Profile
"Tell me... am I human? A monster? or a curse that this world is simply trying to rid of?"
Basil Mallory. He/him. Estimated 28 years old. 173cm. ENTJ. Codename Obsidian Feather.
Traits: Survivalist, bocchama/snobby vibes, a bit manipulative, easygoing (seeming)
Motif and theme: Crow, victorian gothic
Image color: Dark purple
Life goal: Surviving Unknown
Personality
He acts rather easygoing and puts up a pleasant smile for most people, up until his walls are broken, in which his expressions seem much more flat since he doesn't see the need to put up a front. However, he forever retains his sass and snobbishness (his two main coping mechanisms, basically). All in all he sort of acts like a young master (demands/orders things instead of asking, etc.) despite not coming from a rich family.
He tends to talk in a polite and elegant yet casual manner, and uses big words here and there to sound knowledgeable. Due to his leadership capabilities and how natural he is at commanding people, he holds a leadership position in most jobs.
His number one priority is survival, to the point that he doesn't know what exactly he's living for anymore. That is, until he meets some people who changed his outlook on life (Destin, Lee, and Brenda). The things he's done to survive (mainly betrayals) have caused him to be racked by immense guilt, to the point where he occasionally sees phantoms and dreams of them killing him, even if he never shows it. He also tends to pull on his hair whenever he gets frustrated (out of people's sights, of course), but he has a way of hiding the aftermath of it.
Deep down he's quite spiteful and lonely (in an almost childish sort of way), and simply wants someone to acknowledge his existence. He also has a great amount of self-loathing which he copes with acting self-important and continuing to play the part of the villain, believing that no one will ever forgive him anyway (it's much easier for him to believe). And he's also incredibly affection and touch starved so there's that.
How he acts can be summed up and categorized into eras like this:
Fixer Pre-Betrayal: Outgoing, a bit childishly enthusiastic, attention-seeking, just trying his best
Fixer Post-Betrayal: Reserved, laidback, his gaze is a bit "off", demands/orders people around
Lobotomy Corporation: Same as above, with a tinge of losing his grip
Library of Ruina: Flat, bitter gaze, sarcastic, doesn't really try to keep up his facade anymore aside from making fun of people just to get a reaction out of them
Good Ending AU/Wyrd Office: Flat, neutral gaze, laidback yet also fussy when it comes to plans, genuine smile, still likes to mess with people sometimes, acts of service for people he cares about but wouldn't admit it
Backstory
Basil was born to a moderately well-off family as the third child of five siblings. Due to being considered as "not good enough to invest in", his parents decided to not enroll him in school, despite Basil himself protesting a couple of times and even trying to teach himself in order to prove them otherwise. In the end, he gave up and decided to work as a fixer (mercenary), although he never stopped trying to teach himself new things. He basically broke all contact he had with his family and is only somewhat close with his little brother, Thyme (4th child).
When he first started working as a fixer, he was actually quite outgoing. Eager to share his plans to his co-workers (many of whom just took his plans at face value or ignored him outright). However, after getting his ideas shot down multiple times and getting betrayed (left for dead) by his co-worker in a mission, he started adopting the survival of the fittest mindset. He keeps up appearances by being somewhat laidback and sassy, although this facade has a tendency to slip.
He actually cares for those who are in a similar situation as him, but he has a tendency of pushing people away in one way or another. In a way, he yearns for intimacy, but is deathly afraid of getting hurt and hurting people.
Info (PMVerse Lore)
Basil is a member of the Central Command Department in Lobotomy Corporation, and the Floor of History in Library of Ruina.
Basil used to work as a fixer in the backstreets in order to get by as well as wanting to better the backstreets. With his techniques in wielding the spear, he rose up the ranks fairly quickly.
One time he was tasked with a typical mission, and for the first time, had been assigned a partner to work with. Unfortunately, they underestimated the mission and ended up being encircled by the enemy. Upon being faced with actual danger, his partner broke through on his own, leaving Basil to fend off for himself. He managed to get out with a permanent injury on his right leg. Ever since then, he's always worked solo or be the one to lead the mission. In secret, he's also been trying to find an alternative to fixer work, perhaps a certain energy-producing company...
During his time in Lobotomy Corporation, he worked in Central Command, reutilizing his past experiences of leadership as well as combat. As a leader, he won't hesitate to throw someone under the bus if it increased his chance of survival. His reasoning is that he's the one who can lead everyone to safety, who will increase everyone else's chances of survival. But deep down he knows he's just using it as an excuse to keep himself alive.
In one of the loops, Basil decided to finally try to take control of the facility while somewhat under the influence of Paradise Lost, killing several agents (and close friends, including Destin) in the process until eventually his attempt was foiled by several Aleph-level agents (John and Samuel).
In Ruina, he's forced to work in the Floor of History with one of his former close friends in LC, Destin, who now hates his guts due to what he has done. Other co-workers who knew of what he's done also seem to keep their guard up when interacting with him. Whether or not they will move past that, who knows...
Distortion Form
He can distort/manifest EGO. This transformation starts from wings enveloping his ears and feathers appearing all over his body. As the manifestation gets stronger, his scleras turn black and his irises start glowing an orange-ish yellow. When he manifests his EGO, he can summon black gloop liquid in the form of sharp feathers which can be used as makeshift javelins.
If he completely distorts, he will be enveloped and excrete dripping black gloop from various parts of his body, and a crow's skull will replace part of his head. The distortion form is liquid, and can shapeshift as needed. Simply looking at his gaze will deal mental and physical damage (Black), while getting closer will deal damage to a person's soul directly (Pale). The distortion also tends to ask questions about the validity of its own existence to anyone who passes by it, often holding the person by the neck. It has never found a satisfying answer.
Playlist
Personal
With Destin (His songs are Love Song and Lower)
Extras
Outfit Inspiration Board on Pinterest
Here's random tidbits about him:
-His motifs are crow/raven, judgement (arcana), gaze/eyes, and curses/omens/misfortune
-His main giveaway/tell is his eyes. They never lie.
-He actually kind of has a weak stomach, especially back when he first started his job (and his first betrayals). Nowadays he always forces himself to look nonchalant despite the fact that certain situations definitely still churns his stomach.
-He's really good at making french toast and french toast alone
-He has a bunch of crow friends and you often see him with one perched on his shoulder
-He likes listening to music, preferably jazz and classical (nerd)
-He syncs pretty well with Paradise Lost which is why he can utilize it pretty well with only minimal corrosion, he'll corrode more the more he pushes its power though
