Application
Jun. 18th, 2012 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_wolfPlayer's Name: Jess
Contact info:
Aim: IdealisticTruths
Plurk: Bakerhound
E-Mail: dreamwolfed@gmail.com
DW: the-wolf
Character: Isengrim the Wolf
Canon: OC
Canon Point: After Reynard's second death
Age: Isengrim ages very slowly. He has been around for as long as wolves have howled and tricksters have lied. He appears to be in his early thirties.
Gender: Male
History:
Lords, you have heard many tales,
That many tellers have told to you.
How Paris took Helen,
The evil and the pain he felt
Of Tristan that la Chevre
Wrote rather beautifully about;
And fabliaux and epics;
Of the Romance of Yvain and his beast
And many others told in this land
But never have you heard about the war
That was difficult and lengthy
Between Renart and Ysengrin
Long before time deemed it necessary to remember the legends of Robin Hood, or grace men's tongues with poetry of the heroic deeds of human battles, there were the creatures of the Animal Court, whose tales of pain, trickery, courage, friendship and betrayal set the grounds for the lessons we would learn and take through life with us.
In his younger years, Isengrim was a greedy and naive wolf. He was born to two loyal alpha wolves of King Noble's court and was getting into trouble from the start. Even as a pup he was clearly a greedy little alpha. He shoved his brothers and sisters out of the way to get to the food, and seemed fearless in his explorations. He grew up with the other children of King Noble's court. A young and quarrelsome cat named Tybalt, a steady and just bear named Bruin, and a terror of a smug little fox named Reynard.
As the years went on and Isengrim was trained in justice and combat by his parents and other beasts. He became rebellious to the control held over him, and was lured into a life of trickery and crime by the silver-tongued fox. Together they stole, hunted, lied and tricked the fortunate and unfortunate alike from their belongings. However, whenever things went poorly, Isengrim was always the one who ended up taking the fall. Slowly, Isengrim began to realize that it was Reynard's trickery that caused him to always meet the punishment of their crimes, while the fox reaped the spoils.
Eventually, the Wolf grew tired of this treachery and became a member of the King Lion's royal court, albeit not the loyalest or least corrupt. As is evident in all his ventures, his greed wins out over his logic, more often than not.. He, along with the other animals of the court, often pleaded with the king to bring justice down on Reynard's head. He met Frausein, a young and lovely wolf, and took her as his wife.
Throughout his life, the Wolf suffered at many of the Fox's clever tricks. Often becoming the framed victim of Reynard's crimes. He was goaded into crawling through a hole in a duke's storeroom, where he gorged himself until he was too fat to escape the way he had entered, allowing Reynard to slip free without punishment for the dinner he had stolen. Another time, Reynard had fallen into a well and tricked Isengrim into joining him, so that as the wolf sank in his basket, the fox was raised to freedom in his own. Yet another, he found himself trapped with his tail in the ice after being tricked into attempting to fish with it.
Trickery such as these were the least of the Wolf's cause for hatred to the Fox, however. For Reynard had bedded the Wolf's wife, as well. A traitorous and terrible crime. Isengrim plead with the King to bring Reynard forth to pay for the crimes he had committed to all of the animals of the court. Together with Chanticleer the rooster, they charged Reynard with adultery and murder, and it is decided that Reynard is to be hanged. Reynard appears at court, and is able to trick king Noble the lion into letting him go. Eventually, Reynard murders a rabbit, forcing Grimbert to summon his uncle to court yet again. Reynard once again tricks the king, but this time, Isengrim challenges him to duel. Reynard won the duel through trickery, defeating Isengrim unfairly, and was given a high status in the court. Isengrim, Bruin and Tybalt are banished as a result of Reynard's twisted truths and King Noble's belief in them.
Together with Bruin and Tybalt, Isengrim wandered the world beyond the forest and was frightened of what he found there. Outside of King Noble's forest, animals were dumb and voiceless. They howled and snarled and growled and whined but no words came forth from their throats. Worse than this, the longer and further they strayed, the more like their 'dumb' brethren they became. Determined to never be one of the wolves he saw in the wilderness of the world, Isengrim returned to King Noble's forest and begged for a chance to prove himself. Eventually, Isengrim was able to win back the faith of the Lion, and challenge Reynard once again, this time to a game of chess. Reynard, overconfident and drunk, lost the game, as well as a bet giving Isengrim claim to any part of his body that Isengrim chose. With this challenge, Isengrim restored his friends, Bruin and Tybalt, to the court, and reclaimed both his honor and his wife.
