Application to The Velvet Key
Player Info:
Nickname: James
Age: 24
Personal LJ: truebluehorror
Method of Contact: Plurk here
Characters Played: N/A
Character Info:
Name: Wilhelm
Age: Unknown; estimated to be at least 4000+, most likely older
Canon: Xenosaga
Pull Point: Post-Canon
Background Info:
History: Xenosaga Wiki And Article on Wilhelm
Personality:
The best way to describe Wilhelm's demeanor is "pleasantly cruel". In most occasions, Wilhelm speaks with a pleasant, although monotone, voice. He shows himself to be capable of being both highly empathic, apparently due to being able to easily read people and realize how they feel, as well as on occasion helpful if his help is actually sought out. While he gives the appearance of rarely going out and performing actions on his own, tending to be more pleased with merely watching and seeing how events fold out then interfering in events himself, or offering aid to others. However, when situations look quite dire, Wilhelm will proceed to offer aid, or at least give suggestions/ways to those in need as to how they might help themselves.
On the other hand, Wilhelm also shows a great deal of detachment from actual human beings. Due to both his age and nature, Wilhelm speaks of life and most events in theatrical terms and mannerisms. He tends to compare life to a play, and in many ways seems to expect life to hold certain, constant patterns, like a well-rehearsed piece of theater. This is furthered by the fact that he tends to take a very practical, cold businesslike manner with people during most serious discussions, and often pushes others desires down to try and get his point across in his certainty that he is correct. While admiring humans, he also openly looks down on them, primarily due to his own casting of himself as a "villain" and thus something for humans to have fought against in his own universe, and partially because he truly believes humans are incapable of working/functioning without some guidance of a higher power (himself).
Yet, despite how imposing and inhuman Wilhelm can seem, there are several traits about him that are bizarrely human, and almost immature. Despite his imposing, business-like demeanor, he seems to adore small-talk, especially when the conversation is initiated and started by him. He enjoys discussing about his own beliefs and those held by others. In part, this could be due to the fact that he himself was created by the mass consciousness of mankind as a means to try and find a way to protect them from the supposedly immanent collapse of reality. However, even though he was formed by this collective unconscious, he still doesn’t fully understand mankind and takes a deep fascination with them. He strives to find some way to understand them, which he does either through discussion with them, or via the hurdles and challenges he puts in front of humanity as he strives to prepare for Eternal Recurrence. On the other side of this, he takes clear joy whenever a person seems to come to some realization about themselves or about what they’ve been doing, showing that he clearly does hope for mankind to continue to evolve in understanding, both on a personal scale and a species-wide scaled. Unfortunately, Wilhelm doesn’t particularly care whether or not the truths and revelations people experience are positive or not; he’s just as happy to see someone learn something wonderful and be pleased as he is to see someone learn that their entire life had been a charade and that they’d been duped. In most cases, this is more likely just the fact that Wilhelm doesn’t differentiate between the two because both kinds of revelations are truths, and not necessarily because he is cruel.
Which isn’t to say Wilhelm isn’t cruel. Rather, he’s capable of incredible cruelty, especially when he feels its called for in order to protect the Lower Domain, or physical reality. When Wilhelm identifies someone or something as a threat to the stability of reality, or as a purveyor of entropy, he will almost certainly take action against them in one way or the other. He tends to be exceedingly ruthless when dealing with such threats, and has shown that he might, in fact, take pleasure from degrading and inflicting pain upon such threats, pointing to a possible sense of sadism within him. To be fair, he tends to not be unnecessarily cruel, usually only focusing on those who he believes deserves his attention. At the same time, it could be debated whether any of these people deserve his attention.
Philosophically, Wilhelm patterns himself after Friedrich Nietzsche. He shows clear signs of accepting Nietzsche’s idea of the Ubermensch and of Eternal Recurrence, which he has initiated several times in order to prevent the complete collapse of the Lower Domain. He also states that he has transcended the conventional ideals and necessities of good and evil, much as Nietzsche would argue people most do in his philosophy. He apparently believes that it is up to man to find its own way and purpose in the galaxy and to defy any external sources would would try to control and guide them, himself included. At the same time, he doesn’t believe man has yet earned the right to guide themselves, do in part to the fact that they almost ultimately acquiesce to his demands and guidance at the end of each revolution of Eternal Recurrence.
Game Specific:
Arcana: Judgment
Justification: The ideas of an ending journey, awakening, realization, and progress are what Wilhelm is all about. Due to his role of attempting to protect and advance the Lower Dimensional Domain, the main way he went by this was creating the Eternal Recurrence and challenging mankind again and again until their consciousness had progressed far enough that they could break the chain he had wrought. It was his goal, the entire time, to eventually cause the chain to be broken and the advancement of mankind.
