Ajax/Aden

Aden

2010-09-11T12:55:39Z

Name: Aden Reeves
Age: 54
Gender/Preference: Female/Straight
Title: N/A
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Left Salem Academy during Middle School
Residence: New Meridian
Familiar: None
Magical abilities: Fire (strong) and Wood (weak) elements, Healing (intermediate)
Appearance: Much the same as the PB.

Personality: Aden is a pretty intense individual. She has a destructive personality that affects her as much as it does those around her. The attachments she makes with people are often short-lived and riddled with conflict. She is unpredictable emotionally and tends not to react in the way that you would expect for a given situation. She likes to buuuurn things.
Strengths: Despite her instability, Aden can be a pretty tough cookie.
Weaknesses: Aden is very good at making very bad decisions. One would wonder if she does so on purpose.
Quirks: She is fussy about her food.
Secrets: Likes to burn things?

Biography:
Aden had a pretty standard childhood. Both her parents were alive, present and loving – for the most part. Her father is a Healer at the New Meridian Clinic, whilst her mother works to maintain the trees and plants in public areas around the city. Their first child – a boy – was almost finished middle school by the time Aden was born. He continued on at Salem Academy through upper school and remains there as a scholar to this day. Aden never had a good relationship with him – they saw each other around the academy, but she tended not to give him the time of day. When Aden was part way through lesser school her parents had a third child – another boy. Aden got on a little better with this brother once he got a bit older. This was mainly because she could exploit his innocence and blame him for things. When Aden left the academy her relationship with her family deteriorated – she was soon to move away from home and gradually lost contact with them.

As Aden moved through her schooling, it became apparent that she possessed ability in both her parents’ areas of magical expertise. It was the fire element, however, that really took her fancy – she was strongest in that, and tended to neglect her other studies (especially the wood element – much to her mother’s vexation). Aden really only learned enough to spring forth small saplings or repair small amounts of damage to plants – and even then, it was only so she could engulf them in flames once more. She had a little more time for healing and managed a passable understanding of this area before leaving the academy.

Aden was always a pretty dysfunctional child. After their first being so good, her parents really didn’t know how to handle her, and for the most part, they didn’t. It was clear from her early schooling that she didn’t work well with others. She had a tendency to react inappropriately to the situations she (always) found herself in, and her friendships never lasted long. She did manage, over the years, to cajole submissive individuals into being her ‘friends’ – though ‘minions’ might be a better term. As she progressed through her teens she became interested in a boy a couple of years older than her. He seemed to have a similar level of dysfunction, but seemed much better at handling it than her. She never really registered on his radar though. It wasn’t until he started spending less time at the academy – and she went looking – that he took any notice of her. They formed a loose sort of friendship – though friendships with this boy were never long lasting – usually so long as you were useful to him. That was the case here too. He dragged Aden into the underworld of New Meridian, which he escaped for a time – to finish his studies and pursue a different career path. She was left there to pursue any avenues that she could – though she was particularly fond of arson if anyone was in need. It was a rarely sought after service, however, and she ended up offering whatever else she could to get by – healing, moving illegal goods, information mongering, destruction/disposal of evidence and later, sex.

Aden moved out of home at the age of 20. She lived on the streets, with various men until they grew tired of her, and eventually in her own impoverished apartment. She had plenty of those short-lived, conflict ridden relationships, and made plenty of bad decisions. None were quite as bad as becoming involved with that boy following his 'return' to the underworld. (Yeah, it was Ajax. Someone needs a history with the bastard.) Their relationship culminated in Ajax doing things.. better left unsaid. The two managed to steer clear of each other for many years. Aden fell under everyones radar for a time, while Ajax settled into that world quite comfortably. Aden resurfaced soon enough – continuing to offer what services she could (though, really – if you needed anything fire she was definitely the person to ask.. and still is). Over time, Aden has managed to secure ties with all sorts of bottom dwellers - she has been seen in the company of groups such as pirates and politicians, as well as your typical underworld scum. She's not fussy.

Ajax

2010-09-11T12:38:38Z

Name: Ajax Grimshaw
Age: 57
Gender/Preference: Male/Straight
Title: Mage
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Middle School Graduate
Residence: New Meridian
Familiar: A Yellow Mongoose called Miki. She is competent with illusion magic. She usually only speaks to Ajax, but will extend her communications to others if the need arises. When dealing with Ajax she is fairly forward, though the two of them have been known to play games with each other. When dealing with others, Miki's manner varies. She can be quite forward, as she is with Ajax, or she can be vague and cryptic. She has her guard up no matter what, though. Ajax has taught Miki how to read a little, but she has no interest in writing.
Magical abilities: Illusion. It's about the only magic Ajax good at. But he /is/ good at it.
Appearance: Building from the PB (Robert Downey Jr.), Ajax is usually a bit beardy.. or at the very least, stubbly. He will clean up if presented with a good enough reason to do so, however. And sometimes he feels like a change. BUT FOR THE MOST PART. When performing, Ajax will often wear something to catch the eye of his audience.. something colourful or quirky. (Though he will go formal depending on the audience.) He finds attire an important part of the overall performance, as it helps to keep the focus on him. Ajax is physically fit, quite well built, and a little acrobatic. Oh my.

