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[conceited]

Player Information
Player name: Alma
Contact: baklava, heretics inc on AIM, or a PM here!
Are you over 18: Oh yes.
Characters in The Box Already: N/A

Character Information
Character Name: Arthur Pendragon
Canon: Merlin (BBC)
Canon Point: 04.04, after being knocked unconscious
Is your character Dead, Undead or Alive: Alive
History: wiki
Personality:
The most important thing in Arthur's life has always been Camelot. As a prince, he was raised to put the needs of the kingdom before his own personal feelings. As a king, he does his best to uphold these teachings. Arthur constantly strives to be a better ruler for his kingdom, never feeling quite worthy of the title bestowed upon him. Although at times he may seem self-centered and inconsiderate, he's shown that he will put the needs of his people before his own. A great example of this, during which he was still a young prince, is shown in the episode The Labyrinth of Gedref, in which he proves that he'd be willing to sacrifice his own life if it meant the people of Camelot had food and water restored to them.

For those who do not know him closely, Arthur can be a bit insufferable to be around. He makes unreasonable demands of and bullies his servants, has a large ego, and is as stubborn as an ox. Coupled with his bravery and determination to always do what's right, he's very much a classic case of headstrong hero.

That's not to say he's completely devoid of snobbery. Arthur was raised as a noble, and that comes with its own set of mannerisms and expectations. This is especially true towards the first half of the series. When, for the sake of a mission, he has to stay in the village of Ealdor, he scoffs at the food offered to him. This does not go unnoticed by Gwen, who quickly scolds him for being so thoughtless.

"Food is scarce for these people, you shouldn't turn your nose up at it!"

Thankfully, Gwen's words quickly bring him back to Earth, and it's actually him, a prince, who apologizes to her, a serving girl. This shows that while Arthur can be inconsiderate at times (and oh, can he!), he knows that he has faults and he's willing to try and improve himself as a person. As time passes, it's plain to see that he truly matures as a person and begins to understand that everyone, regardless of social status, should be treated with respect. He understands that birth means little when it comes to strength of character and loyalty.

Unfortunately, these feelings were often at odds with the wishes of his father, Uther Pendragon. During Uther's rule, not only is magic outlawed, but only nobles may become knights, and although Uther cares about protecting his kingdom, he would not lay down his life for the sake of Camelot. Arthur takes his father's words and wishes to heart, but he has been shown to defy him and follow his own conscience when the situation calls for it. He knights common men who have shown him valor and loyalty, sneaks out of the castle to rescue innocent people, and eventually falls in love with Gwen, a serving girl. His mind is a constant battle of trying to pick between what tradition dictates and what his heart knows is right.

For this reason, his courtship with Guinevere is anything but straightforward. He knows that this is a union that his father would never support, a marriage that wouldn't benefit his kingdom. And yet, no matter how many opportunities Arthur has to enter a "proper" marriage with someone of equal status, he can never bring himself to seal the deal. He refuses to marry someone he does not love. At the same time, Arthur alternates between pushing Guinevere away and insisting that there will be a way they can be together someday, a sign that he is deeply conflicted.

One relationship that is constant and straightforward is that of his friendship with Merlin. Merlin is his most trusted aly, and despite being a servant, his closest friend. The two have been described as opposite sides of the same coin, and although Arthur would be hard-pressed to admit it, he values Merlin's opinion above all others. They constantly bicker, insult, and play pranks on each other, and although they have their fair share of disagreements, rarely fall out. Despite Arthur's acknowledgement of Merlin's friendship, he regularly abuses the poor boy. Merlin seems to be one of the few people who can take Arthur's demands in stride.

In contrast, Arthur's relationship with Morgana is complicated with a capital C. Before her betrayal to Uther, it was clear that he cared about her well-being and regarded her as a close friend. The two had their disagreements, but when push came to shove, they were always there for each other.

Because of her betrayal, magic remains outlawed during his rule, and he would stop at nothing to prevent her from taking over Camelot. That doesn't mean that he wishes her harm, necessarily, and he laments the fact that they've become enemies. There's no doubt that he misses the Morgana he used to know.

"What happened to you, Morgana? I thought we were friends."

The primary fighters against Morgana's forces are the Knights of the Round Table, whom Arthur shares a deep friendship with. At the round table, every man is an equal. He views his knights as comrades rather than pawns to do his bidding. This yields an incredible amount of trust and fealty to him.

All in all, Arthur is exactly what the legends make him out to be-- just, kind, and loyal. But he is also human, first and foremost. He's prone to action before thought. He can be a bit rude. And let's not forget that he can be unreasonable about the sheer amount of chores he can give someone.

He's king of Camelot, and he's just trying to do his best.

Abilities/Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strengths:
Swordsmanship/General combat: Arthur is shown to be highly skilled with a sword, and he's been referred to as the most skilled soldier in Camelot. He's also shown to have been trained in general weaponry such as maces and lances.

Leadership: Not only is Arthur the king of Camelot by birthright, but there's a reason why he's a legend! He is beloved by his people and his knights, and is very good at rallying people to fight for a common cause. He puts the needs of his kingdom before his own, and tries his best to rule with a fair and just hand.

Loyalty: Arthur is incredibly loyal. He's repeatedly risked his own life for the sake of others, and there's little he wouldn't do for his friends.

Weaknesses
Pride: He becomes more humble as he grows older, but Arthur remains a very proud man till the very end.

Stubbornness: Somewhat related to his pride, Arthur is prone to making rash decisions and going against logic to rush headfirst into dangerous situations. He's also impossible to budge once he's made a decision.

Lack of magical abilities: Let's face it. In a lot of situations, magic is at work, and no amount of brute strength is gonna prevail. In situations like these, he's pretty much useless. But don't tell him that.

Samples
Network/Action Spam Sample: Test drive. If that's not enough, here's a super sappy thread.
Prose Log Sample:
Condemning a prisoner to execution was not an easy task. In fact, one might say that it was Arthur's least favorite task, and it was a decision not easily made. The law was clear-cut-- this man was an assassin sent to kill him, caught only by Merlin's keen intuition and a quick guard.

He's tried everything in his power to avoid the truth. Perhaps he was manipulated into attempting to commit the crime. An enchantment, perhaps. Was he at least remorseful? Yet every minute he'd spent with the prisoner, who remained nameless and indignant, has yielded nothing. There's nothing but coldness and anger in his eyes, and were it not for the way the man flinches when the guards shove him forward, Arthur would have doubted his ability to feel anything at all.

The words rolled surprisingly easy off his tongue, for they were as practiced as they were grim.

"By the power vested in me, I hereby sentence you to death."

No matter how justified the punishment was, the sentence never got any easier to give. His face is immovable as he faces the prisoner. For the sake of his people, he has to remain firm and impartial. Still, there's a moment of hesitation that follows. He knows, perhaps better than most people, just how precious a human life is. Arthur tries not to think about the possibility of this man being important to someone, somewhere. A father, perhaps. A trusted friend.

No. Now was not the time to show mercy, as much as he wants to, with every fiber of his being. Keeping this man alive put the lives of others at risk, and he dreads that alternative more than this. The matter was settled.

"Schedule an execution for two days' time. Make sure he remains monitored at all times until then," Arthur says finally, nodding to the guards at his side. Within seconds, the man is being taken away, and his face remains as cold as ever. The gaze in his eyes is frighteningly intense, bearing right into Arthur's soul, and Arthur knows he won't be forgetting that look anytime soon.

He's going to have to try his best, because despite all of this going on, he has guests to entertain. He has a feast to attend, and a treaty to sign.

Doing this never got any easier.