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Entry tags:
luceti || the most tentative application ever.
Mun
Name: Dani
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fantasyfan17
E-mail: t.fantasyfan@gmail.com
AIM/MSN: [AIM] tfantasyfan
Current Characters at Luceti: N/A
Character
Name: Henry Wellard
Fandom: Hornblower (television series)
Gender: Male
Age: never specified, but to hazard a guess... 16.
Time Period: From his final appearance in the episode "Retribution."
Wing Color: Red, of the soft variety.
History: In truth, there isn't all that much history to give for Mister Wellard- we never hear about his family, his past, anything: we just know he is a midshipman aboard the Renown at the time that Archie Kennedy and Horatio Hornblower are assigned to it. He only has a role during two episodes ("Mutiny" and "Retribution"), which I'll link to information for below, as well as the series wiki in general.
A brief summary of Mutiny- and a review (which is more detailed in relating the plot and Wellard's role in it).
Synopsis for Retribution.
Series information.
Personality:
As first impressions go, Wellard starts up his role in the film a young, impressionable sort of kid, eager to be of use- basically, your typical young midshipman side character in a historical BBC series. He's aware of exactly what his position aboard the Renown entails, responsibilities and the general value of his opinion included. Responsible, well-mannered, obedient and withdrawn until he sees a need to step forward and speak up, with a spot of youth and a sense of humor shining through on rare occasions as well. In line with more recent events, he's also likely to come across as generally downtrodden and quite wary. Think... kicked puppy, still working on bouncing back and not fully grasping what it did to get itself kicked (or that sometimes people will just kick).
He's also shown to be a man of relatively low self-confidence and a touch of uncertainty in many situations. Of course, I don't know if I could really say it's that simple. Even in the beginning of Mutiny, Wellard had confidence up to a certain point. He was willing to step up and demand that a fight come to an end, only starting to waver when it became clear just how little respect the older men had for him, how easy it was for them to intimidate him- he wasn't even afraid to halt an order from the Captain himself to keep a sail from being torn. Somewhere in there is an eager, sure sailor; it's the way events progressed for him that really pushed it down.
Captain Sawyer's madness, potential mutiny, his fall into the hold, the near-constant pushing by Mister Hobbs, the laudanum he was drinking to ease the pain from his beatings, spending days and days worried about making a misstep or what might happen to Mister Hornblower and Mister Kennedy... it's not much wonder he became that much more withdrawn and that much less trusting. Wellard transformed into a sullen young man, pained, quiet and troubled and not quite sure how it would get better. At the same time, that attitude saw a lot of improvement under the influence/company of Hornblower and Kennedy- considering the fact that he's nothing to go back to and nobody present that he explicitly distrusts, it's a safe bet that the same sort of improvement will take place after a while.
Wellard is loyal to a fault when it comes to the people he cares about, and he's far from afraid to let it show: whether it's keeping limitless faith in them or taking extraordinary measures to protect their good name. Considering his apparent lack of family and close friends, it's unsurprising that stray genuine kindness would matter a lot, and he was very quick to form attachments to Horatio and Archie. Wellard would do just about anything one of his important people asked of him, to the best of his ability.
Like many people, Henry Wellard carries with him a definite ability to hold a grudge. At the end of the day he's still a teenager- what he feels, he feels strongly, and he'll make hasty (possibly unwise) decisions in the heat of the moment because of it sometimes. Threatening Captain Sawyer with a gun wasn't a long-plotted, carefully thought-out strategy; it was Wellard, deeply afraid for the men to whom he owed so very much and without any attachment for the person he was threatening. In fact, I imagine that resentment towards Sawyer really factored into the act (considering how, once they got into their final confrontation, Wellard was basically calling him an old fool, dangerous to himself and others).
Wellard has a determined, very brave side to him when it's called for. He's fairly versed in the art of keeping a stiff upper lip and walking into things with his back straight, shoulders squared- even as far back as Sawyer calling for his first beating, he took a breath and walked into it with his head high. Put the life of the Captain who humiliated him on one end and the life of Mister Hornblower or Mister Kennedy on the other, and it's no great contest who he'd take action to save.
Wellard is, overall, an ordinary young man who wound up thrown into unfortunate circumstances. At the same time that it was damaging to him, it also served to prove just how strong and brave- how extraordinary- he can be in the face of hardship. He's not above forming a bad opinion, getting angry, or getting his hands dirty for someone he admires and respects. He's a good person, fairly clever, quiet and recently slower to warm up to people. With time in Luceti, no longer quite so bound to his naval career, he'll likely learn to relax a little, make a few connections... and really just be grateful for the fact that he's alive.
Strengths:
Physical: Wellard's greatest physical strength is that he's young and healthy, if a bit small (which has come in handy before). Henry's light on his feet and quick if he thinks to try, particularly when it comes to things like scaling the rigging and outrunning explosions. It can also be assumed that he's a good swimmer. Also relatively durable, at least in matters of accidentally being dropped on his head and turning out all right.
