Ambrose Babbage

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Seeming Elemental Manikin
Court Spring Court ••
Freehold The Courts of the Youthful Springs (Gainesville, FL)
Player Sean Rickmeyer

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Ambrose Babbage
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Ambrose Babbage


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Overview

Alias(es): Ambrose, The Lieutenant

Real Name: Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor, USNR, MIA

Age: 90 (appears to be in early-to-mid 30s)

Concept: Clockwork Cyborg

Entitlement: None, yet

Physical description:

Mask: Dark hair, blue eyes, pale complexion. Usually dresses well, but in retro styles.

Mien: Ambrose's right side has been largely replaced with mechanical parts, many of which were obviously gleaned from the wreckage of his Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo bomber. His skin is pale, and his hair is blue-black, with an oily sheen which shampooing cannot remove. His eyes are vibrant blue, though his left is often obscured by a targeting reticule fashioned from the targeting sight from the machine-gun mounted on the dorsal turret of the aircraft. His lower jaw is metallic, hinged and powered by small hydraulic pistons. His right arm, what little can be seen, appears to be encased in a metal gauntlet, though the solenoids and hydraulic pistons seem to indicate that it's more a part of him than he'd like to admit. His right leg is continually concealed by dress pants and a flight-deck boot, but creaks mechanically when he rises from a crouched position or moves suddenly. He usually dresses well in his mien as well, wearing dress pants, a button-down long-sleeved shirt, a vest, a necktie (of Hedgespun origin -- it changes color and pattern with his mood), and a long black canvas duster. He's often seen with a battered fedora with a pair of aviator's goggles perched above the brim, and he walks with a cane fashioned of copper pipe, though it seems to be strictly an affectation of vanity.

Relevant Mechanics: Resources 4, New Identity 2, Court Goodwill (Autumn) 2, Court Goodwill (Winter) 1, Striking Looks 4

Character Livejournal: http://Ambrose_Babbage.bravejournal.com/

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Character Information

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Known History

Image:Ambrose.jpg

Basic Timeline:

October 25th, 1917 -- Born Charles Carroll Taylor

February, 1942 -- Graduated, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas

October, 1942 -- Became flight instructor, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas

1943-August, 1945 -- Served in Pacific Theatre of Operations against Imperial Japanese Naval Air Forces

November 21st, 1945 -- Transferred to Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida

December 5th, 1945 -- Led US Navy Avenger TBM Flight 19 on training mission from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Became disoriented when gyrocompass became magnetically disrupted within the "Bermuda Triangle." Flew "west" (actually generally north) until running out of fuel, ditching in the Atlantic Ocean. Taylor and thirteen other Navy and Marine Corps aviators and crewmen crash into the Hedge and are captured. Taylor and companions treated for injuries and altered by forces loyal to "Lord-Admiral Jareth," Keeper of the men of Flight 19.

December 5th, 2003 -- After five years (by his reckoning), Taylor escaped Faerie, drawn through the Hedge by memories of an old flame in Fort Lauderdale, and unwillingly abandoned his comrades, some of whom attempted to make their own escape at the same time. Was surprised to discover he'd missed not five years but nearly fifty-eight.

November, 2004 -- Left Fort Lauderdale, assuming the new identity "Ambrose Babbage," and moved to Palm Beach, Florida, to begin creating a new life.

July, 2006 -- Moved to Orlando, Florida, in search of new opportunities.

June 17th, 2008 -- Arrived in Gainesville, Florida, again seeking new vistas.

June 21st, 2008 -- Decided to remain in Gainesville, Florida, and swore fealty to the Courts of the Youthful Springs. Met Zoe Edwards and Sylfaen Winters.

Current Activities: Working as a charter pilot, and occasionally working as a stunt pilot for airshows.

Merit Details: Under construction

Background: It's amazing what I can remember, and what I cannot...

