Post by erik on Jul 19, 2010 16:05:16 GMT -5
Hi, my name is Xander and this is my First character. I found this site through an ad on Masquerade. Something you should know about me is I'm male, 27, a college student, and a HUGE fan of books and history.
Canon: Phantom of the Opera
Custom Title: A song in the dark...
PHYSICAL
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Appearance: Tall, dark, and mysterious describe this man well. He is wiry and thin, with just enough muscle to keep others guessing as to his true strength. He is confident and it shows in the way he holds himself. There is a darkness about him, something behind his eyes that is incredibly dangerous. His hair is of medium length, and slightly wavy - though humidity makes it downright curly, bordering on frizzy.
Height: 6'2"
Body: Lean and wiry
Other distinguishing features: His eyes seem able to stare right into your soul, his voice is unique - with a much larger range than people would guess, the slightly 'off' look of his face. It's not his true face, but carefully crafted makeup that lets him blend in. His real face is twisted - deformed - and has paper thin yellow skin, with the veins showing, there is a small bump at the top of where his nose should be [enough to build a false nose that looks almost right around it], and the only portion of his face that even looks semi decent are his eyes and his lips.
Wardrobe: Erik is incredibly neat about his appearance. If there's one thread showing, one thing off, he's likely to redo his entire outfit. He prefers blacks, deep blues, and reds, and doesn't really care about brand, so long as it makes him look good.[/ul]
Play By: Gerard Butler
PERSONALITY
General personality: Erik is completely unpredictable. One is never sure what he's going to do or how he's going to react to something. Sometimes something might not bother him at all, but you turn around and 10 minutes later he'll blow a gasket because of it. This extends to most things, but especially to music, how he's treated, and how those he cares about are treated.
He is secretive to the extreme. He refuses to give details about himself and can be downright unpleasant - bordering on violent - to those who pry. He has been known to actually lose his temper and harm [and it's been rumored that he'd kill] someone if they don't get the picture the first time. There are rare exceptions to this, and even he can't tell you what makes them an exception.
He hurts, constantly, and is obsessive about things to the degree that he loses sleep over something that bothers him. He also loses sleep if he's got a composition or idea stuck in his head, and cannot rest until it's on paper or constructed - at least in mini form. He is protective of hurt things -whether they be human or animal, and has found himself acting uncharacteristic when faced with their pain.
He is extremely touchy when it comes to his face, and will kill anyone who even attempts to touch his face and remove/mar the makeup or remove the mask when he is without said makeup. He is also afraid to open himself up again, since the last time he did he was hurt badly. He has, because of this, shut himself off, becoming cold and near to emotionless as far as love and passion toward individuals goes.
When allowed to be, he is extremely passionate, especially about music and theatre, though he is incredibly opinionated and does not tolerate disagreements. To oppose him, if one is lucky enough to even talk to him [rare!], is to court disaster if he's in the wrong mood.
Erik's intelligence lends itself well to his personality and he is well read and versed in many different subjects. He has a fascination with medicine, and how the human body works. He would have absolutely no qualms about dissecting a human if he found one he could study. He can be rather calloused and cold sometimes when it comes to the welfare of other human beings - especially as he does not consider himself to be human. He would gladly kill and provide his beloved pets [three cats and one dog at present] with human flesh if it meant keeping them alive.
Erik can be sadistic at times, and has a wicked sense of humor that many would find to be off-putting. He doesn't really give a damn about others opinions about his humor, or really himself in general, since he believes that the only thing that makes anyone interested in him is his voice and his face. The former because it's the only portion of himself he can stand, and the latter because of how many people have paid to see him when he was either on display or traveling of his own accord with the fairs. This sense of humor does not lend itself to his few friends, who would rather he just 'relax'. The stick in the mud attitude from his only friends seems only to encourage Erik to misbehave.
Erik knows exactly why he acts out around those who know him - he desires attention. Any and all attention. And though he doesn't really like the negative attention, in his mind it somehow seems better than being completely ignored. He's worked hard to overcome this, but hasn't quite succeeded. Especially where his friends' wallets and pocket watches are concerned.
The lonely soul that hides behind a mask isn't just physical. The mental issues brought up by being lonely leave him depressed and angry much of the time. He has severe depressions that spiral out of control sometimes, leaving him in a black pit that he sometimes does not think he can climb out of. The other extreme of this is a mania where he cannot sleep, eat, or be bothered with really anything but what he happens to be focused on at that moment. Usually this means music, and he'll compose until he can no longer function, at which time he passes out for sometimes days on end. These manias are not always bouts of activity either. On some occasions they manifest as a dark anger that seethes just under the surface, threatening to erupt at the slightest thing.
Erik's temper, even when not affected by the emotional roller coaster he is sometimes subjected to, is nothing to be trifled with. He has a short fuse, and has been known to go off on someone for the slightest of things. But to really anger him, and not just trigger a temper fit, is to court death. Crossing his orders, especially if he views them as important, is not a wise thing. He rarely gives orders to anyone, though when he does it's usually for their own good, or the good of the establishment he once called home.
Erik has little to no self esteem and would rather break a mirror than look into it. He hates his face, he hates his body, and he hates himself. This self loathing has caused issues at times, and has left him in many of those depressions mentioned earlier. It also adds to the touchiness he feels for his face as he does not think anyone else could truly care about him, even when facing the facts. [his few friends]... He oft times believes the world would be a better place without him in it, but he has never been able to bring himself to actually do the dirty deed and be done with it.
Erik is not able to really understand the difference between right and wrong, often times finding other people's ideas of justice to be ridiculous. There is no black and white for him, but rather shades of grey. He, therefore, does what he pleases, when he pleases, consequences be damned. This has been known to get him [and those who look after him] into trouble with the law and neighbors, as taking food, clothing, money, or whatever else Erik wants has become a habit.
