Aetherium, Bartimaeus Crawson

Bartimaeus Crawson

Bartimeaus Crawson is 23 years old, having somehow managed to survive that long. His hazel hair is slightly unkempt due to perpetual hoodie abuse, and his eyes shine an umber brown in the daylight. Sprite yet solid, he weighs a lean 170 pounds, and is proudly an exact 6' tall. He wears loose fitting clothing over top skin-tight athletic wear, putting down his hood only to relax or as a polite gesture to friends and important peoples. Bartimeaus is tanned from his escapades abroad, though not exactly blessed with his vain ideal of olive-toned skin. In a pouch around his waist, he carries all of his important possessions: charms, salts, money, and all the prized memorabilia he can stuff in there.

Not many people brag about how many winters they have survived, but Bartimaeus is one who is ecstatic about how long he's lived. Barely a day goes by when his life isn't threatened by some near-fatal happenstance, and he'll be glad to show you his lack of scars. Practically avoiding life and death situations day in and day out should have fried his nerves by now, but Bartimaeus seems only to feed off of the energy and bounce back twice as optimistic about tomorrow.

So how does one manage to be in as many accidents, mishaps, and tragedies as Bartimaeus and walk away unscathed? Is it skill? Is it wisdom? Primal strength and grit?

As it happens, the answer is: pure, dumb, stupid luck.

Bartimaeus Crawson is the child of Elizabeth and Felicia Crawson - the direct offspring of Elizabeth and one fly-by-night paramour. While Elizabeth spoiled her son with unabashed doting, Felicia expressed her love through an odd paranoia; she had been to as many soothsayers, fortune tellers, and augers that she could find and was convinced that Bartimaeus was to one day encounter a cataclysmic ordeal and perish. Certain of his disastrous fate, Felicia convinced Elizabeth to allow her to prepare some protection for their only child. The definition of "some" here meaning "nearly a decade of professional incantations to increase their son's Good Luck."

Poor Felicia worried herself sick, quite literally, and on her deathbed remained confident that all those thousands of magical formulas and spells would save Bartimaeus one day. Poor Felicia didn't understand the concept of Karma. As Bartimaeus' luck grew to inhuman proportions, the universe seemed to take it as a challenge, placing him into more and more dire situations. Though his Good Luck acted as a shield against evil, it was also a bright and shining beacon for Bad Luck to seek him out.

With his natural affinity for the protective arts, Elizabeth helped school Bartimaeus in wielding Ether, teaching him all she could through personal experience and finding tutors; anything short of him attending actual Colleges. He became adept at dodging things such as falling boulders, agitated fauna, and responsibilities, honing his senses for danger. Purely a defensive spellcaster, Bartimaeus knows little to no actual fighting, though most of his battles aren't against people. He practices reckless optimism: good things simply must come your way if you invite them in. And therefore, he's the definition of a people person, never meeting a human he couldn't like.

Taking up residence in modern day Zerkonus, Bartimaeus helps run a store that sells protective spells and charms. Being surrounded by the hustle and bustle and the magnificent potential of the artistic city, Bartimaeus feels like he may finally have a home where he can support his aging mother. But if it was a simple life Bartimaeus was looking for... he won't be finding it here. When danger is drawn to you like a magnet, it's far too much to ask for peace and quiet.

Kitten-chan, Resnais as Bartimaeus