On the other hand? Wilhelm’s actions could have also very well brought about stagnation and disruption of how things were to evolve. If he had pushed too hard, mankind never would have been able to advance, and led to the stagnation of what mankind could’ve been. It’s also possible that Wilhelm himself feared death and the end of everything, and this too was a reason for him setting up the Recurrence.
Samples:
First Person Sample:
[The video feed on the communicator clicks on, revealing a man sitting calmly by his bedside, legs crossed, looking into it.]
I see. An…interesting trick, though I suppose trick is treating what has been done here a bit too lightly. To have reached as far as our captor has and pulled me from my domain, let alone stricken me of my powers…interesting. Very interesting.
And foolish. If my host should so be listening, let us hope that the foolishness of your decision is outweighed by providing whatever it is you’re searching for. I am a patient man, myself. I can wait and see if this might, in fact, be worth the interruption.
For now, at least.
Third Person Sample:
Wilhelm was, if anything, an observer. It was simply part of his role, and it was a part he took a personal joy in in doing such. Back home, in many ways it had been born of seeing the same scenario replay itself, time and time again, with a few alterations each time the cycle came back again. Now, in this new world, it was as much to see what was familiar about the world he had come from, as well as seeing what differences there might be.
He watched from the roof of the apartment complex due to the view it gave him. Night had fallen, and while he would not say he cared more for one time of the day over another, he would have to admit he had always enjoyed nightfall. The world, he knew, was always alive. But it was when it was painted black that mankind best seemed to show it was alive, when the lights they had made to guide their way shown most brightly, and when the noise of the day had dimmed, but could still be heard. Still refused to let the world be completely asleep.
It was amusing. Amusing, and comforting, to see that man, in all its beauty, was the same here as it was in his own domain. Wilhelm shifted a bit on the roof, standing near the very edge of it. Unafraid. Why should he be afraid? At one point, he commanded time and space itself. And while knowing with certainty that, in his currently mortal body such a drop would kill him, what need did he have to fear? He knew how the world worked, better than anyone. And even if there were minor changes? Why fear them? There were always minor changes.
So what did it matter if he should stand so perilously to the edge of destruction? It was a risk, to be sure, but all things that had risks tended to have worth. And this was no exception. Since from up here?
Oh. The view of mankind was so beautiful.
Nickname: James
Age: 24
Personal LJ: truebluehorror
Method of Contact: Plurk here
Characters Played: N/A
Character Info:
Name: Wilhelm
Age: Unknown; estimated to be at least 4000+, most likely older
Canon: Xenosaga
Pull Point: Post-Canon
Background Info:
History: Xenosaga Wiki And Article on Wilhelm
Personality:
The best way to describe Wilhelm's demeanor is "pleasantly cruel". In most occasions, Wilhelm speaks with a pleasant, although monotone, voice. He shows himself to be capable of being both highly empathic, apparently due to being able to easily read people and realize how they feel, as well as on occasion helpful if his help is actually sought out. While he gives the appearance of rarely going out and performing actions on his own, tending to be more pleased with merely watching and seeing how events fold out then interfering in events himself, or offering aid to others. However, when situations look quite dire, Wilhelm will proceed to offer aid, or at least give suggestions/ways to those in need as to how they might help themselves.
On the other hand, Wilhelm also shows a great deal of detachment from actual human beings. Due to both his age and nature, Wilhelm speaks of life and most events in theatrical terms and mannerisms. He tends to compare life to a play, and in many ways seems to expect life to hold certain, constant patterns, like a well-rehearsed piece of theater. This is furthered by the fact that he tends to take a very practical, cold businesslike manner with people during most serious discussions, and often pushes others desires down to try and get his point across in his certainty that he is correct. While admiring humans, he also openly looks down on them, primarily due to his own casting of himself as a "villain" and thus something for humans to have fought against in his own universe, and partially because he truly believes humans are incapable of working/functioning without some guidance of a higher power (himself).
Yet, despite how imposing and inhuman Wilhelm can seem, there are several traits about him that are bizarrely human, and almost immature. Despite his imposing, business-like demeanor, he seems to adore small-talk, especially when the conversation is initiated and started by him. He enjoys discussing about his own beliefs and those held by others. In part, this could be due to the fact that he himself was created by the mass consciousness of mankind as a means to try and find a way to protect them from the supposedly immanent collapse of reality. However, even though he was formed by this collective unconscious, he still doesn’t fully understand mankind and takes a deep fascination with them. He strives to find some way to understand them, which he does either through discussion with them, or via the hurdles and challenges he puts in front of humanity as he strives to prepare for Eternal Recurrence. On the other side of this, he takes clear joy whenever a person seems to come to some realization about themselves or about what they’ve been doing, showing that he clearly does hope for mankind to continue to evolve in understanding, both on a personal scale and a species-wide scaled. Unfortunately, Wilhelm doesn’t particularly care whether or not the truths and revelations people experience are positive or not; he’s just as happy to see someone learn something wonderful and be pleased as he is to see someone learn that their entire life had been a charade and that they’d been duped. In most cases, this is more likely just the fact that Wilhelm doesn’t differentiate between the two because both kinds of revelations are truths, and not necessarily because he is cruel.
