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just_be_quietYour name or online alias: Beth
Your email: e.p.madonna@gmail.com
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chappaiguardian or Chappaiguardian (AIM)
Character's Full Name: Andrew McKee
Character's Journal Name: just_be_quiet
What would you like your character's tag to be?: andrew mckee
In 800+ words total, tell us...
Is this character an OC or AU set in a canon world? If so, which canon?: Andrew is an OC from an original universe.
If not, describe their world. This includes things like whether the world has magic or technology, what sort of culture your character comes from, the relative era in which it is set, etc.:
Andrew comes from a modern day version of Earth. For him the year is currently 2014 it just happens to be slightly earlier in the year for him than it would be in the real world. His world has supernatural elements to it. Ghosts, witches, demons and other monsters commonly found in horror movies are real. Aliens as far as anyone on his world is aware of right now are not real. They have not yet discovered if life on other worlds is even possible so most people will assume aliens are from science fiction. Andrew would be of this school of thought because while he is a child he tends to be very well versed in the difference between fantasy and reality.
The idea is that while these creatures from horror movies are real humans still have the ability to fight back even in the instance that impossible odds come up on the rare occasion. Hope is out there for humanity to continue to be the masters of their own fate.
Another major point to his world is that the knowledge of existence of the supernatural is not at all common. Technology might be advancing but that just means people have different tools for fighting back should they have to. In most cases these days people don't have to do much when it comes to fighting back. Ghosts tend to only haunt abandoned places and religions around the world have their own methods for dealing with demons. At the same time demons tend to have the same level of intelligence that a human might or are even smarter due to their ages so any confrontation with a demon is going to be tricky. Surviving a battle with a demon will mean having the back up of someone with a lot of faith on their side or a very clever person to out think the demon.
Andrew is from the New England area in the North Eastern part of the United states. His Aunt may have seen a few instances of a rare instances of people with psychic abilities but she has no way to explain it. To her these were just students who were a little different. His Uncle John has encountered a mysterious truck that is connected to a series of death's much like Christine from the Stephen King novel. This is the kind of world Andrew is growing up in.
Character's background (their past and present, including applicable events in other games you may have played them in):
Andrew McKee is the only son of Anthony and Chelsea McKee. Chelsea and Anthony met while working for a smaller scale investment firm. Chelsea was the secretary of Anthony's boss Matthew. Matthew was always on the look out for people who could handle their more demanding clients and in his eyes Anthony fit the bill so the younger man was often invited into his boss's office.
Over the course of two years Anthony and Chelsea developed a relationship. It was mostly that Andrew wanted to get more clients so he would make more money. Chelsea was rather naive and kept giving Anthony a little extra help because he was a really good looking guy and she lacked self confidence when it came to her looks.
After they really did become serious she got an offer at bigger firm because while she might be naive she was also a hard worker and people noticed that. Anthony eventually got his boss's job and decided to marry Chelsea since after dating her for long enough he decided she would make a good wife to show off since she could be charming for a girl who grew up on a farm.
They had a big wedding. It was good for Anthony as he got to show off to the people who now worked under him and Chelsea got to have her whole family there. She was totally in love with Anthony. She did not want to recognize the flaws that her older sister Colleen noticed. Chelsea could only see how attentive he could be with her. Six months after they got married Chelsea got pregnant with Andrew.
Andrew was never a fussy baby. He started talking at an early age. Not the kind of broken sentences that normal children speak. He spoke full and easy to understand sentences. He was a good kid too. Chelsea always commented that Andrew was a good baby. He only cried if she forgot to do something he really needed.
Andrew had a fairly calm childhood. His parents loved him as best they could. Both of them were very busy with their careers but tried to make time for Andrew. They were also aware that sometimes Andrew could be a little strange. He never liked talking to strangers. He really did not like crowds either.
He loved animals however. For his fourth birthday Anthony took him to the pound to find a dog. At first Andrew got very upset. The animals seemed very sad to the boy. He could not find the words to explain why he was upset just that he hated seeing the animals in the enclosures. That was how Andrew found the young German Shepard he begged his Dad to get him.