Before Fort Lauderdale, I can only remember bits and pieces. I remember ditching at sea in the Pacific a few times during World War II and getting rescued, and I remember transferring to Fort Lauderdale after the war. December 5th, 1945, I remember clear as day, though. We took off on what should have been a standard training run. After our bombing and strafing run on Hens and Chickens Shoals, we made the first turn, but something wasn't right. Somehow, we'd ended up somewhere else, maybe over the Keys. When we made course corrections and didn't see land, I ordered the flight to head along course 090 for ten minutes. When that didn't work, we flew along course 270 -- due west! -- but never hit land that way either. After several hours -- it was about 1915 or so (quarter after seven p.m.), we had less than ten gallons of fuel remaining and ditched into the sea. The sargassum in the water sprouted thorns as we crashed, and we soon found ourselves in the Hedge. My Avenger held up pretty well in the crash, but I was pretty badly injured; my right side was broken and burned in several places. Devlin and Parpart were pretty badly hurt, too. Soon, though, a steamship pulled up and "rescued" us. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have let us all, all fourteen of us, drown in the cold salt water.

After that, I don't remember much. I remember waking up after the surgeries they put me through, realizing that I was almost as much machine as I was man, and feeling like I was some sort of a freak, or a monster. I remember leading troops of Goblins into battle for Lord-Admiral Jareth, and getting repaired after combat. Five years of this hell, more brutal than anything any of us had seen in the War, and it was almost non-stop; the only breaks we would get in the fighting would be the occasional day or two of rest and relaxation, or the victory parades in which we would march across a recently-conquered territory. Somewhere along the line, a memory worked its way into my mind, about a woman I'd once loved, back in Fort Lauderdale, though I couldn't for the life of me remember her name. As the memory got stronger, I noticed the Hedge. I checked with my comrades, and they said they saw it too. We decided that at the first opportunity, we would attempt to escape.

Our escape did not go unnoticed; we were pursued into the Hedge, and got separated. To the best of my knowledge, I'm the only one that escaped, and it hurts like hell knowing I abandoned my comrades, the men under my command. But I can't go back. I've spent the last five years learning what went on in the nearly sixty that I missed in between, and getting adjusted to the new technologies that have become so widespread and commonplace; computers still amaze me to this day, especially with the small size and the immense processing power. I've also been establishing a new life; I've taken a new name, moved north from Fort Lauderdale -- first to Palm Beach, then Orlando, then Gainesville -- and gotten my pilot's license.

Since my arrival in Gainesville, I've met some remarkable people. Zoe Edwards, the Autumn Monarch, was one of the few locals who took the time to have a significant, extended conversation with me the night of the Changing of the Seasons. Likewise, Duchess Sylfaen Winters, the Winter Monarch, has taken a liking to me as well. I'm still not certain what she sees in me, but we've become lovers. Lysander, a Draconic Fairest, was a bit distracted that first night I turned up at the Freehold, but has since taken the time to sit down for an extended discussion with me about Court, history, and the meaning of patriotism. He's a bit of an idealist, and I'm afraid I may have shattered a couple of his illusions, but I think he'll grow from that experience.

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Motley

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Coldsteel

Not quite a traditional motley, not quite a vernal motley, Coldsteel consists of a Winter Snowskin and a Spring Manikin, though what they're dedicated to (besides sex) is anyone's guess. Sylfaen Winters and Ambrose Babbage are clearly smitten with each other, though how these two ended up in each other's arms is a mystery to all but themselves. The motley has yet to distinguish itself from the rest, but given the Courts of the members, perhaps that's not so surprising.

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Allies

Freya - I picked her up along the highway a little over 4 months ago. Definitely cute, though I'd never seen a girl dressed like her before. She was in Kissimmee, heading for Fort Lauderdale, so I went ahead and gave her a ride down that way. Seems I disappeared around the time she was born...

Image:Sylfaen.jpg

Duchess Sylfaen Winters - Sylfaen and I have gotten remarkably close in a short period of time. I think that in the differences between us, we have found much in common as well. I have to wonder what's next for us...

Sophia McCarthy - Sophia's a very good friend; I met her back during the winter of 2003-2004 in Fort Lauderdale; she was chasing after some young surfer. I'd chosen to join the Spring Court already by then, so after talking a while, we became fast friends. Imagine my surprise, though, when I arrived in Orlando a couple of years later to discover she was the Spring Monarch of the House of Cards! I stayed at Pelinor's Home for Lost Runaways, the shelter she and Bandabras Pelinor (the surfer she'd been chasing!) run together, for a couple of weeks until I got an apartment.

