`Jasper Hale.

full name: Maj. Jasper Whitlock
nicknames:
age: 175, but appears in his late teens/early twenties.
hometown: Houston, Texas
played by: Jackson Rathbone
species: Vampire (Vegetarian)

`It's a cold and a hollow and a lonely life.
I've seen anguish and anger, fear and strife.
Now, the darkness comes and it takes my pride.
But, I've learned to take the darkness in my stride.
--Abney Park, Shadow of Life

history: Jasper Hale was born Jasper Whitlock in the year 1843, the son of moneyed landowners who had originally come from the Carolinas. From an early age, Jasper was raised in the tradition of the southern gentry, learning to ride and shoot, to dance and converse pleasantly about anything or nothing at all. He was groomed to be genial and civil, to respect family and heritage, and to be courteous and protective of the fairer sex. Jasper was an amiable, pleasant youth, with an unmistakable charisma that made him well liked by others around him.

In 1861, war erupted between the secessionist Confederacy and the United States. Jasper, young and patriotic, was determined to join the Confederate cause, and thus left home, lying about his age and joining the Confederate Army. The Army was still young and struggling to find structure and stability, and Jasper's natural charisma and leadership qualities made him immediately recognizable as officer material. He was quickly promoted up the ranks, surpassing men with more years and experience than he, until he achieved the rank of Major. At the time of the first Battle of Galveston, he was the youngest Major in the Texas forces. The year was 1862, and Jasper had just turned 20, though he was claiming 23.

When the Union sent ships to take the port city of Galveston in October, 1862, Jasper was given the vital but unenviable task of overseeing the evacuation of hundreds of women and children from the city. Union Forces had given them four days to withdraw from the city, so speed was of the essence. His natural ability to sway a crowd proved vital in keeping control over the sheer numbers of frightened and irrational civilians as they made their way out of the doomed city. When his refugees had at last reached their destination, Jasper was exhausted. He was needed on the front however, so without delay he took a fresh horse and rode back alone towards the besieged city of Galveston. As his fortune would have it, he never reached his destination.

In the dead of night, along the dusty road back to Galveston, Jasper came across three women traveling unescorted. Fearing they might be a group of stragglers from the evacuation, Jasper stopped to offer assistance. The three women were easily the most beautiful creatures he had ever looked upon, pale and ethereal. Jasper had never had a superstitious bone in his body, but the very sight of them conjured to mind ghost stories passed around in the army camps. They spoke strangely, cryptic and foreboding, but Jasper was unafraid. He had always been taught to protect women, but never to fear them. Their leader was named Maria, and along with her so-called sisters, Netty and Lucy, were prowling the roads near the battlefields looking for wayward soldiers. For these three women were not human, and their kind was at war in the shadows. Jasper was, to them, a perfect find; young, strong, and capable; a leader of men. Maria claimed him upon the road that night, with a single bite consigning him to decades of war and servitude.

To be a vampire in the south in those days was to exist in a state of perpetual war, bloody and vengeful. The newly created were the weapon of choice; their vastly superior strength and near mindless aggression during their first year of existence made them the perfect cannon fodder for the ceaseless blood feuds fought by the older vampires over territory or for sheer spite. This was the world Jasper was reborn into. Maria was a careful and cunning vampire, who saw great potential in the careful selection of only the best newborns, and in the watchful training of them in the arts of secrecy and warfare. Her newborn army would be a keen sword, not a base bludgeon. Jasper soon would become pivotal in her plans. His natural ability to coerce and persuade had blossomed into a true gift, the power to sense and to sway emotions. Under his influence, Maria could more readily control the bloodthirsty newborns, get them to work together with less of the violent infighting that plagued most newborn armies. Jasper was placed in charge of training and leading the newborns; and under his command, the army grew strong and more numerous than previously possible. When Maria finally chose her moment to strike, the army was 23 strong. She marched her army on the city of Monterrey, the city she had been ousted from many years before. In a single night, she captured the city, losing only four of her newborns. This was the sort of success none dreamed possible, but it would not be enough for Maria.

