completely disappears in lieu of this new character. It's definitely a skill worth mentioning, as he really does change everything about him, from the way that he walks to the formidable air that seems to follow his every step. He can push out certain believable flaws, allowing him to act as though he's awkward or uncomfortable. He constructs a storyline within his head based upon the people he's talking with, and he can create everything up from the ground, such as his characters likes and dislikes, little quirks and the things that make them enthusiastic. He can (and will) drop these masks without any notice, becoming his stoic and expressionless self once he holds the information he set out to gain.
He has extremely steady hands, thanks to the more scientific side of Sherlock. He needs his hands to be as steady as possible, especially when working with dangerous chemicals and using pipettes to drop an exact amount of liquid into a certain other chemical. As a result of meticulously forcing his hands to be steady, when holding a gun, his aim is near perfect. He's also studied a special type of martial arts called 'Bartitsu'. The general idea is that you assess your enemies strengths and use them against them, whilst simultaneously using the element of surprise.
Sherlock Holmes has always had a gift with music. When he was a child, he picked up the violin and had found that playing was second nature to him; he's a modern day virtuoso, able to play anything by ear with skilled musicians fingers. The most interesting thing about Sherlock is that he could hear something playing in the background and only subconsciously take it in, and the next time he picks his violin up, he could be playing it with intricate additions of his own.
Not only can Sherlock use the language of music, he's very apt at multiple languages, though he's mostly keen and more accurate on the languages spoken in Europe.
At the end of his extensive list of amazing abilities is his innate knowledge of all things technical. He can touch type, he can somehow use the phone networks to text an entire room of people, and he's intelligent enough to be able to crack computer passwords with ease.
What do you see your character doing in the scope of the game and how do you plan to use the setting of Landel's Institute to develop them and affect their psychology in a unique, interesting way?:
To begin with, I think Sherlock will be disoriented from the explosion. Thus, waking up in a hospital, whilst confusing, won't set off any alarms. On some level, he'll expect to be sore, so it's likely that when he first arrives, he'll be coming in and out of consciousness. When he actually wakes up, though, and he takes the time to recall the past few days, he'll notice that something is definitely wrong. He's bound to be somewhat confused but ultimately sure of himself and why he's there. Sherlock's a very arrogant and confident man, and his confidence rests entirely on himself and his own abilities. It will take quite a lot to shake him, considering his eidetic mind and its frankly astounding abilities. However, I'm sure that once he sees that there are books about his 'adventures' in the library, it could take him into an entirely new and somewhat strange direction. It could be that he begins to slowly come around to the idea that he is a mental patient; after all, he is a sociopath, isn't he? And it's clear that he's prone to delusions and hallucinations.
The fact that John will (hopefully!) be learning these things with Sherlock, it'll make things seem that much more real. Though knowing that they shared their delusions almost perfectly will have Sherlock thinking something is wrong. Either way, it could lead to some very interesting character developments and some very intriguing character relationships, between both John and people already in the game.
Regarding Shelrock's anti-social nature, he will, eventually, have to meet other people. Once he realises that something's WRONG in Landel's, he will definitely go out and seek other people to gain information for himself. He'll likely treat it like a sort of puzzle that needs to be solved, if only to understand where he is and why he's there. He's capable of talking to people when it suits him, so as long as he has a selfish reason for seeking out others, he will make a point to converse with whoever he deems worthy of conversing with. It would likely take him a while to actively work with people, especially because John-mun and I don't plan on them meeting up for a while. Sherlock will have to rely on his charm and his intelligence to get himself around the place, and because he's so mistrusting of people in general, he'll likely keep all of his research and information to himself - at least to start with. Eventually, once he builds up a strong enough relationship with some cross-canon characters, it's very likely that he'll make an effort to share research and information, provided there's something in it for himself (as he is a very self-involved person).
Because he has such a talent in faking emotions, he can, should it come down to that, fake being a social person, especially if he thinks he'll need to use a more outgoing approach to befriend people. Whilst he doesn't like to use his personas for a long period of time, he's more than capable of adapting to his surroundings so if he truly felt that he needed a leg up, he'd do whatever he could to get there, which includes using the bulletin board and meeting new people.
The fact that he's in a hospital won't, at first, set off any considerable alarm bells, as previously mentioned. When he realises that it's not just a hospital, but it is, in fact, a mental hospital, it's going to leave him irritated and somewhat confused. He isn't at all insane, and to be put into a mental institute will scare him, if only because he's actually battling various mental illnesses such as (self diagnosed) sociopathology and perhaps even autism. The fact that he's in somewhere like this means that he either checked himself in or someone put him in there, and with the nurses and staff all acting as though his life is one big fantasy, there's no denying that he will have a momentary befuddled. Because he's so confident in himself and his abilities, I wouldn't say that he would actually doubt himself at all up to this point, but he will question a few things (like whether he's actually insane, whether he's making it up, whether he truly has this great life). What will push him over the line of simply questioning himself will be the books with his supposed name on the cover; when he finds these and takes the time to read them, he will actually start believing what he's told and it will, for the most part, break him apart and hit him hard. He won't know how to cope with himself and he'll likely shut down into a non-responsive patient, simply doing things for the sake of doing them (like taking the meds the nurses and doctors tell him to take without question), and he might even become suicidal with the knowledge that he is nothing special and his mind made him everything he wanted to be. He'll lose that oomph he has, and he'll only get it back once he meets John in game, because only John can confirm that he is who he thinks he's meant to be.
The first time he experiences the darker aspects of Landel's, he will probably think he's hallucinating. He puts a lot of stock into logical thought, so it will take him a while to actually accept that the paranormal exists (as well as time travel and other worlds), but he will come to terms to it ("When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"), as he's quite an outside thinker and somewhat open to theories and these things would definitely interest him once he's accepted that they exist. He's a very apt fighter, so he will be able to handle himself if he needs to (he's studied bartitsu and is an excellent swordsman. He's also extremely good with thinking on the spot, so he could use anything strong enough as a weapon).
