▶ PLAYER
HANDLE: joou
CONTACT: joousama on plurk
OVER 18? yes!
CHARACTERS IN-GAME: n/a
▶ CHARACTER
NAME: Leon Belmont
CANON: Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
CANON POINT: Post Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
AGE: 22

BACKGROUND: Castlevania Fandom Wiki.
Orphaned at a young age, Leon Belmont rose from rags to nobility through hard work and good deeds in his community. After serving many years as a well-respected knight, he was later bestowed the title of earl and fought as a crusader alongside his dear friend and skilled tactician, Mathias Cronqvist. Once Mathias told Leon that his fiancee, Sara Trantoul, was kidnapped and brought to the castle of a vampire living in the Forest of Eternal Night, he relinquished his noble title, and sought off to rescue her. He found himself too late. Already having been bitten, Sara requested that Leon heed her desire to save others from the same fate in fusing her dying soul with a whip of alchemy he was given by a hermit named Rinaldo Gandolfi. Forcing himself to comply, Leon killed Sara therefore creating the vampire loathing heirloom of the Belmont Clan. Fueled by hate and a thirst for revenge, he then returned to the castle to finish off the vampire, Walter Bernhard. After defeating Walter, Mathias congratulated Leon on his accomplishment and confessed that everything up until that point had been a vengeful plot. He'd created said plot in order to spite God, who had allowed his wife Elisabetha to pass away during one of Leon and Mathias' expeditions away from home. Believing that Leon too could now understand the pain of losing the love of his life, he offered to share eternal life alongside Leon as a vampires, where they would both live in defiance of God's cruelty. Despite understanding Mathias' frustration, Leon was disgusted by this offer and refused, instead vowing that his descendants would defeat Mathias as many times as needed for the rest of eternity. 

PERSONALITY:

The protagonist of a gothic fairytale, Leon Belmont, later to become the first of a long bloodline of vampire hunters, is a stark but romantic contrast to the tragedy-ridden world of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. With prominent shades of gold, red and white well integrated into his character design, he sharply mirrors Mathias Cronqvist's (his antagonist as well as form comrade) color palette of silver, green and black. As such, Leon is very much a representation of the goodness of people's hearts and wills, a direct foil to Mathias who represents the darkness. As Castlevania often explores themes of morality, the structure of religion and corruption of purity, Leon is very important in that he is a character symbolizing all of the values that the famous Belmont Clan is sculpted upon, later protagonists becoming less identifiably noble in both concept and action. Paralleling that, as the chronology passes, the church becomes more and more corrupt, pushing and exiling the innocent while simultaneously pardoning the powerful but guilty.

Though Leon's upbringing is not throughly acknowledged in the game itself, pamphlets and strategy guides from Castlevania: Lament of Innocence's time express that he grew up parentless and rose to nobility via his own hard work and achievement, knighted at the young age of sixteen. Despite the implied difficulty of his early life, he harbors no resentment towards neither his god, circumstances, nor community— once again, opposite the vengeful reaction of Mathias at the end of the game. In fact, Leon is nothing but grateful to those who offer him their time, said appreciation ranging from his fiancee Sara to the bristly hermit Rinaldo who resides in the Forest of Eternal Night. In all circumstances throughout the game, his faith in the human heart allows him to prevail in even the most tempting of dark obstacles, places where other characters would fail and succumb.

Said obstacles occur time and time again, their intensity and context shifting. Whether he need to resist the charms of a carnal succubus, selflessly sacrifice his fiancee to put an end to future vampires, or even turn down the offer of eternal life as a vampire himself, Leon's stubborn but just brilliance keeps him from falling under the influence of the night's evil creatures, an incredibly rare feat to consider. This impenetrable righteousness is what drives him into swearing his bloodline's duty to pursue Mathias (who would then become known as Vlad Tepes, or Dracula in future games): to seal the king of vampires away as many times as needed in order to keep good and evil balanced for the rest of eternity. 

