Stanley Titus
Umade of the Bastion of Faith
Troll Grump
Thane of the Lodge of Moonshine Blues
Description
Mortal Seeming: ~Jesus! A walking mountain! Massive and frightening, this guy has got to be a professional wrestler or something. Stan towers at almost eight feet, his powerfully muscled body weighing at least 400 pounds. The African-American appears to be in his late twenties, dark-skinned features often twisted into a dark glower. Stan wears his black hair as chin-length dreadlocks, adding to his ferocious visage. Mahogany-brown eyes pay constant attention to the environment, sweeping left to right and north to south. Despite his musclebound look, Stan often wears clean-cut (and custom-tailored) suits, preferring dark indigo and midnight blue as hues. The man is not an animal, and whatever his career may be, he is a professional.~
OOC: Appearance 2; Huge Size
Fae Mien: ~One of the biggest Trolls one can ever see, Stan expands from his mortal eight feet to a booming eleven and a half. Huge and titanic muscles swell the Troll's limbs and torso. Dark-brown flesh shifts to a deep and almost midnight blue hue. Stan's voile includes a white wife-beater, dun trousers, and a pair of suspenders that hold the pants up by his huge shoulders. His sturdy and implacable steps are muffled slightly by massive leather work boots. Quiet creaks are noticeable as Stan approaches: the boots or his Grump bones? Strapped in a short leather sheath, buttoned shut across his back diagonally, stretches a six foot long mattock. His features shrink back from the scowl to a more stoic expression. Stan retains the thick dreadlocks, but short ridged horns sprout from between dreads on his forehead. From between the hanging dreads, pale-green eyes gaze with luminescence upon the setting. The dreads scarcely conceal the horrible scars that lace across his face. They are chimerical injuries inflicted long ago by a great beast of some sort. When he smiles, those sharp, lupine teeth are evinced. All in all, Stan Titus is an intimidating creature. But he is not ragged or spiteful. He is no Ogre. Just the biggest Troll one might ever see.~
OOC: Appearance 0; Chimerical Disfigurement; Huge Size
"Hey yo! You down there! Quit that!"
History
Youth
Some folks were born larger than life. Even poor, the Weavers were a happy family. Stanley was the oldest and largest of two children and they always lived in a poor neighborhood. Stanley's father worked in a salt mine while his mother worked at a factory. Both parents had to work just to make ends meet. Downtown Kansas City projects were the best they could afford for they and their sons, Stanley (Stan) and Zechariah (Zeke).
And there were a lot of hoodlums in this part of town. The Weavers feared for their boys. Always religious, they began to all attend church regularly. Stan was raised with moral standards and behavioral expectations. Despite how fast and large Stan grew, his father, Benedict, never failed to spank the boy if he misbehaved. His folks were strict, but not anal-retentive. Their strong will reflected on Stan and kept mindless Banality from infecting the household too much. When he was younger, Stan loved to play in the dirt even more than most kids. His mother, Yvette, didn't mind him building mud castles or digging holes in the yard. Stan didn't care much for water, however, and never joined Zeke in trips to pools or lakes to go swimming. He had an irrational fear that because of his girth even from youth that he would sink like a rock to the bottom and drown.
Stan was also encouraged to pursue a balanced scheme of studies. The impressive size of the boy made him a natural pick for athletics in school. He often played football especially. His parents told him not to rely on his brawn alone, however. In public school, while no real academic, Stan at least kept up with his grades. In church, Stan joined the choir with his deep baritone voice, sure to deepen to bass later in life. Still, Stan made most of his friends from sports activities.
And yet, Stan was rather odd as a teenager. Instead of hanging out on the street with his peers, Stan stayed home. There he babysat his little brother and friends until his mom got home. Stan seemed to enjoy the role of guardian, protector, and keeper. He even played with these younger children, joining in silly and childish games like tag. And Stan helped at home in other more common ways, too. Of course, the big boy carried heavy objects for his tired parents. He awed everyone (sometimes himself included) by hefting incredibly heavy weights, like moving the washing machine. Among his oddities, Stan was often caught humming some old songs and ballads. No one really recognized the bluesy tunes, although his choir director suggested that they were old "field hollers" that African-American slaves used to sing.