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?:
Sherlock is a "sociopath", and as such, he doesn't necessarily feel things like we might. Fear will manifest into bouts of adrenaline, and will therefore leave Sherlock feeling quite energetic about the situation, though if his mind is left to rot, he'll quickly become lethargic. The first time he notices the paranormal things, he'll think he's had some sort of mental breakdown, which will only be intensified by the idea of his real self being a fictional character (thanks to the books in the library). Sherlock will, eventually, regain his confidence, and hopefully that'll mean he'll be ready and willing to use his unique intelligence and it will develop his character as well as his relationships with the other players of Damned.
As far as mental and physical stamina goes, Sherlock will just keep on going. Even when his body is failing him, he'll keep pushing it until he collapses, and his mind is much the same - he hates to think of himself as weak, and even though he is only human, he doesn't necessarily think about the consequences of his actions. He's always more than aware of others personal safety, but when it comes to his own, he's so confident in his abilities that he doesn't think he'll ever fail - and so far, he hasn't failed.
Third-Person Sample:
[OOC note: This isn't necessarily something that is canon. This was based on an idea, where John is kidnapped by a murderer/rapist, and it has been RPed out privately between myself and you_miss_it . Considering this was written no more than two weeks ago, I think it's one of the more up to date pieces of writing I've written, and I feel it works for this game and its premise. I hope that's okay.]
It was interesting the way time seemed to slow as Sherlock eyed every breath John struggled to take; shallow and cold, his breath was fogging up in gentle, short bursts. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that it would be so easy to put him out of his misery. To take his hand, link their fingers together and slam the knife down into his chest. To end the pain firing from each nerve every time he sucked in a faint breath. To be merciful.
But it was an almost unconscious thought, one that Sherlock didn't listen to - there was so much here, locked inside that stupidly idiotic brain of his - smart and wonderful and normal and excellent. Too much to go to waste on a night like that one. Too much to end so quickly and bluntly.
Sherlock wasn't done with John. Sherlock won't ever be done with John. And he knew that night that no one else was dying, because John would have the best medical team in the whole of London patching him together. There was something to be said for being unemotional; moments like these, where Sherlock imagined emotions would run riot kept him calm and with enough thought capacity to consider his next move. John needed to feel the calm Sherlock felt; it was cold, numb, normal. He could remember noticing the faint burning of his heart, the way it hammered against his ribcage for recognition. Recognition Sherlock didn't know how to give.
He couldn't let his thoughts roam, but if he could, he knew that he'd be thinking about what he'd said. Moriarty. It might have clicked just then, if he wasn't too busy trying to keep his thoughts on anyone, everyone but Moriarty. John was more important than him, at least for that moment. He pushed his mind towards being helpful, bringing up every medical text he'd ever read in every other book, pages of diagrams flashed up before his mind's eye and then disappeared again with their irrelevance, until finally, he settled on something helpful.
He kept his hand pinned down upon John's chest, holding his weight, swallowing thickly. He couldn't move, because movement meant more blood cooling at the base of his hand. Eyes narrowed and he stared unblinkingly at John and at that smile. He felt himself smile in return, a silent moment of spoken reassurance held between two friends - because now, thinking back, Sherlock's sure that that's what John is.
But then John began to cough, with blood spattering onto the floor next to Sherlock, and it was a moment cold horror, trickling down through his veins.
It was noted several times over in his head, 'he has internal bleeding'. It was repeated and repeated and repeated until the words felt like they'd lost all meaning. Even then, it went round and round, forcing Sherlock to realise that could do nothing other than sit and watch as his friend lapsed into a state of unconsciousness. Leaving Sherlock to be the responsible one. Why was it so easy to relieve someone of their life, but so difficult to ensure someone keep theirs?
His thoughts were interrupted by sirens. Sirens that were loud and clear, and they ripped through the brutal silence of the night easily. There should be more of a disturbance, Sherlock thought, something loud with people panicking and glasses breaking, because this was anything but ordinary. Because John being unconscious wasn't ordinary. But nothing had changed. Nothing would change. Everything would continue to be the same whether John takes another breath or not. That might be what made him boil with hatred. Nothing changing. Like nothing had happened. Like John hadn't been stabbed, like blood wasn't pooling out of his mouth, like stray drops weren't falling from the corners of his lips, with everything much too red and everything covered in wet and thick crimson.
The paramedics were loud. They shouted commands, and Sherlock had to be pulled back from John as his hands dripped with his blood. They thought he'd stabbed him, but Sherlock wasted no time in setting them straight. The flashing lights were distracting, and Sherlock was thinking thinking thinking, loud repetitive alarms be damned. He watched detachedly as several men rushed around and eventually dragged John onto a stretcher. He watched as they pushed him into the back of the ambulance, and Sherlock instantly followed them on, sitting down beside John despite the anxious stare he received from every member of the emergency aid team.
The silence wasn't awkward to him. It was just silence. How could a silence be anything other than a deafening void of sound?
"Royal Brompton," he said, and he wouldn't be told any differently. The Royal Brompton in Harefield NHS is the only hospital Sherlock would allow John to be sent to, even if it was further.
He was stable. Sherlock couldn't stop watching John and his heart monitor with a gaze that was completely unwavering.
First-Person Sample:
I've been sedated.
Suppressed ??
Mind is slow, vision's hazy. Pethidine? No, more familiar. Morphine.
Explosion ??
Thoughts are incompatible with current state of awareness.
James Smith ??
Sherlock Holmes.
[[OOC NOTE: I don't actually think Sherlock would take his time to write something small and intricate; he'd much rather throw the journal under the bed and ignore it for the rest of his stay. Still, I tried to have him write something vaguely interesting, and as you can tell, it didn't really work. I'm not sure about this sample at all, because Sherlock is very independent and I think he would refuse to write into a journal about any of his moods or feelings. He'd likely give it to John and ask him to fill it in for him. By ask I mean demand.]
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Completely optional question for first-time applicants: How did you find out about this RP and why are you interested in playing in it?:
I've actually seen Damned a lot, but I've never really been able to join because in all honesty, it just intimidated me. I'm a wimp, and have a total fear of mental institutes so I've always sort of gone 'nnnnyghghghgn' whenever I've seen the premise and not looked much more into it. Having actually looked around and talked to people that are in the game through Plurk and AIM, I'd decided it would be a fun place to try out. And despite my being a wimp, I've always liked to write horror and fun things like that, so why not? Especially since I have someone to app into Damned with me!
