Entry tags:
Tezcatlipoca App
Player Information
» Name: Paul E
» Date of Birth: 05/28/1983
» Journal: no personal journal
» Contact: AIM: ulap83@hotmail.com Email: drdoom83@hotmail.com
Deity Information
» Pantheon: Mayan
» Deity: Tezcatlipoca
» Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tezcatlipoca, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Suns, http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/gods/god-of-the-month-tezcatlipoca, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/589535/Tezcatlipoca
» Divine Family: {father and mother} Ometeotl; {spouse} none known; {brothers} Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, Xipe Totec, and Xolotl; {children} none known
» Mythology:
Tezcatlipoca is a major deity within Mesoamerican mythology. His name translates as "Smoking Mirror", in connection with how the Aztecs made their mirrors, obsidian. He was one of the four sons of the androgynous creator deity, Ometeotl, along with his brothers: Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilpochli, and Xipe Toltec, each of whom ruled over the four cardinal directions. He had a massive array of divine portfolios, including the night sky, the night winds, hurricanes, the north, the earth, obsidian, enmity, discord, rulership, divination, temptation, jaguars, sorcery, beauty, war, strife, and change through conflict. He was often depicted as having a black and yellow horizontal stripe across his face, a connection to his animal companion, the jaguar, which he has also been depicted as being able to transform into. Another distinct feature is his missing right foot, which is depicted as being replaced by either a smoking mirror or a bone. The running theme of a smoking mirror is also sometimes depicted as being on his chest, rather than his foot. Other accounts describe him as being invisible, which ties into his reputation as being an almost omni-present god. Certain portrayals heavily emphasize black as his signature color with certain parts of his body being that color.
One of the defining myths involving Tezcatlipoca involves his literal world-destroying rivalry with Quetzalcoatl. In the beginning after the four brothers were born, they attempted to create a world. However, each time they tried the mass would be destroyed by the giant earth-crocodile, Cipactli, the only other thing in existence aside from the ocean at the time. Tezcatlipoca used his own foot as bait, allowing Cipactli to eat it. This distracted her enough for Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl to bind her and then use her body as the foundation of the First World. However their world was dark and needed a sun, so Tezcatlipoca would become the sun, but only for half the day either due to his position as god of the night or his own missing foot. Later, along with their brothers, they would create the giants and the other gods, including the rain god, Tlaloc, and the lake goddess, Chalchiuhtlicue. However a rivalry developed between Quetzalcoatl and his brother in which Quetzalcoatl knocked his brother from the sky, thus darkening the world that no longer had a sun. In retaliation, Tezcatlipoca commanded his jaguars to devour the world's people. This ended the First World.
Beginning a pattern, despite their rivalry, the two brother would work together to create a new world, known as the Second World. This time Quetzalcoatl served as the sun and a new people who were created to replace the giants, normal-sized humans. However this creation would prove to be flawed as this new people began to become less civilized and ceased devotion to the gods. To showcase his power in spite of his brother's position as the sun, Tezcatlipoca utilized his status as the god of sorcery and judgement to transform this new people into monkeys as punishment. However, Quetzalcoatl had been fond of the people, despite their flaws, and in his rage at what Tezcatlipoca had done, summoned a hurricane that destroyed the transformed people. Quetzalcoatl would step down from being the sun in order to create a new people to replace the one he had destroyed.
Tlaloc would become the next sun, but this was halted when Tezcatlipoca stole Tlaloc's wife, Xochiquetzal, the goddess of sex, which drove Tlaloc into an apathetic depression. The people constantly prayed for rain, which Tlaloc was in no mood to give to them. Finally snapping after the constant mortal "pestering", Tlaloc caused the world to rain constantly in fire, destroying the third world and forcing the gods to rebuild again. Tlaloc was replaced as sun by his new wife, Chalchiuhtlicue. She proved to be a benevolent sun who loved the people, however once again Tezcatlipoca would sabotage a new world. Tezcatlipoca told her that she did not truly love the people, but rather acted as if she did so out of a selfish need for their adulation. So distraught by this possibility, Chalchiuhtlicue cried tears of blood endlessly for fifty-two years, drowning the fourth world. Not accepting the loss of life, Quetzalcoatl stole the bones of the dead people from the god of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, bathed the bones in his own blood, and resurrected them. Afterwards the god, Huitzilopochtli, became the new sun. Despite attempts by others to wrest his title from him, it was his tenure as the sun that finally stabilized with the Fifth World. However Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl would remain important figures as they, Huitzilopochtli, and Tlaloc would be worshiped as the principle deities of the Aztec people from the 14th century to the 16th. The traditional opposition remained, an example of which can be seen in their mutual portfolio of sacrifice: Tezcatlipoca who preferred human sacrifice while Quetzalcoatl opposed the need for fatal ones.
