Thoth

Thoth Concept: Unknown Path: Mastigos Order: Guardians of the Veil • Consilium: Undefined -- Legacy None Cabal: N/A Player: [mailto: Joshua Smith] Storyteller: [mailto: Undefined VST] "Come, walk with me. We have much to talk about." Thoth carries many extremely aged scrolls on his person... not many know why Born: 07/09/1901 Age: 115 Rank: Classified Titles/Memberships: Classified Various nicknames and aliases: Vigil Physical description: Thoth's age is hard to determine. First glance would suggest extreme age, as his hair is bone white (though still full) and his wrinkles are deep and many. Second glance would put a guess of an age between 70 and 80. Still, though frail he appears to be in excellent health. He is heavily scarred from a lifetime of combat in a multitude of forms. He's rarely without his staff, and usually carries around a binder filled with old scrolls. Occasionally, he wears an unsettling bird mask. Nimbus: Thoth's nimbus brings with it an overwhelming sense of age and power, cowing those who see it. Quick facts Thoth could make do as someone's (or everyone's) grandfather quite easily. He's a friendly, pleasant and occasionally funny old man. It's not until something bad happens that most people see the other side of him. Thoth has been around for a long long time, and it shows. He's fought in two World Wars and who knows how many other battles (both awakened and not) in his life, and once he gets moving he's forceful, deliberate, and scarily precise. In better times, he's a teacher. He's seems to seek out new mages, and with how long he's been at it, more members of the Pentacle in Australia have some sort of link to him than not; either in being directly taught (Thoth appears to have extensive knowledge in near everything), or from him being their teacher's teacher and so on. He's also a prime target to come to mind when someone wishes help in gaining or, more often, mastering a skill. At this point, there are very few who have even an inkling of exactly how old he is. He's been around so long even the 'old' mages are used to having him there. Known in the Sleeper world Given his estimated age, it's likely he's had to sever ties with his family at some point. Who knows when though. As for the rest of the world? The man there bears no resemblance to Thoth. Timeline 1901: Born 1918: Enlisted for WW1 at the age of 16 using his older brother's ID. 1918: Is discovered to be a sleepwalker by a Thyrsus Arrow called Caraway, his then Sergeant. Caraway educates him in the truth about the Fallen World, and the supernatural undercurrent of the War in progress. 1919: With the war at an end, Caraway, inducts him into the Adamantium Arrow as a Banner-Bearer. He takes the name Vigil. 1939: With the sparks of World War II igniting, Caraway and Vigil reenlist. Caraway convinces the rest of their cabal to enlist as well. Despite some suspicion by army recruiters over the group's level of competence, Caraway's old influences allow them to be made into a special forces unit. Under Caraway's command, the group focuses primarily on countering Axis Awakened influences on the War. 1941: Caraway and most of the rest of the cabal perishes when a Seer Master of Matter invokes a paradox; resulting in an Abyssal Manifestation. Vigil survives, if barely. He remembers little until he is fully recovered, but by the time he's mobile again he has awakened to the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet. 1942-1945: With his new capabilities, Vigil rapidly rises through the ranks. By the War's end, he has reached the rank of Colonel. However, he again gets released from the army, devoting himself to service in the Adamantium Arrow. 1971: Is presumed dead in the Dubbo singularity. Details on the events are scarce, but seem to indicate that all of the Mages present were retroactively erased from Time itself. 1974: Vigil resurfaces. He seems quite different, and bears many scars. On his return he formally quits the Adamantium Arrow. 1980: Vigil formally claims membership in the Guardians of the Veil, and takes the name Thoth. 1996: Thoth again clashes with Lady J. Though still unsuccessful in capturing her, he does manage to remove Astraeus from her 'care.' Much of Thoth's next 10 years are spent rehabilitating and mentoring Astraeus. There are unproven rumours that powerful Mind magic was involved. 