Character Application | Ryslig

[napoleonsgun]

OOC INFORMATION
Name: Ant
Contact: antisnotabug
Other Characters: n/a

CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Colonel Sebastian Moran
Age: 40
Canon: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Canon Point: Almost immediately following the death of Moriarty. Sebastian has very recently witnessed the fall of his employer (and facing facts, what is probably his best friend) and is in a completely raw state when he's zapped to Ryslig.
Character Information:
- Colonel Sebastian Moran's Wikipedia entry.
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' Wikipedia entry.

NOTE: I know that the first entry marks his year of birth as 1840. However, between the fact that it’s explicitly started in AGoS supplemental material that he’s now younger than his ACD counterpart and the issue of Paul Anderson, the actor, not even looking close to fifty-one years old, I am adjusting his birth year to 1851, making him forty for the events of A Game of Shadows. Everything else remains the same; he just did it in less time.

NOTE 2: As far as the discrepancy between “retiring from the army” as stated in book canon and “being dishonorably discharged” as stated in movie canon, I have decided to go with book canon. This is only because, in fact, a colonel in the British army cannot be dishonorably discharged. That just isn't an option for someone of that rank. Because the retirement is essentially forced by Moran’s superiors, the end result of being kicked out remains the same.

Personality: To say that Sebastian Moran makes for an impressive figure is an understatement. On paper, he is rather close to perfection. His father was a diplomatic Minister to Persia, he was educated in institutions no less renowned than Eton and Oxford, and he served for years as a colonel in Her Majesty’s army. Sebastian has all of the makings of a great man, even the personality traits to back up such a claim. He is shown to be fairly intelligent. The colonel’s mind works as quickly as his reflexes. He is no fool and does not suffer them lightly. As he tends to surround himself with geniuses, Sebastian is aware that generally, he isn’t the smartest man in the room. However, he does have a knack for picking out who is, and that’s just as valuable a quality. Self-awareness can go a long way in this world, particularly if one does what Sebastian does. Between being in the army and becoming employed by Professor Moriarty after that, he’s very well-traveled. Sebastian has learned the ways of the world and it’s left him with a certain appreciation for the finer things in life. He’s surprisingly cultured for a man of his position, enjoying artistic endeavors like the opera and having a skill for languages beyond English. The man even knows the importance of appearance and never looks anything less than impeccable. Moran is a hard-working man who thrives on getting the job done. The times Sebastian is guilty of pride are the times he knows he’s doing his best work. Others see this quality in him and it, in turn, inspires them. When he needs to, Sebastian can push others to meet his standards when it comes to getting the job done. Tenacity is often found in army men, particularly those who thrive in war, and he is no exception to that rule. However, his greatest quality is very much his loyalty. To an unknowing individual, Moran is defined by this more than anything else. Once a person has proved themselves to be worthy of his dedication, Sebastian would go to the ends of the Earth to see that person’s needs met. It would be a hard task to find someone more devout in their reliability.

Every man who has the makings for a great man also, by necessity, has the makings for a terrible man. Much like his revered Professor, Sebastian Moran has two sides to him. There is the civilized half and then there is the barbaric half. He can put on all the trappings of refinement but that doesn't change what makes him the most happy. Sebastian owns an addictive personality. He loves cards, hunting, and danger. The reason he did so well for himself in the army (before being forced to leave) is that he doesn't flinch away from violence. It isn't that he enjoys it, per se. Unlike so many he’s known, Sebastian isn't a sadist. The joy doesn't come in seeing others hurt. In a way, his outlook is worse. He doesn't care. Moran is utterly detached from the majority of people. He has enough understanding of the human condition to be able to empathize. It’s just rare that he engages in that activity. It doesn't suit his needs. Nothing else in the world rouses him like landing his target, whether it’s a tiger, an enemy soldier, or a foe of the Professor’s. It doesn't matter what or who he’s shooting. It would be easy to blame this tendency on his time in the army, but it would be a lie. His sense of morality, while strong, is skewed, and it always has been. There is little in this world that matters more to him than his goals and wants.

But there are exceptions. To talk about Sebastian Moran without talking about James Moriarty would paint an incomplete picture. Moran on his own is enough of a threat. It’s the Professor who elevates him to “the second most dangerous man in London.” Moran has his weaknesses. He can be rash and foolhardy. Without a purpose, he flounders. Sebastian could be a leader but he works his best when being led. He desperately needs Moriarty because he needs to be pushed. He can sometimes be incapable of seeing the bigger picture, of being veered off course by his own desires and addictions. He needs a clear objective and Moriarty gives him that. Sebastian’s reliance on the Professor defines him like nothing else can. He’s a soldier through and through, vicious and uncaring but still of the army, and he is lost without his commanding officer.

5-10 Key Character Traits:
✓ Focused
✓ Intelligent
✓ Cultured
✓ Loyal
✓ Talented
✗ Addictive personality
✗ Cheater
✗ Self-centered morality
✗ Lost
✗ Danger seeking

Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, or EITHER? Fits. I think Moran would be highly, highly resistant to the whole becoming a monster thing. Therefore I think it would be more interesting if the monster he becomes appeals to the more vicious parts of his nature, making the resisting that much harder for him to do.

Opt-Outs: Faerie, Merperson

Roleplay Sample: here.