Application for Kostko
Mar. 2nd, 2019 02:32 pmOOC INFO
⬡ Player Name: Kerry
⬡ Age: 33
⬡ Contact:
halfbloodly
⬡ Invite: Jay1 (mod)
⬡ Characters Played: n/a
IC INFO
⬡ Character Name: Nikolai Lantsov (Sturmhond)
⬡ Canon: Grishaverse
⬡ Canon Point: The end of King of Scars.
⬡ Age: approx. 24
⬡ History: Wiki link.
⬡ Personality:
Negative Traits
1. Secretive
Nikolai is secretive to a fault. Raised as a member of Ravka's Royal family, he is used to the idea that people will be looking at him and making judgements about him. The attitude he displays, the choices he makes and the actions that he takes must always be seen in the context of this central fact. That we first meet Nikolai when he is disguised, very literally wearing a face that is not his own, is instructive. He is a man for whom subversion comes easily. He slides between roles with ease, displaying himself in one moment as a cold, untouchable regal figure, and in the next as an old soldier among many friends. He says that honesty is "much like herbal tea - something well-meaning people recommended when they were out of better options". Even after he has in theory left the life of Sturmhond behind, he still uses the disguise to meet with Kaz Brekker in Ketterdam. He also wears gloves to conceal the 'scars' that the Darkling's power left on him, despite his people knowing him as a war hero. Secrecy comes naturally to Nikolai; he tends to retain a very small inner circle of people that he trusts, and even they only know what he needs them to.
2. Arrogant
When he admits to feeling guilty over not being at home during the Darkling's coup, he clearly feels that had he been there he could have made a difference. Nikolai is arrogant enough to be unreserved about what he thinks he can achieve. He believes entirely in his own claim to the throne; he thinks he’s the right man for the job even though he is at best a second son, and at worst a bastard without a real claim (something confirmed by his mother before her exile). However many obstacles he can perceive between himself and his ambition, he believes that he can overcome them, and he admits to being fond of taking risks. In private, he is shown to harbour more doubts, particularly that the man underneath all his charm is not ultimately good enough. However, his public face is always one of confidence.
3. Manipulative
Nikolai is exceptionally skilled at manipulation. As a child, he learned the importance of influence, and taught himself to study the people around him. He's good at changing the attitude he displays to show the face that people want to see - for example, knowing his father's interest in hunting, he learns to speak about it with ease and interest despite not caring for it himself. He is a born politician, taking easily to diplomacy because it’s natural to him to look for what people want from him and then to find a way of giving it to them. More than that, he's able to recognise what people want and use it to make them do what he wants - such as when he talks Yuri into joining his quest to get rid of the monster inside him, despite the monster having been created by the Grisha whom Yuri venerates. He needs to feel that he is always in control of any given situation, that no matter who he is faced with or what might be discussed, he will have a ready answer and be able to ingratiate himself with the people involved.
Positive Traits
1. Unflinching
When working with the Alina, he advises her on leadership. Among other things, he tells her to meet insults with laughter but to answer challenges with strength, and to know the difference between them. Nikolai lives by his own advice. When he is insulted, he maintains his calm and meets their remarks with a smile. He is a merciful leader with a strong sense of justice and morality, but he also understands that he must sometimes do things he doesn't like for the greater good. He has been known to sacrifice ships, materials, and even people, in order to achieve his ends. This trait frightens Alina, and Nikolai harbours guilt and regret over the things he's done even while he knows they were necessary. This side of his nature is always there, concealed among wit and flamboyance and friendliness like a hidden blade. Nikolai’s personality is exactly like his style – elegant, bright, attractive and flamboyant on the surface, but with steel inside. He makes a cheerful friend and a frightening enemy.
2. Intelligent
Nikolai has a restless, clever mind, and has always found it hard to sit still; he recalls a childhood where he flew through books and never had enough to occupy him, and was a troublemaker as a result. In his adult life, he always wants to be working on something – whether it’s planning a strategy, arranging troop movements, building weapons or designing ships, he wants to keep his mind and his hands busy. His personal spaces are filled with blueprints and designs, and he shows an active and persistent interest in invention (especially when it involves blowing things up). He's a quick learner, used to excelling at almost anything to which he turns his hand; he mentions that the only skill that seemed not to come naturally to him is learning languages, and even this is something he continues to challenge himself with. Being both intelligent and hard-working, he's also prone to overwork, and sometimes uses this as a way of distracting himself from problems. He is someone who prefers being busy and who likes to have something to occupy his hands - especially if there's a chance of it exploding.