Maybe It'll help me get over my fear of hospitals and mental institutes. Then again, maybe it'll make it worse! Who knows. :D
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Timezone: GMT +1
Personal LJ: enticements
E-Mail: thephoenixwright@gmail.com
AIM/other: AIM: fluentindetail
Is English your primary language?: Yes
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Series: BBC's Sherlock
Series' Medium: It's a TV series, but it's based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book series, Sherlock Holmes.
Character: Sherlock Holmes
Age: 33. The actual age is never mentioned in the show, but I'm going off of the actor's age. It would make sense for him to be this age.
Sex/Gender: Male
Canon Role: Protagonist
"Real" Name: James Smith
How long have you roleplayed your character, if at all?:
I've played Sherlock ever since the new series came out a month or two ago. I also play a Sherlock Holmes from the original book canon, but this Sherlock Holmes and that Sherlock Holmes are quite different from one another, even though they share some obvious similarities.
Where have you roleplayed in general and/or with this specific character?:
In general, I've roleplayed for several, several years. At least since I was 15, and even then, I think I roleplayed long before that (I was just terrible at it, and thus have likely blocked it from my mind).
I haven't played this version of Sherlock in any games, though I have played him with friends in museboxes and personal story lines. I've played my original canon Sherlock Holmes at Anteceeded and still play him today at Amatomnes.
Are you personally familiar with your character's canon?:
I've watched this series more than once, all in all. I can't quite recall the number, but I can say without any doubts that it's more than three times for each one episode. Perhaps four for 'The Great Game'. I've also watched the unaired pilot.
Not only have I watched the series, I've read a few of the original stories and I've seen a number of adaptations, such as: Sherlock Holmes (the 2009 movie), the Granada series with Jeremy Brett and things that are based on the Sherlock Holmes canon like House M.D (and Basil the Great Mouse Detective. Which bears mentioning because... well, Sherlock is a mouse.)
There's also Sherlock's website, The Science of Deduction, which structures on a sort of Twitter-based system that I have, shamelessly, stalked since the show's ending.
Please give us a personal history of your character's life and explain to us in detail how they grow and develop over the course of their canon:
The series starts through John's perspective. Whilst we have a few snapshots into the things that Sherlock's doing (somehow texting the word 'wrong' to everyone in a certain room at a certain time, and there are conversations about him had by Lestrade and his co-worker), we don't know that it's Sherlock until John meets him.
Sherlock's life before John was mostly the same. He solved cases, chased criminals, got shot at a whole lot, considered his brother an enemy and used too many nicotine patches for his own good. It's not hard to imagine that his life was just as insane as it is now, what with being given hints about previous off-screen cases (the text Sherlock sent using John's phone, Mrs Hudson recalling how Sherlock helped condemn her husband to being jailed, a restaurant owner reliving how Sherlock had him put away too but for a less serious crime). This all suggests that whilst Sherlock was partnerless, he was still very much in the business of solving crimes. It's also assumed that Sherlock needs a partner to allow him to bounce ideas around and to consider the situation from every angle. He complains, at some point, about not having someone to help him with his work during a 'Study in Pink'.
The first time we actually see Sherlock Holmes, is when he's beating a corpse with a riding crop in a hospital morgue. No, really. This, obviously, tells us that Sherlock is... well, a strange young man. He states that he needs someone to monitor the body at all times for any signs of bruising, and should they occur, to call him immediately. The next time he's in view is when he's using scientific equipment (microscopes and then he's shown using a pipette) in the labs upstairs. He's disturbed by two men, Stamford (a man that worked under John in the army) and someone unknown to Sherlock (who turned out to be John Hamish Watson).
Sherlock and John meet through this mutual acquaintance. They both share one the same problem: they need an inexpensive house, preferably in the London borough of Camden. Living in London is horrendously expensive, and with John living on a very basic salary offered by the Royal Army and Sherlock taking cases every other month, the luxury of living alone was quickly wearing thin. So during their initial meeting, Sherlock both wowed and confused John by his intimate knowledge of his life and his issues; one eye flicker told Sherlock that John had just returned from a stint in Afghanistan (or Iraq), that he had a therapist and that his limp was psychosomatic. He also knew that John needed a flat without being prompted, thanks to Stamford's presence. Sherlock leaves in a rush (something about leaving his riding crop in the morgue), but he makes a point to introduce himself dramatically and tell John the address of their new flat, as though he already knows John's going to trundle along and meet him for a second time.
**
Sebastian: You're doing that thing. We were at uni together. This guy here had a trick he used to do.
Sherlock: It's not a trick.
Sebastian: He could look at you and tell your whole life's story.
John: Yes, I've seen him do it.
Sebastian: Put the wind up everybody. We hated him. You'd come down to breakfast in the formal hall, and this freak would know who you'd been shagging the previous night.
- Sebastian, one of Sherlock's old 'friends' from university speaking with John about Sherlock, 'The Blind Banker'.
This event is life-changing for Sherlock. Whilst he's been in close living quarters with others (having shared a dormitory in university), it can be assumed that this is the first time he has ever had to actually live with someone other than his immediate family members in the same personal space as him. Even then, he was awkward with social interaction and he hasn't really changed or broken away from that: he sees emotion, he understands it on a basic level, but he doesn't perceive it like we might, through emotional recognition and a natural response to whatever emotion's been shown. He's always been like that - which is why he's always so observant. It could be seen as a coping mechanism, as all sociopaths are very observant (which is why they have their own brand of stare, where they blink less than those around them just so that they can see more).
It doesn't take long after Sherlock and John have moved in together to see just how odd Sherlock is. He has his own particular sorts of mannerisms, and the things he keeps are strange (chemicals, skulls and the occasional riding crop). Soon after moving in, Sherlock is offered the chance to take a case. Naturally, he seizes it with both hands, and this case, later dubbed 'A Study in Pink', becomes the first case with this electric duo. John offers Sherlock a sense of normal stability, and that's very important considering how unconventional Sherlock is. The two are completely different, with John holding a steady grip on what's considered ordinary, and Sherlock catapulting into anything considered unfathomable.
John: Do you think he's stupid enough to go there?
Sherlock: No, I think he's brilliant enough. And I love the brilliant ones, they're all so desperate to get caught.
John: Why?
