Maximillian McKnight
Prologue - The Setting of the ShowReal Name: Maximillian McKnight (Max, preferably)
Stage Name: The Marvelous Maximillian McKnight
Age: Unknown. Appears to be in his late 20s.
Species: Human Magician
Position at the Circus: Performer/Stage Magician
Act 1 - The Face on the Outside
Height: 6'4" tall
Weight: 185lbs
Physical Description:
Maximillian McKnight is most easily described as lanky. Standing at 6'4" and clocking in at 185lbs, at first glance you would think he should eat more. Despite his scrawny appearance, he is quite fit, preferring to stay in tip top shape. Though it is not evident, and is easily hidden under the suits and tuxes that he often wears, he has a very wiry musculature.
Maximillian's external looks change from time to time. He has not always had the same hair cut, he has not always been fit, so on and so forth. His current hair cut is one that he has grown to love over the last few decades. His dark, brunette locks are short on the sides, short in the back, and long on top with the top generally combed over to the side.Overall, Max prefers to go clean shaven, but he has sported beards of various lengths in the past and may do so in the future. While he may let his beard grow out a little, he rarely lets it grow more than an inch in length. If he is going to sport a beard, it will be neatly trimmed more often than not. Though he is not inhumanly beautiful, he is fairly attractive. His facial features don't quite fall into the categories of rugged or delicate, but somewhere in between.
Max has a flare for the exuberant and the eccentric, and this shows in his choice of apparel. Though it's difficult to pin down his style, the most accurate description would be 'eccentric' or, simply, 'out there' or 'weird'. His style is ever-changing, but his mood often dictates his appearance. When he is in a good mood, he tends to go for bright and flashy colors. When in a gloomy mood, he tends to go for dark colors. Regardless of what he wears, he makes it look good. With a penchant for formal wear and an obvious love for top hats, Maximillian generally appears to be very gentlemanly - this is evident in his personality and actions, as well.
Distinguishing Features:
There are several features and tattoos that could distinguish Max from others, but the most noticeable thing about him is his large, expressive eyes. He has tattoos, but they are rarely seen. They are generally hidden beneath a nice button up and a suit or tux jacket.
Act 2 - The Freak Within
Personality:
How to describe the personality of someone like Max... Eccentric? Sure. Odd? Definitely. Outright weird? Well, he wouldn't admit it...but yeah. While there are many descriptors that could be used to describe Maximillian McKnight, 'normal' is not one of them. Nor is mundane, boring, or anything of that nature.
Max can be calm and collected, but he is a showman, a performer, at heart. He knows how to put on a damn good show, and he knows how to draw a crowd. While it is possible to separate his general personality from the personality of his stage persona, it is difficult. It's not that he's annoying, but he's definitely a lot to take in for those first meeting him.
He is loved as a performer, but when that act is taken off stage, sometimes it can be too much. He's working on it, trying to become easier to take in. It'll take time, but he's getting there.
Species Description:
I think we all know what humans are. Right? They're not quite as simple as some choose to believe. Between their soft skin, miniscule amount of fur, and free will...they're odd. Humans, in general, are stranger than any supernatural being that comes to mind. They do whatever the hell they want and damn the consequences.
Vampires? Werewolves? Sure, they're weird. Even murderous, at times. But they rely on basic, primal instincts. The're driven by them, and fighting those instincts is damn near impossible. At least for most. Humans have that same primal drive to survive, to thrive in their environment. Some would argue that it's on a smaller scale than other creatures, but I would argue that it pushes them even more than hunger pushes a wolf to hunt. Humans have a need to be the strongest, the predator sitting atop the throne at the top of the food chain.
Human magicians are worse. They have that same drive, that same need to be the best... but with magic. Magic always complicates things. Some may disagree but, well, they're wrong. It may make some stronger, it may make some powerful beyond belief...but it complicates things.
Some magicians can push past those primal instincts, that need to shove others to the ground while they rise in power and fame, but most can't. Humans are greedy little bastards, and Max is no exception.
Noteworthy Qualities:
- The Performer: Maximillian McKnight is many things, but above all else, he is a performer. He is a skilled pianist, singer, and dancer. Max's showmanship is top notch.
- The Magician: Max is by no means a powerful magician. He knows a few tricks to prolong his life and draw attention on stage, but nothing that would draw too much attention to magic as a whole.
- The Gambler: Max has always had a love for gambling. From the first time he drew a card or threw dice, he was in love with games of chance. He has even gone as far to bet years of his life on a meager game of Texas Hold 'em...countless times.
- The Gentleman: With age comes finesse. At least that is what Max has decided over his extensive life. He had an immature, childish phase as most do in the early years of their life. However, he has since grown accustomed to a certain amount of respect and the manners that come with it.
- The Scholar: Max has lived a long life. A long, long, long life for a human. Over those many years, he has attended several different schools under different aliases during different ages from medieval to modern. He is quite intelligent and not easily fooled.
Act 3 - The Big Finale
Character History:
Maximillian McKnight was born in England sometime during eleventh or twelfth century to a sickly beggar. There is not much to say about his early life with his mother. They lived on the streets and, though it was unknown to Max until his teen years, his mother was a prostitute. Due to the nature of her job, his mother was often away from home, leaving Max to his own devices. He explored the city, made friends, stole food, etc. It was an average life for a boy on the streets in England.
It wasn't until his 15th year that he learned that magic was real, stumbling into an alchemist's shop by mistake and witnessing the owner change a simple rock into a chunk of gold by simply chanting a few words. Of course Max's reaction to the sight was one of fear and intrigue, as any adolescent's would be.