3. Loyal
In many ways, Nikolai is a lonely person. He grew up with no friends, idolising an older brother to whom he was an irritant. The first friend he had was a commoner named Dominic, who was brought to the palace to be punished when Nikolai misbehaved. In spite of this, Nikolai quickly became the boy's genuine friend, and he continued to be loyal to him and his family long after his death. He also befriended Alina Starkov during their alliance against the Darkling, and viewed her as a close confidante for whom he developed romantic feelings. Later, he grew close to Zoya Nazyalensky, one of the three Grisha who Nikolai charged with leading the Second Army after the Darkling's defeat. It is notable that Zoya becomes only the second person Nikolai trusts to tell of his illegitimacy, the first being Alina. He does not trust easily, and he trusts very few; however, he is fiercely loyal to those few. Despite how careful he is to act in the way best befitting the situation, he has been known to act on emotion when it comes to those he cares about. He let Alina keep his family's famous ring, the Lantsov Emerald, after she rejected his proposal of marriage, insisting that the country owed her a debt - despite the value the ring would have in securing him a Queen. It's rare that he lets emotion get the better of him, but when it comes to his few real friends, he can manage it.
4. Patriotic
Nikolai displays a strong, patriotic loyalty to Ravka. His country has been his top priority throughout his life; even his disguise as the privateer Sturmhond was a means to an end by which he could serve his country on his own terms, unhampered by the bureaucracy of the First Army or the politics of the Court. It is Nikolai’s natural restlessness, his need to be doing something meaningful and to keep himself occupied, which first draws him to the life of Sturmhond. He does not grow tired of that life, and when he leaves it behind he seems regretful. However, his overall loyalty to his country takes precedence. As King, this is all the more obvious; he displays a consistent determination to help his country and his people, thinking of Ravka as a drowning man that he is desperately trying to keep afloat.
5. Principled
Nikolai is also a man driven by his principles. He has a strong sense of social justice and believes that rulers have a responsibility to care for their people. This thread can be seen in every leadership role he undertakes. As an officer in the First Army, he built personal relationships with his men and learned their names and the circumstances of their family. As the privateer Sturmhond, he set strict rules to protect the women of his crew from unwanted sexual advances. As King, he reforms taxes to ease the burden on common families, despite resistance from the nobility. His attitude was not learned from his family, whose less than noble behaviour falls far short of Nikolai's standard; instead it grew as he spent time among commoners in his childhood, and particularly saw how his friend Dominic's family struggled to make ends meet. On Dominic's death at war, Nikolai promised that he would make things better. This promise is at the heart of his ambition to make Ravka a better place.
⬡ Appearance: He's tall, lean and physically fit. He has golden blond hair and hazel eyes, and a nose that's slightly crooked. He dresses to fit the situation he's in. When disguised as Sturmhond, he wears a garish teal frock coat; as King, he tends to dress in the uniform of the First Army. His pb is Hayden Christensen.
⬡ Powers:
Nikolai is an ordinary human who has been infected by a forbidden magic called merzost. During Ravka's Civil War, the Darkling put some of his power into Nikolai in order to punish him for standing against him. This transformed Nikolai into a dark, winged and clawed creature which hungered for human flesh. When the Darkling was defeated by Alina, Nikolai transformed back into himself; however, he reported feeling that something of the darkness remained in him, and his hands were stained with strange black scars reminiscent of the monster's claws.
Two years later, strange miracles began to take place all over Ravka. At the same time, the monster returned, and Nikolai began to transform at night while he slept. The transformation was involuntary, and much of his motivation in the King of Scars book related to his quest to find a cure. Nikolai's memories of being the monster are hazy, and he's unable to think, talk or read when he's transformed. However, the monster has displayed some signs of intelligence; it recognised Zoya, and spoke to her - though its voice was that of the Darkling, and not Nikolai himself. It gets stronger as Nikolai approaches the Fold, the place where the Darkling died.
Under the tutelage of Sankta Elizveta, Nikolai learned to call forth the monster at will, though doing so required significant motivation - he managed it when Zoya was put in danger. He was able to retain control of his mind even while transformed, though it was always a struggle to do so. This training helped him to know the monster better. It is not the Darkling himself, but it was made from his power and shares his personality. The monster hungers for human flesh, is particularly interested in feeding on Zoya, and it wants to be free. Nikolai recognises it as a creature with its own motivations, separate from the Darkling.
Following the botched attempt to rid himself of it, the monster remains inside Nikolai, but has been weakened. He notes that it is 'licking its wounds', and feels that he has fought it down for the time being. Regardless, the potential remains either for it to take over him temporarily by force, or for him to bring it to the surface at times of desperate need. It should be noted that his limited control of it has only ever been possible when a person he cares about very much has been in danger; it is not something he can do with ease, even if he wanted to.
