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[Bio] Luka V. Tepes
Sat Nov 19, 2022 6:37 am
Luka V. Tepes
Basic Character Information
First Name: Luka
Middle Name:
Last Name: Tepes
Epithet: Stray Dog| 野良犬 (Norainu)
Birthdate: December 31, 1807
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Faction: Bounty Hunter
Professions
Singer
Luka is a classically trained vocalist, and spent nearly his entire youth singing. In addition he is familiar with a variety of stringed instruments including the piano and violin. He has not sung since the death of his mother, and does not have enough money to keep a stringed instrument. He is resultingly just a bit rusty in his musical practice.
Freelancer
The Stray is a jack of all trades and a master of none. He performs odd jobs wherever possible to make an extra buck and pay off the heap of debt his father saddled him with. Typical odd jobs include dishwashing, deliveries, janitorial services, and basic security work.
Physical Appearance
Height: 6'0/ 183 cm
Weight: 144 lbs/ 65 kg
Hair Style: Straight medium length hair worn back in a loose hold on the left side. His bangs are kept wild and waterfall over his right eye. Luka's hair is naturally fine and silky and requires little maintenance to keep in good condition.
In the mornings and on rainy days his hair falls entirely over his face, causing the guy to appear sleepy and disheveled; he finds it embarrassing for others to see him like this.
Hair Color:Luminous Raven
Eye Color: Seafoam Turquoise
Scars: Pierced ears and “chest”, Numerous bite scars left by other strays, smaller scars from frequent street fights litter his body. Luka's face remains curiously unmarred, and heals from injury with unnatural speed. To pay a month's bills and continue paying off his father's debts, at one point Luka was forced to sell…
- CW - Gruesome:
- ...a kidney.
Clothing and Accessories: Luka dresses entirely in black, as though attending his own funeral. His exact dress varies from day to day, but is constituted almost entirely by form-fitting or undersized garments that he's managed to salvage and mend. His nicest articles of clothing are a knee-length cashmere overcoat and a sturdy pair of steel-toed combat boots.
He has also built up a small collection of discarded jewelry that he uses to accent his daily wear, preferring ear cuffs, or simple earrings bearing geometric designs and gothic symbolism. Luka wears a sterling silver pendant left to him by his late mother, the remainder of his jewelry is made from more inexpensive materials as he sells anything he finds that is of real value.
The stray often wears gloves or rings upon his hands, as he finds them both fashionable and helpful for fist-fighting; many of Luka's rings are spiky statement pieces that can be used as impromptu brass-knuckles.
Description: Luka has a broad yet lithe frame honed through street brawling and urban chases. He is skinny for his build due to undernourishment, but has well-toned musculature and a firm chest. His body is frequently covered in scars, but strangely the exact position of these markings seems to vary from week to week. Luka has bite scars from wild/stray dogs on his legs, hips, and left flank, each a bitter reminder of his meek and uncertain place in the world.
His face is slim, pale, and angular with the exception of his full lips, which carry just a bit of color in them. His expression rarely changes from its typical state of melancholy neutrality, only his most intense feelings are able to make guest appearances upon his face.
His bluish-green eyes hide their oceanic brilliance behind anything they can, fallen bangs, long eyelashes, and sullen expressions alike; to be seen as something beautiful would be too good for the Stray Dog.
His scent is surprisingly inoffensive considering his living conditions, though he does smell vaguely of second-hand smoke and factory fumes the young man has good hygiene; one of the sparse amenities he (sometimes) affords himself is a local soap infused with lily of the valley and dandelion.
Main Traits
Rough Around the Edges
As a byproduct of living an uncertain life Luka has placed walls up to protect himself; he is stoic, slow to trust, stubborn, and can come off as uncaring. In addition, though he was raised in an upper-class environment, he is now accustomed to living as a poor man; he has a number of habits those of higher social status may consider peculiar or uncouth.
Heart of Silver
Beneath the surface the cold-seeming punk has a number of redeeming qualities; he is loyal, kind, and empathetic to those he trusts as well as people he believes to be decent. Luka is sympathetic to most living things that are not actively attacking him, he'd even split his food with a loathsome canine if it asked nicely enough.
Masochistic
When one has known suffering all their life they have two options: run from it, or embrace it. Luka embraces pain like an old friend, using it to drive himself forwards and savoring its kiss as proof that he is still alive.
Unpredictable
When an animal is backed into a corner it is capable of just about anything. Luka lives his life backed into such corners, and is thus full of all sorts of surprises. He is excellent at improvising plans on the fly, and often has secret contingencies. Luka tries to do nice things spontaneously for those he cares for.
World-worn
The Stray Dog is wearing down under the pressure of his destitute day to day life. He is accustomed to being treated poorly, he's drowning in a mountain of debt, and the closest thing he has to a friend is an old man who runs a cheap noodle shop; a grumpy old geezer that treats him like a surrogate son.
Likes: Living on the edge, Warm food, Soft things, Dancing, Innocent people
Dislikes: Debt, Dogs, Hospitals, Criminals, Most men
Unique Laughs: “...Hmm!” (Typical response to amusement), “Gurara-naru-naru!” (Unstable barking laughter), “Koi-shī!” (Off guard and cute laugh).
Hometown: Spider Miles
Personality: Cold and distant, like an abandoned home sunken beneath winter snow, this is the nature of the Tepes boy's heart; but still, something stirs within: a quiet young man who, in spite of losing everything he once held dear, still yearns for a better life.
Luka is reserved and unemotional in his demeanor, in the city streets of Spider Miles showing vulnerability is as good as accepting one's role as prey. Still, beneath this hardened exterior lies a kind and compassionate person who has been exhausted by the cruelty of his surroundings, but who is not willing to give in to hopelessness.