Chrysalis
Despite these few eccentricities, Stan pursued a normal life until the spring of '89. Stan was babysitting Zeke and friends. One of the bright kids started playing with matches and lighter fluid when Stan wasn't looking. Next thing the kids knew, black smoke was filling the house. The flames spread lethally quick. Before they could escape, part of the ceiling collapsed and blocked the doorway. Fire blocked other exits: they were trapped! Desperation pumped Stan's heart at full-steam. Zeke cried out for Stan to help. He rushed forward as the little ones panicked. With gut-wrenching cries of intensity, Stan bent down and lifted that burning plaster up -- despite that it weighed hundreds of pounds and burned his hands. The children dashed out of the house and Stan followed. Fire trucks saved the day, called by a neighbor, and only the first floor of the Weavers' home suffered any real damage.
Little did Stan realize, but he just danced the Dream. He was on the brink of the Chrysalis. He woke up in a dreamy daze in a hospital bed. He suffered first and second degree burns and smoke inhalation. As he lay there, enduring his parents' worried praised, Stan felt...different. He knew he was something more than he once thought. Once Stan was released home, he took his momma's advice: when you want answers, look inside yourself first. That was what Stanley did. He sat down in front of his mirror and stared long and hard. Stan refused to give up hope. He believed there was something more to see, something he could feel...poking up from his forehead? Horns! Muscles! Blue skin! Stan witnessed his true Troll mien for the first time. Shocked, Stan climbed into bed and slept through to the next day.
Fortunately, his Chrysalis during the house fire caused a surge of raw Glamour. A trago of performing Satyrs was passing through the area at this time and picked up on the Chrysalis. When Stan got up the next afternoon, there came an unexpected knock on the door. He answered before his mom did (who took work off to care for her sons), and he encountered an attractive older white woman. She introduced herself as Ivy Sik -- and Stan was shocked that her mortal seeming faded to his opened eyes. The furry, goat-like Satyress discreetly took Stan aside so his mom didn't hear.
This Ivy told Stan of the fae and his true nature. He believed her and why not? He could see the proof with his own eyes. And Stan was never the cynical and jaded type. Ivy promised that he would learn all he needed to know if he accompanied her to meet the trago everyday after school. He could write it off to his folks as singing lessons if need-be. For the next several months, Stan agreed to this education. He didn't like lying to his parents, even "little white lies", but secrecy was essential for the Kithain. From these Satyrs, Stan learned the basics of fae society. He learned the rules of the Escheat and a fairly unbiased account of Kithain history. Thus, Stan wasn't taught to hate or mistrust the Sidhe.
Indeed, the trago constituted the basic lessons of changeling reality to a new Sidhe, Lincoln Parnell. The two African-American Chrysalides felt a kinship, perhaps due to their shared love of jazz and blues music. They discussed their future hopes and plans to try and help poor society enjoy finer things in life, like music, without having to be rich. Stan came to like Link, impressed by the young Sidhe's creativity, talent, and intellect. Link in turn was pleased with Stan's brawn, stoicism, sense of honor, and practicality. Once their basic tutorship under the Satyrs ended, they parted ways to finish their Saining under different mentors. They pledged to help each other out in the future, whenever they might meet again.
Saining
Meanwhile, the trago tried to lift Stan's spirits. The exceptionally large Troll seemed subject to dark moods. It was blamed on moments of Stan's memories of past incarnations. He often put himself between victimized minorities and bigoted aggressors in the past. He had many sad memories indeed. That was why he so often sang or hummed old field hollers. So to keep him upbeat, the Satyrs treated Stan to a few wild parties over the months. He met a few other faeries from the Kansas City area. And Ivy saw to it that Stan got laid.
But as much fun as these parties were, the Troll yearned for a more serious education. His day came not long after Link left to begin his noble initiation into House Dougal at the Duchy of Julius Maer. Stan met his own Kithmate, Duncan Hillhammer, an older and wiser Troll in the area. Duncan took Stan under wing. For the next several months, Stan spent his afternoons learning things all Trolls should. Stan learned how to defend himself and others, with and without traditional melee weapons. Duncan also helped Stan develop magical skills that were the Glamorous boon of all fae. Stan cultured his affinity to the element of earth, developing Eraskia especially, under Duncan's guidance. Perhaps most importantly, Stan reviewed the Code of Dagda, which emphasized a dutiful and honorable way of life. Stan enjoyed this serious tutelage, and was eternally grateful to Duncan, who he respected now like no other.