Isengrim wounded Reynard after his loss, and Reynard was thought dead. His funeral was held, and his old enemies come and eulogized their enemy. Reynard revived, however, only to be attacked by Chanticleer, who seems to kill him in a nearby river. (And as the stories go, Yet Reynard still lives on. So does Isengrim, doomed by his archetype to forever be trapped in quarreling chase and trickery with the fox.)
Through the years that Reynard was believed dead, Isengrim re-established himself in the court and became ever more focused on the task he had been trained for as a pup. Keeping the forest free of injustice and wrongs. For the most part, he was a fierce and swift enforcer of the laws. However, there were always ways around meeting justice at his claws. An offering of meat, a flask of wine, a satchel of coins. If there was a crime, there was a price that could be paid to make it go away. The only crimes Isengrim would never overlook, were those of adultery and murder. All others, he believed to be petty crimes, of which he himself had been guilty of in the past.
While he did reconcile with his wife, Isengrim became a far more bittered creature at having the one thing he cherished more than gold, taken from him like everything else. And though Frausein had claimed to the court that Reynard had taken her unwillingly, a piece of the wolf always believed Reynard's claims to the contrary.
Personality:
At his worst, Isengrim is a hot-headed, greedy and corruptible creature. His reasons for joining King Noble's Animal Court were not entirely selfless, and neither are his actions. As an enforcer of laws, he will overlook most misdeeds and law breaking, if the accused can pay him enough. He does believe in justice, and desire it, but ultimately, greed triumphs over justice nearly every time. His greed is what typically causes him to be led astray. Isengrim was not always the bitter and greedy wolf he is now. It was his numerous encounters with the fox, Reynard, that made his bitterness and temper grow.
He is a hot-headed character, easily goaded and not reluctant to bare his teeth at the people who garner his ill wishes. When it comes to carrying out justice, it is with the blinders of his own crimes. His temper, when roused, is not something to be taken lightly. As much as it makes him reckless, it also makes him fierce and determined. He will pursue his rage until it has either been quelled or he is incapacitated. The determination that runs through him is iron set and will push him further than most would go in exacting revenge or retaliation.
All this may make Isengrim out to be a villainous character, but in truth, despite his flaws, the wolf has the personality of quite the charmer. He is well practiced in the art of playing the wolf in sheep's clothing. When telling a lie, Isengrim can be as smooth as silk and as charming as a prince. His downfall comes when he loses his focus to his volatile temper. He is quick to be riled and reckless and rash when angry. Making him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent, as well as an easier target for the more level-headed and controlled.
So long as he keeps his temper in check, Isengrim is perfectly capable of being friendly and personable.He is not a friendless creature. The animals of King Noble's court respect and trust him. As is a quality of the wolf, he is loyal and his loyalty generally goes uncompromised and unquestioned. He is seen as fair and just most days, and though he is not quite what one would call quick-witted, he is clever in other matters.
He does truly wish to seek out justice, and right the wrongs of the world. He would gladly offer his assistance in trying to help any who have found themselves the victims of a crime. In truth, he hardly realizes his own failings when his greed strays him from the path he has set out to follow. What could a few extra morsels in his mouth or coins in his pocket do to harm? It is not out of spite or bad intentions that he accepts bribes. In fact, in the eyes of Isengrim it is mercy, not greed, that compels him.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about Isengrim, beyond his greed and temper, is that he is bound by a sense of honor that runs through his veins as deep and as old as time. Even faced with the most vicious and opportunistic of foes, Isengrim will always fight fair. It is a great blind spot of the wolf's that he often expects his enemies to show the same courtesy to him. Even when it is clear he can not win by taking the high road, in a fight, his honor will always keep him from playing dirty. No matter how much his opponents may cheat.
Fears:
Loss of senses - More than anything he fears being at a disadvantage to the world. Loss of smell, sight or sound are especially terrifying.
Total Darkness - while this does fall into the above, the pitch black of darkness is far worse if accompanied by smells and sounds he can not see or find.
Enclosed spaces - Ise has been trapped far too many times and the smaller a space he is trapped in, the more frantic and desperate he will be to escape it.
Horses - Or anything larger than he is with hooves. He was trampled by horses more than once, and has nightmares of their deadly hooves.