⬡ SAMPLES:
Test drive top level (Introspection)
Talking to Thomas (Communication)
Bonus extra with Zoya (Communication + Introspection)
⬡ Player Name: Kerry
⬡ Age: 33
⬡ Contact:
⬡ Invite: Jay1 (mod)
⬡ Characters Played: n/a
IC INFO
⬡ Character Name: Nikolai Lantsov (Sturmhond)
⬡ Canon: Grishaverse
⬡ Canon Point: The end of King of Scars.
⬡ Age: approx. 24
⬡ History: Wiki link.
⬡ Personality:
Negative Traits
1. Secretive
Nikolai is secretive to a fault. Raised as a member of Ravka's Royal family, he is used to the idea that people will be looking at him and making judgements about him. The attitude he displays, the choices he makes and the actions that he takes must always be seen in the context of this central fact. That we first meet Nikolai when he is disguised, very literally wearing a face that is not his own, is instructive. He is a man for whom subversion comes easily. He slides between roles with ease, displaying himself in one moment as a cold, untouchable regal figure, and in the next as an old soldier among many friends. He says that honesty is "much like herbal tea - something well-meaning people recommended when they were out of better options". Even after he has in theory left the life of Sturmhond behind, he still uses the disguise to meet with Kaz Brekker in Ketterdam. He also wears gloves to conceal the 'scars' that the Darkling's power left on him, despite his people knowing him as a war hero. Secrecy comes naturally to Nikolai; he tends to retain a very small inner circle of people that he trusts, and even they only know what he needs them to.
2. Arrogant
When he admits to feeling guilty over not being at home during the Darkling's coup, he clearly feels that had he been there he could have made a difference. Nikolai is arrogant enough to be unreserved about what he thinks he can achieve. He believes entirely in his own claim to the throne; he thinks he’s the right man for the job even though he is at best a second son, and at worst a bastard without a real claim (something confirmed by his mother before her exile). However many obstacles he can perceive between himself and his ambition, he believes that he can overcome them, and he admits to being fond of taking risks. In private, he is shown to harbour more doubts, particularly that the man underneath all his charm is not ultimately good enough. However, his public face is always one of confidence.
3. Manipulative
Nikolai is exceptionally skilled at manipulation. As a child, he learned the importance of influence, and taught himself to study the people around him. He's good at changing the attitude he displays to show the face that people want to see - for example, knowing his father's interest in hunting, he learns to speak about it with ease and interest despite not caring for it himself. He is a born politician, taking easily to diplomacy because it’s natural to him to look for what people want from him and then to find a way of giving it to them. More than that, he's able to recognise what people want and use it to make them do what he wants - such as when he talks Yuri into joining his quest to get rid of the monster inside him, despite the monster having been created by the Grisha whom Yuri venerates. He needs to feel that he is always in control of any given situation, that no matter who he is faced with or what might be discussed, he will have a ready answer and be able to ingratiate himself with the people involved.
Positive Traits
1. Unflinching
When working with the Alina, he advises her on leadership. Among other things, he tells her to meet insults with laughter but to answer challenges with strength, and to know the difference between them. Nikolai lives by his own advice. When he is insulted, he maintains his calm and meets their remarks with a smile. He is a merciful leader with a strong sense of justice and morality, but he also understands that he must sometimes do things he doesn't like for the greater good. He has been known to sacrifice ships, materials, and even people, in order to achieve his ends. This trait frightens Alina, and Nikolai harbours guilt and regret over the things he's done even while he knows they were necessary. This side of his nature is always there, concealed among wit and flamboyance and friendliness like a hidden blade. Nikolai’s personality is exactly like his style – elegant, bright, attractive and flamboyant on the surface, but with steel inside. He makes a cheerful friend and a frightening enemy.
2. Intelligent
Nikolai has a restless, clever mind, and has always found it hard to sit still; he recalls a childhood where he flew through books and never had enough to occupy him, and was a troublemaker as a result. In his adult life, he always wants to be working on something – whether it’s planning a strategy, arranging troop movements, building weapons or designing ships, he wants to keep his mind and his hands busy. His personal spaces are filled with blueprints and designs, and he shows an active and persistent interest in invention (especially when it involves blowing things up). He's a quick learner, used to excelling at almost anything to which he turns his hand; he mentions that the only skill that seemed not to come naturally to him is learning languages, and even this is something he continues to challenge himself with. Being both intelligent and hard-working, he's also prone to overwork, and sometimes uses this as a way of distracting himself from problems. He is someone who prefers being busy and who likes to have something to occupy his hands - especially if there's a chance of it exploding.
