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P L A Y E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Your Name: Em
OOC Journal: thiefofmind
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: No
Email + IM: sunshineandberries@gmail.com | hoarfrosts @ AIM
Characters Played at Ataraxion: N/A

C H A R A C T E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Name: Prince Nuada
Canon: Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Original or Alternate Universe: Original
Canon Point: As he passes out, after Nuala stabs herself.
Number: 007-077

Setting: HB WIKI

History:

Thousands of years ago the spread of humans across the globe began to gain the notice of magical creature, notably the aes sídhe/elves and their ruling family, the Bethmoora Clan. The destruction of man's influence on the land was the first real threat that the fae had ever encountered and they responded with war. In his desperation, King Balor was urged by his son to accept the offer of the goblins to create a force that stood "seventy times seventy soldiers" which would finish the matter once and for all. It turned out that the Golden Army were merciless, heartless machines which didn't stop at the battlefield and slew women and children alike, much to Balor's horror. He drew up a truce with men that dictated the latter would stay to the cities and the magical creatures would own the forests. Prince Nuada, sickened by the weakness he perceived in his father's mercy, swore that he would return when his people needed him most and the truce broke, effectively exiling himself for several thousand years.

Fast forward to the present-day setting of HB:TGA and we find Nuada has finally ran out of patience. The forests are mostly destroyed, the fae are forced to live in the sewers and claim derelict buildings for their own. Having spent the length of his exile in training as one of the few warrior elves left, he launches an assault on the human world in a bid to reclaim the three sections of the crown that controls the Golden Army, intending to unleash it on the Earth and drive back the tide of mortals. He attacks an auction house where the first piece is being sold, unleashing vicious tooth fairies which devour the humans, before being summoned to his father's court.

Nuada openly reviles the derelict factory, mentally scorning the litter across the floor to the piping. Greeted by the Chamberlain whom he has known almost all his life, he refuses to give up his weapons when asked to abide by the rules, paranoid and proud, and is only stopped from threatening to take off his old friend's head when his sister Nuala arrives. He submits to her request, and none other. Led to a shabby throne-room where the Elven families have collected, he faces charges of breaking the truce and demands that he is not in the wrong, the fae must rise up and use the Golden Army to take back everything that was once theirs. King Balor deems his son to be mad, resulting in Nuada taking the second piece of the crown from his father by force and murdering him. His sister flees with the third piece and Nuada retreats to the Troll Market to bide his time fixing an all manner of devices which double as weapons. When he is notified that Mr. Wink has been slain by the protagonists, he takes an Elemental above ground to begin the second stage of his war. It bursts through the street and is only narrowly subdued by Hellboy, whom Nuada plies with incentive to forget about the humans and join the fae with which he has far more in common. In the ensuing chaos of the Elemental's death, Nuada escapes and his sister, who has been taken into the protection of Hellboy's BPRD squad, returns to their base.

The telepathic bond between the twins is what undoes her safety, in the end. She knows her location in detail and so, in time, does Nuada, storming the facility where he demands the third crown piece, wrenching books off shelves where he believes she has hidden it. Hellboy arrives on the scene and Nuada, geared up for a fight, takes his sister hostage, displaying that if he cuts her, the wound is transferred to himself and vice-versa. During his fight with Hellboy, the tip of his regenerating lance snaps off and lodges near the demon's heart, burrowing closer if anyone tries to get it out. Nuada states that if the BPRD crew wants to see Hellboy or Nuala alive again then he wants the crown piece; he is, in fact, speaking directly to Abe Sapien, who has come to care for Nuala romantically.

The finale occurs in Éirinn, now in modern-day County Antrim near The Giant's Causeway. The heroes seek Bethmoora, the realm named after the royal family which previously housed the central hub of Earth's magical creatures. After Hellboy applies to a 2spooky Angel of Death and bargains his way out of the grip of the lance-tip, he advances to the main room controlling the sleeping Golden Army. Unbeknownst to him, Abe is ready to betray him and tosses Nuada the third piece of the crown, hidden as Nuada suspected in the library of the BPRD HQ. The crown joins and Nuada becomes the crowned heir of Bethmoora, able to control the Golden Army. Hellboy, as the son of Satan, is a prince in his own right and desperately challenges Nuada to battle for the crown. Nuada finds the fight beneath him but complies. He fights viciously, albeit not without honour after granting Hellboy one of his own blades to make things fair, and is ultimately defeated.

