Name: Diedrich Wilhelm Ludwig, formerly the heir to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine
Age: Eighteen
Birthday: 19th of April, 1853
Birth Place / Hometown: Darmstadt, German Confederation
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Class: College
Grade: Freshman
College Major: History
Occupation: Vinyl Record Shop and Bookstore Employee (part time); Student
Appearance Description:
Diedrich stands at 5'7'' in height, slightly above average for a man of his day. His overall build is semi-muscular but thin, as his diet is limited, and he often walks wherever he goes. Hi hair and eyes are brown in color, while his skin tone is light but not pale, by any means. He tends to keep his face clean shaven, as he never liked the idea of having a beard. The former duke holds hygiene in high regard, and as such he keeps his skin, teeth, hair, nails, and clothing clean.
Speaking of clothing, he prefers to dress in styles similar to those popular during the Victorian era (specifically the 1870s). His undershirts tend to remain white, while his dress shirts are either white or shades of blue, depending on the particular suit he's chosen to wear. His shirt collars alter between winged and straight. He likes wearing ties, bow ties, and ascots, with reds, black, greens, blues, white, and gold being his more favored colors. Diedrich also pins his ascots, so as to prevent them from becoming skewed. Both are normally partially stowed underneath waistcoats, which tend to be shades of brown, black, grey, blue, white, red, etc. Also, the lapels of both his waistcoats and suit coats tend to either be peaked (for more formal situations) or shawled (for normal, everyday travel). His suit jackets tend to match the color of his waistcoats, but there are times when Diedrich mixes and matches. Also, both tend to either be single or double-breasted.
He also possesses several varieties of suit jackets, from the cutaway morning coat (worn for informal, day-to-day occasions), frock coats (worn for more formal daytime dress), and tailcoats (worn as especially formal evening dress). Trousers match the color of suit jackets. He wears black or brown leather boots and shoes, depending on the climate of the day. Also, he doesn't wear belts; rather, he utilizes suspenders of black or brown leather, and of black or white silk. On colder days, he wears overcoats, which tend to be made of wool and dyed black or grey; and, on days of work, he wears an Ulster coat, which is normally composed of tweed. For certain conventional events, Diedrich wears a black tailcoat, a matching pair of black non-cuffed trousers, a white waistcoat, a white bow tie, black Oxford dress shoes, white suspenders, mother-of-pearl cuff links and shirt studs,a golden pocket watch, a top hat, and an Inverness cloak, or a calf length cloak that possesses "wings" on either side that serve to cover the arms as well as lapels. Also, on rare occasions, he carries an oaken walking stick.
Personality Description: From the very beginning, ideas of Victorian etiquette were drilled into Diedrich's mind. Due to that, his outward demeanor is one of politeness and amicability. He is to show respect towards others and be reserved in his conversation and general manner, as expressing any form of loud, boisterous, or energetic behavior is seen as impolite and rude. Despite this, certain personality traits are present. He exhibits a sort of natural charm when in the presence of others, and he tends to be rather blunt and to the point when in informal conversation. That, and the former Grand Duke holds a small amount of contempt for such stringent rules and advice. However, he feels obligated to maintain his mannered facade primarily for the sake of his deceased family.
Diedrich possesses a keen intelligence that developed during his late childhood and early teens. That, and he's naturally curious about the wider world; desiring to explore and gain a greater understanding of Manta Carlos and its people. However, his politeness prevents him from taking a hands-on approach and allows only for basic exploration and conversation. Also, Diedrich is passionate about education and learning; he reads tomes of both the fictitious and non-fictitious variety, with an emphasis on fiction. In regards to religion, he identifies as Roman Catholic. He is a religious person, but not to the point of extremes. He believes in God and Jesus's crucifixion, and he attends church every Sunday. However, given the presence of so many "gifted" persons on Manta Carlos, his faith in God has...changed. He primarily questions why those of such power were allowed to exist; the same could be said for him. He is unsure of his place in the world, and he hopes to gain answers.
