Mundane Name: Spirit-hime, or Shimmy for short E-mail: vertical.movement@gmail.com AIM: SushiGirlSpirit Website: http://www.path-of-thorns.net Character Desired: Spion Civilian Form Name: Robert of Loxley Kingdom: Fourth Kingdom Apparent Age: 28, but you would never guess it. He's one of those annoying people who will always look about ten years younger than he really is. Robert likes to tell people that he is anywhere from 18 to 24, depending on his mood, but would never reveal his true years to anybody. He hates that he's such an old man. Birthdate: Seed Moon 1 Occupation: Spy for Das Spiegelbild Likes: Alcohol - His tastes are refined in all save his choice of liquor. Though Robert cannot turn down a nice glass of wine, given the choice he will always opt for the dark beers and ales of his youth--the kind that could choke a horse, if a horse were silly enough to dare drink it. He is also prone to drinking in excess, an activity that is a tad irresponsible or even dangerous for a man in his position, as a drunken Robert is a talkative Robert. Most of the time he simply babbles incoherent stories about the past to whoever is unfortunate enough to be nearby, but he has been known to expound any and all secrets while intoxicated. It would probably be safest all around if he never went to pubs unchaperoned, but it is not unlike him to frequently slip away on his own. People - People are fascinating. Every one of them has a story to tell, every one of them has some quirk, and every one of them has a history. He likes to watch them, but he likes to interact with them more. Watching somebody's life story through his mirror always gives him some pressing desire to meet them up close, to speak to them personally. He has this constant desire for intimacy, and for pushing the boundaries of politesse to see just how easily he can reach that level of intimacy. And seeing as how emotional intimacy is usually tied up with physical intimacy, it likely comes as very little surprise that he usually ends up in bed with someone. Just one more way to get to know someone, right? The great outdoors - Look ma, he can play rustic just like the big boys! Even better is when he can play rustic WITH the big boys, rawr. Make no mistake: Robert fully enjoys his silk bedspread and dainty little chairs that might possibly break if you look at them the wrong way, but sometimes he just wants to go romping through the woods like a kid and be manly and grunt. The woods are where you can shoot things and climb things and get drunk and set things on fire, and wake up the next morning with your underwear up a tree. The color green - Other than the fact that he looks FABULOUS in it, Robert's got his reasons for having particular affinity for this color. Namely, that it reminds him of better times with the legendary Lincoln green tunics and beautiful, beautiful tights. He doesn't go for the tights so much anymore, but he does tend to incorporate green into his outfit quite regularly. Other likes: brocade corsets, wild strawberries, campfires, things that sparkle, lavish bedding with silk sheets and big quilts that it probably took some poor sap a year to make, soft furs, wildflowers Dislikes: Wealthy people who are stingy - You got money. Spread it around a little. These are just the sorts of people who Robert used to... assist in making their donations to the poor. Not that he begrudges people for having money themselves, because money is nice, and it buys nice things, but it's also very nice when other people aren't starving for lack of it. Very fluffy and altruistic, to be sure, but Robert's not an economist, and is also terrible of keeping track of his own finances. It's just one more idealistic sentiment of "oh wouldn't it be fabulous if we lived in a utopia where nobody was poor and everyone wore pretty clothes and rivers were made of beer?" This also ties into a dislike for abusers of power, because those who are most directly hurt by this are the lower classes. For Robert, any ruler who fails to take good care of people in need is a big evil puppy kicker who should be taken down by Defenders of the People like Das Spiegelbild because they're doing the Right Thing by watching out for the helpless. Water - Boy can't swim to save his life. He's perfectly happy to go wading where his feet can touch, but watching him try to hold his head above water otherwise is actually rather pathetic to behold. Lots of screaming and flailing and water up his nose. Enclosed spaces - After his time spent confined to a very, very small cell of a royal dungeon, Robert has an intense fear of small, enclosed spaces with no obvious escape. Especially when that space is dark and windowless. He tries very hard to keep this one to himself--unlike his minor disagreement with water, which he likes to be quite vocal about, because what has water ever done for HIM, dagnabbit?