Pretzel Heart
Afterimage of Broad Daylight
❦ Kiefer Arlie Avescamp ❦
"I thank the stars above that I met you."
"I am really happy right now, there's a little dance going on inside my chest."
"I thank the stars above that I met you."
"I am really happy right now, there's a little dance going on inside my chest."
❧ Position: Prince of Nezzie
❧ Country of Origin: Nezzie
❧ Gender: Male
❧ Age: 20 (born on Quercust 17th, a Chomae)
❧ Hair: Periwinkle (light purple-blue)
❧ Eyes: Periwinkle (light purple-blue)
❧ Height: 6' 1"
❧ Weight: 147 lbs
❧ Country of Origin: Nezzie
❧ Gender: Male
❧ Age: 20 (born on Quercust 17th, a Chomae)
❧ Hair: Periwinkle (light purple-blue)
❧ Eyes: Periwinkle (light purple-blue)
❧ Height: 6' 1"
❧ Weight: 147 lbs
f❧Other Distinguishing Traits: Kiefer's eyesight is absolutely terrible. Since this problem was discovered in his early childhood, his parents have had special magically-manufactured glasses made for him so that he might function normally. Without his glasses everything begins to form a single blurred mess, both near and far (unless it is precisely fourteen inches away from his face). The glasses' frames are ornate, featuring carvings of the various flora Kiefer is so entranced by, and thus instantly recognizable as belonging to the prince.
❧❧❧❧❧Despite rumors that the Nezzie heir is a rather frail, bookwormish, indoorsy fellow, Kiefer also appears to be tanned and has a lean, fit body. Is there something different about him...? Since the prince hasn't been in polite society outside of Nezzie for some years, it would probably be hard to place.
f❧Romance and Partners?: Yes. However, for the sake of Nezzie, Kiefer only has eyes for one person: the princess of Euthalia. In the past he's had both male and female partners, though typically taking the "leading" role as befitting of his royal blood. Nezzie tends towards flexibility, and the Avescamps are much more keen on military titles and erudite prestige than skirting social taboos, so same-sex partnerships aren't particularly shocking or uncommon. At the moment Kiefer has no established long-term partner, failing to find someone he really gels with.
f❧Position on the Rebellion: Extremely Anti-Rebellion. Kiefer has been working on ground zero for months, and it's certainly taken its toll. Every day brings with it new horrors, whether in the form of rescue teams having to penetrate the twisted paths of Perilin Forest, stragglers who keep turning up with terrifying stories of the genocidal atrocities they fled from, or even outright attacks from arien border patrols, seemingly timed just to make sure that Nezzie can't relax its defenses. Taking care of the destruction left in the wake of the disaster has become a full-time career for the prince, and even for someone as emotionally aloof as Kiefer, it has become impossible for him to ignore the desperation of his refugee ward. Not to mention that some of the victims - the Quince royal family - were his personal acquaintances. The plight of the missing Prince Lysander in particular has driven Kiefer haggard with paranoia, and he's grown increasingly desperate in his attempts to find any trace of news of his friend. Though Nezzie's prince was never known to be a particularly passionate or political individual, his mindset has drastically changed, transforming him into quite the driven leader. The fact that Nezzie's political interests now align with Kiefer's own moral indignation means that he has become especially dedicated to trouncing the Rebellion, at all costs.
