Post by Marshall Quatrevaux on Jul 3, 2011 20:57:55 GMT -5
Marshall Quatrevaux
Full Name- Lauren Marshall Quatrevaux III, MD
Gender- Male
Age- 36
Date of Birth- 17 December 1974
Sexual Orientation- Heterosexual
Location- Los Angeles, California
Celebrity Claim- Baker, Simon
What should we call you?- Rayne, or any related pun thereof.
Play anyone else?- Rayne Campbell, Dakari Johessman, Sparrow Akiyama, Marcus Rodgers, Fallon Daugherty, Gabriel Constant.
Have You Read the Rules?- Oh, I've read the rules. I read them after I cleaned my room. I read them when I went shoe shopping with my badass cat, and made them haters brrrrrrrrm. I read them to my lesbian lovers (which really turned them on). I even read them by the light of Jupiter's cock and Saturn's balls. Now bring me a bohtuhl of your finest bubbly.
Personality-Generally, Marshall is very laid-back and pleasant. Raised a Catholic, his beliefs and morals loosely follow those of that faith. He prefers to take things in stride, and is comfortable leaving any necessary planning to others. He does not like being the center of attention. While he is usually very sociable, he is also very softspoken, and is more inclined to listen than talk. However, he can be forward, outspoken, and forceful when a situation requires it. Disciplined and dedicated, he can always be relied on to fulfill a promise and do his job well.
He does become angry or upset at times, though there are a very few things that can trigger these moods in him. In such a state, he becomes far less stable. Depending on the problem, he might fall silent and sullen, and choose to keep everything inside; or he might lash out, perhaps violently. He knows better than to react so harshly, but it is part of his nature to do so, and it is becoming more and more difficult for him to fight that instinct.
It is also part of his nature to shy away from any form of commitment that might cause him emotional pain in the future. As a result, his relationships were rocky, and he had trouble being faithful - until he met Jessica Conelly. The qualities he values are reflected in her, such as strength, logic, resourcefulness, and empathy. With her, he is caring and gentle, and despite anything else that might provoke him, he would never harm her. His love for her keeps him grounded, and is probably the only link keeping him from slipping into madness.
While he had once been reluctant to allow himself to grow attached to anyone, Marshall has actually uncovered within himself the unusual ability to love deeply. He can give of himself infinitely and unconditionally, for no other reason than the happiness doing so brings him. Unfortunately, allowing himself to be this deeply vulnerable, despite the joy and contentment it can bring, also opens him up to be wounded just as deeply, the result of which would be a sorrow and dementia equally as profound.
There is a quiet, obsessive, monomaniacal, and bitter facet of Marshall's mind, one that, since his stint as a mental patient, has been little more than a whisper. It is occasionally stirred by negative events. In such a condition, Marshall is neither unpleasant nor violent - to others. He simply keeps to himself, and only seems a bit more introverted than his usual self, but he also has a tendency to cause himself harm and revel in his own pain, the physical sort. It hurts less than the emotional pain.
Likes-
- Good food- Marshall isn’t picky about food, as long as it is well-prepared.
- The open sea- He grew up boating and fishing with his family, and finds it relaxing.
- Reading- He can often be found chilling somewhere with a book.
- Sports- He can get into just about any sort of sport, from basketball to soccer to even cricket. And don’t even think about badmouthing his Saints.
- Adderall- He has more of a love-hate relationship with his ADHD medication, as it causes harmful side effects in him, but it does help him focus, especially at work.
Dislikes-
- Coffee and energy drinks- They interfere with his medications and make him feel even worse.
- Cats- They never seem to like him, and he doesn't like them either. (This means you, Munchkin.)
- Drinking- He avoids alcohol because he knows from experience that once he starts drinking, he will find it hard to stop.
- Excessive spending- Though he and his family are fairly well-off, he dislikes showing off his wealth, and prefers to save his money for future investments.
- Astrology, numerology, etc- Things that attempt to imitate psychology or place people into groups based on arbitrary ties such as numbers or birthdays really bother him, especially because people seem to believe it so easily.
Strengths-
- Patient- Despite his medical issues, Marshall is usually able to remain patient with others, especially as far as his work is concerned.
- Empathic- He gets along well with others, and finds the emotions of others easy to understand.
- Adventurous- He enjoys trying new things, and is very open-minded.
- Social- He has many friends and spends plenty of time with others.
- Self-confident- He projects an air of self-assuance, meant partly to keep others from underestimating him.
