X. Asher Velesius

First book: 15 at the beginning, 16 at the end.

Second book: 18 in the beginning, 19 in the end.

Third book: 19 in the beginning, 20-21 in the end.

Male

Sometimes people call him by his last name, especially as a student or underling. Other times they'll mistake his name for Asher Mask, after the surname his father went under while working for the capital.

Main character

Nope

Short, about 4-5 inches long depending on if it's at the top of his head or on the sides, kinda messy

Brown

5'8" in the first book, and 5'11" when he stops growing

I guess like 125 lbs at the beginning of the series and then 170 at the end? He gained muscle, ya'll

Let's say nothing is very identifying about him at all, and that's his identifying mark. In the days before he started working for the caital, though, people who knew what to look for could see his was rich, and even a W-N in training.

But whenever he DOES smile, that gawgeous thing takes people off-guard. His mother had a beautiful smile, and so does he. Other than that, he's pretty average. And by average, I mean kind of ordinary. Wouldn't really stand out in a crowd if he was wearing civilian clothing, which is good for his line of work.

Average height and weight, toned muscles all around, doesn't look that muscular when he's fully dressed since he seems straight and normal. He hasn't been training to look good.

Tans more easily than others, definitely not as pale as Javan the blondie

Warrior-Nocti race, looks sorta Spanish

Brown

1. Alexander Mask is evil.


2. Southerners are troublemakers and savages at heart.


3. The North is the best (although he was kind of privately conditioned by the teachers at the Warrior-Nocti school that Warrior-Nocti shouldn't automatically assume the best of their nation. So that makes it easier for him to eventually realize the truth.)

1. When he's young, he likes to pretend to shoot people (the beginnings of "finger guns") or punch em, usually goes in for a punch to the face and then pulls back at the last second. Annoys Javan to no end.


2. Tends to be super fidgety when he's alone. All that acting professional around his superiors really builds up the wiggles by the end or the day.


3. Winks at every pretty girl.


4. Likes to stand with his thumbs in his pockets.

First book: He feels like he's got no motivation, like his whole life has been predetermined in a way he doesn't like. At first he hates that he has to be like his father, who was a bit emotionally abusive and never there for him before disappearing (on purpose, in Asher's mind), but then he embraces it as a challenge to surpass his father and make the world forget the name of Alexander Mask.

Second book:
1. Still aiming to be the best Warrior-Nocti in the kingdom, but when he's appointed to be one of the Warrior-Nocti to search for Alexander Mask after a lead is found, he has to struggle with hating the mission. But eventually he switches his mindset from "I never want to see him again" to "I'll be the one who saves the day, I'll still be greater than he is, and I'll make it clear that I'm the boss and he's no father of mine."
2. His friends have become really important to him, especially Javan and Trenna, although Javan is still his best friend over Trenna in his mind. He makes some other new friends, learns more about the state of the government and the nation and the ways of the South and the bad reason the North is gunning to be at war, and his motivation starts to evolve to being about protecting those he loves.

Third book: doing what's right. Having a duty to fulfill for others and not himself. Becoming "the best" has faded away. Hating his father starts to fade away to more important things. His friends become more and more dear to him. Fixing the nation to improve people's lives, stopping the war to save people's lives, and constantly ensuring that Javan is making a good king (he basically begins to give his ALL in backing Javan up against the world), and that Trenna is happy.

1. Hides his struggles behind a "funny guy" act.


2. Doesn't really have anyone he wants to care about at first, feeling like his responsibility is only to himself. This isn't emo by any means, it usually manifests itself in small ways like just being downright selfish and not understanding the problem with that.


3. Thinks he's "all that" but has a long way to go. Every. Time.


4. Loud-mouthed. When he's angry, he'll let you know.


5. Has trouble with stealth mode, although he's a fast learner. His loud mouth gives him away, his passionate anger makes him want to fly into a rage and just beat up everyone, and he would prefer to strangle someone than throw a knife at them or shoot them. He likes being up close.


6. Kind of foolish sometimes, since he's stupidly brave. But usually he can get his way out of it. Not really with wiles or wit (until he learns), but with his fists and sheer willpower.


7. BIG FLIRT ALERT


8. Doesn't really enjoy life. He hasn't really thought of it that way. He's selfish but never ends up feeling that happy about getting what he wants. His heart is empty and he doesn't realize it.


9. Has no noble cause, responsibility, or duty to live for. Only himself and his silly goals.

1. Fast learner


2. Good at fighting with his fists, likes to get up real close and dirty (so it's hard for him to learn the ways of stealth mode).


3. Quick mouth, pretty witty--can make people laugh. (His wittiness usually only goes as far as creative roasts, or simply serving him in making people laugh. Otherwise, Javan is better at witty diplomacy. "To hell with diplomacy" is Asher's motto.)


4. He can sing. Yes. And he loves it, too. Takes awhile for him to get used to singing in public, since his father used to say stuff like "do you expect flouncy habits like that will make you the best of the best?" But singing is pretty much present everywhere in this society, and although not many can do it well, everyone in the North sings all the time. It's kind of a thing. So through Trenna's encouragement, he becomes more bold.


5. He can dance. Really well. Loves to do that too. He just likes to have a good time.


6. Stupidly brave. There's nothing he won't do (as long as he doesn't think it'll bring harm to himself, since he's selfish and won't just come to anybody's aid if it means getting hurt). You can always expect him to be first in line for everything. First thing he's REALLY afraid to do (singing in public doesn't count) is admit his feelings for Trenna. Hehehehe.

