BYRNE, keiran

[Keiran Byrne]

keiran james byrne
twenty-six :: January 6th, 1986
Manager, Bartender, and usually the cook at The Sticks pub


A P P E A R A N C E

Eyes: Keiran’s eyes are a golden brown when they catch the light. The outer ring is dark, almost black looking, with it actually getting lighter in tone as the color nears the pupil. Golden flecks reflect the light and sometimes they can look almost orange if you look at him in a certain way. But considering his hair is usually hanging over them, few people get to see anything other than “brown.”
Hair: His hair is a dark brown and it never gets lighter, no matter how much time he spends in the sun. It’s long and shaggy as it tends to curl and if he cuts it short it simply sticks up everywhere. Keiran tends to let it get almost to his shoulders before going for a trim. Or, if he’s desperate enough, he just takes some shears and trims it up himself until he can go see a barber to fix it up again. His hair is a soft texture despite the curl and shines enough that he had an old girlfriend accuse him of using some kind of styling product…which made him laugh hysterically at her since it’s the last thing he thinks about.
Height:5’11” ”…and a ½.”
Build:Keiran is of a medium build. He’s nowhere near as brawny as some but he’s got a lot of muscle on him as most of his labor is physical. He’s used to hauling kegs and boxes and stays in shape by working out when he can. When he starts drinking too much, he does get a bit of a stomach which he then proceeds to work like hell to get it off again.
Style: Keiran wouldn’t know style if it bit him in the ass. He wears jeans and shirts, usually in layers with hoodies or flannels. Being a bachelor, he doesn’t really worry too much about what his clothes look like so long as they fit, don’t have too many holes, and don’t smell. Most of his shirts are band shirts that he picks up at concerts.
Other: Always wears a silver chain with two tag-like pendants hanging on it. Etched on the back of the tags are some numbers that have special meaning to him but that he hasn’t bothered to share with anyone other than Nona, his sister.
Play By: Jason Behr

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Strengths:
Hard-working – Keiran doesn’t just work, he gives it everything he has. There is no lazing about when it comes to Keiran and even on his day off he tends to stick to the pub in case something needs to be done. This is good and bad as he doesn’t really do much for himself but will do anything that needs to be done to make it easier for others.
Humble – He doesn’t need the spotlight and he doesn’t want people to know everything that he does. Keiran doesn’t talk about himself or what he does in his limited spare time. In fact, when someone gives him a compliment, he generally brushes it off and tells them it’s nothing.
Patient – Keiran has the patience of a saint, willing to wait for someone to make up their mind without pressing them for a hasty decision. He also takes his time in making his mind up as well so why would he rush others? Keiran also will wait to see how things develop before trying to intercede. He deals well with those whom others would rather pass off as indecisive.
Weaknesses:
Too Responsible – Keiran blames himself for the loss of their parents and took it upon himself that it was his responsibility to care for Nona. He has shouldered so much responsibility from such an young age that it’s become a habit to do so. And when he fails, he takes it so personally it’s like someone has struck him directly in the heart.
Aloof – Keiran doesn’t mean to be but most would see him as aloof. He doesn’t talk much and definitely not about himself. He tends to keep to himself and stays close to the pub in case there is an emergency. He doesn’t turn people away if they come to see him but he’d rather be alone if they’re going to want him to actually hold a conversation that requires more than a few well chosen words. The only exception to this is Nona.
Frugal – Keiran hates spending money, especially on himself. He calls it bartering but mostly he bickers with dealers and shop owners to get the lowest price he can for something. He’s even worse when it comes to things for himself, often recycling things that others throw out, fixing it “as good as new.” He’s been called “cheap” by more than a few but considering the years he and Nona spent on the run, he thinks of it as just good sense.
Likes:
Nona – absolutely devoted to her
Weetos – favorite chocolate cereal ever
Nutella on toast
Live music
Old cartoons
Women who can hold their drink
A good ale
Playing the fiddle
Making wooden furniture
Kettle corn
Playing cards, especially poker
Pie – all kinds but especially apple
Old black and white movies
Dislikes:
Fire – he’s not scared of it but he’s cautious since his parent’s died in one
Anything that upsets or could hurt his sister
People trying to use him
The till not adding up
Poor tippers
Getting sick – beyond what most people dislike, Keiran actually can’t handle getting sick and not being at his best. It costs him money and feeling weak is the worst.
Habits:
Smoking – Have you ever tried to quit? Now, try being a conjurer. Every time a craving hits, a cigarette magically appears in your hands. Yeah…not so easy now, is it?
Playing with his father’s coin – I keep it in my pocket and take it out when I’m thinking. Over the years I even learned how to flip it over my knuckles.
Staring without meaning to – I honestly don’t mean to. I just focus on something while I’m thinking and then all of a sudden it goes from a brief moment to “why is he staring at me?” No, you don’t have something stuck in your teeth, I’m not even really seeing you.
Biggest Secret: The one thing he’s never told anyone, including Nona, is that the fire that killed their parents was his fault.
Most Prized Possession: The last coin from his father’s collection. He carries it with him everywhere and couldn’t be rid of it even if he tried.
Reputation: Quiet. Most people can’t tell you much about Keiran and with good reason. He doesn’t talk much and definitely not about himself. He’s good at getting others to talk and they leave his company wondering why they told him all their secrets.

