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Mr Murk


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20 Questions

 

In the depths of the Murk sits the book of gloom, mindlessly recording in its entropic pages those that visit. A cosmic joke, for few, if any, will read…

The dreary voice of the book drifts through the gloom, ready to record the thoughts and truths of Mr Erasmus Murk…

 

1.       Where is your hero from?

Africa, but nobody knows where. I have consulted maps and historians. I believe it to be Northern Africa, but the truth shall never be known.

 

2.       How would your hero physically describe him/herself? Is this different from how others would?

 

I am from a dead race. Homo Nandethalensis, and I shed tears for this death. I am a primitive man, they would say. I would say I am from a simpler time, a time of thick bones and wise souls.

 

3.       Does your hero have distinguishing speech characteristics or recurring mannerisms?

 

None, for I speak every tongue known to man.

 

4.       What is your hero's motivation?

 

I am a soup of motivations, but the overwhelming spice in that soup is what some term humanity. I call it kindness, I call it empathy. To ease suffering.

 

5.       What are your hero's greatest strengths and weaknesses?

 

I have lived a very long life and have the knowledge and wisdom of ages. And yet I am blind. I wonder if being blind makes me see things better.

 

6.       What does your hero love? What does your hero hate?

 

With the endless crumbling of mortal bones I have felt, it is hard for me to love a person, but I do love people. I hate little if anything, but I feel sad at the circle of cruelty that spins from life to life.

 

7.       How would you describe your character's mental and emotional state?

 

I am have reached a balance where I swim in emotion but do not drown in it. All is savoured, but nothing overwhelms.

 

8.       What does your hero fear the most?

 

The endless torments that might be inflicted upon my immortal flesh or immortal soul.

 

9.       What is your character's greatest ambition?

 

To never lose ambition.

10.   How does your hero feel about the state of the world and his/her place in it?

 

Verily, tis better than any age before it, yet still bitter. Ah! How inequities of fate bloom in times of plenty. Surely the world can do better?

 

11.   Does your hero have any prejudices? How does he/she get along with others?

 

I have no prejudices. One must always give love, and that is how I get along with others.

 

12.   Where do your heroes loyalties lie? In what order?

 

My only loyalty, in the end, is to my own principles. On that matter, it is to ease suffering and promote kindness. I am concerned however for the life of immortals in the mortal world, and the moral philosophies that must be contemplated with them.

 

13.   Does your hero have a lover or partner? How do they feel about the hero now?

 

No. I am the last of my race and I cannot see this happening; ‘tis not that I have lost my lust or love, and this is a ill sadness upon me.

 

14.   Does your hero have a family? What is the relationship there like?

 

None, I cannot have children.

 

15.   How would the people closest to your hero describe him or her?

 

Wise and kind.

 

16.   Is your hero a role model?

 

Few know me, or understand me. I work from the shadows, and thus am no model for good or ill or anything betwixt.

 

17.   How spiritual is your hero? Does your hero follow a religious tradition?

 

I follow no religion, but believe in Gods, Souls, and Spirits. 

 

18.   Is your hero part of a team, or would he/she like to be? Why?

 

I would like to establish a code of conduct between Immortals. A band of us lost souls.

 

19.   How does your hero feel about the place of metahumans and aliens on Earth?

 

The same as any living thing; ‘tis on their deeds and will that they must be considered, not their nature.

 

20.   If you could give one piece of advice to your hero, what would it be?

 

Stay out of the light.

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Introduction

 

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.

Blind Immortal Albino Seer

 

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?

Gotthammer (God Hammer), Gloomfather, Speaks-to-spirits, Pale Prophet, Fateweaver.

 

What is your full birth name?

Murgh

 

Where do you live?

London (Soho)

 

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)?

About 50,000 years old…

 

Physical Traits

 

 

What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.

Male

 

How would you describe your heritage?

Neanderthal

 

How tall are you?

5’7”

 

What is your body type?

Squat and strong

 

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?

I get sunburnt quickly. I have a sensitivity to magic effects. It is possible some medicines suit me badly.

 

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence?

Heavy, a little clumsy, but full of subtle confidence.

 

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.

White. White. White with a bit of red.

 

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?

I shave. My hair is shortish and wispy.

 

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?

No. No.

 

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?

A few scars that did not heal thanks to eldritch assaults. A prominent one is on the left side of my face.

 

Do you resemble anyone famous?

Aside from a few waxworks in museums…

 

Do you have a dominant hand?

Right

 

What kind of clothing do you wear?

The clothing of an Edwardian Gentleman of London. Good quality.

 

Do you wear makeup?

No

 

 

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?

Deep, a little raspy, a strong voice full of portent.

 

 

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people?

No, although I do look at people despite being blind which can unnerve them. This is because I sense their souls…

 

 

History

 

Where do you come from?

It is not clear; I believe from Northern Africa.

 

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?

I have moved around pretty much every part of earth, from Atlantis to the Hidden World. I live in London.

 

Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?

