Application for Kon Ran

[divine_cannon]

→ Personal Information ←
→ Name:K’Arthur
→ Age: Ageless.
→ Personal Livejournal/Dreamwidth: karthur
→ E-mail: karthur@karthurville.com
→ IM/Plurk: Plurk: Welkikitty
→ Other Characters in Game: None. Referred by Shannon (Sara Sidle’s player)


→ Character Information ←
→ Character Name: Raven aka Captain Schwann Oltorain

→ Canon: Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360 edition only, since the PS3 version that gave all the characters more history was only released in Japan)

→ Canon Point: End of game.

→ Personality:
Raven and Schwann are two very distinct personas or roles that one man plays. It needs to be noted that the character does not have dissociative identity disorder (aka multiple personalities) When I use the term “personalities” it’s not in the clinical sense; just the different “sides” that he shows. That said, most people will only know the former; to become acquainted with the latter requires gaining his trust.

Both of Raven’s “sides” have some common traits. He’s calculating, intuitive and intelligent. Those that are his friends will have his loyalty for life; provided they can tolerate whichever persona he chooses to show them, though at this stage of his life he is more comfortable with Raven.

As Raven, he is an easy-going, nonchalant jackass that seems to care nothing for himself or others. He drinks heavily, carouses, makes quite a few off-color comments and often alienates the few who do care about him. It’s easier that way, he believes; less people to care for, less problems to deal with and less chances to suffer betrayal and loss. However, those few that are able to get close to him will be defended to the death. But, first they must put up with him long enough to realize that he’s not the jerk he often pretends to be and behind this mask lies a genuinely decent person.

When Yuri (main protagonist of Tales of Vesperia) meets Raven, he's in a cell next door in the castle dungeon being held on what is assumed to be a minor offense. Raven immediately comes off as mysterious and shady as he shares rumors and stories from all over the world. He helps Yuri escape and sneak out of the castle dungeon and look for Flynn, though his motivations for doing so are pretty sketchy. He shadows the group throughout the game, appearing in various towns and always behaving suspiciously. In one of the port cities, he uses Yuri and friends as a distraction so that he can sneak into the Magistrate's Manor. Basically, at first glance, you're going to find a shady character that is willing to use other people for his own agenda and reveals very little about himself unless forced to otherwise.

He has a rather lackadaisical manner of doing things, and a bit of a hedonistic lifestyle. In Dahngrest (the Guild city), he usually drowns his worries in wine and the company of many women in order to numb himself from the harsh realities that fate has placed on him. From conversations in Dahngrest, we learn that he likes to drink with the Don and he’s pretty much on a first name basis with all of the bartenders in town.

He has plenty of “girlfriends” and even calls himself a “player.” All of these women are NPCs who seem to have held his attention for a night or two and nothing more. He displays a bit of honor, though, when a teenage NPC that is smitten with him tries to get a date, he tells her she needs to not waste her time with an “old man.” He flirts with the women of the party in battle unabashedly and even spies on them in the baths. This behavior typically ends up getting him "stranger danger" looks and smacks from Estelle and the others.

As with his “relationships,” he usually doesn’t take many things seriously on the surface and typically serves as the butt of all jokes when he’s in the party. Yuri dismisses him, Judith uses her sexuality as a weapon to mess with his head, and Rita smacks him around.

One thing you can't say Raven is not is charismatic - while the party members don't take him seriously, Raven is responsible and reliable enough to be trusted by the Don, acting as the closest thing that Don would consider as his right-hand man in Altosk. Why not act irresponsible if it can serve him? This is how Raven excels in reconnaissance - if he acts goofy, people let down their guard and he can gather as much information as he needs without even trying.

When he plays the knight captain Schwann, he is serious, levelheaded and often morose. There are many bad memories tied to Schwann and sins that he believes would not be easily forgiven—even by his closest friends. It has been years since he was comfortable in this role, but he has learned to accept he must serve in it to keep his life, and thus the promise he made ten years ago.

