application | boxmods

[discretely]

Player Information
Player name: Billie.
Contact: lecterist @ AIM, indiastoker
Are you over 18: Well over 18, I'm afraid.
Characters in The Box Already: None.

Character Information
Character Name: Tom Jackman (& Mr. Hyde).
Canon: Jekyll.
Canon Point: Directly after episode 3.
Is your character Dead, Undead or Alive: Alive.
History: Tom's gone, honey.
Personality:

There are few people as enigmatic as Tom Jackman. When you're a direct descendant of one Dr. Henry Jekyll, there are bound to be a few complications. Due to his heritage, and as the only living relative of Jekyll, one can only imagine the extensiveness of his personality. Or, shall we say — personalities. After a plethora of symptoms, another side of himself was revealed. This side, though nameless, very quickly grew as a very present being in Tom's life. Now, he exists as a modern variation of the legendary Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — he's fighting for his identity. And he fears he may be losing. JACKMAN — Tom Jackman, doctor and family man, does all he can to keep his wife and children safe. Once shy, afraid of stepping beyond his borders, his life was changed rapidly and without warning. He was professional, well-to-do; his head was screwed on just right. Tom knew what he wanted to be and where he wanted to go. He thought he had it all figured out. He believed that after marriage, after the children, his life would roll on without any further problems. He is a man that attempts to maintain some kind of focus. Tom tries to stay anchored, despite what his life has become. With the appearance of Hyde, nothing was ever the same. Tom went from a simple man who had everything to a troubled man who was losing everything. For all that comes his way, all the slings and arrows, Tom tries to keep in control. He was never particularly dominant in his life, his relationships — to maintain clarity was a true test of his will. While he doesn't consider himself a good person, deep down, he is. Tom is a man who fights for what he believes in. What he believes in, his sole purpose, is his family. Everything he tries for is them. They keep him good-natured. They keep him solid and on his own two feet. At one point he wanted to keep them such as such a strong driving force for his nature that he even went out of his way to hide their existence from Hyde himself. When Hyde discovered the three of them, it increased Tom's need to keep them safe. There's no such danger to Tom as what's inside. Over time, Hyde strode to wear down Tom's walls. In this, Tom still did all he could to keep his faith in his family instilled. He was able to prove just how strong he is and that though there's a monster inside of him, he will always be capable of some good. He is driven and this is how he grew. In what Hyde wanted to break, Tom found a backbone he didn't realize he had. He was fixated on trying to find a cure for his condition. He set about dictating a schedule for both himself and Hyde. He strayed from his family only to protect them from what he could become. He would fight to survive. He would always fight. Tom is a tired man. Hyde does all he can to keep Tom exhausted. The more exhausted the host, all the easier it would be to filter through. It is through his consistent lack of sleep that his attitude has taken a turn for the worst. Becoming rather reclusive, keeping away from his job, he's a hard man to make smile. He was never quick to laugh, but with the appearance of Hyde, it became more obvious that he didn't want to. The joy he felt with his family couldn't keep him in high spirits. The struggle for his own body was becoming a war. Being personable doesn't necessarily rank high on his To-Do List. He's scared. Scared of losing, scared of himself, but he's not going to give up. One way or another, Tom Jackman is going to find a way to get rid of the beast inside of him. Without his family, he has no link to his anchor. But as he looks at his wedding ring, he knows. He knows how the story always ends; he intends to change the outcome. HYDE — Ah, but Hyde. Hyde is something else entirely. He's new; he's very new. As Tom is Jekyll, Hyde is very clearly none other than our Mr. Hyde. Faster, charming, sleeker, more powerful — Hell, he's even taller. Hyde is everything that Tom Jackman is not. Every day he grows, becomes something even more incredible than he already is. If Tom is the day, Hyde is the night, and the night is very much alive. Hyde began as symptoms. He came to Tom in flashes — a knock on the door, a shadow, a reflection. It wasn't until Tom met his wife that Hyde truly surfaced. His eyes, typically a brighter hazel, grew black and Tom would never be the same man again. Instead, he became twice the man. It is said in more than one instance that Hyde is "childlike" in nature. He is beginning anew, coming into the world on his own, and by the occasional, wary hand of Tom himself. Of course, children aren't born with an urge to hurt, a need to kill. He's dangerous. He exists on urges, on instinct. When Tom falls to sleep, it's Hyde's turn to play, and so he does. Hyde is reckless, unafraid. He eats and he screws and he makes things bleed all for the hell of it. The world is truly his plaything and he makes no apologies for the way he is. Some say he's a mad man, but Tom only views him as a threat without any true feeling. At the beginning, and as the story goes, Hyde came about on a schedule. Barely willing to comply, he played along with Tom's wishes. But as he grew stronger, Hyde began to appear when he wished to. There's no accounting for the things he does; he's unpredictable. Tom began to realize he was losing control and that's how it all really started. The war between man and creature had spurned and there would be no going back. Hyde's urges knew no real end. He's a monster, a thing that runs on glutton, and he has the power to obtain it all. There's something forbidden about him, he draws people in. He uses them for his advantages and has no qualms about it. He works on his own basic instincts. What he knows is how to get what he wants. Hyde always does. He's a creature of power, a force to be reckoned with. He has abilities that Tom doesn't understand. There's no potion, no drink to be taken every evening. What Hyde controls and what Hyde does all come from the line of Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It's in his DNA and he is steadily learning how to control what he possesses. Hyde is cruel; Hyde is ruthless. He teases and he plays, but one look in his eyes and you can never forget that he's a monster. He catches most off their guard and lures them in like a spider with its web. He isn't calculating, though; he's simply everything he needs to be in order to get what he wants. For this, no one understands. No one can comprehend the truth of Hyde. It's what keeps them all coming back for more. Tom's relationship with Hyde is as deranged as it is twisted. Hyde refers to Tom as "Daddy" — he believes him to be his creator, though he has no one as such. He enjoys thwarting Tom, putting an end to his plans. He longs to be free, to exist solely within the body. Without Tom, truly, Hyde would have little purpose. He would seek and he would destroy everything he longed to. He keeps Tom on his toes, keeps him running — gets his blood pumping. Hyde gives Tom meaning and he knows it better than he knows anything. It's in his blood; he can feel it. Hyde, like Tom, is fighting for his life. He longs to survive, lusts for it — among other things. He has no repercussions. He causes trouble and he lives for it. He is always curious, always learning. If he's a child, then he's the most heinous child to exist. His battle with Tom is one he is winning, whether his Daddy realizes that or not. He knows how the story always ends; he intends to keep it that way.

