You'll never guess what's coming next.
Mar. 1st, 2010 11:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
whowillleadCharacter Info
Fandom: Fray, Joss Whedon's Slayersverse
Version: Original
Name: Harth Fray
Age: Let's say 21-ish but appears about 17-ish. Forever. 'Cause he's dead. :<
City of Residence: New York City (eventually known as Haddyn)
Background:
It has been at least 200 years since all demons and magicks had been banished from earth by the last Slayer and her allies. What became of this 21st century girl, no one knows for sure. Without any demons left to defend against, the girls who came after to inherited the Slayer's power and legacy were no longer trained and no longer called.
But then the monsters came back.
Every Slayer is supposed to be psychically linked to those who came before, inheriting the memories and instructions for what she must do, which are accumulated over several lifetimes and then relayed through dreams. Melaka Fray is the current Slayer, and although she gained the Slayer's strength, healing, and instincts, she never dreamt much. Instead, this wealth of information was transferred to her twin brother, Harth, born 20 minutes ahead of her. He was dreaming Melaka's dreams from before his own memories began to form, haunted by the girl that featured prominently in each one: a different one every time, but always the same. Harth never told anyone about his dreams - not even Mel, the one who was his closest to - believing himself "spun" or crazy. But through these dreams, he came to understand the Slayer legacy - and to know the girl like himself.
("She was me. She wasn't me. I loved her. I killed her.")
Four years ago, Harth was killed by a lurk (a vampire) while accompanying his twin on one of her "grabs" or stealing ventures. Although Melaka fought, she was easily defeated (a first for her) and Harth was too frightened to run. Their older sister, Erin, blamed Melaka for Harth's death and went on to join the equivalent of the local police force known as "the laws". Melaka's lifepath went in the other direction as she continued her stealing occupation, now estranged from the only family she had left. She eventually became the best "grabber" in the city of Haddyn (formerly Manhattan) and worked for the fish-like mutant, Gunther. She made her home in the Lowers, in the largest "warren," Versi, which was the dirtiest, seediest, and poorest area of the city. Versi was inhabited by the poverty-stricken, criminals, drifters, and people mutated by the sun's radiation. Erin moved on to the Uppers. Relations were strained. Melaka worked around her fearful loathing for lurks by avoiding them, remembering how her brother had been killed.
Harth, however, had not simply been killed. In his last moments of life, Harth had chosen to feed on the lurk who was chewing through his neck, knowing from his dreams that this would allow him to become a vampire himself. ("I know more than that. I know what we are. I know what we will become.") He is the vampire that understands, as none of the others ever could, the full potential of the lurks as well as the steps to take to fulfill that potential. He is the prophesied One Who Will Lead - an instant, natural leader for the infected monsters of the Earthly dimension.
("This world belongs to the demons. They were banished, exiled by one of your ambitious predecessors. I still don't know how we came back. But we're here, a scattered few of us, and we will reclaim our world. I will open the gateway and bring the Old Ones back. And everyone you love will die screaming.")
With his knowledge and charisma, as well as the help of his unwaveringly loyal second-in-command (Icarus, the vampire who had killed him and defeated Melaka and already something of a leader), he effortlessly commanded the lurks to begin the construction of a gateway between Earth and Hell. From the shadows, he choreographed the preparations for the end of the world, and he used Melaka's grabbing to acquire the occult objects necessary. All the while, he watched his sister and recognized her for what she would become – the Slayer of his dreams.
Meanwhile, Melaka was coming into her own, guided by a demon in the absence of the Slayer's standard crew of aides/watchers. Over the centuries, the people who made up the watchers had wound up consisting of fanatics and crazyfolk and not thus weren't especially helpful. The demon, Urkonn, has his own agenda for helping the half-a-Slayer: he was sent by the Old Ones in order to prevent the collision between the human world and demon one. It turns out the ancient Bad aren't too keen on bumping into our dimension either (at least not ahead of schedule). Harth eventually has Melaka brought to him (shock, denial, horror, all the expected reactions.) and tells her his plans. He then allows her leave, believing that he had crippled her will.
This doesn't really work.
