Arthur Kirkland - England

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur Albert Kirkland

Gender: Male

Age: Twenty-Nine Years Old

Ethnicity: London, England

Sexuality: Bisexual

Occupation: Book Shoppe Assistant

True Name: Dauntless; One that is lacking in fear, and won't be swayed from his goals no matter what the obstacle. An unstoppable force. His Name appears low on the nape of his neck.

Role: Sacrifice

Appearance:

Arthur stands at non-intimidating 5'9", yet the stature with which he holds himself makes him seem a larger presence than his physical size. He has the rigid-backed up-breeding of a posh Brit that causes him to carry his head high and doesn't bend for anyone. There isn't any obvious strength in his physique; people that underestimate Arthur tend to think that he looks weak. People that cross the Englishman tend to learn otherwise. While he isn't a mass of muscles, he's trim and fit enough that if it came down to a physical fight he could hold his own. In his more rebellious teen years Arthur tested this many times.

The years have mellowed out his personality though the remnants of that wilder time are still part of his appearance. Arthur has a few scars on his body from getting into fights. He has evidence of piercings in his ears. The edges of tattoos can be glimpsed on his forearms, though Arthur regularly wears three-quarter sleeves or longer to keep them covered. There are no images, just tiny flowing text. Three on his left arm being song lyrics that have significance for Arthur, winding up in a loop running up to his elbow, that read: "Words are flowing out / Like endless rain into a paper cup / They slither while they pass / They slip away across the universe", "How I wish / How I wish you were here", and "Hey you / Out there in the cold / Getting lonely / Getting old / Can you feel me?". And one in a more delicate line on the right, reading simply: "To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield." This brief line from Tennyson is one he added much later after the appearance of his Name. All of these strings of words hold meaning for Arthur, especially since he knows that words hold power for those with his abilities. This is also an easy way for him to dismiss anyone that would question the presence of Dauntless on the back of his neck; he uses these additional marks as camouflage.

Having such a visible spot for his Name has caused Arthur to adapt to ways of keeping it covered. He tends to wear high collars, scarves or bandanas to hide it from view from prying eyes. It helps that his style is in line with trends of layering, bold patterns and a casual fashion that suits his current image of a keen-witted book clerk. The Englishman even has a few pairs of spectacles that he ought to be wearing more than he does, but his vanity causes him to wear them only out of necessity. They create perfect frames for his eyes that are large, green and expressive. Their tendency to seem childlike at times doesn't help Arthur when it comes to shedding the boyish quality that still clings to his face. It's rounded enough that often times his attempts to shape an intimidating glower merely comes across as a childish sulk.

Arthur is also cursed blessed with a prominent pair of eyebrows. He is sensitive about them and does not take well to comments being made in reference to their size. Part of the reason why he never bothered piercing them was due to the fact that he didn't want to draw any additional attention to them. Above them is a head of hair that is also equally out of control. The Englishman's yellow hair is in a permanent state of "bed hair" -- that is to say that no matter how much attention he gives it to tame the mess, it will always look like Arthur just rolled out of bed without bothering to run a comb through it.

As would be expected of a young man that ran wild for most of his teen years, Arthur lacks any trace of his feline features. The presence of his ears and tail were obliterated a long while ago. Though when he had them -- as evidenced in childhood photographs -- he had the bent ears and fluffy tail of a Scottish Fold.

Personality:

Arthur Kirkland is a man similar to a puzzle box. On the outside surface, he has constructed enough mental and emotional armour to prevent his secrets from being brought out by anyone who might dare to try. Arthur prefers to maintain a distance from everyone around him when he can, submitting only to certain individuals that have earned his trust, his respect or his ire. This protection of self is what often gives people the opinion that Arthur is a man of polite detachment -- as rigid and inflexible and passive as the stone foundations that had been built on the swampy marshes of his homeland that later became an empire. For those who have made a closer examination of him, there are some clearer aspects of Arthur’s personality:

Public Temperament: When Arthur must interact, his manner shifts depending on whom he is interacting with. To many, the Englishman is a politely distant young man. That doesn’t prevent him from switching to dry, scathing wit and harsh cynicism if it suits him. Arthur works hard to keep as flawlessly composed as possible, and will try to avoid one-on-one contact since he seems to flounder in those particular social circumstances.

