Finland | Timo Väinämöinen

These streets so fixed and solid
Were shimming with hate

[/b][/i]

“No great man is ever born too soon or too late.” [/center][/size]

And everything that I relied on
Disappeared

Country: Suomen tasavalta the Republic of Finland
Name: Timo Väinämöinen
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Profession: Factory worker/waiter
Highlander or Lowlander?: Lowlander

All the strangers look like family
All the family look so strange

Appearance: Timo is a bit of a short guy and growing up was always a little plump. His recent circumstances have caused him to lose weight fast, but he still has round features. He hates his appearance, especially his height and his weight, but he’s always been small, and no matter how often he ran around with his friends never seemed to lose his childish puppy fat. This means he has a round face, which is dominated by his big, bright eyes. He likes to say his eyes are blue, and in the right light they do look a rich blue, but look closely and you’ll see that they are in fact purple. His hair is a light blonde, and he usually lets it grow down to his shoulders before getting it cut back to his ears. Timo never really got into the habit of following fashion, and has been teased for been dressing like an old man, but he’s fond of dress trousers, button up shirts and knit jumpers. He also has a white beret, a hand down from his grandfather, and a silver cross, a gift from a friend, that he’s rarely seen without.

Personality: Timo is a sweet guy, usually described as ‘cute’ by those he meets, and always there to help you when you’re in trouble. He believes in the best in everyone and will attempt to befriend everyone. He treats everyone with the same love and respect, no matter who or what they are, with no change for gender, sexuality, race, or religion. He will talk to anyone and does his best to make everyone feel happy. One of the few ways you can get Timo to truly dislike you is to be disloyal to your friends. Timo would honestly do anything for his friends, and will often spend a lot of money on them, or on gifts for them. However, should anyone hurt his friends and they’ll meet a hidden side to him, because he is incredibly protective of those he loves and will not stand to have them hurt. He’s also a hard worker, and if hard work could solve all problems then Timo would have none. Once he starts a project, Timo will work and work until he is satisfied with it.

Unfortunately, in private, he also suffers from low self esteem. It’s something that he prefers to keep hidden from others, but Timo has a low opinion of his body and his abilities. While he’s constantly boosting other people’s ego, he can rarely find anything he likes about himself, and when left to himself he can get pretty down about it. He’s also naïve, and because Timo believes in the good of all man, and because he trusts that people will tell the truth, there have been a few occasions when his willingness to friend anyone has got him into trouble. And yet he fails to learn his lesson, and continues to believe in the best of everyone.

History: People have said that Timo has suffered a lot of hardship in his life, but when asked the man will usually just laugh and say that he was fortunate enough to have a family who loved and supported him. This is true, and his family was very close knit when he was a child. His father was a fisherman, his mother was a waitress, and his grandfather lived with them. Timo was perhaps closest to him of all his family, but he looks a lot like his mother. While the family was never well off, his mother taught him to make do and get by, something that he still does his best to live by.

However, when he was ten, his mother and grandfather were caught in the crossfire of a gang war and died. Timo was saved when the body of his mother fell on him, protecting and hiding him. This is something that he wouldn’t tell you if you asked. Shortly afterwards, he moved away from the area that he’d grown up in with his father, and although he quickly settled into his new school, Timo has always had an issue with bullies, another thing that he’ll gloss over. He also suffered a little at home, as his father found that his son just reminded him of the wife that he’d lost. When Timo reached 16 he was asked to leave home, and reluctantly he did so, though he has frequently tried to reconcile himself with his father.

Timo lived in his school for a while until he managed to find himself a job in a local factory, but found that one part time job wasn’t enough to pay the bills. He was forced to drop out of school and take up his job full time on the night shift. To make things a little more comfortable for himself he also took up a second, part time job as a waiter, and though working both jobs leaves him tired at times it’s not enough to dull his ever lasting energy and enthusiasm. He likes to pretend that he’s an elf making toys for Christmas in the factory. It helps him work his hardest.

Recurring nightmare: The Finnish famine of 1866-1868.

It starts at home. Timo opens his cupboard to find little there, but he takes out the stale remains of the bread, and puts them in the basket that he’s holding. A few potatoes, sprouting and wrinkled, are added, along with a few apples, a couple of turnips, some flour and some rabbits that he managed to shoot earlier. He’s feeling a little light-headed and dizzy himself, and the smell of the food in the basket rises up to his nose, but he ignores it. There are more important things to be done.

From the moment he leaves his home he’s set upon all sides by people begging from him, and Timo does his best to make sure everyone gets something. But there are too many people here, all too thin and with desperation in their eyes and Timo’s heart breaks when he realises that he doesn’t have enough for everyone. There comes a time when he reaches into his basket, but there’s nothing there and he comes back empty handed.