Melaka gathers about her an army made up of residents of the Warren, while Erin, now somewhat reconciled after listening to Melaka's too-insane-to-be-a-lie, brings in other laws who've grown tired of dealing with the seemingly unkillable lurks. Engaging with Harth's vampire army, these ragtag troops are losing both metaphorical ground and literal numbers when Hell's Womb - the Gateway Harth has successfully summoned through blood, magic, and will - appears in the sky in the shape of a flying dragon beastie with lots of giant skittery bug legs and a bulging belly prepared to release the creatures inside. It tries to eat Fray. But that's okay - she only gets as far as the mouth before breaking her way out via brain, which, unsurprisingly, kills it dead and saves the day.
Harth disappears into the shadows again with what remains of his lurk army (after laying one on Mel. And by laying one, I mean like a kiss. On the lips. Uh-huh, I know, right?), informing her that it isn't over. Urkonn believes the threat has ended because Harth will be unable to gather such a powerful force again for many years to come, but Melaka believes different(ly). In the meantime, they rebuild - relationships as well as the Warren. And Fray? She's ready.
Personality:
Harth spent a large portion of his life believing himself crazy and being haunted by dreams of the Slayer. The two being related. After his death, the former doesn't appear to have undermined his current confidence in the least, while the latter continues, tied into his thorough fascination with his sister. ("I love you, Melaka.") Note: fascination - not quite the same as obsession, for all the difference that distinction makes. ("I've never felt closer to anyone.") Twin or not, close or not, while he was alive he was still emotionally isolated enough not to tell anyone at all about the visions in his head. Although he feels he and Melaka are two halves of a single person, his priority is the task at hand - opening the gateway to Hell and leading his followers to glory. He does not compromise this goal, even to fulfill his desire to watch her as she watches her world falls apart. ("I watched you. I knew what you were before you did.") He honestly does care for Melaka, and probably Erin too in that special creepy manner of his, but this affection manifests itself in disturbing and unhappy ways that neither sister is really inclined to appreciate.
The lurks recognize him as their prophesied commander, The One Who Will Lead. He acknowledges that many of them are primitive and weak of mind and will, but he is patient with them and accepts the respect he is given as his natural due. ("Master." "Will you always call me that?" "Does it offend you?" "Not at all.") It seems as though along with knowledge of the legacy, Harth also acquired Fray's "big slayer leadership gene." He is entirely secure in his position; there is no challenge to his authority among the lurks and any resentment from underlings is quickly and ruthlessly dealt with by Icarus. Icarus's own criticism and advice (although he would never presume) is welcomed, considered, then accepted or discarded without any of the usual interference from arrogance or pride. In the same way, he has a great deal of respect for his enemies and deals with them cautiously. After all, he's seen first-hand what they can do. Although he is aided by his intimate knowledge of his sister's character in addition to the Slayer's legacy, he is still not entirely able to predict Fray's reaction to him and his plans. This is more of a case of miscalculation than underestimation.
Even before his death, Harth was more cautious than Melaka, and far less reckless. Melaka has always been wild. As The One Who Will Lead, he is not afraid of taking calculated risks on an epic scale, and in fact, tends to operate from a bigger-picture perspective. He is level-headed in the face of setbacks because he can see end so clearly. His faith in his destiny is firm, his determination to see it fulfilled, unwavering.
He falls very easily into his new li-- existence, which speaks well for his adaptability and ability to think on his feet. Not without a sense of fun, Harth's humor, particularly when directed towards his sisters, is casually cruel; he knows full well the effect of his words and even his very presence, and he purposely aims these to cause emotional pain. A great deal of what Harth does is purposeful. Even when he seems to act on impulse, there is still an element that suggests control, deliberation, and intent (even if the intent is probably just something along the lines of wanting to fuck with your head a little.) He has a plan, and when things don't go according to plan, he makes adjustments. Simple.
Powers:
Harth has an incredible will, much like his Slayer sister. It is impressive, especially when the one doing the being impressed is a head demon of Hell. Harth's greatest assets back at home were probably the parts of the Slayer legacy that he inherited (I'm sure that it helped too, that him having them meant that Melaka didn't). He knows hella lot of stuff relevant to Slayers and his vampire army. His vampire army was another pretty darn useful asset, decimated as it might be, but he probably won't get to keep that.