Private Temperament: Those close to Arthur who have worked with or been on the receiving end of his temper, are familiar with the Englishman’s foul mouth. His tongue is sharp and bites just as deeply as bullets when he has something harsh to say. If Arthur feels that it is justified then he will not censor what comes out of his mouth in the least. Oddly enough, most of his searing lectures are out of concern for others.

Stubborn: This is both a benefit and a flaw in Arthur’s nature, depending on how he uses it. The Englishman has an iron will that has allowed him to find success against seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. On the other side of this is his pride. Arthur's Name is aptly suited to him, and he behaves as a man who feels that respect should be entitled to him. He will not easily admit when he is wrong, so apologies are few and far between. This has caused him issues with others. Arthur is unapologetic to those that he might have targeted with his sharp tongue and opinions. He is of the belief that in the hierarchy of the world, there is no excuse for weakness or laziness.

Melancholy: Arthur is serious by default. He does his best to hide his sadness because it makes him feel awkward to have others perceive such vulnerability in him. But Arthur’s consistent trips down to the pub and his common habit of locking himself away from others are a sign of this clinging depression. The Englishman would prefer to wallow privately than let others see him in such a condition. When Arthur is sad in public, he channels this into gruff behaviour to deflect from the core issue. He would rather have people think that he is just grumpy than to address any underlying problem. This shows in Arthur’s love for dark things, macabre relics and literature or poetry that suits his black moods. It probably also explains why there are so many places in the Englishman’s house where he keeps alcohol on hand to ease his sadness as a temporary fix.

Social Awkwardness: When it comes to interacting with other people, Arthur seems handicapped. Once upon a time, he was of the opinion that he had no need for others in his life, and became especially good at evading appropriate social development. This leaves him openly awkward when he becomes the focus of others. He is prone to blushing, or at least locking up when faced with situations where Arthur feels on the spot. The Englishman is horrible with receiving compliments. In terms of courtship, Arthur is pretty hopeless. His composure can unravel quickly when confronted with attention, and that leaves the man flustered, stammering and floundering for how to handle things.

Romantic: The fact that Arthur is a horribly sappy romantic is the universe’s worst kept secret. He is much enamoured of the old fairytales, and romance novels that are a good chunk of his massive book collection. Arthur believes firmly in the concept of undying love, chivalry and sacrificing everything for a lover. While he has never been married, Arthur is envious of those who are. He is rather embarrassed by this aspect of his personality and tries not to let any of this on. But his reaction to occasions where others make some gesture that could be romantic is a dead giveaway.

Temper: His temper is explosive. There is passion inside the Englishman despite what he lets on. If the circumstances are right, he can demonstrate that he is capable of being brutal. Arthur contains a dark rage within him that is thankfully rarely stirred. Sometimes it surfaces when he settles for getting violent with those who deserve it.

Likes:

Tea // Earl Grey // Teatimes // Teacakes // Teacups
Arthur’s tea intake is considerable. He follows a very strict routine of making sure to take time in his day to unwind with a freshly brewed cup no matter what chaos might unfold around him in the world. It is a calming ritual. Arthur also finds enjoyment in collecting rare teas when they come upon the market, though his favourite will always be the classic Earl Grey. He also has an extensive collection of teacups and loves to display the more intricately hand-painted ones. Even those that are not raised on the same British principles of taking tea are always invited to join him. Arthur likes the atmosphere sharing tea creates, since it tends to lead to civil conversation better than alcohol.

Books // English Literature // Poetry // Fairytales // Romance Novels // Erotica
The other collection that dominates the Englishman’s residence is his massive collection of books that could rival any public library. Arthur has two entire rooms devoted to nothing but assorted literature, floor to ceiling on shelves. He has a few that he enjoys more than others, particularly Peter Pan and Alice In Wonderland. There are also some books that he keeps hidden as much as possible, embarrassed by his selection of romance novels and some with questionable content that would leave Arthur mortified if anyone discovered them.