In combat Luka fights with a serious and ruthless demeanor. Typically he is not outright cruel, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to save himself or an innocent. If he is pushed beyond his limits his demeanor will begin to slip, giving way to sheer, desperate, unrelenting ferocity. This is rarely a problem, as Luka is usually able to handle himself and often has plans for when things start to go wrong.
The son of Tepes does not enjoy killing nearly so much as his ancestors. Luka is apprehensive to kill people at all, and if he deems it a necessary evil, attempts to make the ordeal as painless as possible. He believes those who disregard human life to be scum that have forsaken their humanity.
It is rare for Luka to cry in front of others unless as a physiological response to pain; more typically the Stray Dog sheds tears in moments of isolation such as when he faces himself in his apartment's broken mirror, when he suffers the frigid embrace of his morning shower, and when he cries himself to sleep at night. Occasionally he will shed tears on behalf of innocents in danger, or even more infrequently: for the sake of somebody he has truly come to care for.
The Stray Dog has a soft, clear, and deep voice that varies little in tone or excitement. He is soft-spoken outside of stressful situations, often seeming as though he is speaking at a loud whisper. Luka is, in truth, still capable of singing at nearly any register and can project his voice as a trained singer.
The Past
- History:
The perfect child for the perfect family; as the only son of long-trying mother Lisa Tepes and her doting husband Yuri Volodymyra, Luka's birth seemed like a blessing from the heavens. He was the image of the prodigal son, endowed by perfect-pitch and his father's “wealth” he was trained as a vocalist for one of the North Blue's prestigious operas. Despite the early pressure placed upon him, he always seemed like a happy boy as he hummed and sang at all hours of the day.
Though the boy had little time for friends, Luka's mother wouldn't allow her boy to go as poorly socialized as his father. Yuri was a nice enough man, but he had been raised as a classical musician, in truth she knew that results were all that mattered to her husband. To Lisa, kindness mattered, respect for life mattered, honor, nobility, love and loyalty, these were the things that made a man; these were the graces that her son should carry forward.
It's a shame that all good things in this world come with a price, and the price for young Luka would be the health of his mother. Initially, no issue was apparent; Lisa seemed a bit less energetic, but perhaps that was simply what was to be expected of a woman's transition into motherhood? The woman's blood-laden coughing fits soon put an end to this hopeful assumption.
The family spent months in the hospital, each day the boy and his father mourned together; there was no clear end to the sickness in sight. Luka hated this place, it was like a sterile prison where the specter of death hung above those most innocent and helpless, a place where even those who sought to help seemed as if they were marching to the mechanical beating of the reaper's drum.
Everything would be alright wouldn't it? If Yuri kept working, if he kept taking out loans, then Lisa would be alright wouldn't she? As the patriarch of the Volodymyra sought out treatment after treatment only one thing could be clearly deduced: the cause of the illness was related to a change in the woman's immune system that had been affecting her body since the birth of Luka.
Upon hearing the diagnosis all love vacated itself from Yuri's heart. The woman he loved was gone, as good as dead; and the son who he had sunken his dreams on was little more than a parasite who had taken her from him. There was no treatment that could save her, and the woman was given six months to live as she returned to live out her final days in the family home.
As Luka dutifully attended to his ailing mother, his father's resentment grew greater and greater. To witness the love she had for her boy, unfading and unconditional in its strength, it killed him inside; and it would kill her too soon enough. Nonetheless, Lisa showed endless kindness to her boy, just as she wished he would show the world in her stead.
Until that fateful day, the boy doted on his mother with all his heart; receiving merciless beatings each night from his increasingly desperate and miserable father, all the while never saying a word against the man. He still loved his father, the man had given him his voice, given him his education, Yuri had given his son everything he could ask for and more…
Then came the night, it was the last day of December 1824, Luka's 16th birthday. Lisa's life would end on the day it had truly begun, and before her departure she would leave her son with her treasured pendant and a simple wish, “Luka, you are a gift; never let anybody tell you otherwise. If my life is what it took to create a wonderful boy like you, then I am happy to have given it. Please…” the woman drew her final breath as she spoke her last words to her son, “... promise me you'll sing again.”
That night, both men of the Volodymyra family cried until they fell unconscious; Luka at his mother's side, and Yuri in his late wife's dressing room. She was a woman worthy of all the love in the world, and now she was gone.
Upon awakening, Yuri found his wretched son curled up beside his mother's deathbed, like a pathetic whimpering dog. He would have no more of this burden; the man strode furiously to his study and grabbed the enormous stack of debts that he had taken out from local institutions (legitimate and otherwise), “Here boy. Here's what you owe me, your tutelage and the medical expenses for my wife that you killed. I'll fetch us some tobacco for the evening and we can figure out what you're going to do to make a living.”
“I know you're not coming back. Do you not have anything left to say? No final beating for the road?” Luka inquired resentfully of his father as the man made his way towards the front door. The boy knew that soon he would truly be alone.
“Ha! What a smart lad. No Luka, you're not my son. I'll waste no more effort in trying to correct a worthless failure like you. You're not worth bruising my knuckles on,” these were the man's last words as he departed, fleeing from this cursed child and the deathly emptiness he brought with him.
“Not your son…” the boy spoke quietly out into his empty house as his father left, “... fine then,” this was the day that Luka would forsake the name Volodymyra, and live solely as the son of Tepes. In times past they were known as a clan of vicious executioners, but perhaps by living an honest life he could honor his Mother's vision of the family: one kind and merciful, but honorbound to protect those things most precious no matter what it took.
It wasn't long before Luka was paid a visit by some of his father's debtors, enforcers belonging to the Orbweaver Unified Creed, or O.U.C: one of the many well-connected street gangs of Spider Miles. It was made perfectly clear what would happen to the boy if he tried to skip town like his old man, “...we'll chop ya up and stuff ya down the fuckin' gutter kid,” these words stuck with him, and were hammered home by the ruthless gang-beating that came with it.