Which isn’t to say Wilhelm isn’t cruel. Rather, he’s capable of incredible cruelty, especially when he feels its called for in order to protect the Lower Domain, or physical reality. When Wilhelm identifies someone or something as a threat to the stability of reality, or as a purveyor of entropy, he will almost certainly take action against them in one way or the other. He tends to be exceedingly ruthless when dealing with such threats, and has shown that he might, in fact, take pleasure from degrading and inflicting pain upon such threats, pointing to a possible sense of sadism within him. To be fair, he tends to not be unnecessarily cruel, usually only focusing on those who he believes deserves his attention. At the same time, it could be debated whether any of these people deserve his attention.
Philosophically, Wilhelm patterns himself after Friedrich Nietzsche. He shows clear signs of accepting Nietzsche’s idea of the Ubermensch and of Eternal Recurrence, which he has initiated several times in order to prevent the complete collapse of the Lower Domain. He also states that he has transcended the conventional ideals and necessities of good and evil, much as Nietzsche would argue people most do in his philosophy. He apparently believes that it is up to man to find its own way and purpose in the galaxy and to defy any external sources would would try to control and guide them, himself included. At the same time, he doesn’t believe man has yet earned the right to guide themselves, do in part to the fact that they almost ultimately acquiesce to his demands and guidance at the end of each revolution of Eternal Recurrence.
Game Specific:
Arcana: Judgment
Justification: The ideas of an ending journey, awakening, realization, and progress are what Wilhelm is all about. Due to his role of attempting to protect and advance the Lower Dimensional Domain, the main way he went by this was creating the Eternal Recurrence and challenging mankind again and again until their consciousness had progressed far enough that they could break the chain he had wrought. It was his goal, the entire time, to eventually cause the chain to be broken and the advancement of mankind.
On the other hand? Wilhelm’s actions could have also very well brought about stagnation and disruption of how things were to evolve. If he had pushed too hard, mankind never would have been able to advance, and led to the stagnation of what mankind could’ve been. It’s also possible that Wilhelm himself feared death and the end of everything, and this too was a reason for him setting up the Recurrence.
Samples:
First Person Sample:
[The video feed on the communicator clicks on, revealing a man sitting calmly by his bedside, legs crossed, looking into it.]
I see. An…interesting trick, though I suppose trick is treating what has been done here a bit too lightly. To have reached as far as our captor has and pulled me from my domain, let alone stricken me of my powers…interesting. Very interesting.
And foolish. If my host should so be listening, let us hope that the foolishness of your decision is outweighed by providing whatever it is you’re searching for. I am a patient man, myself. I can wait and see if this might, in fact, be worth the interruption.
For now, at least.
Third Person Sample:
Wilhelm was, if anything, an observer. It was simply part of his role, and it was a part he took a personal joy in in doing such. Back home, in many ways it had been born of seeing the same scenario replay itself, time and time again, with a few alterations each time the cycle came back again. Now, in this new world, it was as much to see what was familiar about the world he had come from, as well as seeing what differences there might be.
He watched from the roof of the apartment complex due to the view it gave him. Night had fallen, and while he would not say he cared more for one time of the day over another, he would have to admit he had always enjoyed nightfall. The world, he knew, was always alive. But it was when it was painted black that mankind best seemed to show it was alive, when the lights they had made to guide their way shown most brightly, and when the noise of the day had dimmed, but could still be heard. Still refused to let the world be completely asleep.
It was amusing. Amusing, and comforting, to see that man, in all its beauty, was the same here as it was in his own domain. Wilhelm shifted a bit on the roof, standing near the very edge of it. Unafraid. Why should he be afraid? At one point, he commanded time and space itself. And while knowing with certainty that, in his currently mortal body such a drop would kill him, what need did he have to fear? He knew how the world worked, better than anyone. And even if there were minor changes? Why fear them? There were always minor changes.
So what did it matter if he should stand so perilously to the edge of destruction? It was a risk, to be sure, but all things that had risks tended to have worth. And this was no exception. Since from up here?
Oh. The view of mankind was so beautiful.