Schwann suffers from survivor’s guilt since he was one of the few to “survive” the Great War. Survive isn’t really the right term; he was killed and then resurrected by Alexei. Schwann would have rather died back in that war, instead of having to live in a world where Casey (his lover) didn't exist. He follows Alexei without question until he "dies" a second time in Baction. This is where Yuri and the others find out his dual-identity as Schwann Oltorain. He goes into the battle prepared to finally die. When he is defeated, he just sits and waits for the shrine to collapse despite Yuri telling him he isn’t allowed to just take the easy way out. When the building begins to fall, he decides to sacrifice himself to get them out of the shrine safely.

His men (the Schwann Brigade) rescue him from the shrine and he swears his life to Yuri and his guild (Brave Vesperia). It is through his interactions with Brave Vesperia that he begins to feel young again and live for the future, rather than living in the past.

His past life as is the knight captain is at first seemingly difficult to compromise with his current life as Raven. Schwann Oltorain was a hero, someone serious, and the commoner who rose from the lower ranks to Captain through virtue of his actions, rather than the noble Captains who rose through the ranks based solely on their familial merits. He begins to tell others that Schwann is “dead” and calls him “that poor schmuck.”

While Raven prefers to think of Schwann as "dead" after the events in Baction, they are still part of him – but dividing himself up into multiple identities doesn't change his core person. People still look up to him as Schwann (such as Flynn), which just makes him uncomfortable, especially since he's made a resolution to stop living in the past. He doesn’t ever really reconcile this, but instead continues to struggle with it throughout the rest of the game. At one point, he almost refuses a major gift meant for Schwann, but manages to accept it as “Schwann’s brother.”

To show the “change” between Raven and Schwann is done by having him lose his rough guild accent. He also lets his “Raven” hair down and switches his dominant hand, in order to strengthen the division his two personas. The guilt is all there, as well as the responsibility as image, which is why Raven chooses to let it go and bury it with another name. It's not necessarily a completely separate personality, but rather a mask he uses in those odd times when it's now required, such as a pep talk to a particular young Knight Captain (Flynn), or perhaps when a situation is so dire that he knows people won't take him seriously unless he plays the more serious part. In canon he rarely wears the Schwann identity, but for game-play purposes if Raven is confronted with his past Schwann's memories will be available to feed upon.

Long story short, Raven is a man with scars and uses his alias in order to bury them. Whether he likes it or not, he still holds the ideals he once had by joining the knights for the very first time, but over time has become somewhat jaded. He has new hope from his travels with Brave Vesperia and makes an excellent father-figure and mentor to those he grows close with, and those who can see past his happy-go-lucky façade.


→ History:
Raven's first encounter with Yuri Lowell (protagonist of Vesperia) is in the Zaphias jail. He goes there to sleep because "it's quiet." He helps Yuri escape only to cause trouble for him in later towns by using him as a distraction. Eventually, he forces himself into the party and is completely distrusted. Later, they learn he is a member of Altosk (Don Whitehorse's guild) and a close, personal friend of the Don himself.

When Harry (the Don's grandson and chosen successor) inadvertently causes a guild war between the Union and Pallestralle (a non-union, but very powerful guild), Raven gets him out of a tight spot. Upon learning of the problem, the Don goes to confront Yeager for feeding Harry deliberately bad information to start the conflict. Knowing this is against Union law, Raven convinces the party to follow the Don and buys the old man some time so he can pursue Yeager. Unfortunately, Yeager gets away.

Having no other recourse to keep a guild war from breaking out, the Don decides to commit suicide to even the score with the other guild. Harry tries to go with him but Raven punches him out—cold. The Don's last request to Raven is: "Nail Yeager. You're the only one I can ask." [Since the dispute between Schwann/Raven and Yeager is a personal quarrel over a woman, it is not forbidden in guild law and they can engage each other]

Shortly thereafter, Raven betrays the party and kidnaps the resident white mage, Princess Estelle. When the party finally finds Alexei abusing Estelle's power in a forgotten shrine, Captain Schwann appears to fight the group. Realizing it is Raven, they attempt to talk to him, but he wants none of it and battles them as if he wants them to kill him.

After the battle, he tells the others about the Great War and his heart blastia. He also reveals that Alexei planned to kill all of them—Schwann included—by collapsing the shrine. It was a suicide mission and one Raven welcomed because he was tired of being miserable. Yuri convinces him that he has no right to lay down and die. With that, he uses one of his exploding arrows and makes a path for the party to escape. Just as they are about to run, a ceiling beam falls. Using his heart blastia, Schwann holds the beam up and yells at them to go and not look back.

