Application to Tu Shanshu

[franchisepirate]

Player Information:
Name: Lena
Age: 32
Contact: lenainverse |
Game Cast: N/A

Character Information:
Name: Westley aka The Man in Black aka The Dread Pirate Roberts
Canon: The Princess Bride (film) [Note: Although the film is my primary canon, I draw from the novel for historical background and character backstory. In the rare instances where the two contradict (the setting of the Pit of Despair for example) movie canon will supersede.]
Canon Point: Following being "killed" by Prince Humperdinck using The Machine (also called being "mostly dead")
Age: Approximately early to mid-20's. His exact age is never specified.
Reference: Film canon @ Wikipedia | Book canon @ Wikipedia | Westley @ Princess Bride Wikia

Setting: The Princess Bride takes place primarily in the fictional European country of Florin during a Renaissance-era time frame. The precise timing is never entirely clear, as references are made to the story occurring "after Paris" but "before Europe". However, the technology level, clothing, architecture, and cultural observations place the time frame at approximately the 16th century. Florin is a monarchy and the system of government is feudalistic. King Lotharon is the current, though old and ailing, monarch, and his son Prince Humperdinck is his only heir. There is a precedent, by either law or tradition, that the Prince must be married in order to become King.

Royalty is responsible for all government functions to include military endeavors, and entitled to select a spouse from among their citizens if they wish. The society is also highly patriarchal. The typical citizen in Florin is essentially a serf, likely making a living via agrarian means and barter, such as Buttercups' family who make their living raising cows and selling milk to their village. However those who have means, essentially meaning support from the royal family, are able to pursue scholarly and scientific projects. The Prince and his confidant, Count Rugen, have collaborated to build the Pit of Despair, an underground torture chamber, in which Count Rugen conducts his research on his primary area of interest, pain.

Florin is said to be a wealthy country, placed geographically between France and Denmark, approximately the location of the Netherlands in modern Europe. It is nearing its 500th anniversary. Across the channel from Florin is the country Guilder -- the name of the channel is somewhat in dispute, as the Florinese call it "Florin Channel" and the Guilderians "Guilder Channel." As this exemplifies, the two countries have a long history of warring with one another. The Olive War, the Tuna Fish Discrepancy, and the Roman Rift are among the wars they have fought, although they have cooperated on at least one occasion for mutual benefit: the Discord of the Emeralds in which they robbed everyone nearby in order to resolve the fiscal insolvency resulting from all their wars.

The Florinese aristocracy tend to believe themselves superior to the Guilderians in every way, more civilized, more rich, more sophisticated. In fact, Guilder is the more civilized nation, as defined by the dress of their royalty. Both royal families take offense easily and the Florinese royalty in particular have a vested interest in finding reasons to go to war with Guilder again. Prince Humperdinck initiates several plots to have his (formerly) commoner fiancee, Buttercup, killed and to frame the Guilderians for her death. Prince Humperdinck and Vizzini both refer to Florin and Guilder as "sworn enemies".

Florin landscape tends to be flat, with many grasslands appropriate for farming and also woods near the channel. The Guilderian landscape is more mountainous. The channel is bordered by the thousand-foot-high Cliffs of Insanity, and further into Guilder there are rolling hills and canyons which lead into the Fire Swamp. The primary method of travel in both countries is on horseback or by horse-drawn cart, or on ships by sea.

The seas can be a dangerous venture, as the infamous Dread Pirate Roberts, captain of the pirate ship Revenge, marauds the seas to seal the valuables of travelers, and according to legend he never takes prisoners. If one's ship is attacked by Roberts, all persons on board are presumed dead. The Dread Pirate Roberts has been storming the seas for twenty years, however Roberts has been four different men during that time. The original Roberts retired after 5 years plundering, when he had become rich enough to retire. At that point, he trained a man named Cummerbund to be his replacement, took on a new crew and told them that Cummerbund was Roberts. Because the name Dread Pirate Roberts inspires such fear in sailors and traders, it is essential that whoever inherit the Revenge and its crew also use the name Roberts in order to inspire compliance among the ships it robs. For this reason, Roberts also wears a mask and distinctive all-black attire.

