Name: Olaf Jakobsen
Age: 15
Birthday: January 22nd
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Pansexual, still figuring things out
Class: High School
Grade: 10th
Birth Place / Hometown: Ålesund, Norway
Occupation: Unemployed, runs a semi-popular gardening blog
Race/Species: Half-troll, on his mother's side
Theme: Cool, calm, and collected/Rip-roaring and rampaging
Appearance Description: Olaf is, to put it lightly, big for his age. To put it bluntly, he's built like a brick shithouse. Standing at around 6'5, even more when he's not slouching, with broad, powerful shoulders and long, gangly limbs. He's a little chubby around the middle, but rest assured he's almost all muscle. Olaf's skin is ivory wight, though marked and marred in places by dirt and fading bruises. His hands, flat and broad like shovels, are spotted with callouses, though he can be surprisingly delicate when he has to.
Olaf's face looks like somebody hit him in the face with a board and he just sort of stayed that way. You'd be hard pressed to find a single sharp angle on any of his features, with rounded cheeks and a practically nonexistent jawline. Small, thin lips are set under a nose that, while not gargantuan, is definitely big enough to draw attention. It's squashed, almost flattened against the rest of his face, and underlines a pair of big, watery blue eyes. His eyes are, themselves, framed by a raggedy mop of dirty blonde hair.
His figure's belied somewhat by his choice in clothing. Olaf tends towards big, baggy clothing, which can be tough to find for someone of his proportions, but he manages it. He'll wear anything thick and drab, preferably with a hood, since it keeps him out of sight and out of the sun. Still, he always carries around a small umbrella just in case that's not enough.
Personality Description: It can be hard to get a read on Olaf sometimes. He keeps to himself, mostly, stays out of other people's ways. It's not like he doesn't like people, of course. He loves them! It's just that he doesn't love himself as much, and generally doesn't want to burden anyone with his presence.
The archetypal gentle giant, Olaf comes off as brusque and imposing at first glance, only sparing a few words in passing before going about his business. However, even cursory investigation reveals that he is, in fact, a big ol' softy. Olaf is of the belief that everyone, no matter who they are, is deserving of the same degree of love and respect, and though he might not show it outwardly, he knows that there's something good in every single person. It's a fine philosophy, but combined with his trusting nature, it means Olaf is terribly gullible. He's been burned by people he trusted in the past, and it's lead him to question his own self-worth.
In truth, Olaf doesn't see himself as someone worth the kindness that he gives to others. After all, who'd care for a bumbling, idiot trollson like him? He's an embarrassment, an obstacle, and the most he can do is try not to bother anyone too much. Still, Olaf desperately wants to be seen as useful, and the idea of being responsible for something, or someone, of being relied upon, brings him great joy. If he can mean something to somebody, even in a little way, then Olaf's happy.
Olaf, coincidentally, loves gardening. Not just because it involves nurturing something, shaping its life, though that does definitely help. There's also a primal component to it, and digging around in the dirt and working with his hands appeals to him on a level he's not entirely willing to analyze. That same primality can also been seen on those incredibly rare occasions where Olaf is actually mad. It takes a lot to rile him up, but when he finally snaps, he snaps. His anger, when unleashed, is terrible and directionless, usually resulting in a lot of broken hearts and even more broken property. He's slow to anger, and even slower to calm down, and these rampages will leave him in a deep depression for weeks at a time.
Powers:
Mountain Heritage
Trolls, considered widely to be a subspecies of giants, are a peaceful, solitary race occupying great swaths of rural Scandinavia, and Norway in particular. They're known largely for their curmudgeonly attitudes, prodigious strength, and thundering voices. A lesser-known tidbit is that they're also fully capable of interbreeding with humans. Olaf just so happens to be the result of one such coupling.
Along with being a constant source of embarrassment, Olaf's lineage also provides him with a few helpful tricks.