The Shrine collapses on top of Schwann and the party heads to Alexei's mobile fortress to confront him. Once there, they find Raven and his most loyal brigade members. Raven tosses his knife to Yuri and says to kill him if he wants to for his betrayal. Instead, Yuri punches him in the head and tells him that he owes his life to Vesperia (Yuri's guild).

Raven assists the party throughout the rest of their adventure and the world-changing conflict, often denying that he is Schwann. He tells quite a few people, "That poor schmuck died at that Shrine," though the party does convince to embrace both sides of his life.

After the world is at peace, he returns to Dahngrest to assist Harry in rebuilding the Union and to keep an eye on the boy. He also has been seen in Zaphias, working as Captain Schwann to arrest corrupt officials in the empire and help the new Commandant (Flynn) keep the peace.

Link to head canon backstory


→ Abilities:
Raven's Artes @ Aselia Wikia
In the world of Terca Lumireis, most fighters need to use something called a bodhi blastia to be able to fight monsters in combat. These special blastia convert aer (the raw energy substance that permeated everything) into viable forms suitable for combat such as superhuman strength, agility, and even magic spells. Raven is in possession of two blastia - his bodhi blastia in his knife that he uses for most of his combat maneuvers, and his artificial heart blastia which pumps his blood throughout his body.

As Raven, he fights with a transform bow in one hand and his knife in the other. He is a capable archer who can fire up to five arrows in a single shot. And, when he gets close to an enemy, the bow collapses—or transforms—into a sword. He is mainly a mid-range to long-range fighter specializing in backing up the close-range fighters in the group, and is also capable of mild healing with his Love Shot arte. Love Shot is kind of a rare healing spell because it does not allow the player to select the target or even a range. True to Raven’s personality, it heals with the following priority: Ladies > Dog > Males > Himself.

Schwann uses a knight’s sword, colored red to match his uniform. He also uses his knife for close combat. His attack and defense strength are amplified at the cost of speed, and his stats are ridiculous. He tells the party he’s fighting his last fight and it’s going to count. Indeed it does, as Schwann is one of the toughest bosses in the game. He is able to inflict “weak” on his enemies, which is an annoying status effect that prevents them from being healed and halves their max HP until it is removed.

Both personas are particularly gifted with Wind Magic, and one of his artes, Stop Flow, is capable of actually stopping time in the flow of combat (for ~science~ sake we'll sake it temporarily increases the kinetic energy of all ally targets temporarily rather than actually stopping the hands of Chronos). Some of the other wind spells he uses inflict “charm” as well as damage. Since Raven fancies himself as a charming fellow, it seems rather fitting.

In regards to his heart blastia, Raven is capable of unleashing built-up energy into his Mystic Arte, Blast Heart, causing much damage to all enemy targets. It also causes damage to him by stunning him for a few seconds. This is one of the best ways to defeat Schwann—down him while he’s stunned. In fact, if the player pulls this off, he is rewarded with a bonus item at the end of the fight.

Although Raven is not the designated thief of the Vesperia cast (this honor goes to Repede, the dog), his fingers are still deft as he is shown being able to leave a key to Yuri's cell where Yuri could find it without any of the guards noticing.

→Strengths:
He’s a fantastic bartender. He’s got the ear for it, as well as the skill. And hey, what better way to gather intel than feeding a guy drinks? He’s also a “decent” cook, but is outclassed by a few of the other characters in the game in this discipline.

Again, Raven excels at gathering intelligence due to his general demeanor and taking advantage of the image that others see in him. Due to his life experience he's also empathetic to the point where he's able to give good advice to people who are listening. Karol, Harry, and Yuri benefit the most from this advice, and these moments in the game are the most notable times his “guild accent” disappears.

He's also fairly reliable, in spite of his image. When nobody would listen to the weird Italian guy's whims, Raven went ahead and did it, counting all of the flower petals falling from Halure's tree (it's a giant tree. It dropped a lot), and managed to get exclusive Titles and artes from him because of it.