Cooking // Baking // Gourmet Food // Foreign Cuisine
One of Arthur’s shortcomings is his inability to cook anything that is truly edible. Yet he still enjoys the relaxation that baking provides him and so he continues to keep optimistic that one day he might find the right balance. Gourmet foods and foreign cuisine is a weakness of his, as Arthur can be easily softened up or swayed by the offering of foods made by others. Despite his general dislike for everything French the Englishman would still manage a few polite words to one if it might get him a sampling of their intricate desserts. He was considerably more failures than successes in the kitchen. Anyone brave enough to try his cooking and then compliment it would win his heart in an instant.

Tweed // Neckties // Wool Sweaters // Vests // Khakis // Suits
Having been raised with the belief that men were supposed to dress like gentlemen (despite having spent most of his teen years dressing the complete opposite), Arthur rarely surfaces from his home without being dressed as neatly as possible. Starched, crisp collars, pressed trousers and polished shoes. Even on days that are warm he will still cover himself in layers of clothes and suffer in silence while dabbing sweat away with his handkerchief. The way that he dresses give many people the impression that Arthur is a stiff man without the capacity to let loose – but he likes to consider his type of fashion ‘librarian chic’. Since his Name causes him the need to find clever ways to mask it, he has quite a collection of different scarves and bandanas. Luckily, most people just think of them as plain old accessories.

Music // Rock And Roll // Jazz // Punk Rock // Opera
Arthur loves music of all types, with the exception of a few genres. His love for punk rock music would probably surprise many people. He prefers the experience of live performances when possible. Arthur likes to put music on to listen to while he is doing menial chores around his home, like cleaning or baking. Whenever he has to travel where there are lots of people he will not hesitate to put on a pair of headphones and drown out the world with music.

Games // Chess // Crosswords // Strategy Games // Embroidery
The Englishman does not like to let his mind idle. He tries to keep it sharpened during those times that he has nothing else to do, so Arthur will often do activities that might help to maintain his focus. He adores games that provide him a challenge. Arthur keeps several crossword puzzle books on hand so that they will be ready when he has time to kill. Some have said that idle hands are the Devil’s Playground, and Arthur is satisfied to keep his fingers occupied with knitting or embroidering things. It is not a masculine practice but he doesn’t seem to care.

The Supernatural // Magic // Ghosts // Mythical Creatures
It could be said that Arthur has a quirky obsession with such things. He becomes quite animated when the topic of the supernatural comes up in conversation, fascinated by the idea that such things might exist. Arthur is easily suckered into purchasing things if a persuasive salesman can convince him that it contains some magical property, has its origins in mythology, or might be haunted by a spirit. He also has a tendency to buy any book that has mentions of these supernatural subjects in them.

Working // Routine // Accomplishment // Productivity
Being a workaholic has always been part of Arthur’s life. Even as a child he was devoted to following schedules and working hard whenever presented with a task or chore. Arthur can work independently from others, so it puts the burden on him to produce results that meet his high standards – and Arthur never fails to put forth his best. Since he matured out of his rebellious phase, he has tried to keep himself on a better path. Now Arthur holds himself to higher standards of conduct. This is also another method that he uses to stave off falling into those old bad habits.

Alcohol // Spirits // Whiskey // Beer // Imbibing
Another of Arthur’s weaknesses is his love for alcohol and his total inability to handle drinking. He operates under the delusion that his tolerance level is high. But after he’s consumed three strong drinks then Arthur’s composure tends to unravel and his behaviour certainly suffers. Most of the time the Englishman reserves his heavy drinking in the privacy of his own home. A few holiday parties and social drinking situations in the past have provided some amusing legends of the things Arthur has done while under the influence.

Fog // Rain // Fall
This type of weather is what Arthur loves the most. He doesn't mind sunny days, of course, but there is something altogether magical about nights with rolling fog, and a charm to the sound of rain falling. Also, this kind of weather tends to make it easier to seek out the closer contact of other people, if just to chase away any chill in the air. Arthur likes the feeling of standing in the rain. It somehow feels purifying to him, being bathed in rainwater -- even if it does often cause him to catch a cold.