3. Loyal
In many ways, Nikolai is a lonely person. He grew up with no friends, idolising an older brother to whom he was an irritant. The first friend he had was a commoner named Dominic, who was brought to the palace to be punished when Nikolai misbehaved. In spite of this, Nikolai quickly became the boy's genuine friend, and he continued to be loyal to him and his family long after his death. He also befriended Alina Starkov during their alliance against the Darkling, and viewed her as a close confidante for whom he developed romantic feelings. Later, he grew close to Zoya Nazyalensky, one of the three Grisha who Nikolai charged with leading the Second Army after the Darkling's defeat. It is notable that Zoya becomes only the second person Nikolai trusts to tell of his illegitimacy, the first being Alina. He does not trust easily, and he trusts very few; however, he is fiercely loyal to those few. Despite how careful he is to act in the way best befitting the situation, he has been known to act on emotion when it comes to those he cares about. He let Alina keep his family's famous ring, the Lantsov Emerald, after she rejected his proposal of marriage, insisting that the country owed her a debt - despite the value the ring would have in securing him a Queen. It's rare that he lets emotion get the better of him, but when it comes to his few real friends, he can manage it.
4. Patriotic
Nikolai displays a strong, patriotic loyalty to Ravka. His country has been his top priority throughout his life; even his disguise as the privateer Sturmhond was a means to an end by which he could serve his country on his own terms, unhampered by the bureaucracy of the First Army or the politics of the Court. It is Nikolai’s natural restlessness, his need to be doing something meaningful and to keep himself occupied, which first draws him to the life of Sturmhond. He does not grow tired of that life, and when he leaves it behind he seems regretful. However, his overall loyalty to his country takes precedence. As King, this is all the more obvious; he displays a consistent determination to help his country and his people, thinking of Ravka as a drowning man that he is desperately trying to keep afloat.
5. Principled
Nikolai is also a man driven by his principles. He has a strong sense of social justice and believes that rulers have a responsibility to care for their people. This thread can be seen in every leadership role he undertakes. As an officer in the First Army, he built personal relationships with his men and learned their names and the circumstances of their family. As the privateer Sturmhond, he set strict rules to protect the women of his crew from unwanted sexual advances. As King, he reforms taxes to ease the burden on common families, despite resistance from the nobility. His attitude was not learned from his family, whose less than noble behaviour falls far short of Nikolai's standard; instead it grew as he spent time among commoners in his childhood, and particularly saw how his friend Dominic's family struggled to make ends meet. On Dominic's death at war, Nikolai promised that he would make things better. This promise is at the heart of his ambition to make Ravka a better place.
⬡ Appearance: He's tall, lean and physically fit. He has golden blond hair and hazel eyes, and a nose that's slightly crooked. He dresses to fit the situation he's in. When disguised as Sturmhond, he wears a garish teal frock coat; as King, he tends to dress in the uniform of the First Army. His pb is Hayden Christensen.
⬡ Powers:
Nikolai is an ordinary human who has been infected by a forbidden magic called merzost. During Ravka's Civil War, the Darkling put some of his power into Nikolai in order to punish him for standing against him. This transformed Nikolai into a dark, winged and clawed creature which hungered for human flesh. When the Darkling was defeated by Alina, Nikolai transformed back into himself; however, he reported feeling that something of the darkness remained in him, and his hands were stained with strange black scars reminiscent of the monster's claws.
Two years later, strange miracles began to take place all over Ravka. At the same time, the monster returned, and Nikolai began to transform at night while he slept. The transformation was involuntary, and much of his motivation in the King of Scars book related to his quest to find a cure. Nikolai's memories of being the monster are hazy, and he's unable to think, talk or read when he's transformed. However, the monster has displayed some signs of intelligence; it recognised Zoya, and spoke to her - though its voice was that of the Darkling, and not Nikolai himself. It gets stronger as Nikolai approaches the Fold, the place where the Darkling died.
Under the tutelage of Sankta Elizveta, Nikolai learned to call forth the monster at will, though doing so required significant motivation - he managed it when Zoya was put in danger. He was able to retain control of his mind even while transformed, though it was always a struggle to do so. This training helped him to know the monster better. It is not the Darkling himself, but it was made from his power and shares his personality. The monster hungers for human flesh, is particularly interested in feeding on Zoya, and it wants to be free. Nikolai recognises it as a creature with its own motivations, separate from the Darkling.
Following the botched attempt to rid himself of it, the monster remains inside Nikolai, but has been weakened. He notes that it is 'licking its wounds', and feels that he has fought it down for the time being. Regardless, the potential remains either for it to take over him temporarily by force, or for him to bring it to the surface at times of desperate need. It should be noted that his limited control of it has only ever been possible when a person he cares about very much has been in danger; it is not something he can do with ease, even if he wanted to.
⬡ SAMPLES:
Test drive top level (Introspection)
Talking to Thomas (Communication)
Bonus extra with Zoya (Communication + Introspection)