Dumb Animal Syndrome - Isengrim likes being far more intelligent than his wolf brethren. The potential to become something less than he is is a terrifying prospect. A slow movement towards becoming just another animal would have him scouring and slashing his surroundings for the cause and a way to reverse it.
Foxes - A fear Isengrim will never admit to and tries to drown out with anger. But let's face it. You can not spend half your life tormented by one creature and not acquire a quake at the thought of it.
Hunters/Baying hounds/Gunfire - All of these are related. Ise is a predator and used to being the hunter. Any time this is changed and he becomes the prey, it will send his fear and adrenaline into a crazy spiral.
Farmers and Priests (Pitchforks and Churches)- While not as pronounced as most of his fears, Ise will avoid churches and priests, as well as farms and farmers. He met his death at the hands of both and desires no repeat of the occasion.
Damp, Damp smells, standing water - Ise is a terrible swimmer. He fears water, especially deep water. The damp overrides the rest of the scents his nose can pick up, as well, leaving him with nothing but water on his mind. He is not afraid of rain, however.
Ice - while this mostly relates to Ise's fear of being trapped, he also hates the cold and silence of winter. (Only large sheets of ice, or icy bodies of water are like to bring out his fear, however)
Loss - Isengrim fears having things taken from him. He is greedy and covetous of his possessions and always aware of how easily they can be snatched from him.
Death - Like all creatures, Isengrim fears death. He has encountered it more often than any beast should have to, and despite coming back from it every time so far, he always has the nagging fear that this time will be different.
Fire - Like most animals, Isengrim has an instinctive and ingrained fear of fire. It brings out the animal in him, and tosses reason out the window.
Weaknesses:
Greed - To a massive character flaw. His greed has cost him his death, his honor, and more, time and time again. It is his greed that constantly allows Reynard to trick and trap him.
- Meat/Food/Coin: In the name of profit, Isengrim will do most anything. He will blindly walk straight into a trap i f there is offer of a delicious meal. He will overlook misdeeds for a purse of gold. In the name of money and food, Isengrim will walk blindly into a fire and never notice he has been burned until his fur is gone (For once this is purely metaphorical, and not an action he has actually taken)
Wrath of the wolf - Isengrim has a terrible temper. He is quick to be riled and reckless and rash when angry. Making him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent, but a far easier target for the more level-headed and controlled.
Honor - A great failing in a Wolf of Justice. Isengrim will always chose to fight fair, rather than dirty. He will fight just as fairly as he does fiercely. A disadvantage when most of his enemies are willing to cheat.
Reynard - Reynard is Isengrim's greatest weakness. You do not spend such a great portion of your life in a battle of wills with one person, to merely feel rage. There is a possessive quality to their constant clashing.
Frausein - Isengrim's wife is his heart. She is one of his greatest weaknesses. Though she will often call his battle with Reynard 'an affair', it is true that he would do anything for her, and her for him. Though he may doubt her loyalty on occasion, his love for her is strong and he fears losing her more than death.
Stubborn: He can not be swayed off a path or course of action without great reason. Only his greed can exceed his stubbornness. Even in a losing fight, he will continue to battle to the end, whether retreating is the smarter option or not.
Suspicion: While Isengrim is perfectly capable of making friends and being charming, the one thing he has learned in his long life is that trust is a thing others must earn. His loyalty comes at a price, and much slower than it had in his younger years.
Blind Loyalty - That being said, once Isengrim's loyalty has been won (or bought) there is little that can shake or destroy it. In spite of the actions taken by the people he gives it to.
Long Range Weapons - Give Isengrim swords, a knife, or claws, and he will fight to the very end with the ferocity of a cornered, starving wolf. Anything that keeps him more than an arms length from his opponent, however, leaves his fighting techniques wanting and the wolf rather unsettled and unsure. He was never good with a bow, and guns can terrify him as much as they confuse him.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities: Isengrim is a very strong fighter, whether it be fist to fist or tooth and claw. He is intelligent and a skilled liar when his temper is in check. When riled, however, he loses his grip on words and his ability to smoothly lie. He is a well-trained fighter, and has picked up the use of many weapons, but close combat will always be his specialty. He is also intimidatingly fierce. When he fights, he puts everything into it and holds nothing back.
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
As he is, and always will be, The Wolf of King Noble's court, one of Isengrim's abilities lies in the fact that he can take on his natural form. Though, like Reynard, Tybalt, and the other creatures of the fables, he has long since learned to blend in with his human form, he is still a wolf through and through. A fact that is dangerous for others to forget.
