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Feb. 22nd, 2013 12:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aboysbestfriendPlayer name: Dee
Characters played: Meera Ranawat
Character Name: Gilbert "Gil" Hartman
Age: 30
How long They've Been in the Deck: 6 years
Suit/Rank: Seven of Diamonds
History: Gilbert was born in Portland, Oregon, to a well-off couple. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect within days of entering this world. He was afforded the best medical attention, but still he grew up as a boy who couldn't play, couldn't participate in sports, couldn't even run for the fun of running. It was a miracle he survived those early years, but how could his parents explain to him that he might die if he tried to behave as other children did? In the end, they didn't have to. Too many times he'd gone behind his parents' back and nearly passed out over a soccer ball. It taught him that it was best to act disappointed when he was told he couldn't play in the matches, but not too disappointed.
He set his attentions on other matters. Gil had a variety of hobbies with which he could entertain himself. Drawing, reading, collecting things... His parents pitied him for his condition, which in their opinion kept him from just being a little boy. In reality, Gil liked the isolation. Whether it was his circumstances or constitution that dictated his personality, no one can say. But the facts are that he was very solitary throughout grammar school, middle school, high school... It was only in college that he was drawn out of his shell.
It was a girl, of course. The first time he saw her, he thought her name should be something romantic like Celeste or Antonia or Felicia. It was Greg. They took to each other quickly, as facilitated by their group of friends. She studied music, he studied business. Sounded great, everyone joked. Greg and Gil were the only ones who never caught wise to that joke.
He was shy, whereas she was outgoing to the extreme. She called people on their shit, he carried around his frustrations until he broke down in private. They shared the same slightly cruel sense of humor, but their differences far outnumbered their similarities. It was good; it worked. Even when they fought, they understood how to fight so that they always made it through to the other side.
In his junior year, Gil couldn't seem to deal with his ASD. His heart always bothered him, but it was getting harder and harder to walk up stairs. He made some excuse to keep Greg and his friends from worrying, but things turned out to be serious. A partial transplant was called for. The procedure went through without a hitch, but the cost of it was something his insurance simply couldn't cover. Gil went to his parents. There had always been a distance between Gil and his parents. He was the first child, expected to provide for himself and see his younger siblings along. That was the narrative his family constructed, but Gil couldn't help but feel that he was kept at arm's length because, well, it was likely one day he might simply up and die. When it became brutally clear that he'd be given nothing financially in way of help, Gil weighed his options.
When he was at the very end of his rope, he told Greg the truth. At first she was furious, hurt, a second from pounding her fists against his chest and finishing the job. But, in time she calmed. That was when Greg told Gil about the Deck. It was a place that was outside the reach of relatives and debt collectors. A place that was out of reach of anyone who didn't know how to find it. They could go there; her family would help them settle in. Gil could even find a good job helping one Suit or another.
It sounded ridiculous, but the way that Greg explained everything with such certainty and ease gave Gil pause. What would it hurt? He'd pack his things, travel with her, and if his incredible girlfriend turned out to out of her head, well... He'd cross that bridge when he came to it. What did he have to lose?
Arriving in the Deck was beyond strange, but apparently the locals were used to bumpkins like him. After the initial onslaught of meeting Greg's family and learning that they had been part of this society for generations, Gil went through the ringer. What were his intentions, what were his strengths and weaknesses? In short, what did he have to offer their family? With clipped, mumbled answers he replied. He wanted to marry their daughter (truly he did), he... wanted to give her children (truly he did not). He was responsible, sensible, a good provider. In the end, he was welcomed with somewhat open arms.
Greg and Gil's wedding was a small affair. Her family was in attendance, as well as all the Diamonds they couldn't help but invite. A hushed whisper got passed from attendee to attendee, 'Don't overwhelm the groom.' In the end, they might have coddled Gil too much.