Quotes, frequently used expressions: "Pain is my power...", "Let the music move you...."
Likes: (please list at least three)
Dislikes: (please list at least three)
Strengths: (please name three) Erik is highly intelligent as mentioned before. He has a voice that is astonishing in its quality, beauty, and range and it almost seems hypnotic at times - though he'll never tell one way or another if that's just an illusion or something true. He is a natural leader, with the strength of will, stubbornness, and charisma to lead, even if he doesn't realize he has these qualities and would laugh at anyone who suggested he did. Finally, he is an extremely talented musician who has a bit of knowledge of most instruments, but specializes in the pipe organ, piano, and violin. He also composes, and that is his main strength with musical abilities.
Weaknesses:(please name three) One of Erik's biggest weaknesses is his mask/the makeup he wears and the face below it. He is touchy about his appearance to the extreme and any stare directed at him - but especially at his face - is likely to be met with a show of temper. Which leads into his next biggest weakness. He has a fiery temper that often gets the better of him. When pushed to the brink, he often flies off the handle and experiences blind rages that he remembers nothing of afterward - a dangerous thing. Erik is not able to read people and therefore has trouble interacting in an appropriate manner. He is unable to tell the difference between right and wrong and often times reads into things that aren't there - or does the opposite: doesn't read into something that he should. Overall this makes him awkward in social situations at the best of times.
BACKGROUND
Family: Marguerite Deveroux nee Dechesne, mother. Jean Charles Deveroux, father - deceased.
Education: BS in Musical Composition, Masters in Business, and Ph.D in Musical Theory with a second Ph.D in Architecture.
Occupation: Owner of a Theatre & Production Company - Masque [Theater's name, as well as the Production Company's] and Crymsyn [His second theatre].
Worst past experience: Incredibly difficult for him to pick, since he's had many bad past experiences. If forced to choose, he would say that it would have to be the time his mother told him she hated him. He'd always known, but hearing it is quite different - especially at the tender age of 5. It was the first, but certainly not the last time he heard the words "I hate you" from his mother's mouth.
Best past experience: The realization that he could do something if he put his mind to it and the ability to work without having to show his face to earn money. In brief: when he was hired by a school as an online professor.
Image: People see Erik as mysterious, hard to approach, and somewhat dangerous. He is alluring to women who find that danger and mystery attractive, but most women are ill at ease around him. Men most often have one of two reactions to him - they admire his power and ability to get things done and want to be like him, even with that air of danger and mystery.. and perhaps because of it - or they fear that power and mystery, as well as the strange sort of hypnosis he seems to have over some people. All in all, people regard him warily, with a touch of curiosity.
History: Erik was born to Marguerite and Jean Charles Deveroux, a wealthy architect and his wife, and though they were thrilled to have a boy, it soon turned to heartbreak. His mother rejected him for the face he was born with - malformed and twisted, it was barely better than a death's head. His father, though horrified, tried to do what he could to ease both his son and his wife through such difficult times. But things were not to be. While overseeing a construction site, he was knocked off balance and fell to his death. It later became clear that he had been on a site that was not following the proper safety procedures. This last blow devastated Marguerite and she fell into a sort of madness that she never recovered from.
Erik received the brunt of the madness on his small frame, and even the nanny that had been hired to take care of him wasn't able to protect him. Though surgery hadn't progressed to a point where his full face could be fixed, there were options, but his mother refused to consider them. A devoutly religious woman, she said he was devil spawn and had been sent to 'punish' her for some wrongdoing in her past. And in her deluded mind this all made perfect sense. In most towns, this abuse would have been seen, but as she lived in the countryside in France in the outskirts of a small town, far from most prying eyes, nothing was done to help the boy.
When he was all of 6 years of age, she threw him from the only home he knew, screaming that the devil in him was too much for her to bear, and had him run from the grounds by the hired hands who tended to her estate. They were more than happy to do so, his face having always frightened them. This was the first time he'd heard the word 'freak', both from his mother's lips and those of the groundskeepers. The last thing he heard as he ran from his tormentors was her screaming 'I hate you, you ruined my life!'.
He moved through the countryside, eating whatever he was able to find and that looked edible. Several of those 'edible' things were not, however, and the poison, while not deadly, permanently affected his young body - he is unable to put on weight easily, and his vision was slightly affected - leaving him partly blind in the right eye. He found his way to one of the smaller cities in France and began to hang around the slums there, where he scrounged for food. While there he met several other 'orphans' and fell in with them. In this way he learned to survive on the streets. Those orphans didn't care about his face, so long as he could pickpocket and bring food to the table - which he was incredibly good at.
At the outskirts of town he noted that a carnival was setting up shop. While prowling about he noticed the side show members - all of them much like him. He was caught prowling and was going to be punished, but when his face and untrained musical abilities were discovered they took him in and gave him a job instead. Passed off as the 'son' of one of the other performers, they were able to get around any child labor issues. Food, an education, and a roof over his head were what got Erik stabilized.
By the time he was in his teens he had all but mastered everything they had been able to teach him, and was growing restless. Having saved the wages he'd been paid for his services, he began to look around for an apartment in Paris - where the carnival currently was. Finding one, he then searched for a position that would allow him to work, but would be understanding of his issues around crowds. Eventually he found one at the Opera. He worked evenings there as a janitor of sorts, and took to exploring it in his free time. Eventually he had earned enough to purchase himself several instruments and to secure voice lessons. Though his teacher was less than thrilled about her student's face and lack of social standing, she taught him still the same [he had the money, after all].
