* Given Name:
Sebastian Graves

* Nickname(s):
Bastian

* Appearance:
- gender male
- age 34
- height 6'1
- weight 230 lbs
- hair color/style black, short
- eye color dark brown
- makeup none
- clothing style practical
* Race/ethnicity: white, Russian/German ancestry

* Physical abilities/limitations:
I am in good physical shape and exercise regularly.

Background
I have lived with my mother, brother and three sisters as long as I remember, which means likely since I was born. This was before selective breeding programs, though they were sanctioned for having so many children.
We lived in government housing, like 85% percent of population. My mother worked in a carbon factory. Dirty but honest work.
My father died in the mines before I was old enough to have memories of him. I am not the oldest or the youngest, but I showed talent in my exams and was chosen for special education in technology by Morpheus Corporation.
I have worked for them since my graduation in the technical service department. I am currently assigned to troubleshoot the P1 server, which is having glitches in the matrix.

Socioeconomic class/standing:
I was pretty poor in childhood, but since working for Morpheus I have been raising my standing.

* Religion: Technostic.

* Place of birth:
New York

* Place and time of story:
New York , 2135

* Parents' profiles
Elana and Rikard Graves
- race/ethnicity: Russian/German (white)
- socioeconomic level: poor
- religion:atheist
- habits:worked hard and honest. Not much time for fun.
- quality of relationship with child(ren):Father died too young. Mother was strict, tired, until older years.
- living/deceased:father dead, mother living

* Brothers/sisters/significant-other relatives (profile each)
Alexi , Anna, Bette, Tara
- race/ethnicity: russian/german (white)
- socioeconomic level: poor-ish
- religion: atheist, except Bette - Christian
- habits: various (will detail later)
- quality of relationship: good
- living/deceased: all living except Alexi

* Family structure/life:
My life is this, growing up. My mother worked very hard, twelve hour days sometimes. Five, six days a week. My father had died. She was dirty, always, smelling like the carbon. But we had food. We had shelter, in government housing - but who does not live in government housing these days? We were sanctioned because of the multiple births (though not as badly as we might have been; Tara and Anna are twins). Alexi died when I was still in school - he dreamed himself to death. Tara married a preacher. Bette and Anna went to trade schools. I went to Morpheus technical training.


There were games we played as children, but they did not matter. The growing up happened quickly.

Psychology

* Outer Goal (physical): to solve the problem with the P1 server. It is my job.

* Inner Goal (psychological/emotional): to come to terms with the Dreamscape, and the subjective nature of realities.

* Superobjective:
* Life, career, or personal goals outside of the realm of the story:
to come to terms with my brother's death, and learn to allow myself to experience things that are emotional, creative, and potentially dangerous

* Defining characteristic: Stoic

* Hopes/desires: to find meaning in life
* Fears/phobias: dreaming, emotions
* Dirty Secrets: As much as I fear spending too much time in the Dreamscape, I find it pleasurable to some extent when I am in it. Almost too much so.

* Introvert or extrovert?: Introvert

* More thinking or feeling?: Thinking

* What do you see is the biggest contradiction(s) your character lives out?: I fear dreaming, and yet I go into dreams for a living.

* Tends to be self centered? Selfish? Selfless?: Between self-centered and selfless. I think of others when I need to.

* Favorite and hated foods/drinks: I like stews, with meat. I dislike potatoes by themselves, and noodles. I like rice wine. I dislike weak coffee.

* Education or important learning experiences: Morpheus Technical Institute

* Most hated activities: Sleep, dreaming

* Most enjoyed activities: Fixing problems, working with computers

* Deepest secret or wildest fantasy: To lucidly dream about Alexi to say goodbye.

* Sense (or lack!) of humor: what makes your character laugh? I have a sense of humor. It is just very dry.

* Who is your character's hero, or who do they admire or emulate? I do not believe in heroics, but my mother and sisters, some.

Philosophy & Morality

* Attitudes toward:
- self I try to keep control of my emotions and desires. I am logical.
- others I help others when I can, but I do not let them rule me.
- friendship Necessary, though draining.
- sex A release of the body, also necessary.
- love Possible, though perhaps not for me.
- family Costly, though can be worth it.
- marriage Outdated.
- country Flawed.
- the world Overcrowded and dirty.
- religion Faith that I do not have.

