character info
[series]: Suikoden
[character]: Ted
[character history / background]: A brief character background for Ted can be found here.
[character abilities]:
Aside from the Soul Eater Rune which he carried for 300 years, Ted's also very skilled with his bow and arrow. He's good with his aim, and can likely take down a foe easily, and pretty quick to react among the party members. He's also quite skilled in handling various weapons and can learn a new weapon quickly. He has to defend himself over the course of those years, after all.
[character personality]:
Ted is the epitome of the saying there's more to a person than what meets the eye because even if he seemed like your ordinary teenager from the outside, he's not exactly a 'what you see is what you get' type of person. For one, he's not exactly a teenager anymore even if he usually acts like one. Despite his age, he can display immaturity from time to time, often getting into petty fights with people he doesn't like. It's highly likely that this immaturity stems from his lack of any real friend when he was still a child. Usually these petty fights don't only come from his immaturity but also from his lack of temper control. One good example to this was when Luc teleported him high above the ground and he fell. He really got annoyed by this and told him to watch out. He gets easily offended especially when regarded as a kid or a punk, which was the case with Futch, a Dragon Knight in training who called Ted as one. During these heated arguments, he can be very blunt and more often than not almost spills the beans about his true age. This immaturity doesn't only manifest in his temper, though, and the way he interacts with people he dislikes. He also acts childish sometimes - one who likes adventures. He'd often plead to be taken into these journeys, usually one who would insist Tyr to bring him along. He's all 'Isn't this exciting, Tyr?' - displaying how much he can be such a teen sometimes. Mostly, this immaturity also stems from how he had become so comfortable with living with the McDohl family. Tyr really had brought him out of his shell that he could become a normal teenager.
But, Ted is more than his usual display of childish behavior. For how easily you can anger him if you get on his bad side at first meeting, he can be extremely loyal to people he considers as his friends. At first, he'd be a little awkward and timid, mostly due to the fact that he had been keeping to himself for so long, but once he warms up to the person, he can be pretty easygoing. He'd tease them, follow them around. This is the case for Tyr, the one person he really truly considered as his best friend and the person who's the most important to him. For the people he's friends with, he'd give even his life just so they'd end up safe in the end. Mostly Tyr and Ted are similar in this aspect - they'd jump into decisions that are not necessarily what the others think is the best, but to what they know is right. This is his way of protecting people most precious to him. He trusts Tyr and will walk a thousand miles for him, with him. This is why of all people, it was Tyr he entrusted the rune to. He knows it will bring him pain in the end, but the fact that he believes in Tyr and knows he's a strong individual much like himself, he's his only choice. This is also the reason why he commanded the Soul Eater to take his soul rather than be a pawn used against his own best friend. It's his undying loyalty and friendship towards him. He's not afraid of death. 300 years had been more than enough of an existence for him. He just wanted his friends and the rune safe from evil.
So much so that Ted, if he can, will keep to himself and carry the burdens of others. He had been doing this for 300 years already that it was more of something he's used to rather than something he forces himself to do. When he gave Tyr the rune, he told him he can blame him if it ever brings him pain, automatically shouldering any burden Tyr would be having in the future. He's kind and helpful, willing to lend a hand to people who needs it. Although, Ted is also human and at one point in those 300 years, he got disillusioned and gave up his rune to a mysterious occupant of the Fog Ship. In the end, he accepted his destiny and swore not to abandon his duty in protecting the cursed rune. He's headstrong and a proud person and will do what it takes to protect the things that matter to him, even in his own way.
All in all, Ted's really not someone you can judge just with a glance. Even a double take wouldn't do. Because there are some people that betrays that adage first impressions last.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: after his ordeal in Gregminster castle; before he gives up the cursed rune to Tyr