I have a great fondness for England. A hundred years ago. It has waned somewhat, or, rather, the rest of the world has caught up!

 

How do you feel about the place you come from?

A bit sad, but it was a long time ago, and I don’t particularly feel attached to Africa.

 

Where is your home town? What was/is it like?

I didn’t have one!

 

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you?

I was very much a minority. Blind and albino. It was only by my mothers grace and love that I was not left to die. But soon people understood my practical value; I could see the future.

 

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life?

At this age, I am not really bad at anything, unless it involves seeing. I have always been good at understanding the nature of man.

 

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?

Too many to count, in those days. People died young, and died often. We just got on with it, as a tribe.

 

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.

Predicting an attack by an aggressive tribe. It was then that I turned from invalid weight on the tribe to revered and holy.

 

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?

Honestly, I was never a stupid child, and I learned very quickly not to do stupid things.

 

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?

School? In that time?

 

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?

I had some, for centuries. Little trinkets, you would call them. But age has rotted them.

 

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?

I am not sure what a hero is, for it changes from century to century from land to land. For me, I always remembered my mother’s love in the face of adversity. She was a protector of life, whatever the cost. I always took love and life to be the finest things in the world.

 

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?

No. Honesty is the best way to change hearts.

 

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?

Countless, at my ages. Mistakes I have made, lapses of rage and bitterness. Inopportune moments of violence against the wicked, despair keeping me from acting when I could have. Whilst I am ashamed of them, I do not hide them however. These moments are part of me.

 

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?

If I can, I hide. Invisible or concealed. I keep my immortality and origin from most, for in my experience they breed distrust or envy.

 

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?

Little, straight away. And little obvious. But insidiously, I would become the object of other peoples manipulations and schemes. I would go far to protect my origin and nature.

 

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?

Again, at my age, countless records. Most of them infractions against toxic laws. But in the last century or two, none.

 

Family

 

 

What are your biological parents' names?

My father is unknown. My mother was called Jheeka.

 

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.

Yes, although in those days it was more the tribe as a whole that raised children.

 

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?

Like everyone else, we hunted and we gathered.

 

Where are your parents now?

Dust.

 

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?

Back in those days, we pretty much moved all the time.

 

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).

Really well, it was full of love. I always felt completely loved by my mother, even in the worst of times.

 

How do your parents view you now, or how would they?

It is so hard to say, because the world today is beyond anything she would understand. I would guess proud but worried.

 

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.

No

 

What was your birth order in the family?

First!

 

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?

My only real family member was my mother. There were some tribe members I hated, the taunters, the cruel who would abandon a blind child.

 

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?

My mother!

 

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.

I was a bit of both, an oddity, a strange one, an albatross. I was feared and respected.

 

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.

No, but we had not much in the way of family trees in those days. I knew no further than my grandparents.

 

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.

No.

 

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?

I would like to have children, but I am unable to – even when my own race was around.

 

What type of person would be your ideal mate?

An immortal Neanderthal of great wisdom and serenity.

 

 

Relationships

 

Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.

Unfortunately few to none; I have friends but rarely do they become close. I have made relatively closer friends with the staff and immortals at various clubs, and at Fiddler and Murke Legal. Mr. Archibald Flowers is close – he is an immortal and a scribe. He helps me with words that I cannot see.

 

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?

No, I am not the sort of person who could label one individual as best, above others.

 

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?

Mr. Flowers, lots of staff, lots of immortals. Lots of people!

 

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?

No, not for millennia. Back as a very young man, I did. I was never entirely sure if they truly loved me, or my exalted position.

 

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.

No, because I forgive all.

 

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?

I have enemies, even if not bitter. Over the years several groups have tried to manipulate or enslave me for my secrets, my immortality, my precognition. I have almost lost count of them. The Soviet Union, Mastermind, SHADOW….

 

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?

Torture, during the Spanish Inquisition.

 

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?

Ultimately, like all, only to myself. But, what am I? On that matter, what is important to me is love, compassion. I would also say that because of this I am particularly interested in protecting and serving immortals from injustice.

 

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?

Myself, because I know myself the best!

 

Who or what do you despise? Why?

Despots and sadists, for obvious reasons.

 

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?

The defiance of love in the face of bleakness. I think this is a quality I possess.

 

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?

Cruelty. Or possibly apathy in the face of cruelty.

 

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why?

This is a difficult question. I take the identity of Erasmus Murk, lawyer, but is this a false one, or a true one? It certainly avoids the truth of my past, but on the other hand it tells no lie, for it is the honest identity I take. To complicate matters further, I often appear as others…

 

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?

I work well with others, although I am not sure that teams or groups is the right way to phrase it. I am no follower, but my leadership is a subtle thing.

 

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?

Not precisely. I do represent immortals legally, and try to protect them, as well as protect the world from them. I tend to get on well with them.

 

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?

I have many contacts in politics, religions, and other institutions, but generally am not part of them. I do however belong to Law societies, and get on fairly well with them.