He adjusted quickly. He received his position in the finances department for the Diamonds, sat down with the books and got to work. Being assigned to menial account dealings was a bit of a slap in the face after all the trouble he'd gone through securing internships at firms, but that was fine. He'd work his way up.
Challenges came as something of a shock. He understood what they were a few hours within entering the Deck, but that was only theoretical. The first time he saw someone die in a challenge, that was when reality set in. The first time he saw his wife kill... Well, that was something entirely different. Gil grew distant then. He hadn't yet challenged. So long as he could keep progressing in position as an accountant without upping his rank, he didn't care. Greg pulled him aside and told him that wasn't how things worked.
He could find his place in the middle, of course, but not the bottom. He was practically a child in his betters' eyes. He could challenge a Three to sums or checkers or whatever he pleased, but what he could not do was refuse to challenge. Greg prodded him to move forward slowly, at his pace, but he could see it in her eyes that she wanted him to prove himself. He'd always known her to be competitive, confrontational even, but he was just now learning that this was something that had been drilled into her from birth.
For years, they made bargains. He would participate in Deck culture, she'd cut him a break on the 'becoming a father' front. He understood that they'd both come here because of his debt, but it did seem like the situation benefited Greg in ways she wasn't willing to discuss. As Gil did his best to esteem himself among his fellow Diamond bookkeepers, Greg shot through the ranks. At times, Gil and Greg have stood as equals, but while he's see-sawed from Eight to Three over the years, she's only moved up.
His inability to hold rank is only one of the reasons that Greg resents Gil. He's been stepping out on her for about a year now and in a community as small as the Deck, it's hard for news not to get around. Greg knows. Gil knows Greg knows, and yet they've both avoided bringing up the matter. Why bother? They're getting along. They aren't the happiest couple, but being mostly content is better than smashing everything to bits and dealing with the aftermath. This kind of apathetic behavior is par for the course with Gil. However, if Greg weren't in good standing in the Deck and with her family (for once!), she'd divorce him in a heartbeat. For his part, Gil avoids confessing because he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. He's watched his wife murder someone and all she received as a consequence was a promotion and a round of applause. How can getting off with a near stranger even compare?
Personality: Gil is deadpan to the extreme. He genuinely does care about things, but he has a very tough time relaying his emotions to other people. His voice when ecstatic or furious is basically the same. He will lecture you up and down without breaking his monotone, but what he says will be threatening, cruel, maybe even frightening. He's not a hard man to read, so long as you read him like an instruction manual. Try to engage him emotionally, try to glean anything between his words and you'll fail. It's not that he has a particularly good poker face, it's just that he doesn't see the point to subtlety. What he says he means. What he doesn't say, he's probably keeping on file in case he has to exert some leverage over you.
Years ago, when he joined the Deck, he was quite normal. Boring even. Since he's found himself mired here, however, he's grown ruthless. Gil isn't really looking to go anywhere, but he does fear losing what status he's earned. He's a man who doesn't want to be the Jack, Ace, or King, he just wants to be comfortable. He wants stasis. After all, what's left to him? His career is ruined. His wife hates him. He can't go back Outside. He can't bring himself to establish some fucked up Diamond dynasty in this Alice in Wonderland world. So his only choice is to stake his claim somewhere in the middle and guard it with fangs bared.
Interpersonally, he's still reserved, but relaxed. If you don't give him a reason to get angry, he'll be perfectly pleasant. A calming presence, even. Gil has a foul mouth on him, though, no matter his mood. He'll call a missing cufflink a cocksucker without a thought of present company. It's just the way he speaks.
Keywords: Pragmatic, frank, clear-headed, dull, loyal, stubborn, conscienceless, useful.
Character's Goals/Ambitions: To remain exactly where he is. He challenges up every now and then so as to remain in the middle. It's a risk, of course, but he can't allow himself to see a few bad turns and wind up a 4 again. What he has to concern himself with is not moving forward, but seeming as though he belongs where he is, like he could never be anywhere else. Maybe then people will leave him alone and challenge another 7 or 8 or 6.