--because it's sort of a touchy subject, and even thinking about it makes him want to run outside and climb on the roof. This may very well be why his closet is nearly as big as his bedroom and can't be locked from the outside, though that may have more to do with the fact that he just really has a lot of clothes. Slaughtering wild game - He'll shoot the thing, and he'll eat it too, and he might even make a pretty coat out of it, but the in-between part is full of ick. In the good old days, Robert had a legion of men he could call upon to take care of the carcass once it had been secured, but now that it's just him, he doesn't go hunting so much anymore. Not unless he has someone he can talk or bribe into doing the work for him. For all his frivolity, Robert is not a fan of killing things unless it's going to be put to use. Other dislikes: mice, moths, and other creatures that like to eat his clothes or use them for nests (they are perfectly fine outside where they belong, but woe betide any found in his closet), dust, creepy wormy things like centipedes, Morning Afters (explanation? I think not.) Hobbies: Clothing - He kind of collects it like other people collect postal stamps or shells. Robert's wardrobe is highly extensive, and almost exclusively personally tailored to his frame. He has at least one outfit for every single possible occasion (one? Okay, at least three outfits...), as well as a number of garments exclusively useful for each and every class level he might possibly want to slip into. Everything from waistcoats to formal gowns are at his disposal. Yes, he even has special made peasant wear, pre-stained and sporting a few patched up holes for that Penniless Chic look. Having wealth comes with all sorts of fun perks, including having a small team of tailors and seamstresses at his command to whip up a new ensemble whenever he so desires, although the one in charge of the majority of Robert's new clothing is Cecil. Sometimes, Robert likes to go through his closet and parade around his room in a favorite outfit just for the hell of it. He is not the least bit ashamed to do this: if you walk in on him, he will likely either give you a show or invite you to participate. Toxophilite - Which is a fancy way of saying that he likes archery. Although very little of the surviving ballads chronicling Robert's exploits are in any way accurate, one thing that was subject to only slight exaggeration was his ability with the longbow. Archery is a cheap, yet versatile form of combat to master, and thus was very accessible to him well before he had any other financial means at his disposal. His yew longbow seems ridiculously huge next to his small stature, standing four inches above his head when balanced on the ground, but Robert handles it like a musician with a violin, capable of shooting as far as 100 meters accurately and 200 semi-accurately. He knows all the best tricks, even how to shoot two arrows at once at two different trajectories to take a cluster of enemies by surprise, although he mostly does this just for show. It's important to remember that Robert was trained in the bow mostly for hunting purposes and for showing off, and so while he can and does use warfare techniques when he likes, he tends to shy away from some of the dirtier tactics, including poisonous or skin-ripping or loosely-glued arrow heads. He's out for a clean shot that does the job. Aspirations: More clothes, obviously. He can NEVER have enough clothes. Also for das to succeed in bringing Truth and Justice to the Nine Kingdoms, because that's totally gonna happen just because he's fabulous and stands for such things. Friends and Family: Cecil - Robert's tailor and master clothing designer. Bastard son to a foreign merchant and an elf of the Seventh Kingdom, Cecil is a quietly curmudgeonly middle-aged (at least in appearance--Robert's really not sure how old he really is in years) gentleman with an eye for detail and little patience for anything that does not involve a needle and thread. Having grown up doubly ostracized for being a half-breed and a foreigner in every land, Cecil carefully honed his craft, and left the Seventh Kingdom behind the moment he was able to make a living beyond its borders. He's polite in his own way, because you might be giving him money in the near future, but he's also a rather gruff and thorny person to hold a conversation with, and it is only because he is so talented at his work that people are willing to go to him. Robert managed to make the miserly craftsman warm up to him within hours of their first meeting, partly because Robert treated him with respect regardless of his darker skin and strange wings, and partly because Robert just got so damn excited about the clothes he made. Secretly enjoying his company, Cecil "puts up" with Robert because they share a passion that few others really get excited about, and because he gets few visitors who he doesn't mind sitting and talking to. Robert keeps wondering what it will take to make his favorite designer open up to him a little, but being aware of his past, he's willing to back off a little and let a lot more go unsaid than he does with other people. It makes for a good working relationship, because no questions are asked. All Cecil really knows about Robert is that he's got fabulous taste and makes the most unusual requests, but far be it from him to question anything his favorite customer desires. Cecil suspects that Robert either goes to a lot of private costume parties, or has very unusual bedroom practices, but he would never breathe a word of his theories to anyone. History: Born Robert Greenlefe to a pair of peasants, Robert began his life as the son of a farmer for the house of Loxley. The master of the house, the Earl of Huntington, cared very little for the people below him, and instead focused all attention on his sickly son, the sole heir of the Loxley line. The affairs of the family were of little concern to the peasantry, save to fuel their daily gossip. The life of a peasant in Huntington was about as expected--the work was hard and the food was never enough and the winters were devastating. Somehow Robert, like