Bernard, Bernie to Andrew, was his first real friend. Even with Andrew's breathing problems the dog coaxed him outside to play every day. And it was not uncommon to see the two curled up together with Andrew acting strangely comfortable. It was obvious to his parents that they had gotten Andrew a very devoted pet. They did not mind that too much as their son was happy.
For two years Andrew was a very happy if quiet boy. Then his mother found out his father was cheating on her. This quickly dissolved into his parents fighting all of the time. His Mother also frequently would get depressed or cry in the periods in which there was no fighting. This began to effect Andrew's mental well-being as the child had no shields against the pain his Mother was suffering as well as her own slow decline when it came to her own mental well-being.
He stopped talking to them if he could. He thought they were being very stupid and he cannot stand stupid people. All he wanted was for the fighting to stop. Andrew thought that if they stopped fighting maybe his Mother would get better. His father made an effort to try and be more involved in Andrew's life during the beginning of the trouble between himself and Chelsea. Andrew did not respond well to his father. His attitude towards his father could be described as frosty.
Andrew's relationship with Chelsea did not suffer. Andrew would hover near by whenever his mother came home from work. He wanted her to be happy but he did not know how to comfort her. He knew things were wrong in the house but had no idea how to tell his mother that it was okay and that she would still have him. Andrew is not the kind of little boy to say he loves anyone. It takes him effort to let those words out.
His father did not like the fact Andrew wasn't talking to them. At his instance they sent him to his Aunt Colleen who works as a high school guidance councilor. At this point Chelsea has a nervous break down due to the fact she is very much like Andrew but was unaware of it until her natural shields fell after she discovered her husband was still having an affair on her.
While this was going on at his parent's home Andrew began to do better. His Aunt was a warm and welcoming person. With her and his uncle John as his guardians while his father tried his best to take care of what his wife needed from him in his mind.
They were able to get Bernie to their house during the first six months of Andrew's stay with them. It was after Bernie arrived that Andrew heard his mother had to go to a hospital. His Aunt had thought that it would be best to not tell him right away as he was still adjusting to life with her and her husband. He was not sure what that meant or even what would happen to his mother. He was not very upset with his Aunt and Uncle but it was clear he blamed his father for what had happened.
His father tried to talk Andrew into coming home with him but he had no desire to be around the man. His Aunt was able to talk Andrew's father into letting Andrew stay with her and her husband as Andrew was starting to really settle in. He was even starting to make friends with other kids. The fact he had even asked if he could invite a few kids home had never happened before. Colleen and John wanted to encourage this.
Seeing that his son was doing well Anthony agreed to leave his son with his sister-in-law for now. For the following three years Andrew lived with his Aunt and Uncle. He grew very close to them and came to enjoy his time with them. He grew even more distant from his father when the man said he had met someone new that he wanted to marry. Andrew felt like his father did not care about him at all.
The truth was more complicated. Anthony did not know how to reconnect with his son. He did feel bad about how he and Chelsea divorced and that Andrew did not want to live with him. But he also was happy Andrew was doing so well at the school his aunt had placed him in. He really did want the best for his son and hoped that perhaps one day Andrew would forgive him for being a bad father.
Andrew's Mother has not gotten better during her time in the hospital. In fact she has gotten worse. She was feeling too much of what others suffered from emotionally.
The school year is coming to a close. His Aunt Colleen has announced she thinks they should try to go see her sister. Andrew is a little nervous because he hasn't seen her in three years. He wonders if this is a good idea but he still looks forward to the trip. Maybe things will get better if he sees her?
Character's personality:
"I don't like you. You're acting like a child when you're supposed to be the grownup here."
Andrew is a very sharp boy for nine. He knows how to let people just talk around him just so he can figure things out. He has learned from his parents that most people are very good at forgetting that kids can see everything that is going on around them. While he knows he does not understand it all yet he still takes note of it. He knows that sometimes seeing and remembering something is just as important as understanding what it means. Plus he has figured out some adults like smart questions so he will save them up for the right person.
Andrew also has an excellent memory. He can recall everything from when he thinks he was really little to right now at age nine. In truth he has trouble recalling stuff from before his third birthday but he most certainly recalls when they got Bernie. Andrew also finds that he has an easier time recalling things if he finds a feeling to associate it with.