Weaknesses-
- Procrastinator- Marshall often puts off doing things that do not directly affect other people, such as buying himself groceries or getting his car repaired.
- Temperamental- While it does take a lot to set him off, when he is angered, he does become very emotional, releasing everything he has kept inside.
- Overly rational- He sometimes ignores his own feelings, relying on reason instead, which has its uses at times but can also land him in uncomfortable situations.
- Forgetful- Occasionally, he fails to remember small facts or details, again, usually things that don't relate to other people.
Unable to commit- Aside from his ADHD-related troubles, he also has difficulty maintaining relationships, and has a long history of infidelity.He's pretty damn committed now, so....- Ruthless- When he has a specific goal in mind- and especially when he is angry- Marshall will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Skills-
- Strong interpersonal skills- Marshall has always been good at reading, understanding, and getting along with other people, and his training as a psychologist and therapist has helped to hone this talent.
- Excellent singer- He has a soothing baritone voice, even when speaking, and has performed onstage in both small roles and as leading characters, such as Verdi’s Macbeth and Iago from Othello, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
- Advanced logic-Having been raised as a “gifted” student, he is quick at solving logic puzzles and often catches on to things faster than the average person. He has an above-average IQ of 135.
- Good cook- He can cook just about anything, and damn well, even without a recipe.
- Swimming and surfing- He learned to swim at a very young age at the family marina, and took up surfing and other water sports on the family's frequent vacations.
Flaws-
- Hypersomnia- Though he almost always gets enough sleep, Marshall never quite feels rested, and often feels the need to nap during the day.
- Adult ADHD- He suffers from the predominantly inattentive form of ADHD, which renders him unable to concentrate for long periods of time, causes him to be distracted easily, and makes him a bit forgetful.
- Anxiety- He also suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, which results in excess worrying and apprehension, and makes him a little obsessive about things.
- Scars- He has a few scars from an injury and operation resulting from a car accident. The most noticeable scar runs along his right foot.
- Myopia- He is mildly nearsighted, and occasionally wears glasses to read.
Abilities/Powers/Skills-Entropy Manipulation
Entropy is a measure of the energy in a system that is unavailable to do work. A system is a group of bodies (molecules, atoms, cells) that are related and bound by a common set of characteristics, such as a glass of ice water, a room, or the universe. Marshall can increase and decrease entropy in almost any system through sheer force of will. Since entropy is everywhere, this ability has a number of uses. Marshall can freeze or heat substances, stop electric currents or cause shorts, and even undo the energy bonds that hold molecules together. In living organisms, this ability's effects can range between feelings of tiredness and complete disintegration, depending on how much Marshall raises or lowers the organism's entropy. At maximum entropy, a system will be unable to sustain motion or life.
An inherent part of this ability is Marshall's perception of energy levels, as he could not know how much he could raise or lower entropy unless he knew how much entropy and energy was present in the system. It's like another sense to him. As most people can smell and hear, Marshall can also detect the presence and extent of energy in his surroundings. He cannot "see" the energy levels, but simply knows them, as one recognizes the smell of a freshly baked apple pie. This sense is not automatic, however; he has to have his ability activated in order for it to work. When it is, he picks up on all energy sources around him, including the energy contained in human bodies and other organisms. This means he would be able to find anyone in his vicinity, even if it were a Special cloaked by an ability such as invisibility or illusions. He can also tell when a person has an unusually high or low level of energy, which can differentiate some Specials from civilians. Marshall has been able to do all of this since he manifested, and has honed these aspects of his ability with practice over time.
Negentropy Manipulation
Negentropy, derived from the term "negative entropy," is not the inverse of entropy, despite its name. It is a quantity of energy that is present in living organisms. Living systems import negentropy and store it, then release it to keep their entropy levels low. (As in all systems, organisms tend toward increasing entropy, which would lead to a much faster loss of useful energy.) There are several, slightly varied definitions of negentropy; Erwin Schrödinger's definition is the one that is applied here. It can be illustrated most simply as "stored, mobilizable energy."
In addition to warding off entropy, Marshall can store excess negentropy and apply it in various ways that are similar to ergokinesis, except, instead of the entire spectrum of energy, Marshall can only manipulate negentropy in this manner. The first way is through concussive blasts, which must be directed through the palms of his hands. These blasts can push someone physically, and leaves a bit of a singe, but cannot incinerate anything completely. The second way is through energy-propelled flight. Additionally, any excess negentropy he stores can either be used later, or can be applied to temporarily increase his endurance. The length, strength, and effectiveness of these aspects are directly proportional to the amount of excess negentropy Marshall has stored.
