#cs: mortimer bloom

[cursedserpenthq]

(brigette lundy-paine, 26, nonbinary, shapeshifter) Blimey! Is that (MORTIMER “BLOOM” BLOOM (ALICE HARTE))? (THEY) are the (RIGGER) on the Cursed Serpent and has been onboard the ship since (SINCE THE CREW STOPPED IN WESTBURGH?). Legend has it they are (PASSIONATE & DEDICATED), but don’t get on their bad side, because I hear they’re (IMPULSIVE & EASILY ANGERED). Aye! Stop staring! (BLOOM) has their (DOUBLE-BLADED SCIMITAR) out! (ooc: vee, est, 20, they/them, molestation/sexual assault)

THE CURSED SERPENT

Bloom spent the last five years swinging around the rigging of various ships, both legal and pirate alike, and considered themselves an admirable professional at this point. Their most recent employment had been on a small ship of pirates who were cursed with never ending bad luck. The ship was eventually picked off by a more competent pirate crew competitor, After years of searching towns, ports, and ships, they had finally tracked their estranged sibling Thad to the crew of the Cursed Serpent. Convincing the captain that the ship needed a proficient rigger, they boarded the ship and began their new job.

They are paranoid by nature, and are under the assumption that the crew doesn’t like them or is suspicious of them, especially because of the events surrounding the Jewels. But the ship needed a rigger and Bloom needed a job, the crew couldn’t afford to have sailors who already had full time positions cover for a job they weren’t equipped for.

Bloom is equally skeptical of the crew, with their only motivation for boarding the ship being that their sibling IS on it as well. The don’t especially have an interest in the mission of the collective, and are much more focused on making sure Thad pays for the harm they caused their family, and abandoning them.

Bloom never knew Bradway, although they had heard of him, most pirates roaming these waters had heard of Captain Bradway.

SECRET

Bloom has yet to reveal to the crew, let alone their sibling themselves, that they are related to Thad. Looking far different than the last time they saw their sibling, and a different gender to boot, they don’t know how to reveal their secret without causing a stir. They don’t need that kind of attention on them, especially because they are hiding the fact that they are a shapeshifter, a fact their sibling is not yet aware of, and something that comes with high stigma.

After their family being run out of town because of the continuing witchcraft allegations, much to do with their emerging abilities, Bloom left their family to take the pressure off, and sought out jobs that would give them the ability to send money back to their mother and siblings. The attention given to them then has them wary of causing yet another attention attracting scene.

One of the ships they worked on after leaving their family had them use their abilities to manipulate people in order to get money, resources, and information. This caused a lot of harm and sent Bloom running for the hills, and gave them an intense fear of being found out and being used again.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Thaddeus Durant: Bloom has not seen their sibling in ten years, and in that time their resentment towards them has only grown. Thad was like a father figure to them, with their own actual father being quite the deadbeat. Thad’s abrupt departure from their hometown devastated them, and didn’t do a lot to fix the rough spot their family had been thrust into. With their emerging shapeshifting abilities running somewhat out of control, the allegations of witchcraft previously attributed to Thad resurfaced, eventually leading to their mother and siblings fleeing the town in the dead of night, leaving their father behind. The family was left destitute, with the rumors following them to the next town, it was hard for their mother to secure another job. This lead to Bloom leaving their family at 18, partially to take the heat off of their mother, and partially to seek out jobs that would allow them to send money back to her. With ever growing resentment, Bloom now considers their situation to be all Thad’s fault, despite the circumstances being out of anyone’s control.

A Mentor: Someone who becomes a guiding figure for Bloom as they continue their service onboard the ship, helping them figure out who they are outside of their anger. Helps them develop their skills and see their abilities for what they really are. Provides the Mentor with a fresh and youthful perspective on life. This can be someone that they develop a mutual sense of trust with, or someone who is using them for their skills/information.