Appearance: Gil appears to be a very well put-together man in his late twenties. He has brown hair that he is constantly slicking back so tight that it looks as though it might snap at any moment. It's much longer in the front than in the back and it is easy to tell by the hair falling in his face when Gil is stressed. With extremely sharp features, he would be considered handsome by most, but just a twinge sinister. His eyes are green and are either squinted in a scowl or wide with shock. The man hardly ever smiles, not if he can help it. It reads as unprofessional.
Though by no means upper class or even wealthy, Gil dresses beyond his means. Tailored suits, Italian leather shoes, designer casual wear, watches, colognes, rings- nothing is too extravagant a purchase if it makes him seem like someone important. In passing, Gil is easily mistaken for someone who bleeds success, which he unfortunately doesn't.
He's tall (6'1"), slender, and wan. He's got a sickly light to him, but he's not so bad that you'd avoid standing next to him on the subway. He's in a perpetual state of being rundown.
Character PB Harry Lloyd
Writing sample: With a long stretch, Gil sighed, "Fucksake." A long day was turning into an even longer night, and there was a strong possibility it would blossom into a biblical morning. The Diamonds enjoyed their decadence, but with a Suit name like that Gil had expected them to be better prepared to finance it. He opened the lowest drawer in his desk, the one that had a lock he'd never bothered to use, and pulled out a fifth of whiskey. Well, a third of a fifth...
They'd always joked about winding up as accountants in business school. 'Those who can do, do; those who cannot do, cook the books.' Gil studied the bottle, weighing his integrity against how much he hated sitting in this goddamn chair for even a moment longer. Sixteen hours spent roughly in place studying numbers had a way of disheartening a man. Still, he was thankful for the work. He couldn't go home, after all. Gil watched the light catch on the bottle before setting it back in its drawer.
Back to figures.
How did you hear about us? I am a Disney princess, so naturally woodland creatures told me that this was the best game around.
Characters played: Meera Ranawat
Character Name: Gilbert "Gil" Hartman
Age: 30
How long They've Been in the Deck: 6 years
Suit/Rank: Seven of Diamonds
History: Gilbert was born in Portland, Oregon, to a well-off couple. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect within days of entering this world. He was afforded the best medical attention, but still he grew up as a boy who couldn't play, couldn't participate in sports, couldn't even run for the fun of running. It was a miracle he survived those early years, but how could his parents explain to him that he might die if he tried to behave as other children did? In the end, they didn't have to. Too many times he'd gone behind his parents' back and nearly passed out over a soccer ball. It taught him that it was best to act disappointed when he was told he couldn't play in the matches, but not too disappointed.
He set his attentions on other matters. Gil had a variety of hobbies with which he could entertain himself. Drawing, reading, collecting things... His parents pitied him for his condition, which in their opinion kept him from just being a little boy. In reality, Gil liked the isolation. Whether it was his circumstances or constitution that dictated his personality, no one can say. But the facts are that he was very solitary throughout grammar school, middle school, high school... It was only in college that he was drawn out of his shell.
It was a girl, of course. The first time he saw her, he thought her name should be something romantic like Celeste or Antonia or Felicia. It was Greg. They took to each other quickly, as facilitated by their group of friends. She studied music, he studied business. Sounded great, everyone joked. Greg and Gil were the only ones who never caught wise to that joke.
He was shy, whereas she was outgoing to the extreme. She called people on their shit, he carried around his frustrations until he broke down in private. They shared the same slightly cruel sense of humor, but their differences far outnumbered their similarities. It was good; it worked. Even when they fought, they understood how to fight so that they always made it through to the other side.