This rivalry was also depicted by the Toltec people, in whose mythos the gods were treated as reborn mortals. Tezcatlipoca had been a court sorcerer in the city of Tollan and had also introduced blood sacrifice to the region. However Quetzalcoatl would arrive in the city and would teach the people a variety of skills that won them away from Tezcatlipoca's more brutal methods. Quetzalcoatl would become the city's spiritual leader, but Tezcatlipoca was determined to bring him down. Gaining the support of the local king's daughter, Tezcatlipoca gained access to the holy temple and placed a magical mirror within. When Quetzalcoatl looked at it, it portrayed him as being ugly. Tezcatlipoca would return in disguise and offer Quetzalcoatl a way to rejuvenate himself through a magical potion. However, instead of the desired effect, it drove Quetzalcoatl into a drunken state in which he went so far as to sleep with his own sister. Disgraced in the eyes of the people, Quetzalcoatl was cast into exile.
In spite of his often evil nature, Tezcatlipoca did have his more benevolent aspects. He was said to preside over what were known as "young men's houses", schools in which children of common origin received both an elementary education as well as military training. He also championed slaves and their importance in society. His dogma demanded they be treated well because of their role as sacrifices, and slaves were often referred to as "Tezcatlipoca’s beloved children.” This was also reflected in the sacrifice of prisoners of war. The man in question would be treated like royalty until the day of the sacrifice where his heart would be removed. He was also generous towards those who followed a virtuous path, granting riches and fame, but would send sickness and induce poverty and slavery upon those who committed criminal acts.
While most heavily worshiped by the Aztecs, there are references to him in several other cultures in the area including the Olmecs and the Mayans. In the Popol Vuh, a historical narrative of the K'iche' Maya of Guatemala, he bears strong similarities to their war god, Tohil, whose name means "obsidian". There are also strong similarities to the modern Mayanist interpretation of "God K", sometimes known as K'awi, who is portrayed as having a smoking obsidian knife in his forehead as well as a missing foot replaced with a snake. These can be seen as references to Tezcalipoca's title as the Smoking Mirror and the foot he sacrificed to create the world.
Character Information
» Played By: Shawn Roberts
» Journal:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
smoking_jaguar
» Current Name: Hector Barone
» Birthdate: 11/22/1984
» Height: 6'4"
» Distinguishing Marks: Is pale-complected, though still healthy-looking. His eyes shift into a red, catlike state in response to the intensity of his emotions. He often wears sunglasses to offset this. Has a jaguar tattooed on his back.
» Family: {mother & father} Cynthia (alive) and Rodrigo Barone (alive); {marital status/spouse} none; {siblings} none; children} none; {pets} none
» Occupation: President of Smoking Mirror, tobacco company
» Currently Residing In: Dallas, Texas
» Ability:
Hector has the ability to transform either into a full-sized jaguar or have his human form take on feline characteristics. In the latter form his eyes take on a red, catlike countenance. His fingers gain claws as do his feet. Even outside this state his senses are enhanced beyond the human norm, though it's far greater in his mixed and jaguar forms. He also possesses an innate empathy with wild felines and they will not harm him.
His second ability is the power to assume a form of living smoke. He controls every aspect of his being in this form and has all the properties of regular smoke. As a result he can use this as a means of crawling through small spaces such as locked doors or other tight openings. His primary mode of travel in this form is flight, which he is capable of doing even in natural winds due to his status as a hurricane god. However, winds created by another god effect his form as if it were natural smoke. He could even choke someone to death in his smoke fumes if given the time.
Limit: Hector cannot use both his smoke and jaguar powers at the same time, nor does he retain his enhanced jaguar senses while in smoke form. Plus he must transform back into his human form first before transitioning to one of his other forms. Ex. As smoke he must become human again in order to become a jaguar.
UPDATED ABILITIES: Tezcatlipoca: Can now induce feelings of discord in mortal beings at will. The effort is greater if directed at a godling.