Abilities, Strengths and Weaknesses:

TOM — On his own, Tom is just a regular man. Albeit, he's a brilliant man. One doesn't become a doctor by simply waving about a stethoscope. He's excellent at planning, at keeping things in order. Things don't always go the way he wants, sure, but that doesn't mean he can't keep organized. He's strong-willed, some might even say stubborn. He would do anything — absolutely anything — for his family. His love is what keeps him brave. He's a man who knows his limits, but he often seeks to push them. He wants to survive and he does all he can to maintain that. What was once a cowering little man is now a man desperate to keep a handle on his own life. His weakness is his compassion. His family, whilst keeping him strong, also keep him weak. With them near, they are something that can be taken away. He fears for their lives, but not so much as what Hyde can do to them. His eagerness to fight can also lead to trouble, especially where Hyde is involved. He is also claustrophobic. This phobia is the one true thing, apart from the loss of his family, that keeps him scared. HYDE — Hyde, on the other hand, is teeming with all manner of interesting abilities. From super strength to the ability to climb walls, there's a reason the government was keeping such a close eye on Hyde. His teeth sometimes grow pointed and he is able to devour human flesh when he's feeling hungry enough. He moves at the blink of an eye. When his own eyes grow black, he stands at a new height, loses weight, his hair gets darker, and he appears five years younger. He can inhale so deeply that he can find a tumor in a man's mind, as well as tell you when that man has stopped smoking. He has been likened to a werewolf on several occasions, but he doesn't need a full moon's help to become a monster. He's charming, alluring. When talking is a necessity, no one talks circles around Hyde. He knows how to keep up appearances, but most of all, he enjoys playing games. At heart, he's a child and children need to be entertained. Human beings bore him, the world is two-dimensional and he works to make it brighter, make it bigger. Give him time and he'll paint the town red. There's no dullness when Hyde is around. No, no, he's the life of the party — and possibly the reason they all died. Hyde is vain and incessantly full of himself. He doesn't put anyone else before him. Hyde only cares for Hyde. Tom is just another pawn to be moved around the board until he can have what he wants. He's hungry and he wants more. He's a wolf who likes prancing around in his sheep's clothing. He doesn't have meaningful connections or compassion. He is everything that Tom will never be; he stands for everything Tom would never. That's what makes him so much fun.