In his junior year, Gil couldn't seem to deal with his ASD. His heart always bothered him, but it was getting harder and harder to walk up stairs. He made some excuse to keep Greg and his friends from worrying, but things turned out to be serious. A partial transplant was called for. The procedure went through without a hitch, but the cost of it was something his insurance simply couldn't cover. Gil went to his parents. There had always been a distance between Gil and his parents. He was the first child, expected to provide for himself and see his younger siblings along. That was the narrative his family constructed, but Gil couldn't help but feel that he was kept at arm's length because, well, it was likely one day he might simply up and die. When it became brutally clear that he'd be given nothing financially in way of help, Gil weighed his options.
When he was at the very end of his rope, he told Greg the truth. At first she was furious, hurt, a second from pounding her fists against his chest and finishing the job. But, in time she calmed. That was when Greg told Gil about the Deck. It was a place that was outside the reach of relatives and debt collectors. A place that was out of reach of anyone who didn't know how to find it. They could go there; her family would help them settle in. Gil could even find a good job helping one Suit or another.
It sounded ridiculous, but the way that Greg explained everything with such certainty and ease gave Gil pause. What would it hurt? He'd pack his things, travel with her, and if his incredible girlfriend turned out to out of her head, well... He'd cross that bridge when he came to it. What did he have to lose?
Arriving in the Deck was beyond strange, but apparently the locals were used to bumpkins like him. After the initial onslaught of meeting Greg's family and learning that they had been part of this society for generations, Gil went through the ringer. What were his intentions, what were his strengths and weaknesses? In short, what did he have to offer their family? With clipped, mumbled answers he replied. He wanted to marry their daughter (truly he did), he... wanted to give her children (truly he did not). He was responsible, sensible, a good provider. In the end, he was welcomed with somewhat open arms.
Greg and Gil's wedding was a small affair. Her family was in attendance, as well as all the Diamonds they couldn't help but invite. A hushed whisper got passed from attendee to attendee, 'Don't overwhelm the groom.' In the end, they might have coddled Gil too much.
He adjusted quickly. He received his position in the finances department for the Diamonds, sat down with the books and got to work. Being assigned to menial account dealings was a bit of a slap in the face after all the trouble he'd gone through securing internships at firms, but that was fine. He'd work his way up.
Challenges came as something of a shock. He understood what they were a few hours within entering the Deck, but that was only theoretical. The first time he saw someone die in a challenge, that was when reality set in. The first time he saw his wife kill... Well, that was something entirely different. Gil grew distant then. He hadn't yet challenged. So long as he could keep progressing in position as an accountant without upping his rank, he didn't care. Greg pulled him aside and told him that wasn't how things worked.
He could find his place in the middle, of course, but not the bottom. He was practically a child in his betters' eyes. He could challenge a Three to sums or checkers or whatever he pleased, but what he could not do was refuse to challenge. Greg prodded him to move forward slowly, at his pace, but he could see it in her eyes that she wanted him to prove himself. He'd always known her to be competitive, confrontational even, but he was just now learning that this was something that had been drilled into her from birth.
For years, they made bargains. He would participate in Deck culture, she'd cut him a break on the 'becoming a father' front. He understood that they'd both come here because of his debt, but it did seem like the situation benefited Greg in ways she wasn't willing to discuss. As Gil did his best to esteem himself among his fellow Diamond bookkeepers, Greg shot through the ranks. At times, Gil and Greg have stood as equals, but while he's see-sawed from Eight to Three over the years, she's only moved up.
His inability to hold rank is only one of the reasons that Greg resents Gil. He's been stepping out on her for about a year now and in a community as small as the Deck, it's hard for news not to get around. Greg knows. Gil knows Greg knows, and yet they've both avoided bringing up the matter. Why bother? They're getting along. They aren't the happiest couple, but being mostly content is better than smashing everything to bits and dealing with the aftermath. This kind of apathetic behavior is par for the course with Gil. However, if Greg weren't in good standing in the Deck and with her family (for once!), she'd divorce him in a heartbeat. For his part, Gil avoids confessing because he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. He's watched his wife murder someone and all she received as a consequence was a promotion and a round of applause. How can getting off with a near stranger even compare?