Westley, the main character in the canon, inherited the Revenge from Ryan, the man who replaced Cummerbund, in much the same way. He was taken captive and quietly requested that he be spared for the sake of true love, and Roberts (Ryan) allowed Westley to be his personal aide for three years... while continually threatening to kill Westley the following day. Those three years were a time of training, in which the trainee, in this case Westley, learns to fence and fight and how to operate a pirate ship. Once the training is complete, Roberts hands over the name to his trainee and Westley assumed the mask and attire and name of the Dread Pirate Roberts. As far as the public knows, Roberts has always been the same man.

Dueling is done using implements such as thin fencing swords. It is also implied that bow and arrow are utilized for hunting.

There are several manner of unusual, or even magical, elements in the world. For example, giants such as Fezzik. Giants are larger than a normal man by a few feet and weigh approximately 500 pounds. Florin (or Guilder) Channel is populated by the shrieking eels, which are large, carnivorous eels with very sharp teeth. The Florin royal family has also employed at least one Miracle Man, named Miracle Max. These individuals are akin to medieval healers or gypsies, and have the capability to resuscitate someone who is near death ("mostly dead"), though not someone who is "all dead." Their other abilities are not specified.

Additionally, The Machine which Count Rugen builds to further his research and writings on the subject of pain. The device uses water wheels and suction cups in order to "suck" years of life away from a person. The Machine is designed to elicit extreme pain, and can suck anywhere between one year and fifty years of the subject's life away.

The Gulderian Fire Swamp also has several unusual qualities. First, the Flame Bursts, which are man-sized columns of flame that spurt from the ground, proceeded by a popping sound. Second, the Lightning Sand, which swallows anyone who steps on it. Third, the Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUSes), which are rat-like creatures the size of a large dog which attack people with their teeth and claws.

Personality:
Westley is the quintessential self-made man. From his poor and underprivileged beginnings, using his own strong will and formidable brain, was able to become one of the world's greatest fighters and heir to the richest pirate treasure in the known world. The fact that his youth was spent in servitude still eats at certain aspects of his self-image, but Westley is the type of man who won't let anything, not even death, keep him from his goals.

A poor boy raised essentially as a slave on Buttercup's family farm, Westley didn't waste his time doing the minimum to get by nor let the disrespect shown to him get him down. The less people thought of him and the worse they treated him made Westley all the more determined to prove himself. An ambitious person, he trained himself to only need a few hours' sleep each night so that he could stay awake and work his mind and body into sharp, lethal tools. As a result he is not only strong and quick but brilliant, and able to adapt to any situation and turn even the most lopsided circumstance to his advantage. When he found himself aboard the Dread Pirate Roberts' ship about to be executed, Westley was able to find a way to not only come through the experience with his life, but his hard work and dedication led Roberts to name Westley the heir to his name and ship.

Westley, however, would say that it was true love that got him through that situation. He believes unquestionably in the power of love, convinced that no matter what he would find his way back to Buttercup's side. Upon discovering he and Buttercup's mutual love for one another, Westley had to leave to seek his fortune across the sea in order to afford marriage and promised Buttercup that no matter what, he would always come for her. He never wavered in his faith or in that promise. Even when Buttercup betrothed herself to Prince Humperdinck in a fit of grief after Westley's supposed death at the hands of Roberts, a disguised Westley sought out Buttercup and rescued her from her kidnappers despite the fact that she didn't wait for him as she promised.

That's not to say there haven't been moments of doubt, however. Given his poor background, Westley has questioned Buttercup's love for him, however briefly. When a masked Westley rescued her, he was particularly cruel to Buttercup, taunting her with stories of her love's demise at the hands of pirates, in order to determine whether she betrayed him and fell in love with Prince Humperdinck. Only a few words from Buttercup cleared the matter up and Westley never doubted her faithfulness again.

Time and again, Westley proves himself remarkably adaptive. He is able to win various types of fights by using his quick wit along with his versatile skills in order to emerge victorious from even the longest odds. Thanks to his own self-training as well as his training as an apprentice pirate, Westley is able to use whatever is at hand, even if only his own mind, to worm his way out of any bad situation, even surviving torture and near-death because of his iron will. Sheer determination and refusal to lose don't hurt either, and Westley has both in spades.

In fact, if there's a weakness Westley has, it's that he can be too confident, sometimes to the point of aloofness. He also tends to be nonchalant and have a distinct air of infallibility when he feels he has the advantage, which can be irksome -- particularly to the person he's opposing. (That's part of the point, actually.) He's not by any means untouchable, as like any person Westley has his moments of weakness, but he tends to overcompensate with bluster and bravado rather than appear vulnerable. However, he is unfailingly polite and charming enough to compensate for this most of the time and avoid seeming a braggart.

