Profile
S T E V E N S H I N C O E
The maidens shy away at your touch,
Eyes wide, like deer a-frighted.
But modest matrons, at your words,
Blush, tremble, drop all reserve,
Are harlots turned.
-Dionysus by e.l.f.SilverlockeCHARACTER INFORMATIONName: Steven Shincoe
Nicknames: Steve or Shincoe
Age: 60
Birthdate: May 30, 1949
Birthplace: Lewisboro, New York
Gender: Male
Occupation: Rock Star
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Eye Color: Mud Brown
Hair Color: Black with Gray Streaks
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180 lbs
Full Description: Steven's age and his active drug use has done surprisingly little to ruin his looks. His face is distinctive and features a Roman nose, a large, a well-defined chin, and a high forehead. Even while on tour and at benefits, Steven often appears with a few days of growth on his face. Recently, he has started dying his black hair in order to hide the all-too apparent grey speckles. Physically, however, Steven is not in the best shape of his life. His lifestyle has made him a little overweight. Although he hides the weight well, it is clear that his 5'11" body is fast approaching 200 lbs.
His preference in clothing is extremely casual. When at home, he prefers to wear little to nothing, and he receives most guests in a robe. In public, he prefers to wear shorts and bright button up Hawaiian-style shirts.
Preferred PB: Bruce Campbell
Personality: In short: if Steven weren't actually a reincarnated God, he would probably be institutionalized for believing he is. He is arrogant, openly sexist, and surrounds himself with nothing but pleasureful endeavors.
Steven is extremely laid-back. It is almost impossible to rouse his anger, in part likely due to the number of drugs working through his system at any given time. True to his generation, he promotes peace over conflict. A total pacifist, he believes that violence -- even in the interest of peace -- is counter-productive. He also promotes equality and civil rights, although more in word than in deed due to habits that are certainly fall under the label of sexist. However, he is an extremely loyal friend, and he would do anything in his power to help a friend in need.
With friends and strangers alike, Steven is friendly and open, although he has a tendency to devolve into rambling utter nonsense at times, and at others his replies seem to make no sense to the conversation at hand. (Steven is honestly unaware of this habit, and it is probably caused by some sort of brain damage.) He likewise tends to forget that there are consequences to dangerous actions and that not everybody is able to life the same lifestyle he can. Often, he keeps the real world at a distance, preferring to remain submerged in his lavish lifestyle of drugs, women, and song.
As far as women are concerned, Steven has only the utmost respect. He believes in equal rights, fair treatment, etc. -- but he treats every woman like a piece of meat, nonetheless. This is partly the fault of his lifestyle and the women most frequently in his life, who are either blinded by fandom or willing to accept money for the privilege. This rampant sexism ends when a woman stands up to him and makes it clear she does not like to be treated in that way, and Steven is not at all offended by this rare reaction to him.
MYTH
Myth: Dionysus (Greek) - Aware
About Myth: Dionysus is the Greek God of Wine, Revelry, and Theatre.
Dionysus is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman called Semele. When Hera learned of Zeus's infidelity, she appeared to Semele in the guise of a mid-wife. When Semele confessed that Zeus was the father of the child, Hera laughed at the notion. Doubting herself, Semele demanded Zeus appear to her in "all his glory" as a God. Zeus regretfully obeyed, and as soon as Semele's eyes landed on him, she burned to a cinder, leaving the unborn Dionysus on the floor. Driven by remorse and guilt, Zeus accepted the unborn child and sewed him into his thigh until he came to term.
Once born, Zeus charged Hermes to hide and protect Dionysus from Hera's wrath. Hermes passed the child along to his aunt and uncle and instructed them to raise him as a girl. Once again, Hera learned of this, and she turned the unfortunate child into a goat and gifted him to a group of nymphs as a plaything. After several years, his identity as a god was discovered, and he was transformed back into his true form. Now a young man, Silenus adopted Dionysus as a pupil and taught him the secrets of wine-making.
Dionysus is credited with bringing wine to the people of Greece. Wine strongly symbolized escapism, and many ancient Greeks believed wine brought out the best and the worst in a person by allowing them to leave the pressures of their lives behind. Dionysus is often depicted as a feminine man surrounded by satyrs, nymphs, and Maenads, who are human women driven mad by Dionysus. Such characters are shown dancing, laughing, and engaged in sexual acts.
In addition to introducing wine, Dionysus is also credited with the ability to drive men and women to madness. While this gift is often used to liven a celebration and in good humor, Dionysus is said to have caused his human enemies to kill their own children under his maddening spell.
Powers: God of Ecstasy: Steven can enhance sexual attraction and experiences in an individual. Note: if no feelings exist, there is nothing to enhance. Therefore, this power works against only those who are already attracted to Steven.