By early 1990, Stan was ready for his Saining. Duncan and Ivy agreed to hold the ceremony on Beltane as part of the many celebrations. Stan was excited when the day came. Ivy performed the ceremony as Duncan watched his pupil. Stan only had to recite the Escheat and Code of Dadga. When Stan completed this task, he pronounced his new fae name: Stanley Titus. At that moment, the Dreaming verified Stan's honor with the manifestation of his personal Troll weapon: his ancient mattock. He remembered it well from past lives. He held it up high and called out to all the Kithain: "for freedom!" With that shout, the formality of the ceremony ended. And the wild party in honor of Stan's Saining began and flowed into the usual Beltane celebrations.
Blitzin'
Though Sained and considered an adult of the Kithain community, Stan was still just sixteen and in high school. With the tutorship done, he was able to focus back on studies and athletics. The massive youth dominated the scrimmage line in varsity football. Stan didn't eschew his true nature of course. He began to visit with some of the local fae he acquainted during his mentorships. His parents were pleased with how Stan "opened up to the world". Of course, Stan also strove to look after Zeke. The younger teen was becoming more and more uncontrollable: in some ways, Stan's exact opposite. So unless Stan put a leash around his brother's neck, there was no way to stop serious problems.
And in 1991, Zeke was in a terrible car accident. Stan could only say good-bye as the youth expired in intensive care. Even though Stan could not have stopped that event, he blamed himself. He was supposed to be a guardian and yet his own brother died right under his nose. What good was he? His Unseelie side clearly dominated; the Troll lost his temper more readily and left his room a constant mess. This continued for months, until he graduated from high school. His parents were very upset and disappointed when Stan turned down his football scholarship to Kansas City University. He started work as a garbage man just to save money and escape his aggravated parents.
But Link came back. Stan visited the Sidhe at his homestead downtown. They caught up on old times, and Stan assured Link that a promise was a promise. He would help and even protect the Dougal lord from harm. This recall of duty banished his moodier side back and the Stanley Titus everyone knew returned. Link didn't need Stan's help as a bodyguard yet, but the well-connected young Sidhe helped Stan score a better job than refuse disposal. Stan was recommended to StrongArm Security (SAC), a private agency that contracted professional bodyguards to private citizens (the rich and powerful, of course).
For the first few months, Stan trained at SAC and learned the basic procedures of his job ahead. At home, Stan honed his fighting techniques through constant practice. Finally, in late '92 he was ready to begin work. Stan was assigned to a number of temporary jobs over the next few years. All of his clients were humans, unaware of the fae or that their protector was a Troll. Most of them were corporate-types involved in a bit of "shady" business. So they hired one or two guys like Stan to watch their backs. Of course, most of these fellows were fairly Banal. Stan avoided the worst of it by keeping his mouth shut and just buckling down to the job. As a result, none of his clients ever complained about his performance. Most interestingly, Stan discovered he wasn't the only Troll in this business. A fellow SAC guard, Eddy Galt shared kinship with Stan. The two honor-bound, duty-minded Seelie Trolls became fast friends. Best of all during this time, Stan was only shot once. Hooray! The nature of the work began to wear on his nerves, however. Stan loved the act of guardianship, but some of his clients hardly deserved the sacrifice.
Thaning
Everything changed for the better for Stan in 1996. Lincoln discovered an old freehold in his urban homestead and relit the balefire for Caer Luskia. Link was appointed Baron of the area and invited Stan to come and serve as a protector of the Dreaming. Link would pay him plus give him free access to the Glamour. Stan heartily agreed; besides, he promised to help Link. Stan recommended Eddy to Link, too. So the two Trolls were appointed Thanes of the Barony of Moonshine Blues. They befriended Link and protected the freehold from all threats. Stan relished his new job, as he was able to protect that which mattered so much. He still occasionally worked as a bodyguard, but he directed SAC to put him on reserve status.