f❧Personality: Despite Nezzie's reputation as a far off and cold, desolate place, Kiefer's personality is surprisingly warm, once you get to know him. Having not been around many others his age, he's notably shy and hesitant to make the first approach. Even when he does speak, he has difficulty maintaining eye contact, and has several quirks that are ultimately off-putting to other people, such as a monotone, rambling, hyper-logical way of speech…not to mention his tendency to go on detailed rants about seemingly innocuous details, largely concerning plants. He also appears to lack basic knowledge of social cues and etiquette, perhaps due to being in isolation for so long. However, with a little prodding, he's the type to become a strongly loyal lifelong friend, even if he has his own peculiar way of showing it. Kiefer is also a patient listener, and can offer logical, though emotionally detached, advice. Physically weaker than his forbears, Kiefer chose to manifest a Nezzie identity by dedicating himself to the pursuit of knowledge. His primary field of interest is nature, having been fascinated by the growth and structure of flowers, and demonstrating a fondness of and kindness towards animals, since early childhood. He often claims that he can get along with the natural world much easier than the sentient one. Even outside of Nezzie, Kiefer is known for his experimentation with various plant life in his kingdom’s harsh climate, establishing a noteworthy greenhouse within Lundgren’s confines. An avid learner, Kiefer is indeed knowledgeable about many of Roserasia's flora, which he has either gathered or read about in books. Despite his love of reading and preference towards quiet solitude, Kiefer is still particularly enamored with the idea of seeing a specimen in its natural environment, though he can’t explain why he prefers this to normal methods of collection and cultivation. This apprehension towards cutting off the natural world from its source has also caused him to stave off impulses towards building a private zoo. The prince is further deeply philosophical, tending to overthink more or less everything. He is intrigued by the artificiality of systems and ways of thought, and especially fascinated by the principles of cause and effect and ‘destiny.’ Since his parents have babied him from a young age he isn't very independent, though with his high intellect he wishes his family would have more faith in him. Still, a small part of himself has conditioned a sense of self-doubt. Nonetheless, due to his experiences at the Lepumir border, Kiefer has greatly matured and is said to have blossomed into a capable and passionate leader, completely different from the detached prince said to haunt Lundgren’s halls before. Because of the gravity of his mission in this year's Cendrillion Ball, he has steeled himself to focus on nothing but earning the right to dance with the Euthalian princess, and so he may appear extra reticent to the other Representatives, on top of his normal social failings.
f❧Biography: The Nezzie royal family, ensconced in the faraway capital of Denbigshir, overall tends towards isolation as a means of self preservation. The Avescamp line has been no different, despite ruling in a time of relative peace where there hasn't been a Challenge in generations. Nevertheless, the threat of the current family being overthrown always looms, and so, like all Nezzien heirs, Kiefer was raised to be a militant leader. Despite this, the prince showed worrying signs from the start.
❧❧❧❧❧Even the period leading up to his birth was plagued by troubles. With a rapid series of inauspicious events and coincidences, not to mention a misalignment in the star reading done by the royal prophet, it seemed as if naught but ill omens fell over the Avescamp family's head. Rumors abounded that King Yeruslan had been cursed, and the ubiquitous tension in the peninsulas became particularly virulent, with vocal groups claiming quite loudly that they would secede to Euthalia or overthrow the fallen royal line. To add to the chaos, it was further believed that Queen Consort Darya would never successfully bring a child to birth, making Kiefer's coming quite a surprise (that greatly relieved his parents). Though the new prince was heralded as a sign that the curse had been lifted and Nezzie would once more ascend into prosperity, it wasn't at all a smooth transition. Kiefer was born several weeks prematurely, and nearly didn't survive even his first day of life. The rest of his childhood was pockmarked by a series of illnesses and...incidents...the worst of which rendered his eyesight nearly useless. Because of this, and fear of what would happen to the kingdom's stability should the prince fail, Kiefer's parents began to grow increasingly overprotective of their son, constantly fretting over his health.
❧❧❧❧❧To keep with tradition, he was raised in the ways of the military, though it was decided early on that his constitution was too frail to risk sending him to an academy. Both of his parents, like most of Nezzie's rulers past, are shrewd in the ways of military and political rule, and so still tried to teach their son everything they know while overseeing a complete education. Kiefer, not exactly being a virile image of vivaciousness, had to work extra hard to keep up, and the king and queen consort began to go overboard in making extra provisions for him, having low expectations of his physical health. All the fuss certainly had an effect on the boy, at least from the time he was old enough to comprehend his parents' worries. He began to fret that perhaps there really was something wrong with him, and that he wouldn't be fit to rule his kingdom. Not that ruling was especially a priority for him, back then. It was only after he realized that to control Nezzie was to be protector of the largest and most important store of knowledge in the entire known world that he began to think seriously about the implications of his future. In many ways knowledge was Keifer's salvation, as, disparaged by his lack of physical prowess, he decided that if his body couldn't handle strenuous exercise, then at least, perhaps, his mind could, taking comfort in the old Nezzie adage "Knowledge is Power." He was fascinated from an early age by the way certain plants were able to push through even the barren Nezzie terrain, and though he couldn't quite describe why, something about looking at such flora gave him a sense of calm he could scarcely find elsewhere. Animals, too, were a favorite subject, and he was known to protect livestock from being slaughtered for royal feasts and to slip scraps to ragged strays found wandering the fortress perimeters. Kiefer also grew interested in the Nezzie art of Star Gazing, at first stemming from his desire to look into the prophecies made around the time of his birth. Some would say that he even became a bit obsessed with the notion of destiny, causality, and the ability to escape, categorize, and qualify cause and effect, so worried became he about the nefarious readings. The result was that, by the time he had reached the age most Roserasians begin formal education, Kiefer had already became quite a voracious reader and an intellectual scholar, eventually preferring being indoors to out, and forgetting to mind his solitude.
