Post by Krepta on Nov 25, 2012 3:48:17 GMT -5
Player: Krepta
Cannon or your own: My Own
Civilian Identity: Maximus Tiberius Straccali
Codename: The Emperor, Maximus Verondi ( assumed identity, Verondi was The Fool's last name, and a name taken by Maximus to retain his identity amongst the normal folk of Timbre Ridge. )
Nicknames: Max, Maxwell, Maxxie, Tiberius, Might Max ( usually only used by those who are very brave, very stupid, or very drunk. )
Gender: Male
Apparent age: Late Thirties.
Age: 3408 years old; born in 1475 BC
Hair: Straight, no curls, very dark brown in color, almost black. He keeps it cut short, but never slicked back or oiled as Maximus likes to keep his hair as natural as possible. It's usually hidden under a fedora of some sort unless he is relaxing in his garden or his office.
Eyes: Maximus's eyes are also a very dark brown, though they may lighten to an amber gold when he's hungry or angry. They seem to glow and flicker with an inner light as well when he's particularly enraged, a sign that he's gathering his powers to him in preparation for a fight or to deliver a blow.
Height and weight: 5'4", 150 lbs.
Appearance: Maximus is a very stern looking man, with dark, glittering eyes, a strong, but wide, roman nose. His jawline and forehead take their shape from his Roman heritage as well, though the exotic shape of his eyes is clearly from a different side of his heritage, likely Persian, or, at least, what used to be Persia. He has a fairly pale complexion, though it seems to make him look more statuesque than sickly. His skin, for the most part, is fairly unblemished, though he is not without scars, and a few pock-marks and small scars can be found here and there from the days before his death, mostly around the knuckles and the rest of his hands, but one on the bottom of his chin as well. He rarely, if ever, is seen with even stubble on his neck or chin, as he prefers to be clean shaven. If he has begun to grow the start of a beard or a mustache, then he has been particularly stressed and distracted as of late.
Despite his position and his seemingly luxurious life style, he looks like he's certainly seen his share of work in his time. If one looks closely, one can see the worry lines that crease his forehead, as well as the ones around his eyes and mouth. He isn't a man who laughs a lot, and he looks the part. Though he seems well bred and aloof, the roughness of his hands gives him away, telling tales of days of hard labor in his youth, before his rise to power.
Despite the time period he was born in, Maximus is about average height for 1933, though very tall for the days where Rome ruled, a time he grew up in. He is a broad shouldered man despite his sight, and not slight in the least. He holds a distinctive presence, and an air of stern confidence, backed by rolling, compact muscle and a powerful, booming voice. It is an authority that he most certainly can back up, and much to his annoyance, an authority he often must.
While out in public he is fond of serious suits, slacks, and shoes, and the occasional fedora on too-sunny or particularly chilly days, though he's not as fond of the hats as many others of the time. He does, however, understand their importance in appearance and meriting respect, however. When he is relaxing, though, he goes hatless, and more leans towards slightly more luxurious, softer articles of clothing. His business clothing is always a solid color, usually some shade of gray, never pinstriped, and his wingtip shoes are always polished to a shine.
However, when in a casual frame of mind ( rarely ), or sequestered away in his office or garden ( often ), he's fonder of wearing a loosely fitting fusion of Ancient Persian and Roman fashion. This usually consists of a long, elaborately fashioned tunic or coat, secured tightly at the waist with a cloth belt, loose fitting, billowing pants, leg wrappings beneath the pants, and over those, short cut leather boots. His dagger, Susa, is named for his beloved pet, and can often be seen tucked fondly into the folds of his belt, always within reach. His favorite belt is cloth, and dark in color, a sort of rich, navy-purple, and is embroidered delicately in silver with faint images of running wolves. However, his outfits vary from day to day, though they are usually dark or muted in color, with the occasional brighter or more vivid belt color.
He also owns a large silver ring with a fairly dark colored ruby in the center. The ring is fairly ornate in it's etchings, with a snarling jaguar molded into one side, and a wolf, similar, on the other side. It is rare that he is seen without the ring, and it is thought to be some kind of family heirloom or crest.
