Margulis

Player Information

Name: Jess
Age: 30
Contact details: #firebenderjess#1255 or firebenderjess
Other characters: Vexen

Character Information

Name: Margulis
Canon: Xenosaga
Canon Point: Post-death
OU/AU/CRAU/OC: OU
Age: 45

World Information: Margulis is from a universe originally much like the real world, in a time thousands of years before the events of canon. At some point in the 21st century, an boject dubbed the Zohar was discovered, eventually propelling humanity into the stars. But while humans colonized countless other planets, the location of Earth was lost to history. The exodus also resulted in the development of a new race of humans characterized by a hereditary connection to the Zohar, dubbed the Immigrant Fleet.

Now, humans live alongside artificial lifeforms known as Realians, genetically engineered ‘Life Recycling Variants’, and even cyborgs and androids. Most populated planets are under the rule of a galactic Federation that many of the Immigrant Fleet view as oppressive and homogenizing. Meanwhile, all of humanity is menaced by other-dimensional monsters called the Gnosis, which first appeared during experiments on the Zohar. For a more detailed timeline and description of organizations, see the wiki

Personal History: Wiki link for the first and third games.

The second game, in addition to revealing Margulis' backstory, also gave him an expanded role in the present day. With MOMO and the Y-data on Second Miltia, he sent two of his subordinates to attempt to retrieve her. When that failed, he waited for Albedo's plan to play through...and play through it did, resulting in the re-emergence of Old Miltia.

With the return of the lost planet began a race to reach it. Margulis started the U-TIC fleet toward it without a moment's hesitation, intent on beating the Federation there. While he was the first one there and was confident that the force sent to stop him couldn't do anything, he still went to face them personally. There he discovered, to his delight, that Jin Uzuki had gotten himself involved in this conflict again. After some heated banter, the two fought for the first time in fourteen years. Though Margulis seemed to have the upper hand at first due to Jin's long years of retirement, his rival eventually came out on top, forcing Margulis to retreat.

Despite that, Patriarch Sergius successfully activated the Omega System in the depths of planet Miltia. The enormous weapon destroyed the planet on emergence, as if it were hatching from an egg, and it seemed as if Sergius' Ormus was now unstoppable. But the same group that had interfered on Miltia infiltrated the Omega System and broke through its defenses. Sergius, concerned that these people could actually be a threat, asked Margulis to dispose of them for him. Margulis, however, refused, finally admitting to his treachery and taking great enjoyment in betraying the old man he'd plotted against for at least a decade and a half.

With Margulis' refusal to aid him, Sergius fell, along with the Omega System. Albedo awoke the entity known as U-DO in its place, but that wasn't Margulis' concern, although it did lead to the URTV's death at the hands of his brother...an event Margulis likely knew was coming, as he seemed to be among the few who was actually capable of understanding Albedo's motivations and desires. But despite, or maybe even because, of that, Margulis paid Albedo's death no mind, instead helping the new Patriarch Heinlein take his place, thus setting the scene for episode III.

Personality: Cold passion is the best way to describe the core of what drives Margulis. He is a man of conviction and little mercy, making decisions based on practicality rather than morality. This is not, however, because he doesn't care. When he has a goal, he puts his entire being into achieving it and places it above all other priorities, risking his own life and those of others without a second thought.

On an individual scale, he is strict and often impersonal. He refers to people by surnames when he has reason to mention them individually, and in most cases doesn't bother with personal address at all. The exception is people who have made an impression on him. If someone manages to earn his genuine respect, he shows a more caring side, potentially even becoming somewhat invested in that person's safety. At the same time, he expects more of that person, placing more responsibility on their shoulders as his way of showing faith in their abilities.

Regardless of his personal opinion, he tends toward formality. Even his speech patterns carry an archaically stiff tone that sets him apart from most others. Despite this, he does show a distinct, if sarcastic, sense of humor and a strong dramatic streak. In fact, part of the reason for his archaic speech patterns may well be the impression they make.

The reason for his callousness toward people in general and distance even from individuals is actually fairly simple. His experiences with his world's culture of oppression and greed has destroyed his faith in humanity, convincing him that only a handful of people are worthwhile and the rest are useless. This is compounded with the great focus he has on the idea of individual motivation and will in a world that has largely grown complacent. This does, however, result in him taking a keen interest in those he sees promise in.

