Highlander: Princes of the Universe [M lf F, Light-to-Bon, Urban Fantasy]

[TheVillain]

So normally I prefer to be more creative then this, but damn it if I don't like this franchise too much.

So for those of you that have never heard of Highlander, the series has been called "Anne Rice for Men". The basic story is that there's a small group of people, seemingly picked at random, that don't stay dead. This small group of people, scattered throughout time and space, will - if their first death is violent - stop aging and will quickly resurrect if they're killed. The only exception is if you cut off their head, then that not only will kill an immortal permanently but if the head was taken by a fellow immortal then with the immortal will take their Quickening and Power. [Usually via a kick-ass lightning show.]

Called Highlander because the main characters of the movies and the TV series are a pair of cousins of the Scottish Highland Clan MacLeod they're far from the first Immortals, or even the most powerful. Just two Immortals that try to be good people, in a Game that has so many bad. The only hard rule is no fighting is allowed on any ground that is considered Holy by any religion. In the end, there can be only One.

So I'm thinking I'd toss up a few character ideas and some RP ideas after and see who bites. :P

The Last Viking

I am immortal. Born on the Coasts of Norway one thousand years ago, and I am not alone. There are others like me - some good, some evil. For centuries, I have done battle, with Holy Ground my only refuge. We cannot die unless you take our heads, and with it our power.

In the end, there can be only one.

I am Ragnar, Son of Var. The Last Viking.

Ragnar, Son of Var was born in 998 AD along the coasts of Norway. The way you'd hear Var and Ljufu say it, their son was born on the darkest night either of them could ever remember and the midwife accused Ragnar of being a trick of witches the moment she looked into his eyes as a baby. Var was just too happy to have a strong baby boy to care.

Var and Ljufu went to Valhalla soon after Ragnar reached manhood though he would be confused why his own wife would never have any children even as Ragnar entered his 24th winter. The answer would come, if he didn't realize it at the time, when he was killed on a raid in Scotland - and got back up later. The young Ragnar would be found and taught the Game by an immortal mercenary embroiled in Scottish politics.

Unfortunately, under the evil immortal's tutelage at some point he forgot that there's a difference between honorable battle and pointless slaughter. Fighting just for the thrill of war and the off chance he might be sent to Valhalla, he couldn't tell you when exactly he forgot but he was reminded rather dramatically somewhere around 1300 AD with a farmer making a particularly pathetic, and yet undeniably spirited, attempt to defend his family and home.

After that Ragnar thought he'd spend a century only fighting similar fights, too see if he could connect with that kind of spirit inside. Then a century became a second one, and somewhere along the way he wasn't just learning to fight like a good man- he sort of started to become one again. Believing that his centuries as a mercenary have fouled his honor before the Gods, he does want the Prize but believes his Gods have decreed that he has to go through a period of spiritual cleansing and service to the Gods first before he can be considered worthy of it. He now concentrates on paying penance to his gods and reclaiming his honor before the Game, believing that the Viking Gods will send him a sign when they feel he has paid for his sins - and he waits still.

In modern times, Ragnar usually goes by Roger Varson in English speaking countries. Semi-gravitating toward biker tastes, when he goes into battle he might of traded the large wooden shield for a smaller metal bracer but he still uses a sword like the one his father gave him when he became a man, if the actual sword itself is kept in storage. A thousand years can be hell on a blade no matter how well its kept. The Game is secondary to him, given the choice between an easy group of heads or breaking up a human trafficking ring he'll battle the ring every time even if no immortals are involved. He may not look or act like he's particularly religious, but that's because you're looking at him through the lens of the wrong religion. To him, the only Immortality really worth fighting for is that which is given to heroes chosen to enter Valhalla. To him, Immortality is both a blessing and a curse - you can do a lot of rotten things over the span of centuries but you also have a lot of time to make amends for it. As long as you can keep your head.

The Scoundrel

I was born in among the noble houses of Venice in the early 14th century, I am Immortal, and I am not alone. There are other Immortals - some good and some evil, but none of them are quite like me. For centuries I have done battle to keep my head and fight for things worth fighting for, but the Game is not one of them. Among the politics of 14th Century Venice you learn quickly that you should never willingly play any game that you have no say over the Rules. Holy Ground is my only refuge. We cannot die unless you take our heads, and with it our power.

In the end, there can be only one.

I am Raphael Bassi. I'm an Artist, a Lover, a Fighter, and a Scoundrel - and I intend to stay that way.

According to his biography, he was born in an American branch of the Bassi family and admittedly was just lucky enough to have been born into a Hollywood Legacy of Director/Producers that has been around since before the sign went up. Supposedly, his great-grandfather was a painter in Italy who moved to America after World War 1 who sold his paintings to get into the movie business with one of the original studios. The Bassi Legacy is one of the deepest in Hollywood. Maybe they do all their work behind the camera so calling them a 'household name' is a bit of a stretch but to the critics, the experts, those who truly appreciate the art and magic of Cinema "Bassi" is a family name that is practically synonymous with the artform.

But that's not the truth. Not even close.

Rapheal was born in Venice, Italy in the early 14th Century. A lesser noble he led a relatively sheltered life with a classical education in reading, basic arithmetic, swordsmanship, latin, and politics. Not really making of a mark in the local politics beyond an arranged marriage with another lesser noble house, he usual spent his days using this to his family's advantage dabbling in artwork while frolicking with multiple mistresses- which at the time was considered no big deal for a man. Unfortunately, he and another noble had an argument over a mutual mistress which led to a duel. Officially he won, as both of them appeared to have died in the fight but he got back up again later. Doctors just assumed his wounds weren't as fatal as they thought.

