NAME: Jonathan Cardenas
GENDER: Man
FACTION: Rudiarii
APPEARANCE: Jonathan is on the lower end of average height and possesses a slim build. He wears his black hair slightly long, but it is usually neatly styled. He also has three small piercings on the upper part of his left ear.
PERSONALITY: Having been torn in various directions for a large portion of his life, Jonathan's outlook on things is defined by a deep sense of ambivalence that forces him to walk a fine line between what most people consider to be right and wrong. Distinguishing between the two is not always an easy task for him, which is compounded by the fact that he feels deeply responsible for his failings. While generous and altruistic almost to a fault, he is very unforgiving towards himself and as a result refrains from forming close attachments out of fear that he will endanger someone he cares about. Rather than isolate himself, Jonathan chooses to dissolve into the background much of the time, weaving sporadically in and out of the lives of those with whom he interacts. Although he is a faithful ally and a staunch defender of the people he protects, he knows when to consider something a lost cause and cut his losses by making a swift exit. For him, living to fight another day is far more important than making a valiant last stand, and anyone claimed as collateral is an extremely regrettable but necessary sacrifice that must be made. Jonathan appreciates the nobility of saving others, but he is also aware that the cost of doing so comes with a certain degree of innate self-preservation and that he can only do so much to help people without risking his own well-being.
TALENT: Conveyance. As an accomplished guide in his life as a Sleeper, Jonathan refined the skills needed to successfully get people from one point to another. More importantly, he excelled at doing this secretly and under less than optimal conditions, a role that he has continued to fulfill after his awakening.
PURVIEW: Psychopomp (Movement)
PURVIEW ABILITIES:
Ferry Souls- Jonathan possesses a preternatural sense of direction that allows him to navigate the myriad twists and turns within the unfathomable structure of the Machine safely and stealthily. This makes him an exceptional guide to anyone needing to make their way from one end of Creation to another. Whether he is in Metropolis or Limbo, Jonathan will be able to instantly determine the best path to reach the destination he has in mind. However, the further he descends into the chaotic realm of Inferno the more difficult it becomes for him to follow the correct course and maintain proper orientation.
Douse- Using this ability, Jonathan can locate those places within the Machine that link Elysium, Limbo and the other realms to one another. Within Limbo, this allows him to find the secret passages leading to other areas of the Machine as well as sense where they will open on the other side.
Peel Back the Veil- In those places where the Lie has grown thin, Jonathan can use his power as an Awakened to tear a small hole in the fabric of the Machine, creating a tunnel leading to Limbo. This requires a great deal of energy in order to execute, and if this power is not borrowed from another source such as a fellow Awakened, it runs the risk of gravely weakening Jonathan or even killing him. The portal he creates will only be large enough to permit one person to pass through at a time, and the longer he tries to keep it open the weaker he becomes. He must also remain in place as an anchor in order to keep the portal open, as it will quickly close when he ceases to channel his power into it. This limits the use of the ability to mainly being an escape technique, which only enables him to either make a quick jump into Limbo himself or send someone else there. Anyone he sends to Limbo may be on their own if he is forced to stay behind after the portal closes, also leaving him alone and in a vulnerable state.
BACKGROUND: Jonathan was born and grew up in the lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, one of four children in a deeply rooted Mexican-American family. From a young age, he experienced living in an environment influenced by two different cultures. His own personal identity was profoundly shaped by his dual heritage, his world occupying a space in between the extremes of Mexico and the United States. Although Jonathan always felt he belonged to both of these worlds in one way or another, his unique circumstance as a product of the two meant he was viewed as an outsider by the people living on opposite sides of the divide between them. With the exception of his close family members and other kids who had grown up in small Texas border towns, no one completely understood what it was like to be him.