» History:
His only reincarnation is in the modern era, born as Hector Barone in Dallas, Texas to Rodrigo Barone a man of mixed Honduran-Caucasian descent, and Cynthia, his full-blooded white mother. Born a pale complected child, Hector showed little of his Hispanic heritage growing up and was often tormented by the children in his mostly Latino neighborhood for being a "white kid." His parents were individuals of deep Catholic faith, though Hector himself did not share in their sentiment. Where was God when bullies tormented him? Where was God when the rich sat on their laurels while the poor languished in the streets. As a result, Hector became someone who was determined to change his circumstances for himself without depending on anyone else to do it, becoming something of an unpious agnostic. He believed something greater than Man existed, but he believed that being failed at his job. He began to feel a sense off duty, that it was up to him to change the order of things. As if it was something he had always been meant to do.
As he grew up he took to studying the different class levels within the city and who held the real power. This would go from a hobby to a lifelong project. He realized it was not the local government that held the most sway, but a local tobacco company that held considerable sway over the city's political decisions. Deciding this was where he would start, Hector began to study business and economics to prepare himself for his task. Upon graduation from college he entered the company's service. Through cunning, efficiency, and a devotion to the organization's prosperity and expansion, Hector climbed the ranks until he was a top aide to the company's president. In this position, Hector learned as much as he could about those within the company's power structure: Who was dead weight? Who was just another parasite? Who was so arrogant as not realize where their profits came from? Soon Hector had information on everyone, as well the confidence of the aging company president who recommended the young man take his place. When the inevitable protests came up over this "upstart", Hector was well equipped to blackmail several people into signing there shares and resigning lest they be publicly disgraced.
With his power secured, he set about replacing the departed executive with people more in line with his way of thinking, or at least those he knew their place on the food chain. Yes, he was at the top of the mountain, but that didn't mean he didn't respect the other cogs of the machine. Pay went up for the deserving, the lazy were fired, workers of merit previously ignored were allowed to have their talents utilized in a more appropriate position as well as fools in higher positions being cast down to something more fitting, and laborers' conditions improved dramatically. While benevolent on the surface, in truth it was very pragmatic. If every strata of a company works well, then the company as a whole is better for it. Everyone serves in their proper place. Sometimes you simply had to weed out those that didn't belong and put them where they should be. Hector would expand this philosophy to Dallas as a whole, becoming something of a philanthropist to the city's downtrodden. After all, they were his best customers, and perhaps the single most important class of the company's system. Through economic connections he influenced the local politicians to enact policies more in line with his way of thinking. While he couldn't rid himself of all those he felt disruptive to the new-class system he was building for the city, he was content to be patient.
One day he began to have strange bursts of dreams. Visions that were in line with his ideals, albeit greatly diminished from an ancient past. In the course of several days he began to manifest inhuman abilities. First he learned he could take on the characteristics of a jaguar, and later even a jaguar himself. The day after this realization he also learned that he could transform himself into a being of living smoke. By the week's end he managed to piece the visions together, realizing they were in fact memories of a past life. He had been an ancient god, Tezcatlipoca. While not a full god yet, his ambitions grew as a result of this revelation. He had made progress in Dallas, perhaps it was time to expand. Under the new name of Smoking Mirror, a play off his old title, he launched an expansion of the franchise, taking over smaller companies in order to build his company into a formidable corporation which ties growing among many politicians throughout the United States. His empire was growing bit by bit, and while he ruled over the interlinking classes of the web he was creating, he was not a true king yet. That would come later.
» Personality:
Hector is a man of infinite pragmatism. He will deal with those he despises just as readily as those he adores for the simple means of using the former until he can finally dispense with them. Like in his godly life, Hector is a man of emotional contradictions. On one hand he can be absolutely ruthless to those that get in his way, slight him, whose actions are anathema to his way of thinking, or those whose power he covets. Humanity has allowed him a certain degree of control over these darker urges and allows him to consider the consequences of going too far with potential revenge.
On the other hand he is capable of acts of great kindness, particularly toward the lower classes of society. He funds several soup kitchens and homeless shelters as well as funding several support organizations to help people get jobs. However he also sees this as an investment. Strengthening the self-worth and conditions of the lower class so they can become productive members of the pyramid of classes he's building. The lowest rung is the foundation after all, and it needs to be strong. Of a less manipulative nature, he is genuinely fond of those who work for him whom he feels exemplify the ideals of the class in which they belong and rewards those who exemplify these virtues.
On the other hand he can be harsh to those who fail in their responsibility to the rank within the corporate structure and doesn't hesitate to punish them with pay-cuts, demotion, or firing. Those who outright betray him feel his wrath, particularly if it was someone he felt had abused their position for their own benefit at the expense of the "corporate society" and did not live up to the standards of their class. These people are often not only fired, but blackballed from the industry using either real, or false charges cleverly created as a means to make sure the person has no chance to corrupt the structure again.
