Mikhail Novikov - Euthanatos

Voice actor (bass/tenor) Mark Schmal:  http://www.bodalgo.com/voices/mark-schmal/demos/mark-schmal2.mp3

Русский:  Михаил Иванович Новиков - "Миша"
English:  Mikhail Ivanovich Novikov - "Misha"
Handle/Alias: Alexei Volkovoy

Tradition: Euthanatos
Faction: Knights of Radamanthys
Avatar: Primordial

Resonance
Dynamic:  Forceful
Entropic: Hungering
Static: Rhythmic

Vast and clarion and pulse-pounding as the yearnings of a predator traipsing through a snowy wood, stalking (lusting) after the scent of meal or mate.  Depending on mood it may be cold and clinical - or (alternately) instinctual and sexual.  Sex-death duality is a powerful paradigm even among those who sleep, a primal undercurrent throughout human history that even modern media cannot fully sanitize.

General stats

Born:  October 31, 1976
Age:  37 (as of setting)
Height: 6'8"
Weight: ~250lbs
Body Type:  Densely muscular - "work" or "compound" muscle, not gym bulky.  Broad shoulders and chest, powerful legs and arms suggest a balance of athleticism and strength.

Physical Condition: Very fit.
Eye Color: Heterochromic - light grey irises with bright gold interpupillary rings
Hair Color and Style: Black - slightly grown out from a military crew cut

Physiognomy:
To say that Mikhail Novikov is foreign is like remarking upon the height of ancient spruce or the breadth of the Arctic sea in deepest winter.  Towering above the average, a callused hand from seven feet, he is broad of shoulder, torso and limb, corded with strength honed through tribulation.  Like the stalking wolf, he moves with uncommon grace and martial economy.  

The Russian's gaze, like his stride, can be unsettlingly predatory.  Stormcloud-grey, ringed about the pupils with a shock of brilliant gold, his eyes are piercing in spite of the hooded languor bestowed by heavy lids and brooding brow.  He seems trapped somewhere between bestial atavism and efficient modernism: primal, peregrine, powerful, purposeful.  

Mikhail generally sports a goatee, if not several days' worth of coarse stubble in addition.  So dark a black as to seem nearly blue, his hair has grown out considerably from what was once a military crew-cut.  Still, it provides less than a handhold in a fight.

His face is almost eerily symmetrical. High cheekbones, full lips and an aquiline nose are not entirely out of place in the pale, craggy image of a Slavic bygone.

While a suit flatters his frame, he favors practical, rugged clothing and gear, whether for combat or for casual use.  What he owns is maintained with punctilious, nearly ritual care, as with his health and hygiene.

Distinguishing Features:
1. Height
2. Eyes
3: Scarring:  Hypertrophic evidence of injuries long since healed, silvery-purplish against the healthy cast of skin.  A jagged slash gouges from his sternum along the left border of his ribcage; another mottles the upper curve of his right shoulder toward his neck; another cuts a distinctive pock on his back beneath his left shoulder-blade.

Physical Imperfections/Would Like Most to Change:
1. Mikhail is proud of his scars; they indicate that he survived.  

Characteristic Gestures:
1.  Thumb and forefinger stroking stubble
2.  Shoulder rolling, standing straight
3.  Jaw clenching
4.  Cracking knuckles/wrists/neck

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Family Background/Lineage:
Race:  Slavic
Religion:  None/Soviet Atheist -> Slavophile mystic
 
Mother - Anya, b. 1955, d. 1992
Father - Ivan, b. 1953, d. 1992
Brother - Pyotr, b. 1976 (twin), missing 1990, presumed dead.

- His family was comprised of simple folk living as natives in the lands spanning the Solovetsky Islands and what became Arkhangelsk Oblast for generations.  They were hunters, trappers, fishermen and later loggers.  In spite of such a rural upbringing, Mikhail's parents instilled manners alongside respect for the land.

- The Novikovs did not move into the modern 20th century until the 1950s, during which the Communist government expanded internal operations post World War II.

- Mikhail's grandfathers fought in WWII - battle of Stalingrad most notably.

- Mikhail had little technology exposure beyond his father's rusted military surplus vehicle until he was forced to attend school.  

- Compulsory Soviet education began at age 5 and continued until at least 16, imparting mandatory bilingualism (Russian/Slavic root languages and English in his case) and important work skills.

