River Breim (Character)

**Inspired off the band, Breaking Benjamin.**

If you don’t know the band, take my hand and let's go to Spotify! :)

## Basics:

* Birth name: River
	+ Yes, because *“Red Cold River”*

* Birthplace: Dalton, Georgia, USA
	+ This is because Juliette likes to sing BB with a southern accent. Also, BB has a twang in his voice for a lot of songs. It sounds like Benjamin Burnley (singer) is snarling while he sings.

## Personality Breakdown:

* Pros:
	+ calm, reserved, lighthearted, hilarious, observant, hopeful, deep-thinking, understanding, poetic, romantic

* Cons:
	+ distant, closed, lazy, unmotivated, doubtful, dead-inside, “Hollow”, misleading, skeptical, sullen, overthinking

* Greatest strength AND weakness:
	+ Sass

* Other:
	+ Extremely patient. It takes a lot for River to feel any intense negative emotion. He is extremely good at understanding people’s situations and emotions. You’d really have to go out of your way to piss him off. If you do, oh buddy, you are screwed. You won’t see the light of day if you seriously mess with his loved ones.
		- This is due to BB’s tendency to have a raw scream/aggressiveness in songs

## Physical Attributes:

* Eye Colour:
	+ Amber with a dark outer ring
		- Based on the album *“Ember”*
		- People tend to get lost in his eyes. Very hypnotic. Gets constant compliments from even the shyest of people.

* Tattoo(s):
	+ little black heart that looks like it was drawn with a sharpie on his right hand.
		- River got this after Jane committed suicide. It was the last thing she ever drew on him. He kept the original drawing on him for a long time before it started to fade. This is when he got the tattoo.

(In reference to how one acts and reacts in situations)

## Health:

* Insomnia
	+ Started with a lack of sleep during his time with his suicidal girlfriend back in Georgia. He was working two jobs and she kept him up late at night. He would stay up until she fell asleep on the phone, then would crash soon after the second ‘hello?’. After Jane committed suicide, River developed insomnia officially by a licensed professional.
		- “Hopeless”
			* *“There is nothing left inside, but I am wide awake”*

Tendencies/Quirks:

## Relationships:

* Best Friend as a(n):
	+ Child: Derek - Red (cousin)
	+ Teen: Derek, Faith/Fae - Flyleaf
	+ Adult: Austin - Papa Roach
	+ Teen: Jane
	+ Adult: Evanescence
		- Both have a song called, *“Tourniquet”*

* Older Sister: (some country band)

		- Weed is good.

		- Agnostic

River’s high school love, Jane, killed herself and was heavily Christian. River had struggled with religion before, but started feeling a pull towards Christianity because of Jane’s influence. She never pressured him, however, she was sure she was going to beat Depression with God’s help. This inspired River, especially since he struggled with some sadness too.

((He doesn’t suffer from Depression (with a capital ‘D’), but you could argue that he tends to get depressed (with a lowercase ‘d’) sometimes. He’s a romantic sad boi type. He just often has low energy, so we never know when he’s actually sad or just tired.))

All River’s hope in God seemed to vanish once Jane committed suicide (This concept is inspired by the songs *“Dear Agony”* and *“Give Me A Sign”*). He was a solid atheist for several years, but now he constantly struggles with what he believes. He refuses to discuss it with anyone. He mainly questions himself internally.

* In reference to many of BB’s lyrics with God and other Biblical topics.

* Everyone knows:
	+ “Atheist”
		- People *assume* he’s atheist because he refuses to discuss religion. He closes himself off and becomes distant quickly. River tends to get annoyed easily with people who are preachy. He dislikes publicly passionate religious activists.

## Personal History:

* Child -
	+ Elementary School -
* Teenager -
	+ High School -

* Young Adult -
	+ College -

## Specifics/Other/Loose Concepts:

### River’s Miscommunication with Jane:

* River accidentally convinces Jane that he wants to commit suicide too. He is very romantic and poetic, and his words are often misleading. This eventually leads to Jane thinking they want to commit suicide together. This is how the train wreck happens. Below are lyrics that lead to the miscommunication.
	+ *“Without You”*
		- *“I won't turn my back on you”*
		- *“If you fall then I will too”*
		- *“I can't face the dark without you”*
		- *“I understand, there's nothing left”*
		- *“The fighting never ends”*
	+ *“Give Me A Sign”*
		- *“I'm falling apart”*
		- *“Does anyone care?”*
	+ *“Who Wants To Live Forever”* (a Queen song, but BB covered it)
		- *“What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us”*
		- *“Who wants to live forever”*
		- *“This world has only one sweet moment, set aside for us”*
	+ *“Hopeless”*
		- *“I can see the daylight shine, and slowly drift away”*
		- *“I can hear the devil call my name”*

### Dealing with Jane’s Manipulation:

* Intentional or not, Jane uses specific words that guilt-trip River into staying with her.
	+ “Into the Nothing”
		- “Stay with me, you’re all I have left”
	+ “Breathe”
		- “Let me in”
			* River says this when Jane locks herself in the bathroom during one of her suicidal episodes.