Sherlock: Appreciation, applause, at long last, the spotlight. That's the frailty of genius, John, it needs an audience.
- Sherlock talking to John about serial killers and their motives (as well as geniuses) whilst they're walking to the restaurant in 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock actually goes through the first episode using John for ways to get himself ahead, such as bringing him to the crime scene just to hear his opinion and to bounce ideas off of him. When his use has run out, Sherlock leaves him behind to search out something he considers more important. It's near the end, where he realises that John's killed a man without hesitation, that Sherlock actually makes a point of reconsidering his opinion on John. Before, he was just an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD and his horribly normal flatmate. Now he's seen as interesting to Sherlock, and he acknowledges that he underestimated John.
The Blind Banker gives us a momentary glimpse into Sherlock's past, with the mention of university and 'friends'** before he ultimately dropped them in pursuit of something more interesting. Whilst it's not necessarily stated in canon, I personally don't think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that Sherlock dropped out, due to hating the convention of it all and being bored by the standard structure catering to the 'normal'. He likely went to university searching for the thrill he wasn't getting anywhere else, for someone to intrigue him. When he didn't find anything, he left, and set up life in central London. On the subject of speculation and The Blind Banker, it might just be worth mentioning that by reading the conversation had between Sherlock and Sebastian, it can be assumed that there's some sort of history there. Whether they were simply very good friends or lovers is up for interpretation (and I suppose it doesn't make a difference either way), though it should be noted that where Sebastian is concerned, Sherlock is almost uncertain of himself, either being overzealous (making a point to call John a 'friend') or being detachedly rude (the part where he states that he'd been talking to his secretary). It could also be worth mentioning that when Sherlock is trying to get Sebastian to listen during his dinner meeting, he says a sort of panicked "Seb!".
The most notable thing about The Blind Banker is that John gets himself a girlfriend (which irritates Sherlock, largely because the idea of John sharing his time with anyone other than him has him confused), that Sherlock doesn't understand the point of dating and that he sees it all as a hassle. The episode mostly revolves around John and Sarah getting to know one another and eventually being kidnapped, with a side order of Sherlock running around after them both in order to save the day as all heroes and protagonists do. We also meet Moriarty in text form, but he remains largely ominous to both Sherlock and the audience.
The Great Game tests Sherlock's logical ability far more than the other two cases did. Mycroft Holmes commissions his brother, Sherlock, to take on a top secret federal case. Sherlock, being the petty child he is, ignores his brother's wishes and goes about the day looking to do anything other than the case his brother wants him to do. Eventually, after taking on a case or two of his own, they link up and Sherlock finds that Mycroft's and his own cases are one and the same. After figuring out several cases (including Mycroft's) pushed towards him, he eventually stages a meeting with Moriarty himself. Unfortunately, Moriarty proves that he's not a force to be reckoned with, and he also shows just how much influence he has by having John walk out, wired up in enough explosives to blow the entire city of Cardiff up in one fell swoop. Sherlock, understandably, has a brief moment of panic before he's overcome by a forced sort of calm. It's quickly turned into a hostage situation, and Sherlock has to think of something to make sure that John doesn't end up exploded. He's never really cared about what happens to the puzzle pieces in his games before. This time he does. John is an important puzzle piece, in both Sherlock's game and in Moriarty's. John Watson is the first normal friend Sherlock has ever had.
James Moriarty: I will burn the heart out of you.
Sherlock Holmes: I have been reliably informed that I don't have one.
James Moriarty: Oh, but we both know that's not quite true.
- Sherlock talking to Moriarty in 'The Great Game'.
This is where Sherlock really sees how important John is to him. It's implied that he's the heart Sherlock's been sorely lacking for all of these years, and it takes a moment like this for him to actually recognise that. Their friendship is odd at the best of times, but it's moments like these that really solidifies their relationship and makes it seem more believable. Were the two left to their own devices, eventually the 'honeymoon phase' would end, and the complete lack of common courtesy Sherlock holds for life and its mundaneness would put further strain on a friendship that's already wearing thin in John's mind (which is more important than what Sherlock thinks - it's never really clear how he sees the friendship with John, other than something of a convenience. I say convenience because the entire reason they met as due to needing a less expensive place to stay, and Sherlock seems to use John for the more mundane things, like going to the shops and sorting out their dinner).
So Moriarty and Sherlock start having a sort of battle of wits. Sherlock finds that Moriarty is just as smart as he is, and he makes for an excellent opponent - though he finds he can't quite enjoy it as much as he'd like to, not with the prospect of John being blown up at the forefront of his mind (it's important to mention that throughout the entirety of this meeting, not once does Sherlock fear for himself). After a few moment's struggle, a short amount of relief and then having the moment tense up again, Sherlock resigns himself to the possibility of dying here. It doesn't phase him as he aims his gun at the abandoned coat, filled with explosives on the floor. With his finger on the trigger, the gun cocked, the series ends here.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's and why?:
I'll be taking him from the end of the episode 'The Great Game', which is the series finale. This has him equipped with canon character relationships, such as his mutually beneficial friendship with John, and he not only knows Moriarty, but he's met him and spoken with him. Moriarty is somewhat of a driving force, now that Sherlock knows he exists, and after being politely told to back off, he'll want nothing more other than to get back onto his trail.
I think this also works with as to why he'd be waking up in a hospital at all, especially during those first few moments, because he'll think that's why he's there. When the disorientation wears off, things will start to get interesting.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality:
'Sherlock' is a modern adaptation of the original canon book series, Sherlock Holmes. As such, Sherlock largely stays true to his original counterpart, the only real difference being that it's all set in the modern day. For instance, Sherlock is well up to date with all things technical, he uses nicotine patches instead of smoking a pipe and he watches 'crap telly' (which he didn't do before John came into his life, might I just add).
Anderson: According to someone, the murderer has the case. And we find it in the hands of our favourite psychopath.
Sherlock: I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.