Samples
Network/Action Spam Sample:

[ There's a vision of a man; it's out-of-focus, but he leans in to adjust the lens. When he sets back, it appears as though he hasn't slept in months. The dark circles beneath his eyes seem as weights, dragging down the rest of his features. He rubs at his eyelids with a lazy use of both his hands. Finally, he clears his throat. His voice is as tired as he looks. ] My name is Tom. Tom Jackman — [ His left hand drags down to the side of his cheek. He scratches a moment, considering his next few words. ] I'm a doctor. [ He pauses, licking his dry lips. ] — Was a doctor. [ He doesn't laugh. He doesn't smile. He continues. ] I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it? Not here, anyway. [ His attention fixes on the camera. Tom's disposition shifts. ] I'm here with a warning: [ His middle finger and thumb press against his wedding band. He turns it idly as he contemplates, as he gathers. ] There's a man here. He may look like me; he may sound like me. He isn't. [ Tom stops, rubs his palms down his face. ] If you see him, all I ask is that you alert me straightaway. It doesn't matter what time it is. Day or night — Find me. He's dangerous. [ He leans in to click off the transmission, but hesitates —] I'm so sorry. [ The video ends. ]

Prose Log Sample:

Tom Jackman was never a terribly complicated man. All he wanted, once, was a simple life, with even simpler comings and goings. As a lad, Tom found himself taken over by a life of parties, throwing the weight of his genius round, discarding it as if it was nothing more than a kerchief stuffed down into a foreigner's pocket. It took time and University to sort him out. He found a path and he took to it. It remained ideal, continuing on through his life with an ease he never before knew. He found Claire, then. Soon after came the arrival of both Eddie and Harry. He had it all. He thought he had it all. Life, however, was keen on taking it away. He believed, once, that it was only a man himself that could change the outcome of his future. That did not explain him. After all, what cruel acts could he have possibly committed as a boy that would lead to something so monstrous? Dr. Tom Jackman would do all he could to find out. It began with a vision, a sight upon his forearm. Now, it had long since taken the guise of something corporeal. Something bearing a life all its own. He possessed no real name, no scientific terminology. He came into fruition on his own. He was, in layman's terms, something so completely brand new. Perhaps, in another life, Tom would find him fascinating. He might deem him worthy of further examination. The creation of a new species, of life. Where was God now, when all hope had abandoned him? When he lost sight of who he was? When his hand was forced to turn away the attention of his wife, his children? It would drive a sane man mad. In some ways, Tom Jackman was never truly sane. He was a man of ego. Of impressive stature and talent. Not to mention he held all the cards to support these facts. Every now and again, a bad day occurs in the lives of the brilliant. Sanity is rendered emphatically powerless. The clock ticked accordingly, both hands moving as they were made to. They had no true plans in the grand scheme of things. Eventually, they would slow to their dying point. New life would greet them shortly after, and it would continue this way for quite some time. Theorists believe this is the way of the world. Over and over again, human beings lived out their lives, repeating mistakes until amends were made for their monotony. Tom Jackman was no real exception to this. Of course, he would be if such a thing were true. He put no stock into the idea of regeneration. Tom was a man of science, a man of fact. He was a man currently running on a watch, a Dictaphone, and very little caffeine. A slow sigh tumbled from his lips, and he dragged both his feet to the freshly finished kettle. Hot water poured out from its spout, raising steam from his usual white mug. The silence was deafening. In his case, it was only welcome. Tom set this meeting to the wire. He knew the time restraints and he had been keeping a close eye on them ever since — well, precisely then. That was why he needed someone else. A trained, unbiased eye that could keep one on him, and one on him. It would become an arduous task, taking up time, as well as a life. He only wished it not consume them the way he feared he might be doing him. He waited patiently, blowing on the heated contents of his mug now. The night was growing later, but he was assured that she would arrive when she was needed. Punctuality was a test. If she was to see this through, if she was to truly take up this mantle, she would need to be on time. After all, there was no telling how much longer he would be arriving, anymore. Ten o'clock: the sound of the clock is drowned out by the distant knocking upon his door. He didn't prefer this flat to his home in the country. To him, this was the place of transactions. The place where the Devil made his deals. And that same Devil was due in time. Tom set the cuppa down and smoothed down the front of his shirt. He could hear Claire in his mind, hissing about the state of himself. Going on about appearances. He swallowed, the thought of his wife leaving him with a bitter taste in his mouth. Not now. This wasn't the time. He stepped out into the hall. Tonight was the night things would change. If anything, he would see to that. They needed that, needed something new. They needed an assistant. He undid the locks, Tom Jackman standing at the door, ever the picture of mad scientist with wild hair and a dark cardigan. He extended his hand. "Miss Reimer. Thank you for coming."