Dislikes:

Laziness // Unmotivated People // Wasted Talent // Wasted Potential
Encountering people that fail to work as hard as he does, or do not apply themselves as strongly as they could, is almost offensive to Arthur. If he sees some wasted talent that is merely being thrown away by others then the Englishman is likely to give them a piece of his mind in the form of some lecture on the importance of making an effort in the universe. He recognizes himself in these people. If he had not turned himself around then Arthur would have likely ended up a wandering lost soul or in his grave by now. Seeing this pattern being repeated by others frustrates him.

French People // French Culture // French
Arthur has not had regular encounters with the French, but a general dislike of the nationals has passed down through his family for generations. He has seen nothing in those that he has met that would potentially redeem the French in his eyes. They represent, in his eyes, everything that he dislikes in people. It isn't a dislike that he openly advertises. More often than not this borderline prejudice only turns up when the nation is brought up in conversation or he is confronted with someone from France, at which point Arthur will just smirk like a true English patriot.

Chaos // Disorganization // Clutter // Messes
If things are not organized, or if situations dissolve into some form of chaos, Arthur finds this intolerable. He is likely just to leave the location than to get wrapped up in the mess if there is no chance of him fixing it. Arthur feels mild disgust for those who would prefer to get emotionally carried away in such situations instead of using the logic of their rational mind. His last few years have been spent constructing his own foundation of routine, so being put off of that by someone else's doing is a major irritant.

Bigots // Rude People // Willing Ignorance // Refusal To Learn
People who are unwilling to expand their minds to learn about people or ideas are ones that Arthur thinks are better to avoid. He cannot tolerate intolerance, and is quick to come to the defense of others when he feels that they are being judged for their differences. Arthur recognizes the inherent danger that comes with a hatred or lack of understanding by individuals who have too much fear to learn more about that which they do not know. These sorts of people bring out the worst in Arthur, and his language along with his demeanour tends to suffer as a result.

Coffee // Soda // Carbonated Juices
Arthur can hardly stomach any of these. He finds coffee too bitter and doesn’t appreciate the jitters that it gives him. Sodas and carbonated juices are too sweet for him. Arthur cannot comprehend the obsession with any of these particular beverages. If they are his only options available when being offered something to drink, the Englishman will politely accept them and take his time with consuming them so as not to seem rude.

Arrogance // Obnoxious People // Loud People // Attention Seekers
The Englishman believes in restraint of emotion. If people cannot conduct themselves in a civil way that is inoffensive to others, then Arthur is unable to bring himself to socialize with these individuals. People who cannot act without seeming invasive in the peace of others cause Arthur to grit his teeth. He cannot fathom why others would hinge their happiness on whether or not their peers paid them the least bit of attention. He's seen the worst of this behaviour and exhibited the worst of this behaviour in the past. Seeing it from others holds up an uncomfortable mirror that the Englishman would sooner ignore.


Fears:

Consuming Melancholy - There's a constant vibe of sadness running beneath the surface of Arthur. He has a depression wedged deep in his soul that he cannot shake no matter what level his current happiness is at. This is a darkness inside that taints even the purest of his emotions. Arthur's major concern is that this is going to get out of control somewhere along the way, and that he'll deal with this depression in negative ways just like he did in his youth.

Darkness - Arthur despises complete darkness. He dislikes being out of control and losing all ability to see causes him considerable distress. This is a fear that he's had since childhood and has not managed to shake into adulthood.

Drowning - Being unable to swim, this is a concern of Arthur's. The Englishman just keeps himself away from pools or bodies of water if at all possible.

Trust - It is hard for Arthur to trust. He is afraid of putting all of his trust into one person because he is of the cynical view that there will eventually be betrayal. This could change once he finds his other Half, but for now everyone is kept behind boundaries the Englishman has constructed to keep himself from being left vulnerable.


Strengths:

Stubborn - His Name is Dauntless for a reason. Once Arthur has set his mind upon anything -- especially victory, then he will not stop until it is achieved. Death does not even cross his mind as an obstacle; he'll carry on even in the face of death if it means achieving his ends. Lacking a fear of defeat, and with nothing to lose, Arthur has everything to win.

Strategic - Reading the flow of battle comes easily to him. He can read his opponents in most cases in order to get a sense of their weaknesses. Arthur can be vicious when exploiting them. The Englishman also knows when it is best to withdraw. If a total victory is not his desire then he is willing to retreat because the ultimate aim is to make sure that he and his Fighter live to fight another day.

