Babylon

Caleb and Laelan (Sons)

Elias (Son, NPC)

## Application Sheet

Babylon was a brown-furred male wolf with sage green eyes. He was a Mage who lived in and served the pack of Mhor, joining the pack during the Hive Wars. After the conclusion of this terrible time, Babylon found love in a she-wolf named Deborah, and they would become mates, adopting a child they found near the edges of Mhor: Foxwood. Shortly thereafter, they had three more children: Bauwen, Laelan, and Caleb. His story is ongoing. Babylon was created and RP'd by speckledplanet.

## Personality

* ***Curious***. While Babylon may think himself past learning new tricks, he is rather drawn to innovative ideas and conversations that seem interesting. He doesn't often like to stick his nose into other being's business, but when the invitation presents itself, he tries not to shy away from getting involved. Babs will gladly listen on the sidelines about a pup's whimsical ideas, or listen to the advice and direction of those around his rank and age. He might not always understand the topics, but Babylon wishes to learn more about the world around him and digest the information and stories told in order to gain something from them. That doesn't always mean he'll be eager to do anything new himself, however. The former father still has some dignity in his own skills and talents.
* ***Dutiful***. Babs is nothing short of devoted, both to his work and his connection with the pack. He might not be the quickest or most versed in the pack's day to day routine, but he does make up for this in his efforts to do as good of a job as he possibly can. He dislikes the idea of slacking off or falling short in things that are expected of him, and Babylon strives to deliver results that will help out the majority rather than himself. He'll take mundane tasks over a day off, and he relishes in the opportunity to be a bigger help to the pack. It might not show through his mannerisms, but it'll still illicit a small wag of his tail at the very least.
* ***Honest***. He's a bit nervous and quiet when it comes to his opinion, but Babs doesn't let that stop him from being as honest as one can. He had always been an honest wolf, but his younger self's admissions were often crass and to the point, whereas Babylon now tries to lead in with a gentleness that he lacked several years ago. He still fumbles over his words and doesn't always know where to begin, but Babylon does do his best to be concise and clear with his social and work relations. Matters of the heart, however, are often much tougher to navigate and lead to some smallish white lies- but they don't last long.
* ***Loyal***. Deep down Babylon may have a small fear of abandonment, but he doesn't allow this to impact his loyalty to those around him. It may create a little distance at times, yet it isn't anything significant in the grand scheme of things. Babylon holds a high respect for the wolves he meets, and it doesn't often take much to earn the greying fella's praise. On the same vein, it also means he's somewhat loyal to a fault- and a little gullible because of it. With that is a bit of nervous energy, but Babylon won't keep quiet behind it for too long if it's a touchy subject or the tensions are high.
* ***Awkward***. Words don't come easily, and conversations get messy rather quickly if Babylon isn't totally focused on the topic at hand. His mind wanders, some days more than others, and with it things said tend to go in one ear and right out the other. It should be unsurprising that he'll often ask one to repeat themselves, or apologize several times in a row if his preoccupied mind missed something important. As soon as the message gets through to him, however, he'll make it a top priority and won't forget about it until the job's done.
* ***Old-Fashioned***. Babylon enjoys a new topic or idea thrown at him from time to time, but actually following through on new things can be difficult for him to wrap his mind around. It's not that he hates the idea, no. He just doesn't always understand how to go about it, and doesn't often ask for help as to not seem needy or incapable of little things. He'll take his sweet time on strange odds and ends, but sooner or later Babs does seek out an additional pair of paws or a new pair of eyes to pick up what he's missing. It may take more than one try to get it right, though.
* ***Critical***. Sometimes old habits die hard, and being abnormally critical of things he thinks himself skilled at is commonplace. Babylon tries not to open his mouth too much about it considering his position in the pack, on top of the fact he knows that he doesn't know everything. It's difficult for him to keep his tongue in place, but even then he doesn't approach conversations unwilling to see reason. If he's wrong, he's wrong, and he'll admit as much regardless of if it wounds his pride or not. Just don't expect too much in the way of a detailed apology, however.
* ***Detached***. A day dreamer and often taciturn fellow, Babylon's mind wanders day and night, drifting from past conversations to future endeavors to what he'll have for lunch. It isn't uncommon for him to be seen staring at nothing, nose often turned to his paws or to the stars where he seeks for answers amidst the cosmos. Religious, perhaps, but there isn't any concrete lessons or history that would draw something so serene from the foolish wolf. Part of it is done indirectly to keep himself from being hurt, or from hurting others, but the other bit is simply his mind buzzing with too many thoughts at too many hours. He isn't even aware he's doing it most of the time- it's second nature to him.
* ***Moody***. And finally, as much as Babylon tries to be a neutral minded follower, he is jaded and foul-mooded some days more than others. He'll give one a glance before turning his attention to the task at hand, or he'll speak shortly and promptly with heavy-lidded eyes that reek of disinterest. Sometimes his nape will even bristle the extra bit, but he does try to keep at least a small portion of himself in line when he's feeling particularly sour. Babylon will find himself busywork on days like that, perfectly content with his own mind to keep him company. At least then he knows he's incapable of making a fool out of himself.

## Pre-Group History

Babylon was born into a pack of hunter/gatherers where survival was the goal, and perseverance in the face of calamity and uncertainty was key. Each generation was trained to surpass the parents and take up their mantle, with each new season of offspring allowing the elderly to retire or join smaller nomadic packs / outsiders to live out their sunset days. Babs was an ornery child with a bad temper, constantly getting into trouble with the other kids and disrupting the day to day routine for the adults of the pack. He didn't mean anything by it, but he was definitely a problem when it came to training and understanding where boundaries sat between himself and the higher ups of the pack. Despite this, he was an exceptional tracker who often spent his free time stalking rodents and lizards for sport. He never really caught anything (aside from salamander tails on occasion) but it was this instinct that earned him some praise early on, and it's also what garnered him some extra attention from some of the other trackers of the pack who wanted to help train the young hooligan into a proper hunter.

