Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
Thoughts were slowly orbiting through Cato’s mind as their large wings proceeded to flap, allowing them to hover above the snowy ground. These circumstances were unforeseen since, obviously, the reaper was never expected to see a white pelt covered in black stripes; the physical characteristics of a white tiger. Curious remained in their yellow-coloured eyes, obscured by the plague doctor’s mask which hid their damaged face from the world. The blackened features beneath from a time of suffering for the people of Europe, although, nobody would ever witness the ugly patches. There was a silence which settled between themself and the wild animal lurking below. The subtle sounds of the reaper’s wings flapping as they quietly watched, waiting for some kind of response from the creature. Leaving was a valid option, however, Cato was worried about being potentially stalked by the large cat. As they hovered in the cold air, they stared down at the tiger, only glancing away momentarily as a blue light engulfed the creature. The initial brightness was unexpected, the reaper quickly adjusting as their eyes slowly glanced back towards the tiger's shape, witnessing the creature morph into an entirely different one.
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Shortly, the large cat is replaced by a white-haired young boy standing in the snow. Surprise hardly touched Cato's face as their suspicions were proven correct, the questionable presence of a tiger in the Canadian wilderness was the result of some species of shifter, although, there were plenty of animal-shifters. Hands were thrown into the air, a sign of peace, as confirmed by the words which left his lips, however, the cynical reaper failed to ease their nerves. Years of endless betrayal and serving the Assembly made Cato distrustful. People were selfish, the generosity perhaps manifesting for a moment to make themselves feel better were the beliefs the reaper held because of the manner they were treated. Eyes were narrowed slightly as the reaper noticed the stranger's closed eyes, which would make communication difficult and strenuous on Cato's throat. A soft sigh escaped the Assembly medic's throat as they briefly paused, prepping themself for the dreaded verbal communication.
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"We just met... for most of that, you were a tiger... Why should I trust you?" Cato stated in a raspy voice.
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Bluntness was evident, Cato's words as they made it obvious their trust was lacking, although, the hardness was difficult to detect on account of the reaper's rather creaky voice; in the depths of their throat, there was even an acute pain. Plenty of people had hurt them previously, making it impossible to merely surrender because somebody informed them trust could be provided! Trust required earning, the reaper deciding to hold his ground until then. While they flapped their large, black wings, Cato crossed their arms, yellow eyes staring down at the mysterious shifter who interrupted their walk home.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] 473 words for @meredith
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] OMG! I AM SOOOO SORRY! I ACCIDENTALLY MISSED THIS AND NEVER WROTE IT DOWN! X.x Although, they are glad Hector does not plan to hurt them, but Cato is super distrusting. ^^’
Additional weight arrived on Cato's back as the large pair of wings with gritty black feathers stretched out behind them, undamaged and prepared for flight. They moved smoothly behind them, the freshly manifested wings requiring a brief moment to stretch the reawakened muscles. The sounds of soft crunches on the fresh snow resulted in the reaper peering over their shoulder, which resulted in their eyes widening. Paces behind them was a large, white tiger, the muscles of the beast easily frightening the Assembly medic. Never had Cato seen a tiger during their travels, thus fear automatically entered their mind alongside a certain logic. Before they pondered further, the reaper flapped their large black wings, scattering snow around beneath them from the sheer force of their lift-off. Strength was evident behind the graceful movements of their wings, enough to lift their feet off the ground and promptly entering the cold air above. The flaps were adjusted to allow Cato to hover in the skies above, yellow eyes watching the mysterious, giant feline beneath them. Their thoughts were already churning, confusion becoming evident in Cato's eyes.
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Tigers were not associated with the Canadian wilderness, the only large cats which could potentially be in Newfoundland being cougars. Evidentally, tigers were not on the list unless one escaped from a nearby zoo and somehow managed to navigate and survive the unfamiliar Canadian wilderness without the assistance of zoo officials. The reaper kept hovering above, eyes narrowing after a few moments after Cato reached a conclusion. Chances were, this creature was a type of species which could shift into an animal, this particular one being a tiger. There were a variety of species which filtered through Cato's mind, although, there was no solid solution to the potential species; they lacked the information to make an educated assumption. The serious lacking of information made anything possible, especially the notion of this individual perhaps being associated with the dreaded Assembly of Phantoms. Had Cato's sudden anger resulted in the decision to have somebody watch them? Under most circumstances, they would have members of the Assembly arrive to do check-ins, making certain the reaper proceeded in the work they were given.
[break][break]
Silently, Cato continued to hover in the air, waiting to witness what the tiger would do. If there was a chance the reaper could be provided with a hint about what this individual was planning. The reaper desired to gain knowledge about what was occurring, especially considering his precarious situation.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] 413 words for @meredith
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] XD Cato is definitely frightened of him and has no clue exactly what to do, sooooo they will just watch from the safety of the sky.
Miserable emotions filtered through Cato's mind as their yellow eyes remained locked on the frozen surface of the small stream. Gently, they sighed, emotions numbing as they remembered everything which occurred should have been expected considering their current circumstances. A mere glimpse of Elizabeth could potential spoil their plans if the reaper managed to concoct an organized plan on how exactly to break their daughter out of her prison. There was a determination which settled in Cato that a time would arrive when they could reunite with their dearest daughter, the young woman they abandoned as a child... Would she even accept their apology when the time arrived? While the verdict appeared unlikely, the reaper kept praying their offspring would understand the efforts they went through to rescue her from the grip of the Assembly of Phantoms. They never expected their apology to be accepted, but the thought of knowing young Elizabeth Ramagi was finally safe from the malicious group would be enough to secure Cato's happiness. A slow glance was taken of the surrounding area as the non-binary individual finally soothed themself to a degree.
