Caligenian
The Elder
What price did I pay for these dark powers?"
Full Name: Hadrian Cassius
Birthdate: Martius 12, 55 AD
Personality: The Elder is old, and the elder is ruthless. Before his curse he was greedy and could be cruel, but full of life and always seeking fun and pleasure, friendly and amicable to all but his enemies and always in search of the next high and a good friend to share it with. After his curse, however, he became an empty shell, filled only with hate. All the life taken from him, he is now cruelty and hate incarnate, and will go above and beyond the necessary in the pursuit of his goals.
General History: Hadrian was born in Roman Britain in 55 AD, the son of a reformed druid under Roman rule. He served in the Roman army and proved to be a brilliant commander, leading his forces to victory after victory in the ongoing roman subjugation of his homeland. He enjoyed the fighting, the warfare and the brutality, almost as much as he enjoyed the looting, plundering, and rape of the aftermath. His men knew him as a man of the people, always there to share a drink with and always the first man into the fray, a man full of life and vigor. His enemies knew him as a ruthless master tactician, employing scorched-earth tactics to terrify his foes and slaughtering whole villages to make examples of them, even going as far to force weak villages to surrender and allow his forces in only to pillage the place regardless.
But Hadrian was never quite satisfied. No mater how much gold and how many women he accumulated, regardless of how many battles he won and how many men he killed, it was never enough. He wanted to see more, do more, live more, be more. He flung himself into battle for the adrenaline high and the thrill of violence, but soon even that began to wane as no enemy could stand against him. It was never enough, and he soon fell into a deep depression.
It was in this fugue that his father returned to him, walking boldly into his tent in the middle of his battalion's encampment, unharrassed by any of his guards, though none of them knew the old druid. He revealed to his son that he was not truly a druid, that he followed ways even older than the druidic. He told his son he knew of his pain, and explained to him that it stemmed from what he was. Hadrian didn't understand at first, but when his father offered him that which he lacked, the missing piece in his life that would complete him and fulfill him at last, he did not hesitate to take it... not even as his father warned him of the cost. Heedless in his greed as he was in battle, he demanded the power his father offered... and recieved the curse that came with it. His body withered and decayed before his very eyes, his healthy bronzed skin and muscles hardened by battle atrophying away to nothing. He felt nothing but horror as all sensation left his dying body, trapping his healthy mind in a lifeless husk. His power had come at the cost of what he valued most: life. He could still move, still speak, though his body was decrepit and slow and his voice was hollow and dry. Food offered no flavor or satisfaction, drink could not restore moisture to his withered throat. He was empty and dead in all but his mind, and all he had left was hate. Hate, and time. All the time in the world.
Interests: Only one: Finding the Compass of Aetas, at any cost. It's the only hope he has left, and the only thing he still cares about.
Stress Factors: The Elder would tell you he doesn't feel stress anymore.
Talents:
(1)Tactics and strategy. Hadrian was a brilliant commander and The Elder has had all the time in the world to improve. With all of time at his disposal he can work strategies over centuries and has become more dangerous than ever.
(2)Ruthless. He could be cruel before but with nothing left to lose, The Elder is devoid of all moral constraint, all feelings of remorse. He feels like he's suffered enough for a thousand lifetimes, the suffering of others can't begin to compare so he's earned the right to do as he pleases.
(3)Alliances. He's good at making them. He knew how to make his men love him in his old life, and he's learned to make them fear him in this one. Either way he is masterful at inspiring loyalty and procuring the desires of his men. Machivellian would be an apt descriptor.
Weaknesses:
(1) He's dead. His body is, at any rate. He can move and he can speak but physically he is utterly incapable. He relies wholly on servants, gadgets and machines to do his work for him.
(2) He's proud. Despite his state, or perhaps because of it, he considers himself superior to everyone else. No one has lived as long as him, suffered as much as him, achieved as much as him. But he can let his pride get ahead of him and does not suffer wounds to it lightly.
(3) Angry. With little pleasure left in his existance all he has left is hate an anger. Quick to go into a rage, slow to simmer down, and reckless when he's angry. As the only emotion he has left in bulk his anger is strong and hot and uncontrolled.
Price paid for time travel power: His life. Hadrian had wanted it all, wanted to live life to the fullest, forever, and experience everything there ever was to experience; mere day-to-day was not enough for him, he always had to have it all. He was given it all, given all of time and an eternity to experience it, but the ability to experience anything was taken from him. His body was rendered a lifeless husk into which his mind was bound and trapped. Though his body could be destroyed, his mind would continue to exist in the fragments, doomed to live for ever: the ultimate curse for one who had the ultimate greed.