Is it too much to hope that there are lurks in the DCAU for him to rally? I’m sure he can make a nuisance of himself without them, but he would be so much a bigger nuisance with underlings.
Before his transformation - before his death - Harth was physically very weak. ("Strong? Harth couldn't open a jar of pickles.") His sister had inherited all of the Slayer's strength, as well as quick healing and instincts. However, his infection now grants him the strength and durability of a vampire body - something he might still be adjusting to, as he once threw Melaka harder than he'd been expecting to, which then allowed her to get away. He also as a good deal more grace (and… balance >_>) than he did when he was alive.
Unlike seemingly the majority of other lurks, Harth is able to take on a completely human appearance. However, he explains that this is something all vampires should be able to do and most are simply too primitive to realise this - although Icarus, for example, chooses "the face of the beast" out of pride. (Dude is scary-looking). Although he is never shown deliberately disguising who and what he is, he is probably entirely capable of passing for human and playing the role of the gawky teen he once was, and he may start off with this tact while getting his bearings.
Um. I don't know what else he might have. Vampire power bits, I guess. Pointy teeth. Yeah.
Weaknesses:
Harth is presumably still susceptible to all of the weaknesses of a vampire: fire, sunlight, beheading, a wooden stake through the heart... Actually, they seemed to do okay with having torches and stuff in their secret lairs. He is probably also bound by other vampire laws: can't enter a dwelling uninvited, sort of thing.
And he can probably starve? That never seems to be an issue considering his position as well as his location, but it's safe to assume...
Oh, so sunlight, Flik? Can I temper this weakness a bit? Otherwise I'm afraid he will combust on arrival. "Oh wow, where is -- !! *cloud of dust*"
Journal Sample:
Oh man, this is so toy. Time-travel, right? Like on the scopes, the science-fiction ones. I got that. Going to the future would have been cooler, but this past stuff's all right too, I guess. I mean, it smells clean. Too clean.
And by past, I mean waaaaaay past. "Manhattan"? Seriously? Haddyn sounds better. Less clunky. No offense. Maybe I'll start a trend... and, maybe break the timeline, so better not. If this is even my world, which... I guess it might not be?
Hey, anyone else on this thing from the future? Cars that don't crawl, some kind of navigatable piping, actual shade down in the Lowers, that kind of thing? And are all the cities here like this? Ancient grid networked the whole planet by now, right? These buildings are squat. All shiny and metal-like, but there ain't nothing but open space straight on up to... space.
May as well be another planet for all I can't find the damn sewer system - pretty sure you've got those by now. Still called Earth, though, so maybe not. So toy.
RP Sample: [written in the third person; at least one five-sentence paragraph]
Plan A had failed rather spectacularly: 'failed' as in he had been unsuccessful in opening the gateway, 'spectacularly' as in he had managed to leave a giant netherworld demon carcass in the middle of the Warren. Or as in lost a giant chunk of his followers, because that had been pretty spectacular too. Mel had done well for herself. For all of his safeguards and precautions, she had managed to rise above her own emotions, raise an army, decimate his army, and even close the gate. To save the world. Have to admit, he's proud of her.
He's also not through with her yet.
This was made just a mite more complicated by their now being maybe entire universes apart. Definitely centuries. This was, what, the 21st century? And that... was definitely worth noting, because somewhere within these 100 span of years (he knew his history), she was here. The last one to be called.
Do you believe in purpose? That we were all put on this earth in order to do something? Something important? Not everyone does, and even the ones who do don't always know what their something is. Harth knows his purpose. He is The One Who Will Lead. Somewhere out there during this time period, maybe a different universe, there is a girl who he knows. From the inside out. Who he's been. Who he's loved. It isn't Mel (and when it ends, it will end with Mel), but he can find this girl.
What does she look like? They all blur together, but he'll know her when they meet. He's sure of it, just as he's sure that in some other time that will be a long while coming, his sister is waiting for him. Preparing for him. Thinking of him. He doesn't know what he's doing here or why the dimensional rift took him here and now, but Plan A failed spectacularly and Plan B is in the wrong dimension. He's going to need a new one. He misses you too, Mel, but... you do the task in front of you. A little bit longer. They can both wait a little bit longer.
