Name
“Six-String”
Nickname(s)
He’s been here too long to recall his old name. He despises the name Six-String, and most people call him Six.
Age
He was fairly young when he died, though he can’t recall exactly how young.
Birthday/Birth Date
August 15, 1927
Sexuality
Bisexual
Gender + Pronouns
Male - He/Him
Appearance
The most noticeable thing about Six is his skin. It’s not entirely see-through, but it’s not entirely opaque, either. You can see the indistinct shapes of veins and organs like shadows inside his body. His skin has a bluish tint, clear with hints of murky blue and even touches of green. He’s of average height, about 5’9”, and his height doesn’t seem to have changed after he died. He’s rather thin, and his hands are slender. They bear more fingers than would be considered normal - it must be around ten on each hand, though it’s hard to tell. They’re long, thin fingers that end in pointed fingernails which are thick enough to pluck a guitar string with. He has some burn marks along his arms, hands, and the sides of his face, standing out against his semi-transparent skin.
His face is lean, with high cheekbones and a long jawline. His lips are noticeably pale and bluish, and his teeth are quite noticeable when they’re visible, because they seem so white against his murky skin tone. He usually has a cigarette clamped between his teeth, forever billowing smoke and apparently never goingout. He’s always wearing a black fedora, tilted forward over his face and casting an unnaturally deep shadow. But his white eyes gleam out of the shadows when they catch the light. They’re pure white, with no pupils or irises. His hair is similar to his skin tone, with some transparency, but mostly a desaturated dark blue. It’s rather short, probably only down to his neck. It’s neatly cut, though that’s not often apparent. Six’s hair is always floating around his head, moving with his motion as though it were underwater.
His clothing is rather dark. A dark grey suit jacket is pulled over a grey vest. Tucked into this is a black silk tie. Underneath is a neatly crisp white button-up shirt with a detachable collar. His pants are neatly tailored down to his polished shoes. They’re black and white wingtips with brogues. His cufflinks are shining and high-quality. Like with his hair, Six’s clothing billows out and flows as though underwater. He wears a leather guitar strap across his shoulders, with his guitar slung behind him. His guitar is an acoustic, painted with shining white paint, beautifully detailed with plants and vines along the sides. The initials M. T. are carved into it, and he assumes they must be his own initials. It’s a fine guitar, the kind only a great deal of money could buy.
Personality
Six was such a good person in life. That’s what he keeps telling everyone. He doesn’t deserve to be here, he doesn’t deserve any kind of punishment. He hasn’t earned this like he’s sure everyone else has. So he holds his perfect life over everyone’s heads, convinced that he’s better than them. He judges them, reminds them of how terrible they are for the way they are. He’s the only one who’s earned the right to do whatever he wants in this afterlife. After all, he did everything just right in the living realm, and where did it get him? If there’s no real eternal reward, he’ll make his own rewards. If nothing has any lasting consequences, then he’ll live only for his immediate personal gratification. He gambles, lies, steals, and most of all, he likes drinking. Nothing like a nice glass of brandy to unwind. He doesn’t see the point to avoiding any of this if it’s not really hurting anyone, and nothing is going to matter after all. He needs a little fun in his life. It’s the only thing making this half-existence bearable.
Now that Six is forced to do his existence all over again, he’s going to look out for number one. You can’t get anything out of Six without giving him something in return. Ask him to do something for you, and he’ll always ask, “And what will you do for me?” He’ll take nearly anything in exchange: secrets, favors, material possessions. He doesn’t do things just out of the kindness of his heart, and he sees this as a waste of time. Will they remember it in the end? Will a fleeting feeling of charity be worth it? Won’t it just wind up with you having nothing left because you gave it all away? He’s quite open about these views, but he does seem to have a sort of respect for people who are confidently kind and giving. Of course, he doesn’t openly praise them - on the contrary, he’s quick to advise them to drop the whole thing and focus on themselves. But he seems more protective of them, less abrasive. He comes to their defense when others are dragging them down or threatening them. Of course, he always has a good excuse for defending them, totally unrelated to any attachment to them.
Six is quite proud. Besides his perceived moral superiority, he’s also an incredibly gifted guitarist. Supernaturally gifted, as a matter of fact. He’s quite consumed with this talent, and it’s a core part of who he is. If he has nothing else, he knows he’ll always have that - even the Devil can’t take that away from him, as per the agreement. He despises being told to do or openly controlled. He puts on a big show of being too dignified to show any fear, but he certainly does seem more quiet and less jeering around people who are much more powerful than him. As for the other souls, he definitely doesn’t seem to see any harm in them. One could say he grossly underestimates them. And, despite not being particularly charming, he certainly eats up any attention from them. He tends to take them at face value, and doesn’t account for the long term, or for the intricate plans may have laid. He himself may get involved in a plot or two if he sees how it can benefit him, but you can bet he isn’t the one pulling the strings. He prefers to do things in the moment, to act on impulse and seek instant gratification without thinking of long-term repercussions. If he has the opportunity for a small victory or glorious betrayal in the short-term, he’ll generally take it. But nothing more advanced than that.
