Rem

Generic Information

[still need to redraw him a new portrait since his design has changed a bit]

Name(s): Rem Aldrich
Titles: (Monalatus) Aegis
(Possible) Nickname(s): Rembrandt, Remminald, Remondini, Eldritch Horror, Remote, literally any word that begins with Rem-
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Birthplace: Jinvalt, Cirrus
Current residence: Flauneth, Cirrus
Occupation: Simultaneously unemployed but also extremely employed as the (Creator's) Aegis.
Religion: Agnostic and secular, but also part of the pre-Cataclysmic mythos.
Nationality/Race: Cirran white boy, but also half mid-Karosian (sort of mediterranean equivalent) — means nothing genetically.
Voice: Somewhat deadpan, rather softspoken and quite even-toned. On the slightly deeper end of mid-range. Speaks in rather chopped sentences.
What do they think of themself? HATES himself lol, he's like more or less suicidal.
Birthday: April 10th, 2146-DE

Appearance/Physical Specifics

Hair: Tends to vary. Before his progeny problems, his hair was partly ash-brown, partly white. With his Aegis problems, his hair is white with black ends. With Riorel possession problems, his hair is fully black.
Eyes: Also tends to vary. His natural colour is a hazel. With his Aegis problems, they're aquamarine. With his Riorel-possession problems, they're purple.
Height: 5’11/181cm at a minimum (state-dependent. depends how much the aegis is fucking with him) (looks shorter cuz he’s usually hunched a bit).
Notable attributes/features: Still stigmata’d. It gains a large aedifene patterning around it post-stab. Like two full tattoo sleeves. See below
Physical appearance: Tends to vary. Looks like a half-homeless Sonathea having a very terrible year. A bit gaunt to begin with, but gains some muscle mass as time goes on. Twink to Alucard-esque twunk.
Physical condition: Fairly malnourished. Progeneity makes up in some places, but he's still a bit cooked.
Style of clothes: Still needs a bit more thought put into it, but he's
How do they feel about their appearance? Intentionally tries to make himself more off-putting with his expression. He’s really cringe, but he does also care a little bit about it still. occasionally tries to feel somewhat normal.

Story-specific Information

Divinity ranking/species: Progeny, vessel subset (Creator’s Aegis - shell)
Associated Domain: Creation (non-zero chance he’ll take on other shit as well thanks to his partially blank nature).
Affiliations: Cularea, Chronos (not as tightly), Akadriel (she’s very annoying to work with and has kinda gone rogue)
Abilities: Aegis abilities are quite nerfed due to some binds he's got. They're important for later development... He can’t manifest anything but he has accidentally had some Aegis poke-outs.
Weapons/Armour: Creator’s Aegis (which he can't use properly lol)

Life History

(If applicable) Significant past-life events: [Sura] had a situationship with Riorel.
Sonathea developed a saviour complex, then failed at his job, and then the binds happened.
snth also functionally killed himself/sacrificed himself.
Current-life events:

• He didn't see akadriel much as a kid. has vague memories of her, but she never seemed out of place, so he never really asked about her.
• 13 — accidentally cut off his father's arm in a distortion spike because he was struggling to get a grip on the Aegis. Hereafter, he was diagnosed with Chronic Distortion.
• 13 – 17 — Rem was never sure whether he actually remembered cutting off his dad's arm. He thought the memory may have been distorted because it's common in CD patients, and his dad insisted it didn't happen. Tried to live life normally, but he was still blamed himself for the loss of his dad's arm.
  • He would only ever see Akadriel when a distortion spike was coming after Rem. He'd be caught in one every ~6 months. He never got a good sight of her to really know who or what she was. He intentionally ignored her.
  • The amount of spikes Rem was caught in wasn't considered to be crazy statistically significant, but he'd be considered very unlucky.
• 17 — the Jinvalt disaster happened. A massive distortion cascade occurred in response to Rem's presence and it got out of hand. Rem feared that something would happen to his father again because of it, knowing the cascade was somehow "off"...

