Application for tushanshu

[imlikeabird]

Player Information:
Name: Sparky
Age: 24
Contact: strongmekachan @ AIM | realfolkblues @ plurk
Game Cast: Vicious (theonlypower)

Character Information:
Name: Garrett Hawke
Canon: Dragon Age 2
Canon Point: Post game + the two DLCs: Legacy and Mark of the Assassin
Age: 30
Reference: His wiki page | About Thedas

Setting:

Thedas is the sole continent we have seen thus far in this Medival-esque setting. A variety of races call it and its underground home. Humans are the most prominent and outnumber dwarves and elves alike. Humans naturally run the show and have a very hostile relationship with elves. The elves who have chosen not to submit to human rule have taken up wandering the woods and are called Dalish, while the city elves are holed up in walled off slums called Alienages. Finally, there are the dwarves who make their home underground in stone cities, while others migrate to the surface where they have to overcome their initial falling-into-the-sky-phobia. There is talk of other races outside of ones we see on a regular basis, such as the Qunari folk who live to the far north. But these three - the humans, elves, and dwarves - are the native bunch and by far the most common.

When the races of Thedas are not fighting with each other, they must contend with twisted, tainted versions of themselves known as darkspawn. These creatures come out of the ground to terrorize the population and spread their taint. While these incursions are often small and easily dealt with, that is not always the case. When the darkspawn find an Old God, that is a dragon slumbering deep underground, they spread their taint to it and it awakens as an archdemon and it leads them on a full scale invasion. The darkspawn swarm to the surface in a horde and slaughter many many people. This invasion is called a Blight and it is thought that only Grey Wardens - men and women from all walks of life who have submitted themselves to the darkspawn taint and survived - can end it. When the archdemon is killed, the darkspawn retreat back underground but are never truly eradicated. They breed in a very twisted manner to replenish their numbers and it is only a matter of time before they awaken a new Old God and start the cycle over again.

Time is measured in what are called 'Ages.' Each Age lasts roughly 100 years and is marked from something significant happening during that time period. For example, the Divine Age is so called because Justinia I is crowned the first ever Divine and the Chantry is made official. Hawke lives in the latest age, called the Dragon Age, so named because of a sighting of a High Dragon, even though dragons were once thought extinct. Hawke's story officially begins in 9:30 Dragon Age. While the Fifth Blight ravages his home in Ferelden, he has fled the country to the city-state of Kirkwall in the Free Marches.

One can never escape the net cast by Religion and Politics and these factions are all but married in Thedas. Most Thedosians are monotheistic and call their god the Maker. The general consensus is that the Maker has turned from the world because everyone is a douchebag. He returned only to take Andraste, a human woman, back to Heaven with Him. No one actually knows if the Maker is real or not, but there are hints in quests from Dragon Age: Origins as well as Dragon Age 2 that he is in fact very real as was Andraste. The Chantry, or church, teaches that the Maker will not return to his creation until they sing the Chant of Light in the four corners of the world. But this may be near impossible to do, since not everyone subscribes to the Chantry's beliefs. The Dalish elves have their own patheon of gods and flat out refuse to accept the Maker. Dwarves do not worship gods at all, but they revere their ancestors who have done something to enhance dwarven society. These are called Paragons. Needless to say, the Chantry isn't pleased with this and it feels that it has the right to force people to accept the Maker if they are unwillingly to do so on their own. These are called Exalted Marches. Needless to say, the Chantry is a Very Powerful institution and carries with it a tremendous amount of influence and power. If it uses that power justly, however, is hotly debated. Most especially among mages.

In a fantasy world setting, magic is naturally expected to be the norm. The Chantry teaches that 'magic was made to serve man, never to rule over him.' No matter how you slice it, mages are a constant target. Spirits that inhabitant the dream plain called The Fade, benevolent and not, are almost always looking for a host to possess so they can enter the mortal world. These hosts are more often than not unwary mages. And once a mage is possessed by a Fade spirit, they become twisted into something called abominations. To train mages in their craft and to give them the tools they need to protect themselves against these spirits, the Circle of Magi was formed. Each Circle is headed by a First Enchanter. Even so, Circle mages are not self governed. A faction known as the templars are often assigned to a Circle tower to watch over the mages and to ensure no abominations are created or escape and also hunt down apostates, mages who live outside of the Circle. Naturally, the Chantry controls the templars.

Many mages resent their gilded cage, especially when templars abuse their position as well as the mages in their care.

Kirkwall and Thedas at large adheres to this lifestyle of subjugating mages, though it seems Kirkwall takes a more extreme approach. This is where the vast majority of Dragon Age 2's story takes place. Hawke has fled the frying pan in Ferelden, only to be tossed into the fire in Kirkwall. As an apostate mage himself, he must live amongst templars who are known to be brutal to their charges. And aside from the underlying tension between the mages and the templars, Kirkwall has a whole host of other problems, ranging from corrupt politicians to murderers and haunted mansions.