most children, survived to be 16, and it was then that he encountered the Loxley heir, only a year his junior, as he was riding down by the river on his family's land. Peter Loxley was thrown by his unruly horse, but Robert kindly caught the steed and sat with the youth until he was certain he had no serious injuries. Peter enjoyed his company, and appreciated the companionship, and their meetings soon became a regular occurrence. No one suspected that Robert and the wealthy Peter were running off to see each other in their secret places; Robert had always been dodging work to hunt foxes and climb trees, and if Peter was spending more time in the wilderness, maybe he was finally acting like a young boy should. Companionship turned to friendship, to experimentation, and finally to romance. Earl Loxley was naturally less than pleased when their affair was discovered. That his son was with a boy, and a lowly peasant boy at that, was preposterous. Robert was forced to flee the Loxley land altogether, because though his lover may have had hope of escaping punishment, his class made his own life worthless. Leaving family and friends behind, Robert made his way down into the villages of Nottingham, where he begged food and shelter off of sympathetic individuals. It was here that he began to learn the power of charming people into liking him, and where he also discovered just how charitable even the poorest individuals could be. In the span of a few months he picked up simple thievery and pickpocketing, but though he did what he needed to do to survive, it never sat well with him to steal from those who scarcely had more than he did--especially not when many of them would be willing to give him something, if he only asked. But even for all their charity and all of his youthful charms, it was all he could do to get by from one day to the next, and winter was setting in. It was then that Robert managed to catch the eye of a wealthy yeoman. The older man, quite smitten by the teenage boy, said he was in need of a strapping young lad to assist him around the house and on the farm. Of course, the man already had plenty of servants to do the work, but what he really wanted was some companionship. Here Robert felt for the first time what it was to be in a comfortable setting, not having to survive from one meal to the next. He got to wear fancy clothes and sit on a dainty little chair and eat food that was as elegant as the silver knife he cut it with. For Robert, this became somewhat of an apprenticeship. Here he studied in the ways of the wealthy so as not to cause embarrassment to his master with his more crude mannerisms. At first he found it difficult to both be himself and be what his master wanted, but he reminded himself of Peter and all his adorably delicate ways, and that made it something special instead of something false. If acting more noble meant becoming something like Peter, then that was something worth doing. He lived eight months with his master, but Robert was always restless at heart, and one night he simply slipped away, laden with a few tokens of his master's "love" that he had gifted to himself to keep fed. Now armed with his new knowledge and a cleaner look, he began to actively seek out wealthy patrons to invite him to their table, and hopefully, to their bed. He now knew that there were stronger forces that would drive a person to hand over a piece of gold than sympathy, and he fully intended to milk it for all it was worth. Men or women made no difference to him, provided they had a few shiny pennies and a pretty little mirror to admire himself in. There was no permanence in what he did; if his benefactor did not end it prematurely, then Robert eventually did, usually running off with as much as he could carry in the process. With each passing affair, some lasting anywhere from a couple days to several months, he honed his talents of drawing people to himself, of being able to read them at a glance, and of making them want to empty their pockets for his sake. This could have been a comfortable life, but it was a listless one. He had few social ties and very little stability, and the life he was living now was merely a slightly glossier version of panhandling. He had no purpose and very little meaning other than to exist, selfishly. These doubts didn't add up to much for Robert, until he ran into his cousin Will. Will was as surprised to see Robert alive as he was to see him actually doing well for himself, but at least he brought news of how things were back home. The long and short of it was: Peter was dead. The previous winter had not gone well for him, and after a long illness, he'd passed away. Robert took this news in an entirely dignified manner, which is to say that he ran screaming into the woods like the drama queen that he is and wasn't heard from for three days. When he snapped out of it, he realized that a) he had no idea where he was, but b) he was standing under this really huge, cool-looking oak tree. And Robert, being Robert, said "I think I'll climb it! :D" And so he did. And while he was up there, it occurred to him how wonderful it would be to live in the forest ALL the time! Away from all the pettiness of noblemen who wanted him just for a pretty face and away from dying loved ones. It would be GREAT. But then, what about his wanting to do something important? What could possibly be important that could be done from a tree? Suddenly he had an Idea. Robert was so excited, so very inspired, that he practically