When Nuada rises to stab Hellboy in the back, unable to stop in his thirst for the power to save his people, Nuala takes advantage of the bond with her brother and stabs herself. Nuada is fatally wounded and begs Hellboy not to trust humans, dying on his way to get closer to his sister, crumbling to dust.


Personality:

Nuada has been explicitly stated not to be evil, a driven man who loves his people dearly and takes his position as royalty to mean more than simply a title. Luke Goss states that as a young elf, Nuada undertook trials which he overcame to promote his status to that of one of the few warrior elves in the aes sídhe, thus earning the ceremonial scars which were cut into his temples and across his face. These were mirrored by his sister, whose spiritual link with him connected their bodies and loaned physical wounds from one to the other, as well as establishing an empathic/telepathic bond. He isn't proud beyond claiming his right to the respect the fae owe him (and show in great abundance), with his best friend a troll. He shows patience with the little monsters that have to nervously report Wink's death. Nuada's anger is never wrongly displaced from where his moral compass points, yet it locks onto a target and refuses to let go at any cost, even his own life. The Crown Prince of Bethmoora could be compared to a wolf with a bone, jealous over the protection of fae and willing to slaughter to protect them. He even goes so far as to admit his war on humanity would be a holocaust to echo what they have done to the fae.

Despite all of this, there is never any indication in the book or movie that Nuada is power-hungry for the sake of it. He doesn't want to kill the father he loves, forcing himself to do it in a fit of what he considers tyrannicide. In ancient times it was considered within the law to depose one king if his actions were harming his people and with the Elven families around Nuada showing signs of agreement during his summons to court, he acts out of what he believes to be the best interests of everyone. No one else is as qualified as Nuada to be their leader, a status which is in any case his birthright, so he steps up. After thousands of years in self-imposed exile, he's more than eager to answer their call for aid, however slight.

"Nuada seized on a break in stares and quickly glanced about the room, recognising he had their full attention and was willing to discuss what the others would only say among themselves. He addressed the entire chamber, his voice filled with strength and conviction.

It's easy to see, knowing a little of tradition, taking note of the elves' disquiet and how their people were under the direct threat of extinction, why Nuada acted as he did and with seemingly cold-blooded ease; deposing the king may have been a prevalent, albeit violent, option to better the lives of their people, but Balor himself appears resigned as he watches Nuada cut down his butcher guards, hands spread as if to welcome what comes highly anticipated as a course of action. Nuada is certainly not killing him out of anger ("I have always loved you, father"), mere necessity.

"It's issues, his people, he's part of what he truly believes. I don't think, really, he's so deluded... [He] is driven by an ethic that was instilled by the person he has problems [with; that is,] his father, and inevitably, that leads into the conflict..." -Luke Goss

As the Crown Prince of his realm, he is described as a "groomed dignitary", yet it is clear Nuada felt no compulsion to adhere to the status quo of the elves and instead left to acquaint himself with an all manner of magical folk. In doing so, embittered and searching out friends he knew would also champion his cause, a darkness was let into his heart that Luke Goss has commented on, stating that Nuada's shadowed eyes and blackened lips are outward proof of the infestation. He is beloved by all, light and dark, fairies and goblins alike, with a special fascination for goblin mechanics, something of an Olde Worlde tech-whiz to put his hobbies in perspective, seen tinkering with an intricate Elemental bomb minutes before its successful deployment. If it's mechanical in nature, he'll be intrigued by it.

This is one of the most contrary points in Nuada's character; he adores his people and wants to push back the tide of humanity so that the forests may flourish and the fae return to their original dominion, yet he himself prefers the city and the throng of lifeblood that runs through it. Having never desired the throne has allowed him to develop into his own person. There can be no doubt that he takes his role seriously, but it is more of an honourable duty that he must uphold instead of an empty chore.

Regarding the relationship between Nuada and his sister, there are definite hints of an incestuous nature. Again, Goss stated:

"There is an incestuous relationship that's not maybe overly obvious to everybody, but some people hopefully will pick up on the fact, certainly from my direction towards her."