To gain excess negentropy, Marshall must absorb it from his environment, and the simplest way to do this is by importing it directly from other living creatures. Unless Marshall robs the organism of all of its negentropy at once, this will generally not harm the organism too much. However, should Marshall choose to, he can cause the death of any living organism in this manner.
Theoretically, this ability could slow Marshall's aging, or that of anyone else, at least temporarily. Marshall would simply have to keep his negentropy levels fairly high to stem the effects of entropy, as aging is largely a process of losing energy among one's cells. This is not a passive feature of the ability, however; Marshall would have to purposely try to keep himself young.
Limits-
Entropy Manipulation
The major limit to this power is science itself. Marshall is bound by its laws and its nature. For example, no matter how hard he tries, he will never be able to freeze a glass of water by increasing its entropy. He can also manipulate entropy only so long as there is entropy in his environment; theoretically, if he were placed in a system of extremely low entropy, he would be quite powerless.
As mentioned above, Marshall can manipulate the entropy of almost any system. The one he can't is the overall universe. Marshall cannot affect the entropy levels of the universe itself in any way, and he cannot derive energy from it either. Any system within the universe, however, is fair game.
While Marshall could alter a system (such as a room) to have too much or too little entropy, he cannot use entropy to create force fields, concussive beams, or other applications of energy. By definition, entropy is a quantity of energy that is unavailable for work.
Negentropy Manipulation
Marshall's flight range depends on the amount of excess negentropy he has stored. Also, he cannot fly any higher than the atmosphere will allow without affecting his breathing. Similarly, he can only create concussive blasts for as long as he has excess negentropy stored.
While this ability could extend Marshall's life if he applied it that way, it would not grant him immortality, nor immunity or imperviousness to harm. Due to the nature of both his abilities, energy attacks have reduced efficiency on him, but can still do damage in the right conditions.
The most important limit to this ability will be most obvious at its manifestation. At first, Marshall will be unable to control his own negentropy levels, and will constantly have to monitor himself. Eventually his body will adjust and begin to do this automatically again, as everyone else's does, but depending on his negentropy levels at the time, negating him runs the risk of accelerating the aging process and killing him, since until his body makes that adjustment, it will be unable to import negentropy on its own.
Works Cited/Further Reading
Entropy by Dave Slaven
What is (Schrödinger's) Negentropy?
Wikipedia - Entropy
Wikipedia - Negentropy
Wikipedia - Heat death
Appearance-At 5'11" and 160 pounds, Marshall is tall but not overly imposing. His shoulders are broad, his body is well-toned and muscular, and he prides himself on staying in shape. His skin is naturally lightly tanned, a result of having grown up on a beach. His eyes are blue and expressive, set in a long, angular face. He usually keeps his face clean-shaven, and his blond hair cut short.
He most often wears dress shirts and slacks, especially at work, but also wears polo shirts and khakis at times. He only owns a few pairs of jeans, which are typically worn only during yard work or fishing expeditions. There is no particular color or shade that he wears most often, though at work he generally sticks to the classic black, white, or blue. Occasionally, he wears contacts or black glasses.
Faction- Jung Facility (Villain/Neutral)
Birthplace- Grand Isle, Louisiana, USA
Mother- Sharon Caroline Quatrevaux (neé Franklin) / 60 / Marina owner and commercial fisherwoman / Special - Panmnesia
Father- Lauren Marshall Quatrevaux Jr. / 61 / Marina owner and commercial fisherman / Civilian
Siblings- Wesley Anderson Quatrevaux / 38 / Commercial fisherman and heir to Quatrevaux marina / Civilian
Angela Franklynn Chandler (neé Quatrevaux) / 26 / Lawyer / Civilian
Significant Other- Jessica Ann Conelly / 41 / Lead psychologist at Jung Facility / Special - Hypnotic Voice/Hypnotic Gaze
Children- none
History-
Marshall was born and raised on Grand Isle, a small town on a barrier island due south of New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents owned a marina that was popular with tourists, but made most of their money through commercial fishing, as they supplied many famous New Orleans restaurants with high-quality seafood. The family lived comfortably, saving most of their money rather than spending it on extravagant items. Many years of being pummeled by hurricanes had taught the Quatrevauxs that not even the most lavish home was permanent.
