Cepheus Vottel Sef-ee-us Vo-tell
Shadowed Omokic Felidae Animalian
Can't go around it, gotta go through it.
" If I yell duck, will you squat or quack? "
Born of an Animalian half-elf mother and an Omok father, Cepheus took after his mother in that he had the ability to tilt (shift) forth animal features that set him in the Felidae Class as a Sabertooth tiger Family member. This was exactly what his father, the head of the city's protector guild had wanted. At first glance anyway. Cepheus proved too difficult to control and none too easily angered, which meant he didn't become the incredibly strong raging beast his father had tried to create in him.
​
So his father looked to darker means, and darker he literally found. He had his son 'infected' by a strange corruption that took over the colour blue and red, with a series of tattooing and enchanting that caused Cepheus' skin to turn red when angered or blue when sad, thus allowing the shadowed bands at his wrists to spread up his arms and over his torso and legs when triggered by negative emotions. Effectively taking over enough of his form to consume him in absolute darkness so he can rage like a wild beast when called for. His father left his head free from this take-over, not wanting his precious war weapon to be burnt out in one go.
​
Not one to simply take that lying down, Cepheus joined the city's information gatherers and guardians, borderline under-the-table spies at times. It gave him a purpose, utilised his skills in a lighter step and analysing others, and with their help, he was able to control his emotions better. Purpose is a great thing. Even when his Animalian ability to tilt meant he could not learn arcane magic, and from fear and spite he didn't wish to tilt his form, they taught him how to manipulate the cycles of matter. Here he found, maybe because of or despite it, he was able to manipulate the intangible.
​
But Cepheus got that determination and spite from somewhere, his father wasn't finished with him yet. When Cepheus was able to hold back from getting angry or upset, his father had his enchanted tattooing altered. Now when it's not only his own emotions that cause his forced shadow transformation but those of others nearby as well. Life became a passive battleground for the two of them, with Cepheus maintaining his position in his father's guild to channel information back to his real guild. And life went on.
That is until one day Cepheus ran to the aid of an explosion in the science quarter, only to run into a fleeing scientist. With but a glance, Cepheus took to the side of protecting knowledge and swore the protection of the scientist named Blaze and whatever it was he knew and was willing to betray the city for.
​
The SHADOW • CLASS CLOWN • JOCK • ALT: FIREFIGHTER IN TRaining
Nicknames: Ceph + Cephester + Cephlopod + Fighter + The Joker [Blaze]
PERSONALITY
Devoted | Affable | Easy-going | Upbeat
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Leans into the affable, easy-going class clown and thick-headed jock role - this was once an active effort to tamper the emotions of himself and others in order to maintain control of his abilities
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A passive leader when needed but prefers to be relied upon for a set task or skill
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Rambunctious, confident, upbeat, go-getter who encourages enthusiastically and without shame or thinking through implications.
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Cheeky and even sly and cunning on occasion. Doesn’t see a problem with lying if it helps someone.
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Impulsive, loyal, doting and dedicated
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Overall, a combination that results in a seeming recklessness that gets him into trouble even when he truly means well or is gunning to aid someone he cares about
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Tends to react with violence first when faced with negative emotions due to his straightforward, act-on-first-thought way of dealing with new situations.
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Magnanimous and understanding of the fact that shit happens. He can put himself into other people's shoes and forgives easily.
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However, doesn’t always have the best way of delivering his good intentions, sometimes coming off as a bully in his overfriendliness in teasing others to ensure as many people get a laugh out of a situation as possible. Or seems to brush off issues to try distract from the problem
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Sports
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Track and field
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Basketball
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Soccer
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Small creatures he can hold – pets, catching and releasing them etc
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Carpentry & item flipping
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Freshwater swimming
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Warrior and superheroes
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Wordplay, loopholes and clever schemes
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Classic BBQ and picnic
foods -
Making lamps, birdhouses and feeders
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Parkour with the bros
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Herping
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Needless cruelty – anyone who would be mean to wait staff, pigeons or kids is on his shit list
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Cheating in any form - Find loopholes instead you cowards!
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MMO's
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Reading
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Textbook learning – he
prefers hands-on -
Binge watching
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Pity parties
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Spending more than 10 minutes on Social Media in one sitting
OBSESSION
FEAR
COLLECTS
WEAKNESS
BUILD
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Muscular, built for strength
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Broad shouldered
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Long bridged nose
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Thick eyebrows
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Left-handed
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His tongue, gums and general insides are dark grey/black
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Small tusks
APPEARANCE
HAIR
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Vibrant rusty brown
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Airy, fluffy – allows it to stick up easily
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Looks like he either runs against the wind a lot
or runs his hands through it too much
6ft / 1.85m
SPECIAL FEATURES
See Abilities below for mechanic explanation
These features appear with strong emotions and/or use of his abilities:
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Shadows around fingernails turn into claws
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Creases in the ears sharpen and elongate the ears
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The shadows under the brows darken
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The darkness of the pupil overtakes the iris and becomes a small pin slit
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Shadows on his form intensify and darken
CLOTHING
Casual but not sloppy
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Casual but not sloppy
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Earthy tones (browns, blues, greens)
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Tanks, tees, button-ups, army jackets, zipper hoodies
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Baggy pants/jeans or shorts
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Desert, leather or sneaker boots
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Long sleeve plaid shirts, rolled up to the elbows
ABILITIES
State Shifter [Training]
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With learning and study of the cycle of matter, comes understanding and training on how to manipulate it.