Much like Reynard, as well, The Wolf is a timeless creature and will revive a time after he is killed once more. Doomed to forever live through his flaws, repeating his mistakes and meeting his misfortune as he chases Reynard.
Supply List: Two small daggers and the clothes on his back are all he'll have with him.
Game Transfers: n/a
Sample RP post:
Before the signals from his eyes even registered the change of scenery, Isengrim knew something was off. The smell alone was enough of a warning flare to have him pausing mid-step. This was not King Noble's forest. The floor beneath his feet was solid and rough, unlike the give of loam and soil. A frown slowly drew across his face as his eyes scanned the strange, dusty parlor, hand going to the dagger at his hip. He took in a deep breath, and instantly regretted it, coughing on the particles of dust and the stench of grime. What trickery was this?
Whirling on his feet to check behind him, prepared for the worst, expecting a trap, a trick, a glimpse of teeth flashed in a triumphant grin. Any sign as to a reason behind this sudden shift in locale.
"Where are you." Words growled out, low and barely audible. He cocked his head, listening, waiting, expecting. When no further changes occurred, and no sounds of footstep or breath reached his ears, he relaxed, just a fraction. Just enough to not be a coiled mass of expectant muscle and sinew, waiting to lunge.
There was a door nearby. A large and heavy door. It draws his attention first, and though he is reluctant to expose his back to the room, Isengrim approaches it with the caution of a wild animal approaching an unattended meal. Survival instincts were well-rooted in his brain, but the possibility of a way out was something far more of interest than this enclosed and stuffy space. Indoors. Where the air was still and tepid and the only breezes ever offered were fabricated by man-made devices.
Keeping one hand at his waist, ready and waiting on the handle of the dagger, he touched the door with the other. Smoothed his hand over it. Sought out the handle. After a moment he gave it a solid tug. Nothing. Not a budge. Growling under his breath, he glanced around again before placing both hands on the door and tugging once more. Still nothing. Eyes narrowed and teeth bared in frustration, he set his feet firmly against the floor and pulled with all of his strength, the muscles on his arms and back straining with the effort.
Not even the slightest give.
Well.
This was off to a good start.
Contact info:
Aim: IdealisticTruths
Plurk: Bakerhound
E-Mail: dreamwolfed@gmail.com
DW: the-wolf
Character: Isengrim the Wolf
Canon: OC
Canon Point: After Reynard's second death
Age: Isengrim ages very slowly. He has been around for as long as wolves have howled and tricksters have lied. He appears to be in his early thirties.
Gender: Male
History:
Lords, you have heard many tales,
That many tellers have told to you.
How Paris took Helen,
The evil and the pain he felt
Of Tristan that la Chevre
Wrote rather beautifully about;
And fabliaux and epics;
Of the Romance of Yvain and his beast
And many others told in this land
But never have you heard about the war
That was difficult and lengthy
Between Renart and Ysengrin
Long before time deemed it necessary to remember the legends of Robin Hood, or grace men's tongues with poetry of the heroic deeds of human battles, there were the creatures of the Animal Court, whose tales of pain, trickery, courage, friendship and betrayal set the grounds for the lessons we would learn and take through life with us.
In his younger years, Isengrim was a greedy and naive wolf. He was born to two loyal alpha wolves of King Noble's court and was getting into trouble from the start. Even as a pup he was clearly a greedy little alpha. He shoved his brothers and sisters out of the way to get to the food, and seemed fearless in his explorations. He grew up with the other children of King Noble's court. A young and quarrelsome cat named Tybalt, a steady and just bear named Bruin, and a terror of a smug little fox named Reynard.
As the years went on and Isengrim was trained in justice and combat by his parents and other beasts. He became rebellious to the control held over him, and was lured into a life of trickery and crime by the silver-tongued fox. Together they stole, hunted, lied and tricked the fortunate and unfortunate alike from their belongings. However, whenever things went poorly, Isengrim was always the one who ended up taking the fall. Slowly, Isengrim began to realize that it was Reynard's trickery that caused him to always meet the punishment of their crimes, while the fox reaped the spoils.
Eventually, the Wolf grew tired of this treachery and became a member of the King Lion's royal court, albeit not the loyalest or least corrupt. As is evident in all his ventures, his greed wins out over his logic, more often than not.. He, along with the other animals of the court, often pleaded with the king to bring justice down on Reynard's head. He met Frausein, a young and lovely wolf, and took her as his wife.