Languages, Writing, and Book Making: Maximus speaks Latin, English, Persian, Chaghatai Turkish, Gaelic, Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Chaghatay, Urdu, and Greek, and can write in their corresponding alphabets as well. He has also written many books and journals in several of these languages, documenting his history, travels, and the things he's seen and heard about his lifetime. His personal library, in fact, would be a historian's dream. Beyond that, these books are expertly bound in high quality leather, and are often artfully decorated and written with fine, bold ink. Maximus is also well trained in the art of ancient Persian Calligraphy.
Vampiric Abilities: Maximus, due to his vampirism, has all the perks that come with the terrible curse, including superstrength, super-speed, a heightened sense of smell, hearing, touch, as well as night-vision. His power heightens as he draws from the strength of his Warren, however, and years of experience has furthered these abilities even more than the typical vampire. To his species, he would be considered of Elder Rank. He is particularly swift compared to others, appearing to flicker in and out of existence at the height of his speed, faster than most eyes can track. He seems to prefer this technique over brute strength, electing to wear his enemies down with quick, darting strikes, or to surprise them with his sheer speed in order to gain the advantage.
However, by this same merit, his sense of taste has been dulled increasingly dulled over time, causing various flavors, drink or food, to be almost non-existent. Because of this, he prefers strong flavors, such as dark teas, though he may still occasionally experience the full force of a food's flavor depending on what his 'donor's' have recently consumed.
Vampires are also extremely durable, and Maximus is no different. Their potent healing abilities allow them to return from the brink of death itself, should they have significant energy and blood supply to do so, healing vast and potentially lethal injuries, depending on the current strength of the vampire. While not bullet-proof in the least, it will take more than a simply punch from a mortal man to even make Maximus blink.
Blood-line Abilities: The abilities Maximus inherited from the one who turned him are indeed potent. He has the ability to charm others with his voice and gaze with a form of hypnosis, potentially overwhelming weaker minds and allowing him to enforce his will upon them. Part of this also involves a skill known as 'Cold-Reading', a learned ability that makes his already natural abilities even more potent.
He can even put on the appearance of reading minds, both with the help of this skill and the aide of some gentle mind-tricks. Tough he cannot actually read minds. It is merely a set of acute observational skills and a clever use of a mix of stage magic and hypnotic suggestion, allowing to make inferences from subtle body language and reactions to what he does and says. Still, in the right circumstances, it can be extremely useful in both intimidation and information gathering.
Both he and his donors were also lucky that he received a slew of abilities useful for making feeding less of an unpleasant and difficult affair. They are common abilities, granted to about roughly half of all existing vampire on in his home dimension. However, as those who do not have them can well attest, it is a lot easier for a vampire who has them to hunt than a vampire who does not. Besides his ability to 'Charm' others, his bite comes with it's own manner of securing his prey so that he may feed in peace. It comes in the form of a kind of venom, though not a true venom, it is closer to a natural drug instead of a poison. However, this is the closest description for it, and like true venom, it is injected into the target through hollow fangs. Like other creatures that have venom, interestingly enough, Maximus also has venom glands, located in the roof of his mouth, just behind his front teeth on either side.
The venom causes a brief weakening of the muscles in victims, as well as a hazy, drugged state of mind, and, blessedly for his victims, it also seems to numb the area on most individuals, though this may instead be the saliva. Maximus has never bothered to find out which or what. It does the job and that's all he cares about.
Lastly, Maximus is capable of taking on the form of a massive, ethereal wolf. This 'wolf' is a physical representation of his power aura, which waxes and wanes with the strength of his Warren. Should he ever lose his place at the top of things, to to speak, it would dwindle considerably, or even vanish completely. He draws strength from his Warren, though not actively, rather drawing it from them in small amounts when ever he is around them and storing it up for later use. Likewise, he can use this ability to lend his own followers power, though it will drain his own reserves, depending on how much is used. He may also call those closest to him from a distance, though this is more unintentional than not, and more a reaction to the feel of his suddenly unfurling power than a direct summons.