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A hesitant step was taken, the reaper walking beside the stream with intentions of heading straight home. There would be sanction inside the walls of the old shack alongside a man who would gladly listen to their woes (or they supposed to read their woes). Footsteps were slowly accomplished, Cato prone to walking slowly opposed to rushing through the woods to hurry to their home; a pleasant walk could potentially soothe their irritated nerves. The last thing the reaper desired was to return home and frighten Quentin with the intense frustration which plagued them. Quietly, they continued through the woods, navigating to their home, only to abruptly freeze. Through the trees echoed a monstrous roar, the reaper backpedalling in fear of the sudden, thunderous noise. Immediately, Cato's heart rate increased as their breaths became quicker from the booming sound which carried through the trees; something was out there. More steps back were taken, the dark-robed individual failing to notice the large branch behind them. The unexpected impact of their heels against the branch knocked them off balance, the reaper falling onto their bottom.
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The Assembly medic's hands were buried deep into the snow while their yellow eyes glanced around wildly in search of the noise's source. After the thunderous roar arrived the haunting sound of claws ripping into the wood of the surrounding birch trees. Alarmed, Cato hastily returned to their feet, their eyes searching as they manifested a pair of black wings, unfortunately, the process was slow. Peril was entirely possible, especially considering the reaper was uncertain if there was merely a terror lurking through the area of something worse. From the Assembly medic's knowledge, there was few natural wildlife who could create the menacing roar which sounded similar to a large cat. Either way, the blue skies above remained safer than walking through the deep snow that could only be traversed slowly. Once Cato's wings finished manifesting, the reaper took another glance around, gradually preparing for takeoff; they were never incredible in their flying abilities after all. However, Cato was aware their life was required since should they perish, Elizabeth would become a useless tool for the Assembly of Phantoms.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] 548 words for @meredith
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] YES! I AM HYPED! :D Welcome to the thread where Hector scares the heck out of Cato. XD
Years transformed in centuries quickly, each day passing like the previous, the only differences being the unpredictable weather changes which inevitably occurred. There was a mild wind, snow falling from a gathering of grey clouds covering the regularly blue skies above. A chill embraced anybody who exited their comfortable homes, Cato included as they exited the Ivory Fortress, evidently irritated by the recent affairs. They were particularly reckless as a result, hastily arriving in desperate hopes they would be provided with the opportunity to finally speak with Elizabeth, their precious daughter. The crucial individual they wished to converse with after centuries of separation, but still, the Assembly refused the requests of a worried father. As long as Elizabeth was in their clutches, they knew Cato would become a slave, hanging off every demand in hopes no harm would befall their offspring. Despite the unfortunate falling out with Elizabeth's mother, the reaper still cared immensely about their daughter's well-being, going lengths to assure the assignments the Assembly demanded were accomplished with excellence.
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Footprints were left across the birch forest as Cato gradually moved back towards their home, thankful for the temperature regulation bracelet hugging their wrist. In winter conditions, the reaper was frightfully easy to track unless they decided to fly through the cold sky; although, the medic's horrible mood kept them from accomplishing the action. They desired a long walk of sulking before they returned home to Quentin and proceeded to carry out the orders of the Assembly. As they walked through the thick snow, their fists remained clenched, eyes secretly narrowed beneath the plague doctor mask. Their dark robe embraced their body but failed to conceal the body language of anger. They were slouched over, fists clenched tight as they angrily stomped through the white snow. These were the instances the reaper wished they could finally free their daughter, the most precious person in their life; their only living family. There were times Cato wished they could risk outright opposing the commands of the Assembly, even desiring to reach lengths of getting violent because of their ill-temper towards the group who terrorized people on a daily basis.
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Unfortunately, the luxury was taken away because of their uncompromising position in the grasp of the vile individuals. Forced service through means of threats proved to be an effective, albeit, a hate-sparking method of making efficient employees. Each begrudging action Cato was forced to take sparked their endless amounts of loathing for the Assembly of Phantoms. As the reaper proceeded through the snow, they swore to the gods a day would arise where they would escape this trap; they would free Elizabeth and escape the clutches of the Assembly, both their daughter and Quentin in tow. There were prayers a time would arrive to warrant the action. The surrounding area began to change the further they walked, Cato eventually reaching a river, long frozen from the frigid temperatures of a Canadian winter. For a moment, they paused, taking a deep breath before slowly releasing it in defeat. Freedom would be elusive considering the dire circumstances, Elizabeth's life hanging in the balance, evident by the threats the Assembly consistently created; and Cato doubted they were lying.
