Hal
 | |
| Full name | Hal Seiser |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 7 March 2503 |
| Birthplace | Ariel |
| Parents | Alliance Military, unknown |
| Siblings | Quentin Haslett (NPC) |
| Spouse | Jerena Pearle (m. 2524; div. 2525) |
| Children | None that he knows of, but there's probably dozens of Halspawn out there |
| Assignment | Chief Executive Officer, Ariel Aerospace |
| Specialization | Diplomacy, Engineering |
| Gender | Male |
| Eyes and Hair | Brown, Brown (greying) |
| Height and Weight | 5' 9", 146 lbs |
| Status | Active |
| Education Information | |
|
2508 to 2521 - Standard primary and high school education on Ariel | |
| Military Service | |
|
None | |
| Employment History | |
|
2522 - Vengeance (Engineer) | |
Information detailed here is for OOC uses only.
Warning: This page contains copious amounts of Hal Seiser. Women with heart conditions are advised not to look directly at Hal Seiser. This also applies to women without heart conditions. He's very pretty. See? See how pretty he is? He's very pretty! I'd like to run my fingers through his hair; and I'm just a comment! Anyway, without further ado, enjoy your crappy yet humourous wiki page.
Contents
The Overview
In his younger days, Hal was a well meaning idiot. But he's not exactly in his younger days anymore. Since hitting his thirties, he's gained a bit of maturity, and a bit of common sense. He's always had a razor-sharp mind, but it was always filtered through the tenuous grip he had on reality. Now that he's calmed down, he's capable of being patient and methodical, but everything he does is still tinged with confidence, humour and good cheer. He's still a funny guy.
He's always been a fan of the fairer sex and is known for having a ridiculous number of flings during his lifetime. Those philandering ways, while not entirely behind him, have been set aside in favour of a new introspective look on life.
Finally, Hal's way with words (when he's paying attention to them) is legendary. He likes to think that when he's started talking, he has won. The reality is not quite in line with this view, but it's close.
The Description
Standing before you is a classically handsome man in his mid thirties. At 5'9, Hal Seiser is a man of average height and build, standing proud and tall. His vibrant brown eyes possess a cheeky cheer, and his mouth is peaked in a near-perpetual grin or the typical Seiser Smirk, radiating confidence and charm. His face has some wrinkles but his skin is still youthful and fair. His face and hands are quite clean, but a close look will reveal faint stains from various forms of grease. He isn't a muscle-bound hunk of a man, but he's solidly built and not inclined to fat. His greying but still brown hair is thick and luxurious and and kept in a neat classic style. All in all, he's very slick.
The Background
Hal Seiser was born the first son of the very wealthy Seiser family on Ariel near the mid-point of 2503. A bit over a year later, he was joined by his brother Quentin. His parents were believed to be Alliance military, but Hal has always been cagey with this information.
He grew up in a cultural melting pot in the central cities of Ariel, where he inherited an appreciation of the inherent craziness of the 'Verse. However, his parents were stern and detached and did not invest very much time into their children, preferring instead to concentrate on their own careers. Hal ended up learning about the 'Verse from his maid and caretaker, a fussy old woman who was still a greater parent than his real ones. The only thing they bothered about when it came to Hal and Quentin was the ability to speak French, apparently a language that had strong meaning in the Seiser family though Hal never did learn the reason before they died. A language coach was hired, and quickly assessed the high potential for linguistics that their son possessed. He was fluent in French before he started high school.
In his studies, Hal had two main focuses. He had an analytical mind and a penchant for rapid understanding and, besides women, nothing spoke to him quite like mechanics. His high school studies invariably focused around machinery, electronics, electrics, physics, structural engineering, and the like, alongside the study of German and Russian. He taught himself how to dance, play music, entertain, and how to talk to women, for women were one of the driving forces behind Hal and being a teenager he could think of little more than chasing skirts. He was notorious for his pursuit of women and number of girlfriends, which resulted in his high school nickname of 'Suave'. He also took an obligatory firearms course, and learned how to shoot a gun, but he never pursued the art of shooting things.