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Cepheus is still a beginner so his abilities are limited
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However, he already seems to be developing a focus on air-based utility skills, such as creating fog for cover
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Uniquely to him so far, he also seems able to manipulate shadows in a similar way to an extent, likely due to his continuous exposure to the shadow corruption.
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His current abilities are:
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Shift - cause water to shift form into vapor for example and general manipulation of vapourous substances
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Thickening Air - Cause the moisture in the air to gather, almost solidifying the gaseous state to create a cloud of fog
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Dark Shroud - Increase the intensity of shadows around himself or others, likely to aid stealth
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Tilt [Racial - Animalian]
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Thanks to his mother, his Animalian side means he can tilt (physically shift) forth traits and abilities of his patron animal.
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His patron animal is the Sabertooth Tiger, which means that is his Family, thus placing him in the Felidae Class.
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He currently has the following tilt abilities:
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Enhanced overall form, for increased size, strength, speed and endurance
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Feline eyes - better night vision
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Sabertoothed, backed by an enhanced jaw his fight is both piercing and crushing
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Claws - long, sharp and slashing
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Sensitive ears, long and rotational, they pick up the smallest of sounds.
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​
Other Skills
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'Rogue' abilities: stealth, lock picking & pick-pocketing
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Analysing others, gathering information etc
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Sports, sprints and jumping
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Carpentry and generally working with his hands
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Parkour, shellfishing, crabbing, noodling & herping
INTERACTIONS
Habits and Mannerisms
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Reverts to kindergartener rules for getting attention
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Sticks his tongue out when trying hard at something
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Drinking things from the bottle
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Complimenting everyone unabashedly
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Draws ducks on things
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Knuckle cracking
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Being intentionally annoying to get a rise out of those who can handle it
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He has the energy to spare and is ready at the drop of a hat to just run with the ideas of others, no questions/answers needed
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Very friendly and usually one of the first to instigate introductions and so on
Has a natural easy-going confidence that tends to reassure those around him. His smile reflects that.
He'd keep on smiling and forcing himself into believing he's fine. If it weren't for his shadows acting on the emotion, there would be no way to tell
He can't dismiss assholes so he gets mad a lot, but his jar for acting on it is large. However, once it does overflow, it wont be pretty. His shadows will make sure of it too
Absolutely no shame or holding back in expressing his love in all forms from cheesy lines to self-sacrificing. Once he realises his feelings, he acts on them
He has a pretty good charismatic way of finding out what he's missed or appearing as if he's not confused.
RELATIONSHIPS
Best Friend
Sherri Goltoro
Best friends, ride-or-die partners in fighting crime, life partners.
When not being a force of energy together, they take turns playing the voice of reason to the wild card’s antics. Only to ultimately always back each other up. They have the same awful humour and pension for theatrics.
​Surprising no one, slowly, steadily and eventually their loyalty and comfort with one another developed into romantic feelings. Your classic case of yearning and fear of ruining the friendship with confessions.
Close Friend
Blaze Weldslav
[AU only] The two have a classic joke and poke at one another relationship. Cepheus jokingly calls him Batman because he's all dark and broody on the outside, and in turn Blaze calls him The Joker because he can't take anything seriously.
Cepheus can memorise the most random info that gives him a sneaky edge but Blaze actually understands the science on a deeper level, sparking squabbles and debates all the time, and all in good fun.
Close Friend
Zen Soldar
The two enjoy joking around and have a competitive streak when it comes to their skills, for example: the proper comedic approach to something. This can be hilarious and spur them into greatness as they bounce off each other when they agree, or falls into snippy surface-level fights when they don't. It's a 50/50. But at the end of the day when it matters they have each other's backs.
Close Friend
Mikel Faltrek
Mike is a chill guy, so much so that he seems cold. But Cepheus finds this helpful when emotions are running high (and he's losing control of his shadows as a result), he's a consistent and loyal background element to more than just their friends. He's like the framework behind the billboard, unseen, not often thought about but vital for the visuals of others to stand up.
Plus he's fun to poke at, often becoming the butt of the joke because he has the best reactions.
Friend
Ryka Soldar
Ryka is Blaze's girl and therefore Cepheus' friend by proxy, or at least that's how it started. She's sharp and witty and more of an intellectual than Cepheus but she's with Blaze for a reason ay.