Mental: Capable of being clever, if not strictly a genius. He knows his regulations and how to follow orders, which tends to serve him well enough.
Emotional: Wellard's not too bad off on the emotional front- he's pretty mature for his age, which makes sense considering the time period and where he's spending it. When he's facing his first beating, he makes it a point to go into it with his chin up and a brave attitude. In fact, when it really matters and things he cares about are at stake, he's more than willing to step up and do what he feels has to be done.
Weaknesses:
Physical: Physically fit, yes. Superhuman, no. He's probably even a little bit weak for a guy his age, if I'm honest. Wellard can be injured, he can get sick, and he can be clumsy, too- pretty easy target, all in all. Plus he has no skills in hand-to-hand combat, or much combat experience in general (I think he's fired a gun...twice, maybe three times). Sea legs are about the best he's got in the skill department- he's just a teenager, after all.
Mental: Like I said above, most definitely not a genius. He's also got absolutely nothing when it comes to mental defenses- a mind reader/psychic puppeteer could have a field day with him.
Emotional: He's unsure, prone to hesitation, and is definitely lousy when it comes to a poker face. And he can be... pretty easy to scare, for all that he's also willing to stand up when he needs to. When he's really just plain terrified, Henry doesn't do a lot on his own, freezing up and usually ending up getting help from someone else. Which is really evidence that, mature for his age or not, Wellard's still just a sixteen year old boy. When things do reach a breaking point for him, he can end up acting rashly or severely in the face of them- no one in their right mind would point a gun at the Captain- something that he could regret later. And on the other hand, he could hesitate at the last moment and end up paying the price.
I also submit that he seems to just...have really bad luck. This is the kid who would try to rescue a kitten from a tree only to have branches break beneath him on the way down. He managed to get two undeserved beatings in a short time period and would have fallen to his death in a failed cannon-hoisting if not for Horatio's interference. 8|
Samples
First Person:
[ The top of the page is dated for the month and day, but not the year. There are a few splotches by way of a tapping pen, and a veryawkward lengthy pause afterwards. ]
Five days, and I'm afraid I'm scarcely any more settled than I was when I first arrived here. Not for a lack of effort on any person's part, of course- I think that every first conversation left me with assurances of growing used to things. I appreciated the courtesy, if nothing else.
Though I've found that Misters Kennedy and Hornblower being present has been the most reassuring thing of all. Others have not been so lucky or well-informed in their introduction to Luceti, I'm sure. I'll have to find a way to repay them for all they've done, somehow.
[ The next hesitation is shorter than the first, but still considerable. ] It's the strangest thing, being here. Sleeping has been difficult from the beginning; I half-expect myself to wake up at any moment, or not to wake up at all with each coming morning.I am afraid to consider either of the two at length.
[ The final line is hastily stricken out, followed by a cramped signing of the name 'H. Wellard.' ]
Third Person:
Henry Wellard had never been strictly religious in nature. Oh, he knew the general rules of living well, some of the stories, and as with many people who weren't strictly religious, it had certainly never stopped him from learning how to pray (for luck, for pardon, for relief). But to say he could recite verses or guarantee himself Heaven or Hell would be a lie of considerable size, one he'd never bring himself to utter. For his ignorance on the matter, he understood it to be a serious one he ought to have gained more knowledge in before...
Well, sooner than he'd found himself wishing to. Wellard often wondered if forming a set opinion of Luceti before finding out what it really held in store would have made for a simpler transition. He'd gone from those oddly clear final moments, from the stifling air in the Captain's cabin, his pounding heart, an almost overwhelming metallic taste as he'd spoken to Mister Hobbs- and suddenly he'd been in nothing. To soreness, to silence, to biting cold and mid-winter snow, to land and trees, and nothing to make of it but the knowledge that he had died and hadn't any ideas what he was meant to do next.
With the pardon of those first few unusual (terrifying) hours, fortunately, Luceti had treated him well. Strangely, confusingly, leaving more to be explained than Mister Hornblower or Mister Kennedy knew how to, but undoubtedly well. This place was a second chance at life, and a good one at that: a life with friendly strangers, an open library, beautiful land, a beautiful ocean, a chance to try to pay back two men to whom he owed a great deal, and comforts in his current home that he couldn't have dreamed of before.
Even with tales of the more... disturbing nature of events that went hand-in-hand with the things he appreciated most, Wellard almost couldn't bring himself to be concerned about them. Surely there couldn't be many things harder to experience than death itself. While he certainly didn't care for the idea of it happening again, he might admit to himself from time to time that his death leading him here had made it difficult to absorb the gravity of things from time to time.
A fair amount of his time was devoted to wondering what he would do if this all turned out to be a dream.