There, thrown into a pile of trash, Luka thought he was going to die. Sat beside him, as though placed there by some guardian angel, was an immaculate peach discarded alongside a box of rotting fruit; in his final moments at least he could savor the kiss of something sweet, he didn't even notice the fruit's unusual shape nor the spiral patterns marking its surface.
It tasted like cough syrup, its juices a sickly sweet swill that the boy's refined palette was immediately inclined to reject. But what did it matter? These were his final moments, the least he could do is finish his food, and so he did. As the boy whimpered, drooled and cried into his coming demise, he began to feel at ease; as though his body had been refreshed and repaired by some unknown healer. It was a miracle.
Ever since then Luka has lived each day as though it were his last, performing odd jobs for those few kindly people of Spider Miles and awaiting the day the gangs would kill him for missing his deadlines. By the time he was 18 he was getting desperate, the young man had sold everything in his parents' house, hell he'd even sold the house itself. It still wasn't enough to pay the bills and eat at the same time.
Then, on a stray bulletin board, he saw it: five billion Berri? All for a single man by the name of Gray Starks? With that kind of money he could pay his debts twice-over. But that wasn't the end of the bountiful board's blessing's, no, there were plenty of criminals with a price on their heads; plenty who didn't look quite as tough as the stern-faced redhead too.
That was the day Lika acquired his title as a One-Star Bounty Hunter, since then he's been able to make rent, pay his bills, and afford the occasional amenity. By taking hints from the O.U.C he's managed to avoid making too much trouble for himself with local gangs and has simultaneously gained two stars from his organization over the course of the years.
It certainly seems to him that he is without enemies; but in truth, the layers of manipulation that O.U.C have woven into Luka's life run deeper than he could ever know. The Bounty Hunter Association doesn't take *that* large of a cut, the Orbweavers are just taking their tax for doing business, mostly to keep the useful stray on their leash. The guy isn't even paying his deadbeat dad's debts, he's paying the organization a “fee” for Yuri's protection, allowing his estranged father to live the good life.
Most curiously, it seems that any time Luka builds any real rapport with a young woman she seems to disappear. At one point the Stray had quite the crush on a local soap maker's daughter, he couldn't help but gush about the girl to his closest friend Shin (the owner of the noodle shop); a couple weeks later the girl went missing. This has happened twice since, the young man attributes these strange happenings to the curse of Volodymyra, and has tried his best to abandon any hope of romance.
- Gray
[tracker=/t131-tracker-gray-starks#504]
Name : Gray
Epithet : "The Conqueror"; "Black Fist"
Age : 49
Height : 10'2" (310 cm)
Weight : 1043 lbs (473 kg)
Species/Tribe : Cyborg Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Lurking Legend (Former Yonkou)
Crew : Black Fist Pirates (Destroyed)
Ship : Sangria's Vane (Destroyed)
Crew Role : Captain (Former)
Devil Fruit : Pressure-Pressure Fruit
Bounty : [ber=r] 5,000,000,000
EXP Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Income Bonus : +0.20
Shop Discount : -30%
Balance : [bel] 25,000,000,000
[[strollingdeath]][[baneoftheweak]][[riseandshine]][[childofdestiny]][[freakofnature]]
[[punchoutguru]][[dulcetvirtuoso]]
[[improviseadaptovercome]]
Posts : 3997
Re: [Bio] Luka V. Tepes
Tue Nov 22, 2022 1:22 pm
Luka's quite a tragic character and a bit of a contrast to my own bounty hunter, who also happens to be from Spider Miles. Maybe if I dust him off at some point, you might be interested in an adventure or two together?
Anyways, this is ready to be approved, but for one tiny correction. The BHA (Bounty Hunters' Association) does not have a zero-star rank. Bounty Hunters start at One-Star. In the interest of time, I've changed this for you in your history. If there were any associated modifications, let me know. Otherwise, this bio is...
Approved!
Anyways, this is ready to be approved, but for one tiny correction. The BHA (Bounty Hunters' Association) does not have a zero-star rank. Bounty Hunters start at One-Star. In the interest of time, I've changed this for you in your history. If there were any associated modifications, let me know. Otherwise, this bio is...
Approved!
Luka wrote:LukaV.TepesBasic Character Information
First Name: Luka
Middle Name:V.
Last Name: Tepes
Epithet: Stray Dog| 野良犬 (Norainu)
Birthdate: December 31, 1808
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Faction: Bounty HunterProfessions
Singer
Luka is a classically trained vocalist, and spent nearly his entire youth singing. In addition he is familiar with a variety of stringed instruments including the piano and violin. He has not sung since the death of his mother, and does not have enough money to keep a stringed instrument. He is resultingly just a bit rusty in his musical practice.
Freelancer
The Stray is a jack of all trades and a master of none. He performs odd jobs wherever possible to make an extra buck and pay off the heap of debt his father saddled him with. Typical odd jobs include dishwashing, deliveries, janitorial services, and basic security work.Physical Appearance
Height: 6'0/ 183 cm
Weight: 144 lbs/ 65 kg
Hair Style: Straight medium length hair worn back in a loose hold on the left side. His bangs are kept wild and waterfall over his right eye. Luka’s hair is naturally fine and silky and requires little maintenance to keep in good condition.
In the mornings and on rainy days his hair falls entirely over his face, causing the guy to appear sleepy and disheveled; he finds it embarrassing for others to see him like this.
Hair Color:Luminous Raven
Eye Color: Seafoam Turquoise
Scars: Pierced ears and “chest”, Numerous bite scars left by other strays, smaller scars from frequent street fights litter his body. Luka’s face remains curiously unmarred, and heals from injury with unnatural speed. To pay a month’s bills and continue paying off his father’s debts, at one point Luka was forced to sell…
- CW:
...a kidney.