That isn't to say that Leon's gold-heartedness isn't a weakness in its own right. Because of his natural tendency to assume the best of people, and to see the best intent, he is very susceptible to manipulation and easily deceived by those who target him. This fact is demonstrated in that his former best friend Mathias utilizes him as a pawn to defeat the powerful vampire Walter Bernhardt, so that Mathias may take Walter's Crimson Stone and attain eternal life, defying God. Leon is unaware of Mathias' plot until the end of the game, only after he has defeated Walter and is congratulated by his manipulator. In another example, a succubus takes form as Leon's captured fiancee Sara and without initial distrust, he starts to flee the castle alongside her only to be met with an attempt from the disguised succubus to strike him with a knife. This habit of taking things by their surface value proves itself to be very dangerous to his safety, almost deeming him too innocent or naive for his own benefit.

In spite of this vulnerability, his religious upbringing and acute moral compass allow him to retain his role as a hero, and inspire those around him by his deeds. Possessing natural magnetism and easily liked, even Dracula himself goes into a long period of inactivity after regretfully realizing he has lost his relationship with Leon, not to lash out at humanity until the later 1400s in the era of Leon's descendent, Trevor Belmont. Even in this period of stillness, Leon relentlessly maintains and documents his experiences as a vampire hunter so that future generations can learn from his lifetime the things he had to map out for himself. Taking initiative and always earnestly pushing forward, Leon Belmont is almost so classically idealized a human being that the later, almost inevitable downfall of humanity and the church he so cherished would bring him to tears, should he find out their actions in later centuries... 

POWERS/ABILITIES: Former knight and hunter of night's creatures, Leon Belmont's power is more-so thanks to combat ability and weaponry rather than superhuman ability. The following skillset is what allows him to hold his own in fights against both other humans as well as monsters of darkness.

OOC INFORMATION

Player Name: Fein
Are you over 18?: Yes
Contact: faintfairy | PM | Discord available upon request!
Other Characters in Game: None

IC INFORMATION

Character Name: Leon Belmont
Canon: Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Canon Point: Post events of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

Background: Castlevania Fandom Wiki
Orphaned at a young age, Leon Belmont rose from peasant to nobility through hard work and contributions to his community. After serving many years as a well-respected knight, he was later bestowed the title of earl and fought as a crusader alongside his dear friend and skilled tactician, Mathias Cronqvist. One year following their return from a crusade, Leon was told that his fiancee, Sara Trantoul, had been kidnapped and brought to the castle of a vampire living in the Forest of Eternal Night. Since the Church refused him permission to sortie, Leon relinquished himself of his noble title and sought off to rescue her on his own. By the time he got there, however, he found himself too late. Already having been bitten, Sara requested that Leon heed her desire to save others from the same fate by binding her dying soul to a whip given to him by the alchemist named Rinaldo Gandolfi. Forcing himself to comply, Leon killed Sara and in doing so created the vampire loathing heirloom of the Belmont Clan. Fueled by his grief and hate, Leon then returned to the castle to finish the vampire off. After defeating said vampire, Mathias revealed himself from the shadows. He praised Leon and confessed that everything had been his own vengeful plot. He'd created said plot in order to spite God, who had allowed his wife Elisabetha to pass away during one of Leon and Mathias' crusades. Believing that Leon too could now understand the pain of losing the love of his life, he offered to share eternal life together as vampires. Despite understanding Mathias' frustration, Leon was disgusted by this offer and refused, instead vowing that his descendants would defeat Mathias (later to become Dracula) as many times as needed for the rest of eternity. Shocked to have been refused, Mathias disappeared after sending Death itself after Leon. In defeating Death, the vampire's castle began to crumble and the sun rose over the forest once again.

Suitability:

Leon should have no trouble at all engaging with many elements of this game. He is all about exploring uncharted territory as well as networking and building meaningful relationships with others, even characters that try and keep to themselves. He also possesses experience fighting in crusades for the sake of his religion and people, so should he feel impassioned towards a faction's cause, he'd readily go to war. Rather than avoiding, he's extremely proactive about providing aid to those in need, getting answers, and finding closure for himself and other people. He even often insists on continuing in circumstances that don't require or force him do so (or even circumstances that invite him to leave), such as when he returns to the castle even after Sara, his original reason to venture there, is killed. The presence of hidden bosses also suggest that Leon is even willing and able to wrap up business with monsters that do not immediately involve him or pertain to the direct plot of the game.