T A I N T E D

Ability: Conjuring _ The ability to think of something and make it appear in your possession. Keiran got quite good at it over the years, especially when he was working with a ring of thieves. He can now call specifically desired items so long as he knows exactly where they are. Keiran does feel bad when he accidentally conjures something because it popped into his head and tries to return it if he can.
Beliefs: Being Tainted wasn’t something he had thought about growing up. He knew his father had a special gift but it wasn’t really talked about they were told to keep it a family secret. When his ability materialized, it was actually a relief. He and Nona needed the help it provided to live on the streets and he’d use it in anyway necessary to keep her safe.

B A C K G R O U N D

Place of Birth: Wicklow, Ireland
Family: Nona Byrne - sister
Others of Note:
Allison Greene - fiancee
Zane Constantine – Best Friend

Pet(s): Dog, an old dog who showed up one day and Keiran took pity on. He refuses to name him though, because that would mean he was getting attached.
History:
There was a time in my life I was normal. We had wonderful parents and a nice little home. Sure, there were the typical teenage rebellion bits thrown in there, but it wasn’t like I actually hated my folks. I sure as hell didn’t mean for them to die.

Getting a bit ahead of myself, so let’s start a bit further back than the fire. Let’s start with Nona. Because since the fire, it’s always been about Nona.

I was five when she born and she was so tiny that I remember seeing her in Da’s arms and thinking it was really just a baby doll and not a real baby. But then she started cryin’ and there was no doubt from the strength of her lungs that she was indeed a real baby. Nona, they called her…it meant “Ninth” in Latin as she was born in their ninth year of marriage. I didn’t know it at the time but there had been other attempts at babies between Nona and myself, but she was to be the last.

I loved being a big brother, even though it meant sharing our folks and not being the only child anymore. It also meant having a little shadow that followed me everywhere. I don’t know when it started but probably as soon as she could walk. Which meant Mam was after me to “watch out for Nona” and it just became a habit to do so. I didn’t mind, she didn’t cause me much trouble. And she was always interested in whatever it was I was doing. Plus, she loved listening to me play the fiddle. I wasn’t big on the lessons meself, but Nona liked it so I continued with them even when I didn’t really want to.

But then, it all changed. One little mistake and your whole life can literally go up in smoke and flames. And it was all my fault.

I left the burner on, you see. Took off the kettle like Mam asked, but left the burner on because my show was on and it was at a good part. I’d come back on the commercial and finish the tea and turn off the burner. It wouldn’t be but just a minute or two. Except I forgot. I got tied up in the show and forgot about the burner still going in the kitchen. The flames must have gotten blown out by some random breeze or something, but I went out front to play with my friend Colin and suddenly there was an explosion.