It took him nearly half a year to be somewhat decent at working with a group of wolves. He'd often get impatient and screw up hunts, get reprimanded for jumping the prey too soon, and then be sent to do some mediocre task to think about what he'd done. That wasn't exactly a terrible punishment, but to a growing boy it was torture, and Babs learned fairly quickly that to avoid the boring work he'd need to learn some semblance of patience- so he did! Slowly, day by day, Babylon put in the effort to learn how to properly cooperate with his fellow wolves, and while he didn't much enjoy it at first, he realized that the team effort was well worth it and the results always made everyone happy. The best part? He helped with all of that, and that is what made him proud. Babylon spent the majority of his teenager years honing his skills and bouncing around the territory as a helper to others, often charming his way into running errands or inserting himself into the paths of trackers so they would take him out and show him the ropes that other wolves his age didn't quite get to do yet. Most of the other trackers enjoyed his enthusiasm, but his insatiable curiosity and lack of self preservation costed him early on with an injury that resulted in a torn muscle in his back leg, slowing him down for some time.

By the age of two Babylon was considered a fully fledged tracker, the hunter title lost to him considering his injuries that were (at that time) still fresh enough to leave him winded when he didn't rest and recover as directed. He didn't allow this to slow him down spiritually, but it forced him to learn some hard lessons regarding what his future in the pack would be. While he was never going to be a fantastic hunter like his parents and grandparents, he could still pass on the mantle to his children and teach them what he was taught. So, earlier than some of the other wolves around his age, Babylon became a partner to one of the herbalists of the pack who had been tasked to care for him while he recovered from his injuries. They weren't in love per say, but Babylon respected and admired her, and Sersi was infatuated with Babylon's energy and devotion to his pack and family. They had a single son named Elias.

Over the course of the next year Babylon fretted over Elias in between his tracking jobs, and it was clear that Babs was an overbearing father with the best of intentions that often came out a little... strong. Wrong, even, considering he viewed Elias as his only hope of righting his wrongs for not being the perfect pack member like he wanted to be. It created some resentment and tension between the boy and his father, and Elias often sought out his friends, avoiding Babylon and Sersi whenever it came to working on his skills as a budding hunter. Babylon felt like he'd failed once again, and his spirit was crushed each time Elias rejected him in favor of being taught by some of the less stressful parents. Babs began to hide his emotions from Sersi in fear of appearing weak, and once his own parents left the pack for their twilight years, Babylon realized he was running out of time.

On Elias's second birthday, the boy up and left the pack after a shouting match with his father, resulting in Babylon's realization that he had no heir to take his place in the pack after he was gone, and worst of all- he drove off the very wolf he was supposed to protect and care for.

Most aging adult wolves would begin dispersing around seven or eight save for the healers and the hunters and gatherers of good health, but Babylon was of the few that were expected to leave even sooner due to his injuries. And with Elias that would've been possible, but without the boy to replace him, Babylon stayed within the pack out of spite to try and create a name for himself and attempt a second litter with his mate. Unfortunately for him, she was uninterested in pursuing a relationship with him after witnessing how obsessed he was with fixing the past, and not nurturing the relationship she wished to see between him and his child.

Dejected, Babylon pushed himself harder than he ought to until he strained his old injury once again, leaving him bedridden by Sersi's side for weeks on end. Despite their romantic relationship souring, she still tended to him and treated him with kindness that he felt he didn't deserve. He wished to be better, both physically and mentally, but he had no idea how to go about healing and righting his wrongs. Sersi suggested that, maybe, his answers were not with this pack but a different one.

At first he felt ashamed that her suggestion sounded... good. Refreshing, even. But it made sense- he wasn't cut out for the life of their pack as is, and he had no offspring to train or nurture anymore. Elias had left a year prior, and nearing six years old, Babylon's agreed deep down that he wasn't cut out for the fast pace of the pack anymore. After he was healed once again, Babylon asked Sersi to accompany him to the edge of the territory. Confused but concerned, she did, and at the border he told her he was going to follow her advice and find out for himself what life could be for a foolish wolf like him. He apologized for the hurt he'd caused, and he wished her the very best in her endeavors and hoped that she could learn to forgive him for falling short where others excelled.

For two years Babylon travelled virtually alone, joining nomadic tribes and wanderers who roamed the land with stories to share, meals to split and advice to give. Babylon taught young loners some survival skills, and in turn they kept him company and kept him fed before they would part ways, and the cycle would continue again. It did him some good to relearn what it meant to be alive, but over time Babylon realized he missed the personal connection he had with others when he was younger. He missed the routine, having a purpose and wolves who knew him by name and looked to him for conversation and company. Strangers only filled so much time, but they all left eventually, and Babylon grew tired of being the last one left standing. Despite some initial fear, Babylon realized he wanted a real pack once more. So, with some effort and little sleep, Babs headed beyond the comfort of the grounds he knew and instead moved towards a land he'd heard on the breath of the travelers he'd encountered: *The Domain.*

Some time later, he landed at the edges of the Mhor amidst a field of flowers, and that is where his new chapter began.

## Trivia

* He has muscle damage on his back left leg. While it healed over relatively well, his leg tends to act up during the colder months or during times where he puts too much stress on his body. He walks with a slight limp, but it's not often noticeable unless he's just waking up or returning from a long trip.
* He has claw scars on both shoulders, sustained during "Unusual Behavior" while attempting to keep the Hive wolf from killing him and his companion.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* speckledplanet's deviantART Gallery