Do you have any prior experience with Requiem? If so, please detail when and what characters you previously played : K'ante, Dorian. Few other unmentionables.
Briefly summarize your prior role-playing experience : Requiem, multiple other shards previously like TLEA, First Sundering, Imperius, etc etc.
Why do you wish to play on Requiem, and what do you expect from the shard? Same horror type of survival feeling as always.
What will your character’s name be? : Jonathan Ellerby
Please briefly describe the physical attributes of your character, including age, looks, height, weight and notable features : Jonathan stands before you and much of him is hard to read. Not because of his clothes, or facial hair. Suffering from some sort of disease, Jonathan spends most of his time with a minor hunch in his back. His skin is taut over his facial features, which makes his high cheek bones even more pronounced, and his bright blue eyes would normally seem beautiful, were they not appearing to be sunken into his skull and filled with a deep sadness. His once beautiful brown hair is falling out, leaving patches of bald spots atop his head. The rest of his body follows suit, and it looks like the man has been starving for weeks.
While his teeth and fingernails remain intact and normal, his gums suffer from a pale discoloration, as do his fingers starting at the tips running just past the knuckles. His breathing is slow, deep, and more of a struggling wheeze at times. Especially in the cold night air. Even though he has not a hint of any symptoms related to the Torment, he clearly suffers from something.
Briefly state your character’s intentions for entering the First Province : Jonathan is seeking entry into the first province for a few reasons. Openly, and genuinely, he's afraid to die without having done anything meaningful in his life. With his disease slowly killing him, he would be ok with taking a sword for some random stranger, just that he didn't die pointlessly.
Out of desire to survive, however, his darker secrets push him towards all the violence and death, seeking a way to stave off his illness, or escape death completely.
Briefly provide the pertinent details of your character’s history : Jonathan was what most people now would call a middle class citizen. In his childhood he apprenticed to his father as a coroner. He had the stomach for it, and did exceedingly well at the tasks. But, as most kids are, he was more concerned with popularity and getting people to like him. He kept his apprenticeship a secret, and tried harder to fit in, which became easier and easier with the practice of burning people spreading through Eden to deal with the Torment. While fitting in didn't work out so well, he did end up marrying a woman that he loved deeply, became a banker, and had three beautiful children.
We fast forward a decade or two to find Jonathan at age thirty, burying his first child. His youngest, Isabelle, died from Torment. Only weeks prior he discovered he had an illness that would degenerate his body and kill him slowly. Two months later, his wife, Jessica, eldest daughter Esme and son Kanne are all murdered and cut to bits in an alley.
At some point in the time from the discovery of the grizzly scene, to his final moments with the bodies of his family he loses a part of himself, as any man would. He manages to weasel his way into overseeing with the preparing of his family for the pyre. And this is the point where we're caught up to poor Jonathan.
Jess, Jess... the tear soaked words were but a whisper in the empty tent, it was dark and pouring outside. A scene befitting the circumstance. The tent was large, and had a few "tables" set up for medical attention, or preparing folks for the pyre. A single candle lit only half the remains of a chopped up woman. Sitting next to what remained of her was a distraught man, crying in the dark. Jess, my love, no. You can't leave me. Jonathan said to the severed head as he stroked her bloody hair, and pulled it close into an awkward embrace. You take care of me. I need you, my love...
I'm still here, my dear sweet Jonathan.
The man chokes, quickly wipes at his eyes and looks around the tent. Seeing nothing he looks back to the severed head of his wife. Yes, Jonathan, I'm still with you. I always will be. The voice to Jonathan was smooth, serene and like a melodic version of his wife's. Though he found it odd her lips never moved, he could not deny the sound of her voice.
I will take care of you. You must go North, my dear, towards Tor. Jess, but, Tor is nothing but death. Why woul- Yes. Death. What good would that do me?
Jonathan pulled the head in close, one hand bloody from holding where it was severed, the other reaching around to cup the back of the head lovingly. Her voice whispered in his ear, and he longed to hear it forever. Death, Jonathan, will sustain you. You must go North, use Death to live, and help the people. Let me be your guide...
Briefly write an in-character response to the following scenario: You ponder the situation for a moment, evaluating your options. It’s well known that with the right connections and the right amount of coin, one can get their hands on a Quarantine Visa from any one of the major Factions of the Republic, or even a passable counterfeit from more nefarious sources. At the same time, it would appear that the officiant doesn’t appear to be above some simple bribery. However, you’re sure that some of those let in appeared to have made a convincing case with the officiant. Gathering your wits, you make your decision as to how to gain access to the First Province.
Jonathan stands before the officiant hunched over as he is, bordering on death, and gives him a weak nod. "Sir, I stand before you with little left in the way of time... he wheezes as he breathes, getting as much words as he can out in one breath. ..and therefore, would not be at a loss if I entered... another deep, wheezing breath. ..the First Province. I only wish my last moments to mean something, to do some good for the Republic. He struggles to get the last part out in one breath, and passes the officiant a bag.
Papers, proving my previous work in medicines and banking as well. It is likely, that this wheeze was not heard by the officiant. Inside the bag along with some actual papers proving of his time as a banker, some falsified paper work passing off his coroner skills as medical skills is a heavy pile of coin. Likely the very last of Jonathan's earnings from his life. You may... a wheeze. ..keep the paper work for your files here, I will not need them. Jonathan says with a glimmer of hope in his voice that this bribe gets him through, and not too thoroughly searched.