Over the next several months, she defeated several older and stronger vampire families, using her potent army of newborns to the best possible effect. Jasper was unstoppable, and Maria rewarded him generously. During this time, he came to look upon Maria as a godlike entity, the master of his existence. Retaliation followed, and the war escalated in the region to the point that many feared it would call down the wrath of the Volturi. In time, Maria's own sisters would grow frightened and resentful of Maria's power and influence, and turned against her. It was Jasper, with his ability to sense their growing rebelliousness, that thwarted Netty and Lucy, destroying them the moment they rose against his master. In the end, Maria withdrew her claim on several of her conquests, but never relinquished Monterrey. Eventually, an uneasy peace settled in the region, with none willing to face the might of Maria's army, and Maria content to hold the areas she had conquered. She still maintained a standing army, however, and Jasper was not to see an end to his usefulness.

Jasper's job was now to maintain Maria's mighty army. This meant constantly training and overseeing an unruly mob of near feral newborns, keeping them in check and molding them into a lethal fighting force. It also fell upon Jasper to routinely purge the newborns of those who had outlived their usefulness. Most of Jasper's army would never see the end of their first year as vampires. As their strength began to fade, only the most capable and reliable would be allowed to live; while the rest would be destroyed to make room for the next group of new 'recruits'. Jasper felt little kinship with these wild vampires, and even less sympathy. They were pawns in Maria's game, and her continued praise was all that mattered to Jasper.

One such survivor of the purges was a young vampire named Paul. He was skilled, capable, and effective, even after his newborn vigor had faded. Paul managed to survive three years service under Maria, becoming Jasper's right hand man, friend, and confidant. Many of the daily chores of looking after the newborns now fell to Paul, as did the task of assisting Jasper with the necessary purges. Paul began to balk at the task after a time, finding the destruction of so many distasteful. One night, Paul and Jasper were assigned the task of purging the newborns. Jasper could sense deep turmoil in Paul, who actually tried to convince Jasper not to follow through with the purge. The reason would soon become apparent, as Jasper led a newborn named Charlotte away from the camp to be destroyed. Jasper sensed the flare of panic and desperation from his friend, knew what would happen next. Paul had found his mate, and would not allow Jasper to destroy her. Jasper knew, and could have interceded when Paul ordered Charlotte to run, and then fled himself; but instead, he did nothing. He knew Maria would be displeases, but he could not bring himself to destroy his only real friend, or his mate.

Things changed between he and Maria after that night. Jasper had defied his master, and worse, had proven that he could do so again. And she was afraid, afraid that she was no longer strong enough to put down what she had created. Over time, Jasper began to sense the change in Maria's mood, the growing suspicion, resentment, and fear. He recognized it; it was the same emotions that had tipped him off to Netty and Lucy's inevitable betrayal. At the same time, Jasper had fallen into an inexplicable depression. He attributed it to war-weariness. He was tired of fighting, of destroying his own kind. The more sullen and discontent Jasper became, the more unstable Maria's emotions regarding him. Jasper realized the danger Maria now posed, and was faced with the possibility of having to destroy his creator, or be destroyed by her.

It was at this crucial moment that an unexpected ally appeared. Paul, gone now for five years, had crept back into town, this time for Jasper. He and Charlotte had fled to the north, away from the constant wars of the south. There, they had discovered a completely different lifestyle, free of the vicious infighting of the southern vampires. In five years, he claimed, he had not had to fight another of his kind. He had come to rescue Jasper from his life, from the war and the killing. It took very little convincing to get Jasper to agree. This way, at the least, he would not have to destroy his creator, and if half of what Paul claimed was true, he could be free of the war forever. Jasper left with Paul that night, without a single glance back or regret.

In the north, Jasper found the lifestyle Paul had promised him. The three of them, Paul, Charlotte, and himself, lived a nomadic lifestyle, roaming from town to town. From time to time they would encouter others of their kind, but there was no warring, no bloodshed. There were even friendships to be made, rather than alliances of convenience. Jasper thought he would be happy here, with his new life in the north. But something was still somehow wrong. Rather than relief, Jasper found his strange discontent still present, and it deepened over time. He was morose and depressed most of the time, finding no happiness even in feeding. Eventually, it was this final aspect of his affliction that revealed to Jasper the root of the problem. As an empath, he was keenly receptive to the emotions of others, including humans. He could sense the pain and misery of those he fed from, the fear and despair as their lives ended. He had been immersed in these feelings for so long that they threatened to drown him. He began to dread the prospect of hunting, of feeding. Miserable beyond consolation, he eventually parted ways with Paul and Charlotte, preferring solitude to sharing his misery with his friends. For a time, Jasper wandered alone, not sure what he was searching for. As fate would have it, however, that very thing he unknowingly sought was at the same time seeking him.