Throughout his life, the Wolf suffered at many of the Fox's clever tricks. Often becoming the framed victim of Reynard's crimes. He was goaded into crawling through a hole in a duke's storeroom, where he gorged himself until he was too fat to escape the way he had entered, allowing Reynard to slip free without punishment for the dinner he had stolen. Another time, Reynard had fallen into a well and tricked Isengrim into joining him, so that as the wolf sank in his basket, the fox was raised to freedom in his own. Yet another, he found himself trapped with his tail in the ice after being tricked into attempting to fish with it.
Trickery such as these were the least of the Wolf's cause for hatred to the Fox, however. For Reynard had bedded the Wolf's wife, as well. A traitorous and terrible crime. Isengrim plead with the King to bring Reynard forth to pay for the crimes he had committed to all of the animals of the court. Together with Chanticleer the rooster, they charged Reynard with adultery and murder, and it is decided that Reynard is to be hanged. Reynard appears at court, and is able to trick king Noble the lion into letting him go. Eventually, Reynard murders a rabbit, forcing Grimbert to summon his uncle to court yet again. Reynard once again tricks the king, but this time, Isengrim challenges him to duel. Reynard won the duel through trickery, defeating Isengrim unfairly, and was given a high status in the court. Isengrim, Bruin and Tybalt are banished as a result of Reynard's twisted truths and King Noble's belief in them.
Together with Bruin and Tybalt, Isengrim wandered the world beyond the forest and was frightened of what he found there. Outside of King Noble's forest, animals were dumb and voiceless. They howled and snarled and growled and whined but no words came forth from their throats. Worse than this, the longer and further they strayed, the more like their 'dumb' brethren they became. Determined to never be one of the wolves he saw in the wilderness of the world, Isengrim returned to King Noble's forest and begged for a chance to prove himself. Eventually, Isengrim was able to win back the faith of the Lion, and challenge Reynard once again, this time to a game of chess. Reynard, overconfident and drunk, lost the game, as well as a bet giving Isengrim claim to any part of his body that Isengrim chose. With this challenge, Isengrim restored his friends, Bruin and Tybalt, to the court, and reclaimed both his honor and his wife.
Isengrim wounded Reynard after his loss, and Reynard was thought dead. His funeral was held, and his old enemies come and eulogized their enemy. Reynard revived, however, only to be attacked by Chanticleer, who seems to kill him in a nearby river. (And as the stories go, Yet Reynard still lives on. So does Isengrim, doomed by his archetype to forever be trapped in quarreling chase and trickery with the fox.)
Through the years that Reynard was believed dead, Isengrim re-established himself in the court and became ever more focused on the task he had been trained for as a pup. Keeping the forest free of injustice and wrongs. For the most part, he was a fierce and swift enforcer of the laws. However, there were always ways around meeting justice at his claws. An offering of meat, a flask of wine, a satchel of coins. If there was a crime, there was a price that could be paid to make it go away. The only crimes Isengrim would never overlook, were those of adultery and murder. All others, he believed to be petty crimes, of which he himself had been guilty of in the past.
While he did reconcile with his wife, Isengrim became a far more bittered creature at having the one thing he cherished more than gold, taken from him like everything else. And though Frausein had claimed to the court that Reynard had taken her unwillingly, a piece of the wolf always believed Reynard's claims to the contrary.
Personality:
At his worst, Isengrim is a hot-headed, greedy and corruptible creature. His reasons for joining King Noble's Animal Court were not entirely selfless, and neither are his actions. As an enforcer of laws, he will overlook most misdeeds and law breaking, if the accused can pay him enough. He does believe in justice, and desire it, but ultimately, greed triumphs over justice nearly every time. His greed is what typically causes him to be led astray. Isengrim was not always the bitter and greedy wolf he is now. It was his numerous encounters with the fox, Reynard, that made his bitterness and temper grow.
He is a hot-headed character, easily goaded and not reluctant to bare his teeth at the people who garner his ill wishes. When it comes to carrying out justice, it is with the blinders of his own crimes. His temper, when roused, is not something to be taken lightly. As much as it makes him reckless, it also makes him fierce and determined. He will pursue his rage until it has either been quelled or he is incapacitated. The determination that runs through him is iron set and will push him further than most would go in exacting revenge or retaliation.