His voice was astonishing to her, but she knew that even makeup would be unable to hide the facial deformity he had and instead encouraged him to pursue his dreams of composing and business. He did so. After applying to several Universities, he found one willing to work with his unique situation and soon he was attending, working evenings in his 'home', and starting to stretch his wings composing in his free time. He had a natural talent for it. School, due to his intelligence, was fairly easy - though the peers he had to deal with were not. It was during these years that he developed his makeup skills, and though his face never looked quite normal, he was able to blend in much easier.
After earning his third degree he approached the management of one of the online Universities and requested a teaching position. It was granted, and the job paid nicely. Putting most of his money into savings, he stayed in a small flat close to the opera and continued his nightly prowling - only he now did it as an intruder, not an employee. Exploring all the nooks and crannies the place had, he soon found all the secret passages and rooms that were in the original building. During this time he finished his second Ph.D in architecture, the natural talent for it lending itself to his accomplishments. Having it in his blood [his father] didn't hurt either.
As his teaching was an online position, he began to travel, and stopped off in many countries, including Iran - once known as Persia. Purchasing several rugs, and getting to know the rulers there, he offered his many skills - mostly business oriented, though a palace was designed as well - and made himself all but invaluable there. While there he met and befriended a policeman, the Daroga, and it was this individual who would save him in his time of need. Once the projects were completed, the rulers decided he knew too many of their secrets and determined that he would have to die to protect the country's [and their] best interests. The Daroga helped smuggle him out, and Erik returned to France, missing his native tongue.
As his wealth increased, so did his boldness. Approaching the managers of the Opera, he requested Box 5 for his personal use, and joked that the place needed a 'ghost', since it felt so big and empty. And so began the sneakiest publicity stunt of all - though Erik purchased the Box, the managers spoke with him about ways to increase ticket sales and the idea of a 'ghost' who made demands and suggestions around the opera house stuck.
Soon he was leaving 'threatening' missives for the managers, with instructions as to what they should and should not do for performances. Though there were things they clashed on - such as Carlotta - the original intent was just for publicity. He explored the Opera some more, and came across a set of hidden rooms built into the walls of the foundation - and made his home there, securing it with high tech locks, then settled in for the long haul. No longer needing an apartment, he moved everything down below and soon had the entire place wired into the rest of the Opera's system.
Things went well until he took too much of an interest in a young singer newly hired for the chorus. Though she was far from the best, there was a bell like quality to her voice that drew Erik in. He wanted badly to possess that voice and to train it to be the best - but also knew that to do so could be folly. For a time his intelligence overcame his obsession with beautiful voices and he was able to leave well enough alone. His friend Mme Giry, who was well aware of the publicity stunt and just who the Ghost was discouraged his obsession, but seemed to know that it would be a lost cause soon enough. The chorus gossipped about the Ghost, and rumors were spread - rumors that Giry discouraged by spreading her own stories of how the 'Ghost' would disapprove and punish them.
One stagehand in particular loved to spread tales of the 'Ghost', and his involvement led to the eventual downfall of Erik and his flight from Paris. Joseph Buquet had a large mouth and was not aware of the scam being played out. He was, in fact, quite superstitious and fully believed that there was an actual ghost haunting the Opera - especially after he and Erik came face to face while the latter was unmasked and without makeup.
As conflicts that were not a part of the scam increased - Erik wishing for the girl to be trained and given a chance and the management not seeing the point - he became all the more unpleasant and unpredictable. By now the management had the whole country [and possibly parts of the world] gripped with the tale of the 'Ghost' and couldn't very well oust Erik as a living breathing man who was working with them. They were, in a word, trapped.
The management grudgingly gave in and allowed the young girl lessons and slightly larger parts. This was due mostly in part to an 'accident' that Erik caused - a set piece was tipped over and injured one of the actors of a small character role who had a small solo in the current production. The management was fully aware who was behind the 'accident', but when the girl proved to be more talented than they'd thought, they couldn't really argue.
But when Erik began to demand larger and larger roles for the girl - most of them before she was ready - the management knew they had a real problem. After he paid the management a visit and demanded that she be cast as the lead in the upcoming opera, rather than the older and out of her prime Carlotta, they had a disagreement and he left. The managers refused to change the casting and Carlotta was given the title role. In a rage, Erik prowled the catwalks above the stage, looking for some sort of 'accident' he could cause to teach the management a lesson. Unfortunately for Joseph Buquet, the man happened to be in the way. Trying to follow Erik, the now partly cracked 'Phantom' turned and lashed out at him, killing him with a length of rope fashioned into a lasso. Callously dropping the body, he let it fall above and then to the stage itself, and headed for the roof, needing the cool air to think.
After a threat from the management to expose him for who he was - the very real death of an employee was not in the agreement - Erik all but vanished for months, the stress cracking his already buckling sanity further. Still paying for the box he'd always had, he otherwise remained away from the management and the world above his sanctuary. The management thought they'd have to dismiss the 'ghost' stunt [partly with Joseph's death and also because of the disappearance of their ghost], but he turned up again at the Masqued ball they threw for New Years. Erik had been busy - he'd composed an entire show for them to perform, and said as much when he appeared. Though outwardly shocked, he knew under it all the greedy men were already counting how much money they could make. After a few harsh words with them, and realizing that there were police present at the party, he used a close by passage and disappeared from the public's eye again.
He remained mostly silent, save for occasional demands and instructions on how his opera was to be cast and run, and though the management hemmed and hawed publicly, in their private offices they congratulated Erik for a job well done. He had drawn the public's eye right back to them and sales were higher than ever. After more planning between the three, Erik took his leave.
