Alright! Now that I can actually do it myself, let me send a copy of my character with some of the changes you've gone over. I'm not trying to add the skills you've removed back in, I just didn't have my relationships attached the first time I sent you my version and was looking for feedback. Which I've got! I really like what you've done with the skills though and I'd keep them that way, I don't feel like tinkering with them any more, I'll leave that to you. Maybe it's just me but I did have to google to get more info on the sources of stability/sanity (yes I googled both), although the examples for the sources of sanity were a great help, a couple of examples in the section you've made about sources of stability would've changed everything.
Name : Allen Black
Occupation : Painter
Age : 24 years old
Physical Appearance : Wild and short light brown hair sit in a mess atop his head, seemingly unable to settle on a proper position. His eyes now green, later grey, objectively settle on a hue on a daily basis. His average frame reaches 5'10" in height, and 157 pounds. His angular face often presents a light brown scruff which he refuses to get rid of completely.
Family : Kaethe Black, 20 years old, sister. Ruth Rougefort, 30 years old, step-brother. Both still alive. While his father is dead, his mother is still alive, in her 50's, and married to a slightly older man.
Goal : Wishes to be recognised as a great artist around the world for his slightly darker take on the art form.
Drive : Artistic Sensitivity
Pillars of Sanity :
The beauties of the world. - Although troubling, the man believes that the phenomenas happening around him all are beautiful in their own way. Even death is worthy of the stroke of his brush.
Epicureanism - Allen believes that one has to live life to it's fullest, and won't stop at anything to keep feeding his muse.
Art is eternal - What ever you do or say, art will always be there as a proof of the significance of mankind. The best way to leave something behind is to transform it into art.
Sources of Stability:
Kaethe Black - Loved little sister, a living treasure. Only remain of the love I once carried for my family.
James King - Best friend. A proof you can't judge appearances.
Arriana Lester - Former love interest. Pushed herself into my habits.
Background : "I dreamed of a world in stop motion, a world I could pause at will, if only to capture it's beauty." - Allen
The young boy saw the light of day somewhere in California. Extremely curious and fascinated with everything, the young boy already had made it an obligation to capture everything that fascinated him in a drawing. The peaceful and stress free setting allowed the boy to develop his passion for art while his grades dropped ever so slightly. His father and mother complied and pushed him further towards that path, helping him discover and learn about different forms of art before he settled on painting as a main hobby.
At the age of 15, his father died of a heart disease, which lead the boy to the hospital bed, material in hand. After a lot of arguing with the nurses and doctors present, the teenager managed to get some time alone, which he used to capture his father expression onto a canvas. The painting holds a very important signification to him even to this day. After this incident, his mother stopped supporting his choices as much.
"Don't you understand? That way he's immortal, he'll always be with me." - Allen
Money from his father allowed the now young adult to escape and get a home of his own. His mother had found a new dad for the family, but their relation weren't as good as they used to be, especially with this new step-father in the house. Painting kept him afloat in a small house on the outskirt of town. Money wasn't really a problem, it was more of a way to prove that he could make a living for himself. As long as Allen got his work out in the world, he was happy.
Supernatural Encounter : A group working in the middle of town had hired the man for his services as a painter. It was fairly uncommon, but the group insisted to have their scene immortalised on a canvas. Allen accepted mostly out of curiosity, later discovering the group to be a sort of cult. What he saw that night troubles him to this day, he remember his brush, unable to stop as a morbid fascination forced him to look at what this group had given body to. He remembers panic, fear, deny, extreme agitation from the others. Whatever they were doing, they stopped, pushing back what they had brought. It's hard not to remember with what ease his brush painted the canvas, with what conviction his strokes applied different shades of black and grey. Unable to relive this experience, or remember exactly what it was, the man tried to no avail to replicate the painting. Now convinced that if something was worth painting, it had to do with the occult.
After this discovery, everything seemed blend to the man, who vividly remembered the feelings from that night. In a quest for inspiration he studied the occult and went out of his way to learn from authorities in the subject, a gun in his back pocket, just in case.
Relationships :
Kaethe Black - Chemistry student - 20 years old - Brown hair, green eyes, 5'3" - Younger sister
She's a short woman sporting a cheerful, bubbly personality which never seems to falter in public. Mother and my step dad thankfully still accepts her under their roof, allowing her to focus entirely on her field of study. The only downside being we can't see each others as often as we'd like to. Kaethe stopped believing in god a while ago, after deciding to devote her time to science. She even pushes this a bit further, sometime mocking this whole god idea in our private conversations. She knows my house's always open to her, and take some time off her week to come and admire my new pieces of work. Little sister also managed to teach me some tricks so that I could make some of my colours myself in exchange for my hospitality, she says. I know it doesn't have anything to do with it. Of course, I've used her as a muse a couple of time, my favorite one's hanged in the attic with some of my more personal work. Pieces I'll never sell, no matter the offer.
James King - Military Veteran - 46 years old - Black hair, slowly turning grey, brown eyes, 5'11" - Good friend and client
This large military veteran really surprised me at first. He's stern, rough, has obviously seen a lot of shit, and has a hard time taking no for an answer. His interest in my work really came as a shock, after seeing him hang around some expositions I finally broke the ice. Since then he's been a faithful customer, turns out that stern look hid a strong interest in art. We meet on a fairly regular basis, regular enough to be able to call the man my best friend. Recently we've been hanging more than usual, knowing my interest in the occult could drive me in some dangerous situations I've asked him for advice and basic training. I actually, do have a painting of this man in my attic also. The painting really turned out great, and the man really liked the idea of being a muse for a couple of hours.
Arianna Lester - Doctor - 21 years old - Red hair, grey eyes, 5'5" - Former love interest
My relationship with Arianna's been kind of awkward recently, but I'd still consider the woman to be my best female friend. We met at her job and hit it off from there, she's incredibly charming, slightly introverted, logical, and keen. After a while we figured it wasn't going to work and warned her of that fact, she still acts the same and that's what's been troubling me. Her complete deny of the fact we aren't dating can sometime make things slightly awkward. Anyway, I still like the girl, who's been kind of parasiting my house more than I'd like her to for the past year. She became a part of my life. I've used her as a muse more than once, often at her own demand. Of course I hung my favorite one in the attic, with the others.
Abilities :
General Abilities
4 (4) Athletics
4 (4) Driving
4 (4) Filch
3 (3) Firearms (Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle)
4 (4) First Aid
12 (8) Fleeing
6 (6) Sense Trouble
10 (9) Health
9 (5) Sanity
10 (9) Stability
Total : 56 (9)
Investigative Abilities
Academic
2 (1) Architecture
6 (3) Art History
3 (1) Language (English-SW, StreetTalk-S)
6 (3) Occult Knowledge
1 (1) Theology
Interpersonal
2 (1) Assess Honesty
4 (2) Bargain
4 (2) Flattery
4 (2) Sociology (Art Society, Street Society, Occult Society)
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5 (3) Credit Rating
Technical
8 (4) Art (Painting, Drawing, Sculpting, Jewelry, Singing, Piano, Drums, Pan Flute)