2010: Discovered Circe in Launceston. He soon took her on as an apprentice. Later, at her request, he prepared her for Arrow initiation. Quotes by "Driving? Kids these days. It's called speeding." "Mages are the worst bureaucrats. It's not left hand vs right hand, but rather that each finger is hiding from the rest and the thumbs have bazookas." "Phenomenal cosmic power has a way of inflating one's sense of self-worth. Notably the value one places on one's own opinion." "You know, it's funny, at the time I was an ungrateful shit about it. I'd been a Sleepwalker, you see. I was furious Pandemonium called me, instead of the Primal wilds or... well, Stygia." "Fate is a fickle bitch... mind my language... but sometimes it seems that she really does know what she's doing." "If I may offer some advice in my (entirely too much) age, it might be this. Do not view Mastery as a mark of your personal achievement. There are greater things in this earth than it, and many more fulfilling. Even from an Awakened perspective, widening your views, not heightening them, often bears the greater reward. And also... to be a Master is to also come into full awareness of how the Fallen World hates you. Yes, you, specifically, and many once simple things become frought with danger. To others, to yourself, your soul, the very reality you walk. Follow the call if you wish, but you are not a better, stronger person for it. You do that by being a better, stronger person." Quotes about “Thoth, he's pretty cool, he was my first teacher, but it didn’t work out, we do things at too different pace.” -Rifling to a fellow mage “Mages like Thoth are the reason the Guardians need Mages like me.” -Janice “Huh? Oh yeah I was pissed at him for ages but that was a long time ago and I get why he did what he did now... no you don't get to know why I was pissed” -Thrills “Who is this, Circe? And why is he here?” -Medea “He is an incredible Mage, a better Guardian, and an avid teacher. Lend him ten minutes of your time, and you will walk away with a slice of 100 years of knowledge.” -Nephilim “He seems really nice! He said he likes astronomy.” -Sybella, to Thrills "There's more to you than meets the eye, Thoth. You look like you have more secrets and stories in you than I'll ever know." -Sybella, to Thoth "While Astraeus found me and helped me through my first steps after awakening, Thoth was my first Mentor. It is through his wisdom and guidance that I was able to find my place in this world. His gentle words and stern lessons have shaped the Arrow I am today" -Circe "Every Idea to this guy seems to be a bad idea unless it comes from him. Stick in the Mud like the rest of his order" -Invar "Thoth and I go way back. She put me on the path I follow now, and if not for her, I imagine I would be wandering a far darker, more solitary path." -Big Panda Conversations At Circe's Bar right after an ...unusual drink order Thoth: "...Still better than what you'll find in a trench." Circe: "Why would you mix them like that Thoth?" Invar: "Maybe he's crazy." Thoth: "It'd count. Long and short of it is 'cause I made a terrible deal once. Technically I'm cheating. This barely tastes like a still at all." Invar: "Hit me with the same stuff, If Thoth is gonna drink something awful why not join in?" Invar: "...Oh mate... mate... why..." Thoth, currently embracing her feminine side Thoth: "Don't I get a hug too?" Coen: "Of course! Everyone does! How old are you my silver haired angel?" Thoth: "115." Regarding Many Faces Thoth: "With a little imagination they can create their own (form), however they might like them to be. ...Many also use it to become a more... idealised form of themselves. ...In the ...usual, predictable places, of course." Billy: "What is the most unorthodox use of it you have seen?" Thoth: "I'd say the bedroom, but I'd be lying, everyone uses it in there... Heh, no, the most unorthodox use I've seen was part of a hazing ritual during an initiation; the tamest part of which was the poor man's copy running naked across a field, in front of witnesses. ...And when he had to try and explain it later..." Dodging the winter chill Thoth: "I hope I'm not going to come down with the a cold, I'm about due for one at this rate. Sybella: "Oh come now, you'll be right. You're a mighty and powerful Mage! On morality, or Gadi's lack of it Thoth: "That's a shame. The world has enough monsters already, and not enough heroes." Gadi: "..... heroes are obsessive murderous delusional sociopaths so wrapped up in their own ego, that all that rules them is their desire is to tag another trophy on their belt, mount another head on a wall..." Yet