High Pain Tolerance - Arthur is a masochist. Pain doesn't bother him. If anything, it is the fuel that strengthens his resolve. The more that the Englishman suffers, the stronger he becomes. That is what makes him a valuable Sacrifice; a Fighter for Arthur never needs to worry that their minor blunders will cost them a victory because he can take so much. Of course, if he's put through intense pain because of a blundering Fighter then you can bet that the Englishman will be just as equally sadistic in returning the favour to them afterwards.


Weaknesses:

Temper - He can be wrathful. Arthur's temper when it is unleashed is out of control. He is violent, mean-spirited and cutting with his words. His temper makes him a cold person and Arthur will continue to lash out until he feels vindicated.

Vices - Old habits die hard. With all the vices that he dabbled in in the past, Arthur has to be very careful not to fall off the wagon. He doesn't want to get caught up in that lifestyle again but knows it would be very easy for him to do so with the right temptation.

Difficulty of Expression - Arthur could spout poetry and song lyrics with the mastery of a professionally trained actor. However, none of that matters when it comes to one on one interaction. He isn't good at explaining himself most of the time, and his default demeanour is one of surliness. This means that he can be awkward in many social situations because he lacks the skills on how to process things in a private setting with other people.

Sensitivity - As tough as he is, there's a part of Arthur that is easily wounded. He is horribly insecure. Sometimes situations lead the Englishman to lose control of his emotions. He cries easily unless Arthur can channel those hurt feelings into an emotion he's more comfortable with -- like anger. Which triggers his temper, and as stated above that isn't exactly Arthur at his best.

History:

Arthur was born in London, England, as the second youngest son in a moderately wealthy British family. His father was a corporate businessman that traveled the world, while his mother was a stay at home housewife. She was the one that mostly raised Arthur, though their family unit was fairly functional. Arthur was a gifted young child, excelling in academics and sweet in personality. He made many friends during his youth and his parents were hopeful that he might one day follow in his father's footsteps.

This all changed as puberty hit. Arthur's personality began to change along with his body. He became a reckless young man, charged with a need for rebellion that drove him to engage in a lifestyle that was the opposite of his stable childhood. He fought, he drank -- he became a little delinquent that railed against any future plans pressed upon him by his parents. School became a hassle that Arthur regularly missed. Much of his time was spent doing little bits of petty crimes with the enthusiasm of a teenager with no true aim for a criminal's life. It was all just a thrill to pass his time, anything to appease the boredom that plagued him and quieted the dark place that had opened up inside of Arthur.

He took comfort from that darkness through any means possible. Seeking this comfort also caused him to lose his feline features, having sought out many arms to pass the time with. None of them mattered more than a fleeting afterthought to Arthur. No matter what he did there was still a feeling that he was incomplete; a vital piece of him was missing inside. As hard as he tried to fill it with these substitutes, nothing would work. He was left in a cycle of despair and self-destruction that got dangerously close to fatal.

Then, one day, Arthur's Name appeared. That changed everything. The appearance of that Name suddenly put his struggles into perspective. He wasn't broken, like he'd suspected. He was just lacking the rest of himself because it was in someone else. Arthur decided that if he were going to be of any appeal to that other Half then he needed to make a change to the path of his life and quick. He'd already lost the chance to give himself to that other person. Hopefully it wasn't going to cost him their respect.

Arthur made amends with his family over his behaviour. They mutually decided that the best way to keep Arthur from sinking back into those bad habits was to remove him from the environment that had fostered them. That was what brought Arthur to Blackpool, to live with his aunt. He caught up on his academics in order to graduate, and found himself a steady job at a bookstore. Books became the distraction to fill his time with instead of mischief. He graduated University but decided to wait upon his future career. The book shoppe has become a second home to him, and his aunt moved away two years back, so that Arthur has the flat all to himself. He's been following a daily routine to keep himself moving forward, while also waiting for the day when that other Half will finally fill all the voids in him.

RP Sample:

Arthur was waiting.

