Aaron
From Changeling Venue
|
| Seeming | Beast Hunterheart |
|---|---|
| Court | Spring Court ••••• |
| Freehold | Gainesville. FL |
| Player | Matt Asbell |
Name: Aaron Lowe
Title: Beast Lord, Vernal Sovereign of Youthful Springs
Seeming: Beast
Kith: Hunterheart / True Friend
Freehold: Youthful Springs, Gainesville, FL
Motley: With Brand and Tawny
Gentry: Prince of Talons
Played by Matt Asbell, email at mattasbell@bellsouth.net
Contents |
Concept:
Defender of the Lost, Hunter of Loyalists
Inspirations: Aslan (Narnia)
Virtue: Hope Vice: Pride
Merit Descriptions:
Spring Mantle 5 (USA-SE-LC-0709-79113): Embodying both the fiery passions and emotions of desire as well as the true belief and Hope for a future, Aaron's purpose is to fuel that passion in others as well as see to the healing and rejuvination of the damage done to Changelings by their stays in Arcadia. He leads the Spring Court of his area with a stalwart and steady hand.
Court Goodwill (Autumn) 3 (USA-SE-LC-0709-79184): Given his relations with numerous Autumn Court Changelings as well as his pending engagement to a well known and loved member of their Court, Aaron has built a Goodwill with the Autumn Court that helps him truely know fear in a way that he can understand and help others with his knowledge.
Court Goodwill (Winter) 1: Just as with Autumn, Aaron sought an understanding of sorrow in only the ways that the Winter Court can. He made some friends and allies along the way and his understanding of sorrow further allows him to help those feeling sorrow themselves.
Court Goodwill (Summer) 1: Aaron's stalwart defense of the Lost and apt abilities in combat, as well as association with his Motley mate Brand, has earned Aaron acknowledgement by the Crimson Court.
Striking Looks 4: While he is attractive at first glance, his more memorable appearance comes from a fierce animal magnetism that seems to float about him like an aura.
Inspiring: Fueling his passion into vibrant words and encouraging reassurances, Aaron can restore the will to even the most downtrodden of Changelings.
Looking for Connections?
Do you want to have known Aaron before they were taken?
Were you another captive of the Prince of Talons?
Do you need someone to have saved you from the Hedge and brought back to Earth?
Have you ever been loyal to the Fae and need someone to battle with?
Before Instinct took over
Aaron was born Andrew Collins in the early 1940’s just as America flew into the War and out of the depression. He wasn't an exceptionally smart kid, but his charm and family's money got him places. In high school, during the early 1950's, he was on the football team not because he wanted to be, but more because he was expected to be, though he enjoyed the attention. While he dated cheerleaders, hung with the football team, and drove a fancy car, he always kept an eye out for the little guys and kept good relations with the less popular cliques in the city. It wasn't hard to be class president or Prom King.
After high school he went to college and found his way easily into a popular Fraternity. He played football, but he really made an effort to try and do well in school as well, not trying to get a free ride. He was a good liaison to the non-Greeks and was a pro at getting people during Rush week. However his easy living didn't last to much longer.
Alcohol has a way of making things fuzzy. He remembered the girl he saw with his mortal eyes and was easily seduced back to her place, with the exception that her place happened to be on the other side of the Hedge. The Loyalist dragged him into the Hedge to the Fae waiting for them. The Fae, the Prince of Talons, needed someone to herd his other slaves, someone that could be molded into a strong beast with a commanding presence to deal with the vermin he kept around to do the dirty work.