The police had been busy while the managers plotted with their 'Ghost'. They had began to suspect that something wasn't right and had obtained permission from higher ranking officials to stake out the opera and to capture this 'ghost' - dead or alive. When the police approached the management [partly to see how they would react as they were under suspicion as well], they were reluctant - Erik had earned them much money, after all. But after being informed that they were under investigation for being involved with the Ghost, they were forced to agree. A trap was set for Erik. Though he was fully aware, he decided to attend anyhow.
Toward the end of the Opera - which had been a huge success - the police moved in on his box, and found it to be secured against intrusion. A small charge, however, soon let them through the door. And on to a violent confrontation with a very angry and very trapped Ghost. In the struggle his mask was broken and his face exposed to the police and the few people who could see into the box. Being trapped, seeing no way out, and becoming desperate, Erik lashed out with deadly intent. And landed several solid blows to those blocking his escape. Having killed two and injured at least one more, he fled into the passage.
The next few days were tense and dangerous ones for him, and they brought back some of the sanity that had slipped from him in his anger at the management. Realizing what he had done, he knew he could not stay in France and began to make the first plans to leave. First he destroyed the passages that led to the hidden sanctuary, then proceeded to erase all traces of his identity from the home. Packing up the electronics, he left, knowing that he could never go back. He is not sure if the police ever found his home, or if they were able to break through his carefully coded alarms and locks.
Realizing that the management would probably have given his information to the police, he wasted no time in chartering a private flight to the Americas, and was soon on his way. He was the ripe age of 32 when he first set foot on American soil - NYC to be exact. It did not take him long to integrate himself into the culture and to earn citizenship. Though he'd been afraid of being sent back to France or found out [the 'ghost' had been notorious and in the papers] he wasn't and soon he found himself settled and happily anonymous in the city. He had a fair amount of money, and as no one had put two and two together - the online professor was a far cry from the Phantom who terrorized the Opera - he was soon able to land another teaching position in the US. Another online job, 5 classes a week. He also changed his name to a less difficult one, effectively severing ties to his past.
He spent a portion of time finding out what was best to invest in and has many stocks, and has opened his Theater Production business, Masque. With the remodeling of two old and abandoned [thought haunted] theaters, he is set to open the doors for auditions as soon as he has found shows that he would like to produce. His stock investments and the amount of money he earned in France has made him a wealthy man, and he is not wanting for anything. He has also recently purchased a high rise flat, one that essentially takes up an entire floor of a building. It is his business headquarters as well as his private home. He never wears the mask from the Opera, preferring to return to his habit of using makeup to all but hide his deformity. And with the leaps and bounds stage and movie makeup had made while he'd been playing 'Phantom' he was able to blend in even easier than before. He has to change the makeup out every day or risk infections.
THE SAMPLE
In Character Sample: Erik sighed as he swirled the wine in his glass and stared down at the busy city below him. He hated that he still felt inadequate. Even after all this time, and everything he had been through, he still felt as if he was less than the people who scurried about on the street far below. He pondered his life for a moment, then leaned back against the decorative pillar that was nearest, closing his eyes and taking a sip. Perfect. As it always was. He refused to accept anything less than perfection in his personal life and had raised hell with vendors and contractors on several occasions when the quality had been lacking.
Pushing away from the pillar he'd been perched on, he crossed the length of the room, setting the glass down carefully before turning to regard the blinking light on his answering machine. Clearly someone had been trying to reach him again. He sighed. He wasn't in the mood to be nagged by aspiring writers and composers again. He supposed he could have stopped the flow by simply writing the entire show himself, but he'd wanted to give another composer and writer a chance at fame in his theatre first. God only knew, most of them could use the break.
But so far most of them had been hack writers and composers, so full of themselves and their 'masterpieces' that they had been unwilling to listen to a word of critique that he'd given. Some had actually had potential. Had they been willing to listen to what he'd said, one of them might even now be boasting of the show that would be opening soon. Instead they'd all been sent packing, tail between their legs. He shook his head. Such a waste.... He clicked on the answering machine, telling it to play back the messages. The first was from one of the writers he'd turned down already.. an insulting message about how he didn't know what he was doing and how his company was bound to fail. Typical. Throw a temper tantrum when not given your way - maybe that'll get you where your talent didn't. He snorted.
"Spoiled brat. That's not going to get you anywhere in life. Goodbye."
The rich baritone of his voice was amused, if somewhat annoyed as he clicked on a button on the answering machine, going on to the next message. This one was from another 'talent search' agency that wanted to speak to him about possibly using some of their members in his show, once it'd been chosen. Hardly. He was going to hold old fashioned auditions where anyone could try. Though a resume and face shot was a nice addition. It helped the face and talent stick in his mind after the fact. The final message was from someone he didn't know, probably a wrong number. At least it was only three messages this time.
He glanced at his watch. It was almost time to go to the next meeting. Hopefully this one would go better than the last who knows how many had gone. Pride was an admirable quality, but only when it helped a situation. When it closed doors and held people back, it was a decidedly different matter. He whistled, which brought a golden retriever to his feet.
"Time to go, Abe. I'll be back in an hour or so. You be good. Make sure the girls stay out of trouble too."
His voice was humorous as he glanced over at the three cats lounging across the back of his leather sofa. They stared back at him, gold, green, and blue eyes glinting at him in the half light as he moved to the door. The calico and tortoiseshell yawned at him while the Siamese had a decided 'screw you' look ready for him as he left.
[Portions of this biography are taken from my portrayal of Erik on several other sites. I can provide links and proof if need be.]
Tell us WHY your original character would fit with the theme of this board: (Provide two paragraphs here - only use this if you are applying with an original character. If you are applying with a canon character, there is no need to fill out this section.)
Erik Charles Duval
High Class
High Class
Canon: Phantom of the Opera
Custom Title: A song in the dark...