Fandom: Fray, Joss Whedon's Slayersverse
Version: Original
Name: Harth Fray
Age: Let's say 21-ish but appears about 17-ish. Forever. 'Cause he's dead. :<
City of Residence: New York City (eventually known as Haddyn)
Background:
It has been at least 200 years since all demons and magicks had been banished from earth by the last Slayer and her allies. What became of this 21st century girl, no one knows for sure. Without any demons left to defend against, the girls who came after to inherited the Slayer's power and legacy were no longer trained and no longer called.
But then the monsters came back.
Every Slayer is supposed to be psychically linked to those who came before, inheriting the memories and instructions for what she must do, which are accumulated over several lifetimes and then relayed through dreams. Melaka Fray is the current Slayer, and although she gained the Slayer's strength, healing, and instincts, she never dreamt much. Instead, this wealth of information was transferred to her twin brother, Harth, born 20 minutes ahead of her. He was dreaming Melaka's dreams from before his own memories began to form, haunted by the girl that featured prominently in each one: a different one every time, but always the same. Harth never told anyone about his dreams - not even Mel, the one who was his closest to - believing himself "spun" or crazy. But through these dreams, he came to understand the Slayer legacy - and to know the girl like himself.
("She was me. She wasn't me. I loved her. I killed her.")
Four years ago, Harth was killed by a lurk (a vampire) while accompanying his twin on one of her "grabs" or stealing ventures. Although Melaka fought, she was easily defeated (a first for her) and Harth was too frightened to run. Their older sister, Erin, blamed Melaka for Harth's death and went on to join the equivalent of the local police force known as "the laws". Melaka's lifepath went in the other direction as she continued her stealing occupation, now estranged from the only family she had left. She eventually became the best "grabber" in the city of Haddyn (formerly Manhattan) and worked for the fish-like mutant, Gunther. She made her home in the Lowers, in the largest "warren," Versi, which was the dirtiest, seediest, and poorest area of the city. Versi was inhabited by the poverty-stricken, criminals, drifters, and people mutated by the sun's radiation. Erin moved on to the Uppers. Relations were strained. Melaka worked around her fearful loathing for lurks by avoiding them, remembering how her brother had been killed.
Harth, however, had not simply been killed. In his last moments of life, Harth had chosen to feed on the lurk who was chewing through his neck, knowing from his dreams that this would allow him to become a vampire himself. ("I know more than that. I know what we are. I know what we will become.") He is the vampire that understands, as none of the others ever could, the full potential of the lurks as well as the steps to take to fulfill that potential. He is the prophesied One Who Will Lead - an instant, natural leader for the infected monsters of the Earthly dimension.
("This world belongs to the demons. They were banished, exiled by one of your ambitious predecessors. I still don't know how we came back. But we're here, a scattered few of us, and we will reclaim our world. I will open the gateway and bring the Old Ones back. And everyone you love will die screaming.")
With his knowledge and charisma, as well as the help of his unwaveringly loyal second-in-command (Icarus, the vampire who had killed him and defeated Melaka and already something of a leader), he effortlessly commanded the lurks to begin the construction of a gateway between Earth and Hell. From the shadows, he choreographed the preparations for the end of the world, and he used Melaka's grabbing to acquire the occult objects necessary. All the while, he watched his sister and recognized her for what she would become – the Slayer of his dreams.
Meanwhile, Melaka was coming into her own, guided by a demon in the absence of the Slayer's standard crew of aides/watchers. Over the centuries, the people who made up the watchers had wound up consisting of fanatics and crazyfolk and not thus weren't especially helpful. The demon, Urkonn, has his own agenda for helping the half-a-Slayer: he was sent by the Old Ones in order to prevent the collision between the human world and demon one. It turns out the ancient Bad aren't too keen on bumping into our dimension either (at least not ahead of schedule). Harth eventually has Melaka brought to him (shock, denial, horror, all the expected reactions.) and tells her his plans. He then allows her leave, believing that he had crippled her will.
This doesn't really work.