Traditions in Celtic and British history at the time of the elves encouraged royals to marry in order to keep  bloodlines pure, yet Balor is said to have tried to forbid this between his children ( "Father always tried so hard to shield your heart from mine" ). This could have been that he favoured his daughter more than his son after the battle of the Golden Army turned into a massacre, Balor having taken Nuada's advice, or simply be a product of personal dislike for the idea when consanguinity couldn't be ignored. Nuada clearly doesn't find the prospect of incest distasteful, moreover he appears to consider Nuala his property to protect as and when he pleases, not a trait that would have been out of character for anyone of the nobility, especially of his station, in ancient times.

He appraised her, noting she looked much the same, willowy, hauntingly beautiful - and his identical match. The light put the facial scar or tattoo, a match to his own, into focus, and while to some it might have marred her beauty, he thought it made her uniquely attractive.

There is a sense of duty and not solely jealous love to the nature of his anger arising from Nuala's familiarity with Abe, whom she had only known a few hours. His temperament is decidedly feudal ( "But then again, if you can't command, like any peasant, you must obey" / "Who are you to challenge me? You're nobody! You are not royalty" ), allotting his displeasure of Nuala's affection for Abe as intensely old-fashioned. Celtic marriages of consequence were routinely an involved affair for the whole family and with their father dead, Nuada inherited the position as head of the Bethmoora Clan whose responsibilities fell directly in line with his sister's welfare and honour (side-lining the fact he threatened her life, oops). Given the longevity of Nuala's single status it's safe to assume she had more of a say in such affairs than a mortal princess would have been allowed and very likely turned down suitors over the ages, but old habits died exceptionally hard in both her father and, eventually, her brother, the latter of whom showed intense displeasure for the nature of her friendship with another man ( "The intimacy seemed to infuriate him..." ).

In summary, Nuada is not an inherently cruel soul. He is learned, skilled and capable of great patience, with a handful of triggers which immediately draw his wrath: the arrogance of humans tops this list in a landslide of loathing. It is acceptable to call him a dark elf after all he has been through, far more worldly and fired up than his kin, the frustrated heir of a global kingdom which is on its last legs, willing to die. He fights compassionately for those that are too scared or weak to take up arms, even to his detriment. Evil is something that people might call him, but he knows exactly what it is he is doing and remains far from insane.

Aside from the fact he goes on a rampage to destroy humanity (oops), we have a dutiful son that takes his role seriously, a dedicated warrior and a staunch friend (who is prone to nothing short of unleashing hell once he finds out you've been turned into chopped liver). Any ambition that Nuada harbours is a result of a deeply buried, smothered echo of enduring love. 


Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:

The first sign of magic from Nuada in the book takes place on the rooftop of the auction house. Described as "a tingle" on the face of the steward he attacks, Nuada magically transfers the lips and teeth of his victim onto the palm of his hand while holding him silent, leaving only a wall of skin in place. His propensity for practical, aggressive spells/glamours may be traced back to his fondness for goblin-mechanics and therefore only the most efficient of tools. He prefers the company of goblins, trolls and ogres, unlike many elves, and is shown to own a surprising penchant for their technology when constructing the delivery device of an elemental seed, the metal hand of his friend Mr. Wink also credited to Nuada's aptitude for "techno-geek" engineering. In the first scene we see him, a smithy burns to one side with an anvil in the underground where he has made his home, hinting that he prefers to ply his trade as often as he trains with his retractable spear. When the magical creatures are bid to remain in the forests while man keeps to his cities, Nuada ... doesn't. What a little shit. He's actually an oddball in that while he yearns for there to be less of humanity everywhere, he prefers to tinker with mechanics and live in the hustle of civilisation when compared to the serenity of the wild.

A bond uncommon among the elves, just as much as twins being born, is the mental link between brother and sister. More empathic than telepathic, it isn't a direct transference of thoughts but echoes of intent and emotion ( While they shared a connection unlike any other, they were not of one mind. As a result, she could not appreciate the confluence of events that informed his actions. He only hoped... ) that they only share with each other; Nuada never shows any magical aptitude for it outside of his sibling. The connection extends to their physical bodies, however. When Nuala is cut, as is Nuada. In his initial scene we see that there are significantly deep scars across his back, shoulders and torso, surely to be shared with his sister as a resulting effect of his warrior status.