EXPLANATION FOR STUPID BRAVERY BY WRITELIKEYOURERUNNINGOUTOFTIME: "Here's what I'm thinking. Start him out with the stupid bravery and make it very clear that it's selfish and self-preservative. He only cares about himself, right? So he's willing to fight his way out of everything. His over-confidence is just his bravado. He pretends to be brave and brash just to save his own skin. Eventually, he starts to develop and his bravado becomes more self-sacrificing. He's still stupidly fearless, but now he's that way to save others and to protect the ones he cares about."

1. Singing


2. Dancing


3. Fighting


4. NOT reading


5. Flirting


6. And probably sleeping.

ExTP, but mostly shaped by his experiences. His T is underdeveloped, since his natural state is to let his emotions determine his actions.

He has a lot of stupid bravery and self confidence, all selfishly-based. He goes through phases of wimpiness and self-doubt when he feels like he's not living up to expectations. He struggles a lot with his destiny and power over his own life, and he struggles constantly with the death of his mother and disappearance of his father. This causes him to not want to get too attached to people, unless they're persistent or always around until he suddenly can't help but like them and then OOPS he's in too deep (like in the case of Clyde, but that was easier cuz Asher was still a kid when they met so it was easier to get attached cuz of that).

He feels like emotions are a sign of weakness so he hides his life goals and feelings behind an "I don't care" mask.

He doesn't really enjoy life, he doesn't soak up the sun, he doesn't like just wandering and exploring and enjoying the world, he's more caught up in his own little world all about himself. Until Javan and Trenna.

He likes to hide all of his problems behind a "funny guy" attitude. He likes the idea of being popular and getting the girls (so being not super striking in the looks department is a constant thorn in his side, especially since Javan is super good looking).

He gets pretty passionate and angry and likes to fight with his fists (this passion later develops into something he tries to use for good instead of his own gain, but nobody's perfect :P).

Has a big mouth.

Likes recognition for his abilities by his elders, works hard on getting stronger but goofs off on things he doesn't want to do. However, he doesn't like the popularity (feels mostly negative) associated with being the disappeared-Mask's son. Doesn't like that kind of pressure to perform, either. Wants to be praised but doesn't want to be overestimated.

Doesn't have close friends even though he seems like a jokester.

Is also a flirt.

All food

Cows. They're yummy.

His sword... well, his fists.

His sword. Asher bonds with Javan over this shared love of the art of swordplay (now an outdated weapon with the arrival of guns, but still heavily used in performance arts and tournaments. Has a lot of traditional significance).

Later maybe it's something Trenna gives him... maybe he doesn't realize what it means to him until he starts to like her... MAYBE THIS SHOULD BE IMPORTANT?

OH. Better idea. MUCH better idea: something of his supposedly-hated father's. Mwahahaha sowing the beginnings of forgiveness in his heart..

Doesn't really have one, until Trenna kind of teaches him to enjoy the beauty of things. Then his favorite color is whatever Trenna happens to be wearing at the time (too bad it takes until the very end of the entire series for him to realize...). OMG SO CHEESY. Dude. Pull yourself together.

Warrior-Nocti

Pro-monarchy

Not very devoted, but believes in what the general public believes in [haven't fleshed it out quite yet], performs the basic rituals just because he's used to it.

September 2

Born to Lord Alexander Valesius, otherwise known as the great Warrior-Nocti Alexander Mask. His father owns an estate and everything, but he never stayed there cuz he was off at the capital doing work. So Asher's uncle and his family basically lives there and runs the place when Mask isn't around. Asher's mom died when he was six, which was the year before he had to go to Warrior-Nocti school, which was very hard for him. He had a tough first couple of years, and every summer when he went back home for two months, his father was basically always gone.

Five-year-old-Asher wanted to be a singer and a dancer that performed at pubs and inns and stuff, and he found out that was called being a minstrel when one happened to visit the house. That guy was basically young Asher's hero for awhile. But his father wouldn't hear of it. He stayed at the Warrior-Nocti school all year round when he was eight to when he was ten. When he was ten, his father disappeared. His father had been distant and a little emotionally abusive, so Asher felt like he never liked him. Bond there was still the bond of father of son deep inside of both of them. Mask happened to disappear at a crucial time in the conquests of the North, so the whole nation was shaken by it. Asher started to feel like a taboo. His uncle's family was alright, they were nice, but not nice enough to win their way into his heart. He basically had nobody. Well, CHOSE to have nobody. He did what he was told at the Warrior-Nocti school, and developed the "funny guy" personality to cope. He made a lot of friends but none of them were close. He sort of made himself try to forget about being sad or depressed about anything, and then cared about superficial things like being popular and stuff. [QUE BEGINNING OF STORY] Eventually he graduates the Warrior-Nocti school when he's fifteen, and then he spends the two moths of summer break with his uncle (which he'll inherit from his father at 16, the age of adulthood), then he gets orders to journey to the capital to begin his internship-like training.

Academically, he's pretty high up there. But his education focused on the Warrior-Nocti stuff.

His sword

What/who would your character die for?
What are some of your characters major flaws?
What would completely break your character?
Who is their best friend/friends
Fondest childhood memory?
What is a hobby they have?
Anything that really annoys them?
Does your character believe it is okay to cry? When was the last time they cried?