Shortly after graduating high school, Jonathan struggled to find direction in his life. Having no real prospects for college or a well-paying job, he became involved in 'coyotaje', the business of secretly transporting people into the U.S from south of the border. An older man who was a friend of Jonathan's parents, himself an experienced 'coyote', took Jonathan in and taught him about the trade. His role at first was minimal, simply picking up border crossers who had made it into the U.S. and driving them to locations where they would then be relayed to another independent part of the network. Gradually he became more entrenched in his mentor's operations, ultimately ending up as a coyote who would guide crossers into the United States while also evading the Border Patrol. Within a few years he had successfully smuggled enough people in to make a name for himself, putting his services in high demand. Jonathan made more and more trips in which he was responsible for seeing across people who were often extremely desperate but also needed someone they felt they could trust. Although he was not always comfortable with taking on the added risk that came with some of these situations, he did his best to do what he was paid to do. Jonathan knew that no matter how many people he helped, it would all end with him behind bars if he was not careful or put himself on the line.
AWAKENING: While on a job in which he was the guide to a family of four, Jonathan set out to lead them across the border into the United States during the pre-dawn hours. The journey started out as planned, but after having to make several stops to hide from border agents they were beginning to get behind schedule. There seemed to be an unusual amount of agents out patrolling for that time and in spots that previously had been largely unchecked and therefore safe to pass through, but Jonathan had to dismiss his growing uneasiness as the hours went on and they were left with less of a window to make it to their stateside pickup destination. As dawn and the oppressive heat of the sun drew closer, he had to urge the family to hurry even as they became exhausted and began to fear the worst. Just shy of the last stop they would take before being picked up, they were spotted and had to try and outrun their pursuers. Although Jonathan had instructed the family to keep up with him no matter what, only he and the father safely got away. The man was determined not to abandon his wife and children, and so he went back to join them rather than try to continue on with Jonathan.
While Jonathan felt conflicted knowing he could have tried to convince the man to follow him and make it out, he knew there was no point in taking on their burden anymore. The fact still remained, however, that now that they had been caught it would be much more difficult than normal for him to successfully make it back home himself. He decided to hide nearby and wait until the border agents had swept the area and left to make his next move. Taking cover in a dried streambed gully obscured by brush, he could still see the family surrounded by agents and their vehicles in the distance. Illuminated by flashlight beams, he watched as the man, woman and their two small children huddled together and prepared to be arrested for deportation. But something wasn't normal. The border agents were not loading them up and driving off. Instead, they seemed to be taking pleasure in terrorizing them, first with search dogs and then by physically assaulting the father. Watching the abuse was horrifying, but Jonathan slowly came to realize they were not merely border agents simply brutalizing their detainees. Their torment of the family continued, growing more and more sadistic and heinous until the father was gradually dismembered in front of his wife and children. As the border agents reveled in the carnage, their forms blurred, taking on hideous, bloated shapes until they no longer resembled anything human. Jonathan was too terrified and incredulous to make any sense of what he was seeing, but his stupor was broken when heard the barking of dogs nearby and saw beams of light swinging through the darkness as they came closer. While he had observed the monstrous creatures massacring the family, another group had been searching the surrounding area and now they were dangerously close to where he had been hiding.
After what he had just witnessed, Jonathan knew he would surely be killed if he was caught. Making a blind dash into the darkness, he raced across the terrain as his pursuers trailed closely behind him. As he ran blindly he fell into a deep ravine and became injured when he hit bottom, but managed to stagger into a narrow cleft in a rock wall. Retreating within the cramped space, he waited until silence was all he heard for more than an hour and the dim glow of twilight appeared outside. Cautiously making his way out of the rocky crevice, Jonathan emerged into a landscape that was completely alien to the one he had left behind. Desolate nothingness stretched as far as he could see, with no sign of any recognizable landmarks that could tell him where he was. He wandered, hurt, hungry and exhausted with no sense of how much time had passed until he collapsed and lost consciousness. When he awoke, there was a group of people encircling him, talking among each other about how he had seen through the Lie and found his way into Limbo on his own. This company of Rudiarii took him in and explained that he was now an Awakened and that nothing would ever be the same.
