Bete noire app
Apr. 11th, 2012 10:34 pm1. Player Information
Name (or internet handle): Alex
Current characters in Bete Noire: N/A
Past characters in Bete Noire: N/A
2. Character Information
Name: Marduk || Babylon
Livejournal Username:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
motherofciv
Fandom: Hetalia: Axis powers (Fandom OC)
Image: http://www.zerochan.net/938914
Reserve:
3. Character Information II
Age/Appearance: Marduk is approximately 3630 years old. Physically though he appears to be around his mid-twenties and is generally viewed as being a very effeminate man. He has a slender build, and is so skinny that he appears to be almost nothing but skin and bones.
Personality: During his years of slowly declining and withering away, Babylon had grown to be a very bitter and uncaring person. Do in part to his people’s general neglect of his home, his own fading power along with the new culture and ideas that were beginning to flow through, what was once, his lands. He no longer cares much for the world at large, and as a result Babylon has become an extreme pessimist, meaning that he can no longer see any good within the world anymore. Which is what had led him to becoming a bitter person. As far as Marduk is concerned, the entire world can burn in the fires of hell.
One of the side effects of these feelings, as well as his age, is that he does not look to fondly upon most actions that others perform. Meaning that Babylon holds the belief that everything that a person does in their life amounts to next to nothing. From great acts of bravery to violence, sex and just general, everyday life; if he is not the one performing the feat of heroism, or conquering someone in bed then he essentially views it as being a worthless act and will not care for it unless it drastically effects. Which is the main reason why he only considers his own actions important.
As if that wasn’t enough, as stated before, he has become extremely paranoid. He does not trust anyone or anything, not even his closest friends, allies or family. This of course stemmed from both years of abuse, captivity and eventual abandonment. Babylon hates having to talk to, or rely on, others. In fact most of the time he will just lock himself away from the rest of the world, being both scared and angry at it and it’s inhabitants.
To make matters worse, he can be extremely self-absorbed. This belief mainly came from his glory days, and would soon mix with his own feelings about those around him in the future, from when he was known as the “Jewel of the World”, and sought after by almost the entire world. He holds the belief that no nation, from the past, present or future can surpass him. And it is due to this narcissism of his that Babylon believes that everything, which comes out of his mouth is the truth; and that anything that contradicts what he has said, is false. Of course this does not mean that he is not willing to believe what another person says, though it does mean that it may take him a while to believe that person, and an even longer time to hear them out unless it’s an emergency or he’s bored.
It is also because of this self-absorption that he has become very prideful and vain. He believes that there is no one who can surpass him in both beauty and raw talent. Because of this, he generally, and rather surprisingly, takes great care in both his body and looks. Though this had greatly lessened in later years due to his slow collapse. But despite this, he usually takes a great deal of time and effort to keep himself fit and looking good. From dawning various forms of jewelry and clothing, to exercising regularly and keeping himself clean; Marduk will go through great lengths to preserve the way that he appears and thoroughly enjoys having all eyes on him wherever he goes. And what’s more is that he does not really react to others mistaking him as someone of the fairer sex. However, he will either correct them on their mistake, or just begin to ignore them. The reason for this is because he does not enjoy being mistaken for something that he is not. It doesn’t matter if it is an opposite gender or something else, so long as they’re referring to him as either the opposite of what he is, or something that he is not.
Sexual Preferences/Orientation: In truth, Babylon isn’t really certain how he feels about sex anymore. It isn’t that he doesn’t like it, just that like all things, he doesn’t really care much for it anymore. Unlike in the days of his youth, Marduk no longer really views himself as a very sexually active being, and prefers to keep it that way. Though that’s not to say that he doesn’t have sex, just that he tries to avoid it whenever possible. That being said, he really doesn’t have much of a preference towards either gender, though he does tend to lean more towards the opposite sex.
Reason for playing: My current interest in Babylonian/Mesopotamian history is what first got me interested in playing as Marduk. Though considering that in canon there is no personification for any of the Mesopotamian states, Marduk had to become an unwilling OC. As far as what made me pick bete noire? I figured that it would have been an interesting situation to place him in, plus many of the dressing rooms that I have encountered do not allow for OC’s in them.
What I would like to do with him in game is yet to be seen by me. Though I suppose I would enjoy having him gain some form of CR with the other muses.
