Post by TheAmazingBoshy on Mar 30, 2013 22:32:45 GMT -5
Basic Information
Name: Vallus Rovengauld
Aliases: "Blackbird", "The Birdman"
Player: TheAmazingBoshy
Spoken Quote Color:
Normal: "I'm borrowing this. Indefinitely! Please and thank you, of course."
Demonic: "I will not let you harm these innocent people. I will not allow it."
Skimming the Surface
Age: 150+ Years (Looks like early 30's, age extended by demonic influence)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Theme Song:
Appearance:
(More to come)
Statistics
Home Plane: Ravnica
Mana Alignment: U/B
Specialization: Invisibility, Cloning, and Shape-Shifting. Also a savant of counter-magic.
Weakness: Unable to summon creatures at all.
Behind the Mask
Personality: Despite the intimidating look of his mask and outfit, Blackbird is actually a very pleasant and warm individual. Blackbird harbors a mutual respect for people of all races and walks of life, and will frequently go out of his way to help others if they so need it. He is also very charismatic and arrogant, not above boasting his deeds in the taverns and bars that he frequents across the Blind Eternities. These two traits of his personality often clash, as Blackbird's persona is that of a cocky master thief, but when push comes to shove, he will always remember that Vallus Rovengauld is a kind, compassionate man that would do anything for his fellow man.
Blackbird is also pretty silly as well, not above cracking jokes and pulling ridiculous antics even in the face of danger. This is usually infuriating to any law enforcement officer that is currently trying to apprehend him.
Backstory:
The Rovengauld family was a very long line of law keepers and military heroes on the plane of Ravnica, their heritage rich and steeped in the ideals of philanthropy, righteousness, and public service. As one of the biggest and most influential families in the Azorius Senate, as well as the Boros Legion, members of the Rovengauld family were bred from birth to uphold the law and help their fellow men in whatever way they needed. The Rovengauld family was also extremely in-tune with the mana of the plane, causing a great many of them to become great and powerful mages. It was said in hushed tones that one day, perhaps even a Planeswalker would be born among their kin.
The day finally came with Vallus's birth, his small body harboring a distinct Planeswalker spark that caused him to radiate mana even as an infant. The eldest of the family at the time could feel his unbridled potential as a mage, and so as he grew older, his family worked with him to cultivate his powers and shape him into one of their greatest successes. Through his training, Vallus found that he was most adept with blue mana, finding great difficulty with the unpredictability of red. He used his powers to study and learn, hoping one day to become a famous arrester for the Azorius Senate, much to the delight of his kin.
However, fate had other plans for the Rovengauld family. Sick and tired of his guild constantly being victimized by the law enforcement on Ravnica, the dread demon Rakdos saw fit that his guild should deliver a crippling blow to the Azorius Senate and the Boros Legion. He couldn't just attack the guilds directly, however, as doing such would be considered an act of war. Instead, he decided to destroy the next best thing, which was the family that supplied the best enforcers and senators to both guilds: The Rovengauld family. In a single day, every house that held a member of the Rovengauld family was viciously and mercilessly attacked in one of the greatest Rakdos-related brutality incidents that Ravnica had ever seen. In the main manor-house, as Vallus sat petrified among his slain parents and kinsmen, the Rakdos cultists who had committed the atrocious slaughter moved in to strike down the last remaining Rovengauld. His heart beating faster and faster, he desperately looked for a way out, but could find none. And then it happened. In a flash of blue light, Vallus's Planeswalker spark ignited at the vulnerable age of 17, and he was flung through the Blind Eternities like a ragdoll.
When Vallus opened his bloodshot, tear-stained eyes, he was in a world unlike anything he had ever known. Instead of large buildings and winding districts, only the darkness of the cold, unforgiving forest greeted him. Finding his bearings and sneaking through the dark wood, he found himself at a human-established settlement known as Threban. He entered, and was immediately accosted by the cathars of the town, checking him to make sure he was not a denizen of the night. Through these men, he learned that he had brought himself unwillingly to a plane known as Innistrad, and that the humans of this plane were very much more prey than they were predators, constantly being hunted by the vicious shadows of evil beings such as Vampires and Zombies. At this point, he understood what he must do. With his entire family completely and utterly erased from existence, he decided to live the rest of his days in Innistrad, using his newly-found powers to help humanity survive on this ruthless plane of existence.