PHYSICAL
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Appearance: Tall, dark, and mysterious describe this man well. He is wiry and thin, with just enough muscle to keep others guessing as to his true strength. He is confident and it shows in the way he holds himself. There is a darkness about him, something behind his eyes that is incredibly dangerous. His hair is of medium length, and slightly wavy - though humidity makes it downright curly, bordering on frizzy.
Height: 6'2"
Body: Lean and wiry
Other distinguishing features: His eyes seem able to stare right into your soul, his voice is unique - with a much larger range than people would guess, the slightly 'off' look of his face. It's not his true face, but carefully crafted makeup that lets him blend in. His real face is twisted - deformed - and has paper thin yellow skin, with the veins showing, there is a small bump at the top of where his nose should be [enough to build a false nose that looks almost right around it], and the only portion of his face that even looks semi decent are his eyes and his lips.
Wardrobe: Erik is incredibly neat about his appearance. If there's one thread showing, one thing off, he's likely to redo his entire outfit. He prefers blacks, deep blues, and reds, and doesn't really care about brand, so long as it makes him look good.[/ul]
Play By: Gerard Butler
PERSONALITY
General personality: Erik is completely unpredictable. One is never sure what he's going to do or how he's going to react to something. Sometimes something might not bother him at all, but you turn around and 10 minutes later he'll blow a gasket because of it. This extends to most things, but especially to music, how he's treated, and how those he cares about are treated.
He is secretive to the extreme. He refuses to give details about himself and can be downright unpleasant - bordering on violent - to those who pry. He has been known to actually lose his temper and harm [and it's been rumored that he'd kill] someone if they don't get the picture the first time. There are rare exceptions to this, and even he can't tell you what makes them an exception.
He hurts, constantly, and is obsessive about things to the degree that he loses sleep over something that bothers him. He also loses sleep if he's got a composition or idea stuck in his head, and cannot rest until it's on paper or constructed - at least in mini form. He is protective of hurt things -whether they be human or animal, and has found himself acting uncharacteristic when faced with their pain.
He is extremely touchy when it comes to his face, and will kill anyone who even attempts to touch his face and remove/mar the makeup or remove the mask when he is without said makeup. He is also afraid to open himself up again, since the last time he did he was hurt badly. He has, because of this, shut himself off, becoming cold and near to emotionless as far as love and passion toward individuals goes.
When allowed to be, he is extremely passionate, especially about music and theatre, though he is incredibly opinionated and does not tolerate disagreements. To oppose him, if one is lucky enough to even talk to him [rare!], is to court disaster if he's in the wrong mood.
Erik's intelligence lends itself well to his personality and he is well read and versed in many different subjects. He has a fascination with medicine, and how the human body works. He would have absolutely no qualms about dissecting a human if he found one he could study. He can be rather calloused and cold sometimes when it comes to the welfare of other human beings - especially as he does not consider himself to be human. He would gladly kill and provide his beloved pets [three cats and one dog at present] with human flesh if it meant keeping them alive.
Erik can be sadistic at times, and has a wicked sense of humor that many would find to be off-putting. He doesn't really give a damn about others opinions about his humor, or really himself in general, since he believes that the only thing that makes anyone interested in him is his voice and his face. The former because it's the only portion of himself he can stand, and the latter because of how many people have paid to see him when he was either on display or traveling of his own accord with the fairs. This sense of humor does not lend itself to his few friends, who would rather he just 'relax'. The stick in the mud attitude from his only friends seems only to encourage Erik to misbehave.
Erik knows exactly why he acts out around those who know him - he desires attention. Any and all attention. And though he doesn't really like the negative attention, in his mind it somehow seems better than being completely ignored. He's worked hard to overcome this, but hasn't quite succeeded. Especially where his friends' wallets and pocket watches are concerned.
The lonely soul that hides behind a mask isn't just physical. The mental issues brought up by being lonely leave him depressed and angry much of the time. He has severe depressions that spiral out of control sometimes, leaving him in a black pit that he sometimes does not think he can climb out of. The other extreme of this is a mania where he cannot sleep, eat, or be bothered with really anything but what he happens to be focused on at that moment. Usually this means music, and he'll compose until he can no longer function, at which time he passes out for sometimes days on end. These manias are not always bouts of activity either. On some occasions they manifest as a dark anger that seethes just under the surface, threatening to erupt at the slightest thing.
Erik's temper, even when not affected by the emotional roller coaster he is sometimes subjected to, is nothing to be trifled with. He has a short fuse, and has been known to go off on someone for the slightest of things. But to really anger him, and not just trigger a temper fit, is to court death. Crossing his orders, especially if he views them as important, is not a wise thing. He rarely gives orders to anyone, though when he does it's usually for their own good, or the good of the establishment he once called home.
Erik has little to no self esteem and would rather break a mirror than look into it. He hates his face, he hates his body, and he hates himself. This self loathing has caused issues at times, and has left him in many of those depressions mentioned earlier. It also adds to the touchiness he feels for his face as he does not think anyone else could truly care about him, even when facing the facts. [his few friends]... He oft times believes the world would be a better place without him in it, but he has never been able to bring himself to actually do the dirty deed and be done with it.
Erik is not able to really understand the difference between right and wrong, often times finding other people's ideas of justice to be ridiculous. There is no black and white for him, but rather shades of grey. He, therefore, does what he pleases, when he pleases, consequences be damned. This has been known to get him [and those who look after him] into trouble with the law and neighbors, as taking food, clothing, money, or whatever else Erik wants has become a habit.
Quotes, frequently used expressions: "Pain is my power...", "Let the music move you...."