So for the next eight years, Stan served admirably under Baron Lincoln Parnell. And Link's rule, though kind and just, did not go untroubled. In fact, due to Link's wise rule, dark forces rose up to destroy him. Stan's services were often demanded. In 1997, Stan and Eddy scoured the city for a human magician of the Cult of Ecstasy Tradition. This young man once stayed at the freehold, but abused his host's trust by stealing dross from the freehold's heart. One night, the Trolls received word where the mage was hiding. They went to pay him a visit.
Meanwhile, back at Caer Luskia, Link was returning home. He was by now a very popular street musician, performing blues and jazz on corners. The Ranters despised how well liked the Sidhe was, so they dispatched a corby of Redcaps to deal with him. Link fortunately survived the assault, thanks to his human fans. Later that evening, the Trolls returned with the stolen dross recovered (but the mage escaped). They were furious at the attack on their liege. Stan was so angry that the earth shook.
A chimerical nightingale fluttered down to Stan and Eddy. It chirped that it saw the attack and followed the 'Caps after they fled. The corby retreated to the Railroad Bar. Stan and Eddy decided to pay those vicious bullies a visit now. They hopped in Stan's jeep and raced to the bar. As soon as the Redcaps were identified among the patrons, Stan wasted no time. He and Eddy strolled right on over and started a brutal brawl. Redcaps snapped viciously at Troll-flesh while meaty fists decked the 'Caps out one by one. Finally, one member of the corby got desperate and whipped a sawed-off shotgun out on Stan. Reacting swiftly, Stan managed to swat the barrel aside so hard that the trigger was pulled as it settled on its wielder. The unlucky 'Cap went down in a pool of himself. Shocked, Eddy yanked Stan out of there and fled home. The corby also escaped and the cops had no one to arrest but a corpse.
Things grew quiet after that for almost two years. But difficulties returned in '99. Lies and rumors were being spread about Link. The dark gossip suggested that he was hording all the Glamour for himself, that he enslaved Nockers to steal their secrets, and had a history of using Sovereign on any commoners who disobeyed his commands. In short, the defamation implied that Link was as bad as most Sidhe! However, Stan stayed loyal to Link throughout this period, as did the noble's other retainers. The support for Link that Stan and his fellow retainers demonstrated was pivotal to the Sidhe outliving this campaign of lies. Stan's fidelity encouraged other common fae to question the rumors' veracity. Soon Link was able to completely dismiss the fabrications. The perpetrator of these lies remained unknown and unseen for a while after his campaign failed. Stan believed it was an Unseelie element of some sort. Link concurred, but they both doubted that the Redcaps were behind it all. However, they considered the corby's attack might have been organized by some higher, cunning power.
Dragons & Ogres, Oh My!
For a few more years, life at Caer Luskia ran smoothly again. In 2002, however, an incredibly frightening attack fell upon the Baron. While relaxing in a local park one late night with Stan and Mary Mint, Link's Reeve, a powerful and malignant force attacked. Blotting out the moon, the iridescent scales of the dragon glittered in the starlight. This monster of chimerical origins swept down on the fae. From somewhere in the wooded park, they heard a clear call for the dragon to destroy them. The beast was nearly thirty feet long, wingless and beautiful in a ferocious and serpentine way. Link fled with the panicking Bogganess. Stan stood between the beast and his liege, summoning all his courage.
The dragon roared down at the mountain of a Troll. Stan swung his mattock, swatting the worm aside. The chimera leapt at Stan, tackling him down. The next thing Stan knew, he was engaged in a fierce wrestling match with a dragon! Down they went, roars and growls both primordial and thunderous. The earth shook as they tumbled and rolled. The dragon's claws raked and its terrible jaws snapped. Stan managed to wrap his massively muscled arms around its neck and began to choke. The titans struggled for several minutes. Every inch of Stan's body screamed in pain. The dragon worked one of its claws past his arms and sank its talons into his face. Stan couldn't help but scream. The Troll responded with tightening his lock around the dragon. As its claws hooked deeper in his face, blinding Stan with a haze of blood and pain, he released a final surge of raw intensity and brawn. A sickening crunch accompanied Stan's successful break of the behemoth's neck. It went limp in his desperate grasp. Slowly, he got to his feet, after prying its claws from his flesh. Bleeding and wounded, Stan teetered on the edge of unconsciousness. Eddy raced to the scene just in time, Heather-Balming the bigger Troll. Together, they dragged the chimerical carcass back to the freehold. Unfortunately, the voice of the dragon's master was not identified. Once more, Link's enemy escaped discovery.