Finally, on a cold and rainy Philadelphia day, after a near century of painful preamble, Jasper's life finally began. She was sitting perched on a barstool in a nearly deserted diner, as if she had been placed there at the dawn of time, just waiting for him to arrive. As soon as he entered, he was aware of her presence, though unsure of her intentions, even as she hopped off the stool and walked deliberately up to him. She was petite and lovely, and positively radiated joy and laughter. He felt his spirits lift just being in her presence, and for the first time in what seemed like eternity, he felt hope. Her first words to him were laced with mock indignance, “You've kept me waiting for a long time,” she said. What else could Jasper say at that point except, “I'm sorry, ma'am,”? She placed her hand inside his, and the two departed together, each finally completed.

Jasper would soon discover that Alice possessed the gift of precognition, and what she had seen would at last bring peace to his harried soul. In her visions, she had seen something amazing. She knew of the existence as a family a vampires who did not need human blood to sustain them. Now that she had been united with her destined, the two of them together sought out the Cullens. Jasper found the first meeting amusing; the way Alice spoke to them as if she had known them forever, claiming Edward's room for her own (it had the best view, she insisted). There was never any doubt in her mind, or in his, that they would be welcome in the family. Alice had seen it. Her complete faith gave Jasper the conviction to believe in impossible things. “I'm betting on Alice,” would become not only a catch phrase, but his new way of life.

Adjusting to life in the Cullen family has not always been easy. Jasper's violent and unrestrained past has made it more difficult for him to adapt to a vegetarian mind set, and he has slipped several times in the years since he and Alice joined the fold. He truly believes in the lifestyle he has embraced, but sometimes his instincts get the better of him. As time has passed, he has gotten better at keeping his composure, but still feels uncomfortable around humans. He knows he is fallible, and fears for the safety of those around him. If it weren't for Alice, he would probably not have any human contact at all and be perfectly content; but because of her, Jasper has even gone as far as enrolling in public high school, which is doubly uncomfortable for him because he can feel the undercurrent of emotions raging in that adolescent minefield. His adoptive family is supportive and caring, and he is happier now than he believed ever possible, even if things aren't perfect.

appearance: At just over six feet, three inches tall, Jasper tends to stand out in a crowd. While not as physically imposing as Emmitt, his lean frame is muscular and well-defined, like a classical statue in white marble. Like most of his kind, Jasper is alabaster pale and possesses an alluring, unearthly beauty. His honey-blonde hair wreaths his face in gentle waves. His eyes shift in color from nearly black to a rich golden amber, depending on his moods and how recently he has fed. He typically has dark circles under his eyes, as if he hasn't slept in days, and a slight hollowness to his cheeks. His lips are thin, and somewhat drawn, and when seen among humans the constant inner struggle he wages leaves him looking perpetually pained. Jasper usually dresses well, but inconspicuously so, favoring the semi-casual look of slacks and button down shirts or thin sweaters. He is especially fond of the colors blue and gray.

Jasper's most remarkable physical feature, however, goes unnoticed by most mortal eyes, and thankfully so. Decades of conflict with his own kind have left Jasper's arms, neck, and chest covered in thin, crescent shaped scars; thousands of them, weaving an intricate and horrifying tapestry of forgotten agonies. Only the fact that these scars are the same shade as Jasper's already pale skin allows him to pass as anything even remotely human. To the eyes of others of his kind, however, these scars are readily evident, a sign of what he has been and a silent warning of the danger he represents.

personality: The side of Jasper most of the world sees can be summed up in a single word: taciturn. Jasper is a quiet, reserved, and deeply private person. The truth of the matter is that he cares little for the world and it's comings and goings outside of his own family. He is ashamed of his lack of personal restraint and is constantly concerned that he is the weak link in the Cullen family. He is prone to fits of despondency, especially when he dwells on the blood on his hands, which he feels never fully dries. He is also pragmatic, calculating, and militant in mindset; thinking always of the defense of his family, especially Alice. When all these factors combine, they create a withdrawn exterior, difficult to penetrate.

