දKoheleth Richard Virellanဉ
He thinks his middle name is literally so basic, but aren’t all middle names? Fun fact: Koheleth means preacher (I don’t remember in what language. It’s probably Hebrew because I heard it in church and thought it was cool)
Age:
48- although many people guess older. The eyes tend to be the giveaway and his are lying to everyone.
Gender:
male
Sexuality:
Straight, not that it matters at this point
Role:
Head of the House of the Snake
Thoughts On The Demi-Gods & Gods In General:
He lost most of his faith in the gods after the loss of his wife. See, he doesn’t blame a failure of medicine or science, he just thinks that the gods weren’t listening to his prayers. Like, what’s the whole point if they won’t help with anything? He showed up at the temple every day, begging for her to be healed. He brought offerings and poured his heart out, but to no avail. Ever since, he places his trust in things he can manipulate himself. He doesn’t blame himself, he blames the gods. Trying to negotiate with them is like speaking to the dead.
Appearance:
Koheleth is built somewhat like a birch tree. He’s extremely thin, almost fragile looking, with thin limbs. His skin is pale, almost translucent as the frosted glass window to his study. You can see faint veins at his temples and wrists. His build and thin skin always leaves him cold. Winters are especially rough with the draft from under his study door. His stature, however, is not as sturdy as the tree itself. After many nights hunched over a textbook, he had developed a slouch. Regardless, he is still a tall man- almost too tall to be hiding behind houseplants during council meetings. Along his left arm are swirls of white ink, barely visible on his skin. That family tradition is almost as ancient as the gods. Although he has his own opinions on it, he won’t openly discourage others from partaking in it.
His face carries the same weight. He has sharp cheekbones, hollow cheeks, and sunken eyes. This gives him a skeletal appearance. Once, a patient in the children’s ward cried upon seeing his appearance. Ever since, he is mindful to try to take care of himself a little better. The roughness of his appearance tells the tale of his life, both the trials and the joys. Because despite the grief he has experienced, his life has not all been difficult. Faint smile lines indicate a time of great joy. Crow's feet rest at the edges of his eyes, an indication of something that almost feels like a past life. Those eyes, once bright and lively, are now dull. Those brown eyes are the most obvious indication of his exhaustion, almost tinted with a melancholy that gives him the look of a man who has seen too much. They are circled with dark rings that he can’t seem to hide.
His hair is a dull brown already streaked with silver. Now, he has always said that there is nothing sadder than an old man who tries to do something interesting with his hair. Enough pompous old knights show up at the clinic with hair full of oils and gels- he doesn’t want to become one of those fools. Koheleth ensures that his hair is always cropped short and his face is clean-shaven. He is aware that he is frequently judged by others for “slipping away” and tries to keep this one part under control. In his youth, he would grow out long curls, but that is a day best left forgotten. Now those pictures are embarrassing to him, and he would rather not reminisce on that age.
If you were to open his closet, you’d find it rather depressing. It is almost completely devoid of color. Everything is muted browns, greens, and greys. Most commonly, black. He layers instinctively, often forgetting the year or the season. Thus, he ends up wearing far too many garments for the occasion. One benefit to this is the amount of available pockets; which are all stuffed with notes, vials, scraps of paper with calculations, or other small instruments. Often these are wrinkled and appear well lived-in. The one constant to his appearance is a silver pocketwatch. Not only does it tell the time, but it also includes a tiny painted portrait of his wife, edges cracked with age. He opens it compulsively- when thinking, stressed, or unsure of what to do. Each time he clicks the lid shut, it is like he has been retethered to the Earth.
Personality:
Koheleth keeps business first and foremost in his life, given the importance of his occupation. He is a brilliant scholar whose mind can never truly find rest. Learning is not just a hobby to him, but a responsibility. He has many late nights studying, then experimenting, then returning to the clinic at dawn. Pursuing more knowledge is necessary to help others, it’s his duty.