Predator in Training
The Prince of Talons kept all assortments of Changelings at his Manse, mostly formed into animals, to do his dirty work for him and let him live his Fae life completely at ease. Collared and caged at night, Aaron was forced to keep the rest of the slaves in line, or else he didn't eat, and neither did they. He may have refused if it was just him that was being punished, but the Fae didn't seem to care if they lost all their slaves to starvation and had to get more or if they had to beat them all until their blood stained the yards. So he did what he was told, a leader in some fashion to the slaves he kept them in line and was stern and brutal when he had to be. If the slaves were out of line, he put them back in, using fang and talon if necessary. If a slave escaped he tracked them down and brought them back, for their own good as well as his own. He was shaped into what his Master needed, a powerful and commanding beast to be taskmaster over the lesser. A lion, a king of the jungle, and expert predator.
His Masters tended to have parties for their kind and he was beaten regularly to ensure he understood the slaves do not cause trouble for the guests. Usually he did exactly what he was told for everyone's sack, yet alcohol has a way of making things fuzzy, even for Fae, and when the slaves took their chances with the wilds of the Faerie it was to late to stop them. They would die for trying to escape, and he would probably die for failing to stop it, so he ran with them and took the head of the pack. Their burning desire for freedom and to return home carried them from the Fae's land and back towards the Hedge, but when the slaves pressed through to the other side Aaron hung back. Would it be selfish to leave everyone else behind, he thought, could he be the difference between someone else escaping and someone being caught and beaten to death? Aaron paused and remained in Faerie trying to help others make their way back through the Hedge.
He’s not sure how long he was there, or even what happened there, only vague images and faces of other Changelings still cling to his mind. Though he does know he made enemies and a few friends, as it was here he met Brand who had the same idea. Together they clung to their cause as long as they could. Yet, Aaron began to realize, what of those they helped get back through the Hedge, who was protecting them on the other side, who was leading them to safety now? It didn’t strike him until he saved a Changeling that reminded him of home did he feel the draw to go back. The faint expression on the scared girl’s face, the true smile when she saw her home on the other side, the eyes that reminded him of his mother and the dimples that reminded him of his little sister weighed heavy on him. Aaron felt home in his heart, and he saw it, and tore through the thorns after it.
A New Territory
Aaron emerged from the Hedge in the late 1980’s. Almost 30 years had passed in the real world, and though it didn’t seem that long, he felt the years weighing on his soul. He fell in with the local Changelings, and joined the Court. As the years went by his mortal habits and personality slowly began to resurface. His kind heart emerged from the beastial exterior once more. He joined the Spring Court, out of desire for a better life, not only for himself but for all Changelings around him. He felt truly akin to the growth and rejuvenation that Spring Court offered, and Hope for the future seemed to bring light to his cause. As the years went by he made many friends and allies, and helped many Changelings get through the torment that had been tearing at their mind. He made allies in the Winter Court as he sought to truly understand Sorrow as they did. He learned of their contracts so that he could identify such sorrow in others and weed it out to ease their souls. He did the same with the Autumn Court, seeking their Goodwill so that he could understand fear. Their Contracts, like Winter’s helped him understand and identify fear in other’s so that he could show them hope, that the future might not be as dark as they think. He became a warm heart to lay with in the tempest of darkness that surrounded the Lost.
As Florida grew, so did Gainesville, and so did the Lost Courts. He was a bastion of the Spring Court, hailing from the colorful and vibrant Kanapaha Botanical Garden’s where he forged his Hollow. By the late 1990’s he had forged a new identity in the mortal world, only idlely keeping an eye on his true family and his fetch. He worked as a Veterinarian at the Alachua County Cat Sanctuary, home to many large cats, and like home to him. It was in the early years following 2000 that he became familiar with Zoe Edwards, a Fairest of the Autumn Court. He had made her acquaintance before, having visited the Lost of Atlanta. It didn’t seem odd when she made contact, he had made many friends within the Autumn Court, being a big, scary lion that was interested in understanding fear, despite his soft side, made him popular company of their Court. It seemed a connection was in the works between Atlanta and Gainesville and Zoe was rather their emissary. She spent a lot of time in Gainesville, as he visited Atlanta. He grew fond of Zoe enigmatic company, something he wasn’t used to. For once, he became less apprehensive with being a scary lion, Zoe seemed to understand him better then he understood himself, and she wasn’t scared of him. He grew to desire her, finally getting over his apprehensions and soon a marriage was in the works. So, as the years reach towards 2008, Aaron sits as the Crown of Spring in the Gainesville Freehold, engaged to Zoe Edwards. The future may be hopeful after all…
Beneath the Mane
Mask: Aaron isn't exceptionally large but gives off the impression that he's been through a lot. He has a very calming presence and his smile always warms the atmosphere. While he is attractive at first glance, his more memorable appearance comes from a fierce animal magnetism that seems to float about him like an aura. He approaches social interaction with a straight forward and to the point attitude though he's a good listener and understands the people he's talking to. His golden hair hangs down past his shoulders and his face is often perpetually scruffy.