- Sherlock corrects Anderson, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock defines himself by using medical jargon. He calls himself a high functioning sociopath (a term no longer used, as it's now grouped in with ASPD - Antisocial Personality Disorder - which suggests [under my own speculation] that Sherlock is simply spouting labels to see if anyone catches him out. They didn't), which isn't necessarily a true diagnosis. It would be more accurate to say that he's either suffering from aspergers syndrome (given his acute obsession with puzzles, but not with people, and the way he watches others whilst feeling detached himself), Savant syndrome or even a slew of different definitions all rolling up into one thing to make Sherlock who he is. Suffice to say that it's not so simple as to place him into one category; people are much more complicated than that, and the diagnosis of sociopath is most likely something to throw people off of him, to stop them looking closely at something he doesn't want them to. It also gives him the benefit of being treated differently. If it is something like autism, he might still feel, but he'll be unsure at what his emotions actually mean; either way, he's unsure about his own feelings and is likely more comfortable ignoring them all together, which makes him come across as almost robotic in his actions and his 'emotions'.
Moriarty: If you don't stop prying, I will burn you. I will burn the heart out of you.
Holmes: I have been reliably informed that I don't have one.
Moriarty: Oh, but we both know that's not quite true.
- Sherlock and Moriarty, The Great Game.
It seems that Sherlock has a limited emotional range. He feels excitement, pleasure and adrenaline, but it really takes John being tied up in explosives to see that somewhere in that cold, too-small heart, there's the smallest grasp at something close to companionship. Moriarty rightfully guesses that John is his heart - something Sherlock might not have seen before that moment, or at least, something he hadn't really considered before he'd been presented with the possibility. It's very telling that, as soon as Sherlock can, he strips John of his coat laced with explosives, adamantly asking if John's all right several times over - for someone so repeatedly level-headed in the midst of several crisis to show his nerves physically affecting him is quite a feat (if you watch closely, he starts waving his gun around in a fit of adrenaline, talking warily, and his hands are actually shaking!).
Sherlock: All right? Are you all right?
John: Sherlo- Sherlock, I'm fine.
- Sherlock panicking whilst he pulls John's coat off in 'The Great Game'.
His intelligence has always set him apart from everyone else. For the purpose of speculation, this means that he's always been regarded as 'odd', and it's a part he's literally fallen into. At a very young age, Sherlock learnt that he wasn't like everyone else, and he learnt that he had to make certain allowances to become like them. He learnt to fake smiles, he learnt that crying was an emotional response that lead others to feel sympathy for you, and he learnt that being intelligent wasn't necessarily a good thing. He built himself from the ground up, because that's what he had to do to be considered 'normal', and for a long while, he was content pretending. This is why he's so good at falling into someone else's shoes, faked or otherwise, because he's had a lot of practise pretending to be everyone other than himself. Being a genius certainly has its drawbacks, and to be a genius in the first place means that other things have to balance out the brilliance of the mind. For every excellent quality Sherlock has, he has a flaw to counter it.
Sherlock Holmes is nothing short of amazing. He has an eidetic memory, which is rare in of itself, and as a result of this, he can run through the various and erratic stages of his mind, often coming up with disjointed thoughts that eventually fit the big picture. He's always thinking, always above everyone else, always faster and always following something that seems improbable or even completely random to other people. To himself, his thoughts make perfect, logical sense, and he can't quite understand why people have such trouble keeping up with him. Because his mind is so much faster than the average person, he has to dumb himself down and explain things at every step, which is obviously irritating for him so he often ignores questions and concentrates on his own. It's obvious that he's not used to having a partner, and it does take him a while to get used to the idea of sharing thoughts aloud when he would usually just keep them to himself and start running off somewhere.
Being so intelligent can have some major problems, and Sherlock can't really cope at all when he's not got something to keep his brain working. He literally falls short, content to laze around on the couch wearing nothing other than his pyjamas until a new case falls into his lap. He won't go out searching for one, people have to come to him. He's been known to do a lot of strange things when cases are limited, such as experiment on decapitated heads, hit corpses with riding crops, put eyeballs in the microwave and he's even shot the wall, claiming that '(the wall) had it coming'. Whenever he's in one of his moods, it's usually best to leave him be, as no one can really get through to him. He sometimes goes for days on end without speaking a word, and it's also not a stretch to see him picking up his violin to cure his continuous boredom.
John: Who are you? What do you do?
Sherlock: I'm a consulting detective. The only one in the world - I invented the job.
John: What does that mean?
Sherlock: It means when the police are out of their depth - which is always - they consult me.
- Their first proper conversation in the back of a taxi, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock is arrogant. There's no denying it, he has a definite sense of self, and he knows that he's smarter than most everyone around him. He doesn't necessarily go out of his way to prove just how intelligent he is, but he does, when the moment calls for it, berate and belittle those who fail to grasp his line of reasoning. He's different from everyone else in an obvious way; he sees things others don't pick up on, he can make conclusions about people he's never even met from the size of their shoes and he can assume elaborate stories from looking at a simple mobile phone. Because of all of these abilities, he knows that he's unique and that he's brilliant - the police haven't got a single hope in hell of solving the crimes Sherlock solves, and especially not at the rate he's been able to solve them. Sherlock is more than aware of how much the police need him, and that only adds to his excessive ego. Because he sees and regards himself so highly, he can and often will come across as cold. Sherlock is, by default, a cold and is often likened to a machine in the way that he pushes people out of his equations and concentrates, instead, on the puzzle at the heart of it all. He doesn't care for the people involved, only the problem and how it might be solved, and he does this without feeling any empathy for whoever's caught up within the middle of his games. As a result of all of this, he can appear to be stand-offish and unemotional at things that would move even the hardened of criminals; Sherlock is interesting because he understands emotions on a clinical, text-book level, but he doesn't quite grasp their meaning or what they are. He understands that love is a powerful and dangerous emotion, plagued by dopamine and other endorphins released in the brain, and it often leads to some of the most heinous crimes he's ever had the pleasure of solving. He also understands that hatred, whilst considered a powerful emotion, usually lays dormant until something more motivational, such as love, becomes involved. People, to Sherlock, are complicated creatures, so he feels the need to de-construct them down into strong emotions, which are easier to understand than meddling with the ones in between.
John: So why is he doing this then? Playing this game with you? Do you think he wants to be caught?
Sherlock: I think he wants to be distracted.
John: Well, I hope you'll be very happy together.
Sherlock: ...sorry, what?
John: There are lives at stake, Sherlock! Actual human lives! Just so I know, do you care about that at all?
Sherlock: Would caring about them help to save them?