4. Original Character Supplement
World History: The world that Babylon had come from was not much different from that of the ancient world. All of the boundaries, history and nations had stayed the same. The only real difference between real life and the world that Babylon had come from, was the fact that state had it’s own form of an avatar. One that resembles a regular human but is actually the soul and representation of a nation. As a result of this, many of the events and politics in the world are governed by, not just the people and the leaders, but also by the nations themselves.
In other words, many battles and arguments that take place in the world are also shown, and sometimes caused by, those who are the spirits of the nations.
Character History: There have been many, many different highlights and turning points within Babylon’s life. It is to be expected; after all he is well over three thousand years old. Though to start off with, I suppose I should state that Marduk has no recollection of what his life was like prior to becoming a nation. All that he can really remember was that one day he just came into being when a small village in the southern most regions of what is today, Modern-Iraq, came into being. He has no recollection of a previous nation siring him, or of anyone or anything creating him. It was just that one-day he had kind of poofed into existence without any warning. The mystery as to how he had come into being would continue to mystify and confuse him well after his death. Even the origins of his own name are a complete mystery to him, as he was called by many, many different names before the eventually tag “Babylon” was given to him.
The beginnings of his life were not all that interesting either. Sure there were a few interesting days, such as when he was able to watch his people work on a new building, or in the rare occasions of coming into contact with people from another village. But it would not be until he became much older that his life began to be filled with excitement and riches beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations. Over time, Babylon had grown and spread throughout the region, sparking many other different towns and city’s that would later encompass what would become known as the Akkadian empire. However, eventually the peace and growth was put to an end when he had officially declared himself an independent state. What had followed was years of conquest, civil war, and a history of fantastic growth and wealth.
At the beginning of his independence, Marduk remained rather small at first and looked like a boy who was just about to hit puberty. He had been constantly forgotten in the shadows of his neighboring brothers who had continued to outshine and ignore him throughout the start of his independent life. It didn’t help matters much that this state had lasted for nearly two hundred years. That is, until king Hammurabi had came along. To Babylon, Hammurabi had been like a father that he never had. Under the king’s authority, Marduk had grown to extraordinary heights, eventually outshining his brothers who had held the lime light for far too long. Eventually Babylon had become the largest and most prosperous city-state in the world. However, helping Marduk grow up was not the only thing that Hammurabi had done for the then, young nation. The king had also brought a sense of stability to Babylon’s life. With the creation of the world’s first written, code of law, as well as he extremely bureaucratic attitude, Babylon began to gain feelings of order and a sense of justice in his life. No longer was he just a bratty young man, now he was a bratty young man who had a strong belief in justice and order.
Of course Hammurabi hadn’t just stabilized Babylon and the region around it. He had also been able to strengthen and discipline Babylon’s armies, and along with it, Marduk himself. With his newfound strength, Babylon set forth to begin terrorizing his brothers, stealing their lands, houses and eventually forcing them to live with him. It was because of this war that Babylon had found himself the prime leader, and designated holy-city, of Mesopotamia. For the next few years, Marduk began to grow rich and prosperous and before long the name of his city began to become the stuff of legends. Still, this moment of prosperity would come to an eventual end. With the death of his father figure, king Hammurabi, Babylon began to lapse into a period of depression and began to find himself weakening over time. Until his house was eventually sacked by the Hittites and his people overthrown by the Kassites who would then turn Babylon into a puppet state, forcing him to forgo his identity and bow to both Assyria and Elam; until he had finally fell under the official rule of Assyria.
Under the rule of his neighbor, Assyria, Babylon had fell into disrepair. Marduk himself had suffered tremendously, both physically and mentally. He had been almost constantly sick while becoming more and more paranoid and depressed as the years went on. However, despite his weakened state, Babylon continued to fight and revolt against Assyria. But as a direct result of fighting back, Marduk and his people began to suffer even more at the hands of the Assyrians. His entire city, his very home, was to be destroyed. The act had left his body severely scared, something that Marduk generally takes care to hide from others. The event itself had left him nearly crippled, unable to walk unaided and near death. The only thing that had truly kept him alive was his people’s culture, which had still thrived despite Assyria’s dominion over his people.
