the fool.

“What are you laughing at? You are laughing at yourselves!”

[indie nikolai gogol from bsd || info in links below]

• Twitter
• Information
• Lock
• Question

profile.

likes: magic, theatre, people’s surprised faces, quizzes, pirozhki.

dislikes: brainwashing, subordination, having no freedom.

the body.

height: 190cm / 6’3”
weight: 74kg / 163 lbs
hair: white
eye colour: gold
body type: slim, lean muscle.
tattoos/piercings: pierced earlobes.
scars/birthmarks: a scar over his left eye from an accident in his childhood.

the heart.

Eccentric, dramatic, sadistic – Nikolai is a man of many faces. Oftentimes speaking in theatrics and rhetorics, he is as charismatic as he is enigmatic. While his actions may seem baffling to some, everything he does is towards the same end: absolute freedom. His penchant for violence is undeniable, though to what degree he feels remorse is up for debate.

the ability.

THE OVERCOAT | ði ˈəʊvəkəʊt | 外套

Gogol's ability allows him to use his coat to manipulate space up to thirty meters. It acts as both a portal to relocate things and a "pocket realm", and works on both objects and living beings.

• Home

past.

early life.

“But youth has a future. He said to himself: ‘This is still not life, this is only the preparation for life.’”

Born to a small family on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Nikolai was always an outgoing child. From a young age, he was a troublemaker, putting on performances for his family and schoolmates and playing pranks on his teachers. Both a blessing and a curse, his ability manifested itself when he was ten years old, leading to even grander tricks and feats of “magic”. Eventually, however, his naivete led him to make a fatal error, exposing his ability to the world. His family, wanting nothing to do with him, kicked him out of the house and he was expelled from school.

Ever resourceful and self-sufficient, he saw no issue with his predicament. If anything, he was overjoyed by his newfound freedom, which let him study whatever he wanted and go wherever he wanted to go. The dull life of a civil servant never appealed to him, anyway, and what was schooling if not training for cushy government jobs? It wasn’t long before he’d amassed a collection of books on a myriad of topics - stolen using his ability, of course - and an abandoned cargo container to call his home.

the meeting.

“Everywhere across whatever sorrows of which our life is woven, some radiant joy will gaily flash past.”

It is under these circumstances that Nikolai met Fyodor, a soft-spoken but sharp-tongued orphan barely younger than him. Loathe he was to admit it, living entirely on his own had grown lonely, so he was thankful to meet someone his own age.

The two, now living together in Nikolai’s makeshift home, grew closer and closer until they were practically inseparable, discussing everything from literature to food to politics. From the very beginning, Nikolai was drawn towards Fyodor’s sense of ambition, which only strengthened when his ability manifested a few years later.

plan in motion.

“I saw that I’d get nowhere on the straight path, and that to go crookedly was straighter.”

Their teen years were spent plotting and making a name for themselves, Fyodor’s intelligence and Nikolai’s charisma proving to be quite formidable. The duo worked endlessly toward their shared dream - a better world. Little did they know at the time what a dark path such a bright goal would lead them down.

By their late teens, their hands are stained red with blood. Nikolai feels no guilt, for his dearest friend has absolved it all. “For the sake of our goal,” Fyodor tells him, “it doesn’t matter if we must kill.” To kill, to steal, to deceive - if it is in the name of a better world, all such crimes can be overlooked.

Fyodor is occupied with The Rats in the House of the Dead, and time feels as though it stretches into eternity when they’re apart. Nikolai notices, of course, that his friend’s demeanor has begun to change, as well. Once simply aloof, he now bears an uncharacteristic cruel edge that was never there before. He’s grown quieter, paranoid, speaking of delusions of grandeur in hushed tones as though anyone could overhear him.

A frog in boiling water, Nikolai only sees that he is ensnared by the man he calls his most intimate friend when it is far too late.

decay of angels.

“In a trice may joy turn to sorrow, should one halt long enough over it: in a trice only God can say what ideas may strike one.”

Unlike in the past when he had merely visited for meetings, Nikolai set up a permanent residence in Yokohama within close proximity of the Decay of Angels’ base of operations. During this time, he disguises himself and works as a secretary for the Minister of Justice, Mr. Tonan. Gathering intel and playing pretend are both second nature to him at this point, so naturally he plays the role of a menial civil servant flawlessly.

In accordance with the Decay of Angels’ plan, he kidnaps, tortures, and murders four government officials to send a “message” to the Armed Detective Agency. Anticipating a fifth murder, the ADA sets out to find the killer, only for Nikolai to reveal that he has kidnapped several high ranking officials and intends to saw them all in half if the ADA cannot stop him.

After framing the members of the ADA using a page from the book and killing all of the government officials, Nikolai makes his grand exit by faking his own death.

apostasy.

“Do we ever get what we really want? Do we ever achieve what our powers have ostensibly equipped us for? No: everything works by contraries.”

In an act of rebellion against Fyodor’s plans, Nikolai fakes his death using his object transfer ability and makes an escape, going into hiding for a brief period of time. Only when Sigma is shot and is falling to his death from the Sky Casino does he reappear, saving Sigma’s life using The Overcoat to bring him to safety. He then enlists Sigma’s help in his plan to kill Fyodor, his dearest friend.

Once Fyodor is dead, he thinks, he will truly be free.

• Home

info.

♦ multiverse, multiship.
♦ main verse and backstory is tied to Tsumi_t0_Batsu.
♦ matches detail, from one liners to novella; dm for plotting!
♦ warnings: darker themes, canon-typical violence, occasional graphic descriptions of gore.

rules.

♦ no outright lewd on the timeline.
♦ no minors, please. i don't police this too harshly since my account is technically sfw, but i won't plot with anyone under 18.
♦ standard rp rules: no godmodding, no force shipping, yadda yadda. you know the works.

mun.

♦ yams, 21+, she/her
♦ 10+ years of roleplay experience
♦ eastern standard time zone
♦ background in law, polisci, and theology
♦ i'm desperate for friendship, ask for my discord and you shall receive it
♦ please i know having a caard is fancy but i'm a clown irl do not be afraid

• Home