For years, the family consisted of the two parents, their older son, Wesley, and their younger son, Lauren, who began to use the name Marshall as a preteen to avoid being confused with his father. A daughter, Angela, joined the household when Marshall was around ten years old. Taking care of a baby sister was an interesting experience for Marshall, one he adapted to quite well. He and his sister became very close, closer than either of them were to their older brother.
Marshall did exceptionally well in school, despite exhibiting very poor study habits. Learning just came naturally to him; even without studying, he earned high grades in all of his classes throughout his school career. Even as a child, he was laid-back and unassuming; this came in handy when he began to exhibit his ability, at the age of nine. Fortunately, his mother was also a special, and was able to help Marshall understand and accept his new power.
He had slowly begun to discover that odd changes happened around him, such as room temperatures rising or electronics shorting around him. He was not sure what it all meant, or how these incidents were connected, but he did figure out that he was causing them with his mind, and eventually, he learned to control the incidents and keep them from happening. Occasionally, he practiced and experimented with his ability. This included a run-in with a stray cat that young Marshall found lurking around the marina. It was through this innocent grey tabby that Marshall learned how much damage his ability cold do- namely, reducing a body to debris and particles. Following that, Marshall became very wary of his power, and also of cats, who all seemed to harbor some sort of distaste for him.
Not until high school did Marshall finally learn the science behind his ability. The physical property he was manipulating was known as "entropy," or the amount of disorganization in a thermodynamic system. He could alter the amount of energy that was available or unavailable to the system, whether the "system" was a room, an electronic device, a glass of water, or even a human body. He began to study thermodynamics more closely, and gained a much better understanding of the the way his ability worked and why it was limited in various respects. This interest in thermodynamics lasted through the rest of his secondary education days and into his college years.
After graduating from high school, Marshall was accepted to Tulane University in New Orleans, where he began to study chemistry. However, a few problems began to occur during his first couple of college years, which culminated in a drastic change in his career path. Being so far from home gave him a new sense of freedom, one that he quickly began to abuse. He began drinking and smoking marijuana excessively, and became a notorious womanizer, engaging in one-night stands regularly. Meanwhile, his underdeveloped study habits failed him, and he relied on his natural talents to get him through his classes. His grades plummeted as he barely passed his classes, and his mood plummeted as well, spiraling into a deep depression fueled by feelings of guilt and worthlessness. He made a few attempts at suicide, all of which were intercepted by one friend or another. Finally, a friend informed Marshall's mother of what was happening.
Concerned, Marshall's mother had him referred to a psychiatrist, who committed Marshall to a mental health hospital called River's Edge, where Marshall was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, clinical depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. He was prescribed Ritalin for the ADHD, and began to take counseling as well. Gradually, Marshall was able to raise his grades, but decided to change his chemistry major to a minor and major in psychology instead. Meanwhile, he learned to manage his time better, and gave up his drinking and partying lifestyle, mostly because it seemed to bother his family so much. Also, when Ritalin proved too weak a psychostimulant for Marshall, he was switched to Adderall, which helped him concentrate and focus for much longer periods of time, though it also caused him serious side effects such as dizziness, lack of appetite, and headaches.
He graduated with good enough grades and credentials to be accepted into Tulane's medical school, where he completed his residency. After earning his medical degree, he was hired as a psychiatrist and therapist at River's Edge, where he remained for several years as an adult psychiatry specialist. While the work was generally satisfying, he occasionally came across patients whose main problems stemmed from a misunderstanding or misuse of their abilities, and was frustrated when the hospital could not accommodate their problems.
Therefore, in the aftermath of April Fourth, when Marshall first heard about the Jung Facility, he quickly decided that he could be of more use in an environment tailored to fellow specials, and applied for a position there. The facility was all the way in Los Angeles, which would be a change for him. Though they did not mention it, he knew his parents were concerned that, being so far from home and unrestrained by his family, he would fall back into his old habits. Marshall, on the other hand, was not worried; he had been in control of his "less admirable" tendencies for the past fifteen-or-so years.
To his credit, he did well for most of a year. Despite making a poor initial impression on his supervisor, Jessica Conelly, the two began to get along and developed a friendship that grew into a romance. They officially began dating in late August 2010, and by the next spring, Marshall found himself falling in love for the first time. It should have been a happy occasion, and it was, but the shadow of Jessica's abusive ex-boyfriend cast an unwanted gloom over their relationship. Jake Carson had returned to reclaim the woman he viewed as his, and his threats to her began to test Marshall's patience.
