Art by Tsuyomaru
Nicknames: Artie is acceptable; Missy is not.
Species: Human; Greek-American
Age: 23
Gender:
Male
Sexual Orientation:
Demisexual
Personality:
Artemis can be intense. He trains hard, studies hard, works hard, and although English is his second language, he can rant and ramble like no other. This zeal coupled with his unwavering focus can often keep people at a distance. At first glance he may seem callous or perhaps a little insensitive, but an hour with the young man will reveal his enormous capacity to care. Those closest to him come to realize that he is intense because he cares. He keeps serious so that those around him can relax without worry. If asked for help, he will do everything in his power to do more than his fair share. He finds great satisfaction in being useful to other people, strangers and friends alike - and though his friends number few in his line of work, he would do anything for them. He is loyal to a fault.
Of course, all this only applies to humans.
Though usually level-headed, every once in a while, Artemis can lose his cool on a hunt. His strong feelings usually simmer under his skin, but when faced with the victims and aftermath of a monster attack, his hatred sparks and burns. He is vocal about his investment in mankind's welfare and takes every single hunt personally, makes it clear that he does, and out of all monsters, he hates the ones that seem human the most. Those that masquerade with emotions, use guises and guile to trick people - he can't forgive them. He won't forgive them... at least, it's easy to say that when he 's never actually talked to any of them.
Now, well. Artemis doesn't change his mind easily.
But when he's forced to listen, will he start to care about monsters too?
But when he's forced to listen, will he start to care about monsters too?
Likes:
- Mythology - whether the details are true or not, he is fascinated by stories of old.
- Winter - alright, so it sucks hunting in the cold, but there's something nice about coffee while it snows.
- Coffee - once you've stayed up three days trying to catch a dream-eating mare, you learn to appreciate caffeine.
Dislikes:
- Daisies – he’s allergic.
- Sour Foods - he doesn't like the sensation in the slightest, nor how they make him screw up his face.
- Feeling Powerless - he likes to bear the burden, so when he ends up becoming the burden, he is not okay.
Skills/Weapons:
- Greek Expertise – due to his heritage, he is very knowledgeable about monsters from the Balkans, and Greek is his first language.
- Grappling – his lean build gives him the dexterity and his training gives him the strength to grab, hold, and pin monsters even larger than himself.
- Archery – alright, call him outdated and call him childish, but when he found out he was named for a goddess of archery, Artemis decided to master the skill even if it has limited use in modern day. (Notably enough, he’s mediocre at best with a gun.)
Family:
- Father - Gregory Carey
- Mother - Daphne Nikolaides Carey
History:
Though monsters live throughout the world, every region has their own little flair - the Americas have their skinwalkers, the Scandinavians have their fey, and the Balkans... well, who knows what the Balkans have. Only the homeland hunters seem to have any clue, so sometimes when foreign hunters went stumbling along with good intents and naivety, the resident hunters had to throw out a helping hand. Over time, some formed friendships. Others fell in love and were wed. A few had children.
Artemis was born in Greece, his mother's homeland and his father's paradise. He always knew what he was going to become. After all, he was named for the Greek goddess of the hunt (a name he takes pride in despite its feminine roots). He spent his earliest years listening to stories of old. Tales of champions killing gorgons and heroes slaying lamia enthralled him. Back then, the thought of monsters were an adventure. Even throughout training, he had been excited for the hunt. Things changed quickly when he went out on the field.
At age fourteen he saw a man killed by a metal quill to the throat. At age fifteen he saw a village dragged into ocean and waters turn red. By sixteen he was killing monsters with a will and a way, already convinced of their inhumanity. At eighteen, he saw his mother turn to stone. Artemis had been the one to find the gorgon, a weeping, weary thing, clinging to the solemn statue of a man. It took notice of him, pleaded for his sympathy. The creature spun a tale of misery, of living without knowing the loving eyes of another creature, of love withered away by her accursed nature. She begged for him to kill her. Artemis, caught off guard, not used not used to monsters that seemed so human, hesitated.
And then his mother arrived, fearful for her son's life. She screamed for Artemis to get away, put herself between them, and the gorgon turned to hissing and fangs, spitting acid - caught the huntress by the face and stared into her eyes. Artemis was left with regret. He will never forget her shrieks go dry. He will never forget her face. He will never forget that the monster got away.
He took half a year to mourn. His father took longer, or perhaps he never recovered. His paradise tainted with grief, no longer beautiful without his wife, the man took his son and fled to the United States. Artemis protested, swearing vengeance on the gorgon who took his mother away, but his father wouldn't hear it. If he wanted to return to Greece, Artemis would have to do it on his own, as his own man, as his own hunter. So he hit the books.
It took him a year to practice his English to fluency. It took him another to study the monsters of North America. By the time time he was officially assigned to a team, he was already two and a half years late. However, the success of his team quickly erased any bitterness he might have held. His teammates were intelligent, motivated, and strong of heart. They could hunt indigenous monsters with ease, and when Balkan and other European monsters drifted across the sea, Artemis could show off his own expertise. They were getting better, earning a reputation, and suddenly the hunt was an adventure again. Soon they could be assigned internationally and he could return to Greece with comrades at his side, and they could bring down that lying gorgon together. They could rid the world of darkness, like the heroes of old myths - or so he thought.
And then they messed up.