The wolf is black in coloration, and almost ghostly in appearance, translucent, almost in places like the legs and the tail. They leave off in ragged edges, as if they had been torn away, though if struck, one will most certainly notice the opposite. The wolf is about the size of a grizzly bear, and seems to be quite a bit longer in the waist and large in the chest than the typical wolf. In this form, Maximus can slip under doors, vanish through cracks in walls, and seemingly pass through completely solid objects, becoming intangible at will. In reality, he's not completely becoming intangible, but turning into a fine mist in order to slip through cracks and crevices. Were an area or object to be completely sealed, he would not be able to pass through it.
Frighteningly enough, he can solidify himself again at will, and to differing degrees without harm to himself. In the distant past, though this ability is used rarely, he has been known to slip into another's veins, lungs, or other internal organs, only to slowly re-solidify and expand, slowly and painfully killing the individual, or otherwise seriously harming them.
In relation to his ability to turn into a mist-like substance, this form of his seems to be connected somehow to both the elements of darkness and wind, and he can use his connection to it to draw in shadows or to call wind, though the extents of this ability are unknown.
While calling upon these elements or using his Aura's form, he seems to avoid great bodies of water. Though they don't seem to harm him greatly, he seems to have trouble fighting against them, and there is a great risk of them sweeping him away, should he get caught in the currents, to who-knows-where.
Other Abilities: Maximus is a fairly intimidating man, and often uses that to his advantage-- however, he is fully capable of manipulating people in other ways, and often does. Thankfully, he's also a ( mostly ) fair leader and a good businessman who seems to have a knack for figuring people out and squirming out of difficult situations. Some of his other miscellaneous abilities include metalworking, stone masonry, weaving, paper making, and animal husbandry ( particularly horses and doves ).
Equipment: A dagger named Susa, after his pet jaguar of the same name. The dagger is made from Damascus Steel, and is in the shape of a snarling jaguar head at the hilt. The hilt itself is jet, with gold at the base, and the top of the blade as well, spiraling down in ornate designs until it reaches a ruby embedded in the middle of the blade. The eyes of the jaguar are rubies as well, and the exposed teeth are made from a darker variety of gold. The sheath Maximus carries it in is made of a fine black leather, inlaid with more gold.
Origin of Abilities: Vampirism, other abilities gathered and learned over time.
Weaknesses: Maximus also avoids water while in his wolf form because he is, essentially, a spirit while shifted and water is well known for carrying spirits away. No one's sure why, but Maximus, even if it won't kill him, has no desire to be dragged away downstream to who-knows-where.
Personalty: Maximus is a private man, and doesn't like to be bothered unless it's something important. He often keeps to himself within his office, though occasionally ventures down to The Dregs to observe his people and the going ons of his business. He is also a man who doesn't like failure. It could be very, very bad for you if Maximus deems that you've failed him. Susa is fond of failures, however. Can't you see how much he likes them by the way he licks his lips at them?
Thankfully for his underlings, he's also a fair man ( usually ), and sometimes a believer in second chances ( if you catch him in a good mood. ) He protects his people the best he can and takes his duties very seriously ( like he takes everything else as well, including his coffee ), and will both die and kill to do so.
Of course, there's a flip side to every coin, and despite his stoic nature, Maximus has been known to often be caught in nostalgic moods. This is most seen through the love of his horses, several thorough-bred racing and hunting breeds of various shapes and sizes. His horses are held in very high esteem, and he ensures that they are only given the best of treatment. They are housed in the barn, along with the larger residents of the property, and the room directly next to their stables is often unoccupied, as Maximus will only allow the most prestigious of guest to reside next to his beloved horses.
Another reflection of this is the private garden he keeps, fenced in just behind the mansion. It's a fair expansive garden, with many different flowers and plants, though many of them are edible, and most of them the fruit bearing kind of edible. The garden is also home to his caged doves, again, various breeds, and a small, probably illegal private zoo. Then again, were any normal human being to stumble upon the zoo, they'd have a lot more to worry about than the odd lion or bear, for Maximus has a habit of collecting the odd feral creature that comes through the rift as well. Susa is often housed here when Maximus is away on business. Ironically, though Maximus can often be found sitting in his beloved garden, dining away on a habitual afternoon treat of tea, finger sandwiches, and a plate of steamed, salted fava beans with vinegar, he doesn't actually tend the garden himself. That job is usually reserved for punishing underlings ( usually by forcing them to weed or feed/tend the cages of the carnivores ), or a favored gardener or two.
