Post by Roderich Edelstein on Aug 8, 2010 0:00:35 GMT -5
Character Name: Roderich Edelstein
Gender: Male
Country: Austria
Age: 25
Student or Teacher? Teacher
Classes: Art, Music Appreciation, private music lessons
Status: Loner, traditionalist
Character information
Likes:
<3 Purple and gray colors
<3 Violins
<3 Pianos
<3 Cake
<3 Parakeets
<3 Impressionist art
<3 Slow mornings
<3 News magazines
Dislikes:
</3 Seafood
</3 Beaches
</3 His mole
</3 Horror movies
</3 Traveling
</3 Meetings / public speaking
</3 Wearing contacts
Personality:
He comes across as aloof and conceited, but in reality, he is rather insecure. He despises being the center of attention and, therefore, avoids large crowds as well as meeting and parties. Although he has the ability to appear confidant, he is, more often than not, merely putting a face up. He is unsure about many things and is indecisive. Initially, he may come across as very conservative, but in reality, he still questions many things in society and blames his prudishness on his strict upbringing.
Due to past relationships turning sour, he has become very cautious toward new people. Depending on the other's personality, however, it make take him days or years to fully open up to another person. He is passionate about the arts, and an easy conversation starter with him should always concern Chopin, John Keats, Van Gogh, and the like. He loves music most of all, and when he grows tired of being around others, he always retreats to his piano and plays the hours away.
He is a tad impatient and becomes easily disgruntled if things are not going his way. While he may be a teacher, he is not allowed many positions as a supervisor because his fuse can be short. He is extremely nitpicky and notices minute details in all that he does. He comes across as rude because he notices other people's sloppiness and will always comment. It is a habit, and he usually never means any harm by his statements.
But then he is terrible at reading people's emotions and can offend people without even meaning to. He is brutally honest when he feels inclined to share his opinion, and this has only furthered other people's belief that Roderich has a superiority complex. Even then, he becomes upset if he knows someone is angry at him, but instead of fixing the situation, he will retreat into himself and ignore the problem altogether.
Past of the Character
Will rewrite this section later this evening...
Fresh out of school himself, Roderich is young and inexperienced. He was raised between relatives both in Austria and Germany, but he was first introduced to English in a native setting when he attended university in England. As the son of a wealthy bureaucrat, he had many privileges including his education, but relations with his father were always strained.
As a child, Roderich was withdrawn but nevertheless noticed by his elders as a musical prodigy. He became an easy target for bullies because he lacked the will to defend himself and he never asked anyone else for help. This same mentality of self-reliance followed him into adulthood.
His arrival in the United States was unplanned, but it was necessary to cut ties off with his overbearing family. When he had returned home from school in England, his questions began. His growing beliefs in philosophy and science in the place of religion dismayed his parents, but it was his emerging homosexuality that snapped his father. For the sakes of both father and son, Roderich was politely asked to leave for the time being.
He now lives in the United States with a second cousin and found a teaching job at a school (his American relative had connections). Despite his past trauma, he is quietly looking forward to the school year and hopes for the best.
Roleplay Sample
Retrieved from an archived thread.
4:52 p.m. Tuesday. Second week of school.
And you're still alive, Roderich. He snorted as he yanked on the slipping strap of his bag. Let's celebrate.
Devoid of students, the frigid halls echoed with his footsteps. Far from supertitious, he might be, but the young Austrian could not help but skip a step or two when he felt the chill of the air creep onto the back of his neck.
There. He could see the double doors already. He shoved himself into one of the heavy slabs of metal, and when it gave way easier than usual, he stumbled through the entrance, glaring over his shoulder at the offending object.
But no matter. Breathe in. Breathe out. Stretch your arms, swing them by your sides, get some blood circulation in them. Yes. This is your domain, Roderich. Alone at last.
The auditorium, much like the rest of the school, had a haunted look about it with rows and rows of empty seats, the red cushioning faded and worn thin with age. Late afternoon light filtered through the cloudy windows, but it would not last much longer. Weren't there floor lights in the drama group's supply closet? He slung his messenger bag onto the floor, dragging it with him up the short stairwell to the stage. Abandoning it with a kick into the leg of the piano, he trudged backstage in search of the supply closet.
After two stubbed toes and one bruised knee, Roderich finally extricated one of the flood lights from the closet and maneuvered backstage until he could wheel it onto the stage next to the piano. Plug-in found, he switched it on, nearly blinded himself, ducked his head, and shifted the light's direction to the opposite side of the stage. Bright as it was, its mere reflection would provide enough light for the remainder of the evening. Spur of the moment, he stuck a hand into the light, fingers twisting themselves into a poor masquerade of an animal. Roderich sniffed, smirked a little, and turned to attend to his music.
Pulling out several booklets of sheet music, the pianist flipped through them. "Mozart, no. Grieg, no. Chopin...hm, no. Satie. Satie. Alright."
Music in place, Roderich sat at the piano, tapping the offkey C with an amused smile. "Still need to get that fixed, don't I? Well, you're a good piano anyway," he said fondly.
He cracked a couple of his knuckles and gently pressed the beginning notes of Gymnopedie, the soft voice of the piano weakly singing the notes. The song was familiar, comforting, and Roderich allowed his eyelids to close, his hands finding the memorized keys without guidance. He thought of home--what had used to be home, but he forced himself to focus only on the happy memories. Recitals with his mother in Vienna. Summers spent with his cousins in Munich. Late nights discussing philosophy with his classmates in quiet English pubs.
The last notes faded, but Roderich could not--would not--open his eyes and face what became of that world he remembered. True, he was anything but destitute. But it was the small gestures of disdain and of silence received from his disapproving parents that stung the worst.
"Well," he finally said, eyes still closed, "at least I have you." His hand patted the side of the old, upright piano. "You may be old and creaky, but with you around, I can at least continue playing. My other piano is too far away."
He sighed yet steeled himself against further reminiscing. Turning the pages, he found another song and continued playing.
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Ooc information
Name: Liz
Timezone: GMT -5 Eastern Time
MSN: Please ask~
HERO!