### Dealing with Jane’s Suicide:

* Shock -
	+ “Forget It”
		- Beginning of the song falls in rhythm with an ambulance siren. River is taken to the hospital. Not sure if Jane will have enough remains to be taken to the hospital…(unfinished thought)

* Rage -
	+ “Light’s Out”
		- Feeling betrayed, apathetic, calling her manipulative, sassy anger, “after all I did for you!?!”, almost surprised and offended simultaneously
* Sadness -
	+ “Anthem of the Angels”

* Denial -
	+ Beginning of “So Cold”
		- Specifically in this song, River is staring off “Into the Nothing” as he is wrapped in a trauma blanket as the paramedics and police secure the area of the trainwreck. Everything is in slow motion and River is in shock. He’s got a few injuries. He fractured the outer side of his right hand, and broke a couple fingers on his left hand (“my hands are broken” = reference to “You”). He has a few scratches on his face and his left knee is badly cut, but he doesn’t notice because he is so dazed and disoriented. All he takes note of is the anxiety he feels in his hands.

### Reminders of Jane:

I don’t want to hate you.

I see you. I miss you.

Release me, my love.

——

Got more concepts for my Suicide Prevention Band Characters. Breaking Benjamin is an intense character, man. His name is River. His ex girlfriend (Jane, her band- Trading Yesterday) tries to get him to commit suicide with her. She was ready, he tried to save her...in the end, she was dead and he was broken.

——

I sit here in the car role playing with myself. Here we have River (Breaking Benjamin) and \_\_\_\_\_ (Evanescence, don’t have her name yet) talking to each other in the car. Rain is pouring on the roof and River (Breaking Benjamin) confides to Evanescence and breaks down to her. He explains that Jane said that he’d be better off without her. River breaks down when he admits to Evanescence that Jane was right. He cries that he never would’ve met Evanescence if Jane (Trading Yesterday) didn’t kill herself. He hates himself for this. Because he misses Jane but loves Evanescence. Evanescence explains that Jane killing herself has nothing to do with them meeting. She explains that Jane and him could’ve broken up and separated regardless. She reminds River that he always wanted to move to California (River is from the south). She tells him that Jane traumatized him. She reminds him how toxic their relationship was. River remembers, but he feels guilty.

“I tried to save her...I wasn’t enough...”

Evanescence touches his hand

“We can’t save anybody from suicide...in the end it is their decision...you did what you could...it’s not your fault.”

——

I think it’d be interesting if, before Jane died, she drew a heart in the windshield of River’s car (truck?). On the roadtrip to California he would forget about the mark. Until one day the rain fogs up the windshield at night and he glances over to see the heart. Maybe this happens after the roadtrip? Maybe he spots this after he’s been in California for a couple years. Maybe he spots this after he and Evanescence start dating. Maybe him seeing this sparks this conversation they have regarding Jane and River’s life up to this point.

### Untidy Concepts:

* Thinking River (Breaking Benjamin) and Derek (Red) will be friends. Probably went to to the same high school before River (Breaking Benjamin) moved to California? Maybe they met on the way to California?
* I like the idea that Derek (Red) and a couple other friends (other bands, possibly Underoath being one of them) supported River after Jane (Trading Yesterday) killed herself (I choose this idea because on the “Aurora” album by Breaking Benjamin, there are a lot of duet songs by other artists).
* River lays heavily on Derek especially since they are best friends. I think Derek will be the one to find River when he accidentally ODs on sleeping pills. DONT WORRY, RIVER DOESNT DIE FROM THIS. Derek takes him to the hospital and he’s fine. Just a bit scared. This is a pivot point for River and inspires him to move to California. He hates the south. He hates his hometown. He needs a new start.
* Quote: “I’m too depressed for this shit-“

## YouTube Mentions:

Breaking Benjamin - “Dark Before Intro” - S.P.B.C.S.P.B.C.Bands Like BREAKING BENJAMIN? These 5 Are VERY SIMILAR!Bands Like BREAKING BENJAMIN? These 5 Are VERY SIMILAR!
## Photo Gallery:

River BreimRiver Breim Character Expression SheetRiver Breim after Jane's deathRiver Breim before Jane's death
## Memes That Fit Their Personality/Life:

* River during 2020:
	+ Internally: “Tired. Want wife. Sleep...and snacks. Is Covid still going on?”
	+ Externally: “Weed will always be essential. Especially now...everything is exhausting.”