Clothing and Accessories: Luka dresses entirely in black, as though attending his own funeral. His exact dress varies from day to day, but is constituted almost entirely by form-fitting or undersized garments that he’s managed to salvage and mend. His nicest articles of clothing are a knee-length cashmere overcoat and a sturdy pair of steel-toed combat boots.
He has also built up a small collection of discarded jewelry that he uses to accent his daily wear, preferring ear cuffs, or simple earrings bearing geometric designs and gothic symbolism. Luka wears a sterling silver pendant left to him by his late mother, the remainder of his jewelry is made from more inexpensive materials as he sells anything he finds that is of real value.
The stray often wears gloves or rings upon his hands, as he finds them both fashionable and helpful for fist-fighting; many of Luka’s rings are spiky statement pieces that can be used as impromptu brass-knuckles.
Description: Luka has a broad yet lithe frame honed through street brawling and urban chases. He is skinny for his build due to undernourishment, but has well-toned musculature and a firm chest. His body is frequently covered in scars, but strangely the exact position of these markings seems to vary from week to week. Luka has bite scars from wild/stray dogs on his legs, hips, and left flank, each a bitter reminder of his meek and uncertain place in the world.
His face is slim, pale, and angular with the exception of his full lips, which carry just a bit of color in them. His expression rarely changes from its typical state of melancholy neutrality, only his most intense feelings are able to make guest appearances upon his face.
His bluish-green eyes hide their oceanic brilliance behind anything they can, fallen bangs, long eyelashes, and sullen expressions alike; to be seen as something beautiful would be too good for the Stray Dog.
His scent is surprisingly inoffensive considering his living conditions, though he does smell vaguely of second-hand smoke and factory fumes the young man has good hygiene; one of the sparse amenities he (sometimes) affords himself is a local soap infused with lily of the valley and dandelion.Main Traits
Rough Around the Edges
As a byproduct of living an uncertain life Luka has placed walls up to protect himself; he is stoic, slow to trust, stubborn, and can come off as uncaring. In addition, though he was raised in an upper-class environment, he is now accustomed to living as a poor man; he has a number of habits those of higher social status may consider peculiar or uncouth.
Heart of Silver
Beneath the surface the cold-seeming punk has a number of redeeming qualities; he is loyal, kind, and empathetic to those he trusts as well as people he believes to be decent. Luka is sympathetic to most living things that are not actively attacking him, he’d even split his food with a loathsome canine if it asked nicely enough.
Masochistic
When one has known suffering all their life they have two options: run from it, or embrace it. Luka embraces pain like an old friend, using it to drive himself forwards and savoring its kiss as proof that he is still alive.
Unpredictable
When an animal is backed into a corner it is capable of just about anything. Luka lives his life backed into such corners, and is thus full of all sorts of surprises. He is excellent at improvising plans on the fly, and often has secret contingencies. Luka tries to do nice things spontaneously for those he cares for.
World-worn
The Stray Dog is wearing down under the pressure of his destitute day to day life. He is accustomed to being treated poorly, he’s drowning in a mountain of debt, and the closest thing he has to a friend is an old man who runs a cheap noodle shop; a grumpy old geezer that treats him like a surrogate son.
Likes: Living on the edge, Warm food, Soft things, Dancing, Innocent people
Dislikes: Debt, Dogs, Hospitals, Criminals, Most men
Unique Laughs: “...Hmm!” (Typical response to amusement), “Gurara-naru-naru!” (Unstable barking laughter), “Koi-shī!” (Off guard and cute laugh).
Hometown: Spider Miles
Personality: Cold and distant, like an abandoned home sunken beneath winter snow, this is the nature of the Tepes boy’s heart; but still, something stirs within: a quiet young man who, in spite of losing everything he once held dear, still yearns for a better life.
Luka is reserved and unemotional in his demeanor, in the city streets of Spider Miles showing vulnerability is as good as accepting one’s role as prey. Still, beneath this hardened exterior lies a kind and compassionate person who has been exhausted by the cruelty of his surroundings, but who is not willing to give in to hopelessness.
In combat Luka fights with a serious and ruthless demeanor. Typically he is not outright cruel, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to save himself or an innocent. If he is pushed beyond his limits his demeanor will begin to slip, giving way to sheer, desperate, unrelenting ferocity. This is rarely a problem, as Luka is usually able to handle himself and often has plans for when things start to go wrong.
The son of Tepes does not enjoy killing nearly so much as his ancestors. Luka is apprehensive to kill people at all, and if he deems it a necessary evil, attempts to make the ordeal as painless as possible. He believes those who disregard human life to be scum that have forsaken their humanity.
It is rare for Luka to cry in front of others unless as a physiological response to pain; more typically the Stray Dog sheds tears in moments of isolation such as when he faces himself in his apartment’s broken mirror, when he suffers the frigid embrace of his morning shower, and when he cries himself to sleep at night. Occasionally he will shed tears on behalf of innocents in danger, or even more infrequently: for the sake of somebody he has truly come to care for.
The Stray Dog has a soft, clear, and deep voice that varies little in tone or excitement. He is soft-spoken outside of stressful situations, often seeming as though he is speaking at a loud whisper. Luka is, in truth, still capable of singing at nearly any register and can project his voice as a trained singer.The Past
- History:
The perfect child for the perfect family; as the only son of long-trying mother Lisa Tepes and her doting husband Yuri Volodymyra, Luka’s birth seemed like a blessing from the heavens. He was the image of the prodigal son, endowed by perfect-pitch and his father’s “wealth” he was trained as a vocalist for one of the North Blue’s prestigious operas. Despite the early pressure placed upon him, he always seemed like a happy boy as he hummed and sang at all hours of the day.