Immunity: Steven is partially immune to the affects of alcohol and drugs. This power allows him to consume more alcohol or imbibe more drugs than a normal human while also protecting him against an overdose.
Alignment: Against Power
BACKGROUND
History: Born in Lewisboro, New York, Steven was always in trouble. While other children were playing cops and robbers or pretending to rescue princesses, Steven was climbing trees, dangling from bridges, and generally causing his parents no end of grief. Although he loved his parents dearly, Steven's love for life and his need to experience everything surpassed any sort of survival skill he may have once possessed. His parents were relieved when young Steven discovered not only a love of the guitar but also a talent for it.
As the fifties gave way to the sixties, Steven's took to the new culture like a fish in water. He embraced the spirit of rebellion and eagerly experimented with the number of drugs and liquors becoming rapidly available, even in a small town like Lewisboro. He quickly rose to Head of the Class (socially-speaking, not academically). Despite his dalliances with drugs, Steven continued to improve with the guitar, and he began writing songs. Even at this stage in his life, although his talent would not be recognized for many years yet, his songs exhibited a wild talent that was impossible for his classmates to ignore.
Steven became aware of his status as a god in high school. What began as a simple sugar cube laced with acid resulted in a vision of himself as the God of Wine, surrounded by beautiful women dancing to the tune of a satyr's pipes. His friends dismissed the vision as the usual side-effects from a particularly good dose, but Steven felt a connection to the vision that he couldn't explain. Further exposure to drugs induced more visions, and Steven was soon convinced that he was indeed a reincarnation of the God of Wine.
Woodstock was the single greatest moment of Steven's life. He found himself surrounded by the things he loved best: peace, music, and drugs. He also found himself a manager and a band.
After several years of playing in bars and clubs as Mad Olympus, Steven stumbled into fame and fortune. They rocked the charts with their self-entitled album, which featured the hit single, "Jealous Lady." Filled with dark imagery, critics and fans often mistake the story of Hera's attempts to destroy the young Dionysus as a statement condemning jealousy. In a time where peace and love were still widely applauded, it is probably not surprising. In reality, the song was an emotional tribute to the trials Steven believed he had survived in another time.
As Steven's musical career took off, the young musician continued to explore his past identity as a god, working towards gaining the abilities he had lost as a human -- such as driving women into a sexual frenzy. While he hasn't quite achieved that goal yet, he continues to work towards it. Many of his songs contain either subtle or blatant elements of Greek myth, particularly those pertaining to his own history, which, of course, is what he knows best.
During the 80s, Mad Olympus began to lose popularity. Although many of their original fans continue to cherish their albums and frequently refer to songs like "Silenus," "Mortal Mask," and "Among the Stars" as classics of their period, Mad Olympus had clearly met its end. For a few years, they continued to play together at the odd concert, but soon the group went their separate ways. The surviving members of the group have met occasionally to play at concerts and revial tours. They last played together one final time in 1997 at a reunion concert, but they have not played together since.
The rock music which made Steven famous changed very little in those years. The songs, inspired by Greek legends and tragedies, were widely embraced by the common culture of the 70s for their fantastic imagery and the themes of love, sex, and music. Of course, being a true musician, the songs were pieces of rock history. As for being Dionysus, most dismissed it as a theme at best and the results of hardcare drugs at worst.
Steven's life has changed very little in these years. He continued to experiment with drugs and alcohol, and he continued to welcome women into his bed, not necessarily always in that order. To supplement the trickling revenues he continues to receive, he purchased a vineyard some years back -- he just couldn't resist. He quickly learned that the life disagreed with him, and, so, although he still owns Vines of the Nymph Glade, he takes no part in the operations.
As he aged, he likewise continued to write music and to practice his guitar. A recent remake of his song "Steal from the Underworld" has earned him a bit of a revival. It's popularity has introduced a younger generation to his music, and although Steven is not a particular fan of the remake, he is pleased it has helped him to recapture the public eye. The band even invited him back on stage for a remix of their modern rock version and his 1978 hit. He has received the green light from the studio to produce an album for release early next year, a project that has kept him busy and, for the first time in years, relatively sober. He has tentatively titled the album "Cinder."
CONTACT INFORMATION
Player: Ivory
Time Zone: US Central
E-Mail: ivory_thorns@yahoo.com
AIM: IvoryThorns
Yahoo: ivory_thorns@yahoo.com
MSN: ivory_thorns@hotmail.com
Layout Credit: rp_tutorials
I am not Bruce Campbell, Steven Shincoe, or Dionysus. Steven is a fictional character of my own creation for use in Est Deus in Nobis RPG.