John: No.
Sherlock: Then I'll continue not to make that mistake.
John: And you find that easy, do you?
Sherlock: Yes, very. Is that news to you?
John: No... no.
Sherlock: ... I've disappointed you.
John: It's good. It's a good deduction, yes.
Sherlock: Don't make people into heroes, John: heroes don't exist, and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
- One of John and Sherlock's first real arguments from 'The Great Game'.
On a personal level, Sherlock is difficult. He's difficult to get to know, he's difficult to talk to, he's difficult to read and he's most definitely difficult to understand. He has no sense of depravity, he believes that everything in the flat is his to use as he pleases (including John's things, such as his laptop and his phone) and he hasn't quite grasped the concept of sharing. He doesn't go out of his way for anyone other than himself, he has no qualms with finishing off the milk and then letting John find out that morning that it's gone, he has no problems with making John go to the local supermarket to get their shopping. He's also not adverse to lying back and letting John bring said shopping up the stairs, through the flat, and then stack it into the kitchen all on his own either. He is, as Mycroft puts it, hellish to live with; he has no real sleeping pattern to speak of, he eats very rarely, he's been known to pick his violin up at three in the morning and scrape against the strings in annoyance, and most importantly, he's been known to do drugs.
Lestrade: And I didn't break into your flat.
Sherlock: Well, what do you call this, then?!
Lestrade: It's a drugs bust!
John: Seriously? This guy? A junkie? Have you met him?
Sherlock: John.
John: I'm pretty sure you could search this flat all day, and you wouldn't find anything you could call recreational.
Sherlock: John, you probably want to shut up. Now.
John: Yeah, but come on. [Eyes Sherlock] No.
Sherlock: What?
John: You?
Sherlock: Shut up! [Turns to Lestrade] I'm not your sniffer dog.
Lestrade: No, Anderson's my sniffer dog.
Sherlock: Wh- And-? Anderson, what are you doing here on a drugs bust?!
Anderson: Oh, I volunteered.
Lestrade: They all did. They're not, strictly speaking, on the drugs squad, but they're very keen.
- Sherlock, John and Lestrade talking about Sherlock's habits, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock: Oh, so, what, you set up a pretend drugs bust to bully me?
Lestrade: It stops being pretend if they find anything.
Sherlock: I am clean.
Lestrade: Is your flat? All of it?
Sherlock: I don't even smoke.
- Sherlock and Lestrade continued, 'A Study In Pink'.
Sherlock has had past experience with the use of narcotics. Going by the original canon, Sherlock likely injected cocaine. Whilst cocaine isn't really injected much at all in this day and age, have we ever really known Sherlock to go by the norm of society? It largely depends on the type of high he's searching for, and injected cocaine gives him everything he wants (the high, the adrenaline - though instead of making him rush around, it gears his brain up so that he can think as he does on a case. It's been stated that he feels as though his mind rots when it's left to think on nothing, so cocaine is a way to alleviate that symptom). It also correlates to his thrill-seeking behaviour; those that have been addicted to cocaine show more signs of seeking out pleasure (like we see with Sherlock quite often), and one is never really rid of the effects of cocaine. Because of the high it gave the brain, it remembers and it wants that high back - this is why, after withdrawing from cocaine, people often go back to the drug, and why Lestrade doesn't necessarily believe that Sherlock's clean. It should also be noted that when Sherlock steers the conversation from his flat being cleaned, he shows obvious signs of avoidance - he refuses to answer the question, and instead, pushes it into another direction entirely.
Sherlock Holmes, in conclusion is a man that few would like to deal with. He's irritating, he's unusual, he's rude, he's arrogant and he's self-obsessed. But he's also brilliant, and when pushed, he can be shockingly loyal - especially to John, which is odd given Sherlock's general outlook on people. Their friendship is unlikely, insane, nonsensical and completely out of this world. And that's why it suits them both down to the ground.
Please give us a physical description of your character:
The first thing you notice about Sherlock Holmes are his eyes. They're a gorgeous bright blue with flecks of green - but there's no warmth behind them. He stares with a cold and calculating gaze, the sociopathic side of him giving no emotion away whatsoever (largely because he has none to speak of). Just like all sociopaths, Sherlock has the famous sociopathic stare; he blinks less than most other people, because he's constantly watching for any emotional clues that might be given away via facial expression or body language. He doesn't understand the emotion in peoples voice, nor does he understand the emotional cues people give off when waiting for sympathy. He has to rely on those quick and clever eyes of his, and he relies on them very heavily.
He has black, messy hair and his face isn't exactly the conventional 'handsome'. He is, actually, odd-looking by anyone's standards, and yet, he grows on you the more you see him. He wears overly fashionable clothes, making a point to look his best with long swish coats and expensive suits. To Sherlock, image is everything. He needs to look professional when meeting new people, and he needs to look ordinary enough to blend in and be able to hide in plain sight.
At Landel's, Sherlock will look as he always does - which means that whatever he's wearing is directly affected by his mood. If he feels lethargic and depressed, he'll wander around rather zombified in nothing but his pyjamas and perhaps a lovely pair of bunny slippers, but if his mood is neutral, then he'll dress as smartly as he can.
What kinds of otherwordly abilities does your character have, if any?:
None.
If present, how do you plan to tweak these powers to make your character appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?:
N/A.
Does your character have any non-otherworldly abilities/training that surpass the norm?:
The first thing to note about Sherlock Holmes is his intelligence. There's a reason he's known as the best literary figure throughout history; his logical mind is nothing to scoff at. He has the power to recall images without a single fault, he can recall words and how they're pronounced whilst simultaneously running through a dictionary in several different languages and he can link up logical facts from obvious clues scattered around the crime scene, and this is all within the confines of his own mind. Furthermore, he has the ability to observe things with an obsessive amount of detail; for instance, he's able to see and understand whether someone's left handed by taking a quick sweeping glance through their apartment, he can determine whether someone is lying by a series of mental cues he's trained himself to take notice of, and he can catch people out by listening to the phrases they've chosen to use.