That Terrible Strength: Olaf's strong. Really, really strong. The kind of strong that'd take a normal human years, maybe even their whole life to achieve. He can lift, carry, and throw up to half a ton, and push or pull over a full ton of weight. With enough effort, he could bend iron bars with his bare hands, and getting punched by Olaf feels like getting hit be a semi truck.
A Leathery Hide: Olaf might not be thick-skinned in the figurative sense, but his skin is, in fact, very thick. Really his whole body is kinda like that. While far from bulletproof, Olaf can take darts and arrows without so much as flinching, and regular punches or attacks with blunt instruments barely even faze him. Even magic won't keep him down for long, with one very glaring exception.
A Booming Roar: Though normally pretty quiet, Olaf can be very, very loud if he feels like it. The full force of his voice can carry for miles, and at close range is loud enough to crack glass and burst eardrums. He doesn't yell very often, since he finds it embarrassing, and it makes his throat all scratchy.
Troll Magics
Olaf's mother was, and still is, a powerful witch, channeling her race's innate connection to the earth and taking her place as her tribe's spiritual leader. It'd be a shame if at least some of that power didn't trickle down into her bloodline. With a moment of concentration and guttural incantation, Olaf can call upon a shadow of his parent's sorcery. Troll magic is, primarily, about communication with the earth and the revealing and concealing of secrets, and the minor spells he's managed to nail down reflect that.
Stonewhisper: Contrary to what you might think, rocks can, in fact, talk. It's just that not many people bother to listen. Okay, it's not speech, necessarily, since you'd need to have a brain for that, but Olaf can squeeze a certain degree of information out of them with this spell. By putting his ear close to any rock, stone, boulder, or stone structure, he can learn everything about the stone, and about anything within a ten foot radius of such. Stones have long memories, and can tell him a good deal about things that have occurred in their vicinity, stretching back to ten years ago at the most. Still, they don't have a very good eye for detail, or any eyes at all, and events are always conveyed in the vaguest of terms.
Answer Me This: By planting his feet on the ground and loudly posing a riddle or puzzle, Olaf can become a human barricade. Upon completion, the spell creates a psychic barrier that prevents anyone from taking one step past him. There's no physical obstruction, but any attempt to walk around Olaf is immediately halted by a mental compulsion to turn around and walk the other way. The barrier's small, only capable of taking up an enclosed space, such as a room or hallway, or a narrow passage, like an alleyway or small bridge. The only way to defeat the magic without the use of counterspells is to correctly answer the riddle or solve the puzzle, at which point the barrier dissolves. Despite all this, Olaf only rarely uses this spell. It's mean and he's never found a real use for it. Plus, he's really bad at coming up with riddles.
Weaknesses: Trolls, with a few notable exceptions, are weakened by two things. The first is sunlight. Exposure to direct sunlight for a long enough period will turn a troll to stone, a process that is both irreversible and horrendously painful. Being half human, Olaf thankfully doesn't have to contend with that, but the sun is still an issue. Too much time in the sun causes his joints to stiffen, and his skin to harden and turn grey. This effect starts on the exposed area and then spreads outwards, resulting in complete or partial paralysis if he isn't taken back into the shade in time. It's not permanent, thankfully, but it's not anything he wants to deal with.
The second is lightning. Lightning, especially magical lightning, is somehow even more lethal to Olaf than it is for a normal human. It tears away at his flesh, leaving awful, ragged wounds behind, and a well-placed bolt will stop his heart completely. Even a minor electrical shock will give him severe burns, and he tries to stay away from exposed outlets and staticky clothes because of it.
Biography:
Age: 15
Birthday: January 22nd
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Pansexual, still figuring things out
Class: High School
Grade: 10th
Birth Place / Hometown: Ålesund, Norway
Occupation: Unemployed, runs a semi-popular gardening blog
Race/Species: Half-troll, on his mother's side
Theme: Cool, calm, and collected/Rip-roaring and rampaging
Appearance Description: Olaf is, to put it lightly, big for his age. To put it bluntly, he's built like a brick shithouse. Standing at around 6'5, even more when he's not slouching, with broad, powerful shoulders and long, gangly limbs. He's a little chubby around the middle, but rest assured he's almost all muscle. Olaf's skin is ivory wight, though marked and marred in places by dirt and fading bruises. His hands, flat and broad like shovels, are spotted with callouses, though he can be surprisingly delicate when he has to.
