Part 1: The Basics
1. What is your full name?
Jack Vessalius. I was named after my father.
2. Where and when were you born?
April 1st; the capital city of Sablier.
3. Who are/were your parents?
Lord Jacques and Lady Victoria Vessalius. Father is a businessman, Mother is a socialite. The House of Vessalius is rather well-known for their flower gardens.
4. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
I have two older brothers, Julien and Jean-baptiste. They're both uptight prats; they're status-seekers. They're both married, and my parents have had built their own annexes to the main estate. Jean's sunnier than Julien, though -- he loves to laugh. I like him better.
I have an elder sister, Jacqueline, and the youngest of us, Josephe. Giving her that name didn't work, by the way. I don't see Jacqui anymore, she was married when she came of age. Josee...she suspects what my true colours are, but she still likes to make me corsages and bouquets. I think she's still too young to understand; she's only twelve.
5. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
The Vessalius estate, with my family, and the boys, Gilbert and Vincent. It's a normal-sized estate for nobles, hardly luxurious, but it's where I grew up in. My siblings and I hardly see each other, now, and I avoid my parents.
I like the flowers, too.
6. What is your occupation?
I'm a watchmaker by trade, but I'm also part of a poisons cartel, among...others. Most people see noble's occupations as to who can throw away money more lavishly, and I would like to keep it that way.
7. Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
I'm five foot eight, of slight build. Fair complexion, gold hair and green eyes common to Vessalius family members. Slightly feminine face. Out of the family, I wear my hair the longest -- it goes down to mid-thigh unbraided.
I favour gold, green, and brown in my clothes. The Vessalius emblem is always there, pinned to my lapel or throat, or showing in my cufflinks. Mother gave me my amethyst earrings.
8. To which social class do you belong?
Nobility. Upper-class.
9. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
I'm allergic to sunflower pollen.
10. Are you right- or left-handed?
Ambidextrous.
11. What does your voice sound like?
...I don't know. Like a normal twenty-five-year-old man?
12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
"Sorry."
13. What do you have in your pockets?
A pocket-watch.
14. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
I lie. My whole life is one.
Part 2: Growing Up
15. How would you describe your childhood in general?
Can we talk about something else?
Cold.
16. What is your earliest memory?
Falling down a flight of stairs and Mother picking me up; Father yelled at my governess. I think we both cried. I also think I was four.
17. How much schooling have you had?
The full set you get when you're a noble: home-schooled for twelve years. I learned business from a tutor Father hired. Music was a very large part of my life; I've had lessons since I was five.
18. Did you enjoy school?
Yes.
19. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
At home. It was stunningly boring sometimes, and there was a time that people came and went all day. It was good practise.
20. While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.
None.
21. While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?
We didn't see each other fairly often. I liked it that way. I did take Josee out a couple of times, out into the city. She likes candied apples.
22. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A travelling merchant.
23. As a child, what were your favorite activities?
...reading? Drawing?
24. As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?
I - I think...I wanted people to like me. I always craved the approval of everyone -- no, I. I think I just wanted to be acknowledged.
Father opened a new trade route when I was five or six years old; he became very busy, and our status shot up to what it was now. We weren't nouveau rich, but Mother would not take chances to be seen as such, so she became the perfect socialite wife. While we were not close before, even then...it was something entirely different. I was given into the full-time care of a governess.
They said I was a very curious and rather loud child; I liked attention. I liked making people happy, I liked friends, but the world of business is cutthroat, and many saw my disposition as a ploy for my father to gain sympathy. My parents didn't allow my siblings or I to wander around when business deals were being made. In public, we were to be model children: to be seen, not to be heard.
My governess said I was very affectionate to the people I liked. (Which were few. I was scolded very harshly when I was six for befriending the son of my father's merger partner.) I was afraid of displeasing anyone, especially adults. She also observed that I would practise smiling in front of a mirror, and that I could smile even when my favourite flowers were pruned and thrown away. (She says I cried a lot when I slept.)
25. As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?
I wouldn't know. My circle of 'friends' were similarly-restrained children. I tried taking them along in a make-believe adventure, but their guardians took them away too early before we saved the princess.
The princess was really cute.
26. When and with whom was your first kiss?
Fifteen. A childhood acquaintance -- Adelie. She was my piano-partner. We had a bet that involved orange juice and cooties. I can't remember.
27. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
No. It was with Adelie too, and it was the same night as my first kiss.
28. If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.
Father kept lying that he would take the family out to the park. Mother kept lying behind her lace fan. Julien and Jean would lie to anyone if it meant getting into a particular social circle. (It was lovely when Jean and I put a gecko under Julien's covers once, though.) Jacqueline...I don't...
I was ignored all the time when I was a child. Even my governess became tired of me. (She was seeing one of the butlers, and threatened me when I saw them kissing.) There are always ways to make people notice you, acknowledge you, and those ways aren't always outright or honourable.
Part 3: Past Influences
29. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
Meeting Glen Baskerville.
30. Who has had the most influence on you?
Glen.
31. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
32. What is your greatest regret?
33. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
I made two rival Houses destroy each other. A new cemetery had to be built.
34. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
35. When was the time you were the most frightened?
36. What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
37. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
38. What is your best memory?
39. What is your worst memory?
Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
41. What is your greatest fear?
42. What are your religious views?
43. What are your political views?
44. What are your views on sex?
45. Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?
46. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
47. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
48. What do you believe makes a successful life?
49. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
50. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
51. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
52. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
Part 5: Relationships With Others
53. In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
54. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
55. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
56. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
57. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.
58. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
59. What do you look for in a potential lover?
60. How close are you to your family?
61. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?
62. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
63. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
64. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
65. Who is the person you despise the most, and why?
66. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
67. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
68. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
69. Do you care what others think of you?
Part 6: Likes And Dislikes
70. What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?
71. What is your most treasured possession?
72. What is your favorite color?
73. What is your favorite food?
74. What, if anything, do you like to read?
75. What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?
76. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?
77. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
78. What makes you laugh?
79. What, if anything, shocks or offends you?
80. What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?
81. How do you deal with stress?
82. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
83. What are your pet peeves?
Part 7: Self Images And Etc.
84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?
85. What is your greatest strength as a person?
86. What is your greatest weakness?
87. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
88. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
89. Are you generally organized or messy?
90. Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
91. Do you like yourself?
92. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)
93. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?
94. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
95. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
96. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
97. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?
98. What three words best describe your personality?
99. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
100. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice…)