Sherlock holds the ability to slip into people's personalities as though they were a new wardrobe. He can change his mannerisms completely, the name Sherlock Holmes completely disappears in lieu of this new character. It's definitely a skill worth mentioning, as he really does change everything about him, from the way that he walks to the formidable air that seems to follow his every step. He can push out certain believable flaws, allowing him to act as though he's awkward or uncomfortable. He constructs a storyline within his head based upon the people he's talking with, and he can create everything up from the ground, such as his characters likes and dislikes, little quirks and the things that make them enthusiastic. He can (and will) drop these masks without any notice, becoming his stoic and expressionless self once he holds the information he set out to gain.
He has extremely steady hands, thanks to the more scientific side of Sherlock. He needs his hands to be as steady as possible, especially when working with dangerous chemicals and using pipettes to drop an exact amount of liquid into a certain other chemical. As a result of meticulously forcing his hands to be steady, when holding a gun, his aim is near perfect. He's also studied a special type of martial arts called 'Bartitsu'. The general idea is that you assess your enemies strengths and use them against them, whilst simultaneously using the element of surprise.
Sherlock Holmes has always had a gift with music. When he was a child, he picked up the violin and had found that playing was second nature to him; he's a modern day virtuoso, able to play anything by ear with skilled musicians fingers. The most interesting thing about Sherlock is that he could hear something playing in the background and only subconsciously take it in, and the next time he picks his violin up, he could be playing it with intricate additions of his own.
Not only can Sherlock use the language of music, he's very apt at multiple languages, though he's mostly keen and more accurate on the languages spoken in Europe.
At the end of his extensive list of amazing abilities is his innate knowledge of all things technical. He can touch type, he can somehow use the phone networks to text an entire room of people, and he's intelligent enough to be able to crack computer passwords with ease.
What do you see your character doing in the scope of the game and how do you plan to use the setting of Landel's Institute to develop them and affect their psychology in a unique, interesting way?:
To begin with, I think Sherlock will be disoriented from the explosion. Thus, waking up in a hospital, whilst confusing, won't set off any alarms. On some level, he'll expect to be sore, so it's likely that when he first arrives, he'll be coming in and out of consciousness. When he actually wakes up, though, and he takes the time to recall the past few days, he'll notice that something is definitely wrong. He's bound to be somewhat confused but ultimately sure of himself and why he's there. Sherlock's a very arrogant and confident man, and his confidence rests entirely on himself and his own abilities. It will take quite a lot to shake him, considering his eidetic mind and its frankly astounding abilities. However, I'm sure that once he sees that there are books about his 'adventures' in the library, it could take him into an entirely new and somewhat strange direction. It could be that he begins to slowly come around to the idea that he is a mental patient; after all, he is a sociopath, isn't he? And it's clear that he's prone to delusions and hallucinations.
The fact that John will (hopefully!) be learning these things with Sherlock, it'll make things seem that much more real. Though knowing that they shared their delusions almost perfectly will have Sherlock thinking something is wrong. Either way, it could lead to some very interesting character developments and some very intriguing character relationships, between both John and people already in the game.
Regarding Shelrock's anti-social nature, he will, eventually, have to meet other people. Once he realises that something's WRONG in Landel's, he will definitely go out and seek other people to gain information for himself. He'll likely treat it like a sort of puzzle that needs to be solved, if only to understand where he is and why he's there. He's capable of talking to people when it suits him, so as long as he has a selfish reason for seeking out others, he will make a point to converse with whoever he deems worthy of conversing with. It would likely take him a while to actively work with people, especially because John-mun and I don't plan on them meeting up for a while. Sherlock will have to rely on his charm and his intelligence to get himself around the place, and because he's so mistrusting of people in general, he'll likely keep all of his research and information to himself - at least to start with. Eventually, once he builds up a strong enough relationship with some cross-canon characters, it's very likely that he'll make an effort to share research and information, provided there's something in it for himself (as he is a very self-involved person).
Because he has such a talent in faking emotions, he can, should it come down to that, fake being a social person, especially if he thinks he'll need to use a more outgoing approach to befriend people. Whilst he doesn't like to use his personas for a long period of time, he's more than capable of adapting to his surroundings so if he truly felt that he needed a leg up, he'd do whatever he could to get there, which includes using the bulletin board and meeting new people.
The fact that he's in a hospital won't, at first, set off any considerable alarm bells, as previously mentioned. When he realises that it's not just a hospital, but it is, in fact, a mental hospital, it's going to leave him irritated and somewhat confused. He isn't at all insane, and to be put into a mental institute will scare him, if only because he's actually battling various mental illnesses such as (self diagnosed) sociopathology and perhaps even autism. The fact that he's in somewhere like this means that he either checked himself in or someone put him in there, and with the nurses and staff all acting as though his life is one big fantasy, there's no denying that he will have a momentary befuddled. Because he's so confident in himself and his abilities, I wouldn't say that he would actually doubt himself at all up to this point, but he will question a few things (like whether he's actually insane, whether he's making it up, whether he truly has this great life). What will push him over the line of simply questioning himself will be the books with his supposed name on the cover; when he finds these and takes the time to read them, he will actually start believing what he's told and it will, for the most part, break him apart and hit him hard. He won't know how to cope with himself and he'll likely shut down into a non-responsive patient, simply doing things for the sake of doing them (like taking the meds the nurses and doctors tell him to take without question), and he might even become suicidal with the knowledge that he is nothing special and his mind made him everything he wanted to be. He'll lose that oomph he has, and he'll only get it back once he meets John in game, because only John can confirm that he is who he thinks he's meant to be.
The first time he experiences the darker aspects of Landel's, he will probably think he's hallucinating. He puts a lot of stock into logical thought, so it will take him a while to actually accept that the paranormal exists (as well as time travel and other worlds), but he will come to terms to it ("When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"), as he's quite an outside thinker and somewhat open to theories and these things would definitely interest him once he's accepted that they exist. He's a very apt fighter, so he will be able to handle himself if he needs to (he's studied bartitsu and is an excellent swordsman. He's also extremely good with thinking on the spot, so he could use anything strong enough as a weapon).
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?:
Sherlock is a "sociopath", and as such, he doesn't necessarily feel things like we might. Fear will manifest into bouts of adrenaline, and will therefore leave Sherlock feeling quite energetic about the situation, though if his mind is left to rot, he'll quickly become lethargic. The first time he notices the paranormal things, he'll think he's had some sort of mental breakdown, which will only be intensified by the idea of his real self being a fictional character (thanks to the books in the library). Sherlock will, eventually, regain his confidence, and hopefully that'll mean he'll be ready and willing to use his unique intelligence and it will develop his character as well as his relationships with the other players of Damned.