Olaf's face looks like somebody hit him in the face with a board and he just sort of stayed that way. You'd be hard pressed to find a single sharp angle on any of his features, with rounded cheeks and a practically nonexistent jawline. Small, thin lips are set under a nose that, while not gargantuan, is definitely big enough to draw attention. It's squashed, almost flattened against the rest of his face, and underlines a pair of big, watery blue eyes. His eyes are, themselves, framed by a raggedy mop of dirty blonde hair.
His figure's belied somewhat by his choice in clothing. Olaf tends towards big, baggy clothing, which can be tough to find for someone of his proportions, but he manages it. He'll wear anything thick and drab, preferably with a hood, since it keeps him out of sight and out of the sun. Still, he always carries around a small umbrella just in case that's not enough.
Personality Description: It can be hard to get a read on Olaf sometimes. He keeps to himself, mostly, stays out of other people's ways. It's not like he doesn't like people, of course. He loves them! It's just that he doesn't love himself as much, and generally doesn't want to burden anyone with his presence.
The archetypal gentle giant, Olaf comes off as brusque and imposing at first glance, only sparing a few words in passing before going about his business. However, even cursory investigation reveals that he is, in fact, a big ol' softy. Olaf is of the belief that everyone, no matter who they are, is deserving of the same degree of love and respect, and though he might not show it outwardly, he knows that there's something good in every single person. It's a fine philosophy, but combined with his trusting nature, it means Olaf is terribly gullible. He's been burned by people he trusted in the past, and it's lead him to question his own self-worth.
In truth, Olaf doesn't see himself as someone worth the kindness that he gives to others. After all, who'd care for a bumbling, idiot trollson like him? He's an embarrassment, an obstacle, and the most he can do is try not to bother anyone too much. Still, Olaf desperately wants to be seen as useful, and the idea of being responsible for something, or someone, of being relied upon, brings him great joy. If he can mean something to somebody, even in a little way, then Olaf's happy.
Olaf, coincidentally, loves gardening. Not just because it involves nurturing something, shaping its life, though that does definitely help. There's also a primal component to it, and digging around in the dirt and working with his hands appeals to him on a level he's not entirely willing to analyze. That same primality can also been seen on those incredibly rare occasions where Olaf is actually mad. It takes a lot to rile him up, but when he finally snaps, he snaps. His anger, when unleashed, is terrible and directionless, usually resulting in a lot of broken hearts and even more broken property. He's slow to anger, and even slower to calm down, and these rampages will leave him in a deep depression for weeks at a time.
Powers:
Mountain Heritage
Trolls, considered widely to be a subspecies of giants, are a peaceful, solitary race occupying great swaths of rural Scandinavia, and Norway in particular. They're known largely for their curmudgeonly attitudes, prodigious strength, and thundering voices. A lesser-known tidbit is that they're also fully capable of interbreeding with humans. Olaf just so happens to be the result of one such coupling.
Along with being a constant source of embarrassment, Olaf's lineage also provides him with a few helpful tricks.
That Terrible Strength: Olaf's strong. Really, really strong. The kind of strong that'd take a normal human years, maybe even their whole life to achieve. He can lift, carry, and throw up to half a ton, and push or pull over a full ton of weight. With enough effort, he could bend iron bars with his bare hands, and getting punched by Olaf feels like getting hit be a semi truck. A Leathery Hide: Olaf might not be thick-skinned in the figurative sense, but his skin is, in fact, very thick. Really his whole body is kinda like that. While far from bulletproof, Olaf can take darts and arrows without so much as flinching, and regular punches or attacks with blunt instruments barely even faze him. Even magic won't keep him down for long, with one very glaring exception. A Booming Roar: Though normally pretty quiet, Olaf can be very, very loud if he feels like it. The full force of his voice can carry for miles, and at close range is loud enough to crack glass and burst eardrums. He doesn't yell very often, since he finds it embarrassing, and it makes his throat all scratchy. Troll Magics
Olaf's mother was, and still is, a powerful witch, channeling her race's innate connection to the earth and taking her place as her tribe's spiritual leader. It'd be a shame if at least some of that power didn't trickle down into her bloodline. With a moment of concentration and guttural incantation, Olaf can call upon a shadow of his parent's sorcery. Troll magic is, primarily, about communication with the earth and the revealing and concealing of secrets, and the minor spells he's managed to nail down reflect that.