GENDER: Man
FACTION: Rudiarii
APPEARANCE: Jonathan is on the lower end of average height and possesses a slim build. He wears his black hair slightly long, but it is usually neatly styled. He also has three small piercings on the upper part of his left ear.
PERSONALITY: Having been torn in various directions for a large portion of his life, Jonathan's outlook on things is defined by a deep sense of ambivalence that forces him to walk a fine line between what most people consider to be right and wrong. Distinguishing between the two is not always an easy task for him, which is compounded by the fact that he feels deeply responsible for his failings. While generous and altruistic almost to a fault, he is very unforgiving towards himself and as a result refrains from forming close attachments out of fear that he will endanger someone he cares about. Rather than isolate himself, Jonathan chooses to dissolve into the background much of the time, weaving sporadically in and out of the lives of those with whom he interacts. Although he is a faithful ally and a staunch defender of the people he protects, he knows when to consider something a lost cause and cut his losses by making a swift exit. For him, living to fight another day is far more important than making a valiant last stand, and anyone claimed as collateral is an extremely regrettable but necessary sacrifice that must be made. Jonathan appreciates the nobility of saving others, but he is also aware that the cost of doing so comes with a certain degree of innate self-preservation and that he can only do so much to help people without risking his own well-being.
TALENT: Conveyance. As an accomplished guide in his life as a Sleeper, Jonathan refined the skills needed to successfully get people from one point to another. More importantly, he excelled at doing this secretly and under less than optimal conditions, a role that he has continued to fulfill after his awakening.
PURVIEW: Psychopomp (Movement)
PURVIEW ABILITIES:
Ferry Souls- Jonathan possesses a preternatural sense of direction that allows him to navigate the myriad twists and turns within the unfathomable structure of the Machine safely and stealthily. This makes him an exceptional guide to anyone needing to make their way from one end of Creation to another. Whether he is in Metropolis or Limbo, Jonathan will be able to instantly determine the best path to reach the destination he has in mind. However, the further he descends into the chaotic realm of Inferno the more difficult it becomes for him to follow the correct course and maintain proper orientation.
Douse- Using this ability, Jonathan can locate those places within the Machine that link Elysium, Limbo and the other realms to one another. Within Limbo, this allows him to find the secret passages leading to other areas of the Machine as well as sense where they will open on the other side.
Peel Back the Veil- In those places where the Lie has grown thin, Jonathan can use his power as an Awakened to tear a small hole in the fabric of the Machine, creating a tunnel leading to Limbo. This requires a great deal of energy in order to execute, and if this power is not borrowed from another source such as a fellow Awakened, it runs the risk of gravely weakening Jonathan or even killing him. The portal he creates will only be large enough to permit one person to pass through at a time, and the longer he tries to keep it open the weaker he becomes. He must also remain in place as an anchor in order to keep the portal open, as it will quickly close when he ceases to channel his power into it. This limits the use of the ability to mainly being an escape technique, which only enables him to either make a quick jump into Limbo himself or send someone else there. Anyone he sends to Limbo may be on their own if he is forced to stay behind after the portal closes, also leaving him alone and in a vulnerable state.
BACKGROUND: Jonathan was born and grew up in the lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, one of four children in a deeply rooted Mexican-American family. From a young age, he experienced living in an environment influenced by two different cultures. His own personal identity was profoundly shaped by his dual heritage, his world occupying a space in between the extremes of Mexico and the United States. Although Jonathan always felt he belonged to both of these worlds in one way or another, his unique circumstance as a product of the two meant he was viewed as an outsider by the people living on opposite sides of the divide between them. With the exception of his close family members and other kids who had grown up in small Texas border towns, no one completely understood what it was like to be him.