pranced all the way back into town to find Will. Will was, as per usual, surprised to see Robert still alive, and the young man was so positively buzzing with excitement that he also thought Robert might possibly be possessed. What if they stole from rich people? Like, not a few trinkets, but a whole heck of a lot? And what if then... they gave it all away? Wouldn't that just be the BEST? Will bought Robert a drink. Mostly in hopes that it would make him settle down from what appeared to be post-"My boyfriend is dead" trauma. It didn't. Robert wanted to change his name to Loxley. And they should have uniforms! Green ones! Peter always liked green. Lincoln green, not that smarmy grass green. And they gotta be nice tights, you know, because men have to be dignified even while living out in the woods. It took some convincing, but somehow Robert got Will to go along with his ridiculous idea, and thus did Robert Greenlefe disappear into the woods and emerge as Robert of Loxley. Robert didn't have much of a plan, but he did have a way with people, and therefore could get others to have a plan for him. He carefully seduced a handful of men into his scheme--men, because of his particular persuasion, and because in a society that was very matriarchal at the time, they were more downtrodden, and thus more receptive to his cause. The recruitment was fruitful: he now had people who knew how to hunt, how to survive in the woods, how to formulate an attack. All Robert really had to do, when it came to it, was make sure he looked like he was in charge, and not get any runs in his tights. It was indeed an odd band. Dress codes were enforced. All were sworn to loyalty, but half of them didn't know what to do with a sword. It is likely the sheer fact that nobody had ever seen anything like what Loxley's men were, that they had any success at all. Imagine walking through what you thought to be perfectly safe woods, and being accosted by a bunch of men in matching green tunics who would like your gold and MAYBE your pretty feathered hat in exchange for your life. Element of surprise, indeed. They never actually killed anyone, of course. Those who refused to cooperate were usually subjected to humiliation, had their clothes stolen, and were sent on their merry way with suggestions that they got lucky this time. This may possibly have been why they were called Merry Men, because that couldn't have anything at all to do with some of them enjoying prancing through the fields together. Word began to spread of this swashbuckling green-clad thief who was sighted stealing from the most oppressive of wealthy nobles, which oddly occurred right around the time that rumors emerged of a green-clad saint who handed over large amounts of money to those most in need. The stories were exaggerated in the retelling, of course, but they had the desired effect. People simultaneously began to fear and romanticize the mysterious Robert of Loxley. His name gave way to rumors of nobility, even of royalty: a true hero of the people. Some went so far as to believe him a saint sent down by the Unnamed God, or a devil come to capture the souls of innocents, or a spirit emerged from the heart of the woods itself. Some even began to seek out Robert of Loxley to join his cause, which made things so much easier for him in the recruitment department. Before that, his favorite method of finding new blood was thus: go walking along (merrily, of course), stumble across a dashing (hopefully handsome) young man, and challenge him to a fight. And then lose, which isn't especially hard for Robert to do, but the losing part is always followed by some of his men appearing and playing it up. "Oh horrors, the great Robert of Loxley has been DEFEATED. What fiendish, BRILLIANT foe has achieved such a great victory?!" The opponent, who thought he was merely dispatching an obnoxious little upstart, is now stunned to find that he has taken on a LEGEND and won. Who can resist such an ego boost? This is exactly how Robert met what would become his literal partner in crime, John. John was an absolute bull: giant, vicious, and altogether gorgeous in Robert's eyes. The fact that tiny little Robert even bothered trying to take him on is almost laughable, but try he did, and had his skinny rear end beaten for his troubles. The upshot to all this was that John took the bait, and agreed to don the happy fairy costume and be among the illustrious ranks of Loxley's men. He was an extremely valuable asset--he could fight, he could scheme, and he could organize men in more tidy ways than to tell them all to Do Good Things and let them work out the rest for themselves. Robert's contributions were primarily... cosmetic. You know, the green tights and all. He was also the idealist. The one who decided just what they were all fighting for, and then went on to make everyone believe that. And what made the partnership work was that John could figure out how to carry such things out. He was the strategist. Overnight he had become Robert's number one man, which meant, in short, that John got to do all the work, and Robert got to get all the credit. Everybody knew who Robert of Loxley was. No one really knew about this John character. Many others joined in this fashion. Even a young lady by the name of Marian donned men's clothes to join the cause. She could, by the way, soundly kick Robert's ass too. Another important member was Alan Dale, Robert's official minstrel. Thanks to Alan's songs and ballads painting him in a heroic light, Robert's