Eventually though, the city was rebuilt and Babylon slowly began to heal. However, he was still far from regaining his old strength and still suffered from his usual problems before eventually becoming a victim to a Civil war that would swallow the whole of Assyria. At one point in time his home ha been besieged once more, with the attackers nearly starving him and his people, to death until he had eventually fell to the invading faction. Still, despite this civil war, nothing would change until a few years later, when the new king of Assyrian passed away. Thus throwing Babylon’s neighbor and oppressor into a state of long and brutal civil wars. It was during this time that Marduk decided that it was his time to finally break away from Assyria, once and for all. Eventually he had succeeded in breaking away from Assyria and becoming his own, separate state once more. Ushering in a period that would become known as the “Neo-Babylonian Empire”.
During this period of time, Marduk began to become healthier once more. His body was becoming fit again while his mind was slowly healing from the wounds that were left from the rules under the foreign empires. And while the scars of what and their effects on him would remain forever, Babylon would continue to live and grow during this period and beyond. It was also during this period that Nebuchadnezzar II had taken the throne. Under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, Babylon began to grow and prosper just as he had in his youth. Eventually he grew to become the wonder of the world, people far and wide began to travel and tale stories of him, which had only helped increase his own growing ego. Due to this newfound fame, along with the various wonders that were built in his home and the riches he had acquired through trade, Marduk began to become somewhat of a rich, effeminate playboy. He had felt that everyone and everything had to be like him or at least bow to him. It is possibly because of this, along with the need to expand, that Babylon began to engage in various military activities. Conquering much of what was Assyria along with the Kingdom of Israel, Judah and even parts of Egypt and modern day Turkey had fallen under Babylonian rule. With most of the Middle East now firmly under his control, Marduk began to feel invincible. The feeling that he was the most important, and strongest nation of the known world had only asserted this belief as well.
Still, all things need to come to an end. Eventually Babylon fell under the control of Persia. However, unlike so many times before, Babylon did not suffer all that much under Persian rule. If anything, he had continued to flourish for many more years, eventually even becoming Persia’s capital city. Because of this, both Babylon and Persia became extremely close friends. For once, Marduk did not really mind being under the control of a foreign power. As he had continued to hold onto his culture and power within the region, and even those that had been captured by Persia herself. But eventually the strains of being under the rule of another nation began to make themselves known. Marduk was still very much reliant on Persia, and after almost constant warfare, high taxation and general negligence, Babylon’s house began to fall into disrepair. As a result, both him and Persia had begun to suffer a sort of falling out. Because of this fall out, Babylon made an attempt to leave and become independent yet again. However, Persia was not going to have any of that happening. And so after putting an end to the various rebellions that had popped up and capturing Babylon, she proceeded to lock him up in his own house. Leaving him there until Mama Greece eventually reached him. But before that happened, Babylon began to revert back to what he was like during the rule of Assyria, frail and broken; though this time he had gained a form of Stockholm syndrome towards Persia, which would only go away years after the conquest of Alexander.
Eventually, after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, Babylon began to flourish for the next few years. Once again becoming the center of the cultural world, filled with riches and knowledge beyond a person’s wildest dreams. He had even become the capital of the Greek empire while also becoming somewhat of a good friend towards Mama Greece. But as many people probably know, this period had not lasted for long. After the death of Alexander, the empire was broken apart and divided by the generals of Macedon. Abandoned by Greece as Civil war began to torment the land once more, Marduk began the feelings of mistrust towards those around him begin to sprout. After being deserted by Greece, Babylon had decided to never trust a single person again, something that he would take to his very grave.
Now left on his own during a civil war, with his house being besieged in almost every direction had a terrible effect on Marduk’s already dwindling opinion on others. To make matters even worse, the Babylonian people began to spread out across the land, abandoning their once prestige city, and with it Marduk himself. Normally this would have spelled the end for him, however, instead of staying in his city, Babylon began to travel with his people, going wherever they went as they still kept his culture and way of life alive and well. Still despite being surrounded by his people, Marduk slowly began to feel loneliness begin to set into his life. He had no home or leader anymore, his empire had been decimated and Marduk himself was forced to do various odd jobs for various other nations before finally being captured by Parthia, who’s power was eventually handed over to Persia.
