Application @ empatheias

[accepted]

⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player: Henry
Contact: flowermaster
Age: 25
Current Characters: Farah Oersted - selfishsins


⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character: Caius Qualls
Age: 15
Canon: Tales of the Tempest
Canon Point: Mount Arel, before the final battle with the King.

Background: Tempest and Caius on the tales wiki. They're a little sparse however so I have a write up here.

Personality: From the get go, Caius is shown to be very adventurous, always wanting to go out and explore so he can see the world outside of his village. He regularly headed out into the forest with Rubia in the past, resulting in Ramlas needing to remind Caius not to get Rubia wound up in his 'little adventures'. What's more his love of adventure is further spurred on by all the new sights and places he visits during his travels. Even whilst on the run from the church and being hunted by knights Caius still finds the time to marvel at all the buildings in Leda, a small town not far from his home which he never had the chance to visit. This is before the party even reaches Janna, the capital of Aurella with even grander buildings and architecture. Over the course of their travels Caius reveals to Rubia that he one day wants to go on an even bigger adventure, wishing to sail the seas and explore foreign lands so he can see the world for himself. Hearing about Tilkis and Forest's own adventures gets him excited for his own future and his only plan after defeating the King is to go on a journey. It goes to show that for all Caius doesn't know and hasn't seen of the world he's enthusiastic and dying to see more so he can experience everything for himself.

A lot of his adventuring around Aurella reveals that when caught up in the moment Caius acts very recklessly and makes rash decisions on the fly. This sort of behaviour has Rubia comment that Caius tends to fly everywhere by the seat of his pants, which is a fair comment! He rushes into things and even states out loud that he's ignoring the big picture, instead concentrating on the matter at hand and what he needs to do to get where he needs to go. The most blatant example of this is when Caius and Rubia try to gain access to Janna's cathedral. Rubia is unsure of how they could get inside without arousing suspicion, so when she asks Caius what to do he tries to march right on in the door without a second thought. 'Forget about the details. Let's just try the front door!' He shows no reservation when it comes to pretending he's just visiting from another town and plays up being oblivious to his father's situation when trying to locate him. It shows that once Caius sets his mind on something he's going to do all he can to reach his goals and uncover what he needs to, even if it means just winging everything and tackling things as they come.

Sadly, as shown by his rash decision making, Caius isn't the brightest of people out there. He's not very book smart, saying that studying just isn't for him, and he doesn't know a whole lot about the world or even the continent he's on until Ramlas and his friends help explain everything to him. Even points like the dark history between the humans and the Leimorneans and the existence of the Inquisitors are all new to him, despite the Heretic Hunt having been long since established and it being common knowledge that the church rounds up Lycanths and even provides rewards for turning them in. Rubia even brings up that were it not for her helping to teach Caius he would never have learned how to read. Complex explanations tend to sail right over his head, and when Arria and Forest try explaining precepts to him he mentions that just hearing them talk is starting to give him a headache. He's also at times shown to be obivious to the finer points of conversation, being unable to realise why Rubia becomes upset with him when he says he wants to travel alone when she's dropping some pretty clear hints as to what she wants.

While he's far from the brightest crayon in the box, Caius does realise when he's speaking out of turn or when he's truly out of his depth. Sensitive topics like the death of Rubia's parents prompt him openly admit it's not his place to talk about such a thing. When traveling to new locations he doesn't know about he consults with the party about the state of where they're going and the condition of their equipment, such as wondering about if they're well equipped enough to tackle Mount Arel and if they have the supplies to cross a desert. In hectic situations he makes sure to keep his friends together and them all focused on their goals, such as reminding Tilkis and Rubia of their plan to rescue Forest and that they'll have a better shot of finding him if they wait until nightfall rather than trying to navigate around the warrior priests during the day. It shows that while Caius tends to run on auto he can at the very least reign it in when the situation calls for it.