Cepheus can now proudly say the two of them are solid friends, even without Blaze as a bridge. In fact, if the two broke up Cepheus would go through the strife of balancing having them both as friends.
Friend
Zela Lovelac
Like Ryka, he got to know Zela through his bro Latzen. She is so cool, they often joke she's too cool for him. Sometimes they form a trio of two taking a side to roast the other.
Cepheus can now proudly say the two of them are solid friends, even without Latzen as a bridge. In fact, if the two broke up Cepheus would go through the strife of balancing having them both as friends.
Friend
Venessa Ursidai
They're both leaderly extroverts who are well aware they will butt heads if they try to overlap too much. But they get along well in shorter bursts of interaction or when someone else is taking the lead instead. They also form the brigade of: mess with our girl Sherri and we'll screw you over socially.
Friend
Vince Ebseden
Cepheus doesn't quite get this guy, he always seems to be...watching. But he's super calm and in control of his emotions so he's easy to be around. Then again, he's aware Vince would probably say the opposite of being around him. Plus there seems to be a subtle mind game of not-quite-jealousy-maybe-caution about one another's intent with Sherri but boy can they form a telepathic bond to bring the storm for those in their group they care about.
Silas Merthio
Vince's cousin and a good friend to Ryka.
Willis Washeltier
[AU only] He's Cepheus' mentor/coach in training to be a firefighter
Artemis Washeltier
His coach Willis' daughter, she was the one to link him up with her dad for training. Six degrees of separation through Sherri.
Lyndon Beard
His dorm roommate [When relevant to the AU/story]
Only relevant and applies when in AU's
that remove magical
influences.
Typically the modern and mundane worlds.
Family
Samson
Eldest Son
Future AU / Long Game Relevant
Levy
Triplet Daughter
Gwen
Triplet Daughter
Robin
Triplet Daughter
Jay
Youngest Son
Plot
Specific
Warning!
Hershel Vottel
Father (Omok) = Status Unknown
Laree Vottel
Mother (Half-elf Animalian)
Fredrick Klins
'Father' (Omok)
[Au only ] Honourary uncle / father figure
AU PETS
Mr Wetnose
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
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Cepheus and his mum agreed to get him as a way to keep the other company when they'd be at work/school
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Named for the first thing a young Cepheus noticed about the good boy. Wetnose is always licking his nose.
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The words are said slurred together and have become their own word over time. They often forget that the name is a silly 'On the nose' name until someone newly meets him and points it out.
AU: MORTAL & MUNDANE
In a world like ours, with no magic, no creatures and no wild adventures with the constant threat of death. Just high school, college and careers and all the drama that comes with it.
​
CHANGES
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Has a biological family, parents etc.
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His mother is a Critical Care Surgeon
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On the career path to becoming a firefighter
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In the meantime he works as an MC at a rollerdrome and arcade
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His father is still MIA
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Fredrick Klins is his parent's best friend and an 'uncle' step in father to him
ETHNICITY
Canadian
AU: DND
Set in the ring world Pennbor. Otherwise just your classic DnD world, filled with the fantasy, adventurous and dangerous.
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As a Dimir guild member, he's a city sanctified knowledge seeker and protector. Under the table, he's a spy to ensure the other guilds are not doing anything else under said table
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When he came across a fleeing betrayer of the Simic guild named Blaze, Cepheus went with his oath to protect knowledge and became an exile with the scientist to protect what he knew.
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Now on the run, Ceph himself still doesn't even know what he's protecting, understanding that sensitive info like this makes for a delicate situation.
Lawful Good
ROGUE - Mastermind
Half Orc
STR
14
DEX
16
CON
10
INT
16
WIS
15
CHA
14
AU: ZODIAC
A world separated by the Stars.
TRAITS
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Amphibious via gills, can see and breath both under and above water
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High tolerance for the cold and water pressure
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Mer Form
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Aquatic Life Shapeshift and communication
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Water Manipulation [Full connection]
ORIGIN
Born and raised in Polt, the surface harbour town of The Pisces Capital City Joutis
ABOUT
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Named as such because the first critter he turned into was a squid, before that his parents were having trouble naming him
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His papa is Aries and mama is Pisces
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They met at a fair thing where they had those little fish games, and well, that stuck with them. So they opened a pet store/aquarium above land that allowed for fish that want to see the land to do so (much like his mum)
OTHER FORMS
My Hero Academia
Shadow Cast
A shadow puppeteering hero in training
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Earth Bender
A small town guy living a small town life, until now.
Were Shifters
Sabre Tooth Tiger
An extinct branch
Fairy Tail
Ice Make Mage
A familiarface in the Fairy Tail guild. He wields his fire dragon slayer magic with gusto.
Miraculous Ladybug
Leaping Grey
The Rabbit superhero Leaping Grey, he wields the power of stability in Lucky Rabbit's Foot.
Mythology
Jackalope
His possession mythos is that of a Jackalope
Trolls
Pop Troll
He's also a hip hop breakdancer.