Mam was in the kitchen when it happened. Had just walked in from the garden out back and probably triggered it with something she did. They say she died instantly, so I guess that’s a relief. Da, however, was upstairs and the fire spread so quickly that when he tried to get down them, the man who told me what happened said they must have given way and he fell into the flames. I don’t think about what it must have been like. I can’t bear to.

Time kind of blends together at that point. We stayed with some friends for a bit but once they came to take Nona away from me, I knew I couldn’t let that happen. I had been looking after her since she was born and I’d be damned before they’d take her away and have someone else try to do it. So we left before they could come for us, started running and didn’t stop for quite some time. Life wasn’t easy for two kids with nothing, but then something happened that made it a shade easier.

I turned sixteen and suddenly strange things started happening that I had no way of explaining. It seemed when I wanted something, really wanted it, it would appear in my hands. It started with small stuff, like food, but then I got better at bringing things we needed. Not just food, but clothes and money. But something else happened…I caught the eye of a young man named Barney Fletcher who recognized my gift for what it was; the ability to conjure.

He took me under his wing, so to speak, and helped me learn more about my ability. Soon he had me bringing all sorts of items in, different shapes and sizes, weights and dimensions, until I could call in anything if I knew it well enough. I didn’t know where they were coming from, only that I was bringing them to me. He paid me well and it meant that Nona had better food and a decent place to sleep, so I didn’t mind. Until the day he had me steal jewelry from a shop. I knew it as stealing at that point, as I had seen the necklace he was asking for in the window only two days prior. He wasn’t training me, he was using me.

At that point I knew we had to leave. Nona didn’t need to be around that kind of person and we had only ever taken what we needed, not enough to hurt someone else. So we snuck away in the night once more and moved on. It seemed like we’d never stop running. That is until one day we heard about a town in France where people like me could go and not be in danger. I knew that getting there wouldn’t be easy, but it was worth the risk if we could find a place to settle down where Nona could be safe. Plus, I had heard that my old friend, Barney Fletcher, was looking for me again. A person of my talent was just too good to let go.

Arriving in San, I wasn’t sure what to do. The Academy might accept me but Nona was too young to even know if she was Tainted or not. But there was no way I’d stay if they wouldn’t take the two of us. Talking to the man in charge put me at ease though and he said that Nona could stay as long as I did. We were given a room and I was given a schedule and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe.

That first day of class I met a guy about my age. He was tall and had a quick smile. Talking with him was a bit interesting as he spoke English with a Greek accent and I spoke it with an Irish one. Eventually we decided both of us spoke English better than we did French and became friends and stuck out the day together. I took him back to meet Nona and seeing how easy he was with her made me like him even more. Like us, he had his own kind of tragic story of loss…though he didn’t talk about it much either.

Life became as normal as it could at that point. I befriended the local pub owner, Jeoffri Renard, and he let me work there moving his stock and cleaning up for extra cash. It meant I could buy Nona things she needed like clothes instead of having to steal them. Plus, Jeoff was a really nice guy and he reminded me a bit of our father. I guess I was looking for someone to fill that void and Jeoff wanted someone to share his knowledge with. It worked for both of us and he even taught me about his second love; making furniture out of wood. Working with my hands is something I love to do and working with wood seemed to come almost naturally to me.

When Zane and Thora left for Italy, I had a feeling Nona wouldn’t stick around for much longer. I could see that sparkle in her eyes when people talked of places they had been and things they had seen. I had it too, but until Nona was grown enough to care for herself, I’d have to stick around San. Then all of a sudden she told me she was old enough, packed her things, and left. I wasn’t sure what to do at that point…everyone I cared about had left San, including Jeoff who had chosen to semi-retire and leave the running of the pub to his nephew, Jean.