Caius possesses a short temper which causes him to become annoyed quite easily, particularly when his friend Rubia teases him or tries to antagonize him. Time and time again he rises up to jabs made at him and little pokes about how he acts which prompts Rubia to comment on how the fact he's so easy to upset is almost childish. He's prone to arguing with Rubia over the smallest detail and even with his father, the two clearly having argued over Caius leaving the village multiple times in the past as Rubia can easily tell when Caius has gotten himself into another argument. He's quick to snap at people when on edge and isn't above throwing out insults or threats to those he particularly dislikes. However he's shown to be maturing, catching his own poor behaviour and apologising. This is shown when Tilkis and Forest help Caius and Rubia fight a band of skeletons with Caius at first being unappreciative of their help before eventually thanking them for their assistance. Likewise, Caius is quick to yell at Arria when she tries to console him regarding his father's death only to later apologise for what he said.

As mentioned earlier in regards to Caius being almost childish... Yeah, he does act childishly at times despite all of his arguing otherwise. He doesn't take well to being called a kid or being talked down to, often insisting he's old enough to handle himself when people express concern over how young he is and what tasks he takes on. Whenever a party member alludes to him having a relationship with Rubia, Caius is quick to deny ever wanting to be with Rubia or anything like that, even when he starts to think of Rubia as more than a friend. Though the final battle might be looming and he's realised Rubia wants to journey with him, Caius still expresses disbelief at the thought of being with Rubia. On top of this, Caius has no qualms with insulting someone behind their back, throwing petty comments around about Albert's fighting style and the way he decorates his sword after battling with him. It's only when Arria steps in to calm things down and says that it does no good to speak ill of others in such a manner that he stops. This childishness goes hand in hand with a competitive streak, with Caius being quick to taunt others in games and trying to outdo Rubia in battle.

Despite the childishness, the temper, Caius is a kind person who cares deeply about his friends, even if he doesn't always show it in the best of ways. He's supportive of them in their endeavours, and though he might not always have the right thing to say he tries to comfort his friends when they're upset or they're feeling down, only having good intentions even if what he says might be a little basic or insensitive. He's quick to make friends with others, which results in him earning a title should he befriend a girl named Maya and help her find a flower that will cure her illness and allow her to play outside. He places a great deal of trust in those he considers his friends, with him having no trouble mentioning Leimorneans or the fact Ramlas was captured by the Church only shortly after meeting Arria. Even when Arria reveals that she's providing Albert with information on the party, Caius soon starts to trust her and enthusiastically allows her to fight at the party's side again once she apologises and shows regret for what she had done. He well and truly values his friends, wanting to protect them and keep them safe as best as he can while also counting on them in battle and in rough situations.

Above all else, Caius is a firm believer in you are who you are. While at first he wasn't quite sure what to think of knowing he was part Leimorne, or what to do when Ramlas was turned to stone, over time Caius has come to realise that he is 'Caius Qualls'. No matter what he might go through or what troubles might come his way, Caius knows that he will always be himself. He makes sure to remember the advice his father gave him, that no matter how tough things get you have to face them head on. You can't run from reality, you have to accept what life sends your way and keep on living. He can look at people and see them for who they are rather than what they are, be they human or Leimorne. Being half human and half Leimorne himself, he can see why some Leimorneans want to fight back against the treatment they have suffered as well as understand why humans can find Leimorneans terrifying and something to be feared. He's experienced and been told about the way the Leimorneans have been treated, and he's felt for himself what it's like to transform into a beast and witness someone else transform for the first time.