• ~17 jinvalt disaster. blamed himself for his father's "death". tried to kill himself but akadriel stopped him. he became incredibly resentful thereafter and ran away.
  • this should REAALLLYYYY drive rem into hard-core isolation... unless kro’s helped him out of it a bit? kro convinced him to pursue a shit load of testing, though he still kept up his highly isolationist tendencies which kro didn’t do a lot about. would’ve agreed with him anyway (cuz she’s similar ig) lol.
  • he now thinks he’s part image or something lmao idk.
• 18, kroaxis found him, and they became friends (kro was caught slipping). she introduced him to something he now enjoys, and heard him out on his frustrations; kinda encouraged him. he did something in return for her. maybe got her into manga-ish bs
• 20, this bullshit now.
  What were the circumstances of their birth? semi-accident, was being talked about at the time

Occupation

Education: didn’t officially complete high school, though he would’ve ran away when he was more or less done with it anyway.
Employment status: sells random shit from ruins he visits. de-shells archival info for people to translate or use for research/collections.
Are they book smart or street smart? pretty street smart, i guess? he is also fairly book smart. like generally he’s meant to be smart but not a genius or anything. not notably intellectual.
Qualifications/Certifications: not sure how much he actually has to do with mech piloting anymore. probably wanted to do it following in his father’s footsteps, but he likely hasn’t done his license (even tho he would be quite good at it cuz aegis). advised against mech licensing.
Work experience: Might’ve worked part time at an uncle’s restaurant as a line cook. He’s good at it.

Personal Life

What do they live in? (living conditions) 
has an apartment he rents, but he doesn’t spend a lot of time there. mostly goes between other locations until they attract too many spikes and people notice the pattern (within about 4-6 months)
What does a nice evening look like to them? 
point dependent. initially, he’d just be alone somewhere quiet where he could maybe just waste time doing whatever he does, but as time goes on, it involves a person or two.
What is the state of their bedroom? 
fairly barren. gains some stuff as it becomes a bit more lived in though (requires a couple scenes in it then). — plants… though he won’t often be around to water them :(
Do they have any comfort/important items? If yes, what and why?
the beheaded mech helmet lol.
Do they have any secrets? If yes, what?
doesn’t really tell people about akadriel and all that.

Psychological

Motivations: see wants up top.
Personality vignette: soggy stray cat that bats people away.
Important Traits: (italicized is static)

How do they feel about themself? convinced he’s some sort of human image or something. he doesn’t think of himself as a progeny since he doesn’t look like one. thinks he’s inhuman or that akadriel has fucked with his soul. has no idea why he it seems like he has no soul.
Projected development: get a bit worse before you get better. testing that inability to be intimate/willing for others to perceive him
Ambitions/Obsessions: not hurting people, being able to save them.
Fears: hurting people x2
What are they proud of? not much.
What are they ashamed of? like everything lol

Miscellaneous

Likes: quiet nights, quiet shit generally, sleeping, plants, vapid and/or camp media, food, cooking, screwing around with machinery to make new and wacky shit.
he would love reality tv. loves gossip and petty drama (when it doesn’t involve him)
Dislikes: slimy shit, riorel and akadriel, intimacy, (claims to dislike regular people),
Hobbies: he doesn’t do much constructive. will wander a lot to find good places to look out, but he can never stay for long since he can attract spikes. otherwise it’s just consumptive hobbies of watching shitty movies, shows and animes, or reading bad shounen manga. i guess he’ll sometimes cook if he’s bored, though that’s only if someone else is around.
Random facts:

• appears to be a running theme that he likes giving things bad nicknames, particularly things that annoy him
• has very deep sleep.
  Romantic/Sexual preference: He hasn’t given it much thought due to his pervasive lack of ability to connect with people, but he’s bisexual. Has generally assumed himself to be straight, though he’s had very little experience with any of that.

Relationships

What is their family situation?

