Application

[helpinghidinghaunting]

PLAYER

Name: Vin
Age: 33
Contact: LadyVincira#8472 on Discord, LadyVincira on Plurk
Other Characters: None
Interests: I can't wait for Cole to get up in everyone's issues and help them face them! I'm not afraid of complicated CR and this weird lil ghost man is great for that. I'm also looking forward to him forming longer-term relationships with other characters, and throwing him into bigger plots!

CHARACTER

Name: Cole
Canon/OC: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Journal: helpinghidinghaunting
Race: Human/Spirit
Nationality: Unknown/Spirit?
Occupation: Compassion/Assassin
Division: Unspecified?
Mage or Not: Not a Mage, but has Spirit Magic
Age: Appears around 20

History

https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Cole

After leaving the White Spire and killing Lord Seeker Lambert, Cole spent some time wandering, mastering his abilities after fully understanding the nature of his being. For a while, he was simply drawn to wherever he could help...so naturally, he eventually found his way to hovering about the Inquisition. When the Herald died, he felt regret - perhaps there was more he could have done? - and he turned his attentions to comforting the survivors from Haven in his own, subtle ways. After a time, he left, opting to see where he's most needed instead of waiting for something new to come.

He has largely spent his time continuing to hone his powers, using them mostly to help the suffering wherever he goes. Never one much for recognition, he has done this as anonymously as possible, trying not to make waves. Being a Spirit in a world afraid is hard, and while kind, he's definitely had a need to be guarded.

Cole has been in the fray alongside the Rifters a couple of times now, but has wandered away both times - and with the time away, people have simply forgotten him. Perhaps some recall kindnesses done by...someone, but they can't place who exactly it was.

Now, in an effort to put himself where he can be the most help, he has decided to try throwing his lot in with Riftwatch. Things are changing, that much is certain - and he has resolved that he needs to assist.

Personality

The first thing to understand about Cole to understand why he is the way he is is simply that he is not the original Cole. He is a spirit who so fervently wished he could help a dying, abused, terrified young man that he became him, forgetting for a while that he was ever a spirit in the process. At his core, while he is trying to be human, he's not there yet, and thus comes across as stilted and strange socially. He speaks in a rambling, lyrical manner that he can't control, and he doesn't really comprehend why when people think that's strange. He simply is, and he is comfortable with that.

He is, of course, a Spirit of Compassion. His first priority, above all else in his life, is that he wants to help other people. He doesn't want credit and doesn't care if people know it was him - in fact, he frequently erases himself from the memory of the people he helps, so that they can heal without feeling like someone else impeded on their emotions. He is kind to a fault, even to those who are unkind to them...at least, as long as the person has good or even fair intentions.

If someone is cruel or means to harm others, on the other hand, Cole does have a bit of a fearsome streak in him. Mercy can take many forms, after all, and sometimes the thing that is hurting someone is another person. He has killed many people at this point, and killing those who mean harm really doesn't bother him at all. Once in a while, if someone really, really earns it, he will even put a bit of fear into them with some carefully chosen words just before he ends their life.

He is largely unconcerned with himself overall - he doesn't care how he looks, if people don't like him, or even that he should probably rest every now and again. He's not quite human enough that he has to eat or sleep, and so frequently he neglects himself in favor of helping others. Despite the way he looks, he insists it's what makes him happy.

Opinions & Affiliations

Cole is, as far as Thedas politics go, very neutral with his alliances. He's less concerned with large groups as a generalization than he is with the specific actions of smaller groups - for instance, he doesn't view all Templars as horrible, but if he spots a group of them being particularly cruel, it can draw his ire. He does not, however, care for the war itself at all. It causes too much harm, and the cruel and needless death of the real Cole still haunts his heart.

Being a spirit in a world that looks with fear upon what comes out of the Fade, he's accustomed to being treated as subhuman, and doesn't harbor any animosity towards people for mistreating him. He does, however, take serious umbrage with anyone hurting anyone else (who doesn't deserve it). He tends to enjoy the company of people who are kind, regardless of faction, race, or nationality. The Rifters don't always carry the same prejudices the people of Thedas do, and he rather likes that.

Demons frighten Cole - they serve as a reminder of what he could be in the wrong circumstance, and the thought of becoming corrupt is a harrowing one indeed. Beyond that, he's not religious and has few opinions on the Chantry or the Qun.

He has been involved on and off with the Rifters (there have been previous players) but hasn't until this point solidified much reason to stay put until now. He thinks that most are trying to help, and he wants to further that - maybe this time will be the time he stays.


Adaptation Notes

N/A

Strengths & Weaknesses

Personal Strengths

When you spend most of your time not being seen, you learn to pay attention. Cole is sharp-eyed and a very good listener, with a knack for slipping in and out of places just when he needs to. If you befriend him, he will be loyal to a fault, willing to take blows for you without a second thought. While his demeanor is off-putting to most adults, he's actually pretty good with kids, finding quiet ways to give them a smile if they need one.

He's also good at getting by without - he doesn't physically HAVE to eat or sleep, though he does get hungry and tired. His giving nature tends to make him put himself last, and he will happily hand over his rations or take the last watch if someone else needs food or rest. He will never complain about physical needs.

Personal Weaknesses

Social graces are absolutely not Cole's strong suit. He's weird, there's no dancing around it, and he's not always aware when he's being weird. There's an intensity to him that many people find off-putting, regardless of his good intent. He doesn't tend to prefer crowds, since that's a lot of hurt all in one place...so usually, in a large scale social situation, he hangs out on the fringes or in a side room instead of being in the main fray.

He is also not exactly a tank, scrawny as he is, and what he has in speed and agility he unfortunately lacks in brute strength.

Spirit Abilities

Pending mod approval, I intend all of Cole's Spirit abilities to be tied to a player permissions opt-in. This will include making people lose their memories of him, what information he can 'read,' and whether or not he can make them not see him.

*Hearing the Hurt - Being a Spirit of Compassion, Cole uncontrollably feels the pain in places and people. He can remember things from other people's lives, even things like the last emotions of people who have died horrible deaths. He doesn't do this intentionally, it simply happens - and it isn't mind reading. He can only 'hear' things that cause a person hurt or discomfort, usually things they need to confront.

*Not Very Memorable - Cole has a way of not sticking in the minds of most people he meets. This is a skill he's learned to control over time, and he can actively make someone forget they've seen him, even in the middle of a conversation so that he can try a different line of conversation if his social skills fail him. Naturally, the general population gradually forget his face and name when he is out of their sight for a while, but those he chooses to interact more with can hold on to his memory without much issue.

*You Can't See Me - At will, Cole can simply not appear to people. Sometimes it's force of habit, sometimes more purposeful, but when he disappears like this, his presence simply doesn't register to the person he is hiding it from. He can walk right up to them, even brush past them, and he simply can't be perceived. There is a measure of at least some focus involved with this, however, and if caught off-guard or unconscious, he cannot disappear. Magic that dispels the abilities of spirits can also negate this power.


Combat

From a combat standpoint, Cole is, as he is in the game, specialized as an Assassin. He's quick, very sneaky, and very skilled with a pair of daggers. Even without using his powers, he has a knack for creeping up on people, with a light touch and a soft step.

Inventory

The real Cole's mother's dagger, a second, less ornate dagger, the clothes on his back, and the (big) hat on his head.

Motivation

Frankly? He wants to help. Exactly that. Now that the Inquisition is under more of a watchful eye (an eye that, given his unusual nature, does not trust him), he thinks that Riftwatch is going to be a better place for him...not least of all because helping outcasts is his bailiwick.

SAMPLES

Five different threads here!