Though the boy had little time for friends, Luka’s mother wouldn’t allow her boy to go as poorly socialized as his father. Yuri was a nice enough man, but he had been raised as a classical musician, in truth she knew that results were all that mattered to her husband. To Lisa, kindness mattered, respect for life mattered, honor, nobility, love and loyalty, these were the things that made a man; these were the graces that her son should carry forward.
It’s a shame that all good things in this world come with a price, and the price for young Luka would be the health of his mother. Initially, no issue was apparent; Lisa seemed a bit less energetic, but perhaps that was simply what was to be expected of a woman’s transition into motherhood? The woman’s blood-laden coughing fits soon put an end to this hopeful assumption.
The family spent months in the hospital, each day the boy and his father mourned together; there was no clear end to the sickness in sight. Luka hated this place, it was like a sterile prison where the specter of death hung above those most innocent and helpless, a place where even those who sought to help seemed as if they were marching to the mechanical beating of the reaper’s drum.
Everything would be alright wouldn’t it? If Yuri kept working,if he kept taking out loans, then Lisa would be alright wouldn’t she? As the patriarch of the Volodymyra sought out treatment after treatment only one thing could be clearly deduced: the cause of the illness was related to a change in the woman’s immune system that had been affecting her body since the birth of Luka.
Upon hearing the diagnosis all love vacated itself from Yuri’s heart. The woman he loved was gone, as good as dead; and the son who he had sunken his dreams on was little more than a parasite who had taken her from him. There was no treatment that could save her, and the woman was given six months to live as she returned to live out her final days in the family home.
As Luka dutifully attended to his ailing mother, his father’s resentment grew greater and greater. To witness the love she had for her boy, unfading and unconditional in its strength, it killed him inside; and it would kill her too soon enough. Nonetheless, Lisa showed endless kindness to her boy, just as she wished he would show the world in her stead.
Until that fateful day, the boy doted on his mother with all his heart; receiving merciless beatings each night from his increasingly desperate and miserable father, all the while never saying a word against the man. He still loved his father, the man had given him his voice, given him his education, Yuri had given his son everything he could ask for and more…
Then came the night, it was the last day of December 1824, Luka’s 16th birthday. Lisa’s life would end on the day it had truly begun, and before her departure she would leave her son with her treasured pendant and a simple wish, “Luka, you are a gift; never let anybody tell you otherwise. If my life is what it took to create a wonderful boy like you, then I am happy to have given it. Please…” the woman drew her final breath as she spoke her last words to her son, “... promise me you’ll sing again.”
That night, both men of the Volodymyra family cried until they fell unconscious; Luka at his mother’s side, and Yuri in his late wife’s dressing room. She was a woman worthy of all the love in the world, and now she was gone.
Upon awakening, Yuri found his wretched son curled up beside his mother’s deathbed, like a pathetic whimpering dog. He would have no more of this burden; the man strode furiously to his study and grabbed the enormous stack of debts that he had taken out from local institutions (legitimate and otherwise), “Here boy. Here’s what you owe me, your tutelage and the medical expenses for my wife that you killed. I’ll fetch us some tobacco for the evening and we can figure out what you’re going to do to make a living.”
“I know you’re not coming back. Do you not have anything left to say? No final beating for the road?” Luka inquired resentfully of his father as the man made his way towards the front door. The boy knew that soon he would truly be alone.
“Ha! What a smart lad. No Luka, you’re not my son. I’ll waste no more effort in trying to correct a worthless failure like you. You’re not worth bruising my knuckles on,” these were the man’s last words as he departed, fleeing from this cursed child and the deathly emptiness he brought with him.
“Not your son…” the boy spoke quietly out into his empty house as his father left, “... fine then,” this was the day that Luka would forsake the name Volodymyra, and live solely as the son of Tepes. In times past they were known as a clan of vicious executioners, but perhaps by living an honest life he could honor his Mother’s vision of the family: one kind and merciful, but honorbound to protect those things most precious no matter what it took.
It wasn’t long before Luka was paid a visit by some of his father’s debtors, enforcers belonging to the Orbweaver Unified Creed, or O.U.C: one of the many well-connected street gangs of Spider Miles. It was made perfectly clear what would happen to the boy if he tried to skip town like his old man, “...we’ll chop ya up and stuff ya down the fuckin’ gutter kid,” these words stuck with him, and were hammered home by the ruthless gang-beating that came with it.
There, thrown into a pile of trash, Luka thought he was going to die. Sat beside him, as though placed there by some guardian angel, was an immaculate peach discarded alongside a box of rotting fruit; in his final moments at least he could savor the kiss of something sweet, he didn’t even notice the fruit’s unusual shape nor the spiral patterns marking its surface.
It tasted like cough syrup, its juices a sickly sweet swill that the boy’s refined palette was immediately inclined to reject. But what did it matter? These were his final moments, the least he could do is finish his food, and so he did. As the boy whimpered, drooled and cried into his coming demise, he began to feel at ease; as though his body had been refreshed and repaired by some unknown healer. It was a miracle.
Ever since then Luka has lived each day as though it were his last, performing odd jobs for those few kindly people of Spider Miles and awaiting the day the gangs would kill him for missing his deadlines. By the time he was 18 he was getting desperate, the young man had sold everything in his parents’ house, hell he’d even sold the house itself. It still wasn’t enough to pay the bills and eat at the same time.
Then, on a stray bulletin board, he saw it: five billion Berri? All for a single man by the name of Gray Starks? With that kind of money he could pay his debts twice-over. But that wasn’t the end of the bountiful board’s blessing’s, no, there were plenty of criminals with a price on their heads; plenty who didn’t look quite as tough as the stern-faced redhead too.