When he was a teenager, Hal built a motorcycle out of spare parts. Took him about six months too. It was his pride and joy, until he crashed it into a burning pile of rubble a week later. The nasty network of burn-scars it seared on to his left arm is a reminder of his lack of foresight, but until recently it was a reminder often ignored.
His studies did not finish when he left school. His parents, invisible as they had been, still expected him to follow in their footsteps in the Alliance but Hal had no such desire. He did spend six months at the Alliance Academy on Londinium before he was caught 'fraternizing' with the base commander's daughter, which resulted in his expulsion. With no desire to enlist or find some other way to work towards his parents' ends, he cut ties with his family and his inheritance and struck out on his own. His brother Quentin did not like this one bit (understatement), and the relationship between the the loyal Quentin and renegade Hal is tense even to this day.
He served on a ship called the Spitfire under Kenthadus Greyshade for quite some time, and it was on this ship that he had his kneecaps shot out and replaced. That was the first time Hal felt true fear, and that fear left a mark on him that rears its head whenever he's in danger. On the upside, he married a noble from Ariel named Jerena Pearle. However, for unknown reasons they went on the run, leaving behind Jerena's money and titles. They were common folk once more. While they did genuinely enjoy each other's company, the stresses of their new tough lifestyle caught up to them and their marriage suffered. When two highly promiscuous individuals marry, it doesn't automatically guarantee that old habits are forgotten. They got sick of catching each other in bed with other people and separated on amiable terms. Soon afterwards, he received a notice for the divorce, and the pair met up one last time settled their problems, confirmed the official split, and went their separate ways.
He spent a few years working as a shipyard mechanic, enjoying the simple life, until by chance he encountered Kenthadus Greyshade again and the pair started work on the Guan-Yin II. What followed was a long and tumultous chain of events where Hal met Phelan Daniels and Mia Han, and got to be witness to their courtship and even their wedding. While he and Mia would always butt heads, he was nothing but supportive of them. He met many other friends, such as Mister Robert Jacobs, Luna Dumere, Violet Taylor, Alaren Thalasa and the mysterious Amberley Stark, the first woman to best Hal at his own game. In time, Hal became the Captain of the Guan-Yin II, putting him in his first real position of responsibility.
And boy, he did not cope. Despite the joy in having his first command, the difficult job of the Guan-Yin II ate away at his patience and good cheer. His stress levels went through the roof. He did make some wise decisions during this time, such as re-hiring Kenthadus as his XO and replacing him with Phelan Daniels when Kenthadus departed for Ricochet Arms, however in the long run it did a number on his mind and drilled into him just how difficult it would be to be truly responsible. In the end, he sold the Guan-Yin II to Salin Fawzy and Cody A. Martin, who proceeded to run the ship far better than he ever did.
After that, Hal disappeared. Rumour has it that he spent a few weeks working at Ricochet Arms before suddenly dropping off the grid. What he was doing was finding himself. He spent years on the Rim, flitting from planet to planet and helping out, and out there he achieved a level of... not quite peace, but a level of mental stability. His childlike exuberance and shotgun approach to thinking had given way to calm and patience, without losing his cheerful personality. He'd finally grown up. He also became a licensed marriage celebrant, for some strange reason.
But, as luck would have it, he made his reappearance to the 'Verse at large on Deadwood, right as Faoite McGuire declared independence. For the pacifistic Hal, seeing the place erupt into a warzone shocked sense into him. The sudden outburst of violence freaked him out to an extreme degree, leading him to not think clearly and assume that the best way to defuse a tense situation was run directly at the woman holding a gun. He escaped Deadwood on McGuire's ship, the Jia, and decided that enough was enough. He'd stuffed around for too long. He had money and a family name waiting for him, and a vested interest in trying to stop a war. He chose to do something about it.