Though people treat him as slow, Raven is fantastic at thinking on his feet - when in a tight spot, and much like a cockroach, he's impossible to get rid of.

→Weaknesses:
Raven is fast and reasonably strong, but even with decent armor, he lacks good defense. He also tends to annoy people. He’s a bit of a pervert, though whether he actually means or intends to act on the things he says is questionable. (Not sure if that’s a weakness or a strength, depending upon how you look at it…)

Emotionally, he keeps most people at a distance and often doesn’t trust others easily. The survivor's guilt colors a lot of his actions, and Raven places a lot of his self-worth in other peoples' hands. Indeed, while he’s often cool-headed, some things will push his buttons and cause him to find rage—and when he’s mad it takes him a good while to calm down.

Finally, he’s completely weak to women and booze. Raven has woken up under many a tavern table and spent many a night having his clothing thrown from an angry woman’s window.

→ Strengths:
He’s a fantastic bartender. He’s got the ear for it, as well as the skill. And hey, what better way to gather intel than feeding a guy drinks? He’s also a “decent” cook, but is outclassed by a few of the other characters in the game in this discipline.

→ Weaknesses:
Raven is fast and reasonably strong, but even with decent armor, he lacks good defense. He also tends to annoy people and he’s a bit of a pervert, though whether he actually means (or intends to act upon) the things he says is questionable.

Emotionally, he keeps most people at a distance and often doesn’t trust others easily. While often cool-headed, some things will push his buttons and cause him to find rage—and when he’s mad it takes him a good while to calm down.

Finally, he’s completely weak to women and booze. Raven has woken up under many a tavern table and spent many a night having his clothing thrown from an angry woman’s window.

→ First Person Sample:
[Written as Schwann]

The smell here is of death.

I remember that smell too well and now here it is again. Rancid and yet dry and unforgiving, that’s the smell that brings back the memory of my first death ten years ago. Sometimes, I wish Alexei had just left me dead. I wouldn’t have these horrid memories. I wouldn’t be stuck in Hell waiting to exact revenge on that sick, twisted man.

I don’t recognize this city nor the people in it. The buildings are taller than I’ve ever seen and there’s no barrier. Maybe this is Hell. Yes, that’s it. It’s cold. The devil must know how much I despise being cold. This must be my punishment. I suppose it’s fitting. I pray I don’t see anyone I know here

→ Third Person Sample:
[Written as Raven]
Raven sauntered into the pub, a casual hand in his pocket as he took a seat at the bar. He felt a few coins in there and hoped it would be enough to get a drink. Though the place didn’t look much like the taverns he was used to, but booze was booze and he needed some. Now.

The man he’d first encountered tried to tell him that his life was a lie and that he was indeed someone else. He didn’t even bother to hide his smirk at the guy. ”Tell me somethin’ I don’t know, pal” he’d said. Having lived as two separate and opposite men for an entire decade, he couldn’t help but amuse himself with the irony in that supposed revelation. The only thing that disturbed him was the new name. ”Ya can call me that all day long, but I ain’t nobody but Raven,” he’d replied. And it was true, but he was thankful for one thing—at least the man didn’t call him Schwann.

Now he was desperate to find a place to distract himself and let the information soak in. I never thought I’d say it, but I miss that filthy Sagittarius Tavern. Hell, I’d even wait tables there at this point. Trying to ignore the other patrons and the ambiance he placed the coins on the bar. He smirked at the barkeep and spoke in a rough, guild accent. “A glass of whatev’r this’ll buy me, fella.”

The barkeeper raised a brow at him. “That’s not gonna get you anything in there. Come back when you have some real cash.”

“Cash?” Raven asked. “Where’d I get this ‘cash’ you’re talkin’ about?”

The barkeeper laughed. “Get a job, bum.”

He shook his head. “No need ta be rude ‘bout it, man. Can I work fer you, then?”

“I don’t give jobs to bums.”

Raven gave a wink. “If I’m lookin’ fer a job, I ain’t bum now am I?”

The barkeeper sighed. This man was obviously lost and desperate. Though he wasn’t one to take in strangers, he did feel for the man. “Fine. Go in the kitchen and start washing glasses.”


→ Password: foofy kitten.