* Political philosophy:
- conservative/traditional/ liberal/radical:conservative
- public causes supported/protested:none
- politically active/apathetic: apathetic

* Superstitions?: That dreams portent the future.

* Catchphrase that defines their worldview? (examples: "What goes around comes around." "Live fast, die young, and leave a beautiful corpse." etc.):
Live in the here and now.

Life/Lifestyle

* Closest friend(s): My family, especially Tara.

* Job/career/occupation: Dream technician
- Attitude towards job: Good. I like my work
* Noted accomplishments: I am known for fixing difficult problems.I have 'the knack'.
- Famous/infamous? No.
* Clubs/organizations belonged to: None.

* Favorite music or group/favorite TV shows or films:
I watch mostly documentaries. I like industrial music.

* Hobbies: Computer programing. Learning new things. Spending time with family.

Food for Thought
* How would your character react to:

- Inheriting $1 million: I would share it with my family.
- The death of a loved one: This has already devastated me.
- A natural disaster: hurricane/earthquake, etc.: I would help where I could.
- Being fired: What would I do then? I would not be hired anywhere else. I would be shamed.
- Meeting an old friend or enemy not seen for years: I would cross the street to avoid them.
- Having or raising children: I would be surprised that I have passed the selective breeding examinations.
- Being raped/mugged/violated in some way: I would fight back.
- An unexpected kindness or compliment: I would wonder if they were flattering me to get something.
- A serious illness such as AIDS or cancer: Likely I would die.
- A flat tire on the expressway: An inconvenience easily handled.
- An interracial relationship: So? This is not unusual.
- Five minutes on local or national TV: I would be very uncomfortable.

From The Book of Questions

A. If your character were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would they most regret not having told someone? Why haven't they told them yet?
I would regret having not told my family enough that I love them. I am not good with expressing this.

B. Would your character accept $1,000,000 to leave the county and never set foot in it again?
No.

C. Your character is given the power to kill people simply by thinking of their deaths and twice repeating the word "good-bye." People would die a natural death and no one would suspect them. Are there any situations in which they would use this power? [If they can imagine themselves killing someone indirectly, could they still see doing it if they had to look into the person's eyes and stab the person to death? Have they ever genuinely wanted to kill someone or wished them dead?]
No, this power is too great for man to have.

D. What would constitute a "perfect" evening for your character?
One in which I could set a server problem right with no difficulty.

E. Would your character rather be extremely successful professionally and have a tolerable yet unexciting private life, or have an extremely happy private life and only a tolerable and uninspiring professional life? [Since so many people place great emphasis on a happy private life, why do people often wind up putting more energy into their professional lives? If you feel that their private life is more important to your character, do their priorities support this? Are they simply unwilling to admit that work is more important? Do they use work as a substitute? Do they hope professional success will somehow magically lead to personal happiness?]
Professional success. You can not eat on 'happy life'.

F. If your character could wake up tomorrow having gained any one ability or quality, what would it be?
More intelligence. Like a computer in my mind.

G. Your character has the chance to meet someone with whom they can have the most satisfying love imaginable - the stuff of dreams. Sadly, they know that in six months the person will die. Knowing that pain that would follow, would they still want to meet that person and fall in love? What if they knew their lover would not die, but instead would betray them? [In love, is intensity or permanence more important to them? How much do they expect from someone who loves them? What would make them feel betrayed by their mate - indifference? Dishonesty? Infidelity?
No, I would not choose this fate.

H. Does your character prefer being around men or women? Do their closest friends tend to be men or women?
I am around mostly women- the women of my family. I have not had many strong male influences.

I. Would your character be willing to murder an innocent person if it would end hunger in the world? [Would it torment them more to have the blood of an innocent person on their hands or to know they let millions of people die? What do they think of people who achieve great things by compromising their principles? Many are will to give their own lives but not to take the life of another; is anything so important they would sacrifice their very soul for it?]
It is not a power for me to have.

J. What is their most treasured memory?
Playing streetball with Alexi, very long ago.

K. If your character knew there would be a nuclear war in one week, what would they do?
Prepare according to government plans.

L. What is the greatest accomplishment of your character's life? Is there anything they hope to do that is even better?
To have become educated, and to work a job which allows me to both live comfortably and help my family.