That was the day Lika acquired his title as a 0 Star Bounty Hunter, since then he’s been able to make rent, pay his bills, and afford the occasional amenity. By taking hints from the O.U.C he’s managed to avoid making too much trouble for himself with local gangs and has simultaneously gained two stars from his organization over the course of the years.
It certainly seems to him that he is without enemies; but in truth, the layers of manipulation that O.U.C have woven into Luka’s life run deeper than he could ever know. The Bounty Hunter Association doesn’t take *that* large of a cut, the Orbweavers are just taking their tax for doing business, mostly to keep the useful stray on their leash. The guy isn’t even paying his deadbeat dad’s debts, he’s paying the organization a “fee” for Yuri’s protection, allowing his estranged father to live the good life.
Most curiously, it seems that any time Luka builds any real rapport with a young woman she seems to disappear. At one point the Stray had quite the crush on a local soap maker’s daughter, he couldn’t help but gush about the girl to his closest friend Shin (the owner of the noodle shop); a couple weeks later the girl went missing. This has happened twice since, the young man attributes these strange happenings to the curse of Volodymyra, and has tried his best to abandon any hope of romance.
- Gray
[tracker=/t131-tracker-gray-starks#504]
Name : Gray
Epithet : "The Conqueror"; "Black Fist"
Age : 49
Height : 10'2" (310 cm)
Weight : 1043 lbs (473 kg)
Species/Tribe : Cyborg Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Lurking Legend (Former Yonkou)
Crew : Black Fist Pirates (Destroyed)
Ship : Sangria's Vane (Destroyed)
Crew Role : Captain (Former)
Devil Fruit : Pressure-Pressure Fruit
Bounty : [ber=r] 5,000,000,000
EXP Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Income Bonus : +0.20
Shop Discount : -30%
Balance : [bel] 25,000,000,000
[[strollingdeath]][[baneoftheweak]][[riseandshine]][[childofdestiny]][[freakofnature]]
[[punchoutguru]][[dulcetvirtuoso]]
[[improviseadaptovercome]]
Posts : 3997
Re: [Bio] Luka V. Tepes
Fri Nov 25, 2022 10:58 am
Bio unlocked for formatting edits.
- Gray
[tracker=/t131-tracker-gray-starks#504]
Name : Gray
Epithet : "The Conqueror"; "Black Fist"
Age : 49
Height : 10'2" (310 cm)
Weight : 1043 lbs (473 kg)
Species/Tribe : Cyborg Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Lurking Legend (Former Yonkou)
Crew : Black Fist Pirates (Destroyed)
Ship : Sangria's Vane (Destroyed)
Crew Role : Captain (Former)
Devil Fruit : Pressure-Pressure Fruit
Bounty : [ber=r] 5,000,000,000
EXP Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Income Bonus : +0.20
Shop Discount : -30%
Balance : [bel] 25,000,000,000
[[strollingdeath]][[baneoftheweak]][[riseandshine]][[childofdestiny]][[freakofnature]]
[[punchoutguru]][[dulcetvirtuoso]]
[[improviseadaptovercome]]
Posts : 3997
Re: [Bio] Luka V. Tepes
Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:40 am
[approve="Approved!"]Fixed code issues.[/approve]
Luka wrote:LukaV.TepesBasic Character Information
First Name: Luka
Middle Name:V.
Last Name: Tepes
Epithet: Stray Dog| 野良犬 (Norainu)
Birthdate: December 31, 1807
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Faction: Bounty HunterProfessions
Singer
Luka is a classically trained vocalist, and spent nearly his entire youth singing. In addition he is familiar with a variety of stringed instruments including the piano and violin. He has not sung since the death of his mother, and does not have enough money to keep a stringed instrument. He is resultingly just a bit rusty in his musical practice.
Freelancer
The Stray is a jack of all trades and a master of none. He performs odd jobs wherever possible to make an extra buck and pay off the heap of debt his father saddled him with. Typical odd jobs include dishwashing, deliveries, janitorial services, and basic security work.Physical Appearance
Height: 6'0/ 183 cm
Weight: 144 lbs/ 65 kg
Hair Style: Straight medium length hair worn back in a loose hold on the left side. His bangs are kept wild and waterfall over his right eye. Luka’s hair is naturally fine and silky and requires little maintenance to keep in good condition.
In the mornings and on rainy days his hair falls entirely over his face, causing the guy to appear sleepy and disheveled; he finds it embarrassing for others to see him like this.
Hair Color:Luminous Raven
Eye Color: Seafoam Turquoise
Scars: Pierced ears and “chest”, Numerous bite scars left by other strays, smaller scars from frequent street fights litter his body. Luka’s face remains curiously unmarred, and heals from injury with unnatural speed. To pay a month’s bills and continue paying off his father’s debts, at one point Luka was forced to sell…
- CW:
...a kidney.
Clothing and Accessories: Luka dresses entirely in black, as though attending his own funeral. His exact dress varies from day to day, but is constituted almost entirely by form-fitting or undersized garments that he’s managed to salvage and mend. His nicest articles of clothing are a knee-length cashmere overcoat and a sturdy pair of steel-toed combat boots.
He has also built up a small collection of discarded jewelry that he uses to accent his daily wear, preferring ear cuffs, or simple earrings bearing geometric designs and gothic symbolism. Luka wears a sterling silver pendant left to him by his late mother, the remainder of his jewelry is made from more inexpensive materials as he sells anything he finds that is of real value.
The stray often wears gloves or rings upon his hands, as he finds them both fashionable and helpful for fist-fighting; many of Luka’s rings are spiky statement pieces that can be used as impromptu brass-knuckles.