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Based on the conversations the reaper held with them previously, Elizabeth was merely a pawn on the chessboard, a bargaining tool to keep Cato under their thumb. After centuries of following their commands, the Assembly knew the medic would work as long as Elizabeth remained a card in their deck. A father's love was a powerful thing, but occasionally it led to a miserable life when offspring get tangled in a web of mischief; stuck without any escape. A soft sigh escaped the reaper's lips, their red eyes staring at the icy riverbed as they viciously forced any tears to remain held. There was a deep desire to see their daughter, to know she remained healthy, to hear her delightful voice and perhaps even reach out to hug her. Only during the earliest stages of Elizabeth's childhood has Cato managed to see their precious little girl; their wish to assist others in tearing the family apart. Now, the sorrowful father wished for at least a final conversation, a chance to become acquainted with the woman who felt like a stranger; Elizabeth Ramagi, their only child. The flood of positive emotions which would arrive with a chance would be overwhelmingly stupendous, but instead, Cato was forced to suffer a broken heart as they prayed for mending. There was a pain in forceful separation, and the reaper felt it every single day.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] 763 words for open
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] Cato is just being grumpy after a meeting with the Assembly~!
we all watch for ourselves. it’s a true human race we’re running.
general info
AGE seven-hundred-twenty-seven
GENDER agender
SEXUALITY asexual (demiromantic)
BIRTHDATE june 30th, 1294
OCCUPATION assembly medic
SPECIES reaper
appearance
Displaying the body beneath the heavy cloak has been a thought to never cross Cato’s mind since their return into the world of the living. Their body has always possessed an unhealthy thinness despite their short 5’6” stature. Generally, their limbs are rather skinny and appear lanky compared to an average human being. They are frightfully skinny, giving off a somewhat fragile vibe to those who truly witnessed the condition of their body. The condition of their body is merely a sign of their death that Cato placed no effort into mending, thus they hid beneath the thick coats. Muscle mass is very little on their body, Cato struggling to lift heavier objects without some assistance; they keep to rather light weight items. Oftentimes, they exercise little to assure they are capable to care for themself throughout their lonely existence. While a majority would believe Cato’s body to be a detriment from a nutritional standpoint, but their species counteracts this. Their energy is reliant on their soul, the self-sustenance able to maintain their body perfectly fine. Notably, Cato also has a high metabolism, thus consuming food to add weight to their small frame is rather difficult; they usually do not bother. This being said, Cato is lightweight and very easy to knock off their feet should someone place enough effort into it. Considering this can be a bothersome trait on the battlefield, which leads to them avoiding physical confrontation.
Due to wearing immense amounts of clothing, Cato’s skin is very pale in pigment, some even stating they have a sickly vibe to their skin tone. There is a strange darkening to Cato’s fingers and toes, the skin pigment in these locations appearing a tad more blackish than the remainder of their body. There are small scars on their arms from what is believed to be repeated cuts, although, these are very faded on their body nowadays. Furthermore, there are several roundish scars that condense specifically around their neck, groin and armpits, although, there are others littered throughout the remainder of their body. These scars do avoid their face and are once again very faded from time. From extensive years spent wandering the earth, Cato does have a few other scars from their travels, although, these are usually minor and blend into their pale complexion quite easily. The remainder of their complexion is quite normal in comparison. Rarely will Cato allow for dirt and various germs touch their skin, oftentimes resulting in meticulous cleaning that leaves them clean a majority of the time. Wounds are treated hastily and in private from their disdain towards being viewed by another individual.
Their face once possessed a softer construct, but has changed over to the years. Beneath the beaked mask is now rather angled. Cato has a sharper nose, albeit, rather petite in size. They have a pair of high cheekbones, their face gradually leading to a pointed chin. A guarded expression remained settled onto their brow, which has always made Cato difficult to read to other individuals. The colour of their eyes is a bright yellow, although, this is rarely visible from beneath the infamous mask of a plague doctor. Long, light brown hair comes from their head which is oftentimes kept surprisingly tidy despite frequently being placed beneath their hood. Their lower face is obscured by a thin, black scarf that wraps around their mouth, hiding the appearance of their neck alongside the slim lips of their mouth.
Clothing wise, Cato is oftentimes completely covered by the thick clothing they wear; they oftentimes refuse to strip any layers of their clothes while in public. Their clothing consists of thick jackets or cloaks that hang over their shoulders, the hood being drawn up to cover the top of their head. The material is oftentimes a variation of leather or something of similar quality, each piece oftentimes being cleaned religiously. Their long coat reaches the knees in the front, but trails down to their ankles in the back. Beneath this, they have a robe of sorts that covers their legs, although, they also wear pants beneath their robe. The colours of their clothing consists of dark shades, the most frequent being black. Tall, thick boots usually envelope their feet, the thickness of the soles allowing them to gain an extra inch of height; which is usually why they appear a tad closer to average height. They wear black gloves that rarely leave their hands with some exceptions being during the night. The most noteworthy section of their garb is the white mask that contrasts against the rest of their clothing. The mask has two eye holes and a long beak, which was traditionally worn by plague doctors during Black Death.
While they are rarely seen, Cato does possess a pair of wings that manifest from their back whenever they please. These wings are black and feather, being one of the few features of Cato’s body that lack scars. They are rather large wings with roughly a 12 ft wingspan, allowing for their wings to easily wrap around them. It is noted these limbs are rather delicate, damage oftentimes resulting in the inability to fly until healed.
Soul Sensory -- Natural This ability allows for Cato to view the soul spectrum, black symbolizing evil and white symbolizing good. The spectrum is a greyscale, the closer an individual is to black, the more criminally they act while being closer to the white side shows the person to be moralistic. Viewing within this vision can be toggled by Cato, although, when they view their soul sensory, all colour drains from their sight. This is a peculiar defect to their soul sensory, but thankfully does not hinder them to extremes. While viewing others, they can see how diminished their soul is and oftentimes notice if they are a living creature or even an undead in some cases.