• it’s pretty good with lily, but i might have to have some tension due to him previously hurting them or something.
  What are their friendships like? No tendency. Kind of a Nigel No Friends. He ends up quite withdrawn from people, but prefers deeper bonds with fewer people. ← introvert headass ig
  General public reception: weirdo with an uncomfortable stare that dresses weirdly for the weather.
  Enemies: everyone, according to him.

Meta

My opinion on them: lmao
Intended reader opinion: idk he’s meant to be interesting as the protag. hopefully that actually works lol
What is the point of the character? ...protag.
Current problems:

Uncategorized/Extra

What happens when there are no clean dishes in the house? 
he’ll side eye the dishes for about 2 moments and then decide to order take out, deciding he can’t be arsed.
What happens when something goes wrong? 
“sigh, here we go again.” little does he know, shit does actually affect him, it’s just buried and it’s getting to the point of spilling out.
may be more like “hnngggg not again”
What do they do when there’s a thunderstorm? 
he’s pretty unphased by regular storms. he likes them (little self-preservation dictates he might just go sit out in them sometimes—likes to feel shit? idk). verselian storms will make him drop what he’s doing and go somewhere far from any windows.
What sort of music do they like? 
prog rock and k-pop. sometimes like “peppier” music in contrast with his general demeanour. lying on the floor of his apartment at 2pm staring at the ceiling listening to miku. he would like chappell roan or some emo shit like bring me the horizon. generally stuff that’s a bit unexpected based on how raggedy he looks. has a dad-rock streak too.
What happens when they’re handed the AUX cord? 
Initially he’d wanna just be skipped because he thinks the stuff he likes is cringe, or he’d just very heavily curate the songs to what he thinks is normal music. Later on, he’d just cue up some of his more normal stuff but throw in the odd curveball of strange things he would never listen to, like metal pipe clanging compilations. 
What do they do when they’re in a petty online argument? 
Will reply with actual arguments until he gives up because the other person is too stupid or he’s losing. 
What’s he like when drunk?
Rem, but more... He’s still largely inhibited; talks less, but says wilder shit in a very deadpan manner. Probably just dissociates and becomes inactive, but quite reactive? Becomes quite xeiris-y. Goodbye sense of self-preservation. Stops caring about shit idk.
like he’d need to get scooped off the floor by aluaris. all the while he isn’t moving, is maybe just taking the lecture lulu gives him. rem would not be listening, and might instead comment on something highly unrelated to whatever aluaris is prattling on about. yes, nonzero chance he just calls alu pretty cuz he is :3

Important Relationships

Aluaris
I NEED Rem to still make fun of Aluaris sometimes. Take the piss on occasion. Maybe he’s got a slight Anasra personality at times. Not very expressive, but he still likes to take the piss out of people in an extremely dry way.

• They piss each other off to no end at the beginning; they feel different to each other. (How is Aluaris different to Rem than anyone else? ← since Alu sees Rem pretty differently)
  • idk generally meant to be like an old married couple.
• Then kinda truce. Still argue over shit.
• Awkward attempts at trying to get closer?
• Do actually manage it
• shit will need to repeatedly hit the ceiling. that’s just how it goes lol.

Lily

• she and rem used to be close, but because rem’s descended into being an antisocial bitch, he’s not too open with her. they still send each other random shit but they don’t really talk about emotions much.
• he might be kinda envious of her? “i kinda hate you for it”. i think he’d recognize it as kinda ungrounded and unfair.
  • might be doing too much for this plot. could be better explored in a different thing since it might be too much of a side track from the main conflict.