Personality: Gil is deadpan to the extreme. He genuinely does care about things, but he has a very tough time relaying his emotions to other people. His voice when ecstatic or furious is basically the same. He will lecture you up and down without breaking his monotone, but what he says will be threatening, cruel, maybe even frightening. He's not a hard man to read, so long as you read him like an instruction manual. Try to engage him emotionally, try to glean anything between his words and you'll fail. It's not that he has a particularly good poker face, it's just that he doesn't see the point to subtlety. What he says he means. What he doesn't say, he's probably keeping on file in case he has to exert some leverage over you.
Years ago, when he joined the Deck, he was quite normal. Boring even. Since he's found himself mired here, however, he's grown ruthless. Gil isn't really looking to go anywhere, but he does fear losing what status he's earned. He's a man who doesn't want to be the Jack, Ace, or King, he just wants to be comfortable. He wants stasis. After all, what's left to him? His career is ruined. His wife hates him. He can't go back Outside. He can't bring himself to establish some fucked up Diamond dynasty in this Alice in Wonderland world. So his only choice is to stake his claim somewhere in the middle and guard it with fangs bared.
Interpersonally, he's still reserved, but relaxed. If you don't give him a reason to get angry, he'll be perfectly pleasant. A calming presence, even. Gil has a foul mouth on him, though, no matter his mood. He'll call a missing cufflink a cocksucker without a thought of present company. It's just the way he speaks.
Keywords: Pragmatic, frank, clear-headed, dull, loyal, stubborn, conscienceless, useful.
Character's Goals/Ambitions: To remain exactly where he is. He challenges up every now and then so as to remain in the middle. It's a risk, of course, but he can't allow himself to see a few bad turns and wind up a 4 again. What he has to concern himself with is not moving forward, but seeming as though he belongs where he is, like he could never be anywhere else. Maybe then people will leave him alone and challenge another 7 or 8 or 6.
Appearance: Gil appears to be a very well put-together man in his late twenties. He has brown hair that he is constantly slicking back so tight that it looks as though it might snap at any moment. It's much longer in the front than in the back and it is easy to tell by the hair falling in his face when Gil is stressed. With extremely sharp features, he would be considered handsome by most, but just a twinge sinister. His eyes are green and are either squinted in a scowl or wide with shock. The man hardly ever smiles, not if he can help it. It reads as unprofessional.
Though by no means upper class or even wealthy, Gil dresses beyond his means. Tailored suits, Italian leather shoes, designer casual wear, watches, colognes, rings- nothing is too extravagant a purchase if it makes him seem like someone important. In passing, Gil is easily mistaken for someone who bleeds success, which he unfortunately doesn't.
He's tall (6'1"), slender, and wan. He's got a sickly light to him, but he's not so bad that you'd avoid standing next to him on the subway. He's in a perpetual state of being rundown.
Character PB Harry Lloyd
Writing sample: With a long stretch, Gil sighed, "Fucksake." A long day was turning into an even longer night, and there was a strong possibility it would blossom into a biblical morning. The Diamonds enjoyed their decadence, but with a Suit name like that Gil had expected them to be better prepared to finance it. He opened the lowest drawer in his desk, the one that had a lock he'd never bothered to use, and pulled out a fifth of whiskey. Well, a third of a fifth...
They'd always joked about winding up as accountants in business school. 'Those who can do, do; those who cannot do, cook the books.' Gil studied the bottle, weighing his integrity against how much he hated sitting in this goddamn chair for even a moment longer. Sixteen hours spent roughly in place studying numbers had a way of disheartening a man. Still, he was thankful for the work. He couldn't go home, after all. Gil watched the light catch on the bottle before setting it back in its drawer.
Back to figures.
How did you hear about us? I am a Disney princess, so naturally woodland creatures told me that this was the best game around.
