Otto Staten (future character)

[Henrietta Abbot]

Otto Staten

biography

Otto’s mother, Gina, was a bohemian who loved to travel; for many years, she was constantly on the road, bringing her daughters (Clem, Rory, and Olive) from her previous marriage along with her. It was in Greece where she had an affair with a strange and alluring man, whose real name she never told her children. Nine months later, Otto was born. It was then that she decided to settle down in a small Idaho town to raise her children in a stable environment.

Otto Staten had a very happy childhood. The working theory is that his older sisters sprayed so much Hello Kitty perfume in the house that his scent was masked, leading him to have very few encounters with monsters. He was painfully shy but his people found him, and he fell into a group of rowdy but good-hearted boys; they got him into skating at nine years old, and he spent almost every day since at the park. When he wasn’t there, he and his mates were breaking into abandoned houses and building sites on the town’s outskirts.

Nobody in the world loved Otto more than his older sisters. He spent time with them every evening, playing boardgames or letting them give him makeovers. They protected him fiercely when his gentle nature got him ridiculed at school, which was a fairly regular occurrence. One day, Rory was confronting a bully in Otto’s class when the child suddenly turned into an awful creature, a three-headed beast: part lion, part goat with a snake-headed tail. It swiped at Otto’s sister while he watched, frozen with fear. While everyone gossiped about the ‘mountain lion’ that tore open his sister’s arm, Otto and Rory were whisked back home by Otto’s best friend Nox.

Nox explained that he was a satyr from Camp Half Blood, and that he and Otto’s mother (who he had approached weeks ago) had been planning his transfer even before the attack. Stunned and traumatised from watching the attack, and being helpless to save his sister, Otto agreed to go to Camp Half Blood to keep his family safe. He remained disassociated for some time and has little memory of the journey to CHB. He was claimed by Hermes almost as soon as he arrived and has been keeping mostly to himself since then.

Personality

Otto is an exceptionally gentle boy. Soft-spoken, non-confrontational, and deeply kind. He's a bit of a people pleaser and struggles with social interaction, so can come off as awkward and even dorky. For that reason, he often "pairs up" with extroverts who will take charge and let him observe rather than participate. He can blend into the background, but he doesn't mind.

Despite his shyness, Otto is very earnest -- sometimes off-puttingly so. He was often teased growing up for being emotional; he cries fairly easily and isn't concerned with traditional masculinity. After a friendship bracelet incident growing up (don't ask), he learned that it's safest to hide this part away. He seeks connection and comfort, getting attached to people very easily if they fulfill these criteria. 

He shines when engaging in his hobbies, which include skateboarding and photography. He's a rule follower in most areas, but loves urban exploration: growing up, he was often in trouble with the local authorities for trespassing and loitering. This, along with this athleticism, makes him fit right in among his Hermes siblings. You can always find him skating around camp, and he often has injuries from bailing. He has countless scars, each one with a story about whichever trick he was trying to perfect at the time. 

About Me

Birthdate: July 3rd, 2005
Likes: Skateboarding, urban exploration, midwest emo music, photography, cats
Dislikes: Confrontation, cruelty of any kind (especially against animals), judgemental people, strict authority figures, surprises
Family:

• Mom:
  Gina, 49
• Dad:
  Hermes
• Siblings:
  3 older half-sisters. Rory and Clem (19, twins). Olive (22)
• Other:
  N/A

Happy Thoughts: Froot loops for breakfast with his sisters, all sitting around their circular dining table on a sunny summer morning. Finally nailing a difficult skateboard trick. The purring of a cat.
Nightmares: Freezing and failing to save a loved one in a dangerous situation. Being stuck in life and never finding a greater purpose – doomed to always be a “jack of all trades” but mastering none. Being called on a quest.
Fatal Flaw: Indecision; Otto is overwhelmed by the weight of commitment and quick thinking. He may be paralysed with fear, hesitation, and anxiety in life-or-death situations.
 

PLAYED BY: CICADA

FACE CLAIM: Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen

Edited September 8, 2023 by Henrietta Abbot

[Henrietta Abbot]

Otto moodboard: https://www.pinterest.nz/chrysalisnymph/chb/otto/ 

Theme song: Santa Monica, The Front Bottoms

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