Background: Maximus was born in the 15th century and was born into a vast and powerful empire we now know as Ancient Rome. Unfortunately, by the time Maximus was born, Rome was but a mere shadow of it's previous splendor and long on it's way out. He didn't remain there long, electing, with his family, to get out while the getting out was good. This landed him in a section of what was then known as the Timurid Dynasty. In his living years, he was part of a lower class farming family, though his life was not unpleasant. He married once, into slightly higher status, and eventually became the head of his house-hold, though he never produced any children, and thusly had no heirs.
It turned out, it wouldn't matter. After Maximus's wife fell to a mysterious illness, he fell into a deep state of despair. With only his sister left to him, he began to seek out the most dangerous places and activities possible. Horse racing, gambling, hunting-- He developed a true taste for the dangerous side of life. A taste which eventually led him into the arms of another lover, one who was no at all what she seemed. For a while, he was content, bathing in the glow of what seemed to be such a wild and passionate lover.
Unfortunately, she was also a fairly possessive lover, and though she eventually tired of him, casting him away like a used toy, she made sure to leave her mark on him, ensuring that he would never, ever forget her. She turned him.
Despite the unfortunate event of his death, and shortly after, undeath, Maximus was able to use his new-found abilities to his advantage, rising in power and wealth. He used his new power in hopes of finding his ex-lover, to take revenge upon her for what she had done to him. Sadly for him, he never did find her.
Eventually things led him to the Americas, tired of a land torn through the ages by war and strife. Perhaps in these 'Americas', he thought, he would find a new beginning, a new chance at life--- so to speak.
And for the most part, he did. Eventually, rumors led him to be reunited with his sister, and she with him, though both found forgiveness difficult ( seen even these days ). With her, he helped establish a new warren, under the partial rule of a third, a powerful mage who declared that there was vast, untapped potential in the untamed land they had settled in.
That mage, of course, was a being who later who became known as The Fool for tearing open the fabric of time and space itself in his quest for power, and creating the rift that still gapes wide within the confines of the Verondi Lands.
When the Prohibition hit, Maximus seized the opportunity to further his power and wealth, turning the cave system beneath the rift into The Dregs, a speakeasy for the local 'freaks', and a haven for all those misplaced in the universe by the rifts ( as long as they follow the rules... his rules, that is. )
Hobbies:
Garden Sitting
When not in his office or tending to The Dregs or Rift business, Maximus can often be found relaxing in his garden, either indulging in afternoon tea, tending to his animals, or wittling away the time. His garden is where he goes to find peace, and it's usually a bad idea to disturb him, but an even worse idea to trespass without his permission. It would not be unlike Maximus to threaten errant visitors to his sanctuary with Susa, his leopard.
Books and Artifacts
Maximus has a wide range of artifacts and books within his house-hold, many of which he's written or made himself over his lifetime, but others of which he has procured from various sources and civilizations over time. In fact, his private collection would make some curators green with envy, and he takes great pride in this fact, forever adding to his hoard.
Animals
Maximus prides himself on being able to tame just about any beast, from wyvern to mutt, and often does so as a hobby. While he doesn't tend to his garden himself, he does do most of the work when it comes to his animals, aside from saving some particularly unpleasant tasks for followers and guests who have miss-stepped. In fact, he finds the training and tending to his animals relaxing, particularly his birds and horses, and of course, Susa, whom he considers his crowning glory, as well as closest companion.
Base of Operations: Timbre Ridge, South Dakota ( The Nexus )
Criminal Record: None that they can prove.
Other: Pet Amur leopard named Susa, pronounced "Shush". Susa is very dear to him, and any harm that comes his way usually results a lot of pain and suffering for the foolish individual who dared. Likewise, Susa is often used to dispose of and punish those who displease Maximus. Luckily for visitors, he is both highly intelligent and very well trained, almost frighteningly so. Susa will come when called, and seems to obey any command his master gives him, but he still retains a wide, ruby studded collar and matching lead, likely only for show.