Tani - How do they pack so much enthusiasm into 15-year-old girls? When I first met Tani at the Changing of the Seasons, she was very quiet, until she noticed my flight goggles, at which point she became very... animated. She liked them so much, I had to dig up a spare pair to give to her.

Speedy G - I haven't met her in person yet, but I'm very much looking forward to it. She wants to interview me for a position in the Changeling Air Rapid Delivery Service soon.

Lysander - He's a good kid. Seems to respect his elders pretty well, and though he hasn't yet chosen a court, he seems willing to give it a shot himself someday. He's a hell of a fighter, and a patriot to boot; he loves his country, and was so shocked to hear that we'd pulled out of Viet Nam. His father and I both served in the War, though we were in different theatres of battle.

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Enemies

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Character Inspirations

Lieutenant Charles Carroll Taylor, United States Naval Reserve (missing in action, presumed dead, December 5th, 1945)

Edward Elric, the FullMetal Alchemist (FullMetal Alchemist)

Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow)

Nathan Zachary, Dashing Gentleman Air Pirate (Crimson Skies)

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Soundtrack

Before the Disappearance

In Fay-Rie

Escape to Fort Lauderdale

A New Life

Image:Ambrose_and_Sylfaen.jpg

Meeting Sylfaen

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Quotes

"Guilt? I live with guilt every day. Every time I look in the mirror, the abomination looking back out at me seems to leer accusingly, reminding me of how I abandoned thirteen good men -- men with whom I was honored to have served, thirteen sailors and marines -- to deal with an angry Keeper in my absence. I hope to God that the ones who tried to escape with me made it out, even if they ended up somewhere else, but it still wouldn't excuse the disservice I've done those thirteen mothers' sons." -- Ambrose Babbage

Found written on a restroom wall: "God is dead. -- Nietzsche"

Written a short distance below that: "Nietzsche is dead. -- God"

  • "Oh god! So I met Ambrose in Gainesville for their changing of the seasons and he is the most awesomest person around! He's old like Gaius But actually almost far cooler. and the GOGGLES! Holy shit. I love his Goggles... and and and.... and he said he'd give me a pair if he could find a spare set if he had them laying around, and GUESS WHAT! While I was staying with Zoe for a short time, he stopped by AND GAVE ME A SET OF GOGGLES! That was the COOLEST gift EVER!" -Tani

"I wonder just how much of him is mechanical, hmmmmm. Will just have to find out." --Sylfaen Winters

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Rumors

Among those who tried to escape with Lieutenant Taylor were Ensign Joseph T. Bossi and his radio operator, Aviation Radioman First Class Burt E. Baluk, Jr. ARM1 Baluk was killed in the escape and haunts Ambrose, speaking occasionally to him via the radio speaker embedded in his chest, beneath his shirt, saying only "Fox Tare 3, Fox Tare 3..." before going silent again. If one of the Lost spends enough time around Ambrose, occasionally he or she can hear it too.

Some of the other members of Flight 19 also managed to escape, but did not end up in Fort Lauderdale with Lieutenant Taylor. One wonders if they have the same feelings of guilt for abandoning their comrades that Ambrose harbors, or if they feel resentment towards him for exactly that reason. (Possible connection, for those who are interested! Not all of the members of Flight 19 ended up as Manikins, either. The little glimpses of memory that Ambrose retains had some as Beasts, some as Wizened Soldiers, some as Wizened Smiths, and at least one as a Fairest. For more on the men of Flight 19, check out http://www.conservapedia.com/Flight_19 for more details.)

Few actually know whether certain parts are flesh or mechanical, but he's reportedly "fully functional and programmed in multiple techniques."

The Autumn and Winter Monarchs of Youthful Springs are both pursuing Ambrose; Zoe Edwards is after his loyalty, hoping to sway him from Spring to Autumn, and Sylfaen Winters is after his heart (and his body?). Whether this is because Ambrose is a charmer or that he's new to the Freehold and is still something of a novelty remains to be seen.

Ambrose require hydraulics to operate sensitive parts of his anatomy.

After the death of his lover, Sylfaen Winters, Ambrose has begun pursuing some of the other ladies of the Freehold. Whether this is to dull his pain or sate his desires is hard to say.

Retrieved from "http://changeling.cam-wiki.org/Ambrose_Babbage"
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