Outside of his miniature kingdom, Hector allows himself to be less stringent and more likely to engage in personal desires unrelated to his work. Here he is relaxed, charming with an almost-feral magnetism, and is even prone to making jokes, particularly those in which someone else inadvertently sets up a punchline. On occasion, when he feels there's no chance of him being caught or disturbed, for fun he'll hunt and kill various animals in jaguar form before eating them. To Hector this is his best means of being in tune with his nahual.
In regards to his strong belief in blood sacrifice back in the day, Hector would explain that it had nothing to do with blood thirst or sadism. To him a blood sacrifice was the ultimate expression of devotion, loyalty and penance to the tenets sent down to man by the gods. To him, the more minimal sacrifices espoused by his brother were a slap in the face. He'd explain with the modern equivalent of instead of going to a Catholic confession to confess your sins, a person simply says sorry to God in his head. A weak sign of devotion.
» Other Notes: Hector is multilingual in English, Spanish, and ancient Nahautl, which he recalls from his godly days. Hector has trained in self-defense and has melded his fighting style with his hybrid form to create a unique fighting style combining fist and kicks with claws and teeth. His eyes are sensitive to bright sunlight and he frequently wears sunglasses at times where others may find it odd to do so. He is much more active and jovial at night as opposed to the calm and deliberate pace he often portrays during the day.
Like his days as a god, Hector appreciates beautiful women, but is by no means looking for a wife. However with any woman he is involved with he is upfront about his lack of a desire for a relationship, a holdover from his rejection of his parents' strong Catholic beliefs regarding family and children. The only exception to this is down the line in case he may need an heir to carry on his work. He is heterosexual.
» Sample Journal:
My latest round of observation and investigation has yielded both promising and disappointing results. Victoria is ill-suited for a supervisory role. Her old employers clearly were charmed more by her looks than ability. She will have to removed and placed in something more appropriate. Perhaps a part in our commercials. Eye-candy always makes people pay attention and I believe she would excel in the role. Harris in accounting is skimming profits. The man had a chance to play a crucial role in this enterprise, but will have to removed lest he poisons the entire structure. Sadly the days of selective sickness are gone, but that simply means one must be more creative.
» Sample Log:
"Miss Ortega, please send Mr. Lunde in," Hector directed amiably to his secretary.
"Right away, Mr. Barone."
Soon after she spoke, a balding, rotund man in a suit entered the room. He eyed his employer, sitting in his office wearing those sunglasses of his. Yeah he heard the man had some kind of eye condition, but it still looked weird to him.
"You wanted to see me, Hector?" he asked.
Hector raised an eyebrow at the man at the use of his first name. "Considering your current situation, Mr. Lunde, I don't think reminding you of office protocol will be necessary. "
"What..I don't know what you.."
"Cease the denials, Mr. Lunde. I know you've been skimming profits from the last couple sales. I consider this more than a mere crime, Harris," Hector said darkly, using the man's first name. "I gave you a job crucial to this enterprise, and you reward my generosity in treachery."
"Mr. Barone, I.."
"Silence! Listen well, and carefully. You will pay back every cent you took from this company. I don't care if you've spent any of it. You will sell whatever you have to get that money back."
"Now wait a-"
"I'm not finished! Don't interrupt me again!"
Harris gulped. He could have sworn he saw something glow red behind those glasses.
"Pardon me," Hector said after a calming breath. "You will repay every cent you took. Now I'm not going to threaten you with prison. After all you would simply serve a pittance in some white-collar jail. No, I'm threatening you're very livelihood, Mr. Lunde." He removes a few photos from his desk, showing a few to the man across from him. "I've had your visits the local whorehouse documented for posterity. If I'm not mistaken that one girl in there is almost your daughter's age. I cannot remember, did she turn 18 this year?
"Alright, alright! I'll get your money back!" The man said in a panic. "Please, please don't show my family these."
"Be as good as your word, Mr. Lunde, and we have a deal."
When the other man left, ashen-faced, Hector put in a call on his intercom.
"Miss Ortega, send the delivery man in. I have a package for him to deliver." He slipped the picture of Harris with the underage prostitute into an envelope and addressed it to the young girl's father along with information regarding who Haris was. "I promised not to show your family, Harris, so let's see how an angry parent reacts." He removes his sunglasses, his red cat-eyes blazing with malice. "No one crosses me."