For several years, he grew to love his new home, not once ever thinking to use his planeswalking powers to visit anywhere else. His power grew, and his connection to blue mana helped him to pacify and dispatch countless numbers of unhallowed hordes, and as such, he came to be a very respected member of Threban's community. One day, his paths crossed with a female cathar named Bridget that was particularly adept with white mana, her compassionate and kind heart reaching out to Vallus on a deep emotional level. Eventually the two grew to fall in love, and were wed on Vallus's 40'th birthday. After a year or so, the two conceived a child, and was born into the world as James Rovengauld, Vallus's first and only son.
Ten years after James was born, however, a plague swept across Threban that caused a slow, painful death through necrosis of the organs. Unfortunately, Bridget was one of the people who were afflicted with the disease, and was rendered bedridden for weeks. In a panic to bring his wife back to health, Vallus turned to the cathars and priests of Innistrad in order to look for a cure for the disease that Bridget had contracted, but could find none. Now at the end of his rope and desperate for any solution that he could find, he decided to turn to the very evil he sought to destroy for one final chance at saving his wife's life; demon cultists. After agreeing to meet with their master, he was soon face-to-face with the most ancient evil that Innistrad had ever known: Griselbrand.
Pleading on his hands and knees, Vallus offered anything that the demon wanted in order to save his beloved. He offered his belongings, his power, even his own life in exchange for the power to give Bridget the peace she deserved. Griselbrand grew into a cruel grin, and told Vallus that he would indeed give him the power to give Bridget peace from her disease, but in exchange, Vallus would become Griselbrand's faithful servant for the rest of his life, which would also be extended greatly by Griselbrand's powerful black mana in order to make sure that Vallus stuck around long enough for the deal to be in his favor. Vallus, competely out of options, agreed. In a flash, a surge of raw power flowed into Vallus's body, causing his flesh to return back to the prime of his youth and his connection to mana to strengthen even more than was already so. The deal had been made.
With haste, he returned to his wife and ten-year-old son James in order to use this new fantastic power to rid Bridget of her disease. He layed his on her body, and channeled his new power, but his relief quickly turned to absolute horror as his mana corrupted right before his eyes, entering Bridgets body and destroying it utterly and completely. Griselbrand had promised Vallus that Bridget would know peace, and since her body was completely destroyed, she would live in the Blessed Sleep for eternity without fear of being reanimated.
The black mana from Griselbrand's magic began to consume Vallus's body, and for a moment, it seemed that he would become a mindless servant to the demon due to its corruptive nature. However, thanks to Vallus's Planeswalker spark, he was able to contain and control the black mana that had been introduced to him. Enraged and betrayed, he left his son in the care of the priests of Thraben, and began his one-man assault on the disciples of Griselbrand with his newly-gained black magic. For a solid week, Vallus hunted down and slaughtered followers of the demon in an attempt to find him personally and slay him. He finally learned of the location where Griselbrand operated from, and when he arrived, he found no one there. Griselbrand had been imprisoned inside of the Helvault at the time, and as such, had no power over Vallus, but nor could Vallus enact his revenge.
Ashamed and guilt-ridden for his hasty actions regarding his wife and his own corruption, he decided that he was unfit to raise a child or defend the humans of Innistrad, and left James an orphan on Innistrad to become a cathar. For the first time in 33 years, Vallus channeled his powers as a Planeswalker, and left his home on Innistrad to return to the place of his birth, Ravnica.
Returning to his old home, he found that the manor-house of the Rovengaulds had been rebuilt and refurnished into a mansion where members of the Azorius Senate could convene on their downtime. Not having the money to repurchase what was his, and unwilling to become a mercenary to raise the funds, he decided to begin his life completely new by switching the side of the law he was on by becoming a thief. He created a suit and mask that resembled that of a raven, and became one of the most infamous and successful master thieves that Ravnica had ever known. Vallus Rovengauld had died that day, but in his stead, Blackbird was born. Blackbird eventually gathered enough money through the black market that he was able to re-purchase the Rovengauld manor, and since that day, he has lived in his old family home.
He still roams the streets of Ravnica, scoping out the most valuable and expensive trinkets and jewels that he can get his hands on. With his own needs taken care of, he now seeks to use his ill-gotten money to give back to the needy and destitute of Ravnica. He has since long forgotten about his ability to use black mana, but on occasion, will turn to it in order to achieve his means by amplifying his power greatly.
