Romulus

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*“In his wolf-skin he was as strong as any of them, but he was a gentle person in many ways.”*

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**Romulus** is the first and oldest living lycan to date. He has a great deal of pull in the mythical world despite his aloofness to it and is known worldwide, especially in the city of Rome, where he is revered akin to a god. He spends the bulk of his time roaming the European countryside with his pack, the **Gaia Legionis**, as vagabonds and nomads. Unperturbed by the effects of the Red Death on mythicals, Romulus maintained steadfast neutrality in the power vacuum that arose after a cure was found.

While difficult to earn the favor of and rather uncaring about current happenings and news, Romulus shows a great deal of concern for the safety and wellbeing of his people, especially those under his immediate care. It is known that all he does, he does for them, and for him to show levity or thought for anybody outside of his blood is rare indeed.

He is currently an active character in the storyline.

Faceclaim: **Anson Mount**.

## Appearance

Being nearly unchanged in his appearance for almost all his life (save his earlier days as Rome's first Emperor), Romulus is characterized by his wild, unkempt demeanor and his large, imposing figure.

He stands at around 6'6, weighing about 310 pounds (his muscle and tissue fibers are denser than a normal human's, and therefore he weighs more). His body doesn't possess an ounce of fat, and his natural muscle ripples underneath his skin visibly whenever he performs physical actions. He has long, wild brown hair and maintains a large, bushy beard of the same color, with streaks of grey within it. His jaw is broad and low. He has a thin bridged nose and his eyes are a cold, slate-grey with flecks of gold set in a calculating gaze. When he activates his Gaia and begins to transform, his eyes shift from grey to orange, then to red in his lupine form, and then to yellow in his war form.

A natural-born leader and commander with countless lifetimes of experience, Romulus exudes a dominating presence no matter where he may go. When he speaks, others listen, as if on instinct; his voice is a strong and even baritone that carries on the wind even when he whispers. His Latin accent from his youth has long since faded, and his drawl is now a mixture of cultures and peoples that he has immersed himself in over the years, making its origins unclear. Romulus speaks or understands most common human languages in the modern age, including several dead or ancient ones.

Like many pureblood lycans, Romulus tends to dress rather simply; he favors cloth or wool clothing with earthy tones. When at all possible, he prefers to go shirtless and barefoot - the ideals of modesty are an afterthought to him.

Romulus is said to smell strongly of pine, fresh soil, and grass, but can suppress this scent at will when he wishes it.

### Tattoos

* A large Roman numeral one on his right pectoral that signifies his status as the first Lycan.
* On his back is his pack's marking, a wolf paw surrounded by 8 spheres.

## Personality

Though many apply a certain stigma to the alpha-mentality and stubbornness of most Lycans, Romulus does not possess these traits. Indicative of his great age and wisdom, he is soft-spoken to a degree, rational, and above all, prideful. This is not to say, however, that he is conceited; he merely gives respect and expects that same respect back. He is protective of his kin (whatever pack they may come from) and especially his family, taking direct insult if threats or harsh words are ever thrown their way. He will fight to the (difficult to achieve) death for any he deems worthy of his protection, and that list is certainly few. A man of immense will and focus, it is unwise to get in his way when he sets his mind on an objective.

Despite his gruff exterior and world-weary ways, he is considerably down to Earth, a product of his connection to the Earth itself. He is introverted, though not afraid to start a conversation himself. He has a habit of referring to those younger than him (a long list) as "pups", even if they aren't Lycans. He considers himself a teacher, and will take every opportunity to pass down his considerable knowledge to willing ears, though only if they have earned it in his eyes. Despite his acceptance of all, he still holds pureblood lycans in higher regard than "half-caste", or those who were simply turned from humans. He has a dry sense of humor that he rarely utilizes, only with those he feels sufficiently comfortable conversing with.

Trust and love to Romulus are two very fickle things. While he possesses a great many allies and what some may call friends, he does not completely trust hardly anybody. This cynicism, while harsh, has saved the lives of many on more than one occasion, and as a result, he is quite adept at catching others in lies.

Above all, Romulus exudes, personifies, and respects the ideals of honor. He dislikes underhanded tactics and avoids them unless necessary, a contributing factor to his distaste of politics and one of many reasons that he eventually abdicated the throne of Rome in his youth. He holds members of the Enochian Court in little regard, mostly out of a belief that they themselves are untrustworthy and only have their own interests in mind. While not openly hostile to vampires that cross his path, despite being ancient enemies, he sees them as an affront to life and the natural order and has only ever tolerated the presence of a select few.

## Species & Abilities

### Lycanthropic Powers

*"No one could say that his blood didn't run with the ferocity of his ancestors."*

Romulus is an ancient lycanthrope - the first of his kind. Nursed by a giant she-wolf when he and his brother were left for dead, he later discovered that this wolf was an ancient goddess of nature named Lupa who imbued the twins with her powers through a connection with Gaia.

Romulus possesses all of the normal abilities of a lycan. However, due to his status as the first lycan and his incredible age, many of his abilities are greater than those of his kind. He has enhanced physical abilities such as strength, speed, and durability. His capacity for healing and his acute, often infallible senses of hearing, smell, and sight are nearly limitless. He also has the innate and unique ability to mask the scent of himself and others upon command. He can extend his claws and canines whenever he wishes, allowing him to inflict further damage while remaining in human form. As a lycanthropic ancient, he has access to the "war form" taken by the oldest lycan warriors.

