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Marie again! I decided to make another character because I need a serious one to counter my not so serious one. So of course, I came up with an absurdly long character history and personality.

If you have no time to read the TLDR version, here's the basic rundown:

Christopher Kahl is 35 years old and from the outside and a teacher; dedicated and gifted and taught the third grade (8 to 9 year olds) in Town for the last 11 years. He and his wife Lacy came to the Deck after Christopher was encouraged to resign from his post at a prestigious private school due to discrimination.

He adapted well to the Deck and excelled in his profession, so much so, people consider it a shame he's not moving up in the world. However, Lacy did not like the political system of the deck and hated how she was treated because she had no intention of playing the 'game'. She eventually divorced Christopher three years ago to return home. While he is still a fantastic teacher and respected member of the community, Christopher is struggling with depression though most will not know about the depression. Only a few good friends might even guess at it. The depression is connected to stagnation within himself, his job, and his rank and guilt he has choosing his newer life over his old.

So, here's the deal. If your card is 20 or younger and went to public school in Town, you probably know about Mr. Kahl. You might even have been his student or you might have a sibling who had him for a teacher. Outside of being a good teacher, he's a fairly good boxer and jogs often. Quite a few of the high ranking families has asked him to be a private tutor and he's rejected all offers.

So, basically, what I'd really like are a few friends and a few former students. Anyone up for CR?

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/CLAIMS HIM FOREVER AND ALWAYS

Christopher would like to inquire what he's being claimed for. He hopes for savory meals because bachelor cooking kinda is tedious.

Savoury meals are always on the table.

Depending on whether or not he likes in the Castle or in the Town -- although, now that I think about it, it hardly matters -- can he be that friend that she visits and plays chess or pool or whatever pseudo-intellectual sport type thing they do for fun with, all the while telling him he needs to take better care of himself because, seriously man. Not cool.

ALSO: I just realized that given her age she might have, in fact, been a student of his. Not all the time, of course, but I could see her being sent along for lessons occasionally -- if not from him then perhaps one of the other teachers. So in the very least they have to know of each other.

Edited 2012-01-30 02:19 (UTC)

Yet another method of avoiding cooking for ones' self. It is so frustrating!

I'm not exactly sure if he is in the Castle. I think probably not that often at this particular moment though things can and hopefully will change. He needs to exercise a little more strength in his life and some ambition. He's excellent at chess though he probably enjoys dominos and other board games. And he will look at Tegan as if she's crazy when she talks about taking care of himself. He is always clean, proper, and well groomed. :|

Well, if he couldn't be a teacher, he can tutor. While he wasn't prolific as a writer (he tells me he didn't dabble with writing so Lacy wouldn't feel threatened), he has some talent and of course knows quite a bit about books. After school enrichment is more than probable!

AND CAN'T COOK WORTH A DAMN CHRIS. THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I rather like the idea of there being a public school in Town, actually. Also, she has an older (step)brother -- Rhys -- that was almost definitely a student there. He's kind of an oversized teddy bear and joined the Hearts when Te was nineteen.

Oh. Oh! Can they talk literature while she cooks him stuff that doesn't come out of a box?

NO ONE HAS DIED FROM EATING HIS COOKING, MS. TEGAN. AND IT IS CHRISTOPHER. HE IS NOT SEVEN. (I think that is one of his triggers)

Well, when I first made the character, I was unsure if there was a public school. If not, Christopher was going to go all 'one room school house, damnit'. But I found this was not the case, so I will occupy Christopher's time with boxing, jogging and literature.

Yes, they can talk literature when she cooks stuff that doesn't come out of a box. ~~He buys it frozen or in cans, thank you.~~

THERE IS STILL TIME CHRISTOPHER. IT IS A RISK SHE WILL NOT BE TAKING. (I will snicker internally every time she calls him by his full name. Probably because there's something inherently angry school marm-ish about the whole thing.)

The Deck is a strange and wonderful place, geography-wise.