Description: Luka has a broad yet lithe frame honed through street brawling and urban chases. He is skinny for his build due to undernourishment, but has well-toned musculature and a firm chest. His body is frequently covered in scars, but strangely the exact position of these markings seems to vary from week to week. Luka has bite scars from wild/stray dogs on his legs, hips, and left flank, each a bitter reminder of his meek and uncertain place in the world.
His face is slim, pale, and angular with the exception of his full lips, which carry just a bit of color in them. His expression rarely changes from its typical state of melancholy neutrality, only his most intense feelings are able to make guest appearances upon his face.
His bluish-green eyes hide their oceanic brilliance behind anything they can, fallen bangs, long eyelashes, and sullen expressions alike; to be seen as something beautiful would be too good for the Stray Dog.
His scent is surprisingly inoffensive considering his living conditions, though he does smell vaguely of second-hand smoke and factory fumes the young man has good hygiene; one of the sparse amenities he (sometimes) affords himself is a local soap infused with lily of the valley and dandelion.Main Traits
Rough Around the Edges
As a byproduct of living an uncertain life Luka has placed walls up to protect himself; he is stoic, slow to trust, stubborn, and can come off as uncaring. In addition, though he was raised in an upper-class environment, he is now accustomed to living as a poor man; he has a number of habits those of higher social status may consider peculiar or uncouth.
Heart of Silver
Beneath the surface the cold-seeming punk has a number of redeeming qualities; he is loyal, kind, and empathetic to those he trusts as well as people he believes to be decent. Luka is sympathetic to most living things that are not actively attacking him, he’d even split his food with a loathsome canine if it asked nicely enough.
Masochistic
When one has known suffering all their life they have two options: run from it, or embrace it. Luka embraces pain like an old friend, using it to drive himself forwards and savoring its kiss as proof that he is still alive.
Unpredictable
When an animal is backed into a corner it is capable of just about anything. Luka lives his life backed into such corners, and is thus full of all sorts of surprises. He is excellent at improvising plans on the fly, and often has secret contingencies. Luka tries to do nice things spontaneously for those he cares for.
World-worn
The Stray Dog is wearing down under the pressure of his destitute day to day life. He is accustomed to being treated poorly, he’s drowning in a mountain of debt, and the closest thing he has to a friend is an old man who runs a cheap noodle shop; a grumpy old geezer that treats him like a surrogate son.
Likes: Living on the edge, Warm food, Soft things, Dancing, Innocent people
Dislikes: Debt, Dogs, Hospitals, Criminals, Most men
Unique Laughs: “...Hmm!” (Typical response to amusement), “Gurara-naru-naru!” (Unstable barking laughter), “Koi-shī!” (Off guard and cute laugh).
Hometown: Spider Miles
Personality: Cold and distant, like an abandoned home sunken beneath winter snow, this is the nature of the Tepes boy’s heart; but still, something stirs within: a quiet young man who, in spite of losing everything he once held dear, still yearns for a better life.
Luka is reserved and unemotional in his demeanor, in the city streets of Spider Miles showing vulnerability is as good as accepting one’s role as prey. Still, beneath this hardened exterior lies a kind and compassionate person who has been exhausted by the cruelty of his surroundings, but who is not willing to give in to hopelessness.
In combat Luka fights with a serious and ruthless demeanor. Typically he is not outright cruel, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to save himself or an innocent. If he is pushed beyond his limits his demeanor will begin to slip, giving way to sheer, desperate, unrelenting ferocity. This is rarely a problem, as Luka is usually able to handle himself and often has plans for when things start to go wrong.
The son of Tepes does not enjoy killing nearly so much as his ancestors. Luka is apprehensive to kill people at all, and if he deems it a necessary evil, attempts to make the ordeal as painless as possible. He believes those who disregard human life to be scum that have forsaken their humanity.
It is rare for Luka to cry in front of others unless as a physiological response to pain; more typically the Stray Dog sheds tears in moments of isolation such as when he faces himself in his apartment’s broken mirror, when he suffers the frigid embrace of his morning shower, and when he cries himself to sleep at night. Occasionally he will shed tears on behalf of innocents in danger, or even more infrequently: for the sake of somebody he has truly come to care for.
The Stray Dog has a soft, clear, and deep voice that varies little in tone or excitement. He is soft-spoken outside of stressful situations, often seeming as though he is speaking at a loud whisper. Luka is, in truth, still capable of singing at nearly any register and can project his voice as a trained singer.The Past
- History:
The perfect child for the perfect family; as the only son of long-trying mother Lisa Tepes and her doting husband Yuri Volodymyra, Luka’s birth seemed like a blessing from the heavens. He was the image of the prodigal son, endowed by perfect-pitch and his father’s “wealth” he was trained as a vocalist for one of the North Blue’s prestigious operas. Despite the early pressure placed upon him, he always seemed like a happy boy as he hummed and sang at all hours of the day.
Though the boy had little time for friends, Luka’s mother wouldn’t allow her boy to go as poorly socialized as his father. Yuri was a nice enough man, but he had been raised as a classical musician, in truth she knew that results were all that mattered to her husband. To Lisa, kindness mattered, respect for life mattered, honor, nobility, love and loyalty, these were the things that made a man; these were the graces that her son should carry forward.
It’s a shame that all good things in this world come with a price, and the price for young Luka would be the health of his mother. Initially, no issue was apparent; Lisa seemed a bit less energetic, but perhaps that was simply what was to be expected of a woman’s transition into motherhood? The woman’s blood-laden coughing fits soon put an end to this hopeful assumption.
The family spent months in the hospital, each day the boy and his father mourned together; there was no clear end to the sickness in sight. Luka hated this place, it was like a sterile prison where the specter of death hung above those most innocent and helpless, a place where even those who sought to help seemed as if they were marching to the mechanical beating of the reaper’s drum.