He contacted Quentin, his estranged brother, and through some strange means the warring siblings finally made peace. Hal had changed in the intervening years. He reclaimed his inheritance and the wealth of the Seiser family, then he set about rebuilding the decrepit Seiser Estate. His parents had passed in the years that he had been gone, leaving him as the head of the dwindled family. Maybe he could use it to fix the 'Verse, but he couldn't do it alone. He also called up Cody A. Martin to see if she had a bit of work, and as luck would have it, the Ugly Duckling Corporation needed a guy with his people skills. While he can't change the 'Verse in one fell swoop, there was nothing stopping him from helping out, and as a result he's been flitting about the 'Verse helping where he's needed, sometimes in official UDC capacity and sometimes not.
The news of Beau Compton's Freedom Movement pains Hal. He is, and always will be, an Alliance loyalist, but he's not blind to the fact that the Alliance in its current state does not work with the interests of the people in mind. Trying to rationalize this has resulted in something of a crisis of faith for him, one which he is still trying to resolve.
And that's where Hal is today. Head of a decimated house with all its wealth, with a newly renovated estate and an awesome job, and trying to do some good in this crazy messed up world.
The Personality
Hal Seiser is theatrical and bombastic, with a gift of the gab. He is constantly looking for humour, and he often has to be careful that he thinks about what he says before he says it, as in the past it has landed him in extremely hot water.
As he's aged, he's settled down a bit and matured. He is no longer the philanderer of his youth, but he still possesses a youthful flair for the dramatic and a scatterbrained personality. Notably, he takes the time to think more. This has resulted in an odd form of cunning from the man, as he's now capable of plotting a conversation instead of talking and seeing where it takes him. Beware him if he ever enters politics.
His mind is like a filing cabinet. A filing cabinet that burned down, fell over, and sank into a swamp. When he shuts his brain off and lets his mouth run wild, he bounces between conversational tangents on a whim, interrupting himself incessantly, and constantly laughing at his own jokes. By that same token, he gets bored very easily and constantly has to look for new things to do.
Being an omniglot, Hal tends to flip languages a lot. His accent is standard Ariel but he uses phrases from around the 'Verse, especially New Melbourne (OOC Note: That is, Space Australia).
The Hooks
- Natural Linguist - Hal is a linguistic genius. He speaks five languages, can imitate voice and accent almost flawlessly and learn complex languages in a matter of months. Ideal if you need a translator.
- Philanthropist - When it comes to conflict in the 'Verse, Hal is less concerned with the fighting and more with the people caught in the middle. Do you need help or are willing to help?
- Marriage Celebrant - If you have a burning need to get married, Hal is fully licensed to conduct the ceremony.
- Slept Around - Hal always did play it safe, but it's possible he has a kid running around he doesn't know about or an old girlfriend wanting to catch up.
- Dense - Stupid things were often said by this man. Did Hal said something extremely unthoughtful to you or members of your family or friends?
- Bombastic - Did Hal make a spectacle of himself at any point and you were there to witness it?
The People
Hal's met a lot of people over the years. Among them are:
- Kenthadus Grayshade - Hal's oldest friend. Kent hired Hal for the Spitfire when the man was only nineteen, which turned out to be the best time of the kid's life. The two have worked together over the years, usually with one serving as Captain and the other as XO. But still, through Hal's good experiences, he loves the Spitfire more than any other ship he's crewed on.
- Sophia Michiko - The girl. THE girl. The business relationship didn't stay business for long of course, but even he was surprised by what happened next. He took his time, he was slow and thoughtful, and he finally got something right. Smarter than Hal, wiser than Hal, and significantly more observant than Hal, she's his anchor. She's everything he's ever wanted and needed and he loves her dearly. Hal would not trade Sophia Michiko for anything.
- Phelan Daniels - Meeting through Kent, Phelan quickly rose to the spot of best friend in Hal's book. Hal's stuck his neck out for the man, and vice versa, and though they don't see each other nearly as often as they used to Hal would drop almost anything to help out his buddy in a bind.
- Tiladene "Tilly" Fletcher - Hal likes the kid. Really. Nevermind that he's involved with Compton's gang. He's honest to a fault, something Hal appreciates more and more in this crazy messed up 'Verse. Hal sees him as still young and a bit naive, especially with girls, but then his expectations were blown out of the water when Tilly seduced the unseducible.