Westley's quick wit applies also to turns of phrase and wording things just so, in order to come off as genteel even when he's being insulting and dismissive. He's a gentleman to the last, and even the vilest villain will get an insult worthy of a Shakespearean drama... and, most likely, some measure of mercy. Despite the reputation of the Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley doesn't prefer to kill his enemies unless he must. He leaves Inigo, Fezzik, and Humperdinck alive, though he is not above killing when absolutely necessary, as shown when he poisoned Vizzini in order to save Buttercup. That said, he is quick to use the reputation of Roberts in order to strike fear in people and encourage their compliance. It's another way to turn things to his advantage without the situation becoming messy.

Westley tends to have a certain flair about him, particularly when faced with some manner of challenge or fight. He is relaxed and appears entirely in control of himself, even participating in witty conversations during fencing matches and other contests. Not afraid to show off, Westley somehow manages to do so and seem humble at once. When fencing Inigo, Westley used his non-dominant sword hand initially so he could later surprise his opponent, but also complimented Inigo's technique throughout the battle. Although he is confident, he appreciates and acknowledges talent and skill in others. And, always, he respects it.

Whether in spite of his past or because of it, Westley became a man who will overcome all obstacles to get what he wants. And what he wants is a life with his true love, no more or less. Whatever he has to do to achieve that, whether it means giving up sleep, or becoming an outlaw pirate, or fighting a giant, or breaking into a castle gate guarded by sixty men, he's not going to fail. No matter what.

Upon finding himself in a world between life and death, Westley will likely not appear particularly surprised, given that he was in the middle of being tortured to death. Outwardly, he will be pleasant and polite, endeavoring to ease his way into his new situation. Being told that time has stopped for him will help considerably, as he will not need to rush back to save Buttercup, but he will still make efforts toward seeing if there were any way for him to return. After all, true love conquers all, even strange new dimensions on the back of a tortoise shell.

Appearance: Westley is a tall man with blond hair, described by others as handsome and well-built, with "eyes like the sea after a storm". As the Dread Pirate Roberts he prefers to wear all black clothing and a mask that covers the top half of his face. He favors a small ponytail and a thin mustache. Imagine links: Westley without his mask | Westley fencing as the Dread Pirate Roberts

Abilities: Westley is a human with no supernatural abilities. However, according to his experience and training as a farmhand and pirate, he possesses various skill sets.

Strength and Endurance: Westley possesses extreme strength and endurance. Even before his days on the Revenge, Westley did manual labor at Buttercup's family farm and trained himself to only sleep four hours per night so he could learn more and work harder. It is stated that no one but Fezzik the Giant would be strong enough to climb the thousand-foot rope up the side of the Cliffs of Insanity, but Westley did so. He is also able to cope with the lower levels of torture from The Machine, a device that uses suction to suck the life out of a person and was designed to be extraordinarily painful. Westley is also excellent at hand fighting and utilizing his speed and skill to defeat even larger and stronger opponents, such as Fezzik. In addition, he has built up an immunity to Iocaine powder, one of the deadliest poisons known to man, and is able to consume quantities that would kill a man without any noticeable effect.

Swordsmanship/Fencing: Trained by famous pirates, Westley is an exceptional swordsman. He is able to fight with both hands at a master level and has studied all of the famous attack techniques, defenses, and maneuvers. He was able to fight Inigo Montoya, the greatest fencer in the world, at an equal level and even defeat him.

Strategy and Planning: Perhaps Westley's greatest skill is his ability to adapt and use whatever means necessary to achieve his goals. He is able to plan attacks against far larger groups of opposing forces with limited men (the infiltration of Humperdinck's castle) and resources and is also able to think on the fly and quickly turn a seemingly hopeless circumstance toward his favor. He out-witted Vizzini, who was considered a very smart man (and considered himself a genius beyond measure) by using his own hubris against him, and similarly uses Inigo and Fezzik and Humperdinck's greatest assets against them, in order to eventually defeat them.

Inventory:
+ One tattered black shirt
+ Black leggings
+ Black pirate's boots
+ Leather hair tie

Suite: Westley would be most comfortable in the Water sector, for some small familiarity since he has lived essentially on a ship for the last five years. He would only need one floor -- and will even consider that excessive given his quarters in the past -- since he's used to not having a ton of material things or to staying in one place for very long.