What became of James Rovengauld, his son, is a mystery left unknown.
Name: Vallus Rovengauld
Aliases: "Blackbird", "The Birdman"
Player: TheAmazingBoshy
Spoken Quote Color:
Normal: "I'm borrowing this. Indefinitely! Please and thank you, of course."
Demonic: "I will not let you harm these innocent people. I will not allow it."
Skimming the Surface
Age: 150+ Years (Looks like early 30's, age extended by demonic influence)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Theme Song:
Appearance:
(More to come)
Statistics
Home Plane: Ravnica
Mana Alignment: U/B
Specialization: Invisibility, Cloning, and Shape-Shifting. Also a savant of counter-magic.
Weakness: Unable to summon creatures at all.
Behind the Mask
Personality: Despite the intimidating look of his mask and outfit, Blackbird is actually a very pleasant and warm individual. Blackbird harbors a mutual respect for people of all races and walks of life, and will frequently go out of his way to help others if they so need it. He is also very charismatic and arrogant, not above boasting his deeds in the taverns and bars that he frequents across the Blind Eternities. These two traits of his personality often clash, as Blackbird's persona is that of a cocky master thief, but when push comes to shove, he will always remember that Vallus Rovengauld is a kind, compassionate man that would do anything for his fellow man.
Blackbird is also pretty silly as well, not above cracking jokes and pulling ridiculous antics even in the face of danger. This is usually infuriating to any law enforcement officer that is currently trying to apprehend him.
Backstory:
The Rovengauld family was a very long line of law keepers and military heroes on the plane of Ravnica, their heritage rich and steeped in the ideals of philanthropy, righteousness, and public service. As one of the biggest and most influential families in the Azorius Senate, as well as the Boros Legion, members of the Rovengauld family were bred from birth to uphold the law and help their fellow men in whatever way they needed. The Rovengauld family was also extremely in-tune with the mana of the plane, causing a great many of them to become great and powerful mages. It was said in hushed tones that one day, perhaps even a Planeswalker would be born among their kin.
The day finally came with Vallus's birth, his small body harboring a distinct Planeswalker spark that caused him to radiate mana even as an infant. The eldest of the family at the time could feel his unbridled potential as a mage, and so as he grew older, his family worked with him to cultivate his powers and shape him into one of their greatest successes. Through his training, Vallus found that he was most adept with blue mana, finding great difficulty with the unpredictability of red. He used his powers to study and learn, hoping one day to become a famous arrester for the Azorius Senate, much to the delight of his kin.
However, fate had other plans for the Rovengauld family. Sick and tired of his guild constantly being victimized by the law enforcement on Ravnica, the dread demon Rakdos saw fit that his guild should deliver a crippling blow to the Azorius Senate and the Boros Legion. He couldn't just attack the guilds directly, however, as doing such would be considered an act of war. Instead, he decided to destroy the next best thing, which was the family that supplied the best enforcers and senators to both guilds: The Rovengauld family. In a single day, every house that held a member of the Rovengauld family was viciously and mercilessly attacked in one of the greatest Rakdos-related brutality incidents that Ravnica had ever seen. In the main manor-house, as Vallus sat petrified among his slain parents and kinsmen, the Rakdos cultists who had committed the atrocious slaughter moved in to strike down the last remaining Rovengauld. His heart beating faster and faster, he desperately looked for a way out, but could find none. And then it happened. In a flash of blue light, Vallus's Planeswalker spark ignited at the vulnerable age of 17, and he was flung through the Blind Eternities like a ragdoll.
When Vallus opened his bloodshot, tear-stained eyes, he was in a world unlike anything he had ever known. Instead of large buildings and winding districts, only the darkness of the cold, unforgiving forest greeted him. Finding his bearings and sneaking through the dark wood, he found himself at a human-established settlement known as Threban. He entered, and was immediately accosted by the cathars of the town, checking him to make sure he was not a denizen of the night. Through these men, he learned that he had brought himself unwillingly to a plane known as Innistrad, and that the humans of this plane were very much more prey than they were predators, constantly being hunted by the vicious shadows of evil beings such as Vampires and Zombies. At this point, he understood what he must do. With his entire family completely and utterly erased from existence, he decided to live the rest of his days in Innistrad, using his newly-found powers to help humanity survive on this ruthless plane of existence.
