raziel the cryptid hunter
scent: ...
voice claim: luke evans

damned souls

Outside of his coloration, Raziel is primarily an average stallion appearance-wise. Long legs stretch long his gaits with tightly corded muscles that shape him to accentuate his length rather than provide a girthy silhouette. He has a powerful, square chest and shoulders that taper into slender hips and equally long and muscular hind legs. These long appendages give him a naturally fluid, if not long and flashy, gait as he sleuths through the shadows and night. While he mostly wears it down and natural, his mane and tail lay flat in sheets of black. The pitch is only broken by slivers of silvery-white where his loud pinto markings intersect with his mane.

Minimal alabaster sabino overo markings stretch along his nape and legs, mottled and irregular in shape, accompanied by some birdcatcher spots that dot his abdomen and darker pelt. These shallow white seas sit amongst rusty deserts and vibrant green forests. The two shades ebb and flow into one another, stretching anywhere between deep natural bay to frothy lime. His visage is almost entirely ivory save for peculiar windows where brown peek around his hazel eyes (that frequently seem interchangeably green or brown also). Additionally, a long, sharp, geometric begins at his lips and runs along the sides of his face, hooking along his jowls below the eye in a clown's grin.

are we alone?

+ perceptive, adaptable, morally good (interior)
+/- persistent, loyal, morally neutral (exterior)
- patient, vengeful, depressed, self-loathing

Your typical tall, dark, and handsome stranger in the corner of a bar, Raziel offers no windows into his soul and would never be caught with his heart on his sleeve. It isn't because he's protecting a vulnerable, gooey center, but rather doesn't see a point in sharing his emotions with others - if he's only going to skip town in a day or two, why let anyone really get to know him?

He sees you across the room thinking, "Yep, exactly what is to be expected from his type", and he wouldn't try and prove you otherwise. Yet, there is much to be discovered about Raziel that he may not even know about himself. Most noticeably (without the need for conversation or friendship) is his unyielding nature. When challenged in any capacity, Raziel stands to it. If he sets his sights on a goal or target, be sure that he'll achieve or find it. Even when fate thrusts unseen obstacles in his path, his malleable approach to life allows him to improvise and adapt to any given situation. It can be difficult to identify when the gears are turning behind his eyes when he's scheming or problem-solving, as he traditionally is rather expressionless, and when the mold cracks it tends to be sarcastic in nature.

Beneath the noticeable cues and mannerisms is what Raziel is defined by, and what he defines himself by. While he may eagerly await the setting of the sun, tap a hoof to it from time to time, he is surprisingly patient. His practicality when approaching situations allows him to play the long game. Rather than see three moves ahead, he'd like to take his best assumption at five or ten. One weakness of this cool patience is a black kernel of vengeance. Though he is not keen to see revenge on someone who just happened to look at him the wrong way, those who've wrong him irredeemably often feel his cold, vampiric presence lingering just behind them at all times, ready to strike, and ready to act on a debt owed.

He is not proud of this portion of himself, and he was not always so eager to cut down his enemies. Strange, for a life as a hunter, you'd say. Raziel never pursued cryptids out of disdain for their presence, but more on that later... A single point in his life soured some of his soul, however, and that dark kernel sinks roots deeper and deeper with each passing moon. It has even started to cultivate a depression that he's letting himself sink into rather than resolve, it's primary extension a deep self-loathing.

the darkest of days basonna.

Unimpressive until later on in life, Raziel was born to a working-class family in one of the farming communities littering Basonna. He grew up in the fields and roughhoused with neighboring colts as a means of entertainment. Countlessly he'd limp home bloodied and bruised by the older boys until he realized his advantage wasn't strength (as he never really could amass bulk) but speed. Though his parents were never supportive of the sparring, it inevitably helped set the stage for his future career path.

Raziel's community wasn't entirely privy to the truth that vampires, werewolves, and other creepy crawlers were more than just myth and legend. Well, that was, until they experienced one first hand. His immediate family remained safe, but others woke to drained loved ones or slaughtered livestock. Progressively the carnage grew worse and worse and they were forced to seek help. A neighboring town put the elders of the farming community in touch with a local cryptid specialist so that they could explain their plight. After a short conversation, she was sure of their harasser and confidant she would be able to help them.

The intended night of her "extermination", the farms buzzed with anticipation. Rosna, the specialist, set out into the shadows and night to pursue the target and Raziel's boyish curiosity got the best of him: he followed. In the very best effort, he could muster he tracked her, following her towards one of the outskirts lands. Before entering the barn, Rosna drew a scarlet red stake, and slipped into through the ajar doors. Shortly after, he heard tell-tale signs of a scuffle. He snuck quickly, if not haphazardly, to the doors and peeked through the crack. Inside, Rosna faced a stallion who boasted two particularly long, sharp incisors. Blood dripped from his lips and the look in his eyes was crazed, but Rosna was calm as she danced and parried strikes from her opponent, ultimately driving the stake through his heart after a short few minutes.