Personality:

Sarcasm is Hawke's default mode and his answer for just about everything. He enjoys having a laugh at other people's expense and won't hesitate to make anyone - family, friends, and perfect strangers alike - the butt of his (sometimes rather callous) jokes. He can be a little merciless in his teasing if left unchecked. That isn't to say he's completely insensitive about everything, he just has a rather obnoxious case of permanent foot-in-mouth syndrome. His friends tend to be a little more forgiving of his antics and let him know when he's one joke closer to crossing the line, though knowing when to shut up is an art Hawke has yet to master. Good thing he's not above apologizing to the people who matter when he's done or said something to offend them. Still, that's Hawke for you; he tap dances on the line of propriety and loves it.

There is a difference between people who know Hawke and those that know Hawke well. Those that know Hawke well know that humor is just his way of hiding, of deflecting the seriousness of a confrontation. And while that doesn't make him any less frustrating to deal with, his nature is better understood by people he's actually allowed past that grinning demeanor. Hawke doesn't like people getting into his personal business and he keeps them and their probing questions at bay with humor while he deals with any problems and emotional upheaval on his own. When he's ready to talk, he talks, but only to specific people. That is something his good friend and captain of the city guard, Aveline Vallen, taught him; no one can decide for him where he is in his grief or when he should move on. It is his choice alone. That's one of the many reasons Aveline is his favorite person. She lets him be who he is and he doesn't worry much about stepping on her toes because he knows she can take him out.

He values his friends, even though he may not act like it. He didn't come to Kirkwall without trouble and having them there as a support system makes his dealing with the problems he faces easier. He doesn't hold his friends to the same standards he would hold any other citizen of Kirkwall. They're his surrogate family and therefore much more valuable to him. He rarely holds grudges against them and often brushes transgressions aside as soon as he receives an apology. Forgiving and trying to let go is far easier than wasting time and energy nursing a grudge. Betrayal is met with understandable anger, but is forgivable like any other offense. Just don't make it a habit or you're well on your way to making an enemy. Hawke is no judge and jury for these people, even if he plays one on a regular basis for the rest of Kirkwall. Hawke supports his friends in their endeavors, even if he doesn't agree with their actions. He'll let his opinion be known on the matter, but will often give in, if simply to keep peace. He argues with Merrill about the safety of her demon mirror but eventually relents in helping her. He demands to know Anders' plans regarding the Chantry, but ultimately gives into Anders' emotional blackmail and helps his fellow mage get in undetected. He worries that by not supporting them they will abandon him, even if supporting them is detrimental. Alienating his circle of friends made family is the one thing he fears almost as much as being made Tranquil (that is, put simply, an invasive procedure that permanently cuts off everything that makes you who you are.)

His romantic affection is a little harder to pin down. Simply because Hawke does not do commitment. He happily dallies from one fling to the next and doesn't give it much of a second thought. And it is not that he fears commitment, he simply has not met the right person he wants to be committed to. But when and if he does, he will make an earnest effort to make the relationship last. Until then, he's quite content at having his fun.

Hawke has a habit of nosing his way into Kirkwall's every problem, even if he doesn't want to be involved. Sometimes he volunteers and other times he's dragged into it kicking and screaming. He once asked why it was always Hawke to the rescue. Probably because he never says no. Either way, he'll complain about it...loudly, but he very rarely refuses to help anyone who asks him, although he may not always follow their specific instructions. The promise of coin is always a good motivator and while he certainly won't turn down a sovereign or two, it's not always necessary.

While Hawke still has and will probably always have sympathy for his fellow mages, his mother's death at the hands of an insane blood mage has really left a sour taste in his mouth. Before she died, Hawke was willing to help all mages, no questions asked. He knew and valued his freedom outside of the Circle's grasp and was willing to help other mages experience the same. But now he is direct and often aggressive with any mage who kills innocent people, blood mage or not. Anders' actions have strained their friendship. He didn't kill him, but he did send him away and Hawke is certainly far from forgiving him just yet.

Hawke had no desire to be involved in the Mage/Templar war. He tried his best to remain neutral even when either side requested his help dealing with the problems created by the tension between the two groups. Even after Anders blew up Kirkwall's Chantry, he made it clear to both sides that he didn't want to be involved. However, his position as Kirkwall's Champion made neutrality an impossible position to maintain. He had to pick a side. He chose to stand with the mages, because slaughtering them all for the act of one just didn't sit right with him. By the time he's pulled into the city, Hawke will have fled from Kirkwall and is a wanted man. He has absolutely no desire to be found and thrust back into the world of politics and would actually be grateful to be in someplace new and out from under the Chantry's scope.