When she comes to visit, she drags him grocery shopping and then spends at least 80% of the time in the kitchen cooking him stuff that's good and wholesome and stuff for the next week or so. ~~Because cans and frozen things are not acceptable okay~~

Christopher swears the only person who eats his food is himself. He's not dead. Why would he try to poison himself? (I think it's one of those things. Chris sounds too chlidlike for him. If Christopher is still too much to say, she can still call him Mr. Kahl.)

It befuddled him once, long ago. And then he gave up and learned how to love the bomb Deck.

He would say this feels strange and probably not a thing former students should do for their teachers but... he probably has given up on protesting she doesn't need to do this. Rank and the fact that spark might be fading just a little.

Mr Kahl, or Mister Five or just 'sir'. Sir is suitably respectful without being too severe, right?

~~She mothers everyone. She even mothers the King of Spades in the sneaky, sneaky way that she has. So he shouldn't feel too bad about that.~~

Christopher is not that hard to say, dangit.

~~He might just glower just a little bit. And he'll protest and take care of his abilities even more if he ever deals with his depression.~~

I don't think I ever said where Elani went to school. It's entirely possible she went to public school and she's just 20 now so entirely possible she was his student. He'd probably approve of her growing up to teach music to the Ace of Clubs. ;)

Diana is too old to have been a student of his but they could be friends. Or he could come in sometimes to the pub for a meal and/or drink.

Julien is also too old to have been a student of his. And things. And it's actually unlikely they really know each other. Though they could know of each other.

And Johnny...also too old but like Diana, they could be friends!

It could be entirely possible with Elani was one of Christopher's students, and he is very relieved to find she doesn't do so much with politics but enriching life and teaching others. A teachers' best possible dream.

And Diana probably has gotten to known him a bit better these past few years. While he tries not to go to the pub all that often, it's increased since Lacy left him. It's not like he's a rubbish of a chief, but it's hard cooking for one and on your own. She may know does like a drink. He's always been friendly though, if a little reserved at first and is careful of which school stories to tell her. Names never mentioned.

I would think Christopher knows of Julien. While Christopher doesn't show off much, he's no slouch and he's good at sparring though he never seems to use his abilities to rise in rank. Just maintain where he is, if that.

They could! I do not know much about Johnny yet to figure out how they'd get along though. *Shame*

That's okay...Johnny hasn't been posted a lot lately.

Basically, he showed up in the Deck about ten years ago with no memory of where he came from or anything and was taken in by the Hearts. He's a damn good fiddler and that's the only clue to his past (I had a cracky night and based him off the kid in The Devil Went Down to Georgia. *facepalm*). He's spent most of his time in the last ten years wandering out in the world, trying to find where he came from. He hasn't been successful.

When he's actually on Deck, he can be found flirting with girls, playing his fiddle, and generally trying to make Ceiro relax before the man lets his mountain of work overtake him.

Oooh! I do like that song.

I suspect Christopher is one of those types that might need to be told to relax as well. He's got a lot of his plate because I think he's afraid of idle hands.

LOL, there's a comment about the Devil's playground somewhere in there.

Too bad Johnny doesn't remember meeting him. ;)

Christopher will hide his disappointment, somehow. And just claim to be thankful no one will pester him about relaxing?

Good plan.

He works with snotty eight year olds. He has to hide his emotion. Unfeeling teacher is unfeeling for the first six weeks of school. Johnny will have no clue. <3

Zoe is twenty too, but I'm fairly sure her mother would have sooner died than had her educated in public schools. So sadly, it's unlikely that they know each other.

Elisha's only been in the Deck six years, but he's a Club, so they may have met?

Urania's too old to have been a student and somewhat reclusive/limited in her social circle...

Avery is too old, but they might be friends?

Unlikely. When he began teaching, people didn't know how good he'd be. What could have happened is that the evil ~~step~~ mother attempted to hire him as a tutor when his reputation became more well known, but he turned her down.

Well, I'm not quite sure if they met or if they know each other or seen each other in passing. Elisha's work is the kind of thing Christopher's avoiding, and while it seems they'd get along and probably well, there hasn't been a chance for the two to meet. Things can be changed about that, of course.

Urana and Christopher probably wouldn't get along so well, anyway.

Avery and he could very well be friends. I do see him asking her father for help on some of his literature programs for the 3rd grade. He may have met Avery through that assoication. I suspect she might wonder at times why he's so stationary, though not everyone is ambitious as she.