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» Name: Paul E
» Date of Birth: 05/28/1983
» Journal: no personal journal
» Contact: AIM: ulap83@hotmail.com Email: drdoom83@hotmail.com
Deity Information
» Pantheon: Mayan
» Deity: Tezcatlipoca
» Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tezcatlipoca, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Suns, http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/gods/god-of-the-month-tezcatlipoca, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/589535/Tezcatlipoca
» Divine Family: {father and mother} Ometeotl; {spouse} none known; {brothers} Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, Xipe Totec, and Xolotl; {children} none known
» Mythology:
Tezcatlipoca is a major deity within Mesoamerican mythology. His name translates as "Smoking Mirror", in connection with how the Aztecs made their mirrors, obsidian. He was one of the four sons of the androgynous creator deity, Ometeotl, along with his brothers: Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilpochli, and Xipe Toltec, each of whom ruled over the four cardinal directions. He had a massive array of divine portfolios, including the night sky, the night winds, hurricanes, the north, the earth, obsidian, enmity, discord, rulership, divination, temptation, jaguars, sorcery, beauty, war, strife, and change through conflict. He was often depicted as having a black and yellow horizontal stripe across his face, a connection to his animal companion, the jaguar, which he has also been depicted as being able to transform into. Another distinct feature is his missing right foot, which is depicted as being replaced by either a smoking mirror or a bone. The running theme of a smoking mirror is also sometimes depicted as being on his chest, rather than his foot. Other accounts describe him as being invisible, which ties into his reputation as being an almost omni-present god. Certain portrayals heavily emphasize black as his signature color with certain parts of his body being that color.
One of the defining myths involving Tezcatlipoca involves his literal world-destroying rivalry with Quetzalcoatl. In the beginning after the four brothers were born, they attempted to create a world. However, each time they tried the mass would be destroyed by the giant earth-crocodile, Cipactli, the only other thing in existence aside from the ocean at the time. Tezcatlipoca used his own foot as bait, allowing Cipactli to eat it. This distracted her enough for Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl to bind her and then use her body as the foundation of the First World. However their world was dark and needed a sun, so Tezcatlipoca would become the sun, but only for half the day either due to his position as god of the night or his own missing foot. Later, along with their brothers, they would create the giants and the other gods, including the rain god, Tlaloc, and the lake goddess, Chalchiuhtlicue. However a rivalry developed between Quetzalcoatl and his brother in which Quetzalcoatl knocked his brother from the sky, thus darkening the world that no longer had a sun. In retaliation, Tezcatlipoca commanded his jaguars to devour the world's people. This ended the First World.
Beginning a pattern, despite their rivalry, the two brother would work together to create a new world, known as the Second World. This time Quetzalcoatl served as the sun and a new people who were created to replace the giants, normal-sized humans. However this creation would prove to be flawed as this new people began to become less civilized and ceased devotion to the gods. To showcase his power in spite of his brother's position as the sun, Tezcatlipoca utilized his status as the god of sorcery and judgement to transform this new people into monkeys as punishment. However, Quetzalcoatl had been fond of the people, despite their flaws, and in his rage at what Tezcatlipoca had done, summoned a hurricane that destroyed the transformed people. Quetzalcoatl would step down from being the sun in order to create a new people to replace the one he had destroyed.
Tlaloc would become the next sun, but this was halted when Tezcatlipoca stole Tlaloc's wife, Xochiquetzal, the goddess of sex, which drove Tlaloc into an apathetic depression. The people constantly prayed for rain, which Tlaloc was in no mood to give to them. Finally snapping after the constant mortal "pestering", Tlaloc caused the world to rain constantly in fire, destroying the third world and forcing the gods to rebuild again. Tlaloc was replaced as sun by his new wife, Chalchiuhtlicue. She proved to be a benevolent sun who loved the people, however once again Tezcatlipoca would sabotage a new world. Tezcatlipoca told her that she did not truly love the people, but rather acted as if she did so out of a selfish need for their adulation. So distraught by this possibility, Chalchiuhtlicue cried tears of blood endlessly for fifty-two years, drowning the fourth world. Not accepting the loss of life, Quetzalcoatl stole the bones of the dead people from the god of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, bathed the bones in his own blood, and resurrected them. Afterwards the god, Huitzilopochtli, became the new sun. Despite attempts by others to wrest his title from him, it was his tenure as the sun that finally stabilized with the Fifth World. However Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl would remain important figures as they, Huitzilopochtli, and Tlaloc would be worshiped as the principle deities of the Aztec people from the 14th century to the 16th. The traditional opposition remained, an example of which can be seen in their mutual portfolio of sacrifice: Tezcatlipoca who preferred human sacrifice while Quetzalcoatl opposed the need for fatal ones.