His channeling of Gaia allows him to bolster any physical attribute, resist the effects of silver on his physiology for a short time, and incite a variety of unique and highly complex effects on himself and the world around him.

* **Superhuman Physical Attributes:** Romulus, even in his human form, is incredibly strong, fast, durable, and enduring. He can easily overpower any normal human in a contest of pure physical strength, and even most mythical beings. He moves with speed and grace beyond that of the finest human athletes. He rarely tires and is completely unbothered by the cold; even in sub-zero temperatures, he can continue to remain active and alert with little to no insulation.
* **Superhuman Senses:** Romulus possesses extremely acute and powerful senses of hearing, smell, and sight. His hearing is so sensitive, he can pick out and triangulate a single whisper in a crowd of talking people. Romulus' eyes have never degraded a day, and his powerful vision allow him to see clearly for tremendous distances. He is also able to see perfectly in pitch blackness as though it were daylight, with even magical darkness unable to dull his sight. Most impressive of all is his nose; Romulus can track and identify any individual on the planet based on their scent alone, and thus far, he's never encountered something that can completely block his sense of smell. He can even nigh-instantly identify a person's species, blood type, and other biological information simply by their scent.
* **Regeneration & Psychic Resistance:** All lycanthropes possess some level of advanced healing greater than that of humans and many mythicals. However, as an ancient, Romulus' regenerative abilities are far beyond the scope of other members of his species. He can fully and completely recover from virtually all physical trauma given a bit of time; such is the strength of his healing that, despite the countless wars and conflicts he has fought in, he does not possess a single identifiable scar. His abilities extend to his mind, which combine with his strength of will to make him nearly immune to telepathic intrusion of all kinds.
* **Gaia:** The power source of lycans and what grounds them to the planet earth, manipulation of Gaia (the personification of earth and the natural world) is what allows lycans to transform and empower themselves. Romulus can channel Gaia to transform, vastly increase the speed of his healing, render himself temporarily immune to the negative effects of silver, summon aid from the animals of nature, communicate with animals, and strengthen his physical attributes. A lycan's connection to Gaia fades rapidly with overuse, but steadily regrows over time, making its use nearly infinite when handled responsibly.
* **Lupine Form:** Upon transformation, his body begins to shift and morph into that of an overgrown wolf. His fur is grey and black, and his eyes become a deep red uncommon of his kind. On all four legs, he stands taller than most average humans, at around 5'11. His physical strength isn't much changed beyond the extreme biting power of his jaws, but his speed and swiftness increase drastically, befitting his canine posture. His fur also acts as a secondary "armor" of sorts, protecting him from damage. He sometimes refers to this as his "half-transformation". His already superhumanly acute senses are likewise dramatically improved to the point where he could accurately follow somebody's scent days or weeks after they leave an area.
* **War Form:** A further transformation from his lupine form which is starkly different; it is his secondary lycan skin, the dreaded War Form. He stands at almost 9 feet tall, gains considerable muscle mass, and has large, almost 8 inch long claws. His physical strength in this form is described as overwhelming, and he is capable of extremely swift, agile movements. His regeneration ability is also similarly enhanced, to the point where normal wounds seal up before one's eyes almost instantaneously, and even wounds inflicted by Silver can be rapidly healed through the use of Gaia. Romulus can maintain this form and keep his senses for a limited amount of time, after which "lunar fury" takes hold; in this state, he finds it difficult to discern friend from foe, and will only cease rampaging once he or his quarry are killed or otherwise disabled. As a result, he rarely assumes this form, and even then only for a short while.

### Skills & Abilities

* **Master Combatant:** While he possessed little formal training in his youth, countless centuries of war and battle against rival armies, tribes, and packs have seasoned Romulus into one of the most formidable fighters on the face of the planet. His status as one of the only living lycan ancients standing testament to his skill, there are few who could hope to emerge from a contest against him alive. He is skilled with virtually all melee weapons in existence, though prefers shortswords, and has a keen knack for hand-to-hand combat that makes full use of his savage and brawler-like fighting style.
* **Master Hunter & Tracker:** Beyond his superhuman senses, Romulus is a spectacular tracker regardless. He has a plethora of knowledge on various wild species and their habits, as well as how to best hunt them.
* **Flutist & Instrumentalist:** In lycan packs, music and dance are a core tenant of their existence, with great festivals following group hunts held to honor Gaia. To this end, Romulus chose the simple flute as his instrument of choice, and has mastered his craft over his long life. He is also skilled, albeit lesser so, in virtually all forms of instrument.
* **Leader & Diplomat:** Romulus is charismatic and wise, two traits that aid him greatly in attracting a following. He is naturally skilled at swaying others, and despite disliking social affairs, is adept at carousing his way through them when the need arises.

## Family & Relationships

* Any blood family Romulus had is long-since deceased.
* Relationships: Laurentia Arcturus - Lycan - Wife, Deceased
* Relationships: Artemis Demopoulos - Lycan - Student

## Trivia

* He is the mythological founder of Rome from Roman legend, though he maintains that many of the stories involving him and his followers were greatly exaggerated or even completely fabricated.
* His modern alias is taken from a small seaside English town, St. Ives, which he took a liking to in the early 7th century.
* Despite his hypercarnivorous tendencies, Romulus claims to have a taste for fruits, especially strawberries.