Mercutio Okilo

Name: Mercutio Okilo

Alia: That guy that does the spirit stuff, you know, that guy in the tent

Age: 28 (Act 2)

Race: Human

Ethnicity: African/Italian (Erilian)

Gender: Male, he/him, though could also be regarded as they without protest

Height: 5’7”

Occupation: Medium, someone people go to to speak to their passed loved ones directly. 

Affiliation: Civilian

Rank: Definitely overlooked, even by society- though is well revered in what he does and is often sought out by people desperate enough.

Class: Wouldn’t even hurt a fly. 

Personality: 

Mercutio has developed into an incredibly stoic, deadpan kind of person. He tends to be a lone wolf, though will eventually come to appreciate people who spend time with him in his own way if they’re nice enough. He avoids expressing emotions most of the time (though does somewhat feel them), unless he trusts/cares for the person in question and enjoys being in their company- only then will he be willing to smile or perhaps, if they’re lucky enough, he’ll let out a short laugh. 

His sense of humour is very dry/dull, just like his personality, and he is very non-confrontational in every manner of the word. 

Background: 

When he was only 9 years old, in a horrible twist of events, Mercutio lost both of his parents to a car crash- himself being the sole survivor. Fleeing the scene in a panic, not knowing what else to do or where else to go, he found himself holed up in an abandoned farmhouse nearby. This is where he’d spend the next couple of agonizing days sobbing his heart out until there were no more tears left to shed. 

After many days parched and famished, near the brink of death or at least losing consciousness, Mercutio began seeing an apparition; his grandmother stood before him, as real as ever, even though he knew she was dead. Being a woman who had naturally been connected to the spirit world even in life, she was able to make contact with her grandson and encouraged him to hold on, as well as open his mind. He followed her guidance, with nothing else to lose, which resulted in the most jarring change of his life.

Everyone was there, suddenly- mother, father, grandma, people he knew, people he didn’t know. His mind had been officially opened. The spirits all helped him nurse himself back to life (given they are not able to physically do anything themselves), and taught him how to care for himself at his young age. He refused to find authorities, so this was the best they could do. 

After two years of surviving on his own, a particularly windy type of day had happened to blow a ‘flyer’ right to his doorstep, which would be another pivotal moment in this young child’s life. It read as an advertisement for a sort of ‘otherworldly ‘cursed’ circus’ coming to the next town over, which appealed to him greatly. His grandmother encouraged him to attend, suggesting this may be his big break in life away from this abandoned house.

When the week of the circus came around, he had traveled to the town and snuck inside the main tent to watch the event and see what it was all about. 

As the story of the Cursed Circus went; every member was bound to the circus for life as a part of a ‘Witches Curse’, dooming them to servitude until their dying breath. Each member had their own alteration, or what could be considered ‘super power’, but really it appeared as more of a misfortune. The show was run by the Ringmaster, a man named Felix. Though the crowd was in shock, disgust and awe at the show before them, Mercutio saw through it all and instead felt there was a chance of opportunity with likeminded people. 

He was rejected multiple times by Felix, though his pleas became annoying enough he gave the kid a chance to impress him with these promises of ‘talking to spirits’. Impress him, he did. 

Hired on as the circus ‘psychic’, he was told to read people’s fortunes and palms, all in guidance by spirits- which, naturally, he also told people things their relatives whispered in his ear. 

The circus became his new family as time went on, the werewolf-like ‘strong man’ Geoff assuming the role of his father, while Helga, the belly-dancer, became a mother figure. 

His own parents, now happy their son had seemingly found a new home, were able to finally rest peacefully.

5 years later, after traveling a fair amount, a 16 year old Mercutio was faced with the fact that the circus was losing money. This resulted in him being forced by Felix into acrobatics as well to make up for more ‘acts’, with less people to pay. 

He was pushed to train day in, day out until he reached physical perfection (with guidance from whipping- Felix leaving gashes across his back had he disobeyed or fallen), creating an excellent acrobat out of the teen. This continued for 2 years, until Mercutio was 18, and the voices began.

Once they began, the voices never ceased; haunting whispers, endless aimless talking, the horrible screams that kept him awake all through the night. He could hardly sleep when this began, which affected his work ethic greatly and slowly started destroying his psyche. He could no longer do the physical tasks he was doing before, rendering him useless when it came to acrobatics. This infuriated the Ringmaster to no end, seeing the young man as nothing but a liability since he wasn’t bound by contract, and therefore a dead weight. He threw him out of the circus, leaving him nothing but his tent and the memories he’d shared with his found family over the years. 

Devastated at first, Mercutio took to the streets and wandered until he found a comfortable spot to set up his tent within a bustling Erilian city. He shut his emotions off to cope, and instead figured this was his time to make something of himself, by himself. He already had somewhat of a name thanks to the circus, and began to advertise himself as a ‘Medium’, welcoming people to his large circus tent abode so that he may allow people to speak with their lost loved ones. 

He charges by ten minute intervals, knowing very well that each time he allows a spirit to take over his body, he also risks losing himself every time. 

Abilities:

• Mercutio has the unfortunate ability to perceive spirits within limbo. ‘Unfortunate’ because this ability is not limited to the kind spirits of loved ones, but also demons and poltergeists. Yes, it is a curse. Yes, he hates it. 
• The most interesting part of Mercutio’s power is that by choice, he is able to astral project into a state of ‘unconsciousness’ within his own mind, allowing spirits to assume a mild, monitored control over his own body. This is how he’s made a living out of his gift/curse, giving people the opportunity to speak directly to their loved ones in the afterlife. 

Weaknesses: 

The dude’s a hot mess on his own, seriously, you could gently punch the guy in the shoulder and he’d just tell you to kill him and get it over with. 

Rumors:

• Is often regarded as a ‘freak’ or weirdo
• People who use his services tend to swear by him, which has brought in a decent clientele 
• He’s pretty ‘rude’, is what people would say, not understanding his depression 

Health:

• Alarmingly depressed
• Pretty bad addiction to weed/cigarettes, refuses to go without them as he says that’s when the demons are at their most potent and haunting in his life
• Has a form of PTSD which can be triggered by long, whip like objects and cars
• So much trouble sleeping, dude

Other: 

• If you give him a chance, despite his depressed/empty demeanor, Mercutio can actually be a pretty level-headed and cool guy
• Ironically, even though he’s a lone-wolf, he’s always looking for a distraction to keep his mind busy and will absolutely act like he’s being ‘dragged out’ when in reality he’s relieved