news Sandman

[angrydurf]

The Questionaire!

Introduction

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.
A light in the dark driving the bad things away.

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?
In the circles of the mystically inclined the holder of hte Sands of Sleep is known as the 'Guardian of the Vale of Sleep' which is kinda pretentous sounding but givent he mystics I've met par for hte course.  On the street I'm sometimes called Sandman or The Sandman, cus like, sand man.

What is your full birth name?
Elis Warren Sanford

Where do you live?
Hanover

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)? 
38, Born June 14 1977

Physical Traits

What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.
Masculine (Cis male)

How would you describe your heritage?
Privilaged.

How tall are you?
5' 11" on my drivers liceanse  but I was having a short day

What is your body type?
Average build but toned and fit.

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?
Bullets!  My only weakness how did you know! No none outside the norm

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence? 
Lightfooted though not particularly stealthy.  I move with a calm surity and deliberation.

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color. 
Lightly tanned caucasian, sandy blond, blue eyes.

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?
Facial hair is a hassle in the OR, Keep my hair trimmed in a neat, short, and nondescript  buisiness cut.

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?
Well I'm not quite to my college weight but I keep fit.  I get told I have 'Kind Eyes' often by others but to be fair scrubs and a full facemask don't leave much else to complement.

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?
I managed to escape my youthful rebelions without such permanent proof.

Do you resemble anyone famous?
How closely?  I've always said Simon Baker should play me in the movie of my life, granted when I said that the posibiliyt of such a film seemed much more distant...

Do you have a dominant hand?
Righthanded

What kind of clothing do you wear?
Business casual or scrubs when out of costume.

Do you wear makeup?
No I earned these wrinkles dammit.

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?
Is poor an option?  I'm not a singer though my range would be a tenor with breaks every three notes?

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people? 
I click my pen when reading or studying patient records, case studies, or journals.  Picked it up in med school as a way to keep awake and alert during all nighters.

History

Where do you come from?
Born and raised in Hanover a suburb of Freedom City.

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?
My Parents used to live about six blocks from where I live now, of course they went south to florida after Grace got married.

Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?
I am loyal to the idea of my country as for its current government?  Well theres work that could be done but it's better than most.

How do you feel about the place you come from? 
Hanover is a lovely town and I'm lucky to have grown up there Freedom has it's ups and downs but at least you can't say it's boring?

Where is your home town? What was/is it like?
It's pretty much ecactly the neighborhood from every cheesy eighties sitcom so yea not a bad place to grow up.  Sure teen me thought the burbs were lame but I have kids and like my cul-de-sac end lot.

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you? 
Yea I grew up a WASP in a nest of WASPs.  Didn't really know anything different until I went to college at FCU.  It was a bit of a culture shock to see and hear about the very different lives of those from the Fens or the West coast or more exotic locales.  It was a learning experiance and while I'm happy with where I grew up I try to make sure my kids are less insulated from the world.  Luckily that's easier now that the HOA's can't just blatently keep the minorities out.

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life? 
I've aways been a good student, Perhaps not the brightest kid in the room but I managed to keep up with good study habits and hard work, mostly.  There were alot of long nights and stressful tests in med school I don't think I'd have made it without Barbaras support.

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?
My childhood was eerily pristine.

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.
When I was nine my grandfather had a stroke when we were at this big family brunch.  None of us saw what was happening he just was sluring his speech a bit and blinking alot like he couldn't focus his eyes.  I remember grandma was sniffing at his coffee like he'd irished it up.  This older man at the next table saw the signs though right away and had the restaruant call 911.  It was aminor stroke but that doctor noticing made all the diference in his recovery.  Thats when I decided I wanted to be a doctor.  

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?
First year of college I was struggling to keep afloat, too haevy a class load and being in charge of my own social life was a bit rough.  Buddy of mine got some diet pills from his sister for a cram session we were blazing through the material feeling great.  Got on the bus to head to the midterm and both of us passed dead out didn't wake up till the buss went out of service at nine that night.  

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?
Pre-med at FCU then Med-school, residency at Freedom General, all told it was  a long eighteen years but good and I enjoyed it as much as one can enjoy spending half your life cramming for tests against the best and the brightest and having teenage super genious earn multiple doctorates while you're hopeing not to flame out.