After having once again becoming a province of Persia after the empire had regained control over the Middle East, Babylon began to settle down. Holding himself back up in his now ruined city with what little of his people had remained there. Closing himself off from the rest of the world for the next century or two. However, despite clambering into a self-imposed isolation from the rest of the world, Marduk had still made contributions culture and religious wise. Eventually he had converted himself to the Christian faith, though he still held onto many of his older beliefs and traditions, Babylon had become a Christian state. He would even become a major seat of power in the Eastern Christian church until his eventual demise around the end of the Arab conquest. Of course despite this newfound quiet and peaceful life, Marduk had found himself wishing for his old position of power back. He had missed his life of glory and riches and began to lapse into a period of bitter resentment towards himself and the world at large. No longer was he the Jewel of the world, or the Civilization that everyone had envied and looked up to. Now he was just a legend, a myth whose entire kingdom would eventually be swallowed up by the desert sands.
During this period of time, Babylon had become a wreck and shell of what he once was, slowly withering away as time ate him from the inside out. And while outwardly he had kept up his image of cold beauty filled with egotistical pride and power, he was extremely weak, not even being able to fend off any enemies by himself. He was stuck in a period of almost constant depression, not allowing anyone to get close to him, not even his own people as they had began to slowly abandon his once majestic city while he himself began to slowly decay. This downward spiral would continue on for the next couple of hundred years before finally reaching a head during the Arab-Islamic conquest of the Middle East. During this time, Marduk had largely kept himself inside, rarely accepting visitors, and would only see or talk to someone if he really needed to. He knew what was coming, and had decided to spend out the last of his days, alone and with his thoughts. After the conquest, Marduk had finally passed on silently as Arab’s people had dissolved and killed him.
Still, while he had been officially killed, his spirit was still kept alive by his people, who had never truly abandoned him and kept the Babylonian culture alive and well.
5. Samples
First-Person: Another Babylon, there cannot be another Babylon. There is only one Bābilu, and that one is me.
Now I wish for everyone to tell me more about this so-called, “Babylon” within this world. I wish to have information concerning its current location, along with any knowledge on the city itself. And in return I will grant you a favor for any information that you will give me. However, this offer will not last for long. As such I would suggest that you begin telling me everything that you all know.
Third-Person: Marduk walked around the streets of the…city, it was a city right, that he had found himself in. Never, in all of the thousands of years that he had walked the Earth, has he ever seen such a marvel. Then again, perhaps it was to be expected of the afterlife. Though in truth he was expecting something far more different from the one that he was currently in. Then again, the world was full of surprises, and this is one that he really could not have seen coming. Still, things did not seem to add up inside of his mind. Did the dead really require nourishment? Babylon did not think so. Of course this was his first time being dead. Or was he even dead? So many questions ran through his mind that his head had begun to ache.
Perhaps he should use that device that he had gained upon his arrival? It seemed as though it would be a fairly good bet as to how he could gain some information as to where he was. As things stood, all he knew was the name of the city, which he was currently in; as well as the fact that there was no discernable escape. Something that was even more troubling to the nation. It hadn’t helped matters much that not everyone here seemed to have moved on into the after life as well. So, perhaps he was kidnapped then? It was a possibility, in his mind at least. Not that he really understood why anyone would really want to kidnap him anymore.
Third-Person #2: Babylon grunted as his thin, body was pushed onto the bed by the woman that he had just met not to long ago. Well, not that long ago to him anyway. It was actually a few weeks ago, but time always did seem far more different to him. Whatever, she was a young, pretty thing. As well as a person with a very strong personality and will. Which was something that was only further pushed to the surface when they had found themselves in their current position.
The ancient nation’s eyes kept themselves trained on her body, watching as she quickly disposed of her top and revealed those lovely breasts of hers to him. It was such a nice view that was granted to him, one that he had not hesitated to drink in for as long as he could. The two mounds of flesh seemed to jiggle and sway with her every movement. Even when she was doing something as simple as removing the rest of her clothing. Of course he supposed that was something, which would help her out if she was to be a mother.
Humming before leaning up to capture one of her hard, pink nipples with his mouth and started to add a bit of suction into the mix, enjoying the small, mewling sounds that were coming out of her throat. He wanted to hear more of those noises, oddly enough. It was something that he had sworn off long ago, the want or need for any such physical interaction like what he was experiencing right now. Then again, perhaps he could blame this…world for making feel such things.