Necromancy -- Mastered Moving corpses like a puppet is easier than using their fragile body to carry whoever the planned victim for their autopsies inspections. Their morbid curiosity has resulted in frequent use of this ability, Cato being capable of smoothly manipulating 10 bodies, although, this does take energy and the corpses under their control are fragile from decay. They are only capable of continue their control for roughly 30 minutes depending on the complexity of the movements they desire to create. The increased amount of complexity can half the amount of time Cato has before their energy is completely zapped. Once the energy is gone, Cato would be weary may manage to faint should they reach extremes. When they begin manipulating corpses, they have no access to that creatures abilities or skills, instead only allowing them to move the body like a puppet. They are incredibly capable in this skill, oftentimes using it for self-defense should another individual attempt to attack them. Corpses within a 30 meter radius of Cato can be controlled smoothly, the further Cato is the lower the control becomes. The smaller size of a corpse also allows for controlling more of that creature, although, larger creatures are oftentimes more difficult to control.
Due to their mastery, Cato is capable of temporarily harbouring their conscience within a corpse, granting them access to hearing, sight and even smell; depending on distance, they may be able to access movement. This can be in a 3 mile radius of the aforementioned corpse, although, movement is out of the question when the corpse is extensively far. Psychic mental shields can result in Cato being unable to accomplish this ability. Usually, they can only remain conscience in another body for roughly 5 minutes before exhaustion breaches their own. When this happens, the aftermath can be their voice becoming raspy and soreness claiming their muscles from being “out” of their body for an extensive period of time. Their eyes turn red when they use necromancy.
Fear Inducement -- Intermediate The ability to induce fear into the heart’s of others was never a motive of Cato’s, thus they viewed the ability as mostly useless; the days of the plague already made them a fearful sight as it is! They will occasionally activate it in hopes of stunning opponents so they can escape, but otherwise the ability remains dormant. Those with psychic shields or abilities that induce bravery can get around Cato’s fear inducement with ease because of their ineptness.
Seance -- Advanced Everybody requires a bit of company or some individuals to interrogate, thus Cato trained this ability immensely so they could pick various souls to speak to. These are usually under interrogation terms, the reaper oftentimes finding interest in the stories of their deaths should they be willing to share. Whether or not Cato can summon a soul with ease depends on the soul’s desire to return to the living world. The more force that they must place into summoning them, the more energy it will drain from Cato, resulting in less time speaking with the soul. The soul itself is essentially trapped unless the soul uses their own power to escape from Cato’s sights. Should they ingest a soul, that soul is trapped and will be forcefully summoned to Cato’s whim with little ability to escape. They can later release this soul to Thanatos, or merely consume for person power, although, they usually release it once the soul has complied. Their eyes turn red when they seance.
Soul Manipulation (minor) -- Beginner Their own concerns over touching another person or being close to them resulted in Cato refusing to even train this ability remotely. Should they try, the person’s will can overrule the command easily and they risk draining an immense amount of energy. The changes they could make would be hardly a dent to the person’s moral standing.
Healing Factor (minor) -- Natural Similar to a majority of reapers, their body heals faster than that of an average human. Minor wounds can take a mere few days, papercuts even managing to heal within a few hours. Moderate wounds take longer, possibly ranging from a weak or more depending on severity. Severe wounds still can take months to heal if they reach extremes. This ability even allows for Cato to recover quicker from sicknesses than an average human, although, their immortality can result in difficulties getting ill initially.
Wing Manifestation -- Intermediate Flight was always a curious topic, Cato lacking the ability until their strange transformation into a reaper. They have theorized that the nephilim ancestors within their bloodline allowed for the awakening of this mysterious gift. While they fancy the concept of flying, they seldom manifest their wings to avoid an Angel of Death vibe and further scrutiny from their black shading; years of already being referred to as a harbinger of the plague from their occupation have always made them tire over allowing imaginations to run wilder. The side-effect to their concerns in their wings take longer to manifest, making them nearly useless in situations of panic unless provided ample time to summon the feathery limbs. Generally, they avoid using this ability in the eyes of the public, but will occasion summon their wings for personal enjoyment on evenings where boredom is claiming them. Whenever they are summoned, Cato finds a mild pain that erupts in their back, which has always led to further hesitance to their wings.
The action of flying itself is questionable, Cato only being an amature in the ability. Doing impressive tricks or dodging aerial barrages is nearly impossible; in fact, they fly rather slow compared to most. The only real use Cato’s wings have is travelling solely because despite their slowness, flying still remains faster than walking and less exhausting than running. There is also the notion of being able to safely glide down from intense heights without risking injury. Should Cato desire to improve this ability, they would likely require an excellent trainer.
Self-sustenance -- Natural Like all reapers, Cato does not require food, hydration or various other daily human necessities for survival. They still have to manage their energy since too much exertion could possibly lead to exhaustion and result in a requirement for a brief sleep if done to extremes, although, this is rarely an issue since Cato does enjoying sleeping during the evening. Despite this ability, Cato does occasionally munch on foods they have enjoyed or drink tea.