Personality: Ajax is a performer. It's not just a profession to him, it's the way he's come to interact with almost everyone. For this reason, it's hard to get a gauge on Ajax, which also makes it extremely difficult to form any sort of meaningful relationship with the man. It's easy to get caught up with Ajax, but Ajax doesn't have friends, lovers.. he has people. And people, for the most part, are expendable.
Strengths: Ajax is a pretty adept liar. It comes with the territory, really. His ability to lie is greatly aided by another of his strengths, though. His charisma. People are drawn to Ajax - he can be a little larger-than-life. They like being associated with that. Makes them feel important, like they're part of the 'show' that is Ajax. It makes it a lot easier to lie to people when they want to believe you. In addition to these, Ajax's ability as an illusionist is also a strength. Because he's really very good. This is countered by the fact that he's shit at everything else magically. But that's okay. Ajax is not only talented in his manipulation of the magic, but also in his manipulation of the audience. He'll distract his audience at the right time with some words or actions so that an illusion can sneak up them, or otherwise come into full effect. Again, his charisma and natural performing ability work to his favour in manipulating his audience and compliment his ability as an illusionist. It all really is quite a show.
Weaknesses: Ajax is arrogant. This arrogance has - and will continue to - get him into trouble. He doesn't care much though. Unfortunately for him, he should care. There are times when he really shouldn't draw so much attention to himself. There are times when he really shouldn't take on a challenge. And there are times when he really shouldn't be so sure of himself. Along with this arrogance, Ajax can be quite cruel. He doesn't really care about other people. Other people tend to care about him, though. Associating with Ajax can be slippery slope. Most people don't realise that though, because he's pretty wonderful. Some do end up finding out however. Because Ajax is almost always performing in one way or another, he finds that he has to be on the toes all the time. This can take it's toll, seeing him stretched pretty thin at times. Ajax can't really afford to be vulnerable.
Quirks: There's nothing stand out about Ajax. I mean, he himself may be a bit quirky, but that's a complete package.
Secrets: If he told you he might have to kill you. ;)

Biography:
Ajax is the only child of Vivian Grimshaw (an apothecary in Salem) and ~~Windex~~ Danny Sheen (a dodgy illusionist who doesn't tend to stay in one place for too long). Ajax helped his mother with her work from a young age - gardening and collecting bits of plants (and later animals) from the woods. Their house doubled as a store. He learned a lot from Vivian about the uses of the things she used and sold - knowledge he still calls on to this day.

Ajax attended Salem Academy through to the end of middle school. His aptitude for illusion magic was realised at an early age. He didn't much like 'work' though.. so set about performing for people and trying to trick the other students under the umbrella of 'learning'. He did learn though, whether he saw it as work or not. Towards the end of his schooling, Ajax felt that he had exhausted most of the resources available to him at the academy (as well, perhaps, as his peers) and started to spend a little less time at the academy and a little more time in the dodgier parts of New Meridian. They were the wrong sort of people to associate with, but they were they right sort of people to learn from. Ajax spent a bit of his final year down there.. applying his magic and his way with people to real situations. But a bit of an incident saw him take leave of that world.. and therefore spend more time at the academy in the lead up to graduation. It was okay though, he had learned some things, but not spent enough time in that world to become ingrained.

After graduating, Ajax managed to get himself under the wing of a well known street performer by the name of Bennett. Bennett helped Ajax realise some of the larger things. Working big illusions to larger numbers of people. He 'left' Bennett within the year, feeling that he had started to establish himself as an up-and-comer and could really continue to do so on his own. Ajax also took up martial arts at the Golden Sun dojo after graduating - he still practices to this day. (He started with Kung Fu, but has taken up a number of different disciplines since then.) Once Ajax did establish himself as a performer around the streets of New Meridian, he began to travel and make himself known in other parts of Aylasia.

Ajax was confident in himself as an illusionist and a performer, but craved more. When he was back in New Meridian, Ajax was visited by some lackeys of an old associate - Mordego - the man he had 'worked for' for a spell when he had felt that he had exhausted his options at the academy. Mordego had been following the rise of Ajax, and sent some folk to cheerfully remind him of his past. Ajax righted Mordego on such matters by sending one of the lackeys back. They were associates once more. Ajax offered his services performing particular unsavory tasks for people, via Mordego's folk, for a fee. Their association remains secret, though one of two people over the years have approached Ajax directly regarding this work.

As for now, Ajax is obviously a renowned illusionist and performer - he still performs on the streets from time to time, but also tours shows at certain venues and performs at events and functions. The calibre of the show really depends on where it is to take place and the audience expected. He still trains at the (now) New Meridian dojo ..and occasionally completes those unsavory tasks. He also hunts a bit - after taking it up to aid his mother with her work he got a feel for it. He finds it a nice way to unwind. Other than that, he enjoys being the centre of attention. ;)