Name (or internet handle): Alex
Current characters in Bete Noire: N/A
Past characters in Bete Noire: N/A
2. Character Information
Name: Marduk || Babylon
Livejournal Username:
motherofcivFandom: Hetalia: Axis powers (Fandom OC)
Image: http://www.zerochan.net/938914
Reserve:
3. Character Information II
Age/Appearance: Marduk is approximately 3630 years old. Physically though he appears to be around his mid-twenties and is generally viewed as being a very effeminate man. He has a slender build, and is so skinny that he appears to be almost nothing but skin and bones.
Personality: During his years of slowly declining and withering away, Babylon had grown to be a very bitter and uncaring person. Do in part to his people’s general neglect of his home, his own fading power along with the new culture and ideas that were beginning to flow through, what was once, his lands. He no longer cares much for the world at large, and as a result Babylon has become an extreme pessimist, meaning that he can no longer see any good within the world anymore. Which is what had led him to becoming a bitter person. As far as Marduk is concerned, the entire world can burn in the fires of hell.
One of the side effects of these feelings, as well as his age, is that he does not look to fondly upon most actions that others perform. Meaning that Babylon holds the belief that everything that a person does in their life amounts to next to nothing. From great acts of bravery to violence, sex and just general, everyday life; if he is not the one performing the feat of heroism, or conquering someone in bed then he essentially views it as being a worthless act and will not care for it unless it drastically effects. Which is the main reason why he only considers his own actions important.
As if that wasn’t enough, as stated before, he has become extremely paranoid. He does not trust anyone or anything, not even his closest friends, allies or family. This of course stemmed from both years of abuse, captivity and eventual abandonment. Babylon hates having to talk to, or rely on, others. In fact most of the time he will just lock himself away from the rest of the world, being both scared and angry at it and it’s inhabitants.
To make matters worse, he can be extremely self-absorbed. This belief mainly came from his glory days, and would soon mix with his own feelings about those around him in the future, from when he was known as the “Jewel of the World”, and sought after by almost the entire world. He holds the belief that no nation, from the past, present or future can surpass him. And it is due to this narcissism of his that Babylon believes that everything, which comes out of his mouth is the truth; and that anything that contradicts what he has said, is false. Of course this does not mean that he is not willing to believe what another person says, though it does mean that it may take him a while to believe that person, and an even longer time to hear them out unless it’s an emergency or he’s bored.
It is also because of this self-absorption that he has become very prideful and vain. He believes that there is no one who can surpass him in both beauty and raw talent. Because of this, he generally, and rather surprisingly, takes great care in both his body and looks. Though this had greatly lessened in later years due to his slow collapse. But despite this, he usually takes a great deal of time and effort to keep himself fit and looking good. From dawning various forms of jewelry and clothing, to exercising regularly and keeping himself clean; Marduk will go through great lengths to preserve the way that he appears and thoroughly enjoys having all eyes on him wherever he goes. And what’s more is that he does not really react to others mistaking him as someone of the fairer sex. However, he will either correct them on their mistake, or just begin to ignore them. The reason for this is because he does not enjoy being mistaken for something that he is not. It doesn’t matter if it is an opposite gender or something else, so long as they’re referring to him as either the opposite of what he is, or something that he is not.
Sexual Preferences/Orientation: In truth, Babylon isn’t really certain how he feels about sex anymore. It isn’t that he doesn’t like it, just that like all things, he doesn’t really care much for it anymore. Unlike in the days of his youth, Marduk no longer really views himself as a very sexually active being, and prefers to keep it that way. Though that’s not to say that he doesn’t have sex, just that he tries to avoid it whenever possible. That being said, he really doesn’t have much of a preference towards either gender, though he does tend to lean more towards the opposite sex.
Reason for playing: My current interest in Babylonian/Mesopotamian history is what first got me interested in playing as Marduk. Though considering that in canon there is no personification for any of the Mesopotamian states, Marduk had to become an unwilling OC. As far as what made me pick bete noire? I figured that it would have been an interesting situation to place him in, plus many of the dressing rooms that I have encountered do not allow for OC’s in them.
What I would like to do with him in game is yet to be seen by me. Though I suppose I would enjoy having him gain some form of CR with the other muses.