Immortality -- Natural This ability merely ceases the aging process of Cato’s body, resulting in them being locked in their physical age. Diseases oftentimes find difficulty infecting them, allowing them to avoid and recover from illnesses faster than an average human being. Despite the existence of this ability. Cato can still be killed by physical attacks since they do not regenerate quickly.
backstory
Trigger Warning: Disease, Death
Cato Ramagi was born in Paris back in the 14th century to a family of high wealth, his father being accomplished in masonry while his mother worked merely as a baker and housewife throughout their life. The lived in a fairly large home, excellently designed with the assistance of his father’s incredible building skills. During his younger years, he discovered happiness despite the hardships of medieval times burdening his shoulders. When the time arrived for school, Cato’s family struggled to gather the funds to keep their child going through the practice under the watchful eyes of priests, although, he was miraculously taught to write unlike a majority of unfortunate peasants, although, his grammar was atrocious and spelling a ridiculous garble of letters with more complicated words. With a majority of his lessons being taught within churches, Cato was taught about the chosen religion of his parents from the beginning, which was strictly the ways of Akari. There were many expectations within the holy house, Cato’s parents possessing a frightening strictness towards the teaching, even bringing their own ideals and forcing them onto their young son during the time. Time within school was filled to the brim with these teachings, the young boy listening to avoid possible punishment further down the road, but everything appeared repetitive to his curious ears.
The earlier years of Cato’s life were best defined as quiet as he followed the loop of heading to school and returning home to assist his parents. He managed to create a few friendships, their parents being popular inside of Paris which allowed for various connections among the city. After a few years of schooling, he was removed from the program because his parents could no longer fund the endeavor, which gave him a mediocre education compared to some of the wealthier children within Paris. There was nothing worse than being forced to leave the knowledgeable sanction of school, the boy still wishing to learn the various mentioned notions under a helpful mentor. The following weeks consisted of assisting his parents, Cato learning various skills to help in the future to earn money for their family. Masonry became the least interesting event for Cato, their small body resulting in a struggle to assist in loading materials and general helping around the site. Being worked physically was unpleasant compared to baking with his kindly mother. The matter worsened whenever Cato found himself capable of seeing the distant schoolyard; he wanted to learn more.
There was always a pleasant flow of travellers, a majority hauling their suitcases or some merely conversing over topics that were long drab to the young boy. Usually, the travellers never truly caught his eye until he witnessed a particularly magical one. She was a portly woman, a human witch with capabilities he could only dream of and ultimately fascinated him. While the crowds remained staring in awe as she performed tricks with complex fire magic, levitations, hypnosis and even illusionary, Cato struggled through the crowd, the spectacle ending shortly. The crowd dissipated with a sigh as they began gossiping over the marvel, Cato ran up and began a barrage of questions. The woman was surprised by the sudden interest, going lengths to allow the young boy to see the Latin words written across her tome in black ink. He asked to be taught, she merely responded with the question of whether or not he was a warlock, but the boy informed her it would not satisfy his curiosity.
A broad grin touched her lips as she bellowed a hearty laugh, shortly inviting him inside to give some lessons on the ways of magic. Surprisingly, the learning did not begin with magic, the woman instead learning Cato’s poor reading and writing skills and decided to amend it. The first lesson was extensive, no hints of Latin words or magic, but rather an explanation towards the importance of words and grammar with tome-based magic. After a few hours, he was sent away, heading home to tell his parents the excellent news. His mother was delighted, his father on the other hand was concerned considering matters similar to schooling would require his son not assist in masonry. There was always an air of pride that Cato’s father associated with masonry, thus there was an expectation his son would follow suit with the occupation. The following morning he returned for further study, his father imploring for Cato to instead join him at the site, but his son refused, thus started the cycle of disappointment.
The father explained to Cato that knowledge would not assist him throughout his life, his father thoroughly believing only physical strength to be an important attribute, but Cato insisted otherwise. His small body was not fit for such exploits, therefore attempting to gain knowledge or work within the bakery with mother was a preference. While his father flinched at his points, Cato exited the house and wandered down the streets to meet the mysterious woman. When he arrived, he rapped on the wooden door, the knob being twisted as it meekly opened. This was also the morning he met her. Her adorable blonde hair was fashioned in braids, a shy smile crossing her soft lips, the mere adolescent being struck by the surprising beauty. She was the plump woman’s daughter, and another reason to take his education seriously. They would be taught together, Cato using his opportunities to speak with this mysterious wonder to his life.
Despite the increasing disappointment of his father who continued pressuring him into masonry, Cato continued attending the classes. He was thoroughly enchanted by the woman’s daughter, her name being pleasant to his ears. Harriet was his life, and one of the evenings he brought her home to meet his parents. Once again, Cato’s mother was delighted with the notion while his father frowned at man his son had become. He quieted his complaints and once supper was finished and Harriet was escorted home, Cato’s father stated they were no longer on speaking terms. The abrupt statement caught his son by surprise who demanded an explanation, to which his father informed him that Cato should have chosen masonry instead of books. That evening they fought, Cato refusing to regret his decision considering his love of magic and Harriet. Afterwards, the young man began avoiding his father, instead opting to get closer to his love.
Once Cato became of age, he asked Harriet to marry him to which she promptly agreed, ultimately making him a happy man. They moved in together quickly, buying a beautiful house where Harriet worked as an apothecary while Cato did basic baking. Their life was nowhere near lavish, but the young couple were happy, Harriet’s mother even providing some assistance since their home became a place where she paused before travelling. During these years, Cato’s father had officially left his life, only his mother supported the marriage between the two with a grin on her slim face. A few months after their marriage, Harriet fell pregnant with what would be their precious daughter. As the months passed, the time arrived when Elizabeth Ramagi was born, the young woman having similar traits to her mother with dazzling blonde hair and gentle features and eyes; she was simply sublime. Together, Harriet and Cato lived with their daughter under the belief that perhaps this would be that dose of happiness to the rough times they lived in, but only more darkness arrived.