One thing which Six seems to have a bit of a soft spot for is romance. He takes very well to being flirted with - naturally, since he responds well to positive attention of any kin. He’s not particularly good at flirting, since it’s been a long time for him. He’s too obvious, and doesn’t have the grasp of the subtle nuances. But he very much enjoys giving compliments, which is a stark departure from his usual abrasive personality. If he does end up in a relationship, he would certainly be even more protective than he is of anyone else. His greed extends beyond material items, to people he calls his own. His jealousy runs rampant, accusing fingers pointed at anyone who glances at his partner the wrong way, revenge exacted as soon as possible. He’s not much of a fighter, except in defense of things and people he’s possessive over. It’s hard to get Six into a physical brawl, but flirting with his partner is a sure way to do it.
Six has little respect for other people’s lives and secrets. His sense of humor can be cruel. He enjoys digging up painful little memories and secrets and making a joke out of them. He often insults others and drags them down to make himself look better by comparison. He doesn’t seem to have much empathy for anything anyone else has been through - after all, they’re all dead now, they’re all suffering, so what does it matter what’s already passed? There’s a line Six won’t cross, but it can be hard to find what exactly that is. He’s certainly a terrible gossip, constantly talking and speculating about other people. He has a vast amount of “I heard” stories with questionable sources. He’s not any good at keeping a secret, especially if someone is actively trying to get it out of him. He also loves to give people advice, sometimes unwarranted, and in particular advice having to do with romance. He also likes hearing gossip about himself, being the center of people’s attention. But certain things that have been said about him he enjoys much less. And he can get back at them by spreading rumors. That’s his specialty.
Strengths
Guitar Playing
Singing
Stamina
Protectiveness
Fearless Facade
Bravery
Determination
Weaknesses
Pride
Biting Humor
Lack of Empathy
Materialism
Self-Importance
Flirting
Keeping Secrets
Likes
Gossip
Fireworks
Praise
Writing
Alcohol
Attention
Romance
Moral People (Sometimes)
Material Possessions
Dislikes
The Devil
Thunderstorms
Fiction
Lost Souls
Large Bodies of Water
Fire
The Afterlife
Moral People (Sometimes)
His Great-Grandfather
Backstory
Six-String doesn’t remember all of his life. But he remembers the story of his great-grandfather, who he called Papi. The family legend is that Papi left home looking for the Devil, hoping to strike a bargain. The Devil appeared to him, and proposed a deal: Papi and his family would have talent and success for all their lives. In exchange, they would give their souls to him once they passed. Papi agreed, but somehow - and Six never did find out how - he tricked the Devil. His family got fame and talent, without having to give anything in return. Six’s grandfather was a wildly successful businessman. His mother was a brilliant engineer. Both lived in fear of demonic retribution, and went to great lengths to protect themselves.
Six always thought the story was just that - a story. But he had to admit, it was strange the way he hardly had to try to be good at guitar. It was nearly supernatural, how good he got at it and how quickly. From the moment he played for his first audience, Six was a star. It became his entire life: stage lights, cheering crowds, the vibrations of guitar strings. He was more successful than either his grandfather or mother. They warned him not to go too far or want too much. He heeded them at first, but it was simply so much attention for someone so young. To his credit, though, Six never did lose his head over it. He might have developed a bit of an ego, sure, but he was always generous and genuinely cared about other people.
Life was pretty good for Six. He was soon married to a woman he loved more than anything. They had a young daughter who was already showing signs of uncanny talent. But seeing this talent, Six started to get uneasy. He’d always dismissed the family story, but this seemed more than a mere coincidence. He started to wonder if he should try and protect himself. He was on the verge of doing so when he got a gig playing a riverboat on the Mississippi.
He’s not sure how the fire started.
He only knows that it was hotter, brighter, fiercer than any he’d ever seen. He only knew that it seemed to be coming right for him. Six might have been imagining things. Maybe that story made him paranoid. But he panicked, and with nowhere else to go, he jumped overboard. He didn’t survive. He’s not sure if everyone on that ship died, or if he was the only casualty.
Six had always expected to go to a better place when he died. At the very least, he never expected this. It was such a long time, a long time for him to start wondering why he’d done anything at all if he was just going to end up here. He stewed in bitterness, and the person he used to be was gone. He decided to do it all differently this time.
Family
Papi
This was supposedly Six’s great-grandfather, who made a deal with the Devil and then conned him. He earned his family great talent - and put them in even worse danger. Six hates him, blaming him for where Six is now.
Grandfather
Six’s grandfather. He was a businessman, and quite wealthy. He was always very superstitious, particularly about the old story.
Mother
Six’s mom was an engineer, a brilliant woman often away working on top-secret things. She also believes in the story.
Wife
She got married to Six fairly young. He remembers they were quite in love, and very happy before he died.
Daughter
She was just a toddler when Six died. She had begun showing signs of a great talent, which worried Six. He wonders what ever happened to her, for she’s certainly dead by now.
Affiliations
TBD