Melaka gathers about her an army made up of residents of the Warren, while Erin, now somewhat reconciled after listening to Melaka's too-insane-to-be-a-lie, brings in other laws who've grown tired of dealing with the seemingly unkillable lurks. Engaging with Harth's vampire army, these ragtag troops are losing both metaphorical ground and literal numbers when Hell's Womb - the Gateway Harth has successfully summoned through blood, magic, and will - appears in the sky in the shape of a flying dragon beastie with lots of giant skittery bug legs and a bulging belly prepared to release the creatures inside. It tries to eat Fray. But that's okay - she only gets as far as the mouth before breaking her way out via brain, which, unsurprisingly, kills it dead and saves the day.
Harth disappears into the shadows again with what remains of his lurk army (after laying one on Mel. And by laying one, I mean like a kiss. On the lips. Uh-huh, I know, right?), informing her that it isn't over. Urkonn believes the threat has ended because Harth will be unable to gather such a powerful force again for many years to come, but Melaka believes different(ly). In the meantime, they rebuild - relationships as well as the Warren. And Fray? She's ready.
Personality:
Harth spent a large portion of his life believing himself crazy and being haunted by dreams of the Slayer. The two being related. After his death, the former doesn't appear to have undermined his current confidence in the least, while the latter continues, tied into his thorough fascination with his sister. ("I love you, Melaka.") Note: fascination - not quite the same as obsession, for all the difference that distinction makes. ("I've never felt closer to anyone.") Twin or not, close or not, while he was alive he was still emotionally isolated enough not to tell anyone at all about the visions in his head. Although he feels he and Melaka are two halves of a single person, his priority is the task at hand - opening the gateway to Hell and leading his followers to glory. He does not compromise this goal, even to fulfill his desire to watch her as she watches her world falls apart. ("I watched you. I knew what you were before you did.") He honestly does care for Melaka, and probably Erin too in that special creepy manner of his, but this affection manifests itself in disturbing and unhappy ways that neither sister is really inclined to appreciate.
The lurks recognize him as their prophesied commander, The One Who Will Lead. He acknowledges that many of them are primitive and weak of mind and will, but he is patient with them and accepts the respect he is given as his natural due. ("Master." "Will you always call me that?" "Does it offend you?" "Not at all.") It seems as though along with knowledge of the legacy, Harth also acquired Fray's "big slayer leadership gene." He is entirely secure in his position; there is no challenge to his authority among the lurks and any resentment from underlings is quickly and ruthlessly dealt with by Icarus. Icarus's own criticism and advice (although he would never presume) is welcomed, considered, then accepted or discarded without any of the usual interference from arrogance or pride. In the same way, he has a great deal of respect for his enemies and deals with them cautiously. After all, he's seen first-hand what they can do. Although he is aided by his intimate knowledge of his sister's character in addition to the Slayer's legacy, he is still not entirely able to predict Fray's reaction to him and his plans. This is more of a case of miscalculation than underestimation.
Even before his death, Harth was more cautious than Melaka, and far less reckless. Melaka has always been wild. As The One Who Will Lead, he is not afraid of taking calculated risks on an epic scale, and in fact, tends to operate from a bigger-picture perspective. He is level-headed in the face of setbacks because he can see end so clearly. His faith in his destiny is firm, his determination to see it fulfilled, unwavering.
He falls very easily into his new li-- existence, which speaks well for his adaptability and ability to think on his feet. Not without a sense of fun, Harth's humor, particularly when directed towards his sisters, is casually cruel; he knows full well the effect of his words and even his very presence, and he purposely aims these to cause emotional pain. A great deal of what Harth does is purposeful. Even when he seems to act on impulse, there is still an element that suggests control, deliberation, and intent (even if the intent is probably just something along the lines of wanting to fuck with your head a little.) He has a plan, and when things don't go according to plan, he makes adjustments. Simple.
Powers:
Harth has an incredible will, much like his Slayer sister. It is impressive, especially when the one doing the being impressed is a head demon of Hell. Harth's greatest assets back at home were probably the parts of the Slayer legacy that he inherited (I'm sure that it helped too, that him having them meant that Melaka didn't). He knows hella lot of stuff relevant to Slayers and his vampire army. His vampire army was another pretty darn useful asset, decimated as it might be, but he probably won't get to keep that.