This rivalry was also depicted by the Toltec people, in whose mythos the gods were treated as reborn mortals. Tezcatlipoca had been a court sorcerer in the city of Tollan and had also introduced blood sacrifice to the region. However Quetzalcoatl would arrive in the city and would teach the people a variety of skills that won them away from Tezcatlipoca's more brutal methods. Quetzalcoatl would become the city's spiritual leader, but Tezcatlipoca was determined to bring him down. Gaining the support of the local king's daughter, Tezcatlipoca gained access to the holy temple and placed a magical mirror within. When Quetzalcoatl looked at it, it portrayed him as being ugly. Tezcatlipoca would return in disguise and offer Quetzalcoatl a way to rejuvenate himself through a magical potion. However, instead of the desired effect, it drove Quetzalcoatl into a drunken state in which he went so far as to sleep with his own sister. Disgraced in the eyes of the people, Quetzalcoatl was cast into exile.
In spite of his often evil nature, Tezcatlipoca did have his more benevolent aspects. He was said to preside over what were known as "young men's houses", schools in which children of common origin received both an elementary education as well as military training. He also championed slaves and their importance in society. His dogma demanded they be treated well because of their role as sacrifices, and slaves were often referred to as "Tezcatlipoca’s beloved children.” This was also reflected in the sacrifice of prisoners of war. The man in question would be treated like royalty until the day of the sacrifice where his heart would be removed. He was also generous towards those who followed a virtuous path, granting riches and fame, but would send sickness and induce poverty and slavery upon those who committed criminal acts.
While most heavily worshiped by the Aztecs, there are references to him in several other cultures in the area including the Olmecs and the Mayans. In the Popol Vuh, a historical narrative of the K'iche' Maya of Guatemala, he bears strong similarities to their war god, Tohil, whose name means "obsidian". There are also strong similarities to the modern Mayanist interpretation of "God K", sometimes known as K'awi, who is portrayed as having a smoking obsidian knife in his forehead as well as a missing foot replaced with a snake. These can be seen as references to Tezcalipoca's title as the Smoking Mirror and the foot he sacrificed to create the world.
Character Information
» Played By: Shawn Roberts
» Journal:
smoking_jaguar» Current Name: Hector Barone
» Birthdate: 11/22/1984
» Height: 6'4"
» Distinguishing Marks: Is pale-complected, though still healthy-looking. His eyes shift into a red, catlike state in response to the intensity of his emotions. He often wears sunglasses to offset this. Has a jaguar tattooed on his back.
» Family: {mother & father} Cynthia (alive) and Rodrigo Barone (alive); {marital status/spouse} none; {siblings} none; children} none; {pets} none
» Occupation: President of Smoking Mirror, tobacco company
» Currently Residing In: Dallas, Texas
» Ability:
Hector has the ability to transform either into a full-sized jaguar or have his human form take on feline characteristics. In the latter form his eyes take on a red, catlike countenance. His fingers gain claws as do his feet. Even outside this state his senses are enhanced beyond the human norm, though it's far greater in his mixed and jaguar forms. He also possesses an innate empathy with wild felines and they will not harm him.
His second ability is the power to assume a form of living smoke. He controls every aspect of his being in this form and has all the properties of regular smoke. As a result he can use this as a means of crawling through small spaces such as locked doors or other tight openings. His primary mode of travel in this form is flight, which he is capable of doing even in natural winds due to his status as a hurricane god. However, winds created by another god effect his form as if it were natural smoke. He could even choke someone to death in his smoke fumes if given the time.
Limit: Hector cannot use both his smoke and jaguar powers at the same time, nor does he retain his enhanced jaguar senses while in smoke form. Plus he must transform back into his human form first before transitioning to one of his other forms. Ex. As smoke he must become human again in order to become a jaguar.
UPDATED ABILITIES: Tezcatlipoca: Can now induce feelings of discord in mortal beings at will. The effort is greater if directed at a godling.