Andrew is not very good at making friends his own age. It isn't that he dislikes other children it is just that without his dog he does not really know how to play games with other children though he will share his books if they happen to be able to read like he can. Otherwise he will try to get them to draw or paint with him should they show any interest. He does not think he is any good but he finds that it is soothing to do.
This does not mean he will turn down the chance to hang out with his two close friends from school. They might not always understand Andrew but they can be fun to talk to about books or go on roaming adventures around the farm. He has had fun with his friends plus they usually have Bernie around who keeps them safe. Andrew really likes that part. This shows while Andrew has trouble making friends he is able to maintain a close friendship with people he feels closer to. They have gained a very close ally as he will do a great deal for them.
In spite of the fact that his father got him his dog and tried to be involved in his life after his mother got sick Andrew developed a much closer bond with his Aunt and Uncle. In fact after three years of living with them Andrew sees John as his father figure even if it is slightly awkward for Andrew on a level he cannot explain.
He is very much not the kind of boy to say he loves anyone. Not unless they have gotten past his defenses or in a moment of extreme sentimentality. He seems to think that of course his family should know he loves them. It should not need to be said. Why waste time talking about something that is a fact? He also thinks they know he loves them because of his empathic abilities, while he has not spoken to them about it he thinks they have to know because they are his family. It isn't as if he makes it a habit of hiding things from them. He just won't say it out loud so that they won't have to talk about it. This is because he is still a kid and has a lot to learn about how people really function.
Additionally he seems to be intuitive when it comes to animals. Like he speaks their language. In truth he just understands how they feel things better because he is not emotionally mature to understand how adults process emotions at this time.
Character's skills/abilities/powers:
Andrew is a nine year old boy. He can read up to a seventh grade level and is just starting to understand basic geometry as well as algebra. For his age he is very bright academically but emotionally he does not know how to relate to others very well. It takes him some time to get used to other children and even most adults.
He also has low grade asthma and suffers from a terrible cough in temperatures lower than 25 degrees Fahrenheit. He is highly prone to colds but this is not unusual for someone with asthma.
Furthermore Andrew is a slowly developing empath. Due to the fact he has difficulty relating to others he finds the emotions of other people are confusing to him. It asked he would describe it as being at the shore of an ocean but having no idea how the waves are going to roll against the shore. He just really does not get or understand his gift right now.
He really is not happy to be separated from his best friend as Bernard (Bernie) can act as a kind of touch stone for Andrew. With Bernie around he can focus on how the dog feels instead of other people. He will get stronger in his gift as he gets older. He mostly gets impressions and feelings at this point. He has no real control right now and cannot rely on his powers as they are not terribly impressive.
For example while Troi can feel things outside of a room Andrew has to be inside the room and within arms reach of whoever he is actively trying to read. If he is in a crowd this is how he can overload himself a bit as people's emotions will feel like they are battering against his mind should they be very strong feelings. In these situations he may even confuse his feelings with other people's feelings as he has no idea how tpo tell the difference once he has started to get confused.
Andrew will quickly figure out that he can read the emotions off of aliens. The ones he will be unable to read are ones with any kind of natural telepathic or psychic resistance. Truthfully, he will find it easier to get along with people he cannot 'read' anyways.
Any special equipment your character is bringing along? This includes weaponry, magic items, etc.: His emergency inhaler would be on him. I would also like to ask permission for him to have his dog Bernie who can get left behind in his quarters for any plot reason as needed. I find that Andrew does a lot better if he has a kind of buffer for dealing with people and can use Bernie as a polt device to get Andrew into all kinds of interesting situations.
Why do you want to play this character in Ten Forward, and what do you plan to do with them? I used to play Andrew in a survival horror game. I had a lot of fun letting him get into different kinds of adventures as well as watching him form friendships with adults as well as a few of the other kids. I would like to see Andrew be a nine year old boy and have the sorts of adventures that a kid would think to get into while on a star ship.