All this may make Isengrim out to be a villainous character, but in truth, despite his flaws, the wolf has the personality of quite the charmer. He is well practiced in the art of playing the wolf in sheep's clothing. When telling a lie, Isengrim can be as smooth as silk and as charming as a prince. His downfall comes when he loses his focus to his volatile temper. He is quick to be riled and reckless and rash when angry. Making him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent, as well as an easier target for the more level-headed and controlled.
So long as he keeps his temper in check, Isengrim is perfectly capable of being friendly and personable.He is not a friendless creature. The animals of King Noble's court respect and trust him. As is a quality of the wolf, he is loyal and his loyalty generally goes uncompromised and unquestioned. He is seen as fair and just most days, and though he is not quite what one would call quick-witted, he is clever in other matters.
He does truly wish to seek out justice, and right the wrongs of the world. He would gladly offer his assistance in trying to help any who have found themselves the victims of a crime. In truth, he hardly realizes his own failings when his greed strays him from the path he has set out to follow. What could a few extra morsels in his mouth or coins in his pocket do to harm? It is not out of spite or bad intentions that he accepts bribes. In fact, in the eyes of Isengrim it is mercy, not greed, that compels him.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about Isengrim, beyond his greed and temper, is that he is bound by a sense of honor that runs through his veins as deep and as old as time. Even faced with the most vicious and opportunistic of foes, Isengrim will always fight fair. It is a great blind spot of the wolf's that he often expects his enemies to show the same courtesy to him. Even when it is clear he can not win by taking the high road, in a fight, his honor will always keep him from playing dirty. No matter how much his opponents may cheat.
Fears:
Loss of senses - More than anything he fears being at a disadvantage to the world. Loss of smell, sight or sound are especially terrifying.
Total Darkness - while this does fall into the above, the pitch black of darkness is far worse if accompanied by smells and sounds he can not see or find.
Enclosed spaces - Ise has been trapped far too many times and the smaller a space he is trapped in, the more frantic and desperate he will be to escape it.
Horses - Or anything larger than he is with hooves. He was trampled by horses more than once, and has nightmares of their deadly hooves.
Dumb Animal Syndrome - Isengrim likes being far more intelligent than his wolf brethren. The potential to become something less than he is is a terrifying prospect. A slow movement towards becoming just another animal would have him scouring and slashing his surroundings for the cause and a way to reverse it.
Foxes - A fear Isengrim will never admit to and tries to drown out with anger. But let's face it. You can not spend half your life tormented by one creature and not acquire a quake at the thought of it.
Hunters/Baying hounds/Gunfire - All of these are related. Ise is a predator and used to being the hunter. Any time this is changed and he becomes the prey, it will send his fear and adrenaline into a crazy spiral.
Farmers and Priests (Pitchforks and Churches)- While not as pronounced as most of his fears, Ise will avoid churches and priests, as well as farms and farmers. He met his death at the hands of both and desires no repeat of the occasion.
Damp, Damp smells, standing water - Ise is a terrible swimmer. He fears water, especially deep water. The damp overrides the rest of the scents his nose can pick up, as well, leaving him with nothing but water on his mind. He is not afraid of rain, however.
Ice - while this mostly relates to Ise's fear of being trapped, he also hates the cold and silence of winter. (Only large sheets of ice, or icy bodies of water are like to bring out his fear, however)
Loss - Isengrim fears having things taken from him. He is greedy and covetous of his possessions and always aware of how easily they can be snatched from him.
Death - Like all creatures, Isengrim fears death. He has encountered it more often than any beast should have to, and despite coming back from it every time so far, he always has the nagging fear that this time will be different.
Fire - Like most animals, Isengrim has an instinctive and ingrained fear of fire. It brings out the animal in him, and tosses reason out the window.
Weaknesses:
Greed - To a massive character flaw. His greed has cost him his death, his honor, and more, time and time again. It is his greed that constantly allows Reynard to trick and trap him.
- Meat/Food/Coin: In the name of profit, Isengrim will do most anything. He will blindly walk straight into a trap i f there is offer of a delicious meal. He will overlook misdeeds for a purse of gold. In the name of money and food, Isengrim will walk blindly into a fire and never notice he has been burned until his fur is gone (For once this is purely metaphorical, and not an action he has actually taken)
Wrath of the wolf - Isengrim has a terrible temper. He is quick to be riled and reckless and rash when angry. Making him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent, but a far easier target for the more level-headed and controlled.