Everything would be alright wouldn’t it? If Yuri kept working, if he kept taking out loans, then Lisa would be alright wouldn’t she? As the patriarch of the Volodymyra sought out treatment after treatment only one thing could be clearly deduced: the cause of the illness was related to a change in the woman’s immune system that had been affecting her body since the birth of Luka.
Upon hearing the diagnosis all love vacated itself from Yuri’s heart. The woman he loved was gone, as good as dead; and the son who he had sunken his dreams on was little more than a parasite who had taken her from him. There was no treatment that could save her, and the woman was given six months to live as she returned to live out her final days in the family home.
As Luka dutifully attended to his ailing mother, his father’s resentment grew greater and greater. To witness the love she had for her boy, unfading and unconditional in its strength, it killed him inside; and it would kill her too soon enough. Nonetheless, Lisa showed endless kindness to her boy, just as she wished he would show the world in her stead.
Until that fateful day, the boy doted on his mother with all his heart; receiving merciless beatings each night from his increasingly desperate and miserable father, all the while never saying a word against the man. He still loved his father, the man had given him his voice, given him his education, Yuri had given his son everything he could ask for and more…
Then came the night, it was the last day of December 1824, Luka’s 16th birthday. Lisa’s life would end on the day it had truly begun, and before her departure she would leave her son with her treasured pendant and a simple wish, “Luka, you are a gift; never let anybody tell you otherwise. If my life is what it took to create a wonderful boy like you, then I am happy to have given it. Please…” the woman drew her final breath as she spoke her last words to her son, “... promise me you’ll sing again.”
That night, both men of the Volodymyra family cried until they fell unconscious; Luka at his mother’s side, and Yuri in his late wife’s dressing room. She was a woman worthy of all the love in the world, and now she was gone.
Upon awakening, Yuri found his wretched son curled up beside his mother’s deathbed, like a pathetic whimpering dog. He would have no more of this burden; the man strode furiously to his study and grabbed the enormous stack of debts that he had taken out from local institutions (legitimate and otherwise), “Here boy. Here’s what you owe me, your tutelage and the medical expenses for my wife that you killed. I’ll fetch us some tobacco for the evening and we can figure out what you’re going to do to make a living.”
“I know you’re not coming back. Do you not have anything left to say? No final beating for the road?” Luka inquired resentfully of his father as the man made his way towards the front door. The boy knew that soon he would truly be alone.
“Ha! What a smart lad. No Luka, you’re not my son. I’ll waste no more effort in trying to correct a worthless failure like you. You’re not worth bruising my knuckles on,” these were the man’s last words as he departed, fleeing from this cursed child and the deathly emptiness he brought with him.
“Not your son…” the boy spoke quietly out into his empty house as his father left, “... fine then,” this was the day that Luka would forsake the name Volodymyra, and live solely as the son of Tepes. In times past they were known as a clan of vicious executioners, but perhaps by living an honest life he could honor his Mother’s vision of the family: one kind and merciful, but honorbound to protect those things most precious no matter what it took.
It wasn’t long before Luka was paid a visit by some of his father’s debtors, enforcers belonging to the Orbweaver Unified Creed, or O.U.C: one of the many well-connected street gangs of Spider Miles. It was made perfectly clear what would happen to the boy if he tried to skip town like his old man, “...we’ll chop ya up and stuff ya down the fuckin’ gutter kid,” these words stuck with him, and were hammered home by the ruthless gang-beating that came with it.
There, thrown into a pile of trash, Luka thought he was going to die. Sat beside him, as though placed there by some guardian angel, was an immaculate peach discarded alongside a box of rotting fruit; in his final moments at least he could savor the kiss of something sweet, he didn’t even notice the fruit’s unusual shape nor the spiral patterns marking its surface.
It tasted like cough syrup, its juices a sickly sweet swill that the boy’s refined palette was immediately inclined to reject. But what did it matter? These were his final moments, the least he could do is finish his food, and so he did. As the boy whimpered, drooled and cried into his coming demise, he began to feel at ease; as though his body had been refreshed and repaired by some unknown healer. It was a miracle.
Ever since then Luka has lived each day as though it were his last, performing odd jobs for those few kindly people of Spider Miles and awaiting the day the gangs would kill him for missing his deadlines. By the time he was 18 he was getting desperate, the young man had sold everything in his parents’ house, hell he’d even sold the house itself. It still wasn’t enough to pay the bills and eat at the same time.
Then, on a stray bulletin board, he saw it: five billion Berri? All for a single man by the name of Gray Starks? With that kind of money he could pay his debts twice-over. But that wasn’t the end of the bountiful board’s blessing’s, no, there were plenty of criminals with a price on their heads; plenty who didn’t look quite as tough as the stern-faced redhead too.
That was the day Lika acquired his title as a One-Star Bounty Hunter, since then he’s been able to make rent, pay his bills, and afford the occasional amenity. By taking hints from the O.U.C he’s managed to avoid making too much trouble for himself with local gangs and has simultaneously gained two stars from his organization over the course of the years.
It certainly seems to him that he is without enemies; but in truth, the layers of manipulation that O.U.C have woven into Luka’s life run deeper than he could ever know. The Bounty Hunter Association doesn’t take *that* large of a cut, the Orbweavers are just taking their tax for doing business, mostly to keep the useful stray on their leash. The guy isn’t even paying his deadbeat dad’s debts, he’s paying the organization a “fee” for Yuri’s protection, allowing his estranged father to live the good life.
Most curiously, it seems that any time Luka builds any real rapport with a young woman she seems to disappear. At one point the Stray had quite the crush on a local soap maker’s daughter, he couldn’t help but gush about the girl to his closest friend Shin (the owner of the noodle shop); a couple weeks later the girl went missing. This has happened twice since, the young man attributes these strange happenings to the curse of Volodymyra, and has tried his best to abandon any hope of romance.
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