Mein: Not as if his hair grew, but it has expanded exponentially in volume giving him a true mane. Whiskers sprout from around his slightly upturned nose and his eyes appear predatory and catlike. His form bulks with wiry, catlike muscles and his enlarged ears twitch at the surroundings. Whether or not his Mein boasts a tail that he hides is a matter of some rumor and debate.
Notable Traits: Aaron always seems more concerned with those around him then anything else. He's understanding, he feels true compassion for what you went through, and he won't have anything hurtful to say about what you've become. He'd know your fears, your sorrows, your desires, and use that knowledge to help you grow into what you've become and have a glimmer of hope for your future.
Always attentive of the needs of others and open to give advice or counsel when it is needed. He has a knack for knowing what's wrong or what's bothering you and seems honestly concerned with helping you deal with it. Some may even think he's naive to the Darkness around him. Its not that he's naive, really, he just sees and assumes the best in people, hoping for a better future and all through growth and properity of all the Changelings. He knows what all Lost have been through and wouldn't expect the worst in them unless coerced or loyal to the Fae. Much of this changes if he becomes angered. Aaron is steadfast in his beliefs and if you strike a nerve he can often fall back on a short fuse.
Parts of the Pride
Brand ~ Aaron finds Brand to be a close friend and ally, a chivalrous Knight of unequaled parallel. Despite their differing Court views Aaron respects his beliefs whether they are blind, or just that dedicated. When Aaron's fierce roar isn't enough, or isn't appropriate, Brand's steel often finishes the job.
Zoe Edwards ~ Aaron's betrothed, an Autumn Fairest of enigmatic intent, wasn't always someone he looked upon fondly. They'd met before, at social events of the Lost, and never really had anything in common, until Aaron developed relations with her Court and the Autumn. He sought fear, in its purest sense, to understand it, and she showed him the way. It wasn't until later that his feelings became more evident, and their Courts jumped at the chance to put them to use.
Uncle Klaus ~ A close ally and fellow Spring Court leader in Florida, Aaron works closely with Klaus via their Hollows in Gainesville and Orlando to help other Lost get oriented to their new lives.
Ruby Kirkbride ~ While most people know Ruby as someone who helped them get a new identity, Aaron's relationship became a bit more personal, at least for a short while. Rather then having built his identity, Aaron sought Ruby to advise him on building his own, an accomplishment he wanted for himself. In turn, he offers what help he can to her when she builds identities for others, and gladly takes tips on how to do so himself.
Mira Blade ~ When she came out of the Hedge she had more issues then usual with her Fetch. Aaron helped deal with these issues in her own way and gladly assists her when she needs it.
Nathaniel Fellows ~ One of the few names that brings a growl to his lips. Not more then a few years ago, Aaron sought to rescue of a Changelings from the Fae in the Hedge, despite the danger to himself. Unfotunately for the Changeling, Nathaniel didn't have the same views about self-sacrifice. Using his Contracts, Nathaniel prevented Aaron from saving the Changeling, likely saving both their lives. However, Aaron still holds a grudge some say he will never let go.
Manjunatha "Manju" Das ~ A fond relation to Aaron, they have traded tips frequently on acclimating new Changelings to their new life as Lost.