A horrible disease arrived on the shores of Paris, the infected being covered in ugly lumps that condensed at their armpits, groins and neck. These were merely the beginning of a wretched disease that merchants spoke rumors about. It was dreadful, spreading quickly and generating fear into the hearts of the people. Harriet and Cato were terrified, hiding their three year old daughter inside out of fear that she would also receive the dreadful infection. The sick who could afford it were sent to physician who attempted to use bloodletting or boil lancing, but this failed to cure the patients. These boils blackened, similar symptoms infecting the fingers and toes as skin died and later the victim. This ugly disease was dubbed Black Death and everybody believed it was a plague sent down from the Gods. While there were magical healers, there were also the malicious that inflicted curses, resulting in the accursed illness spreading like wildfire among the people. Shops closed, doctors refused patients and even priests refused to provide the ill with their last rites.
The people desired the forgiveness of the Gods, believing this to be a punishment for their sins at the time. As the disease spread across the city, Harriet and Cato fled France with their daughter into one of the smaller towns, although, they discovered similar fates. Shortly after began the rise of peculiar doctors who worked towards aiding the “treatment” of the disease. Silently, Cato had observed these strange individuals who wore beaked masks as they travelled through cities and towns. Times were rougher, most of their income becoming reliant on Harriet’s apothecary job while Cato found himself mostly baking bread. Secretly, he began learning about these plague doctors, discovering their payment from the city and the high employment considering their current necessity, thus Cato joined. He returned home, announcing the excellent news to Harriet, only to be met with harsh yelling. She did not want Elizabeth around somebody who dealt with the frightful disease that claimed people quickly. That evening they fought, Harriet leaving the home without explanation with Elizabeth under the statement of divorce. Plague doctors were harbingers of the plague after all.
Somewhere deep down, Cato could understand his wife’s decision from the fear, but he was nonetheless upset. There was a desire to chase her, to hug her and apologize for his reckless decision, but he supposed he was too stubborn at the time. The journey promptly began, plague doctors being in enough demand that Cato was capable of entering with little difficult. He travelled to where he was called, finding himself a record keeper instead of a doctor in some ways. He merely kept track of those who passed, administering “curatives” and mostly making the slow journey to death; even going lengths to learn bloodletting and boil lancing. A portion of the money Cato earned was saved, the man hoping to search out his wife and child to provide them with some money. He travelled for years as a plague doctor, selling his home in favour of venturing out to assist others. At some point, he returned to Paris with his beaked masked, he weaved down the roads as the citizens hid. The streets were familiar as he headed towards the location, opening the door to a despicable sight. His father had become infected by the ugly plague, the pair having not spoken in years.
The initial exchange brought surprise to his father’s withered face as he stared at his son, questioning the doctor. He called out to Cato, the young man uncertain about closing the distance between himself and the man who cared for only his masonry pride. They talked for hours, finally catching up as the father informed Cato about the unfortunate demise of his mother. There was silence afterwards, the pair staring at one another, perhaps wondering how this situation was created. A peculiar question managed to be whispered in his father’s raspy voice; a request to see his face. The concept startled Cato, the plague doctor knowing better than to remove the beaked mask that acted as his “protection” to the plague, thus he refused. Instead of passively accepting his son’s decision, his father began mocking him, stating he was a coward for not allowing his father to witness his face. Despite the sickness and dying fingers, his father managed to get a grip on the beak, the man pulling at the mask. While the illness weakened him, his father remained an immensely strong mask.
When the mask was pulled off, Cato backed away, the chair being thrown to the side as he backed against the wall, resisting the urge to cover his mouth with his gloved hands. The plague doctor was hasty to leave the house, slamming the door behind him and hurrying down the streets while his father called from inside. There was an anxiety sparking, the man fearing the disease that was devastating the nation. Who would not fear the horrible fate he witnessed on the daily through these years? Even the streets were filled with sickness, his ears managing to hear the raspy as they struggled to breathe, coughs choking out of their mouths. Wagons of corpses were being pulled out of the streets, men in similar garbs disposing of loved ones, notable individuals and homeless alike in the haul. The movement from Cato did not cease, the man returning to where he was told to make residence.
It ambushed him suddenly, within a few days the flu-like symptoms ravaged his body. From a modern medical standpoint, it suggested a quietly harboured infection from prior to the beak mask being removed. It began with coughing, headaches and the sort which left Cato resting for several days. When the buboes appeared, it became obvious he was another case of infection of Black Death. He was tended to by his fellow doctors, the symptoms worsening as gangrene occurred in his fingers and on the buboes that began leaking with blood and pus. There was a raspiness to his breath while he struggled to breath, blood even occasionally covering his hands from coughing. He prayed to the gods that he could survive, promising to even eternally serve the cause against Black Death. After weeks passed, Cato suffered a horrible death to the hands of the bubonic plague, his dying words a request to seek out his ex-wife and child to give them the remainder of his money; perhaps they needed the financial assistance, but it was never accomplished.
Everything darkened, the dimming of life as one transitioned through into the land of death. Waking in a field of grey grass, an entire monochrome world stretching on for miles. There they woke, quiet as a strange figured approached. The slow steps, a single face glancing down towards them as a thin smirk touches the stranger’s lips. This was the latest arrival, oddly still and appearing to be an interesting choice.