But he knew better. He felt himself die, he just got back up again later. Before he had time to really consider this the Black Death reached Venice and both he and his wife's noble house were claimed by the disease. Heartbroken by the loss of his wife and of everyone around him he took advantage of this time to fake his permanent death and go off to find out why he couldn't die. Apparently there are others like him. Men and women who seemingly picked at random by fate were for all intents and purposes immortal unless their heads are separated from their bodies. He sees them as a sort of secret aristocracy of humanity that has been around for who knows how long. Rapheal has heard rumors of those like him that have been around since Ancient Egypt. Personally, he knows one who claims to have seen the Sack of Rome but that one isn't known for being trustworthy.

Raphael considers himself blessed for being immortal, it gave him time to find his soul as an artist. It wasn't easy, finding his medium of choice never came but he tried so many. Painting, Music, Sculpture, Writing, he tried all he could find and none of them seemed to really work until after World War 1, where his experiences and attempt to express himself over them eventually led to to his discovery of moving pictures. Convinced that he finally found his medium of expression, he immediately moved to California and Hollywood to invest and carefully grow the medium.

Today, Rapheal Bassi is considered one of the most artistically respected Director/Producers in Hollywood. Bringing a little bit of Venice politics to Hollywood as he's gotten a bit sentimental in his old age. He stands up for the lower classes more, seeing his role as something like a shepherd for humanity. A movie director/producer known for eccentric tastes like his 'father', 'grandfather', etc and a near fanatical drive for his projects to have as much artistic merit as possible between charity fundraisers.

The Game, however, keeps rearing it's ugly head. He learned from his family as a child that you should never willingly play any game that you have no say over the rules, even The Game. As such he might be almost 700 years old but his stack of heads he's taken over the centuries is considered downright pathetic if you judge immortals by that sort of standard. He doesn't. In fact, he knows he could really wrack up some heads if he wanted too - he's such a practiced liar that he can even fake out his body language to fool his opponents into practically falling on his sword for him - but he believes a Swordsman should stress the Man part of the word.

So he's not an evil man per se. He believes in Family, Friendship, Love, Art, and all sort of other good concepts - he just sees nothing wrong with lying, cheating, conniving, plotting, and the occasional poisoning to promote them. By his own standards he's an honorable man, but by his own standards that just means he's usually not the first to start using underhanded tactics. And to keep himself and his friends alive he won't outright break the rules of The Game, but he'll sure as hell Bend them...



Some Possible Scenarios -

1.) Long ago [Your character, a female OC MacLeod] had a horrific introduction to The Game when she was raped, kept as a sex slave, then eventually murdered by a viking mercenary in 12th century Scotland. You rose again though, and learned the Game from someone more sympathetic. Centuries have passed though, and you've healed beyond that horror. But then you discovered that the viking that killed you that first time is still alive and in the game, and your blood boils with the chance to kill him yourself. You tell yourself there's nothing he can do to convince you to do otherwise.

Except he's changed. He's still a Viking who worships his old gods but now he's a good man seeking redemption for everything he did. You meant to take his head, but that's proving surprisingly hard to take.


2.) You're a mortal who knows nothing of the Game, you just know that you're a doctor trying to give aid in Africa - and you just watched your bodyguard die saving your life. A big blonde viking of a man named "Roger Varson", he just fended off an entire janjaweed militia by himself but not without taking some bullets in the process. YOU. SAW. HIM. DIE.

And yet there he is, stitching himself up in the morgue getting ready to slip out and ready to let everyone think he stayed dead. You refuse to let it go at that, even though he says the danger is greater then you realize.


3.) You're a Watcher, a member of secret society of men and women dedicated to watching and recording the activities of Immortals. You're not supposed to interfere, the Immortals aren't even supposed to know you exist. But you're new, and you've been looking into the past of your charge - Ragnar, Son of Var. The man was nothing like you'd expect. Hell, in your eyes he's practically a superhero.

So when you discover signs that a dark conspiracy of evil Immortals and Watchers has set him in their sights you had to do something...


4.) Raphael Bassi pretty much invented being a lapsed Catholic. You would know, you were one of the lapses. A female fellow Immortal, you know many of his secrets. Including perhaps one of his deepest of all - that the man has married multiple times over the centuries and he genuinely loved every one of them. You would know, you were one of them. You left him though, some old habits died hard - he genuinely loved each of his wives but in 1300's Italy men were practically expected to sleep around.

Your business though brings you to LA where your Ex-Husband calls home. Maybe you should call in though, for old time's sake. Maybe he's grown up a bit over the centuries. You sure have.


5.) Well, you wanted to get into public eye. Not that way though. You were considered a hot new rising star of an actress, but you were murdered on the set of what should of been your big break. You know you were, you felt yourself die. You got up later though, perplexed and confused as to why.

Mr. Bassi though apparently saw this coming. He offers to help you understand what you've become, to help you learn how to fight with a blade and protect your head - when you two can manage to keep your hands off of each other.


Feel free to add your own ideas too. Thoughts?

[Katra Alexion]

both are certainly interesting prospects...

[TheVillain]

Sent a PM.