fame took on legendary status. Suddenly he was The Robert of Loxley. They were highly romanticized, extremely flowery, and 85% false. It was the best propaganda tool ever conceived, and Robert basked in it. A good portion of these songs exist today. You probably don't want to hear 'em. Naturally, all of this hype did not go unnoticed by the authorities, and it was not long before Robert had made an enemy of the very highest authority, Queen Edwin of Nottington. Queen Edwin, allegedly, did not have a taste for Lincoln green tunics. Particularly not when they were worn by a bunch of thieving rebels. Warrants went out for the arrest of Loxley's men. Which really had very little effect on the men themselves, who were happily (merrily) partying it up and acting like the little boys that they were out in the big scary woods. At the highest point, their numbers reached 140 men. John had them organized into smaller parties, so their high numbers would not attract attention, and there were leaders and ranks and all sorts of organizational dealies that Robert cared very little about. They established the big oak tree that Robert had first climbed when he got this grand scheme as the general meeting place, which was a smart idea actually, as if ever it was spilled to those outside their ranks that they met at "the oak tree," the authorities would have a very difficult time figuring out just which one. There were a number of factors that led to the entire thing crashing down. One of them was John. John liked Robert. Robert liked John... and the entire damn camp of Merry Men. Having a crush on a manslut never really goes well for you, but having that crush AND being his partner in crime makes things messy. On top of this was the angst of knowing that John was working his ass off while Robert pranced around and made flower necklaces for people, and somehow that resulted in Robert earning all the fame. He had his men wrapped around his dainty little finger, and all he needed to do was sit back and let them all do the work for him. And eventually, John wasn't the only one who caught on to this niggling little fact, which lead to factor two. It was a harsh winter. People weren't surviving very well. Things were just generally all-around unpleasant for a bunch of guys trying to survive in the woods as wolfsheads, and naturally the rabble soon called for a scapegoat. Put a jealous second-in-command together with a violent rabble of unhappy men, and you're just asking for trouble. John was more than happy to scapegoat Robert. The men were more than happy to take his lead. They got him drunk first, which wasn't at all difficult to do. When he was thoroughly inebriated, the unsuspecting Robert got to feel for the first time what it was to REALLY get beaten up by men who were chosen precisely for their ability to do just that. They'd all sworn never to lift sword or bow against him, but that little oath said absolutely nothing about fists. They didn't kill him--it was way more profitable to hand him over to Queen Edwin in exchange for the price on his head and let her do the killing for them. Robert spent the next two weeks in the Queen's dungeons. Hangover? Worst one ever. Two weeks doesn't sound very long, but for Robert it was probably the worst two weeks of his life. He should have been headed for the gallows, but Queen Edwin was looking to boost her own political stature, and Robert once again was more valuable as currency than as a corpse. He was traded to the witch Grimhild in exchange for valuable political favors, and Robert of Loxley promptly became the latest addition in Grimhild's collection of mirrors. At least he made a pretty one. Personality: Robert treats the social ladder like his own personal carnival ride, sweeping up and down it with all the grace and deception of a magician. He happily throws himself into the midst of any class or any culture of people without fear of getting himself dirty or concern over who he may offend. With seemingly next to no effort, he can metamorphose from peasant to nobleman in everything from speech to mannerisms, and the complete transformation is limited only by how quickly he can change his clothes (and given how big his closet is, not particularly fast). He is not afraid to get his hands dirty alongside servants (though he prefers not to get his -clothes- dirty; there are particular ensembles for these sorts of things, after all), nor is he afraid to cross political, social, or gender barriers to weasel himself into any corner of society imaginable. And it is very seldom that he fails to accomplish this when he sets his sights on it, because when Robert wants to squeeze his way into a circle, he will obsess over every nuance of that circle until he perfects it himself. He is extremely observant of minor details of a person's mannerisms, clothing, speech patterns, and attitudes, so that he may mimic them beautifully. Lacking any pressures to conform one way or another, Robert tends to settle into a combination of social attitudes that may be appropriate to a particularly crass nobleman. He is not nearly so stuffy as a true noble, and yet he bears himself with a flourish and a poise that is normally reserved for pompous young men attempting to court a princess. He may have begun with humble origins, but that hardly means he has to act the part. The fact is that Robert is, above all, a man of showmanship. He enjoys attention--both the giving and receiving of it--and he cannot resist all the joys of bearing himself