He hadn't quite plotted out an answer for that question yet.
Name: Dani
Livejournal Username:
fantasyfan17E-mail: t.fantasyfan@gmail.com
AIM/MSN: [AIM] tfantasyfan
Current Characters at Luceti: N/A
Character
Name: Henry Wellard
Fandom: Hornblower (television series)
Gender: Male
Age: never specified, but to hazard a guess... 16.
Time Period: From his final appearance in the episode "Retribution."
Wing Color: Red, of the soft variety.
History: In truth, there isn't all that much history to give for Mister Wellard- we never hear about his family, his past, anything: we just know he is a midshipman aboard the Renown at the time that Archie Kennedy and Horatio Hornblower are assigned to it. He only has a role during two episodes ("Mutiny" and "Retribution"), which I'll link to information for below, as well as the series wiki in general.
A brief summary of Mutiny- and a review (which is more detailed in relating the plot and Wellard's role in it).
Synopsis for Retribution.
Series information.
Personality:
As first impressions go, Wellard starts up his role in the film a young, impressionable sort of kid, eager to be of use- basically, your typical young midshipman side character in a historical BBC series. He's aware of exactly what his position aboard the Renown entails, responsibilities and the general value of his opinion included. Responsible, well-mannered, obedient and withdrawn until he sees a need to step forward and speak up, with a spot of youth and a sense of humor shining through on rare occasions as well. In line with more recent events, he's also likely to come across as generally downtrodden and quite wary. Think... kicked puppy, still working on bouncing back and not fully grasping what it did to get itself kicked (or that sometimes people will just kick).
He's also shown to be a man of relatively low self-confidence and a touch of uncertainty in many situations. Of course, I don't know if I could really say it's that simple. Even in the beginning of Mutiny, Wellard had confidence up to a certain point. He was willing to step up and demand that a fight come to an end, only starting to waver when it became clear just how little respect the older men had for him, how easy it was for them to intimidate him- he wasn't even afraid to halt an order from the Captain himself to keep a sail from being torn. Somewhere in there is an eager, sure sailor; it's the way events progressed for him that really pushed it down.
Captain Sawyer's madness, potential mutiny, his fall into the hold, the near-constant pushing by Mister Hobbs, the laudanum he was drinking to ease the pain from his beatings, spending days and days worried about making a misstep or what might happen to Mister Hornblower and Mister Kennedy... it's not much wonder he became that much more withdrawn and that much less trusting. Wellard transformed into a sullen young man, pained, quiet and troubled and not quite sure how it would get better. At the same time, that attitude saw a lot of improvement under the influence/company of Hornblower and Kennedy- considering the fact that he's nothing to go back to and nobody present that he explicitly distrusts, it's a safe bet that the same sort of improvement will take place after a while.
Wellard is loyal to a fault when it comes to the people he cares about, and he's far from afraid to let it show: whether it's keeping limitless faith in them or taking extraordinary measures to protect their good name. Considering his apparent lack of family and close friends, it's unsurprising that stray genuine kindness would matter a lot, and he was very quick to form attachments to Horatio and Archie. Wellard would do just about anything one of his important people asked of him, to the best of his ability.
Like many people, Henry Wellard carries with him a definite ability to hold a grudge. At the end of the day he's still a teenager- what he feels, he feels strongly, and he'll make hasty (possibly unwise) decisions in the heat of the moment because of it sometimes. Threatening Captain Sawyer with a gun wasn't a long-plotted, carefully thought-out strategy; it was Wellard, deeply afraid for the men to whom he owed so very much and without any attachment for the person he was threatening. In fact, I imagine that resentment towards Sawyer really factored into the act (considering how, once they got into their final confrontation, Wellard was basically calling him an old fool, dangerous to himself and others).
Wellard has a determined, very brave side to him when it's called for. He's fairly versed in the art of keeping a stiff upper lip and walking into things with his back straight, shoulders squared- even as far back as Sawyer calling for his first beating, he took a breath and walked into it with his head high. Put the life of the Captain who humiliated him on one end and the life of Mister Hornblower or Mister Kennedy on the other, and it's no great contest who he'd take action to save.
Wellard is, overall, an ordinary young man who wound up thrown into unfortunate circumstances. At the same time that it was damaging to him, it also served to prove just how strong and brave- how extraordinary- he can be in the face of hardship. He's not above forming a bad opinion, getting angry, or getting his hands dirty for someone he admires and respects. He's a good person, fairly clever, quiet and recently slower to warm up to people. With time in Luceti, no longer quite so bound to his naval career, he'll likely learn to relax a little, make a few connections... and really just be grateful for the fact that he's alive.
Strengths:
Physical: Wellard's greatest physical strength is that he's young and healthy, if a bit small (which has come in handy before). Henry's light on his feet and quick if he thinks to try, particularly when it comes to things like scaling the rigging and outrunning explosions. It can also be assumed that he's a good swimmer. Also relatively durable, at least in matters of accidentally being dropped on his head and turning out all right.