Skills, Abilities, and Talents:
1. "Russian" dancing
2. Juggling, knife throwing
3. Bass to basso profondo singing voice (usually only when drunk and not always in tune)
4.  Alcohol tolerance.

Areas of Expertise (outside of/augmented by formal training):
1.  Wilderness survival: camp setup, "stealth fires," lean-tos, etc  
2.  Fishing; hunting, tracking, trapping, killing and processing large and small game
3.  Basic northern hemisphere herbalism
4. Campfire cooking


Military Experience: Extensive.

Severodvinsk military education (‘University’)
Military “theory” and tactics - insurgency and counterinsurgency
Boot Camp during Spetznaz “unconventional training” era, early/mid 1990s
Active duty - Chechnya, guerrilla/urban warfare
Skilled in use of small arms, blades and makeshift weaponry as well as rifles (kalashnikov/saiga burst-fire)
More recently, serving as a mercenary hired out to other Traditions and chantries as a sentinel, bodyguard, or simply brute force.

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Mentor:

"Twenty years ago, if you had told me I would be roaming the world with a Chechen doctor-martial artist-scholar--much less of the Dudaev presidential family--I might have called you crazy or asked you where you got your vodka.

He is a good man.  A friend.  And most entertaining when intoxicated."


Supernaturals? Met them/hate them/indifferent?

Mikhail has a special hatred for certain types of vampires - particularly those who actively subdue the wills of mortals.  The events of the Week of Nightmares, the Shadow Curtain, and Baba Yaga's growing influence were not lost on even the stalwart militant.  

Just the same, he has an affinity for wolf- and bear-kin, perhaps owing to some sixteen years living in the wilds of northern Russia, or perhaps to the nature of his Avatar.  He respects garou by and large, but he will not hesitate to fight them if need be.

Still, he keeps an open mind, contrary to stereotypes.  Time, experience, trial and error have taught him that things are oftentimes more than they seem.

Avatar:
Late autumn flames scorch the bones of summer, making way for winter hush and the nascent, sleeping promise of spring.  

Veles - Slavic god of earth, harvest and rebirth in direct conflict with his brother Perun, god of sky, heaven and spirit.  

An entity of virility and hunger, this creature most often appears as a massive, shaggy wolf.  Its size is always above average, though depending upon the viewer (and depending on the exaggerating qualities of fear) it may be intimidatingly enormous.  Its thick coat is so dark that it seems to draw light in, leaving the impression of magma flowing beneath a skin of black basalt, earth rendered down into primordial elements.  Its eyes are a pair of glowing embers, ever watching.  


Short-Term Goals:
1. Become better acquainted with America.  He has not had as much opportunity as he would have liked in the past six months.
2. Report back to mentor and European contacts on the mission failure within New York.  The situation is larger and far worse than they anticipated.
3. Make as many contacts as possible in this new location.  The larger one's network of acquaintances and friends, the better.  

Long-Term Goals:
1.  Investigate Dudaev’s teachings and paradigm.  There must be a reason why he is chronically late, but somehow always precisely where he is needed.
2.  Find evidence of brother’s disappearance, death or survival.  Ultimately, not knowing may be better, but that does not dampen his intent.
3.  Strike out and explore the North American continent.  The United States and its allies were oftentimes vilified, as is common of revisionist and biased history, with little spoken as to the diversity of its resources and people.  

Short-Term Needs:
1.  Shelter/base of operations. Contacts are scattered by current events.
2.  A good, strong drink, preferably with companionship.
3.  Time to decompress; what is happening in New York is entirely too familiar.  Perhaps parsing it into words will help.


Long-Term Needs:
1.  Re-building a social network.  Much of his was decimated by current events.
2.  To expand his understanding - not just cosmologically but of the world as a whole.  Living in such an indoctrinated society for so long certainly put a damper on exploration.
3.  Focus.  It is difficult to attain when one is being pulled in multiple directions - in many senses of the phrase.  Persistent and recurring traumas, in addition, have left the shadows of post-traumatic stress.  He has struggled for the last twelve years to better master their echoes and it will likely be a life-long endeavor.  