Honor - A great failing in a Wolf of Justice. Isengrim will always chose to fight fair, rather than dirty. He will fight just as fairly as he does fiercely. A disadvantage when most of his enemies are willing to cheat.
Reynard - Reynard is Isengrim's greatest weakness. You do not spend such a great portion of your life in a battle of wills with one person, to merely feel rage. There is a possessive quality to their constant clashing.
Frausein - Isengrim's wife is his heart. She is one of his greatest weaknesses. Though she will often call his battle with Reynard 'an affair', it is true that he would do anything for her, and her for him. Though he may doubt her loyalty on occasion, his love for her is strong and he fears losing her more than death.
Stubborn: He can not be swayed off a path or course of action without great reason. Only his greed can exceed his stubbornness. Even in a losing fight, he will continue to battle to the end, whether retreating is the smarter option or not.
Suspicion: While Isengrim is perfectly capable of making friends and being charming, the one thing he has learned in his long life is that trust is a thing others must earn. His loyalty comes at a price, and much slower than it had in his younger years.
Blind Loyalty - That being said, once Isengrim's loyalty has been won (or bought) there is little that can shake or destroy it. In spite of the actions taken by the people he gives it to.
Long Range Weapons - Give Isengrim swords, a knife, or claws, and he will fight to the very end with the ferocity of a cornered, starving wolf. Anything that keeps him more than an arms length from his opponent, however, leaves his fighting techniques wanting and the wolf rather unsettled and unsure. He was never good with a bow, and guns can terrify him as much as they confuse him.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities: Isengrim is a very strong fighter, whether it be fist to fist or tooth and claw. He is intelligent and a skilled liar when his temper is in check. When riled, however, he loses his grip on words and his ability to smoothly lie. He is a well-trained fighter, and has picked up the use of many weapons, but close combat will always be his specialty. He is also intimidatingly fierce. When he fights, he puts everything into it and holds nothing back.
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
As he is, and always will be, The Wolf of King Noble's court, one of Isengrim's abilities lies in the fact that he can take on his natural form. Though, like Reynard, Tybalt, and the other creatures of the fables, he has long since learned to blend in with his human form, he is still a wolf through and through. A fact that is dangerous for others to forget.
Much like Reynard, as well, The Wolf is a timeless creature and will revive a time after he is killed once more. Doomed to forever live through his flaws, repeating his mistakes and meeting his misfortune as he chases Reynard.
Supply List: Two small daggers and the clothes on his back are all he'll have with him.
Game Transfers: n/a
Sample RP post:
Before the signals from his eyes even registered the change of scenery, Isengrim knew something was off. The smell alone was enough of a warning flare to have him pausing mid-step. This was not King Noble's forest. The floor beneath his feet was solid and rough, unlike the give of loam and soil. A frown slowly drew across his face as his eyes scanned the strange, dusty parlor, hand going to the dagger at his hip. He took in a deep breath, and instantly regretted it, coughing on the particles of dust and the stench of grime. What trickery was this?
Whirling on his feet to check behind him, prepared for the worst, expecting a trap, a trick, a glimpse of teeth flashed in a triumphant grin. Any sign as to a reason behind this sudden shift in locale.
"Where are you." Words growled out, low and barely audible. He cocked his head, listening, waiting, expecting. When no further changes occurred, and no sounds of footstep or breath reached his ears, he relaxed, just a fraction. Just enough to not be a coiled mass of expectant muscle and sinew, waiting to lunge.
There was a door nearby. A large and heavy door. It draws his attention first, and though he is reluctant to expose his back to the room, Isengrim approaches it with the caution of a wild animal approaching an unattended meal. Survival instincts were well-rooted in his brain, but the possibility of a way out was something far more of interest than this enclosed and stuffy space. Indoors. Where the air was still and tepid and the only breezes ever offered were fabricated by man-made devices.
Keeping one hand at his waist, ready and waiting on the handle of the dagger, he touched the door with the other. Smoothed his hand over it. Sought out the handle. After a moment he gave it a solid tug. Nothing. Not a budge. Growling under his breath, he glanced around again before placing both hands on the door and tugging once more. Still nothing. Eyes narrowed and teeth bared in frustration, he set his feet firmly against the floor and pulled with all of his strength, the muscles on his arms and back straining with the effort.
Not even the slightest give.
Well.
This was off to a good start.