Mental: Capable of being clever, if not strictly a genius. He knows his regulations and how to follow orders, which tends to serve him well enough.
Emotional: Wellard's not too bad off on the emotional front- he's pretty mature for his age, which makes sense considering the time period and where he's spending it. When he's facing his first beating, he makes it a point to go into it with his chin up and a brave attitude. In fact, when it really matters and things he cares about are at stake, he's more than willing to step up and do what he feels has to be done.
Weaknesses:
Physical: Physically fit, yes. Superhuman, no. He's probably even a little bit weak for a guy his age, if I'm honest. Wellard can be injured, he can get sick, and he can be clumsy, too- pretty easy target, all in all. Plus he has no skills in hand-to-hand combat, or much combat experience in general (I think he's fired a gun...twice, maybe three times). Sea legs are about the best he's got in the skill department- he's just a teenager, after all.
Mental: Like I said above, most definitely not a genius. He's also got absolutely nothing when it comes to mental defenses- a mind reader/psychic puppeteer could have a field day with him.
Emotional: He's unsure, prone to hesitation, and is definitely lousy when it comes to a poker face. And he can be... pretty easy to scare, for all that he's also willing to stand up when he needs to. When he's really just plain terrified, Henry doesn't do a lot on his own, freezing up and usually ending up getting help from someone else. Which is really evidence that, mature for his age or not, Wellard's still just a sixteen year old boy. When things do reach a breaking point for him, he can end up acting rashly or severely in the face of them- no one in their right mind would point a gun at the Captain- something that he could regret later. And on the other hand, he could hesitate at the last moment and end up paying the price.
I also submit that he seems to just...have really bad luck. This is the kid who would try to rescue a kitten from a tree only to have branches break beneath him on the way down. He managed to get two undeserved beatings in a short time period and would have fallen to his death in a failed cannon-hoisting if not for Horatio's interference. 8|
Samples
First Person:
[ The top of the page is dated for the month and day, but not the year. There are a few splotches by way of a tapping pen, and a very
Five days, and I'm afraid I'm scarcely any more settled than I was when I first arrived here. Not for a lack of effort on any person's part, of course- I think that every first conversation left me with assurances of growing used to things. I appreciated the courtesy, if nothing else.
Though I've found that Misters Kennedy and Hornblower being present has been the most reassuring thing of all. Others have not been so lucky or well-informed in their introduction to Luceti, I'm sure. I'll have to find a way to repay them for all they've done, somehow.
[ The next hesitation is shorter than the first, but still considerable. ] It's the strangest thing, being here. Sleeping has been difficult from the beginning; I half-expect myself to wake up at any moment, or not to wake up at all with each coming morning.
[ The final line is hastily stricken out, followed by a cramped signing of the name 'H. Wellard.' ]
Third Person:
Henry Wellard had never been strictly religious in nature. Oh, he knew the general rules of living well, some of the stories, and as with many people who weren't strictly religious, it had certainly never stopped him from learning how to pray (for luck, for pardon, for relief). But to say he could recite verses or guarantee himself Heaven or Hell would be a lie of considerable size, one he'd never bring himself to utter. For his ignorance on the matter, he understood it to be a serious one he ought to have gained more knowledge in before...
Well, sooner than he'd found himself wishing to. Wellard often wondered if forming a set opinion of Luceti before finding out what it really held in store would have made for a simpler transition. He'd gone from those oddly clear final moments, from the stifling air in the Captain's cabin, his pounding heart, an almost overwhelming metallic taste as he'd spoken to Mister Hobbs- and suddenly he'd been in nothing. To soreness, to silence, to biting cold and mid-winter snow, to land and trees, and nothing to make of it but the knowledge that he had died and hadn't any ideas what he was meant to do next.
With the pardon of those first few unusual (terrifying) hours, fortunately, Luceti had treated him well. Strangely, confusingly, leaving more to be explained than Mister Hornblower or Mister Kennedy knew how to, but undoubtedly well. This place was a second chance at life, and a good one at that: a life with friendly strangers, an open library, beautiful land, a beautiful ocean, a chance to try to pay back two men to whom he owed a great deal, and comforts in his current home that he couldn't have dreamed of before.
Even with tales of the more... disturbing nature of events that went hand-in-hand with the things he appreciated most, Wellard almost couldn't bring himself to be concerned about them. Surely there couldn't be many things harder to experience than death itself. While he certainly didn't care for the idea of it happening again, he might admit to himself from time to time that his death leading him here had made it difficult to absorb the gravity of things from time to time.
A fair amount of his time was devoted to wondering what he would do if this all turned out to be a dream.
He hadn't quite plotted out an answer for that question yet.