4. Original Character Supplement
World History: The world that Babylon had come from was not much different from that of the ancient world. All of the boundaries, history and nations had stayed the same. The only real difference between real life and the world that Babylon had come from, was the fact that state had it’s own form of an avatar. One that resembles a regular human but is actually the soul and representation of a nation. As a result of this, many of the events and politics in the world are governed by, not just the people and the leaders, but also by the nations themselves.
In other words, many battles and arguments that take place in the world are also shown, and sometimes caused by, those who are the spirits of the nations.
Character History: There have been many, many different highlights and turning points within Babylon’s life. It is to be expected; after all he is well over three thousand years old. Though to start off with, I suppose I should state that Marduk has no recollection of what his life was like prior to becoming a nation. All that he can really remember was that one day he just came into being when a small village in the southern most regions of what is today, Modern-Iraq, came into being. He has no recollection of a previous nation siring him, or of anyone or anything creating him. It was just that one-day he had kind of poofed into existence without any warning. The mystery as to how he had come into being would continue to mystify and confuse him well after his death. Even the origins of his own name are a complete mystery to him, as he was called by many, many different names before the eventually tag “Babylon” was given to him.
The beginnings of his life were not all that interesting either. Sure there were a few interesting days, such as when he was able to watch his people work on a new building, or in the rare occasions of coming into contact with people from another village. But it would not be until he became much older that his life began to be filled with excitement and riches beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations. Over time, Babylon had grown and spread throughout the region, sparking many other different towns and city’s that would later encompass what would become known as the Akkadian empire. However, eventually the peace and growth was put to an end when he had officially declared himself an independent state. What had followed was years of conquest, civil war, and a history of fantastic growth and wealth.
At the beginning of his independence, Marduk remained rather small at first and looked like a boy who was just about to hit puberty. He had been constantly forgotten in the shadows of his neighboring brothers who had continued to outshine and ignore him throughout the start of his independent life. It didn’t help matters much that this state had lasted for nearly two hundred years. That is, until king Hammurabi had came along. To Babylon, Hammurabi had been like a father that he never had. Under the king’s authority, Marduk had grown to extraordinary heights, eventually outshining his brothers who had held the lime light for far too long. Eventually Babylon had become the largest and most prosperous city-state in the world. However, helping Marduk grow up was not the only thing that Hammurabi had done for the then, young nation. The king had also brought a sense of stability to Babylon’s life. With the creation of the world’s first written, code of law, as well as he extremely bureaucratic attitude, Babylon began to gain feelings of order and a sense of justice in his life. No longer was he just a bratty young man, now he was a bratty young man who had a strong belief in justice and order.
Of course Hammurabi hadn’t just stabilized Babylon and the region around it. He had also been able to strengthen and discipline Babylon’s armies, and along with it, Marduk himself. With his newfound strength, Babylon set forth to begin terrorizing his brothers, stealing their lands, houses and eventually forcing them to live with him. It was because of this war that Babylon had found himself the prime leader, and designated holy-city, of Mesopotamia. For the next few years, Marduk began to grow rich and prosperous and before long the name of his city began to become the stuff of legends. Still, this moment of prosperity would come to an eventual end. With the death of his father figure, king Hammurabi, Babylon began to lapse into a period of depression and began to find himself weakening over time. Until his house was eventually sacked by the Hittites and his people overthrown by the Kassites who would then turn Babylon into a puppet state, forcing him to forgo his identity and bow to both Assyria and Elam; until he had finally fell under the official rule of Assyria.
Under the rule of his neighbor, Assyria, Babylon had fell into disrepair. Marduk himself had suffered tremendously, both physically and mentally. He had been almost constantly sick while becoming more and more paranoid and depressed as the years went on. However, despite his weakened state, Babylon continued to fight and revolt against Assyria. But as a direct result of fighting back, Marduk and his people began to suffer even more at the hands of the Assyrians. His entire city, his very home, was to be destroyed. The act had left his body severely scared, something that Marduk generally takes care to hide from others. The event itself had left him nearly crippled, unable to walk unaided and near death. The only thing that had truly kept him alive was his people’s culture, which had still thrived despite Assyria’s dominion over his people.