Then another quiet year passed. Stan quickly recovered from the injuries that the dragon inflicted. That was especially due to Eddy's magic. However, his facial features never quite recovered, and he suffered terrible (chimerical) scars thereafter. In 2003, Stan's protective skills were again put to the test. In the dead of night on Samhain Eve, Stan avoided the festivities within the manor. He patrolled the freehold grounds...and encountered a dark-clothed trespasser. Stan shined his flashlight on the fellow just as he tossed a Molotov cocktail through the basement window! The flames whooshed to life down below as Stan recognized the handsome but cold features of a Sidhe. Stan bellowed an alert that the fae indoors heard over the revelry.
With that, the arsonist fled. The lithe Sidhe dashed off from the small estate. Stan's great stride helped him keep pace with the fleet foe. While Link and his retainers dealt with the fire, Stan chased the enemy down three blocks, through alleys and back streets. Stan caught up with the villain in a parking lot. The Sidhe turned to the onrushing Stan, calling out in his compelling noble voice. "You must first see my man, Thane. Craig Shatterstone, to me!" And from the Sidhe's limo lumbered a great body, a Troll of ill repute. Bedraggled and rotten to the core, Craig was an Ogre, not a good Troll. Stan grimaced at his dark Kithmate, as Craig offered a toothless grin and hefted his war-hammer. Though his true quarry was that Unseelie noble, the Code of Dagda bound Stan to face the Ogre first. He raised his mattock and the Kithmates clashed. Through younger and slightly spryer, Craig could not withstand the incredible force of the Troll's blows. A deadly strike of the adze into the Ogre's throat finished the duel. Craig was slain chimerically: a temporary comatose state.
As Craig fell, however, the Sidhe cruised away in the limo. Stan started to chase the car before it escaped the parking lot. As he tried, the Sidhe's mocking voice echoed all around him. "For your persistent interference in my plans, Stanley Titus, Thane of the Lodge of Moonshine Blues, I hereby curse you with the wrath of Samhain's true color! What your liege may keep, you shall forever lose!" The blast of Glamour that the angry Sidhe sacrificed to render the curse almost knocked Stan off his feet. He felt the potency of that doom and helplessly watched the Sidhe escape. Then he dragged the comatose Ogre back to the estate.
There, the fire was extinguished with minimal damage. Craig was imprisoned in a spare chamber in the cellar. When he awakened from the Mists, he was interrogated thoroughly. Unfortunately, the Ogre knew little. He could tell them the Sidhe's name: Sir Axel Wildon ap Balor of the Shadow Court. Fortunately, losing his anonymity was enough to drive Axel away...at least for a while. The Ogre was released, after being forced to swear he would never act against the Barony again, in service to Sir Axel or any other. Meantime, Stan wasn't yet sure of the nature of Axel's curse. Despite Link's best efforts, Stan's liege could not lift that curse either.
A Curse & Blessing
Within weeks, Stan discovered just what that curse meant. It began with his wallet vanishing right after payday. Then his car broke down. One night, he even came home to find his apartment ransacked and every valuable stolen. He accepted these as freakish but normal circumstances at first. But as soon as he bought a new VHS, as soon as he got his jeep fixed, it would all happen again. Months and months of this transpired, though he refused to move into the freehold with Link. He feared that this curse would infect the Sidhe's household, too. While not a materialistic person, the constant loss of wealth began to aggravate Stan. Was it so much to ask for a decent color TV without it being stolen less than a month after buying it? Once more, Stan began to slip into his darker, fatalistic Unseelie side.
Thankfully, Link provided Stan with an excellent idea. Until a way to lift the curse could be discovered, Stan might consider donating his surplus wealth to charities before it could wind up stolen or lost? Stan accepted the idea and sent biweekly checks to his old church for its numerous charity devotions. Over time, Stanley's very Seelie legacy altered as he gave into that selfless behavior. Yet Stan began to feel like he was losing too much of himself. It wasn't the cash he gave away. He was just having strange dreams of earthquakes. Stan feared Bedlam, the madness of the fae, was creeping up on his surreal lifestyle. So in 2004, he decided to go back to work for SAC on a more regular basis. He hoped the balance of Glamour and Banality would keep him from too much insanity or normality. Besides, he needed the extra dough just to pay rent. Even as he started back up work for SAC while continuing to serve Link as Thane, Stan wondered. What did those earthquake-filled dreams really mean?