What is your character's greatest flaw? He is a nine year old boy with poor social skills. This means for him he is going to have to depend on the adults around him and have trouble communicating all of his needs which will frustrate him greatly and force him to learn to grow in ways he might not be ready for.
Describe your character's family (whether family by blood or by choice). How does your character feel about them? What did your character learn from them?
His father Anthony is a flawed man who unintentionally abandoned Andrew at the age of six. Andrew does not like his father and because of how things currently are between the two Andrew has a hard time letting himself feel comfortable with father figures. Anthony has largely just given up on Andrew. He claims he doesn't have time or forgets about little things. The truth is that Anthony has no idea how to make up for his former wife being in a mental hospital or his son blaming him for what happened.
Chelsea is his Mother. He loved her a great deal when she was able to take care of him. Due to her being in the hospital Andrew has not been able to see her for a long time due to his young age. He has fond memories of her cuddling him when he had nightmares and being there for him as best she could. He has trouble remembering what she looks like and harbors some guilt for not being able to help. Because of his mother and his Aunt he has a soft spot for blonde haired women. He is more willing to let them dote on him due to the fact he is just reminded of his family.
Aunt Colleen. She has been his primary guardian for three years now. She is a smart woman who is a high school guidance councilor. She has seen a few weird things in her life time but this just makes her want to help the students under her care even more. Andrew has a really close relationship with her. When he has had major asthma attacks she has helped him calm down and has taken great care of him.
She also bribes him with math when he gets bored. He really likes that.
Uncle John is Colleen's husband. He is a detective and a member of the local police force of the town he and his wife live in. He is very fond of Andrew and treats the boy as if he is his son. Andrew is completely fascinated by his Uncle's work and has decided he wants to be a detective when he grows up. In essence Andrew idolizes his Uncle in a way that is completely normal for a boy his age.
What hobbies does your character have? Andrew likes to go for long walks when he needs to think. He also enjoys painting since it does not put stress on his poor lungs. When given the chance he also likes to study different kinds of math as well as puzzles because he enjoys the act of forcing his mind to do things that are difficult.
Additionally due to his poor health he tends to love good books as they allow a fun form of escapism for him.
Your character wakes up in the middle of the night in panic from a nightmare. What was the nightmare? In the instance that Andrew has nightmares they are about being abandoned. While as logically as he can think for a boy his age he knows not everyone will leave him he still worries he is not good enough for anyone to want to stay around for. Should he make any friends he will feel insecure and they will play a huge role in his nightmare.
Writing Sample #1:
When Andrew turns nine he waits for his Aunt and Uncle to tell him what he has suspected will be the case again this year for another holiday. His father either forgot or phoned with an excuse as to why he wouldn't be coming.
"It's okay Uncle John," Andrew informs him. "I think it's my fault. I don't want to meet his fiance. It... bugs him."
Andrew hates the way the word tastes to him. He hates that his father wants to get re-married too. He doesn't think that hate comes off of Uncle John. He can feel intelligent blue eyes following him.
"Is it okay to be angry at him," Andrew asks in a small voice. He does not feel like he is turning nine years old today. In fact he feels very small. He does not protest when John picks him up and sits him down in his lap.
"Andrew." He pauses giving the kid a serious look. "You've got every right to be angry. Your Daddy is an idiot. He keeps thinking you don't want him here. The truth is complicated for the both of you."
Andrew doesn't really see this. His father cheated on his mother. Then when things got hard he sent all of them away. Now the man is no longer married to his mother. He thought getting married was like making a promise.
"I think he's stupid. I don't like stupid people," Andrew declares wondering why his Uncle felt like he wanted to laugh. "When I'm grown if I marry a girl I'm never going to cheat on her. I'm never.... I'm never going to make her cry because of that."
He shouldn't have to know his father cheated on his Mother. John tries very hard to not scowl. His idiot of a former brother-in-law deserved his teeth knocked in but John wasn't going to do that. Andrew needed a good example in his life. Hearing Andrew's promise makes John smile.
"When you're older you and I are going to have along chat about how to treat young ladies," John declares calmly pushing Andrew from his lap gently. Andrew just shoots John a very puzzled look. Grown ups are just as weird as girls are sometimes, Andrew thinks.