Charlotte is total evil stepmother. Except while being an actual mother.

Elisha actually...tries to keep the spymaster thing on the down-low with most of the Clubs, so Christopher might know him more as That Artist Who Does Some Sort of....Management At the Castle. He also only started the spy thing about six months ago, so before that he was just an artist a rank above Christopher. Might have helped with art programs at some point (he still gives Eileen art lessons).

I can definitely see Christopher and Avery meeting through her father. And she might wonder...but then, her parents have been steadily sitting at their ranks for at least a decade, so maybe not.

Poor Zoe! It wasn't due to Charlotte being evil, Zoe. It's just Christopher's commitment.

Then the Arts who does Management! He could have probably helped with art programs and they knew each other casually through that? Christopher would and could pester Elisha back in the day about techniques he could do in the classroom to help sensory and kinetic learners. They might not have talked as much if at all since Elisha's sudden move unless if Elisha still does the programs?

Dedication, man. And some ways it's a nice sentiment though he moved pretty swiftly to 5 for an Outsider who only entered a few years ago. Oh, well. Friends. He digs music. <3

Zoe understands. It's okay, Mr. Kahl, she probably did okay. XD

He might still do it...but probably a little less often. Still, he'd be available for questions anytime, that sort of thing.

Avery will totally plop on the barstool next to him and sing along to Whatever Music Happens To Be Playing.

He hopes so. <3 Sometimes he worries when he doesn't accept. Maybe he could help the kids turn out with less issues than their parents.

Excellent!

Early 90s rock fan here. He hopes she knows them. <3

Evan is slightly too old to have been taught by him, but he's always always always looking for more boxing buddies. And to be superhellacheerful at people. Because that's what he does.

Chives definitely didn't go to public school, and Eileen would have been a tutoring situation, although if he's a learning-type she's probably bothered him at some point or other with random questions her own tutors won't answer.

:D?

Christopher needs boxing buddies, too. It's no fun to just punch at a bag all the time. It never moves and Christopher is always moving and evading it's frustrating. And he needs people to be superhellacheerful at him, too. :D He might have taught Evan's younger sister, or is she too old too?

Chives absolutely missed out on having an awesome teacher. Poor him. As for Eileen, she can. And he would. And at the moment none of the face cards have asked him to ever tutor for Eileen so that is open as well. He'll reject families that are like 'ten', even Clubs, on sole tutoring, but he won't reject face cards.

I'm too lazy to log in proper.

But Evan's younger sister is Elani and we already established he taught her at least a little. :)

And this is why I need to sleep. *Hides.*

BTW, I love your Myth!Loki.

*Continues to hide.*

They will have the most fun bobbing and weaving. Evan will have the most fun, anyway. Cheerfully. And, as it looks like got established, probably met him through the fact that he taught Elani?

It might happen at some point. Eileen seems to have a track record of burning out tutors (in part because they're generally NPCs). Either way, she's likely going to show up from time to time asking him about obscure grammar questions, and possibly random literary inquiries, depending on what sort of English major he was.

Evan probably will. Christopher will ... four years prior he'd totally see it as fun. He really does enjoy boxing as a sport. Now it's more of something to keep him going. That sounds like a good route of meeting and a mention that he liked boxing. He might even have lists of things Evan could get him if he's aware of Evan's Out-Deck past dealings? (School supplies, I swear.)

NPCs, they're USELESS. *Eyes Lacy and John.* She would actually provide a challenge though I think one of the first things he might teach her is inquiry... unless, like many children, she asks questions for both learning and attention? Because if that is the case, if there is a question he does not know, he has no shame in saying "Shall we look it up?".

His focuses were American Realism and Modern, with a smidgen of English Romanticism. However he is a book fiend and reads just about anything.

Annie is slightly too old to have been taught by him, and if I calculate correctly she'd have left the Deck before he arrived anyway. And Leigh came to the Deck too late and is too old now. But he'd probably know her as Eileen's Diamond friend. And so far she's been going to the public school because ~~what's good for everyone else is good enough for an Ace's ward~~ it encourages her to mingle with others, so he might have seen her occasionally on the small campus.