more morality Gadi: "What are you Garry? Are you the man who pretends that he is still human? Or the monster that embraces the change from humanity?" Thoth: "I am not human. But that does not put me apart from them... I am simply, something more. An addition to a whole, whether in numbers or decimals." Ending a conversation Gadi: "No need to be cryptic and wizardy." Thoth: "Then you have, clearly, come to the wrong wizard." Rumours Actually a woman beneath the disguise. At his age he's probably gonna die in his sleep before long. He's been finding and teaching Awakened longer than most Awakened have been alive. He's good at it too. If you need training in... well, anything. Ask him, chances are he'll be happy to. Or he'll break you for past screw ups. 50/50 odds, who's a betting mage? Thoth is a really nice guy, as long as he's not cleaning up your mess. His aura is terrifying, seriously. He's remarkably stable for a Mage with a body count likely in the hundreds. Is he really stable though? Yeah, stable as the sense of, if you connect him to a heart-rate monitor, he's in a stable condition. Made a grown man cry just by looking at him. Acts as the Interfector for Launceston. Thrills seems to listen to him more than any other mage. Does this have something to do with Thoth's biased opinion on Janice? Inspirations/Theme Songs/Soundtrack Egyptian History/Mythos Harry Dresden (The Dresden Files) "Evil isn’t the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it’s a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference." "Paranoia is a survival trait when you run in my circles. It gives you something to do in your spare time, coming up with solutions to ridiculous problems that aren't ever going to happen. Except when one of them does, at which point you feel way too vindicated." "Rule number one of the wizarding business. Never let them see you sweat. People expect us to know things. It can be a big advantage. Don’t screw it up by looking like you’re as confused as everyone else. Bad for the image." Albus Dumbledore "...the true master of death does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying." "Because I am much older, much cleverer and much less valuable." "Well – it's just that you seem to be laboring under the delusion that I am going to – what is the phrase – 'Come quietly.'" Vilrec Langlifr (BTS Chronicle 2013-2017, may his terrifying memory (also wiki page) live forever) Theme songs The Offspring: You're gonna go far kid"With a thousand lies, and a good disguise. Hit 'em right between the eyes. Hit 'em right between the eyes. When you walk away, nothing more to say. See the lightning in your eyes, see 'em running for their lives." RWBY: I May Fall "I may fall, but not like this-it won't be by your hand. I may fall, not this place- not today. I may fall, bring it all- it's not enough to take me down." Johnny Cash: Hurt "I wear this crown of thorns. Upon my liar's chair. Full of broken thoughts. I cannot repair." Soundtrack (to be listened to in the following order) Judgement Day Thoth's life has been one long war. Months and years in trenches of one kind or another, a grindstone of cold metal and gunpowder... Battle ...broken by splintered seconds of fists, knives and blood. Trail of Blood Vigil didn't truly see the road he'd walked until he found himself standing alone, surrounded by the corpses of his comrades. Drifting To be a survivor is to bear the weight of those who are gone. Those Chosen By The Planet Only in the deepest darkness, can one find the most hidden of lights. Auron's theme Awakening didn't change his duty. There was still a war to be fought. There would always be a war to be fought. Bittersweet Love A long life means the more people to leave you behind. It means that eventually, there will be nobody left at all. Terra And that... broke him, and he fell into shadows. Roses and Wine Once more the world gave him a flicker of light to find a way home. My Mind A reason to keep fighting. A reason to forge himself stronger still. Ominous And so something more than a man stepped out of the darkness. A being of knowledge and secrets... Dead End ...With a nimbus like a nightmare. Great Warrior But even stars die eventually, and this star has been burning for far too long. OOC I'm always happy to be contacted via Facebook/Mage forums, or even by phone if it needs an immediate response. On all feel free, I enjoy chatting. Member Information Player: [mailto: Joshua Smith] Number: 2014020035 Domain: Canberra