Me and Jean didn’t get along, and eventually when Nona called me up and invited me to travel with her, I decided to go. We spent a few months moving on together when I caught up with Jeoff on a random chance. Seemed that Jean had mucked up the running of the pub and he was going to have to go back and set things right. I don’t know where I got the balls, but I asked, “Why not let me run it for you?” I don’t know who was more surprised when he said yes, me or Jeoff.

I headed back to San and took over The Sticks, turning things around fairly quickly. Years I had spent working with him had left me with a good idea of what needed to be done. But since I was now in charge, I could also make a few changes to what I thought could make things better. For the first time in my life, I was the one in charge and it felt good

About a month after I took over, I was out back for a smoke when an old dog wandered up. He looked pitiful and starving and despite me telling him to move on, he sat at my feet and gave me a look like he hadn’t the energy to go elsewhere. I don’t know why, but I went in and got the rest of my dinner and gave it to him. It was the wrong thing to do, apparently, because the dog never left. I cleaned him up and let him come inside, but he goes by the name of Dog since I refuse to give him another. He sleeps near the bar while I’m working and the customers don’t seem to mind so I let it go.

So now we’re just two bachelors living above a pub, trying to figure out what’s going to happen next. The one thing I can say for certain is no matter what I plan, it probably won’t be what actually happens at all.

Present: Running The Sticks and convincing his sister to come back for an extended visit. Now that Zane’s back in town and without Thora, he figures that they can get their little ‘family’ group back together.
Future: To own The Sticks is the only dream he really has. One day Jeoffri will leave it to him and he’ll finally own something that can’t be taken away. Until then, he tries not to think about it too much.

O U T O F C H A R A C T E R

Name: Sara
Age: old enough to drink
Gender: I have boobies!
Location: Florida
RP Experience: Bunches
Other Characters: Zane Constantine
RP Sample:
“Reparo.”

The fabric knit itself together again for the third time since he had sat down to study the book before him. In another five minutes, he’d probably have made the hole at the seam on his left sock appear again and his toe would once more be exposed to the air. Some might find it strange to see a boy sitting in an empty hallway in his socks, apparently studying. But if they were observant, they might have noticed that his shoes were stuck to the wall behind his head.

Ulric had had one of his ‘moments of brilliance’…or so he had thought. A simple altering of a sticking charm would allow him to ‘walk on walls and the ceiling.’ He could apply the charm to his shoes and have all kinds of fun walking upside down. It would have been a great idea…but Ulric had failed to take in consideration that it was impossible to hold oneself horizontal on a surface without extra support. Which was why he also was sporting a rather sore spot on the back of his head.

He lifted his wand and used it to scratch a spot just behind his left ear. Being left handed was useful except when it came to wand magic and some of the movements seemed backwards to him. It took a little more concentration to get them right and was probably the reason he had messed up on his sticking charm…albeit gravity would have still won out on that idea in the end.

Even so, Ulric sat with his book and notes, attempting to figure out how to remove his shoes from the wall. It had been twenty minutes from the time he put his first foot on the wall and had a moment of success before realizing he couldn’t lift the blasted thing again. His mistake had been trying to use the other foot on the wall as leverage to get the first foot off, forgetting he had already charmed both shoes. His rather colorful words as his head met the stone floor had echoed for a bit, but no one had come looking, so he had managed to untie his feet from the stuck shoes and sat down to figure out where it went wrong.

Picking up a quill and making some additional notes in his book, Ulric then turned his head and glared at the shoes shining merrily on the wall. ’It might have been a mistake to try to alter the Permanent Sticking Charm. I probably should have just used a Fixing Charm and increased the strength and not tried to decrease the permanent one. Too late now. I imagine in a hundred years, these shoes might still be here unless I figure this out.’

Ulric let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead, trying to stay off the headache that had threatened ever since he had slammed his head to the ground. As much as Troy was not speaking to him at the moment, he had no doubt his friend would definitely enjoy hearing of his mishap in the hall. But there was a reason Ulric had chosen this out of the way place…few ever traveled this direction. And as much as he didn’t like the idea of returning to the common room without his shoes, it was looking more and more like a very strong possibility