Ronin ~ Aaron sees Ronis as a stalwart defender of the Lost and hunter of Loyalists, much like himself. Aaron respects him, and works with him in an organization to assist the Changeling society in protection from dangers of the Fae. When things get rough, Ronin is probably the first person Aaron would turn to for his particular skills.
Speedy G ~ Aaron managed to rescue her from the Hedge shortly after her escape from Arcadia and helped her get acclimated to her new life and Lost society. He's quite proud of how well she's blossomed.
Tommy Blue ~ When Tommy first came to him, Aaron knew that he needed to help this young girl, one way or the other. He acted as an understanding mentor and tried to be a positive influence on her while she stayed with him, hoping for the best. He still keeps an eye on her, and accepts her visits fondly, even though she finds his protective watch oppressive at times.
Bethany Bleedingheart ~ Another Changeling that Aaron managed to rescue from the Hedge after her escape from Arcadia. He acted as her mentor into Lost society in her first few months and helps her when he can.
Catherine Wheel ~ Aaron met Catherine at a Spring Court event and has since strived to help her to find a sense of normalcy in her existence. While her particular situation may prove for that goal to be more then daunting, he accepts it without hesitation.
Malic Stitch ~ Aaron has had a friendly relationship with Malic in the past and has worked with him frequently. However, he watches him out of the corner of his eye, as if he sees something in him that others tend to pass over.
Laurel Thorn ~ The first woman Aaron had a truly intimate relationship with since his return from Arcadia. Their relationship lasted nearly two years from around 2002-2004 and taught them both a good bit about passion and intimacy, an accomplishment considering Aaron's hesitant views on the subject. The relationship ended abruptly on the anniversary of Aaron's return from the Hedge with anger in the air and Laurel walking off into the waves. Aaron tries not to talk about it much and shys away from the topic.
Aretas ~ A fellow leader amongst the Lost in his local Court, Aaron respect the inherant honor and wisdom of this noble Fairest. While their goals often find themselves alike, they rarely tend to agree on methodology.
Holly Poppet ~ Likely one of his closest ties amongst the Spring Court, Aaron has worked closely with Hollypop in recent years while working with the Lost of Atlanta. In helping her understand her own potential within the mindset of the Spring Court it helped Aaron ascend himself to the epitome of the Spring Mantle.
Hannah ~ An intriguing young girl, Aaron truly feels compassion for her situation and has helped her solidify her identity as a Changeling and help her embrace the essence of Spring. He keeps fond relations to her, almost like a little sister, and visits whenever he makes it up to Georgia.
Vicky Sage ~ When things got rough between Vicky and Malic, Aaron was there to help pick up the pieces. In the process of helping Vicky get through her break up, he was able to show her the true ideals of the Spring Court, bringing out the fullest expressions of Spring in her.
Sylfaen Wynters ~ The local Winter Court Queen, Aaron has stable relations with her on the social level. Having accepted the reins of local power from her year after year, they have developed a sort of cold trust, not odd for a Snowskin.
Johan Gambrys ~ Aaron discovered this enigmatic Wizened clinging to the last bits of his Clarity in the Hedge. With his help, Johan made the ardous climb back into sanity and now stands as a vigilant defender of the local Freehold.
Omar of Glass and Sand - The best way to know a man is to fight him in combat. Aaron has clashed with the elemental on numerous occasions, all of them coming to a draw. Aaron and Omar are on neutral terms regarding each others philosophies but if push came to shove Aaron knows that Omar would hunt the man down who has taken one of his best opponents away from him.
Velios, Lord of Leaves - Coming Soon!
Catcalls ~ Quotes and Rumors
Rumors
Aaron's mein has a tail that he finds embarrasing and keeps it hidden amongst his clothes.
Rumored to be involved with the Lost Intelligence Organization, Nemesis
Aaron would abandon, in a dead level heartbeat, his fiancée and his overweening pride for a chance to crawl back to Laurel. The only thing that stops him from doing it is fear of her rebuff.