» History:
His only reincarnation is in the modern era, born as Hector Barone in Dallas, Texas to Rodrigo Barone a man of mixed Honduran-Caucasian descent, and Cynthia, his full-blooded white mother. Born a pale complected child, Hector showed little of his Hispanic heritage growing up and was often tormented by the children in his mostly Latino neighborhood for being a "white kid." His parents were individuals of deep Catholic faith, though Hector himself did not share in their sentiment. Where was God when bullies tormented him? Where was God when the rich sat on their laurels while the poor languished in the streets. As a result, Hector became someone who was determined to change his circumstances for himself without depending on anyone else to do it, becoming something of an unpious agnostic. He believed something greater than Man existed, but he believed that being failed at his job. He began to feel a sense off duty, that it was up to him to change the order of things. As if it was something he had always been meant to do.
As he grew up he took to studying the different class levels within the city and who held the real power. This would go from a hobby to a lifelong project. He realized it was not the local government that held the most sway, but a local tobacco company that held considerable sway over the city's political decisions. Deciding this was where he would start, Hector began to study business and economics to prepare himself for his task. Upon graduation from college he entered the company's service. Through cunning, efficiency, and a devotion to the organization's prosperity and expansion, Hector climbed the ranks until he was a top aide to the company's president. In this position, Hector learned as much as he could about those within the company's power structure: Who was dead weight? Who was just another parasite? Who was so arrogant as not realize where their profits came from? Soon Hector had information on everyone, as well the confidence of the aging company president who recommended the young man take his place. When the inevitable protests came up over this "upstart", Hector was well equipped to blackmail several people into signing there shares and resigning lest they be publicly disgraced.
With his power secured, he set about replacing the departed executive with people more in line with his way of thinking, or at least those he knew their place on the food chain. Yes, he was at the top of the mountain, but that didn't mean he didn't respect the other cogs of the machine. Pay went up for the deserving, the lazy were fired, workers of merit previously ignored were allowed to have their talents utilized in a more appropriate position as well as fools in higher positions being cast down to something more fitting, and laborers' conditions improved dramatically. While benevolent on the surface, in truth it was very pragmatic. If every strata of a company works well, then the company as a whole is better for it. Everyone serves in their proper place. Sometimes you simply had to weed out those that didn't belong and put them where they should be. Hector would expand this philosophy to Dallas as a whole, becoming something of a philanthropist to the city's downtrodden. After all, they were his best customers, and perhaps the single most important class of the company's system. Through economic connections he influenced the local politicians to enact policies more in line with his way of thinking. While he couldn't rid himself of all those he felt disruptive to the new-class system he was building for the city, he was content to be patient.
One day he began to have strange bursts of dreams. Visions that were in line with his ideals, albeit greatly diminished from an ancient past. In the course of several days he began to manifest inhuman abilities. First he learned he could take on the characteristics of a jaguar, and later even a jaguar himself. The day after this realization he also learned that he could transform himself into a being of living smoke. By the week's end he managed to piece the visions together, realizing they were in fact memories of a past life. He had been an ancient god, Tezcatlipoca. While not a full god yet, his ambitions grew as a result of this revelation. He had made progress in Dallas, perhaps it was time to expand. Under the new name of Smoking Mirror, a play off his old title, he launched an expansion of the franchise, taking over smaller companies in order to build his company into a formidable corporation which ties growing among many politicians throughout the United States. His empire was growing bit by bit, and while he ruled over the interlinking classes of the web he was creating, he was not a true king yet. That would come later.
» Personality:
Hector is a man of infinite pragmatism. He will deal with those he despises just as readily as those he adores for the simple means of using the former until he can finally dispense with them. Like in his godly life, Hector is a man of emotional contradictions. On one hand he can be absolutely ruthless to those that get in his way, slight him, whose actions are anathema to his way of thinking, or those whose power he covets. Humanity has allowed him a certain degree of control over these darker urges and allows him to consider the consequences of going too far with potential revenge.
On the other hand he is capable of acts of great kindness, particularly toward the lower classes of society. He funds several soup kitchens and homeless shelters as well as funding several support organizations to help people get jobs. However he also sees this as an investment. Strengthening the self-worth and conditions of the lower class so they can become productive members of the pyramid of classes he's building. The lowest rung is the foundation after all, and it needs to be strong. Of a less manipulative nature, he is genuinely fond of those who work for him whom he feels exemplify the ideals of the class in which they belong and rewards those who exemplify these virtues.
On the other hand he can be harsh to those who fail in their responsibility to the rank within the corporate structure and doesn't hesitate to punish them with pay-cuts, demotion, or firing. Those who outright betray him feel his wrath, particularly if it was someone he felt had abused their position for their own benefit at the expense of the "corporate society" and did not live up to the standards of their class. These people are often not only fired, but blackballed from the industry using either real, or false charges cleverly created as a means to make sure the person has no chance to corrupt the structure again.