In time, Max became the alchemist's apprentice, and learned several of his tricks - including a ritual that could be used to extend one's life almost indefinitely. However, the ritual was a risky one. The main ingredient was life itself. To cast the spell properly, the caster had to trade in someone's years (aging them in the process) to add to his own. Although it was a powerful spell, there was one stipulation: the years had to be given willingly, under contract. Not a written contract, but a spoken agreement.
Max mastered the technique and used it to benefit himself, extending his life far beyond the years that any human should be granted. Over time, he garnered a love of cards, dice, and countless games of chance. Due to his roots, his upbringing as a beggar, he had no money. Instead, he would utilize the ritual to gamble for years. He lost and gained quite a few years in the first two centuries of his life, but he became a better player in the end. At this point in his life, there are very few who can match him in a game of poker.
As a magician, a sorcer, England was not safe for him as time wore on. Once the burning of witches began, he knew he had to leave, he knew he had to flee the country and find a safe place to settle down. Knowing what he was and what he could do, many of the other street urchins ratted him out, sending the city guard after him. Max was chased out of the city with no money, no food, and no place to go.
He spent some time wandering the countryside as an outcast, avoiding any and all civilization if at all possible. Every now and then he would stumble across travelers and gamble for some food or money, but most of the time all he had was a deck of cards and a pair of ratty clothes. The rough lifestyle that he lived wore on his years, the ones that he had collected. Each time he came close to starving to death or some other sort of death, a hundred years would be cut from his collection but he would be rejuvenated.Life went on like that for quite some time, until he heard of some colonies being formed out west at the start of the 17th century. Hoping for a fresh start, Max snuck onto one of the ships that was heading for the New World. Upon arriving, he helped build a settlement that would later be known as Boston.
During his time there, he made many friends and even had several lovers. Despite the difficult start of the colonies, Max lead a good life up until the Revolution. With his hate for the English and his love for the colonies, he joined the war. Though he was not an extremely important factor in the war, he did what he could to help the colonies gain their freedom.
After the war, he settled down and lived a fairly peaceful life. He moved from time to time, in hopes of avoiding suspicion. The fact that he didn't age tended to draw attention if he stayed in one place for too long.
From then on, nothing interesting really happened for a while. It was easy going for a long time. He was able to accumulate a large fortune over the centuries, money and years. At this point, he has thousands of years in his collection.
Once the Civil War began, he once again took up arms to fight for freedom. He joined the Union and fought against the oppression of the southern states. Once again, he played no major or memorable part in the war, but he did what he could. Even after the war was won, the country was plagued by racial and sexual inequality.
After the war, Max moved to Chicago, hoping for yet another fresh start. He moved around for quite a while, feeling once again like an outcast, a man without a home. His life was fairly dull until the 20th century when he met a man named Harry Blackstone. The art of stage magic was new to Max, but he fell in line as Harry's apprentice. Learning from one of the best magicians of the time, Max picked up the art quickly and perfected it.Garnering a love of performing, Max decided to branch out and learn some new skills - he picked up dancing, singing, and playing the piano. After Harry's death, he spent some time with the man's son. He taught him his father's tricks and even a few of his own before moving up north to Canada.
Starting over once more, Max made his way all over the various territories. Eventually, he settled down in Baie-Saint-Paul and became a street performer. It wasn't that he needed the money, he simply loved to perform. In time he made some friends, gained some popularity, and was noticed by the major talents in the city.
In the late 90s, Max was approached by two men: Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix. They wanted him to join their troupe. Accepting the offer, he went out into the streets and did what he did best...perform. Between singing, dancing and his magic act, he was a big hit. Although he loved the troupe, he didn't stay long. He had to move on before people began to notice that he wasn't aging.
Max moved back to the states to a medium sized town in the state of Washington a few hours from Seattle. It was then that he stumbled upon Circus Obscura. Quickly falling in love with the circus, Max sought out the owners and applied. He was hired on as a performer in 1997 and has been traveling with the circus ever since.
Your Act:
The act of The Marvelous Maximillian McKnight is, put simply, an energetic magic show. Full of stage magic, smoke machines, spotlights and a little real magic sprinkled in here and there, it's not a show you'd want to miss.
While Max's act is definitely entertaining, it is not about him. He's a talented performer, but he's seen more as a hype man than a main attraction. The entire point of the show is to keep the audience guessing, wondering what's next.
Max specializes in death defying acts such as the bullet catch, the water torture cell, the table of death, etc. However, he takes these classic tricks and puts his own spin on them, making them more dangerous and therefore more impressive when he succeeds.
References:
- First Reference: The Magician (Harry Blackstone Jr.)
"Max? Oh, my father always spoke highly of him. If he was alive, I'm sure he'd recommend hiring the man. We Blackstones are known as stage magicians, but that man is the real deal. He has real magic, you know. If he pulls a rabit out of a hat, it won't be hidden in some compartment. It really will come from nothing." - May 3, 1997
- Second Reference: The Gambler (Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari)
"Maximillian McKnight...that bastard. I've never seen a better poker player, and I've been playing for a long time. I know magic and I know cards, I don't think anyone could best Max in either. Lost 20 years to that prick."
- Third Reference: The Street Performer (Guy Laliberté)
"When Gilles and I founded Cirque, Max was one of our top performers. I found him turning magic tricks and gambling on a street corner in Baie-Saint-Paul. He was talented, there's no doubt about that. The man can sing, dance, and play the piano. I've had more talented people work for me over the years, but I've never found anyone quite as dedicated as Max was. I was sad to see him go, but you'd be lucky to have him."