“You can move now,” the stranger mumbled.
The person on the ground remained silent, milling over the misfortune of life. Father was a traitor, removed their mask, allowed for infection to claim them, or so they believed. Another stranger was summoned, once again staring down towards the helpless individual. A name was requested, silence enacting as an answer. More questions, the quiet continuing until suddenly, they were forced out of Purgatory, a silent agreement being struck with a simple nod.
Cato Ramagi, no longer a man, craved to return in search of their wife and child. Damn the gods for their prayers fell onto deaf ears, damn the world for providing a traitorous excuse for a father and damn anyone who attempted to stand in their way.
Don’t worry Elizabeth and Harriet… I will find you… I will apologize for my stupidity… I will show you the love you both truly deserved...
Beneath a tree was where Cato woke, Thanatos providing the kind luxury of giving their plague doctor garbs despite the mental damnation. They became a man resigned to silence, believing others to be disloyal. Slowly, they rose, shedding the need for gender or libidinous desires upon their return. Death changed them, the once kindly man merely wishing to assist his people vanished. They lumbered off, searching for Harriet and Elizabeth, desperate to find their loved ones. The symptoms of their former plague were evident, their breath raspy (especially after extended periods of speech), the scars of former buboes marking their deathly pale flesh and lastly, the darkness to their mended fingers. They wandered for months, shelter being difficult on account of people’s beliefs. Plague doctors, harbingers of the terrifying disease, frightening to anybody not infected, yet, the possible solace to the plague-ridden. They travelled through various towns for a while, asking questions in hopes of discovering the location of their wife and daughter. Eventually, their presence earned the attention of a nobleman who requested their assistance. The initial interaction was met with a silent coldness from Cato as they turned away, until the nobleman offered the chance for their desires.
There was an offering to use his abilities to locate Cato’s wife and child as long as they assisted him with his wife, who recently fell ill. The noblewoman cursed and requiring constant care for the illness that plague her, but the unfamiliarity left practitioners hesitant to remain by her side. Thus started a loose definition of friendship between themself and the lord as he displayed a strange kindness, even providing them with his definition of a proper education and allowing for them to attend school to learn about practitioning. They learned plenty, Cato finding themself mildly distracted by the luxurious education; they always enjoyed learning. Although, the true curiosity became when the search parties returns, Cato always arriving to hear the news of what occurred, but alas, no information about their wife and daughter graced their ears. It was a constant pattern, study, tending to the noblewoman then hearing the misfortune of no information. They remained there for several years, the noblewoman fully recovering and Cato working silently to assist with any other ailments in the household.
They missed their family in the time, the decision to leave finally being mad when their education was completed. Thanks for the education system provided by their noble friend, they had an excellent understanding of English which would allow for smoother travels. When they informed their friend about their decision, he was upset with the notion, even going length to use everything he accomplished for Cato as leverage. The reaper simply explained that finding their family should take precedence, and it appeared unlikely they remained in France on account of the search results. Eventually, the conversation became a verbal argument, going lengths to the nobleman admitting he hid the truth. They discovered Cato’s wife had died a few years ago, while their daughter’s location remained unknown. Furious, Cato left the nobleman’s prestigious home and set out to continue the search for their beloved Elizabeth and to mourn the loss of Harriet. They gathered the information of Harriet’s grave, walking into the cemetery and looking at the dull stone.
An extensive breath travelled over their lips while they crouched down, the ability to seance being used. After a few moments, the ghostly form of their wife appeared sitting on the grave, Harriet glaring towards them, demanding to know their reason for summoning her. Cato could only stare a few moments before slowly gaining the nerve to speak. Surprise lit her features, the blonde beauty wishing she could wrap her arms around them; despite their falling out, Harriet still loved them. They exchanged words, Cato explaining they were searching for Elizabeth, but unfortunately, Harriet could not provide the information they needed. A frown touched their features as they released their wife before once again, heading off on their own and believing strangers to be untrustworthy like the nobleman. They travelled through Europe for years, attempting to find their precious Elizabeth, but to no avail. When sign language was invented, they began learning it so they could interact without speaking; the voice can give calls and their throat became sore with it.
Eventually, they were forced to give up on their search under the belief that Elizabeth was possibly happy without them; why else could they have never crossed paths? Cato shortly moved into a small house in the Lorsette wilderness. They attended university to re-learn medicine since it remained a fascination of theirs before resigning themself to a world of silence. For years, Cato lived in a small, lonely house, quietly going about their life until there was a knock at their door. They lifted an eyebrow, considering to ignore the knocks, but the strangers forced the door opened and entered. Naturally, Cato yelled at them, but unfortunately, they were hushed when they stated that name. Elizabeth Ramagi, their beloved daughter who they searched for, obvious by the photograph they provided of her. The terms were simple, work for the Assembly of Phantoms, or their daughter faced death because of their lack of compliance. Silence enveloped the room, Cato being a natural skeptic, but the group continued showing pictures, some appearing to have a stalkerish vibe, a portion even suggested the concept of capture by the Assembly of Phantoms. There were no other choices, that evening resulted in the joining of Cato Ramagi as an Assembly of Phantoms medic.