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General Personality Type:
Introvert/Extrovert:  Extroverted for the most part, Mikhail can be quite gregarious beyond cultural formalities, even with individuals he has just met.  However, that is not to say that he requires constant contact with others; he oftentimes strikes out on his own to clear his head-space.

In many cases, Russians are not open or warm in public, leading to the stereotype that they are joyless or cold or all stolidly introverted.  Mikhail is matter of fact and direct, if still courteous; he does not shy from asserting himself in conversation or in other activity.

Friendly interactions are reserved for friends.  He doesn’t go about his day with a vapid, insipid, meaningless smile plastered onto his face for others’ comfort.  

Quirks:
1. Observes a strange custom of sitting in his home, hotel, base of operations, etc, for 30 seconds to 1 minute before embarking.  It’s an old superstition meant to ward off disaster.
2.  Mikhail has quite the appetite in many senses of the word.  If others are uninterested in their fare, he'll offer to take it off of their hands.

Eccentricities:
1.Tends to (stealthily) take people's scent.

Favorite Pet Sayings, Words, Idiolect:
1.  малютка - malyutka - "little one" in Russian

Speaking Style:  Situational.
Forthright and courteous at times, forceful and curt in others.
Increasingly eloquent and metaphorical in the company of friends and/or alcohol.

Temperament: Controlled, at least to a point. Self-assured and brash with the air of capability.

Method of Handling Anger or Rage (Repress, throw things, etc):  
It depends upon the situation.  He can be extremely patient with people, harnessing frustration and repressing irritation.  He might even laugh along with the individual in question.

When truly angry, however, he’s a force to be reckoned with.  Out go the games of courtesy, playful pique and sensuality, replaced by a terrifying, cold focus.  In between clipped, cutting remarks, the threat of violence brims from every action.  

Admirable Traits:
1. Loyal - to a fault. Those who prove themselves have earned a protector.
2. Energetic, passionate (in goals and in love)
3.  Willful, determined
4.  Clear communicator.

Negative Traits:
1.  Can be jealous, resentful, vengeful, unforgiving.
2.  Often obstinate
3.  Often compulsive and secretive
4.  Can be obsessive over goals  

Bad Habits/Vices:
1.  Smoking/Drinking.  He is more of a social smoker - it's rare for him to smoke when on his own.  
2.  Gambling--particularly with games of chance.  The real gamble is whether he can pull off a win without incurring paradox or the wrath of sleepers.
3.  Carnal pursuits.  The life of a soldier of fortune is one of constant motion.  It is not uncommon for Mikhail to take a bed partner for a night or two, then depart (although sometimes he is welcome back).  


Prejudices:
Mikhail keeps an open mind about most things, but there are still a number of stereotypes and preconceived notions that persist.
1.  Classism.  Those who are wealthy who have never had to work to accrue their wealth are viewed as soft and weak (and dangerous in that weakness) until they prove otherwise.  They are also most likely to fall prey to Pentex and other corporations - or be puppets of the Technocracy.  While they are financially salient they are morally bankrupt.  
2.  Vampires (and those who would willingly submit to vampires).  Perhaps this is understandable given his experiences in Russia while the Shadow Curtain was drawn.   He harbors a deep-seated distrust for them, doubly so for those who would become their servants.
3.  Certain gender roles still exist for Mikhail, at least to some degrees.  Women (and those smaller/FAR younger than he) can prove themselves to be quite strong physically and otherwise, but he still works to protect them.  


Pet Peeves and Gripes:
1.  Being called "Comrade" - enough said.  
“In Soviet Russia” jokes have gotten old already.
2.  Poor equipment maintenance - the quality of one’s gear is life or death.  If someone does not maintain their equipment, they (and likewise those who depend on them) are at risk.
3.  Affront taken for courtesy - those who become angry with him for holding the door or offering a seat are insulting and confusing.

Things That Make Uncomfortable or Embarrassed:
1.  Calling his intelligence--or his education--into question touches on a nerve.  He was expected to be educated, but that education was in large part indoctrination.  He knows he can play the part of the big, dumb meathead and uses such underestimation to his advantage - but it still rankles.
2.  Meaning (his or others) lost or misunderstood in translation.  No matter how fluent you are in a language, it is always possible to misspeak.  
3.  Being around children is rather discomfiting.  