Writing Sample #2 (optional):
Your email: e.p.madonna@gmail.com
Another preferred means of contact:
Character's Full Name: Andrew McKee
Character's Journal Name: just_be_quiet
What would you like your character's tag to be?: andrew mckee
In 800+ words total, tell us...
Is this character an OC or AU set in a canon world? If so, which canon?: Andrew is an OC from an original universe.
If not, describe their world. This includes things like whether the world has magic or technology, what sort of culture your character comes from, the relative era in which it is set, etc.:
Andrew comes from a modern day version of Earth. For him the year is currently 2014 it just happens to be slightly earlier in the year for him than it would be in the real world. His world has supernatural elements to it. Ghosts, witches, demons and other monsters commonly found in horror movies are real. Aliens as far as anyone on his world is aware of right now are not real. They have not yet discovered if life on other worlds is even possible so most people will assume aliens are from science fiction. Andrew would be of this school of thought because while he is a child he tends to be very well versed in the difference between fantasy and reality.
The idea is that while these creatures from horror movies are real humans still have the ability to fight back even in the instance that impossible odds come up on the rare occasion. Hope is out there for humanity to continue to be the masters of their own fate.
Another major point to his world is that the knowledge of existence of the supernatural is not at all common. Technology might be advancing but that just means people have different tools for fighting back should they have to. In most cases these days people don't have to do much when it comes to fighting back. Ghosts tend to only haunt abandoned places and religions around the world have their own methods for dealing with demons. At the same time demons tend to have the same level of intelligence that a human might or are even smarter due to their ages so any confrontation with a demon is going to be tricky. Surviving a battle with a demon will mean having the back up of someone with a lot of faith on their side or a very clever person to out think the demon.
Andrew is from the New England area in the North Eastern part of the United states. His Aunt may have seen a few instances of a rare instances of people with psychic abilities but she has no way to explain it. To her these were just students who were a little different. His Uncle John has encountered a mysterious truck that is connected to a series of death's much like Christine from the Stephen King novel. This is the kind of world Andrew is growing up in.
Character's background (their past and present, including applicable events in other games you may have played them in):
Andrew McKee is the only son of Anthony and Chelsea McKee. Chelsea and Anthony met while working for a smaller scale investment firm. Chelsea was the secretary of Anthony's boss Matthew. Matthew was always on the look out for people who could handle their more demanding clients and in his eyes Anthony fit the bill so the younger man was often invited into his boss's office.
Over the course of two years Anthony and Chelsea developed a relationship. It was mostly that Andrew wanted to get more clients so he would make more money. Chelsea was rather naive and kept giving Anthony a little extra help because he was a really good looking guy and she lacked self confidence when it came to her looks.
After they really did become serious she got an offer at bigger firm because while she might be naive she was also a hard worker and people noticed that. Anthony eventually got his boss's job and decided to marry Chelsea since after dating her for long enough he decided she would make a good wife to show off since she could be charming for a girl who grew up on a farm.
They had a big wedding. It was good for Anthony as he got to show off to the people who now worked under him and Chelsea got to have her whole family there. She was totally in love with Anthony. She did not want to recognize the flaws that her older sister Colleen noticed. Chelsea could only see how attentive he could be with her. Six months after they got married Chelsea got pregnant with Andrew.
Andrew was never a fussy baby. He started talking at an early age. Not the kind of broken sentences that normal children speak. He spoke full and easy to understand sentences. He was a good kid too. Chelsea always commented that Andrew was a good baby. He only cried if she forgot to do something he really needed.
Andrew had a fairly calm childhood. His parents loved him as best they could. Both of them were very busy with their careers but tried to make time for Andrew. They were also aware that sometimes Andrew could be a little strange. He never liked talking to strangers. He really did not like crowds either.
He loved animals however. For his fourth birthday Anthony took him to the pound to find a dog. At first Andrew got very upset. The animals seemed very sad to the boy. He could not find the words to explain why he was upset just that he hated seeing the animals in the enclosures. That was how Andrew found the young German Shepard he begged his Dad to get him.