M. One would be the one material item your character would save during a fire?
My computer.

N. Your character is offered $1,000,000 for the following act: before them are ten pistols - only one of which is loaded. They must pick up one of the pistols, point it at their forehead, and pull the trigger. If they can walk away they do so a millionaire. Would they accept the risk?
No, this is stupid.

O. If your character could choose the manner of their death, what would it be? [Would they die a hero's death, die a martyr to some great cause, die in a natural catastrophe, or die peacefully? Why is it so tempting to have death catch us in our sleep?]
I would sacrifice my life for my family. I do not know why dying in sleep is preferable to some. It is not to me.

P. For what in your character's life do they feel most grateful?
My family.

Q. How forgiving is your character? I forgive, eventually.

R. When your character tells a story, do they often exaggerate or embellish it? If so, why?
Lying is only for those afraid of truth.

S. How much does your character feel in control of the course of their life?
I keep control very carefully.

T. Is it easy for your character to ask for help when they need it? Will they ask for help?
I am not so good with asking.

U. Would your character like to be famous? In what way?
No. Never.

V. What are your character's most compulsive habits? Do they regularly struggle to break those habits?
If I have compulsions, I am unaware of them.

W. What does your character strive for most in their life: accomplishment, security, love, power, excitement, knowledge, or something else?
Security.

X. How easily embarrassed is your character?
Not easily.

Y. Does the fact that your character has never done something before increase or decrease its appeal to them?
Increase. I like challenges.

Z. How many different sexual partners has your character had in their life? Would they prefer to have had more or fewer?
Twenty is where I stopped counting. If I desire more, I will have more. It is just a need.

Friends are trouble.

They want things from you, and take up time and resources.

Family is enough of a burden.

Still, they are necessary. You cannot simply spend all your waking hours talking to yourself, or the walls.

You need them. They need you.

You drain upon each other, but you provide for each other.

There is balance in this.

I have read about this holiday, and how it was celebrated.

It seems a silly business to me, the costumes and the dressing and the candy.

I am not sure what if I would participate or not.

The idea of faces on pumpkins seems a very impractical waste of a food item, as well.

My brother Alexi, he grew to crave the darkness.

After a while, he had no desire to eat, sleep, or take care of himself. He spent all his hours in the Dreamscape, taking barely enough nourishment to keep himself alive.

He died in club Lucidity, tripping on a dream that lasted over fourteen days.

There was no open casket at the funeral, and the eulogy was full of platitudes, because we hadn't known him for years.

01. What is your favorite word?
Cauliflower. It's difficultly pleasant.

02. What is your least favorite word?
Standoffish. At least three words are crammed in there, none of them pleasant.

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Challenges. Problem solving.

04. What turns you off?
Dull people or circumstances.

05. What is your favorite curse word?
Cock, because of its connection to pistol triggers and birds and the obvious.

06. What sound or noise do you love?
Near-silence. The hum of machinery. White noise.

07. What sound or noise do you hate?
Complete silence. Or shrill sounds.

08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Bartending, maybe?

09. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything involving singing. I cannot.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Yes, I do exist. You owe me a twenty."

What defines divinity? We do god-like things here at Morpheus on a daily basis. The nature of creationism, and standing in judgment of those weaker than ourselves - those are certainly god-like ideals. Do I believe in a higher power? Not as such. I believe in the order of the universe, and that three are many dimensions other than our own. I do not believe this out of blind fate, but due to what I have witnessed. Blind faith in a religion is for the weak - for those who choose to live their lives in dreams because they cannot face the reality of our situation. There was no god involved with what happened to our planet and our society - we did it to ourselves by playing the detific role poorly. There is no one to blame or bless. Only ourselves.

There is a fine line between loyalty to the corporation, and loyalty to myself. They pay me, my employer - but more than that, they own a piece of me that I cannot ever get back. The things I have done in the name of maintaining the correct order of things are unspeakable outside the context of my job. It is a fine balance between that and my personal moral code. I am not soulless, like some of these bastards. I do not believe that we should deceive the general public to the extent that we do, no matter how much they desperately want to be deceived.

I believe that every individual has a right to their own reality, certainly. But I believe also that every dreamer has a right to his or her conscious state. I did not always believe this, but I do now.

My beliefs conflict with their goals, and I know I will be the one who loses.