Saul Kaufmann

Mother: Athena

Sister: Katriel Kaufmann

Cousins: Ezra Kaufmann, Priscilla Kaufmann

Demigod Family: Children of Athena

## Behind The Scenes

### Introduction

[As of 2 Feb, 2019](https://www.reddit.com/r/CampHalfBloodRP/comments/amqpvb/the\_return\_of\_a\_broken\_athenian\_saul\_kaufmann/)

> *"When I was little, I always wanted to be a soldier like my Father. Now that I'm older... Well, I guess 'alive' is all I really have for that list now."*
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> -Saul Kaufmann, when asked about his career aspirations.
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**Saul Kaufmann** is the younger of two children born to Chief Warrant Officer "Hurricane" Yissakhar Kaufmann. His divine heritage warrants to Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War.

## Appearance

A well-kept young man, Saul was raised to always dress and look his best. His clothes were always presentable, as was his overall appearance. He kept his dark hair neatly trimmed, but ever so slightly longer than his Father would have preferred. Normally, he keeps himself clean-shaven, but a day or two of stubble can creep up on him if he's distracted. His formerly brown eyes have turned grey with Athena issuing his Claiming as one of her children. When at Camp, his style is rather simple, with jeans and one of the (in)famous orange Camp Half-Blood being the default attire of the day.

## Personality

### Upon Arrival

Saul arrived at camp as one of the Unclaimed, fresh off a battle with Laistrygonian giants and a trip via The Grey Sister's taxi service. Quelling the panic attack that rose due to the shattering of his worldview, Saul took to the demigod life as best he could. A polite figure, he treated his fellow demigod with courtesy; both due to his normally positive nature and the fact that it never hurts to be kind to a potential sibling. His drive only increased with the desire to find his sister, culminating in the event that brought about his Claiming.

### After *Le Tournoi Oubli*é

With the events that took place on Tetepare Island, Saul withdrew into himself. The lack of ability to use his left arm compounded with the trauma of the murder game left him feeling isolated and alone. It was through the efforts of fellow demigods that he slowly reverted back to his old self, and that his recovery went as smoothly as it did.

### Fatal Flaw

Saul's Fatal Flaw is a sense of **self-sacrifice.** When it comes to others, he will gladly shoulder their burden if he can. In small doses, like most Flaws, it is a noble trait. In excess, like it is in his case, it results in a crippling of his own self-preservation, can overstep boundaries, and can unintentionally insult his fellow campers' abilities.

## Abilities and Tools

### General Abilities

Saul's divine abilities are passive compared to demigod with skills that directly impact the world. Still, he shares in the common demigod abilities.

* **Dyslexia**: Like most demigods, Saul's native language is Ancient Greek, something that's hardwired into his brain. Given that Athena is his Mother, he does manage fairly well in other written languages, though it's not his favorite activity.
* **Dreams**: Dreams are prophecy for demigods, to the point where Saul discovered where his sister was being held captive in Canada. He has learned to trust these intuitions, though they have been sparse of late.

### Demigod Abilities

> “I name you Athena Promarchos, Goddess of Strategy, and She Who Fights in Front.”
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Saul's gifts from Athena are varied. While he's not capable of talking with owls or creating brilliant machines, he does have:

* **Enhanced Intelligence**: These flashes of insight began as intrusions of information into his mind as he awakened to his parentage. Information that he never read or knew would be supplied unbidden, and more often than not, for trivial items. As he's matured into his gifts, Saul has found himself becoming more in tune with the archive hidden within his divinity.
* **Enhanced Combat Ability**: Saul's quick to pick up any weapon, though he favors the versatility allowed through the use of polearms. The reach, and unique heads, allow for him to switch strategies on the fly.
* **Amokinesis Immunity**: Saul is immune to the wiles of those who deceive with words or actions. Charmspeakers have no power over him, and he finds himself clear-headed when others may be mired in doubt.
* **Photographic Memory**: Simply put, Saul remembers everything he's seen before, like a little snapshot of time tucked away in his mind. This combined with his unbidden knowledge gives him a pretty thorough grounding in subjects that are outside of his normal wheelhouse, though the practical application still has room for error.

### Magical Items

* **Poleaxe**: Saul's signature weapon is a celestial bronze-headed poleaxe, forged by Brandon before Saul's journey to Canada. When not in use, it is stored as a simple bronze ring.

* **Glitter Bombs** A gift from Winnie Holmes, these glitter filled devices have saved his life more than once. Capable of dazing an enemy, or outright blinding them if held at eye level, their versatility is only matched by the annoyance of trying to remove the glitter from one's person after detonation.

## Relationships

### Friends

* **Brandon:** One of Saul's first friends upon his arrival to camp, the two are a natural match. Sounding boards for the other's ideas, Brandon seems to have more of the decisive stance to Saul's methodical. Brandon is responsible for Saul's poleaxe, and contributing to the physical recovery of his left arm, as well as his mental state following The Forgotten Tournament.
* **Winnifred Holmes:** Or, in her teaching role, Supreme Overlord Sparkle. Winnie is the embodiment of everything that Saul is not. Vivacious, exciteable, proactive, and the embodiment of the colors pink and glitter in Saul's eyes; all qualities that he admires, and lacks in himself. Her glitter bombs saved him in Canada, blinding a Laistrygonian giant and helping him discover his divinity.
* **Ryan Rhodes:** Deceased, formerly a Son of Demeter. An Aeneid during the The Forgotten Tourney, he supported Saul's decisions that led to their eventual escape from the deserted tropical island.
* **Solveig Krieg:** A fellow Aeneid and a Hunter of Artemis who had survived Tetepare Island with him. Her cool demeanor helped see them through, and her time in Camp was a reassuring presence. Currently, the two are investigating the death of Ryan Rhodes, another member of their team.

### Enemies

**Stamatios the Comic & Stamatios the Tragic:** A masked pair of figures that have been responsible for Saul's misfortunes even before he was claimed. Known for their dark suits and the complementary masks they wear mirroring Greek theater, the two pull the strings that keep Saul dancing and away from camp. Their current goals are unknown to Saul. The two are capable of shadow travel, and summoning a Hellhound named Skilos to perform tasks on their behalf.

**Walden Dunsmore:** Formerly a Son of Hermes, Walden broke an Oath sworn upon the River Styx to protect his assumed beloved during The Forgotten Tournament. Now, without a name or anything else to identify him, the Oathbreaker roams the land searching for Saul to fully draw revenge upon the one he believes forced him to break his Oath.

## Trivia

* Saul is the cousin of Ezra and Priscilla Kaufmann, two former characters of superenergeticnow. The family connection was expanded upon when the author wanted to continue exploring the Kaufmann family, but wanted to do so from a different angle.
* Saul's names were chosen for the weight they carried:
	+ Saul: the first king of Israel, one who was asked for and prayed for, as Yissakhar wanted a son. The patriarch of the Kaufmann line also held the name Saul.
	+ Elazar: from the Biblical Hebrew 'El'azar', whose father Aaron became the first high priest of the Israelites following the Exodus.
	+ Kaufmann: The family name dates back to the Ashkenazic roots of their ancestors, as well as their profession as merchants.
* Nectar for Saul tastes like tea, and ambrosia tastes like freshly baked bread.
* Alignment-wise, he is *Lawful Good*, though he leans more to overall good than lawful if pushed.