Name:
Manus Patrick Oakheart

Name meaning:
Manus means 'Great' in Gaelic

Character Title:
The Broken

Age:
17 for main story

Date/place of birth:
12th March, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Zodiac:
Pisces

Current residence:
Christ's College Cambridge

Gender/pronouns:
Male, he/him

Sexuality:
Closeted bisexual with a strong male lean

Dæmon's name:
Sephal, shortened to Seph and Sephy

Has their dæmon settled?:
no

Dæmon:
undecided, currently shifts between a young brown bear, a Newfoundland, a wolverine, Pine Marten and a Polyphemus moth

Role:
Miscellaneous- his father is a professor at the university, and he works as a serving boy and member of staff during term to make ends meet.

Secret role:
Secret ;)

Faceclaim: Ben Gibson

Younger Faceclaim:
Similar appearance to current. Before his growth spurt, he was rather squat and a little tubby, but he had these soulful eyes that seemed to suggest a child wise beyond his years.

Appearance Notes:
A big lad, standing well over six foot, Manus inherited his father's genes. He is built like an ox, with broad shoulders and a heavy build. Although he isn't like a body builder, he's not skinny either. He's just strongly built.

Manus has a square, well proportioned head, with big downturned grey-blue eyes; the colour of stormy seas. He has light brown naturally thick curly hair that goes blondish in the sun. His skin tans easily, and is often warmer than the paler complexions of his family.

His most notable facial feature is his strawberry birthmark that sits above his left eye and goes pretty much up to his hairline. It's a blemish that marks his face out as unique.

He often wears a pair of thin gold framed round glasses. He also has quite a severe limp on his left leg that he's had since he was only wee, and no one has been able to fix it.

Descriptive Personality:
Manus is one of those hidden gems. Few people take the time to get to know him; it's their loss. At first he seems intimidating, with his big stature and marked face. Though a quiet man and somewhat distant, he has many stories to tell. He is brave, protective and kind with a big heart. Although he's strong and could put up a good fight, he is a peaceful man at heart and hasn't had the easiest start with his limp. Despite being strong, he is pretty lame and struggles on foot. He is a free spirit and has a kind of wild energy to him.

Unlike what most people first guess, Manus is not stupid. Yes, he is a man of few words to those that don't know him, but he is in fact very clever. The difference is that unlike many he craves not power but freedom from its poisoned clutches. He prefers honest people who are not afraid to be themselves, or who at the very least don't try so blatantly to take advantage of him. He can get quite defensive when he feels he is being taken advantage of - just because he's gentle, doesn't mean he's stupid. Hence he might say he prefers to company of animals to humans, and is amazing with them. He is Cautious, aloof and doesn't trust people easily. But he also has this generous comforting warmth when he feels comfortable in your company.

Manus is a good man by nature, which conflicts the destructive force of his powers. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, and believes that one needs to follow that through. He is by no means all sunshine and daisies, but he is strong minded and incredibly determined.

Manus is a tactile person, and loves the practical. He could never do an office job, or not well because he feels as though he needs to live in his body, and not too much in his head. As a boy he loved wood carving and crafts, and followed his passion in to smithing.

He is a free and wild soul, someone who has always been drawn to adventure and discovery, but in an unassuming way. He is rather private, and a little mysterious to those with an eye. He is reliable, and responds well in stressful situations. He knows how to remain calm and think rationally even when his life is at stake (but he panics when in love haha). In moments of crisis he is steady and determined to get through. He does not give up, even when the odds are stacked high against him, and works incredibly hard until exhausted. This calm on the surface can be deceiving. There is so much underneath. He's like a hidden world. His scars are a good metaphor for this. At first glance, his face is plain and unassuming. When you look closer, you see the weathered skin, the scars across his cheek and you realise that stories of adventures and secrets lie beneath, coupled with an incredible strength in character that comes as a surprise when he seems simple on the surface. He is far from normal, and has never quite found he fit in to every day life. In to regular society.

But like all of us, there is a darker side to Manus. A side that disregards others, despite his empathetic nature. A side that is distrustful and unwelcoming.

That is not to say Manus is without humour - quite the contrary - he has an excellent wit and one of those truly warming smiles. When he's comfortable around a group, or a person, he is known for being incredibly funny and quirky. He enjoys messing around with friends, but is reserved on the surface, as described above.

Strengths:
Strong willed
Reliable
Calm (mostly)
Generous
Gentle
Brave
Practical and logical
Empathetic
Creative
Determined
Incredibly physically resilient

Weaknesses:
Closed off emotionally, despite being open to listen
Reserved
Doesn't like confronting himself
Overly protective
Stubborn in his ways
A little brooding
Untrusting
Shy and sensitive, especially as a younger child

Backstory:
Manus had a rather harsh start in life. He was born on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides off Scotland. His father, Hugh McManus, is a northern Irish-Lewis professor. He is very clever, and quite a formidable man. But unfortunately, he is past his prime. He has been past his prime for quite a long time, and has an alcohol problem. He's not aggressive when drunk, but careless, sloppy and can be rude.