like a prince without any of the responsibilities of actually -being- a prince. He's happily frivolous with his money--I don't think he actually is aware of how much he owns at any given time--but he also distributes affection the way that he distributes wealth in a textile shop. He is bursting with flattery, and openly affectionate with anybody he has known for longer than four and a half seconds. A natural-born flirt, his smiles and compliments are always keenly aimed so that the person on the receiving end seldom comes away without feeling that they had some personal connection with this fine fellow. This is the key to Robert's charisma, and the reason that he once had ballads written about him. He knows how to connect with people, how to make them feel comfortable and special around him. In a roomful of people, it can be guaranteed that he will make almost every one of them somehow feel that he has paid special attention to them, and that this somehow makes them unique from every other guest he spoke to. Those who don't come to like Robert at least tend to write him off as tolerable or harmless (most of the time), because who would ever suspect the lithe young androgynous man of anything other than social climbing? He is like a magnet of goodwill, and the little tartlet eats it up like candy. He positively thrives on positive attention, and actually seeks it out from people like a emotional high. Actually, Robert is not especially opposed to negative attention, either. What he really wants is simply to be noticed. A lot. This is the driving force behind Robert's insatiable need for social stimulation: that he wants constantly-flowing attention, which he is willing to accept in almost any form. Hate and love are almost equally desirable reactions in other people, because such a strong response is far better in Robert's mind than to simply brush him off as nothing. One of the most annoying things a person can do to Robert is to ignore him, because it says to Robert that he is nothing special and cannot effect you, and he will take measures to make you react in one way or another, just to remind him that yes, the spotlight is still on him. He is that little kid who starts singing "THIS IS THE SONG THAT NEVER ENDS..." just to provoke a reaction. When Robert cannot achieve this kind of attention due to physical circumstances, i.e. being away from people for too long, he starts to get depressed and needy. He becomes clingy and possibly downright annoying to anybody who does happen to be nearby, and starts to get sort of touchy emotionally for no good reason. Times like this make Robert sort of a high maintenance companion. Get him his "people fix," however, and he's back to being his prancing, lovable self. Of course, it was precisely this sort of behavior that got Robert betrayed by his own men, because it does not come without some dangerous drawbacks. Certainly, Robert has the ability to make a person feel that she is somehow special to him, but this feeling comes loaded with disappointment when she realizes how he treats everybody else just as specially. He is not the type to latch on to any one person--he flits around from one friend to the next, one lover to the next, and never really considers that by the time he's made the circuit around again, those he left behind might have already drifted off. This is doubly upsetting for Robert himself, who has a constant need and desire for lots of social activity, lots of attention, and lots of physical contact. He has sadly never clued into the idea that there may be anything wrong with the way he goes about filling these needs. When he is lacking in the kind of personal connection he desires, he runs out and finds it any way he can, throwing all caution and common sense to the wind. Throughout this social rollercoaster, Robert is an idealistic dreamer who always has grand ideas about a better world. He firmly believes that the state of the world can be made better, that all things that are unjust in the world can, and should, be changed. He's driven by vague concepts about justice and fairness, and is certain that such things must be sought for and achieved at all costs (and the idea that perhaps taking extreme measures to do so is in itself unjust never enters his mind). Among all these lofty goals is a secret pleasure at being at the forefront of a cause--any cause, really, so long as it's a noble one--and the thought that he serves some purpose that could benefit many. He loves to be the dashing rebel who challenges the tyrannous rule of those in power. And the fact is that das came into Robert's life exactly when Robert most needed something to believe in. He needed a cause, and he needed a purpose, and das was quite happy to provide him with both. It has replaced what used to be the most important force in Robert's life, helping to ease the still-bitter pain over the incidents surrounding its loss, and as such he has cast himself into this new cause with renewed zeal. He is the das posterboy. Robert takes his role as the spy for das very seriously, diving into positions--especially the covert, delicate operations with a good dash of danger involved--with blind temerity. Because Robert is nothing if not a true romantic at heart. He is not particularly quick to talk about his past, which seems out of character for Robert, who never hesitates to talk about anything else about himself. He'll make vague hints, refer to something like how good he was at archery or how he used to be rather well-known among