Caius cares a great deal about family, expressing his love for his dad Ramlas even after he found out that he wasn't his real father. He fondly remembers the advice he was given from Ramlas and appreciates everything his father did for him. He also cares for his brother Lukius, quickly assuming the part of the big brother of the two when it's revealed Lukius survived the fight at the cathedral in Janna. While Caius ends up calling Lukius an idiot for wanting to join him in defeating the King after barely surviving the fight with Rommy, his brother is important to him and would rather hear about what state he's in over how much trouble he went through finding the right precepts to battle Rommy and the Spot inside of her. Though Lukius wants to come with Caius to fight the King, Caius reassures him that he's done enough and that he can take on the King not only for him and his brother, but for his dad as well. Of course Lukius protests, but Caius is quick to play the big brother card to settle things. "I'm your big brother and big brothers always know best!"

So, in short. Caius is an adventurous soul, wanting to explore and see the world for himself. He has a tendency to act without thinking and can end up forgetting the finer details when it comes to completing his goals. His temper makes him easy to wind up and at times he can be a real child. But past this he's a great friend who is quick to place his trust in others and offer his support where he can. Sure he might not always understand every situation and he might say the wrong thing, however he always means well and wants to see his friends happy. He's suffered many tragedies and seen plenty of close people die... All of which have helped him grow and better understand himself, knowing now that ultimately no matter what happens or what he might become he will always be himself.

Abilities:
Fighting - In his own words, Caius is "a pro with a sword". He's been practicing with a sword long before he eventually leaves Fern and through his travels across Aurella he's gone toe to toe with all manner of creatures, monsters and opponents. His fighting style mostly consists of quick slashes with his sword while using an arm guard to defend himself. When normal swordplay doesn't cut it, Caius can use numerous artes to help him in battle. Be it sending out shockwaves with his sword to fight from a distance, spinning through the air to hit flying enemies or forming a barrier around himself to block unavoidable damage, Caius has a variety of ways to deal with all kinds of enemies he comes across.

Strength/Stamina - With so much fighting and traveling around Caius has really built up his strength since the start of his journey. He's able to travel across Aurella by foot and keep fighting with only the occasional break for camping to keep him going (because Tempest doesn't have an airship so walking forever it is). He mentions to the party that he's a great swimmer when it comes to jumping off the bridge and into the water in Janna and even Forest comments on how much Caius has bulked up since they first met moments before they climb Mount Arel.

Transformation - Caius can transform into a beast like creature that resembles something close to a werewolf. In this form he drops his sword and instead prefers to pummel the life out of his enemies. He can go for either a string of punches or a powerful uppercut that sends enemies flying backwards. Outside of a fight, Forest mentions that the strength Leimorneans possess means they're good at physical labour and the power to transform can even be used to break shackles. While transforming is undoubtedly useful, being in his other form slowly tires Caius out (shown by his TP going down constantly in battle). Once out of energy/TP, Caius automatically transforms back into his human form. While Forest has shown Caius how to control his transformation he is still susceptible to transforming against his will. Moments of heightened emotion, such as Caius seeing his father die or hearing Rommy lie to Rubia about the death of her parents, can cause him to transform and attack.

Patient - Less of an inherent ability and more down to the pendant Caius wears. The red gem around his neck is a patient which is basically something of a strong magical battery. It can be used to power magic spells, in particular the Law of Life, and can even slow down aging making it highly sought after. The gem resonates with other patients, producing a bright red light when close to another. Caius simply keeps it as a memento of his mother Melissa as he does not possess the means to make use of its magical properties.

Alignment: Elios. When coming to terms with being able to transform into a beast, Caius has transformed out of both love and hate. His hatred for Rommy causes him to transform and attack her relentlessly until she's forced to retreat. Forest points out that while Caius might have lost control and attacked out of anger, his first transformation was spurred on by the love Caius has for his father and the desire to keep him safe. He loves and cares for the people he calls family, even if they aren't biologically related to him or if he's only recently learned they're related. His upbringing or the time he's spent in the dark regarding his family does not change how much he loves them.

Other: As this is a reapp I'd like for Caius to regain his memories from his last stay in Empatheias.


⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉
General Sample: His toplevel on the latest TDM. Some more in case.

Emotion Sample: One and two.