Cannon or your own: My Own
Civilian Identity: Maximus Tiberius Straccali
Codename: The Emperor, Maximus Verondi ( assumed identity, Verondi was The Fool's last name, and a name taken by Maximus to retain his identity amongst the normal folk of Timbre Ridge. )
Nicknames: Max, Maxwell, Maxxie, Tiberius, Might Max ( usually only used by those who are very brave, very stupid, or very drunk. )
Gender: Male
Apparent age: Late Thirties.
Age: 3408 years old; born in 1475 BC
Hair: Straight, no curls, very dark brown in color, almost black. He keeps it cut short, but never slicked back or oiled as Maximus likes to keep his hair as natural as possible. It's usually hidden under a fedora of some sort unless he is relaxing in his garden or his office.
Eyes: Maximus's eyes are also a very dark brown, though they may lighten to an amber gold when he's hungry or angry. They seem to glow and flicker with an inner light as well when he's particularly enraged, a sign that he's gathering his powers to him in preparation for a fight or to deliver a blow.
Height and weight: 5'4", 150 lbs.
Appearance: Maximus is a very stern looking man, with dark, glittering eyes, a strong, but wide, roman nose. His jawline and forehead take their shape from his Roman heritage as well, though the exotic shape of his eyes is clearly from a different side of his heritage, likely Persian, or, at least, what used to be Persia. He has a fairly pale complexion, though it seems to make him look more statuesque than sickly. His skin, for the most part, is fairly unblemished, though he is not without scars, and a few pock-marks and small scars can be found here and there from the days before his death, mostly around the knuckles and the rest of his hands, but one on the bottom of his chin as well. He rarely, if ever, is seen with even stubble on his neck or chin, as he prefers to be clean shaven. If he has begun to grow the start of a beard or a mustache, then he has been particularly stressed and distracted as of late.
Despite his position and his seemingly luxurious life style, he looks like he's certainly seen his share of work in his time. If one looks closely, one can see the worry lines that crease his forehead, as well as the ones around his eyes and mouth. He isn't a man who laughs a lot, and he looks the part. Though he seems well bred and aloof, the roughness of his hands gives him away, telling tales of days of hard labor in his youth, before his rise to power.
Despite the time period he was born in, Maximus is about average height for 1933, though very tall for the days where Rome ruled, a time he grew up in. He is a broad shouldered man despite his sight, and not slight in the least. He holds a distinctive presence, and an air of stern confidence, backed by rolling, compact muscle and a powerful, booming voice. It is an authority that he most certainly can back up, and much to his annoyance, an authority he often must.
While out in public he is fond of serious suits, slacks, and shoes, and the occasional fedora on too-sunny or particularly chilly days, though he's not as fond of the hats as many others of the time. He does, however, understand their importance in appearance and meriting respect, however. When he is relaxing, though, he goes hatless, and more leans towards slightly more luxurious, softer articles of clothing. His business clothing is always a solid color, usually some shade of gray, never pinstriped, and his wingtip shoes are always polished to a shine.
However, when in a casual frame of mind ( rarely ), or sequestered away in his office or garden ( often ), he's fonder of wearing a loosely fitting fusion of Ancient Persian and Roman fashion. This usually consists of a long, elaborately fashioned tunic or coat, secured tightly at the waist with a cloth belt, loose fitting, billowing pants, leg wrappings beneath the pants, and over those, short cut leather boots. His dagger, Susa, is named for his beloved pet, and can often be seen tucked fondly into the folds of his belt, always within reach. His favorite belt is cloth, and dark in color, a sort of rich, navy-purple, and is embroidered delicately in silver with faint images of running wolves. However, his outfits vary from day to day, though they are usually dark or muted in color, with the occasional brighter or more vivid belt color.
He also owns a large silver ring with a fairly dark colored ruby in the center. The ring is fairly ornate in it's etchings, with a snarling jaguar molded into one side, and a wolf, similar, on the other side. It is rare that he is seen without the ring, and it is thought to be some kind of family heirloom or crest.