Jasper's blessing, and his curse, is his ability to feel the emotions of those around him. He is surrounded by a sea of emotions which are not his own, and he dwells among them as if in the hurricane's eye. As much as he tries to remain unattached to the world around him, this empathy makes him aware, often painfully so, of those around him. It would be easy for one with his power over emotions to use that gift to control; but Jasper's honor and his respect for others prevents him misusing his power. Instead, he is a calming, soothing influence, interested first and foremost with the happiness of others.

If Jasper exists in this world, he lives in Alice's, all but unseen even by the rest of his adopted family. Alice is his life, his salvation, and his peace of mind. Alone with her, he is warm, caring, and deeply involved. He lives for her, she is his source, his completion. To the rest of his family, he is friend, confidant, and playmate. They share a connection and familial bonds, but nothing; nothing at all like the unwavering devotion that exists behind closed doors with Alice, truly his other half.

family: Jasper is Alice's husband. In addition, he is part of the Cullen's extended family. Carlisle is his adopted father, Esme his mother, Rosalee his sister, and Edward and Emmitt his adoptive brothers. He uses the surname Hale among humans, as he poses as Rosalee's twin brother.

associates: Jasper still maintains friendly contacts with his old friends Paul and Charlotte, and is known by several other vampires acquainted with the Cullen family. He is aware that Maria still lives, but has requested she keep her distance from him.

`And I'm young enough to look at.
And far too old to see.
All my scars are on the inside.
I'm not sure if there's anything left of me.
--Blue Oyster Cult, Veteran of the Psychic Wars .

likes:

+ ::His wife, Alice, above and beyond all else.
+ ::Wrestling and horseplay with his brothers.
+ ::Belonging to a family.
+ ::Being away from humans, where he can be himself.
+ ::Cheerful people.
+ ::Quiet, peaceful moments.
+ ::Newly fallen snow.
+ ::Reading and scholarly pursuits.
+ ::The color gray.
+ ::Good manners.

dislikes:

+ ::His own lack of control.
+ ::Feeding from humans.
+ ::Feeling like the weak link in the family.
+ ::Large groups of humans.
+ ::Teen angst. Also, high school in general.
+ ::Unnecessary violence.
+ ::The Wolf Pack.
+ ::Suffering.
+ ::Surprises.
+ ::Seeing Alice upset.

strengths:

+ ::Jasper has a brilliant mind for strategy and tactics, especially when dealing with conflicts between vampires. He is a good gauge of opponents and allies, and knows all of the 'tricks' to fighting his own kind.
+ ::Conversely, he has a quiet but likeable nature that puts others at ease.
+ ::Jasper has an analytical mind that allows him to regard things factually and directly, putting aside such pesky things as emotion, at least during the planning stages of an endeavor.
+ ::His awareness of the emotional state of others allows him insight into their motives.

weaknesses:

+ ::Jasper has the least self control of any of the Cullen family in regards to blood and feeding. He finds it difficult to be around humans.
+ ::For this reason, Jasper is sometimes seen as broody or antisocial by the humans he comes into contact with.
+ ::Jasper's natural empathy tends to make him vulnerable to the emotions ambient around him.
+ ::As far as other vampires are concerned, Jasper's very appearance cries out a warning, causing most of his own kind to be guarded and wary of him.

hopes:

+ ::Jasper hopes to one day overcome his overwhelming hunger for human blood and be able to be comfortable around humans.
+ ::He lives his life for his beloved Alice, and hopes for many happy lifetimes together with her.
+ ::He has grown fond of the rest of his adopted family, and strives to keep them safe and prosperous through the coming challenges.

fears:

+ ::Jasper has few fears, but high up on that list is the fear of anything happening to his love.
+ ::Jasper recognizes his lack of self control, and lives in constant fear of 'falling off the wagon' and feeding on humans.
+ ::Jasper respects the power and ability of the Volturi, and is afraid of what may happen if the Cullen family should incite their ire.

powers:

+ ::Jasper has a keen awareness of the emotional state of those around him. More than just sensing these emotions, Jasper can actually feel them. This gives him deep insight into people and their motives.
+ ::In addition, Jasper can influence the emotions of others, calming and pacifying those around him.