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?
Half my garage is filled with boxes of every assighnment, science project, and Summer Camp craft my mother collected and refused to move to florida with her and dad.  So Yea?  But I'm not exactly putting my most improved band trophy or t-ball paticipation plaques up on display.

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?
A little more than a year ago.  Yea I had a bit of a nudge in the direction.  Barbara my wife was the last bearer of the Sands.  When she was killed she passed them to me and made me promise to fight the nightmares.  It's not the path I'd have walked on my own but I always keep a promise.

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?
Pretty much leave it at, "I'm the defender of dreams" and don't go into painful details of my wife's murder with strangers but yea thanks for bringing that up.

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?
Sorry not that exciting.

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?
Well I don't exactly introduce myself at conferences with my co-author credits and 'by the way I moonlight fighting nightmare things from beyond hte vale of sleep' so arguably yea?  I think it's pretty self explanatory though.

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets? 
Well even with the superpowered running about I don't see such revelation being a big plus on a resume and I'd rather not have more monsters gunning for my family than we already do.

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?
Yea no.  Boring remember.  

Family

What are your biological parents' names? 
Harrold and Maude

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.
I was raised by them.

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?
Dad worked in advertising, Mom was a homemaker and sometimes artist.  They were pretty well respected int eh community.

Where are your parents now?
Boca Raton Florida, They love talking about thier son the doctor to all the old folks at the club house.

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?
My parents had the same home I was born in when they finally grew tired of Freedom winters and went down south.

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).
I don't dislike them or anything they were good parents by most any petric just don't really feel like we ever connected.  Maybe thats all kids though.

How do your parents view you now, or how would they? 
They are super proud of the whole doctor thing as one would expect, which must be hard on my sister grace.  They don't know about the other half at all and I get the feeling they think I need ot put a woman in my life for the kids.

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.
A younger sister, Grace, baby of the family.  We get on well.  She's been a life saver since Barbara passed helping out with the kids.  I let her and her huspand Frank live rent free in the guest house while he works on his novel.

What was your birth order in the family?
First born.

Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do?
Grace Lives with her husband Frank in my guest house.  He's a writer trying to get his novel published, she works in HR for one of these tech startups I can never keep straight which one a new super genius shows up every few weeks and takes the sector by storm it seems.

Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?
We're in touch she watches the kids for me prety often and Frank helps out with school pick up on busy days.

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?
People tell me I should make Frank get a real job that he's taking advantage of me and Grace but the guys book is actually decent and he's good to Grace which counts for alot.  I don't think I need more empty house to clean right now.

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?
Grace is a godsend with the kids and I lean on her alot.  But I can't risk getting her more invovled.  Its a dangerous world.

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.
My brother in law Frank is a bit of free spirit and my Parents think he's bad for Grace but they always have been a bit to focused on the money.

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.
Dad says there was a viscount that lost his lands to the protestants and if the suit ever moves we'll be lords of some sort but I think he just spends too much time on ancestry.com

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.
Two kids.  Jenny and Gabe, Eight and Five respectively.  They're what keeps me going.  Barbara passed a year ago, I miss her, and that's about as much of that as we need to go into.

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?
My parents and sometimes Grace think I need a womans touch in the house.  I just don't feel ready and lets be frank I've been out of the game along time and wasn't exactly a star player then.

What type of person would be your ideal mate?
try partner mate makes it sound like we're somones experement or pet.

Relationships

Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.
I have collegues not so much firends though I get along well with them.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?
She's gone.

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?
Grace, Frank, the Kids obviously.  If I missed  a shift or surgery the chief of surgery would crap a brick.

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?
Yes.  Barbara was brave and strong and they took her away.  Now I have a promise to keep to try and do what she can't any more.

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.
There is a darkness a thing of nightmare and fear that is out there.  I'm going to find it and I'm going to make sure it never hurts anyone again.

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?
I'm the Guardian of the Dreamlands all the things of nightmare want me out of the way.  They'll come at me however they can but I'll be ready.

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?
They took her from me.

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?
My kids, My family, the dreamers.

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?
Myself, don;t have anyone else any more.  I trust Grace with the kids or if somethng happens to me but, the rest it's just me.

Who or what do you despise? Why?
The boogeyman, he's real and not some kids story.  He's the worst thing the nightmare realms has spit out.

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?
Knowledge, Integrity.  I manage the later and strive for the former.

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?
Those who use fear to get thier way.  Not my way never has been.