Likes: (please list at least three)
- Composing
- Architecture
- Reading
- Meddling with management [this is a past time]
- Helping hurt and abandoned animals
- Magic
- Playing music
- Listening to others play
- Singing [himself and others]
- Medicine [learning new techniques]
- Inventing things
- A beautiful singing voice - he wishes to 'possess' the individuals with said voices.
- Beauty [though he doesn't have it himself, as he sees it.]
Dislikes: (please list at least three)
- Abusers
- People who can't sing
- People who can't play instruments
- Divas who are full of themselves
- Busy bodies
- Loneliness
- Pain
- Most of the upper crust of society [especially playboys]
- Beautiful women [it's a love/hate thing]
- His mother
- Writer's Block
- Carnival side shows
Strengths: (please name three) Erik is highly intelligent as mentioned before. He has a voice that is astonishing in its quality, beauty, and range and it almost seems hypnotic at times - though he'll never tell one way or another if that's just an illusion or something true. He is a natural leader, with the strength of will, stubbornness, and charisma to lead, even if he doesn't realize he has these qualities and would laugh at anyone who suggested he did. Finally, he is an extremely talented musician who has a bit of knowledge of most instruments, but specializes in the pipe organ, piano, and violin. He also composes, and that is his main strength with musical abilities.
Weaknesses:(please name three) One of Erik's biggest weaknesses is his mask/the makeup he wears and the face below it. He is touchy about his appearance to the extreme and any stare directed at him - but especially at his face - is likely to be met with a show of temper. Which leads into his next biggest weakness. He has a fiery temper that often gets the better of him. When pushed to the brink, he often flies off the handle and experiences blind rages that he remembers nothing of afterward - a dangerous thing. Erik is not able to read people and therefore has trouble interacting in an appropriate manner. He is unable to tell the difference between right and wrong and often times reads into things that aren't there - or does the opposite: doesn't read into something that he should. Overall this makes him awkward in social situations at the best of times.
BACKGROUND
Family: Marguerite Deveroux nee Dechesne, mother. Jean Charles Deveroux, father - deceased.
Education: BS in Musical Composition, Masters in Business, and Ph.D in Musical Theory with a second Ph.D in Architecture.
Occupation: Owner of a Theatre & Production Company - Masque [Theater's name, as well as the Production Company's] and Crymsyn [His second theatre].
Worst past experience: Incredibly difficult for him to pick, since he's had many bad past experiences. If forced to choose, he would say that it would have to be the time his mother told him she hated him. He'd always known, but hearing it is quite different - especially at the tender age of 5. It was the first, but certainly not the last time he heard the words "I hate you" from his mother's mouth.
Best past experience: The realization that he could do something if he put his mind to it and the ability to work without having to show his face to earn money. In brief: when he was hired by a school as an online professor.
Image: People see Erik as mysterious, hard to approach, and somewhat dangerous. He is alluring to women who find that danger and mystery attractive, but most women are ill at ease around him. Men most often have one of two reactions to him - they admire his power and ability to get things done and want to be like him, even with that air of danger and mystery.. and perhaps because of it - or they fear that power and mystery, as well as the strange sort of hypnosis he seems to have over some people. All in all, people regard him warily, with a touch of curiosity.
History: Erik was born to Marguerite and Jean Charles Deveroux, a wealthy architect and his wife, and though they were thrilled to have a boy, it soon turned to heartbreak. His mother rejected him for the face he was born with - malformed and twisted, it was barely better than a death's head. His father, though horrified, tried to do what he could to ease both his son and his wife through such difficult times. But things were not to be. While overseeing a construction site, he was knocked off balance and fell to his death. It later became clear that he had been on a site that was not following the proper safety procedures. This last blow devastated Marguerite and she fell into a sort of madness that she never recovered from.
Erik received the brunt of the madness on his small frame, and even the nanny that had been hired to take care of him wasn't able to protect him. Though surgery hadn't progressed to a point where his full face could be fixed, there were options, but his mother refused to consider them. A devoutly religious woman, she said he was devil spawn and had been sent to 'punish' her for some wrongdoing in her past. And in her deluded mind this all made perfect sense. In most towns, this abuse would have been seen, but as she lived in the countryside in France in the outskirts of a small town, far from most prying eyes, nothing was done to help the boy.
When he was all of 6 years of age, she threw him from the only home he knew, screaming that the devil in him was too much for her to bear, and had him run from the grounds by the hired hands who tended to her estate. They were more than happy to do so, his face having always frightened them. This was the first time he'd heard the word 'freak', both from his mother's lips and those of the groundskeepers. The last thing he heard as he ran from his tormentors was her screaming 'I hate you, you ruined my life!'.
He moved through the countryside, eating whatever he was able to find and that looked edible. Several of those 'edible' things were not, however, and the poison, while not deadly, permanently affected his young body - he is unable to put on weight easily, and his vision was slightly affected - leaving him partly blind in the right eye. He found his way to one of the smaller cities in France and began to hang around the slums there, where he scrounged for food. While there he met several other 'orphans' and fell in with them. In this way he learned to survive on the streets. Those orphans didn't care about his face, so long as he could pickpocket and bring food to the table - which he was incredibly good at.
At the outskirts of town he noted that a carnival was setting up shop. While prowling about he noticed the side show members - all of them much like him. He was caught prowling and was going to be punished, but when his face and untrained musical abilities were discovered they took him in and gave him a job instead. Passed off as the 'son' of one of the other performers, they were able to get around any child labor issues. Food, an education, and a roof over his head were what got Erik stabilized.
By the time he was in his teens he had all but mastered everything they had been able to teach him, and was growing restless. Having saved the wages he'd been paid for his services, he began to look around for an apartment in Paris - where the carnival currently was. Finding one, he then searched for a position that would allow him to work, but would be understanding of his issues around crowds. Eventually he found one at the Opera. He worked evenings there as a janitor of sorts, and took to exploring it in his free time. Eventually he had earned enough to purchase himself several instruments and to secure voice lessons. Though his teacher was less than thrilled about her student's face and lack of social standing, she taught him still the same [he had the money, after all].
