Application~

[jolly_good_fellow]

OOC:

PLAYER NAME: Sofo! Sofie!

EMAIL: same as before

AIM (optional): also the same still, sakuraofrureo

IC:

CHARACTER NAME: Arthur J. M. Hastings

DISPLAY NAME: Arthur J. M. Hastings, Captain

CANON: Poirot Canon, mostly BBC's adaptation, Agatha Christie's Poirot

CANON POINT: Wasps' Nest, season 3, taking place ca 1928 (short story publication)

AGE: 42

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Hastings is a tall, lanky chap clocking in at 8'2" or 1,88m. He's of a naturally slim build, and while he doesn't do much to maintain his physique, he's not one for frivolity - the 1800's were not a time of all you can eat buffets. He enjoys a spot of golf every now and then, and he is an avid admirer of nature and the great outdoors - and dresses accordingly. Unlike his long time friend, Hercule Poirot, Hastings follows the current fashion trends of the time, and adheres to the British tradition of city wear versus countryside dress, and sporting gear. Each have their time and place (He won't know quite what to make of Sojourner, in that regard).

He has a long face and a pair of baby blue eyes that mirror his naiveté, a nose to match his face, and a small mouth that sometimes seems to speak even when he doesn't. In other words, Hastings' face is an open book.

His hairline may be receding, but he has plenty of hair, which he keeps cut and combed in a style suitable to himself as well as the times.

And since Hastings is from the earlier quarter of the 20th century, it must be noted that apart from his very, very Upper Class speech patterns, he also isn't above using the jargon of the time, up to and including terms and phrases that we modern folk would find rather ignorant, or even prejudicial. Don't be surprised if he uses the term Chinaman instead of Chinese person, or indeed despite having lived in China for a period, using Chinglish rather than actual Chinese. One memorable instance is Miss Lemon using the phrase 'Him collar not very starchy' with the Chinese dry-cleaners - a phrase Hastings cheerfully taught her. It was how he'd communicated in China, after all...

As far as body language goes, Hastings is not one for waving his hands about, or even making small gestures - he prefers keeping his hands busy with the paper, or a board game, card game, glass of Scotch or the like. Otherwise he keeps his hands still, and at his sides unless otherwise required.

As a former member of her Majesty's Royal Army, not to mention a man of certain standing in the early 20th century, Hastings has impeccable posture - and despite the horrors of warfare he lived through in WWI, he has an easy smile always at the ready.

HISTORY: Born in 1886, the son of a well-to-do family with links to nobility, Arthur Hastings grew up on a family estate which was as idyllic as any Jane Austen novel aside from the tongue-in-cheek social critique. They had stables, and they had dogs, and they did indeed have servants, if not many of them. It was a small estate compared to most families of their standing, but the Hastings family wanted for nothing, and for a long time everything seemed to be pointing towards a bright future for all. Arthur learned all the traits of the upper classes from a very young age, including horseback riding, hunting, and various sports, such as golf, and cricket. Worth noting is he studied at Eton.

Arthur would have been destined for politics or government work, being the young idealist dreamer of the family, with an inability to settle down, if not for the war. In August, 1914, Arthur volunteered to join the armed forces of the United Kingdom. During his stay in Belgium he met a peculiar police officer who went on to become one of his truest friends.

Two years later, he came back a wounded war hero, a bit frayed around the edges but spirit intact. It was then, in 1916, that he reunited with one Hercule Poirot, now a refugee of the war. Together they would go on to solve innumerable crimes and mysteries big and small, up to the detective's death some many years later.

If not for Sojourner, that is.

PERSONALITY:

What kind of person are they? Hastings is a kind soul, loyal friend, and very innocent to the world at large, despite having fought in the Great War. He takes people at face value, is incorrigibly impressionable when it comes to beautiful young women (especially auburn haired ones). He's open-minded enough, certainly very accepting his Belgian friend's many eccentric whims, and he will always try to do the right thing - even if he isn't always sure what that is, exactly. When in doubt, be polite. Or better yet, talk of the weather.

What’s their temperament like? Hastings is a calm, easily pleased man who takes pretty much anything in very good stride. He's just as happy to play board games for hours (Monopoly is a favourite), as he is to tag along Poirot to the seaside and happen upon a nefarious mystery. He hardly ever loses his temper, but he can be aghast at injustice, and shocked by sudden actions or events that go against his notion of the Good, British Way.

What motivates them? Now this is a tricky question. Or not, come to think of it. Hastings grew up a privileged young man, and in his late twenties he saw the horrors that men do to each other in wartime. He knows he fought as best he could, and though he was sent home a war wounded hero, he worked hard while he was overseas. A better world, that's ultimately what motivates him. To be a good person, himself, and do his best in whatever he endeavours. If he fails, he fails, but he's at least done his damnedest.

What are they like in day-to-day situations, with other people, under stress? What are their strengths and weaknesses, their virtues and flaws? How do they respond to conflict? Bunching this lot together: as Hastings' day-to-day life ranges from hiking across the British countryside to sidekick-solving murder, one thing can certainly be said, and that is that Hastings remains calm, level-headed, and always leaps to the wrong logical conclusions. That is a weakness if you put him next to the self-proclaimed greatest detective in the world, but really, Hastings isn't outright stupid. He's just...not very bright either. He's a clever enough man, but he is no genius, and as such he connects the logical dots as most of us readers/viewers do. He tends to look at the obvious, and forget to look deeper. Just the same, he has a way of hitting the nail on the head, and often unwittingly aides Poirot in slotting the final piece of the puzzle into place.

So. He is kind, good-natured, a little bit racist ;) a little bit sexist ;) and sometimes completely loses track of what not to say in his efforts to be polite or cheer people up.

ABILITIES: Racecar driving! Hastings loves his cars, and knows entirely too much about them, and will natter on about this or that model and its specifications ad nauseam if you let him. He is rather excellent behind the wheel as well, and he's quite happy to get his hands dirty when his car breaks down. He's not of a generation where phones are everywhere and you can simply call a mechanic. You fix it yourself, or walk for miles to he nearest house and hope they have a telephone.

He's rubbish at languages, but he can swing most gentlemanly sports of the day and age. He can ride a horse. He could do a spot of climbing, but only if he had to, and certainly not for fun. He's keen on the stock markets, and can give you investment tips. He's very good at Monopoly, and Bridge, and Dominoes, and...yes. You get the point.

Given his military history and upbringing, Hastings can use firearms and blades, but only as expertly as a baseline human, and he certainly can't match most of Sojourner's residents. This doesn't bother him.

POSSESSIONS: Hastings arrives in the double-breasted outfit in the default icon, with tie and turned-down collar'd shirt and Oxford shoes. His Significant Item is his newest toy, his camera.

ANYTHING ELSE: He's not the sharpest tool in the kitchen drawer, but neither is a spatula, and that's invaluable!