Abilities
Languages, Writing, and Book Making: Maximus speaks Latin, English, Persian, Chaghatai Turkish, Gaelic, Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Chaghatay, Urdu, and Greek, and can write in their corresponding alphabets as well. He has also written many books and journals in several of these languages, documenting his history, travels, and the things he's seen and heard about his lifetime. His personal library, in fact, would be a historian's dream. Beyond that, these books are expertly bound in high quality leather, and are often artfully decorated and written with fine, bold ink. Maximus is also well trained in the art of ancient Persian Calligraphy.
Vampiric Abilities: Maximus, due to his vampirism, has all the perks that come with the terrible curse, including superstrength, super-speed, a heightened sense of smell, hearing, touch, as well as night-vision. His power heightens as he draws from the strength of his Warren, however, and years of experience has furthered these abilities even more than the typical vampire. To his species, he would be considered of Elder Rank. He is particularly swift compared to others, appearing to flicker in and out of existence at the height of his speed, faster than most eyes can track. He seems to prefer this technique over brute strength, electing to wear his enemies down with quick, darting strikes, or to surprise them with his sheer speed in order to gain the advantage.
However, by this same merit, his sense of taste has been dulled increasingly dulled over time, causing various flavors, drink or food, to be almost non-existent. Because of this, he prefers strong flavors, such as dark teas, though he may still occasionally experience the full force of a food's flavor depending on what his 'donor's' have recently consumed.
Vampires are also extremely durable, and Maximus is no different. Their potent healing abilities allow them to return from the brink of death itself, should they have significant energy and blood supply to do so, healing vast and potentially lethal injuries, depending on the current strength of the vampire. While not bullet-proof in the least, it will take more than a simply punch from a mortal man to even make Maximus blink.
Blood-line Abilities: The abilities Maximus inherited from the one who turned him are indeed potent. He has the ability to charm others with his voice and gaze with a form of hypnosis, potentially overwhelming weaker minds and allowing him to enforce his will upon them. Part of this also involves a skill known as 'Cold-Reading', a learned ability that makes his already natural abilities even more potent.
He can even put on the appearance of reading minds, both with the help of this skill and the aide of some gentle mind-tricks. Tough he cannot actually read minds. It is merely a set of acute observational skills and a clever use of a mix of stage magic and hypnotic suggestion, allowing to make inferences from subtle body language and reactions to what he does and says. Still, in the right circumstances, it can be extremely useful in both intimidation and information gathering.
Both he and his donors were also lucky that he received a slew of abilities useful for making feeding less of an unpleasant and difficult affair. They are common abilities, granted to about roughly half of all existing vampire on in his home dimension. However, as those who do not have them can well attest, it is a lot easier for a vampire who has them to hunt than a vampire who does not. Besides his ability to 'Charm' others, his bite comes with it's own manner of securing his prey so that he may feed in peace. It comes in the form of a kind of venom, though not a true venom, it is closer to a natural drug instead of a poison. However, this is the closest description for it, and like true venom, it is injected into the target through hollow fangs. Like other creatures that have venom, interestingly enough, Maximus also has venom glands, located in the roof of his mouth, just behind his front teeth on either side.
The venom causes a brief weakening of the muscles in victims, as well as a hazy, drugged state of mind, and, blessedly for his victims, it also seems to numb the area on most individuals, though this may instead be the saliva. Maximus has never bothered to find out which or what. It does the job and that's all he cares about.
Lastly, Maximus is capable of taking on the form of a massive, ethereal wolf. This 'wolf' is a physical representation of his power aura, which waxes and wanes with the strength of his Warren. Should he ever lose his place at the top of things, to to speak, it would dwindle considerably, or even vanish completely. He draws strength from his Warren, though not actively, rather drawing it from them in small amounts when ever he is around them and storing it up for later use. Likewise, he can use this ability to lend his own followers power, though it will drain his own reserves, depending on how much is used. He may also call those closest to him from a distance, though this is more unintentional than not, and more a reaction to the feel of his suddenly unfurling power than a direct summons.