Akadriel

• he’s nicknamed her the floater
• he resents her, but he thinks it’s more of a general annoyance.

noxael

• complicated at first. he’s sort of responsible for the whole dad business.

renachiel

• renachiel is ideally meant to be the one that leads rem towards further binding because that’s what rem wanted.
• renachiel probably doesn’t think it’s a good idea, though he’d be sympathetic to the situation with riorel hanging over his head. that’d be why he does it.
  • right yeah they have that aspect in common. LMAO forgor.

felix

• maaaybe could represent who rem wants to be, at least in regards to who he originally thought he was.
• biological father to him in this life, so he’s partly what makes rem rem. difference between sonathea and rem.
• him being wrapped up in all the bullshit means that all parts of rem’s life are taken over by the gods. also has some bullshit going on with noxael lol
  • noxael never meant to hurt felix. him ending up in some wild-ass state was coincidental.

riorel

• exes. divorced. riorel still sorta misses him. i REALLY don’t want him to come off like a creep that waits for soralthim to show up again every time though... eugh.
• maybe riorel is a little more curt with him. would still treat him different than he would aluaris.
• riorel definitely would have some outward persona that he puts on. the saviour persona.

Additional Side Crap

• Rem political opinions... standard shit for a young Akatonite in 2066. Somewhat left of centre, but not too strongly opinionated. The status quo is fairly progressive compared to now. Generally just agrees with experts and stuff, and as long as people’s rights aren’t being fucked with, he doesn’t particularly care. This is rather unimportant for the story.
• Animals used to like him before he was a progeny. Now they’re confused by him, sometimes threatened by his stare. (actually idk if they would. god of creations presence might make them kinda chill around him. they may not like his stare though)
• feel like you’d keep energy drinks in your room. no can collecting, but he drinks them on the regular… ← mmm aluaris is more likely to i think (after kunzite gets him hooked on them)
• sick… he’s just dead to the world. kinda dramatic about it cuz he does like it when people take care of him, but it always makes him feel bad. he’ll hover in a corner looking miserable, staring at people hoping for their attention, but if he gets caught, he disappears.
  • i guess that’s his approach to aluaris or something idk.
• sometimes just boils himself alive in the shower as a means of coping with emotions.
• he stress bakes i guess lol

Voice Notes

1. Are you optimistic or pessimistic?

I’d call myself pretty realistic.

2. What is your greatest fear?

[Something like killing someone without his control.] That’s hard to say. I feel like I’ve already lived it, more or less... waking up with the blood of someone I love on my hands. Something like that.

3. Have you told any one your fear before?

Haven’t exactly spelt it out in proper words, but I’ve... I guess alluded to it with Crow.

4. Who would be the one person you’d never tell your fear?

Kunzite. She’ll tell everyone. Whole family. They’ll all know if she knows.
[she would not].

5. What are your religious views?

Can’t say I believe in much of a higher power when there’s supposedly half of one dinging around inside me.

6. What are your political views?

I’m not... especially informed in that. I don’t know, don’t fuck over your neighbours if you can. Be nice.

7. What are your views on sex?

It’s... whatever. Not something I’ll be having any time soon.

8. Are you able to kill?

...Not intentionally.

9. Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?

Not really any, if I had my way.

10. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?

Violate the helpless, in whatever way that may be.

11. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?

I dunno. If a god can steal your soul, for all I know, they could be real. It’s probably not something I’ve got though.

12. What do you believe makes a successful life?

Depends on your definition of success, I guess.

13. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings? (Meaning do you hide your true self from others and in what way?)

...I’d say I’m pretty honest with those I’m willing to share things with, but for the most part, I’m probably not the most honest person you’ll meet.

14. Do you have any biases or prejudices?

Probably some, yeah. I don’t think you can blame my prejudice against the gods.

15. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why?

Kill.

16. Who or what, if anything, would you die for? (or go to extremes for?)

[he just wants to atone].

17. What is your best feature, in your opinion?

Uh, I’ve had a compliment or two on my hands before.

18. What do you think of drugs and alcohol? Are there any types that people should never do? Why or why not?

I don’t care. I’ve drunk a few times too many in my life. I swear my alcohol tolerance is an absolute joke. The way one shot affects me is like how three would affect a normal person.

19. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Free of all this shit. Where I don’t have to worry about this shit.

20. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Right after the Jinvalt disaster.