Timo won’t give up, though. He tells the people to wait for him, and sets off, basket clenched firmly in his hand. He will find something for them. He walks until he can walk no more, until there’s bile in his throat and his head is swimming. He’s cold, and his fingers are tingling, and he falls to his knees without really noticing. All around him men and women and children are dying, and guilt fills him. Timo tries to stand again; he has to continue, he has to find more food for them, but he has no strength, and he slumps into the grass, breath shuddering and failing, until he knows no more.

The only constant I am sure of
Is this accelerating rate of change

Likes: Moomins they make him think of being a child, and besides, they’re adorable and that can never be a bad thing!
Suanas Timo would use one every day if he could. He can endure incredibly high temperatures.
Salmiakki it’s a rare day when he leaves his flat without a packet in his pocket. He doesn’t understand how anyone could dislike the stuff, and is always offering it to his workmates with a smile.
Myths and legends Timo is intrigued by all kinds of history, but has a particular interest in special occasions and the history behind them, and for myths and legends.
Moomins seriously, he likes them a lot.

Dislikes: Arguments Timo hates conflict, and avoids it at all cost – unless it’s to defend a friend. He’s been known to cry simply because two of his friends are fighting.
Bullies people who delight in torturing the weak disgust him, and he’s been subject to that more than a few times.
Mirrors he hates seeing his reflection, and goes out of his way to avoid mirrors.
Being alone when he’s alone he tends to think too much, and he goes out of his way to stay with other people as often as possible.
Himself

Downside up, upside down
Take my weight from the ground

[/b][/right]
[/size]

Roleplay Sample:

The chilly winter breeze didn’t bother Timo as he left the school building, looking for somewhere to sit. He was wearing a thin woolen jumper that was warm enough to stop him from shivering, and the patches of late afternoon sunshine were actually quite pleasant even for those more unused to the cold than him. Under his arm, he carried a heavy looking book, a new one on Yule and Christmas myths that he’d found. He glanced around the courtyard, momentarily distracted by the soft noise of a waterfall, and then padded over to a wooden bench that was bathed in the warm sunlight.

Curling up on the bench he tucked his short legs up underneath him and brushed a wayward strand of white blonde hair out of his eyes. He put one hand into his pocket, and pulled out a little paper twist of Salmiakki, taking one of the salty treats out and popping it into his mouth. Now that he was settled, he flicked his book open, his hands running along the thin paper and opening it out onto the page marked with a leather bookmark, and then started to read. The book was old and rather well worn, obviously an old favourite, and if the title hadn’t been hidden in his lap it would have been more obvious why. It was a book on Christmas myths and legends from around the world, and a pleased smile passed over Timo’s lips as he started to read the familiar words.

Settled and content, Timo easily lost himself in his book, intrigued by the stories it had to tell. He was so wrapped up in it, that he didn’t notice anyone approaching until a shadow was cast over him, sending a shiver down his spine as the warmth of the sun was covered. Looking up, Timo greeted the intruder with a smile on his lips and in his eyes. “Hello! Can I help you?”

The man gave a nod, and glanced back towards the building. “I’m looking for the reception. Can you help me?”

Smiling even brighter, Timo jumped up, slipping the bookmark back into place and closing his book. “Of course I can! Are you looking for someone in particular or something?” He asked happily, clutching the heavy thing to his chest and starting to lead the way. There was a spring in his step and he seemed genuinely interested – he wasn’t just making conversation to fill up the silence.

“Um, well, actually no, I just need to pick up some bits and I was told that was where to go to.”

“Oh, well I’m sure they’ll be able to help you! Is it important?” Timo held the door open for the taller man, then pushed it closed rather than letting it slam, and quickly moved to take the lead again, taking the man on familiar routes towards the reception.

He shook his head. “Not that important, but I’ve been putting it off for a while.”

Timo chuckled at that and smiled back at him. “I procrastinate too.” He sympathised with a nod. “Well, here we are! I hope they have what you need.”

The man smiled back. “Thank you.”

Waving happily, Timo skipped away again, back to his spot in the sun so he could go back to his book.

Falling deep in the sky
Slipping into the unknown

Out of Character
Name/Nickname: You can call me Finland or Timo, I don’t mind. ^^
Timezone: GMT
Any other information: I took ages trying to decide between the civil war and the famine for his nightmare! It was tricky to decide, but I saw that America used the civil war and couldn’t think of something that wasn’t more or less the same, so went for the famine!

You pull me in…
P u l l

m e i n.[/size][/i][/right][/b]