Bernard, Bernie to Andrew, was his first real friend. Even with Andrew's breathing problems the dog coaxed him outside to play every day. And it was not uncommon to see the two curled up together with Andrew acting strangely comfortable. It was obvious to his parents that they had gotten Andrew a very devoted pet. They did not mind that too much as their son was happy.
For two years Andrew was a very happy if quiet boy. Then his mother found out his father was cheating on her. This quickly dissolved into his parents fighting all of the time. His Mother also frequently would get depressed or cry in the periods in which there was no fighting. This began to effect Andrew's mental well-being as the child had no shields against the pain his Mother was suffering as well as her own slow decline when it came to her own mental well-being.
He stopped talking to them if he could. He thought they were being very stupid and he cannot stand stupid people. All he wanted was for the fighting to stop. Andrew thought that if they stopped fighting maybe his Mother would get better. His father made an effort to try and be more involved in Andrew's life during the beginning of the trouble between himself and Chelsea. Andrew did not respond well to his father. His attitude towards his father could be described as frosty.
Andrew's relationship with Chelsea did not suffer. Andrew would hover near by whenever his mother came home from work. He wanted her to be happy but he did not know how to comfort her. He knew things were wrong in the house but had no idea how to tell his mother that it was okay and that she would still have him. Andrew is not the kind of little boy to say he loves anyone. It takes him effort to let those words out.
His father did not like the fact Andrew wasn't talking to them. At his instance they sent him to his Aunt Colleen who works as a high school guidance councilor. At this point Chelsea has a nervous break down due to the fact she is very much like Andrew but was unaware of it until her natural shields fell after she discovered her husband was still having an affair on her.
While this was going on at his parent's home Andrew began to do better. His Aunt was a warm and welcoming person. With her and his uncle John as his guardians while his father tried his best to take care of what his wife needed from him in his mind.
They were able to get Bernie to their house during the first six months of Andrew's stay with them. It was after Bernie arrived that Andrew heard his mother had to go to a hospital. His Aunt had thought that it would be best to not tell him right away as he was still adjusting to life with her and her husband. He was not sure what that meant or even what would happen to his mother. He was not very upset with his Aunt and Uncle but it was clear he blamed his father for what had happened.
His father tried to talk Andrew into coming home with him but he had no desire to be around the man. His Aunt was able to talk Andrew's father into letting Andrew stay with her and her husband as Andrew was starting to really settle in. He was even starting to make friends with other kids. The fact he had even asked if he could invite a few kids home had never happened before. Colleen and John wanted to encourage this.
Seeing that his son was doing well Anthony agreed to leave his son with his sister-in-law for now. For the following three years Andrew lived with his Aunt and Uncle. He grew very close to them and came to enjoy his time with them. He grew even more distant from his father when the man said he had met someone new that he wanted to marry. Andrew felt like his father did not care about him at all.
The truth was more complicated. Anthony did not know how to reconnect with his son. He did feel bad about how he and Chelsea divorced and that Andrew did not want to live with him. But he also was happy Andrew was doing so well at the school his aunt had placed him in. He really did want the best for his son and hoped that perhaps one day Andrew would forgive him for being a bad father.
Andrew's Mother has not gotten better during her time in the hospital. In fact she has gotten worse. She was feeling too much of what others suffered from emotionally.
The school year is coming to a close. His Aunt Colleen has announced she thinks they should try to go see her sister. Andrew is a little nervous because he hasn't seen her in three years. He wonders if this is a good idea but he still looks forward to the trip. Maybe things will get better if he sees her?
Character's personality:
"I don't like you. You're acting like a child when you're supposed to be the grownup here."
Andrew is a very sharp boy for nine. He knows how to let people just talk around him just so he can figure things out. He has learned from his parents that most people are very good at forgetting that kids can see everything that is going on around them. While he knows he does not understand it all yet he still takes note of it. He knows that sometimes seeing and remembering something is just as important as understanding what it means. Plus he has figured out some adults like smart questions so he will save them up for the right person.
Andrew also has an excellent memory. He can recall everything from when he thinks he was really little to right now at age nine. In truth he has trouble recalling stuff from before his third birthday but he most certainly recalls when they got Bernie. Andrew also finds that he has an easier time recalling things if he finds a feeling to associate it with.