the people where he lived, but he is always hesitant to describe the specifics. Fun as it would be to have the "yes, I'm -that- Robert of Loxley" conversation, it's a major downer to run into that rather thorny issue of the way things -really- were in Sherwood and how he ended up stuffed in a mirror for 300 years. This is, of course, only when he is sober, because, as stated above, Robert can't keep a secret to save his life when he's had a few. Actually, he is rather prone to getting smashed and sobbing out his life's story to anybody within earshot, the result of which is usually that people think somebody slipped something in his drink. Robert is still very bitter about what happened--after all, in one fell swoop he did lose everyone he cared about and everything he ever believed in. That hardly leaves one tremendously well-adjusted, and Robert has yet to figure out how to cope. Most of the time he thinks he is handling things just fine, and if he could just take care of that silly issue with the drinking, he would be all set. He really has no idea that he has done nothing to try to move on from what happened--das may as well be another Sherwood with a different dress code to him. Strengths: adaptable, affectionate, confident, charismatic, driven Flaws: lacks commitment, idealistic, self-centered, frivolous, reckless, shallow Appearance: Robert is a spritely, slender man who looks a bit like he was skipped in line when they were handing out testosterone. Actually, he probably left the line to do his hair. His build is such that he looks like a particularly fiesty 9-year-old girl might stand a chance in a wrestling match (and though looks are slightly deceiving, this is sadly not too far from the truth). Standing at 5'7", his body is defined by a long torso and narrow hips, very little rear end to speak of, and skinny legs. His upper body is the most physically fit part of him, with arms, shoulders, and chest well-toned (though not particularly muscular) from his bow, and a flat, though not especially defined, tummy. He tends to carry himself with a kind of poised grace, measured and confident with a self-assurance that has somehow outgrown his stature. Timidity is not a word in Robert's vocabulary. His gestures are often grandiose and expressive. He communicates with his whole body, his actions revealing more about his mood than his words, and because he is aware of this, he can "fake happy" very well. Robert is also very touchy-feely--after knowing you for about five seconds, he might possibly want to lean on you or cling to your arm or snuggle up. And if you push him away, he'll just come at you from a different angle. The fact that some people absolutely hate this almost makes him want to do it more, just to get their knickers in a bunch. Appropriate to the rest of his frame, Robert's face is delicate featured and strikingly ambiguous in gender. It's the sort of beauty that most consider undeniable, but also tend to punctuate with, "if you LIKE that sort of thing." His lips are thin but softly heart-shaped, most often turned up in a subtle smirk, and brilliantly infectuous in a full-out smile. He has a delicate jawline and high cheekbones set in a gently angular face, which is always immaculately clean-shaven and free of blemishes. He has well-shaped dark eyebrows, carefully plucked, arching over a set of cocoa-colored eyes. His eyes are intense, always focused on something. He always gives eye contact when speaking or listening to someone, which adds to the illusion that he is focused on them and only them. When in reality, he could be thinking about jam sandwiches. His complexion is a golden-brown tan, cream with a dash of coffee and a hint of honey for sweetness. He has nimble, long-fingered hands with neatly trimmed nails, and only someone who cared to look close enough would see the slightly enlarged knuckles on his left hand, again a byproduct of long hours spent practicing archery (something he tends to distract from by wearing rings on the other hand). When worn loose, Robert's hair is a rich copper brown of medium thickness that extends well down to the small of his back. He has no bangs to speak of, but his hair is always neatly trimmed and well-kept. Though he will often adapt the style to whatever disguise his job may entail, Robert most commonly wears his hair in a side part, so that his long "bangs" sweep across the side of his forehead. His hair is then pulled back into a thick braid at the back of his head, which extends down to the nape of his neck, where it tapers off into a simple ponytail that is then flung over one shoulder. Obviously with Robert's extensive wardrobe, and his need for a variety of clothing for different situations, his attire may vary considerably. In general, however, his tastes are refined and ornate, and his outfits are always flawlessly polished and coordinated. When he really -has- to, he dresses to blend in, but cannot resist dressing conspicuously at every other opportunity, because Robert is really a diva at heart. Both ears sport a single piercing, though he usually sticks to studs and small hoops, conscious of his more slight features. For all his love of over-the-top luxury, his choice in jewelry is almost always simple and delicate: he aims for subtlety in his bling. Mirror: Robert's mirror has a brass circular frame ornamented with a large oak tree dominating one side, with branches overhanging the top and roots spreading around the bottom. On the other side a small stag stands among the