In-Character Samples:
Third Person:
Death isn't quite what Westley expected. Not that he had terribly many expectations, having not planned on dying at the present time. Until a few moments ago he was laying in a torture chamber plotting his inevitable and brilliant escape which would of course lead to a long and blissful life with Buttercup, but here he is nonetheless.

In fact, the whole thing has been rather civilized. They don't even refer to it as death, but an in-between-ness (he'll pardon poor grammar for the sake of relative accuracy, and because it's a veritable drip in the nonsensical bucket at the moment). Far from the dark, cold depths of Davy Jones' Locker, Westley has had the whole situation neatly explained and been escorted to what, compared to any home he's ever had, is an estate fit for the miserable likes of the pompous Prince Humperdinck himself.

The very thought of that paunchy lout sparks an anger that won't soon fade, but Westley lets it quietly simmer. It won't do to be ungracious to his apparent hosts, nor is it strategically sound or of any use at all to make a scene.

And strategy is, as ever, on his mind. Generous and apparently benevolent this society may be -- and time will tell if those hold true or not, there's a large difference between the temporary benefit of the doubt and the blind trust of a fool -- but Westley doesn't intend to stay. His true love is back where he left her, preparing to be wed to that pox-marked miscreant and waiting for Westley to whisk her away to happily ever after. Which is still the plan, and a fine one it is! Westley came back from the dead once for her, and he'll do it again.

There is, however, the problem of where to start.

No matter, it's far from the first time Westley has found himself in less than favorable circumstances. His entire life has been a series of unfavorable circumstances, and he's managed to claw his way through in more-or-less good condition. Except for the part about being dead, but no use focusing on what can't be changed.

And so he'll begin at the most apropos of places: wherever he's currently standing. (Even more apropos would be 'the beginning' but, again, he's accustomed to less than favorable circumstances.) Already having inventoried his meager belongings, Westley has noted that his shirt, torn by an Unusually Sized Rodent, leaves him barely decent, but more of immediate concern is that his mask is conspicuously absent. Not the worst of follies, but inconvenient. If there was any consideration of resuming his piracy here, that is a step in quite the wrong direction. Rule one of being an outlaw is to at least attempt not to be identified. People can snicker as they will, but the fact remains that even Buttercup didn't know him with the mask on -- granted, she had thought him five years into death number one at the time.

His sword is also missing, not that he's terribly surprised. Keeping a civil afterlife probably necessitates a policy against arming the newcomers. Again, inconvenient, but he's improvised before.

So, he's left with taking stock of his surroundings before reassessing the situation. Judging by the skyline he'd seen during his escort, this locale is too vast for a simple afternoon of scouting to suffice. That will make quick escape a fool's errand unless he is particularly lucky at the outset, and pardon his skepticism but all evidence thus far is to the contrary.

There is the matter of the device. Westley glances at it dubiously. He's not in the business of using things at which he is not an expert, or at the very least learned enough to avoid looking like a cretin. There is also the fact that he was very recently on the receiving end of some state-of-the-art technology with the very unfavorable result of being here and dead. However, the strange device does have the distinct advantage of, if his escorts are to be believed, reaching many people at the same time, all of which are in similar circumstances to his.

How complex could it be, really? He had never fought a giant before the other day, and that went over well enough. This has the added advantage of being less likely to result in a crushed skull.

Well. As they say, fortune favors the bold.

Network:
[A blond, pony-tailed man with discerning blue eyes peers into the camera, pausing momentarily as though he expected something significant to happen. And then he raises his eyebrows and quirks one side of his mouth in a facial shrug, apparently deciding to move on despite the lack of it.]

I suppose this is more efficient than quill and ink, but it lacks a certain panache, wouldn't you say? [Being that Westley's not quite certain who he's addressing, best to presume there's someone or another there.]

So, here we are. Not that I can particularly identify who "we" are other than myself, nor am I especially well-versed in where "here" is, but thus the point of my inquiry. [A small, thin smile at his humor, which somehow manages to come off as less self-congratulatory and more charming.] Perhaps someone might be so kind as to share whatever they feel is relevant to a relative newcomer.

Oh, and I nearly forgot.

[He didn't, but best to come off casual about this specific area.]

If anyone can point me toward a blacksmith, that would be quite helpful.