Andrew is not very good at making friends his own age. It isn't that he dislikes other children it is just that without his dog he does not really know how to play games with other children though he will share his books if they happen to be able to read like he can. Otherwise he will try to get them to draw or paint with him should they show any interest. He does not think he is any good but he finds that it is soothing to do.
This does not mean he will turn down the chance to hang out with his two close friends from school. They might not always understand Andrew but they can be fun to talk to about books or go on roaming adventures around the farm. He has had fun with his friends plus they usually have Bernie around who keeps them safe. Andrew really likes that part. This shows while Andrew has trouble making friends he is able to maintain a close friendship with people he feels closer to. They have gained a very close ally as he will do a great deal for them.
In spite of the fact that his father got him his dog and tried to be involved in his life after his mother got sick Andrew developed a much closer bond with his Aunt and Uncle. In fact after three years of living with them Andrew sees John as his father figure even if it is slightly awkward for Andrew on a level he cannot explain.
He is very much not the kind of boy to say he loves anyone. Not unless they have gotten past his defenses or in a moment of extreme sentimentality. He seems to think that of course his family should know he loves them. It should not need to be said. Why waste time talking about something that is a fact? He also thinks they know he loves them because of his empathic abilities, while he has not spoken to them about it he thinks they have to know because they are his family. It isn't as if he makes it a habit of hiding things from them. He just won't say it out loud so that they won't have to talk about it. This is because he is still a kid and has a lot to learn about how people really function.
Additionally he seems to be intuitive when it comes to animals. Like he speaks their language. In truth he just understands how they feel things better because he is not emotionally mature to understand how adults process emotions at this time.
Character's skills/abilities/powers:
Andrew is a nine year old boy. He can read up to a seventh grade level and is just starting to understand basic geometry as well as algebra. For his age he is very bright academically but emotionally he does not know how to relate to others very well. It takes him some time to get used to other children and even most adults.
He also has low grade asthma and suffers from a terrible cough in temperatures lower than 25 degrees Fahrenheit. He is highly prone to colds but this is not unusual for someone with asthma.
Furthermore Andrew is a slowly developing empath. Due to the fact he has difficulty relating to others he finds the emotions of other people are confusing to him. It asked he would describe it as being at the shore of an ocean but having no idea how the waves are going to roll against the shore. He just really does not get or understand his gift right now.
He really is not happy to be separated from his best friend as Bernard (Bernie) can act as a kind of touch stone for Andrew. With Bernie around he can focus on how the dog feels instead of other people. He will get stronger in his gift as he gets older. He mostly gets impressions and feelings at this point. He has no real control right now and cannot rely on his powers as they are not terribly impressive.
For example while Troi can feel things outside of a room Andrew has to be inside the room and within arms reach of whoever he is actively trying to read. If he is in a crowd this is how he can overload himself a bit as people's emotions will feel like they are battering against his mind should they be very strong feelings. In these situations he may even confuse his feelings with other people's feelings as he has no idea how tpo tell the difference once he has started to get confused.
Andrew will quickly figure out that he can read the emotions off of aliens. The ones he will be unable to read are ones with any kind of natural telepathic or psychic resistance. Truthfully, he will find it easier to get along with people he cannot 'read' anyways.
Any special equipment your character is bringing along? This includes weaponry, magic items, etc.: His emergency inhaler would be on him. I would also like to ask permission for him to have his dog Bernie who can get left behind in his quarters for any plot reason as needed. I find that Andrew does a lot better if he has a kind of buffer for dealing with people and can use Bernie as a polt device to get Andrew into all kinds of interesting situations.
Why do you want to play this character in Ten Forward, and what do you plan to do with them? I used to play Andrew in a survival horror game. I had a lot of fun letting him get into different kinds of adventures as well as watching him form friendships with adults as well as a few of the other kids. I would like to see Andrew be a nine year old boy and have the sorts of adventures that a kid would think to get into while on a star ship.
What is your character's greatest flaw? He is a nine year old boy with poor social skills. This means for him he is going to have to depend on the adults around him and have trouble communicating all of his needs which will frustrate him greatly and force him to learn to grow in ways he might not be ready for.