They worked under the Assembly for years, hating every second of their involvement within the terrorist group. Under the watchful eyes of the Assembly, Cato assisted in maintaining the health of their members through their medical capabilities. Oftentimes, they would assist in situations of cursed illnesses or general sickness, even going lengths to maintain an organized log of members who recovered or met their demise under Cato’s care. Occasionally, they would perform autopsies in the privacy of their home and even make poisonous concoctions for Assembly members to put to use on the battlefield. They were a quiet member, their name never getting out from beyond the members of the Assembly due to careful planning. The strange outfit they continued to wear earned them the alias Plague Doctor, members usually only using the nickname to address them.
On a chilly night in 2015, Cato had left their home with intentions to fetch a few things during the evening hours in Lorsette. They had gathered their items, even procuring their sled so they could move the items easier. The nighttime shopping had merely began when Cato decided to have a momentary break, leaning against the wall with the sled beside them; they were never strong. There was a strange sight ahead, Cato finding themself unable to hear what exactly was occurring, but their awareness for the criminal activity in the area resulted in them calmly moving into a separate alleyway. They leaned against a brick wall, peeking around the corner as curiosity entered their mind. A man with white hair approached another man who carried an unconscious individual. Cato watched for a few moments, then suddenly long bolts of electricity spouted out of the alleyway towards the white-haired man. Morbid curiosity kept them watching, until suddenly there was a jolt of pain.
They ceased watching, pressing themself against the wall while their hand reached to muffle the surprise shock. There were no assailants, yet, there was a strange sensation of muted pain, almost as though they were being shocked. The white-haired man fell while the other escaped into the night. Quietly, Cato glanced around the corner as the pain quieted, their eyes locking onto the unfortunate man who received a nasty electrocution. Vision was altered, Cato accessing their soul sensory to notice that the white-haired stranger was a spirit. The reaper approached, glancing over the misfortune, a strange desiring to assist this mere stranger suddenly being created. It was unexplainable, Cato suddenly feeling compelled to assist him; almost as though a little voice was pushing for it to be a necessity. Everything within the sled was shuffled, their unexpected discovering taking up a majority of the room while Cato precariously placed the cargo they had on top.
They began the long trek home earlier than expected, the reaper slowly tugging the sled along, wishing they had assistance. Eventually, they arrived to Cato’s home where they settled the stranger onto an open bed which was occasionally used for their patients. Throughout the evening, they tended to the stranger until he finally woke. The white-haired man became a strange presence around Cato’s house, both appearing to have resigned themselves to silence. They have been together in Cato’s small home for three years, the reaper finding their presence to be oddly soothing. Over those three years, Cato has taught the man sign language and has allowed for him to remain in the house, a little voice resenting the concept of him leaving. They continue to carry out work for the Assembly since their daughter remains in their hands.
misc
- Likes: Morbid topics, death, night, being alone, chocolate, learning about diseases, experimenting, research, reading, liquorice, tea, warm blankets, sleeping, dreams, exploring, their daughter, rain, peaceful music, pianos, playing music, writing, temperature regulating charms, magic - Dislikes: Obnoxious noises, plagues, the Assembly, manipulators, constant bothering, technology, people seeing them, hot weather, wards, excitable people, daylight, thunder/lightning, talking, self-importance, arrogance, intimacy, perverted individuals, narcissism, being touched - Fears: Bubonic plague, loud thunder, people seeing their scarred skin, intimacy - Cato works for the Assembly of Phantoms solely because they have their daughter. - Cato is fluent in French, Latin and sign languages, even finding themself capable of understanding some choice words in Spanish. - While Cato does define as agender, they generally do not care what pronouns another individual uses. Whether they are referred to as male, female or non-binary has never really bothered them. - Due to the circumstances of their death, Cato’s voice is rather raspy, suggesting the possibility of their demise from black death being connected to respiratory issues. -There are times where Cato feels stiffness in their fingers and toes because of the circumstances of their death. - Cato oftentimes prefers speaking through sign language, mostly because they believe vocalizing is useless and merely reveals hidden truths. They will only speak in the presence of requirement, frustration or individuals who have managed to get a positive relationship with them. Furthermore, talking too much can cause Cato’s sore to feel irritated very easily. - Prior to death, Cato was a gifted with immortality that allowed them to cease aging. - Their soulmate is Quentin.
roleplayer info
☆ NAME Chibi Magician
☆ RP EXPERIENCE About 7 years
☆ TIMEZONE central
☆ GENDER female
☆ AGE nineteen
☆ OTHER CHARACTERS MALAKAI MOORS FELIX MELLOBROOK NATHAN BECKARD DESMOND WILTS KAITLYNN HARRIS FRITZ JACOBS NYLA KORVICH ARLO NORWOOD EMMERSON HALOGAN YVES LEVORA UMBERTO DARIAN VYLAD ZAIDER OCTAVIO KREMLEN BRASTI VANDERFELD PRESTON CLARK ZURIEL MARLINE PERSEPHONE ROSE LACHLAN FRAISER ALIANA LA ROSA CLYDE VELLESE ABEL MCCROFT HARRISON ACASTER WREN
☆ FACE CLAIM SCP FOUNDATION, SCP-049 (Plague Doctor)
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THIS CHARACTER BELONGS TO CHIBI MAGICIAN. DO NOT STEAL.
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credits
The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
Special thanks for the members of TDOM who make suggestions to help make this site better. Even though we can not accept all suggestions, we immensely appreciate it. Thus, we give credit to any additions that you thought of and were later implimented by the staff, because we are glad you give us these excellent ideas.