Eventually though, the city was rebuilt and Babylon slowly began to heal. However, he was still far from regaining his old strength and still suffered from his usual problems before eventually becoming a victim to a Civil war that would swallow the whole of Assyria. At one point in time his home ha been besieged once more, with the attackers nearly starving him and his people, to death until he had eventually fell to the invading faction. Still, despite this civil war, nothing would change until a few years later, when the new king of Assyrian passed away. Thus throwing Babylon’s neighbor and oppressor into a state of long and brutal civil wars. It was during this time that Marduk decided that it was his time to finally break away from Assyria, once and for all. Eventually he had succeeded in breaking away from Assyria and becoming his own, separate state once more. Ushering in a period that would become known as the “Neo-Babylonian Empire”.
During this period of time, Marduk began to become healthier once more. His body was becoming fit again while his mind was slowly healing from the wounds that were left from the rules under the foreign empires. And while the scars of what and their effects on him would remain forever, Babylon would continue to live and grow during this period and beyond. It was also during this period that Nebuchadnezzar II had taken the throne. Under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, Babylon began to grow and prosper just as he had in his youth. Eventually he grew to become the wonder of the world, people far and wide began to travel and tale stories of him, which had only helped increase his own growing ego. Due to this newfound fame, along with the various wonders that were built in his home and the riches he had acquired through trade, Marduk began to become somewhat of a rich, effeminate playboy. He had felt that everyone and everything had to be like him or at least bow to him. It is possibly because of this, along with the need to expand, that Babylon began to engage in various military activities. Conquering much of what was Assyria along with the Kingdom of Israel, Judah and even parts of Egypt and modern day Turkey had fallen under Babylonian rule. With most of the Middle East now firmly under his control, Marduk began to feel invincible. The feeling that he was the most important, and strongest nation of the known world had only asserted this belief as well.
Still, all things need to come to an end. Eventually Babylon fell under the control of Persia. However, unlike so many times before, Babylon did not suffer all that much under Persian rule. If anything, he had continued to flourish for many more years, eventually even becoming Persia’s capital city. Because of this, both Babylon and Persia became extremely close friends. For once, Marduk did not really mind being under the control of a foreign power. As he had continued to hold onto his culture and power within the region, and even those that had been captured by Persia herself. But eventually the strains of being under the rule of another nation began to make themselves known. Marduk was still very much reliant on Persia, and after almost constant warfare, high taxation and general negligence, Babylon’s house began to fall into disrepair. As a result, both him and Persia had begun to suffer a sort of falling out. Because of this fall out, Babylon made an attempt to leave and become independent yet again. However, Persia was not going to have any of that happening. And so after putting an end to the various rebellions that had popped up and capturing Babylon, she proceeded to lock him up in his own house. Leaving him there until Mama Greece eventually reached him. But before that happened, Babylon began to revert back to what he was like during the rule of Assyria, frail and broken; though this time he had gained a form of Stockholm syndrome towards Persia, which would only go away years after the conquest of Alexander.
Eventually, after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, Babylon began to flourish for the next few years. Once again becoming the center of the cultural world, filled with riches and knowledge beyond a person’s wildest dreams. He had even become the capital of the Greek empire while also becoming somewhat of a good friend towards Mama Greece. But as many people probably know, this period had not lasted for long. After the death of Alexander, the empire was broken apart and divided by the generals of Macedon. Abandoned by Greece as Civil war began to torment the land once more, Marduk began the feelings of mistrust towards those around him begin to sprout. After being deserted by Greece, Babylon had decided to never trust a single person again, something that he would take to his very grave.
Now left on his own during a civil war, with his house being besieged in almost every direction had a terrible effect on Marduk’s already dwindling opinion on others. To make matters even worse, the Babylonian people began to spread out across the land, abandoning their once prestige city, and with it Marduk himself. Normally this would have spelled the end for him, however, instead of staying in his city, Babylon began to travel with his people, going wherever they went as they still kept his culture and way of life alive and well. Still despite being surrounded by his people, Marduk slowly began to feel loneliness begin to set into his life. He had no home or leader anymore, his empire had been decimated and Marduk himself was forced to do various odd jobs for various other nations before finally being captured by Parthia, who’s power was eventually handed over to Persia.
