The Headless Horseman
the legend of sleepy hollow
"My purpose is vengeance."
About
Name: Koenraad S. Horst
Gender: Male
Species: Dullahan
Origin: Hesse-Kassel, Germany
Age: 29 (at death)
Birthdate: December 17, 1747
Death date: October 29, 1776
Weight: 246 lbs.
Height: 6' at the cut of his neck (6'9 with a head)
Occupation: Marauder
Statistics
Attack: +4
---
Defense: -2
| Strength | ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●○○ | +2 |
| Dexterity | ●●●●●●○○○○○○○○○○○ | -2 |
| Constitution | ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●○○ | +2 |
| Intelligence | ●●●●●●●●●●●●○○○○○ | +1 |
| Wisdom | ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●○○○ | +2 |
| Charisma | ●●●●●●●●○○○○○○○○○ | 0 |
Extra
Text
Orientation: Heterosexual
Relationship Status:
Former widower, now taken
Thresh
[with a heavy German Accent]
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Vindictive | Malicious | Resentful | Apathetic
Bereft | Desolate
The Horseman is a creature fueled by hatred. Since he has become undead, all he has known is killing and revenge. It seems that he revolves solely around the desire to have his skull returned to him, and he will do just about anything to achieve that. He kills in cold blood, almost on instinct with seemingly no remorse, whether the person is guilty or not. He has gone hundreds of years with his head hidden from him, and while he can sense when it is in the vicinity, he has yet to find it, as if it was purposefully being held out of his reach. Although, his primary victims were that who were related to British and American soldiers, or live on the land in which the battles took place. Now he only kills to fuel the bloodlust that he can't seem to quell.
If one can manage to interact with him without having their heads cut off, they will find that he is not much different from the monster he appears to be. He is spiteful, cold, and clearly has a desire to continue killing no matter who he comes across. One slip may cost someone their life. It is highly recommended to watch your tongue around him.
Despite everything, what small sliver of humanity remains in the Horseman is capable of showing itself. It is clear that he still loves and desperately longs for his wife, Lilli. Around the right people, he may even act similar to how he did in life, long ago. And occasionally, reality can break him, and he can begin to feel desperate. He is, deep down, depressed - all he really wants is release. He barely "lives", only suffers, in constant, horrible pain and his heart filled with a hatred for almost everything that he cannot ever explain. The only other thing that he seems to have an attachment for is his horse, Knell, who he owned and raised in life. The closest to content he ever feels is when he is alone with his horse. However, recently he has started to find peace around another certain someone...
Likes
Dislikes
Knell, his horse
His late wife, Lilli
His wedding ring
Agnete
Horseback Riding
Animals
Cooking
Dancing
...Yeah that's pretty much it.
Most People
Explosions
Gunshots
Being reminded of his... physical condition
His late wife being mentioned in a negative light
Hearing people tell stories about him
Helpless/weak people
Heights
His last memory of being alive was staring at his dead horse from across the field. He lay there, unable to move his body, possibly paralyzed and his mind in shock. He was able to register that there were now figures above him, discussing something in their brash English. They were going to kill him, he knew.
Koenraad learned that day that it is true what is said about death. One's life really does flash before their eyes.
His childhood and teenage years had been insignificant. Just like almost every other boy in Hesse-Kassel, Germany, he was recruited for the military around the age of eight. While all kids dreamed of doing something spectacular, most knew that because their state was so driven by their army exports, they would just end up being soldiers. However, he grew up like any other. He went to school, got a job, had his heart broken, and then eventually found love in a small woman named Lilli at age 23. For almost five years, he was head-over-heels for her, and when they were 27, he asked her hand in marriage.
The very next year, he was drafted into the Revolutionary War. The state had sold their services to the British. Appalled, he considered running away with Lilli. This is no war for us... This is between the British and those Americans. Why should I fight in a war where I will win nothing but death? He questioned. Though, his wife reassured him, terrified at the thought of leaving their recently established home. He would come home, she said, and when he did, they could settle and have a family. Have each other. Torn, Koenraad decided to kindle the faith she had given him, and was shipped off to America to fight for the Brits, dubbed a Hessian, the hired soldiers. Koenraad and Lilli would write to each other, managing to get each other letters at max twice a month, if they were lucky. Deeply unhappy with the hand life had dealt him, all he found he could do was follow orders and mark down each and every day until he was told he would be able to return to his home. Never did he participate in the drinking, party, celebrations, and even the conversations that the other soldiers held around him.
It was difficult to get letters to and from each continent, so sometimes, there would be a month or so of silence between Koenraad and his wife. However, soon the gaps became longer on Lilli's end, her handwriting less neat and her writing shorter. It didn't truly begin to worry him until there was a stretch where she hadn't written to him for nearly 2 months. Until, finally, a small letter arrived to him...
Dearest Koenraad,
I hope I have not worried you too much from my lack of writing. I know you are a worry wart, mausebär! I hope you are doing well.
However, I bare not so happy news...
The letter slipped out of his hands as he continued reading it. No, it just couldn't be true... She was dying of tuberculosis, and had told him she had less than a few weeks to live.
The paper was dated from a month ago. That was the last letter he received from Lilli, no matter how many letters he wrote home to her.
From then on, Koenraad had no true reason to keep fighting or try his hardest to survive, even though he knew in his heart that his love would want him to do just that. Despite his lack of will, he did manage to begrudgingly continue on through the continuous battles and hell of the war.
And so it brought him to this moment. It was midnight, in what was planned to be a surprise attack on the American troops. They would flank their camp, take them off guard, and push them off the territory. It was a simple but effective tactic. As a hired soldier and horseman, he would be in the front lines of the battle.