Despite possessing such "positive" personality traits, there is a dark side to Diedrich's personality. Granted, he's not a sadist; nor does he desire to harm others simply for the sake of it. Rather, he possesses a mindset that was commonplace amongst white Europeans and Americans in the 19th century. He believes himself to be superior to those that are dissimilar to him, but the belief ultimately varies depending on the skin tone and physiognomy of the person he's conversing/associating himself with. Thankfully, his politeness overrides any hint of racism, but the idea of racial superiority remains almost a fact, in his mind.
Powers:
Healing - Diedrich possesses the power to heal others at the cost of his own life force. The more grievous the injury, the longer it takes to heal and the greater amount of energy is required to actually mend it. Also, he does have limits on what he can heal, with diseases being one of them. He can cure someone of a simple cold or flu, but other disorders such as cancer or consumption (a.k.a. tuberculosis), are beyond him.
Telepathy - His other power involves the transfer of information (i.e. thoughts) from his mind into those of others. That, and he can overhear other persons thoughts, though only if he specifically concentrates on one person in particular. Because of that, he often chooses to employ such a power in private spaces.
Note: Both of these powers ultimately depend on Diedrich's mental and physical state. For example, if he is especially tired or fatigued, then his telepathy will suffer and weaken. And, if he is incapable of concentrating, his healing magic will be less effective.
Biography: Diedrich Wilhelm Ludwig, Heir Apparent to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, located in what was once the German Empire, was the second child and first son to Ludwig IV, the then ruling Grand Duke of the duchy. He was born in the city of Darmstadt, which was the capital and seat of the monarchy. In all, he had five brothers and sisters, one of whom died at a very young age. From the moment of his birth, Diedrich was being groomed as his father's successor, and as such he was taught by a governess in the ways of Victorian etiquette and behavior. In addition, he learned how to read, write, and converse in six different languages, namely English and French, as he would likely have to deal with men who spoke as such in the future.
Most of his early life was spent inside of the family estate in Darmstadt, although he did sometimes attend military parades and celebration, primarily those thrown after the Confederation's victories against Denmark and the acquisition of some of its territory. Unlike King Wilhelm I of Prussia, Hesse's affairs were far less demanding. As the young duke grew older, he was instructed in both more and less important things, namely government, sword fighting, horseback riding. Now in his teens, Diedrich made several attempts to court young noblewomen, all of whom were younger or older than he. His efforts, while ultimately unsuccessful, did develop the charisma he usually employs when in a woman's company.
Throughout the 1860s and 1870s, his father and the government at large were concerned with having to deal with Chancellor Otto von Bismark's assimilation of Germanic kingdoms, duchies, and states into a Prussian-led empire, with the northern half of the duchy being made a member of the "North German Confederation". While the original German Confederation was being destroyed by one man's ambition, Diedrich was dealing with his own troubles and developments. It was during his late teens that his powers began to manifest; powers that he attempted to keep hidden lest he either be branded a devil-worshiper or a sign from God. Despite his being religious, he was also not overjoyed at being unlike other men.
He tried to ignore what he was; to pretend he was simply a Grand Duke in a soon-to-be-founded empire. However, his conscience betrayed him, and Diedrich confided in his local priest who, rather than keep the revelation a secret, revealed it to the wider world. The first group to approach him successfully were various scientists and researchers hoping to study him and determine how such powers came to exist in him and whether other men could possess similar abilities. However, before any definite experimentation could occur, the stress of being treated as a scientific curiosity rather than a human being, coupled with the Diedrich's frustration at his lack of answers as to why he was "gifted", resulted in a discharge or energy that caused the young man to fall into a coma. While he was unaware of what was happening to his now limp body, he was taken out of the care of his family and instead transported to Manta Carlos, where he was constantly monitored and surveyed for signs of life and movement. For approx. 145 years, the aristocrat remained inert until, finally, he awoke.
His recovery was slow and rather jarring, but Diedrich was able to gain enough of an understanding of the world around him to function. After enrolling in the local academy, he applied for at least two jobs and now works with what he loves most: books and records.