Visual References (aka my stupid drawings)

see Rem
stigmata and arms
!rem current* state of stigmata.jpg
he has little perceptual difference on the markings beyond them being slightly more cold resistant than normal. oh i just fully left him ass out oops. he looks so malnourished around his waist lol... anyway i might extend it down the spine a little since it looks a little incomplete back there.
disney princess ass waist... nah he just looks malnourished in his midsection lol

Stuff that’s meant to happen to you

Emotionally:

• not give a shit about the binds (sort of by their own effect), first wishing to pursue his father who is an external comfort. rem isn’t yet ready to confront himself yet.
  • he’s avoidant, so he kinda wants to skirt around the emotions and stuff.
  • DAD STUFF IS HRM. DIFFIGULT.
• get continually compared to sonathea and live in his shadow; he literally looks like sonathea. he doesn’t know who he is. aegis is fucked up too
• riorel won’t stop harassing him about misery. further contention with him being a walking hazard, AND the fact that riorel’s a general freak. he draws away from others, enforcing the binds or just changing them again. get too Bad or smth that they move and expose some parts.
• some sort of breaking point? uphill battle about getting the binds off himself.

1. avoid til the last minute
2. then go bonkers trying to protect, help, act, do, etc.

!rem board.png

SONATHEA
→ saviour complex-ish thing, hoping to be appreciated. endlessly threw himself at the wall
→ wall-throwing fucked up and he made shit worse. (“holy fuck if i do anything, i’ll just fuck it up”)
→ GAAAHHHH I DON’T DESERVE THE AEGIS D: so he basically gives his life to heal aluaris and then throws the rest of the aegis in the ocean, resigning to apathy and oblivion (nirvanic binds)
→ believes he will only hurt people, making them afraid of him or despise him.
→ oblivion validated him basically. “that’s right, you only wanted to help. you don’t deserve to suffer. just sleep”
→ tension between him wanting comfort and thinking he deserves to suffer. eventually just became so tired he resigned to the ocean.
→ self validation gone wrong. ← no victim complex lmao that’s not fun to read.
REINCARNATES AS REM
→ still has the underlying saviour complex. likes to be helpful, wanting to be liked/accepted/cared for, whatever.

"a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection". ok yeah he’s a byronic guy. lol. but what would make him more Creature. he’s meant to be Creature to some degree. his yearning/inability to socialize properly would make him a creature...?

• rem is not proud whatsoever. might act it to put people off but idk.
• yes he’s pretty moody.
• very cynical yes
• defiant yes
• miserable yes
• hates progenies i guess. doesn’t hate Everyone, but yeah.
• more spiteful than vengeful yeah. he’s not really vengeance driven, but he will be spurred in the opposite direction of what you want him to do depending on how you treat him.
• yes he’s very capable of affection.

i think to avoid at least some of the “cringe” people need to call him cringe. the narrative must make him out to be cringe.

conflict of hating himself and wanting to be happy?

• binds won’t let him be happy but they’re protective and an easy place to be.
• they’re almost like a cursed middle ground of apathy lmao WEEEELLLPP. THAT EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE LMAO. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE.

imagine fearing the very thing you want. couldn’t be me lol.

stop being an avoidant bitch. → feel the pain. → process this pain →

what is rem avoiding the whole time? connection? (literally anything. fucker just doesn’t wanna hurt ppl)

wsit how do you react to riorel now? brother traumatized, but binds = low reaction + bottled emotions.

• maybe he has to breathe, but he ends up cracking with disintegrated hands? can’t use shiy

(right at the beginning)

making him a little more individual... modelling him on maomao a little...

his subconscious looks like sonathea or something, and he’s clinging to the binds.

rem sees riorel images as hostile because they’ve always attacked him indiscriminately. other people don’t get attacked normally (unless it somehow knows you’re bad or smth)

• problem of me wanting riorel to not being a “villain”, but still be a big problem lol.
• though granted it’s not like this is an especially distorted perception because they are aggressive towards him.