❧❧❧❧❧His parents' mollycoddling nature, coupled with Denbigshir's natural remoteness, meant that Kiefer rarely interacted with foreigners. The first major exception occurred when the king of Euthalia visited in order to discuss a treaty that was to end tensions around the peninsulas. King Mutto unexpectedly brought along his daughter - perhaps to show her the far North which she might not get many other chances to visit - and so the princess was the first outside nobility that Kiefer ever met. At first he was reticent, but he discovered that the princess also shared his love of gardens. Though Kiefer hadn't shown much interest in dance before that point, the princess told him that she liked dancing for the same reason she liked looking at flowers. This opened his heart towards the girl, though they have not been in contact since that day, mainly due to Kiefer's shyness and Nezzie's distance. The encounter also inspired Kiefer to throw himself into the practice of dance, never forgetting the princess's words which he often ponders.
❧❧❧❧❧Because Kiefer became particularly gloomy after the Euthalians' departure, his father speculated that his son should gain more companions. Thus he took him with him to visit the Quince royal family in Lepumir, which the Avescamps had a longtime friendly relationship with, especially after King Demetrius married one of King Yeruslan's cousins. Prince Kiefer and Prince Lysander, sharing an interest in cerebral pursuits, became fast friends, just as their fathers had hoped. Though Kiefer still lived quite far away, the pair kept in close contact, often sending each other beloved books or interesting theories and letters. Because of his great fondness for his friend, Kiefer was disappointed that, even after coming of age, he wasn't allowed to go to the Cendrillion Ball to accompany him. The Avescamps were still worried about his health, and thought that an entire month in the busy city of Saint Lyon so distant from their protection would be too much for his constitution. However, Kiefer tried to keep up with the going ons of the Ball, and was delighted to hear that Lysander had taken first place. He planned to invite him to a small celebration upon his return......but before a date could be set, tragedy struck.
❧❧❧❧❧News of the Rebellion and its potent violence shocked Prince Kiefer, touching upon emotions he scarcely even knew he could possess, moving something deep within. To his parent's surprise, he announced his intention to go on relief efforts near the border. They were so taken aback that his father decided it was an important step for his heir's development, and so, with a full entourage of servants and guards, he allowed it. Thus for months Kiefer has been staying in a small fort near the northern border, witnessing the catastrophe first-hand. The experience has deeply scarred him, and he is said to be a very changed man.
❧❧❧❧❧When his parents requested that their son journey the rest of the way south to represent them in the Cendrillion Ball, Kiefer felt none of the joy and excitement of the previous year, only a grim determination. He gathered a small group of guards and servants- leaving those he could trust most to continue tending to the refugees -to stealthily protect him on the perilous journey through the aria-ridden forests of Lepumir, knowing the importance of his mission.
❧❧❧❧❧He also harbors those long ago memories of the Euthalian Princess, and is looking forward to their long overdue reunion.
f❧Family:
❧❧❧❧❧❧ King Yeruslan Avescamp. Kiefer's father, and current ruler of Nezzie, age 42. He is noted for his elegant and cold personality, showing fortitude in wrangling Nezzie's difficult military and political systems which, without a powerful head of state, would be on constant verge of collapse. Strict policies are what Nezzie thrives on, and Yeruslan is no scant enforcer, though it is likely he takes little pleasure in the task. The king is also said to have an uncanny resemblance of features to his son, though, unlike Kiefer, his eyesight remains healthy and he wears his hair long and swept up into the style of a warlord. Despite his reputation as a harsh and impenetrable individual, the truth is that he gets flustered easily and so tries to avoid speaking in public. He also secretly dotes on his son, though he tries not to let his wife see how much he really cares for him. As far as his marriage goes, the two are said to be quite well matched in terms of political and military intelligence and often share ways of thinking through situations, further empowering their rule. In the rare case of an argument, Yeruslan will tend to be the more passive, as if worried what might happen if he pushes Darya too far. Rumor has it that he used to be quite promiscuous in his younger days, though looking at him now such gossip seem hard to swallow.