As the vampire screeched in pain, and faded away into ashes, Rosna called out to Raziel from behind the door. He entered, caught red-handed, and knowing full well he had no chance to allude her. Rosna explained that it had been a vampire who'd been terrorizing their home, and helped the shock of such a realization as it dawned on the young Raziel. He asked numerous questions, and she always had answers with personal experience to provide him. That night, Raziel concluded he would not be a farmer like his father, but join the fight to keep creatures of the night at bay.

Rosna trained him for some years until ultimately it was time for them to part ways. Raziel had amassed the necessary skills to track, identify, and inevitably bring down numerous creatures in his time, and lurched at any opportunity to test his skills. When word came that Basonna was once again plagued by a scourge of vampires, Raziel readied his stakes again.

After networking through lower vampires, meeting with fellow hunters, and tracking he was left with a single individual who was responsible for the influx of bloodsuckers. Following the trail, Raziel came to the steps of a rather lavish estate set deep into remote forests - no one even knew of its existence besides one vampire he'd garnered information from before eradicating. The alabaster stone and high stained glass windows seemed trustworthy enough, and even the gardens were filled with cherry blossoms, but Raziel knew that appearances were often deceiving. He entered the castle, eager to put an end to the lord vampire reigning hell upon Basonna.

Perhaps Raziel had been overconfident in his abilities or underestimated Cain's own, but the tables were turned swiftly. Cain stalked Raziel through his home, deep into the book laden libraries and eloquent ballrooms, until finally surprising the hunter. Most cryptids that weren't feral held a bit of confidence, but Raziel was momentarily shaken by Cain's bravado. The vampire acted as if there was no threat to him, and that he simply was toying with a lost, foolish child. Not one to talk, Raziel reached to his tools and lurched to end the scourge's master. Much to his chagrin, Cain was far more skilled dealing with hunters than Raziel was with vampires. He always seemed two steps ahead, evading or distorting Raziel's attempts to weaken him.

Finally, panting and his utilities running dry, Raziel knew it was time to try and escape. But Cain was not done with him yet... Like a game of cat and mouse, Cain let Raziel get a head start and promised he wouldn't pursue if the hunter made it out the front doors. Raziel bolted, backtracking what he remembered until finally, the opening grand room sprawled before him. With the last of his adrenaline he galloped to the doors, only for Cain to materialize before him and throw him to the ground.

Cain turned Raziel with the doors of the castle insight and left as unconsciousness drew Raziel into the black.

Raziel didn't regain full consciousness until two nights later, when he awoke on the floor of the castle bloodstained and fully turned. Enraged, he searched the estate in search of Cain, but found nothing. With nothing left to do, Raziel has been wandering in search for a cure, concealing his true identity, and ending other vampires when given the chance.

vampirism turned roughly two in-character years prior

Some may revel in the eternal life of a vampire, but Raziel's sorcery is more a curse than a blessing. Bitten by the very vampire he was hunting, Raziel was endowed with the monstrous blight. It provides him with a boost to his natural strength and speed during the twilight hours, as well as immortality - but do not be mistaken, he is not invulnerable. His physical prowess is almost doubled at night, a feat he usually draws upon when hunting for other vampires and cryptids. He can cover leagues and leagues of ground with little rest or tire, finding that not only has his speed seemed to improve but also that of his stamina. All of these were aspects he'd grown familiar with as a mortal facing his fanged prey, but he still is mastering the heightened abilities in his own short lifetime.

weaknesses

sunlight causes him great physical pain, the brighter the more intense. he cannot travel on sunny days and is forced to shade from morning until dusk. his cloak offers him only mild aid when trapped in the remote wilderness during the daylight hours (his cloak alone cannot shield him)

additionally, he is weakened during the daylight hours. all boosts previously provided by the blight temporarily fade, if not lowers his previous mortal capabilities.

when he does not feed, as he often refuses, he becomes weaker and weaker. the longer he ignores his base vampire instincts, the closer to a feral stage he will approach. once his vampirism curse kickstarts this failsafe he will attack and feed on the nearest living creature, no matter who they are. (will never do so against another player character without prior permission)

certain apotropaics (items specifically utilized to ward off vampires) from legend, surprisingly, seem born in fact. raziel turns his nose at the smell of garlic, and hawthorn or rose branches will burn his skin upon contact even at night. a stake craft from such a material-driven through his chest will kill him on contact. unlike some tales, he can, in fact, still cross moving water.

the strength and speed boost that he benefits from at night do not carry over into his minor telekinesis.

items

Silversword: Raziel has a silver short sword that he's used frequently to dispatch werewolves and other were-beasts. Though it is made of precious metal, it is rather plain in comparison to other artisan weapons, designed more for the cut and stab than appearance. credits

profile background by Nathan Anderson

complete list of image credits here

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