RolePlayGateway™

I'm so sorry, I promise I will have my profile up tonight!!! INSANE REAL LIFE SCHEDULE! Precludes me from doing anything around here. . .

I know I took forever with this; I sincerely apologize! Now, would a Chosen know that s/he is chosen before s/he finds his/her Protector, or will they only know when the Protector tells them? Also, should I pick an element now or wait until later to do so?

Name: Mahir Baris Aydin Rayid Yilmaz

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Character: Chosen

Hair and Eye colour: Hair is dark brown, almost black; eyes are grey

Build: Slim, reedy

Extra Features: He has a scar running down the back of his left lower leg, from falling over the library's balcony when he was eight.

Clothes: Mahir typically dresses in a traditional kaftan and fez in an array of subtle colors, ranging from pastels to creams, beiges to greys, and everything in between. See image here to see a picture of the type of outfit he usually dons.

Magic Ability: Mahir does not have any developed magical ability. He may, however, develop an affinity towards [[some element]].

Combat Skill: Mahir fails in armored combat. He can do it, but it is very difficult for him to maneuver when wearing armor, and, appropriately, is significantly impeded by the wearing of armor. However, he excels in unarmored combat, which allows him to utilize his agility and energy at levels beyond his capabilities when wearing armor. The downside to this, is of course, that he must keep a high awareness of his surroundings so as to avoid being impaled by an enemy not immediately before him.
Weaknesses: Impairment in armored combat skills, lack of great amounts of strength. A tendency towards peacemaking over warfare.

Personality: (It's mandatory? ....fine.) Mahir is an articulate, intelligent young man. Well-mannered and infinitely patient, he is assertive and very opinionated, willing to express himself for any reason; however, he holds a great respect for his elders, and accedes to their decisions unless he believes them to be terribly wrong for whatever reason. He knows when to keep his mouth shut, and when to flap it. He has a strong desire to master the art of warfare, so that he would be able to use it if it were necessary; Mahir values peace and diplomacy above war in any case. He has a reputation as a peacemaker and mediator.

Although he is generally optimistic and magnanimous, Mahir is not naive and sees through even some intricate lies and deceptions, as well as ploys to take advantage of his kind and generous nature. He wants to serve others, but not in a servile or obsequious way (or sycophantic, please god no). He is a firm believer in Just War Theory, meaning that he believes war can be just and morally acceptable, or even obligated, under certain circumstances regarding the cause (reasons), intention (purpose), manner (conduct, the 'how'), and conclusion of a war. He is an ethical principlist, believing in four major moral principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.

He holds his own values close to his heart, and is true to them in thought, word, and deed. To have Mahir's loyalty is to have a friend who would die for you at a moment's notice. To ask his advice is to receive his complete, unaltered, honest opinion on the matter at hand. To be an enemy to him is to be not in his way, but merely outside of his purview. To be 'on his side' and to pursue a course of thought, belief, or action which is essentially contrary to Mahir's principles is to place Mahir as an immovable hindrance to your ends.

Biography: Born in Tykai to two middle class academics, Mahir's family relocated to Krakmere when he was just two. He was raised in the small town of Giresun where the Yilmaz's were unable to find traditional teaching positions. His father, Baris, found a job in the local library, where he eventually became one of the full time directors. Gizem, Mahir's mother, remained at home to school her son until he was old enough to study under the tutelage of Giresun's wise masters. Mahir was an only child, but he fortunately didn't develop the egocentric tendencies common to many only children, and instead grew attached to the ideas of integrity and magnanimity.

By the time he was twelve, he was being schooled by masters of the martial arts (warfare, not just 'karate' style arts, as the word 'martial' means 'related to the military or war'), languages, sciences, and histories. Gizem had by this time found a professorship in a nearby elite academy, and spent most of her time there rather than at home with Mahir. When Mahir wasn't involved in his studies or preparations for them, he spent much time in the library where he read dusty old tomes for entertainment and self-amusement, discussing ancient theories and experiments with his bemused father.

On Mahir's twentieth birthday, Gizem and Baris decided that their son had had enough formal education, and emancipated him from their guardianship as parents. Gizem's final gift to Mahir before he would receive his inheritance at the time of his parent's deaths was his own sword, a wickedly curved scimitar. Dumbstruck, Mahir stood on the threshold to his childhood home for a long moment, contemplating his future. When he finally left, the gardener swore he heard the sound of crying from inside the Yilmaz home. It took a week before Gizem and Baris were psychologically able to return to their occupations. They both retired within a year of emancipating their son.

Mahir continued his studies informally, while a growing sense of awareness of the necessity of money began to perpetuate his meager existence as another youthful sojourner. Unable to utilize his academic skills to earn money, Mahir turned in desperation to robbery. Using his knowledge of physics, he set up a trap on a main road during the wee hours of morning, waiting for a convoy to pass over it during high traffic periods. Sure enough, a covered coach and wagon with a well-dressed couple drove over his trap, setting off a lever that levied a large boulder in its path, trapping the convoy on the road. Mahir appeared, his face covered with a scarf, his father's sword in his hand, and pressed the tip of the blade against the lady's neck. "Please hand me all your valuables and money," he said. "If you do anything else, I will slit this woman's throat."

He made away with five hundred (currency unit here)s, but was caught within the hour after appearing at a local marketplace. Mahir's distinctive clothing was easy to identify. He was sent to prison for five years. While in prison, the Yilmaz's refused to visit their son, sending one letter to explain that though they had emancipated him from their household, they were punishing him further for both his own actions and the mar on the family reputation by distancing themselves from their only son. It was necessary, said Gizem. But he assured his son that he was welcome in his childhood home following his release.

While in prison, Mahir reflected deeply upon the reason for his imprisonment. Primarily, what force of will drove him to commit such a desperate act as hostage-taking and robbery. He decided it had been out of pride--unwillingness to simply ask his parents for guidance or financial resources, a desire for self-actualization--to experience carrying out a forbidden crime, and his own arrogance--putting his own needs before those of others, and in the process of doing so, alienating the others he had made a childhood vow to serve. By the time of his release, he was cited as a model prisoner, and had returned to his childhood ethical theories, pursuing them relentlessly. His first stop after his release was the local library, where he read intently on the topics of deontology, teology, and relativism.

By the time he was twenty-six, Mahir was able to invest in a humble home in Giresun not far from his parents. He asked for a job with the local library, where his father had once worked, and was given his father's old position. Mahir remains in the library with a reputation for peacemaking when conflicting parties are unwilling to consult the elders or faraway Truthteller. Unwilling to dictate solutions to those who come to him, Mahir instead suggests an opening to all possibilities, in causation and in resolution. He is interested in marriage, but hasn't yet found a woman whom he loves.

Other: The etymology of Mahir's name follows the traditional Turkish naming conventions. His chosen clothing is also traditional in Turkey. Obviously, there is no such place here, but that is where the inspiration comes from. Mahir is his own given name; Baris and Aydin are the names of his father and grandfather respectively; Rayid is a second personal given name to denote Moslem heritage (clearly not so in this world); and Yilmaz is his family name, passed down through the generations.

Pic:

There. I've finished this profile.