He is driven by logic and methodology. Anything unpredictable is a challenge for him. He has to find what makes things tick. That is one of the reasons why he does not trust the divine entities, they are all too unpredictable for him. Both them and political leaders act in a wild manner, although mortals are more selfish by nature. This leads him skeptical of those in authority.
Sentimentalities are often not his forte. He keeps around a few items as reminders, but he really prefers practicality. In a similar manner, he doesn’t offer sentimental speeches or overt comfort to his patients. Instead, he is meticulous in how he treats and diagnoses, often spending long nights looking for clues to crack the case. If they want something for comfort, they can turn to one of the “nicer” staff members. The children have found him too straight-forward and frightening for that matter.
Most people find Koheleth to be reserved, polite, and distant. He isn’t big on small talk, and wants to get down to the meat and potatoes of a problem in order to save time for what really matters. When provoked, he is particularly keen on stating the blatantly obvious that others are too kind to mention. Because of this, the council meetings he doesn’t skip leave the other members with an impression that he is more temperamental than he actually is.
He carries a quiet, permanent grief. He rarely speaks of it, but it lingers in every dark circle beneath his eyes and every hesitant pause in conversation. He does not feel guilt for the death of his wife, only a persistent, almost existential weight for surviving it. Instead, he sees the gods as the root of the problem. Ever since, he is riddled with burnout, and moved through life based of duty and habit. He merely goes through the motions of living, burdened by the loneliness of caring for others without reciprocation.
At home, he softens. His voice drops an octave, his movements slow to accommodate others. It is as if he is in the office, but can bare to slow down and feel emotions every once in a while. He strives to be present with his children, though he is often lost in work. He is quietly, fiercely proud of their intelligence, seeing echoes of their mother in them. Love for family is the anchor that keeps him tethered to life, even when the weight of his responsibilities threatens to overwhelm him.
Strengths:
He has exceptional medical knowledge, having worked for many, many years with some of the nation’s finest medical staff. He has the pleasure of being one of those.
Calm under pressure and unshakable in emergencies. In a sense, he’s like the pillars of the house during an earthquake. Even if everything else is shaky, you know he’ll be the same.
Analytical thinker and excellent at problem-solving, although it likely won’t be a very creative solution.
He has a deep empathy for the sick, wounded, and grieving. (especially the latter)
Weaknesses:
Emotionally closed off and tends to prioritize his work over his family and well-being.
He tends to be rigid in his beliefs. This means not being a creative thinker and being skeptical of other ideas.
He carries deep grief that clouds his personal life.
The gods, in his opinion, can not be trusted. Demigods are the worst of both worlds, these “ambassadors” can only bring more pain.
Likes:
Quiet libraries and late nights in the study, especially if it’s just him and his work. That on a rainy night with the warm crackle of the fire *chefs kiss*
Herbal teas (mostly for the warmth). He’s a big tea drinker. Once he bought in bulk for the next two years.
Having the gift of seeing his children grow. All too often, people take that for granted.
Dislikes:
Council meetings, council members, political leaders, most religious leaders, you get the point.
Pointless displays of violence. Some knights are respectable, but there are a few youngsters who are wasting their talent being brash.
Poison, both ethically and practically.
Now this is embarrassing for him to admit, but he secretly holds a resentment toward those old happy couples. He, deep down, feels like his happiness was unrightfully stolen from him. Regardless, he’s done the best he can with the cards he was dealt.
Relationship Status:
He loves his wife <3 She died shortly after their eldest turned six. He’s still not entirely over it, as he spends many late nights researching how to help others who have her condition. Gosh- she was gorgeous and smart and everything he wished he could be. As their children age they become more like her every day, which makes him ever more proud of their progress.
Children:
Calista and a younger girl who is about the age of 19
Affiliations:
His family and the House of the Snake
The medical staff
Those snakes of council members. (Although maybe "snake" isn't the right word to use with his house title.”
Other:
He refuses to administer poison regardless of how bad any conflicts get. Having worked during wars against other nations, he has heard it all on the battlefield.
Apollo, every single day of the week <3ද