`There's got to be a heaven,
'Cause I've already done
My time in hell.
--Social Distortion: When the Angels Sing.

your name: childofodin
how long have you been roleplaying: about 15 years
gender: male
code word: bubblegum
roleplaying sample: The sky on the western horizon was still tinged with purple and the heat of the day still radiated off the rocks in waves as Jasper sat on the low stone fence which surrounded the compound. Inside the old ranch house, he could hear quiet movements, but the house was mostly silent, as most of the young vampires which resided in the building had been destroyed during the purgings of the last week. The burning of wounds which still ran with venom from the newborn's bites were a feeling he was very familiar with. He was tracing the lines of one such fresh scar, his mind far away. Or perhaps, far within was a better description. These nights, it seems scars are all I'm made of. he thought. For over a decade now, the wars had been over, the only fighting he did now was to destroy those newborns his mistress had deemed unfit to live. The same men and women he had reared, trained with, and lived alongside. His heart was sick with it. He knew the time was coming soon when he'd no longer have the will to follow through with his mistress' orders. Then, either the newborns would overtake him, or Maria would. She'd been watching him lately, her heart full of suspicion and resentment. How long, he thought, before she decided he had outlived his usefulness. The only other way this could end would mean destroying his creator, for whom he had killed countless others of his kind. Even this would not free him from the shackles of bloodshed, for then he would be the master, and it would only be a matter of time before the wars broke out again.

“Hello, old friend,” he said quietly, to the shadow which had been creeping silently towards his back in the darkness, “Good to see you again.”

Paul stepped out of the shadows of an outbuilding, smiling genuinely. He looked just as Jasper remembered him, although his clothes were in better repair, and he seemed more well-fed. What surprised Jasper was how content and light of heart he felt.

“Jasper!” Paul said in hushed tones, “You always were impossible to sneak up on. Haven't changed a bit.” The two old friends clasped hands in the gloom, but Jasper remained grim.

“You should've stayed gone, Paul.” he cautioned his old comrade, “If Maria finds out that you're back in town...I don't know if I can save you again.”

“You won't have to,” Paul reassured him, “I'm here to save you this time.” Jasper raised an eyebrow at this, “Jasper, we've been living up north, Charlotte and I. You should come back with us. It's nothing like it is down here. “ Paul crouched in the dust at Jasper's feet, “What's it been, five years?” at Jasper's nod, Paul continued, “Five years, Jasper, and we haven't been in a single fight. There's no war up there, see? You meet a vampire you've never seen before and they wanna shake your hand and hear your life story, not try and rip your head off. It's like a completely different world, and we're free to come and go wherever we want, and if you meet someone you don't like, hell, you just move on.”

Jasper took Paul's words in carefully. No war, no senseless killing, could it really be true? Maria had always told him that the wars were the same all over, that it was vampiric nature, that there was no escaping it. Could things really be that different just a few hundred miles away? But the answer was clear, he could read it in his friend's emotions. Just the thought of life up north had given Paul a hope he had never had before, a happiness he'd not felt from any vampire he'd ever met down here. Not even when Maria was at the height of her conquests had she felt this content.

“Look, Jasper, you hate it down here, the fighting and the killing, the purging and all that. But it doesn't have to be that way. Come with us, you'll see. What have you got to lose?”

Jasper thought for a moment before he responded, “Nothing that I'd ever miss. We'd better go quickly then, before Maria gets word you've been here.” hopping down from the wall, Jasper resisted the urge to cast a glance back at the ranch house. No, nothing that he would ever miss.

` Maybe then I'll fade away,
And not have to face the facts.
It's not easy facing up,
When your whole world is black.
--Rolling Stones: Paint it Black.

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