As Castlevania often explores themes of morality, the structure of religion as well as corruption of purity, Leon represents all of the values that the famous Belmont Clan is sculpted upon while later protagonists of the series becoming less identifiably lawful or noble in both concept and action. Paralleling that, as the chronology passes, the church becomes more and more corrupt, pushing and exiling the innocent while simultaneously pardoning the powerful but guilty. Right and wrong become less black and white, something that we don't quite get to see Leon have to face during his time featured. I would really like to explore this type of inner conflict while playing in this game! While it'll be interesting to see how his CR influences his decision making, he will carefully weigh what he believes is right and stand by his decisions; there's a very strong chance that his friendships and loyalty to his morals will be tested, which is very exciting to me. 

Powers:
Former knight and now hunter of vampires, Leon Belmont's power is more-so thanks to combat ability and weaponry rather than superhuman ability. 

✟  Combat Familiarity - As one of Europe's most recognizable crusaders of the time, Leon often fought first-hand in many battles for the sake of God and his people. Raw accumulated experience allows him comfort not only with his fists, but also when using a large variety of weapons ranging from swords (one or two-handed), lances, axes, bow and arrows, and throwing weapons. His portrait of nobility hints that he may be most proficient with the claymore.
✟ Trial-and-Error Problem Solving - The mechanics of the Castlevania games involve many mind puzzles, as the castle itself offers many challenging bosses and rooms that require the player to dissect a situation and clear it under a very specific margin of movement or strategy. That being said, as a protagonist, Leon has become used to reading the patterns of battle styles in foes, as well as the designs of his surroundings. He knows how to look for exploits or short cuts, thanks to constant exposure and the pressure to adapt or otherwise die.
✟  Alchemy - Though he is by no means an expert, thanks to his ally Rinaldo Gandolfi, he's learned to use minor alchemy because of his enchanted gauntlet. This usually consists of adding additional elemental damage to the weapons granted he has the corresponding magic orbs in his possession. 
✟  Agile / Acrobatic - His move set incorporates cat-like double jumps, back flips and other light-footed maneuvers.
✟  Bravery - He has no trouble putting himself second to someone in danger, and feels best doing something good for other people. As he does not think selfishly, this can be dangerous in battle because so long as he be fighting for a good cause, he does not hesitate or fear death.

PERSONALITY QUESTIONS

Describe an important event in your character's life and how it impacted them.

Leon killing his betrothed Sara is pivotal in not only how it impacts the rest of Leon's own life, but also in how it affects the futures of his later kinsmen. Only after the whip is made into its final form are Walter (and Mathias)'s actions able to carry real weight or immediate meaning to him. Until this point, Leon has never in his life truly failed or or gone defeated. Spoiled by his own past fortunes, he spends his journey believing in no other outcome than him being able to save Sara so long as he fights hard enough. Having to kill her serves as a wake up call to him, and after Sara is dead, Leon's left to resent the reality of where he stands. Trapped in his circumstances afterward, Leon's grief and love for Sara serve as the fuel of his obsession to hunt vampires. He pursues Walter almost immediately after she's buried, and admits to Mathias that he'd slain him with hatred in his heart. From that point forward, his obsession in hunting the night then becomes a way to repent for his own failure, as well as the only way he can now show his love for Sara, and it follows him for the rest of the days.

Does your character have a moral code, or other set of standards they try to live by? 

Leon's acute moral compass is a key component to his character. He often inspires those around him, as he often does righteous deeds for no reward. Such influence can be argued to be a reason that Dracula himself goes into centuries of inactivity after realizing he's done something that has caused him to lose his relationship with Leon, not to lash out at humanity until the later 1400s after his second wife, Lisa, is publicly crucified. Leon is very much a personified representation of the goodness and hope of people's hearts, a direct foil to Dracula who represents darkness and despair. 