Shortly after graduating high school, Jonathan struggled to find direction in his life. Having no real prospects for college or a well-paying job, he became involved in 'coyotaje', the business of secretly transporting people into the U.S from south of the border. An older man who was a friend of Jonathan's parents, himself an experienced 'coyote', took Jonathan in and taught him about the trade. His role at first was minimal, simply picking up border crossers who had made it into the U.S. and driving them to locations where they would then be relayed to another independent part of the network. Gradually he became more entrenched in his mentor's operations, ultimately ending up as a coyote who would guide crossers into the United States while also evading the Border Patrol. Within a few years he had successfully smuggled enough people in to make a name for himself, putting his services in high demand. Jonathan made more and more trips in which he was responsible for seeing across people who were often extremely desperate but also needed someone they felt they could trust. Although he was not always comfortable with taking on the added risk that came with some of these situations, he did his best to do what he was paid to do. Jonathan knew that no matter how many people he helped, it would all end with him behind bars if he was not careful or put himself on the line.
AWAKENING: While on a job in which he was the guide to a family of four, Jonathan set out to lead them across the border into the United States during the pre-dawn hours. The journey started out as planned, but after having to make several stops to hide from border agents they were beginning to get behind schedule. There seemed to be an unusual amount of agents out patrolling for that time and in spots that previously had been largely unchecked and therefore safe to pass through, but Jonathan had to dismiss his growing uneasiness as the hours went on and they were left with less of a window to make it to their stateside pickup destination. As dawn and the oppressive heat of the sun drew closer, he had to urge the family to hurry even as they became exhausted and began to fear the worst. Just shy of the last stop they would take before being picked up, they were spotted and had to try and outrun their pursuers. Although Jonathan had instructed the family to keep up with him no matter what, only he and the father safely got away. The man was determined not to abandon his wife and children, and so he went back to join them rather than try to continue on with Jonathan.
While Jonathan felt conflicted knowing he could have tried to convince the man to follow him and make it out, he knew there was no point in taking on their burden anymore. The fact still remained, however, that now that they had been caught it would be much more difficult than normal for him to successfully make it back home himself. He decided to hide nearby and wait until the border agents had swept the area and left to make his next move. Taking cover in a dried streambed gully obscured by brush, he could still see the family surrounded by agents and their vehicles in the distance. Illuminated by flashlight beams, he watched as the man, woman and their two small children huddled together and prepared to be arrested for deportation. But something wasn't normal. The border agents were not loading them up and driving off. Instead, they seemed to be taking pleasure in terrorizing them, first with search dogs and then by physically assaulting the father. Watching the abuse was horrifying, but Jonathan slowly came to realize they were not merely border agents simply brutalizing their detainees. Their torment of the family continued, growing more and more sadistic and heinous until the father was gradually dismembered in front of his wife and children. As the border agents reveled in the carnage, their forms blurred, taking on hideous, bloated shapes until they no longer resembled anything human. Jonathan was too terrified and incredulous to make any sense of what he was seeing, but his stupor was broken when heard the barking of dogs nearby and saw beams of light swinging through the darkness as they came closer. While he had observed the monstrous creatures massacring the family, another group had been searching the surrounding area and now they were dangerously close to where he had been hiding.
After what he had just witnessed, Jonathan knew he would surely be killed if he was caught. Making a blind dash into the darkness, he raced across the terrain as his pursuers trailed closely behind him. As he ran blindly he fell into a deep ravine and became injured when he hit bottom, but managed to stagger into a narrow cleft in a rock wall. Retreating within the cramped space, he waited until silence was all he heard for more than an hour and the dim glow of twilight appeared outside. Cautiously making his way out of the rocky crevice, Jonathan emerged into a landscape that was completely alien to the one he had left behind. Desolate nothingness stretched as far as he could see, with no sign of any recognizable landmarks that could tell him where he was. He wandered, hurt, hungry and exhausted with no sense of how much time had passed until he collapsed and lost consciousness. When he awoke, there was a group of people encircling him, talking among each other about how he had seen through the Lie and found his way into Limbo on his own. This company of Rudiarii took him in and explained that he was now an Awakened and that nothing would ever be the same.
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