His bus was running late today. Undoubtedly that was because of the heaviness of the rain, along with the thick flow of traffic in the streets of Blackpool. The most recent influx of new residents had made the streets further congested so that even public transport had to fight for a spot in the stream of constantly moving automobiles. Arthur wasn't too terribly bothered by the delay. He needed to get himself to work, yes, but it was one of their slower days of the week and his boss was lenient on the fact if Arthur showed up on such a quiet shift at all. Since his apartment was empty and he lacked anything else to do, heading to work actually didn't sound too bad.

The brakes on the bus squealed when the lumbering transport finally pulled up to the stop. Arthur's eyes lifted up from where he'd been gazing in deep reverie upon the screen of his music device, earbuds in his ears drowning out much of the sound. He watched as people went through the process of opening their umbrellas to cross the four steps between the covered bus stop and the bus itself, amused. The Englishman had gone without an umbrella. His hair along with his clothes were damp with rainwater, yellow strands darkened as well as flattened by the weight of the moisture. He smirked at his fellow riders as they huddled together beneath their umbrellas to march their way inside, following behind them to be the last one aboard.

Arthur was still simmering in his silent amusement when he moved to deposit his fare. The clinking of the tokens settling into the hungry belly of the counter had just stopped when the young man froze. A strange, familiar feeling tickled on the edge of his senses. Arthur immediately yanked one ear bud out of his ear to turn it back to the still opened doors of the bus, listening to a sound coming from outside of it. His heart was racing. There was an ache in him simultaneous with a thrill of adrenaline. He couldn't place the sound for a few seconds. Then he suddenly knew what it was: the echo of another heartbeat so close that he could hear it as loud as his own.

The bus operator was speaking to him in clipped tones. "Are you riding or not, lad? I need you to clear the doors. Haven't got all day."

The Englishman's eyes rose to view the man as if he were a foreign thing. Not human, not important. Less real to him than this heartbeat he could hear. Arthur wordlessly turned to go hurrying back down the steps of the bus to the rain-slicked pavement outside. He ignored the bus taking off behind him to send a wild look searching through the people walking by.

Here. Here. I feel you so close now, but where are you?

His thoughts were in a tumult, racing over one another in a bid for clarity. Arthur floundered his steps in small circles to decide which direction to go. Another strong beat pulled him to the left and his trainers went slapping into the puddles nearby as he took off after it. With wide green eyes, the Englishman pushed his way through the throng of the crowd. There were too many people here in his way and each one of them was an obstacle. None of them mattered. Arthur tuned out their gasps of affront and growling words of insult when he shoved his way through them.

He caught a glimpse up ahead amongst the drab British colours of these Blackpool natives. Pink fabric trailing in a line. A scarf! That length of fabric was a beacon for his eyes to grip upon as Arthur struggled to navigate through the waves of people. His hand reached ahead of him, fingers straining outward as the Englishman forced through the masses. Dauntless in his effort to capture that fabric that resembled a link of fate he needed to make. He had to reach it. So close, so close that I can almost touch you--

A department store opened its doors to dump out a sudden rush of shoppers. Arthur was practically collided into as they hurried past him to protect their purchases from the deluge. He went stumbling over his own feet, skidding against the wall nearby. Frustration had him trembling. The image of that pink scarf was no longer anywhere in sight. The missed opportunity had him so raw that tears were standing in the corners of his eyes. All this time he'd been waiting and the chance had been missed. Arthur slammed the side of his fist into the bricks nearby. "Bugger! Fuck!"

He leant against the wall while catching his breath back. He wouldn't give up. That other Half of himself was here in Blackpool! The threads of fate had pulled them closer. If Arthur remained diligent then it would be only a matter of time before that gap was closed between them. And once that happened, Arthur's fingers wouldn't miss the next time. He'd grab that scarf and never let go.

OOC Alias: Hat
Contact: Skype, other forums
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time
Favorite Pairings: UKRom, RusEng, FrUK, PrUK, open
Rule Check: No matter what it takes I'll try to save the ghost lights

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[Jen]

This was also a lovely example of the experienced familiarity a mun can have with their muse. It is also especially interesting to see such contradicting qualities and behaviors between those of a Named pair. And I guess this gives a new serious meaning to becoming one. You're free now to roleplay.