"If youâre going to cheat in my class, at least have the decency to be good at it."
FULL NAME:
Leland Shepard
NICKNAME:
Lee (close friends)
Mr. Shepard (any student who knows what's good for them)
AGE:
28
HOMETOWN:
Ann Arbor, MI
GODLY PARENT:
Poseidon
GENDER:
Male
SEXUAL ORIENTATION:
Homosexual
ETHNICITY:
Caucasian American
DOB:
December, 5th
SUBJECT:
Classical Literature
HEX CODE
#06a864
Analytical â Loyal â Snarky
Every school has that teacher, the one that students are pretty sure gets a little too much enjoyment from their groans after pulling out a pop quiz. Leland is that teacher; loved by some, hated by many, but feared by all. Shit will not be pulled in his class, nor late work accepted. Lee is a big advocate of the tough love approach. He is also however, known for his signature brand of snark, and isnât exactly picky about who he turns it on; including the gods. This can make his lectures fairly amusing, so depending on the kind of student one is (or their ability to act with a modicum of common fucking sense), often reflects their relationship with Mr. Shepard. Once a student has Mr. Shepard in their corner however, they have a fierce advocate, and Lee has gone up to bat for more than one student heâd felt wasnât getting a fair shake.
On a whole, Lee comes off as being a bit of an intellectual dismissive ass. Usually, heâs too busy with his nose in a book to notice the feathers heâs ruffled, and social niceties have never been his forte. This isnât helped by the hunk sized chip on his shoulder, and Lee has a bad habit of using sarcasm to mask his feelings. There arenât a whole lot of people Lee can call his close friends, and part of that is due to his own intensely private nature. The other however, is that several of the people he once called friend, are dead. Because of that, Lee has a tendency to hang on pretty tightly to the ones he still has.
Leland Shepard, like his father Poseidon, has always been a little contrary by nature, and never one to play into stereotypes or expectations. His mother, a chemistry professor at the University of Michigan, tried to encourage Lee early on to take an interest in the sciences, and while his grades in those areas were never poor, his first love has always been books. Though his mother was disappointed by his field of interest, she was always willing to find stories to add to his collection, and their relationship has remained a strong one. The one he shares with his father however, is not. Lee met Poseidon for the first time when he was fourteen. After a boating accident left him trapped underwater for over an hour, and he didnât drown, explanations were in order. Lee was then promptly informed he would be attending Legacy Academy, a decision he vehemently protested, but was enrolled regardless. Their relationship has continued to sour over the years, as Poseidon has never been shy about trying to interfere in Lelandâs life, usually in order to steer his son down the path he thinks is best.
In his final year at the academy, Lee entered the Agon with several of his friends, mostly to prove he didnât need his fatherâs damn help, and rub it in his face. That year ended up being the bloodiest Agon in sixty years, with dozens of students killed, and many more leaving either traumatized or maimed. In essence, half of the senior class was wiped out in a matter of days. His team won, but that victory felt too hollow to celebrate in the wake of so much death. Several of his closest friends were among the casualties, and their loss has left Lee scarred, and more introverted than ever. Choosing to work for Legacy Academy after earning his masterâs degree, Lee has become pretty dedicated to ensuring every student who walks out of his class knows Greek Mythology inside and out, and most importantly, the best way to kill any monsters they are confronted with. If he has to beat them over the head with a book (literally) to make them get it, so be it.
FEARS:
*Mazes: He justâŠcanât. They trigger too many memories.
*Poseidon: On more than one occasion, his father has threatened to take Lee, and force him to live in Olympia. Lee knows these are most empty threats, but thereâs a tiny part of him that is terrified Poseidon just might make good on them.
STRENGTHS
*Breathing Underwater: If it involved being in the water, Leeâs your man.
*Swordsman: As a child of the big three, Leeâs physical capabilities are enhanced, though not nearly to the level of a child of Zeus or Ares. He is however, proficient with a sword, and coupled with his natural agility, make him a competent opponent.
*Deep Knowledge: Lee is pretty much a walking encyclopedia of Greek Mythology, both ancient and modern.
WEAKNESSES
*Borderline Alcoholic: Lee started using alcohol as a coping mechanism after the events of his classâs Agon ten years back. Itâs progressed into more of a dependency since then, but he hadnât been able to kick the habit.
*PTSD: Lee still has some debilitating nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night convinced heâs still in the labyrinth, and his episodes can be triggered during the daylight hours as well.
*Canât Leave Well Enough Alone: Leeâs the kind of person whoâll just pick at a sca because he knows itâs there. If a mystery is waved in front of him, regardless of if itâs his business or not, heâll dig around for the answer. Sometimes those are best left buried.
Meredith Shepard // Mother // 54
Misha Collins
USERNAME
Kohananinja