- Tammy Foster - Oh dear god this girl. A combination of abrasiveness, naivety, and genuine sweetness hiding somewhere underneath means no one has driven Hal up the wall quite like Tammy. In spite of (or perhaps because of) this he finds her endearing, a bit like a little sister or almost a daughter. He will do most anything to drag her into a legitimate lifestyle.
- Cody A. Martin - Hal sold the Guan-Yin II to her and Salin many years ago, and wound up working for her more recently as a PR officer. Hal is fond of what he sees as her dorky side and finds her obliviousness when it comes to boys hilarious.
- Jasmine Geddes - There's always the rarely-seen friend, and to Hal this is Jasmine Geddes. He briefly considered crewing for her before he was hauled over to the Guan-Yin II, but that didn't stop them from becoming fast friends after a drunken night at the TCR. He's met her wife only once or twice, but always wishes them well.
- Adriana "Luna" Dumere - Formerly one of Hal's flings, he wound up hiring her on after her mishaps on Greenleaf and sudden new fear of pigs. The two tend to cause huge amounts of trouble and mayhem when put in the same room together. Hal was pleased to see that she had settled down, although he had to make sure her daughter was not his!
- Sirus O'Mally - Hal's unwanted contact in the underworld. Attempts to drag him into legitimacy have been in vain, but that hasn't stopped our hero from trying! Still, maybe he's not ideal for business, but he's definitely the go-to guy for shindigs.
- Mia Daniels - Tense. That's the best way to describe this relationship. She's his best friend's wife, and Hal wants to just set aside their many differences and just be friends with her. But it doesn't matter what he does, because with every slip-up he makes, no matter how big or who it's against, he's straight back to square one.
- Violet Taylor - The tiny woman with the big Elizabeth Taylor eyes was Hal's first hire when he got Captain'd. Oddly enough, he's started treating her like a little sister instead of hitting on her constantly. What brought that on, I wonder?
- Kyoshiro Mibu - Before Deadwood, Hal and Kyoshiro had never had a conversation that hadn't devolved into insults. However, after an odd encounter where neither man dissed each other during the events on Deadwood, they've established a level of respect. Hal calls him "Red Eyes", this was formerly derogatory but it is now a friendly nickname.
- Faoite McGuire - Fao decked Hal on Deadwood. He deserved it.
- Robert Jacobs - Robert Jacobs, or Mister Jacobs, as is the proper way of addressing him, reminds Hal of his father. The man's stiff upper lip is a strong contrast to Hal's free-flying nature, but they've bonded over SOMETHING and Hal trusts him with his life.
- Jerena Pearle - The wealthy noblewoman of Ariel was a kindred spirit for the free-flying Hal, and they wound up getting married and running away together. However, both of them being as promiscuous as they were, the marriage dissolved. They're still good friends, as far as Hal's concerned, and he's always a bit wistful when talking about her.
- Amberley Stark - Who IS this woman? Why can she play Hal like a harp? How was she able to steal both his wallet and his heart in one night?
The Other Bits
- Hal is an ESFP on the Myers-Briggs scale, AKA The Performer. This is extremely appropriate.
- Hal is a pacifist. He will only ever enter a fight with extreme reluctance. This is a combination of fear, a belief that violence solves nothing, and past experiences as a more impulsive man.
- A willpower roll is made whenever Hal perceives himself to be in physical danger. A pass means he's still scared, but can act in spite of it.
- Hal's kneecaps have been replaced. Both were shattered in a shootout at The Captain's Retreat many years ago. This is the main reason for his fear when in danger.
- Whenever Hal is on Newhall, someone throws him into the ocean. This has happened without fail every single time he has set foot on the planet, and it is why he is never seen in a suit when he is there.
- The vast majority of this was written when Hal's player was drunk. Take it with a shaker of salt.
"Trust me."
| Ugly Duckling Corporation |
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| Owner Cody Martin, Owner and CEO
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