Other areas of wtf elves include a heightened ability to withstand intense heat and likely cold (when he picks up an object casually lying in a pit of flaming coals), increased agility (vaulting a tall chainlink fence in the book) and an intense eye for detail, although that could very well just be Nuada's training keeping him alert.

Inventory:

1. A lance forged out of silver that can regenerate when the tip is covertly snapped off. It can be extended or shortened owing to the goblin technology with which it was built.
2. One of his twin swords.
3. The crest of the Bethmoora Clan on its old red scarf and his clothes.

Appearance: 6'1", with golden hair faded to white with age at the roots. His features are somewhat shadowed owing to the darkness that he let into his heart and he wears the warrior's scars that mark him as such, physically at the peak of his health though littered with old battle-scars.
Age: The official wiki puts him between 4,000-8,000 years old. 8,000 seems a little excessive, considering King Balor is the only elf stated as already being old when the Romans were invading Briton, so I put Nuada around 5/6,000. It's assumed he's hitting 40 human years in human terms.

AU Clarification: N/A

S A M P L E S
Log Sample:

The severance of the bond was what awoke him: not the pain, the exhaustion or terror (though that lodged as coldly inside his gut as if his own lance had been employed), but the sheer aching emptiness where once there had always been a constant breath of warmth and home. Nuala did not answer his call as her brother all but clawed down the proverbial walls of their telepathic bond, bile rising in the back of his throat and eyes rolling up with nothing but blank white noise in his ears. (Am I under the ocean? It hurts. Athair, Deirfiúr, it hurts and I am sorry.) Later, upon opening his eyes and discovering little in a locker but the scant comfort of his most prized possessions, his mind throbbed as though having been beaten in by a troll.

He recalled the chamber and the Demon, a sense of gutting hopelessness. (Sister, please, I need you now.) Surely she would come. Surely, for all his mistakes, his loving sibling would forgive his transgressions now that he was — scared?

Yes. By Aiglin, I am as frightened as a lost elfling in the woods. I admit it.

It was a craft sickeningly occupied by mortals, he discovered, unable to wallow in self-pity even if it seemed like it was all he had left. They were not enough to bolster the huge corridors as the streets of their cities once did, yet he avoided contact with them where possible and sought out the fae, the remnants of aes sídhe who did not share in his bloodline yet were irrefutably kith. The reminded him, after a time, that he was the only one like unto himself still alive in a metal tomb that grazed from planet from planet; the Bethmoora Clan would die with him and his father's legacy would come to nought (I am so very sorry, Athair). There was a ledge deep in the library next to a porthole where he holed up for hours at a time as shadows laced around any remaining hope, once the days and nights began to blend into one another. In an effort not to lose his mind with only the memory of his loved ones to sustain him, he read  — and read and read. What he found plagued an already broken heart.

I was right, Nuada thought with a grim blend of satisfaction and grief. I was right all along and still I failed them.

Comms Sample:

VIDEO

[ It's dark when the feed snicks on. The voice that speaks in the shadows is rough and weary with an underscore of wrung-out exhaustion, and for a moment the figure seems to regulate his breathing. ]

I am Prince Nuada, son of King Balor. Silverlance. If there are any of my people here, Children of the Earth who bear me fealty, I would welcome the aid of a healer skilled enough to treat elven ailments. I also require a goblin or dwarven master's tutelage regarding the unexpected vomit of foreign technology, if they will oblige. I should like to understand it all as quickly as possible.

[ Leaning more than stepping into the light Nuada reveals a weathered face with a long striping scar right across the middle and the tapered ears of an elf, albeit all from an inhumanly pale complexion. Yellow eyes can't help but lose their focus for a moment before he raises the back of a hand to his forehead; unbeknownst to his viewers, he's suffering a severe mental disconnection from his twin (it rather looks as though he's been on a bender and forgotten to prescribe himself pain-killers). He scowls into the middle-distance, willing away the distracting migraine, dark lips twisting in distaste as he opens his mouth to go on. In the end, Nuada's exasperation wins out and he amends something different to what was intended, a metaphorical wolf backed into a corner. ]

If you are human, I will give you this warning but once; keep your distance from me should you wish to keep your head.

[ As he leans forward to cut the feed, there's a flash of silver on his back: a very pointy weapon that will likely more than live up to his word. ]