The wolf is black in coloration, and almost ghostly in appearance, translucent, almost in places like the legs and the tail. They leave off in ragged edges, as if they had been torn away, though if struck, one will most certainly notice the opposite. The wolf is about the size of a grizzly bear, and seems to be quite a bit longer in the waist and large in the chest than the typical wolf. In this form, Maximus can slip under doors, vanish through cracks in walls, and seemingly pass through completely solid objects, becoming intangible at will. In reality, he's not completely becoming intangible, but turning into a fine mist in order to slip through cracks and crevices. Were an area or object to be completely sealed, he would not be able to pass through it.
Frighteningly enough, he can solidify himself again at will, and to differing degrees without harm to himself. In the distant past, though this ability is used rarely, he has been known to slip into another's veins, lungs, or other internal organs, only to slowly re-solidify and expand, slowly and painfully killing the individual, or otherwise seriously harming them.
In relation to his ability to turn into a mist-like substance, this form of his seems to be connected somehow to both the elements of darkness and wind, and he can use his connection to it to draw in shadows or to call wind, though the extents of this ability are unknown.
While calling upon these elements or using his Aura's form, he seems to avoid great bodies of water. Though they don't seem to harm him greatly, he seems to have trouble fighting against them, and there is a great risk of them sweeping him away, should he get caught in the currents, to who-knows-where.
Other Abilities: Maximus is a fairly intimidating man, and often uses that to his advantage-- however, he is fully capable of manipulating people in other ways, and often does. Thankfully, he's also a ( mostly ) fair leader and a good businessman who seems to have a knack for figuring people out and squirming out of difficult situations. Some of his other miscellaneous abilities include metalworking, stone masonry, weaving, paper making, and animal husbandry ( particularly horses and doves ).
Equipment: A dagger named Susa, after his pet jaguar of the same name. The dagger is made from Damascus Steel, and is in the shape of a snarling jaguar head at the hilt. The hilt itself is jet, with gold at the base, and the top of the blade as well, spiraling down in ornate designs until it reaches a ruby embedded in the middle of the blade. The eyes of the jaguar are rubies as well, and the exposed teeth are made from a darker variety of gold. The sheath Maximus carries it in is made of a fine black leather, inlaid with more gold.
Origin of Abilities: Vampirism, other abilities gathered and learned over time.
Weaknesses: Maximus also avoids water while in his wolf form because he is, essentially, a spirit while shifted and water is well known for carrying spirits away. No one's sure why, but Maximus, even if it won't kill him, has no desire to be dragged away downstream to who-knows-where.
Personalty: Maximus is a private man, and doesn't like to be bothered unless it's something important. He often keeps to himself within his office, though occasionally ventures down to The Dregs to observe his people and the going ons of his business. He is also a man who doesn't like failure. It could be very, very bad for you if Maximus deems that you've failed him. Susa is fond of failures, however. Can't you see how much he likes them by the way he licks his lips at them?
Thankfully for his underlings, he's also a fair man ( usually ), and sometimes a believer in second chances ( if you catch him in a good mood. ) He protects his people the best he can and takes his duties very seriously ( like he takes everything else as well, including his coffee ), and will both die and kill to do so.
Of course, there's a flip side to every coin, and despite his stoic nature, Maximus has been known to often be caught in nostalgic moods. This is most seen through the love of his horses, several thorough-bred racing and hunting breeds of various shapes and sizes. His horses are held in very high esteem, and he ensures that they are only given the best of treatment. They are housed in the barn, along with the larger residents of the property, and the room directly next to their stables is often unoccupied, as Maximus will only allow the most prestigious of guest to reside next to his beloved horses.
Another reflection of this is the private garden he keeps, fenced in just behind the mansion. It's a fair expansive garden, with many different flowers and plants, though many of them are edible, and most of them the fruit bearing kind of edible. The garden is also home to his caged doves, again, various breeds, and a small, probably illegal private zoo. Then again, were any normal human being to stumble upon the zoo, they'd have a lot more to worry about than the odd lion or bear, for Maximus has a habit of collecting the odd feral creature that comes through the rift as well. Susa is often housed here when Maximus is away on business. Ironically, though Maximus can often be found sitting in his beloved garden, dining away on a habitual afternoon treat of tea, finger sandwiches, and a plate of steamed, salted fava beans with vinegar, he doesn't actually tend the garden himself. That job is usually reserved for punishing underlings ( usually by forcing them to weed or feed/tend the cages of the carnivores ), or a favored gardener or two.