Is it too much to hope that there are lurks in the DCAU for him to rally? I’m sure he can make a nuisance of himself without them, but he would be so much a bigger nuisance with underlings.
Before his transformation - before his death - Harth was physically very weak. ("Strong? Harth couldn't open a jar of pickles.") His sister had inherited all of the Slayer's strength, as well as quick healing and instincts. However, his infection now grants him the strength and durability of a vampire body - something he might still be adjusting to, as he once threw Melaka harder than he'd been expecting to, which then allowed her to get away. He also as a good deal more grace (and… balance >_>) than he did when he was alive.
Unlike seemingly the majority of other lurks, Harth is able to take on a completely human appearance. However, he explains that this is something all vampires should be able to do and most are simply too primitive to realise this - although Icarus, for example, chooses "the face of the beast" out of pride. (Dude is scary-looking). Although he is never shown deliberately disguising who and what he is, he is probably entirely capable of passing for human and playing the role of the gawky teen he once was, and he may start off with this tact while getting his bearings.
Um. I don't know what else he might have. Vampire power bits, I guess. Pointy teeth. Yeah.
Weaknesses:
Harth is presumably still susceptible to all of the weaknesses of a vampire: fire, sunlight, beheading, a wooden stake through the heart... Actually, they seemed to do okay with having torches and stuff in their secret lairs. He is probably also bound by other vampire laws: can't enter a dwelling uninvited, sort of thing.
And he can probably starve? That never seems to be an issue considering his position as well as his location, but it's safe to assume...
Oh, so sunlight, Flik? Can I temper this weakness a bit? Otherwise I'm afraid he will combust on arrival. "Oh wow, where is -- !! *cloud of dust*"
Journal Sample:
Oh man, this is so toy. Time-travel, right? Like on the scopes, the science-fiction ones. I got that. Going to the future would have been cooler, but this past stuff's all right too, I guess. I mean, it smells clean. Too clean.
And by past, I mean waaaaaay past. "Manhattan"? Seriously? Haddyn sounds better. Less clunky. No offense. Maybe I'll start a trend... and, maybe break the timeline, so better not. If this is even my world, which... I guess it might not be?
Hey, anyone else on this thing from the future? Cars that don't crawl, some kind of navigatable piping, actual shade down in the Lowers, that kind of thing? And are all the cities here like this? Ancient grid networked the whole planet by now, right? These buildings are squat. All shiny and metal-like, but there ain't nothing but open space straight on up to... space.
May as well be another planet for all I can't find the damn sewer system - pretty sure you've got those by now. Still called Earth, though, so maybe not. So toy.
RP Sample: [written in the third person; at least one five-sentence paragraph]
Plan A had failed rather spectacularly: 'failed' as in he had been unsuccessful in opening the gateway, 'spectacularly' as in he had managed to leave a giant netherworld demon carcass in the middle of the Warren. Or as in lost a giant chunk of his followers, because that had been pretty spectacular too. Mel had done well for herself. For all of his safeguards and precautions, she had managed to rise above her own emotions, raise an army, decimate his army, and even close the gate. To save the world. Have to admit, he's proud of her.
He's also not through with her yet.
This was made just a mite more complicated by their now being maybe entire universes apart. Definitely centuries. This was, what, the 21st century? And that... was definitely worth noting, because somewhere within these 100 span of years (he knew his history), she was here. The last one to be called.
Do you believe in purpose? That we were all put on this earth in order to do something? Something important? Not everyone does, and even the ones who do don't always know what their something is. Harth knows his purpose. He is The One Who Will Lead. Somewhere out there during this time period, maybe a different universe, there is a girl who he knows. From the inside out. Who he's been. Who he's loved. It isn't Mel (and when it ends, it will end with Mel), but he can find this girl.
What does she look like? They all blur together, but he'll know her when they meet. He's sure of it, just as he's sure that in some other time that will be a long while coming, his sister is waiting for him. Preparing for him. Thinking of him. He doesn't know what he's doing here or why the dimensional rift took him here and now, but Plan A failed spectacularly and Plan B is in the wrong dimension. He's going to need a new one. He misses you too, Mel, but... you do the task in front of you. A little bit longer. They can both wait a little bit longer.