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why? 
Yea I do, there are enough bad things after my family without paintig a superhero shaped target on the house.

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?
I'm more a follower than leader but I work well with others you have to in my line of work.

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?
No I don;t eve know any other supers.

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?
The AMA?  I spend the bare minimum those guys are way to full of thier own importance for me to hang.

Personality & Beliefs

Who are your heroes?
Jonas Salk and my late wife Barbara

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?
I used to think everything of mmy dad like most kids but I grew to know he's a man a good man better than many but still just a man.

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?
This is not what I was meant for, but I madea  promise and I'll keep it.

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?
I don't even know I'm not so foolish as to say n oI know how far grief can push a person but I don't even know if I can switch sides.

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?
I'd like to actually learn what my role is that'd be cool.

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?
Figure out how or if I can train my kids or hand this off to someone else.

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?
That I'll lose the kids or they'll lose me.  It's the worst thing I can think of and when it wells up I just hold them.

Is there anything you would give you life for? 
My kids.

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?
Money is what you do with it and you can do alot of good.  but you can't take it with you.

How do you generally treat others?
I try to be kind.

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?
I am and some would say my wife's secret was an abuse of that trust with how far things got before she told me but I get it now.  It's no easy thing to reveal.

Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?
I'm confident but mostly introverted.

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex? 
I try very hard not to objectify them and usually succeed.  My wife used to tease me that I should just take a peek and get it out of my system but it just feels rude.

What are your most annoying habits?
I can be ponderous in my decision making.  Spontaneity is not my strong suit.

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?
Not really I think everyone becomes what they are for their own reasons and it;s sad that some are led to darkness by their demons.

What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?
Food is usually a chore but I love a good steak medium rare and well seasoned.

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
I'm a doctor I live on coffee.

What is your favorite treat (dessert)?
Saltwater taffys

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?
processed cheese

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?
Hunter Green, not a fan of any of the neon spectrum.

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?
My tastes run pretty eclectic.

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?
Jasmine, it grew outside the window of my wife and I's first apartment.

Do you have a favorite animal?
Wallaby mostly becuase it is fun to say.

What is your most treasured possession? Why?
Posessions are things.  Real import is people and memories.

Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?
No I'm a creature comfort guy.

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?
Uhm state executioner?  that's pretty messed up right there.

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?
Yes but not openly religious.  I know there is more than we know to the realms and I believe that there is more to the world than this.  HWat it is is a mystery but and exciting one.

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?
Just me

If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization? 
I do not

Could you kill? Have you killed?
I have not and kinda swore an oath to do the opposite.

 What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?
I'm not a frickin psycho?

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?
Everyone who kills has a moment in which to decide if it is worth it.  Untill you have that moment it's all just talk I hope I never have it.

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours? 
i would stop them and try to render aid.

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?
Things are things.  I don't beleie theft is an answer but desperate people are driven to desperate measure.

How would you react to public humiliation?
Withdraw and try to ride it out.  The good friends will still be there.

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?
It has and it almost broke me.  

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?
Genocide?  Xenocide?  We've had evils try to wipe out existance and destroy stars.  I think that ranks.

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?
Whatever my kids wanted.  Also perhaps find a way to stop the dieing in 24 hours but I assume that is off hte table?

Career & Training

Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?
Unfortunately no.  this was not my destiny I just got it anyway.

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?
My wife and even that was limited.

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?
Other than super powers?  No not really.

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?
I'm a doctor so yea that is kinda my main deal?

What is your preferred combat style?
Uhm to not to?  But given that is rarely an option I preffer to use the Sands to protect myself and others and entrap the baddies.

Have you ever received any awards or honours?
I got a most improved trophy in band once?  

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?
I really wish I knew more of what I was supposed to do as the guardian.

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?
I try to watch and learn and hopefully find a contact.

Lifestyle & Hobbies

What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?
Get kids up and to school then off to work head home and make dinner read some bedtiem stories make sure homework is done and put them to bed, sometimes followed by stalking the city for rogue dream creatures.

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?
No time.

What do you do for fun?
I spend time with my family.

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?
I do it comes with the territory I guess.  all blue and white and cowled with a mask very mystic knight.

How do you normally dress when not in costume?
Scrubs or business casual I hate ties but wear them for conferences or when auditors are on our asses at the hospital.

What do you wear to bed most nights?
Pajama bottoms sometimes t-shirt depending on weather.  ued to sleep nude but kids put a damper on that...