It was quickly realized that this plan was not going to work when the sound of a canon going off stopped them all in their tracks. And, without a call of retreat, officers and other soldiers went running to protect themselves, leaving much of the front line defenseless and without help.
Koenraad's horse reared, and as soon as he managed to regain control, it was too late. A canonball embedded itself into the ground in front of them, and sent both man and horse flying.
He was brought back to reality by the American captain's voice, barely heard over the near deaf ringing of his ears.
"Shall we take his head as a trophy?" A few snickered.
The voices slurred, and everything went dark.
_
There was no pain. All that he could see was a distant light, and suddenly, an ethereal voice spoke to him,
"Koenraad Horst. You cannot pass on."
W... What? What do you mean? Who are you?
"I am Death, and you are not whole. Your body has been desecrated - you cannot move into the afterlife."
No. No, I need to! I have to be with her! Lilli!
The light in front of him was starting to fade. He reached to it, desperate but it felt like it was being pulled away from him. And suddenly, it was no longer there - instead, he found himself sitting on the back of his horse, with a strange sickle-like weapon in his hand and a heavy glowing necklace upon his chest. Suddenly all he could feel was pain, and he reached up to his neck, and instead of a head, found only blood.
"Go. Find your head, and take it from those who defiled you - and take down those who betrayed and killed you. Become whole again, and only then will you be granted what you want."
All he wanted was to die.
Weapon:
FLEISCHREIßER
⇁
A chain sickle used for beheading. It seems old and rusted, but is extremely sharp. The blade and handle are bloodstained, and not a pretty sight to have around one’s neck.
The chain is for throwing and wrapping around someone to pull them closer and leave them vulnerable to him. It can also be used to disarm.
It was given to him by Death itself so that he could fulfill his vengeance.
Abilities:
Summon Knell ⇁ His steed, Knell, rises from the depths of the earth with an echoing neigh. Can be used anywhere that a horse will (comfortably) fit.
Choke ⇁ The chain part of his weapon is thrown to wrap around someone's neck, allowing the Horseman to pull them towards him, hold them in place, or simply choke them out and disable them.
Disarm ⇁ Also, the chain can be wrapped around another's weapon in combat. It is difficult to escape, and will likely result in them having their weapon pulled away from them.
From Horseback ⇁ Mounted on his horse, the Horseman is at his fastest and strongest. His is more capable of maneuvering, catching people off guard, and killing them swiftly.
B e h e a d ⇁ The Horseman cuts off his target's head, taking it god-knows where.
Abilities:
| Strength | |
|---|---|
| Athletics: | +5 |
| Intimidation: | +5 |
| Dexterity | |
|---|---|
| Acrobatics: | -4 |
| Slight of Hand: | -5 |
| Stealth: | -5 |
| Charisma | |
|---|---|
| Deception: | 0 |
| Performance: | -3 |
| Persuasion: | -2 |
| Intelligence | |
|---|---|
| Magic: | 0 |
| History: | 0 |
| Investigation: | 0 |
| Nature: | 0 |
| Religion: | 0 |
| Wisdom | |
|---|---|
| Animal Handling: | +5 |
| Insight: | 0 |
| Medicine: | -2 |
| Perception: | 0 |
| Survival: | 0 |
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Powerful ⇁ He is very physically strong, capable of picking up and throwing at least half a tonne.
Durable ⇁ Despite feeling all pain, fighting through it is no problem. He can easily endure things that no normal man could, barely flinching throughout. Unless his body is disabled completely in some way, he can continue on. It is extremely difficult to destroy his body enough to 'kill' him.
Inhuman ⇁ He does not require food, water, breathing or sleeping.
Hardworking ⇁ At heart, Koenraad is still the very diligent man that he used to be. Having done manual labor his entire life, and having served as an efficient and highly trained soldier, he always gets things done efficiently.
Unflinching ⇁ He is unafraid to fight anyone. If he thinks there is even a slim chance of success on his part, he will take someone on.
Horseback Riding ⇁ Koenraad is extremely good with horses. All of them, not just his own. He grew up riding, breeding, and training them. Quite possibly one of the most skilled riders one could ever meet. He can read horses, and most animals for that matter, like a book.
Cursed ⇁ Anyone who holds his head can control him by speaking commands. If his body is destroyed, his spirit will be forced to linger in purgatory.
Necklace ⇁ If his necklace is completely removed from his body, he cannot speak or see, and can only hear muffled sounds.
Suffering ⇁ He feels all pain, including that of his neck. His wounds either do not heal, or take an extremely long time to. Therefore, he is always in some kind of pain. That of his neck is almost like white noise now though is intensified if irritated.
Unstable ⇁ His emotions can change radically with hardly a moment's notice. It can be difficult to tell what will set him off.
Cumbersome ⇁ Because of his size, he is not graceful in any sense of the word. He is also rather slow and has difficulty being precise or dodging.
Bloodlust ⇁ A thirst for killing caused by being a ghost bent on vengeance. Sometimes he cannot stop himself.
PTSD ⇁ Noises reminiscent of explosions and gunshots may cause extreme fear responses and flashbacks. Night terrors are common when he falls asleep.
Text
Koenraad still wears his wedding ring, at all times.
His horse, Knell, is a Friesian warhorse that he trained and raised since birth. He loves the animal quite a lot, and behind-the-scenes gives him plenty of attention and treats.
Currently he is living with Agnete, who he spends most of his time with.
His German accent is extremely heavy. He is much better at reading and writing in his native language.
One of his most favorite things to do is folk dance.
Despite being dead, his body seems to produce an unlimited amount of blood. He bleeds immensely when injured, and there is an almost constant trickle coming from his neck.