Traumas, Pains and other Defining Events

1.  The loss of his brother was absolutely staggering. He spent the entirety of his life to that point sharing everything with his twin: sleeping quarters, meals, days of mischief and terror inflicted on classmates and teachers alike. They had their own twin idioglossia and were inseparable. Then one winter night, without warning, he was simply gone.

His parents, the townsfolk and others seemed to presume he was dead. Some sense suggested otherwise to Mikhail, but the others' defeat and acceptance in the face of such proved crushing.

2. The loss of his parents was swift and brutal.  His mother was slain during a riot around dwindling supplies.  His father, unable to cope with the loss, ended his own life.

3. The war in Chechnya was nothing short of brutal.  For much of it, he was sidelined, standing guard and watching flanks as the more experienced and decorated in his unit raped and butchered civilians.

He does not speak often of the horrors inflicted on both sides of the conflict.  Fitful sleep, however, reveals more than intended.

4.  Awakening is almost always a traumatic experience for those destined to walk the path of entropy.


Ever Been Arrested?
1.  Yes, sort of--placed in chains for disobeying a direct order, aiding a civilian’s escape.  

Political or Social Issues Most Important To Character:
1.  Traditions at war with one another (either silently or openly) rather than pooling resources to face the more pressing threat of annihilation by the Technocracy.
2.  Russian reconstruction after the decimation of Mages and others.  Even more than a decade later, the country struggles, sleepers and Awakened alike.

Fears:
1.  Every good soldier, every fighter worth his salt, has some fear of death.  It keeps the respect for life healthy, the instincts sharp, the mind focused.  Death by valor is a way to get everyone around you killed.
2.  Failure in his protective duties - to himself and others.
3.  Accruing so much Jhor in his travels and in his line of work that he becomes a menace to others - that he must be hunted down by his own kind.  

Mental Disturbances:
1.  Sadism. Enjoys causing an enemy a great deal of pain to extract information.  This treatment is reserved for those who truly deserve it.

Milder by degrees, blending with affection, he will tease his closer acquaintances and friends.

This extends to consensual sexual encounters, if it is the partner's desire.

Hobbies:
1.  Geometric and fractal sketches - representative of the order within chaos and the chaos within pattern
2. Fishing for leisure.  What’s better than leisure you can eat?
3.  Antler whittling and small bone carving.


Interests:
1.  Travel:  Russia is an enormous country, but travel was limited during much of his time there for a variety of reasons.  The world is accessible now, more so than ever.  It behooves him to take advantage of that.
2.  Culture: Not everywhere was subject to the same indoctrination.  The way others live, the way others think, is fascinating.
3.  Language:  What better way to understand all of the above than with learning their language?  Language for combat is one thing; learning the enemy's speech is and was necessary.  Learning language for leisure, however... is a luxury indeed.

Drinks Alcohol: Yes.  Vodka is a favorite, but he’s always up for experimenting with local swill.

Favorite Physical Attributes in Opposite Sex:
1.  Mikhail appreciates a woman in robust good health, particularly with curves
2.  Height - most women are considerably shorter than he; he enjoys the size difference
3.  Other contrasts--most have far smoother skin, and though they may be quite muscular are generally considerably softer.  Long hair is an indulgence few can afford in times of physical combat.  Even tousled and work-sweaty it can be quite attractive.

Physical Attributes About Character that Turn on Opposite Sex:
1.  His size - by proximity and sheer mass alone he tends to make his partners feel quite safe without posing an affront to their independence.
2. Physical strength - he has the capacity to put his lover where he wants them, even women who consider themselves too large to be lifted, much less pinned up against a wall or some other vertical surface.
3.  The symmetry and exotic cast of his face can also be quite attractive, a chivalrous and gentlemanly mien barely restraining the beast beneath the surface.  


Sexual Turn-Ons:
1.  A game of chase - anticipation.  It’s always more fun when there’s a hunt.
2.  Outspoken desire and confidence, particularly in an intelligent partner.
3.  Biting, being bitten, marking and otherwise being marked by a partner.


Sexual Turn-Offs:
1.  Poor health - if the opportunity is there to take care of oneself, why not?  Laziness in life leaves no energy for libido.
2.  Desperation, clinginess, possessiveness  (especially prematurely)
3.  Undeserved submission.  He can understand a lack of experience, but surrendering too readily is both suspicious and disappointing.