❧❧❧❧❧❧ Queen Consort Darya Avescamp. Kiefer's mother, and current consort of Nezzie, age 49. A stern and prim native of the peninsulas, Darya possesses a striking intellect that rivals her husband's, and the pride to share her opinions, no matter the cost (with a tongue sharp as a whip, no less!). She married Yeruslan later than is normal in the midst of several scandals and political upheaval aimed at the Avescamp line. Thus her life as queen consort began mired in stress. She suffered four miscarriages before Kiefer's birth causing others to whisper of her barren womb- a grave disgrace for anyone, let alone a queen. She is certainly the stricter of the two when it comes to Kiefer's health and education, and she seems constantly worried that he will be overthrown or die young, being somewhat pessimistic. Her pride has thus turned to temper and anxiety in recent years, and she, more so than Yeruslan, is the driving force behind Nezzie's revitalized expansionist policy.
f❧Dance Level: Having not much else to do in the stone, cold halls of Nezzie's royal fortress, Kiefer has been practicing dance since a young age, and is thus fairly proficient. He's won a few local competitions among Nezzie's nobility, but not always, and he's never taken his skills onto a more global stage. His instructor claims that with the right partner Kiefer may truly blossom into a great dancer. Truthfully the Nezzien Foxtrot is said to be one of the hardest styles to master, and Kiefer is more than adept at replicating the glassy, gliding motions. Still, as it is now, his dance seems to lack something vital. While as a child he never showed much interest in the art (considering it a waste of time), he claims that after meeting the Euthalian princess his views were completely transformed, and he's been inspired by her ever since. He certainly prefers dancing to his military training, and his parents, not taking it as seriously, thought it was a lighter - and therefore more suitable - form of exercise.
f❧Last Year's Cendrillion Ball: Though Kiefer has been eligible for the past two years, his parents have been reticent about letting him participate, especially given the distance between Lundgren Fortress and Saint Lyon. However, with Prince Lysander competing last year, Kiefer was extremely disappointed that he couldn't be there in person to cheer his friend on. Instead it was decided that one of his cousins (whom Kiefer had danced with on several occasions, to his embarrassment) would go in his stead. The girl, a graduate from Denbigshir's Odin Academy, had similarly not had much opportunity to leave Nezzie prior, and so spent the month more involved in exploring and traveling than dancing. Though she was ultimately able to partner with a Ramerian businessman, they didn't do very well in the final competition. To add insult to injury, she decided afterwards that she didn't want to come back, choosing to elope and become a merchant in the states.
f❧Goals: He wants to dance with the princess more than anything else, for reasons both political and personal. Though it irks their pride, Nezzie feels as if they need Euthalia's approval before they invade Lepumir to retaliate on the Rebellion. The last thing they want is Euthalia deciding to side with the Rebellion at the last minute, bringing in their army to punish Nezzie for taking preemptive action. Furthermore, because of Nezzie's scarce natural resources, the royal family has been hoping to expand their kingdom's borders for as long as Kiefer can remember. With Euthalia's blessing, Lepumir, now in a state of complete disarray, might finally be annexed, granting Nezzie access to their vast agricultural sector and more open trade routes to the west. Besides, Kiefer's parents think it might be a nice bit of justice if their son were to become Euthalia's king. On a more personal front, Kiefer does seem to harbor deep-set feelings for the princess, as he has continued to keep her memory close to his heart all these years...
f❧Extra:
❧❧❧❧❧ ❧ Kiefer was trained in various weaponry, though his favorites are long-arms like the lance, halberd, and pike.