tree roots. He actually has a second, compact mirror which he carries around with him. This is about the size and shape of a pocket watch, heavy gold with the same oak tree imprinted on the outside. Once opened, however, it's revealed to not be a watch at all, but his mirror. This he usually carries around as a watch, or keeps hidden away in a pocket somewhere. It has the exact same functions as his larger mirror, albeit slightly weaker and with more portability. It's also great for fixing one's makeup. Spells: - All-seeing, baby. Robert is Big Brother. He sees you. He sees your past. He is watching you bathe. And he's probably enjoying it! Robert's mirror is the kind of monitoring system that governments of the 10th Kingdom would start wars over: at a whim, he can see anybody, anywhere, any time. Even better, this amazing piece of equipment is not bound by time--he can watch a person in the present, or from ten minutes ago, or a week ago, or fifteen years ago. The only limitations are that he cannot see the future, any person or place that is guarded by magic, or any dead person (he also, obviously, cannot read thoughts--this is as interactive as a television set). He also must have a clear idea of who he is focusing on. In addition, Robert has the ability to see or gain information about a person and what they are doing at any given moment without the assistance of his mirrors. This is a slightly more sensual experience--he gains faint hints of smell, touch, and taste in addition to sight and sound, though these are muted compared to experiencing them in reality. The drawback to not using the mirror is that it is more difficult to focus for any length of time (imagine, for example, trying to think of one thing for more than a few minutes without allowing your mind to wander). Sometimes Robert has caught himself watching someone unintentionally. His mind wanders, and there he is playing voyuer. He's even been known to let it enter his dreams, which makes for some very odd awakenings. - Magic arrows. When Robert shoots an arrow, it will hit the target. Every time. Though already a natural talent for him, Robert's arrows are enchanted to fly faster, further, and more accurately than they would otherwise. Provided his target does not move after he shoots, Robert is almost guaranteed to hit his mark. The man is deadly, but don't let him find out, or he might possibly catch on. - Glamor. Robert primarily relies on a change of clothes and some well-placed makeup to turn himself from pretty boy to pretty peasant/girl/nobleman/dog, but the final polish is a simple glamor that prevents people from seeing him for who he is. He can't magically change his appearance entirely, but between the cosmetics and the magic, he can make you take him at face value, and not question if he seems a little too flat-chested for a lady, or a little too thin for a farmer. A secondary offshoot of this, which Robert employs equally often, is the ability to sparkle at will. He particularly enjoys shaking his fabulous hair out in a flourish of glitter. - Magic flowers. Yes, you read correctly. Magic flowers. At any time, Robert can make flowers appear. Any flower he wants. Just, "POOF, I HAVE FLOWERS." Out of nowhere. Which might possibly be useful if one could use a daisy to stab somebody. But they are flowers. Sometimes, if he so desires, he can even make the flowers sparkle. All together now: oooooooooooooh. - Magic horn. Because Robert's magical accessory set is truly incomplete without a blatantly phallic symbol for him to blow into. But wait, there's more! Whenever Robert blows into this mighty horn, out of the woods comes a mini army of forest spirits. And by "mini" I do mean that they are all very small spirits--but they are helpful! They will open Robert's beer for him. Or scare off attackers with their otherworldly ways. Or untie knots. Or zip up a dress. They're quite tricksterish and deceptive, too--the kind that are known for cheerfully leading an unsuspecting intruder over a cliff, if they so desire. Forest spirits can look like anything from tiny nymphs to strange white fungus-like creatures with large heads, to flowers gone airborne, to small animals that are glowy and transparent and somehow odd-looking (birds with snake-like necks, that sort of thing). Since they originate with forests, they only appear as fast as they can literally march (or fly) from the nearest woods (think for a second about how weird this looks). Robert is more than happy to exploit their hospitality, but they like him because he treats them nicely and since he used to live among them. He can't tell, because they don't talk, but he thinks they think of him as a very big spirit. - Lock whisperer. Bad pun? Yeah, okay. Robert's supposed to be a spy, but he's never had the patience to learn how to pick locks by hand. Thus did the twins teach him how to do it the easy way! He'll wave his hands around and do a little dance to show off (maybe toss in some sparkles), and voila! Open lock. Lo, he is Houdini. Abilities: Climbing - If it is in any way climbable, it can be guaranteed that Robert will find a way to shimmy up it. He can scale walls, trees, ropes--pretty much anything vertical. He is quite fearless about heights. Pick-pocketing - And other tricks of the slight-of-hand. Though he no longer relies on it for his livelihood, the skill is there for him to make use of as he will. He used to be able to eke out a living from this, so he's definitely got some abilities with this sort of petty theft.