As far as mental and physical stamina goes, Sherlock will just keep on going. Even when his body is failing him, he'll keep pushing it until he collapses, and his mind is much the same - he hates to think of himself as weak, and even though he is only human, he doesn't necessarily think about the consequences of his actions. He's always more than aware of others personal safety, but when it comes to his own, he's so confident in his abilities that he doesn't think he'll ever fail - and so far, he hasn't failed.
Third-Person Sample:
[OOC note: This isn't necessarily something that is canon. This was based on an idea, where John is kidnapped by a murderer/rapist, and it has been RPed out privately between myself and you_miss_it . Considering this was written no more than two weeks ago, I think it's one of the more up to date pieces of writing I've written, and I feel it works for this game and its premise. I hope that's okay.]
It was interesting the way time seemed to slow as Sherlock eyed every breath John struggled to take; shallow and cold, his breath was fogging up in gentle, short bursts. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that it would be so easy to put him out of his misery. To take his hand, link their fingers together and slam the knife down into his chest. To end the pain firing from each nerve every time he sucked in a faint breath. To be merciful.
But it was an almost unconscious thought, one that Sherlock didn't listen to - there was so much here, locked inside that stupidly idiotic brain of his - smart and wonderful and normal and excellent. Too much to go to waste on a night like that one. Too much to end so quickly and bluntly.
Sherlock wasn't done with John. Sherlock won't ever be done with John. And he knew that night that no one else was dying, because John would have the best medical team in the whole of London patching him together. There was something to be said for being unemotional; moments like these, where Sherlock imagined emotions would run riot kept him calm and with enough thought capacity to consider his next move. John needed to feel the calm Sherlock felt; it was cold, numb, normal. He could remember noticing the faint burning of his heart, the way it hammered against his ribcage for recognition. Recognition Sherlock didn't know how to give.
He couldn't let his thoughts roam, but if he could, he knew that he'd be thinking about what he'd said. Moriarty. It might have clicked just then, if he wasn't too busy trying to keep his thoughts on anyone, everyone but Moriarty. John was more important than him, at least for that moment. He pushed his mind towards being helpful, bringing up every medical text he'd ever read in every other book, pages of diagrams flashed up before his mind's eye and then disappeared again with their irrelevance, until finally, he settled on something helpful.
He kept his hand pinned down upon John's chest, holding his weight, swallowing thickly. He couldn't move, because movement meant more blood cooling at the base of his hand. Eyes narrowed and he stared unblinkingly at John and at that smile. He felt himself smile in return, a silent moment of spoken reassurance held between two friends - because now, thinking back, Sherlock's sure that that's what John is.
But then John began to cough, with blood spattering onto the floor next to Sherlock, and it was a moment cold horror, trickling down through his veins.
It was noted several times over in his head, 'he has internal bleeding'. It was repeated and repeated and repeated until the words felt like they'd lost all meaning. Even then, it went round and round, forcing Sherlock to realise that could do nothing other than sit and watch as his friend lapsed into a state of unconsciousness. Leaving Sherlock to be the responsible one. Why was it so easy to relieve someone of their life, but so difficult to ensure someone keep theirs?
His thoughts were interrupted by sirens. Sirens that were loud and clear, and they ripped through the brutal silence of the night easily. There should be more of a disturbance, Sherlock thought, something loud with people panicking and glasses breaking, because this was anything but ordinary. Because John being unconscious wasn't ordinary. But nothing had changed. Nothing would change. Everything would continue to be the same whether John takes another breath or not. That might be what made him boil with hatred. Nothing changing. Like nothing had happened. Like John hadn't been stabbed, like blood wasn't pooling out of his mouth, like stray drops weren't falling from the corners of his lips, with everything much too red and everything covered in wet and thick crimson.
The paramedics were loud. They shouted commands, and Sherlock had to be pulled back from John as his hands dripped with his blood. They thought he'd stabbed him, but Sherlock wasted no time in setting them straight. The flashing lights were distracting, and Sherlock was thinking thinking thinking, loud repetitive alarms be damned. He watched detachedly as several men rushed around and eventually dragged John onto a stretcher. He watched as they pushed him into the back of the ambulance, and Sherlock instantly followed them on, sitting down beside John despite the anxious stare he received from every member of the emergency aid team.
The silence wasn't awkward to him. It was just silence. How could a silence be anything other than a deafening void of sound?
"Royal Brompton," he said, and he wouldn't be told any differently. The Royal Brompton in Harefield NHS is the only hospital Sherlock would allow John to be sent to, even if it was further.
He was stable. Sherlock couldn't stop watching John and his heart monitor with a gaze that was completely unwavering.
First-Person Sample:
I've been sedated.
Suppressed ??
Mind is slow, vision's hazy. Pethidine? No, more familiar. Morphine.
Explosion ??
Thoughts are incompatible with current state of awareness.
James Smith ??
Sherlock Holmes.
[[OOC NOTE: I don't actually think Sherlock would take his time to write something small and intricate; he'd much rather throw the journal under the bed and ignore it for the rest of his stay. Still, I tried to have him write something vaguely interesting, and as you can tell, it didn't really work. I'm not sure about this sample at all, because Sherlock is very independent and I think he would refuse to write into a journal about any of his moods or feelings. He'd likely give it to John and ask him to fill it in for him. By ask I mean demand.]
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Completely optional question for first-time applicants: How did you find out about this RP and why are you interested in playing in it?:
I've actually seen Damned a lot, but I've never really been able to join because in all honesty, it just intimidated me. I'm a wimp, and have a total fear of mental institutes so I've always sort of gone 'nnnnyghghghgn' whenever I've seen the premise and not looked much more into it. Having actually looked around and talked to people that are in the game through Plurk and AIM, I'd decided it would be a fun place to try out. And despite my being a wimp, I've always liked to write horror and fun things like that, so why not? Especially since I have someone to app into Damned with me!
Maybe It'll help me get over my fear of hospitals and mental institutes. Then again, maybe it'll make it worse! Who knows. :D