Though Leon's upbringing is not directly acknowledged in the game itself, pamphlets and strategy guides from Castlevania: Lament of Innocence express that he grew up parentless and rose to nobility via his own hard work and achievement, knighted at the young age of sixteen. Despite the implied difficulty and unfairness of his early life, he harbors no resentment towards neither his god, circumstances, nor community. In fact, Leon is nothing but grateful to those who offer him their time, said appreciation ranging from the Church, to the people of his village, to the bristly hermit Rinaldo who resides in the Forest of Eternal Night. Even when he renounces his title as an earl because the Church will not allow him to pursue Sara, he lawfully leaves behind the claymore he used in the crusades despite knowing that he'd later need a weapon. When asked by Rinaldo why he'd left it behind, Leon expresses because he considers the sword a borrowed belonging of the church rather than something of his own.

Through all the happenings of the game, his faith in the human heart allows him to prevail in even the most alluring of dark obstacles whereas his foil is shown to fail and succumb. Said obstacles occur time and time again, their intensity and context shifting. Whether he need to resist the charms of a succubus, accept that Sara is dead, or even turn down the offer of eternal life as a vampire himself, Leon's just morals keep him from falling under the influence of the night's evil creatures or vengeful temptations. This righteousness is what drives him into swearing his bloodline's duty to pursue Mathias, whom he feels is his own responsibility to put an end to.

What quality or qualities do they admire most? 

While Leon is sociable and can get along with vastly different kinds of people, since he grew up without any immediate family, those who Leon finds himself drawn to the most (Sara, Mathias, Rinaldo) all share one similarity— albeit in different ways, each of them nurture or look after their loved ones in some shape or form. He sees them as good people, and admires them as they are. Whether it be through providing others encouragement when things are difficult, scolding someone when they've endangered themself, or by making oneself a source of consistent, reliable support, it's this warmth and presence given to others that really strengthens Leon's loyalty towards them. These kinds of people are the ones that he will fight and readily lay his life down for.

In addition, Leon also admires those who are perceptive and able to provide him guidance. This is said to be the reason why he and Mathias went undefeated during the crusades, and Walter's  own eventual defeat can also be accredited to Rinaldo's assistance in providing him supplies and weaponry. He finds comfort in working with these sorts, as both their intelligence and insight compliment his own habits and cover his own weaknesses such as being too careless or quick to act. 

Do they have a part of themselves they dislike? 

Generally speaking, Leon is very sure of himself. However, because of his natural tendency to assume the best of people, and to assume the best intent, he is very susceptible to manipulation and easily deceived by those who target him. This fact is demonstrated in that his former best friend Mathias utilizes him as a pawn and means to attaining a powerful's vampire's soul for the Crimson Stone. Leon finds himself completely blindsided by Mathias' plot, only coming to realize after being congratulated by his manipulator. In another example, a succubus takes form as Leon's captured fiancee Sara and without questioning it, Leon starts to flee the castle alongside her only to be met by the succubus' attempt to strike him with a knife. This habit of taking things at face value proves itself to be very dangerous to his safety, almost deeming him too innocent or naive for his own benefit. He is too trusting, and while he hadn't ever considered it worthy of really studying before, he now finds that it's a bit of a sore spot and a source of frustration since it's landed him in trouble quite a few times. He's at ends with this frustration, however, because he simultaneously doesn't want to consider it to be a bad thing. He wants to trust others, but has realized that he's doing so too readily.

What is their sign, and why?

The Wheel of Fortune. As the events that happen to Leon in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence are what starts the cycle of destiny between Dracula and the Belmont clan, the wheel imagery as well as the fatalist and karmic implications of this arcana suit him well. He is often blessed by what seems like fate itself, as he's a pioneer that blindly carves a path for himself in seemingly impossible circumstances. Much of his success is found by improvisation and adaptation needed to overcome unforeseen obstacles. In doing so, he becomes a guiding ideal that his descendants will follow for centuries as time turns forward. 

SAMPLES & ARRIVAL

Samples: Thread 1 ✟ Thread 2

Arrival Scenario: Imprisonment