You'll notice, among all the tales of his bravery and goodness, they consistently fail to mention the human lives Aaron has destroyed in quest of his fetch's death. Telling that, isn't it..?
Quotes by Aaron
"Hope is everything to us, without it, we have no future, and nothing to look forward to."
"Rawr!"
"No really - the cats don't explode. The people they scratch explode. I'm just gonna go round them all up before they scratch anyone else. I'll just knock on their doors and ask for them back. *blank look* What's so hard to understand about this plan...?"
Quotes about Aaron
"He is all things good about the strength of desire and all things bad about it when it overcomes reason." ~ Nathaniel Fellows
"Aaron is naive, yes. No one can maintain the kind of genuine hope for the future that he does without a certain amount of naivety. It is both his boon and his bane. Fortunately for him, I am not naive. In this, I am his guardian, so that he may continue to be mine...and yours." ~ Zoe Edwards, Aaron's betrothed
"As the saying goes "Reality does not conform to the ideal, the ideal confirms it." Aaron lives life by an ideal, and seemingly in some rare instances the world seems to bend to his virtues. A paragon of the Court he rules with generosity and kindness, one cannot help to wonder when reality will cease to confirm and show him the Fallacy of his blind devotion."-Aretas
"He's good people; not many people you can say that about anywhere. Because of him I have a moral compass that points to magnetic north. It ain't as good as his but then, whose is?" - Speedy G
"He's like...Manson, and Kennedy, and King, all rolled together...except he doesn't have a cult, but if he wanted too..." - Vicky Sage
"We were once friends. He believed dying to stop something that could not be prevented was something noble. I... disagreed. He now hates me because of it. I may ask him, if he still believes he was right or was I? Yet not today nor tomorrow, but someday." ~ Nathaniel Fellows
"A cat playing at king, or a king hiding in a cat. Both can be quite bothersome if they are loud enough. And have you ever heard a lion roar? Quite a bothersome kitten indeed." ~ David Webber
"The sun doesn't dare to rise without lighting his mane, nor does he fail to touch others with the warmth of his heart." ~ Holly Poppet
"Hannah, I would never harm Aaron nor would I let anyone else. You know my dear, something about cats and skins and all that." ~ Mallory Schadenfreude
"And there we were, the sun sighing its last breath of day and the gleaming... Hey fuckhead, you want to get your tail out of my face? When you have a fucking tail you should not be so insistant on going first." ~ Johan Gambrys
"Does he ever have anything useful or important to contribute?" ~ David Burke
"What? He's a Beast? I thought for sure he was a Fairest. See, now I feel guilty for thinking he was an arrogant, worthless, preening waste of flesh. I didn't realize that he was a furry arrogant, worthless, preening waste of flesh. My bad." ~ Ox
"Tis' rare when you can find someone as honorable and trustworthy, and for that, I am proud to call him a friend and ally." - Velios, Lord of Leaves
"For the single time that I had gone up to Gainesville to visit and saw Aaron from afar, I was quite nervous about him first. But now having actually gotten time to speak with him to great lengths, I kinda feel silly for not approaching him at first to greet him. I truly am glad that we have met, and I hope that a friendship can form between the two of us. His view are very similar to my own, that I truly like" - Sophia McCarthy
"He wanted to pounce on me and attack, I saw those preying eyes like those before him. The copper scent of blood was in the air and I knew he was waiting for that chance. When I gave him the slip and dissapeared before his eyes, it only brought more amusement when I saw those eyes turn to discontent." - The Highwayman
"I like Aaron, I like to run around and chase the shinies, and Aaron liked to pet me when he seemed stressed out. I suppose that it made him feel better when watching me prance around chasing things that were so simple, and well, I love to be petted, really it is my only Joy now. Aaron is a good kitty! ^-^ mew ^-^." - Puss-in-Boots