Additional Information: Diedrich is fluent in six languages: German, French, Russian, English, Latin, and Greek. However, given his current location, his preferred language is English. Also, he tends to speak with a German accent whilst conversing with others. Lastly, he works part time as an employee in the Salvetti Bros. Booksellers and a local Vinyl Record store, where the siren Cody Cord is also employed.
Age: Eighteen
Birthday: 19th of April, 1853
Birth Place / Hometown: Darmstadt, German Confederation
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Class: College
Grade: Freshman
College Major: History
Occupation: Vinyl Record Shop and Bookstore Employee (part time); Student
Appearance Description:
Speaking of clothing, he prefers to dress in styles similar to those popular during the Victorian era (specifically the 1870s). His undershirts tend to remain white, while his dress shirts are either white or shades of blue, depending on the particular suit he's chosen to wear. His shirt collars alter between winged and straight. He likes wearing ties, bow ties, and ascots, with reds, black, greens, blues, white, and gold being his more favored colors. Diedrich also pins his ascots, so as to prevent them from becoming skewed. Both are normally partially stowed underneath waistcoats, which tend to be shades of brown, black, grey, blue, white, red, etc. Also, the lapels of both his waistcoats and suit coats tend to either be peaked (for more formal situations) or shawled (for normal, everyday travel). His suit jackets tend to match the color of his waistcoats, but there are times when Diedrich mixes and matches. Also, both tend to either be single or double-breasted.
He also possesses several varieties of suit jackets, from the cutaway morning coat (worn for informal, day-to-day occasions), frock coats (worn for more formal daytime dress), and tailcoats (worn as especially formal evening dress). Trousers match the color of suit jackets. He wears black or brown leather boots and shoes, depending on the climate of the day. Also, he doesn't wear belts; rather, he utilizes suspenders of black or brown leather, and of black or white silk. On colder days, he wears overcoats, which tend to be made of wool and dyed black or grey; and, on days of work, he wears an Ulster coat, which is normally composed of tweed. For certain conventional events, Diedrich wears a black tailcoat, a matching pair of black non-cuffed trousers, a white waistcoat, a white bow tie, black Oxford dress shoes, white suspenders, mother-of-pearl cuff links and shirt studs,a golden pocket watch, a top hat, and an Inverness cloak, or a calf length cloak that possesses "wings" on either side that serve to cover the arms as well as lapels. Also, on rare occasions, he carries an oaken walking stick.
Personality Description: From the very beginning, ideas of Victorian etiquette were drilled into Diedrich's mind. Due to that, his outward demeanor is one of politeness and amicability. He is to show respect towards others and be reserved in his conversation and general manner, as expressing any form of loud, boisterous, or energetic behavior is seen as impolite and rude. Despite this, certain personality traits are present. He exhibits a sort of natural charm when in the presence of others, and he tends to be rather blunt and to the point when in informal conversation. That, and the former Grand Duke holds a small amount of contempt for such stringent rules and advice. However, he feels obligated to maintain his mannered facade primarily for the sake of his deceased family.
Diedrich possesses a keen intelligence that developed during his late childhood and early teens. That, and he's naturally curious about the wider world; desiring to explore and gain a greater understanding of Manta Carlos and its people. However, his politeness prevents him from taking a hands-on approach and allows only for basic exploration and conversation. Also, Diedrich is passionate about education and learning; he reads tomes of both the fictitious and non-fictitious variety, with an emphasis on fiction. In regards to religion, he identifies as Roman Catholic. He is a religious person, but not to the point of extremes. He believes in God and Jesus's crucifixion, and he attends church every Sunday. However, given the presence of so many "gifted" persons on Manta Carlos, his faith in God has...changed. He primarily questions why those of such power were allowed to exist; the same could be said for him. He is unsure of his place in the world, and he hopes to gain answers.
Despite possessing such "positive" personality traits, there is a dark side to Diedrich's personality. Granted, he's not a sadist; nor does he desire to harm others simply for the sake of it. Rather, he possesses a mindset that was commonplace amongst white Europeans and Americans in the 19th century. He believes himself to be superior to those that are dissimilar to him, but the belief ultimately varies depending on the skin tone and physiognomy of the person he's conversing/associating himself with. Thankfully, his politeness overrides any hint of racism, but the idea of racial superiority remains almost a fact, in his mind.