Edited 2012-01-30 05:13 (UTC)

Yeah, I'm afraid Annie and Christopher probably have no interaction prior to a possible future meeting. Both fives but it doesn't mean quite so much.

Leigh probably has seen him and vise versa, and if Eileen does know him, that sounds about accurate. And Christopher's favorite Ace is now Sade for supporting public education. :D

There's a clump of nerds around the 456 of Clubs. Is Christopher a part of this Hand?

If the Club will have him, he will join!

Isaac was a big-time underachiever at school and stopped going altogether when he was about eleven. He's 22. :| Hm. I think this means they just missed each other altogether. His terrible career as a student is one of his best-kept secrets, so I guess it's just as well.

Er, er. None of my others would have been even slightly taught by him and I have no Clubs. But Garrett is stupidly nice to everyone all the time (so much so that it probably gets hideously annoying after a time) and Wren always loves to talk. Oliver is just... yeah. Who knows.

Oh gosh. Christopher is flailing with sadness at this story that he won't know as IC information. There are no underachievers! Just teachers who haven't thought of ways of reaching out t their students. *pets Christopher.*

Garrett can force himself to become his friend! And Christopher can gently talk about bettering one's self. It might fly over heads.

Wren can talk and Christopher can listen with a interested look until they get to a topic they both enjoy?

Oliver. Just Olvier?

Isaac was a little weirdo. His peers didn't reach out to him, let alone his teachers. :||| He just stared creepily while stroking his pet spiders. But he's very nice really~ His ability to write/spell cogently is still crippled as a result.

Garrett will absolutely force him to be his friend. He's done it many a time. He'll do it again. :| Wren's similar, actually, but she's less sugary-sweet and more a fabulous teen queen grown into a slightly more mature young woman. Slightly.

Eh. Oliver's grumpy and doesn't get out much. His skillsets are in sharp, pointy things. But he's probably the most mature of my characters (god help me) so they may get on. Once you get past the prickly, dickish exterior to find the... very slightly less prickly, dickish interior. Bonded by world-weariness?

Tears man. So many tears. It is so nice to hear Christopher being so outraged in my head. *cuddles poor little Isaac. Meanwhile the Adarlings flail*

Christopher might be a challenge? He's very polite and civil, but it doesn't quite mean they're friends. I think Wern might have to deal with the same thing.

Aww. I like him in theory already! They can bitch and moan about the world if Christopher is in the rare sloppy drunk mood.

He's my dear, dear little misfit. As a result of his fail!education, he's probably a bit suspicious of teachers.

Oh good. Bitching and moaning is what Oliver does best-- second best, actually, after consuming improbably amounts of gin.

Mr. Kahl wants to know the names of these awful teachers. D:

I'm going to bed Oliver drinks more than Christopher could, for now. Chris is a tall drink of water.

Sophie is 26 and a Deck ~~princess~~ baby. Her parents would have killed her before allowing her to go to *gasp* public school. Sophie, on the other hand, would have adored it and envied all the other kids who got to go.

She is, however, head of the best (if she does say so herself--and she would) library in the Deck, so they probably know each other.

Well, she missed out on the best teacher EVAH. And I think she'd been in 'High school' when Christopher came to the Deck. So he won't hold it against Sophie.

He is there. ALL THE TIME. Okay, not all the time. But he's there regularly.

... So what does the library mostly consist of? Fiction from both the Outside and Deck? Non-fiction too?

Well, she did have Mister Sunshine for one memorable summer before the parents discovered the music tutor they'd hired was *gasp* an aging hippie who thought the children should have fun as well as learn.

Sophie definitely approves of good teachers. She has fiction and nonfiction, a huge research area. She's also an archivist who trained at the Sorbonne and the Vatican. She enjoys finding just the right books for people. One of her projects has been expanding the children's section into a new area.

Dear LORD. I guess if Christopher had been hired, he'd been out the next day. People enjoy having fun. They learn things when they have fun and enjoy something. WHO KNEW?

Excellent! He will staaaay there forever. And ever. May I ask how long she's been the librarian? Oh, and expect tons of children's book donations.

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