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?
I have a nice watch and still wear my wedding badn which my sister says is heading from sweet to morbid pretty quickly.

Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?
A bank?

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?
A car locally, a plabe for distance.  My son loves trians though sooooo yea that happens.

Miscellaneous

Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make? 
Yea yea I have.  Kids are taken care of Grace as thier guardian and executor.

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?
DNA?

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?
Being a good father and a good person.

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?
Uhm perhaps due to lack of training?  I mean I dunno if I'm leavign a hole ot hte dream realms just out of no knowing.

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?
The will to keep going.

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?
I am so very lost about what I am supposed to be doing as a hero.

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...
Don't live in the past.  Let life happen at lifes own pace.

[angrydurf]

Twenty Questions

1. Where is your hero from?
Right here in Freedom City.  
2. How would your hero physically describe him/herself? Is this different from how others would?
I keep fit, Healthy you know, the touch of grey is probably distinguished.  Others sometimes might put him in the 'hot dad' catagory.  Not perhaps model, or bad boy good looks but a mature kind of handsome that appeals to a certain sort.
3. Does your hero have distinguishing speech characteristics or recurring mannerisms?
He tends to speak softly but authoratatively, as if expecting the world to quiet down and listen.
4. What is your hero's motivation?
Three fold, first protect his kids, Second everyone elses, lastly catch and stop his wifes killer.
5. What are your hero's greatest strengths and weaknesses?
He is a man of will and devotion, he puts his all into whatever he tries to do.  Yet desite his potency he is inexperianced relying more on power than skill to get by.
6. What does your hero love? What does your hero hate?
He loves innocence and optimism, whether in children or adults that don't let the world beat it out of them.  He hates those who use fear to get thier way or endanger children or other innocents.
7. How would you describe your character's mental and emotional state?
Pretty sad but resolute.  He's had a great love story only his happily ever after is light on the ever and heavy on the after .  However he's resolved himself to his loss and refuses to let that loss sour him on the world and the people of it.
8. What does your hero fear the most?
Dieing before his kids are grown.
9. What is your character's greatest ambition?
Imprison the Boogyman back in the deapths of the nightmare realms.
10. How does your hero feel about the state of the world and his/her place in it?
He's cautiously optomistic about the world as a whole, there are problems but so many people working to solve them he can't feel another way.  He does hwoever feel out of place in the world as his role as hero and guardian of the vale of sleep were never intended for him and he knows it.
11. Does your hero have any prejudices? How does he/she get along with others?
Overall he gets on well with most people and is fairly live and let live overall, however he is pretty prejudiced against those so fearful of hte medical proffession they refuse care thinking them dangerously foolish.
12. Where do your heroes loyalties lie? In what order?
His kids, His duty to the realms of dream.
13. Does your hero have a lover or partner? How do they feel about the hero now?
He did, she died a super hero and passed her powers and mandate to him.  
14. Does your hero have a family? What is the relationship there like?
He has two kids and a sister.  He tries to be there for the kids but between the hospital and call of hero work leaves them with his sister more than he'd like.  He has a good relationship with his sister and tries his harest to be a big part of his kids life.
15. How would the people closest to your hero describe him or her?
Gentle and kind but with a iron kind of will in the face of people and things that terrorize.
16. Is your hero a role model?
He hopes so though he'd rather people emulate his civie duties than superhero ones.  He knows someday one or both of his kids will have to step up to fill his shoes though so tries to make sure they are grounded in the way they'll need to be to do so.
17. How spiritual is your hero? Does your hero follow a relgious tradition?
He's a self described spiritual athiest.  He can't buy into the general deist followings, too much suffering in the world for some all powerful force of good.  He does however feel that there is a sort of spiritualism and comfort in humanity strivign to be better as a whole if not as individuals.
18. Is your hero part of a team, or would he/she like to be? Why?
Not currently and though he'd be willing in the abstract he feels his baliwick is pretty specific and doesn't feel he'd really fit well with most of the super teams out there.
19. How does your hero feel about the place of metahumans and aliens on Earth?
By and large they are like anyone else only more so.  They can be good or evil, just of tyranical, brave or craven and it is only by virtue of thier power that they have greater impact on society as a whole.
20. If you could give one piece of advice to your hero, what would it be?
Live a little.  You can't teach your kids to live life to its fullest if you refuse to yourself.