Remembrance
Stan's memories remain vague and come most often in nightmarish dreams. He retains glimpses of various ages, but most especially a recent era: the Industrial Revolution. It was this time that he remembers being a railroad worker, trying to raise the spirits of his fellows with "field hollers". He remembers how Banality claimed so many souls and nearly Undid himself. His Remembrance acts as inspiration now: it encourages him to generously give to the poor and protect the weak so that their bad situations don't leave them exploited or to quiet self-destruction of the spirit.
Chimera
Mattock
Level: 3
Origin: Stan began to bear this digging tool that doubles as a heavy "peasant's weapon" several hundred years ago, when his hearty Troll soul started picking sturdy African-American families as hosts -- who were back then slaves. When he raised the mattock up in self-defense of his family from the slavemasters those centuries past, he Chrysalized and the mattock became chimerical, too. It's been with him ever since.
Description: The mattock matches Stan's titanic strength. It's a sturdy oaken shaft over six feet in length, with a three inch diameter. The shaft is darkened from sweat soaked into the wood and the ages. A sharp point is affixed at the bottom of the long haft for thrusting (or picking, as a tool). But the main purpose of the mattock is the wide adze at the top. Similar to the blade of an axe but oriented straight up from the tip, this broad plane is not particularly sharp at the edge -- it is dependent on weight to deliver heavy and deep cuts. The blade is made of solid basalt, while the tip is crafted from brass. Ancient fey runes are scratched into the shaft at two foot intervals: where the wielder would grip the haft. Their meaning is simple: "freedom through service".
Effects: Lots of pain to whoever is hit.
Glamour Costs: Mattock: 0
Activation: Start swinging or thrusting.
Bunk Styles
Style: Magic Realism
Examples: Whispering to the spirit world, sing a spiritual, herbal remedies, stomp feet 3 times
Significant Other
Abigayil hired Stanley as a bodyguard to defend against her Satyr stalker in 2004. Within a short time, however, the huge, daunting, and sturdy Troll won Abby over. Innocent interactions spiked into unwarranted mischief. Soon enough, the two were finding themselves falling in love. Despite the conflicts of mortal family and Kith, the two decided to elope. Their marriage bonds were sealed in 2004 and their romance exploded into full bloom. They were doubly blessed when their first son, Amos, was born at the end of 2006, on December 19th. The boy was Kinain, blessed with the noblest blood around. Stan could protect Abby while basking in the beauty's innocent love and raise their strong, handsome son right. He's the luckiest man on the earth and he knows it.
At least, he was. In 2009, Abigayil’s Southern kinfolk, very much old guard racists that disapproved of “race mixing”, began to make life for the couple unbearably hard. Abby’s trust fund was closed, and Stan’s lack of wealth made raising Amos harder. Worse, though Abigayil truly loved Stan, she also loved her family (racist though many of them were), and feared cutting them off. But finally, for the sake of their son, they agreed to stick it out. Stan's patron, the Baron Lincoln Parnell, agreed to patronize Lady Abigayil as well, and took the family into his house. Perhaps the stars were right for them after all.
Abigayil
Weakness
Slave Wages
Baron Lincoln Parnell treats Stan quite well and pays him quite adequately. The problem is the curse his Unseelie enemy levied upon him years ago. He can't hold onto any material wealth or possessions. It keeps him relatively unequipped and unready for dangers and provisions for the future. Indeed, Stan grew so used to this curse that he began to generously donate his money to charities before it was lost in some unsuitable fashion. In many ways, Stan's used to being poor. But he can't help but feel angry and jealous of others' wealth that they take for granted.
Likelihood of Corruption
Low.
As fearsome as Stan appears, he's no Ogre. In fact, most Ogres quail before his wrath. But while he is not stupid, he is fairly simple and honest. Clever and manipulative villains can take exploit this "weakness" in personality.
"The bigger they are...the more bones they break."
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