Stonewhisper: Contrary to what you might think, rocks can, in fact, talk. It's just that not many people bother to listen. Okay, it's not speech, necessarily, since you'd need to have a brain for that, but Olaf can squeeze a certain degree of information out of them with this spell. By putting his ear close to any rock, stone, boulder, or stone structure, he can learn everything about the stone, and about anything within a ten foot radius of such. Stones have long memories, and can tell him a good deal about things that have occurred in their vicinity, stretching back to ten years ago at the most. Still, they don't have a very good eye for detail, or any eyes at all, and events are always conveyed in the vaguest of terms.Answer Me This: By planting his feet on the ground and loudly posing a riddle or puzzle, Olaf can become a human barricade. Upon completion, the spell creates a psychic barrier that prevents anyone from taking one step past him. There's no physical obstruction, but any attempt to walk around Olaf is immediately halted by a mental compulsion to turn around and walk the other way. The barrier's small, only capable of taking up an enclosed space, such as a room or hallway, or a narrow passage, like an alleyway or small bridge. The only way to defeat the magic without the use of counterspells is to correctly answer the riddle or solve the puzzle, at which point the barrier dissolves. Despite all this, Olaf only rarely uses this spell. It's mean and he's never found a real use for it. Plus, he's really bad at coming up with riddles.Weaknesses: Trolls, with a few notable exceptions, are weakened by two things. The first is sunlight. Exposure to direct sunlight for a long enough period will turn a troll to stone, a process that is both irreversible and horrendously painful. Being half human, Olaf thankfully doesn't have to contend with that, but the sun is still an issue. Too much time in the sun causes his joints to stiffen, and his skin to harden and turn grey. This effect starts on the exposed area and then spreads outwards, resulting in complete or partial paralysis if he isn't taken back into the shade in time. It's not permanent, thankfully, but it's not anything he wants to deal with.
The second is lightning. Lightning, especially magical lightning, is somehow even more lethal to Olaf than it is for a normal human. It tears away at his flesh, leaving awful, ragged wounds behind, and a well-placed bolt will stop his heart completely. Even a minor electrical shock will give him severe burns, and he tries to stay away from exposed outlets and staticky clothes because of it.
Biography:
- Raised by a single father on the outskirts of Ålesund
- Always a quiet boy, did decently in school, never made very many friends
- Father was constantly evasive about the subject of his mother
- Puberty rolled around, and his body started to change. Not in the "hair in odd places" kind of change, though that happened too, but weirder stuff
- Starts hearing voices from rocks, gets all rickety in the sun, undergoes a bizarrely massive growth spurt.
- Seriously, he was like 5'0 before.
- Made the subject of mockery and derision at school for his changes. Things were thrown at him, and he lost his temper more than he'd like to admit.
- Eventually, father sits him down and does the father thing, explaining what's happening to him
- Turns out, during his rock-climbing days, Papa Jakobsen met and fell in love with a trollwife, and soon after had a son with her
- Since he couldn't stay with the trolls, and she couldn't join him in a human city, he took the baby and settled down to raise him himself
- Olaf is, understandably, pretty mad about not being told this sooner and locks himself up in his room for days on end.
- Father, still tearfully sorry, slips a letter of invitation to Starlight Academy under his door
- Delighted with the idea that he could meet other people like him, Olaf packs his bags and ships off to Manta Carlos
