Post by Elzia Wolfsbane on Mar 9, 2010 17:41:20 GMT -7
Tariq Gitano Claus
Character Basics
Nationality: Experimental Vaults
Leader Character?: No.
Playby: Paul Doucette
Custom Title: the cat has too much spirit to have no heart
Age: 27
Nickname(s): Claws
What Makes You Tick?
National Traits:
Tariq was genetically spliced with a cat, so his animal qualities are those of a cat. To be more specific;
- Sharp retractable claws- Tariq, or ‘Claws’ (as he is sometimes known), no longer has human fingernails. He has sharp cat’s claws that can be drawn back into his hands, and then flexed out again.
- Sharp canine teeth- his teeth are more like cat’s teeth than human teeth.
- Enhanced senses- hearing, smell and sight are all enhanced ludicrously above the average. His sight is enhanced further when watching a moving object.
- Sense of balance- Tariq never trips up or stumbles, can stand on high ledges very close to the edge without vertigo, and if he does fall (which seems unlikely) he always lands on his feet.
- Hair-on-end- his hair stands on end when he’s feeling nervous or aggressive.
- Berserk- in the heat of battle, or a hunt, Tariq’s strength, agility and general ability to do damage triples. He kind of goes out out-of-control- the smell of blood or a living creature acting like prey usually triggers it.
- Nine Lives- Tariq has an uncanny knack for surviving fatal, end-of-the-world type situations.
- Sand-paper tongue- a kind of gross ability to have, but Tariq can keep himself and his clothing perfectly clean and fresh by licking it.
Unique Qualities: The above are sort of unique qualities and sort of national traits. He has no unique qualities that are not connected to his cat self.
Weaknesses:
- Intense fear/dislike of water
- Strange fits- some fault in the genetic splicing causes Tariq to sometimes have ‘strange’ fits. He usually goes white, sweats, has a fever, rambles nonsensically, and is sometimes even mindlessly violent or self-destructive. Exactly what will happen when he has a fit is not in any way predictable- usually he has to be restrained until it passes.
- Sensitive- the downside of enhanced senses. Loud noises and overly-intense smells bother, distract or cause him pain.
- Low Cultural Self-Esteem
- Decreased Life-Span- it is suspected that while Tariq can now survive almost anything, his natural lifespan has in fact decreased. A cat normally only lives for 15 - 20 years. Tariq is now definitely much older than that, and while he is in perfect physical condition (excepting the fits), it is not entirely clear when he will naturally die.
Personality:
Tariq “Claws” is a really nice guy- he cares about people, he’s sensitive to the pain of others, he’s generous and he’s kind. However, he is also completely unprincipled. That means that he does the right thing if it’s in his nature to do the right thing- if it fits his mood, he’ll do the right thing. But he has no ethical code to live by, and never stops and thinks about what the ‘right’ thing is anyway. He’s never done anything just on principle.
At times, Tariq is cynical. He sees how things can go wrong, and gets irritated when other people don’t. He always feels that optimists and idealists are on a slippery slope to nowhere, and it makes him exasperated when people say things like ‘we can do it!’
He is also very proud. This may have something to do with the genetic splicing, as he is proud and dignified in a very cat-like way. He doesn’t like other people witnessing his fits, and becomes short-tempered when mocked. The combination of his excessive pride and his cynicism make him a very sarcastic person to be around.
Tariq isn’t just short-tempered when mocked. He often completely loses it about little things. He’s always quick to assume that another person had bad motives for what they did, and he does not hesitate to get revenge. He has temper-tantrums that are border-line fits and border-line berserk, like a spoilt unhappy child. He is often depressed, but his depression is expressed through snappishness, anger and violence. He is almost incapable of controlling himself.
Despite his temper, Tariq is quite friendly and accessible. He likes people, and is outgoing, but also needs time alone (otherwise he feels crowded by them). Basically he hates being alone and hates not being alone.
History:
Tariq’s history is unusual because he was experimented on as a little child. He was one of the earlier genetic-splicing experiments, and his mother was the one who sent him to the Experimental Vaults. While still completely human, Tariq had been a very sick little boy. Doctors kept him in bubble-like conditions, and predicted that he would soon die. He was also slightly brain-damaged. His parents were distraught and willing to listen to any possible cure for their son’s illness. The doctors reluctantly mentioned the possibility of playing with his genetic make-up. His illness- even now, Tariq cannot remember what they had called it- was a genetic disorder. They suggested that maybe if they removed the faulty genes, he would be cured. His parents had never considered the possibility that the removed genes would not be replaced with human ones.
The idea of genetically splicing human genes with animal ones was new at the time. The scientists were hungry, so very hungry, to experiment. This little boy was perfect- even the parents were completely willing, and did not ask questions. They decided to try giving him cat-like qualities. The enhanced senses of a cat were what they mainly wanted, but they were curious to see what other qualities might emerge. They tried their best not to give him the appearance of a cat, because they were trying to create a superhuman, not a ‘weirdo’. Tariq was successfully cured from his disease, but was now not entirely human. He had sharpened teeth and claws, and threw horrific temper-tantrums. He had dangerous fits. He refused to bathe, but insisted on licking himself clean. His parents found this change in their son unbearable, and were not able to handle him. He was out-of-control. They sent him back to the Experimental Vaults, where Tariq or “Claws” as he was now often called, was raised by scientists, monsters and himself. He ran free and unfettered, doing whatever he chose and barely under any kind of control- by the scientists, by his friends, or by himself. His abandonment scared him deeply, and left him cynical and angry.
Tariq grew to adulthood, but little change in his personality or condition occurred.
About You!
Name: Disha
Anything Interesting?: I also play the character Elzia, which should be incredibly obvious considering I used that account to create this bio. I also like the word 'cheese'.