Outside of his miniature kingdom, Hector allows himself to be less stringent and more likely to engage in personal desires unrelated to his work. Here he is relaxed, charming with an almost-feral magnetism, and is even prone to making jokes, particularly those in which someone else inadvertently sets up a punchline. On occasion, when he feels there's no chance of him being caught or disturbed, for fun he'll hunt and kill various animals in jaguar form before eating them. To Hector this is his best means of being in tune with his nahual.
In regards to his strong belief in blood sacrifice back in the day, Hector would explain that it had nothing to do with blood thirst or sadism. To him a blood sacrifice was the ultimate expression of devotion, loyalty and penance to the tenets sent down to man by the gods. To him, the more minimal sacrifices espoused by his brother were a slap in the face. He'd explain with the modern equivalent of instead of going to a Catholic confession to confess your sins, a person simply says sorry to God in his head. A weak sign of devotion.
» Other Notes: Hector is multilingual in English, Spanish, and ancient Nahautl, which he recalls from his godly days. Hector has trained in self-defense and has melded his fighting style with his hybrid form to create a unique fighting style combining fist and kicks with claws and teeth. His eyes are sensitive to bright sunlight and he frequently wears sunglasses at times where others may find it odd to do so. He is much more active and jovial at night as opposed to the calm and deliberate pace he often portrays during the day.
Like his days as a god, Hector appreciates beautiful women, but is by no means looking for a wife. However with any woman he is involved with he is upfront about his lack of a desire for a relationship, a holdover from his rejection of his parents' strong Catholic beliefs regarding family and children. The only exception to this is down the line in case he may need an heir to carry on his work. He is heterosexual.
» Sample Journal:
My latest round of observation and investigation has yielded both promising and disappointing results. Victoria is ill-suited for a supervisory role. Her old employers clearly were charmed more by her looks than ability. She will have to removed and placed in something more appropriate. Perhaps a part in our commercials. Eye-candy always makes people pay attention and I believe she would excel in the role. Harris in accounting is skimming profits. The man had a chance to play a crucial role in this enterprise, but will have to removed lest he poisons the entire structure. Sadly the days of selective sickness are gone, but that simply means one must be more creative.
» Sample Log:
"Miss Ortega, please send Mr. Lunde in," Hector directed amiably to his secretary.
"Right away, Mr. Barone."
Soon after she spoke, a balding, rotund man in a suit entered the room. He eyed his employer, sitting in his office wearing those sunglasses of his. Yeah he heard the man had some kind of eye condition, but it still looked weird to him.
"You wanted to see me, Hector?" he asked.
Hector raised an eyebrow at the man at the use of his first name. "Considering your current situation, Mr. Lunde, I don't think reminding you of office protocol will be necessary. "
"What..I don't know what you.."
"Cease the denials, Mr. Lunde. I know you've been skimming profits from the last couple sales. I consider this more than a mere crime, Harris," Hector said darkly, using the man's first name. "I gave you a job crucial to this enterprise, and you reward my generosity in treachery."
"Mr. Barone, I.."
"Silence! Listen well, and carefully. You will pay back every cent you took from this company. I don't care if you've spent any of it. You will sell whatever you have to get that money back."
"Now wait a-"
"I'm not finished! Don't interrupt me again!"
Harris gulped. He could have sworn he saw something glow red behind those glasses.
"Pardon me," Hector said after a calming breath. "You will repay every cent you took. Now I'm not going to threaten you with prison. After all you would simply serve a pittance in some white-collar jail. No, I'm threatening you're very livelihood, Mr. Lunde." He removes a few photos from his desk, showing a few to the man across from him. "I've had your visits the local whorehouse documented for posterity. If I'm not mistaken that one girl in there is almost your daughter's age. I cannot remember, did she turn 18 this year?
"Alright, alright! I'll get your money back!" The man said in a panic. "Please, please don't show my family these."
"Be as good as your word, Mr. Lunde, and we have a deal."
When the other man left, ashen-faced, Hector put in a call on his intercom.
"Miss Ortega, send the delivery man in. I have a package for him to deliver." He slipped the picture of Harris with the underage prostitute into an envelope and addressed it to the young girl's father along with information regarding who Haris was. "I promised not to show your family, Harris, so let's see how an angry parent reacts." He removes his sunglasses, his red cat-eyes blazing with malice. "No one crosses me."
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