Describe your character's family (whether family by blood or by choice). How does your character feel about them? What did your character learn from them?
His father Anthony is a flawed man who unintentionally abandoned Andrew at the age of six. Andrew does not like his father and because of how things currently are between the two Andrew has a hard time letting himself feel comfortable with father figures. Anthony has largely just given up on Andrew. He claims he doesn't have time or forgets about little things. The truth is that Anthony has no idea how to make up for his former wife being in a mental hospital or his son blaming him for what happened.
Chelsea is his Mother. He loved her a great deal when she was able to take care of him. Due to her being in the hospital Andrew has not been able to see her for a long time due to his young age. He has fond memories of her cuddling him when he had nightmares and being there for him as best she could. He has trouble remembering what she looks like and harbors some guilt for not being able to help. Because of his mother and his Aunt he has a soft spot for blonde haired women. He is more willing to let them dote on him due to the fact he is just reminded of his family.
Aunt Colleen. She has been his primary guardian for three years now. She is a smart woman who is a high school guidance councilor. She has seen a few weird things in her life time but this just makes her want to help the students under her care even more. Andrew has a really close relationship with her. When he has had major asthma attacks she has helped him calm down and has taken great care of him.
She also bribes him with math when he gets bored. He really likes that.
Uncle John is Colleen's husband. He is a detective and a member of the local police force of the town he and his wife live in. He is very fond of Andrew and treats the boy as if he is his son. Andrew is completely fascinated by his Uncle's work and has decided he wants to be a detective when he grows up. In essence Andrew idolizes his Uncle in a way that is completely normal for a boy his age.
What hobbies does your character have? Andrew likes to go for long walks when he needs to think. He also enjoys painting since it does not put stress on his poor lungs. When given the chance he also likes to study different kinds of math as well as puzzles because he enjoys the act of forcing his mind to do things that are difficult.
Additionally due to his poor health he tends to love good books as they allow a fun form of escapism for him.
Your character wakes up in the middle of the night in panic from a nightmare. What was the nightmare? In the instance that Andrew has nightmares they are about being abandoned. While as logically as he can think for a boy his age he knows not everyone will leave him he still worries he is not good enough for anyone to want to stay around for. Should he make any friends he will feel insecure and they will play a huge role in his nightmare.
Writing Sample #1:
When Andrew turns nine he waits for his Aunt and Uncle to tell him what he has suspected will be the case again this year for another holiday. His father either forgot or phoned with an excuse as to why he wouldn't be coming.
"It's okay Uncle John," Andrew informs him. "I think it's my fault. I don't want to meet his fiance. It... bugs him."
Andrew hates the way the word tastes to him. He hates that his father wants to get re-married too. He doesn't think that hate comes off of Uncle John. He can feel intelligent blue eyes following him.
"Is it okay to be angry at him," Andrew asks in a small voice. He does not feel like he is turning nine years old today. In fact he feels very small. He does not protest when John picks him up and sits him down in his lap.
"Andrew." He pauses giving the kid a serious look. "You've got every right to be angry. Your Daddy is an idiot. He keeps thinking you don't want him here. The truth is complicated for the both of you."
Andrew doesn't really see this. His father cheated on his mother. Then when things got hard he sent all of them away. Now the man is no longer married to his mother. He thought getting married was like making a promise.
"I think he's stupid. I don't like stupid people," Andrew declares wondering why his Uncle felt like he wanted to laugh. "When I'm grown if I marry a girl I'm never going to cheat on her. I'm never.... I'm never going to make her cry because of that."
He shouldn't have to know his father cheated on his Mother. John tries very hard to not scowl. His idiot of a former brother-in-law deserved his teeth knocked in but John wasn't going to do that. Andrew needed a good example in his life. Hearing Andrew's promise makes John smile.
"When you're older you and I are going to have along chat about how to treat young ladies," John declares calmly pushing Andrew from his lap gently. Andrew just shoots John a very puzzled look. Grown ups are just as weird as girls are sometimes, Andrew thinks.
Writing Sample #2 (optional):
