mantlebearer

IC INFORMATION

Name: john silver
Canon: black sails
Age: between 25 and 30
Gender: male
Species: human
Appearance: black, curly hair; very sharp blue eyes; moderate muscles
Canon point: between seasons 2 and 3

History: Here

Personality answers:

Who in your character's canon influenced the most growth in your character? What do they think about this character?

It is, without a doubt, James Flint. Silver starts out as someone entirely opportunistic, only looking out for himself, relying on his quick tongue to get him out of trouble — and initially, he only sides with Flint because he believes Flint to be his best chance to get rich. However, gradually he comes to respect Flint, look up to him and learn from him, if unconsciously so; about loyalty, about how to make hard decisions, about what it means to matter to people and the responsibility it places on you. One might say he would never have come to see himself as one of the crew, would never have saved the crew from certain death, if not for Flint. And while most are afraid of Flint, Silver really isn't, not even from the very start when he steals the page detailing the Urca gold location; and later, he isn't afraid to speak out, to argue against him, which is exactly why he's elected quartermaster. At his current canonpoint, he still believes he can work with Flint without buying into his beliefs and mindset — a belief that turns out to be false, and he will become Flint's closest friend, confidante, his right hand.

Explain which event in canon is most pivotal to your character's development, and who they are today.

It is a twofold event: first, the decision to save the men of the Walrus from Vane's pirates, not once but twice, risking his life to stay loyal to the crew — this goes against everything Silver had been until then, only looking out for himself, concerned only about his own life and success. He has the chance to live and walk away; instead, he for once chooses to do something selfless, because he has come to care for the men in the crew and he couldn't live with walking away and leaving them to die. However, this leads directly into his leg being crushed with a hammer and subsequently amputated: he becomes an invalid, something absolutely debilitating in the 1700s. Most people would be kicked out of the crew afterwards; but the men of Walrus all reassure him that they will look after him, because they all owe him their lives. After that, realising he has something in the crew he can't find elsewhere, he gives up his claim to the Urca gold, because it is more important to him to be a part of the crew. Later, he tells Flint that in the crew, he matters to them, he's someone, whereas outside the ship he's just an invalid. This is the start of John Silver dedicating himself to serving the crew and guiding them alongside Flint.

What would your character say is their best trait? What is truly their best trait?

Now, to understand the answer to this question, one must understand one central aspect of John Silver: he is, at all times, a liar. He will say what he needs to say in any given situation, to make it go his way; he tells stories that aren't his, lies about his background, his thoughts, spins words around and around. And so, his response to what his best trait might be depends entirely on who the one asking it would be, and what they would be after with asking it. To the crew he'd say it's that he's quick-thinking; to Flint he'd say it's that he's well-liked; there's as many answers as there are those asking. However, his true best traits are his perseverance and loyalty: when he believes in something, he won't give up, no matter the odds. When he decides to make the crew reliant on him, he keeps going, despite being beaten several times. When he decides to stand by Flint, he doesn't waver, does everything asked of him regardless of if he agrees or not. When you have John Silver in your corner, you truly have him.

What would it take to truly upset your character, enough that they would act upon their feelings? Are they the sort to forgive?

There are many things John Silver is able to brush off with a smile: people not liking him, punching him, doubting him, ordering him around... he even says it himself: he doesn't need people to like him, as long as they need him. So in everyday life, it is quite hard to upset him. But the times when he is truly upset are, for the most part, times when his pride is injured. When he is underestimated, looked down on; those are the times when he can no longer laugh it off, can't turn it around with a clever phrase, but rather lets his sharp rage take over. Perhaps the best example of this is something he is yet to go through: the former crew member Dufresne, talking back to him, saying he's not worth Flint's respect or attention — and Silver's response? To smash his head in with his metallic peg leg. So there are many things John Silver can and will forgive, as long as whoever commits the offense does something to put it right — but when the threshold is crossed, he does not forget, and he does not forgive. After all, it is as he says: he's got a long fucking memory.

Inventory: a gun (1718s model), the page detailing the location of the urca gold, his prosthetic leg, a crutch
Powers/Abilities: excellent orator, moderate skill with guns and swords, moderate skill in cooking

Samples: Here & Here
Goals: John Silver is an immensely complex man, who goes through quite the journey during the course of Black Sails. At his current canonpoint, he has only just started the journey as Flint's quartermaster, has yet to earn his epithet, hasn't become a figure of legend, feared and respected. My goal in the game is to see whether he follows this same path when removed from the influence of Captain Flint, who arguably shapes the way of his thinking and acting immeasurably. Who will this John Silver become? How will he fare, when not with the crew of the Walrus?
Soul Choice: reptilia

INFO.