 

 

Personality & Beliefs

 

Who are your heroes?

So many. Ghandi springs first to mind.

 

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?

Very rarely, I try to see the positive.

 

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?

A hero is a nebulous thing, I neither enjoy nor hate the label. I do enjoy, of course, my passions which some may think of as heroic.

 

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?

Of course there is. If you are immortal it is not a question of if, but of when. However, there is nothing I can forsee right now…

 

 

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?

Establish a codus immortus and protect immortals from undue cruelty.

 

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?

Be a force for positive change in the world. Enable justice, fairness, and democracy.

 

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?

To succumb to cynicism, apathy, and despair.

 

Is there anything you would give you life for?

I don’t think I can!

 

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?

I think money has helped society, and of course I value it and treasure the comforts it brings. It is a means to an end for me. I think it could be distributed more evenly, and it is worshipped to easily.

 

How do you generally treat others?

With compassion and fairness.

 

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?

Yes, although can it be called trust when I glimpse the future?

 

 

Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?

Introverted in that I recharge my energy when alone, but I have no shyness or problem with company. I am very self confident.

 

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex?

The same as everyone else.

 

What are your most annoying habits?

Looking at someone directly with overtly blind eyes.

 

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?

No, I avoid contempt.

 

 

What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?

Freshly roasted meat.

 

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?

Brandy.

 

 

What is your favorite treat (dessert)?

Fruit.

 

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?

No, I have eaten around the world and am used to everything!

 

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?

I can’t see colour!

 

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?

Classical. I am somewhat partial to German Opera.

 

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?

Various flowers. Particularly lilac.

 

 

Do you have a favorite animal?

Dogs

 

What is your most treasured possession? Why?

My bowler hat, given to me by me Law teacher, Mr. Ebeneezer Fiddle, in the 19th Century.

 

Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?

I can and have done both, but I enjoy the comforts of modern living.

 

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?

There are no absolutes.

 

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?

Absolutely!

But my spiritual beliefs are mercurial and vague. It is a philosophy of reflection and wonder rather than dogma.

 

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?

No, I am spiritual, not faithful.

 

Could you kill? Have you killed?

Yes and yes. Lamentably.

 

 What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?

Because sometimes circumstances are ill, and one must choose the least worst thing to do.

 

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?

Of course. To kill to save two lives, or more.

 

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours?

Always heartbroken. But more than that depends on the circumstance. It is always more tragic to see a close friend kill, but tragic when anybody kills.

 

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?

Other than my bowler hat, I would be phlegmatic about it. I confess to unreasonable attachment to my hat, and unreasonably fury should it stolen.

 

How would you react to public humiliation?

Humiliation is my emotion and my perspective. Public failure does not bother me. Being public does.

 

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?

Countless times. It is heartbreaking.

 

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?

Torture. Some things are worse than death.

 

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?

Spend my time alone, reflecting on my life and enjoying the best of memories.

 

 

Career & Training

 

 

Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?

I have many skills!

 

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?

So many people have taught me so much. I am not sure what a “hero skill” is though…all skills are potentially heroic!

 

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?

Over the last two hundred years I have studied law and philosophy a lot.

 

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?

Lawyer

 

What is your preferred combat style?

Effective and simple. I have not studied martial arts but I have been in plenty of fights. You might call me an experienced but untrained fighter.

 

Have you ever received any awards or honours?

No, I do not want the publicity.

 

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?

Bluntly, it would be good to be able to see. And see what the fuss about seeing was.

 

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?

Always, to learn.

 

 

Lifestyle & Hobbies

 

What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?

I get up, usually have a cup of tea and an English breakfast, although it depends where I live. I like listening to the BBC World Service or News on the radio. With my aides, or computer aid, I will consult my diary and do legal or administrative work but this varies according to need and situation. In the evening I usually engage in discourse or study, perhaps over a nice French meal, or to some live music. I like the Opera, and Jazz.

 

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?

Philosophy, Music, Debating. These have been life long (very long life long) acquisitions gathered slowly over the centuries.

 

What do you do for fun?

Dine and listen to music. I don’t dance.

 

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?

Of sorts. My normal attire!

 

How do you normally dress when not in costume?

When relaxing, I wear a comfortable dressing gown and slippers.

 

What do you wear to bed most nights?

Depends on where I am and how hot I am!

 

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?

No

 

 

Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?

The locked safe of Club Immortus, London, Soho

 

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?

A cab, although I have been known to ride a horse. For longer distance, air travel or – as much as possible – the linked Eldritch portals of Club Immortus around the world.

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make?

No I have not, as, to my knowledge, I cannot die.

 

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?

My bones, perhaps, as I am the only living member of my race.

 

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?

It’s not important to be remembered, and hubris to consider it.

 

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?

Of course. I have power and vision, and will eventually pose a threat. I hope that, over the course of the infinite, I am less threat than remedy.

 

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?

Seeing the big picture.

 

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?

Despair.

 

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...

It is from the shadows that the greatest light can be shone.

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