After having once again becoming a province of Persia after the empire had regained control over the Middle East, Babylon began to settle down. Holding himself back up in his now ruined city with what little of his people had remained there. Closing himself off from the rest of the world for the next century or two. However, despite clambering into a self-imposed isolation from the rest of the world, Marduk had still made contributions culture and religious wise. Eventually he had converted himself to the Christian faith, though he still held onto many of his older beliefs and traditions, Babylon had become a Christian state. He would even become a major seat of power in the Eastern Christian church until his eventual demise around the end of the Arab conquest. Of course despite this newfound quiet and peaceful life, Marduk had found himself wishing for his old position of power back. He had missed his life of glory and riches and began to lapse into a period of bitter resentment towards himself and the world at large. No longer was he the Jewel of the world, or the Civilization that everyone had envied and looked up to. Now he was just a legend, a myth whose entire kingdom would eventually be swallowed up by the desert sands.
During this period of time, Babylon had become a wreck and shell of what he once was, slowly withering away as time ate him from the inside out. And while outwardly he had kept up his image of cold beauty filled with egotistical pride and power, he was extremely weak, not even being able to fend off any enemies by himself. He was stuck in a period of almost constant depression, not allowing anyone to get close to him, not even his own people as they had began to slowly abandon his once majestic city while he himself began to slowly decay. This downward spiral would continue on for the next couple of hundred years before finally reaching a head during the Arab-Islamic conquest of the Middle East. During this time, Marduk had largely kept himself inside, rarely accepting visitors, and would only see or talk to someone if he really needed to. He knew what was coming, and had decided to spend out the last of his days, alone and with his thoughts. After the conquest, Marduk had finally passed on silently as Arab’s people had dissolved and killed him.
Still, while he had been officially killed, his spirit was still kept alive by his people, who had never truly abandoned him and kept the Babylonian culture alive and well.
5. Samples
First-Person: Another Babylon, there cannot be another Babylon. There is only one Bābilu, and that one is me.
Now I wish for everyone to tell me more about this so-called, “Babylon” within this world. I wish to have information concerning its current location, along with any knowledge on the city itself. And in return I will grant you a favor for any information that you will give me. However, this offer will not last for long. As such I would suggest that you begin telling me everything that you all know.
Third-Person: Marduk walked around the streets of the…city, it was a city right, that he had found himself in. Never, in all of the thousands of years that he had walked the Earth, has he ever seen such a marvel. Then again, perhaps it was to be expected of the afterlife. Though in truth he was expecting something far more different from the one that he was currently in. Then again, the world was full of surprises, and this is one that he really could not have seen coming. Still, things did not seem to add up inside of his mind. Did the dead really require nourishment? Babylon did not think so. Of course this was his first time being dead. Or was he even dead? So many questions ran through his mind that his head had begun to ache.
Perhaps he should use that device that he had gained upon his arrival? It seemed as though it would be a fairly good bet as to how he could gain some information as to where he was. As things stood, all he knew was the name of the city, which he was currently in; as well as the fact that there was no discernable escape. Something that was even more troubling to the nation. It hadn’t helped matters much that not everyone here seemed to have moved on into the after life as well. So, perhaps he was kidnapped then? It was a possibility, in his mind at least. Not that he really understood why anyone would really want to kidnap him anymore.
Third-Person #2: Babylon grunted as his thin, body was pushed onto the bed by the woman that he had just met not to long ago. Well, not that long ago to him anyway. It was actually a few weeks ago, but time always did seem far more different to him. Whatever, she was a young, pretty thing. As well as a person with a very strong personality and will. Which was something that was only further pushed to the surface when they had found themselves in their current position.
The ancient nation’s eyes kept themselves trained on her body, watching as she quickly disposed of her top and revealed those lovely breasts of hers to him. It was such a nice view that was granted to him, one that he had not hesitated to drink in for as long as he could. The two mounds of flesh seemed to jiggle and sway with her every movement. Even when she was doing something as simple as removing the rest of her clothing. Of course he supposed that was something, which would help her out if she was to be a mother.
Humming before leaning up to capture one of her hard, pink nipples with his mouth and started to add a bit of suction into the mix, enjoying the small, mewling sounds that were coming out of her throat. He wanted to hear more of those noises, oddly enough. It was something that he had sworn off long ago, the want or need for any such physical interaction like what he was experiencing right now. Then again, perhaps he could blame this…world for making feel such things.