Powers:
Healing - Diedrich possesses the power to heal others at the cost of his own life force. The more grievous the injury, the longer it takes to heal and the greater amount of energy is required to actually mend it. Also, he does have limits on what he can heal, with diseases being one of them. He can cure someone of a simple cold or flu, but other disorders such as cancer or consumption (a.k.a. tuberculosis), are beyond him.
Telepathy - His other power involves the transfer of information (i.e. thoughts) from his mind into those of others. That, and he can overhear other persons thoughts, though only if he specifically concentrates on one person in particular. Because of that, he often chooses to employ such a power in private spaces.
Note: Both of these powers ultimately depend on Diedrich's mental and physical state. For example, if he is especially tired or fatigued, then his telepathy will suffer and weaken. And, if he is incapable of concentrating, his healing magic will be less effective.
Biography: Diedrich Wilhelm Ludwig, Heir Apparent to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, located in what was once the German Empire, was the second child and first son to Ludwig IV, the then ruling Grand Duke of the duchy. He was born in the city of Darmstadt, which was the capital and seat of the monarchy. In all, he had five brothers and sisters, one of whom died at a very young age. From the moment of his birth, Diedrich was being groomed as his father's successor, and as such he was taught by a governess in the ways of Victorian etiquette and behavior. In addition, he learned how to read, write, and converse in six different languages, namely English and French, as he would likely have to deal with men who spoke as such in the future.
Most of his early life was spent inside of the family estate in Darmstadt, although he did sometimes attend military parades and celebration, primarily those thrown after the Confederation's victories against Denmark and the acquisition of some of its territory. Unlike King Wilhelm I of Prussia, Hesse's affairs were far less demanding. As the young duke grew older, he was instructed in both more and less important things, namely government, sword fighting, horseback riding. Now in his teens, Diedrich made several attempts to court young noblewomen, all of whom were younger or older than he. His efforts, while ultimately unsuccessful, did develop the charisma he usually employs when in a woman's company.
Throughout the 1860s and 1870s, his father and the government at large were concerned with having to deal with Chancellor Otto von Bismark's assimilation of Germanic kingdoms, duchies, and states into a Prussian-led empire, with the northern half of the duchy being made a member of the "North German Confederation". While the original German Confederation was being destroyed by one man's ambition, Diedrich was dealing with his own troubles and developments. It was during his late teens that his powers began to manifest; powers that he attempted to keep hidden lest he either be branded a devil-worshiper or a sign from God. Despite his being religious, he was also not overjoyed at being unlike other men.
He tried to ignore what he was; to pretend he was simply a Grand Duke in a soon-to-be-founded empire. However, his conscience betrayed him, and Diedrich confided in his local priest who, rather than keep the revelation a secret, revealed it to the wider world. The first group to approach him successfully were various scientists and researchers hoping to study him and determine how such powers came to exist in him and whether other men could possess similar abilities. However, before any definite experimentation could occur, the stress of being treated as a scientific curiosity rather than a human being, coupled with the Diedrich's frustration at his lack of answers as to why he was "gifted", resulted in a discharge or energy that caused the young man to fall into a coma. While he was unaware of what was happening to his now limp body, he was taken out of the care of his family and instead transported to Manta Carlos, where he was constantly monitored and surveyed for signs of life and movement. For approx. 145 years, the aristocrat remained inert until, finally, he awoke.
His recovery was slow and rather jarring, but Diedrich was able to gain enough of an understanding of the world around him to function. After enrolling in the local academy, he applied for at least two jobs and now works with what he loves most: books and records.
Additional Information: Diedrich is fluent in six languages: German, French, Russian, English, Latin, and Greek. However, given his current location, his preferred language is English. Also, he tends to speak with a German accent whilst conversing with others. Lastly, he works part time as an employee in the Salvetti Bros. Booksellers and a local Vinyl Record store, where the siren Cody Cord is also employed.