A Crush: Not necessarily requited, just a person Bloom has an instinctual attraction to. They are rarely nervous, but this person sets them on edge in a way they can’t explain, causing them to be blushy and awkward. Could be something the Crush requites, thinks is cute, or capitalizes on to manipulate them.

ANYTHING ELSE

As Bloom has sailed on other pirate ships pursuing the Jewels, I think they would have some ideas about other crews that are competitors in the race to find out where they are and how to get them. Not necessarily any information on where the Jewels themselves are, just the people who might be the most dangerous to the Cursed Serpent’s endeavors.

Eventually I think the crew might accidentally find out about Bloom’s shapeshifting abilities, and they will have a full blown freak out due to their fear of being used for their abilities to manipulate others. Regardless of the intentions of the crew themselves.

Once Bloom is revealed to be related to Thad, I imagine some toxic energy may affect the culture of the ship. 

Despite not wanting to draw attention to themselves, Bloom has a tendency to be impulsive and opinionated, and isn’t good at hiding that fact, which may draw more suspicion towards them. They spend a lot of their time sitting in the rigging itself, climbing masts, and swinging around on ropes in a way that is almost birdlike, and a little bit unprofessional.

[art-of-manliness]

Podcast #587: How to Get More Pleasure and Fulfillment Out of Your Reading

 Do you have a goal of reading more, but any time you start working on that goal, it feels like a chore? The equivalent of eating your broccoli? My guest today argues that the problem is likely due to the fact that you’re trying to read what you think you should be reading, instead of reading what you actually enjoy.  His name is Alan Jacobs. He’s a professor of literature and the author of The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. At the start of our conversation Alan offers a critique of a certain approach to reading the so-called “Great Books,” and makes an argument for choosing what you read based on Whim, with a capital W, rather than following any kind of list. He then makes the case for following that Whim into reading not only the books of your favorite authors, but the books your favorite authors read, which can actually lead you back to the Great Books, but in a way that will allow you to enjoy and appreciate them more. Alan makes the case as well for the value of re-reading books. Alan and I then discuss tactics to get more out of reading in our age of distraction, including his opinion on reading ebooks versus paper copies. We also get into his take on speed reading and whether it’s okay to not finish books you’re not digging. We end our conversation with what parents can do to raise eager readers.  If reading this in an email, click the title of the post to listen to the show. Show Highlights * Alan’s beef with legendary critics Mortimer Adler and Harold Bloom * Why you need to sometimes read Harry Potter instead of Shakespeare * Reading at “Whim”  * Reading “upstream” of your favorite authors  * Why re-reading is always worth it  * Naturally arriving at the Great Books rather than forcing it  * Why masterpieces aren’t necessarily supposed to be read daily * CS Lewis’s advice on reading (and re-reading)  * The value of bookstores and libraries  * What happens if all you seem to enjoy are the “cheap calories” of books?  * Reading in our age of distraction * Is there a difference between reading ebooks and paper books? * On marginalia  * Different kinds of reading for different types of books  * On not finishing books  * Raising kids who enjoy reading and books  Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast * Aristotle for Everybody by Adler * How to Read a Book * How to Read More Books * How to Read Long and Difficult Books * Joining the Conversation About the Great Books * 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die * 100 Books Every Man Should Read * Theodore Roosevelt’s Advice on Reading * Why You Need a Reading Plan * Books So Good I’ve Read ‘Em 2X (or More!) * AoM’s Libraries of Famous Men series  * Anna Karenina * Becoming a Digital Minimalist * Austin Kleon * The Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Kids Connect With Alan  Alan’s website Alan on Twitter Listen to the Podcast! (And don’t forget to leave us a review!) Listen to the episode on a separate page. Download this episode. Subscribe to the podcast in the media player of your choice. Listen ad-free on Stitcher Premium; get a free month when you use code “manliness” at checkout. Podcast Sponsors Click here to see a full list of our podcast sponsors. Read the Transcript Coming soon! The post Podcast #587: How to Get More Pleasure and Fulfillment Out of Your Reading appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/RQgZYP