In all, Hawke is comfortable with who he is, flaws, mistakes, and all. He believes he has done the best he can with the life he's been given and takes Flemeth's advice to heart about not letting regrets poison him. This is his life and he is the only one who can live it.

Appearance:

Hawke is about an average height male with messy black hair and a glorious beard. He has golden eyes and a smear of red paint across his nose. He's well built thanks to his training and lugging about a staff.

Abilities:

Magic in Thedas is divided into four different classes or types:

Creation which is healing and support magic for allies. Hawke can cast haste as well as heal. There are glyphs in this school that repel or paralyze foes. Hawke doesn't use the glyph spells as he spends more time buffing up his party members.

Entropy causes horrifying visions which can leave a foe paralyzed as well as putting them to sleep. Hawke is versed in Horror and Hex of Torment.

Elemental controls the two opposing forces fire and ice. Hawke knows every spell in this tree, upgrades and passive abilities included.

Spirit is a more subtle approach to offense. It's best used against enemy mages as it can disrupt spell casting. Hawke can use Dispel Magic, Walking Bomb, and Spirit Bolt.

Hawke is more of a supporting mage than an offensive one. He usually heals first and casts supportive magic for his allies before he begins attacking himself. There are two specializations Hawke has chosen to focus on: Force Magic, which manipulates energy and uses gravity to slam foes into the ground and Spirit Healing which is exactly what it says on the tin. There are no offensive spells in this school of magic and as long as it is active Hawke will be unable to cast any offensive spells. He can however heal more extensively than he could should he use Creation spells. He can also revive fallen allies though 'fallen' is actually more of a 'knocked out' state as opposed to being dead. Hawke cannot heal death.

Inventory:

- Mantle of the Champion, a full armor set.

- The Hawke's Key, a staff that tosses lightning bolts. Looks heavy.

- small dagger for shanking, cutting, and otherwise stabbing people and/or things when they get too close.

- 3 health potions and 3 lyrium potions for healing and mana regeneration respectively.

- 23 sovereigns, 35 silvers, 10 coppers which is standard currency in Thedas.

- 1 mabari hound lovingly named Dr. Thunder. Mabari War Hounds are a highly intelligent breed of dog native to Thedas. In a process called imprinting, mabari pick a master and stay with that master for the rest of their lives. According to a kennel master, mabari were bred to understand and carry out complex commands. Though not capable of speech, Dr. Thunder does show that he understands when he is being addressed and will respond in various ways, ranging from barks and whines to growls and grunts. He's a fierce fighter and will be ready to leap to Hawke's defense.

Suite: Water sector with two floors please.

In-Character Samples:
Third Person:

There was one thing Hawke would never understand.

How in the Maker's name did Orlesians stand this cheese? It didn't look appealing for one thing. Was it supposed to be moldy? And the smell. Did Orlesians not have any sense of smell at all? Probably not. Smelling stinky cheeses for a lifetime could kill even his Mabari's sense of smell. Still, Baron Paucity de Rochfort...er...Duke Prosper (Hawke had to be careful or he was going to call him that to his face) had insisted.

"It is a delicacy, Serah," he said. "The finest in Orlesian cuisine," he said.

All Hawke wanted to do was gag. But he mustn't make a scene. Not before Tallis got back with that key anyway. And he was going to make her pay for leaving him to be the distraction. Boy was he going to make her pay.

The elf holding the tray was getting restless while Hawke mustered up the courage to even take the cheese from the tray. "Messere, I have other guests..."

"No wait. I'm almost ready." Hawke checked the contents of his wine glass. Just enough to wash the taste out of his mouth. Perfect. "Eating cheese from Orlais is like a sport in Ferelden. It requires a lot of mental preparation. And wine."

Finally, he plucked the cheese from the tray and shoved it into his mouth. When he swallowed, he thought he might cry. Was that his stomach clenching up in pain? Or the first signs of a slow and painful death? "So that's a delicacy?" He drank the full contents of his glass in one long swallow.

"Yes, messere. Prepared especially for this celebration."

"I see. So do Orlesians always make it a habit of licking the bottom of boots then?"

Network:

[You know, it's taken Hawke a long time to figure out how this computer thing works. You people and your silly technology. What's wrong with a good old fashioned journal says Hawke.]

So, is this supposed to be the sequel? "The Adventures of Hawke Part Two: The Never Ending Story Only with Less Darkspawn and Blood Magic." If I'm going to be riding off into the sunset, I'd rather have a dragon than a horse. Either way, I'm still excited and I'm not even pretending this time. Can't wait to see all the fun ways you plan to kill me.