Background: Maximus was born in the 15th century and was born into a vast and powerful empire we now know as Ancient Rome. Unfortunately, by the time Maximus was born, Rome was but a mere shadow of it's previous splendor and long on it's way out. He didn't remain there long, electing, with his family, to get out while the getting out was good. This landed him in a section of what was then known as the Timurid Dynasty. In his living years, he was part of a lower class farming family, though his life was not unpleasant. He married once, into slightly higher status, and eventually became the head of his house-hold, though he never produced any children, and thusly had no heirs.
It turned out, it wouldn't matter. After Maximus's wife fell to a mysterious illness, he fell into a deep state of despair. With only his sister left to him, he began to seek out the most dangerous places and activities possible. Horse racing, gambling, hunting-- He developed a true taste for the dangerous side of life. A taste which eventually led him into the arms of another lover, one who was no at all what she seemed. For a while, he was content, bathing in the glow of what seemed to be such a wild and passionate lover.
Unfortunately, she was also a fairly possessive lover, and though she eventually tired of him, casting him away like a used toy, she made sure to leave her mark on him, ensuring that he would never, ever forget her. She turned him.
Despite the unfortunate event of his death, and shortly after, undeath, Maximus was able to use his new-found abilities to his advantage, rising in power and wealth. He used his new power in hopes of finding his ex-lover, to take revenge upon her for what she had done to him. Sadly for him, he never did find her.
Eventually things led him to the Americas, tired of a land torn through the ages by war and strife. Perhaps in these 'Americas', he thought, he would find a new beginning, a new chance at life--- so to speak.
And for the most part, he did. Eventually, rumors led him to be reunited with his sister, and she with him, though both found forgiveness difficult ( seen even these days ). With her, he helped establish a new warren, under the partial rule of a third, a powerful mage who declared that there was vast, untapped potential in the untamed land they had settled in.
That mage, of course, was a being who later who became known as The Fool for tearing open the fabric of time and space itself in his quest for power, and creating the rift that still gapes wide within the confines of the Verondi Lands.
When the Prohibition hit, Maximus seized the opportunity to further his power and wealth, turning the cave system beneath the rift into The Dregs, a speakeasy for the local 'freaks', and a haven for all those misplaced in the universe by the rifts ( as long as they follow the rules... his rules, that is. )
Hobbies:
Garden Sitting
When not in his office or tending to The Dregs or Rift business, Maximus can often be found relaxing in his garden, either indulging in afternoon tea, tending to his animals, or wittling away the time. His garden is where he goes to find peace, and it's usually a bad idea to disturb him, but an even worse idea to trespass without his permission. It would not be unlike Maximus to threaten errant visitors to his sanctuary with Susa, his leopard.
Books and Artifacts
Maximus has a wide range of artifacts and books within his house-hold, many of which he's written or made himself over his lifetime, but others of which he has procured from various sources and civilizations over time. In fact, his private collection would make some curators green with envy, and he takes great pride in this fact, forever adding to his hoard.
Animals
Maximus prides himself on being able to tame just about any beast, from wyvern to mutt, and often does so as a hobby. While he doesn't tend to his garden himself, he does do most of the work when it comes to his animals, aside from saving some particularly unpleasant tasks for followers and guests who have miss-stepped. In fact, he finds the training and tending to his animals relaxing, particularly his birds and horses, and of course, Susa, whom he considers his crowning glory, as well as closest companion.
Base of Operations: Timbre Ridge, South Dakota ( The Nexus )
Criminal Record: None that they can prove.
Other: Pet Amur leopard named Susa, pronounced "Shush". Susa is very dear to him, and any harm that comes his way usually results a lot of pain and suffering for the foolish individual who dared. Likewise, Susa is often used to dispose of and punish those who displease Maximus. Luckily for visitors, he is both highly intelligent and very well trained, almost frighteningly so. Susa will come when called, and seems to obey any command his master gives him, but he still retains a wide, ruby studded collar and matching lead, likely only for show.