Meanwhile, both of Marshall's siblings had married, and his parents were beginning to sort out inheritance matters. To his family's surprise, Marshall ignored all of it. Excepting his period of depression, Marshall had always been involved in the family's proceedings. But between the changes at Jung and the threatened safety of the woman he loved, Marshall's priorities had seen a definite shift.
Anything else?- Because the status of Lauressica's relationship will likely change a few times, I've simply listed Jess as Marsh's SO.
Sample RP-The ocean stretched before him, blue and calm. A gentle breeze tousled his hair and clothes, and the light of the setting sun glanced off the water's surface, gracing the scene with a picturesque orange-red glow. In the distance, growing nearer, a small boat rode the gentle waves. Its sails were already a powdery shade of gold, but the colors of the sun made it look like a toy ship layered in gold leaf, reflecting the myriad shades of the sky. The sight, not only of the sailboat but of the sunset as a whole, was breathtaking, worthy of being rendered on canvas for eternity, and had Marshall been gifted with an artist's hand, he would have done the job himself.
It was perfect, he decided. It could possibly even be good enough for her. She deserved more than a sunset over the ocean; she deserved the world, all of the worlds that existed, but mostly, she deserved happiness. Peace. He wasn't entirely confident he could give her that, but he could try. He would try, he would do everything in his power for her. He had never been so enamored with and committed to one person, and the depth of what he felt astonished him; but all the same, he took to it eagerly, because she was who she was. Everything felt right around her. Less broken and empty, despite all the hardships they had faced.
He tried to imagine the upcoming day, but stopped. For one, thinking about it too much triggered his anxiety; for another, he didn't want to get ahead of himself. He'd rather be surprised, for better or worse. His mind always drifted back to the subject, though; at work, as he drifted off to sleep, and especially when she was in his arms. He had always been mildly obsessive about things, and such a major decision required no less disquiet of him. He watched the ship draw closer, cutting through the water with the precision and beauty of a sword. It was past time for him to have brought his boat out to California, but he hadn't thought he would have the time or occasion to actually use it.
Now that Rorschach had made it to Los Angeles, the second most difficult step was completed. His brother and sister-in-law had brought the boat around from Grand Isle, choosing to make the the voyage by sea, rather than towing it along the interstate. Though no reason had ever been given, Marshall knew why Wesley had made that choice, and Wesley knew that Marshall knew why. Despite being younger and not the heir to their family's marina, Marshall had always been the better sailor, and since the New Orleans-Los Angeles trip was far longer and more difficult than any Marshall had attempted, Wesley had decided to try it himself, in Marshall's own sailboat. Marshall could admit that it had been a gutsy move. Then again, Wesley and his wife had arrived in Los Angeles two weeks late, but neither of them had made any mention of the cause of their delay, and Marshall did not care to spoil the sunset by broaching the topic. He would, however, check the ship for damage once Wesley was gone.
The sun had slipped a bit farther beyond the horizon and the eastern skies behind him had grown a bit darker by the time the boat sidled up to the dock. From where Marshall was standing, and in the colorful bands of the setting sun, the sailboat appeared to be in the same condition Marshall had left her in. A 2006 model, she was relatively new, as Marshall's first sailboat, Comtesse, had been sent to the floor of the Gulf by Katrina. Once the boat was safely moored, Wesley and his wife were ferried to land, where they met the waiting Marshall. He hardly seemed to notice them, his hands tucked into the pockets of his khaki slacks, staring into the sea breeze that still tossed about him. Only when they were standing directly before him did his eyes fall on them, though he did not seem to be looking at them for the first time.
"Good to see you again, Marsh." Wesley greeted his younger brother with a tired grin, and the two shook hands. Marshall gave Wesley a smaller but more genuine smile. "I don't think you've met my wife, Ally."
Marshall and Ally also shook hands. The woman's long, unnaturally bright red hair had been made a shambles by the wind, and she looked exhausted and perhaps a touch seasick. Marshall had been told that she was from Sandy Springs, Georgia. "Pleased to meet you," Marshall said courteously, still smiling. No one voiced the mutual thought: Marshall would have already met Ally if he had troubled to attend his brother's wedding, or his sister's.
Wesley was watching Marshall and hiding a chuckle. "Once you get your head out of the clouds, petit frère, we'll tell you how our voyage went."
Marshall bowed his head slightly, an acknowledgement of guilt. He'd been picturing her reclining on the deck of the boat, the sun tanning her smooth, glowing skin. "Over dinner. You're both tired of galley food, I'm sure."
Wesley grasped Marshall's shoulder, and with his guests at his side, Marshall started toward the car, with the sun shedding its last rays behind him.