For several years, he grew to love his new home, not once ever thinking to use his planeswalking powers to visit anywhere else. His power grew, and his connection to blue mana helped him to pacify and dispatch countless numbers of unhallowed hordes, and as such, he came to be a very respected member of Threban's community. One day, his paths crossed with a female cathar named Bridget that was particularly adept with white mana, her compassionate and kind heart reaching out to Vallus on a deep emotional level. Eventually the two grew to fall in love, and were wed on Vallus's 40'th birthday. After a year or so, the two conceived a child, and was born into the world as James Rovengauld, Vallus's first and only son.
Ten years after James was born, however, a plague swept across Threban that caused a slow, painful death through necrosis of the organs. Unfortunately, Bridget was one of the people who were afflicted with the disease, and was rendered bedridden for weeks. In a panic to bring his wife back to health, Vallus turned to the cathars and priests of Innistrad in order to look for a cure for the disease that Bridget had contracted, but could find none. Now at the end of his rope and desperate for any solution that he could find, he decided to turn to the very evil he sought to destroy for one final chance at saving his wife's life; demon cultists. After agreeing to meet with their master, he was soon face-to-face with the most ancient evil that Innistrad had ever known: Griselbrand.
Pleading on his hands and knees, Vallus offered anything that the demon wanted in order to save his beloved. He offered his belongings, his power, even his own life in exchange for the power to give Bridget the peace she deserved. Griselbrand grew into a cruel grin, and told Vallus that he would indeed give him the power to give Bridget peace from her disease, but in exchange, Vallus would become Griselbrand's faithful servant for the rest of his life, which would also be extended greatly by Griselbrand's powerful black mana in order to make sure that Vallus stuck around long enough for the deal to be in his favor. Vallus, competely out of options, agreed. In a flash, a surge of raw power flowed into Vallus's body, causing his flesh to return back to the prime of his youth and his connection to mana to strengthen even more than was already so. The deal had been made.
With haste, he returned to his wife and ten-year-old son James in order to use this new fantastic power to rid Bridget of her disease. He layed his on her body, and channeled his new power, but his relief quickly turned to absolute horror as his mana corrupted right before his eyes, entering Bridgets body and destroying it utterly and completely. Griselbrand had promised Vallus that Bridget would know peace, and since her body was completely destroyed, she would live in the Blessed Sleep for eternity without fear of being reanimated.
The black mana from Griselbrand's magic began to consume Vallus's body, and for a moment, it seemed that he would become a mindless servant to the demon due to its corruptive nature. However, thanks to Vallus's Planeswalker spark, he was able to contain and control the black mana that had been introduced to him. Enraged and betrayed, he left his son in the care of the priests of Thraben, and began his one-man assault on the disciples of Griselbrand with his newly-gained black magic. For a solid week, Vallus hunted down and slaughtered followers of the demon in an attempt to find him personally and slay him. He finally learned of the location where Griselbrand operated from, and when he arrived, he found no one there. Griselbrand had been imprisoned inside of the Helvault at the time, and as such, had no power over Vallus, but nor could Vallus enact his revenge.
Ashamed and guilt-ridden for his hasty actions regarding his wife and his own corruption, he decided that he was unfit to raise a child or defend the humans of Innistrad, and left James an orphan on Innistrad to become a cathar. For the first time in 33 years, Vallus channeled his powers as a Planeswalker, and left his home on Innistrad to return to the place of his birth, Ravnica.
Returning to his old home, he found that the manor-house of the Rovengaulds had been rebuilt and refurnished into a mansion where members of the Azorius Senate could convene on their downtime. Not having the money to repurchase what was his, and unwilling to become a mercenary to raise the funds, he decided to begin his life completely new by switching the side of the law he was on by becoming a thief. He created a suit and mask that resembled that of a raven, and became one of the most infamous and successful master thieves that Ravnica had ever known. Vallus Rovengauld had died that day, but in his stead, Blackbird was born. Blackbird eventually gathered enough money through the black market that he was able to re-purchase the Rovengauld manor, and since that day, he has lived in his old family home.
He still roams the streets of Ravnica, scoping out the most valuable and expensive trinkets and jewels that he can get his hands on. With his own needs taken care of, he now seeks to use his ill-gotten money to give back to the needy and destitute of Ravnica. He has since long forgotten about his ability to use black mana, but on occasion, will turn to it in order to achieve his means by amplifying his power greatly.
What became of James Rovengauld, his son, is a mystery left unknown.