His voice was astonishing to her, but she knew that even makeup would be unable to hide the facial deformity he had and instead encouraged him to pursue his dreams of composing and business. He did so. After applying to several Universities, he found one willing to work with his unique situation and soon he was attending, working evenings in his 'home', and starting to stretch his wings composing in his free time. He had a natural talent for it. School, due to his intelligence, was fairly easy - though the peers he had to deal with were not. It was during these years that he developed his makeup skills, and though his face never looked quite normal, he was able to blend in much easier.
After earning his third degree he approached the management of one of the online Universities and requested a teaching position. It was granted, and the job paid nicely. Putting most of his money into savings, he stayed in a small flat close to the opera and continued his nightly prowling - only he now did it as an intruder, not an employee. Exploring all the nooks and crannies the place had, he soon found all the secret passages and rooms that were in the original building. During this time he finished his second Ph.D in architecture, the natural talent for it lending itself to his accomplishments. Having it in his blood [his father] didn't hurt either.
As his teaching was an online position, he began to travel, and stopped off in many countries, including Iran - once known as Persia. Purchasing several rugs, and getting to know the rulers there, he offered his many skills - mostly business oriented, though a palace was designed as well - and made himself all but invaluable there. While there he met and befriended a policeman, the Daroga, and it was this individual who would save him in his time of need. Once the projects were completed, the rulers decided he knew too many of their secrets and determined that he would have to die to protect the country's [and their] best interests. The Daroga helped smuggle him out, and Erik returned to France, missing his native tongue.
As his wealth increased, so did his boldness. Approaching the managers of the Opera, he requested Box 5 for his personal use, and joked that the place needed a 'ghost', since it felt so big and empty. And so began the sneakiest publicity stunt of all - though Erik purchased the Box, the managers spoke with him about ways to increase ticket sales and the idea of a 'ghost' who made demands and suggestions around the opera house stuck.
Soon he was leaving 'threatening' missives for the managers, with instructions as to what they should and should not do for performances. Though there were things they clashed on - such as Carlotta - the original intent was just for publicity. He explored the Opera some more, and came across a set of hidden rooms built into the walls of the foundation - and made his home there, securing it with high tech locks, then settled in for the long haul. No longer needing an apartment, he moved everything down below and soon had the entire place wired into the rest of the Opera's system.
Things went well until he took too much of an interest in a young singer newly hired for the chorus. Though she was far from the best, there was a bell like quality to her voice that drew Erik in. He wanted badly to possess that voice and to train it to be the best - but also knew that to do so could be folly. For a time his intelligence overcame his obsession with beautiful voices and he was able to leave well enough alone. His friend Mme Giry, who was well aware of the publicity stunt and just who the Ghost was discouraged his obsession, but seemed to know that it would be a lost cause soon enough. The chorus gossipped about the Ghost, and rumors were spread - rumors that Giry discouraged by spreading her own stories of how the 'Ghost' would disapprove and punish them.
One stagehand in particular loved to spread tales of the 'Ghost', and his involvement led to the eventual downfall of Erik and his flight from Paris. Joseph Buquet had a large mouth and was not aware of the scam being played out. He was, in fact, quite superstitious and fully believed that there was an actual ghost haunting the Opera - especially after he and Erik came face to face while the latter was unmasked and without makeup.
As conflicts that were not a part of the scam increased - Erik wishing for the girl to be trained and given a chance and the management not seeing the point - he became all the more unpleasant and unpredictable. By now the management had the whole country [and possibly parts of the world] gripped with the tale of the 'Ghost' and couldn't very well oust Erik as a living breathing man who was working with them. They were, in a word, trapped.
The management grudgingly gave in and allowed the young girl lessons and slightly larger parts. This was due mostly in part to an 'accident' that Erik caused - a set piece was tipped over and injured one of the actors of a small character role who had a small solo in the current production. The management was fully aware who was behind the 'accident', but when the girl proved to be more talented than they'd thought, they couldn't really argue.
But when Erik began to demand larger and larger roles for the girl - most of them before she was ready - the management knew they had a real problem. After he paid the management a visit and demanded that she be cast as the lead in the upcoming opera, rather than the older and out of her prime Carlotta, they had a disagreement and he left. The managers refused to change the casting and Carlotta was given the title role. In a rage, Erik prowled the catwalks above the stage, looking for some sort of 'accident' he could cause to teach the management a lesson. Unfortunately for Joseph Buquet, the man happened to be in the way. Trying to follow Erik, the now partly cracked 'Phantom' turned and lashed out at him, killing him with a length of rope fashioned into a lasso. Callously dropping the body, he let it fall above and then to the stage itself, and headed for the roof, needing the cool air to think.
After a threat from the management to expose him for who he was - the very real death of an employee was not in the agreement - Erik all but vanished for months, the stress cracking his already buckling sanity further. Still paying for the box he'd always had, he otherwise remained away from the management and the world above his sanctuary. The management thought they'd have to dismiss the 'ghost' stunt [partly with Joseph's death and also because of the disappearance of their ghost], but he turned up again at the Masqued ball they threw for New Years. Erik had been busy - he'd composed an entire show for them to perform, and said as much when he appeared. Though outwardly shocked, he knew under it all the greedy men were already counting how much money they could make. After a few harsh words with them, and realizing that there were police present at the party, he used a close by passage and disappeared from the public's eye again.