❧❧❧❧❧ ❧ He also has some proficiency at the celeste and piano, as in his early days he tried to get out of dance practice by offering to play music for the other dancers instead.
❧❧❧❧❧ ❧ Kiefer is bad with motion sickness and heights. He gets vertigo quite easily...a problem given that Lundgren was build into the face of a cliff.
❧❧❧❧❧ ❧ Though he claims that things such as poltergeists and ghosts cannot scare him because they are illogical, he seems to harbor a fear of the Nezzien Nobble Nobble Man, a terrifying ivve that stalks and eats misbehaving children. If pushed to reveal the reason why, he might claim that it's because he saw the creature once.
❧❧❧❧❧ ❧ Prince Lysander of Lepumir was his close personal friend, their kingdoms being economically, politically, and socially intertwined. He often worries about his well-being...
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Personality Index ~
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MBTI Result: ISTJ-T, The Logistician. Kiefer's defining characteristics are integrity, practical logic, and tireless dedication. He enjoys taking responsibility for his actions and pride in his work; when acting towards a goal, Kiefer holds back none of his time and energy in completing each relevant task with accuracy and patience. Tending away from making assumptions, Kiefer instead prefers to analyze his surroundings to arrive at a practical course of action. Honesty is extremely important to him, even more so than emotional considerations, though this blunt approach leaves others with the false impression that he is cold, or even robotic. Kiefer struggles to express emotion or affection outwardly, but the suggestion that he cannot feel, or worse, has no personality at all, is deeply hurtful to him. Kiefer's dedication is an excellent quality, allowing him to accomplish much, but it is also a core weakness that less scrupulous individuals may take advantage of. He tends to keep his opinions to himself and let the facts do the talking, even if it this isn't always an ideal method of making available the truth.
❧ Energy = 95% Introverted. There are no two ways about it; Kiefer is socially awkward. His self-awareness of his failings and the pressure that he puts on himself to perform at socializing events makes such encounters unusually exhausting. He much prefers the comfort of his books, plants, and animals to other sentient beings.
❧ Mind = 54% Observant. Kiefer is highly pragmatic, receiving information in a way that is practical and down-to-earth. Though not impossible, it is more difficult for him to imagine things outside of what he knows or has experienced personally. His way of looking at the world can seem emotionally detached, though it is very clean and level-headed.
❧ Nature = 58% Thinking. It isn't an issue for Kiefer to detach himself from his emotions to examine himself or any situation objectively. In a crisis he will put his own feelings aside to advance the greater good; a reaction which he would only view as logical and necessary. He places a strong emphasis on logic over sentimentality, though there are, of course, exceptions when it comes to close family and friends. These his particular way of thinking will always defend.
❧ Tactics = 86% Judging. Kiefer is the very opposite of spontaneous and improvisation will make him extremely uncomfortable. However, with a clear path, he can be very determined and goal-oriented, and is capable at finishing tasks in an orderly and timely manner.
❧ Identity = 63% Turbulent. Knowing that he is a less-than-ideal prince, Nezzie citizen, and son, Kiefer is extremely self-conscious and holds himself up to impossibly high standards. Striving (and failing) to achieve such standards easily stresses him out. However, it also means that he is very driven.
RHETI Enneagram Result: Type 5: The Thinker. Kiefer has a need for knowledge and is introverted, curious, analytical, and insightful. He is known for his sharp intellect, strong desire for privacy, and the intensity of his cerebral interests. He is interested in explaining the world, partly due to scientific curiosity, and partly as a defense mechanism. Unfortunately, Kiefer's independence often leads to social isolation and idiosyncratic ways of thinking, and his need for intellectual control can be off-putting to others. He leans more closely to the 4 wing, also showing some characteristics of The Artist. This means he has a desire to probe his emotions to understand himself, leading to an emotional awareness that lends itself to showing kindness at a very deep level.
D&D Alignment Result: True Good. Kiefer is devoted to helping others, often working within Nezzie laws and expectations, but not feeling beholden to them if it is for the greater good of helping others or gaining and preserving knowledge. He believes in the equal value of both laws and chaos as tools to help better the world or individual lives. When it comes to defending the innocent and his own beliefs, he will not hesitate to take action, even against consequence. He does the best that a good person can do, believing himself to be altruistic and humane.