Another aspect of his harsh treatment of others has been arrogance and pride, but that has been tempered somewhat by discovering Wilhelm's manipulation. While still prideful and confident in his own abilities, he is no longer blind to his own faults. He acknowledges that he can be wrong and make mistakes and is less likely to follow orders or accept claims unquestioningly. Of course, tempered is not negated. His pride demanded he settle the score with an old rival, and his pride, along with the heavy influence of the tenets of Bushido on his upbringing, demanded he pay for his crimes with his life.

Wilhelm's revelation also broke him, to a large extent. With an unwillingness to ignore what he'd learned and return to his old ways but an inability to move on and find a new direction, he lost his will to live. The discovery has also left him questioning himself and even more bitter than before, believing his life's ambition to be hopeless and the many deplorable acts he's committed in the belief that they would serve the greater good worthless.

And it is the greater good that he thought he was serving. Despite his disgust with humanity, his goal has always been the betterment of the human race. From his ultimate goal of returning to mankind's homeland of Earth to his habit of taking in others who don't have a place in normal society and show traits he considers promising to even the unethical experiments he sacrificed billions of lives on, everything he's done has been in the hopes of leading humanity away from the dead end he sees them moving toward.

Also unusual is his open-mindedness with regards to non-humans and modified humans. While the rest of his organization seemed to show distaste or distrust for modified humans, he himself treats them no differently from anyone else and even befriended a super soldier he'd rescued from the cruelty of the Federation legal system. While artificial humans are often treated as objects, he outright refers to them as people. He is a man of many faults, but irrational biggotry is not one of them.

Key themes: Pride and the fall, the road to Hell being paved with good intentions, dangers of blind devotion

Main Motivation: Though once a man of passion and drive, the scope and nature of Heinlein’s betrayal has crippled his sense of self-worth. If he has any true motivation at this point, it’s to see to it that others don’t repeat his mistakes...and, if it were possible, to see Wilhelm pay for his cold manipulations.

Skills: Swordsmanship: Margulis is, quite frankly, almost impossibly good with a sword. In an era of common beam weapons, he fights so effectively with a blade that he's capable of holding his own against enemies with even the most modern equipment.

Physical Enhancements: Part of the reason he's so absurdly dangerous with a sword is the fact that he is stronger and faster than any normal human by far. He can easily tear through concrete with his sword and can most likely slice through armored metal as well, as his rival who leans less toward physical strength than him can do the same. In terms of speed, he can step to the side quickly enough to leave an after image without even seeming to move, almost giving the illusion that he can teleport short distances. On top of that, he's shown to be able to jump to the top of a city building in a single leap from a standing position with little to no real difficulty.

Ethers: Ethers are his most versatile ability, functioning like typical video game magic. His specialty is fire and lightning, focused heavily on offense. His main use of this is to engulf his blade in flames or attack from a distance, but he's also capable of rendering himself briefly immune to either fire or lightning and using the energy from any such attack to heal existing wounds. They're also most likely the source of his physical enhancements. His most powerful, and unique, abilities are creating a fully solid and identical duplicate of himself to essentially be in two places at once, and a series of four Ethers that, when cast in order, will indefinitely immobilize all targets in his general vicinity.

Connection to the Zohar: While it's incredibly unlikely that it will come up in the setting, Margulis nevertheless has a mental connection to a powerful relic in his universe called the Zohar, giving him the ability to activate or deactivate it through pure will.

Strategy: As a long-time military leader, Margulis has shown incredible cunning and long-term planning skills. He can keep up with, and even occasionally outwit, even organizations led by super soldiers with enhanced intelligence.

Subterfuge: Despite seeming straightforward, Margulis was once a spy, and retains his skills in terms of deception and misdirection.

Item: A Connection Gear, a handheld computer with a holographic interface. With access to the UMN, it can shrink and store objects at the planck scale. While it cannot do so without UMN access, it will contain: a saber reinforced to be able to withstand super strength and cutting through titanium, an Ice Wall bracelet that counters his weakness to cold, a Blue Ring that further enhances his strength, a Purple ring that enhances his Ether strength, and his usual clothing (fireproof and armored).

Sample: Link

Notes: I’m willing to plot if there’s anything that would make his connection to the Zohar and U-DO relevant, given the Zohar’s nature as basically a doorway to beyond and above the known universe.