He remained mostly silent, save for occasional demands and instructions on how his opera was to be cast and run, and though the management hemmed and hawed publicly, in their private offices they congratulated Erik for a job well done. He had drawn the public's eye right back to them and sales were higher than ever. After more planning between the three, Erik took his leave.
The police had been busy while the managers plotted with their 'Ghost'. They had began to suspect that something wasn't right and had obtained permission from higher ranking officials to stake out the opera and to capture this 'ghost' - dead or alive. When the police approached the management [partly to see how they would react as they were under suspicion as well], they were reluctant - Erik had earned them much money, after all. But after being informed that they were under investigation for being involved with the Ghost, they were forced to agree. A trap was set for Erik. Though he was fully aware, he decided to attend anyhow.
Toward the end of the Opera - which had been a huge success - the police moved in on his box, and found it to be secured against intrusion. A small charge, however, soon let them through the door. And on to a violent confrontation with a very angry and very trapped Ghost. In the struggle his mask was broken and his face exposed to the police and the few people who could see into the box. Being trapped, seeing no way out, and becoming desperate, Erik lashed out with deadly intent. And landed several solid blows to those blocking his escape. Having killed two and injured at least one more, he fled into the passage.
The next few days were tense and dangerous ones for him, and they brought back some of the sanity that had slipped from him in his anger at the management. Realizing what he had done, he knew he could not stay in France and began to make the first plans to leave. First he destroyed the passages that led to the hidden sanctuary, then proceeded to erase all traces of his identity from the home. Packing up the electronics, he left, knowing that he could never go back. He is not sure if the police ever found his home, or if they were able to break through his carefully coded alarms and locks.
Realizing that the management would probably have given his information to the police, he wasted no time in chartering a private flight to the Americas, and was soon on his way. He was the ripe age of 32 when he first set foot on American soil - NYC to be exact. It did not take him long to integrate himself into the culture and to earn citizenship. Though he'd been afraid of being sent back to France or found out [the 'ghost' had been notorious and in the papers] he wasn't and soon he found himself settled and happily anonymous in the city. He had a fair amount of money, and as no one had put two and two together - the online professor was a far cry from the Phantom who terrorized the Opera - he was soon able to land another teaching position in the US. Another online job, 5 classes a week. He also changed his name to a less difficult one, effectively severing ties to his past.
He spent a portion of time finding out what was best to invest in and has many stocks, and has opened his Theater Production business, Masque. With the remodeling of two old and abandoned [thought haunted] theaters, he is set to open the doors for auditions as soon as he has found shows that he would like to produce. His stock investments and the amount of money he earned in France has made him a wealthy man, and he is not wanting for anything. He has also recently purchased a high rise flat, one that essentially takes up an entire floor of a building. It is his business headquarters as well as his private home. He never wears the mask from the Opera, preferring to return to his habit of using makeup to all but hide his deformity. And with the leaps and bounds stage and movie makeup had made while he'd been playing 'Phantom' he was able to blend in even easier than before. He has to change the makeup out every day or risk infections.
THE SAMPLE
In Character Sample: Erik sighed as he swirled the wine in his glass and stared down at the busy city below him. He hated that he still felt inadequate. Even after all this time, and everything he had been through, he still felt as if he was less than the people who scurried about on the street far below. He pondered his life for a moment, then leaned back against the decorative pillar that was nearest, closing his eyes and taking a sip. Perfect. As it always was. He refused to accept anything less than perfection in his personal life and had raised hell with vendors and contractors on several occasions when the quality had been lacking.
Pushing away from the pillar he'd been perched on, he crossed the length of the room, setting the glass down carefully before turning to regard the blinking light on his answering machine. Clearly someone had been trying to reach him again. He sighed. He wasn't in the mood to be nagged by aspiring writers and composers again. He supposed he could have stopped the flow by simply writing the entire show himself, but he'd wanted to give another composer and writer a chance at fame in his theatre first. God only knew, most of them could use the break.
But so far most of them had been hack writers and composers, so full of themselves and their 'masterpieces' that they had been unwilling to listen to a word of critique that he'd given. Some had actually had potential. Had they been willing to listen to what he'd said, one of them might even now be boasting of the show that would be opening soon. Instead they'd all been sent packing, tail between their legs. He shook his head. Such a waste.... He clicked on the answering machine, telling it to play back the messages. The first was from one of the writers he'd turned down already.. an insulting message about how he didn't know what he was doing and how his company was bound to fail. Typical. Throw a temper tantrum when not given your way - maybe that'll get you where your talent didn't. He snorted.
"Spoiled brat. That's not going to get you anywhere in life. Goodbye."
The rich baritone of his voice was amused, if somewhat annoyed as he clicked on a button on the answering machine, going on to the next message. This one was from another 'talent search' agency that wanted to speak to him about possibly using some of their members in his show, once it'd been chosen. Hardly. He was going to hold old fashioned auditions where anyone could try. Though a resume and face shot was a nice addition. It helped the face and talent stick in his mind after the fact. The final message was from someone he didn't know, probably a wrong number. At least it was only three messages this time.
He glanced at his watch. It was almost time to go to the next meeting. Hopefully this one would go better than the last who knows how many had gone. Pride was an admirable quality, but only when it helped a situation. When it closed doors and held people back, it was a decidedly different matter. He whistled, which brought a golden retriever to his feet.
"Time to go, Abe. I'll be back in an hour or so. You be good. Make sure the girls stay out of trouble too."
His voice was humorous as he glanced over at the three cats lounging across the back of his leather sofa. They stared back at him, gold, green, and blue eyes glinting at him in the half light as he moved to the door. The calico and tortoiseshell yawned at him while the Siamese had a decided 'screw you' look ready for him as he left.
[Portions of this biography are taken from my portrayal of Erik on several other sites. I can provide links and proof if need be.]
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