It started when Manus was born, after the death of his mother. Hugh took to drinking and fell on the baby Manus' cradle, crippling the boy's leg

Doctors have tried to fix him, but to no avail. His limp is permanent, and is classed as disabled. Sometimes he needs a crutch, but usually gets fine without.

Manus' father is a pretty oppressive figure. He has had to look after him when he's drunk, and almost be his carer. Truth is, Hugh is still grieving for his wife's death, and has never been able to look at Manus without thinking of her. It's kind of toxic. Manus would do anything for his father, but not vice versa. Hugh is a very difficult man and Manus is living in his shadow.

When Manus was 11 he moved with his father to Cambridge after he was offered a position as a professor there. Moving in was a shock and he didn't fit in. He was schooled there during term time, but never really fit in. His accent was too thick and his clothes were old and stitched together with patches, and struggled to make friends.

Family:

Father - Hugh McManus, 60, played by Ciaran Hinds
Manus' father is a master at Christ's College, Cambridge. He teaches Classics and Archaeology. Hugh is a strict man and rather intimidating. He is a good teacher when he is not drunk, but these days he's often on the whisky

Meredith Oakheart, mother, dead
Died during Manus' childbirth

Angus 'Gussie' Oakheart, eldest brother, 28
Fergal Oakheart, older brother, 26
Bejamin Oakheart, older brother, 22

Nationality:
Scottish with Irish heritage

Ethnicity:
White

Love interest ideas:
I would really love for Manus to discover his sexuality in this story (aka a guy), as he is very closeted. As a boy, he only ever had crushes on girls but he was too shy to act on them.

It would be fun to have his love interest as a guy with somewhat opposing personality traits - maybe an extrovert, a boy who has never really committed before, someone popular and confident who unexpectedly meets Manus, and feels like there's no one else who can make him feel at home, and safe. Maybe someone a bit troubled, in whatever way, and Manus could help them through it because he has that effect on people.

Flings:
Up for suggestions but they would more likely be a childhood kiss or crush or something

Economic status:
Fairly poor. His father lives in college and looks like a rich old man, but that's only because he dresses like he had money once upon a time and has a commanding presence. The family are poor farmers really.

Style:
Dresses in smart ish uniform for his job - old shirts, old hand-me down wool jumpers and jackets, natural colours, hues of browns, greens and greys.

MTBI Personality type:
ISFJ

Aesthetic:

Likes/Hobbies:
reading, writing, helping out on the farm at home, cooking, teaching, he is surprisingly good with kids, 
Creativity
Being out in nature
Crafts
Working with his hands
Sailing
Gardening
Hiking
Smithing
Old books
Dogs
Horses
Brotherhood
Defending those who need it

Dislikes:
Crafts
Gardening
Archaeology
Going for walks
Helping on the farm
Photography

School/uni life:
Manus is studious and quiet in school. He's not the most sociable person and was always written off as being shy. He works hard, and enjoys the humanities. He also has good Greek and Latin which his father taught him as a child, which is surprising to some because usually the only kids who've studied Greek and Latin are rich and posh.

Are you ok with your character dying?:
Yes

Future occupation:
A teacher or a Crofter

Headcanons/ ways in which they could contribute to the plot?:
Manus will discover a secret location

Theme songs:
Man Like You, Tom Misch - I wrote Manus' character to this song so it's perfect!

Paper Thin, Lianne La Havas
Damselfly, Loyle Carner
Loose Ends, Loyle Carner
Hell N Back, Bakar
Tidal Wave, Tom Misch

Quotes:
"Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway"

I knew a boy who was swallowed by the sky, by the flashing lights. I knew a man who got lost in the big dark blue, and he came out alive. I knew a boy, I knew a man that looked a lot like you

"Dad likes his tea in the morning, no milk, half a sugar. Let it sit for two minutes before you take the teabag out."

"All my life I've been no one. And now, the world's eyes are waiting on me. It doesn't make sense."

"Animals are easier to deal with than humans."

"You can trust me. I don't give in easily."

Other:
He has a Hebridean accent which is a mix between Scottish and Northern Irish.
He has a pretty severe limp on his left leg after being crippled as a child. He is classed as disabled because of it, but he doesn't really see it that way.
He looks quite intimidating and older than his age, but is a gentle soul
His most distinguishing feature (apart from limp) is his birthmark on his forehead.
He speaks Scottish Gaelic

 
So no this is not my neatest work, but I hope that gives you a good idea of his character!

▬▬▬▬▬
OF DÆMONS AND DUST,
a His Dark Materials applyfic